Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Asfia Soomro, Mohammad Khajehei, Renzhong Li, Kian O'Neil, Dan Zhang, Bo Gao, Melissa MacDonald, Masao Kakoki, Joan C. C. Krepinsky
Summary: TGF beta 1 enhances fibrosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) by regulating activin A signaling pathways, suggesting activin A as a potential therapeutic target for preventing fibrosis in CKD.
CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jingyi Sheng, Li Wang, Patrick Ming-Kuen Tang, Hong-Lian Wang, Jian-Chun Li, Bi-Hua Xu, Vivian Weiwen Xue, Rui-Zhi Tan, Nana Jin, Ting-Fung Chan, Xiao-Ru Huang, Ronald C. W. Ma, Hui-Yao Lan
Summary: The study revealed that Smad3 deficiency completely protected against diabetes-associated beta cell loss and dysfunction in db/db mice. Islet-specific RNA-sequencing identified 8160 Smad3-dependent differentially expressed genes associated with type 2 diabetes, where Smad3 deficiency prevented the down-regulation of those genes. Mechanistically, Smad3 deficiency preserved the expression of beta cell development mediator Pax6 in islet, thereby enhancing beta cell proliferation and function in db/db mice in vivo and in Min6 cells in vitro.
Article
Oncology
Karen L. Reader, Simon John-McHaffie, Sylvia Zellhuber-McMillan, Tim Jowett, David G. Mottershead, Heather E. Cunliffe, Elspeth J. Gold
Summary: Current tests for prostate cancer cannot accurately distinguish between aggressive and latent cancer. This study investigated the expression of TGFB family members in prostate tumor tissue and the effects of activins on prostate cell growth. The results showed that activin B expression increased in higher Gleason grades, and its overexpression inhibited growth of PNT1A cells but promoted growth and migration of PC3 cells. On the other hand, activin C expression decreased in higher Gleason grades and its overexpression had the opposite effects on cell growth. The findings suggest that activin B and activin C could potentially serve as prognostic markers for aggressive prostate cancer.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomas P. Lozito, Ricardo Londono, Aaron X. Sun, Megan L. Hudnall
Summary: Regenerated lizard tails lack the dorsoventral patterning achieved during embryonic development, even though they are able to form cartilage during regeneration.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kotaro Shimizu, Junichi Kikuta, Yumi Ohta, Yutaka Uchida, Yu Miyamoto, Akito Morimoto, Shinya Yari, Takashi Sato, Takefumi Kamakura, Kazuo Oshima, Ryusuke Imai, Yu-Chen Liu, Daisuke Okuzaki, Tetsuya Hara, Daisuke Motooka, Noriaki Emoto, Hidenori Inohara, Masaru Ishii
Summary: This study identified a subset of osteoclastogenic fibroblasts expressing INHBA/activin A in human cholesteatoma and found that activin A promotes osteoclast differentiation. Deletion of inhibin βA/activin A in these fibroblasts decreased osteoclast differentiation in a mouse model of cholesteatoma. Follistatin, an antagonist of activin A, reduced osteoclastogenesis and bone erosion in cholesteatoma.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaochang Chen, Chen Zhao, Yanting Xu, Kuilong Huang, Yulong Wang, Xiaoyu Wang, Xiaoge Zhou, Weijun Pang, Gongshe Yang, Taiyong Yu
Summary: With the rise in obesity rates, the level of oxidative stress in obese individuals increases significantly, affecting adipogenesis and potentially leading to metabolic syndrome. BAMBI may play a critical role in regulating obesity and metabolic syndrome by influencing levels of ROS and adipocyte differentiation.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Lore Billiet, Laurenz De Cock, Guillem Sanchez Sanchez, Rupert L. Mayer, Glenn Goetgeluk, Stijn De Munter, Melissa Pille, Joline Ingels, Hanne Jansen, Karin Weening, Eva Pascal, Killian Raes, Sarah Bonte, Tessa Kerre, Niels Vandamme, Ruth Seurinck, Jana Roels, Marieke Lavaert, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh, Georges Leclercq, Tom Taghon, Francis Impens, Bjorn Menten, David Vermijlen, Bart Vandekerckhove
Summary: Billiet et al. identify a well-defined but heterogeneous unconventional TCR alpha beta(+) lineage mainly confined to CD8(+) Helios(+) T cells, which represents the post-thymic progeny of CD10(+) PD-1(+) precursors in humans. These unconventional T cells (UTCs) in thymus and blood share a common developmental trajectory, characterized by hallmark transcription factors (ZNF683 and IKZF2) and a polycolonal TCR repertoire with autoreactive features. The UTC lineage can be identified in adult blood and intestinal tissues.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Shuang Zhang, Jeroen van de Peppel, Marijke Koedam, Johannes P. T. M. van Leeuwen, Bram C. J. van der Eerden
Summary: The study identifies HSPB7 as a regulator of osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs), with a positive role in osteoblastic differentiation and maintaining the balance between osteogenesis and adipogenesis. HSPB7 shows potential as a therapeutic target for bone metabolic diseases.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Trumpp, Wen Hui Tan, Wiktor Burdzinski, Yara Basler, Jerome Jatzlau, Petra Knaus, Christoph Winkler
Summary: Activin and BMP signaling are important in vertebrate organ formation and tissue homeostasis. A mutation in BMP type I receptor leads to abnormal inflammation and ossification in FOP patients. The Japanese medaka fish can serve as a FOP animal model to investigate the mechanisms underlying the disease.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesco Cambuli, Veronica Foletto, Alessandro Alaimo, Dario De Felice, Francesco Gandolfi, Maria Dilia Palumbieri, Michela Zaffagni, Sacha Genovesi, Marco Lorenzoni, Martina Celotti, Emiliana Bertossio, Giosue Mazzero, Arianna Bertossi, Alessandra Bisio, Francesco Berardinelli, Antonio Antoccia, Marco Gaspari, Mattia Barbareschi, Michelangelo Fiorentino, Michael M. Shen, Massimo Loda, Alessandro Romanel, Andrea Lunardi
Summary: This study demonstrates that non-canonical Activin A signaling plays a critical role in maintaining epithelial quiescence in the healthy prostate, with potential implications for understanding cancer initiation and the development of therapies targeting quiescent tumor progenitors.
