Epithelial Cell Morphogenesis Research Articles

Canonical ligand-dependent and non-canonical ligand-independent EphA2 signaling in the eye lens of wild-type, knockout, and aging mice.

Disruption of Eph-ephrin bidirectional signaling leads to human congenital and age-related cataracts, but the mechanisms for these opacities in the eye lens remain unclear. Eph receptors bind to ephrin ligands on neighboring cells to induce canonical ligand-mediated signaling. The EphA2 receptor also signals non-canonically without ligand binding in cancerous cells, leading to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We have previously shown that the receptor EphA2 and the ligand ephrin-A5 have diverse functions in maintaining lens transparency in mice. Loss of ephrin-A5 leads to anterior cataracts due to EMT. Surprisingly, both canonical and non-canonical EphA2 activation are present in normal wild-type lenses and in the ephrin-A5 knockout lenses. Canonical EphA2 signaling is localized exclusively to lens epithelial cells and does not change with age. Non-canonical EphA2 signaling is in both epithelial and fiber cells and increases significantly with age. We hypothesize that canonical ligand-dependent EphA2 signaling is required for the morphogenesis and organization of hexagonal equatorial epithelial cells while non-canonical ligand-independent EphA2 signaling is needed for complex membrane interdigitations that change during fiber cell differentiation and maturation. This is the first demonstration of non-canonical EphA2 activation in a non-cancerous tissue or cell and suggests a possible physiological function for ligand-independent EphA2 signaling.

Microneedle Patch for Transdermal Sequential Delivery of KGF-2 and aFGF to Enhance Burn Wound Therapy.

Severe burn wounds usually destroy key cells' functions of the skin resulting in delayed re-epithelization and wound regeneration. Promoting key cells' activities is crucial for burn wound repair. It is well known that keratinocyte growth factor-2 (KGF-2) participates in the proliferation and morphogenesis of epithelial cells while acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF)is a key mediator for fibroblast and endothelial cell growth and differentiation. However, thick eschar and the harsh environment of a burn wound often decrease the delivery efficiency of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) to the wound site. Therefore, herein a novel microneedle patch for sequential transdermal delivery of KGF-2 and aFGF is fabricated to enhance burn wound therapy. aFGF is first loaded in the nanoparticle (NPaFGF) and then encapsulated NPaFGF with KGF-2 in the microneedle patch (KGF-2/NPaFGF@MN). The result shows that KGF-2/NPaFGF@MN can successfully get across the eschar and sequentially release KGF-2 and aFGF. Additional data demonstrated that KGF-2/NPaFGF@MN achieved a quicker wound closure rate with reduced necrotic tissues, faster re-epithelialization, enhanced collagen deposition, and increased neo-vascularization. Further evidence suggests that improved wound healing is regulated by significantly elevated expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha(HIF-1ɑ) and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in burn wounds. All these data proved that KGF-2/NPaFGF@MN is an effective treatment for wound healing of burns.

Engineering fibronectin-templated multi-component fibrillar extracellular matrices to modulate tissue-specific cell response

Cells assemble fibronectin, the major extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, into fibrillar matrices, which serve as 3D architectural scaffolds to provide, together with other ECM proteins tissue-specific environments. Although recent approaches enable to bioengineer 3D fibrillar fibronectin matrices in vitro, it remains elusive how fibronectin can be co-assembled with other ECM proteins into complex 3D fibrillar matrices that recapitulate tissue-specific compositions and cellular responses. Here, we introduce the engineering of fibrillar fibronectin-templated 3D matrices that can be complemented with other ECM proteins, including vitronectin, collagen, and laminin to resemble ECM architectures observed in vivo. For the co-assembly of different ECM proteins, we employed their innate fibrillogenic mechanisms including shear forces, pH-dependent electrostatic interactions, or specific binding domains. Through recapitulating various tissue-specific ECM compositions and morphologies, the large scale multi-composite 3D fibrillar ECM matrices can guide fibroblast adhesion, 3D fibroblast tissue formation, or tissue morphogenesis of epithelial cells. In other examples, we customize multi-composite 3D fibrillar matrices to support the growth of signal propagating neuronal networks and of human brain organoids. We envision that these 3D fibrillar ECM matrices can be tailored in scale and composition to modulate tissue-specific responses across various biological length scales and systems, and thus to advance manyfold studies of cell biological systems.

