Dermal Cell News 3.16 May 8, 2017 | |
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TOP STORYShining a Light on Melanomas that Aren’t Caused by the Sun Researchers found that melanomas on the hands and feet (known as acral) and internal surfaces (known as mucosal) are not linked to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This is in contrast to melanoma of the skin, which is strongly related to UV radiation. Their research shows that acral and mucosal melanoma have different causes to skin melanoma. This has implications for preventing and treating these forms of melanoma, which occur worldwide. [Nature] Press Release | Abstract | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)DERMAL STEM CELLS & TISSUE REGENERATIONScientists showed that light-activatable antisense RNAs (antimiRs) efficiently and locally restricted target miR activity in vivo. They used an antimiR-92a and established a therapeutic benefit in diabetic wound healing. AntimiR-92a was modified with photolabile protecting groups, so called ‘cages’. Light activation of caged antimiR-92a improved healing in diabetic mice to a similar extent as conventional antimiRs and derepressed the miR-92a targets Itga5 and Sirt1, thereby regulating wound cell proliferation and angiogenesis. [Nat Commun] Full Article Identification of Hair Shaft Progenitors that Create a Niche for Hair Pigmentation The authors report the identification of hair shaft progenitors in the matrix that are differentiated from follicular epithelial cells expressing transcription factor KROX20. Depletion of Krox20 lineage cells resulted in arrest of hair growth, confirming the critical role of KROX20+ cells as antecedents of structural cells found in hair. [Genes Dev] Full Article | Press Release Transcriptomic analysis of bulk skin tends to drown out expression signals from relatively rare cells while cell culture methods may significantly alter cellular phenotypes and gene expression profiles. To identify distinct transcriptomic profiles of multiple cell populations without substantially altering cell phenotypes, researchers employed a fluorescence activated cell sorting method to isolate keratinocytes, dendritic cells, CD4+ T effector cells, and CD8+ T effector cells from healthy skin samples, followed by RNA-seq of each cell population. [Sci Rep] Full Article Investigators aimed to characterize the role of STAT2 in psoriasis. They demonstrated an increased expression of STAT2 and an increased level of phosphorylated/activated STAT2 in lesional compared with nonlesional psoriatic skin. Gene silencing of STAT2 by siRNA in human keratinocytes revealed that upon IFNα stimulation CXCL11 and CCL5 were the only two cytokines, among 102 analyzed, found to be regulated through a STAT2-dependent mechanism. [PLoS One] Full Article SKIN CANCERS & DISORDERSInvestigators sought to identify global proteomic changes downstream of filaggrin (FLG) deficiency in human epidermal living skin–equivalent models and to validate findings in skin of patients with atopic eczema (AE). They showed that loss of FLG in the absence of inflammation was sufficient to alter the expression level of proteins relevant to the pathogenesis of AE. [J Allergy Clin Immunol] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract TCF7L1 Promotes Skin Tumorigenesis Independently of β-Catenin through Induction of LCN2 Researchers documented TCF7L1 upregulation in skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and demonstrated that TCF7L1 overexpression increases tumor incidence, tumor multiplicity, and malignant progression in the chemically induced mouse model of skin SCC. [eLife] Full Article The AP-1 Transcription Factor FOSL1 Causes Melanocyte Reprogramming and Transformation Scientists showed that FOSL1 is the main immediate early AP-1 member induced by melanoma oncogenes. They first examined its role in established melanoma cells. They found that FOSL1 is involved in melanoma cell migration as well as cell proliferation and anoikis-independent growth, which is mediated by the gene product of its target gene HMGA1, encoding a multipotent chromatin modifier. As FOSL1 expression is increased in patient melanoma samples compared to nevi, they investigated the effect of enhanced FOSL1 expression on melanocytes. [Oncogene] Abstract The authors assessed the therapeutic effect of cryptolepine, a pharmacologically active alkaloid derived from the roots of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, on melanoma cell growth. Treatment of human melanoma cell lines (A375, Hs294t, SK-Mel28 and SK-Mel119) with cryptolepine for 24 and 48 hours significantly inhibited the growth of melanoma cells but not normal melanocytes. [Sci Rep] Full Article The Long Noncoding RNA SPRIGHTLY Acts as an Intranuclear Organizing Hub for Pre-mRNA Molecules The aberrant expression of SPRIGHTLY long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), encoded within the drosophila gene homolog Sprouty-4 intron, is correlated with a variety of cancers, including human melanomas. Investigators demonstrated by SHAPE-seq and dChIRP that SPRIGHTLY RNA secondary structure has a core pseudoknotted domain. This lncRNA interacts with the intronic regions of six pre-mRNAs: SOX5, SMYD3, SND1, MEOX2, DCTN6, and RASAL2, all of which have cancer-related functions. [Sci Adv] Abstract | Press Release | |
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REVIEWSHO-1 Induction in Cancer Progression: A Matter of Cell Adaptation The authors summarize the current literature regarding the pro-tumorigenic role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) dependent tumor progression as a promising target in anticancer strategy. [Antioxidants (Basel)] Full Article Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the dermal cell research field. | |
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SCIENCE NEWSmiRagen Therapeutics, Inc. discussed previously announced interim results from its ongoing Phase I clinical trial of MRG-201. [Press release from miRagen Therapeutics, Inc. discussing research presented at the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) 76th Annual Meeting, Portland] Press Release | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSFirst Patient Enrolled in Mallinckrodt Phase II Trial of StrataGraft® Regenerative Skin Tissue Mallinckrodt plc confirmed enrollment of the first patient in the company’s Phase II study assessing the safety, tolerability and efficacy of Stratagraft® regenerative skin tissue as an alternative to autografting full-thickness complex skin defects. [Mallinckrodt plc.] Press Release BioPharmX Reports Positive Topline Results of BPX-01 Topical Minocycline for Acne BioPharmX Corporation announced that it achieved the primary endpoint in its phase IIb clinical trial evaluating BPX-011, the first completely solubilized topical minocycline gel product candidate for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acne. [BioPharmX Corporation] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSScientists Relieved by Emmanuel Macron’s French Election Victory French scientists say they’re relieved and happy that their country’s next president will be Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old former civil servant and economy minister who swept to victory in elections. Macron intends to make cuts to public spending, but has said he will ring-fence the budgets for research and higher education, areas that he wants to make the central plank of a program to boost innovation and cut unemployment. [Nature News] Editorial Money Still Missing as the Plan to Synthesize a Human Genome Takes Another Step Forward More than 200 biologists, business people, and ethicists will converge upon the New York Genome Center in Manhattan to jumpstart what they hope will be biology’s next blockbuster: Genome Project-write, a still-unfunded sequel to the Human Genome Project where instead of reading a human genome, scientists create one from scratch and incorporate it into cells for various research and medical purposes. [ScienceInsider] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Gordon Research Conferences: Cell Growth & Proliferation NEW The TGF-β Superfamily: Signaling in Development and Disease Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Postdoctoral Fellowship(s) – Cutaneous Biology (University of Michigan) NEW Laboratory Research Scientist (Temporary) – Skin Cancer (The Francis Crick Institute) NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Skin Stem Cells (Columbia University Medical Center) Postdoctoral Researcher – Immunopeptidomics (University of Oxford) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Adipocytes in Melanoma (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) Scientist – Cell Biology and Autoimmune Disease (Immunocore) Postdoctoral Fellow – Melanoma (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) Two Postdoctoral Positions – Melanoma (Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute) Professorships – Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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Home Dermal Cell News Volume 3.16 | May 8 2017