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There are various possibilities of co-catalyst-assisted photocatalytic reduction (CPR) over a titanium(iv) oxide (TiO2) photocatalyst, especially H2-free and chemoselective CPR. We examined the photoinduced ring hydrogenation of aromatics having a carboxyl group over metal-loaded TiO2under H2-free conditions and found that the aromatics were almost quantitatively hydrogenated to the corresponding cyclohexanes having a carboxyl group when rhodium, water and oxalic acid were used as a metal co-catalyst, solvent and hole scavenger, respectively. The effects of different metal co-catalysts, solvents and hole scavengers on the ring hydrogenation were also examined. Based on the results obtained under various conditions, the light dependency and adsorption behavior of the aromatics and hole scavengers, the functions of TiO2and the co-catalyst, and the reaction process are discussed.

l-Amino acid deaminase from Proteus myxofaciens(PmaLAAD) is a promising biocatalyst for enantioselective biocatalysis that can be exploited to produce optically pure d-amino acids or α-keto acids. In this study, we improved the catalytic efficiency of PmaLAAD on l-1-naphthylalanine (l-1-Nal), a synthetic amino acid of biotechnological interest. Eight evolvable positions were identified by a molecular docking and evolutionary conservation analysis. These positions were subjected to site-saturation mutagenesis, producing “smaller but smarter” libraries of variants. The best variant (F318A/V412A/V438P PmaLAAD) possesses a ∼5-fold lower Km(0.17 mM) and a ∼7-fold higher catalytic efficiency (9.2 s−1mM−1) on l-1-Nal than the wild-type enzyme. Molecular docking analysis suggests that the substitutions increase the active site volume, allowing better binding of the bulky l-1-Nal substrate. Bioconversion reactions showed that the F318A/V412A/V438P PmaLAAD variant outperforms the wild-type enzyme in the deracemization of d,l-1-Nal: the complete conversion of 0.6 mM of the l-enantiomer was achieved in about 15 min, which is ∼7.5-fold faster than the wild-type enzyme. In addition, the F318A/V412A/V438P PmaLAAD is efficiently employed, together with the M213G d-amino acid oxidase variant, to produce 1-naphtylpyruvate from racemic d,l-1-Nal in one pot.

Biosynthesis of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) is considered an efficient and green method for catalytic applications. Reported short-term batch studies have demonstrated PdNP synthesis using suspended biomass, but the PdNPs tended to agglomerate to large sizes and be washed out along with the biomass under continuous operation. Biofilm is a promising alternative for continuous PdNP synthesis, as it contains significant extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) with functional groups able to adsorb/stabilize PdNPs, and the biofilm and its PdNPs are naturally retained. We tested continuous Pd nanoparticle (PdNP) synthesis using a denitrifying biofilm that promoted enzymatic and autocatalytic reduction of PdIIto Pd0on the surface of non-porous hollow-fiber membranes that delivered hydrogen gas (H2) as the electron donor. The biofilm retained >99% of PdNPs. Approximately one-half were bound as 20 to 100 nm grains on the cell surfaces, while the other half were dispersed as 3 to 4 nm Pd0crystallites within the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix. When no biofilm was present, PdIIwas reduced autocatalytically to Pd0, which self-assembled to form larger aggregates in a continuous, yet fragile film on the membrane. As a result, the stabilized PdNP-biofilm catalyzed further the PdIIreduction faster than the agglomerated Pd-film. These results document the beneficial roles of biofilm in enhancing PdNP production, and provide a baseline for practical long-term sustainable Pd recovery from waste streams using biofilm systems.

Further research toward the discovery of biodegradable ionic liquids (ILs) is described herein. The biodegradability of the target ILs was evaluated using the ‘Closed Bottle’ and ‘CO2Headspace’ tests (OECD 301D and ISO 14593). This research has identified the first ILs which can be classified as ‘readily biodegradable’ under aerobic conditions.

