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WAYEZ NAQVI, ANANYA SINGH, PREKSHI GARG, PRACHI SRIVASTAVA^*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1675-1687, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029624 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Bioinformatics Study of Diseases)
Abstract Biological entities are involved in complicated and complex connections; hence, discovering biological information using network biology ideas is critical. In the past few years, network biology has emerged as an integrative and systems-level approach for understanding and interpreting these complex interactions. Biological network analysis is one method for reducing enormous data sets to clinically useful knowledge for disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The network of biological entities can help us predict drug targets for several diseases. The drug targets identified through the systems biology approach help in targeting the essential biological pathways that contribute to More >

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475

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JIAO HU, JIALU MO, XIANGLIN CHENG^*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1689-1701, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029409 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Neuroimmune Interactions at the Crossroads of Health and Disease)
Abstract Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases worldwide with a high prevalence and unknown pathogenesis. Further, its control is challenging. It is generally accepted that an imbalance between the excitatory and inhibitory properties of the central nervous system (CNS) leads to a large number of abnormally synchronized neuronal discharges in the brain. Transient receptor potential vanilloid protein type 1 (TRPV1) is a non-selective cation channel that contributes to the regulation of the nervous system and influences the excitability of the nervous system. This includes the release of neurotransmitters, action potential generation due to More >

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AN-SOO JANG^*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1703-1708, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.028975 - 28 August 2023
Abstract Exposure to air pollutants such as PM₁₀, PM_2.5, PM_0.1, O₃, CO, NO₂, and SO₂, and biological pollutants are important factors causing the evolution and furtherance of obstructive lung diseases (OLD), including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Asthma is the most frequent chronic inflammatory airway disease, characterized by breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness, and cough, together with the presence of exaggerated expiratory airflow fluctuation that varies over time. COPD is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, expectoration, and/or exacerbations due to abnormalities of the airways and/or alveoli that cause persistent, often… More >

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357

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YANSHUANG ZHAO, WANXI YANG^*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1709-1725, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.030379 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Cellular Signal Transduction in Biological Activities)
Abstract The phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway is crucial for Sertoli cell development and completing spermatogenesis. Its main role is to promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis. Many factors activate the PI3K/AKT pathway, like hormones, such as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), androgen, estrogen, insulin to name a few. Many of these factors have receptors inside or on the surface of Sertoli cells (SCs). This review summarizes how these hormones directly regulate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in SCs, which in turn affects SC proliferation and differentiation. Further, hormone-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling also stimulates SC secretion, which is essential for germ More >

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MOHAMAD ZULKEFLEE SABRI¹, JOANNA BOJARSKA², FAI-CHU WONG^3,4, TSUN-THAI CHAI^3,4,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1727-1742, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029272 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Bioinformatics Study of Diseases)
Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a computational technique that analyzes the movement of a system of particles over a given period. MD can provide detailed information about the fluctuations and conformational changes of biomolecules at the atomic level over time. In recent years, MD has been widely applied to the discovery of peptides and peptide-like molecules that may serve as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) inhibitors. This review summarizes recent advances in such explorations, focusing on four protein targets: angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), spike protein (S protein), main protease (M^pro), and papain-like protease (PL^pro).… More >

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REVIEW

AFAF ALHARTHI^*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1743-1755, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.027154 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Recent Advances in Nanomaterials in Plant Biostimulation)
Abstract Natural biomaterials are now frequently used to build biocarrier systems, which can carry medications and biomolecules to a target region and achieve a desired therapeutic effect. Biomaterials and polymers are of great importance in the synthesis of nanomaterials. The recent studies have tended to use these materials because they are easily obtained from natural sources such as fungi, algae, bacteria, and medicinal plants. They are also biodegradable, compatible with neighborhoods, and non-toxic. Natural biomaterials and polymers are chemically changed when they are linked by cross linking agents with other polymers to create scaffolds, matrices, composites, More >

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398

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REVIEW

CARL RANDALL HARREL¹, VALENTIN DJONOV², ANA VOLAREVIC³, DRAGICA PAVLOVIC⁴, VLADISLAV VOLAREVIC^4,5,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1757-1769, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.028567 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Extracellular Vesicles and Cancer)
Abstract Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-Exos) are nano-sized extracellular vesicles enriched with bioactive molecules, such as microRNAs, enzymes, cytokines, chemokines, immunomodulatory, trophic, and growth factors. These molecules regulate the survival, phenotype, and function of malignant and tumor-infiltrated immune cells. Due to their nano-size and bilayer lipid envelope, MSC-Exos can easily bypass biological barriers and may serve as drug carriers to deliver chemotherapeutics directly into the tumor cells. Here, we summarize current knowledge regarding molecular mechanisms responsible for MSC-Exos-dependent modulation of tumor progression and discuss insights regarding the therapeutic potential of MSC-Exos in the treatment More >

