Publications by authors named "Fawzia Louache"

Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) play an important role in obesity and inflammation, and they accumulate in adipose tissue (AT) with aging. Furthermore, increased ATM senescence has been shown in obesity-related AT remodeling and dysfunction. However, ATM senescence and its role are unclear in age-related AT dysfunction.

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Targeting the reprogramming and phagocytic capacities of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) has emerged as a therapeutic opportunity for cancer treatment. Here, we demonstrate that tumor cell phagocytosis drives the pro-inflammatory activation of TAMs and identify a key role for the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1A (p21). Through the transcriptional repression of Signal-Regularity Protein α (SIRPα), p21 promotes leukemia cell phagocytosis and, subsequently, the pro-inflammatory reprogramming of phagocytic macrophages that extends to surrounding macrophages through Interferon γ.

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Background: hPSC-derived endothelial and hematopoietic cells (ECs and HCs) are an interesting source of cells for tissue engineering. Despite their close spatial and temporal embryonic development, current hPSC differentiation protocols are specialized in only one of these lineages. In this study, we generated a hematoendothelial population that could be further differentiated in vitro to both lineages.

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Knowledge about the hematopoietic niche has evolved considerably in recent years, in particular through analyzes, mouse models and the use of xenografts. Its complexity in the human bone marrow, in particular in a context of hematological malignancy, is more difficult to decipher by these strategies and could benefit from the knowledge acquired on the niches of solid tumors. Indeed, some common features can be suspected, since the bone marrow is a frequent site of solid tumor metastases.

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The intrinsic properties of self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) play a critical role in the regeneration of mature hematopoietic cells at steady state and in stress conditions including bleeding, inflammation and aging. Common techniques such as flow cytometry and genetic methods have answered many questions about their intrinsic and extrinsic regulation. Using these approaches, it was demonstrated that HSPCs in the bone marrow demonstrate low rates of proliferation and apoptosis.

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Thrombopoietin (TPO), through activation of its cognate receptor Mpl, is the major regulator of platelet production. However, residual platelets observed in TPO- and Mpl-loss-of-function (LOF) mice suggest the existence of an additional factor to TPO in platelet production. As erythropoietin (EPO) exhibited both in vitro megakaryocytic potential, in association with other early-acting cytokines, and in vivo platelet activation activity, we sought to investigate its role in this setting.

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Bone marrow (BM) niche cells help to keep adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in a quiescent state via secreted factors and induction of cell-cycle inhibitors. Here, we demonstrate that the adapter protein CABLES1 is a key regulator of long-term hematopoietic homeostasis during stress and aging. Young mice lacking Cables1 displayed hyperproliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells.

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Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) residing in the bone marrow (BM) accumulate during aging but are functionally impaired. However, the role of HSC-intrinsic and -extrinsic aging mechanisms remains debated. Megakaryocytes promote quiescence of neighboring HSCs.

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Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a new class of therapeutics that use antibodies to deliver potent cytotoxic drugs selectively to cancer cells. CD203c, an ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase-phosphodiesterase 3, is overexpressed on neoplastic mast cells (MCs) in systemic mastocytosis (SM), thus representing a promising target for antibody-mediated therapy. In this study, we have found that human neoplastic MC lines (ROSA and ROSA), which express high levels of CD203c, are highly and specifically sensitive to the antiproliferative effects of an ADC against CD203c (AGS-16C3F).

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Despite advances to engineer transplantable hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for research and therapy, an in-depth characterization of the developing human hematopoietic system is still lacking. The human embryonic liver is at the crossroad of several hematopoietic sites and harbors a complex hematopoietic hierarchy, including the first actively dividing HSPCs that will further seed the definitive hematopoietic organs. However, few are known about the phenotypic and functional HSPC organization operating at these stages of development.

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In a significant number of cases cancer therapy is followed by a resurgence of more aggressive tumors derived from immature cells. One example is acute myeloid leukemia (AML), where an accumulation of immature cells is responsible for relapse following treatment. We previously demonstrated in chronic myeloid leukemia that the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) pathway is involved in stem cell fate and contributes to transformation, expansion, and persistence of leukemic stem cells.

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Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder that typically associates with mutations in epigenetic, splicing, and signaling genes. Genetically modified mouse models only partially recapitulate the disease phenotype, whereas xenotransplantation of CMML cells in immunocompromised mice has been rarely successful so far. Here, CMML CD34 cells sorted from patient bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood (PB) were injected intravenously into NSG (NOD/LtSz-scid IL2rγnull) mice and NSG mice engineered to express human granulo-monocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell factor, and interleukin-3 (NSGS mice).

