Cell Wall Synthesis Inhibitor Combo: Beneficial or Dangerous? Vancomycin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, is occasionally associated with acute renal injury. In BJP 181:5, the impact of combining vancomycin with beta lactam antibiotics (flucloxacillin and imipenem-cilastatin) on kidney injury was investigated by Pais et al. The authors demonstrate that the combination of vancomycin with flucloxacillin led to increased kidney injury compared to vancomycin alone. However, using vancomycin with imipenem-cilastatin led to a decrease in urinary kidney injury molecule-1 levels, suggesting a nephroprotect ..read more

The Brain's Protection: How Do Astrocytes Fight Against Alzheimer's? This study (BJP 181:6) investigates the role of astrocytic lactoferrin (Lf) in Alzheimer's disease progression. Using in vitro and in vivo methods, Fan et al found that overexpression of astrocytic Lf reduces amyloid-beta (Aβ) burden and tau hyperphosphorylation in mice. Mechanistically, astrocytic Lf enhances protein phosphatase 2A activity, leading to decreased Aβ production through amyloid precursor protein dephosphorylation. This paper provides new evidence that promoting astrocytic Lf expression could be a viable strateg ..read more

A Novel miRNA-based Therapy for Drug-induced Plaque Formation: Cyclosporine A (CsA) is known to worsen atherosclerosis following organ transplantation, yet the mechanisms remain unclear. Previous studies suggest that CsA inhibits microRNA-204 (miR-204) transcription, contributing to atherogenesis. In this study (BJP 181:5), Su et al have reported that while CsA alone had minimal impact on atherosclerotic lesions or lipid levels, it intensified atherosclerosis in the presence of a high-fat diet. In contrast, miR-204 in macrophages attenuated CsA-induced plaque formation by complex mechanisms. T ..read more

Adipokines - Their Role in Alzheimer's Pathogenesis and Therapy: Current recognition of adipose tissue as an important endocrine organ emphasizes its role in energy metabolism and immune response. Yet its involvement in age-related diseases like Alzheimer's remains unknown. This interesting review in BJP 181:6 by Bettinetti-Luque et al summarizes the recent knowledge on the impact of adipokines on blood-brain barrier physiology, Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, and potential therapeutic avenues ..read more

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