Fibroblast growth factor-induced lens fiber cell elongation is driven by the stepwise activity of Rho and Rac.

The spheroidal shape of the eye lens is crucial for precise light focusing onto the retina. This shape is determined by concentrically aligned, convexly elongated lens fiber cells along the anterior and posterior axis of the lens. Upon differentiation at the lens equator, the fiber cells increase in height as their apical and basal tips migrate towards the anterior and posterior poles, respectively. The forces driving this elongation and migration remain unclear. We found that, in the mouse lens, membrane protrusions or lamellipodia are observed only in the maturing fibers undergoing cell curve conversion, indicating that lamellipodium formation is not the primary driver of earlier fiber migration. We demonstrated that elevated levels of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) suppressed the extension of Rac-dependent protrusions, suggesting changes in the activity of FGF controlling Rac activity, switching to lamellipodium-driven migration. Inhibitors of ROCK, myosin and actin reduced the height of both early and later fibers, indicating that elongation of these fibers relies on actomyosin contractility. Consistent with this, active RhoA was detected throughout these fibers. Given that FGF promotes fiber elongation, we propose that it does so through regulation of Rho activity.

Temporally resolved proteomics identifies nidogen-2 as a cotarget in pancreatic cancer that modulates fibrosis and therapy response.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by increasing fibrosis, which can enhance tumor progression and spread. Here, we undertook an unbiased temporal assessment of the matrisome of the highly metastatic KPC (Pdx1-Cre, LSL-KrasG12D/+, LSL-Trp53R172H/+) and poorly metastatic KPflC (Pdx1-Cre, LSL-KrasG12D/+, Trp53fl/+) genetically engineered mouse models of pancreatic cancer using mass spectrometry proteomics. Our assessment at early-, mid-, and late-stage disease reveals an increased abundance of nidogen-2 (NID2) in the KPC model compared to KPflC, with further validation showing that NID2 is primarily expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Using biomechanical assessments, second harmonic generation imaging, and birefringence analysis, we show that NID2 reduction by CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) in CAFs reduces stiffness and matrix remodeling in three-dimensional models, leading to impaired cancer cell invasion. Intravital imaging revealed improved vascular patency in live NID2-depleted tumors, with enhanced response to gemcitabine/Abraxane. In orthotopic models, NID2 CRISPRi tumors had less liver metastasis and increased survival, highlighting NID2 as a potential PDAC cotarget.

Fibroblast Growth Factor-induced lens fiber cell elongation is driven by the stepwise activity of Rho and Rac.

The spheroidal shape of the eye lens is critical for precise light focusing onto the retina. This shape is determined by concentrically aligned, convexly elongated lens fiber cells along the anterior and posterior axis of the lens. Upon differentiation at the lens equator, the fiber cells increase in height as their apical and basal tips migrate towards the anterior and posterior poles, respectively. The forces driving this elongation and migration remain unclear. We found that membrane protrusions or lamellipodia are observed only in the maturing fibers undergoing cell curve conversion, indicating lamellipodium is not the primary driver of earlier fiber migration. We demonstrated that elevated levels of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) suppressed the extension of Rac-dependent protrusions, suggesting changes in the activity of FGF controling Rac activity, switching to lamellipodium-driven migration. Inhibitors of ROCK, myosin, and actin reduced the height of both early and later fibers, indicating elongation of these fibers relies on actomyosin contractility. Consistently, active RhoA was detected throughout these fibers. Given that FGF promotes fiber elongation, we propose it to do so through regulation of Rho activity.

A first-in-class pan-lysyl oxidase inhibitor impairs stromal remodeling and enhances gemcitabine response and survival in pancreatic cancer.

