Dermal Cell News Volume 5.07 | Mar 4 2019

TOP STORY

Par3 Is Essential for the Establishment of Planar Cell Polarity of Inner Ear Hair Cells

Par3 deletion in the inner ear disrupted cochlear outgrowth, hair bundle orientation, kinocilium positioning, and basal body planar polarity, accompanied by defects in the organization and cortical attachment of hair cell microtubules. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DERMAL STEM CELLS & TISSUE REGENERATION

Planar-Polarized Semaphorin-5c and Plexin A Promote the Collective Migration of Epithelial Cells in Drosophila

Researchers showed that semaphorin-5c could signal across cell-cell boundaries to suppress protrusions in neighboring cells and that plexin A was the receptor that transduced this signal. [Curr Biol] Full Article

GPSM2-GNAI Specifies the Tallest Stereocilia and Defines Hair Bundle Row Identity

Scientists discovered that WHRN-GPSM2-GNAI was an extra module recruited by and added to a pre-existing MYO15A-EPS8 stereocilia tip complex. This extended complex was only present in the first, tallest row, and was required to stabilize larger amounts of MYO15A-EPS8 than in shorter rows, which at tips harbored only MYO15A-EPS8. [Curr Biol] Full Article

miR-145-5p Regulates Fibrotic Features of Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Skin Fibroblasts

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa skin fibroblasts transfected with a miR-145-5p inhibitor showed attenuated fibrotic traits, accompanied by reduced expression of the contractile proteins α-smooth muscle actin and transgelin. [Br J Dermatol] Abstract

Neutrophil Exosomes Enhance the Skin Autoinflammation in Generalized Pustular Psoriasis via Activating Keratinocytes

Neutrophils isolated from patients with generalized pustular psoriasis induced higher expressions of inflammatory genes including IL-1β, IL-36G, IL-8, TNF-α, and C-X-C motif chemokine ligands in keratinocytes than normal neutrophils did. [FASEB J] Abstract

Activation of BMP Signaling by FKBP12 Ligands Synergizes with Inhibition of CXCR4 to Accelerate Wound Healing

The authors investigated the activities of FK506 in human cells and a diabetic-rat wound model using a non-immunosuppressive FK506 analog named FKVP. While FKVP was incapable of inhibiting calcineurin, wound-healing enhancement with AMD3100 was unaffected. [Cell Chem Biol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

SKIN CANCERS & DISORDERS

BRN2 Suppresses Apoptosis, Reprograms DNA Damage Repair, and Is Associated with a High Somatic Mutation Burden in Melanoma

Rapid PARP1-dependent BRN2 association with sites of DNA damage facilitated recruitment of Ku80 and reprogrammed DNA damage repair by promoting Ku-dependent nonhomologous end-joining at the expense of homologous recombination. [Genes Dev] Full Article

A Functional Landscape of Resistance to MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 Inhibition in NRAS Mutant Melanoma

Investigators identified NRAS-mutant melanoma cell lines that were dependent on NRAS for proliferation and sensitive to MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 combination treatment. Activated KRAS was sufficient to cause resistance to combined MEK/CDK inhibition and to replace genetic depletion of oncogenic NRAS. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Therapeutic Resistance and Susceptibility Is Shaped by Cooperative Multi-Compartment Tumor Adaptation

Tumor cell-state changes were coincident with extracellular matrix remodeling and increased tumor stiffness, which alone was sufficient to alter tumor cell fate and reduce treatment responses in melanoma cell lines in vitro. [Cell Death Differ] Full Article

Characterizing the Therapeutic Potential of a Potent BET Degrader in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Scientists found that Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) cell lines were significantly more sensitive to BETd-246 than to BET inhibitor treatment. Therapeutic targeting of BET proteins resulted in a loss of “MCC signature” genes but not MYC expression as previously described irrespective of Merkel cell polyomavirus status. [Neoplasia] Full Article

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Hydrogel-Based Strategies to Advance Therapies for Chronic Skin Wounds

The authors survey hydrogel-based approaches with potential to improve the healing of chronic wounds by reviewing their effects as observed in preclinical models. [Annu Rev Biomed Eng] Abstract | Full Article

