Interplay of co-cultured chimeric adipose and gingival tissues exacerbates inflammatory dysfunction relevant to periodontal and metabolic conditions.

Adipose tissue dysfunction is a key feature of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of periodontitis, an inflammatory disease induced by bacteria that affects the gingiva and other components of periodontal tissue. Recent studies indicate that molecules from inflamed periodontal tissue contribute to adipose tissue dysfunction. However, the cellular mechanisms and interactions between adipose tissue and gingiva driving the progression of metabolic and periodontal conditions remain unclear.

CD271 mRNA/hnRNPA2B1 complex promotes proliferation and stemness in oral and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

RNAs, such as noncoding RNA, microRNA, and recently mRNA, have been recognized as signal transduction molecules. CD271, also known as nerve growth factor receptor, has a critical role in cancer, although the precise mechanism is still unclear. Here, we show that CD271 mRNA, but not CD271 protein, facilitates spheroid cell proliferation.

FAXC interacts with ANXA2 and SRC in mitochondria and promotes tumorigenesis in cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the most difficult malignancies to treat as the therapeutic options are limited. Although several driver genes have been identified, most remain unknown. In this study, we identified a failed axon connection homolog (FAXC), whose function is unknown in mammals, by analyzing serially passaged CCA xenograft models.

CD271 promotes proliferation and migration in bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer is a urothelial cancer and effective therapeutic strategies for its advanced stages are limited. Here, we report that CD271, a neurotrophin receptor, promotes the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells. CD271 knockdown decreased proliferation in both adherent and spheroid cultures, and vice versa when CD271 was overexpressed in bladder cancer cell lines.

Multi-gene Liquid Biopsy to Detect Resistance to First-line Osimertinib in Patients With -mutated Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Background/aim: Osimertinib is currently used as a first-line treatment for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer, and the emergence of drug resistance poses a substantial challenge. Liquid biopsy with a multi-gene panel can examine both the molecular mechanisms and possibility of early resistance diagnosis.

Patients And Methods: We used a molecular barcode library construction kit (Archer LiquidPlex™) that allowed the analysis of multiple cancer-related genes using cell-free DNA from the plasma samples of patients.

Types of cell culture inserts affect cell crosstalk between co-cultured macrophages and adipocytes.

Cell culture inserts offer an in vivo-like microenvironment to investigate cell-cell interactions between co-cultivated cells. However, it is unclear if types of inserts affect cell crosstalk. Here, we developed an environment-friendly cell culture insert, XL-insert, which can reduce plastic waste with lower cost.

Enzyme-Digested Edible Bird's Nest (EBND) Prevents UV and Arid Environment-Induced Cellular Oxidative Stress, Cell Death and DNA Damage in Human Skin Keratinocytes and Three-Dimensional Epithelium Equivalents.

The aim of this study is to investigate the repressive effects of enzyme-digested edible bird's nest (EBND) on the combination of arid environment and UV-induced intracellular oxidative stress, cell death, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and inflammatory responses in human HaCaT keratinocytes and three-dimensional (3D) epithelium equivalents. An oxygen radical antioxidant capacity assay showed that EBND exhibited excellent peroxyl radical scavenging activity and significantly increased cellular antioxidant capacity in HaCaT cells. When EBND was administered to HaCaT cells and 3D epitheliums, it exhibited significant preventive effects on air-drying and UVA (Dry-UVA)-induced cell death and apoptosis.

BEX2 is poor prognostic factor and required for cancer stemness in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide. However, targeted therapy for advanced gastric cancer is still limited. Here, we report BEX2 (Brain expressed X-linked 2) as a poor prognostic factor in two gastric cancer cohorts.

Clinical and genomic features of non-small cell lung cancer occurring in families.

Background: Exposure to environmental carcinogens, such as through smoking, is a major factor in the carcinogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, genetic factors may also contribute.

Methods: To identify candidate tumor suppressor genes for NSCLC, we included 23 patients (10 related pairs and 3 individuals) with NSCLC who had other NSCLC-affected first-degree relatives in a local hospital.

Autocleavage of separase suppresses its premature activation by promoting binding to cyclin B1.

Accurate chromosome segregation requires timely activation of separase, a protease that cleaves cohesin during the metaphase-to-anaphase transition. However, the mechanism that maintains the inactivity of separase prior to this event remains unclear. We provide evidence that separase autocleavage plays an essential role in this process.

RELA is required for CD271 expression and stem-like characteristics in hypopharyngeal cancer.

CD271 (also referred to as nerve growth factor receptor or p75) is expressed on cancer stem cells in hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) and regulates cell proliferation. Because elevated expression of CD271 increases cancer malignancy and correlates with poor prognosis, CD271 could be a promising therapeutic target; however, little is known about the induction of CD271 expression and especially its promoter activity. In this study, we screened transcription factors and found that RELA (p65), a subunit of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB), is critical for CD271 transcription in cancer cells.

Enzyme-digested Colla Corii Asini (E'jiao) suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory changes in THP-1 macrophages and OP9 adipocytes.

