12/10/2026

MicroRNA as key players in skin regeneration and anti-aging pathways

Azizi et al.

For full text please see pdf.

05/10/2026

Glycemia reprograms substrate transport and shapes divergent stress responses in differentiating H9c2 cells

Passaponti et al.

For full text please see pdf.

07/08/2026

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.

07/07/2026

Triptolide inhibits ovarian cancer growth and metastasis via reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages

Chen et al.

For full text please see pdf.

03/07/2026

Polyamine-mediated inhibition of ferroptosis contributes to geroprotection

Madeo et al.

For full text please see pdf.

24/04/2026

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 (…)

06/03/2026

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.

30/01/2026

Antifungal peptides: from modes of action to synergistic and immunologic potential

Carmona-Gutierrez et al.
26/01/2026

Reversal of Cushing syndrome by antibody-mediated neutralization of ACBP/DBI

Shen et al.

For full text please see pdf.

05/10/2026

Glycemia reprograms substrate transport and shapes divergent stress responses in differentiating H9c2 cells

Passaponti et al.

For full text please see pdf.

07/07/2026

Triptolide inhibits ovarian cancer growth and metastasis via reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages

Chen et al.

For full text please see pdf.

24/04/2026

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 (…)

26/01/2026

Reversal of Cushing syndrome by antibody-mediated neutralization of ACBP/DBI

Shen et al.

For full text please see pdf.

28/10/2025

Quantifying replication stress in cancer without proliferation confounding

Jungk and Kschischo

The authors developed a refined gene expression signature (TRSS) that accurately measures replication stress independently of cell proliferation, addressing a major limitation of existing biomarkers that conflate stress with oncogene-driven growth. Applying this signature to patient samples, they discovered that replication stress is associated with activation of the non-homologous end-joining DNA repair pathway, suggesting cells may shift toward this repair mechanism under replication stress conditions.

11/08/2025

Datopotamab deruxtecan induces hallmarks of immunogenic cell death

Forveille et al.

For full text see pdf.

07/08/2025

Oxidative stress induces cortical stiffening and cytoskeletal remodelling in pre-apoptotic cancer cells

Jalmukhambetova et al.

For full text see pdf.

11/07/2025

Sugar accelerates chronological aging in yeast via ceramides

Schmiedhofer et al.

For full text please see pdf.

08/07/2025

Bax- Bcl-xL interaction dynamics during the progression of cell cycle and cell death using FLIM-FRET

Halikar et al.

For full text please see pdf.

Next
20/01/2020

Biomechanical stress provides a second hit in the establishment of BMP/TGFβ-related vascular disorders

Hiepen et al.

BMPR2 MUTATIONS PRIME FOR PAH BUT REQUIRE A SECOND HIT While BMPR2 mutations appear as one of the main genetic drivers for HPAH, low BMPR2 expression is also found in idiopathic cases (IPAH). Therefore, restoring

07/01/2020

Fine intercellular connections in development: TNTs, cytonemes, or intercellular bridges?

Korenkova et al.

Intercellular communication is a fundamental property of multicellular organisms, necessary for their adequate responses to changing environment. Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) represent a novel means of intercellular communication being a long cell-to-cell conduit. TNTs are actively formed under a broad range of stresses and are also proposed to exist under physiological conditions. Development is a physiological condition of particular interest, as it requires fine coordination. Here we discuss whether protrusions shown to exist during embryonic development of different species could be TNTs or if they represent other types of cell structure, like cytonemes or intercellular bridges, that are suggested to play an important role in development.

03/01/2020

Kynurenine: an oncometabolite in colon cancer

Venkateswaran and Conacci-Sorrell

TRYPTOPHAN IS PREFERENTIALLY CONVERTED INTO KYNURENINE IN COLON CANCER Tryptophan can be utilized in three ways intracellularly: it can be incorporated into newly synthesized proteins, it can be processed by the serotonin pathway to give

10/12/2019

Fatty acids – from energy substrates to key regulators of cell survival, proliferation and effector function

Cucchi et al.

Recent advances in immunology and cancer research show that fatty acids, their metabolism and their sensing have a crucial role in the biology of many different cell types. Indeed, they are able to affect cellular behaviour with great implications for pathophysiology. Both the catabolic and anabolic pathways of fatty acids present us with a number of enzymes, receptors and agonists/antagonists that are potential therapeutic targets, some of which have already been successfully pursued. Fatty acids can affect the differentiation of immune cells, particularly T cells, as well as their activation and function, with important consequences for the balance between anti- and pro-inflammatory signals in immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular conditions. In the context of cancer biology, fatty acids mainly provide substrates for (…)

21/11/2019

Stress granules regulate paraspeckles: RNP granule continuum at work

An and Shelkovnikova

Eukaryotic cells contain a variety of large, multicomponent RNA-protein complexes termed ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules. RNP granules represent membraneless organelles – biomolecular condensates lacking a membrane and maintained through an intricate network of protein-protein, protein-RNA and

04/11/2019

Metabolism remodeling in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Li et al.

INTRODUCTION Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a tumor with early metastatic potential and remarkable resistance to established therapies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and molecular targeted therapy [1]. Given primary localization and cell morphology, PDAC has

30/10/2019

Endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi stress in microcephaly

Passemard et al.

