Extracellular Matrix News Volume 9.29 | Jul 26 2018

TOP STORY

Hyaluronan Receptor LYVE-1-Expressing Macrophages Maintain Arterial Tone through Hyaluronan-Mediated Regulation of Smooth Muscle Cell Collagen

Scientists showed that in the mouse aorta, resident macrophages prevented arterial stiffness and collagen deposition in the steady state. Using phenotyping, transcriptional profiling, and targeted deletion of Csf1r, they demonstrated that these macrophages—which are a feature of blood vessels invested with smooth muscle cells in both mouse and human tissues—expressed the hyaluronan receptor LYVE-l. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Roles of Fibronectin Isoforms in Neonatal Vascular Development and Matrix Integrity

Researchers employed a tamoxifen-dependent cellular fibronectin (cFN) inducible knockout mouse model to study the consequences of postnatal cFN deletion in smooth muscle cells, the major cell type in the vascular wall. Deletion of cFN influenced collagen deposition but did not affect life span. [PLoS Biol] Full Article

Matrix Stiffening and EGFR Cooperate to Promote the Collective Invasion of Cancer Cells

Investigators showed that squamous cell carcinoma cell collective invasion is driven by the matrix-dependent mechano-sensitization of EGF signaling in cancer cells. Calcium was a potent intracellular second messenger that drove acto-myosin contractility. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Transcriptome Reprogramming by Cancer Exosomes: Identification of Novel Molecular Targets in Matrix and Immune Modulation

The authors characterized and compared the transcriptome profiles of primary human normal oral keratinocytes (HNOK) in response to exosomes isolated from either primary HNOK or head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. [Mol Cancer] Full Article

CTGF/CCN2 Is an Autocrine Regulator of Cardiac Fibrosis

Investigators adopted a cell-specific genetic approach to conditionally delete connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) in either cardiomyocytes or activated fibroblasts. Fibrosis was induced by angiotensin II-based neurohumoral stimulation, an insult that strongly induced CCN2 expression from cardiomyocytes and to a lesser extent in fibroblasts. [J Mol Cell Cardiol] Abstract

Thrombospondin 2 Promotes Tumor Metastasis by Inducing Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 Production in Lung Cancer Cells

Tumor microarray was performed with immunohistochemical staining to examine thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) expression in lung cancer patients. Transwell migration assay, quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were used to investigate the molecular mechanism of TSP-2 in lung cancer cells. [Biochem Pharmacol] Abstract

Gene Profile of Zebrafish Fin Regeneration Offers Clues to Kinetics, Organization and Biomechanics of Basement Membrane

Researchers showed that laminins and col14a1a genes displayed similar kinetics and that the corresponding proteins were spatially and temporally controlled during regeneration. Analysis of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated col14a1a knockout fish showed that collagen XIV-A contributed to timely deposition of laminins. [Matrix Biol] Abstract

Urinary Bladder Matrix Protects Host from Bacterial-Induced Lung Infection

The authors seek to determine if an ECM derived from the porcine urinary bladder, specifically urinary bladder matrix, can act to prevent bacterial infection in the context of lung injury. [Tissue Eng Part A] Abstract

Characteristic Properties of Muscular-Derived Extracellular Matrix and Its Application in Rat Abdominal Wall Defects

Scientists investigated the behavior of porcine-derived decellularized muscular matrix in vitro and compared the performance of this biological mesh with that of acellular dermal matrix from pig in a full abdominal wall defect model. [Regen Med] Abstract

Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in the Liver of Rats Subjected to Dietary Choline-Deprivation and/or Thioacetamide Administration

In order to elucidate the effect of thioacetamide on liver extracellular matrix composition under choline deprivation due to choline-deficient diet administration, investigators evaluated the transcriptional and immunohistochemical pattern of major hepatic matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors in adult male albino Wistar rats at 30, 60 and 90 days. [Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol] Abstract

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Endothelial Cell News & Dermal Cell News.

Intracellular and Extracellular TGF-β Signaling in Cancer: Some Recent Topics

The authors focus on recent findings regarding epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), in relation to crosstalk with some other signaling pathways, and the roles of TGF-β in lung and pancreatic cancers, in which TGF-β has been shown to be involved in cancer progression. [Front Med] Abstract

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

REVA Enters Peripheral Artery Disease Space with First-Ever CE Mark of a Bioresorbale Scaffold for Below the Knee Therapy

REVA Medical, Inc. announced that its MOTIV™ bioresorbable scaffold is the first drug-eluting bioresorbable scaffold to receive CE Mark approval for treatment of below the knee peripheral artery disease. [REVA Medical, Inc.] Press Release

UC San Diego Researchers Receive Funding to Pursue Novel Stem Cell-Based Treatments

The governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine unanimously approved this week two grants worth more than $2.2 million to University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers investigating stem cell-based therapies for a rare genetic disorder that affects the heart and a chronic, progressive affliction of the lungs. [University of California San Diego School of Medicine] Press Release

UK-India Science Ministers Reinforce Strong Research Partnership as Future Collaboration Is Announced

The UK and India governments signaled their commitment to a deeper relationship by jointly announcing four new awards worth £4.8 million under the Civil Nuclear Energy program and seven new awards worth £10.8 million under Phase 2 of the Global research program on health. [GOV.UK] Editorial

New Evidence USCIS Policies Increased Denials of H-1B Visas

New data show that in 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denied many more H-1B petitions and issued numerous costly Requests for Evidence to stop highly educated foreign nationals from working in America. [Forbes Media LLC] Editorial

Third Retraction for Harvard Cancer Biologist

Nature has issued a retraction of a cancer study, seven years after its publication, citing issues with two figures and the unavailability of original data for them. The paper, led by Harvard Medical School biologist Sam Lee, is among several publications from his group to be retracted. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Nature Conference on Inflammation and Cancer
October 23-25, 2018
Beijing, China

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

NEW Postdoctoral Associate – Matrix Biology (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Cellular Mechanobiology (Washington University in St. Louis)

Postdoctoral Position – ECM and Cancer (The University of Illinois at Chicago)

Translational GlycOmics Program – Career Development in Glycoscience (BloodCenter of Wisconsin)

PhD Fellowship/Scholarship – Nanopatterned Ligands to Study Stem Cell Adhesion and Signaling (Aarhus University)

Postdoctoral Associate – Biomedical Engineering (University of Minnesota)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (NYU Langone Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Positions – Bone Tissue Regeneration (Stomatological Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Skeletal Muscle and Tendon Connective Matrix Biology and Mechanotransduction (Weill Cornell Medical College)

Assistant, Associate or Full Professor – Regenerative Medicine (University of San Diego)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Matrix Biology and Reproduction (University of Texas Southwestern Medical School)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Extracellular Matrix News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.