Muscle Cell News 2.39 November 27, 2017 | |
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TOP STORYDistinct Cellular Mechanisms Underlie Smooth Muscle Turnover in Vascular Development and Repair Investigators showed that CD146 is transiently expressed in vascular smooth muscle development. By using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and in vitro smooth muscle differentiation assay they demonstrate that CD146 regulates the balance between proliferation and differentiation. [Circ Res] Abstract | Download Full Article | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLSDNA Methylation Signatures Follow Preformed Chromatin Compartments in Cardiac Myocytes Scientists demonstrated that establishment of A/B compartments precedes and defines DNA methylation signatures during differentiation and maturation of cardiac myocytes. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release A COUP-TFII Human Embryonic Stem Cell Reporter Line to Identify and Select Atrial Cardiomyocytes Researchers targeted mCherry to the chick ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II (COUP-TFII) genomic locus in human pluripotent stem cells expressing GFP from the NKX2.5 locus. This dual atrial NKX2.5EGFP/+-COUP-TFIImCherry/+ reporter line allowed identification and selection of GFP+/mCherry+ cardiomyocytes following cardiac differentiation. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract OT-II mice expressing a transgenic T cell receptor with specificity for ovalbumin (OVA) on CD4+-T cells and cMy-mOVA mice expressing OVA on cardiomyocytes were crossed. The resulting cMy-mOVA-OT-II mice did not display signs of spontaneous autoimmunity despite the fact that their OVA-specific CD4+-T cells were not anergic. [Sci Rep] Full Article SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLSMyD88 Promotes Myoblast Fusion in a Cell-Autonomous Manner Researchers report a cell-autonomous role of myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) in the regulation of myoblast fusion. MyD88 protein levels were increased during in vitro myogenesis and in conditions that promoted skeletal muscle growth in vivo. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release The authors showed that mammalian CSNK2-dependent phosphorylation of translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane (TOMM22) is a critical switch for mitophagy and revealed CSNK2-dependent physiological implications on metabolism, muscle integrity and behavior. [Autophagy] Abstract Scientists observed that DNA methyltransferase 3a (Dnmt3a) expression is decreased after muscle atrophy. Diminished mRNA and protein expression of Dnmt3a were observed in skeletal muscles as well as in satellite cells, which are important for muscle regeneration, in Dnmt3a-KO mice. [FASEB J] Abstract Investigators injected cardiotoxin into gastrocnemius muscle of Hmox1+/+ and Hmox1-/- animals and analyzed cellular response after muscle injury, focusing on muscle satellite cells, inflammatory reaction, fibrosis, and formation of new blood vessels. [Am J Pathol] Full Article Incubation of myoblasts with H2O2-extracellular vesicles resulted in a significant decrease of myotube diameter, myogenin mRNA levels and myosin heavy chain expression along with an upregulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen: these effects collectively lead to an increase of recipient myoblast proliferation. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLSOrai1, 2, 3 and STIM1 Promote Store-Operated Calcium Entry in Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells In both rat distal pulmonary arteries and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), chronic hypoxia exposure upregulated the expression of Orai1 and Orai2, without affecting Orai3 and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). Heterozygous knockout of HIF-1α in mice or knockdown of HIF-1α in PASMCs abolished the hypoxic upregulation of Orai2, but not Orai1. Using small interference RNA knockdown strategies, Orai1, 2, 3 and STIM1 were all shown to mediate store-operated Ca2+ entry in hypoxic PASMCs. [Cell Death Discov] Full Article Chemokines Protect Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells from Cell Death Induced by Cyclic Mechanical Stretch Researchers have revealed that cyclic mechanical stretch (CMS) of rat aortic smooth muscle cells causes JNK- and p38-dependent cell death and that a calcium channel blocker and angiotensin II receptor antagonist decreased the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 and subsequently decreased cell death by CMS. They showed that the expression of Cxcl1 and Cx3cl1 was induced by CMS in a JNK-dependent manner. [Sci Rep] Full Article | |
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REVIEWSThe Use of Cell Conditioned Medium for Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration The authors evaluated preclinical and clinical studies that used conditioned medium, rich in cell-factors, for musculoskeletal regeneration with a cell-free approach. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the muscle cell research field. | |
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SCIENCE NEWSCapricor Therapeutics to Present at the Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference Capricor Therapeutics announced that Linda Marbán, Ph.D., president and CEO, will present. [Press release from Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. discussing research to be presented at the Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference, New York] Press Release | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSPluristem Therapeutics Inc. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent titled, “Skeletal muscle regeneration using mesenchymal system cells.” This key patent, which has already been granted in Europe, Hong Kong and Israel, addresses the use of MSCs for skeletal muscle regeneration used either directly after, or shortly after, post-surgical muscle injury. [Pluristem Therapeutics Inc.] Press Release Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced positive top-line results from a second Phase III clinical trial of Firdapse® for the symptomatic treatment of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome. [Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release The multiple sclerosis market in the EU is poised to become even more fiercely competitive with the approval of Merck KGaA’s Mavenclad and imminent approval of Roche’s Ocrevus. [Spherix Global Insights US, Inc.] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSNobel Laureates Demand Release of Iranian Scholar Facing Death Sentence Some 75 Nobel prizewinners have called on the Iranian government to release Ahmadreza Djalali, a researcher in disaster medicine who was sentenced to death last month. The letter is the latest and most powerful protest against the ruling by the scientific community so far. [Nature News] Editorial Gene Therapy Hits a Peculiar Roadblock: A Virus Shortage Eager to speed development of revolutionary treatments, the Food and Drug Administration recently announced that it would expedite approval of experimental gene therapies. But the regulatory process may not be the biggest obstacle. [The New York Times] Editorial Still No Science Advisor at the White House Ten months into his presidency, Donald Trump has yet to name a science advisor. It’s the longest amount of time a modern president has taken to nominate someone to the position since at least 1976, when Congress established the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy. [MIT Technology Review] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW SYStem – Symposium for the Next Generation of Stem Cell Researchers Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Research Fellow – Skeletal Muscle Cells (The University of Melbourne) NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – 3D Multicellular Culture Systems (KU Leuven) NEW Postdoctoral Position – 3D Organoid Mechanobiology (KU Leuven) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Metabolism or Tissue Fibrosis (University of California, San Francisco) Professor – Molecular Muscle Physiology (Karolinska Institutet) Postdoctoral Researcher – Cell-Based Cardiac Regeneration (Karolinska Institutet) Faculty Positions – Cardiovascular Biology Research Program (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation) Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Skeletal Muscle Biology (Weill Cornell Medical College) Multiple Positions – Cardiovascular Research (Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research) Postdoctoral Position – Biomicrofluidics and Organ-on-a-Chip Research (University of Toronto) Postdoctoral Fellow – Smooth Muscle Biology (Boston Children’s Hospital & Harvard Medical School) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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