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XIAOFENG LI¹, JINYANG ZHENG², JINFENG ZHU³, XIN HUANG⁴, HUANHUAN ZHU⁵, BINGDI CHEN^6,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1771-1781, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.028343 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Expert Opinions and Future Trends on Stem Cells, Biomaterials and Growth Factors)
Abstract Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are neoplastic cells that are detached from primary tumors and enter circulation. Enumeration and characterization of CTCs are of significance in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. CTC survival in the bloodstream is a limiting step for the development of metastases in distant organs. Recent technological advances, especially in single-cell molecular analyses have uncovered heterogeneous CTC survival mechanisms. Undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increasing stem cell-like properties, and forming cell clusters enable CTCs to adapt to the harsh microenvironment of the circulation. Expressing and releasing several immunosuppressive molecules help CTCs escape from More >

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YIFAN LI^1,2, JING ZHANG¹, YITAO FAN¹, HANDAN XIAO¹, KEXIN KANG¹, YALI ZHOU¹, ZHIWEN ZHANG^3,*, YUMIN LI¹, MUZHOU TENG^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1783-1791, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.028056 - 28 August 2023
Abstract Background: ((1-triphenylaminebenzo[c][1,2,5] thiadiazole-4-yl) styryl)-1-methylpyridin methylpyridin-1-ium iodide salt (TBZPy) is a novel photosensitizer that displays excellent photodynamic properties. However, There are few reports on the mechanism of action of the TBZPy photodynamic. Previous studies revealed that photodynamic therapy (PDT) could induce endoplasmic reticulum stress by acting on the endoplasmic reticulum. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by TBZPy-PDT in treating High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection and their underlying mechanisms. Methods: The human cervical cancer cell line HeLa (containing whole genome of HR-HPV18) was treated with TBZPy-PDT. Cell migration, invasion,… More >

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FU-MING TSAI¹, PING-HSUN LU^2,3, LU-KAI WANG⁴, CHAN-YEN KUO¹, MAO-LIANG CHEN¹, CHUN-HUA WANG^5,6,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1793-1802, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.030093 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Cellular Signal Transduction in Biological Activities)
Abstract Background: Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent commonly used clinically for the treatment of various human cancers. Patients often reduce the use of cisplatin due to its side effects, which in turn affects its treatment. This study explored the mechanism of action of safflower extract as an adjuvant traditional Chinese medicine for chemotherapy. Methods: Primary human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) were used as target cells for cisplatin-induced damage to hair cells. Western blotting was used to investigate the molecular targets of cisplatin and safflower extract in causing HFDPCs damage. Cell survival and cell cycle were… More >

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458

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ARTICLE

LIJUN JIANG¹, WENMIN JI¹, YAJIE GONG², JIAJUN LI², JINCHUN LIU^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1803-1810, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029516 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Non-Coding RNAs in the Regulation of Human Cancers)
Abstract Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies. Early diagnosis is the key to effective treatment of CRC. Since microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as biomarkers of CRC, the objective of this work was to examine the effect of miR-520f-3p, which targets YAP1 (Yes-associated protein 1), on the ability of CRC cells to proliferate, invade, migrate, and undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods: A miR-520f-3p mimic was used to overexpress miR-520f-3p in HT29 cells. To establish the tumor-bearing mouse model, transfected HT29 cells were subcutaneously implanted into BALB/c-nu nude mice, and YAP1 and miR-520f-3p… More >

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TONG WANG^1,4,#, JINHUAN HONG^1,5,#, JIAJIE XIE^1,5, QIAN LIU⁴, JINRUI YUE^1,5, XUTING HE^1,5, SHIYU GE⁴, TAO LI⁴, GUOXIN LIU⁴, BENZHI CAI^1,3,5, LINQIANG LI^2,*, YE YUAN^1,3,5,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1811-1820, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029120 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Application of Deep Learning in Cancer)
Abstract Background: Phototherapies based on sunlight, infrared, ultraviolet, visible, and laser-based treatments present advantages like high curative effects, small invasion, and negligible adverse reactions in cancer treatment. We aimed to explore the potential therapeutic effects of blue light emitting diode (LED) in human hepatoma cells and decipher the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Methods: Wound healing and transwell assays were employed to probe the inhibition of the invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in the presence of blue LED. The sphere-forming test was used to evaluate the effect of LED blue light irradiation on cancer… More >

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525

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WEI ZHAI^1,2, XIANG ZHENG², MENGYUAN LIU², QIURONG ZHAO², YUSHU ZHANG², YUQING LUO³, SHANSHAN FENG³, JINJING WANG³, XUEYING LI^2,*, MINGSONG WU^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1821-1833, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.027175 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Extracellular Vesicles and Cancer)
Abstract Objective: Endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment 3 (ERGIC3) promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in lung cancer, but its molecular mechanism is unclear. Methods: The GLC-82 cells were randomly divided into the ERGIC3i group and the negative control group. The cells were transfected with ERGIC3 siRNA or control siRNA in the groups, respectively. The ERGIC3-interacting proteins expressed in cells or extracellularly were isolated by the immunoprecipitation method and detected by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The differentially expressed proteins were determined by bioinformatic methods. Results: After ERGIC3 knockdown, 88 extracellular differentially… More >

