LAURA LAFON-HUGHES^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.12, pp. 2531-2535, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.022713

Abstract Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) is a highly negatively charged polymer. PAR is synthesized by poly(ADP-ribose)polymerases (PARPs) and is involved in the assembly and stabilization of macromolecular complexes. Here, the presence and putative roles of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) associated to adherens junctions (AJ) and the actin cytoskeleton in epithelial and Schwann cells, is reviewed. The hypothesis generated by analogy, stating that PAR is associated to AJ in other cell types, is postulated. According to this hypothesis, PAR associated to puncta adherentia in chemical synapses would participate in plasticity, learning and memory. In turn, PAR associated to fascia adherens in cardiomyocytes, would affect heart beating.… More >

Daniela D’Angelo^*, Claudio Arra^†, Alfredo Fusco^*

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.2, pp. 191-201, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504019X15761465603129

Abstract Long noncoding RNAs have been recently demonstrated to have an important role in fundamental biological processes, and their deregulated expression has been found in several human neoplasias. Our group has recently reported a drastic overexpression of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) RPSAP52 (ribosomal protein SA pseudogene 52) in pituitary adenomas. We have shown that this lncRNA increased cell proliferation by upregulating the expression of the chromatinic proteins HMGA1 and HMGA2, functioning as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) through competitively binding to microRNA-15a (miR-15a), miR-15b, and miR-16. The aim of this work was to identify further mechanisms by which RPSAP52 overexpression… More >

Ting La^*†, Lei Jin^*‡, Xiao Ying Liu^*, Ze Hua Song^*, Margaret Farrelly^†, Yu Chen Feng^†, Xu Guang Yan^†, Yuan Yuan Zhang^*,† Rick F. Thorne^*,*§ Xu Dong Zhang^*†, Liu Teng^*

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.4, pp. 385-398, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504020X15861709922491

Abstract The deubiquitinase cylindromatosis (CYLD) functions as a tumor suppressor inhibiting cell proliferation in many cancer types including melanoma. Here we present evidence that a proportion of melanoma cells are nonetheless addicted to CYLD for survival. The expression levels of CYLD varied widely in melanoma cell lines and melanomas in vivo, with a subset of melanoma cell lines and melanomas displaying even higher levels of CYLD than melanocyte lines and nevi, respectively. Strikingly, although short hairpin RNA (shRNA) knockdown of CYLD promoted, as anticipated, cell proliferation in some melanoma cell lines, it reduced cell viability in a fraction of melanoma cell… More >

Dongping Zha^1,2, Haisheng Cai^1,*, Xueling Zhang¹, Qinggang He¹, Liting Chen¹, Chunqing Qiu¹, Shufang Xia²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.10, pp. 2297-2311, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.020117

Abstract The lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is an aquatic plant that grows in shallow water and has long been cultivated in South China. It can improve the incomes of farmers and plays an important role in alleviating poverty in rural China. However, a modern method is required to accurately estimate the area of lotus fields. Lotus has spectral characteristics similar to those of rice, grassland, and shrubs. The features surrounding areas where it is grown are complex, small, and fragmented. Few studies have examined the remote sensing extraction of lotus fields, and automatic extraction and mapping are still challenging methods. Here,… More >

DANILA BOBKOV^1,2,3,*, ANASTASIA POLYANSKAYA¹, ANASTASIA MUSORINA¹, GALINA POLJANSKAYA¹

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.9, pp. 2053-2058, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.019469

Abstract All non-immortalized mesenchymal stem cells have a limited proliferative potential, that is, replicative senescence (RS) is an integral characteristic of the life of all mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). It is known that one of the important signs of RS is a decrease of cell motility, and that violations of migration processes contribute to the deterioration of tissue regeneration. Therefore, the characterization of the properties of the cell line associated with RS is a prerequisite for the effective use of MSCs in restorative medicine. One of the key proteins regulating cell motility is the small GTPase RhoA. The main purpose of… More >

JULIANA SOARES^1,2,#, DOUGLAS G. FREITAS^1,3,#, PEDRO S. LOURENÇO^1,4, JEFTE FARIAS^1,5, BRUNO PONTES^1,2,3,4,5,*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.9, pp. 2009-2013, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.019969

Abstract Mammalian cell surfaces consist of the plasma membrane supported by an underneath cortical cytoskeleton. Together, these structures can control not only the shape of cells but also a series of cellular functions ranging from migration and division to exocytosis, endocytosis and differentiation. Furthermore, the cell surface is capable of exerting and reacting to mechanical forces. Its viscoelastic properties, especially membrane tension and bending modulus, are fundamental parameters involved in these responses. This viewpoint summarizes our current knowledge on how to measure the viscoelastic properties of cell surfaces employing optical tweezers-based tether assays, paving the way for a better understanding of… More >

NOUR HIJAZI, DON C. ROCKEY^*, ZENGDUN SHI^*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.9, pp. 2003-2007, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.020171

Abstract Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary effector cells in liver fibrosis. In the normal liver, HSCs serve as the primary vitamin A storage cells in the body and retain a “quiescent” phenotype. However, after liver injury, they transdifferentiate to an “activated” myofibroblast-like phenotype, which is associated with dramatic upregulation of smooth muscle specific actin and extracellular matrix proteins. The result is a fibrotic, stiff, and dysfunctional liver. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern HSC function is essential for the development of anti-fibrotic medications. The actin cytoskeleton has emerged as a key component of the fibrogenic response in wound… More >

Yongshuai Sun^1,*, Guihe Wang², Yixuan li²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.10, No.8, pp. 2287-2302, 2022, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.019660

Abstract To study the relationship between acoustic emission characteristic parameters of self-compacting concrete(SCC) and its destruction evolution, under uniaxial compression, acoustic emission(AE) tests are performed on C30 selfcompacting concrete test blocks that are preserved for 7 days and 28 days, the corresponding relationship among energy, amplitude, ring count and different failure stages of the specimens are analyzed by AE experiment, and the spatial distribution of AE in each stage is described by introducing location map. The test shows that there are two rules for the failure of SCC specimens cured for 7 days and 28 days: (1) The first failure law… More >

MASASHI KAWAMI^*, RYOKO YUMOTO, MIKIHISA TAKANO

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.8, pp. 1861-1865, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.019667

Abstract A number of drugs induce pulmonary injury and subsequently lead to serious lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis as the adverse drug reactions. However, an effective preventive approach against drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis has not been established due to poor understanding of common preventive targets in a variety of drugs showing pulmonary toxicity. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a cellular phenotypic change of the epithelial to mesenchymal state, contributes to the development of pulmonary fibrosis through the conversion of damaged alveolar epithelium into myofibroblasts. As several drugs with pulmonary toxicity have been reported to induce EMT, EMT serves as a bridge between the… More >

ANA M. CÁRDENAS^1,*, LUCIANA I. GALLO², FERNANDO D. MARENGO^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.8, pp. 1867-1873, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.019086

Abstract The cortical actin network is a mesh of filaments distributed beneath the plasmalemma that dynamically reacts in response to stimuli. This dynamic network of cortical filaments, together with motor myosin partners, adjusts the plasmalemma tension, organizes membrane protein microdomains, remodels the cell surface and drives vesicle motion in order to fine-tune exocytosis, endocytosis and recycling of secretory vesicles. In this review, we discuss how these mechanisms work in secretory cells. More >