Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Morgane Le Rolle, Filippo Massa, Pam Siggers, Laurent Turchi, Agnes Loubat, Bon-Kyoung Koo, Hans Clevers, Andy Greenfield, Andreas Schedl, Marie-Christine Chaboissier, Anne-Amandine Chassot
Summary: This study shows that germ cell-intrinsic beta-catenin activity in mouse embryonic ovaries is essential for maintaining pluripotency and its repression is crucial for differentiation and meiosis entry. The interaction of beta-catenin with the pluripotent-associated factor POU5F1 in the nucleus is associated with germ cell pluripotency, and its exit from the nucleus correlates with germ cell differentiation. These findings highlight the role of beta-catenin as a central gatekeeper in ovarian differentiation and gametogenesis.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca Manuela Johnson de Sousa Brito, Andrew Butcher, Addolorata Pisconti, Blandine Poulet, Amanda Prior, Gemma Charlesworth, Catherine Sperinck, Michele Scotto di Mase, Ke Liu, George Bou-Gharios, Robert Jurgen van 't Hof, Anna Daroszewska
Summary: Syndecan-3 promotes new bone formation in osteoblasts by enhancing WNT signaling, and its deficiency in mice results in an early osteoporosis-like phenotype due to delayed osteoblast maturation and impaired function. Overexpressing Sdc3 in osteoblasts rescues the low bone volume phenotype and increases bone mass, making SDC3 a potential target for novel bone anabolic drug development.
Review
Cell Biology
Shefali Mehta, Swapnil Hingole, Varun Chaudhary
Summary: Wnt proteins are lipid-modified secreted proteins that activate multiple signaling pathways, regulating crucial processes during development. Despite being hydrophobic, they can travel several cell distances in the extracellular space. Research has identified factors and mechanisms regulating their expression, secretion, and extracellular travel, recognizing the importance of Wnt protein gradients in maintaining tissue homeostasis.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Tian Xu, Peng Su, Linhui Wu, Delong Li, Wei Qin, Qiao Li, Jilong Zhou, Yi-Liang Miao
Summary: This study reveals the important role of OCT4 in regulating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway and preventing the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoendoderm lineage. OCT4 directly binds to the promoter and enhancers of EOMES and represses its transcription, thereby maintaining the pluripotency of stem cells.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Yagmur Azbazdar, Mustafa Karabicici, Esra Erdal, Gunes Ozhan
Summary: Wnt signaling pathway plays a crucial role in physiological activities and has significant implications in cancer development and progression. By regulating plasma membrane composition and lipid organization, Wnt signaling can be activated or inhibited, leading to the development of more targeted anticancer drugs.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Samuel Teo, Patricia C. Salinas
Summary: The formation of synapses is tightly regulated and vital for the treatment of neurological disorders. Wnt signaling plays a key role in synapse formation by modulating neuronal activity.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Wenqiang Zhang, Kexin Zhang, Yanhui Ma, Yixin Song, Tongbing Qi, Guoji Xiong, Yuanzhu Zhang, Chengxia Kan, Jingwen Zhang, Fang Han, Xiaodong Sun
Summary: This review examines the expression patterns of SFRPs in cancer and their potential as therapeutic targets, summarizing the current knowledge on SFRPs in cancer.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shaoqin Zheng, Jiahui Lin, Zhongqiu Pang, Hui Zhang, Yinuo Wang, Lanjing Ma, Haijiao Zhang, Xi Zhang, Maorong Chen, Xinjun Zhang, Chao Zhao, Jun Qi, Liu Cao, Min Wang, Xi He, Ren Sheng
Summary: In this study, researchers discovered that cholesterol binds specifically to the Fzd5 receptor, enabling its maturation and trafficking to the plasma membrane. Cholesterol stimulates tumor growth in Wnt-addicted pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma through Fzd5-mediated signaling, while a natural compound can inhibit this process. These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which Fzd5 acts as a cholesterol sensor and suggest potential therapeutic opportunities for Wnt-dependent cancers.
