Publications by authors named "R M'Kacher"

Unlabelled: Differences/Disorders of sex development (DSDs) are conditions in which the development of chromosomal, gonadal, and anatomical sexes is atypical. DSDs are relatively rare, but their incidence is becoming alarmingly common in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Their etiologies and mechanisms are poorly understood.

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Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare cancer resulting from the transformation of melanocytes in the uveal tract. Integrative analysis has identified four molecular and clinical subsets of UM. To improve our molecular understanding of UM, we performed extensive multi-omics characterization comparing two aggressive UM patient-derived xenograft models with normal choroidal melanocytes, including DNA optical mapping, specific histone modifications, and DNA topology analysis using Hi-C.

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Article Synopsis
  • The behavior and survival of cancer cells can change based on how stiff or soft their environment is.
  • Researchers studied liver cancer cells called HepaRG and found that putting them in a tight space made them act more like stem cells.
  • This process helps improve the quality of their DNA and keeps them from becoming more dangerous cancer cells, showing that pressure can be useful for creating healthier cell types.
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Methods: We used a patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line treated with the mutagenic agent N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Genomic instability was validated using γ-H2AX and micronuclei assays and CGH array for genomic events.

Results: An increased number of progenitors (x5-Fold), which proliferated in liquid cultures with a blast cell morphology, was observed in the mutagenized condition as compared to the unmutagenized one.

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In the event of a radiological or nuclear accident, or when physical dosimetry is not available, the scoring of radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations in lymphocytes constitutes an essential tool for the estimation of the absorbed dose of the exposed individual and for effective triage. Cytogenetic biodosimetry employs different cytogenetic assays including the scoring of dicentrics, micronuclei, and translocations as well as analyses of induced premature chromosome condensation to define the frequency of chromosome aberrations. However, inherent challenges using these techniques include the considerable time span from sampling to result, the sensitivity and specificity of the various techniques, and the requirement of highly skilled personnel.

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