Search results for " ECM"

Bi-layered polyurethane – Extracellular matrix cardiac patch improves ischemic ventricular wall remodeling in a rat model

2016

As an intervention to abrogate ischemic cardiomyopathy, the concept of applying a temporary, local patch to the surface of the recently infarcted ventricle has been explored from a number of design perspectives. Two important features considered for such a cardiac patch include the provision of appropriate mechanical support and the capacity to influence the remodeling pathway by providing cellular or biomolecule delivery. The objective of this report was to focus on these two features by first evaluating the incorporation of a cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) component, and second by evaluating the impact of patch anisotropy on the pathological remodeling process initiated by myocardial …

Mesenchymal Transition of High-Grade Breast Carcinomas Depends on Extracellular Matrix Control of Myeloid Suppressor Cell Activity

2016

SummaryThe extracellular matrix (ECM) contributes to the biological and clinical heterogeneity of breast cancer, and different prognostic groups can be identified according to specific ECM signatures. In high-grade, but not low-grade, tumors, an ECM signature characterized by high SPARC expression (ECM3) identifies tumors with increased epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), reduced treatment response, and poor prognosis. To better understand how this ECM3 signature is contributing to tumorigenesis, we expressed SPARC in isogenic cell lines and found that SPARC overexpression in tumor cells reduces their growth rate and induces EMT. SPARC expression also results in the formation of a h…

Molecular Determinants of Malignant Brain Cancers: From Intracellular Alterations to Invasion Mediated by Extracellular Vesicles

2017

Malignant glioma cells invade the surrounding brain parenchyma, by migrating along the blood vessels, thus promoting cancer growth. The biological bases of these activities are grounded in profound alterations of the metabolism and the structural organization of the cells, which consequently acquire the ability to modify the surrounding microenvironment, by altering the extracellular matrix and affecting the properties of the other cells present in the brain, such as normal glial-, endothelial- and immune-cells. Most of the effects on the surrounding environment are probably exerted through the release of a variety of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which contain many different classes of mol…

A new preprocessing tool of ECMWF data for CALMET forecasting simulations

2019

Today, strategies for emergency preparedness, in presence of accidental scenarios in high-risk plants with releases into the atmosphere, have become a priority. To achieve this goal, it is important to have forecast meteorological data in local areas to use in dispersion and transport models and so to respond in advance emergency situations. The paper reports results of research performed to develop a new tool, called FORCALM that is capable to elaborate European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasts (ECMWF) forecast data to use for simulations by CALMET/CALPUFF modeling system. A case study, relevant to an accident occurred in Mediterranean Refinery at Milazzo (Italy), has been examined to val…

Tumor and its microenvironment: a synergistic interplay.

2013

The mutual and interdependent interaction between tumor and its microenvironment is a crucial topic in cancer research. Recently, it was reported that targeting stromal events could improve efficacies of current therapeutics and prevent metastatic spreading. Tumor microenvironment is a "complex network" of different cell types, soluble factors, signaling molecules and extracellular matrix components, which orchestrate the fate of tumor progression. As by definition, cancer stem cells (CSCs) are proposed to be the unique cell type able to maintain tumor mass and survive outside the primary tumor at metastatic sites. Being exposed to environmental stressors, including reactive oxygen species …

The use of gerunds and infinitives in perceptive constructions

2016

In this article I compare the use of gerunds with perceptive verbs in Spanish and in Gardenese, a Rhaeto-Romance variety spoken in Northern Italy: perceptive gerunds are used as secondary predicates in Spanish, but as defective TP-complements in Gardenese. Following Rizzi’s (2014) account of parametric variation, I propose that the differences are due to the interplay of three parameters: a [+progressive] feature on Gardenese perception verbs, the pure lexical status of perception verbs in Gardenese and a [+Agreement] feature on Spanish gerunds. The discussion of the parameters involved leads to more general considerations, as a new proposal for the structure of perceptive ECMs in Romance, …

Macrophage MerTK promotes profibrogenic cross-talk with hepatic stellate cells via soluble mediators

2022

Background & aims: Activation of Kupffer cells and recruitment of monocytes are key events in fibrogenesis. These cells release soluble mediators which induce the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main fibrogenic cell type within the liver. Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) signaling regulates multiple processes in macrophages and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related fibrosis. In this study, we explored if MerTK activation in macrophages influences the profibrogenic phenotype of HSCs. Methods: Macrophages were derived from THP-1 cells or differentiated from peripheral blood monocytes towards MerTK+/CD206+/CD163+/CD209- macrophages. Th…

TGFbeta signaling: roles of Smads

2009

Endoscopy at Bedside in Isolated Patients with Severe COVID-19: Our Approach during the Pandemic

2021

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the management of emergency medicine and those complications that needed interventional procedures, such as endoscopy or other radiological procedures. At the beginning of the outbreak, there were no exploitable recommendations regarding the proper policy to apply for limiting the virus spread during endoscopy. Between the first and the second wave, the approach regarding interventional procedures changed, due to higher awareness and newly defined protocols, even if different among the health centers. Patients with severe COVID-19 may develop major gastrointestinal complications or require nutritional support, so interventional procedures are required at bedsid…

DECORIN EFFECTS ON PROTEOMIC PROFILING OF BREAST CANCER CELLS: AN UPDATED STUDY

2015

The malignant carcinomas are characterized by several capabilities acquired by the neoplastic cells, among which the ability to invade the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to establish a crosstalk with several ECM components. Under this respect, the extracellular microenvironment is an entity extraordinarily rich of information with opposite signals. Our group has long undertaken the study of the effects of ECM molecules on the behavior of cancer cells in vitro. Among the studied molecules, the decorin was found to exert a non-permissive effect on the growth and motility of the transfected tumor cells. The decorin, belongs to the family of small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRP) and is involv…