Freshly prepared acid-cleaned biosilica of 21 different diatom species was studied using a combination of wide, small, and ultrasmall angle X-ray scattering analysis WAXS, SAXS, and USAXS in order to determine whether the structural and fractal properties from the subnanometer level up to dimensions of several microns are species-specific, and if so to quantify them. WAXS data are in line with the amorphous nature of this kind of biosilica: no Bragg reflections were observed at the level below 1 nm. Straight domains in the scattering spectra in both SAXS and USAXS revealed the presence of different fractal regions with highly species-specific transition points, as part of the surface structure. All silica specimens had four of these fractal regions, but with a length scale per region characteristic for each specimen except for the region Region I covering the WAXS domain d< 1.5 nm. In this first region no fractal behavior was observed for the amorphous biosilica. Region II, with a fractal dimension Ds over 3.8, which indicates a smooth surface, covered the lower SAXS domain 1.5 < d< 10 nm. Region III 3.3 < Ds< 3.8, in the upper SAXS and lower USAXS domain 10 < d< 396 nm, represented a rougher surface, whereas Region IV Ds< 2.8, the upper USAXS domain d> 396 nm, revealed the roughest surface. Transition points between straight regions in the scattering spectra did relate to the dimension of meso- and macro-pores that are known to be present in diatom biosilica; the pore sizes determined from the spectra agreed with estimates made from electron micrographs. Interestingly, dominant scattering peaks were observed in USAXS, as if we were dealing with crystals as in highly ordered MCM-type silicas. This crystallinity was only apparent, not real; it is most probably due to the high regularity in pore distributions in diatom biosilica in the size range of 100 to ∼500 nm. Our data show that diatom biosilica has quantifiable species-specific fractal surface properties, next to the well known species-specific pore architecture that is well beyond those of other well-ordered artificial silica materials. Consequently, it is likely that each also has its own surface pattern of reactive sites and in view of these large variations each diatom species potentially can be the source for the design of a different silica-based material.

This study presents an analysis of the Dieterici equation of state using the global phase diagram methodology. The main difference between the EOS of Dieterici and equations of state of the van der Waals type is that Dieterici isotherms do not give negative pressures. It is shown that this feature results in the inability of the Dieterici EOS to describe liquid properties at very low pressures and temperatures and it limits the possibility to generate transitional mechanisms with negative pressure critical lines. Common behavior, such as liquid–liquid immiscibility in real fluids at very low temperatures, cannot be described with this EOS. Thus, without major modifications, the Dieterici EOS cannot be expected to replace EOS of van der Waals type for the correlation and prediction of data of mixtures. The most important conclusion of the present study is that in order to be useful in practice, an EOS should be able to generate isotherms that present negative pressures.

The Opinion addresses the genetic modification of animals brought about by DNA technology, including transfer of genes (transgenesis) and the deletion of genes (“knock-out”).

The following points aim to shed light on the cloning debate by giving information on the scientific aspects of cloning and the ethical problems relating to them.

Mammalian ATG8 proteins (mATG8s) are essential for selective autophagy because they recruit various proteins with LC3- interacting region (LIR) motifs to autophagic membranes. The RavZ protein, secreted by Legionella pneumophila, and mammalian ATG4B possess functional LIR motifs that participate in lipidated mATG8 deconjugation on autophagic membranes. RavZ comprises three functional LIR motifs at the N- and Cterminal sides of its catalytic domain (CAD). This study demonstrated that LIR motifs at the N-terminal side of the CAD of RavZ are involved in autophagic membrane targeting and substrate recognition, while LIR motif at the C-terminal side facilitate autophagic membrane targeting. Our results also revealed that the C-terminal LIR motif in human ATG4B is pivotal in delipidating LC3B-phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), but it plays a minor role in pro-LC3B priming in the cytosol. Therefore, introducing a functional LIR motif to the N-terminal of ATG4B does not affect LC3B-PE delipidation. This study clearly described the position-dependent roles of LIR motifs in RavZ and ATG4B in cellular contexts.

Keratinocytes are susceptible to airborne particulate matter (PM) exposure, resulting in human skin barrier dysfunction. Therefore, it is important to find useful reagents to resolve skin damages caused by PM. Here, we explored the protective effect of 7S MaR1, a specialized pro-resolving mediator derived from docosahexaenoic acid, on skin inflammation and the oxidative stress induced by PM with a diameter 10 μm or less (PM 10 ) in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Interestingly, PM10-induced ROS generation was modulated by 7S MaR1 via the recovery of ROS scavenger genes. 7S MaR1 reduced PM 10 -induced IL-6 expression via modulating the p38/ERK/NF-κB signaling pathways. These results demonstrate that PM 10 induces inflammatory cytokines, which can lead to skin diseases. In addition, 7S MaR1 can resolve inflammation caused by PM 10 -induced oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines.