Review
Cell Biology
Patricia Pascual-Vargas, Patricia C. Salinas
Summary: The Wnt pathway regulates the formation and function of neuronal circuits through Frizzled receptors, with aberrant signaling linked to synaptic defects and neurodegenerative diseases. The localization and stability of Fzd receptors are crucial for determining Wnt function, with post-translational modifications playing a key role. However, only phosphorylation and glycosylation have been studied as mechanisms for modulating Fzd function in the central nervous system.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Chao Yin, Zhishuai Ye, Jian Wu, Chenxing Huang, Le Pan, Huaiyu Ding, Lei Zhong, Lei Guo, Yan Zou, Xiang Wang, Ying Wang, Pan Gao, Xuejuan Jin, Xiaoxiang Yan, Yunzeng Zou, Rongchong Huang, Hui Gong
Summary: The study found that elevated levels of Wnt2 and Wnt4 in the serum of AMI patients were associated with adverse outcomes. Wnt2 and Wnt4 promote cardiac fibrosis by activating the beta-catenin/NF-kappa B signaling pathway, potentially impacting the cardiac function of AMI patients.
Article
Developmental Biology
Joseph J. Hanly, Ling S. Loh, Anyi Mazo-Vargas, Teomie S. Rivera-Miranda, Luca Livraghi, Amruta Tendolkar, Christopher R. Day, Neringa Liutikaite, Emily A. Earls, Olaf B. W. H. Corning, Natalie D'Souza, Jose J. Hermina-Perez, Caroline Mehta, Julia A. Ainsworth, Matteo Rossi, Riccardo Papa, W. Owen McMillan, Michael W. Perry, Arnaud Martin
Summary: The study demonstrates that the WntA/Frizzled2 morphogen-receptor pair forms a signaling axis that guides butterfly color patterning, while other Frizzled receptors in the family play different roles in butterfly color patterning.
Article
Microbiology
Victoria Rea, Ian Bell, Taylor Ball, Terence Van Raay
Summary: This study suggests that metabolites produced by the gut microbiota play a crucial role in regulating critical signaling pathways in the brain, especially during neural development.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephane Angers
Summary: This study reveals a Wnt-stimulated positive feedback loop involving local production and recruitment of PI(4,5)P-2 to facilitate LRP5/6 phosphorylation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryoko Nagano, Shinsuke Fujii, Kana Hasegawa, Hidefumi Maeda, Tamotsu Kiyoshima
Summary: Tooth germ development involves reciprocal interactions between odontogenic epithelium and adjacent mesenchyme. Wnt/f3-catenin signaling contributes to tooth germ development through YAP1-TGF-f3 signaling.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Liqin Xie, Russell B. Fletcher, Diksha Bhatia, Darshini Shah, Jacqueline Phipps, Shalaka Deshmukh, Haili Zhang, Jingjing Ye, Sungjin Lee, Lucas Le, Maureen Newman, Hui Chen, Asmiti Sura, Suhani Gupta, Laura E. Sanman, Fan Yang, Weixu Meng, Helene Baribault, Geertrui F. Vanhove, Wen -Chen Yeh, Yang Li, Chenggang Lu
Summary: The study demonstrates that modulation of Wnt signaling is a potential approach to treating epithelial damage in inflammatory bowel disease. Exogenous R-spondin and Wnt mimetics can repair damaged intestinal epithelium, reduce disease activity and inflammation. Among them, the Wnt mimetic SZN-1326-p, specific to receptors FZD5/8 and LRP6, shows robust repair effects.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Eun Ji Gang, Hye Na Kim, Yao-Te Hsieh, Yongsheng Ruan, Heather A. Ogana, Solomon Lee, Jennifer Pham, Huimin Geng, Eugene Park, Lars Klemm, Cheryl L. Willman, William L. Carroll, Steven D. Mittelman, Etan Orgel, Matthew J. Oberley, Chintan Parekh, Hisham Abdel-Azim, Deepa Bhojwani, Alan S. Wayne, Adele De Arcangelis, Elisabeth Georges-Labouesse, Elizabeth Wayner, Halvard Bonig, Aspram Minasyan, Johanna ten Hoeve, Thomas G. Graeber, Markus Muschen, Nora Heisterkamp, Yong-Mi Kim
Article
Oncology
Kristen Fousek, Junji Watanabe, Sujith K. Joseph, Ann George, Xingyue An, Tiara T. Byrd, Jessica S. Morris, Annie Luong, Melisa A. Martinez-Paniagua, Khaled Sanber, Shoba A. Navai, Ahmed Z. Gad, Vita S. Salsman, Pretty R. Mathew, Hye Na Kim, Dimitrios L. Wagner, Lorenzo Brunetti, Albert Jang, Matthew L. Baker, Navin Varadarajan, Meenakshi Hegde, Yong-Mi Kim, Nora Heisterkamp, Hisham Abdel-Azim, Nabil Ahmed
Summary: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells targeting CD19 have shown effectiveness in treating B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BL-ALL), but a significant number of patients relapse with CD19(-) disease. This study demonstrates that creating a CD19/20/22-targeting CAR T-cell can effectively target CD19(-) escape leukemia cells, forming dense immune synapses at the subcellular level.
