Triptolide inhibits ovarian cancer growth and metastasis via reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages
For full text please see pdf.
Cell Stress
Cell Stress (CES) emerges as a peer-reviewed publishing platform for high-impact research. CES publishes articles of extraordinary novelty and significance, including research papers and reviews that cover heterogenous topics in the field of cellular pathophysiology.
MicroRNA as key players in skin regeneration and anti-aging pathways
Azizi et al.For full text please see pdf.
Stress management by benzodiazepines in septic shock and critical illness: mechanistic and clinical evidence supporting alternative sedative strategies
Lambertucci et al.For full text please see pdf.
Triptolide inhibits ovarian cancer growth and metastasis via reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages
Chen et al.For full text please see pdf.
The IRE1α-XBP1s-NFκB axis controls cell survival and epithelial differentiation under osmotic stress through arachidonic acid metabolism activation
Parra et al.Arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism plays a critical role in renal cell osmoadaptation. We recently demonstrated that hypertonicity induces the expression and activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). On one hand, AA released by cPLA2 enhances triacylglyceride (TG) synthesis and accumulation. On the other hand, AA is converted into prostaglandins (PG) through cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) activity. Both processes are required for renal cell survival under osmotic stress. However, the mechanisms by which hypertonicity induces cPLA2 expression remain poorly understood. Given that we previously shown that hypertonicity regulates TG synthesis through the IRE1α-XBP1s branch of the unfolded protein (…)
Multifaceted role of CNPY2 beyond ER stress: Disease implications and therapeutic potential
Ebadollahibaruq et al.This review meticulously dissects CNPY2’s structural characteristics, expression patterns, and biological functions across various disorders, emphasizing its role on tumor initiation, microenvironmental stress, and chemoresistance, and evaluating its potential as a therapeutic target.
Antifungal peptides: from modes of action to synergistic and immunologic potential
Carmona-Gutierrez et al.Reversal of Cushing syndrome by antibody-mediated neutralization of ACBP/DBI
Shen et al.For full text please see pdf.
RPA and Pif1 cooperate to remove G-rich structures at both leading and lagging strand
Maestroni et al.In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the absence of Pif1 helicase induces the instability of G4-containing CEB1 minisatellite during leading strand but not lagging strand replication. We report that RPA and Pif1 cooperate to maintain CEB1 stability when the G4 forming strand is either on the leading or lagging strand templates. At the leading strand, RPA acts in the same pathway as Pif1 to maintain CEB1 stability. Consistent with this result, RPA co-precipitates with Pif1. This association between Pif1 and RPA is affected by the rfa1-D228Y mutation that lowers the affinity of RPA in particular for G-rich single-stranded DNA. At the lagging strand, in contrast to pif1∆, the rfa1-D228Y mutation strongly increases the frequency of CEB1 rearrangements. We explain that Pif1 is dispensable at the lagging strand DNA by the ability of RPA by itself to prevent formation of stable G-rich secondary structures during lagging (…)
LTX-315 sequentially promotes lymphocyte-independent and lymphocyte-dependent antitumor effects
Liao et al.LTX-315 is an oncolytic peptide that has antitumor efficacy in mice grafted with various tumor cell lines and is currently being tested in phase II clinical trials. Here we aimed to further evaluate LTX-315 in conditional genetic mouse models of cancer that typically resist current treatment options and to better understand the drug’s mode of action in vivo. We report LTX-315 mediates profound antitumor effects against Braf- and Pten-driven melanoma and delays the progression of Kras- and P53-driven soft tissue sarcoma in mice. Additionally, we show in melanoma that LTX-315 triggers two sequential phases of antitumor response. The first phase of response, which begins within minutes of drug delivery into tumors, is defined by disrupted tumor vasculature and decreased tumor burden and occurs independently of (…)
Inflammation induced PD-L1-specific T cells
