Netrin-1 and clusterin: Innovative potential diagnostic biomarkers for early renal damage in β-thalassemia major children

Decoding CLU (Clusterin): Conquering cancer treatment resistance and immunological barriers

One major obstacle in the treatment of cancer is the presence of proteins resistant to cancer therapy, which can impede the effectiveness of traditional approaches such as radiation and chemotherapy. This resistance can lead to disease progression and cause treatment failure. Extensive research is currently focused on studying these proteins to create tailored treatments that can circumvent resistance mechanisms. CLU (Clusterin), a chaperone protein, has gained notoriety for its role in promoting resistance to a wide range of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy. The protein has also been discovered to have a role in regulating the immunosuppressive environment within tumors. Its ability to influence oncogenic signaling and inhibit cell death bolster cancer cells resistant against treatments, which poses a significant challenge in the field of oncology. Researchers are actively investigating to the mechanisms by which CLU exerts its resistance-promoting effects, with the ultimate goal of developing strategies to circumvent its impact and enhance the effectiveness of cancer therapies. By exploring CLU's impact on cancer, resistance mechanisms, tumor microenvironment (TME), and therapeutic strategies, this review aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve cancer treatment outcomes.

Mitophagy-regulated Necroptosis plays a vital role in the nephrotoxicity of Fumonisin B1 in vivo and in vitro

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), one of the most widely distributed mycotoxins found in grains and feeds as contaminants, affects many organs including the kidney once ingested. However, the nephrotoxicity of FB1 remains to be further uncovered. The connection between necroptosis and nephrotoxicity of FB1 has been investigated in this study. The results showed that mice exposed to high doses of FB1 (2.25 mg/kg b.w.) developed kidney damage, with significant increases in proinflammatory cytokines (Il-6, Il-1β), kidney injury-related markers (Ngal, Ntn-1), and gene expressions linked to necroptosis (Ripk1, Ripk3, Mlkl). The concentration-dependent damage effects of FB1 on PK-15 cells contain cytotoxicity, cellular inflammatory response, and necroptosis. These FB1-induced effects can be neutralized by pretreatment with the necroptosis inhibitor Nec-1. Additionally, FB1 caused mitochondrial damage and mitophagy in vivo and in vitro, whereas Mdivi-1, a mitophagy inhibitor, prevented these effects on PK-15 cells as well as, more crucially, necroptosis. In conclusion, the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signal route of necroptosis, which may be controlled by mitophagy, mediated nephrotoxicity of FB1. Our findings clarify the underlying molecular pathways of FB1-induced nephrotoxicity.

Differential proteomic patterns of plasma extracellular vesicles show potential to discriminate β-thalassemia subtypes

The observed specificity of β-thalassemia-subtype phenotypes makes new diagnostic strategies that complement current screening methods necessary to determine each subtype and facilitate therapeutic regimens for different patients. Here, we performed quantitative proteomics of plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) of β-thalassemia major (TM) patients, β-thalassemia intermedia (TI) patients, and healthy controls to explore subgroup characteristics and potential biomarkers. Plasma quantitative proteomics among the same cohorts were analyzed in parallel to compare the biomarker potential of both specimens. EV proteomics showed significantly more abnormalities in immunity and lipid metabolism in TI and TM, respectively. The differential proteomic patterns of EVs were consistent with but more striking than those of plasma. Notably, we also found EV proteins to have a superior performance for discriminating β-thalassemia subtypes. These findings allowed us to propose a diagnostic model consisting of five proteins in EVs with subtyping potential, demonstrating the ability of plasma-derived EVs for the diagnosis of β-thalassemia patients.