A Pro-Inflammatory Stimulus versus Extensive Passaging of DITNC1 Astrocyte Cultures as Models to Study Astrogliosis.

Astrogliosis is a process by which astrocytes, when exposed to inflammation, exhibit hypertrophy, motility, and elevated expression of reactivity markers such as Glial Fibrillar Acidic Protein, Vimentin, and Connexin43. Since 1999, our laboratory in Chile has been studying molecular signaling pathways associated with "gliosis" and has reported that reactive astrocytes upregulate Syndecan 4 and αβ Integrin, which are receptors for the neuronal glycoprotein Thy-1. Thy-1 engagement stimulates adhesion and migration of reactive astrocytes and induces neurons to retract neurites, thus hindering neuronal network repair.

Application of the Team Emergency Assessment Measure Scale in undergraduate medical students and interprofessional clinical teams: validity evidence of a Spanish version applied in Chile.

Background: Teamwork is one of the competencies necessary for physicians to work effectively in health systems and is a competency that can be developed with simulation in professionals and medicine students. The Team Emergency Assessment Measurement (TEAM) was created to evaluate the non-technical performance of team members during resuscitation events in real teams. The TEAM scale includes items to assess leadership, teamwork, situational awareness, and task management.

The GPI-Anchored Protein Thy-1/CD90 Promotes Wound Healing upon Injury to the Skin by Enhancing Skin Perfusion.

Wound healing is a highly regulated multi-step process that involves a plethora of signals. Blood perfusion is crucial in wound healing and abnormalities in the formation of new blood vessels define the outcome of the wound healing process. Thy-1 has been implicated in angiogenesis and silencing of the Thy-1 gene retards the wound healing process.

Thy-1 (CD90), Integrins and Syndecan 4 are Key Regulators of Skin Wound Healing.

Acute skin wound healing is a multistage process consisting of a plethora of tightly regulated signaling events in specialized cells. The Thy-1 (CD90) glycoprotein interacts with integrins and the heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan 4, generating a trimolecular complex that triggers bi-directional signaling to regulate diverse aspects of the wound healing process. These proteins can act either as ligands or receptors, and they are critical for the successful progression of wound healing.

An Outside-In Switch in Integrin Signaling Caused by Chemical and Mechanical Signals in Reactive Astrocytes.

Astrocyte reactivity is associated with poor repair capacity after injury to the brain, where chemical and physical changes occur in the damaged zone. Astrocyte surface proteins, such as integrins, are upregulated, and the release of pro-inflammatory molecules and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins upon damage generate a stiffer matrix. Integrins play an important role in triggering a reactive phenotype in astrocytes, and we have reported that α β Integrin binds to the Thy-1 (CD90) neuronal glycoprotein, increasing astrocyte contractility and motility.

Thy-1 (CD90)-Induced Metastatic Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion Are β3 Integrin-Dependent and Involve a Ca/P2X7 Receptor Signaling Axis.

Cancer cell adhesion to the vascular endothelium is an important step in tumor metastasis. Thy-1 (CD90), a cell adhesion molecule expressed in activated endothelial cells, has been implicated in melanoma metastasis by binding to integrins present in cancer cells. However, the signaling pathway(s) triggered by this Thy-1-Integrin interaction in cancer cells remains to be defined.

Thy-1/CD90 a Bidirectional and Lateral Signaling Scaffold.

Thy-1/CD90 is a glycoprotein attached to the outer face of the plasma membrane with various functions, which depend on the context of specific physiological or pathological conditions. Many of these reported functions for Thy-1/CD90 arose from studies by our group, which identified the first ligand/receptor for Thy-1/CD90 as an integrin. This finding initiated studies directed toward unveiling the molecular mechanisms that operate downstream of Thy-1/CD90 activation, and its possible interaction with proteins in the membrane plane to regulate their function.

Intracellular Ca Increases and Connexin 43 Hemichannel Opening Are Necessary but Not Sufficient for Thy-1-Induced Astrocyte Migration.

Under pro-inflammatory conditions, astrocytes become reactive and acquire a migratory phenotype. Our results show that hemichannels formed by connexin 43 (Cx43) play an important role in Thy-1-induced astrocyte migration. The neuronal protein Thy-1 binds to αvβ3 integrin in astrocytes, thereby leading to intricate signaling pathways that include calcium (Ca) release from intracellular stores, opening of Cx43 hemichannels, release of ATP, activation of P2X7 receptor, and Ca influx.