Article
Oncology
Carmela Martini, Mark DeNichilo, Danielle P. King, Michaelia P. Cockshell, Brenton Ebert, Brian Dale, Lisa M. Ebert, Anthony Woods, Claudine S. Bonder
Summary: This study demonstrates that CD36, a cell surface glycoprotein promoting angiogenesis by ECs, also supports VM formation by human melanoma cells. Patients with high CD36 expression have a poorer outcome. CD36 facilitates VM formation by melanoma cells through integrin-alpha(3) and laminin, unlike angiogenesis, VM is not affected by TSP-1.
Review
Cell Biology
Viktor Zaykov, Brahim Chaqour
Summary: CCN2/CTGF is a multifunctional protein that regulates diverse cellular processes including adhesion, proliferation, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix synthesis, with different effects on developmental and pathological processes. It interacts with cell surface receptors, growth factors, and ECM proteins to elicit various cellular responses, highlighting its complexity and tissue-specific effects. Discovery of new binding partners may provide insights into unknown roles of CCN2/CTGF for potential therapeutic targeting.
JOURNAL OF CELL COMMUNICATION AND SIGNALING
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela L. Rebolledo, Maria Jose Acuna, Enrique Brandan
Summary: The CCN family of matricellular proteins plays crucial roles in cell signaling pathways, particularly in skeletal muscle physiology and disease. They are involved in regulating muscle mass, maintaining vascularization, and modulating skeletal muscle fibrosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Haitao Hu, Ting Ma, Nanqi Liu, Hong Hong, Lujiao Yu, Dantong Lyu, Xin Meng, Biao Wang, Xuefeng Jiang
Summary: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a vessel-like structure independent of endothelial cells, commonly found in solid tumors. It is closely associated with tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and poor patient prognosis. Various factors, including immune cells, cytokines, and signaling molecules, have been reported to be involved in ovarian cancer progression and VM formation. This review discusses the mechanisms regulating VM formation in ovarian cancer, the impact of cells, cytokines, and signaling molecules in the tumor microenvironment on VM formation, and the current clinical application of drugs targeting VM formation.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana K. Herrera-Vargas, Eduardo Garcia-Rodriguez, Monserrat Olea-Flores, Miguel A. Mendoza-Catalan, Eugenia Flores-Alfaro, Napoleon Navarro-Tito
Summary: The ability of leptin to induce angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry in different types of cancer has been studied, with significant relationships observed in breast cancer. Leptin activates multiple pathways to promote the expression of angiogenic factors and vasculogenic mimicry, suggesting its potential role as a therapeutic target for tumor survival and metastasis.
CYTOKINE & GROWTH FACTOR REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Lih Y. Tan, Michaelia P. Cockshell, Eli Moore, Kay K. Myo Min, Michael Ortiz, M. Zahied Johan, Brenton Ebert, Andrew Ruszkiewicz, Michael P. Brown, Lisa M. Ebert, Claudine S. Bonder
Summary: This study reveals that melanoma cells with vasculogenic mimicry (VM) ability can actively recruit leukocytes to promote cancer cell survival. Analysis of patient samples confirms the presence of this mechanism in actual organisms.
Article
Oncology
Shiva Sabazade, Viktor Gill, Christina Herrspiegel, Gustav Stalhammar
Summary: Tumors from uveal melanoma patients that report a visual field shadow are likely to display vasculogenic mimicry (VM) and greater periodic acid-Schiff positive histological patterns density, explaining the association with poor prognosis.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Chunyu Zhang, Jiatong Xiao, Tong Yuan, Yunbo He, Dingshan Deng, Zicheng Xiao, Jinbo Chen, Xiongbing Zu, Peihua Liu, Zhi Liu
Summary: Bladder cancer (BLCA) is heterogeneous with classical molecular subtypes reflecting tumor immune microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity. However, their clinical utility in predicting treatment and prognosis is limited. In this study, a systemic indicator of molecular vasculogenic mimicry (VM)-related genes, called VM_Score, was developed using a random forest algorithm. The VM_Score showed high accuracy in predicting classical molecular subtypes, immunophenotypes, prognosis, and therapeutic potential of BLCA. It was found to be associated with sensitivity to different therapies, indicating its potential in precision medicine and as an indicator of immunotherapy response and prognosis.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Weichang Yang, Zhouhua Li, Wenjun Wang, Juan Wu, Jinbo Li, Xiaotian Huang, Xinyi Zhang, Xiaoqun Ye
Summary: This study found that VM-related genes are associated with the prognosis and immune landscape of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. A VM score was developed and a predictive model was constructed to evaluate the prognosis and immune landscape of LUAD patients.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Elena Andreucci, Silvia Peppicelli, Jessica Ruzzolini, Francesca Bianchini, Lido Calorini
Summary: Tumour vascularisation is crucial for cancer sustainment, with vasculogenic mimicry (VM) gaining increasing interest as a potential target for cancer treatment. Unlike healthy tissue vessels, tumour vasculature is heterogeneous and tortuous, hindering efficient chemotherapy delivery and facilitating cancer cell metastasis. The disorganisation of tumour vessels contributes to a self-reinforcing vicious circle, promoting cancer malignancy and progression. Hypoxia and acidosis within tumours, which are hallmark features of cancer, induce vascularisation and create a permissive microenvironment for cancer progression and dissemination. Targeting hypoxia and acidosis may represent a potential strategy to treat VM and impede tumour perfusion and cancer cell sustainment.
