BMP feed-forward loop promotes terminal differentiation in gastric glands and is interrupted by H. pylori-driven inflammation.

Helicobacter pylori causes gastric inflammation, gland hyperplasia and is linked to gastric cancer. Here, we studied the interplay between gastric epithelial stem cells and their stromal niche under homeostasis and upon H. pylori infection.

R-spondin-3 induces secretory, antimicrobial Lgr5 cells in the stomach.

Wnt signalling stimulated by binding of R-spondin (Rspo) to Lgr-family members is crucial for gastrointestinal stem cell renewal. Infection of the stomach with Helicobacter pylori stimulates increased secretion of Rspo by myofibroblasts, leading to an increase in proliferation of Wnt-responsive Axin2Lgr5 stem cells in the isthmus of the gastric gland and finally gastric gland hyperplasia. Basal Lgr5 cells are also exposed to Rspo3, but their response remains unclear.

2D and 3D cell cultures - a comparison of different types of cancer cell cultures.

Cell culture is a widely used tool for improving our understanding of cell biology, tissue morphology, and mechanisms of diseases, drug action, protein production and the development of tissue engineering. Most research regarding cancer biology is based on experiments using two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures . However, 2D cultures have many limitations, such as the disturbance of interactions between the cellular and extracellular environments, changes in cell morphology, polarity, and method of division.

Tumor microenvironment - Unknown niche with powerful therapeutic potential.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are in a group of cancers that are the most resistant to treatment. The survival rate of HNSCC patients has been still very low since last 20 years. The existence of relationship between oncogenic and surrounding cells is probably the reason for a poor response to treatment.

Stromal R-spondin orchestrates gastric epithelial stem cells and gland homeostasis.

The constant regeneration of stomach epithelium is driven by long-lived stem cells, but the mechanism that regulates their turnover is not well understood. We have recently found that the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori can activate gastric stem cells and increase epithelial turnover, while Wnt signalling is known to be important for stem cell identity and epithelial regeneration in several tissues. Here we find that antral Wnt signalling, marked by the classic Wnt target gene Axin2, is limited to the base and lower isthmus of gastric glands, where the stem cells reside.

Different levels of let-7d expression modulate response of FaDu cells to irradiation and chemotherapeutics.

Unlabelled: The implication of the let-7 family in cancer development is multifaceted. The family acts as tumor suppressor miRNA although overexpression of let-7 has also been described in many types of cancer, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The aim of this study includes whether different expression levels of let-7d has an influence on chemo- and radiosensitivity.