KURT SARTORIUS^1,2,3,*, BENN SARTORIUS⁴, CHERIE WINKLER⁵, ANIL CHUTURGOON², ANNA KRAMVIS¹, PING AN⁵, WEIGANG ZHANG⁶, YUNJIE LU^3,6,7,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1543-1567, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.055505 - 07 November 2024

Abstract Hepatitis B-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) remains an intractable high-mortality solid tumor cancer that accounted for 42% of global HCC cases in 2019. Despite some developments in systemic therapy, only a small subset of late-stage HCC patients responds positively to recently developed therapeutic innovations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as an ancillary epigenetic system that can regulate genome expression in all cancer pathways including HCC. The molecular mechanisms of miRNA regulation in cancer pathogenesis offered researchers a new approach that was widely hoped would translate into miRNA-based drugs and diagnostics. Thirty years on, miRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic agents… More >

VINíCIUS AUGUSTO SIMãO¹, LUIZ GUSTAVO DE ALMEIDA CHUFFA¹, LEóN FERDER², FELIPE INSERRA², WALTER MANUCHA^3,4,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.10, pp. 1429-1442, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.053478 - 02 October 2024

Abstract The interplay between mitochondria, epigenetics, and the microbiota is intricately linked to both health and disease. Within our cells, a complex molecular dance occurs, where these components intertwine in a mesmerizing ballet that plays a decisive role in our health. Mitochondria, beyond being energy powerhouses, modulate nuclear gene expression through messengers like reactive oxidative stress (ROS) and calcium. Epigenetics, acting as the molecular conductor, regulates the expression of both nuclear and mitochondrial genes through modifications like DNA methylation. The intestinal microbiota itself produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that influence mitochondrial activity. SCFA-induced epigenetic modifications, like… 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

Ankita Kundu¹, Abir Das¹, Sayan Pal¹, Arijit Ghosh¹, Malay Kumar Adak^1,*, Masayuki Fujita², Mirza Hasanuzzaman^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.92, No.8, pp. 2283-2300, 2023, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2023.028178 - 25 June 2023

Abstract The process of ripening involves physiological and biochemical events that become a concern during postharvest storage. We have documented different approaches for the preservation and maintenance of fruit quality during the postharvest period that are biocompatible and fully safe for consumption. Chemical residues that sustain sensory characteristics, such as color, flavor, aroma, and texture, are considered. In fruit ripening, both physical and chemical elicitors are described that regulate ethylene biosynthesis or its signaling for gene expression. The key regulatory enzymes, such as ACC synthase and ACC oxidase, for ethylene biosynthesis, are important for both climacteric… More >

SHA ZHU^#, NANWEI XU^#, JIAYU LIANG, FENGNIAN ZHAO, ZILIN WANG, YUCHAO NI, JINDONG DAI, JINGE ZHAO, XINGMING ZHANG, JUNRU CHEN, GUANGXI SUN, PENGFEI SHEN^*, HAO ZENG^*

Oncology Research, Vol.31, No.4, pp. 605-614, 2023, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.028321 - 25 June 2023

Abstract Background: KMT2 (lysine methyltransferase) family enzymes are epigenetic regulators that activate gene transcription. KMT2C is mainly involved in enhancer-associated H3K4me1, and is also one of the top mutated genes in cancer (6.6% in pan-cancer). Currently, the clinical significance of KMT2C mutations in prostate cancer is understudied. Methods: We included 221 prostate cancer patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2021 in West China Hospital of Sichuan University with cell-free DNA-based liquid biopsy test results in this study. We investigated the association between KMT2C mutations, other mutations, and pathways. Furthermore, we evaluated the prognostic value of KMT2C mutations, measured by… More >

QIAO ZHOU^1,2,3, JIAN LIU^2,4, LING XIN⁴, YANYAN FANG^2,4, LEI WAN^2,4, DAN HUANG^2,4, JINCHEN GUO¹, JIANTING WEN^2,4

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.4, pp. 761-772, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.026698 - 08 March 2023