3D MORPHOGENESIS AND BACTERIAL CO-CULTURE IN A CANINE GUT-ON-A-CHIP USING BIOPSY-DERIVED INTESTINAL ORGANOIDS FROM HEALTHY AND IBD PATIENTS

Abstract The understanding of the role of intestinal bacteria in various intestinal diseases has been limited due to the lack of suitable in vitro models. However, recent advancements in Gut-on-a-Chip culture technology provide a promising avenue for exploring complex interactions between intestinal epithelium and bacteria. In this study, we aimed to create a microfluidic Gut-on-a-Chip co-culture system using dogs as a model. Dogs share similarities with humans in terms of intestinal disease pathophysiology, clinical presentations, and intestinal microbiome, making them a relevant model for various intestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We cultured colonoids from both healthy dogs and dogs with IBD on the Gut-on-a-Chip platform to create villus-like structures under dynamic conditions. Co-cultures with non-pathogenic Escherichia coli (NPE) were established in the Gut-on-a-Chip with healthy colonoids, and we conducted a static Transwell (TW) co-culture for comparison. To assess epithelial barrier integrity, we measured transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), and we evaluated the expression of ZO-1, a tight junction protein, through immunofluorescence staining (IF). Following 6-9 days of uninterrupted medium flow in the Gut-on-a-Chip models, we observed sporadic clusters of villus-like structures (i.e., 3D morphogenesis) in canine intestinal epithelial cells in both the models derived from healthy dogs and those with IBD. The IF confirmed the presence of ZO-1, indicating the establishment of tight junctions. Infection with NPE in the TW system resulted in a significant reduction in TEER (48.2±4.4% at 12 hours and 7.3±5.3% at 24 hours). In contrast, the Gut-on-a-Chip maintained TEER levels at 100.3±12.8% at 12 hours, 94.9±2.2% at 24 hours, and 88.8±15.0% at 48 hours, preserving the 3D structure. The innovative canine Gut-on-a-Chip model, capable of reproducing villus-like structures and preserving a 3D configuration using both healthy and diseased organoids (specifically, IBD), presents a valuable platform for investigating bacterial-epithelium interactions in both human and veterinary medicine. This dynamic microfluidic culture system enables the co-cultivation of living bacteria while maintaining epithelial integrity, facilitating the study of intricate interactions between intestinal bacteria and epithelial crosstalk.

Dynamics and functions of E-cadherin complexes in epithelial cell and tissue morphogenesis.

Cell-cell adhesion is at the center of structure and dynamics of epithelial tissue. E-cadherin-catenin complexes mediate Ca2+-dependent trans-homodimerization and constitute the kernel of adherens junctions. Beyond the basic function of cell-cell adhesion, recent progress sheds light the dynamics and interwind interactions of individual E-cadherin-catenin complex with E-cadherin superclusters, contractile actomyosin and mechanics of the cortex and adhesion. The nanoscale architecture of E-cadherin complexes together with cis-interactions and interactions with cortical actomyosin adjust to junctional tension and mechano-transduction by reinforcement or weakening of specific features of the interactions. Although post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and glycosylation have been implicated, their role for specific aspects of in E-cadherin function has remained unclear. Here, we provide an overview of the E-cadherin complex in epithelial cell and tissue morphogenesis focusing on nanoscale architectures by super-resolution approaches and post-translational modifications from recent, in particular in vivo, studies. Furthermore, we review the computational modelling in E-cadherin complexes and highlight how computational modelling has contributed to a deeper understanding of the E-cadherin complexes.

