Nucleus (India)最新文献

Any disease that spreads quickly and crossed the geographical barrier is termed as pandemic. After the initial occurrence of Covid-19 from China, World Health Organization had declared novel corona viral outbreak as pandemic on March, 2020. Since then, COVID-19 continued to devastate people all around the world. Human civilization has witnessed one of its greatest crises by facing 180 million of confirmed cases with 38.9 lakh deaths across the world till end of June 2021. India alone contributes 30 million of positive cases and has lost 3.92 lakh valuable lives (data as on 24^th of June 2021 from CSSEGIS and Data (http://github.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19); (the number increases in each day). Bio-medical experts from all around the world are working tirelessly to limit the disease and find potential cures for this viral infection. Vaccination is the most effective strategy to prevent the spread of any viral disease. Virologists have developed some effective vaccines, but production or supply lags far behind the present demand across the globe. Plant-derived vaccines (PDVs) based on modified virus like particles (VLPs) can be a feasible alternative in this case. A summarized account about the efficacy of the first plant-derived Covid 19 vaccine, CoVLP is discussed. PDVs and VLPs are also reviewed briefly, along with their benefits and drawbacks.

One of the most critical epigenetic signatures present in the genome of higher eukaryotes is the methylation of DNA at the C-5 position of the cytosine ring. Based on the sites of DNA methylation in a locus, it can serve as a repressive or activation mark for gene expression. In a crosstalk with histone modifiers, DNA methylation can consequently either inhibit binding of the transcription machinery or generate a landscape conducive for transcription. During developmental phases, the DNA methylation pattern in the genome undergoes alterations as a result of regulated balance between de novo DNA methylation and demethylation. Resultantly, differentiated cells inherit a unique DNA methylation pattern that fine tunes tissue-specific gene expression. Although apparently a stable epigenetic mark, DNA methylation is actually labile and is a complex reflection of interaction between epigenome, genome and environmental factors prior to birth and during progression of life. Recent findings indicate that levels of DNA methylation in an individual is a dynamic outcome, strongly influenced by the dietary environment during germ cell formation, embryogenesis and post birth exposures. Loss of balances in DNA methylation during developmental stages may result in imprinting disorders, while at any later stage may lead to increased predisposition to various diseases and abnormalities. This review aims to provide an outline of how our epigenome is uniquely guided by our lifetime of experiences beginning in the womb and how understanding it better holds future possibilities of improvised clinical applications.

Autophagy is a homeostatic process designed to eliminate dysfunctional and aging organelles and misfolded proteins through a well-concerted pathway, starting with forming a double-membrane vesicle and culminating in the lysosomal degradation of the cargo enclosed inside the mature vesicle. As a vital sentry of cellular health, autophagy is regulated in every human disease condition and is an essential target for non-coding RNAs like microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are short oligonucleotides that specifically bind to the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs, thus leading to mRNA silencing, degradation, or translation blockage. This review summarizes the recent findings regarding the regulation of autophagy and autophagy-related genes by different miRNAs in various pathological conditions, including cancer, kidney and liver disorders, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disorders, infectious diseases, aging-related conditions, and inflammation-related diseases. As miRNAs are being identified as prime regulators of autophagy in human disease, pharmacological molecules and traditional medicines targeting these miRNAs are also being tested in disease models, thus initiating a new series of therapeutic interventions targeting autophagy.