Jun Shan Ruan^*†, Huan Zhou^*, Lin Yang^‡, Ling Wang^*, Zong Sheng Jiang^§, Hong Sun^*, Shao Ming Wang^*†

Oncology Research, Vol.27, No.5, pp. 593-600, 2019, DOI:10.3727/096504017X15051723858706

Abstract Transforming growth factor- 1 (TGF- 1)-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may contribute to tumor metastasis. TGF- 1-induced EMT in H1975 cells (a human NSCLC cell line) resulted in the adoption of mesenchymal responses that were predominantly mediated via the TGF- 1–integrin signaling pathway. Ursolic acid has been previously reported to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in several cancers. However, whether ursolic acid can attenuate TGF- 1-induced EMT in H1975 cells and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, ursolic acid significantly attenuated the TGF- 1-induced decrease in E-cadherin level and elevated the level of… More >

MAGDALENA RUDZIŃSKA-RADECKA^*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.8, pp. 1893-1901, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.019724

Abstract Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (KIRC) is the most common and aggressive malignancy subtype of renal neoplasm that arises from proximal convoluted tubules. It is characterized by poor clinical outcomes and high mortality of patients due to the lack of specific biomarkers for varying stages of the disease and no effective treatment. Proteases are associated with the development of several malignant tumors in humans by their ability to degrade extracellular matrices, facilitating metastasis. Herein, differentially expressed genes in KIRC cases compared to healthy kidneys were screened out from the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. This data was applied… More >

CHEN CAI¹, HAO SUN², LIANG HU³, ZHICHAO FAN^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.2, pp. 229-257, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.014338

Abstract Integrin molecules are transmembrane αβ heterodimers involved in cell adhesion, trafficking, and signaling. Upon activation, integrins undergo dynamic conformational changes that regulate their affinity to ligands. The physiological functions and activation mechanisms of integrins have been heavily discussed in previous studies and reviews, but the fluorescence imaging techniques –which are powerful tools for biological studies– have not. Here we review the fluorescence labeling methods, imaging techniques, as well as Förster resonance energy transfer assays used to study integrin expression, localization, activation, and functions. More >

Yan Zu^1,2, Qiang Li¹, Chun Yang^2,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 106-106, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07132

Abstract Extracellular matrix (ECM) elasticity affects the function of a variety of cells. Integrins are transmembrane receptors that considered to be a sensor of cellular mechanical stimulation. The activity of integrins is strongly influenced by glycans through glycosylation events and the establishment of glycan-mediated interactions. Our study found that the level of β1 integrin N-linked glycosylation was significantly down-regulated on softer ECM. Further, sialic acid is a common monosaccharide modified at the end of the sugar chain during N-glycosylation. We subjected the enriched sialylated glycoproteins to gel-based proteomic identification by tandem mass spectrometry and found that the chondrocytes seeded on stiff… More >

Xueyi Yang¹, Yue Xu¹, Chun Yang^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 101-101, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07117

Abstract Cell-matrix interactions guide various cell behaviors, including proliferation, differentiation, migration, etc. Integrins, as a known transmembrane mechanosensor, undergo conformational changes in response to mechanical stimuli, and manipulate cell-matrix chemical-mechanical coupled signaling transduction [1]. The integrin-ligand bond kinetics has gain increasing attention among researchers. Independent studies showed that the integrin-ligand bond has been reported to be reinforced by the applied force f, while the loading rate df/dt had little effect on the bond lifetime [2].
We previously observed a dramatic increase in bond lifetime beyond a loading rate threshold for the integrin α2β1-DGEA bond, by introducing AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy)… More >

Ying Fang¹, Jianhua Wu^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.1, pp. 5-6, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.05695

Abstract For hemostasis and thrombosis, some proteins, such as Von Willebrand Factor (VWF, a multimeric plasma glycoprotein synthesized in endothelial cells and megakaryocytes and secreted to circulation or attached to endothelial cells), the metalloprotease ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13), P-selectin (one of three selectin family members with a N-terminal C-type lectin domain, an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like module, a series of consensus repeat (CR) units, a transmembrane segment and a short cyto-plasmic domain) and β2 integrin. In adhesion and aggregation of circulating platelets towards to the sites of vascular injury, VWF on vascular… More >

Ning Li^{1, 2, 3}, Xiao Zhang^{1, 2}, Peiwen Li^{1, 2}, Hao Yang^{1, 2}, Chunfang Tong^{1, 2}, Shouqin Lü^{1, 2}, Yan Zhang^{1, 2}, Zhiyi Ye³, Jun Pan^{3, *}, Mian Long^{1, 2, *}

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.116, No.2, pp. 263-279, 2018, DOI:10.31614/cmes.2018.04079

Abstract Neutrophil (PMN) accumulation on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) is crucial to pathogen clearance and tissue damage in the liver sinusoids and controlled by a series of adhesion molecules expressed on the surface of PMNs and LSECs. The role of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) and macrophage-1 antigen (Mac-1) in this process is still contentious. Here we compared the dynamic force spectra of the binding of β2 integrin to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on LSECs using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and performed free and steered molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to analyze their structural bases of LFA-1- or Mac-1-I-domain and ICAM-1-D1 or… More >

J. B. Litzenberger^{1, 2}, P. Tummala² , C. R. Jacobs^{1, 2}

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.4, pp. 219-220, 2006, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2006.003.219

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

D.E. Ingber¹

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.1, No.1, pp. 53-68, 2004, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2004.001.053

Abstract This article is a summary of a lecture presented at a symposium on "Mechanics and Chemistry of Biosystems'' in honor of Professor Y.C. Fung that convened at the University of California, Irvine in February 2004. The article reviews work from our laboratory that focuses on the mechanism by which mechanical and chemical signals interplay to control how individual cells decide whether to grow, differentiate, move, or die, and thereby promote pattern formation during tissue morphogenesis. Pursuit of this challenge has required development and application of new microtechnologies, theoretical formulations, computational models and bioinformatics tools. These approaches have been used to… More >

Bingbing ZHANG^{1, 2}, Ying ZHANG^{1, 2}, Xiaomei ZHANG^{1, 2}, Yonggang LV^{1, 2}

BIOCELL, Vol.42, No.1, pp. 17-24, 2018, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2018.06115

Abstract Mechanical microenvironment can strongly affect the metastatic efficiency of circulating tumor cells. However, the effect of suspension state on their extravasation and the mechanisms involved are still unclear. To explore the influence of suspension state on extravasation (including adhesion, spreading and transendothelial migration) of breast tumor cells and its relevant molecular mechanism, MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured on poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) coated 6-well plates to minic the suspension state. Suspension state promoted adhesion, spreading and transendothelial migration of MDA-MB-231 cells to EAhy926 endothelial cells (ECs) monolayer under both the static condition and 0.5 dyne/cm² flow shear stress (FSS). The number of… More >