Extracellular Matrix News Volume 5.29 | Jul 31 2014

Ablation of EIF5A2 Induces Tumor Vasculature Remodeling and Improves Tumor Response to Chemotherapy via Regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 Expression
Eukaryotic initiation factor 5A2 (EIF5A2) was identified to be an independent risk factor for poor disease-specific survival among hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Both in vitro and in vivo assays indicated that ablation of endogenous EIF5A2 inhibited tumor angiogenesis by reducing matrix metalloproteinase 2 expression. [Oncotarget] Full Article

Hyperglycemia and Angiotensin II Cooperate to Enhance Collagen I Deposition by Cardiac Fibroblasts through a ROS-STAT3-Dependent Mechanism
Researchers determined the effects of high glucose in the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and its involvement in collagen I production by cardiac fibroblasts. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract

Protease Nexin-1 Affects the Migration and Invasion of C6 Glioma Cells through the Regulation of Urokinase Plasminogen Activator and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9/2
Scientists studied the role of protease nexin-1 (PN-1) in the migration and invasive potential of glioma cells, using the rat C6 glioma cell line as stable clones transfected with pAVU + 27 vector expressing PN-1 short-hairpin RNA. They found that PN-1 knockdown enhanced the in vitro migration and invasiveness of C6 cells which also showed a strong gelatinolytic activity by in situ zymography. [Biochim Biophys Acta] Abstract

Self-Assembly of Prevascular Tissues from Endothelial and Fibroblast Cells under Scaffold-Free, Non-Adherent Conditions
Scientists report findings on the effects to vascular patterning induced by altering the ratio of human endothelial to human fibroblast cells. Analysis revealed that a 1:4 ratio of endothelial cells to fibroblasts resulted in synthesis of an extracellular matrix permissive for organization of primary vascular networks that recapitulated the pattern of primary vascular networks observed in vivo. [Tissue Eng Part A] Abstract

Development of an Acellular Tumor Extracellular Matrix as a Three-Dimensional Scaffold for Tumor Engineering
Human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were cultured onto two three-dimensional scaffolds for cell growth and growth factor secretion investigations, with two-dimensional culture and cells cultured onto Matrigel scaffolds used as controls. Scientists show that Tris-Trypsin-Triton multi-step treated tumor sheets had well-preserved extracellular matrix structures and components. [PLoS One] Full Article

Hepatocyte Produced Matrix Metalloproteinases Are Regulated by CD147 in Liver Fibrogenesis
Researchers investigated if hepatocytes produce matrix metalloproteinases, regulated by CD147, which are capable of remodeling fibrotic extracellular matrix independent of the hepatic stellate cells. [PLoS One]
Full Article

Disruption of Phosphoinositide-Specific Phospholipases Cγ1 Contributes to Extracellular Matrix Synthesis of Human Osteoarthritis Chondrocytes
Scientists investigated the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase γ1 (PLCγ1) expression in human osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage, and whether PLCγ1 was involved in the extracellular matrix synthesis had been further explored using cultured human OA chondrocytes. [Int J Mol Sci] Abstract

Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) Expression in Rat Spinal Cord Injury Model
Researchers established an adult rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model and investigated a potential role of MMP-1 in the pathological process of SCI. [Cell Mol Neurobiol] Abstract

Biomaterials in Myocardial Tissue Engineering
The authors focus on biomaterial approaches to augmenting injured or impaired myocardium, with specific emphasis on: the design criteria for these biomaterials; the types of scaffolds – composed of natural or synthetic biomaterials or decellularized extracellular matrix – that have been used to develop cardiac patches and tissue models; methods to vascularize scaffolds and engineered tissue; and finally, injectable biomaterials (hydrogels) designed for endogenous repair, exogenous repair or as bulking agents to maintain ventricular geometry post-infarct. [J Tissue Eng Regen Med] Abstract

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Secant Medical to Present during the Advances in Tissue Engineering 2014 22^nd Annual Short Course at Rice University
Secant Medical will present at Rice University’s Advances in Tissue Engineering 2014 22^nd Annual Short Course in Houston. Jeremy Harris, Ph.D., Technical Director at Secant Medical, will discuss how the company is scaling up poly(glycerol sebacate) from academia to commercialization, along with the obstacles faced during the process, such as ensuring quality and consistency in every product batch. [Secant Medical, Inc.]
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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Roles of Extracellular Matrix in Regulating the Response of Tissues to Injury (University of California – San Francisco)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Associate – 3D Tissue Biology and Modeling (University of Zurich)

Research Associate – Embryonic Development and Repair of Basement Membranes (King’s College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Mechanisms that Contribute to Metastases of Breast Cancer Cells (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Independent Junior Research Group Leader – Biophysical Aspects of Cell Dynamics, Cell-Cell and/or Cell-Matrix Interactions (Cells in Motion)

Postdoctoral Position – Proteases and Extracellular Matrix (GENYO)

Postdoctoral Position – 3D Structured Engineered Tissues (Nano Fiber Matrices B.V.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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