Characterization of Virulence Factors in Candida Species Causing Candidemia in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand.

Candidemia is often associated with high mortality, and Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis are common causes of this disease. The pathogenicity characteristics of specific Candida spp. that cause candidemia in Thailand are poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the virulence factors of Candida spp. Thirty-eight isolates of different Candida species from blood cultures were evaluated for their virulence properties, including exoenzyme and biofilm production, cell surface hydrophobicity, tissue invasion, epithelial cell damage, morphogenesis, and phagocytosis resistance; the identity and frequency of mutations in ERG11 contributing to azole-resistance were also determined. C. albicans had the highest epithelial cell invasion rate and phospholipase activity, with true hyphae formation, whereas C. tropicalis produced the most biofilm, hydrophobicity, protease activity, and host cell damage and true hyphae formation. ERG11 mutations Y132F and S154F were observed in all azole-resistant C. tropicalis. C. glabrata had the most hemolytic activity while cell invasion was low with no morphologic transition. C. glabrata was more easily phagocytosed than other species. C. parapsilosis generated pseudohyphae but not hyphae and did not exhibit any trends in exoenzyme production. This knowledge will be crucial for understanding the pathogenicity of Candida spp. and will help to explore antivirulence-based treatment.

Enhancer trap lines with GFP driven by smad6b and frizzled1 regulatory sequences for the study of epithelial morphogenesis in the developing zebrafish inner ear.

Live imaging in the zebrafish embryo using tissue-specific expression of fluorescent proteins can yield important insights into the mechanisms that drive sensory organ morphogenesis and cell differentiation. Morphogenesis of the semicircular canal ducts of the vertebrate inner ear requires a complex rearrangement of epithelial cells, including outgrowth, adhesion, fusion and perforation of epithelial projections to generate pillars of tissue that form the hubs of each canal. We report the insertion sites and expression patterns of two enhancer trap lines in the developing zebrafish embryo, each of which highlight different aspects of epithelial cell morphogenesis in the inner ear. A membrane-linked EGFP driven by smad6b regulatory sequences is expressed throughout the otic epithelium, most strongly on the lateral side of the ear and in the sensory cristae. A second enhancer trap line, with cytoplasmic EGFP driven by frizzled1 (fzd1) regulatory sequences, specifically marks cells of the ventral projection and pillar in the developing ear, and marginal cells in the sensory cristae, together with variable expression in the retina and epiphysis, and neurons elsewhere in the developing central nervous system. We have used a combination of methods to identify the insertion sites of these two transgenes, which were generated through random insertion, and show that Targeted Locus Amplification is a rapid and reliable method for the identification of insertion sites of randomly inserted transgenes.

Genetic relationships of the Yucatan black hairless pig with Iberian breeds using single nucleotide polymorfisms

To conduct ex-situ creole pig conservation programs, it is essential to determine which breeding animals will be used, preferentially those with a more significant Iberian genetic component to preserve their origin. This study used a Yucatan black hairless pigs (YBHP) subpopulation to estimate its genetic diversity and population structure. One hundred four adult pigs were selected for the absence of hair, black skin (without spots), black hoof, and straight snout. The porcine-GGP-50K chip was used for SNP genotyping in YBHP, and information on Iberian and Yucatán hairless pigs from the United States (USYU) was taken from databases. All analysis was performed using PLINK v1.9 and v2.1 software. Inbreeding and fixation index values were lower in YBHP, with high observed heterozygosity and allogamy index values, which agree with those obtained in the populations of Canarias and Chato Murciano. According to the clusters generated by the “Genome-Wide Identity by State” analysis, four groups were identified, one of which included pigs from Guadyerbas, USYU, and YBHP. Between populations, YBHP was closely related to the hairless pigs from Guadyerbas, USYU, and Canarias. Principal component analysis showed the same result. According to the results obtained from the runs of homozygosity investigation, aimed to get pools consensus of regions of overlapping, 119 SNPs associated with genes and biological processes were identified. The BMP7 and NSUN2 genes were associated with epithelial cell differentiation, morphogenesis, and epithelial development. For nutrient metabolism: energy, the HADHA, PPARA, ADD1/SREBF1, and FAT1genes were identified.

