Ning Wang^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 21-21, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07550

Abstract Decades ago YC Fung proposed that mechanical stress could have substantial impacts on remodeling and growth of living tissues. Fung also proposed the concept of residual stress in blood vessels and quantified residual stress in excised arteries [1]. However, how stress influences cell and tissue functions remains elusive. At the cellular level, we have quantified myosin II mediated pre-existing tensile stress (prestress) in living cells and demonstrated that the prestress (the endogenous cytoskeletal tension) regulates cell stiffness, gene expression, and long-distance stress propagation in the cytoplasm to activate enzymes [2]. The prestress even impacts on force-induced direct chromatin stretching and… More >

Jie Zhong^1,#, Li Deng^2,#, Yu Jiang³, Lianhong Zou³, Huabing Yuan⁴, Shuang-xiang Tan^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.42, No.3, pp. 99-104, 2018, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2018.04915

Abstract This study aimed to determine the effects of black tea polyphenols on gene expression in hepatocellular cancer cells. The total RNA from HepG2 hepatocellular cancer cells treated with black tea polyphenols was subjected to Human 14K cDNA microarray analysis. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were conducted to verify microarray data. Black tea polyphenols treatment at the dose of 20 mg/L, 40 mg/L or 80 mg/L for one to three days inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose and time dependent manner. A total of 48 genes showed more than two-fold change after black tea polyphenols treatment, including… More >

Xiachen Lv^1,#, Yunxia Fang^1,#, Lantian Zhang¹, Weiyi Zhang¹, Ling Xu¹, Jingjin Han¹, Bailing Jin², Xian Zhang¹, Xiaoqin Zhang^1,*, Dawei Xue^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.88, No.2, pp. 91-100, 2019, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2019.06622

Abstract Melatonin (MLT) is a hormonal substance found in many organisms and can improve plant stress resistance. In this study, the japonica rice variety Y32 and indica rice variety NJ6 were cultivated in hydroponics under different concentrations of CdCl₂ at the two-leaf stage. The growth, physiological and biochemical responses of the seedlings and the expression of cadmium (Cd)-related genes under exogenous melatonin (MLT) treatment were assessed. The results indicated that Cd stress destroyed the dynamic balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and removal, resulting in ROS accumulation, membrane lipid peroxidation, and impaired growth and development. Following the application of exogenous… More >

Mahmoud MOUSTAFA^1,2, Saad ALAMRI¹, Hoida ZAKI², Naglaa LOUTFY², Tarek TAHA³, Ali SHATI¹, Mohamed ALKAHTANI¹, Sajda SIDDIQI¹

BIOCELL, Vol.43, No.2, pp. 81-88, 2019, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2019.06231

Abstract The present research reports of quick and marked changes induced by plant extract of Euryops arabicus in the gene expression of 49-kDa apyrases, cytoskeletal proteins, ATPases, ADPase and amount of amino acid of pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Alaska). Pellets of cytoskeletals proteins (27000 xg) were probed with anti-apyrase antibody, biotinylated anti-rat, actin and alpha and beta-tubulin for Western blotting. ATPase and ADPase activities were determined based on the hydrolytic efficacy of adenine triphosphate and adenine diphosphate. By 72 hours, the abundance of apyrases, cytoskeletal proteins and amount of amino acid in pellets of 27000 xg of germinated pea seeds… More >

HAIFENG WANG^1,2, KAI WANG¹, JUAN GUO¹, TIEQIAO WEN²

BIOCELL, Vol.43, No.2, pp. 59-64, 2019, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2019.05731

Abstract Histone deacetylation is a key modulator involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and mRNA transcription. However, the effects of histone deacetylation on C17.2 neural stem cells (NSCs) remain unclear. Here, the histone deacetylase inhibitors nicotinamide and trichostatin A (TSA) were used to determine the role of histone deacetylation on gene transcription in NSCs. The results showed that the mRNA expression of p53, Sox1, Sox2, and Bax were significantly higher in E14.5 NSCs than in C17.2 NSCs. Nestin, a marker gene of neuronal differentiation, did not differ significantly between E14.5 NSCs and C17.2 NSCs. The transcription levels of p53 and Nestin were… More >