CANCER AND METASTASIS REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Wan-Yi Shie, Pin-Hsuan Chu, Mark Yen-Ping Kuo, Huei-Wen Chen, Meng-Tie Lin, Xuan-Jie Su, Yi-Ling Hong, Han-Yi Elizabeth Chou
Summary: Acidosis is a characteristic of the tumor microenvironment that promotes tumor metastatic colonization. Acidosis remodels the extracellular matrix and upregulates the expression of integrin subunit alpha-4 (ITGA4) gene. ITGA4 is also upregulated in primary tumors with metastatic capability and retained in corresponding secondary tumors. Acidosis induces the enrichment of side population cells, enhancing resistance to the tumor microenvironment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Kailiang Qiao, Yantao Liu, Zheng Xu, Haohao Zhang, Heng Zhang, Chao Zhang, Zhi Chang, Xinyan Lu, Zhongwei Li, Ce Luo, Yanrong Liu, Cheng Yang, Tao Sun
Summary: This study revealed that m6A methylation plays a key role in vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and METTL3 and YAP1 could be potential therapeutic targets for anti-metastatic strategies by impairing VM formation.
Article
Oncology
Bochao Geng, Yuanzhang Zhu, Yingying Yuan, Jingyi Bai, Zhizhi Dou, Aihua Sui, Wenjuan Luo
Summary: The study found that the traditional antimalarial drug artesunate (ART) eliminated vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation in choroidal melanoma (CM) cells by inhibiting the Wnt5a/CaMKII signaling pathway, as well as downregulated the expression levels of angiogenesis and VM-related proteins, leading to decreased angiogenesis and VM formation. Furthermore, ART also inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CM cells.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Hiroki Kamo, Ryota Kawahara, Siro Simizu
Summary: Melanoma is a highly metastatic skin cancer, and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is associated with poor prognosis in melanoma patients. The study reveals that TYR negatively regulates VM in melanoma cells.
Article
Oncology
Ronghan Zhang, Xiaogang Chen, Shengwen Chen, Jiajia Tang, Feng Chen, Yong Lin, Peter Sol Reinach, Xiyun Yan, LiLi Tu, Hongxia Duan, Jia Qu, Qiang Hou
Summary: CD146 is a novel target for inhibiting the progression of uveal melanoma by regulating both angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry. Inhibition of CD146 leads to declines in tube formation and migration in endothelial cells, as well as tube-like structure formation, migration, and invasion in uveal melanoma cells. CD146 exerts its effects through VEGFR/AKT/p38/NF-kappa B and FAK/VE-cadherin signaling pathways. Blockade of CD146 with siRNA or AA98 also inhibits migration, invasion, and EMT process in uveal melanoma cells, and suppresses tumor growth, angiogenesis, and vasculogenic mimicry induced by implantation of uveal melanoma cells.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Alexandra M. Blokker, Alan Getgood, David Nguyen, David W. Holdsworth, Timothy A. Burkhart
Summary: This study aimed to quantify the effect of joint loading on strain measurement using radiopaque markers and micro-computed tomography imaging. After applying up to 100 intermediate joint cycles, no statistically significant difference was found in the strains measured in the tissue.
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Douglas B. Rasher, Robert S. Steneck, Jochen Halfar, Kristy J. Kroeker, Justin B. Ries, M. Tim Tinker, Phoebe T. W. Chan, Jan Fietzke, Nicholas A. Kamenos, Brenda H. Konar, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Christopher J. D. Norley, Benjamin P. Weitzman, Isaac T. Westfield, James A. Estes
Article
Neurosciences
Dickson Wong, Dana N. Broberg, Jagroop Doad, Joseph U. Umoh, Miranda Bellyou, Chris J. D. Norley, David W. Holdsworth, Manuel Montero-Odasso, Olivier Beauchet, Cedric Annweiler, Robert Bartha
Summary: Vitamin D deficiency in AD mice led to increased bone density and skeletal tissue mass, which was not observed when memantine treatment was combined with vitamin D supplementation.
JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Orthopedics
Hayden F. Atkinson, Trevor B. Birmingham, Jenna M. Schulz, Codie A. Primeau, Kristyn M. Leitch, Stephany L. Pritchett, D. W. Holdsworth, J. R. Giffin
Summary: The study demonstrated that medial opening wedge HTO can improve articular cartilage composition in the medial compartment of the knee without negatively affecting the lateral compartment or patella. Furthermore, there were low associations between radiographic measures and T2 values of cartilage composition.