Hedgehog regulation of epithelial cell state and morphogenesis in the larynx.

The larynx enables speech while regulating swallowing and respiration. Larynx function hinges on the laryngeal epithelium which originates as part of the anterior foregut and undergoes extensive remodeling to separate from the esophagus and form vocal folds that interface with the adjacent trachea. Here we find that sonic hedgehog (SHH) is essential for epithelial integrity in the mouse larynx as well as the anterior foregut. During larynx-esophageal separation, low Shh expression marks specific domains of actively remodeling epithelium that undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) characterized by the induction of N-Cadherin and movement of cells out of the epithelial layer. Consistent with a role for SHH signaling in regulating this process, Shh mutants undergo an abnormal EMT throughout the anterior foregut and larynx, marked by a cadherin switch, movement out of the epithelial layer and cell death. Unexpectedly, Shh mutant epithelial cells are replaced by a new population of FOXA2-negative cells that likely derive from adjacent pouch tissues and form a rudimentary epithelium. These findings have important implications for interpreting the etiology of HH-dependent birth defects within the foregut. We propose that SHH signaling has a default role in maintaining epithelial identity throughout the anterior foregut and that regionalized reductions in SHH trigger epithelial remodeling.

Regulation of the collagen IV network by the basement membrane protein perlecan is crucial for squamous epithelial cell morphogenesis and organ architecture

All epithelia have their basal side in contact with a specialized extracellular matrix, the basement membrane (BM). During development, the BM contributes to the shaping of epithelial organs via its mechanical properties. These properties rely on two core components of the BM, collagen type IV and perlecan/HSPG2, which both interact with another core component, laminin, the initiator of BM assembly. While collagen type IV supplies the BM with rigidity to constrain the tissue, perlecan antagonizes this effect. Nevertheless, the number of organs that has been studied is still scarce, and given that epithelial tissues exhibit a wide array of shapes, their forms are bound to be regulated by distinct mechanisms. This is underscored by mounting evidence that BM composition and assembly/biogenesis is tissue-specific. Moreover, previous reports have essentially focused on the mechanical role of the BM in morphogenesis at the tissue scale, but not the cell scale. Here, we took advantage of the robust conservation of core BM proteins and the limited genetic redundancy of the Drosophila model system to address how this matrix shapes the wing imaginal disc, a complex organ comprising a squamous, a cuboidal and a columnar epithelium. With the use of a hypomorphic allele, we show that the depletion of Trol (Drosophila perlecan) affects the morphogenesis of the three epithelia, but particularly that of the squamous one. The planar surface of the squamous epithelium (SE) becomes extremely narrow, due to a function for Trol in the control of the squamous shape of its cells. Furthermore, we find that the lack of Trol impairs the biogenesis of the BM of the SE by modifying the structure of the collagen type IV lattice. Through atomic force microscopy and laser surgery, we demonstrate that Trol provides elasticity to the SE's BM, thereby regulating the mechanical properties of the SE. Moreover, we show that Trol acts via collagen type IV, since the global reduction in the trol mutant context of collagen type IV or the enzyme that cross-links its 7S -but not the enzyme that cross-links its NC1- domain substantially restores the morphogenesis of the SE. In addition, a stronger decrease in collagen type IV achieved by the overexpression of the matrix metalloprotease 2 exclusively in the BM of the SE, significantly rescues the organization of the two other epithelia. Our data thus sustain a model in which Trol counters the rigidity conveyed by collagen type IV to the BM of the SE, via the regulation of the NC1-dependant assembly of its scaffold, allowing the spreading of the squamous cells, spreading which is compulsory for the architecture of the whole organ.

