Lu Chen^1,2,#, Zhijie Ren^2,#, Guangmin Zhao², Xuan He², Legong Li², Sheng Teng^1,*, Yikun He^2,*, Fang Bao^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.073817 - 30 January 2026

Abstract ERD4 proteins, members of the early responsive-to-dehydration family, act as plasma membrane ion channels that contribute to ion homeostasis and modulate plant response to abiotic stresses. However, the functions of ERD4 homologs in non-vascular species remain largely unexplored. Here, we characterized an ERD4 family homolog in Physcomitrium patens (Hedw.) Mitt., PpCSC1 (Calcium-permeable Stress-responsive Cation Channel 1), and investigated its role in salt stress response. PpCSC1 localized to the plasma membrane and functioned as a non-selective cation channel permeable to Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺. Under salt treatment, PpCSC1 transcripts were markedly downregulated, whereas overexpression lines exhibited enhanced salt sensitivity.… More >

SHAOFENG XIONG^1,2, WENKAI LV³, GUOSHENG CAO⁴, LONGSHENG FU¹, WEN LIU³, MENGFAN LEI², YANNI LV^1,5,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.073401 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Objective: Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein 1 (Lrg1) could regulate diverse cells in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Our study seeks to uncover Lrg1’s impact on endothelial cell heterogeneity via differentiation pathways and transcription factors. Method: The CSOmap model measured cell-to-brain-center distances using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data in middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion (MCAO/R). Monocle2 mapped endothelial differentiation paths. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analyzed endothelial subcluster variations. Database searches revealed a zinc finger MIZ-type containing 1 protein-frizzled 3 (Zmiz1-Fzd3) promoter interaction. Endothelial cells were transfected with a Fzd3 promoter-luciferase plasmid. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting assessed… More >

Douglas M. Ruden^*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072273 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Stem cell fate decisions are increasingly understood through the dynamic interplay of two fundamental stress-adaptive programs: the integrated stress response (ISR) and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). These pathways act as a Yin–Yang system, balancing beneficial and detrimental outcomes across development, tissue homeostasis, and disease. On the yin (protective) side, transient ISR activation and acute SASP signaling foster adaptation, embryonic patterning, wound healing, and regeneration. On the yang (maladaptive) side, chronic ISR signaling and unresolved SASP output drive stem cell exhaustion, fibrosis, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. This duality highlights their roles as both guardians and disruptors More > Graphic Abstract

Luis Felipe HernáNdez-Ayala¹, Russel J. Reiter², Annia Galano^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.071635 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Objectives: Oxidative stress (OS) plays a pivotal role in chronic and neurodegenerative diseases, which has sparked interest in molecules that modulate redox-regulating enzymes. Melatonin and its metabolites exhibit antioxidant properties; however, their molecular mechanisms of enzymatic and transcriptional modulation remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate, through an exploratory in silico approach, the interactions of melatonin and related compounds with OS-related enzymes to generate hypotheses about their role in cellular redox control. Methods: A rational selection of antioxidant, pro-oxidant, and transcriptional targets was performed. Ligands were optimized at the DFT level (M05-2X/6-311+G(d,p)) and docked to OS… More >

Ping Wang^1,2,#, Yan-Han Chen^1,2,#, Ze-Tao Zhan^1,2, Jun-Xiang Zeng^1,2, Yu Chen^3,4, Yuan Lin^1,2, Tao Chen^1,5,*, Wei-Jie Zhou^1,2,5,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.071902 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Background: Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative widely used in vaccines. This study aimed to investigate its potential antitumor effects and mechanisms in solid malignancies, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC) and melanoma. Methods: A combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches was employed. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, ATP viability, Western blotting, flow cytometry, wound-healing and Transwell assays. Subcutaneous, lung metastases, and Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt (AOM/DSS)-induced colitis-associated CRC models were established to examine antitumor efficacy and safety. The functional role of mercury ions was validated using structural… More >