The TP53 c.359A＞G mutation significantly disrupts the expression of the major TP53 transcript variant encoding p53 K120R by generating a new splice donor site. An antisense morpholino oligomer (AMO) targeting this mutation successfully restored normal splicing and the expression of the major TP53 variant. Given that p53 exerts its tumor suppressor function by regulating target genes responsible for growth arrest or apoptosis, the p53 K120R protein enhanced by AMO exhibits impaired transcriptional regulation of CDKN1A, a key growth arrest gene, while maintaining normal induction of the pro-apoptotic BBC3 gene. As a result, the mutant p53 K120R protein shows a defective cell growth arrest phenotype but retains apoptotic function, suggesting that it may still possess some tumor suppressor activity. Furthermore, lysine 120, known to provide a critical acetylation site for p53 activation, highlights the relevance of acetylation in tumor suppression through studies of the p53 K120R mutant. However, our findings demonstrate that targeting mutant TP53 mRNA with AMO is essential for restoring p53 function. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the potential of AMO-mediated splice correction as a therapeutic approach for TP53 mutations.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Competing Interests: A.F. is a coinventor of patents (US9970004B2 and US10329566B2) concerning the application of the RNAi approach in the treatment of diseases caused by the expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats.

Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement. None declared.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects two-thirds of African and Indian children. Understanding the molecular mechanisms contributing to oxidative stress may be useful for therapeutic development in SCD. We evaluated plasma elemental levels of Indian SCD patients, trait, and healthy controls ( n = 10 per group) via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In addition, erythrocyte metabolomics of Indian SCD and healthy ( n = 5 per group) was carried out using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Followed by assessment of antioxidant defense enzymes namely glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes and plasma of Indian SCD patients ( n = 31) compared with trait ( n = 10) and healthy ( n = 10). In SCD plasma an elevated plasma 24 Mg, 44 Ca, 66 Zn, 208 Pb, 39 K and reduced 57 Fe, 77 Se, and 85 Rb levels indicated higher hemolysis and anemia. Erythrocyte metabolome of SCD patients clustered separately from healthy revealed 135 significantly deregulated metabolic features, including trimethyllysine, pyroglutamate, glutathione, aminolevulinate, and d-glutamine, indicating oxidative stress and membrane fragility. Repressed GR, SOD, and CAT activities were observed in SCD patients of which GR and CAT activities did not change under hypoxia. These findings lead to the hypothesis that SCD-associated metabolic deregulations and a shift to ATP-consuming aberrant γ-glutamyl cycle leads to anemia, dehydration, oxidative stress, and hemolysis driving the biomechanical pathophysiology of erythrocyte of SCD patients.

The utilization of multi-omics research has gained popularity in clinical investigations. However, effectively managing and merging extensive and diverse datasets presents a challenge due to its intricacy. This research introduces a Multi-Omics Analysis Sandbox Toolkit, an online platform designed to facilitate the exploration, integration, and visualization of datasets ranging from single-omics to multi-omics. This platform establishes connections between clinical data and omics information, allowing for versatile analysis and storage of both single and multi-omics data. Additionally, users can repeatedly utilize and exchange their findings within the platform. This toolkit offers diverse alternatives for data selection and gene set analysis. It also presents visualization outputs, potential candidates, and annotations. Furthermore, this platform empowers users to collaborate by sharing their datasets, analyses, and conclusions with others, thus enhancing its utility as a collaborative research tool. This Multi-Omics Analysis Sandbox Toolkit stands as a valuable asset in comprehensively grasping the influence of diverse factors in diseases and pinpointing potential biomarkers.

