TGF-β induces matrisome pathological alterations and EMT in patient-derived prostate cancer tumoroids

Extracellular matrix (ECM) tumorigenic alterations resulting in high matrix deposition and stiffening are hallmarks of adenocarcinomas and are collectively defined as desmoplasia. Here, we thoroughly analysed primary prostate cancer tissues obtained from numerous patients undergoing radical prostatectomy to highlight reproducible structural changes in the ECM leading to the loss of the glandular architecture. Starting from patient cells, we established prostate cancer tumoroids (PCTs) and demonstrated they require TGF-β signalling pathway activity to preserve phenotypical and structural similarities with the tissue of origin. By modulating TGF-β signalling pathway in PCTs, we unveiled its role in ECM accumulation and remodelling in prostate cancer. We also found that TGF-β-induced ECM remodelling is responsible for the initiation of prostate cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the acquisition of a migratory, invasive phenotype. Our findings highlight the cooperative role of TGF-β signalling and ECM desmoplasia in prompting prostate cell EMT and promoting tumour progression and dissemination.

Assessment of effectiveness factor in porous catalysts under non-symmetric external conditions of concentration

the present paper, the effectiveness factor of porous catalytic particles is evaluated in the absence of boundary conditions symmetry over the external surface by computational fluid dynamic (CFD) techniques. The first-order kinetics of decane oxidation, already evaluated experimentally, is taken as a representative reaction. Our study arises from the fact that, in the open literature, the effectiveness factor is usually calculated considering conditions of symmetry of concentration field around particles. However, depending on the fluid dynamics of the system, such conditions are not always established and, thus, our work aims at studying for the first time the behaviour of particle catalysts with non-uniform concentration fields over the surface. In particular, the effectiveness factor of the particles in a catalytic layer is calculated in the absence of symmetry by changing several parameters (temperature, tortuosity and mean pore diameter of particle) using two different methods, named Sphere-by-Sphere (SbS) and Equisized-Volume (EV), respectively. The results of these two methods are then compared to the theoretical one obtained in the presence of spherical symmetry. As a main result, we found that, for moderately low values of Thiele modulus (<1.3 ca.), the analytical expression of the effectiveness factor obtained under spherical symmetry can be also applied in non-symmetric conditions. On the contrary, this cannot be done for higher values of Thiele modulus, for which we propose an empirical correlation of the effectiveness factor based on a corrected Thiele modulus. The efficacy of our approach is stated by the fact that pseudo-homogeneous-mode simulations of the heterogeneous system show results that match very well those obtained in heterogeneous mode, with an important reduction of calculation time and memory. The presented methodology can be also applied to n-order kinetics.

Multiscale Analysis of Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in the Failing Heart

RATIONALE

Cardiac ECM (extracellular matrix) comprises a dynamic molecular network providing structural support to heart tissue function. Understanding the impact of ECM remodeling on cardiac cells during heart failure (HF) is essential to prevent adverse ventricular remodeling and restore organ functionality in affected patients.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to (1) identify consistent modifications to cardiac ECM structure and mechanics that contribute to HF and (2) determine the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We first performed decellularization of human and murine ECM (decellularized ECM) and then analyzed the pathological changes occurring in decellularized ECM during HF by atomic force microscopy, 2-photon microscopy, high-resolution 3-dimensional image analysis, and computational fluid dynamics simulation. We then performed molecular and functional assays in patient-derived cardiac fibroblasts based on YAP (yes-associated protein)-transcriptional enhanced associate domain (TEAD) mechanosensing activity and collagen contraction assays. The analysis of HF decellularized ECM resulting from ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy, as well as from mouse infarcted tissue, identified a common pattern of modifications in their 3-dimensional topography. As compared with healthy heart, HF ECM exhibited aligned, flat, and compact fiber bundles, with reduced elasticity and organizational complexity. At the molecular level, RNA sequencing of HF cardiac fibroblasts highlighted the overrepresentation of dysregulated genes involved in ECM organization, or being connected to TGFβ1 (transforming growth factor β1), interleukin-1, TNF-α, and BDNF signaling pathways. Functional tests performed on HF cardiac fibroblasts pointed at mechanosensor YAP as a key player in ECM remodeling in the diseased heart via transcriptional activation of focal adhesion assembly. Finally, in vitro experiments clarified pathological cardiac ECM prevents cell homing, thus providing further hints to identify a possible window of action for cell therapy in cardiac diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our multiparametric approach has highlighted repercussions of ECM remodeling on cell homing, cardiac fibroblast activation, and focal adhesion protein expression via hyperactivated YAP signaling during HF.

Pd-Based Membranes: Overview and Perspectives

Palladium (Pd)-based membranes have received a lot of attention from both academia and industry thanks to their ability to selectively separate hydrogen from gas streams. Integration of such membranes with appropriate catalysts in membrane reactors allows for hydrogen production with CO₂ capture that can be applied in smaller bioenergy or combined heat and power (CHP) plants, as well as in large-scale power plants. Pd-based membranes are, therefore, regarded as a Key Enabling Technology (KET) to facilitate the transition towards a knowledge-based, low carbon and resource-efficient economy. This Special Issue of the journal Membranes on “Pd-based Membranes: Overview and Perspectives” contains nine peer-reviewed articles. Topics include manufacturing techniques, understanding of material phenomena, module and reactor design, novel applications, and demonstration efforts and industrial exploitation.

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of large Cu-BTC MOF single crystals and their potential utilization as photodetectors

The preferential growth of dense Cu-BTC MOFs (Cu-s) with the assistance of surfactants PF-127 has been investigated, forming long rods with an average length up to ∼3 mm. A simple photo-detecting device was fabricated, showing current enhancement under illumination.

Inhibition by CO and polarization in Pd-based membranes: a novel permeation reduction coefficient

In this Article, a novel permeation reduction coefficient (PRC) is defined and used to take into account the presence of both inhibition by CO and concentration polarization in hydrogen permeation through Pd-based membranes. The usefulness of this coefficient consists in the possibility of describing simply, but at the same time powerfully, the behavior of the membrane subject to the combined effect of inhibition and polarization. According to this approach, the effective permeance, which is generally unknown because it depends on these two phenomena, can be directly evaluated by multiplying the "clean" intrinsic membrane Sieverts permeance (measurable by simple pure hydrogen permeation tests) by a PRC function, that is, [effective permeance] = (1-PRC) [clean Sieverts permeance]. The values of PRC are evaluated by means of a complex model that takes into account the several elementary permeation steps, in which the inhibitory effect of CO is also considered as well as the concentration polarization. The membrane behavior is evaluated in terms of some "performance maps", where PRC and other two coefficients (concentration polarization coefficient (CPC) and inhibition coefficient (IC)) are reported as functions of several operating conditions (hydrogen molar fraction, CO partial pressure, and upstream total pressures). Therefore, these maps provide a useful tool to estimate directly the main design parameter (the overall permeance) in situations where complex transport and kinetic phenomena affect the membrane performances, allowing the membrane performance to be estimated much better and the separation equipment to be better designed.