Different modalities to manage rheumatoid arthritis: an A to Z story.

Aim: To investigate different approaches to RA treatment that might lead to greater efficacy and better safety profiles. Methods: The Search strategy was based on medical subject headings, and screening and selection were based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results & discussion: Early therapy is critical for disease control and loss of bodily function. The most promising outcomes came from the development of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Different foods have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities that protect against the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some dietary patterns and supplements have been shown to have potential protective benefits against RA. Conclusion: Improvement in the quality of life of RA patients requires a tailored management approach based on the current patient medical data.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease with an unclear origin that affects the joints. In this systematic review, we aimed to investigate different effective ways of treating rheumatoid arthritis. Study results indicate that rheumatoid arthritis treatment requires coordination between different healthcare teams. As much as we can, when we start disease treatment early, this will lead to a better disease cure. Different drugs showed promising results in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but the most promising treatment results came from a group of medicinal agents called 'disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs'. Different foods have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect and help in protection against rheumatoid arthritis, but others, such as red meat and salt, have the opposite effect. Some dietary patterns and supplements, such as the Mediterranean Diet, vitamin D and probiotics, have been shown to have potential protective benefits against rheumatoid arthritis. Improvement in the quality of patient life requires an individualized management roadmap based on current patient medical data.

Identification of stress-induced epigenetic methylation onto dopamine D2 gene and neurological and behavioral consequences.

The D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) gene has garnered substantial attention as one of the most extensively studied genes across various neuropsychiatric disorders. Since its initial association with severe alcoholism in 1990, particularly through the identification of the DRD2 Taq A1 allele, numerous international investigations have been conducted to elucidate its role in different conditions. As of February 22, 2024, there are 5485 articles focusing on the DRD2 gene listed in PUBMED. There have been 120 meta-analyses with mixed results. In our opinion, the primary cause of negative reports regarding the association of various DRD2 gene polymorphisms is the inadequate screening of controls, not adequately eliminating many hidden reward deficiency syndrome behaviors. Moreover, pleiotropic effects of DRD2 variants have been identified in neuropsychologic, neurophysiologic, stress response, social stress defeat, maternal deprivation, and gambling disorder, with epigenetic DNA methylation and histone post-translational negative methylation identified as discussed in this article. There are 70 articles listed in PUBMED for DNA methylation and 20 articles listed for histone methylation as of October 19, 2022. For this commentary, we did not denote DNA and/or histone methylation; instead, we provided a brief summary based on behavioral effects. Based on the fact that Blum and Noble characterized the DRD2 Taq A1 allele as a generalized reward gene and not necessarily specific alcoholism, it now behooves the field to find ways to either use effector moieties to edit the neuroepigenetic insults or possibly harness the idea of potentially removing negative mRNA-reduced expression by inducing "dopamine homeostasis."

Activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles in planktonic and biofilm-associated Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis.

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is a gram-positive bacterium and is the etiologic agent of caseous lymphadenitis (CL) in small ruminants. This disease is characterized by the development of encapsulated granulomas in visceral and superficial lymph nodes, and its clinical treatment is refractory to antibiotic therapy. An important virulence factor of the Corynebacterium genus is the ability to produce biofilm; however, little is known about the characteristics of the biofilm produced by C. pseudotuberculosis and its resistance to antimicrobials. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are considered as promising antimicrobial agents, and are known to have several advantages, such as a broad-spectrum activity, low resistance induction potential, and antibiofilm activity. Therefore, we evaluate herein the activity of AgNPs in C. pseudotuberculosis, through the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), antibiofilm activity, and visualization of AgNP-treated and AgNP-untreated biofilm through scanning electron microscopy. The AgNPs were able to completely inhibit bacterial growth and inactivate C. pseudotuberculosis at concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 0.312 mg/mL. The AgNPs reduced the formation of biofilm in reference strains and clinical isolates of C. pseudotuberculosis, with interference values greater than 80% at a concentration of 4 mg/mL, controlling the change between the planktonic and biofilm-associated forms, and preventing fixation and colonization. Scanning electron microscopy images showed a significant disruptive activity of AgNP on the consolidated biofilms. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of AgNPs as an effective therapeutic agent against CL.

