Macrophage migration inhibitor factor (MIF): Potential role in cognitive impairment disorders

Distinct roles of MIF in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease

The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) as a multifunctional cytokine in immunomodulation and inflammatory response is increasingly appreciated. Ischemic heart disease (IHD), the leading cause of global mortality, remains a focal point of research owing to its intricate pathophysiology. MIF has been identified as a critical player in IHD, where it exerts distinct roles. On one hand, MIF plays a protective role by enhancing energy metabolism through activation of AMPK, resisting oxidative stress, inhibiting activation of the JNK pathway, and maintaining intracellular calcium ion homeostasis. Additionally, MIF exerts protective effects through mesenchymal stem cells and exosomes. On the other hand, MIF can assume a pro-inflammatory role, which contributes to the exacerbation of IHD's development and progression. Furthermore, MIF levels significantly increase in IHD patients, and its genetic polymorphisms are positively correlated with prevalence and severity. These findings position MIF as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in the management of IHD. This review summarizes the structure, source, signaling pathways and biological functions of MIF and focuses on its roles and clinical characteristics in IHD. The genetic variants of MIF associated with IHD is also discussed, providing more understandings of its complex interplay in the disease's pathology.

Iron homeostasis and ferroptosis in human diseases: mechanisms and therapeutic prospects

Iron, an essential mineral in the body, is involved in numerous physiological processes, making the maintenance of iron homeostasis crucial for overall health. Both iron overload and deficiency can cause various disorders and human diseases. Ferroptosis, a form of cell death dependent on iron, is characterized by the extensive peroxidation of lipids. Unlike other kinds of classical unprogrammed cell death, ferroptosis is primarily linked to disruptions in iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant system imbalance. Ferroptosis is regulated through transcription, translation, and post-translational modifications, which affect cellular sensitivity to ferroptosis. Over the past decade or so, numerous diseases have been linked to ferroptosis as part of their etiology, including cancers, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, central nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal diseases. Ferroptosis-related proteins have become attractive targets for many major human diseases that are currently incurable, and some ferroptosis regulators have shown therapeutic effects in clinical trials although further validation of their clinical potential is needed. Therefore, in-depth analysis of ferroptosis and its potential molecular mechanisms in human diseases may offer additional strategies for clinical prevention and treatment. In this review, we discuss the physiological significance of iron homeostasis in the body, the potential contribution of ferroptosis to the etiology and development of human diseases, along with the evidence supporting targeting ferroptosis as a therapeutic approach. Importantly, we evaluate recent potential therapeutic targets and promising interventions, providing guidance for future targeted treatment therapies against human diseases.

A comprehensive review on the progress and challenges of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives as a promising therapeutic agent to treat Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. While the precise mechanism behind this rapid progression and multifaceted disease remains unknown, the numerous drawbacks of the available therapies are prevalent, necessitating effective alternative treatment methods. In view of the rising demand for effective AD treatment, numerous reports have shown that tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) is a valuable scaffold in various clinical medicinal molecules and has a promising potential as a therapeutic agent in treating AD due to its significant neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties via several mechanisms that target the altered signaling pathways. Therefore, this review comprehensively outlines the potential application of THIQ derivatives in AD treatment and the challenges in imparting the action of these prospective therapeutic agents. The review emphasizes a number of THIQ derivatives, including Dauricine, jatrorrhizine, 1MeTIQ, and THICAPA, that have been incorporated in AD studies in recent years. Subsequently, a dedicated section of the review briefly discusses the emerging potential benefits of multi-target therapeutics, which lie in their ability to be integrated with alternative therapeutics. Eventually, this review elaborates on the rising challenges and future recommendations for the development of therapeutic drug agents to treat AD effectively. In essence, the valuable research insights of THIQ derivatives presented in this comprehensive review would serve as an integral reference for future studies to develop potent therapeutic drugs for AD research.