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The administration of -expanded Natural Killer (NK) cells in leukemia therapy is still challenging, in part due to the difficulty to generate in sufficient quantities fully mature and functional NK cells and Identification of surface markers indicative of NK maturation and functionality is therefore needed. Here, based on the analysis of surface receptors of -expanded NK cells, we identified CD94 as a surface marker correlating with high lytic potential against leukemic cell lines and immunological synapse formation. CD94-positive -expanded NK cells displayed higher expression of NKG2 receptors and the adhesion molecule LFA-1, as compared with their CD94-negative counterparts.

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The chemokine receptor CXCR4 mediates cell anchorage in the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment and is overexpressed in 25-30% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here we have shown that a new CXCR4 receptor antagonist IgG1 antibody (PF-06747143) binds strongly to AML cell lines and to AML primary cells inhibiting their chemotaxis in response to CXCL12. PF-06747143 also induced cytotoxicity in AML cells via Fc-effector function.

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The CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling exerts a dominant role in promoting hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) retention and quiescence in bone marrow. Gain-of-function mutations that affect homologous desensitization of the receptor have been reported in the WHIM Syndrome (WS), a rare immunodeficiency characterized by lymphopenia. The mechanisms underpinning this remain obscure.

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Hypoxia upregulates the core pluripotency factors NANOG, SOX2, and OCT4, associated with tumor aggressiveness and resistance to conventional anticancer treatments. We have previously reported that hypoxia-induced NANOG contributed in vitro to tumor cell resistance to autologous-specific CTL and in vivo to the in situ recruitment of immune-suppressive cells. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying NANOG-mediated tumor cell resistance to specific lysis under hypoxia.

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Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) undergo self-renewal to maintain hematopoietic homeostasis for lifetime, which is regulated by the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12 are critical factors supporting quiescence and BM retention of HSCs. Here, we report an unknown function of CXCR4/CXCL12 axis in the protection of HSCs against oxidative stress.

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Systemic mastocytosis are rare neoplasms characterized by accumulation of mast cells in at least one internal organ. The majority of systemic mastocytosis patients carry KIT D816V mutation, which activates constitutively the KIT receptor. Patient with advanced forms of systemic mastocytosis, such as aggressive systemic mastocytosis or mast cell leukemia, are poorly treated to date.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pre-leukaemic lesions in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) are identified by their early detection, persistence during relapse, and ability to cause leukaemia and blood cell repopulation in living organisms.!* -
  • Mutations in DNMT3A, TET2, ASXL1, along with other genetic changes like core-binding factor and MLL translocations, are associated with the characteristics of these pre-leukaemic lesions.!* -
  • The findings reveal that these pre-leukaemic cells can cause relapses if not eliminated by treatment, with the genetic hierarchy of AML evolving based on the order of lesions and treatment pressures over time.!*
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JAK2 activation is the driver mechanism in negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). These diseases are characterized by an abnormal retention of hematopoietic stem cells within the bone marrow microenvironment and their increased trafficking to extramedullary sites. The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis plays a central role in hematopoietic stem cell/ progenitor trafficking and retention in hematopoietic sites.

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Hematopoiesis generated from human embryonic stem cells (ES) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) are unprecedented resources for cell therapy. We compared hematopoietic differentiation potentials from ES and iPS cell lines originated from various donors and derived them using integrative and non-integrative vectors. Significant differences in differentiation toward hematopoietic lineage were observed among ES and iPS.

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Although daunorubicin (DNR) is the most widely used anthracycline to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), resistance to this drug remains a critical problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between AML resistance to daunorubicin and susceptibility to natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cell lysis, and the putative expression of miRs. For this purpose, we used the parental AML cell lines U-937 and KG-1 and their equivalent resistant U937(R) and KG-1(R) cell lines.

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The Fas receptor ligand FasL regulates immune cell levels by inducing apoptosis of Fas receptor-positive cells. Here, we studied the impact of host FasL on tumor development in mice. Genetically targeting FasL in naïve mice increased myeloid cell populations, but, in marked contrast, it reduced the levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma tumors.

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Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are characterized by the capacity for self-renewal and the ability to reconstitute the entire hematopoietic compartment. Thrombopoietin maintains adult HSCs in a quiescent state through the induction of cell cycle inhibitors p57(Kip2) and p19(INK4d). Using the p19(INK4d-/-) mouse model, we investigated the role of p19(INK4d) in basal and stress-induced hematopoiesis.

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