Competing Interests: D.C.N. is a scientific advisor to Lysando A.G. and a co-founder of ExoLytics, Inc., both companies related to endolysin-derived technologies.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Many types of cancer are associated with excessive angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenic treatment is an effective strategy for treating solid cancers. This study aimed to demonstrate the inhibitory effects of (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-1-en-1-yl) phenol (MMPP) in VEGFA-induced angiogenesis. The results indicated that MMPP effectively suppressed various angiogenic processes, such as cell migration, invasion, tube formation, and sprouting of new vessels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mouse aortic ring. The inhibitory mechanism of MMPP on angiogenesis involves targeting VEGFR2. MMPP showed high binding affinity for the VEGFR2 ATP-binding domain. Additionally, MMPP improved VEGFR2 thermal stability and inhibited VEGFR2 kinase activity, suppressing the downstream VEGFR2/AKT/ERK pathway. MMPP attenuated the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB, and it downregulated NF-κB target genes such as VEGFA, VEGFR2, MMP2, and MMP9. Furthermore, conditioned medium from MMPP-treated breast cancer cells effectively inhibited angiogenesis in endothelial cells. These results suggested that MMPP had great promise as a novel VEGFR2 inhibitor with potent anti-angiogenic properties for cancer treatment via VEGFR2/AKT/ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(5): 244-249].

Due to their stem-like characteristics and immunosuppressive properties, Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) offer remarkable potential in regenerative medicine. Much effort has been devoted to enhancing the efficacy of MSC therapy by enhancing MSC migration. In this study, we identified deubiquitinase BRCA1- associated protein 1 (BAP1) as an inhibitor of MSC migration. Using deubiquitinase siRNA library screening based on an in vitro wound healing assay, we found that silencing BAP1 significantly augmented MSC migration. Conversely, BAP1 overexpression reduced the migration and invasion capabilities of MSCs. BAP1 depletion in MSCs upregulates ERK phosphorylation, thereby increasing the expression of the migration factor, osteopontin. Further examination revealed that BAP1 interacts with phosphorylated ERK1/2, deubiquitinating their ubiquitins, and thus attenuating the ERK signaling pathway. Overall, our study highlights the critical role of BAP1 in regulating MSC migration through its deubiquitinase activity, and suggests a novel approach to improve the therapeutic potential of MSCs in regenerative medicine. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(5): 250-255].

Aberrant DNA methylation plays a critical role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), which has high incidence and mortality rates in Korea. Various CRC-associated methylation markers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis have been developed; however, they have not been validated for Korean patients owing to the lack of comprehensive clinical and methylome data. Here, we obtained reliable methylation profiles for 228 tumor, 103 adjacent normal, and two unmatched normal colon tissues from Korean patients with CRC using an Illumina Infinium EPIC array; the data were corrected for biological and experiment biases. A comparative methylome analysis confirmed the previous findings that hypermethylated positions in the tumor were highly enriched in CpG island and promoter, 5' untranslated, and first exon regions. However, hypomethylated positions were enriched in the open-sea regions considerably distant from CpG islands. After applying a CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) to the methylome data of tumor samples to stratify the CRC patients, we consolidated the previously established clinicopathological findings that the tumors with high CIMP signatures were significantly enriched in the right colon. The results showed a higher prevalence of microsatellite instability status and MLH1 methylation in tumors with high CMP signatures than in those with low or non-CIMP signatures. Therefore, our methylome analysis and dataset provide insights into applying CRC-associated methylation markers for Korean patients regarding cancer diagnosis and prognosis. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(3): 161-166].

Pre-harvest sprouting is a critical phenomenon involving germination of seeds in the mother plant before harvest under relative humid conditions and reduced dormancy. In this paper, we generated HDR mutant lines with one region SNP (C/T) and an insertion of 6 bp (GGT/GGTGGCGGC) in OsERF1 genes for pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) resistance using CRISPR/Cas9 and a geminiviral replicon system. The incidence of HDR was 2.6% in transformed calli. T1 seeds were harvested from 12 HDR-induced calli and named ERF1-hdr line. Molecular stability, key agronomic properties, physiological properties, and biochemical properties of target genes in the ERF1-hdr line were investigated for three years. The ERF1-hdr line showed significantly enhanced seed dormancy and pre-harvest sprouting resistance. qRT-PCR analysis suggested that enhanced ABA signaling resulted in a stronger phenotype of PHS resistance. These results indicate that efficient HDR can be achieved through SNP/InDel replacement using a single and modular configuration applicable to different rice targets and other crops. This work demonstrates the potential to replace all genes with elite alleles within one generation and greatly expands our ability to improve agriculturally important traits. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(2): 79-85].

