Dermal Cell News Volume 4.29 | Aug 27 2018

TOP STORY

JunB Defines Functional and Structural Integrity of the Epidermo-Pilosebaceous Unit in the Skin

A fate switch occurred in a subset of JunB deficient epidermal progenitors during wound healing resulting in de novo formation of sebaceous glands. Pharmacological inhibition of Notch signaling efficiently restored the lineage drift, impaired epidermal differentiation and disrupted barrier function in JunB conditional knockout mice. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DERMAL STEM CELLS & TISSUE REGENERATION

The UV/Visible Radiation Boundary Region (385-405 Nm) Damages Skin Cells and Induces “Dark” Cyclobutane Pyrimidine Dimers in Human Skin In Vivo

Investigators demonstrated photodamage in the UV/visible border region region for a number of different endpoints including cell viability, DNA damage, differential gene expression and induction of oxidizing species in vitro in HaCaT keratinocytes and in vivo in human volunteers. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Thrombospondin-4 Critically Controls Transforming Growth Factor β1 Induced Hypertrophic Scar Formation

Thrombospondin-4 (TSP-4) level was significantly higher in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs) than in normal skin fibroblast and TGF-β1 more potently boosted TSP-4 expression in the former than in the latter. TSP-4 shRNA significantly suppressed TGF-β1-stimulated proliferation, invasion, migration, or fibrosis of HSFs in vitro and drastically improved wound healing in vivo. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Inhibitory Effects of Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase on Ultraviolet B-Induced Melanogenesis in Murine Skin and Melanocytes

Superoxide dismutase (SOD3) inhibited UVB-induced proliferation, reactive oxygen species production and melanogenesis in melanocytes. Measurement of melanin content and tyrosinase activity assays showed that SOD3 significantly inhibited melanin synthesis. [Life Sci] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

FoxO1 Enhances Differentiation and Apoptosis in Human Primary Keratinocytes

Epidermal forkhead box-O1 (FoxO1) immunostaining was lower in acne lesion than in normal skin. FoxO1 overexpression induced involucrin expression, G2/M arrest and apoptosis but suppressed proliferation, while FoxO1 silencing decreased involucrin expression but increased proliferation, S phase and viable cells in human primary keratinocytes. [Exp Dermatol] Abstract

Tailoring the Gelatin/Chitosan Electrospun Scaffold for Application in Skin Tissue Engineering: An In Vitro Study

To assay the influence of chitosan ratio on biocompatibility of the electrospun gelatin/chitosan scaffolds for skin tissue engineering, the culturing of human dermal fibroblast cells on nanofibers in terms of attachment, morphology and proliferation was evaluated. [Prog Biomater] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

SKIN CANCERS & DISORDERS

Loss of GCNT2/I-Branched Glycans Enhances Melanoma Growth and Survival

Investigators found that GCNT2 inversely correlated with clinical progression and that loss of GCNT2 increased melanoma xenograft growth, promoted colony formation, and enhanced cell survival. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

Tight Junction Barriers in Human Hair Follicles – Role of Claudin-1

Knock-down of the tight junction protein claudin-1, which scientists demonstrated to be less expressed in hair follicles of lesional atopic dermatitis skin, resulted in impaired barrier function, decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of hair keratinocytes. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Upregulation of LINC00319 Indicates a Poor Prognosis and Promotes Cell Proliferation and Invasion in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Scientists found that LINC00319 was significantly upregulated in both cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) tissues and cell lines. Functional studies demonstrated that LINC00319 promoted CSCC cell proliferation, accelerated cell cycle progression, facilitated cell migration and invasion, and inhibited cell apoptosis. [J Cell Biochem] Abstract

miR-320b Is Down-Regulated in Psoriasis and Modulates Keratinocyte Proliferation by Targeting AKT3

Differentially expressed miRNAs were found in the epidermal tissue of lesions from patients with psoriasis; 45 were upregulated, and 71 were downregulated. Among them, miR-320b was significantly downregulated. Low miR-320b expression levels in normal human epidermal keratinocyte promoted cell proliferation. [Inflammation] Abstract

