Mayuri Shukla¹, Soraya Boonmag², Parichart Boontem¹, Piyarat Govitrapong^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072557 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Ischemic stroke is one of the major causes of long-term disability and mortality worldwide. It results from an interruption in the cerebral blood flow, triggering a cascade of detrimental events like oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis, causing neuronal injury and cellular death. Melatonin, a pleiotropic indoleamine produced by the pineal gland, has multifaceted neuroprotective effects on stroke pathophysiology. Interestingly, the serum melatonin levels are associated with peroxidation and antioxidant status, along with mortality score in patients with severe middle cerebral artery infarction. Melatonin exhibits strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties and preserves More >

Anastasia Vylegzhanina^1,2, Irina Shalaginova^2,*, Dana Korolevich¹, Dmitry Katserov¹, Alexandra Semenova¹, Maria Sidorova¹, Sergey Eresko³, Marat Airapetov³, Marina Pavlova², Anna Levina², Natalia Dyuzhikova²

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.10, pp. 2007-2031, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.071198 - 22 October 2025

Abstract Objectives: Chronic stress can trigger neuroinflammation and gut microbiota alterations, contributing to post-stress disorders. Individual differences in stress responses, shaped by genetic and physiological factors, require better characterization. We aimed to investigate the long-term effects of chronic stress in rats selectively bred for high and low nervous system excitability. Methods: Adult male rats from two strains selectively bred for high (HT) and low (LT) excitability thresholds of the nervous system underwent a 15-day chronic emotional-pain stress protocol. Behavioral assessments (elevated plus maze), cytokine levels (TNF, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10) in the hippocampus and amygdala measured by… More >

Carmen Rubio^1,#, Norma Serrano-GarcíA^1,#, Elisa Taddei¹, Eduardo CastañEda², HéCtor Romo^1,3, MoiséS Rubio-Osornio^4,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.8, pp. 1391-1412, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.066320 - 29 August 2025

Abstract Rotenone is a lipophilic herbicide extensively utilized in experimental neurodegenerative models because of its capacity to disrupt complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. This inhibition results in reduced ATP synthesis, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, and mitochondrial malfunction, which instigates oxidative stress and cellular damage, critical elements in neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In addition to causing direct neuronal injury, rotenone significantly contributes to the activation of glial cells, specifically microglia and astrocytes. Activated microglia assumes a proinflammatory (M1) phenotype, distinguished by the… More >

Taiyang Zhu¹, Fang Hua^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.7, pp. 1169-1184, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.064879 - 25 July 2025

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurological disorder characterized primarily by a progressive decline in cognitive and behavioral functions. The pathogenesis of AD has not been fully elucidated till now. The progesterone receptor (PR) family has recently attracted increasing attention and has become the focus of potential links to factors such as the pathogenesis and pathological changes of AD due to its role in the central nervous system. This article summarizes the progress of research progress on the PR family in AD, including its role in pathophysiology, molecular mechanisms, and potential therapeutic strategies. More >

Małgorzata Gryka-Marton, Anna Grabowska, Dariusz Szukiewicz

European Cytokine Network, Vol.35, No.3, pp. 38-47, 2024, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2024.0498

Abstract The blood-brain barrier (BBB) consists of a unique system of brain microvascular endothelial cells, capillary basement membranes, and terminal branches (“end-feet”) of astrocytes. The BBB’s primary function is to protect the central nervous system from potentially harmful or toxic substances in the bloodstream by selectively controlling the entry of cells and molecules, including nutrients and immune system components. During neuroinflammation, the BBB loses its integrity, resulting in increased permeability, mostly due to the activity of inflammatory cytokines. However, the pathomechanism of structural and functional changes in the BBB caused by individual cytokines is poorly understood.… More >

Qiao Zhou^1,2,3,, Nanxue Cui^1,2,3,, Shihai Zhang^1,2,3,#, Miaomiao Zhou^4,#, Younian Xu^1,2,3,#

European Cytokine Network, Vol.34, No.3, pp. 21-27, 2023, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2023.0487

Abstract Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is highly expressed in the central nervous system in response to inflammation, but its exact function remains unclear. In this study, we used a model of LPS-stimulated microglia to investigate the direct impact of TSLP on microglial activation and the underlying mechanism. We measured oxidative stress, expression of microglial activation markers, and inflammatory indexes. The results show that TSLP treatment increased the expression of TSLP receptors and reduced LPS-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and the expression of M1-type markers in microglia. Interestingly, TSLP treatment also influenced the differentiation of microglia towards the More >

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

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 >

LUCIANA MAZZEI^1,2, MARÍA BELÉN RUIZ-ROSO³, NATALIA DE LAS HERAS³, SANDRA BALLESTEROS³, CAROLINA TORRESPALAZZOLO⁴, LEÓN FERDER⁵, ALEJANDRA BEATRIZ CAMARGO⁴, WALTER MANUCHA^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.44, No.4, pp. 671-681, 2020, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2020.014175 - 24 December 2020

Abstract The ancestral cultures have described many therapeutic properties of garlic; therefore, it is of central interest to elucidate the molecular basis explaining this millenary empirical knowledge. Indeed, it has been demonstrated a neuroprotective effect of allicin–a phytochemical present in garlic- linked to oxidative-inflammatory modulation. Allicin improved neuronal injury by heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) regulation. Also, allicin exerts renal protection involving a possible angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1) interaction. In connection, AT1 overexpression has been recognized as a central deleterious factor in many brain diseases. However, there are no… More >