INTESTINAL CANCERS & DISEASES Pluripotent Stem Cells Induced from Mouse Neural Stem Cells and Small Intestinal Epithelial Cells by Small Molecule Compounds Researchers demonstrated that neural stem cells from the ectoderm and small intestinal epithelial cells from the endoderm can be chemically reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells. [Cell Res] Full Article Deregulation of STING Signaling in Colorectal Carcinoma Constrains DNA Damage Responses and Correlates with Tumorigenesis Investigators report that stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling is recurrently suppressed in a wide variety of cancers, including colorectal carcinoma. Loss of STING signaling impeded DNA damage responses accountable for generating key cytokines that facilitate tissue repair and anti-tumor T cell priming, such as type I interferons. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release Sphingosine Kinase 2 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Enhancing MYC Expression Researchers investigated the SphK2 expression in tumoral tissue and the matched normal mucosae using quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. They evaluated the impact of SphK2 knockdown on colorectal cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro. [Tumor Biol] Abstract Checkpoint Kinase 1 Activation Enhances Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Function via Regulation of Claudin-5 Expression Investigators examined the effects of daunorubicin and rebeccamycin, two anti-tumor chemicals that induce DNA damage, on tight junction integrity in human intestinal epithelial cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Hypoxia Decreases Invasin-Mediated Yersinia enterocolitica Internalization into Caco-2 Cells Researchers examined the role of hypoxia on the internalization of Y. enterocolitica into intestinal epithelial cells. They showed that hypoxic pre-incubation of Caco-2 cells resulted in significantly decreased bacterial internalization compared to cells grown under normoxia. [PLoS One] Full Article INTESTINAL STEM CELL & ORGANOID RESEARCH Accumulation of Differentiating Intestinal Stem Cell Progenies Drives Tumorigenesis Scientists report that loss of the SOX transcription factor, Sox21a, blocks the differentiation program of enteroblast, the intestinal stem cell progeny in the adult Drosophila midgut. [Nat Commun] Full Article EGFR/Ras Signaling Controls Drosophila Intestinal Stem Cell Proliferation via Capicua-Regulated Genes Investigators identified capicua, pointed, and Ets21C as critical downstream effectors of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in Drosophila intestinal stem cells. [PLoS Genet] Full Article Villification in the Mouse: Bmp Signals Control Intestinal Villus Patterning The authors showed that in mice, muscle-induced epithelial folding does not occur and artificial deformation of the epithelium does not determine the pattern of clusters or villi. In intestinal explants, modulation of Bmp signaling altered the spatial distribution of clusters and changes the pattern of emerging villi. [Development] Abstract Inactivation of NKX6.3 in the Stomach Leads to Abnormal Expression of CDX2 and SOX2 Required for Gastric-to-Intestinal Transdifferentiation Scientists characterized the effects of NKX6.3 that may contribute to gastric intestinal metaplasia. NKX6.3 expression was significantly reduced in gastric mucosae with intestinal metaplasia. [Mod Pathol] Abstract GATAe Regulates Intestinal Stem Cell Maintenance and Differentiation in Drosophila Adult Midgut The authors investigated the roles of GATAe, the Drosophila intestinal GATA factor, in adult midgut homeostasis with its first-generated knock-out mutant as well as cell type-specific RNAi and overexpression experiments. [Dev Biol] Abstract |