HYEON JU LEE¹, CHANG SEOP LEE¹, SI HOON KIM¹, SOOKYUNG KIM¹, JEONG MI KIM¹, SUN-WHA IM¹, YU-JIN JUNG², SEUNG-PYO HONG³, HYUNJUNG LEE³, JONG-IL KIM^3,4,5, JEONG A. HAN^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.10, pp. 1455-1464, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.054538 - 02 October 2024

Abstract Objective: Transformation from normal cells to malignant cells is the basis for tumorigenesis. While this cell transformation is known to result from aberrant activation or inactivation of associated genes, these genes have not yet been fully identified. In addition, DNAJs, proteins with a J domain, are known to be molecular co-chaperones, but their cellular functions remain largely unexplored. In this context, we here identified DNAJA4, DNAJB11, and DNAJC10 as pro-transforming genes and elucidated their action mechanisms. Methods: Senescence-associated (SA)-β-galactosidase staining and western blotting were used to analyze cellular senescence and protein expression. Soft agar assay was used… More >

Xin Qi^1,#, Yu Wang^1,#, Xing Zhang¹, Xiaoshuang Wei¹, Xinyang Liu¹, Zhennan Wang¹, Zhenhui Wang^1,*, Fenglou Ling^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1767-1779, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052844 - 30 July 2024

Abstract DNA methylation is an important epigenetic regulatory mechanism, it regulates gene expression by recruiting proteins involved in gene repression or by inhibiting the binding of transcription factor(s) to DNA. In this study, a novel methyltransferase 2a gene (Zmet2a) was cloned in maize and identified by polymerase chain reaction-base (PCR-base) using a bioinformatics strategy. The Zmet2a cDNA sequence is 2739 bp long and translates to 912 amino acid peptides. The Zmet2a protein revealed that it contains BAH and CHROMO structural domains, is a non-transmembrane protein that is hydrophilically unstable, and has no signal peptide structure. Meanwhile, we verified More >

HAIQING HU^1,#,*, HAO YANG^2,#, SHUAISHUAI FAN³, XUE JIA³, YING ZHAO³, HONGRUI LI³

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.8, pp. 1335-1346, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.044174 - 17 July 2024

Abstract Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in cancer progression and drug resistance development. Moreover, there is evidence that lncRNA HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) is involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. The present study aimed to examine the functional role of lncRNA HOTAIR in conferring radiotherapy resistance in CRC cells, as well as the underlying mechanism. The relative expression levels of HOTAIR were examined in 70 pairs of CRC tumor and para-cancerous tissues, as well as in radiosensitive and radioresistant samples. The correlations between HOTAIR expression levels and clinical features of patients with… More >

MAHER KURDI^1,*, ALAA ALKHOTANI², ABDULRAHMAN SABBAGH³, EYAD FAIZO⁴, AHMED I. LARY⁵, AHMED K. BAMAGA⁶, MAJID ALMANSOURI⁷, BADR HAFIZ⁸, THAMER ALSHARIF⁹, SALEH BAEESA⁸

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.6, pp. 1037-1045, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.051112 - 23 May 2024

Abstract Background: The dysregulation of Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) and the subsequent production of 2-Hydroxyglutrate (2HG) may alter the expression of epigenetic proteins in Grade 4 astrocytoma. The interplay mechanism between IDH, O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT)-promoter methylation, and protein methyltransferase proteins-5 (PRMT5) activity, with tumor progression has never been described. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 34 patients with G4 astrocytoma is classified into IDH-mutant and IDH-wildtype tumors. Both groups were tested for MGMT-promoter methylation and PRMT5 through methylation-specific and gene expression PCR analysis. Inter-cohort statistical significance was evaluated. Results: Both IDH-mutant WHO grade 4 astrocytomas (n = 22, 64.7%) and IDH-wildtype… More > Graphic Abstract

HYUNHO KIM¹, UIJU CHO², SOOK HEE HONG³, HYUNG SOON PARK¹, IN-HO KIM³, HO JUNG AN¹, BYOUNG YONG SHIM¹, JIN HYOUNG KANG^3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.6, pp. 1021-1030, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.048919 - 23 May 2024

Abstract Background: Apolipoprotein B mRNA editing catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC), an endogenous mutator, induces DNA damage and activates the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR)-checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) pathway. Although cisplatin-based therapy is the mainstay for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), it has a poor survival rate. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an ATR inhibitor combined with cisplatin in the treatment of APOBEC catalytic subunit 3B (APOBEC3B) expressing MIBC. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed to analyze an association between APOBEC3B and ATR in patients with MIBC. The APOBEC3B expression in MIBC cell lines was assessed… More >

Shuliang Xia^1,2,3,#, Huikang Tao^2,#, Shixin Su⁴, Xinxin Chen², Li Ma², Jianru Li⁵, Bei Gao⁶, Xumei Liu⁵, Lei Pi⁷, Jinqing Feng⁴, Fengxiang Li², Jia Li^4,*, Zhiwei Zhang^1,3,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 247-256, 2024, DOI:10.32604/chd.2024.052583 - 16 May 2024

Abstract Aims: Multiple genes and environmental factors are known to be involved in congenital heart disease (CHD), but epigenetic variation has received little attention. Monozygotic (MZ) twins with CHD provide a unique model for exploring this phenomenon. In order to investigate the potential role of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) methylation in CHD pathogenesis, the present study examined DNA methylation variation in MZ twins discordant for CHD, especially ventricular septal defect (VSD). Methods and Results: Using genome-wide DNA methylation profiles, we identified 4004 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in 18 MZ twin pairs discordant for CHD, and 2826 genes were… More > Graphic Abstract

ZHENHUA LI¹, HUILAI LV¹, FAN ZHANG¹, ZIMING ZHU², QIANG GUO³, MINGBO WANG¹, CHAO HUANG¹, LIJUAN CHEN⁴, WENPAN ZHANG⁴, YUN LI^5,*, ZIQIANG TIAN^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.1, pp. 123-138, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.031568 - 30 January 2024

Abstract Introduction: DNA polymerases are crucial for maintaining genome stability and influencing tumorigenesis. However, the clinical implications of DNA polymerases in tumorigenesis and their potential as anti-cancer therapy targets are not well understood. Methods: We conducted a systematic analysis using TCGA Pan-Cancer Atlas data and Gene Set Cancer Analysis results to examine the expression profiles of 15 DNA polymerases (POLYs) and their clinical correlations. We also evaluated the prognostic value of POLYs by analyzing their expression levels in relation to overall survival time (OS) using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Additionally, we investigated the correlations between POLY expression… More >

JIWEI SUN^1,2,#, LIANG XU^1,#, YESEN ZHANG², HAORAN LI¹, JIE FENG², XUEFENG LU², JUN DONG^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.12, pp. 2721-2733, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.043869 - 27 December 2023

Abstract Objective: This investigation aimed to unveil new prospective diagnosis-related biomarkers together with treatment targets against glioblastoma. Methods: The expression levels of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DPP10-AS1 were assessed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) within both the patient tissue specimens and glioblastoma cell lines. The relationship between lncRNA DPP10-AS1 expression in glioblastoma and patient prognosis was investigated. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), transwell, and clonogenic experiments were utilized to assess tumor cells’ proliferation, invasiveness, and migratory potentials after lncRNA DPP10-AS1 expression was up or down-regulated. Using an online bioinformatics prediction tool, the intracellular localization of lncRNA… More >

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

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 >

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

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 > Graphic Abstract