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Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) elevation is a well-known biomarker in various diseases, particularly in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Intracellular AFP has been previously implicated in promoting tumorigenesis. In this study, we discovered that AFP enhances the stability of oncoproteins c-MYC and c-MET, thereby facilitating the progression of liver and gastric tumors. Our findings suggest that AFP acts by stabilizing these oncoproteins, which are clients of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), and prevents their degradation through ubiquitination. Intriguingly, we identified AFP as a novel co-chaperone of HSP90, demonstrating its ability to regulate the stabilization of HSP90 client proteins. Furthermore, our results indicate that inhibiting AFP or HSP90 enhances the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents in AFP-producing HCC and gastric cancer cells. These findings have significant implications for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting AFP-producing tumors, as the AFP-HSP90-mediated activation of c-MYC and c-MET provides new insights into potential treatment approaches. In summary, this study sheds light on the role of AFP in promoting tumor progression by stabilizing oncoproteins through its interaction with HSP90. The identification of this mechanism opens up new avenues for therapeutic interventions in AFP-producing tumors.

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Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are promising future therapeutics, but their experimental discovery remains time-consuming and costly. To accelerate the discovery process, we propose a computational screening workflow to identify, filter, and prioritize peptide sequences based on predicted class probability, antitumor activity, and toxicity. The workflow was applied to identify novel ACPs with potent activity against colorectal cancer from the genome sequences of Candida albicans. As a result, four candidates were identified and validated in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Among them, PCa1 and PCa2 emerged as the most potent, displaying IC50 values of 3.75 and 56.06 µM, respectively, and demonstrating a 4-fold selectivity for cancer cells over normal cells. In the colon xenograft nude mice model, the administration of both peptides resulted in substantial inhibition of tumor growth without causing significant adverse effects. In conclusion, this work not only contributes a proven computational workflow for ACP discovery but also introduces two peptides, PCa1 and PCa2, as promising candidates poised for further development as targeted therapies for colon cancer. The method as a web service is available at https://app.cbbio.online/acpep/home and the source code at https://github.com/cartercheong/AcPEP_classification.git.

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Cancer is a significant global health concern associated with multiple distinct factors, including microbial and viral infections. Numerous studies have elucidated the role of microorganisms, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), as well as viruses for example human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), in the development of human malignancies. Substantial attention has been focused on the treatment of these microorganism- and virus-associated cancers, with promising outcomes observed in studies employing peptide-based therapies. The current paper provides an overview of microbe- and virus-induced cancers and their underlying molecular mechanisms. We discuss an assortment of peptide-based therapies which are currently being developed, including tumor-targeting peptides and microbial/viral peptide-based vaccines. We describe the major technological advancements that have been made in the design, screening, and delivery of peptides as anticancer agents. The primary focus of the current review is to provide insight into the latest research and development in this field and to provide a realistic glimpse into the future of peptide-based therapies for microbe- and virus-induced neoplasms.

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Following the identification of specific epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-activating mutations, gefitinib, one of the first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), has proven efficacious in targeting NSCLC that is driven by specific EGFR-activating mutations. However, most patients who initially respond to gefitinib, develop acquired resistance. In the current study, we devised a novel strategy to enhance the efficacy of gefitinib. We developed a simple and effective, nano-interrupter termed zeolitic imidazolate framework-8@Gefitinib@hyaluraonic nanoparticle (ZIF-8@G@HA NP). This nanoparticle was prepared by loading gefitinib onto a ZIF-8 nanoplatform followed by coating with hyaluronic acid (HA). The burst of Zn2+ release triggered by pH-sensitive degradation of ZIF-8@G@HA NPs was shown to enhance the efficacy of gefitinib in parental lung carcinoma HCC827 cells and overcame acquired gefitinib resistance in gefitinib drug resistant (GDR) HCC827 cells. We found that when treated with ZIF-8@G@HA NPs, Zn2+ acts synergistically with gefitinib via increased apoptosis in both parental and GDR HCC827 cells. Consistently, this in vitro activity was correlated with in vivo tumor growth inhibition. Interestingly, GDR cells were more sensitive to Zn2+ when compared with parental cells. We further found that ZIF-8 NPs overcame gefitinib resistance by triggering reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and consequent cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, resulting in cancer cell apoptosis. Zn2+ was also found to block P-gp activity, facilitating the accumulation of gefitinib in GDR cells, thus enhancing the anti-tumor efficacy of gefitinib resulting in reversal of gefitinib resistance. Thus, this study offers a novel and promising strategy to surmount acquired gefitinib resistance via cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase by facilitating gefitinib accumulation in GDR cells.