The lysyl oxidase family represents a promising target in stromal targeting of solid tumors due to the importance of this family in crosslinking and stabilizing fibrillar collagens and its known role in tumor desmoplasia. Using small-molecule drug-design approaches, we generated and validated PXS-5505, a first-in-class highly selective and potent pan-lysyl oxidase inhibitor. We demonstrate in vitro and in vivo that pan-lysyl oxidase inhibition decreases chemotherapy-induced pancreatic tumor desmoplasia and stiffness, reduces cancer cell invasion and metastasis, improves tumor perfusion and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy in the autochthonous genetically engineered KPC model, while also demonstrating antifibrotic effects in human patient-derived xenograft models of pancreatic cancer. PXS-5505 is orally bioavailable, safe and effective at inhibiting lysyl oxidase activity in tissues. Our findings present the rationale for progression of a pan-lysyl oxidase inhibitor aimed at eliciting a reduction in stromal matrix to potentiate chemotherapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Monitoring AKT activity and targeting in live tissue and disease contexts using a real-time Akt-FRET biosensor mouse.

Aberrant AKT activation occurs in a number of cancers, metabolic syndrome, and immune disorders, making it an important target for the treatment of many diseases. To monitor spatial and temporal AKT activity in a live setting, we generated an Akt-FRET biosensor mouse that allows longitudinal assessment of AKT activity using intravital imaging in conjunction with image stabilization and optical window technology. We demonstrate the sensitivity of the Akt-FRET biosensor mouse using various cancer models and verify its suitability to monitor response to drug targeting in spheroid and organotypic models. We also show that the dynamics of AKT activation can be monitored in real time in diverse tissues, including in individual islets of the pancreas, in the brown and white adipose tissue, and in the skeletal muscle. Thus, the Akt-FRET biosensor mouse provides an important tool to study AKT dynamics in live tissue contexts and has broad preclinical applications.

Cell-derived Matrix Assays to Assess Extracellular Matrix Architecture and Track Cell Movement.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a non-cellular network of macromolecules, which provides cells and tissues with structural support and biomechanical feedback to regulate cellular function, tissue tension, and homeostasis. Even subtle changes to ECM abundance, architecture, and organization can affect downstream biological pathways, thereby influencing normal cell and tissue function and also driving disease conditions. For example, in cancer, the ECM is well known to provide both biophysical and biochemical cues that influence cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis, highlighting the need to better understand cell-ECM interactions in cancer and other ECM-enriched diseases. Initial cell-derived matrix (CDM) models were used as an in vitro system to mimic and assess the physiologically relevant three-dimensional (3D) cell-ECM interactions. Here, we describe an expansion to these initial CDM models generated by fibroblasts to assess the effect of genetic or pharmacological intervention on fibroblast-mediated matrix production and organization. Additionally, we highlight current methodologies to quantify changes in the ultrastructure and isotropy of the resulting ECM and also provide protocols for assessing cancer cell interaction with CDMs. Understanding the nature and influence of these complex and heterogeneous processes can offer insights into the biomechanical and biochemical mechanisms, which drive cancer development and metastasis, and how we can target them to improve cancer outcomes. This protocol was validated in: Sci Adv (2021), DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh0363.

The cancer cell secretome drives cooperative manipulation of the tumour microenvironment to accelerate tumourigenesis.

Cellular secretions are a fundamental aspect of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in vivo. In malignancy, cancer cells have an aberrant secretome compared to their non-malignant counterparts, termed the "cancer cell secretome". The cancer cell secretome can influence every stage of the tumourigenic cascade. At the primary site, cancer cells can secrete a multitude of factors that facilitate invasion into surrounding tissue, allowing interaction with the local tumour microenvironment (TME), driving tumour development and progression. In more advanced disease, the cancer cell secretome can be involved in extravasation and metastasis, including metastatic organotropism, pre-metastatic niche (PMN) preparation, and metastatic outgrowth. In this review, we will explore the latest advances in the field of cancer cell secretions, including its dynamic and complex role in activating the TME and potentiating invasion and metastasis, with comments on how these secretions may also promote therapy resistance.

Quantifying and visualising the nuances of cellular dynamics in vivo using intravital imaging.