Mass Spectrometry Applications to Study Human Microbiome.

Microbiotas are an adaptable component of ecosystems, including human ecology. Microorganisms influence the chemistry of their specialized niche, such as the human gut, as well as the chemistry of distant surroundings, such as other areas of the body. Metabolomics based on mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the primary methods for detecting and identifying small compounds generated by the human microbiota, as well as understanding the functional significance of these microbial metabolites. This book chapter gives basic knowledge on the kinds of untargeted mass spectrometry as well as the data types that may be generated in the context of microbiome study. While data analysis remains a barrier, the emphasis is on data analysis methodologies and integrative analysis, particularly the integration of microbiome sequencing data. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques have resurrected culture methods for studying the human gut microbiota, filling in the gaps left by high-throughput sequencing methods in terms of culturing minor populations.

Applications of Proteomics in Probiotics Having Anticancer and Chemopreventive Properties.

Proteomics has grown in importance in molecular sciences because it gives vital information on protein identification, expression levels, and alteration. Cancer is one of the world's major causes of death and is the major focus of much research. Cancer risk is determined by hereditary variables as well as the body's immunological condition. Probiotics have increasing medical importance due to their therapeutic influence on the human body in the prevention and treatment of numerous chronic illnesses, including cancer, with no adverse effects. Several anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive probiotics are studied using different proteomic approaches like two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. To gain relevant information about probiotic characteristics, data from the proteomic analysis are evaluated and processed using bioinformatics pipelines. Proteomic studies showed the significance of different proteomic approaches in characterization, comparing strains, and determination of oxidative stress of different probiotics. Moreover, proteomic approaches identified different proteins that are involved in glucose metabolism and the formation of cell walls or cell membranes, and the differences in the expression of critical enzymes in the HIF-1 signaling pathway, starch, and sucrose metabolism, and other critical metabolic pathways.

SARS-CoV-2 NSP14 governs mutational instability and assists in making new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the rapidly evolving RNA virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, has spawned numerous variants since its 2019 emergence. The multifunctional Nonstructural protein 14 (NSP14) enzyme, possessing exonuclease and messenger RNA (mRNA) capping capabilities, serves as a key player. Notably, single and co-occurring mutations within NSP14 significantly influence replication fidelity and drive variant diversification. This study comprehensively examines 120 co-mutations, 68 unique mutations, and 160 conserved residues across NSP14 homologs, shedding light on their implications for phylogenetic patterns, pathogenicity, and residue interactions. Quantitative physicochemical analysis categorizes 3953 NSP14 variants into three clusters, revealing genetic diversity. This research underscoresthe dynamic nature of SARS-CoV-2 evolution, primarily governed by NSP14 mutations. Understanding these genetic dynamics provides valuable insights for therapeutic and vaccine development.

Reverse vaccinology and subtractive genomics approaches for identifying common therapeutics against Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis

Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis are gram-positive bacterial pathogens and the causative agents of leprosy in humans across the world. The elimination of leprosy cannot be achieved by multidrug therapy alone, and highlights the need for new tools and drugs to prevent the emergence of new resistant strains. Methods In this study, our contribution includes the prediction of vaccine targets and new putative drugs against leprosy, using reverse vaccinology and subtractive genomics. Six strains of Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis (4 and 2 strains, respectively) were used for comparison taking Mycobacterium leprae strain TN as the reference genome. Briefly, we used a combined reverse vaccinology and subtractive genomics approach. Results As a result, we identified 12 common putative antigenic proteins as vaccine targets and three common drug targets against Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Furthermore, the docking analysis using 28 natural compounds with three drug targets was done. Conclusions The bis-naphthoquinone compound Diospyrin (CID 308140) obtained from indigenous plant Diospyros spp. showed the most favored binding affinity against predicted drug targets, which can be a candidate therapeutic target in the future against leprosy.(AU)