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Pruritus is the leading symptom of dermatophytosis. Microsporium canis is one of the predominant dermatophytes causing dermatophytosis. However, the pruritogenic agents and the related molecular mechanisms of the dermatophyte M canis remain poorly understood. In this study, the secretion of the dermatophyte M canis was found to dose-dependently evoke itch in mice. The fungal peptide micasin secreted from M canis was then identified to elicit mouse significant scratching and itching responses. The peptide micasin was further revealed to directly activate mouse dorsal root ganglia neurons to mediate the nonhistaminergic itch. Knockout and antagonistic experiments demonstrated that MRGPRX1/C11/A1 rather than MRGPRX2/b2 activated by micasin contributed to pruritus. The chimeras and single-amino acid variants of MRGPRX1 showed that 3 domains (extracellular loop 3, transmembrane helical domain 3, and transmembrane helical domain 6) and 4 hydrophobic residues (Y99, F237, L240, and W241) of MRGPRX1 played the key role in micasin-triggered MRGPRX1 activation. Our study sheds light on the dermatophytosis-associated pruritus and may provide potential therapeutic targets and strategies against pruritus caused by dermatophytes.

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Colon cancer ranks among the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, trailing only lung and breast cancer in incidence. Despite the availability of numerous therapeutic strategies, the burden of new cases and fatalities remains high in countries undergoing socioeconomic transitions. Natural products offer promising avenues for developing more effective and less toxic anticancer agents, expanding the clinical arsenal. In this investigation, we isolated a triterpenoid, (21 S,23 R,24 R)-21,23-epoxy-24-hydroxy-21-methoxytirucalla-7,25-dien-3-one (EHMT), from the fruits of Melia azedarach L., which exhibited significant inhibitory activity against colon cancer cells while sparing normal cells. EHMT effectively curtailed colony formation and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the HCT116 cell line. Furthermore, EHMT prompted the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Notably, EHMT treatment triggered ROS-mediated cell apoptosis via activation of the JNK signaling pathway in HCT116 cells. Additionally, our findings extended to Caenorhabditis elegans, where EHMT induced ROS accumulation and apoptosis. Collectively, these findings position EHMT as a promising candidate for the development of anticancer agents in the treatment of colon cancer, offering new hope in the battle against this formidable disease.

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Fenpropathrin (Fen), a volatile pyrethroid insecticide, is used widely for agricultural applications and has been reported to increase the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the molecular basis, underlying mechanisms, and pathophysiology of Fen-exposed Parkinsonism remain unknown. Recent studies have revealed epigenetic mechanisms underlying PD-related pathway regulation, including DNA methylation. Epigenetic mechanisms are potential targets for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases. After whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of midbrain tissues from a Fen-exposed PD-like mouse model, we performed an association analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression. Then we successfully screened for the DNA methylation differential gene Ambra1, which is closely related to PD. The hypermethylation-low expression Ambra1 gene aggravated DA neuron damage in vitro and in vivo through the Ambra1/Parkin/LC3B-mediated mitophagy pathway. We administered 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) to upregulate Ambra1 expression, thereby reducing Ambra1-mediated mitophagy and protecting DA neurons against Fen-induced damage. In conclusion, these findings elucidate the potential function of Ambra1 under the regulation of DNA methylation, suggesting that the inhibition of DNA methylation may alleviate Fen-exposed neuron damage.

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Animal venom is an important evolutionary innovation in nature. As one of the most representative animal venoms, scorpion venom contains an extremely diverse set of bioactive peptides. Scorpion venom peptides not only are 'poisons' that immobilize, paralyze, kill, or dissolve preys but also become important candidates for drug development and design. Here, the review focuses on the molecular diversity of scorpion venom peptides, their typical structural characteristics, and their multiple therapeutic or pharmaceutical applications in channelopathies, viral infections and cancers. Especially, the group of scorpion toxin TRPTx targeting transient receptor potential (TRP) channels is systematically summarized and worthy of attention because TRP channels play a crucial role in the regulation of homeostasis and the occurrence of diseases in human. We also further establish the potential relationship between the molecular characteristics and functional applications of scorpion venom peptides to provide a research basis for modern drug development and clinical utilization of scorpion venom resources.

