Talin1 dysfunction is genetically linked to systemic capillary leak syndrome.

Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) is a rare life-threatening disorder due to profound vascular leak. The trigger and the cause of the disease are currently unknown and there is no specific treatment. Here, we identified a rare heterozygous splice-site variant in the TLN1 gene in a familial SCLS case, suggestive of autosomal dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance.

Mitochondrial mechanotransduction through MIEF1 coordinates the nuclear response to forces.

Tissue-scale architecture and mechanical properties instruct cell behaviour under physiological and diseased conditions, but our understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains fragmentary. Here we show that extracellular matrix stiffness, spatial confinements and applied forces, including stretching of mouse skin, regulate mitochondrial dynamics. Actomyosin tension promotes the phosphorylation of mitochondrial elongation factor 1 (MIEF1), limiting the recruitment of dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) at mitochondria, as well as peri-mitochondrial F-actin formation and mitochondrial fission.

Vascular cell-matrix adhesion in development and cancer.

The development and homeostasis of vertebrate organisms depend on the "tree of life", in other words, the intricate network of vascular tubes composed of endothelial cells attached to the basement membrane and surrounded by perivascular cells. Although many studies have revealed the fundamental role of cytokines, growth factors and Notch signalling in vascular morphogenesis, we still lack sufficient understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling the various steps of the angiogenic processes. Emerging data highlight that cell adhesions are key players in vascular morphogenesis.

Angiotensin II inhibitor facilitates epidermal wound regeneration in diabetic mice.

Tissue regeneration and wound healing are severely impaired in diabetes and are associated with poor circulation and dysfunctional blood vessels. Angiotensin II inhibitors are anti-hypertensive drugs used in clinical practice to regulate blood pressure and could affect tissue remodeling. We hypothesize that blocking angiotensin II, using Losartan, could facilitate tissue regeneration in diabetic mice.