Natália Alvarenga Borges¹, Larissa Manhães¹, Ludmilla Dias de Santana e Santana¹, Jessyca Sousa de Brito², Larissa Fonseca³, Ludmila F. M. F. Cardozo⁴, Denise Mafra^2,3,4,*,#,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.37, No.1, pp. 1-11, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ecn.2026.0ECN78096 - 13 April 2026

Abstract The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that exhibits antagonistic pleiotropy, mediating both protective and detrimental cellular effects depending on the ligand and context. AhR can be activated by a variety of endogenous and exogenous stimuli, including environmental pollutants, UVB radiation, heme, arachidonic acid metabolites, gut microbiota–derived compounds, and xenobiotics. Upon activation, AhR translocates to the nucleus, where it dimerizes with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) and binds to xenobiotic response elements, inducing the expression of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, oxidative stress responses, and inflammatory signaling. In addition to… More >

Abdullah Alattar¹, Reem Alshaman¹, Fawaz E. Alanazi¹, Yusuf S. Althobaiti², Ghareb M. Soliman³, Waleed Salman Khubrni¹, Howaida S. Ali⁴, Fawad Ali Shah^5,6,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2026.074865 - 23 March 2026

Abstract Objectives: Permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) can lead to hippocampal damage through multiple linked pathways such as reactive oxidative stress (ROS), neuroinflammation mediated by NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), and glutamate excitotoxicity involving N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits 2a and 2b (NR2a/NR2b) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR/GluR1). The hippocampus, which is essential for memory and cognition, is at a substantial risk of ischemic degeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective potential of melatonin in regulating these… More > Graphic Abstract

Huan Zhou¹, Jiami Jiang², Yuqing Zou¹, Jiahui Zhang^1,*, Zhiwei Yu^3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.073989 - 23 March 2026

Abstract Obesity-related asthma is a distinct clinical phenotype, characterized by severe respiratory symptoms, reduced responsiveness to conventional glucocorticoid therapy, and a significantly increase in disease burden. With the rising global prevalence of obesity, the number of individuals affected by obesity-related asthma is steadily growing, presenting a pressing public health issue. The pathogenesis of obesity-related asthma is multifactorial, involving a complex interplay of metabolic and immune pathways. Key mechanisms include dysregulated T-cell differentiation, pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization, oxidative stress, and altered cytokines and adipokines secretion, all contributing to airway inflammation and remodeling. Additionally, metabolic factors, such as adiposity… More >

Joongbum Moon¹, Ji Hyeon Ahn², Moo-Ho Won^3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072635 - 23 March 2026

Abstract Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury induces region-specific neuronal vulnerability within the hippocampus, with the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) subfield particularly prone to delayed neuronal death. While intrinsic neuronal factors have been implicated, emerging evidence highlights the decisive contribution of astrocyte endfeet (AEF)—specialized perivascular structures that regulate ion and water homeostasis, glutamate clearance, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) stability. This review synthesizes structural and molecular alterations of AEF across the CA1–CA3 subfields following I/R and their correlation with neuronal fate. In CA1, AEF undergo early-onset swelling and detachment from the vascular basal lamina due to dysfunction of critical proteins… More >

Antonio Magan-Fernández¹, Sarmad Muayad Rasheed Al-Bakri¹, Marco Bonilla^2,*, Francisco Mesa¹

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.073576 - 14 February 2026

Abstract Objectives: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have emerged as critical effectors in immune defense but also as potential drivers of tissue damage in chronic inflammatory diseases. Their role in periodontitis, a highly prevalent condition characterized by dysregulated host–microbe interactions, remains incompletely defined. This systematic review aimed to synthesize, for the first time, ex vivo human evidence on the presence, activity, and clinical significance of NETs in periodontitis. Methods: A comprehensive search of Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus was conducted up to August 2025. Eligible studies included ex vivo human investigations assessing NETs or NET markers in gingival… More >

Mario D’Ambrosio¹, Elisabetta Bigagli^1,*, Lorenzo Cinci¹, Cecilia Brunetti^2,*, Edgardo Giordani³, Francesco Ferrini³, Cristina Luceri¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.073250 - 30 January 2026

Abstract Moringa oleifera (MO) is traditionally used to mitigate inflammatory-mediated disorders; however, the influence of ecotypic variation on its anti-inflammatory activity remains poorly understood. In this study, we compared the phytochemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extracts obtained from fresh and dried leaves of four MO ecotypes (India, Paraguay, Mozambique, and Pakistan), all grown under the same outdoor conditions, as well as two commercial powders (Just Moringa and WISSA), using LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Extracts from fresh leaves were 19–43% more cytotoxic than those from dried leaves, depending on the ecotype, likely due to higher cyanogenic… More >

SEUNGIL KIM, GUN-DONG KIM^*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.073781 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation or NETosis is a specialized innate immune process in which neutrophils release chromatin fibers decorated with histones and antimicrobial proteins. Although pivotal for pathogen clearance, aberrant NETosis has emerged as a critical modulator of acute and chronic respiratory pathologies, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Dysregulated NET release exacerbates airway inflammation by inducing epithelial injury, mucus hypersecretion, and the recruitment of inflammatory leukocytes, thereby accelerating tissue remodeling and functional decline. Mechanistically, NETosis is governed by peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PADI4)-mediated histone citrullination, NADPH oxidase-dependent reactive More >

Mayuri Shukla¹, Soraya Boonmag², Parichart Boontem¹, Piyarat Govitrapong^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072557 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Ischemic stroke is one of the major causes of long-term disability and mortality worldwide. It results from an interruption in the cerebral blood flow, triggering a cascade of detrimental events like oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis, causing neuronal injury and cellular death. Melatonin, a pleiotropic indoleamine produced by the pineal gland, has multifaceted neuroprotective effects on stroke pathophysiology. Interestingly, the serum melatonin levels are associated with peroxidation and antioxidant status, along with mortality score in patients with severe middle cerebral artery infarction. Melatonin exhibits strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties and preserves More >

Douglas M. Ruden^*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072273 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Stem cell fate decisions are increasingly understood through the dynamic interplay of two fundamental stress-adaptive programs: the integrated stress response (ISR) and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). These pathways act as a Yin–Yang system, balancing beneficial and detrimental outcomes across development, tissue homeostasis, and disease. On the yin (protective) side, transient ISR activation and acute SASP signaling foster adaptation, embryonic patterning, wound healing, and regeneration. On the yang (maladaptive) side, chronic ISR signaling and unresolved SASP output drive stem cell exhaustion, fibrosis, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. This duality highlights their roles as both guardians and disruptors More > Graphic Abstract

Jo Van Damme¹, Stijn Van Damme², Soffe Struyf¹, Ghislain Opdenakker³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 6-14, 2025, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2025.0501

Abstract Since their discovery, chemotactic cytokines or chemokines have been intensively studied for about half a century. Chemokines originate from tissue cells, leukocytes, blood platelets and plasma. Here, we review a number of seminal findings on plasma chemokines within an historical and international context. These aspects include how induction and purification protocols led to the discovery of a new family of mediators, named chemokines, on the basis of protein sequencing; how molecular cloning techniques facilitated discoveries of additional family members on the basis of conserved protein structures; how blood plasma and platelets were used as a More >