Extracellular Matrix News Volume 11.03 | Jan 29 2020

TOP STORY

TGFβ-Induced Epigenetic Deregulation of SOCS3 Facilitates STAT3-Signaling to Promote Fibrosis

Researchers demonstrated that in fibrotic skin of patients with systemic sclerosis, a prototypical idiopathic fibrotic disease, transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) induced the expression of DNA-methyltransferase 3A and DNA-methyltransferase 1 in fibroblasts in a SMAD-dependent manner to silence the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) by promoter hypermethylation. [J Clin Invest] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Circ_001653 Silencing Promotes the Proliferation and Extracellular Matrix Synthesis of Nucleus Pulposus Cells in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Downregulating MicroRNA-486-3p-Mediated CEMIP

To evaluate the effects of circ_001653 on cellular processes, scientists performed experiments in vitro and in vivo with altered expression of circ_001653 and miR-486-3p. An increased expression of circ_001653 in the nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and the degenerative NP tissues was directly associated with elevated apoptosis and an imbalance between anabolic and catabolic factors of the ECM. [Mol Ther Nucleic Acids] Abstract | Full Article

Senescent Mesenchymal Stem Cells Remodel Extracellular Matrix Driving Breast Cancer Cells to a More-Invasive Phenotype

The authors investigated senescence-associated biophysical changes in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and how this influenced cancer cell behavior in a 3D matrix interface model. Although senescent MSCs were far less motile than pre-senescent MSCs, they induced an invasive breast cancer phenotype, characterized by increased spheroid growth and cell invasion in collagen gels. [J Cell Sci] Abstract

Decellularized Extracellular Matrices Derived from Cultured Cells at Stepwise Myogenic Stages for the Regulation of Myotube Formation

Substrates mimicking the native ECM at each myogenic stage were prepared as stepwise myogenesis-mimicking matrices via the in vitro myogenic culture of C2C12 myoblasts and decellularization. Cells adhered to the stepwise myogenesis-mimicking matrices at similar levels. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract

Comparative Proteomic Analyses of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Becker Muscular Dystrophy Muscles: Changes Contributing to Preserve Muscle Function in Becker Muscular Dystrophy Patients

Proteins extracted from skeletal muscle from Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy patients and young healthy subjects were either reduced and solubilized prior two-dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis/mass spectrometry differential analysis or tryptic digested prior label-free liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. [Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol] Full Article

The PoV Mycovirus Affects Extracellular Enzyme Expression and Fruiting Body Yield in the Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus

To estimate the activity levels of enzymes related to the growth and fruiting body formation, the relative expression levels of genes encoding various extracellular enzymes such as carbohydrate-active enzymes were measured by quantitative RT-PCR. The expression levels of the assayed genes were significantly lower in virus-infected than in virus-cured P. ostreatus. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Towards Uterus Tissue Engineering: A Comparative Study of Sheep Uterus Decellularization

Scientists established adequate protocols for scaffold generation, and prepared for future in vivo sheep uterus bioengineering experiments. Three decellularisation protocols were developed using vascular perfusion through the uterine artery of whole sheep uteri obtained from slaughterhouse material. [Mol Hum Reprod] Abstract

Osteochondral and Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffold Prepared from Gallus var domesticus Derived Demineralized Bone Powder Combined with Gellan Gum for Medical Application

Investigators prepared a scaffold using demineralized bone powder extracted from Gallus gallus var domesticus (GD), and Gellan gum for osteochondral tissue regeneration. They were characterized for their chemical, physical, mechanical and biological properties using different available techniques, in vitro bioactivity was performed in simulated body fluid for 14 days confirming the formation of bone-like apatite. [Int J Biol Macromol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase 1 and 2 Inhibition Ameliorates Steatosis and Hepatic Fibrosis in a MC4R Knockout Murine Model of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Researchers used Western diet-fed melanocortin 4 receptor-deficient mice that had similar phenotypes to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients including progressively developed hepatic steatosis as well as fibrosis. They evaluated the effects of ACC1/2 inhibition on hepatic fibrosis. [PLoS One] Full Article

Targeting Galectin-1 by Aflibercept Strongly Enhances Its Antitumor Effect in Neuroendocrine Carcinomas

Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) tumor xenografts were used to assess the effect of aflibercept on Galectin-1 (Gal-1) functions. Aflibercept induced a significant reduction of Gal-1 at epithelial, stromal and extracellular localizations in lung NEC, whereas this was not observed in colon NECs which displayed low expression of Gal-1. [Neuroendocrinology] Abstract

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The Life Cycle of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts within the Tumor Stroma and Its Importance in Disease Outcome

Amid a rising clinical interest in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) as a crucial force for disease progression, investigators contextualize the CAF phenotype using the chronological framework of the CAF life cycle within the evolving tumor stroma, ranging from quiescent fibroblasts to highly proliferative and secretory CAFs. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Applications and Approaches for 3D Precision-Cut Lung Slices: Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery

The authors discuss approaches that utilize human precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) for advancing their understanding of CLD development as well as drug discovery and validation for CLDs. PCLS enable the study of the complex interactions among different cell types and the ECM in the lungs’ native 3D architecture. [Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol] Abstract

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AXIM^® Biotechnologies Acquiree Sapphire Biotech, Inc. Signs License Agreement to Exclusively License Patent Rights in Cancer Technology

AXIM^® Biotechnologies, Inc. announce that its acquiree Sapphire Biotech, Inc. has signed an agreement with Skysong Innovations, LLC to exclusively license rights to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the treatment of cancer. [AXIM^® Biotechnologies, Inc.] Press Release

Surface Oncology Announces FDA Clearance of SRF617 and SRF388 INDs to Initiate Phase I Clinical Trials

Surface Oncology announced the FDA has cleared the Investigational New Drug applications for its antibody candidates, SRF617 and SRF388, and the company is executing on plans to initiate clinical trials to advance both programs. SRF617 is a fully human anti-CD39 antibody designed to promote anti-tumor immunity through a dual mechanism of reducing immunosuppressive adenosine and driving the extracellular accumulation of immunostimulatory ATP within the tumor microenvironment. [Surface Oncology] Press Release

UK and EU: Cherish What You Have Achieved and Stay Close

Most scientists didn’t want Brexit. UK researchers do not yet know if they will be part of joint EU research programs. However, in one piece of welcome news, the futures of the many EU researchers who want to make their lives in Britain now lie in the hands of the UK Research and Innovation agency, and not the UK Home Office — an institution that, for much of the past decade, enacted and implemented policies to reduce immigration to the United Kingdom. [Nature News] Editorial

Top Harvard Chemist Charged with Lying about Ties to Chinese Government Program

The head of Harvard University’s chemistry department was charged with attempting to conceal his involvement in a Chinese government program to bring scientists to China, an escalation of a crackdown by US authorities on what they perceive as a campaign to steal ideas born in American universities and medical centers. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW EHA-SWG Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Tissue Homeostasis
April 23-24, 2020
Rome, Italy

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase (Vascular Biology Center)

Research Associate – Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Blood Engineering and Cell Communication (Karolinska Institutet)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Computational Biology (Medical University of Gdańsk)

Research Associate – Oncology (Zymeworks Inc.)

Research Fellow – Cell Signaling (University of Sussex)

Research Scientist – Tumor Microenvironment (Systimmune Inc.)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Tumor Microenvironment (Personalis, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Tumor Microenvironment (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Inter- and Extracellular Protein Interactions (University of Southern California)

Scientist – Regenerative Medicine (Xtant Medical, Inc.)

Master Thesis – Hydrogels and Microfluid Environments (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

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