Article
Oncology
Axel H. Schonthal, Steve Swenson, Radu O. Minea, Hye Na Kim, Heeyeon Cho, Nazleen Mohseni, Yong-Mi Kim, Thomas C. Chen
Summary: Despite advancements in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the clinical outcome is still suboptimal with many patients succumbing to the disease. Chemotherapy containing cytarabine (AraC) as a first-line treatment can lead to drug resistance and worsen prognosis. The novel anticancer compound NEO212 shows promising anticancer activity in both in vitro and in vivo models of AML, including in AraC-resistant cells, suggesting its potential for further clinical development.
Article
Hematology
Kaori Saito, Qi Zhang, Haeun Yang, Kotoko Yamatani, Tomohiko Ai, Vivian Ruvolo, Natalia Baran, Tianyu Cai, Helen Ma, Rodrigo Jacamo, Vinitha Kuruvilla, Junichi Imoto, Sonoko Kinjo, Kazuho Ikeo, Kaori Moriya, Koya Suzuki, Takashi Miida, Yong-Mi Kim, Christopher P. Vellano, Michael Andreeff, Joseph R. Marszalek, Yoko Tabe, Marina Konopleva
Summary: The study found that AML cells depend highly on oxidative phosphorylation for survival, and in the bone marrow microenvironment, direct interactions with stromal cells trigger compensatory activation of mitochondrial respiration to resist OxPhos inhibition. Mitochondrial trafficking from stromal cells and endogenous mitochondrial fission and mitophagy play important roles in leukemia cells' adaptive response to energetic stress.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yongsheng Ruan, Hye Na Kim, Heather A. Ogana, Eun Ji Gang, Shuangyue Li, Hsiao-Chuan Liu, Deepa Bhojwani, Alan S. Wayne, Mo Yang, Yong-Mi Kim
Summary: This study explored a novel small molecule drug AVA4746 as a new approach to treat drug-resistant B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The findings showed that AVA4746 could bind to B-ALL cells and efficiently block their binding to VCAM-1, leading to cell dissociation. Additionally, AVA4746 inhibited angiogenesis in vitro. In an in vivo model, AVA4746 in combination with chemotherapy prolonged the survival of approximately 33% of mice.
EXPERIMENTAL AND THERAPEUTIC MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Yongsheng Ruan, Hye Na Kim, Heather A. Ogana, Zesheng Wan, Samantha Hurwitz, Cydney Nichols, Nour Abdel-Azim, Ariana Coba, Seyoung Seo, Yong-Hwee Eddie Loh, Eun Ji Gang, Hisham Abdel-Azim, Chih-Lin Hsieh, Michael R. Lieber, Chintan Parekh, Dhananjay Pal, Deepa Bhojwani, Donald L. Durden, Yong-Mi Kim
Summary: SF2535 inhibits c-Myc expression and induces apoptosis in B-ALL by targeting BRD4 and the PI3Kδ/AKT pathway, leading to cell cycle arrest and decreased cell counts. Additionally, SF2535 may modulate integrin signaling pathways to exert its effects in B-ALL treatment.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Donggyu Nam, Myung Rae Park, Hyunah Lee, Sung Chul Bae, Daniela Gerovska, Marcos J. Arauzo-Bravo, Holm Zaehres, Hans R. Scholer, Jeong Beom Kim
Summary: This study successfully generated liver assembloids by integrating induced endothelial cells into liver organoids generated from induced hepatic stem cells. Liver assembloids showed enhanced functional maturity compared to traditional liver organoids and improved therapeutic effects on cholestatic liver fibrosis.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Morris Gellisch, Gabriela Morosan-Puopolo, Oliver T. Wolf, Dirk A. Moser, Holm Zaehres, Beate Brand-Saberi
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate whether students' psychobiological stress responses can be enhanced in the context of anatomical online learning and how increased physiological parameters correlate with characteristics of learning experiences in a digital learning environment. The results showed that compared to passive online learning, students engaged in the interaction-enhanced version of online learning displayed a significantly reduced Heart Rate Variability, along with a strong increase in salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase activity. These findings demonstrate that the physiological arousal of students engaged in online learning can be enhanced via interactive teaching methods and highlight the correlation between higher physiological responses and elementary criteria of learning experience such as engagement and attention.
