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Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) contain more than 200 nucleotides, lack protein-coding potential, and are widely transcribed in eukaryotic cell genes. At present, studies have shown that lncRNAs play a key role in gene expression in various cells and biological processes. Unlike conserved mRNAs, lncRNAs lack high sequence or secondary structure conservation. lncRNA conservation can also occur at the position and mechanism-of-action levels. Transcription of positionally conserved lncRNAs with nearby conserved coding genes among different species has been recognized as an indicator of potential functional significance. However, whether lncRNA processing is conserved and how processing contributes to its compartmentalization and function in different species remain unexplored.
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are natural or recombinant viruses that prefer to infect cancer cells. This feature has made them one of the main current research topics on cancer therapeutics and the significant element in the future of cancer treatment. Over the past two decades, there has been growing evidence that OVs are effective in treating cancer in both preclinical models and clinical trials. The most tested OVs in preclinical and clinical trials include the Herpes simplex virus (HSV), adenovirus (AdV) and Vaccinia virus (VV). In one study, an oncolytic HSV (T-VEC) coding for granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was administered by direct intratumoral injection to patients with metastatic malignant melanoma and this resulted in complete regressions of injected and uninjected lesions in eight of 50 patients. In addition to the single therapy, T-VEC has also been used in combination with radiotherapy and cisplatin in clinical trials to treat stage III/IV head and neck cancer. An oncolytic vaccinia virus (JX-594) armed with GM-CSF, showed hopeful results in preclinical and clinical trials treating liver cancers.
The construction of an animal model of new coronavirus can not only help us understand the pathological characteristics of the disease, but also help the development of drugs and vaccines. How do monkeys, mice and ferrets help scientists study new coronavirus? Recently, The magazine of Nature interviewed several scientists to understand their choices and opinions on different animal models.
Several members of the Coronaviridae family continue to spread through the population and usually cause mild respiratory diseases. In contrast, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are transmitted from animals to humans and cause severe respiratory diseases SARS and MERS in patients, respectively. SARS appeared in Guangdong, China in 2002, and subsequently spread globally, causing 8096 cases and 774 deaths. Intermediate hosts such as civets promote transmission in humans. Currently, there are no antiviral drugs or approved vaccines to treat SARS, and the SARS epidemic of 2002-2003 was finally stopped through routine control measures, including travel restrictions and patient isolation.
The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has spread rapidly since its identification in patients with severe pneumonia in Wuhan, China. As of 14 February 2020, 2019-nCoV has been reported in 25 countries across 4 continents and >60,000 cases have been confirmed, with an estimated mortality risk of ~2%.
New cancer immunotherapy involves extracting and genetically modifying patients' T cells so they can identify and attack tumors. This technology is a true medical breakthrough. Since CAR-T cell therapy was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017, more and more patients with leukemia and lymphoma have experienced complete remission. However, genetically modifying patients' T cells is laborious and expensive. Even if the treatment is successful, changes in the immune system can cause the patient to become seriously ill in a short period, with fever, nausea, and neurological symptoms.
The existence of coronavirus has long been known. As a virus that can infect the respiratory and digestive tracts of animals and humans, it has not received enough attention from humans for a long time. This arrogance is also excusable - in healthy people with normal immunity, coronaviruses cause only very mild symptoms. However, during the first decade of the 21st century, SARS broke out. In July 2003, data showed that the SARS virus caused 8096 cases of infection and 774 people death in 27 countries. 10 years later, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome caused by the MERS virus brought 1,728 confirmed cases in 27 countries and claimed 624 lives.
In the wave of gene therapy recently being developed by academic research laboratories and biotechnology laboratories, adeno-associated virus (AAV) has become the carrier of choice for delivering therapeutic genes to target tissues.
Recently, a research report published in the journal of Nature Metabolism, scientists from the University of Cincinnati developed a new method to target the molecular processes that activate specific protein complexes. Related research may be expected to help develop new therapies for treating tumor diseases.
Recently, a research report published in the international magazine PNAS, scientists from the Duke University Medical Center found that a particular genetic predisposition may increase the risk of an individual successfully resisting drug-resistant staphylococcus aureus infection. The findings help researchers understand the specific genetic factors that make certain people susceptible to MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) infection and help researchers find new therapy to defense against MRSA infection.
