INTESTINAL CANCERS & DISEASES Colon Cancer Growth and Dissemination Relies upon Thrombin, Stromal PAR-1 and Fibrinogen Scientists found that the growth of primary tumors formed by murine and human colon cancer cells was reduced in mice by genetic or pharmacological reduction of circulating prothrombin. [Cancer Res] Abstract Decellularization of Bovine Small Intestinal Submucosa and Its Use for the Healing of a Critical-Sized Full-Thickness Skin Defect, Alone and in Combination with Stem Cells, in a Small Rodent Model Scientists described an efficient decellularization protocol for bovine-derived small intestinal submucosa, involving freeze-thaw cycles, acid/base treatment and alcohol and buffer systems. [J Tissue Eng Regen Med] Abstract MicroRNA-587 Antagonizes 5-FU-Induced Apoptosis and Confers Drug Resistance by Regulating PPP2R1B Expression in Colorectal Cancer Scientists showed that microRNA-587 confers resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced apoptosis in vitro and reduces the potency of 5-FU in the inhibition of tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model in vivo. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article Candida albicans Is Able to Use M Cells as a Portal of Entry across the Intestinal Barrier In Vitro Investigators used scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy, adhesion and invasion assays and fungal mutants to investigate the interactions of Candida albicans with M cells obtained in an established in vitro model whereby enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells co-cultured with the Raji B cell line undergo a phenotypic switch to morphologically- and functionally-resembling M cells. [Cell Microbiol] Abstract The Cellular Prion Protein PrPc Is a Partner of the Wnt Pathway in Intestinal Epithelial Cells In human intestinal cancer cells Caco-2/TC7 and SW480 and normal crypt-like HIEC-6 cells, PrPc interacts with γ-catenin, one of its desmosomal partners, and with β-catenin and TCF7L2, the main effectors of canonical Wnt pathway. PrPc up-regulated the transcriptional activity of the β-catenin/TCF7L2 complex while γ-catenin down-regulated it. [Mol Biol Cell] Abstract | Full Article Remodeling of Tight Junctions and Enhancement of Barrier Integrity of the CACO-2 Intestinal Epithelial Cell Layer by Micronutrients The authors evaluated the micronutrients zinc, quercetin, butyrate, indole and berberine for their ability to induce remodeling of epithelial tight junctions and enhance barrier integrity in the CACO-2 gastrointestinal epithelial cell culture model. [PLoS One] Full Article INTESTINAL STEM CELL & ORGANOID RESEARCH Niche Appropriation by Drosophila Intestinal Stem Cell Tumors Scientists investigated Drosophila intestinal stem cell (ISC) tumors generated by suppressing Notch signaling, which blocks differentiation. Notch-defective ISCs require stress-induced divisions for tumor initiation and an autocrine EGFR ligand, Spitz, during early tumor growth. [Nat Cell Biol] Abstract Intestinal Commitment and Maturation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Is Independent of Exogenous FGF4 and R-spondin1 Researchers defined the effects of Wnt and FGF4 on intestinal commitment in vitro by establishing conditions for differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into posterior endoderm (hindgut) and further to self-renewing intestinal-like organoids. [PLoS One] Abstract |