Mitochondria Lead the Way: Mitochondrial Dynamics and Function in Cellular Movements in Development and Disease.

The dynamics, distribution and activity of subcellular organelles are integral to regulating cell shape changes during various physiological processes such as epithelial cell formation, cell migration and morphogenesis. Mitochondria are famously known as the powerhouse of the cell and play an important role in buffering calcium, releasing reactive oxygen species and key metabolites for various activities in a eukaryotic cell. Mitochondrial dynamics and morphology changes regulate these functions and their regulation is, in turn, crucial for various morphogenetic processes. In this review, we evaluate recent literature which highlights the role of mitochondrial morphology and activity during cell shape changes in epithelial cell formation, cell division, cell migration and tissue morphogenesis during organism development and in disease. In general, we find that mitochondrial shape is regulated for their distribution or translocation to the sites of active cell shape dynamics or morphogenesis. Often, key metabolites released locally and molecules buffered by mitochondria play crucial roles in regulating signaling pathways that motivate changes in cell shape, mitochondrial shape and mitochondrial activity. We conclude that mechanistic analysis of interactions between mitochondrial morphology, activity, signaling pathways and cell shape changes across the various cell and animal-based model systems holds the key to deciphering the common principles for this interaction.

Identification of microRNA-Associated-ceRNA Networks Regulating Crop Milk Production in Pigeon (Columba livia).

Pigeon belongs to altrices. Squab cannot forage independently. Nutrition can only be obtained from crop milk secreted by male and female pigeon. miRNA could regulate many biological events. However, the roles of miRNA and ceRNA in regulating crop milk production are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the miRNAs expression profile of female pigeon crop, explored the potential key genes, and found the regulatory mechanisms of crop milk production. A total of 71 miRNAs were identified differentially expressed significantly. Meanwhile, miR-20b-5p, miR-146b-5p, miR-21-5p, and miR-26b-5p were found to be the key miRNAs regulating lactation. Target genes of these miRNAs participated mainly in cell development; protein and lipid synthesis; and ion signaling processes, such as cell-cell adhesion, epithelial cell morphogenesis, calcium signaling pathway, protein digestion, and absorption. In the ceRNA network, miR-193-5p was located in the central position, and miR-193-5p/CREBRF/LOC110355588, miR-460b-5p/GRHL2/MSTRG.132954, and miR-193-5p/PIK3CD/LOC110355588 regulatory axes were believed to affect lactation. Collectively, our findings enriched the miRNA expression profile of pigeon and provided novel insights into the microRNA-associated-ceRNA networks regulating crop milk production in pigeon.

Gradient in cytoplasmic pressure in germline cells controls overlying epithelial cell morphogenesis.

It is unknown how growth in one tissue impacts morphogenesis in a neighboring tissue. To address this, we used the Drosophila ovarian follicle, in which a cluster of 15 nurse cells and a posteriorly located oocyte are surrounded by a layer of epithelial cells. It is known that as the nurse cells grow, the overlying epithelial cells flatten in a wave that begins in the anterior. Here, we demonstrate that an anterior to posterior gradient of decreasing cytoplasmic pressure is present across the nurse cells and that this gradient acts through TGFβ to control both the triggering and the progression of the wave of epithelial cell flattening. Our data indicate that intrinsic nurse cell growth is important to control proper nurse cell pressure. Finally, we reveal that nurse cell pressure and subsequent TGFβ activity in the stretched cells combine to increase follicle elongation in the anterior, which is crucial for allowing nurse cell growth and pressure control. More generally, our results reveal that during development, inner cytoplasmic pressure in individual cells has an important role in shaping their neighbors.

Mammary Organoids and 3D Cell Cultures: Old Dogs with New Tricks.