Munir et al.PD-L1-specific T cells are a natural part of the T-cell repertoire in humans. Hence, we have previously described spontaneous CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell reactivity against PD-L1 in the peripheral blood of patients with various cancers as well as in healthy donors. It is well described that the expression of the PD-L1 protein is introduced in cells by pro-inflammatory cytokines, e.g. IFN-γ. In the current study, we were able to directly link inflammation with PD-L1-specific T cells by showing that inflammatory mediators such as IFN-γ generate measurable numbers of PD-L1-specific T cells in human PBMCs as well as in in vivo models. These PD-L1-specific T cells can vigorously modulate the cell compartments of the local environment. PD-L1-specific T cells may be important for immune homeostasis by sustaining the ongoing inflammatory response by the suppression of regulatory cell function both (…)
Gold Nanoparticles sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine
Huai et al.INTRODUCTION Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease. The mortality rate closely parallels that of incidence [1][2]. The current standard of care for advanced stage PDAC patients includes combination treatment with Nab-paclitaxel and
The primary cilium protein folliculin is part of the autophagy signaling pathway to regulate epithelial cell size in response to fluid flow
Zemirli et al.Autophagy is a conserved molecular pathway directly involved in the degradation and recycling of intracellular components. Autophagy is associated with a response to stress situations, such as nutrients deficit, chemical toxicity, mechanical stress or microbial host defense. We have recently shown that primary cilium-dependent autophagy is important to control kidney epithelial cell size in response to fluid flow induced shear stress. Here we show that the ciliary protein folliculin (FLCN) actively participates to the signaling cascade leading to the stimulation of fluid flow-dependent autophagy upstream of the cell size regulation in HK2 kidney epithelial cells. The knockdown of FLCN induces a shortening of the primary cilium, inhibits the activation of AMPK and the recruitment of the autophagy protein ATG16L1 at the primary cilium. Altogether, our results suggest that FLCN (…)
Neuronal Lamin regulates motor circuit integrity and controls motor function and lifespan
Oyston et al.Neuronal aging involves a progressive decline in cognitive abilities and loss of motor function. Mutations in human Lamin genes (LMNA, LMNB1, LMNB2) lead to a wide-range of diseases including muscular dystrophy, peripheral neuropathy and progeria. Here we investigate the role of neuronal Lamin in regulating age-related phenotypes. Neuronal targeting of Lamin led to shortened lifespan, progressive impairment of motor function and loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons within the protocerebral anterior medial (PAM) cluster in the Drosophila melanogaster brain. Loss of neuronal Lamin caused an age-related decline in neural physiology, with slower neurotransmission and increased chance of motor circuit failure with age. Unexpectedly, Lamin-dependent decline in motor function was specific for the chemical synapses of the dorsal longitudinal muscle (DLM). Together (…)
Assay for high-throughput screening of inhibitors of the ASC-PYD inflammasome core filament
Sborgi et al.The protein ASC is a central component of most inflammasome complexes, forming functional oligomeric filaments that activate large amounts of pro-caspase-1 for further IL-1β processing and the induction of Gasdermin D-dependent cell death. The central role of inflammasomes in the innate immune response pose them as new molecular targets for therapy of diverse acute, chronic and inherited autoinflammatory pathologies. In recent years, an increasing number of molecules were proposed to modulate inflammasome signalling by interacting with different components of inflammasome complexes. However, the difficult in vitro reconstitution of the inflammasome has limited the development of specific on-target biochemical assays for compound activity confirmation and for drug discovery in high throughput screening setups. Here we describe a homogeneous, pH (…)
Dram1 regulates DNA damage-induced alternative autophagy
Nagata et al.Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process that degrades subcellular constituents. Mammalian cells undergo two types of autophagy; Atg5-dependent conventional autophagy and Atg5-independent alternative autophagy, and the molecules required for the latter type of autophagy are largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms of genotoxic stress-induced alternative autophagy, and identified the essential role of p53 and damage-regulated autophagy modulator (Dram1). Dram1 was sufficient to induce alternative autophagy. In the mechanism of alternative autophagy, Dram1 functions in the closure of isolation membranes downstream of p53. These findings indicate that Dram1 plays a pivotal role in genotoxic stress-induced alternative autophagy.