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377

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MARIA-LUISA VEISAGA^1,2, MARIAM AHUMADA², STACY SORIANO², LEONARDO ACUNA³, WEI ZHANG³, IVY LEUNG², ROBERT BARNUM², MANUEL A. BARBIERI^1,2,3,4,5,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1835-1852, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029076 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Natural Products for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Pharmacology and Toxicology)
Abstract Backgorund: Fruits and seed extracts of Annona montana have significant cytotoxic potential in several cancer cells. This study evaluates the effect of A. montana leaves hexane extract on several signaling cascades and gene expression in metastatic breast cancer cells upon insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) stimulation. Methods: MTT assay was performed to determine the proliferation of cancer cells. Propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry analysis of Annexin V binding was utilized to measure the progression of the cell cycle and the induction of apoptosis. Protein expression and phosphorylation were determined by western blotting analysis to examine the underlying cellular mechanism… More >

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463

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FENGMEI QIAN^1,2, PEIYAO REN², LI ZHAO², DANNA ZHENG², WENFANG HE³, JUAN JIN^3,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1853-1867, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029353 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Natural Products for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Pharmacology and Toxicology)
Abstract Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious complication of diabetes with rising prevalence worldwide. We aimed to explore the anti-DN mechanisms of the compound celastrol derived from the medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfordii. Methods: Celastrol-related targets were obtained from Herbal Ingredients’ Targets (HIT) and GeneCards databases. DN-related targets were retrieved from GeneCards, DisGeNET, and Therapeutic Targets Database (TTD). A Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed using ClusterProfiler. The cytoHubba plugin… More >

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418

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LONGSHENG FU¹, JINFANG HU¹, FENG SHAO², YAOQI WU¹, WEI BAI³, MINGJIN JIANG³, HAO CHEN⁴, LIHUA CHEN², YANNI LV^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1869-1883, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.028602 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Natural Products for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Pharmacology and Toxicology)
Abstract Background: Biochanin A is an excellent dietary isoflavone that has the concomitant function of both medicine and foodstuff. The attenuation function of biochanin A on blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion remains unclear. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 1 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by 24 h reperfusion. The infarct volume of the brain was stained by TTC, while leakage of the brain was quantitatively stained by Evans blue, and the neurologic deficit score was measured. Microglial-induced morphologic changes were observed via immunofluorescence staining, and rolling and adhering leukocytes in… More >

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HANY M. ABD EL-LATEEF^1,2,*, SAFA H. QAHL³, EMAN FAYAD⁴, SARAH A. ALTALHI⁴, IBRAHIM JAFRI⁴, EL SHAIMAA SHABANA⁵, MARWA K. DARWISH^6,7, REHAB MAHER⁸, SAAD SHAABAN^1,9, SHADY G. EL-SAWAH^10,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1885-1895, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.030680 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Cell-Based Regenerative Therapies)
Abstract Background: The increasing occurrence of diabetes mellitus (DM) noted worldwide has considerably elicited concern in the recent past. DM is associated with elevated vascular complications, morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life. In this context, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown significant therapeutic potentialities in managing and curing type 1 DM owing to their self-renewable, immunosuppressive, and differentiation capacities. We investigated the potential action of N, N′-diphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (DPPD), a well-known synthetic antioxidant to enhance the therapeutic ability of the adipose-derived stem cells (AD-MSCs) in alleviating kidney and liver complications in diabetic rats. Methods: Over the… More >

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YAN ZHENG^1,2, SIHUI MA^3,4,*, KATSUHIKO SUZUKI⁴, HISANORI KATO³, HUIJUAN JIA^3,*
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1897-1906, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.027632 - 28 August 2023
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Neuroimmune Interactions at the Crossroads of Health and Disease)
Abstract Mental disorders such as depression and anxiety inflict significant burdens on individuals and society. Commonly prescribed treatments often involve cognitive therapy and medications. However, for patients resistant to these conventional methods, alternative therapies like the Ketogenic Diet (KD) offer a promising avenue. KD and its key metabolite, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), have been hypothesized to alleviate mental disorders through anti-inflammatory actions, a crucial pathway in the pathophysiology of depression. This mini-review examines 15 clinical trials exploring the influence of KD and BHB on inflammation and their potential roles in managing mental disorders. Both human and animal studies More >

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XIAO-JUN ZHOU^1,*, YU-WEI TIAN¹, RUI-HAN LI²
BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1907-1913, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.030191 - 28 August 2023
Abstract Background: Acer griseum Pax is an endangered species endemic to China with both ornamental and economic value. However, the lack of information on its genome size and characteristics hinders further work at the genome level. Methods: This paper applied bioinformatics methods to predict the characteristics and patterns of the A. griseum genome, providing an important basis for formulating its whole-genome sequencing scheme. This study also characterized the simple sequence repeats (SSRs) of A. griseum, laying the foundation for the development and application of genome-wide SSR markers. In this study, PE150 sequencing was performed by the BGI MGISEQ platform,… More >

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