Current Protein and Peptide Science - Volume 25, Issue 1, 2024

The human genetic structure undergoes continuous wear and tear process due to the mere presence of extrinsic as well as intrinsic factors. In normal physiological cells, DNA damage initiates various checkpoints that may activate the repair system or induce apoptosis that helps maintain cellular integrity. While in cancerous cells, due to alterations in signaling pathways and defective checkpoints, there exists a marked devi Read More

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of cancer that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It currently accounts for about 2% of diagnosed malignant tumors worldwide, with 296,000 new cases reported per year. The first-choice treatment consists of surgical resection, radiotherapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy, which increases patients' survival by 15 months. New clinical and pre-clinical research aims t Read More

Introduction: Brain tumors have high morbidity and mortality rates, accounting for 1.4% of all cancers. Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults. Currently, several therapeutic approaches are used; however, they are associated with side effects that affect patients’quality of life. Therefore, further studies are needed to develop novel therapeutic protocols with a more favorable side effect pr Read More

Background: DHFR is an indispensable enzyme required for the survival of almost all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, making it an attractive molecular target for drug design. Objective: In this study, a combined in silico and in vitro approach was utilized to screen out potential anticancer and antimicrobial agents by using DHFR PDB ID 2W9S (for antimicrobial) and 1U72 (for anticancer). Methods: Computational work was p Read More

Frequent exposure to various external and internal adverse forces (stresses) disrupts cell protein homeostasis through endoplasmic reticulum (ER) capacity saturation. This process leads to the unfolded protein response (UPR), which aims to re-establish/maintain optimal cellular equilibrium. This complex mechanism is involved in the pathogenesis of various disorders, such as metabolic syndrome, fibrotic diseases, neurodegenera Read More

Background: Recently, the importance of the interactions between liver cancer cells and fibroblasts has been increasingly recognized; however, many details remain to be explored. Methods: In this work, we first studied their intercellular interactions using conditioned medium from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), then through a previously established coculture model. Results: Culturing in a conditioned medium from M Read More

Background: Dental caries is an oral disease associated with infection by microbial biofilm. The metabolic activity of cariogenic bacteria results in a pH decrease in the plaque biofilm, causing tooth demineralization. This acidic environment favors the growth of cariogenic bacteria that are highly resistant to strong acids, which, in turn, produce more acid resulting in a further decrease in the pH of the plaque biofilm. Therefore, the Read More