Unraveling the molecular principles by which ceramides commit cells to death
Dadsena et al.EMERGENCE OF CERAMIDES AS TUMOR SUPPRESSOR LIPIDS Sphingolipids are unusually versatile membrane components that participate in mechanical stability, signaling, and molecular sorting. As the path to their production is paved with toxic intermediates, cells must
Immunosurveillance of cancer cell stress
Lorenzo-Herrero et al.Cancer development is tightly controlled by effector immune responses that recognize and eliminate malignantly transformed cells. Nonetheless, certain immune subsets, such as tumor-associated macrophages, have been described to promote tumor growth, unraveling a double-edge role of the immune system in cancer. Cell stress can modulate the crosstalk between immune cells and tumor cells, reshaping tumor immunogenicity and/or immune function and phenotype. Infiltrating immune cells are exposed to the challenging conditions typically present in the tumor microenvironment. In return, the myriad of signaling pathways activated in response to stress conditions may tip the balance toward stimulation of antitumor responses or immune-mediated tumor progression. Here, we explore how distinct situations of cellular stress influence innate and adaptive immunity and the consequent impact on cancer establishment and progression.
Impact of prophylactic TNF blockade in the dual PD-1 and CTLA-4 immunotherapy efficacy and toxicity
Alvarez et al.Inhibitory checkpoint blockade (ICB) immunotherapy has produced very significant advances in the fight against cancer (Figure 1). The synergistic combination of PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade therapy has been successfully used against a variety of tumors
The role of epigenetics in hypothalamic energy balance control: implications for obesity
Obri and ClaretINTRODUCTION The prevalence of obesity continues to increase worldwide. This trend is of concern because of its dramatic economic impact, concomitant decreased lifespan and increased comorbidities, such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes (T2D)
Remodeling of mitochondrial morphology and function: an emerging hallmark of cellular reprogramming
Rastogi et al.Research in the stem cell field has traditionally focused on understanding key transcriptional factors that provide pluripotent cell identity. However, much less is known about other critical non-transcriptional signaling networks that govern stem cell identity. Although we continue to gain critical insights into the mechanisms underlying mitochondrial morphology and function during cellular reprogramming – the process of reverting the fate of a differentiated cell into a stem cell, many uncertainties remain. Recent studies suggest an emerging landscape in which mitochondrial morphology and function have an active role in maintaining and regulating changes in cell identity. In this review, we will focus on these emerging concepts as crucial modulators of cellular reprogramming. Recognition of the widespread applicability of these concepts will increase our understanding of the mitochondrial mechanisms involved in cell identity, cell fate and disease.
The sensing of mitochondrial DAMPs by non-immune cells
Rodríguez-Nuevo and ZorzanoMITOCHONDRIA ARE IMMUNOGENIC ORGANELLES The efficiency of the innate immune system is determined by the capacity of distinct cell types to discriminate self from non-self structures. The dysregulation of this ability results in either immunodeficiency
Mitochondria organize the cellular proteostatic response and promote cellular senescence
Li et al.Timely disposal and degradation of misfolded proteins and their aggregates is critical for cellular proteostasis and the well-being of a cell. During evolution, cells have acquired a sophisticated system to monitor protein quality and maintain
Could de-stressing the brain be the solution for long-term weight loss?