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Review of Hair Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells as In Vitro Screening Model for Hair Growth

This consolidated and comprehensive review summarizes the up-to-date information and understanding regarding dermal papilla cell-based screening models for hair growth and may be helpful for researchers to select the appropriate assay system and biomarkers. [Int J Cosmet Sci] Abstract | Full Article

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

AVITA Medical Announces Presentation of RECELL^® Device Effectiveness and Safety in Treatment of Thermal Burns

AVITA Medical announced that results from two U.S. pivotal clinical trials demonstrating the effectiveness and clinical benefits of the RECELL^® Autologous Cell Harvesting Device were presented. [Press release from AVITA Medical discussing research presented at the U.S. Defense Department Military Health System Research Symposium, Kissimmee] Press Release

MC2 Therapeutics A/S Announces Positive Top-Line Results From Phase III Clinical Trial Comparing MC2-01 Cream to Taclonex^™ in Adults with Psoriasis

MC2 Therapeutics A/S announced the following top-line data from its US Phase III study on the company’s investigational drug, MC2-01 Cream. [MC2 Therapeutics] Press Release

Can-Fite Announces Enrollment of First Patient in Its Comfort^™ Phase III Trial of Piclidenoson in Psoriasis

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. announced the first patient has been enrolled and dosed in its Phase III Comfort^™ trial to evaluate its lead drug candidate, Piclidenoson, a small orally bioavailable drug for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, which makes up about 90 percent of cases. [Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.] Press Release

No-Deal Brexit ‘Worse than Thought’ for Science

The impact of a no-deal Brexit on British science could be worse than previously thought, according to a new analysis. The campaign group Scientists for EU has studied the Brexit technical notes released by the government. One of the documents states the UK would no longer be eligible for three of the EU’s major funding programs. [The BBC] Editorial

Senate Approves $2B Boost for NIH in $850B+ Spending Bill

For the fourth year in a row, the Senate has approved a significant increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). [FierceBiotech] Editorial

AAAS Insiders Petition to Revoke Honors of Sexual Harassers

Using the hashtag #TimesUpAAAS, thirty-six researchers recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for their science communication work posted an open letter asking the society not to bestow honors on those “who have engaged in harassment and discrimination.” The organization says it’s working on a policy. [The Scientist] Editorial

To Highlight Gender Gaps, Scientists Decline Opportunities

Activists are protesting imbalanced conferences, editorial boards, and other professional activities by refusing to join. When neuroscientist Rogier Kievit was invited to join a journal’s editorial board earlier this month, he took a look at the skewed gender ratio of its current members-21 men and 3 women-and said no thanks. [The Scientist] Editorial

Dartmouth Misconduct Case Highlights the Mistreatment of Junior Scientists

The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice probably isn’t the most collegial of places these days. That’s because Dartmouth officials agreed with Samir Soneji, an associate professor at the New Hampshire university, that his colleague Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, a leading expert on cancer screening and overtreatment, used data that belonged to Soneji and a collaborator in California in a subsequent publication without even a hat tip. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW Cancer Stem Cells: Impact on Treatment 2018
December 11-15, 2018
Seefeld, Austria

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NEW Postdoctoral Studies – Microbiology and Innate Immunity in Psoriasis (Karolinska Institutet)

Research /Senior Scientist – Modeling & Simulation (Certara)

Post-doctoral Positions – Cancer Genetics/Genomics (University of Pennsylvania)

Post-Doctoral Scientist – Novel T Cell Based Cancer Therapies (Netherlands Cancer Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Epidermal Stem Cell Biology (University of California San Diego School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Glycobiology of Cancer & Immunology (Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School)

Associate Professorships – Regenerative Medicine (University of Pavia)

Tenure-Track Faculty Positions – Immunology or Cancer Research (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Gene Regulation and/or Cancer Biology (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine)

Associate Professor or Professor – Skin Cancer (The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center)

PhD or Postdoctoral Position – Tissue Repair, Stem Cell Fate and Tumor Heterogeneity (Université Libre de Bruxelles)

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