3D cell culture methods have been an integral part of and an essential tool for mammary gland and breast cancer research for half a century. In fact, mammary gland researchers, who discovered and deciphered the instructive role of extracellular matrix (ECM) in mammary epithelial cell functional differentiation and morphogenesis, were the pioneers of the 3D cell culture techniques, including organoid cultures. The last decade has brought a tremendous increase in the 3D cell culture techniques, including modifications and innovations of the existing techniques, novel biomaterials and matrices, new technological approaches, and increase in 3D culture complexity, accompanied by several redefinitions of the terms "3D cell culture" and "organoid". In this review, we provide an overview of the 3D cell culture and organoid techniques used in mammary gland biology and breast cancer research. We discuss their advantages, shortcomings and current challenges, highlight the recent progress in reconstructing the complex mammary gland microenvironment in vitro and ex vivo, and identify the missing 3D cell cultures, urgently needed to aid our understanding of mammary gland development, function, physiology, and disease, including breast cancer.

3D Cell Culture Models Demonstrate a Role for FGF and WNT Signaling in Regulation of Lung Epithelial Cell Fate and Morphogenesis.

FGF signaling plays an essential role in lung development, homeostasis, and regeneration. We employed mouse 3D cell culture models and imaging to study ex vivo the role of FGF ligands and the interplay of FGF signaling with epithelial growth factor (EGF) and WNT signaling pathways in lung epithelial morphogenesis and differentiation. In non-adherent conditions, FGF signaling promoted formation of lungospheres from lung epithelial stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs). Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical analyses showed that LSPCs produced more differentiated lung cell progeny. In a 3D extracellular matrix, FGF2, FGF7, FGF9, and FGF10 promoted lung organoid formation. FGF9 showed reduced capacity to promote lung organoid formation, suggesting that FGF9 has a reduced ability to sustain LSPC survival and/or initial divisions. FGF7 and FGF10 produced bigger organoids and induced organoid branching with higher frequency than FGF2 or FGF9. Higher FGF concentration and/or the use of FGF2 with increased stability and affinity to FGF receptors both increased lung organoid and lungosphere formation efficiency, respectively, suggesting that the level of FGF signaling is a crucial driver of LSPC survival and differentiation, and also lung epithelial morphogenesis. EGF signaling played a supportive but non-essential role in FGF-induced lung organoid formation. Analysis of tissue architecture and cell type composition confirmed that the lung organoids contained alveolar-like regions with cells expressing alveolar type I and type II cell markers, as well as airway-like structures with club cells and ciliated cells. FGF ligands showed differences in promoting distinct lung epithelial cell types. FGF9 was a potent inducer of more proximal cell types, including ciliated and basal cells. FGF7 and FGF10 directed the differentiation toward distal lung lineages. WNT signaling enhanced the efficiency of lung organoid formation, but in the absence of FGF10 signaling, the organoids displayed limited branching and less differentiated phenotype. In summary, we present lung 3D cell culture models as useful tools to study the role and interplay of signaling pathways in postnatal lung development and homeostasis, and we reveal distinct roles for FGF ligands in regulation of mouse lung morphogenesis and differentiation ex vivo.

Therapeutic Angiogenesis Using HGF Plasmid.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is secreted from stromal and mesenchymal cells, and its receptor cMet is expressed on various types of cells such as smooth muscle cells, fibroblast, and endothelial cells. HGF stimulates epithelial and endothelial cell proliferation, motility, and morphogenesis in a paracrine and autocrine manner, organizing multistep of angiogenesis in many organs. In addition, HGF is recognized as a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic growth factor, which has been proved in several animal studies, including neointimal hyperplasia and acute myocardial infarction model in rodent. Thus, as compared to other angiogenic growth factors, HGF exerts multiple effects on ischemic tissues, accompanied by the regression of tissue inflammation and fibrosis. These data suggest the therapeutic potential of the HGF for peripheral artery disease as it being accompanied with chronic tissue inflammation and fibrosis. In the present narrative review, the pleiotropic action of the HGF that differentiates it from other angiogenic growth factors is discussed first, and later, outcomes of the human clinical study with gene therapy are overviewed.

