In arthropods,hematophagy has arisen several times throughout evolution.This specialized feeding behavior offered a highly nutritious diet obtained during blood feeds.On the other hand,blood-sucking arthropods must ov...In arthropods,hematophagy has arisen several times throughout evolution.This specialized feeding behavior offered a highly nutritious diet obtained during blood feeds.On the other hand,blood-sucking arthropods must overcome problems brought on by blood intake and digestion.Host blood complement acts on the bite site and is still ac-tive after ingestion,so complement activation is a potential threat to the host's skin feed-ing environment and to the arthropod gut enterocytes.During evolution,blood-sucking arthropods have selected,either in their saliva or gut,anticomplement molecules that inac-tivate host blood complement.This review presents an overview of the complement sys-tem and discusses the arthropod's salivary and gut anticomplement molecules studied to date,exploring their mechanism of action and other aspects related to the arthropod-host-pathogen interface.The possible therapeutic applications of arthropod's anticomplement molecules arealsodiscussed.展开更多
Retinal degeneration is a debilitating ocular complication characterized by the progressive loss of photoreceptors and other retinal neurons,which are caused by a group of retinal diseases affecting various age groups...Retinal degeneration is a debilitating ocular complication characterized by the progressive loss of photoreceptors and other retinal neurons,which are caused by a group of retinal diseases affecting various age groups,and increasingly prevalent in the elderly.Age-related macular degeneration,diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are among the most common complex degenerative retinal disorders,posing significant public health problems worldwide largely due to the aging society and the lack of effective therapeutics.Whilst pathoetiologies vary,if left untreated,loss of retinal neurons can result in an acquired degeneration and ultimately severe visual impairment.Irrespective of underlined etiology,loss of neurons and supporting cells including retinal pigment epithelium,microvascular endothelium,and glia,converges as the common endpoint of retinal degeneration and therefore discovery or repurposing of therapies to protect retinal neurons directly or indirectly are under intensive investigation.This review overviews recent developments of potential neuroprotectants including neuropeptides,exosomes,mitochondrial-derived peptides,complement inhibitors,senolytics,autophagy enhancers and antioxidants either still experimentally or in clinical trials.Effective treatments that possess direct or indirect neuroprotective properties would significantly lift the burden of visual handicap.展开更多
文摘In arthropods,hematophagy has arisen several times throughout evolution.This specialized feeding behavior offered a highly nutritious diet obtained during blood feeds.On the other hand,blood-sucking arthropods must overcome problems brought on by blood intake and digestion.Host blood complement acts on the bite site and is still ac-tive after ingestion,so complement activation is a potential threat to the host's skin feed-ing environment and to the arthropod gut enterocytes.During evolution,blood-sucking arthropods have selected,either in their saliva or gut,anticomplement molecules that inac-tivate host blood complement.This review presents an overview of the complement sys-tem and discusses the arthropod's salivary and gut anticomplement molecules studied to date,exploring their mechanism of action and other aspects related to the arthropod-host-pathogen interface.The possible therapeutic applications of arthropod's anticomplement molecules arealsodiscussed.
文摘Retinal degeneration is a debilitating ocular complication characterized by the progressive loss of photoreceptors and other retinal neurons,which are caused by a group of retinal diseases affecting various age groups,and increasingly prevalent in the elderly.Age-related macular degeneration,diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are among the most common complex degenerative retinal disorders,posing significant public health problems worldwide largely due to the aging society and the lack of effective therapeutics.Whilst pathoetiologies vary,if left untreated,loss of retinal neurons can result in an acquired degeneration and ultimately severe visual impairment.Irrespective of underlined etiology,loss of neurons and supporting cells including retinal pigment epithelium,microvascular endothelium,and glia,converges as the common endpoint of retinal degeneration and therefore discovery or repurposing of therapies to protect retinal neurons directly or indirectly are under intensive investigation.This review overviews recent developments of potential neuroprotectants including neuropeptides,exosomes,mitochondrial-derived peptides,complement inhibitors,senolytics,autophagy enhancers and antioxidants either still experimentally or in clinical trials.Effective treatments that possess direct or indirect neuroprotective properties would significantly lift the burden of visual handicap.