Huiping Qiu¹, Shaofang Huang^2,*, Xin Xiong¹, Li Zhang¹

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.12, pp. 2415-2432, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.070402 - 24 December 2025

Abstract Background: Pulmonary fibrosis is an irreversible lung disorder that currently has a limited number of effective therapeutic strategies. Taraxasterol (TAR), a bioactive triterpenoid isolated from plants used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. However, its precise role in pulmonary fibrosis remains incompletely defined. This study aimed to elucidate whether TAR alleviates pulmonary fibrosis by modulating Protein Phosphatase 2 Scaffold Subunit Abeta (PPP2R1B) expression. Methods: A bleomycin-induced murine model of pulmonary fibrosis and a transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) stimulated mouse lung fibroblast cell line (MLg) were established. To evaluate the effects of… More >

Xiaoyue Feng^1,#, Yu Liu^2,#, Ying Kang¹, Juan Wei², Bei Yuan³, Kang Jiang⁴, Weijun Xu², Xinyi Xia⁵, Fangyu Wang^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.8, pp. 1505-1528, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.066504 - 29 August 2025

Abstract Objectives: A common side effect of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is intestinal fibrosis, which frequently leads to intestinal blockage and stricture formation. Although Thalidomide (THD) has shown anti-fibrotic benefits in hepatic and renal models, little is known about how it affects intestinal fibrosis and the underlying processes. The present research examines the molecular targets of THD and its potential as a treatment for intestinal fibrosis brought on by colitis. Methods: Clinical samples from Crohn’s disease (CD) patients with intestinal strictures treated with infliximab (IFX) and THD combined with IFX were collected. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)… More >

YONG RAO^1,3,4, XIAO CHEN^5,6, KAIYU LI^1,3,4, MINHAI NIE^1,3,4, XUQIAN LIU^2,3,4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 577-590, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.053119 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Decorin (DCN) is primarily found in the connective tissues of various parts of the body, including the lungs, kidneys, bone tissue, aorta, and tendons. It is an important component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and belongs to the class I small leucine-rich proteoglycans family. DCN is increasingly attracting attention due to its significant role in tumors, fibrotic diseases, and the regulation of vascular formation. Moreover, its anti-tumor properties have positioned it as a promising biomarker in the fight against cancer. Numerous studies have confirmed that DCN can exert inhibitory effects in various solid tumors, particularly… More >

JU-YEON LEE¹, DAEUN MOON², JINU KIM^2,3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.1, pp. 79-92, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.058340 - 24 January 2025

Abstract The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in signal transduction and cellular responses. This review explores the function of EGFR in kidney physiology and its implications for various kidney diseases. EGFR signaling is essential for kidney function and repair mechanisms, and its dysregulation significantly impacts both acute and chronic kidney conditions. The review discusses the normal distribution of EGFR in kidney tubular segments, the mechanism of its activation and inhibition, and the therapeutic potential of EGFR-targeting antagonists and ligands. Additionally, it explores the pathophysiological characteristics observed More >

TIANYUN HAN^#, ZHONG LI^#, LUONING ZHANG, LINSHEN XIE^*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1625-1638, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.055029 - 07 November 2024

Abstract Objective: The study aimed to explore the protective mechanism of Ganoderic acid A (GAA) in renal fibrosis and to verify that GAA can ameliorate renal fibrosis by regulating the Niemann-pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) gene. Methods: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) was used to treat Human Kidney-2 (HK-2) cells to establish a renal fibrosis model. The differentially expressed genes in the control (CTRL) group, TGF-β1 group, and TGF-β1 + GAA group were screened via transcriptome sequencing technology and verified by qPCR and Western blot experiments. The NPC1L1 gene overexpression plasmid was constructed. The expression levels of N-cad, E-cad,… More >

CHUNLING LIANG^1,#, JING CHEN^2,#, XIAOJIE CHEN¹, WEI YAN³, JIE YU^4,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.7, pp. 1105-1113, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.050509 - 03 July 2024

