TBD

Psoriasis and sarcoidosis are inflammatory skin and systemic diseases that may share a similar immunopathogenesis involving a Th1 and/or Th17 polarized immune response. Although the coexistence of sarcoidosis and psoriasis in the same individuals has been reported, the potential association between these diseases at a population-level in the United States has not been evaluated. To evaluate this association, we performed a matched cross-sectional study in the All of Us research program database.

Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TSGCT) is a benign fibrohistiocytic tumor that affects the synovium of joints, bursa, and tendon sheaths and is categorized into localized TSGCT (LTSGCT) and diffuse TSGCT (DTSGCT). LTSGCT and DTSGCT are characterized by recurrent fusions involving the colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) gene and its translocation partner collagen type VI alpha 3 chain. The fusion gene induces intratumoral overexpression of CSF1 mRNA and CSF1 protein.

SHROOM4 is thought to play an important role in cytoskeletal modification and development of the early nervous system.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a significant global health problem that involves chronic intestinal inflammation and can involve severe comorbidities, including intestinal fibrosis and inflammation-associated colorectal cancer (CRC). Disease-associated alterations to the intestinal microbiota often include fecal enrichment of Enterobacteriaceae, which are strongly implicated in IBD development. This dysbiosis of intestinal flora accompanies changes in microbial metabolites, shaping host:microbe interactions and disease risk.

Obesity and diabetes are associated with inflammation and altered plasma levels of several metabolites, which may be involved in disease progression. Some metabolites can activate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) expressed on immune cells where they can modulate metabolic inflammation. Here we find that 3-hydroxydecanoate is enriched in the circulation of obese individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with non-diabetic controls.

Background & Aim: One of the major bottlenecks of cancer cellular therapy development is off-target toxicity. It is caused by activated T-cells that unexpectedly recognize epitopes presented on healthy tissues instead of interacting only with the intended target on cancer cells. This mechanism can lead to severe immuno-toxicity resulting in organ dysfunction or even death. Unfortunately, experimental identification of epitopes that may trigger off-target toxicity is both costly and time consuming.

With recent rapid advancement of methodological tools, mechanistic understanding of biological processes leading to carcinogenesis is expanding. New approach methodologies such as transcriptomics can inform on non-genotoxic mechanisms of chemical carcinogens and can be developed for regulatory applications. The Organisation for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) expert group developing an Integrated Approach to the Testing and Assessment (IATA) of Non-Genotoxic Carcinogens (NGTxC) is reviewing the possible assays to be integrated therein.

Background & Aims The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its severe form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is increasing. Subjects with NASH often develop liver fibrosis and advanced liver fibrosis is the main determinant of mortality in NASH patients. We and others have reported that STAT3 contributes to liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in mice.

Painful peripheral neuropathy is a common neurological complication associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and anti-retroviral therapy. We characterized the impact of two CB2 cannabinoid agonists (AM1710 and LY2828360 - ligands differing in signaling bias and CNS penetration) on neuropathic nociception induced by the antiretroviral agent Zalcitabine (2',3'-dideoxycytidine; ddC). We also used a conditional knockout approach to identify cell types mediating CB2 agonist-induced antinociceptive efficacy and sparing of morphine tolerance.

Sensory neurons innervating the skin are conventionally thought to be the sole transducers of 3 touch, temperature, pain, and itch. However, recent studies have shown that keratinocytes - like 4 Merkel cells - act as sensory transducers, whether for innocuous or noxious mechanical, thermal, 5 or chemical stimuli and communicate with intra-epidermal free nerve endings via chemical 6 synaptic contacts. This paradigm shift leads to the consideration of the whole epidermis as a 7 sensory epithelium. Sensory neurons additionally function as an efferent system.