Rihui Wang^1,2,#, Wanlu Li^3,#, Canyang Jiang^1,2, Jianping Huang^1,2, Kangwei Zhou^1,2, Yan Jiang^4,5, Junyang Zhang^1,2, Li Huang^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.075875 - 13 May 2026

Abstract Background: Osteomyelitis of the jaw (OMJ) is a severe infectious bone disease. While Canopy FGF signaling regulator 2 (CNPY2) is known to regulate inflammatory diseases, its role in OMJ remains unclear. The study aimed to investigate the role of CNPY2 in the mandibular joint and its molecular mechanisms. Methods: An in vitro OMJ model was generated by stimulating RAW264.7 macrophages with S. aureus. CNPY2 knockdown and overexpression models were established using siRNA and plasmids. Functional assays assessed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Macrophage polarization, cytokine secretion, and osteoclast differentiation were analyzed. The CNPY2-Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4)/Nuclear factor-kappa B… More > Graphic Abstract

Ju Li¹, Pengcheng Rao¹, Dan Yang¹, Tong Zhou¹, Jianguo Gan¹, Die Lv¹, Shuting Zhou¹, Yang Peng¹, Xiaoqiang Xia¹, Qianming Chen¹, Yuchen Jiang¹, Jian Jiang², Xiaoping Xu^1,*, Xiaodong Feng^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.075437 - 13 May 2026

Abstract Objective: Multiple programmed cell death (PCD) pathways have been individually reported to be triggered by cisplatin, but whether and how they are co-regulated remains unclear. In this study, we comprehensively investigate the spectrum of cisplatin-induced PCD. Methods: We employed integrated in vitro and in vivo models, including human cancer cell lines, a Cal27 xenograft mouse model, and paired clinical specimens from an oral squamous cell carcinoma patient receiving neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. A comprehensive methodological suite-encompassing cell death assays, Western blotting, Hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunofluorescence, Cyclic multiplexed tissue staining, and pathway-specific pharmacological inhibitors was utilized to dissect the… More >

Christoph Rehbach¹, Patrick A. H. Ehm^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.075170 - 13 May 2026

Abstract Despite improved overall prognosis, the treatment of high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains challenging due to the toxicity of intensive polychemotherapy and the limited efficacy of antibody-targeted therapies beyond cluster of differentiation 20 and 22 (CD20 and CD22). ALL is driven not only by genetic alterations but also by profound epigenetic dysregulation, including promoter hypermethylation that also silences surface receptor genes. This epigenetic repression can reduce the efficacy of targeted immunotherapies and contribute to relapse. Epigenetic reprogramming with DNA demethylating agents (e.g., decitabine) has the potential to restore the expression of key B cell receptors… More >

Gyuri Han^#, Yun Hee Jeong^#, Ga Eun Kim, Jong-Sup Bae^*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.075139 - 13 May 2026

Abstract Objectives: Plant-derived bioactive molecules are increasingly recognized as valuable therapeutic resources for managing diverse pathological conditions, particularly those involving vascular inflammation. This study aimed to determine whether veratramine (VRT), a naturally occurring steroidal alkaloid found in Veratrum species of the Liliaceae family, attenuates LPS-induced vascular and pulmonary inflammation by upregulating heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and modulating the Nrf2, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT1) signaling pathways. Methods: The study assessed the modulatory effects of VRT on HO-1, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells… More > Graphic Abstract

Sebastián Jaurreteche^1,2,*, María Luana Brajkovic², María Victoria Del Rosal², Graciela Venera³, Carlos Daniel De la Vega Elena⁴

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.073790 - 13 May 2026

Abstract Protein misfolding has emerged as a central mechanism in the pathogenesis of human kidney diseases. Normally, proteins achieve their native conformation through highly regulated folding processes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and cytoplasm, assisted by molecular chaperones and quality-control pathways. However, genetic variants, environmental stressors, or cellular overload can destabilize this system, resulting in unfolded or misfolded proteins that trigger aggregation, amyloid formation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). These events may ultimately lead to loss of function, gain of toxic function, and apoptosis. This review summarizes the structural basis… More >

Andrea De Matthaeis¹, Laura Rehak^2,*, Maria Bianchi³, Rossana Putzulu³, Nicola Piccirillo^3,4, Giulio Maccauro¹

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.073783 - 13 May 2026

Abstract For over two decades, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been recognised as the cornerstone of orthobiologic treatments for musculoskeletal diseases. However, clinical evidence increasingly indicates that MSC engraftment in inflamed tissues is minimal and transient, with effects mainly driven by paracrine and immunomodulatory mechanisms induced by macrophage efferocytosis. This evolving paradigm emphasises the immune system as the central orchestrator of tissue repair. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) have emerged as potent effectors of regenerative inflammation, mediating apoptotic cell clearance through efferocytosis, facilitating the transition of macrophages from pro-inflammatory (M1) to reparative (M2) phenotypes, and releasing… More >

Yong Jiang^*, Rui Ma, Yu-Ge Wu, Yi-Ming Huo, Han-Zhu Zhou, Jun-Xuan Zhang

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.075982 - 21 April 2026

Abstract Background: Aquaporin 1 (AQP1) plays a key role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which erythroblast transformation-specific 1 (ETS1) and myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) regulated AQP1 transcription. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and rats with coronary heart disease were employed for in vitro and in vivo experiments, respectively. Expressions of ETS1, MEF2C, and AQP1 were analyzed by western blotting and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays were performed to confirm the interactions between ETS1 and MEF2C. Scratch wound healing and… More > Graphic Abstract

Qiguo Wang¹, Qin Wang², Wen Ye³, Qin Feng³, Ting Wang^3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.075633 - 21 April 2026

Abstract Objectives: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a common primary glomerulonephritis with limited treatment options. Gallic acid (GA) has demonstrated renal protective effects, but its precise mechanisms against IgAN remain incompletely elucidated. This study aims to reveal the molecular mechanism by which GA exerts a renal protective effect on IgAN. Methods: Transcriptomics and network pharmacology were combined in an integrative manner. The GSE175759 dataset’s differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered out. SwissTargetPrediction and Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) were used to forecast GA’s goals. Core targets and pathways were obtained by functional… More >

Shuyu Yuan^1,#, Guoxiao Han^1,#, Huimin Qiu¹, Henan Zheng², Rongzhi Fang¹, Wangmiao Xie¹, Wangui Yu^1,*, Xiaochun Peng^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.075338 - 21 April 2026

Abstract The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in maintaining host metabolic homeostasis. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is closely associated with metabolic disorders, including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). These alterations affect energy harvest, bile acid and short-chain fatty acid metabolism, intestinal barrier integrity, and low-grade inflammation, thereby contributing to insulin resistance and ectopic fat accumulation. In this narrative review, we summarize current knowledge on microbiome-host interactions in metabolic diseases, with a focus on energy metabolism, immune regulation, and inflammatory pathways. We further More > Graphic Abstract

Xingchang Fu, Gang Yang^*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.074951 - 21 April 2026

Abstract Objectives: Mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis play crucial roles in osteoarthritis (OA), but the mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of sex-determining region Y-box transcription factor (SOX) 11/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 4 (NOX4) axis-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis in OA. Methods: Destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) induced knee OA in mice. Chondrocytes were stimulated with IL-1β. Ferroptosis and mitochondrial function-related indicators were detected by immunofluorescence, 5,5^′,6,6^′-Tetrachloro-1,1^′,3,3^′-tetraethyl-imidacarbocyanine iodide (JC-1) staining, flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blot. Results: OA mice had 4.4 and 1.1-fold increase in SOX11… More > Graphic Abstract