Abstract The pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA) is multifactorial, with the primary risk factors being obesity, age, environmental variables, and genetic predisposition. The available evidence suggests that genetic diversity does not adequately account for all clinical characteristics and heterogeneity of OA. Genetics has emerged as a nascent and crucial area of research in OA. The epigenetic module presents a potential link between genetic and environmental risk factors and the susceptibility and pathogenesis of OA. As a critical epigenetic alteration, DNA methylation has been shown to have an important role in the etiology of OA and is a More >

ASPASIA MANTA¹, SPYRIDON KAZANAS², STEFANOS KARAMAROUDIS³, HELEN GOGAS², DIMITRIOS C. ZIOGAS^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.30, No.5, pp. 211-219, 2022, DOI:10.32604/or.2022.026913 - 03 February 2023

Abstract Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications (e.g., acetylation and deacetylation), are strongly implicated in the carcinogenesis of various malignancies. During transcription, the expression and functionality of coding gene products are altered following the histone acetylation and deacetylation. These processes are regulated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), respectively. HDAC inhibitors (HDACis) have been developed as promising therapeutic agents, to limit exposure to traditional and toxic chemotherapies and offer more alternatives for some specific malignant diseases with limited options. Mechanistically, these agents affect many intracellular pathways, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis… More >

Jiajian Shi¹, Yuchen Chen^1,*, Chentai Peng¹, Linwu Kuang², Zitong Zhang¹, Yangkai Li^2,*, Kun Huang¹

Oncologie, Vol.24, No.4, pp. 613-648, 2022, DOI:10.32604/oncologie.2022.027545 - 31 December 2022

Abstract The incidence and mortality of lung cancer rank top three of all cancers worldwide. Accounting for 85% of the total number of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an important factor endangering human health. Recently, targeted therapies against driver mutations and epigenetic alterations have made encouraging advances that benefit NSCLC patients. Druggable driver mutations, which mainly occur in EGFR, KRAS, MET, HER2, ALK, ROS1, RET and BRAF, have been identified in more than a quarter of NSCLC patients. A series of highly selective mutant targeting inhibitors, such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and KRAS inhibitors, have been… More >

KANIZ FATEMA, ZACHARY LARSON, JARED BARROTT^*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.10, pp. 2177-2193, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.020141 - 13 June 2022

Abstract Osteosarcoma is one of the most genomically complex cancers and as result, it has been difficult to assign genomic aberrations that contribute to disease progression and patient outcome consistently across samples. One potential source for correlating osteosarcoma and genomic biomarkers is within the non-coding regions of RNA that are differentially expressed. However, it is unsurprising that a cancer classification that is fraught with genomic instability is likely to have numerous studies correlating non-coding RNA expression and function have been published on the subject. This review undertakes the formidable task of evaluating the published literature of… More >

Xingyu Zhu^1,2,#, Yongjun Wang^3,#, Shuang Chang^4,#, Yue Su², Cuixia He¹, Shuang Hu⁵, Minhui Zhu¹, Yuzhou Ding², Nuannuan Ren², Qizhi Wang², Jing Xie^1,*, Huan Zhou^1,2,*

Oncologie, Vol.23, No.4, pp. 569-588, 2021, DOI:10.32604/oncologie.2021.018869 - 31 December 2021

Abstract Sirtuins (SIRTs), members of the enzyme family found in yeast cells, are related to silent information regulator (SIR) 2 homologous to its gene family. SIRTs play an important role in many physiological functions from overexpression of gene silencing at the molecular level to the expression of related proteins and RNA to apoptosis. Studies have indicated that SIRTs may be related to the occurrence, development, and metastasis of cancer. However, the current mechanism of action of SIRTs in various diseases and the principle of molecular biology are not fully understood. Therefore, the present article discusses the More >