Hala Abdulaziz M ALWARTHAN¹, Mohammad Saud AL ANAZI¹, Narasimha R. PARINE¹, Ramesa Shafi BHAT^1,*, Ghadah ALAMRO¹, Ftoon ALJARBOU¹, Sooad K AL-DAIHAN¹

BIOCELL, Vol.43, No.2, pp. 51-58, 2019, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2019.07019

Abstract Tankyrase1 plays an essential role in cancer progression by regulating telomere length. The study aimed to determine expression of TNKS1 and its regulation in colorectal cancer (CRC) in 20 samples from Saudi patients. mRNA expression of TNKS1 in CRC and paired normal tissues was measured by qRT-PCR. Epigenetic modification of TNKS1 promoter was determined by methylation-specific PCR while somatic mutation was analyzed by Sanger sequencing in exon 10 of the gene. All cancerous and normal tissues expressed TNKS1, but level of expression in CRC tissues was significantly associated with tumor stage though no other parameters; age, gender, and tumor location,… More >

XiangXie^1,a, Deng Liu^1,a, Daoxi Lei¹, Yongfei Liu¹, Qi Wang¹, Zaien Wen¹, Juhui Qiu¹, Dongyu Jia^1,2, Hans Gregersen¹, Guixue Wang^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 171-186, 2017, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2017.014.171

Abstract Research in microgravity is of utmost importance for disclosing the impact of gravity on biological processes and organisms. With the development of space technology, scientists pay more attention to cardiovascular diseases associated with microgravity. However, up to date only sparse data exist on microgravity and cardiovascular development mechanisms. In this study, zebrafish was chosen as the model organism. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to microgravity using a ground-based simulation microgravity (SM) bioreactor. The effects of SM on the development of early embryonic vascular system were studied in vivo in real-time. Zebrafish embryos were selected and divided into two groups at 12… More >

Hong Qian^∗, Hao Ge^†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 1-30, 2012, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2012.009.001

Abstract Biochemical reaction systems in mesoscopic volume, under sustained environmental chemical gradient(s), can have multiple stochastic attractors. Two distinct mechanisms are known for their origins: (a) Stochastic single-molecule events, such as gene expression, with slow gene on-off dynamics; and (b) nonlinear networks with feedbacks. These two mechanisms yield different volume dependence for the sojourn time of an attractor. As in the classic Arrhenius theory for temperature dependent transition rates, a landscape perspective provides a natural framework for the system's behavior. However, due to the nonequilibrium nature of the open chemical systems, the landscape, and the attractors it represents, are all themselves… More >

Anna M. Raskin^∗,†, Masahiko Hoshijima^†, Eric Swanson^†, Andrew D. McCulloch^*, Jeffrey H. Omens^∗,†,‡

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 145-160, 2009, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2009.006.145

Abstract Altered mechanical stress and strain in cardiac myocytes induce modifications in gene expression that affects cardiac remodeling and myocyte contractile function. To study the mechanisms of mechanotransduction in cardiomyocytes, probing alterations in mechanics and gene expression has been an effective strategy. However, previous studies are self-limited due to the general use of isolated neonatal rodent myocytes or intact animals. The main goal of this study was to develop a novel tissue culture chamber system for mouse myocardium that facilitates loading of cardiac tissue, while measuring tissue stress and deformation within a physiological environment. Intact mouse right ventricular papillary muscles were… More >

Shu Chien^*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 1-8, 2008, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2008.005.001

Abstract Fluid shear stress due to blood flow can modulate functions of endothelial cells (ECs) in blood vessels by activating mechano-sensors, signaling pathways, and gene and protein expressions. Laminar shear stress with a definite forward direction causes transient activations of many genes that are atherogenic, followed by their down-regulation; laminar shear stress also up-regulates genes that inhibit EC growth. In contrast, disturbed flow patterns with little forward direction cause sustained activations of these atherogenic genes and enhancements of EC mitosis and apoptosis. In straight parts of the arterial tree, laminar shear stress with a definite forward direction has anti-atherogenic effects. At… More >