Publications by authors named "Laura Lauden"

Aims: Allogeneic human cardiac-derived stem/progenitor cells (hCPC) are promising candidates for cardiac repair. They interact with T cells, major effectors of the adaptive immune response, inducing 'paracrine' anti-inflammatory effects that could sustain tissue repair/regeneration. Natural killer (NK) cells are major effectors of the innate immune system that might influence the persistence of therapeutic stem/progenitor cells.

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Tumor-produced extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins can be key elements in tumor growth and metastasis. Transforming growth factor beta-inducible (TGFBI) protein is a secreted ECM component that can have dual function in cancer, acting as tumor suppressor or promoter. Although TGFBI is expressed in human melanoma cells, the exact role it might have in melanoma metastasis remains elusive.

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A soluble isoform of MHC class I chain-related molecule A (soluble MICA), generated by proteolytic shedding from the membrane-bound MICA of various tumor cells, has been shown to downregulate both the expression of natural killer group 2-member D receptor and the cytotoxic function of effectors cells and was postulated as a mechanism for tumor immune evasion. Its effect on the expression of cytokines by the effector cells remained unexplored. Here we demonstrate that the sMICA molecules upregulate interferon gamma expression by interleukin-12/interleukin-18-activated CD3(-)CD56(+) natural killer cells, witnessing the pro-inflammatory effect of soluble MICA.

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Although a CCTG expansion in the gene encoding the zinc knuckle protein CNBP causes a common form of muscular dystrophy, the function of both human CNBP and its putative budding yeast ortholog Gis2 remain poorly understood. Here we report the protein interactions of Gis2 and the subcellular locations of both Gis2 and CNBP. We found that Gis2 exhibits RNA-dependent interactions with two proteins involved in mRNA recognition, the poly(A) binding protein and the translation initiation factor eIF4G.

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Rationale: Transplantation of allogeneic cardiac stem/progenitor cells (CPC) in experimental myocardial infarction promoted cardiac regeneration and improved heart function. Although this has enhanced prospects of using allogeneic CPC for cardiac repair, the mechanisms regulating the behavior of these allogeneic cells, which are central to clinical applications, remain poorly understood.

Objective: T cells orchestrate the allogeneic adaptive immune response.

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The role and the mechanisms by which β1 integrins regulate the survival and chemoresistance of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) still are poorly addressed. In this study, we demonstrate in T-ALL cell lines and primary blasts, that engagement of α2β1 integrin with its ligand collagen I (ColI), reduces doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, whereas fibronectin (Fn) had no effect. ColI but not Fn inhibited doxorubicin-induced mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release, and activation of caspase-9 and -3.

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Background: The aggressiveness of melanoma tumors is likely to rely on their well-recognized heterogeneity and plasticity. Melanoma comprises multi-subpopulations of cancer cells some of which may possess stem cell-like properties. Although useful, the sphere-formation assay to identify stem cell-like or tumor initiating cell subpopulations in melanoma has been challenged, and it is unclear if this model can predict a functional phenotype associated with aggressive tumor cells.

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