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An enzyme-catalyzed high-performing reaction with in-situ amplified photocurrent was innovatively designed for the quantitative screening of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in biological fluids by coupling with carbon-functionalized inorganic photoanode. A split-type photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunoassay was initially executed with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled secondary antibody on the capture antibody-coated microtiter. Then, the photocurrent of carbon-functionalized inorganic photoanode were improved through enzymatic insoluble product. Experimental results revealed that introduction of the outer carbon layer on the inorganic photoactive materials caused the amplifying photocurrent because of the improving light harvesting and separation of photo-generated e-/h+ pairs. Under optimum conditions, the split-type photoelectrochemical immunosensing platform displayed good photocurrent responses within the dynamic range of 0.01 - 80 ng mL-1 CEA, and allowed the detection of CEA as low as a concentration of 3.6 pg mL-1 at the 3Sblank level. The strong attachment of antibodies onto nano label and high-performing photoanode resulted in a good repeatability and intermediate precision down to 9.83%. No significant differences at the 0.05 significance level were encountered in the analysis of six human serum specimens between the developed PEC immunoassay and the commercially available CEA ELISA kits.

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In the development and study of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), researchers have kept a watchful eye on peptides from the brevinin family because of their extensive antimicrobial activities and anticancer potency. In this study, a novel brevinin peptide was isolated from the skin secretions of the Wuyi torrent frog, Amolops wuyiensis (A. wuyiensisi), named B1AW (FLPLLAGLAANFLPQIICKIARKC). B1AW displayed anti-bacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). B1AW-K was designed to broaden the antimicrobial spectrum of B1AW. The introduction of a lysine residue generated an AMP with enhanced broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. It also displayed the ability to inhibit the growth of human prostatic cancer PC-3, non-small lung cancer H838, and glioblastoma cancer U251MG cell lines. In molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, B1AW-K had a faster approach and adsorption to the anionic membrane than B1AW. Therefore, B1AW-K was considered a drug prototype with a dual effect, which deserves further clinical investigation and validation.

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Pathogens co-evolved with ticks to facilitate blood collection and pathogen transmission. Although tick saliva was recently found to be rich in bioactive peptides, it is still elusive which saliva peptide promotes virus transmission and which pathways are invovled. Here, we used a saliva peptide HIDfsin2 and a severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) both carried by the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis to elucidate the relationship between tick saliva components and tick-borne viruses. HIDfsin2 was found to promote the replication of SFTSV in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. HIDfsin2 was further revealed to MKK3/6-dependently magnify the activation of p38 MAPK. The overexpression, knockdown and phosphorylation site mutation of p38α indicated that p38 MAPK activation facilitated SFTSV infection in A549 cells. Moreover, the blockade of p38 MAPK activation significantly suppressed SFTSV replication. Differently, HIDfsin2 or pharmacological inhibition of p38 MAPK activation had no effect on a mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV). All these results showed that HIDfsin2 specifically promoted SFTSV replication through the MKK3/6-dependent enhancement of p38 MAPK activation. Our study provides a new perspective on the transmission of tick-borne viruses under natural conditions, and supports that the blockade of p38 MAPK activation can be a promising strategy against the mortal tick-borne virus SFTSV.

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Aculeate hymenopterans use their venom for a variety of different purposes. The venom of solitary aculeates paralyze and preserve prey without killing it, whereas social aculeates utilize their venom in defence of their colony. These distinct applications of venom suggest that its components and their functions are also likely to differ. This study investigates a range of solitary and social species across Aculeata. We combined electrophoretic, mass spectrometric, and transcriptomic techniques to characterize the compositions of venoms from an incredibly diverse taxon. In addition, in vitro assays shed light on their biological activities. Although there were many common components identified in the venoms of species with different social behavior, there were also significant variations in the presence and activity of enzymes such as phospholipase A2s and serine proteases and the cytotoxicity of the venoms. Social aculeate venom showed higher presence of peptides that cause damage and pain in victims. The venom-gland transcriptome from the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) contained highly conserved toxins which match those identified by previous investigations. In contrast, venoms from less-studied taxa returned limited results from our proteomic databases, suggesting that they contain unique toxins.

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Tributyltin chloride (TBTCL), a commonly used antiseptic substance, is commonly found in the environment. Human exposure to TBTCL through the consumption of contaminated seafood, fish, or drinking water has aroused concern. It is well-characterized that TBTCL has multiple detrimental effects on the male reproductive system. However, the potential cellular mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Here, we characterized molecular mechanisms of TBTCL-induced cell injury in Leydig cells, a critical supporter for spermatogenesis. We showed that TBTCL induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in TM3 mouse Leydig cells. RNA sequencing analyses revealed that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy were potentially involved in TBTCL-induced cytotoxicity. We further showed that TBTCL causes ER stress and inhibited autophagy flux. Notably, the inhibition of ER stress attenuates not only TBTCL-induces autophagy flux inhibition but also apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Meanwhile, the activation of autophagy alleviates, and inhibition of autophagy exaggerates TBTCL-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest flux. These results suggest that TBTCL-induced ER stress and autophagy flux inhibition contributed to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in Leydig cells, providing novel understanding into the mechanisms of TBTCL-induced testis toxicity.

