YUANYUAN LI¹, BITAO ZHANG¹, ZILONG CUI¹, PEIJIAN FAN¹, SHAOXIAN WANG^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.5, pp. 731-744, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.048820

Abstract Background: Depression is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world, imposing a substantial burden on individuals, families, as well as society. Quercetin is known to be highly effective in treating depression. However, additional research is needed to dissect the mechanisms of its anti-depressive effects. Methods: For this study, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into the control, model, quercetin, or fluoxetine group. The latter three groups were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 42 d. The first two groups received saline solution daily via oral gavage. Meanwhile, the quercetin group was orally administered a quercetin suspension (52.08 mg/kg) every day,… More >

XINRU FENG¹, LI XIAO^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.5, pp. 793-801, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.048395

Abstract Background: Galectin 2 (LGALS2) is a protein previously reported to serve as a mediator of disease progression in a range of cancers. The function of LGALS2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), however, has yet to be explored, prompting the present study to address this literature gap. Methods: Overall, 144 paired malignant tumor tissues and paracancerous OSCC patient samples were harvested and the LGALS2 expression levels were examined through qPCR and western immunoblotting. The LGALS2 coding sequence was introduced into the pcDNA3.0 vector, to enable the overexpression of this gene, while an LGALS2-specific shRNA and corresponding controls were also obtained.… More >

ANDI ZHAO^1,2,#, YUE WANG^3,#, ZIJIN WANG^1,2, QING SHAO^1,2, QI GONG^1,2, HUI ZHU^1,2, SHIYA SHEN^1,2, HU LIU^1,2,*, XUEJUAN CHEN^1,2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.5, pp. 983-998, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.045972

Abstract Numerous studies have characterized the critical role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as regulatory factors in the progression of multiple cancers. However, the biological functions of circRNAs and their underlying molecular mechanisms in the progression of uveal melanoma (UM) remain enigmatic. In this study, we identified a novel circRNA, circ_0053943, through re-analysis of UM microarray data and quantitative RT-PCR. Circ_0053943 was found to be upregulated in UM and to promote the proliferation and metastatic ability of UM cells in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Mechanistically, circ_0053943 was observed to bind to the KH1 and KH2 domains of insulin-like growth… More > Graphic Abstract

Muhammad Farhan^1,#, Manda Sathish², Rafia Kiran¹, Aroosa Mushtaq³, Alaa Baazeem⁴, Ammarah Hasnain⁵, Fahad Hakim¹, Syed Atif Hasan Naqvi^1,#,*, Mustansar Mubeen⁶, Yasir Iftikhar^6,*, Aqleem Abbas⁷, Muhammad Zeeshan Hassan¹, Mahmoud Moustafa⁸

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.3, pp. 581-609, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.046857

Abstract

Plant growth and resilience to abiotic stresses, such as soil salinity and drought, depend intricately on nitrogen metabolism. This review explores nitrogen’s regulatory role in plant responses to these challenges, unveiling a dynamic interplay between nitrogen availability and abiotic stress. In the context of soil salinity, a nuanced relationship emerges, featuring both antagonistic and synergistic interactions between salinity and nitrogen levels. Salinity-induced chlorophyll depletion in plants can be alleviated by optimal nitrogen supplementation; however, excessive nitrogen can exacerbate salinity stress. We delve into the complexities of this interaction and its agricultural implications. Nitrogen, a vital element within essential plant structures… More >

HYUNG SUN KIM^1,#, YUN SUN LEE^2,#, SEUNG MYUNG DONG³, HYO JUNG KIM¹, DA EUN LEE², HYEON WOONG KANG², MYEONG JIN KIM², JOON SEONG PARK^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.4, pp. 615-624, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.044029

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive solid malignancies. A specific mechanism of its metastasis has not been established. In this study, we investigated whether Neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) plays a role in distant metastasis of PDAC. We found that N-WASP is markedly expressed in clinical patients with PDAC. Clinical analysis showed a notably more distant metastatic pattern in the N-WASP-high group compared to the N-WASP-low group. N-WASP was noted to be a novel mediator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via gene expression profile studies. Knockdown of N-WASP in pancreatic cancer cells significantly inhibited cell invasion, migration,… More > Graphic Abstract