Intravital imaging is a powerful technology used to quantify and track dynamic changes in live cells and tissues within an intact environment. The ability to watch cell biology in real-time 'as it happens' has provided novel insight into tissue homeostasis, as well as disease initiation, progression and response to treatment. In this minireview, we highlight recent advances in the field of intravital microscopy, touching upon advances in awake versus anaesthesia-based approaches, as well as the integration of biosensors into intravital imaging. We also discuss current challenges that, in our opinion, need to be overcome to further advance the field of intravital imaging at the single-cell, subcellular and molecular resolution to reveal nuances of cell behaviour that can be targeted in complex disease settings.

Intravital imaging technology guides FAK-mediated priming in pancreatic cancer precision medicine according to Merlin status.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly metastatic, chemoresistant malignancy and is characterized by a dense, desmoplastic stroma that modulates PDAC progression. Here, we visualized transient manipulation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which integrates bidirectional cell-environment signaling, using intravital fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy of the FAK-based Förster resonance energy transfer biosensor in mouse and patient-derived PDAC models. Parallel real-time quantification of the FUCCI cell cycle reporter guided us to improve PDAC response to standard-of-care chemotherapy at primary and secondary sites. Critically, micropatterned pillar plates and stiffness-tunable matrices were used to pinpoint the contribution of environmental cues to chemosensitization, while fluid flow­induced shear stress assessment, patient-derived matrices, and personalized in vivo models allowed us to deconstruct how FAK inhibition can reduce PDAC spread. Last, stratification of PDAC patient samples via Merlin status revealed a patient subset with poor prognosis that are likely to respond to FAK priming before chemotherapy.

CAF hierarchy driven by pancreatic cancer cell p53-status creates a pro-metastatic and chemoresistant environment via perlecan.

Heterogeneous subtypes of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) coexist within pancreatic cancer tissues and can both promote and restrain disease progression. Here, we interrogate how cancer cells harboring distinct alterations in p53 manipulate CAFs. We reveal the existence of a p53-driven hierarchy, where cancer cells with a gain-of-function (GOF) mutant p53 educate a dominant population of CAFs that establish a pro-metastatic environment for GOF and null p53 cancer cells alike. We also demonstrate that CAFs educated by null p53 cancer cells may be reprogrammed by either GOF mutant p53 cells or their CAFs. We identify perlecan as a key component of this pro-metastatic environment. Using intravital imaging, we observe that these dominant CAFs delay cancer cell response to chemotherapy. Lastly, we reveal that depleting perlecan in the stroma combined with chemotherapy prolongs mouse survival, supporting it as a potential target for anti-stromal therapies in pancreatic cancer.

The principles of tomorrow's university.

In the 21st Century, research is increasingly data- and computation-driven. Researchers, funders, and the larger community today emphasize the traits of openness and reproducibility. In March 2017, 13 mostly early-career research leaders who are building their careers around these traits came together with ten university leaders (presidents, vice presidents, and vice provosts), representatives from four funding agencies, and eleven organizers and other stakeholders in an NIH- and NSF-funded one-day, invitation-only workshop titled "Imagining Tomorrow's University." Workshop attendees were charged with launching a new dialog around open research - the current status, opportunities for advancement, and challenges that limit sharing. The workshop examined how the internet-enabled research world has changed, and how universities need to change to adapt commensurately, aiming to understand how universities can and should make themselves competitive and attract the best students, staff, and faculty in this new world. During the workshop, the participants re-imagined scholarship, education, and institutions for an open, networked era, to uncover new opportunities for universities to create value and serve society. They expressed the results of these deliberations as a set of 22 principles of tomorrow's university across six areas: credit and attribution, communities, outreach and engagement, education, preservation and reproducibility, and technologies. Activities that follow on from workshop results take one of three forms. First, since the workshop, a number of workshop authors have further developed and published their white papers to make their reflections and recommendations more concrete. These authors are also conducting efforts to implement these ideas, and to make changes in the university system.  Second, we plan to organise a follow-up workshop that focuses on how these principles could be implemented. Third, we believe that the outcomes of this workshop support and are connected with recent theoretical work on the position and future of open knowledge institutions.