Cell Biology

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Inflammatory marker levels in children with tobacco smoke exposure

E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, Georg E. Matt, Matthew J. Mazzella, John T. Doucette, Parita Ratnani, Ashley L. Merianos

Summary: This study examined the associations between inflammatory markers and pediatric illnesses related to children's exposure to tobacco smoke. The results showed that parent-reported child tobacco smoke exposure was associated with increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in children, while children with bacterial diagnoses had higher levels of IL-8.

CYTOKINE (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Isthmin: A multifunctional secretion protein

Jin-Yu Liang, Hai-Jun Wei, Yi-Yun Tang

Summary: Isthmin is a polypeptide secreted by adipocytes that plays important biological functions in growth and development, angiogenesis, and metabolism. ISM-1, as a regulator of cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, and immune microenvironments, plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of cancer. Furthermore, ISM-1 acts as a regulator of adipocyte glucose uptake and hepatic lipid synthesis.

CYTOKINE (2024)

Article Cell Biology

Nanojunctions: Specificity of Ca2+signaling requires nano-scale architecture of intracellular membrane contact sites

Nicola Fameli, Cornelis van Breemen, Klaus Groschner

Summary: The study provides evidence for the importance of junctional membrane architecture in cellular function. Through modeling and prediction, it is shown that nano-scale membrane spacing plays a crucial role in junctional ER Ca2+ refilling and signaling efficiency. Additionally, interactions between Ca2+ and the phospholipid membrane surface are suggested to support interfacial Ca2+ transport and receptor targeting. This research introduces a new concept in pathophysiology.

CELL CALCIUM (2024)

Article Cell Biology

Identification and validation of ferroptosis-related genes for diabetic retinopathy

Changjin Lu, Qingxia Lan, Qiuyue Song, Xiaoyi Yu

Summary: This study screened and verified five hub genes associated with ferroptosis in diabetic retinopathy (DR) using bioinformatics analysis and experimental methods. These findings shed new light on the pathogenesis of DR.

CELLULAR SIGNALLING (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Disorders in the CMG helicase complex increase the proliferative capacity and delay chronological aging of budding yeast

Karolina Stepien, Adrianna Skoneczna, Monika Kula-Maximenko, Lukasz Jurczyk, Mateusz Molon

Summary: The replication of DNA requires a complex machinery called the replisome, which is highly conserved across species. One crucial component of the replisome is the CMG helicase complex, which unwinds DNA and coordinates the assembly and function of other replisome components. In this study, the impact of the absence of one copy of the CMG complex genes on the physiology and aging of yeast cells was investigated. The findings showed disruptions in the cell cycle, extended doubling times, and alterations in the biochemical profile of these cells. Importantly, it was found that heterozygous cells for CMG helicase genes exhibited increased reproductive potential and delayed aging. The study also highlighted potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment using yeast.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH (2024)

Review Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Role of cGAS-STING in colorectal cancer: A new window for treatment strategies

Milad Khorasani

Summary: This review discusses the role of the cGAS-STING pathway in CRC and highlights the potential therapeutic benefits of targeting this pathway.

CYTOKINE (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Obesity induced disruption on diurnal rhythm of insulin sensitivity via gut microbiome-bile acid metabolism

Xiaozhen Guo, Jiawen Wang, Hualing Xu, Yangyang Wang, Yutang Cao, Yingquan Wen, Jiaqi Li, Yameng Liu, Kanglong Wang, Jue Wang, Xianchun Zhong, Chuying Sun, Yongxin Zhang, Jingyi Xu, Cuina Li, Pengxiang Mu, Lingyan Xu, Cen Xie

