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Hepatits B virus production is dependent on the addition of methyl groups on the viral RNA
Kevin Tsai @TsaiViRNALab and colleagues @IBMS_AcadSinica found that the Hepatitis B viral RNA is enriched with small chemical modifications, with the cytidine methylation m5C mapped to the viral packaging signal where m5C is required for efficient viral capsid production and genomic DNA production.
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The sixth Director of the IBMS was assumed by Distinguished Research Fellow Dr. Yijuang Chern.
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Computationally and evolutionarily enhanced immune cell engager for anticancer immunotherapy
Recent advances in computational design, directed evolution, and recombinant protein technology have paved new avenues for cancer therapy. Dr. Mou Yun and Dr. Jack Hu from Academia Sinica introduce a novel therapeutic protein, STYMIE, designed to activate both cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells in the tumor microenvironment. STYMIE consists of an enhanced superantigen, a computationally designed cytokine, and a tumor-homing antibody. The study demonstrates significant tumor suppression of colorectal, breast, and lung cancers through systemic treatment with STYMIE. Additionally, the study uncovers the molecular mechanisms of superantigen-mediated T cell activation, highlighting CD2 and CD58 as primary ligands. This groundbreaking work, showcasing new principles in immune cell engager design, was published in "Advanced Science" on June 28th, 2024.
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New Study Unveils SCUBE2's Role in Regulating Vascular Function During Inflammation
A groundbreaking study led by Dr. Ruey-Bing Yang at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, has revealed SCUBE2's crucial function in maintaining vascular integrity during inflammation. SCUBE2 stabilizes VE-cadherin at endothelial cell adherens junctions, supporting vascular integrity. The study showed that deleting Scube2 sensitizes mice to inflammation-induced barrier dysfunction, while genetic overexpressing or pharmacological upregulating SCUBE2 offers protection. This research, published on June 13, 2024, in Cardiovascular Research, suggests new therapeutic strategies for inflammation-related diseases.
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Unlocking a New Frontier in Cancer Immunotherapy: UFL1 Ablation Unleashes the Power of T Cells
UFMylation is an emerging ubiquitin-like post-translational modification that regulates various biological processes. Dysregulation of the UFMylation pathway leads to human diseases including cancers. However, the physiological role of UFMylation in T cells remains unclear. Here, we report that mice with conditional knockout (cKO) Ufl1, a UFMylation E3 ligase, in T cells exhibit effective tumor control.
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Bacteria synergizes with chemotherapy for tumor eradication
The hypoxic and immunosuppressive microenvironment in tumors promotes the growth of cancer cells and inhibits the activation of immune cells, posing a challenging obstacle in cancer treatment. The latest research from Dr. Mou Yun, Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, and his research team, reveals that using bacteria as a therapeutic approach can modulate the tumor microenvironment against cancer cells. When combined with chemotherapy drugs or dietary interventions, the effectiveness of bacterial inhibition of cancer can be strengthened. The study also shows that combining bacteria with a commonly used chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin can enhance the expansion of anti-cancer cytotoxic T cells, leading to tumor elimination. This research contributes to the optimization of cancer treatment and has been published in the flagship journal "EMBO Molecular Medicine" on January 20, 2024.