Extracellular Matrix News Volume 11.21 | Jun 4 2020

TOP STORY

Interrogation of the Microenvironmental Landscape in Brain Tumors Reveals Disease-Specific Alterations of Immune Cells

The authors comprehensively analyzed the brain tumor microenvironment landscape via flow cytometry, RNA sequencing, protein arrays, culture assays, and spatial tissue characterization. [Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Unraveling Tumor-Immune Heterogeneity in Advanced Ovarian Cancer Uncovers Immunogenic Effect of Chemotherapy

Researchers found that immune-cell-excluded and inflammatory microenvironments co-existed within the same individuals and within the same tumor sites, indicating ubiquitous variability in immune cell infiltration. [Nat Genet] Abstract

Extensive Remodeling of the Immune Microenvironment in B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Scientists uncovered a role for non-classical monocytes in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) survival, and demonstrated monocyte abundance at B-ALL diagnosis was predictive of pediatric and adult B-ALL patient survival. [Cancer Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Three-Dimensional Bioprinted Glioblastoma Microenvironments Model Cellular Dependencies and Immune Interactions

To model the brain tumor microenvironment in a reproducible and scalable system, investigators developed a rapid 3D bioprinting method to construct clinically relevant biomimetic tissue models. [Cell Res] Abstract

Ectosomal PKM2 Promotes HCC by Inducing Macrophage Differentiation and Remodeling the Tumor Microenvironment

Researchers demonstrated that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-derived ectosomes remodeled the tumor microenvironment to facilitate HCC progression in an ectosomal PKM2-dependent manner. [Mol Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Salt Generates Anti-Inflammatory Th17 Cells but Amplifies Their Pathogenicity in Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Microenvironments

The authors demonstrated that high NaCl conditions induced a stable, pathogen-specific, anti-inflammatory Th17 cell fate in human T cells in vitro. The p38/MAPK pathway, involving NFAT5 and SGK1, regulated FoxP3 and interleukin-17A-expression in high-NaCl conditions. [J Clin Invest] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Nanoparticle Delivery of Immunostimulatory Oligonucleotides Enhances Response to Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapeutics

Investigators found that our engineered nanoparticles carrying a CpG DNA ligand of TLR9 could suppress tumor growth in several animal models of various cancers, resulting in an abscopal effect on distant tumors, and improving responsiveness to anti-CTLA4 treatment with combinatorial effects after intratumoral administration. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

LGR 5 Controls Extracellular Matrix Production by Stem Cells in the Developing Intestine

Phenotype analysis of knockin/knockout Lgr5-eGFP-IRES -Cre and Lgr5-DTR eGFP embryos revealed that Lgr5 deficiency during Wnt-mediated cytodifferentiation resulted in amplification of intestinal stem cells and early differentiation into Paneth cells, which could be counteracted by in utero treatment with the Wnt inhibitor LGK 974. [EMBO Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Assembly and Function of a Bioengineered Human Liver for Transplantation Generated Solely from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

By improving methods for liver decellularization, recellularization, and differentiation of different liver cellular lineages of human induced pluripoent stem cells in an organ-like environment, scientists generated functional engineered human mini livers and performed transplantation in a rat model. [Cell Rep] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Electrospun Cellulose Acetate/Gelatin Nanofibrous Wound Dressing Containing Berberine for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Scientists fabricated Cellulose Acetate/Gelatin electrospun mat loaded with berberine as the diabetic foot ulcer-specific wound dressing. The wound healing efficacy of the fabricated dressings was evaluated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. [Sci Rep] Full Article

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The Extracellular Matrix in Development

The authors focus on recent studies investigating the mechanical, biophysical and signaling cues provided to developing tissues by different types of ECM in a variety of developing organisms. They discuss how the ECM helps to regulate tissue morphology during embryonic development by governing key elements of cell shape, adhesion, migration and differentiation. [Development] Abstract

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

Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and UC-San Diego Receive FDA Approval of Investigational New Drug Application to Continue Research of Novel Hydrogel for Cardiac Tissue Repair

The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation^® announced that it is conducting additional research on a novel hydrogel that is designed to repair cardiac tissue. In April 2020, the FDA approved an Investigational New Drug application to investigate the safety and feasibility of delivering VentriGel via catheter into areas of the heart of patients that cannot be completely revascularized at the time of coronary artery bypass grafting. [The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation] Press Release

NIH Grapples with Rush to Claim Billions in Pandemic Research Funds

For the second time in just over ten years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is scrambling to hand out billions of dollars in emergency research funding and scientists are rushing to get a piece of the action—even as some confusion and concerns abound. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

As the Pandemic Hits Campus Finances, Faculty Face Layoffs

The pandemic has bored holes in budgets at universities and colleges across the US and beyond. To stem the spread of the coronavirus, higher education institutions shuttered their campuses, sent students home, and moved classes online. [The Scientist] Editorial

The Pandemic Is Challenging China’s Breakneck Race to the Top of Science

When COVID-19 hit, China was close to surpassing the United States as the leading science funder, two years after it took top place as the biggest producer of scientific articles. The pandemic could slow that momentum by shrinking funding for scientific research in China and severely squeezing the pipeline of Chinese students to other countries. [Nature News] Editorial

The Pandemic Is Challenging China’s Breakneck Race to the Top of Science

When COVID-19 hit, China was close to surpassing the United States as the leading science funder, two years after it took top place as the biggest producer of scientific articles. The pandemic could slow that momentum by shrinking funding for scientific research in China and severely squeezing the pipeline of Chinese students to other countries. [Nature News] Editorial

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NEW Senior Scientist – Developmental and Regenerative Biology (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

NEW Senior Researcher – Regenerative Biology (Genetech, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Regenerative Medicine (National University of Ireland Galway)

Researcher – Human Tissues (Fondazione Banca dei Tessuti di Treviso Onlus)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Canncer Immunology (Emory University)

Associate Professor – Cancer Biology (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Vice President – Oncology and Cell Therapy (GlaxoSmithKline)

Assistant Professor – Mammalian Synthetic Biology (Eindhoven University of Technology)

Researcher – Biomaterials Scientist (Aspect Biosystems)

Research Scientist – Tumor Microenvironment (Systimmune, Inc.)

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