Extracellular Matrix News Volume 9.14 | Apr 12 2018

TOP STORY

New Cellular Insights in Bone Development

A team of engineers looked deep within collagen fibers to see how the body forms new bone and teeth, seeking insights into faster bone healing and new biomaterials. [Press release from Washington University in St. Louis discussing online prepublication in Nature Communications] Press Release | Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

FOXF1 Inhibits Pulmonary Fibrosis by Preventing CDH2-CDH11 Cadherin Switch in Myofibroblasts

Through comprehensive analysis of human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis genomics data, lung biopsies, and transgenic mice with fibroblast-specific inactivation of FOXF1, scientsts showed that FOXF1 inhibits pulmonary fibrosis. FOXF1 deletion increased myofibroblast invasion and collagen secretion and promoted a switch from N-cadherin to cadherin-11, which is a critical step in the acquisition of the pro-fibrotic phenotype. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

Role of ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin Motifs)-5 in Aortic Dilatation and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling

The ADAMTS family of proteases has recently been implicated in thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) formation. Scientists investigated the contribution of ADAMTS-5 to TAA development. [Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol] Abstract

Matrix Elasticity Regulates Mesenchymal Stem Cell Chemotaxis

Efficient homing of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is likely to be dictated by a combination of physical and chemical factors present in the microenvironment. Crosstalk between the physical and chemical cues remains incompletely understood. Investigators addressed this question by probing the efficiency of epidermal growth factor-induced hMSC chemotaxis on substrates of varying stiffness inside a polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic device. [J Cell Sci] Full Article

A Cell Surface Display Fluorescent Biosensor for Measuring MMP14 Activity in Real-Time

Researchers describe the development of a plasmid-based fluorescent biosensor engineered to measure the location and activity of matrix metalloprotease-14 (MMP14). The biosensor design used fluorogen-activating protein technology coupled with a MMP14-selective protease sequence to generate a binary, “switch-on” fluorescence reporter capable of measuring MMP14 location, activity, and temporal dynamics. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Strategic Design and Fabrication of Biomimetic 3D Scaffolds: Unique Architectures of Extracellular Matrices for Enhanced Adipogenesis and Soft Tissue Reconstruction

Scientists developed a novel electrospun 3D membrane using the zwitterionic poly (carboxybetaine-co-methyl methacrylate) co-polymer through electrostatic repulsion based electrospinning for soft tissue engineering. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) Is Involved in the TNF-α-Induced Fusion of Human M13SV1-Cre Breast Epithelial Cells and Human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 Cancer Cells

Using a Cre-LoxP-based cell fusion assay, the authors demonstrated that the fusion between human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells was induced by the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). [Cell Commun Signal] Full Article

Towards a Novel Patch Material for Cardiac Applications: Tissue-Specific Extracellular Matrix Introduces Essential Key Features to Decellularized Amniotic Membrane

Investigators developed a novel composite biomaterial by processing human cardiac extracellular matrix into a hydrogel and combining it with cell-free amniotic membrane via a dry-coating procedure. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

Neotuberostemonine Inhibits the Differentiation of Lung Fibroblasts into Myofibroblasts in Mice by Regulating HIF-1α Signaling

Researchers explored the effects of hypoxia on lung fibroblasts and the effects of neotuberostemonine, a natural alkaloid isolated from Stemona tuberosa, on activation of fibroblasts in vitro and in vivo. They demonstrated that neotuberostemonine inhibits the protein expression of HIF-1α and its downstream factors TGF-β, FGF2 and α-SMA both in hypoxia-exposed fibroblasts and in lung tissues of BLM-treated mice. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract

A Collagen Based Cryogel Bioscaffold Coated with Nanostructured Polydopamine as a Platform for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy

Scientists developed collagen based cryogel bioscaffolds and coated them with polydopamine using a simple two‐step technique. Seeding adipose tissue‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD‐MSCs) into polydopamine coated‐cryogel bioscaffolds resulted in cells demonstrating a 52±4% increase in viability and 33±3% increase in proliferation when compared to AD‐MSCs seeded into uncoated‐cryogel bioscaffolds. [J Biomed Mater Res A] Abstract

Targeting the Tumor Stroma to Improve Cancer Therapy

The authors provide an overview of the advances in understanding the complex cancer cell–tumor stroma interactions and discuss how this knowledge can result in more effective therapeutic strategies, which might ultimately improve patient outcomes. [Nat Rev Clin Oncol] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the extracellular matrix research field.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Harvard Announce New Fibrosis Research Collaboration

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and the Harvard Fibrosis Network of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute announceed a research collaboration to discover and develop potential new therapies for fibrotic diseases, including fibrosis of the liver and heart. [Bristol-Myers Squibb Company] Press Release

SpinalCyte Announces MRI Evidence of Disc Regeneration following Phase I/Phase II Clinical Trial of CybroCell^™ Dermal Fibroblasts

MRI analysis of patients who received intradiscal injections of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) shows significant improvement in disc height after six months. This is the latest evidence from SpinalCyte, LLC, a Texas-based regenerative medicine company focused on regrowth of the spinal disc nucleus using HDFs. This suggests there is a quantifiable regenerative process stimulated by its new cell-based therapy, CybroCell, which is the first off-the-shelf allogeneic HDF product for treatment of degenerative disc disease. [SpinalCyte, LLC] Press Release

The March for Science Is Back — and Here’s What to Expect

Nature takes a look at why people are marching, how the movement has changed over time and what its future could bring. [Nature News] Editorial

Spanish Research Gets a Nice Budget Boost—but Scientists Say It Will Be of Little Help

The Spanish government has announced plans to raise the country’s overall public R&D budget by 8.3% in 2018, from €6.5 billion to €7 billion—the biggest hike since the economic crisis hit Spain in 2008. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

New Awards Aim to Celebrate Women in Science

The two annual awards will recognize inspirational early-career female researchers and those who have worked to champion young women’s and girls’ participation in science. [Nature News] Editorial

Web of Science Owner Buys Tool that Offers One-Click Access to Journal Articles

The owner of the large scholarly search engine Web of Science — Clarivate Analytics — has bought a start-up company whose tool gives researchers one-click, legal access to journal articles even when off campus. [Nature News] Editorial

India Creates Unique Tiered System to Punish Plagiarism

The Indian government has adopted its first regulations on academic plagiarism—rules that some researchers say are too lenient and others fear go too far and will be difficult to implement. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Molecular Membrane Biology
July 14-19, 2019
Andover, New Hampshire, United States

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

NEW Professor – Tumor Stromal Biology (University of Glasgow)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Wound Signaling (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Assistant Professor – Regenerative Medicine (University of California, San Diego)

Faculty Position – Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine (Seattle Children’s Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer, Immunotherapy, and Fibrosis (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Regenerative Medicine (University of Oxford)

Postdoctoral Positions – Bioengineering (George Washington University)

Faculty Position – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (University of Illinois at Chicago)

Postdoctoral Associate – Biomedical Engineering (University of Minnesota)

Principal Scientist – Regenerative Medicine (Boehringer Ingelheim)

Senior Stem Cell Scientist – 3D Tissue Engineering (VitroLabs Inc)

Postdoctoral Position – Spinal Cord Injury (Nanyang Technological University)

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