Alterations in DNA methylation play an important pathophysiological role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer. We comprehensively profiled DNA methylation alterations in 165 Korean patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), and conducted an in-depth investigation of cancer-specific methylation patterns. Our analysis of the tumor samples revealed a significant presence of hypomethylated probes, primarily within the gene body regions; few hypermethylated sites were observed, which were mostly enriched in promoter-like and CpG island regions. The CpG Island Methylator PhenotypeHigh (CIMP-H) exhibited notable enrichment of microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H). Additionally, our findings indicated a significant correlation between methylation of the MLH1 gene and MSI-H status. Furthermore, we found that the CIMP-H had a higher tendency to affect the right-side of the colon tissues and was slightly more prevalent among older patients. Through our methylome profile analysis, we successfully verified the thylation patterns and clinical characteristics of Korean patients with CRC. This valuable dataset lays a strong foundation for exploring novel molecular insights and potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of CRC. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(2): 110-115].

Advancements in gene and cell therapy have resulted in novel therapeutics for diseases previously considered incurable or challenging to treat. Among the various contributing technologies, genome editing stands out as one of the most crucial for the progress in gene and cell therapy. The discovery of CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) and the subsequent evolution of genetic engineering technology have markedly expanded the field of target-specific gene editing. Originally studied in the immune systems of bacteria and archaea, the CRISPR system has demonstrated wide applicability to effective genome editing of various biological systems including human cells. The development of CRISPR-based base editing has enabled directional cytosine-tothymine and adenine-to-guanine substitutions of select DNA bases at the target locus. Subsequent advances in prime editing further elevated the flexibility of the edit multiple consecutive bases to desired sequences. The recent CRISPR technologies also have been actively utilized for the development of in vivo and ex vivo gene and cell therapies. We anticipate that the medical applications of CRISPR will rapidly progress to provide unprecedented possibilities to develop novel therapeutics towards various diseases. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(1): 2-11].

Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) have revolutionized patient outcomes and provided care options for previously untreatable conditions. The clinical and commercial progress of CGT therapies is hindered by chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) challenges. This article summarizes recommendations from the 2023 Annual Meeting CMC sessions wherein speakers advocated for science-driven comparability strategies, proactive risk assessments, clearer regulatory guidance, and a shift from retrospective to prospective studies. Planning for manufacturing changes, statistical approaches, and consideration of multiple product versions also emerged as crucial elements to help sponsors navigate CMC hurdles for successful CGT clinical and commercial development., Competing Interests: K.S. is an independent director of Single Use Support GmbH and MicrofluidX, Inc., and a member of ASGCT’s Strategic Planning Committee. S.H.K. has consulting agreements, receives honoraria, and sits on the scientific advisory boards of Tome Biosciences, Oncternal Therapeutics, and Enara Bio., (© 2023.)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to various clinical symptoms including anemia. Lipocalin-2 has various biological functions, including defense against bacterial infections through iron sequestration, and it serves as a biomarker for kidney injury. In a human protein array, we observed increased lipocalin-2 expression due to parental SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Calu-3 human lung cancer cell line. The secretion of lipocalin-2 was also elevated in response to parental SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha, Beta, and Delta variants similarly induced this phenomenon. In a Calu-3 implanted mouse xenograft model, parental SARSCoV- 2 and Delta variant induced lipocalin-2 expression and secretion. Additionally, the iron concentration increased in the Calu-3 tumor tissues and decreased in the serum due to infection. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 infection induces the production and secretion of lipocalin-2, potentially resulting in a decrease in iron concentration in serum. Because the concentration of iron ions in the blood is associated with anemia, this phenomenon could contribute to developing anemia in COVID-19 patients. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(12): 669-674].

A number of therapeutic drugs have been developed from functional chemicals found in plants. Knowledge of plants used for medicinal purposes has historically been transmitted by word of mouth or through literature. The aim of the present study is to provide a systemic platform for the development of lead compounds against breast cancer based on a traditional medical text. To verify our systematic approach, integrating processes consisted of text mining of traditional medical texts, 3-D virtual docking screening, and in vitro and in vivo experimental validations were demonstrated. Our text analysis system identified rutin as a specific phytochemical traditionally used for cancer treatment. 3-D virtual screening predicted that rutin could block EGFR signaling. Thus, we validated significant anticancer effects of rutin against breast cancer cells through blockade of EGFR signaling pathway in vitro. We also demonstrated in vivo anti-cancer effects of rutin using the breast cancer recurrence in vivo models. In summary, our innovative approach might be proper for discovering new phytochemical lead compounds designing for blockade of malignant neoplasm including breast cancer. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(11): 594-599].

