Extracellular Matrix News Volume 9.30 | Aug 2 2018

TOP STORY

Inhibition of Tumor-Microenvironment Interaction and Tumor Invasion by Small-Molecule Allosteric Inhibitor of DDR2 Extracellular Domain

Researchers report the identification and characterization of a selective, extracellularly acting small molecule inhibitor of discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) that uniquely inhibited receptor-ligand interactions via allosteric modulation of the receptor. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Increased Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 Can Be Attenuated by Inhibition of MicroRNA-155 in Cultured Human Astrocytes

Investigators studied whether matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) could be modulated via microRNAs. Several miRNAs mediate inflammatory responses in the brain, which are known to control MMP expression. [J Neuroinflammation] Full Article

Vinexin Family (SORBS) Proteins Regulate Mechanotransduction in Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Scientists showed that both vinexin α and c-Cbl-associated proteins are necessary for the association of vinculin with the cytoskeleton and the promotion of Yes-associated protein/PDZ-binding motif nuclear localization in mesenchymal stem cells grown on rigid substrates. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Galectin-1 Restricts Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Motility via Modulating Adhesion Force and Focal Adhesion Dynamics

Researchers showed that vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) deficient in galectin-1 (Gal-1-KO) exhibited greater motility than wild type cells. Likewise, Gal-1-KO-VSMC migration was inhibited by a redox-insensitive but activity-preserved Gal-1 in a glycan-dependent manner. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Metabolic Reprogramming of Murine Cardiomyocytes during Autophagy Requires the Extracellular Nutrient Sensor, Decorin

The authors validated in Dcn^-/- mice that decorin plays an essential role in autophagy induced by fasting. High-throughput metabolomics analyses of cardiac tissue in Dcn^-/- mice subjected to fasting revealed striking differences in the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway resulting in aberrant cardiac O-b-N-acetylglycosylation as compared to wild-type mice. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Full Article

Circular RNA circRNA_15698 Aggravates the Extracellular Matrix of Diabetic Nephropathy Mesangial Cells via miR-185/TGF-β1

Loss-of-functional experiments showed that circRNA_15698 knockdown significantly inhibited the expression levels of collagen type I, collagen type IV, and fibronectin. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Adhesion to Cell-Derived Extracellular Matrix and Titanium: Comparative Kinome Profile Analysis

Investigators analyzed the kinomic signature of human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in adhesion to an osteopromotive osteoblast-derived ECM, and compared it to MSCs on titanium. [J Cell Physiol] Full Article

Chemokine CCL25 Induces Migration and Extracellular Matrix Production of Anulus Fibrosus-Derived Cells

The use of the C-C motif chemokine ligand 25 (CCL25) in comparison to differentiation factors such as transforming growth factor β3, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2, BMP7, BMP12, and BMP14 was tested in an in vitro micro mass pellet model with isolated and cultivated human anulus fibrosus (AF)-cells to induce and enhance AF-matrix formation. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

The Extracellular Matrix Proteoglycan Fibromodulin Is Upregulated in Clinical and Experimental Heart Failure and Affects Cardiac Remodeling

The authors investigated fibromodulin levels in myocardial biopsies from heart failure patients and mice, subjected fibromodulin knock-out mice to pressure overload by aortic banding, and overexpressed fibromodulin in cultured cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts using adenovirus. [PLoS One] Full Article

Trans-Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Cardiomyocyte-Like Cells on Decellularized Bovine Myocardial Extracellular Matrix-Based Films

Investigators aimed at fabricating decellularized bovine myocardial extracellular matrix-based films for cardiac tissue engineering. [J Mater Sci Mater Med] Abstract

Cell Tracking In Vitro Reveals that the Extracellular Matrix Glycoprotein Tenascin-C Modulates Cell Cycle Length and Differentiation in Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells of the Developing Mouse Spinal Cord

Scientists have compared embryonic day-15 spinal cord neural progenitor cells from wild-type and tenascin-C (Tnc) knockout mice using continuous single-cell live imaging and cell lineage analysis in vitro. Tnc knockout cells displayed a significantly reduced rate of cell division both in response to FGF2 and EGF. [Biol Open] Full Article

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YAP/TAZ Upstream Signals and Downstream Responses

The authors review how the transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ integrate mechanical cues with the response to soluble signals and metabolic pathways to control multiple aspects of cell behavior, including proliferation, cell plasticity and stemness essential for tissue regeneration. [Nat Cell Biol] Abstract

Fibroblasts as a Practical Alternative to Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Researchers put forward the concept that in some cases, fibroblasts may be utilized as a more practical, and potentially more effective cell therapy than mesenchymal stem cells. Anti-inflammatory, immune modulatory, and regenerative properties of fibroblasts are discussed in the context of regenerative medicine. [J Transl Med] Full Article | Press Release

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

Orgenesis Announces Collaboration between Secant Group and Atvio Biotech, a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Masthercell Global, to Develop and Commercialize Scaffold Technologies for Advanced Cell Therapies

Orgenesis Inc. announced that Atvio Biotech Ltd., which is wholly-owned by Orgenesis’ Masthercell Global subsidiary, and Secant Group are collaborating to develop and commercialize biodegradable and injectable scaffold technologies for use in Orgenesis’ advanced cell therapies. [Orgenesis Inc.] Press Release

CCRM Receives $15M from Government of Canada

The Centre for the Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) has been awarded $15 million from the Networks of Centres of Excellence program to continue with its efforts to generate sustainable health and economic benefits for Canadians through global collaboration in regenerative medicine technologies, and cell and gene therapies. [The Centre for the Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine] Press Release

Brexit Preparedness: EMA to Further Temporarily Scale Back and Suspend Activities

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will launch the next phase of its business continuity plan on 1 October 2018 at the latest. This will allow the Agency to safeguard core activities related to the evaluation and supervision of medicines, while it has to intensify its preparations for the physical move to Amsterdam in March 2019 and cope with significant staff loss. [European Medicines Agency] Press Release

Trump’s Pick to Head White House Science Office Gets Good Reviews

The long wait for a White House science adviser is over. President Donald Trump announced that he intends to nominate meteorologist Kelvin Droegemeier, a university administrator and former vice-chair of the governing board of the U.S. National Science Foundation, to be director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Series of Ethical Stumbles Tests NIH’s Reliance on Private Sector for Research Funding

NIH officials told STAT the agency is completing a plan to ensure better ethical compliance and better delineate the actual process for private-sector collaboration. The officials said the plan will be presented to an advisory committee in December. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Seminar: Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
July 28-August 2, 2019
Barcelona, Spain

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – ECM and Cardiovascular Development and Congenital Heart Disease (Thomas Jefferson University)

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)

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)

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