Exploring the mechanism of liver enzyme abnormalities in patients with novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia

Objective: To explore and analyze the possible mechanism of liver injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (novel coronavirus pneumonia, NCP). Methods: The correlation between ALT, AST and other liver enzyme changes condition and NCP patients' disease status reported in the literature was comprehensively analyzed. ACE2 expression in liver tissue for novel coronavirus was analyzed based on single cell sequencing (GSE115469) data. RNA-Seq method was used to analyze Ace2 expression and transcription factors related to its expression in liver tissues at various time-points after hepatectomy in mouse model of acute liver injury with partial hepatectomy. t-test or Spearman rank correlation analysis was used for statistical analysis. Results: ALT and AST were abnormally elevated in some patients with novel coronavirus infection, and the rate and extent of ALT and AST elevation in severe NCP patients were higher than those in non-severe patients. Liver tissue results of single cell sequencing and immunohistochemistry showed that ACE2 was only expressed in bile duct epithelial cells of normal liver tissues, and very low in hepatocytes. In a mouse model of acute liver injury with partial hepatectomy, Ace2 expression was down-regulated on the first day, but it was elevated up to twice of the normal level on the third day, and returned to normal level on seventh day when the liver recovered and hepatocyte proliferation stopped. Whether this phenomenon suggests that the bile duct epithelial cells with positive expression of Ace2 participate in the process of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy deserves further study. In RNA-Seq data, 77 transcription factors were positively correlated with the expression of Ace2 (r > 0.2, FDR < 0.05), which were mainly enriched in the development, differentiation, morphogenesis and cell proliferation of glandular epithelial cells. Conclusion: We assumed that in addition to the over activated inflammatory response in patients with NCP, the up-regulation of ACE2 expression in liver tissue caused by compensatory proliferation of hepatocytes derived from bile duct epithelial cells may also be the possible mechanism of liver tissue injury caused by 2019 novel coronavirus infection.

Adverse Effects of Coumestrol and Genistein on Mammary Morphogenesis and Future Milk Production Ability of Mammary Epithelial Cells.

Isoflavones are a class of flavonoids present in legumes and are called phytoestrogens because of their estrogen-like activity. Endogenous estrogen is well known to regulate mammary gland morphogenesis during pregnancy. Each isoflavone also has different physiological activities. However, it is difficult to investigate the direct effect of each isoflavone in mammary morphogenesis in vivo because isoflavones are metabolized into different isoflavones by enteric bacteria. In this study, investigated are the direct influences of coumestrol, daidzein, and genistein on mammary structure development and future milk production ability of mammary epithelial cells (MECs) using in vitro culture models. Mouse MECs are cultured in Matrigel with basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor to induce ductal branching and alveolar formation, respectively. Coumestrol and genistein inhibit ductal branching and alveolar formation by affecting the proliferation and migration of MECs with the induction of apoptosis. Daidzein hardly influences mammary structure development. Furthermore, pretreatment with coumestrol adversely affects the induction of milk production ability of MECs. These results suggest that each isoflavone differentially influences mammary morphogenesis and future milk production by affecting MEC behaviors. These results also suggest that the culture models are effective to study mammary epithelial morphogenesis in vitro.