Aberrant DNA methylation plays a pivotal role in the onset and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), a disease with high incidence and mortality rates in Korea. Several CRC-associated diagnostic and prognostic methylation markers have been identified; however, due to a lack of comprehensive clinical and methylome data, these markers have not been validated in the Korean population. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to obtain the CRC methylation profile using 172 tumors and 128 adjacent normal colon tissues of Korean patients with CRC. Based on the comparative methylome analysis, we found that hypermethylated positions in the tumor were predominantly concentrated in CpG islands and promoter regions, whereas hypomethylated positions were largely found in the open-sea region, notably distant from the CpG islands. In addition, we stratified patients by applying the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) to the tumor methylome data. This stratification validated previous clinicopathological implications, as tumors with high CIMP signatures were significantly correlated with the proximal colon, higher prevalence of microsatellite instability status, and MLH1 promoter methylation. In conclusion, our extensive methylome analysis and the accompanying dataset offers valuable insights into the utilization of CRC-associated methylation markers in Korean patients, potentially improving CRC diagnosis and prognosis. Furthermore, this study serves as a solid foundation for further investigations into personalized and ethnicity-specific CRC treatments. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(10): 569-574].

DNA methylation regulates gene expression and contributes to tumorigenesis in the early stages of cancer. In colorectal cancer (CRC), CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) is recognized as a distinct subset that is associated with specific molecular and clinical features. In this study, we investigated the genomewide DNA methylation patterns among patients with CRC. The methylation data of 1 unmatched normal, 142 adjacent normal, and 294 tumor samples were analyzed. We identified 40,003 differentially methylated positions with 6,933 (79.8%) hypermethylated and 16,145 (51.6%) hypomethylated probes in the genic region. Hypermethylated probes were predominantly found in promoter-like regions, CpG islands, and N shore sites; hypomethylated probes were enriched in open-sea regions. CRC tumors were categorized into three CIMP subgroups, with 90 (30.6%) in the CIMP-high (CIMP-H), 115 (39.1%) in the CIMP-low (CIMP-L), and 89 (30.3%) in the non-CIMP group. The CIMP-H group was associated with microsatellite instabilityhigh tumors, hypermethylation of MLH1, older age, and rightsided tumors. Our results showed that genome-wide methylation analyses classified patients with CRC into three subgroups according to CIMP levels, with clinical and molecular features consistent with previous data. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(10): 563-568].

Elongation of most bones occur at the growth plate through endochondral ossification in postnatal mammals. The maturation of chondrocyte is a crucial factor in longitudinal bone growth, which is regulated by a complex network of paracrine and endocrine signaling pathways. Here, we show that a phytochemical sulfuretin can stimulate hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation in vitro and in vivo. We found that sulfuretin stabilized nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), stimulated its transcriptional activity, and induced expression of its target genes. Sulfuretin treatment resulted in an increase in body length of zebrafish larvae and induced the expression of chondrocyte markers. Consistently, a clinically available Nrf2 activator, dimethyl fumarate (DMF), induced the expression of hypertrophic chondrocyte markers and increased the body length of zebrafish. Importantly, we found that chondrocyte gene expression in cell culture and skeletal growth in zebrafish stimulated by sulfuretin were significantly abrogated by Nrf2 depletion, suggesting that such stimulatory effects of sulfuretin were dependent on Nrf2, at least in part. Taken together, these data show that sulfuretin has a potential use as supporting ingredients for enhancing bone growth. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(9): 496-501].

Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Glutathione S-transferase omega 1 (GstO1) is closely associated with various human diseases, including obesity and diabetes, but its functional mechanism is not fully understood. In the present study, we found that the GstO1-specific inhibitor C1-27 effectively suppressed the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. GstO1 expression was immediately upregulated upon the induction of adipocyte differentiation, and barely altered by C1-27. However, C1-27 significantly decreased the stability of GstO1. Moreover, GstO1 catalyzed the deglutathionylation of cellular proteins during the early phase of adipocyte differentiation, and C1-27 inhibited this activity. These results demonstrate that GstO1 is involved in adipocyte differentiation by catalyzing the deglutathionylation of proteins critical for the early phase of adipocyte differentiation. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(8): 457-462].

Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.