Seyfried and HankirINTRODUCTION One just needs to take a look at a typical vending machine (often found in hospitals) to appreciate what has happened to our food and drink. The relatively sudden widespread ease of access to
Base editors: a powerful tool for generating animal models of human diseases
Lu and HuangBASE EDITORS: A NOVEL GENOME ENGINEERING TOOL Genetically engineered mouse models of human diseases have long been used in understanding the underlying mechanisms of the clinically relevant genetic disorders. In the past, using gene-targeting technology
Unweaving the role of nuclear Lamins in neural circuit integrity
Deal and YamamotoStructural integrity of the nuclear membrane is essential for the homeostasis of eukaryotic cells. Critical components of this process are Lamins or type-V intermediate filament proteins that form a meshwork on the inner nuclear membrane
Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid-based pathogenesis and potential therapies
Zhou et al.INTRODUCTION Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent forms of dementia; in 2015, for example, AD affected ~46.8 million people worldwide. It is estimated that this number will continue to increase and reach
Membrane closure in stress induced-autophagosome formation
MoritaAutophagy (macroautophagy) is a bulk degradation system that sequesters cytoplasmic components by generating double-layered isolation membranes and delivering these isolated contents to the lysosomes [cite]10.1146/annurev-cellbio-092910-154005[/cite]. Though this pathway was originally identified as a system essential
Centriolar satellites prevent uncontrolled degradation of centrosome proteins: a speculative review
Lecland and MerdesINTRODUCTION Centrosomes are cytoplasmic structures that serve as primary microtubule organizing centers in a large variety of animal cells. They consist of a pair of cylindrically shaped centrioles, surrounded by pericentriolar material. Since the 1950s,
Novel role of the SIRT4-OPA1 axis in mitochondrial quality control
Lang and PiekorzAging is defined by various molecular and cellular hallmarks, among them stem cell exhaustion, genomic instability, altered proteostasis, cellular senescence, and mitochondrial dysfunction [cite]10.1016/j.cell.2013.05.039[/cite]. Mitochondrial defects are considered major drivers of cellular aging and are
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Peer-reviewed, open-access research using unicellular organisms (and multicellular microorganisms) to understand cellular responses and human disease.
The journal (founded in 2014) is led by its Editors-in-Chief Frank Madeo, Didac Carmona-Gutierrez, and Guido Kroemer
Microbial Cell has been publishing original scientific literature since 2014, and from the very beginning has been managed by active scientists through an independent Publishing House (Shared science Publishers). The journal was conceived as a platform to acknowledge the importance of unicellular organisms, both as model systems as well as in the biological context of human health and disease.
Ever since, Microbial Cell has very positively developed and strongly grown into a respected journal in the unicellular research community and even beyond. This scientific impact is reflected in the yearly number of citations obtained by articles published in Microbial Cell, as recorded by the Web of Science (Clarivate, formerly Thomson/Reuters):
The scientific impact of Microbial Cell is also mirrored in a series of milestones:
2015: Microbial Cell is included in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), a selection of developing journals drafted by Clarivate Analytics based on the candidate’s publishing standards, quality, editorial content, and citation data. Note: As an ESCI-selected journal, Microbial Cell is currently being evaluated in a rigorous and long process to determine an inclusion in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), which allows the official calculation of Clarivate Analytics’ impact factor.
2016: Microbial Cell is awarded the so-called DOAJ Seal by the selective Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The DOAJ Seal is an exclusive mark of certification for open access journals granted by DOAJ to journals that adhere to outstanding best practice and achieve an extra high and clear commitment to open access and high publishing standards.
2017: Microbial Cell is included in Pubmed Central (PMC), allowing the archiving of all the journal’s articles in PMC and PubMed.
2019: Microbial Cell is indexed in the prestigious abstract and citation database Scopus after a thorough selection process. This also means that Microbial Cell obtains, for the first time, an official Scopus CiteScore as well as an official journal ranking in the Scimago Journal and Country Ranking.
2022: Microbial Cell’s CiteScore reaches a value of 7.2 for the year 2021, positioning Microbial Cell among the top microbiology journals (previously available CiteScores: 2019: 5.4; 2020: 5.1).
2022: Microbial Cell is indexed in the highly selective Science Citation Index Expanded™, which covers approx. 9,500 of the world’s most impactful journals across 178 scientific disciplines. In their journal selection and curation process, Clarivate´s editors apply 24 ‘quality’ criteria and four ‘impact’ criteria to select the most influential journals in their respective fields. This selection is also a pre-requisite for inclusion in the JCR, which features the impact factor.
2022: Microbial Cell is listed in the Journal Citation Reports™ (JCR), and obtains its first official Journal Impact Factor™ (JIF) for the year 2021: 5.316.Check Article Types and Manuscript Preparation guidelines. Submit online via Scholastica.