Dermal Cell News Volume 6.01 | Jan 13 2020

TOP STORY

Myosin II Reactivation and Cytoskeletal Remodeling as a Hallmark and a Vulnerability in Melanoma Therapy Resistance

High ROCK-myosin II activity correlated with aggressiveness, identifying targeted therapy- and immunotherapy-resistant melanomas. Survival of resistant cells was myosin II dependent, regardless of the therapy. [Cancer Cell] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

DERMAL STEM CELLS & TISSUE REGENERATION

ADAR1 Mediated Regulation of Neural Crest Derived Melanocytes and Schwann Cell Development

Researchers report that adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR1), responsible for adenosine-to-inosine editing of RNA, was required for regulating the development of two neural crest derivatives: melanocytes and Schwann cells. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Epidermal Autonomous VEGFA/Flt1/Nrp1 Functions Mediate Psoriasis-Like Disease

Investigators showed that conditional deletion of Flt1 or Nrp1 in epidermal cells inhibited psoriasis mediated by Vegfa overexpression or c-Jun/JunB deletion. Administration of anti-Nrp1 antibody reverted the psoriasis phenotype. [Sci Adv] Full Article

Pathogenesis of a Variant in the 5′ Untranslated Region of ADAR1 in Dyschromatosis Symmetrica Hereditaria

The authors constructed two reporter genes carrying the ADAR1 5’untranslated region sequence with/without the variant between the PGK promoter and a luciferase coding sequence, and performed luciferase assays, semi-quantitative PCR analyses and polysomal assays. [Pigment Cell Melanoma Res] Abstract

Piperlongumine Regulates Epigenetic Modulation and Alleviates Psoriasis-Like Skin Inflammation via Inhibition of Hyperproliferation and Inflammation

Scientists demonstrated that piperlongumine treatment effectively abrogated the hyperproliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes by inducing ROS-mediated late apoptosis with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Knockdown of Sodium Channel Na_x Reduces Dermatitis Symptoms in Rabbit Skin

Investigators found that in vivo knockdown of Na_x using RNAi reduced hyperkeratosis and keratinocyte hyperproliferation in rabbit ear dermatitic skin. Increased infiltration of inflammatory cells, a characteristic of dermatitis, was reduced by Na_x knockdown. [Lab Invest] Abstract

SKIN CANCERS & DISORDERS

Epigenetic Silencing of CDR1as Drives IGF2BP3-Mediated Melanoma Invasion and Metastasis

Scientists investigated the role of circular RNAs in metastasis, using melanoma as a model aggressive tumor. They identified silencing of cerebellar degeneration-related 1 antisense, a regulator of miR-7, as a hallmark of melanoma progression. [Cancer Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Proteomic Analysis of CSF from Patients with Leptomeningeal Melanoma Metastases Identifies Signatures Associated with Disease Progression and Therapeutic Resistance

CSF samples were analyzed by mass spectrometry and incubated with melanoma cells, that were subjected to RNA-Seq analysis. Functional assays were performed to validate the pathways identified. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

SFRP1 in Skin Tumor Initiation and Cancer Stem Cell Regulation with Potential Implications in Epithelial Cancers

Researchers used a skin carcinogenesis model, which showed early tumor initiation in Sfrp1 knockout mice and increased tumorigenic potential of Sfrp1 knockout cancer stem cells. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

The TERT Copy Number Gain Is Sensitive to Telomerase Inhibitors in Human Melanoma

The sensitivity to telomerase inhibitors was evaluated in cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models with or without telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) copy number gain. [Clin Sci (Lond)] Abstract

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Lifting the Veil on the Keratinocyte Contribution to Cutaneous Nociception

The authors highlight recent and relevant findings on the cellular and molecular elements that underlie the contribution of epidermal keratinocytes as nociceptive modulators and noxious sensors, both under healthy and pathological conditions. [Protein Cell] Full Article

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

Nektar Therapeutics and Bristol-Myers Squibb Amend Strategic Collaboration Agreement for Bempegaldesleukin Plus Opdivo (Nivolumab)

Nektar Therapeutics and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced the companies have agreed to a new joint development plan to advance bempegaldesleukin plus Opdivo into multiple new registrational trials. [Nektar Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Connect Biopharma Reports Positive Topline Data from Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis (AD) Phase Ib Study of CBP-201

Connect Biopharma announced positive topline data from the Phase Ib study of its novel IL-4Rα antibody, CBP-201, in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. [Connect Biopharma] Press Release

FDA and NIH Let Clinical Trial Sponsors Keep Results Secret and Break the Law

For 20 years, the US government has urged companies, universities, and other institutions that conduct clinical trials to record their results in a federal database, so doctors and patients can see whether new treatments are safe and effective. Few trial sponsors have consistently done so, even after a 2007 law made posting mandatory for many trials registered in the database. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Predatory-Journal Papers Have Little Scientific Impact

Papers published in ‘predatory’ journals attract little attention from scientists, and get cited much less than those in reputable publications, an analysis shows. Predatory journals are those that charge authors high article-processing fees but don’t provide expected publishing services, such as peer review or other quality checks. [Nature News] Editorial

UT Austin Releases Report of 17 Employee Sexual Misconduct Cases

Officials from the University of Texas at Austin released a report Thursday, January 10 detailing 17 cases of employee sexual misconduct that took place between November 2017 and December 2019, including three faculty members and one research fellow. The allegations ranged in severity from failing to disclose a consensual relationship with a graduate student, to repeated unwelcome comments, to stalking both on- and off-campus. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW The Microbiome and Viruses
February 21-24, 2020
Orlando, Florida, United States

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

NEW Research Fellow – Inherited Skin Conditions (University College London)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – DNA Repair in Skin Melanoma Prevention (University of Southern California)

NEW Laboratory Research Scientist – Advanced Sequencing Facility in Melanoma (The Francis Crick Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Microbiota and Autoimmunity (The University of Arizona)

Chief Position – Allergy, Immunology, Rheumatology and Dermatology (Harvard Medical School)

Senior Associate Researcher – Inflammatory Skin Diseases (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Postdoctoral Position – RNA Binding Activity of Glycolytic Enzymes in Melanoma (Institut Curie)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – DNA Damage Signaling in Cancer Biology (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Training Fellow – Tumor Heterogeneity (Institute of Cancer Research)

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