Interactions between microenvironment and cancer cells in two animal models of bone metastasis

The preferential proliferation of cancer cells in the bone microenvironment is poorly characterised. Expression pattern of bone marrow and other organ microenvironment in contact with osteolytic (Walker W256) and osteoblastic (MatLyLu MLL) metastases were investigated. Fisher and Copenhagen rats received, respectively, W256 and MLL cells injection. Bone and soft tissues were analysed by immunochemistry for DKK1, cathepsin K, RANKL, MCSF or IL6 expression. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAcP)-positive cells were detected by a histoenzymatic technique. In bone, expressions of MCSF and DKK1 were shown in stromal cells of the bone marrow, in contact with metastatic foci of both tumours. Many stromal cells were found RANKL positive in the vicinity of the tumours. Cells expressing cathepsin K and multinucleated TRAcP+ cells were found in direct contact with trabeculae but also in bone marrow spaces near metastatic cells. In extraosseous tumours, cells in contact with malignant cells did not expressed DKK1, MCSF, cathepsin K and IL6. Some RANKL+ cells were found in the periphery of subcutaneous tumours but may represent Langerhans cells. Abnormal presence of TRAcP+ cells was never observed in the vicinity of malignant cells. Interaction between stromal and cancer cells induces the expression on the formers of characteristics leading to osteoclastogenesis only in the bone microenvironment

Nuclear astrophysics with radioactive ions at FAIR

The nucleosynthesis of elements beyond iron is dominated by neutron captures in the s and r processes. However, 32 stable, proton-rich isotopes cannot be formed during those processes, because they are shielded from the s-process flow and r-process, β-decay chains. These nuclei are attributed to the p and rp process. For all those processes, current research in nuclear astrophysics addresses the need for more precise reaction data involving radioactive isotopes. Depending on the particular reaction, direct or inverse kinematics, forward or time-reversed direction are investigated to determine or at least to constrain the desired reaction cross sections. The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) will offer unique, unprecedented opportunities to investigate many of the important reactions. The high yield of radioactive isotopes, even far away from the valley of stability, allows the investigation of isotopes involved in processes as exotic as the r or rp processes

SPARC: a matricellular regulator of tumorigenesis

Although many clinical studies have found a correlation of SPARC expression with malignant progression and patient survival, the mechanisms for SPARC function in tumorigenesis and metastasis remain elusive. The activity of SPARC is context- and cell-type-dependent, which is highlighted by the fact that SPARC has shown seemingly contradictory effects on tumor progression in both clinical correlative studies and in animal models. The capacity of SPARC to dictate tumorigenic phenotype has been attributed to its effects on the bioavailability and signaling of integrins and growth factors/chemokines. These molecular pathways contribute to many physiological events affecting malignant progression, including extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis, immune modulation and metastasis. Given that SPARC is credited with such varied activities, this review presents a comprehensive account of the divergent effects of SPARC in human cancers and mouse models, as well as a description of the potential mechanisms by which SPARC mediates these effects. We aim to provide insight into how a matricellular protein such as SPARC might generate paradoxical, yet relevant, tumor outcomes in order to unify an apparently incongruent collection of scientific literature

When Holocene soil formation starts on the loess plateaus of the Vojvodina region in Northern Serbia?

In this study we evaluated simplified direct comparisons between Pleistocene regional and local terrestrial environmental archives and global deep sea and ice core records. Our recent results of the luminescence dating applied to the Serbian loess-paleosol sequences lead to an important question about the validity of previously generalized direct stratigraphic correlations, as well asto underline importance of understanding environmental thresholds which controllingdiscordances between these paleoclimatic records. </p