Extracellular Matrix News Volume 11.12 | Apr 2 2020

TOP STORY

Connectivity and Plasticity Determine Collagen Network Fracture

Investigators combined shear rheology of reconstituted collagen networks with computer simulations to investigate the primary determinants of fracture in disordered collagen networks. They showed that the fracture strain was controlled by the coordination number of the network junctions, with less connected networks fracturing at larger strains. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

T Cell Exhaustion Interrelates with Immune Cytolytic Activity to Shape Inflamed Tumor Microenvironment

A 78-gene signature for exhausted CD8⁺ T cells (GET) was identified and validated to reflect dysfunctional immune state spanning different species and disease models. Scientists discovered that GET estimation significantly correlated with intratumoral immune cytolytic activity and T cell-inflamed gene expression profile across 30 solid tumor types. [J Pathol] Abstract

Molecular Subtypes of Oropharyngeal Cancer Show Distinct Immune Microenvironment Related with Immune Checkpoint Blockade Response

The authors analyzed 37 surgically resected and nine recurrent or metastatic anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-treated oropharyngeal cancer tumors. Oropharyngeal cancers were classified into immune-rich, mesenchymal and xenobiotic subtypes based on RNA-sequencing data. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Transcriptomics in Cancer Revealed by Positron Emission Tomography Radiomics

Researchers identified relationships between Positron Emission Tomography radiomics and genes involved in cell-cycle, disease, DNA repair, ECM organization, immune system, metabolism or signal transduction pathways, according to the Reactome classification. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Tumor-Penetrating Peptide for Systemic Targeting of Tenascin-C

Tenascin-C (TNC-C) binding PL3 peptide was identified by in vitro biopanning on recombinant TNC-C. Besides TNC-C, PL3 interacted via its C-end Rule motif with cell-and tissue penetration receptor neuropilin-1. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Textured Soy Protein Scaffolds Enable the Generation of Three-Dimensional Bovine Skeletal Muscle Tissue for Cell-Based Meat

Researchers demonstrated the use of textured soy protein-an edible porous protein-based biomaterial-as a novel cell-based meat scaffold that could support cell attachment and proliferation to create a 3D engineered bovine muscle tissue. The media composition was optimized for 3D bovine satellite cell proliferation and differentiation by adding myogenic-related growth factors. [Nat Food] Abstract

CDC20 Knockdown and Acidic Microenvironment Collaboratively Promote Tumorigenesis through Inhibiting Autophagy and Apoptosis

Researchers observed that CDC20 knockdown cells cultured in acidic environment exhibited chromosomal instability and better survival ability. The tumorigenic metabolism transformation was confirmed through the increase of ECAR and decrease of OCR in CDC20 knockdown cells. [Mol Ther Oncolytics] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Full Article

The Agpat4/LPA Axis in Colorectal Cancer Cells Regulates Antitumor Responses via p38/p65 Signaling in Macrophages

M1 activation, characterized by elevated p38/p65 signaling and increased proinflammatory cytokines, promoted the infiltration and activation of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Modulation of the Agpat4/LPA/p38/p65 axis regulated macrophage polarization, T-cell activity and colorectal cancer progression. [Signal Transduct Target Ther] Full Article

Collagen Fibril Density Modulates Macrophage Activation and Cellular Functions during Tissue Repair

Monocytic cell line THP-1 cells were embedded in three-dimensional collagen matrices with different fibril density and were then differentiated into uncommitted macrophages (MPMA) using phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. MPMA macrophages were subsequently activated into pro-inflammatory macrophages and anti-inflammatory macrophages using lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma, and interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-13, respectively. [Bioengineering] Abstract | Download Full Article

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Drilling for Oil: Tumor-Surrounding Adipocytes Fueling Cancer

The authors discuss recent advances in the understanding of free fatty acids metabolic symbiosis between adipocytes and cancer cells and underline the differences in this metabolic crosstalk between the various types of cancer and their localization. [Trends Cancer] Abstract

Tumor Control by Cytomegalovirus, a Door Open for Oncolytic Virotherapy?

Described as a potential anti-tumoral activity, human cytomegalovirus modulates the tumor microenvironment mainly by inducing cell death through apoptosis and prompting a robust stimulatory effect on the immune cells infiltrating the tumor tissue. [Mol Ther Oncolytics] Abstract

Fat-on-a-Chip Models for Research and Discovery in Obesity and Its Metabolic Co-Morbidities

The majority of current obesity research has focused primarily on pre-clinical animal models in vivo and two-dimensional cell culture models in vitro. Neither of these generalized approaches is optimal due to inter-species variability, insufficient accuracy with respect to predicting human outcomes, and failure to recapitulate the three-dimensional microenvironment. [Tissue Eng Part B Rev] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the extracellular matrix research field.

AB Science Announces That FDA Clears Masitinib IND in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Allowing US Patient Enrollment to Commence in Phase III Study

AB Science SA announces that the FDA has cleared the company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application, allowing the company to initiate its masitinib Phase III study (AB19001) in ALS. [AB Science SA] Press Release

NOXXON Announces Completion of Patient Recruitment for the First Dose Cohort in the Phase I/II Brain Cancer Study Of NOX-A12 Plus Radiotherapy

NOXXON Pharma N.V. announced that all three patients of the first dose cohort have been enrolled into the brain cancer clinical trial testing the CXCL12 inhibitor, NOX-A12, and have already received the planned initial treatment. [NOXXON Pharma N.V.] Press Release

Spray-On Gene Therapy with RenovaCare SkinGun™ in New Study Underway at King’s College London

RenovaCare, Inc. announced that the company’s novel SkinGun™ is now being used to apply regenerative cells in a preclinical study of new gene therapies, underway at King’s College London. [RenovaCare, Inc.] Press Release

Cull, Release or Bring Them Home: Coronavirus Crisis Forces Hard Decisions for Labs with Animals

As universities scale back operations and scientists observe stay-at-home orders, many are struggling to protect their research and the animals that power it. [Nature News] Editorial

Tens of Thousands of Scientists Are Redeploying to Fight Coronavirus

As labs shut down around the world, researchers are finding creative ways to donate their time, supplies and expertise. [Nature News] Editorial

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NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Regenerative Medicine (ShanghaiTech University)

Principle Investigator – Regenerative Medicine (Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health)

Faculty Member – Lung ECM Biology (NIH National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)

Postdoctoral Researcher – ECM Remodeling in Breast Cancer (Institute of Cancer Research)

Department Head – Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics (University of Illinois College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Myometrial ECM (University of Vermont)

Investigator – Single Cell Genomics (GlaxoSmithKline USA)

Researcher – Biomaterials Scientist (Aspect Biosystems)

Postdoctoral Researchers – Regulatory RNA and Cell-Cell Communication (Brigham and Women’s Hospital)

Research Associate – Oncology (Zymeworks, Inc.)

Research Scientist – Tumor Microenvironment (Systimmune, Inc.)

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