DERMAL STEM CELLS & TISSUE REGENERATION Fibroblast-Derived MMP-14 Regulates Collagen Homeostasis in Adult Skin To analyze the function of fibroblast-derived MMP-14 in adult skin homeostasis investigators generated mice with inducible deletion of MMP-14 in the dermal fibroblast. [J Invest Dermatol] Abstract A Novel Plant Sesquiterpene Lactone Derivative DETD-35 Suppresses BRAFV600E Mutant Melanoma Growth and Overcomes Acquired Vemurafenib Resistance in Mice Investigators created a novel semi-organically modified derivative, DETD-35, from deoxyelephantopin, a plant sesquiterpene lactone demonstrated as an anti-inflammatory and anti-mammary tumor agent. Their results showed that DETD-35 inhibited proliferation of a panel of melanoma cell lines. [Mol Cancer Ther] Abstract | Full Article Controlled Water Vapor Transmission Rate Promotes Wound-Healing via Wound Re-Epithelialization and Contraction Enhancement Researchers prepared serial polyurethane membrane dressings with graded water vapor transmission rates (WVTRs), and the optimal WVTR of the dressing for wound healing was identified by both in vitro and in vivo studies. The dressing with this optimal WTVR was found to be able to promote wound healing in a mouse skin wound model. [Sci Rep] Full Article Cellularized Bilayer Pullulan-Gelatin Hydrogel for Skin Regeneration By combining two polymers: pullulan, an inexpensive polysaccharide with antioxidant properties, and gelatin, a derivative of collagen with high water absorbency, investigators created a novel inexpensive hydrogel-named PG-1 for “pullulan-gelatin first generation hydrogel”-suitable for skin substitutes. [Tissue Eng Part A] Abstract Downregulation of YAP-Dependent Nupr1 Promotes Tumor-Repopulating Cell Growth in Soft Matrices The authors showed that nuclear protein 1 (Nupr1), a protein independent of Sox2, is downregulated in tumor-repopulating cells of melanoma, ovarian cancer and breast cancer cultured in soft fibrin matrices. [Oncogenesis] Full Article Gelatin/Carboxymethyl Chitosan Based Scaffolds for Dermal Tissue Engineering Applications Scientists delineated the preparation, characterization and application of gelatin-carboxymethyl chitosan scaffolds for dermal tissue engineering. [Int J Biol Macromol] Abstract SKIN CANCERS & DISORDERS Standard Melanoma-Associated Markers Do Not Identify the MM127 Metastatic Melanoma Cell Line Common markers used to identify melanoma cell lines include: S100; HMB-45; and Melan-A. Investigators explored the expression of these three markers in four different melanoma cell lines: WM35; WM793; SK-MEL-28; and MM127. [Sci Rep] Full Article Local Glucocorticoid Activation by 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 1 in Keratinocytes To investigate the function of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) in keratinocytes during inflammation in vivo, researchers created keratinocyte-specific 11β-HSD1 knockout mice and analyzed the inflammatory response in models of hapten-induced contact irritant dermatitis. [Am J Pathol] Abstract Cross-Talk between DopaChromeTautomerase and Caveolin-1 Is Melanoma Cell Phenotype Specific and Potentially Involved in Tumor Progression A structural and functional relationship between dopachrometautomerase and caveolin-1 was presented in two human amelanotic melanoma cell lines, derived from vertical growth phase and metastatic melanomas. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article |