Apicomplexa micropore: history, function, and formation (2024)
Journal Article
Yang, J., Long, S., Hide, G., Lun, Z.-R., & Lai, D.-H. (2024). Apicomplexa micropore: history, function, and formation. Trends in Parasitology, 40(5), S1471-4922(24)00079-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2024.03.008

The micropore, a mysterious structure found in apicomplexan species, was recently shown to be essential for nutrient acquisition in Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. However, the differences between the micropores of these two parasites qu... Read More about Apicomplexa micropore: history, function, and formation.

Calcium signaling in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells: sex differences and the influence of estrogens and androgens (2024)
Journal Article
Asunción-Alvarez, D., Palacios, J., Ybañez-Julca, R. O., Rodriguez-Silva, C. N., Nwokocha, C., Cifuentes, F., & Greensmith, D. J. (2024). Calcium signaling in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells: sex differences and the influence of estrogens and androgens. American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 326(4), H950-H970. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00600.2023

Calcium signaling in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is essential for the regulation of vascular tone. However, the changes to intracellular Ca2+ concentrations are often influenced by sex differences. Furthermore, a... Read More about Calcium signaling in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells: sex differences and the influence of estrogens and androgens.

Self-assembling ferritin nanoplatform for the development of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus vaccine (2024)
Journal Article
Ahmadivand, S., Krpetic, Z., Martínez, M. M., Ordoñez, M. G., Roher, N., & Palić, D. (2024). Self-assembling ferritin nanoplatform for the development of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus vaccine. Frontiers in Immunology, 15, 1346512. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1346512

Self-assembling protein nanoparticles are used as a novel vaccine design platform to improve the stability and immunogenicity of safe subunit vaccines, while providing broader protection against viral infections. Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis vir... Read More about Self-assembling ferritin nanoplatform for the development of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus vaccine.

The transplant rejection response involves neutrophil and macrophage adhesion-mediated trogocytosis and is regulated by NFATc3 (2024)
Journal Article

The anti-foreign tissue (transplant rejection) response, mediated by the immune system, has been the biggest obstacle to successful organ transplantation. There are still many enigmas regarding this process and some aspects of the underlying mechanis... Read More about The transplant rejection response involves neutrophil and macrophage adhesion-mediated trogocytosis and is regulated by NFATc3.

Prevalence of Eimeria Species, Detected by ITS1-PCR Immobilized on FTA Cards, in Future Laying Hens and Breeding Hens in Six Provinces in Northeastern Algeria (2024)
Journal Article
Ayadi, O., Djemai, S., & Hide, G. (2024). Prevalence of Eimeria Species, Detected by ITS1-PCR Immobilized on FTA Cards, in Future Laying Hens and Breeding Hens in Six Provinces in Northeastern Algeria. Acta parasitologica / Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-023-00773-z

Purpose
Avian coccidiosis is an important and widely distributed disease that affects global agricultural economies through losses. In Algeria, there is limited epidemiological and ecological knowledge about this disease and this hinders implementat... Read More about Prevalence of Eimeria Species, Detected by ITS1-PCR Immobilized on FTA Cards, in Future Laying Hens and Breeding Hens in Six Provinces in Northeastern Algeria.

Boswellia carterii oleoresin extracts induce caspase-mediated apoptosis and G 1 cell cycle arrest in human leukaemia subtypes (2023)
Journal Article
Jones, M. A., Borun, A., & Greensmith, D. J. (2023). Boswellia carterii oleoresin extracts induce caspase-mediated apoptosis and G 1 cell cycle arrest in human leukaemia subtypes. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14, 1282239. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1282239

Background: Leukemias are a common cancer in adults and children. While existing treatments are effective, they are associated with severe side-effects compounded by the emergence of drug resistance. This necessitates the need to develop new drugs an... Read More about Boswellia carterii oleoresin extracts induce caspase-mediated apoptosis and G 1 cell cycle arrest in human leukaemia subtypes.

Plasma interleukin responses as predictors of outcome stratification in patients after major trauma: a prospective observational two centre study (2023)
Journal Article

Background and objectives: There is a need to develop objective risk stratification tools to define efficient care pathways for trauma patients. Biomarker-based point of care testing may strengthen existing clinical tools currently available for this... Read More about Plasma interleukin responses as predictors of outcome stratification in patients after major trauma: a prospective observational two centre study.

Macrophage-mediated trogocytosis contributes to destroying human schistosomes in a non-susceptible rodent host, Microtus fortis (2023)
Journal Article

Schistosoma parasites, causing schistosomiasis, exhibit typical host specificity in host preference. Many mammals, including humans, are susceptible to infection, while the widely distributed rodent, Microtus fortis, exhibits natural anti-schistosome... Read More about Macrophage-mediated trogocytosis contributes to destroying human schistosomes in a non-susceptible rodent host, Microtus fortis.

Functional screening reveals Toxoplasma prenylated proteins required for endocytic trafficking and rhoptry protein sorting (2023)
Journal Article

In the apicomplexans, endocytosed cargos (e.g., hemoglobin) are trafficked to a specialized organelle for digestion. This follows a unique endocytotic process at the micropore/cytostome in these parasites. However, the mechanism underlying endocytic... Read More about Functional screening reveals Toxoplasma prenylated proteins required for endocytic trafficking and rhoptry protein sorting.

Investigating small extracellular vesicle miRNA as biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (2023)
Thesis

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, a syndrome impacting over 900,000 people in the UK alone. There are currently no disease modifying treatments for AD, which is largely attributable to the heterogenous basis of the disease wh... Read More about Investigating small extracellular vesicle miRNA as biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease.

