High-Precision Photoacoustic Neural Modulation Uses a Non-Thermal Mechanism.

Neuromodulation is a powerful tool for fundamental studies in neuroscience and potential treatments of neurological disorders. Both photoacoustic (PA) and photothermal (PT) effects are harnessed for non-genetic high-precision neural stimulation. Using a fiber-based device excitable by a nanosecond pulsed laser and a continuous wave laser for PA and PT stimulation, respectively, PA and PT neuromodulation is systematically investigated at the single neuron level.

Small Extracellular Vesicles Promote Stiffness-mediated Metastasis.

Unlabelled: Tissue stiffness is a critical prognostic factor in breast cancer and is associated with metastatic progression. Here we show an alternative and complementary hypothesis of tumor progression whereby physiologic matrix stiffness affects the quantity and protein cargo of small extracellular vesicles (EV) produced by cancer cells, which in turn aid cancer cell dissemination. Primary patient breast tissue released by cancer cells on matrices that model human breast tumors (25 kPa; stiff EVs) feature increased adhesion molecule presentation (ITGα2β1, ITGα6β4, ITGα6β1, CD44) compared with EVs from softer normal tissue (0.

High-precision photoacoustic neural modulation uses a non-thermal mechanism.

Neuromodulation is a powerful tool for fundamental studies in neuroscience and potential treatments of neurological disorders. Both photoacoustic (PA) and photothermal (PT) effects have been harnessed for non-genetic high-precision neural stimulation. Using a fiber-based device excitable by a nanosecond pulsed laser and a continuous wave laser for PA and PT stimulation, respectively, we systematically investigated PA and PT neuromodulation at the single neuron level.

Small extracellular vesicles promote stiffness-mediated metastasis.

Tissue stiffness is a critical prognostic factor in breast cancer and is associated with metastatic progression. Here we show an alternative and complementary hypothesis of tumor progression whereby physiological matrix stiffness affects the quantity and protein cargo of small EVs produced by cancer cells, which in turn drive their metastasis. Primary patient breast tissue produces significantly more EVs from stiff tumor tissue than soft tumor adjacent tissue.

Extracellular vesicles in immunomodulation and tumor progression.

Extracellular vesicles have emerged as prominent regulators of the immune response during tumor progression. EVs contain a diverse repertoire of molecular cargo that plays a critical role in immunomodulation. Here, we identify the role of EVs as mediators of communication between cancer and immune cells.