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The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors and FGFR protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors have made a tremendous breakthrough in bladder cancer therapy. However, inadequate drug responses and drug resistance interfere with successful treatment outcomes. For a new drug to enter the market, there is a long development cycle with high costs and low success rates. Repurposing previously Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications and using novel drug discovery strategies may be an optimal approach. Homoharringtonine (HHT) has been used for hematologic malignancies for over 40 years in China and was approved by the FDA approximately 10 years ago. Many studies have demonstrated that HHT effectively inhibits the development of several types of solid tumors, although the underlying mechanisms of action are unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying HHT activity against bladder cancer growth. We first compared HTT with the drugs currently used clinically for bladder cancer treatment. HHT showed stronger inhibitory activity than cisplatin, carboplatin, and doxorubicin. Our in vitro and in vivo data demonstrated that HHT inhibited proliferation, colony formation, migration, and cell adhesion of bladder cancer cells and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the nanomolar concentration range. Furthermore, we revealed that HHT treatment could downregulate the MAPK/Erk and PI3k/Akt signaling pathways by inactivating the integrin α5/ß1-FAK/Src axis. HHT-induced activity reduced cell-ECM interactions and cell migration, thus suppressing tumor metastasis progression. Altogether, HHT shows enormous potential as an anticancer agent and may be applied as a combination treatment strategy for bladder cancer.

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Designing a universal route for rational synthesis of a family of hollow multinary chalcogenide semiconductors for photoelectrochemical biosensors is still facing to the enormous challenges ahead. Herein a template-assisted Cu2O surface vulcanization and etching through a Pearson's hard and soft acid-base (HSAB) principle was utilized to synthesize hollow Cu2-xS photoactive materials for photocurrent detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). We initially synthesized cubic Cu2O and further surface sulfidation and HCl etching to obtain cubic Cu2-xS. Inspiringly, stirring of CuS, phosphine (TBP: tributylphosphine) and other metal salts could replace Cu+ ions to obtain new metal sulfides without changing the framework, size and thickness of the original material. This interesting phenomenon could be explained by HSAB theory, which soft base was favorable for combining soft acid (Cu+) to drive Cu+ out of the framework. Based on the results, HSAB-based reaction system was applied to develop novel photoelectrochemical PSA immunoassay. Polymetallic-doped sulfides (ZnxCd1-xS) had better photocurrent response than pure binary sulfides. A copper oxide (CuO)-labeled detection antibody is captured in a microplate along with a sandwich immunoassay in the presence of target PSA. Subsequently, the CuO nanoparticles were dissociated by hydrochloric acid, releasing a large amount of copper ions to participate in the cation exchange reaction with ZnxCd1-xS. Such excellent photoelectric conversion materials could sensitively detect target PSA with a wide linear range from 1.0 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL at a limit of detection down to 0.32 pg/mL. Additionally, favorable stability, great anti-interference ability, easy-fabrication, low-cost, and satisfactory accuracy for the analysis of actual samples were acquired. Importantly, the concept of cation exchange reaction can be widely used to synthesize advanced nanomaterials for fabrication of high-efficiency biosensing systems.

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Lung cancer continues to be a malignant tumor with high mortality. Two obstacles interfere with curative therapy of lung cancer: (i) poor diagnosis at the early stages, as symptoms are not specific or asymptomatic; and (ii) invariably emerging drug resistance after treatment. Some factors contributing to drug resistance include preexisting genetic/genomic drug-resistant alteration(s); activation of adaptive drug resistance pathways; remodeling of the tumor microenvironment; and pharmacological mechanisms or activation of drug efflux pumps. Despite the mechanisms explored to better understand drug resistance, a gap remains between molecular understanding and clinical application. Therefore, facilitating the translation of basic science into the clinical setting is a great challenge. Nanomedicine has emerged as a promising tool for cancer treatment. Because of their excellent physicochemical properties and enhanced permeability and retention effects, nanoparticles have great potential to revolutionize conventional lung cancer diagnosis and combat drug resistance. Nanoplatforms can be designed as carriers to improve treatment efficacy and deliver multiple drugs in one system, facilitating combination treatment to overcome drug resistance. In this review, we describe the difficulties in lung cancer treatment and review recent research progress on nanoplatforms aimed at early diagnosis and lung cancer treatment. Finally, future perspectives and challenges of nanomedicine are also discussed.

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