4 research outputs found
Increased RUNX3 expression mediates tumorâpromoting ability of human breast cancerâassociated fibroblasts
Abstract Background Cancerâassociated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major stromal component of human breast cancers and often promote tumor proliferation, progression and malignancy. We previously established an experimental CAF (expâCAF) cell line equipped with a potent tumorâpromoting ability. It was generated through prolonged incubation of immortalized human mammary fibroblasts with human breast cancer cells in a tumor xenograft mouse model. Results Herein, we found that the expâCAFs highly express Runtârelated transcription factor 3 (RUNX3), while counterpart fibroblasts do not. In breast cancer patients, the proportion of RUNX3âpositive stromal fibroblastâlike cells tends to be higher in cancerous regions than in nonâcancerous regions. These findings suggest an association of RUNX3 with CAF characteristics in human breast cancers. To investigate the functional role of RUNX3 in CAFs, the expâCAFs with or without shRNAâdirected knockdown of RUNX3 were implanted with breast cancer cells subcutaneously in immunodeficient mice. Comparison of the resulting xenograft tumors revealed that tumor growth was significantly attenuated when RUNX3 expression was suppressed in the fibroblasts. Consistently, Kiâ67 and CD31 immunohistochemical staining of the tumor sections indicated reduction of cancer cell proliferation and microvessel formation in the tumors formed with the RUNX3âsuppressed expâCAFs. Conclusion These results suggest that increased RUNX3 expression could contribute to the tumorâpromoting ability of CAFs through mediating cancer cell growth and neoangiogenesis in human breast tumors
Combined Pre-Supernova Alert System with Kamland and Super-Kamiokande
International audiencePreceding a core-collapse supernova, various processes produce an increasing amount of neutrinos of all flavors characterized by mounting energies from the interior of massive stars. Among them, the electron antineutrinos are potentially detectable by terrestrial neutrino experiments such as KamLAND and Super-Kamiokande via inverse beta decay interactions. Once these pre-supernova neutrinos are observed, an early warning of the upcoming core-collapse supernova can be provided. In light of this, KamLAND and Super-Kamiokande have been monitoring pre-supernova neutrinos since 2015 and 2021, respectively. Recently, we performed a joint study between KamLAND and Super-Kamiokande on pre-supernova neutrino detection. A pre-supernova alert system combining the KamLAND detector and the Super-Kamiokande detector is developed and put into operation, which can provide a supernova alert to the astrophysics community. Fully leveraging the complementary properties of these two detectors, the combined alert is expected to resolve a pre-supernova neutrino signal from a 15 M star within 510 pc of the Earth, at a significance level corresponding to a false alarm rate of no more than 1 per century. For a Betelgeuse-like model with optimistic parameters, it can provide early warnings up to 12 hours in advance
Combined Pre-Supernova Alert System with Kamland and Super-Kamiokande
International audiencePreceding a core-collapse supernova, various processes produce an increasing amount of neutrinos of all flavors characterized by mounting energies from the interior of massive stars. Among them, the electron antineutrinos are potentially detectable by terrestrial neutrino experiments such as KamLAND and Super-Kamiokande via inverse beta decay interactions. Once these pre-supernova neutrinos are observed, an early warning of the upcoming core-collapse supernova can be provided. In light of this, KamLAND and Super-Kamiokande have been monitoring pre-supernova neutrinos since 2015 and 2021, respectively. Recently, we performed a joint study between KamLAND and Super-Kamiokande on pre-supernova neutrino detection. A pre-supernova alert system combining the KamLAND detector and the Super-Kamiokande detector is developed and put into operation, which can provide a supernova alert to the astrophysics community. Fully leveraging the complementary properties of these two detectors, the combined alert is expected to resolve a pre-supernova neutrino signal from a 15 M star within 510 pc of the Earth, at a significance level corresponding to a false alarm rate of no more than 1 per century. For a Betelgeuse-like model with optimistic parameters, it can provide early warnings up to 12 hours in advance