Dermal Cell News Volume 3.24 | Jul 17 2017

TOP STORY

Emergent Cellular Self-Organization and Mechanosensation Initiate Follicle Pattern in the Avian Skin

Using the nascent skin of the developing chicken embryo as a model system, scientists found that morphological and molecular symmetries are simultaneously broken by an emergent process of cellular self-organization. The key initiators of heterogeneity were dermal progenitors, which spontaneously aggregated through contractility-driven cellular pulling. [Science] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DERMAL STEM CELLS & TISSUE REGENERATION

Type XVII Collagen Coordinates Proliferation in the Interfollicular Epidermis

Researchers showed that type XVII collagen (COL17) played a central role in regulating interfollicular epidermis (IFE) proliferation. Loss of COL17 lead to transient IFE hypertrophy in neonatal mice owing to aberrant Wnt signaling. [Elife] Full Article | Press Release

Generation and Analysis of Spheroids From Human Primary Skin Myofibroblasts: An Experimental System to Study Myofibroblasts Deactivation

Investigators generated and analysed clusters such as spheroids from human primary cutaneous myofibroblasts, which represent a part of stromal microenvironment better than established cell lines. They evaluated apoptotic or necrotic cell death, inflammation and activation markers during myofibroblasts clustering. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Evaluation of Three-Layered Doxycycline-Collagen Loaded Nanofiber Wound Dressing

Nanofiber wound dressings have great potential for both acute and chronic wound healing. Researchers aimed to develop a wound dressing by the electrospinning method and to determine its in vitro characteristics. [Int J Pharm] Abstract

SKIN CANCERS & DISORDERS

COL7A1 Editing via CRISPR/Cas9 in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

The authors have exploited an ex vivo CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair approach for the correction of a frequent inherited mutation in exon 80 of COL7A1 which impairs type VII collagen expression causing the severe blistering skin disease recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. [Mol Ther] Abstract

Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins Limit Ripk1 Mediated Skin Inflammation

Scientists generated epidermal-specific inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) deficient mice and found that combined genetic deletion of cIAP1 in keratinocytes and ubiquitous cIAP2 deletion caused profound skin inflammation and keratinocyte death, lethal by post-partum day ten. [J Invest Dermatol] Abstract | Press Release

Improving Pharmacological Targeting of AKT in Melanoma

Investigators showed that combining AKT inhibitors with a WEE1 inhibitor at a 3:1 drug ratio can synergistically kill cultured melanoma cells and decrease melanoma tumor development by greater than 90%. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

UV Radiation Promotes Melanoma Dissemination Mediated by the Sequential Reaction Axis of Cathepsins–TGF-β1–FAP-α

Researchers analyzed expression of FAP-α after UVR exposure in in vitro co-culture systems, gene expression arrays and artificial skin constructs. Cell migration and invasion was studied in relation to cathepsin activity and secretion of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation Restores Filaggrin Expression via OVOL1 in Atopic Dermatitis

Filaggrin (FLG) mutation is a well-confirmed genetic aberration in atopic dermatitis (AD). Genome-wide association studies on AD have revealed other susceptibility genes, for example, Ovo-like 1 (OVOL1). Because aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) plays a role in Filaggrin (FLG) expression in keratinocytes, scientists hypothesized that AHR regulates FLG expression via OVOL1. To demonstrate this mechanism, they analyzed FLG expression in OVOL1-overexpressing or OVOL1-knockdown normal human epidermal keratinocytes. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Tomatoes Protect Against Development of UV-Induced Keratinocyte Carcinoma via Metabolomic Alterations

The authors hypothesized that tomato consumption would protect against skin cancer. SKH-1 hairless and immunocompetent mice were fed AIN-93G or AIN-93G + 10% tangerine or red tomato powder for 35 weeks. From weeks 11–20, mice were exposed to 2240 J/m2 UV-B light, 3x/week, and tumors were tracked weekly. Tumor number was significantly lower in male mice consuming red tomato diets or pooled tomato diets compared to controls. [Sci Rep] Full Article | Press Release

