F. Cai

Glycosaminoglycan-mediated lipoprotein uptake protects cancer cells from ferroptosis

This study identifies glycosaminoglycan-mediated lipoprotein uptake as a mechanism by which cancer cells resist ferroptosis and lipid oxidative stress.

Electron transport inhibition increases cellular dependence on purine transport and salvage

This study shows that ETC inhibition in cancer cells increases reliance on purine salvage and transport, revealing a metabolic vulnerability in tumors with low oxidative metabolism.

CRISPR-Cas9 for selective targeting of somatic mutations in pancreatic cancers

This paper demonstrates CRISPR-Cas9 can selectively target somatic mutations in pancreatic cancer by exploiting PAMs in noncoding regions, achieving >80% cell death with minimal off-target effects.

Mitochondrial metabolism in primary and metastatic human kidney cancers

This study investigates mitochondrial metabolism in kidney cancers, finding that primary tumors have suppressed mitochondrial function while metastases show enhanced TCA cycle labeling.

In-vivo characterization of glutamine metabolism identifies therapeutic targets in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

The paper identifies multiple glutamine metabolism pathways in ccRCC tumorgrafts and shows that targeting amidotransferase activity reduces tumor growth.

Tocilizumab treatment leads to early resolution of lymphopenia and myeloid dysregulation in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

Disrupting peroxisomes alters lipid metabolism in melanoma and uncovers a novel therapeutic vulnerability in combination with MAPK-targeted therapies

This paper identifies a metabolic vulnerability in melanoma cells by disrupting peroxisomes and shows that combining this with MAPK-targeted therapies enhances anti-tumor effects.

Comprehensive isotopomer analysis of glutamate and aspartate in small tissue samples

This paper develops an MS method to analyze all 16 aspartate and 32 glutamate isotopomers with high sensitivity, enabling pathway discrimination and metabolic heterogeneity studies in human tumors.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination induces neutralizing antibodies against pandemic and pre-emergent SARS-related coronaviruses in monkeys

This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines induce neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and batCoVs in monkeys.

The functions of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing and infection-enhancing antibodies in vitro and in mice and nonhuman primates

This study examines SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing and infection-enhancing antibodies, showing in vitro enhancement does not always lead to in vivo disease enhancement, but can cause increased lung inflammation in monkeys.

Intracellular accumulation and secretion of hydrophobin-enriched vesicles aid the rapid sporulation of molds

The paper investigates the role of hydrophobin-enriched vesicles in mold sporulation, showing their intracellular accumulation and secretion contribute to spore hydrophobicity and rapid sporulation.

Rapid development of an inactivated vaccine for SARS-CoV-2

A purified inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate (PiCoVacc) induces neutralizing antibodies in animals and shows safety and partial to complete protection against SARS-CoV-2 strains.

The hexosamine biosynthesis pathway is a targetable liability in lung cancers with concurrent KRAS and LKB1 mutations.

The paper identifies the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway as a metabolic vulnerability in KRAS/LKB1 mutant lung cancers and shows GFPT2 inhibition reduces tumor growth.

Brucella suppress innate immunity by down-regulating STING expression in macrophages

This study shows Brucella suppresses STING expression via miR-24 to evade innate immunity and establish chronic infection.