Fluorescent Nanobodies for enhanced guidance in digestive tumors and liver metastasis surgery.

Background: Fluorescence molecular imaging, a potent and non-invasive technique, has become indispensable in medicine for visualizing molecular processes. In surgical oncology, it aids treatment by allowing visualization of tumor cells during fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS). Targeting the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), overexpressed during tissue remodeling and inflammation, holds promise for advancing FGS by specifically highlighting tumors.

Endoglin and squamous cell carcinomas.

Despite the fact that the role of endoglin on endothelial cells has been extensively described, its expression and biological role on (epithelial) cancer cells is still debatable. Especially its function on squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells is largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated SCC endoglin expression and function in three types of SCCs; head and neck (HNSCC), esophageal (ESCC) and vulvar (VSCC) cancers.

Dynamic Visualization of TGF-β/SMAD3 Transcriptional Responses in Single Living Cells.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is tightly controlled in duration and intensity during embryonic development and in the adult to maintain tissue homeostasis. To visualize the TGF-β/SMAD3 signaling kinetics, we developed a dynamic TGF-β/SMAD3 transcriptional fluorescent reporter using multimerized SMAD3/4 binding elements driving the expression of a quickly folded and highly unstable GFP protein. We demonstrate the specificity and sensitivity of this reporter and its wide application to monitor dynamic TGF-β/SMAD3 transcriptional responses in both 2D and 3D systems in vitro, as well as in vivo, using live-cell and intravital imaging.

Multicellular Modelling of Difficult-to-Treat Gastrointestinal Cancers: Current Possibilities and Challenges.

Cancers affecting the gastrointestinal system are highly prevalent and their incidence is still increasing. Among them, gastric and pancreatic cancers have a dismal prognosis (survival of 5-20%) and are defined as difficult-to-treat cancers. This reflects the urge for novel therapeutic targets and aims for personalised therapies.

Targeting Endoglin Expressing Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment Does Not Inhibit Tumor Growth in a Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Model.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal forms of cancer and is known to have low immunogenicity and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. It is also characterized by high accumulation of dense stroma, composed of mostly cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Multiple subsets of CAFs are described, with one of them expressing the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β co-receptor endoglin.