Summary: This study aims to investigate the role of the gut microbiota-bile acid axis in regulating the diurnal rhythms of metabolic homeostasis and assess the impact of obesity on them. The results show that high fat diet feeding and Leptin gene deficiency disrupt the rhythmic patterns of insulin sensitivity and serum total cholesterol levels. The study provides compelling evidence for the association between diurnal rhythm of insulin sensitivity and gut microbiota-bile acid axis, and elucidates the deleterious effects of obesity on gut microbiome-bile acid metabolism.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY OF LIPIDS (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Abnormal interaction of Rlip with mutant APP/Abeta and phosphorylated tau reduces wild-type Rlip levels and disrupt Rlip function in Alzheimer's disease

Javaria Baig, Neha Sawant, Priyanka Rawat, Arubala P. Reddy, P. Hemachandra Reddy, Sudhir Kshirsagar

Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease, and RalBP1 protein plays an important role in it. Mutations in APP and Tau proteins interact with the Rlip protein, leading to decreased Rlip function.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Abnormal expression of sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes in the heart of spontaneously hypertensive rat models

Giuseppe Pepe, Maria Cotugno, Federico Marracino, Luca Capocci, Ludovica Pizzati, Maurizio Forte, Rosita Stanzione, Pamela Scarselli, Alba Di Pardo, Sebastiano Sciarretta, Massimo Volpe, Speranza Rubattu, Vittorio Maglione

Summary: The study found that enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism show abnormal expression in the cardiac tissue of hypertensive rat models, which may be related to the susceptibility to cardiac damage.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY OF LIPIDS (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Molecular mechanism of calcitriol enhances membrane water permeability

Zanxia Cao, Liling Zhao, Mingcui Chen, Zhihong Shi, Lei Liu

Summary: This study investigated the translocation process of cholesterol/calcitriol in bacterial membranes and their effects on membrane structure. Calcitriol facilitated water transport across the membrane, while cholesterol had the opposite effect. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between cholesterol/calcitriol concentrations, lipid bilayer structure, and water permeation.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY OF LIPIDS (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Glioma-derived S100A9 polarizes M2 microglia to inhibit CD8+T lymphocytes for immunosuppression via αv133 integrin/AKT1/TGF131

Ning Huang, Jun Tang, Xiaoyao Yi, Maoxin Zhang, Bin Li, Yuan Cheng, Jin Chen

Summary: This study reveals that glioma-derived S100A9 can induce microglial M2 polarization, inhibit CD8+ T lymphocytes, and promote immunosuppression. The mechanism is related to the interaction with alpha v133 integrin and subsequent activation of AKT1 in microglia. The expression of S100A9 is positively associated with CD206 expression and negatively correlated with CD8+ T lymphocyte accumulation in the TME, suggesting a potential role of S100A9 in regulating the tumor microenvironment and immune evasion in glioma.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH (2024)

Article Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems

Classification of regulatory T cells and their role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Junlin Li, Yajun Gong, Yiren Wang, Huihui Huang, Huan Du, Lianying Cheng, Cui Ma, Yongxiang Cai, Hukui Han, Jianhong Tao, Gang Li, Panke Cheng

Summary: Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury is closely related to the final infarct size in acute myocardial infarction. Regulatory T cells play an important role in the inflammatory response after AMI, but different subtypes of Tregs have different effects on the injury.

JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CARDIOLOGY (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

IGF2BP2 attenuates intestinal epithelial cell ferroptosis in colitis by stabilizing m6A-modified GPX4 mRNA

Wei Liu, Hui Zeng

Summary: IGF2BP2 enhances the expression of GPX4 through m6A modification, thereby suppressing ferroptosis and attenuating inflammation and pathological changes in ulcerative colitis.