Article
Biology
Erich J. Goebel, Luisina Ongaro, Emily C. Kappes, Kylie Vestal, Elitza Belcheva, Roselyne Castonguay, Ravindra Kumar, Daniel J. Bernard, Thomas B. Thompson, Roger J. Davis
Summary: ActC and ActAC are active ligands with distinct signaling receptor and antagonist profiles, activating SMAD2/3-dependent signaling via the receptor activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7), and exhibiting a similar response to ActB in mature murine adipocytes.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Swati Mishra, Jasin Taelman, Mina Popovic, Laurentijn Tilleman, Evi Duthoo, Margot van der Jeught, Dieter Deforce, Filip van Nieuwerburgh, Bjoern Menten, Petra de Sutter, Annekatrien Boel, Susana M. Chuva De Sousa Lopes, Bjorn Heindryckx
Summary: This study found that continuous supplementation of ActA during differentiation of hESCs can promote differentiation into PGCLCs, and conversion to the 4i-state is beneficial for this process. The obtained PGCLCs may further differentiate into mature germ cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Melanie K. Stewart, Pascal Bernard, Ching-Seng Ang, Deidre M. Mattiske, Andrew J. Pask
Summary: This study investigated the mechanism of estrogen impact on gonad differentiation and ovarian development, revealing that estrogen promotes the shift in gonadal somatic cell fate by activating the MAP3K1 pathway. The activation of MAP3K1 leads to the transition from SOX9 pro-testis activity to beta-catenin pro-ovary activity. These findings provide new insights into the effects of exogenous estrogen exposure on the testis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Noam Cohen, Dhanashree Mundhe, Sarah K. Deasy, Omer Adler, Nour Ershaid, Tamar Shami, Oshrat Levi-Galibov, Rina Wassermann, Ruth Scherz-Shouval, Neta Erez
Summary: Metastatic cancer is difficult to cure and is the main cause of cancer-related deaths. In this study, the researchers found that cancer-associated fibroblasts play a crucial role in creating a favorable microenvironment for metastasis by mediating inflammation. They also discovered that a protein called Activin A is secreted from breast tumors and promotes fibrosis in the lung, which enhances metastasis. This new mechanism could potentially be targeted for therapeutic intervention to inhibit metastatic relapse.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sarah C. Moody, Penny A. F. Whiley, Patrick S. Western, Kate L. Loveland
Summary: Activin A plays an important role in normal testis development by affecting Sertoli cell development. Abnormal activin A levels can lead to gonocyte abnormalities and may impact fetal testis development and adult fertility. The direct or indirect effects of activin A on germ cells are not yet fully understood. This study explores the direct and indirect effects of altered activin A bioactivity on germ cell development and highlights the potential risk of testicular pathologies as a result of impaired germline maturation.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Critical Care Medicine
Motoko Nomura, Hiromitsu Ohta, Kentaro Minegishi, Maho Akimoto, Kohei Hamamoto, Yasuhiro Yamaguchi
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Ghmkin Hassan, Toshiaki Ohara, Said M. Afify, Kazuki Kumon, Maram H. Zahra, Xiaoying Fu, Mohamad Al Kadi, Akimasa Seno, David S. Salomon, Masaharu Seno
Summary: This study found that normal stem cells can be converted into cancer stem cells in the cancer-inducing microenvironment. The converted cells exhibited tumorigenicity and self-renewal characteristics and their drug responses and metastatic abilities varied depending on the microenvironment of cancer cells. Transcriptome analysis showed upregulation of pathways related to aggressiveness and energy production in the converted cells.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yanning Xu, Said M. Afify, Juan Du, Bingbing Liu, Ghmkin Hassan, Qing Wang, Hanbo Li, Yixin Liu, Xiaoying Fu, Zhengmao Zhu, Ling Chen, Masaharu Seno
Summary: This study established a model of cancer stem cells (CSCs) derived from mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs) and found that the activation of PI3K-Akt and EGFR signaling pathways played significant roles in the process. The inhibitors targeting these pathways showed significant anti-tumor effects in vitro and in vivo, with PI3K-gamma inhibitor Eganelisib demonstrating better therapeutic efficacy and fewer side effects.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ghmkin Hassan, Maram H. Zahra, Akimasa Seno, Masaharu Seno