Diversidad genética y estructura poblacional del cerdo negro lampiño de Yucatán usando chip SNP50

In the present study, the Population structure and genetic diversity of 104 Yucatan black hairless pigs (YBH) and 8 Duroc breeds were BY using an SNP50K chip characterized. The population structure was obtained, as well as the calculation of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Minor Allele Frequency (MAF), heterozygosity observed (oH), Relationship (F), Fixation index of individuals within subpopulations (Fis), the t (outcrossing rate or allogamia index) was made, also the association analysis to identify SNP with population differences. The genetic component of Duroc in YBH subpopulations is low, from 0.00363 to 0.03532, thus, it was observed (appreciating) a subpopulation with greater genetic diversity and lower values of F and Fis, as well as higher oH and t. SNPs were identified (p<1.213E-50 to p< 6.4E-20), associated with genes and biological processes. Genes EHF, DST, PDE8A, FOXA1 and VCL are related to epithelial cell differentiation, morphogenesis, and development of epithelium. Other 30 SNPs are related to nutrient metabolism, 23 SNPs to nutrient transport, 11 SNPs to Immunity, 10 SNPs to muscle, skeletal and embryonic, and 7 SNPs to synapses and receptors. YBH is distant from Duroc with different population structure and genetic diversity with different genes that involve important biological processes.

Abstract A039: Lower cellular activation of cMET signaling network is associated with reduced recurrence risk in stage II colorectal cancer

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) has one of the highest worldwide incidences and mortality rates. About 25% of stage II patients develop recurrence within 5 years. However, use of adjuvant chemotherapy yields minimal therapeutic benefit. Clinical decision-making in this population would be informed by prognostic and predictive biomarkers that help indicate more targeted interventions and/or intensified disease monitoring. Higher cMET expression has been shown to be a prognostic marker in CRC and has been evaluated as a drug target in several cancers, including CRC. cMET acts as the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and is associated with increased proliferation, migration and morphogenesis of epithelial cells via activation of multiple downstream pathways including PI3K/AKT, MAPK and the NF-kB pathways. Here, we investigated whether increased cellular expression of multiple markers in the cMET/adjacent pathways was correlated with clinical outcome. The study population consisted of 283 patients with stage II CRC, without neoadjuvant treatment. Using a multiplexed immunofluorescence method (MxIF) with cell-level quantification (Cell DIVETM, GE Healthcare), 41 biomarkers in the cMET, mTOR, MAPK and associated pathways, and lymphocyte markers were analyzed in an iterative sequence of staining, imaging and dye inactivation, followed by image registration, cell segmentation and biomarker intensity-quantitation. Poor quality images and cells were filtered based on poor segmentation and tissue quality following manual review. Images that did not perfectly register were also excluded. For epithelial cell analysis, all stromal cells were filtered, resulting in a total of 559,952 epithelial cells. K-means clustering was conducted on cMET and related pathways (cMET, pGSK3β, 4EBP1, p4EBP1, S6, pS6, pStat3, pp38MAPK, pNFkBp65, pNFkBp105, EGFR, pERK1/2, HER2, IGF1R, CA-IX, Glut1, SLC7A5 and Ki67). Cluster analysis identified 6 cell clusters with varying expression levels of cMET and other pathway markers. A cluster corresponding to low cMET network activation (cMETLow) was correlated with reduced risk of recurrence (cox pH model Likelihood ratio test p-value = 0.056). Furthermore, MMR proficient patients (who had a higher recurrence rate) had a significantly greater proportion of cells with elevated cMET and related pathway marker (cMETHigh) s(p= 0.007). They also had a significantly lower fraction of infiltrating helper T cells (CD3+CD4+, pvalue 0.076) and CD68+ cells in the epithelial region, compared to MMR deficient patients (p=0.005). Further research will include continuing in-depth analysis of MMR status, cMET pathway and lymphocyte response as well as the role of cellular heterogeneity. In summary, comprehensive cMET pathway analysis using a multiplexed single cell approach indicates for the first time an association between low cMET network activation and superior clinical outcomes. Citation Format: Elizabeth McDonough, Anup Sood, Fiona Ginty, Sanghee Cho, John Graf, Jochen Prehn, Philip Dunne, Andreas Lindner, Manuela Salvucci, Daniel Longley, Mark Lawler, Travis Hollmann, Jinru Shia. Lower cellular activation of cMET signaling network is associated with reduced recurrence risk in stage II colorectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A039. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-A039