Dermal Cell News Volume 3.08 | Mar 13 2017

TOP STORY

Activated MEK Cooperates with Cdkn2a and Pten Loss to Promote the Development and Maintenance of Melanoma

Researchers demonstrated that in BRAF^V600E melanoma cell lines, activating mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) mutations drive resistance and contribute to suboptimal growth of melanoma cells following the withdrawal of BRAF inhibition. [Oncogene] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DERMAL STEM CELLS & TISSUE REGENERATION

Dual Role of Act1 in Keratinocyte Differentiation and Host Defense: TRAF3IP2 Silencing Alters Keratinocyte Differentiation while Inhibiting IL-17 Responses

Researchers investigated the role of Act1 in keratinocyte responses to IL-17 using a tetracycline inducible shRNA targeting TRAF3IP2. Tet exposure for seven days effectively silenced TRAF3IP2 mRNA and Act1 protein, resulting in 761 genes with significant changes in expression. [J Invest Dermatol] Abstract

Reprogramming Postnatal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes toward Functional Neural Crest Fates

Scientists provide evidence that postnatal human epidermal keratinocytes, in response to fibroblast growth factor 2 and insulin like growth factor 1 signals, can be reprogrammed toward a neural crest (NC) fate. Genome-wide transcriptome analyses showed that keratinocyte-derived NC cells are similar to those derived from human embryonic stem cells. [Stem Cells] Abstract

miR-377 Induces Senescence in Human Skin Fibroblasts by Targeting DNA Methyltransferase 1

The authors found that DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) expression was markedly higher in young human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) than that in passage-aged HSFs, and DNMT1 knockdown significantly induced the senescence phenotype in young HSFs. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

SKIN CANCERS & DISORDERS

ATR Mutations Promote the Growth of Melanoma Tumors by Modulating the Immune Microenvironment

Investigators identified a subset of human melanomas that have loss-of-function mutations in ATR, a kinase that recognizes and repairs UV-induced DNA damage and is required for cellular proliferation. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Epidermal Rac1 Regulates the DNA Damage Response and Protects from UV-Light-Induced Keratinocyte Apoptosis and Skin Carcinogenesis

Short-term UV-irradiation experiments revealed increased UV-light-induced apoptosis of Rac1-deficient epidermal keratinocytes in vitro as well as in vivo. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

CCN1 Promotes IL-1β Production in Keratinocytes by Activating p38 MAPK Signaling in Psoriasis

Scientists showed that CCN1 increased inflammatory cytokine IL-1β production in keratinocytes. Furthermore, endogenous ATP and caspase-1 were required for mature IL-1β production stimulated by CCN1 in keratinocytes. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Double-Stranded RNA Induces Inflammation via the NF-κB Pathway and Inflammasome Activation in the Outer Root Sheath Cells of Hair Follicles

The authors investigated the pattern of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the outer root sheath cells of hair follicles. They found that interleukin-1β and caspase-1 expression was increased in hair follicle remnants and inflammatory cells of alopecia areata tissue specimens. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Melanoma Cells Undergo Aggressive Coalescence in a 3D Matrigel Model that Is Repressed by Anti-CD44

Melanoma cells exiting fragments of three independent melanomas or from secondary cultures derived from them, and cells from the melanoma line HTB-66, all underwent coalescence mediated by specialized cells in the 3D model. Normal melanocytes did not. [PLoS One] Full Article

Systemic Immune Mechanisms in Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis with Implications for Treatment

Early models of etiology attributed symptoms of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis to cutaneous inflammation at lesion sites, but recent studies have established that activated immune mediators in the circulation drive disease severity. [Exp Dermatol] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the dermal cell research field.

Menlo Therapeutics Announces Successful Pruritus Reduction Results from Phase II Serlopitant Trial (TCP-102) in 127 Subjects with Prurigo Nodularis

Menlo Therapeutics Inc. announced that the Phase II trial evaluating serlopitant for the treatment of pruritus (itch) associated with prurigo nodularis successfully met its primary efficacy endpoint and key secondary endpoints, demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in pruritus in subjects treated with serlopitant compared with placebo. [Menlo Therapeutics Inc.] Press Release

Henry Ford Hospital Dermatologist Becomes President of American Academy of Dermatology

Henry Lim, M.D., former chair of the Department of Dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital and an internationally recognized dermatology expert, has become president of the American Academy of Dermatology, the world’s largest dermatologic society. [Henry Ford Health System] Press Release

Canada’s New Genetic Privacy Law Is Causing Huge Headaches for Justin Trudeau

A vote in Canada’s Parliament to approve a genetic privacy bill is creating a self-inflicted political headache for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government—and could result in a relatively rare and unusual court case. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Physician with Drug-Industry Ties Is Trump’s FDA Pick

President Donald Trump has nominated Scott Gottlieb — a conservative pundit, physician and venture capitalist — to head the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Tissue Repair & Regeneration
June 4-9, 2017
New London, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Scholarship – Skin Immunology (Karolinska Institute)

NEW PhD Student Position – Skin Immunology (Karolinska Institute)

NEW Research Associate – Aging (University College London)

NEW Junior Research Group Leader – Analytics and Toxicology (The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Metastatic Melanoma (Inserm)

Postdoctoral – Tumor Biology (Helmholtz Association)

Postdoctoral Position – Translational Melanoma (University of Gothenburg)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cancer Biology (University of Florida)

Faculty Member – Melanoma (Oregon Health and Science University)

Bioinformatics Scientist – Cancer Biology (Genentech, Inc.)

Assistant Professor – Molecular Therapeutics of Cancer (Dartmouth College)

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