Journal of Cellular Signaling

Mini Review Open Access

Novel Treatments Targeting the Dysregulated Cell Signaling Pathway during Sepsis

Justin H. Franco, Xiaohuan Chen, Zhixing K. Pan

Previously characterized as a purely immune mediated disease, sepsis is now recognized as a dysregulated multisystem response against a pathogen. Recognition of the infectious agent by pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) can initiate activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and promote the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. During sepsis, the activation of NF-κB is dysregulated and results in cytokine storm, or the pathologic release of cytokines.

Review Article Open Access

Ethanol Consumption and Sepsis: Mechanisms of Organ Damage

Alessandra Oliveira Silva, Clare C. Prohaska, Carla Speroni Ceron

Sepsis is highly prevalent, and is one of the main causes of mortality among hospitalized patients. Ethanol consumption in large quantities compromises the normal functioning of the body, leading to dysfunction of multiple different organ systems. The association between sepsis and ethanol is not fully understood, but it is well accepted that ethanol

Mini Review Open Access

ZBP1, a dsRNA Sensor for Cell Death and Inflammation

Wei Mo, Jiahuai Han

ZBP1 has aroused a wide interest since it was identified as the first cytosolic dsDNA sensor ahead of the finding of cGAS in 2013. However, the investigations on ZBP1 declined when researchers found the binding of ZBP1 with dsDNA is not absolutely required for the activation of innate response.

Research Article Open Access

Chronic IL-1 Exposed AR⁺ PCa Cell Lines Show Conserved Loss of IL-1 Sensitivity and Evolve Both Conserved and Unique Differential Gene Expression Profiles

Shayna E. Thomas-Jardin, Mohammed S. Kanchwala, Haley Dahl, Vivian Liu, Rohan Ahuja, Reshma Soundharrajan, Nicole Roos, Sydney Diep, Amrit Sandhu, Chao Xing, Nikki A. Delk

Inflammation drives prostate cancer (PCa) progression. While inflammation is a cancer hallmark, the underlying mechanisms mediating inflammation-induced PCa are still under investigation. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is an inflammatory cytokine that promotes cancer progression, including PCa metastasis and castration resistance. We previously found that acute IL-1 exposure represses PCa androgen receptor (AR) expression concomitant with the upregulation of pro-survival proteins, causing de novo accumulation of castration-resistant PCa cells.

Review Article Open Access

Guanylin Peptides Signaling: Insights into Guanylate Cyclase C Dependent and Independent Signaling Pathways

Ivan Strinic, Nikola Habek, Aleksandra Dugandžic

Guanylin peptides (GPs) and their receptor, guanylate cyclase C (GC-C), have recently become a topic of great interest in metabolic research. Guanylin and uroguanylin are the most investigated GPs and they belong to a larger family of natriuretic peptides. GPs play a physiological role in regulation of electrolyte balance via the intestine and the kidney by regulating the energy balance via their action in the brain.

Review Article Open Access

Anti-tumor Mechanisms of Short-chain Fatty Acids, and the Relationship between the Gut Microbiome, Carcinogenesis, Tumor Growth, and Proliferation in Colorectal Carcinoma

Tadashi Ohara, Yasuyuki Taki

We reviewed the anti-tumor mechanisms of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as well as the relationship between the gut microbiome and the pathology of colorectal carcinoma (CRC). According to our in silico analysis of human CRC cell lines, it was shown that SCFAs suppress various genes and transcription factors that participate in tumor growth/proliferation and cell turnover, and butyric acid displayed the strongest inhibitory effects among SCFAs.

Review Article Open Access

Aberrant Signaling Pathways in Cancer Cells: Application of Nanomaterials

Indrajit Roy, Goutam Ghosh

Cell signaling pathways involve several proteins, called kinases, to pass on vital messages from the transmembrane-proteins, e.g., receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) to the nucleus of a cell through a cascade of processes for various activities such as controlled cell division, proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, DNA replication and repair. Alterations in these signaling proteins combined with genetic and/or epigenetic mutations spawn various types of cancer that empowers the cells to ignore or maneuver the immune signals and carry on felonious activities such as uncontrolled cell division and growth, genetic instability, angiogenesis around the tumor in hypoxia, eluding the body’s immune system, cell migration, and invasion of surrounding healthy cells.