Intratumor microbiota as a novel potential prognostic indicator in mesothelioma (2023)
Journal Article
Pentimalli, F., Krstic- Demonacos, M., Costa, C., Mutti, L., & Bakker, E. (2023). Intratumor microbiota as a novel potential prognostic indicator in mesothelioma. Frontiers in Immunology, 14, https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1129513

Introduction: Despite increased attention on immunotherapy, primarily immune checkpoint blockade, as a therapeutic approach for mesothelioma (MMe), its efficacy and tolerability remain questioned. One potential explanation for different responses to... Read More about Intratumor microbiota as a novel potential prognostic indicator in mesothelioma.

The Toxoplasma micropore mediates endocytosis for selective nutrient salvage from host cell compartments (2023)
Journal Article

Apicomplexan parasite growth and replication relies on nutrient acquisition from host cells, in which intracellular multiplication occurs, yet the mechanisms that underlie the nutrient salvage remain elusive. Numerous ultrastructural studies have doc... Read More about The Toxoplasma micropore mediates endocytosis for selective nutrient salvage from host cell compartments.

Electrochemical detection of asparaginase antibodies using bifunctionalized carbon interfaces (2023)
Journal Article
Marshall, D., & Lehr, J. (in press). Electrochemical detection of asparaginase antibodies using bifunctionalized carbon interfaces. Electroanalysis, https://doi.org/10.1002/elan.202200456

The early detection of anti-asparaginase biomarker can facilitate timely modification of asparaginase chemotherapy, thereby avoiding serious complications. Herein we describe the preparation of a novel electrochemical biosensing interface for rapid d... Read More about Electrochemical detection of asparaginase antibodies using bifunctionalized carbon interfaces.

Characterisation of inflammatory mediators in ischaemic heart disease (2022)
Thesis
Borun, A. Characterisation of inflammatory mediators in ischaemic heart disease. (Dissertation). University of Salford

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common causes of death in general population. In the UK it accounts for 64000 deaths annually and there are currently 2.3 million people living with CAD. Persistent inflammation of myocardium is believ... Read More about Characterisation of inflammatory mediators in ischaemic heart disease.

A hydroalcoholic extract of Senecio nutans SCh. Bip (Asteraceae); its effects on cardiac function and chemical characterization (2022)
Journal Article

Ethnopharmacology relevance
The plant Senecio nutans SCh. Bip. is used by Andean communities to treat altitude sickness. Recent evidence suggests it may produce vasodilation and negative cardiac inotropy, though the cellular mechanisms have not been... Read More about A hydroalcoholic extract of Senecio nutans SCh. Bip (Asteraceae); its effects on cardiac function and chemical characterization.

Investigating senescence and senescence-escape in cancer cells (2022)
Thesis

Despite the general concept that therapy-induced senescence (TIS) has a tumour-suppressive role, the presence of senescent tumour cells and the ability of cancer cells to escape from senescence could potentially lead to therapy resistance and tumour... Read More about Investigating senescence and senescence-escape in cancer cells.

Identification and characterisation of lignin degrading bacteria and enzymes from larval guts of the African Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus phoenicis) (2022)
Thesis
larval guts of the African Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus phoenicis). (Thesis). University of Salford

As developing economies continue to grow, the world’s demand for energy which currently stands at 84MB (million barrels oil) per day is projected to rise to 116 MB per day by the year 2030. The need to meet this continuous rise in demand for energy w... Read More about Identification and characterisation of lignin degrading bacteria and enzymes from larval guts of the African Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus phoenicis).

Evaluation of small extracellular vesicular microRNAs as biomarkers for exposure of nicotine and E-liquids on human lung cells (2022)
Thesis
for exposure of nicotine and E-liquids on human lung cells. (Thesis). University of Salford

Nicotine intake and E-Cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) can cause pulmonary disease with damaging health effects. In this study, we explored miRNAs from small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) for nicotine and E-liquid-associ... Read More about Evaluation of small extracellular vesicular microRNAs as biomarkers for exposure of nicotine and E-liquids on human lung cells.

Targeting c-met in sonic hedgehog medulloblastomas (2022)
Thesis
Morlando, S. Targeting c-met in sonic hedgehog medulloblastomas. (Thesis). University of Salford

Medulloblastoma (MB), a cerebellar tumour primarily diagnosed in children, is the most common malignant brain tumour consisting of four molecular subgroups: Wingless (WNT), Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), Group 3 and Group 4. Although the 70-75% of MB patients... Read More about Targeting c-met in sonic hedgehog medulloblastomas.

Characterisation of a Novel Acetyl Xylan Esterase (BaAXE) Screened from the Gut Microbiota of the Common Black Slug (Arion ater) (2022)
Journal Article
Madubuike, H., & Ferry, N. (2022). Characterisation of a Novel Acetyl Xylan Esterase (BaAXE) Screened from the Gut Microbiota of the Common Black Slug (Arion ater). Molecules, 27(9), 2999. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27092999

Acetyl xylan esterases (AXEs) are enzymes capable of hydrolysing the acetyl bonds in acetylated xylan, allowing for enhanced activity of backbone-depolymerizing enzymes. Bioprospecting novel AXE is essential in designing enzyme cocktails with desired... Read More about Characterisation of a Novel Acetyl Xylan Esterase (BaAXE) Screened from the Gut Microbiota of the Common Black Slug (Arion ater).