KNEE SURGERY SPORTS TRAUMATOLOGY ARTHROSCOPY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Alexandra M. Blokker, Alan M. Getgood, David Nguyen, Timothy A. Burkhart, David W. Holdsworth
Summary: This study assessed the resolution of micro-CT and intra-operative CT systems in quantifying distances between radiopaque fiducial markers. The results showed that the bounding box method was the most precise and holds promise for high resolution regional soft-tissue strain measurement applications.
MEDICAL ENGINEERING & PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charmainne Cruje, P. Joy Dunmore-Buyze, Eric Grolman, David W. Holdsworth, Elizabeth R. Gillies, Maria Drangova
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of PEG-coated gadolinium nanoparticles as a vascular contrast agent in micro-CT. Intravenous injection of the contrast agent in mice showed blood pool contrast enhancements of at least 200 HU for 30 min.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Orthopedics
W. J. Hadden, M. Ibrahim, M. Taha, K. Ure, Y. Liu, A. D. M. Paish, D. W. Holdsworth, H. Abdelbary
Summary: This study successfully established a high-fidelity in vivo model of PJI using cemented hip hemiarthroplasty in rats. Inoculation with bioluminescent bacteria allowed for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of infection. Postoperative analyses revealed good integration between implants and bone, with biofilm formation on prosthetic surfaces.
BONE & JOINT JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Richard J. Sove, Stephanie Milkovich, Hristo N. Nikolov, David W. Holdsworth, Christopher G. Ellis, Graham M. Fraser
Summary: In this study, a gas exchange system compatible with intravital microscopy was proposed for imposing gas perturbations to small localized regions in tissues that can be imaged using conventional inverted microscopes. The effectiveness of this system was demonstrated by manipulating oxygen concentrations in rat extensor digitorum longus muscle and measuring vascular responses, validating the localization of oxygen changes and tissue oxygenation. This approach can be used to study dynamic and spatial responses to local oxygen challenges in the microenvironment of skeletal muscle.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Orthopedics
Timothy A. Burkhart, Takashi Hoshino, Lachlan M. Batty, Alexandra Blokker, Philip P. Roessler, Rajeshwar Sidhu, Maria Drangova, David W. Holdsworth, Ivailo Petrov, Ryan Degen, Alan M. Getgood
Summary: Through studying ACL reconstruction, it is found that at time-zero biomechanical environment, similar graft strains and knee kinematics were achieved using rectangular femoral tunnel (RFT) and cylindrical femoral tunnel (CFT) for ACL reconstruction, indicating both techniques are equally effective in restoring native knee kinematics.
ORTHOPAEDIC JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Greg Hong, Junmin Liu, Santiago F. Cobos, Tina Khazaee, Maria Drangova, David W. Holdsworth
Summary: This study found a linear correlation between the effective susceptibility of porous metal scaffolds and the porosity. Highly porous implants have low effective susceptibilities, making them more suitable for routine MRI imaging.
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
John-Michael Arpino, Hao Yin, Emma K. Prescott, Sabrina C. R. Staples, Zengxuan Nong, Fuyan Li, Jacqueline Chevalier, Brittany Balint, Caroline O'Neil, Rokhsana Mortuza, Stephanie Milkovich, Jason J. Lee, Daniel Lorusso, Martin Sandig, Douglas W. Hamilton, David W. Holdsworth, Tamie L. Poepping, Christopher G. Ellis, J. Geoffrey Pickering
Summary: Contrary to prevailing beliefs, angiogenesis in ischemic muscle injury is driven by the formation of wide-caliber conduits that rapidly transform into a hierarchical neocirculation. Inhibiting VEGFR2 accelerates this process, and endothelial cells in low-flow lumens display enhanced VEGFR2 mechanosignals.
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Santiago Fabian Cobos, Christopher James Norley, Hristo Nikolaev Nikolov, David Wayne Holdsworth
Summary: This study presents the first implementation of a large-area, 2D-focused antiscatter grid (2D-ASG) for flat-panel cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The use of the 2D-ASG improved image quality by reducing scatter-related artifacts, improving CT number accuracy, and enhancing contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).
Article
Orthopedics
Alexandra M. Blokker, Ryan Wood, Jaques C. Milner, David W. Holdsworth, Timothy A. Burkhart, Alan Getgood
Summary: This research demonstrated a minimally invasive method using micro-CT imaging to quantify regional ACL strains under clinically relevant joint loading. The strain measurements showed excellent reliability across repeated load applications, indicating a non-homogenous distribution of strain through the ACL.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ORTHOPAEDICS
(2021)
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Biomedical
Tina Khazaee, Chris J. D. Norley, Hristo N. Nikolov, Steven Pollmann, David W. Holdsworth
Summary: The study focused on optimizing small-molecule diffusion for drug-delivery systems, particularly in orthopedic device-related infections. A micro-CT technique was developed to characterize diffusion in tissue-equivalent phantoms, demonstrating the effectiveness of using a radio-opaque molecule as a surrogate for antibiotics. The validated method provided insights into diffusion patterns and could be applied to new carrier structures and materials in drug delivery research.
MEDICAL IMAGING 2020: BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS IN MOLECULAR, STRUCTURAL, AND FUNCTIONAL IMAGING
(2021)