BRD2 regulation of sigma-2 receptor upon cholesterol deprivation
By Hongtao Shen, Jing Li, Xiujie Xie, Huan Yang, Mengxue Zhang, Bowen Wang, K Craig Kent, Jorge Plutzky, and Lian-Wang GuoLife Excerpt from the article published in Science Alliance Nov 2020, 4 (1) e201900540; DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201900540 Editor’s Highlights Sigma-2 receptor is a recently unveiled player in cholesterol homeostasis. Bromodomain BRD2 and SREBP2 (sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2) cooperatively regulates S2R transcription. […]
Continue ReadingA proteome-wide map of 20(S)-hydroxycholesterol interactors in cell membranes
By Yu-Shiuan Cheng, Tianyi Zhang, Xiang Ma, Sarida Pratuangtham, Grace C. Zhang, Alexander A. Ondrus, Amirhossein Mafi, Brett Lomenick, Jeffrey J. Jones, and Alison E. Ondrus Excerpt from the author manuscript published in Nature Chemical Biology 17, 1271–1280 (19 November 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-021-00907-2 Editor’s Highlights Oxysterols (OHCs) are hydroxylated cholesterol metabolites that play ubiquitous roles in health […]
Continue ReadingRoles, molecular mechanisms, and signaling pathways of TMEMs in neurological diseases
By Chen Q, Fang J, Shen H, et al. Excerpt from the article published in American journal of translational research vol. 13,12 13273-13297. 15 Dec. 2021 PMID: 35035675 PMCID: PMC8748174 Editor’s Highlights Transmembrane protein family members (TMEMs) are distributed in almost every organ of the body, but its expression is particularly pronounced in the brain. TMEMs play different roles […]
Continue ReadingAlterations in Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Development Within the Mesolimbic Dopamine Pathway in a Mouse Model of Prenatal Drug Exposure
By Taylor Boggess, James C. Williamson, Ethan B. Niebergall, Hannah Sexton, Anna Mazur, Richard D. Egleton, Lawrence M. Grover, and W. Christopher Risher Excerpt from the article published in Frontiers in Pediatrics , 9, 13 December 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.794544 Editor’s Highlights Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a collection of signs and symptoms commonly observed in […]
Continue ReadingSigma-1 Receptor is a Pharmacological Target to Promote Neuroprotection in the SOD1G93A ALS Mice
By Núria Gaja-Capdevila, Neus Hernández, Xavier Navarro, and Mireia Herrando-Grabulosa Excerpt from the article published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10 December 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.780588 Editor’s Highlights Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of upper and lower motoneurons (MNs), causing muscle paralysis and early death. The etiology underlying the […]
Continue ReadingInteractions between SARS-CoV-2 N-Protein and α-Synuclein Accelerate Amyloid Formation
by Slav A Semerdzhiev, Mohammad A A Fakhree, Ine Segers-Nolten, Christian Blum, Mireille M A E Claessens Excerpt from the article published in ACS Chem Neuroscience. 2021 Dec 3. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00666. Editor’s Highlights COVID-19 Protein Found to Speed Toxic Alpha-Synuclein Buildup which is believed to be central to the pathogenesis in Parkinson’s Disease. The most well-known example is the 1918 influenza […]
Continue ReadingCellular senescence links mitochondria-ER contacts and aging
By Dorian V. Ziegler, Nadine Martin, and David Bernard Excerpt from the article published in Communications Biology 4, 1323 (2021). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02840-5 Editor’s Highlights Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria constitute two key organelles involved in macromolecules synthesis and bioenergetics, but also in stress sensing and integration of cell fate signaling. ER and mitochondria interact with each other […]
Continue ReadingSuperoxide dismutase and the sigma1 receptor as key elements of the antioxidant system in human gastrointestinal tract cancers
By Michał Skrzycki Excerpt from the article published in Open Life Sciences, vol. 16, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1225-1239. https://doi.org/10.1515/biol-2021-0124 Editor’s Highlights The Sigma-1 receptor (Sig1R) is a membrane and cytosol protein with a sequence similar to fungal C-8.7 sterol isomerase but without any other known homology with other mammalian proteins. The Sig1R is most often […]
Continue ReadingCalcium Signaling Mediates Cell Death and Crosstalk with Autophagy in Kidney Disease
By Bo Ning, Chuanzhi Guo, Anqi Kong, Kongdong Li, Yimin Xie, Haifeng Shi, and Jie Gu Excerpt from the article published in Cells, 10, 3204, 17 November 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10113204 Editor’s Highlights The kidney is an indispensable organ for maintaining body Ca2+ homeostasis; the Ca2+ signaling system in kidney cells regulates cellular processes and decides cell fate, including […]
Continue ReadingHighly Specific Sigma Receptor Ligands Exhibit Anti-Viral Properties in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Cells
By David A. Ostrov, Andrew P. Bluhm, Danmeng Li, Juveriya Qamar Khan, Megha Rohamare, Karthic Rajamanickam, Kalpana K. Bhanumathy, Jocelyne Lew, Darryl Falzarano, Franco J. Vizeacoumar, Joyce A. Wilson, Marco Mottinelli, Siva Rama Raju Kanumuri, Abhisheak Sharma, Christopher R. McCurdy, and Michael H. Norris Excerpt from the article published in Pathogens. 2021; 10(11):1514. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10111514 Editor’s […]
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