Matrix stiffness regulates the protein profile of extracellular vesicles of pancreatic cancer cell lines.

The fibrotic stroma characterizing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) derives from a progressive tissue rigidification, which induces epithelial mesenchymal transition and metastatic dissemination. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of matrix stiffness on PDAC progression by analyzing the proteome of PDAC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). PDAC cell lines (mPDAC and KPC) were grown on synthetic supports with a stiffness close to non-tumor (NT) or tumor tissue (T), and the protein expression levels in cell-derived EVs were analyzed by a quantitative MS label-free mass spectrometry approach.

Value of a secretomic approach for distinguishing patients with COVID-19 viral pneumonia among patients with respiratory distress admitted to intensive care unit.

In intensive care units, COVID-19 viral pneumonia patients (VPP) present symptoms similar to those of other patients with Nonviral infection (NV-ICU). To better manage VPP, it is therefore interesting to better understand the molecular pathophysiology of viral pneumonia and to search for biomarkers that may clarify the diagnosis. The secretome being a set of proteins secreted by cells in response to stimuli represents an opportunity to discover new biomarkers.

Nucleolin Targeting by N6L Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Activation in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive and resistant cancer with no available effective therapy. We have previously demonstrated that nucleolin targeting by N6L impairs tumor growth and normalizes tumor vessels in PDAC mouse models. Here, we investigated new pathways that are regulated by nucleolin in PDAC.

Cell surface nucleolin as active bait for nanomedicine in cancer therapy: a promising option.

Conventional chemotherapy used against cancer is mostly limited due to their non-targeted nature, affecting normal tissue and causing undesirable toxic effects to the affected tissue. With the aim of improving these treatments both therapeutically and in terms of their safety, numerous studies are currently being carried out using nanoparticles (NPs) as a vector combining tumor targeting and carrying therapeutic tools. In this context, it appears that nucleolin, a molecule over-expressed on the surface of tumor cells, is an interesting therapeutic target.

3-O-sulfated heparan sulfate interactors target synaptic adhesion molecules from neonatal mouse brain and inhibit neural activity and synaptogenesis in vitro.

Heparan sulfate (HS) chains, covalently linked to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), promote synaptic development and functions by connecting various synaptic adhesion proteins (AP). HS binding to AP could vary according to modifications of HS chains by different sulfotransferases. 3-O-sulfotransferases (Hs3sts) produce rare 3-O-sulfated HSs (3S-HSs), of poorly known functions in the nervous system.

Antagonist of nucleolin, N6L, inhibits neovascularization in mouse models of retinopathies.

Retinal vascular diseases (RVD) have been identified as a major cause of blindness worldwide. These pathologies, including the wet form of age-related macular degeneration, retinopathy of prematurity, and diabetic retinopathy are currently treated by intravitreal delivery of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents. However, repeated intravitreal injections can lead to ocular complications and resistance to these treatments.

Aerosol-Assisted Synthesis of Tailor-Made Hollow Mesoporous Silica Microspheres for Controlled Release of Antibacterial and Anticancer Agents.

Hollow mesoporous silica microsphere (HMSM) particles are one of the most promising vehicles for efficient drug delivery owing to their large hollow interior cavity for drug loading and the permeable mesoporous shell for controlled drug release. Here, we report an easily controllable aerosol-based approach to produce HMSM particles by continuous spray-drying of colloidal silica nanoparticles and Eudragit/Triton X100 composite (EUT) nanospheres as templates, followed by template removal. Importantly, the internal structure of the hollow cavity and the external morphology and the porosity of the mesoporous shell can be tuned to a certain extent by adjusting the experimental conditions (i.

Multivalent cationic pseudopeptide polyplexes as a tool for cancer therapy.

In this study, a novel anticancer reagent based on polyplexes nanoparticles was developed. These nanoparticles are obtained by mixing negatively charged polyelectrolytes with the antitumour cationically-charged pseudopeptide N6L. Using two experimental tumor pancreatic models based upon PANC-1 and mPDAC cells, we found that the antitumour activity of N6L is significantly raised its incorporation in polyplexed nanoparticles.

Occurrence of two distinct urotensin II-related peptides in zebrafish provides new insight into the evolutionary history of the urotensin II gene family.

The urotensin II (UII) family is currently known to consist of two paralogous peptides, namely UII and UII-related peptide (URP). In contrast to UII, which has been identified in all vertebrate classes so far, URP has only been characterized in tetrapods. We report here the occurrence of two distinct URP genes in teleosts, which we have named URP1 and URP2.

Distinct expression patterns of glycoprotein hormone-alpha2 and -beta5 in a basal chordate suggest independent developmental functions.

The vertebrate glycoprotein hormones (GpHs), gonadotropins and thyrotropin, are heterodimers composed of a common alpha- and specific beta-subunit. The recombinant heterodimer of two additional, structurally related proteins identified in vertebrate and protostome genomes, the glycoproteins-alpha2 (GPA2) and-beta5 (GPB5), was shown to activate the thyrotropin receptor and was therefore named thyrostimulin. However, differences in tissue distribution and expression levels of these proteins suggested that they might act as nonassociated factors, prompting further investigation on these proteins.