ANNALS OF ANATOMY-ANATOMISCHER ANZEIGER
(2023)
Editorial Material
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mark Thomas Shaw Williams, Yong-Mi Kim, Monica L. Guzman
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
N. M. Daya, L. Mavrommatis, H. Zhuge, M. Athamneh, A. Roos, D. Glaeser, K. Doering, H. Zaehres, M. Vorgerd, A. K. Guettsches
Summary: This study introduces a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line generated from cultured dermal fibroblasts of a male patient with myofibrillar myopathy. The cell line carries a mutation in the filamin C (FLNC) gene and displays typical embryonic stem cell-like morphology and pluripotent stem cell markers expression. It has the potential to differentiate into all three germ layers.
STEM CELL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
A. Boeing, L. Mavrommatis, N. M. Daya, H. Zhuge, L. Volke, A. Kocabas, M. Kneifel, M. Athamneh, C. Theiss, H. Zaehres, K. Krause, N. Suedkamp, K. Deoring, A. Roos, A. K. Guettsches, M. Vorgerd
Summary: This article introduces two hiPSC lines generated from dermal fibroblasts of female patients carrying a known pathogenic variant in the CAV3 gene. These iPSC lines express pluripotent stem cell markers, have a normal karyotype, and can differentiate into all three germ layers.
STEM CELL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Chau Ly, Heather Ogana, Hye Na Kim, Samantha Hurwitz, Eric J. Deeds, Yong-Mi Kim, Amy C. Rowat
Summary: This study investigates the physical properties of chemotherapy-treated leukemia cells using microfluidic technology. The findings show that chemotherapy-treated B-ALL cells are more deformable than control cells. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms applied to physical phenotyping data can predict the presence of chemotherapy-surviving cells in a mixed population.
INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Lampros Mavrommatis, Abdul Zaben, Urs Kindler, Marie-Cecile Kienitz, Julienne Dietz, Hyun-Woo Jeong, Pierre Boehme, Beate Brand-Saberi, Matthias Vorgerd, Holm Zaehres
Summary: This study presents two strategies for rescuing CAPN3 mutations, providing possibilities for studying LGMD2A disease models and potential translational applications.
STEM CELLS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Junghyun L. Suh, Daniel Bsteh, Bryce Hart, Yibo Si, Tyler M. Weaver, Carina Pribitzer, Roy Lau, Shivani Soni, Heather Ogana, Justin M. Rectenwald, Jacqueline L. Norris, Stephanie H. Cholensky, Cari Sagum, Jessica D. Umana, Dongxu Li, Brian Hardy, Mark T. Bedford, Shannon M. Mumenthaler, Heinz-Josef Lenz, Yong-Mi Kim, Gang Greg Wang, Ken H. Pearce, Lindsey James, Dmitri B. Kireev, Catherine A. Musselman, Stephen Frye, Oliver Bell
Summary: CBX proteins are cell-type-specific paralogous chromobox proteins that repress developmental genes. We have identified a potent positive allosteric modulator (PAM), UNC7040, for CBX8, which disrupts its binding to H3K27me3 and enhances interactions with nucleic acids. Treatment with UNC7040 efficiently and selectively removes CBX8-containing PRC1 from chromatin, resulting in gene desilencing and reduced proliferation in cancer cells.
CELL CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Anatomy & Morphology
Satya Srirama Karthik Divvela, Patrick Nell, Markus Napirei, Holm Zaehres, Jiayu Chen, Shaorong Gao, Maria Gerding, Huu Phuc Nguyen, Beate Brand-Saberi
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2020)