Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - Volume 19, Issue 8, 2018

Background: RNA is increasingly recognized as a powerful molecule that can be used to control gene expression. Sophisticated, well-engineered RNA-based regulators are being developed as oligotherapeutics. Methods: In particular, small activating RNAs (saRNAs) are promising therapeutic options for targeting human diseases. Numerous saRNAs targeting multiple cancers have been developed in preclinical models. One saR Read More

Background: Oligonucleotide drug development has revolutionised the drug discovery field. Within this field, ‘small’ or ‘short’ activating RNAs (saRNA) are a more recently discovered category of short double-stranded RNA with clinical potential. saRNAs promote transcription from target loci, a phenomenon widely observed in mammals known as RNA activation (RNAa). Objective: The ability to target a particular gene is d Read More

Background: Small double-strand RNAs (dsRNAs) molecules are able to activate endogenous genes via an RNA-based promoter-targeting mechanism. Like RNA interference (RNAi), RNA activation (RNAa) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that is present in diverse eukaryotic organisms ranging from yeast to humans. Methods: The small activating RNAs (saRNAs) that are involved in RNAa have been successive Read More

Background: A novel strategy has been adapted to combat the threat caused by biofilm forming-pathogenic bacteria in our environments. It involves the synthesis of antibiofilm compounds biologically (metabolites from animals, microbes and plants) and chemically. As a result of extensive research, a significant number of antimicrobial compounds and biofilm inhibitors have been isolated and characterized from d Read More

Apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, plays a very crucial role in various physiological processes for maintaining cell homeostasis. This process has several characteristic features like membrane blebbing, nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation and cell shrinkage. Any defect in this highly regulated process eventually leads to extended cell survival and could result in neoplastic cell expansion followed by genetic i Read More

Background: An efficient and accurate HPLC method was developed for the determination of menaquinone-7 (MK-7) in microbial fermentation using 2-propanol and n-hexane as extraction solvents as well as the eluent. Methods: Extraction was carried out with 2-propanol and n-hexane (2:1, v/v) after enzymatic hydrolysis with 1% (w/v) lipase and ethanol water treatment prior to quantification in order to remove interfering lip Read More

Background: The impact of antiepileptics on serum vitamin levels is controversial and uncertain. With no clear conclusions on the impact of antiepileptics on serum levels of vitamins, there is a need for further clinical studies in order to ascertain the impact of old and newer antiepileptic drugs on serum levels of vitamins in epileptic patients, thus accomplishing a suitable usage of vitamins supplementation. Objective: The i Read More