An Extracellular Matrix Overlay Model for Bioluminescence Microscopy to Measure Single-Cell Heterogeneous Responses to Antiandrogens in Prostate Cancer Cells.

Prostate cancer (PCa) displays diverse intra-tumoral traits, impacting its progression and treatment outcomes. This study aimed to refine PCa cell culture conditions for dynamic monitoring of androgen receptor (AR) activity at the single-cell level. We introduced an extracellular matrix-Matrigel (ECM-M) culture model, enhancing cellular tracking during bioluminescence single-cell imaging while improving cell viability.

A commercial ARHGEF17/TEM4 antibody cross-reacts with Nuclear Mitotic Apparatus protein 1 (NuMA).

The Rho family Guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) ARHGEF17 (also known as TEM4) is a large protein with only 3 annotated regions: an N-terminal actin-binding domain, a Rho-specific dbl homology (DH)- pleckstrin homology (PH) type GEF domain and a seven bladed β propeller fold at the C-terminus with unknown function. TEM4 has been implicated in numerous activities that rely on regulation of the cytoskeleton including cell migration, cell-cell junction formation and the spindle assembly checkpoint during mitosis. Here we have assessed the specificity of a TEM4 polyclonal antibody that has been commonly used as a Western blotting and immunocytochemistry probe for TEM4 in mammalian cells.

Snazarus and its human ortholog SNX25 modulate autophagic flux.

Macroautophagy, the degradation and recycling of cytosolic components in the lysosome, is an important cellular mechanism. It is a membrane-mediated process that is linked to vesicular trafficking events. The sorting nexin (SNX) protein family controls the sorting of a large array of cargoes, and various SNXs impact autophagy.

Colorectal cancer cells respond differentially to autophagy inhibition in vivo.

Autophagy has both tumor-promoting and -suppressing effects in cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC), with transformed cells often exhibiting high autophagic flux. In established tumors, autophagy inhibition can lead to opposite responses resulting in either tumor cell death or hyperproliferation. The functional mechanisms underlying these differences are poorly understood.

APEX2-mediated RAB proximity labeling identifies a role for RAB21 in clathrin-independent cargo sorting.

RAB GTPases are central modulators of membrane trafficking. They are under the dynamic regulation of activating guanine exchange factors (GEFs) and inactivating GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). Once activated, RABs recruit a large spectrum of effectors to control trafficking functions of eukaryotic cells.

Autophagic Flux Assessment in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Autophagy protects colorectal cancer cells against therapeutic intervention. Autophagy is a continuous process, and autophagic flux requires both autophagosome synthesis and their subsequent degradation at lysosomes. Hence, cells with elevated autophagic flux display both rapid autophagosome generation and degradation.

Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor Activation Promotes the Prodestructive Invadosome-Forming Phenotype of Synoviocytes from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) play a major role in invasive joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This prodestructive phenotype has been shown to involve autocrine TGF-β that triggers formation of matrix-degrading invadosomes through molecular mechanisms that are not fully elucidated. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor (PDGFR) family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) has been shown to cooperate with TGF-β in various pathological conditions.

Snail Is a Critical Mediator of Invadosome Formation and Joint Degradation in Arthritis.

Progressive cartilage destruction, mediated by invasive fibroblast-like synoviocytes, is a central feature in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Members of the Snail family of transcription factors are required for cell migration and invasion, but their role in joint destruction remains unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that Snail is essential for the formation of extracellular matrix-degrading invadosomal structures by synovial cells from collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats and RA patients.

Transglutaminase 2 cross-linking activity is linked to invadopodia formation and cartilage breakdown in arthritis.

Introduction: The microenvironment surrounding inflamed synovium leads to the activation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), which are important contributors to cartilage destruction in rheumatoid arthritic (RA) joints. Transglutaminase 2 (TG2), an enzyme involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) cross-linking and remodeling, is activated by inflammatory signals. This study was undertaken to assess the potential contribution of TG2 to FLS-induced cartilage degradation.

Potato suberin induces differentiation and secondary metabolism in the genus Streptomyces.

Bacteria of the genus Streptomyces are soil microorganisms with a saprophytic life cycle. Previous studies have revealed that the phytopathogenic agent S. scabiei undergoes metabolic and morphological modifications in the presence of suberin, a complex plant polymer.

Formation of invadopodia-like structures by synovial cells promotes cartilage breakdown in collagen-induced arthritis: involvement of the protein tyrosine kinase Src.

Objective: Invasive synovial fibroblasts are suggested to be the major effectors of cartilage and bone destruction, and this aggressive phenotype can lead to irreversible damage. In cancer cells, invasion across tissue boundaries and metastasis have recently been shown to depend on the capacity of the cells to breach the basement membrane, a process that was linked to the formation of the actin-rich cell protrusions called invadopodia. This study was undertaken to investigate whether arthritic synovial cells use invadopodia to invade and degrade cartilage components.

Autotaxin promotes cancer invasion via the lysophosphatidic acid receptor 4: participation of the cyclic AMP/EPAC/Rac1 signaling pathway in invadopodia formation.

The ability of cancer cells to invade and metastasize is the major cause of death in cancer patients. Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted lysophospholipase whose level of expression within tumors correlates strongly with their aggressiveness and invasiveness. ATX is the major enzyme involved in the production of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a phospholipid that is known to act mostly through its three first characterized receptors (LPA(1), LPA(2), and LPA(3)).

Effect of potato suberin on Streptomyces scabies proteome.

Two-dimensional (2D) PAGE was used to detect proteins induced in Streptomyces scabies by potato suberin, a lipidic plant polymer. Nineteen up-regulated proteins were excised from 2D gels and analysed by N-terminal sequencing or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Four of the up-regulated proteins could be linked to the bacterial response to stress (AldH, GroES, TerD and LexA).

Effect of amino acids on thaxtomin A biosynthesis by Streptomyces scabies.

The regulatory effect of amino acids on the production of thaxtomin A, a phytotoxin produced by Streptomyces scabies, was investigated. Tryptophan had an important inhibitory effect on the toxin biosynthesis in all five strains of S. scabies tested.