Gut microbial lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in adipose tissue are associated with the dysfunction of adipocytes, insulin resistance and the development of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study is to investigate (1) the effects of LPS on the differentiation and inflammatory responses of THP-1 monocytes and OP9 preadipocytes under serum free conditions and (2) the repressive effects of enzyme-digested Colla Corii Asini (CCAD) and fish gelatin (FGD) on LPS-induced inflammatory responses in THP-1 macrophages and OP9 adipocytes. Immunofluorescence and oil red O staining showed that a serum free medium supplied with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) could induce differentiation and lipid accumulation in THP-1 cells as well as OP9 cells.

Establishment of a monoclonal antibody against glycosylated CD271 specific for cancer cells in immunohistochemistry.

Various proteins are highly expressed in cancer (e.g., epidermal growth factor receptor); however, the majority are also expressed in normal cells, although they may differ in expression intensity.

Cancer Stem Cells in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma; Their Molecular Basis, and Therapeutic Implications.

Cancer tissue consists of heterogenous cell types, and cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of the tissue which possess therapy resistance, tumor reconstruction capability, and are responsible for metastasis. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is one of the most common type of liver cancer that is highly aggressive with poor prognosis. Since no target therapy is efficient in improving patient outcomes, new therapeutic approaches need to be developed.

Liquid biopsy with droplet digital PCR targeted to specific mutations in plasma cell-free tumor DNA can detect ovarian cancer recurrence earlier than CA125.

Objective: Ovarian cancer (OC) is an intractable gynecological tumor, and frequent recurrence is experienced within a few years even after the complete eradication of tumor tissues by radical resection and neo-adjuvant chemotherapies. The conventional recurrence marker, CA125, is widely used for follow-up after resection of OC, but CA125 has a long half-life in blood and lacks dynamic responses to tumor recurrence. Recent developments in liquid biopsy procedures are expected to overcome the difficulties in early diagnosis of OC recurrence after surgery.

BEX2 is required for maintaining dormant cancer stem cell in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for therapy resistance and share several properties with normal stem cells. Here, we show that brain-expressed X-linked gene 2 (BEX2), which is essential for dormant CSCs in cholangiocarcinoma, is highly expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions compared with the adjacent normal lesions and that in 41 HCC cases the BEX2 expression group is correlated with a poor prognosis. BEX2 localizes to Ki67-negative (nonproliferative) cancer cells in HCC tissues and is highly expressed in the dormant fraction of HCC cell lines.

Peripheral-neuron-like properties of differentiated human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs).

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying human pain sensation requires the establishment of an in vitro model of pain reception comprising human cells expressing pain-sensing receptors and function properly as neurons. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are mesenchymal stem cells and a promising candidate for producing human neuronal cells, however, the functional properties of differentiated hDPSCs have not yet been fully characterized. In this study, we demonstrated neuronal differentiation of hDPSCs via both their expression of neuronal marker proteins and their neuronal function examined using Ca2+ imaging.

Robustness of a Cancer Profiling Test Using Formalin-fixed Paraffin Embedded Tumor Specimens.

Background/aim: Cancer profiling tests using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens with various conditions have become an essential tool for cancer treatment. The robustness of these tests needs to be addressed.

Materials And Methods: A cancer profiling test, NCC oncopanel, was tested with FFPE specimens from various tissues with different storage conditions and fixation lengths.

Hydrogen-Generating Silica Material Prevents UVA-ray-Induced Cellular Oxidative Stress, Cell Death, Collagen Loss and Melanogenesis in Human Cells and 3D Skin Equivalents.

Ultraviolet-A UVA) irradiation induces harmful effects on skin cells and accelerates skin aging through oxidative stress. In this study, the effects of a hydrogen-generating silica material named ULH-002 against UVA injuries in human cells and 3D skin equivalents were investigated. The oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assay showed that both freshly prepared ULH-002 solutions and 7-day-old solutions exhibited equal peroxyl radical (ROO·) scavenging activities concentration-dependently.

BEX2 suppresses mitochondrial activity and is required for dormant cancer stem cell maintenance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) define a subpopulation of cancer cells that are resistant to therapy. However, little is known of how CSC characteristics are regulated. We previously showed that dormant cancer stem cells are enriched with a CD274 fraction of cholangiocarcinoma cells.

Rapid differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells to neuron-like cells by high K stimulation.

As human-origin cells, human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are thought to be potentially useful for biological and medical experiments. They are easily obtained from lost primary teeth or extracted wisdom teeth, and they are mesenchymal stem cells that are known to differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. Although hDPSCs originate from neural crest cells, it is difficult to induce hDPSCs to differentiate into neuron-like cells.

Type I collagen facilitates safe and reliable expansion of human dental pulp stem cells in xenogeneic serum-free culture.

Background: Human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a readily accessible and promising cell source for regenerative medicine. We recently reported that a xenogeneic serum-free culture medium (XFM) is preferable to fetal bovine serum-containing culture medium for ex vivo expansion of DPSCs; however, we observed that, upon reaching overconfluence, XFM cells developed a multilayered structure and frequently underwent apoptotic death, resulting in reduced cell yield. Therefore, we focused on optimization of the XFM culture system to avoid the undesirable death of DPSCs.