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

Expert Dermatologists Present Latest Information

The 2019 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting will feature the latest information on skin, hair and nails, presented by world-renowned experts in the field of dermatology. [Press release from American Academy of Dermatology (GlobeNewswire, Inc.) discussing research to be presented at the 2019 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting, Washington, DC] Press Release

Novartis Data Confirm Rapid Response and High Efficacy of Cosentyx^® in Psoriasis Patients for First Time in China

Novartis announced new data in 441 Chinese patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis from a Phase III study investigating the efficacy and safety of Cosentyx. [Novartis AG] Press Release

Avita Medical Announces Collaboration with COSMOTEC to Commercialize the RECELL^® System in Japan

AVITA Medical announced that it has collaborated with COSMOTEC to market and distribute the RECELL^® Autologous Cell Harvesting Device (RECELL^® System) for the treatment of burns and other wounds in Japan. [AVITA Medical] Press Release

AbbVie Receives CHMP Positive Opinion for Risankizumab (SKYRIZI™) for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

AbbVie announced that the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use adopted a positive opinion for risankizumab, an investigational interleukin-23 inhibitor, for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who are candidates for systemic therapy. [AbbVie, Inc.] Press Release

Foamix Announces Positive Results from Phase III Open-Label Safety Study Evaluating FMX103 Topical Minocycline Foam for Treatment up to 1 Year

Foamix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. announced positive safety and efficacy data for its Phase III open-label safety study (FX2016-13), evaluating FMX103 in moderate-to-severe papulopustular rosacea for a treatment period of up to one year. [Foamix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.] Press Release

InflaRx Receives Approval to Initiate Phase IIa Clinical Trial with Lead Candidate IFX-1 in Pyoderma Gangraenosum

InflaRx N.V. announced the approval of a clinical trial application by Health Canada for a Phase IIa clinical trial evaluating the company’s lead product candidate, IFX-1, in pyoderma gangraenosum. [InflaRx N.V.] Press Release

Idera Pharmaceuticals Completes Enrollment into the ILLUMINATE-204 Trial of the Combination of Tilsotolimod and Ipilimumab for Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma Following Failure of PD-1 Inhibitor Treatment

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced completion of enrollment into the ongoing Phase II expansion of the ILLUMINATE-204 trial investigating tilsotolimod, Idera’s intratumorally-delivered toll-like receptor 9 agonist, in combination with ipilimumab in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma following failure of PD-1 inhibitor treatment. [Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

TARGET PharmaSolutions^® to Advance Dermatology Research, including Atopic Dermatitis, through New Collaboration

TARGET PharmaSolutions, Inc. is pleased to announce that Novartis Pharma AG is the first industry partner to provide multi-year support to TARGET-DERM registry. TARGET-DERM is a global longitudinal observational study that evaluates adult and pediatric patients with immune-mediated inflammatory skin conditions. [TARGET PharmaSolutions, Inc.] Press Release

Peer-Review Experiments Tracked in Online Repository

A grass-roots group of biologists has started a website to keep track of the proliferation of experiments in academic peer review – including trials and platforms aimed at making the review process faster, cheaper, and more transparent and interactive. [Nature News] Editorial

NIH Letters Asking about Undisclosed Foreign Ties Rattle US Universities

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recently sent letters to dozens of major US research universities asking them to provide information about specific faculty members with NIH funding who are believed to have links to foreign governments that the Bethesda, Maryland-based institute did not know about. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Cell Symposia: Hallmarks of Cancer
November 17-19, 2019
Seattle, Washington, United States

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NEW Research Assistant – Burn Research (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – Tumor Immunology and Cancer Metabolism (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Positions – Wound Healing (University of California, Davis)

PhD Position – Epidermal Tissue Mechanics (Forschungszentrum Jülich)

Faculty Position – Tumor Immunology (The Wistar Institute)

Professorship – Experimental Dermato-Oncology (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Skin Biology (Skin Science Foundation)

Research Fellowship – Cancer Biology (University of Dundee)

PhD Student – Cancer Research (Luxembourg Institute of Health)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Inner Ear Regeneration (Sunnybrook Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Associate – Pathology (Stony Brook University)

Research Fellow – Stem Cell Biology (Brigham & Women’s Hospital)

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