CYTOKINE (2024)

Article Cell Biology

Functional delineation of the luminal epithelial microenvironment in breast using cell-based screening in combinatorial microenvironments

Tiina A. Jokela, Mark A. Dane, Rebecca L. Smith, Kaylyn L. Devlin, Sundus Shalabi, Jennifer C. Lopez, Masaru Miyano, Martha R. Stampfer, James E. Korkola, Joe W. Gray, Laura M. Heiser, Mark A. Labarge

Summary: Microenvironment signals have a significant impact on cell fate and tissue homeostasis. Understanding how different microenvironment factors regulate cellular phenotype has been challenging. In this study, a high-throughput microenvironment microarray was used to identify factors that support the proliferation and maintenance of primary human mammary luminal epithelial cells. Multiple factors that modulate luminal cell number were identified and their effects were confirmed using RNA sequencing and cell-based functional studies. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was found to be robust to individual variation and played a role in expanding luminal cells. Our approach demonstrates the power of high-dimensional cell-based approaches in dissecting microenvironmental signals.

CELLULAR SIGNALLING (2024)

Article Cell Biology

miR-29c-3p acts as a tumor promoter by regulating β-catenin signaling through suppressing DNMT3A, TET1 and HBP1 in ovarian carcinoma

Haile Zhao, Lijuan Feng, Rui Cheng, Man Wu, Xiaozhou Bai, Lifei Fan, Yaping Liu

Summary: miR-29c-3p is overexpressed in benign and malignant ovarian carcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis. Its overexpression modulates tumorigenesis in ovarian cancer cells, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, proliferation, migration, and invasion, through the regulation of DNMT3A, TET1, and HBP1. miR-29c-3p may serve as a potential biomarker for clinical diagnosis or co-diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma.

CELLULAR SIGNALLING (2024)

Article Cell Biology

E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF180 impairs IPO4/SOX2 complex stability and inhibits SOX2-mediated malignancy in ovarian cancer

Haiyan Zhao, Fangfang Bi, Mengyuan Li, Yuhan Diao, Chen Zhang

Summary: This study confirmed the tumor suppressor effect of RNF180 on ovarian cancer, elucidated the mechanism of the molecule network related to RNF180 and IPO4 in ovarian cancer, and identified a new therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

CELLULAR SIGNALLING (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Coevolution-based computational approach to detect resistance mechanism of epidermal growth factor receptor

Gyan Prakash Rai, Asheesh Shanker

Summary: This study detected compensatory mutations in EGFR and found that these mutations may lead to changes in drug resistance. The results reveal the evolutionary mechanism of EGFR protein structure and provide insights for designing more effective drugs.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH (2024)

Review Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Small-molecule drugs of colorectal cancer: Current status and future directions

Yiren Yang, Pengyu Liu, Mingyang Zhou, Linzhou Yin, Miao Wang, Ting Liu, Xiaowen Jiang, Huiyuan Gao

Summary: This review focuses on the current status and strategies of small molecule drugs for colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy. Despite the challenges posed by CRC's genetic susceptibility and molecular heterogeneity, new approaches such as dual/multiple-target drugs, drug repurposing, and combination therapies provide insights for improving CRC treatment in the future.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Noscapine alleviates unilateral ureteral obstruction-induced inflammation and fibrosis by regulating the TGFβ1/Smads signaling pathways

Cheng-Chieh Hung, Kuan-Hsing Chen, Hsiang-Hao Hsu, Ming-Yang Chang, Yi-Ching Ko, Huang-Yu Yang, Chih-Wei Yang

Summary: Noscapine has been found to alleviate renal fibrosis by reducing inflammation and inhibiting fibroblast transformation induced by TGF-beta 1, making it a potential therapeutic agent for inhibiting tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH (2024)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Blockage of DCLK1 in cardiomyocytes suppresses myocardial inflammation and alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

Lijun Ji, Xiaojing Yang, Yiyi Jin, Li Li, Bin Yang, Weiwei Zhu, Mingjiang Xu, Yi Wang, Gaojun Wu, Wu Luo, Kwangyoul Lee, Guang Liang

Summary: This study highlights the novel role of cardiomyocyte DCLK1 in regulating IKK beta/NF-kappa B, aggravating inflammation to promote the pathogenesis of DCM. DCLK1 may serve as a new target for DCM treatment.

BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE (2024)