Microcephaly is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by a small brain size associated with intellectual deficiency in most cases and is one of the most frequent clinical sign encountered in neurodevelopmental disorders. It can result from a wide range of environmental insults occurring during pregnancy or postnatally, as well as from various genetic causes and represents a highly heterogeneous condition. However, several lines of evidence highlight a compromised mode of division of the cortical precursor cells during neurogenesis, affecting neural commitment or survival as one of the common mechanisms leading to a limited production of neurons and associated with the most severe forms of congenital microcephaly. In this context, the emergence of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus as key guardians of cellular homeostasis, especially through the regulation of proteostasis, has raised the hypothesis that pathological ER and/or Golgi stress could contribute significantly to cortical impairments eliciting microcephaly. In (…)

25/09/2019

The impact of endothelial cell death in the brain and its role after stroke: A systematic review

Zille et al.

INTRODUCTION The brain is a metabolically active organ that consumes about 20% of the total energy of the body [1]. At the same time, it is unable to store significant amounts of energy, which makes

24/09/2019

Acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP): the elusive ‘hunger factor’ linking autophagy to food intake

Bravo-San Pedro et al.

Overweight has beaten undernutrition as the most frequent pathological state throughout the world, affecting close to 25% of the adult population. This has severe implications for global health, given that obesity is the major risk

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23/01/2023

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 and its ambiguous role in cellular life and death

Castedo et al

The deletion of the gene coding for poly(ADPribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) or its pharmacological inhibition protects mice against cerebral ischemia and Parkinson’s disease. In sharp contrast, PARP1 inhibitors are in clinical use for the eradication of vulnerable cancer cells. It appears that excessive PARP1 activation is involved in a specific cell death pathway called parthanatos, while inhibition of PARP1 in cancer cells amplifies DNA damage to a lethal level. Hence, PARP1 plays a context-dependent role in cell fate decisions. In addition, it appears that PARP1 plays an ambiguous role in organismal aging.

08/08/2022

Cardiac PI3K p110α attenuation delays aging and extends lifespan

Abdellatif et al

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is a key component of the insulin signaling pathway that controls cellular me-tabolism and growth. Loss-of-function mutations in PI3K signaling and other downstream effectors of the insulin signaling pathway extend the lifespan of various model organisms. However, the pro-longevity effect appears to be sex-specific and young mice with reduced PI3K signaling have increased risk of cardiac disease. Hence, it remains elusive as to whether PI3K inhibition is a valid strategy to delay aging and extend healthspan in humans. We recently demonstrated that reduced PI3K activity in cardiomyocytes delays cardiac growth, causing subnormal contractility and cardiopulmonary functional capacity, as well as increased risk of mortality at young age. In stark contrast, in aged mice, experimental attenuation of PI3K signaling reduced the age-dependent decline in cardiac function and extended maximal lifespan, suggesting (…)

25/07/2022

A purinergic call to arms from dying brown adipocytes

Mohammed K. Hankir

Brown adipocytes react to temperature and nutritional challenges by ramping up their metabolism and generating heat. This adaptation to changes in the environment is crucial for defending organismal homeostasis, but is impaired in obesity and during aging. Writing in Nature, Niemann et al. show that brown adipocytes become apoptotic under thermoneutral conditions and release ATP, which in turn is converted extracellularly into inosine. They further present evidence that pharmacological and genetic manipulations that enhance signalling of this purine metabolite stimulates thermo-genesis in brown adipocytes and promotes metabolic health.

22/12/2021

Building and breaking the gut barrier with bariatric surgery

Hankir

The gut lumen harbors trillions of microbiota which normally reside symbiotically in the host. Under certain conditions however, such as in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), this healthy balance is lost, and there is an expansion

06/12/2021

Rethinking the bioavailability and cellular transport properties of S-adenosylmethionine

Sun and Locasale

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is a versatile metabolite that participates in a wide range of reactions such as methylation and transsulfuration. These capabilities allow SAM to influence cellular processes such as gene expression and redox balancing. The importance of SAM is highlighted by its widespread usage as an over-the-counter nutrient supplement and as an experimental reagent in molecular biology. The bioavailability and cellular transport properties of SAM, however, are often overlooked under these contexts, putting limits on SAM’s therapeutic potential and complicating the interpretation of experimental results. In this article, we examined the chemical stability and cellular permeability of SAM, proposed a schematic for indirect SAM transport across the mammalian plasma membrane, and lastly discussed the implications arising from such transport schematic.

28/06/2021

Elevated plasma levels of the appetite-stimulator ACBP/DBI in fasting and obese subjects

Li et al.

INTRODUCTION Acyl coenzyme A binding protein (ACBP), which in humans is encoded by the gene DBI (diazepam binding inhibitor), is a phylogenetically ancient protein that is ubiquitously expressed by all nucleated human cell types [1][2][3].

08/03/2021

Spermidine supplementation in rare translation-associated disorders

Zimmermann et al.

Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine that is strongly involved in manifold cellular processes, for example, DNA, RNA and protein stabilization, cell growth, proliferation, autophagy, and aging. Importantly, spermidine has also been connected to the

24/11/2020

A sympathetic gut connection drives the metabolic benefits of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Hankir

Surgery is regarded by many as the go-to treatment option for severe obesity; yet how physically altering the gastrointestinal tract produces such striking results on body weight and overall metabolic health is poorly understood. In a recent issue of Cell Reports Ye et al. (2020) compare mouse models of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG), the two most commonly performed weight loss surgeries in the clinic today, to show that the former reconfiguring procedure selectively increases resting metabolic rate through splanchnic nerve-mediated browning of mesenteric white fat. More significantly, they demonstrate that this effect for RYGB is required for the maintained negative energy balance and improved glycemic control that it confers.

25/06/2020

Exploiting the circuit breaker cancer evolution model in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Hsieh and Cheng

INTRODUCTION On average a human adult body encompasses fifty trillion cells (~5×1013) with a daily turnover of hundred billion cells (~1011) within which each contains two copies of ~three billion base-pair DNA haploid genome. Approximately,

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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.

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