1,721,154 research outputs found
Adipose stromal cells promote the transition of colorectal cancer cells toward a mesenchymal-like phenotype
Full text linkColon cancer progression is among the risks that increase with obesity. We have recently unveiled the molecular mechanism by which adipose tissue-released molecules, HGF and IL-6, make colorectal cancer (CRC) cells acquiring mesenchymal traits. Targeting of adipose-derived factors abrogate the metastatic potential of CRC stem cells (CR-CSCs) in obese patients
Novel insights into cancer stem cells targeting: CAR-T therapy and epigenetic drugs as new pillars in cancer treatment
Full text linkCancer stem cells (CSCs) represent the most aggressive subpopulation present in the tumor bulk retaining invasive capabilities, metastatic potential and high expression levels of drug efflux pumps responsible for therapy resistance. Cancer is still an incurable disease due to the inefficacy of standard regimens that spare this subpopulation. Selective targeting of CSCs is still an unmet need in cancer research field. Aberrant epigenetic reprogramming promotes the initiation and maintenance of CSCs, which are able to escape the immune system defense. Promising therapeutic approaches able to induce the selective inhibition of this stem-like small subset include immunotherapy alone or in combination with epigenetic compounds. These strategies are based on the specific expression of epitopes and/or epigenetic alterations present only in the CSC and not in the other cancer cells or normal cells. Thus, the combined approach utilizing CAR-T immunotherapy along with epigenetic probes may overcome the barriers of treatment ineffectiveness towards a more precision medicine approach in patients with known specific alterations of CSCs. In this perspective article we will shed new lights on the future applications of epi-immunotherapy in tumors enriched in CSCs, along with its potential side-effects, limitations and the development of therapy resistance
The miRNA Contribution in Adipocyte Maturation
Full text linkMesenchymal stem cells, due to their multipotent ability, are considered one of the best candidates to be used in regenerative medicine. To date, the most used source is represented by the bone marrow, despite the limited number of cells and the painful/invasive procedure for collection. Therefore, the scientific community has investigated many alternative sources for the collection of mesenchymal stem cells, with the adipose tissue representing the best option, given the abundance of mesenchymal stem cells and the easy access. Although adipose mesenchymal stem cells have recently been investigated for their multipotency, the molecular mechanisms underlying their adipogenic potential are still unclear. In this scenario, this communication is aimed at defining the role of miRNAs in adipogenic potential of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells via real-time PCR. Even if preliminary, our data show that cell culture conditions affect the expression of specific miRNA involved in the adipogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells. The in vitro/in vivo validation of these results could pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies in the field of regenerative medicine. In conclusion, our research highlights how specific cell culture conditions can modulate the adipogenic potential of adipose mesenchymal stem cells through the regulation of specific miRNAs
Cancer Stem Cells: From Birth to Death
No full textAbstract Conspicuous investigations have proven the role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in the onset and progression of a plethora of liquid and solid neoplasms.
CSCs are endowed with the capability of initiating tumor growth and becoming dormant at distant organ sites just waiting for optimal conditions amenable for metastatic outgrowth. This cancer subpopulation is inherently resistant to anticancer therapeutics, and its targeting could avoid metastatic disease, which is largely incurable, and clinical relapses. CSCs are considered the Achilles heel of cancer. However, many efforts are necessary to identify univocal CSC markers as well as specific CSC biomarkers of therapeutic response.
Here, we summarize CSCs’ peculiarities and highlight novel anticancer compounds coping with the hallmarks of CSCs, comprising the resistance to cell death,
their quiescent state, the immune suppression, the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and their metabolic adaptation to a hostile microenvironment
Designing an Intelligent Cyber-Biological System for Enhanced Analysis and Monitoring of Organoids
No full textOrganoids replicate key aspects of organ function and present a microcosmic representation of the in-vivo state, offering unprecedented opportunities for disease modeling, drug testing, and personalized medicine. However, the complexity of these heterogeneous biological models requires innovative approaches to optimize the analysis and monitoring. This work outlines an Intelligent Cyber-Biological System (ICBS) with a multi-layered MAPE-K structure for enhanced analysis and real-time organoid monitoring. Starting with the Laboratory Layer, the ICBS harnesses real-time data from organoid cultures, which the Data Layer processes and archives for insight extraction. The Intelligence Layer employs advanced machine learning (ML) models for pattern recognition and predictive analytics, identifying critical development stages and treatment responses. In the Decision Layer, perceptions derived from ML-generated guide strategic decision-making for culture condition adjustments and further examinations. The ICBS framework engages researchers in its findings, fostering decision implementation and a responsive feedback system. Its real-world application in the intestinal organoid case study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed solution, increasing the efficiency of experimental processes and the predictive accuracy of treatment outcomes
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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