Abstract Background: A differential gene, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM1), was identified in blood sequencing datasets from myocardial infarction patients and healthy controls. Myocardial fibrosis following myocardial infarction significantly contributes to cardiac dysfunction. Objectives: This study aimed to unveil the intrinsic regulatory mechanism of TREM1 in myocardial fibrosis. Methods: Mimicking pathology by angiotensin II (Ang II) treatment of human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs), the impacts of TREM1 knockdown on its proliferation, migration, and secretion of the pro-fibrotic matrix were identified. Using the Human Transcription Factor Database (HumanTFDB) website, lysine-specific demethylase 5B (KDM5B) was found to… More >

GUIBIN ZHONG^1,2,#, SHURONG WANG^3,#, YUJIN HE⁴, DAMING FENG¹, KE WEI¹, YANQIU YANG¹, JIANWEI CHEN^1,2,*, JUNLING CHEN^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.6, pp. 1001-1008, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.050294 - 10 June 2024

Abstract Background: Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum (HLF) is a common contributor to spinal stenosis which results in significant neurological impairments. Circular RNA (circRNA) circ_0003609 has been linked to HLF; however, the exact mechanism by which it causes this disease is unclear. Methods: Circ_0003609 expressions were regulated in HLF cells by overexpression vectors and RNA interference. Cell proliferation and fibrosis-related gene expression were checked by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and western blotting. CircBank’s prediction of the association between miR-155 and circ_0003609 was supported by a dual-luciferase reporter experiment. The function of the miR-155/sirtuin 1 More >

SAIFEI XIE^1,2,4, HUI XIE^2,*, JINCAI GUO³, JIN TAN⁴, YULIN YU¹, MINYI ZHANG¹, SHANG WEN¹

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.4, pp. 591-599, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.046691 - 09 April 2024

Abstract Background: Puerarin (Pue) has been reported to be a natural active ingredient with multiple antifibrotic properties. This work aimed at exploring the function of Pue in oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) treatment. Methods: Human oral mucosa fibroblasts (hOMF) were induced with transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) and intervened with Pue. Expressions of fibrosis-related markers were analyzed by Western blot and IF staining. Cell viability was characterized by the CCK-8 assay. Expressions of miR-30 family members were quantified by qRT-PCR. The correlation between fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and miR-30 family expression was evaluated by the Pearson correlation… More > Graphic Abstract

YAN LI¹, HUZHI CAI², XIAOLING PENG³, YOUHUI LIU⁴, QINGYANG CHEN⁴, XIANGDONG LIN⁵, XINYU CHEN^6,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.3, pp. 501-511, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.030854 - 15 March 2024

Abstract Background: Renal fibrosis is an important process in the development of chronic kidney disease. Understanding the pathogenesis and finding effective treatments for renal fibrosis is crucial. This study aims to investigate whether a newly discovered long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) called LOC103694972 could be a potential target for treating fibrosis of NRK-49F cells. Methods:: LncRNA Chip was used to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs between TGF-β1-induced NRK-49F cells and normal cells. The dual-luciferase assay confirmed the binding between miR-29c-3p and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3), as well as between miR-29c-3p and lncRNA LOC103694972. Si-LOC103694972 and… More > Graphic Abstract

GIULIA CHIABOTTO^1,*, STEFANIA BRUNO^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.7, pp. 1499-1508, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.028121 - 21 June 2023

Abstract Renal fibrosis and inflammation are common pathological features of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Since currently available treatments can only delay the progression of CKD, the outcome of patients with CKD is still poor. One therapeutic option for the prevention of CKD-related complications could be the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which have shown beneficial effects in tissue fibrosis and regeneration after damage. However, safety issues, such as cellular rejection and carcinogenicity, limit their clinical application. Among the bioactive factors secreted by MSCs, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown the same beneficial effect of MSCs, without More > Graphic Abstract