Curcumin and Its Topical Formulations for Wound Healing Applications

Various topical formulations of curcumin such as films, fibers, emulsion, hydrogels and different nanoformulations have been developed for targeted delivery of curcumin at wounded sites. Scientists summarize and discuss different topical formulations of curcumin with emphasis on their wound-healing properties in animal models. [Drug Discov Today] Abstract

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

Novartis Confirms Five Year Data for First and Only Fully-Human IL-17A Inhibitor Cosentyx^® Reinforcing Sustained Efficacy and Safety Profile in Psoriasis

Novartis confirmed positive five year efficacy and safety results for Cosentyx^® from a Phase III long-term extension study in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis [Novartis] Press Release

Janssen Announces U.S. FDA Approval of TREMFYA^™ For The Treatment of Moderate To Severe Plaque Psoriasis

Janssen Biotech, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved TREMFYA^™ for the treatment of adults living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. TREMFYA^™ is the first and only approved biologic therapy that selectively blocks only IL-23, a cytokine that plays a key role in plaque psoriasis. [Janssen Biotech, Inc.] Press Release

Principia Biopharma Announces PRN1008 Receives Orphan Drug Designation From FDA for Treatment of Pemphigus Vulgaris

Principia Biopharma Inc. announced that PRN1008, a reversible covalent Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor, has been granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with pemphigus vulgaris. [Principia Biopharma Inc. (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

Apexigen, Inc. Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase IB/II Clinical Trial of APX005M in Combination with Opdivo in Advanced Solid Tumors

Apexigen, Inc. announced that the first patient has been dosed in a new multicenter Phase IB/II clinical trial. Under a clinical trial collaboration, with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Apexigen is evaluating the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of Apexigen’s APX005M in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo (nivolumab) in second-line metastatic NSCLC patients who have failed prior chemotherapy and in metastatic melanoma patients who have failed prior I-O therapy. [Apexigen, Inc.] Press Release

Made-in-Madison Skin Replacement Starts Final Clinical Trial

A University of Wisconsin–Madison spinoff that makes an innovative material designed to speed healing of serious burns has begun a large clinical trial for the “regenerative skin tissue” it has been developing since 2000. Stratatech aims to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that the material, called StrataGraft, is safe and effective for treating severe burns. [University of Wisconsin–Madison] Press Release

Two Female Scientists Sue Salk Institute, Alleging Discrimination at ‘Old Boys Club’

Two senior female scientists are suing their employer, the prestigious Salk Institute for Biological Studies, alleging pervasive, long-standing gender discrimination. In the pair of lawsuits, filed in California Superior Court in San Diego, plaintiffs Vicki Lundblad and Katherine Jones seek unspecified compensation for an array of harms. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

To Woo Public, Europe Opens up on Animal Experiments, but U.S. Less Transparent

A London-based group that supports the use of animals in biomedical science began inviting the public to take an unusual digital tour of laboratories at four U.K. research institutions. At LabAnimalTour.org, users can watch a monkey with a bolt in its skull forage in its cage at a University of Oxford neuroscience lab and a technician check on some of the 8000 mice housed in one room at the Medical Research Council’s Harwell Institute. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Why a Flat 2018 Budget Could Tie NSF’s Hands

What would a flat budget mean for the National Science Foundation (NSF)? For many agencies, it means maintaining the status quo. And NSF may have trouble doing anything other than that thanks to some pointed instructions from a key legislator. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets & Cancer Therapeutics
November 5-9, 2017
Boston, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Research Associate – Genetic Skin Conditions (King’s College London)

NEW Post-Doc and Research Positions – In Vitro 3D Models of Diseased Skin (University of Minho)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Epithelial Stem Cell Biology (University of Michigan Healthcare System)

Group Leader – Melanoma (University of Lille Nord de France)

Research Fellow – Melanoma (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

Associate Professor – Cancer Biology (NYU Langone School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Vascular-Stromal Regulation in the Dermis (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Gene Regulation in Stem Cells and Tissue Regeneration (Northwestern University)

PhD Candidate – Melanoma (University Medical Center Gottingen)

Postdoctoral Program – Melanoma (European Molecular Biology Laboratory)

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