HEE JU SONG, TAEHEE KIM, HAN NA CHOI, SOO JIN KIM, SANG DO LEE^*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 151-161, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030690

Abstract Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among all cancers, in part because it readily metastasizes. The tumor microenvironment, comprising blood vessels, fibroblasts, immune cells, and macrophages [including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)], is closely related to cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. TAMs secrete several cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, which participate in cancer migration and invasion. p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), an important signaling molecule, induces cell migration and invasion in several carcinomas. Tonicity-responsive enhancer-binding protein (TonEBP) is also known to participate in cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. However, the mechanisms by which it increases lung cancer migration remain unclear. Therefore,… More > Graphic Abstract

YONGDAE YOON^1,#, SOONJAE HWANG^1,2,#, FATEMA TUJ SAIMA^3,#, MOON YOUNG KIM^1,3,4, SOON KOO BAIK^1,3,4,*, YOUNG WOO EOM^1,3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.3, pp. 669-676, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.025365

Abstract Background: Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are closely involved in the initiation, perpetuation, and resolution of liver fibrosis. Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels are positively correlated with the transition from liver injury to fibrogenesis and contribute to HSC pathophysiology in liver fibrosis. Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β on the proliferation and signaling pathways involved in fibrogenesis in LX-2 cells, an HSC cell line, using western blotting and cell proliferation assays. Results: IL-1β increased the proliferation rate and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression of LX-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Within 1 h after… More >

PANPAN WANG^1,2, GANG LI³, LI GAO^1,2, CHUANJIANG ZHAO^1,2

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1197-1207, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016607

Abstract Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, which is also a high-risk factor for other diseases including oral cancer and cardiovascular disease. Periodontitis is one of the most common type of periodontal diseases. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. However, the mechanism how IL-1β is produced during periodontitis is still unclear. In the present study, we found that human β-defensin 2 (hBD2) enhances IL-1β production through an LPS-primed human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) macrophage model. Inhibition of P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) reduced hBD2-enhanced IL-1β production. Incubation of LPS-primed THP-1 macrophages with potassium chloride… More >

FEI CHENG^1,#, YIQIAN DING^2,#, QING XU³, WEI ZHANG³, YULAN ZHEN⁴, JING LIU⁵, SHICHENG LI¹, CHANG TU¹, GUOHUA LAI¹, JUN LAN^1,*, JINGFU CHEN^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.4, pp. 1053-1066, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.012901

Abstract Previous reports have suggested that Ang-(1-7) may have a protective effect in endothelial cells against high glucose (HG)-induced cell injury thanks to a modulatory mechanism in the NF-κB signaling pathway. In this study, we have examined whether NF-κB-IL-1β and Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathways contribute to the protection of Ang-(1-7) against hyperglycemia-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our results indicate that time-varying exposures of HUVECs, from 1 h to 24 h, to high glucose concentrations result in an increased expression of phosphorylated (p)-p65 and HO-1 in a time-dependent manner. As an inhibitor of NF-κB, pyrrolidinedithiocarbamic… More >

Lianhong Pan¹, Li Yang^2,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 118-118, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07133

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint bone disease which always leads to the dysfunction and disability of arthritis. Synovial inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progress of OA which can secrete large amounts of inflammatory cytokines. There is an urgent need to find safe and effective drugs that can reduce the inflammation and regulate the pathogenesis of cytokines of the OA disease. Icariin, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is the major pharmacological active component of herb Epimedium. This study we investigated the influence of icariin on the main cells in synovium-osteoarthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (OA-FLSs). The OA-FLSs were… More >

Lucy Wanjiru Njunge¹, Andreanne Poppy Estania¹, Li Yang^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 94-94, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07116

Abstract Mechanical stimulation contributes to the development, homeostasis, integrity and functionality of the articular cartilage by modulating several cellular activities including production and remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM), chondrocyte differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. On the other hand, abnormal mechanical strain play a critical role in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis by inducing ECM degradation and chondrocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, deleterious mechanical loading can also stimulates the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β) that promote to cartilage degradation, chondrocyte hypertrophy and inflammation [1]. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK), a member of the hnRNP family, is implicated in the expression, stabilization and organization… More >