Summary: This study reveals the importance of the ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling pathway in CSC generation induced by the conditioned medium from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Inhibition of ErbB2 or ErbB3 prevents CSC proliferation and stemness, while also inhibiting tube formation ability and overactivating the MAPK pathway.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Said M. Afify, Ghmkin Hassan, Akimasa Seno, Masaharu Seno
Summary: The growth of cancer tissue is driven by a small group of cells called cancer stem cells, which have the potential to self-renew, differentiate, and form tumors. Chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes may establish an environment that promotes the transformation of undifferentiated cells into cancer stem cells and the development of malignant tumors. Chronic inflammation is believed to play a key role in this process.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sadia Monzur, Ghmkin Hassan, Said M. Afify, Kazuki Kumon, Hager Mansour, Hend M. Nawara, Mona Sheta, Hagar A. Abu Quora, Maram H. Zahra, Yanning Xu, Xiaoyin Fu, Akimasa Seno, Per Wikstrom, Ferenc L. M. Szekeres, Masaharu Seno
Summary: This study found that DPI may be a suitable drug candidate targeting mitochondrial respiration in cancer stem cells. Additionally, 3D culture assays are more efficient in screening anti-cancer stem cell drug candidates and better mimic the tumor microenvironment compared to traditional 2D culture assays.
CELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Said M. Afify, Ghmkin Hassan, Hend M. Nawara, Maram H. Zahra, Yanning Xu, Md Jahangir Alam, Koichi Saitoh, Hager Mansour, Hagar A. Abu Quora, Mona Sheta, Sadia Monzur, Juan Du, Sue Young Oh, Akimasa Seno, David S. Salomon, Masaharu Seno
Summary: This article describes the optimization of a T7 expression system for the purification and refolding of Cripto-1 protein from inclusion bodies. The study found that a functional soluble form of Cripto-1 can be obtained under specific conditions, and this protein has inhibitory effects on cancer stem cells and promotes cell differentiation.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emiko Chiba, Kohei Hamamoto, Eiichi Kanai, Noriko Oyama-Manabe, Kiyoka Omoto
Summary: This study found that SWVN and SWVNMR could be used as indicators for predicting nerve block success based on the diagnostic value of ultrasonographic parameters.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hideki Minematsu, Said M. Afify, Yuki Sugihara, Ghmkin Hassan, Maram H. Zahra, Akimasa Seno, Masaki Adachi, Masaharu Seno
Summary: In this study, the factors responsible for induction of Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) were investigated. The results suggest that chronic stimulation of stem cells with prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) enhances the PI3K/Akt axis, which may be responsible for cancer initiation. The study provides new insights into the growth mechanisms of CSCs and the induction of cancer.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Ling Chen, Yanxia Liu, Yanning Xu, Said M. Afify, Ang Gao, Juan Du, Bingbing Liu, Xiaoying Fu, Yixin Liu, Ting Yan, Zhengmao Zhu, Masaharu Seno
Summary: In this study, it was discovered that the up-regulation of Dsg2 expression during the conversion of miPSCs into CSCs activates the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, implying a potential mechanism for the transformation of stem cells into a malignant phenotype.
EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Shoko Fukada, Jennifer A. Reetz, Kohei Hamamoto, Lynn Griffin, Paula A. Schaffer
Summary: This article presents a retrospective multi-center case series on rounded atelectasis in four cats and one dog. Clinical presentation, imaging findings, and histopathology are described. The study highlights the importance of considering a benign etiology in the differential diagnosis of subpleural masses.
VETERINARY RADIOLOGY & ULTRASOUND
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ghmkin Hassan, Said M. Afify, Maram H. Zahra, Hend M. Nawara, Kazuki Kumon, Yoshiaki Iwasaki, David S. Salomon, Akimasa Seno, Masaharu Seno
Summary: Researchers have successfully converted human induced pluripotent stem cells into cancer stem cells by culturing them in a medium mimicking the microenvironment of tumor initiation. The converted cells exhibited characteristics of cancer stem cells and could be used to establish personalized cancer models for studying tumor initiation and screening personalized therapies.
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Hiroko Ishii, Maram Zahra, Ghmkin Hassan, Masaharu Seno
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Monzur Sadia, Ghmkin Hassan, Said M. Affify, Hager Mansour, Mona Sheta, Kazuki Kumon, Maram H. Zahra, Akimasa Seno, Masaharu Seno
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Akimasa Seno, Maram Zahra, Masaharu Seno
