Potential for a theranostic approach targeting cancer associated fibroblasts

In recent years, targeting cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) for efficient therapy approaches has been evaluated. The fibroblast-activating protein (FAP) has received special attention within nuclear medicine approaches due to the development of a successful radiolabeled FAP-inhibitor. This short chapter reviews briefly the background of this approach and gives some insight into potential theranostic applications of the newly developed FAPI ligands

Xenopus Xlmo4 is a GATA cofactor during ventral mesoderm formation and regulates Ldb1 availability at the dorsal mesoderm and the neural plate

19 páginas, 7 figuras.We have identified and functionally characterized the Xenopus Xlmo4 gene, which encodes a member of the LIM-domain-only protein family. Xlmo4 is activated at gastrula stages in the mesodermal marginal zone probably in response to BMP4 signaling. Soon after, Xlmo4 is downregulated in the dorsal region of the mesoderm. This repression seems to be mediated by organizer-expressed repressors, such as Gsc. Xlmo4 downregulation is necessary for the proper formation of this territory. Increasing Xlmo4 function in this region downregulates Spemman Organizer genes and suppresses dorsal-anterior structures. By binding to Ldb1, Xlmo4 may restrict the availability of this cofactor for transcription factors expressed at the Spemman Organizer. In the ventral mesoderm, Xlmo4 is required to establish the identity of this territory by acting as a positive cofactor of GATA factors. In the neural ectoderm, Xlmo4 expression depends on Xiro homeoprotein activity. In this region, Xlmo4 suppresses differentiation of primary neurons and interferes with gene expression at the Isthmic Organizer, most likely by displacing Ldb1 from active transcription factor complexes required for these processes. Together, our data suggest that Xlmo4 uses distinct mechanisms to participate in different processes during development.Grants from Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica (PB98-0682 and BMC2001-2122 to J.M. and J.L.G.S.), NIH (AR02080 and AR44882 to B.A.), and an institutional grant from Fundación Ramón Areces to the Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa are acknowledged.Peer reviewe