Shail Rakesh Modi, Terrick Andey^*, George Acquaah-Mensah^*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070793 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Objectives: The current treatment options and therapeutic targets for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype of breast cancer (BrCA), are limited. This study aimed to identify novel biomarkers and transcriptional regulatory networks (TRN) inherent in TNBC samples. Methods: We analyzed pan-cancer BrCA datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to compare triple-positive breast cancer (TPBC) with TNBC. TRN algorithms and virtual inference of protein-enriched regulon (VIPER) were used to identify master regulators and their target genes. Utilizing TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468), we validated the relationship of nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 3 (NFE2L3) and… More > Graphic Abstract

Rabindranath Bera^1,#, Yotaro Ochi^2,3, Ying-Jung Huang¹, Ming-Chung Kuo^1,4, Kenichi Yoshida⁵, Seishi Ogawa², Lee-Yung Shih^1,4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070259 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: Breakpoint Cluster Region-Abelson (BCR::ABL1) fusion protein is essential in the pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); however, the chronic-to-blast phase transformation remains elusive. We identified novel kinesin light chain 2 (KLC2) mutations in CML-myeloid blast phase patients. We aimed to examine the functional role of KLC2 mutations in leukemogenesis. Methods: To evaluate the biological role of KLC2 mutants (MT) in CML cells, we expressed KLC2-MT in different human CML cell lines harboring BCR::ABL1 and performed immunoblot, immunofluorescence, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis; Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-drug activities; and clonogenic assays for in vitro functional analyses. We co-expressed KLC2-MT… More >

Tao Zhu¹, Taofeng Wei¹, Mingdong Yang¹, Junjun Xu¹, Huifang Jiang¹, Wei He¹, Juyan Zheng^2,*, Haibin Dai^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070180 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: Aberrant expression of transcription factors (TFs) is a key mechanism mediating tumor immune escape and therapeutic resistance. The involvement of E26 transformation-specific (ETS) family of TFs in immune regulation is not fully understood. The study aimed to elucidate the function of E-twenty-six variant 4 (ETV4) in tumor immune evasion and its potential as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy in melanoma. Methods: The expression patterns of ETS family TFs were analyzed in melanoma and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to dissect the cellular expression and function of ETV4 in the tumor… More >

Yongle Qiu^1,#, Kunshan Li^1,#, Wenjing Wang¹, Wenjuan Zhang², Jilun Liu², Yang Bai³, Fei Xu³, Jie Guo^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069612 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: The regulatory mechanisms governing vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain largely undefined. This study aimed to identify critical factors and elucidate the epigenetic mechanisms underlying VM in OSCC. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was performed utilizing single-cell RNA-seq, bulk RNA-seq, and histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. ChIP-qPCR was used to validate the binding of ETS transcription factor ELK4 (ELK4) to the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) enhancer. In vitro VM formation and invasion of OSCC cells were… More > Graphic Abstract

Nadia Lamsaadi¹, Oumaima Maarouf², Soukaina Lahmaoui², Hamid Msaad², Omar Farssi², Chaima Hamim², Mohamed Tamoudjout², Hafsa Hirt², Habiba Kamal², Majida El Hassni², Cherki Ghoulam^3,4, Ahmed El Moukhtari^5,*, Mohamed Farissi²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.11, pp. 3585-3610, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072311 - 01 December 2025

Abstract Abiotic stresses, such as drought, heavy metals, salinity, and extreme temperatures, are among the most common adverse threats that restrict the use of land for agriculture and limit crop growth and productivity. As sessile organisms, plants defend themselves from abiotic stresses by developing various tolerance mechanisms. These mechanisms are governed by several biochemical traits. The biochemical mechanisms are the products of key genes that express under specific conditions. Interestingly, the expression of these genes is regulated by specialized proteins known as transcription factors (TFs). Several TFs, including those from the bZIP, bHLH, MYB, HSF, WRKY,… More >