FEI SHA¹, DAISHAN XIN², JUN XU³, ZHIWEI ZHENG¹, WENXIN LIN¹, XIAORUI CAI¹, FEI LIN³, MINGHAO ZHENG^1,*, JIAOLING CHEN^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.3, pp. 443-451, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029188

Abstract Background: Curcumin is a plant polyphenol with antitumor properties and inhibits the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, as the molecular mechanism associated is still unclear, our study aimed to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms by which curcumin inhibits CRC. Methods: HT29 and SW480 cells were treated with curcumin or/and Doxycycline (DOX), and cell viability, colony forming ability, migration and invasion were confirmed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony forming, Transwell assays. And Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) and PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) signaling-related genes or proteins were analyzed using reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot, and immunofluorescence assays. Then… More > Graphic Abstract

ANWAR ALI^1,#, SREEKANTH REDDY OBIREDDY^2,#, WING-FU LAI^3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.2, pp. 163-171, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.043839

Abstract Farnesol is a C15 isoprenyl alcohol generated from the hydrolysis of farnesyl diphosphate under the action of farnesol synthase in plants. Although this sesquiterpenoid alcohol has been exploited in a wide variety of industrial applications, serious discussions on the possible use of this agent in disease treatment have been scant until now. In this article, we review the current understanding of the physiological properties of farnesol and the potential use of the agent as a candidate for treatment development. In fact, since the turn of the last century, farnesol has been found not only to trigger apoptosis in tumor cells… More >

JINGLONG CAO^1,#, SHUMEI LI^2,#, TONG ZHANG^1,#, JIAN LIU¹, WENSHUANG HOU¹, ANQI WANG¹, CHANG WANG^3,4,*, CHENGHAO JIN^1,3,5,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.2, pp. 313-325, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.043474

Abstract Background: Valtrate (Val) was extracted from the Valeriana jatamansi Jones plant, had good antitumor activity. However, its precise molecular mechanism in cancer cells was still unclear. This study investigated the effect of Val on gastric cancer (GC) cells and its potential molecular mechanism. Methods: Cell viability was examined by CCK-8 assay. Cell cycle, apoptosis, and Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level were analyzed by flow cytometry. The migration effect of Val on AGS cells was analyzed by transwell and wound-healing assay. The expression levels of proteins were analyzed by western blot. Results: The cell viability assay results demonstrated that Val significantly… More > Graphic Abstract

YUANYUAN XU, XIAOKE CHEN^*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.3, pp. 517-528, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030293

Abstract Background: The aberrant intracellular expression of a mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA synthetase 2 (DARS2) has been reported in human cancers. Nevertheless, its critical role and detailed mechanism in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain unexplored. Methods: Initially, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-based Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database () was used to analyze the prognostic relevance of DARS2 expression in LUAD. Further, cell counting kit (CCK)-8, immunostaining, and transwell invasion assays in LUAD cell lines in vitro, as well as DARS2 silence on LUAD by tumorigenicity experiments in vivo in nude mice, were performed. Besides, we analyzed the expression levels of p-PI3K (phosphorylated-Phosphotylinosital3… More >

Kaiyue Hong^1,2, Yasmina Radani², Waqas Ahmad², Ping Li³, Yuming Luo^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.1, pp. 45-61, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2023.046389

Abstract Carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide (NO) are signal molecules that enhance plant adaptation to environmental stimuli. Auxin is an essential phytohormone for plant growth and development. CO and NO play crucial roles in modulating the plant’s response to iron deficiency. Iron deficiency leads to an increase in the activity of heme oxygenase (HO) and the subsequent generation of CO. Additionally, it alters the polar subcellular distribution of Pin-Formed 1 (PIN1) proteins, resulting in enhanced auxin transport. This alteration, in turn, leads to an increase in NO accumulation. Furthermore, iron deficiency enhances the activity of ferric chelate reductase (FCR), as… More >