Journal: The EMBO Journal

Article Title: Arthropod exosomal glycine-rich protein as a potential vaccine candidate effectively reduces tick blood-feeding and pathogen transmission

doi: 10.1038/s44318-026-00709-z

Figure Lengend Snippet: Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of skin biopsy samples from mice (that allowed feeding of mock/ XM_002400035 -dsRNA-treated ticks) display that tick feeding causes inflammation at bite site in mock-dsRNA-treated group ( A ), but inflammation is reduced in XM_002400035 -dsRNA-treated group ( B ). Within the panniculus, there is downward projection of epidermis containing chitinous tick mouthparts (shown by black arrow). The panniculus contained moderate to large number of neutrophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and lower number of macrophages in mice that allowed feeding of mock-dsRNA-treated ticks ( A ). However, panniculus contained moderate number of inflammatory cells (shown by black arrow) with lymphocytes mixed with few macrophages and plasma cells in mice that allowed feeding of XM_002400035 -dsRNA-treated ticks. There is a mild crush artifact in this image. Magnification of both these images is 200×. Scale bar indicates 100 μm for each image. Enlarged images shown in Fig. 9A,B are repeated in Appendix Fig. for better visualization. ( C ) ELISA assay performed with skin lysates from mice that allowed feeding of ticks silenced for exosomal GRP or mock control ticks. Samples were probed with serum from immunized mice (1:1000 dilution). ( D ) Scratch assays performed on HaCaT cell monolayers incubated with 2 µg of GST/GST- GRP/GST-CXCL-12 protein (for 12 h), with/without 20 µl of tick exosomes from uninfected (UI), LGTV-infected (I), LGTV-infected and mock-dsRNA-treated or LGTV-infected and XM_002400035 -dsRNA-treated groups are shown. Phase contrast images (obtained using EVOS auto-fluorescence system, M7000) of HaCaT cell monolayers were taken for selected time-points (as before scratch, 0, 16, 20, and 24 h) and using 10× magnification. Untreated (UT) monolayers served as internal control. Scale bar indicates 275 μm for each image per group or timepoint. ( E ) Measurement of remaining wound size diameters (analyzed by ImageJ software) at different time-points (of 0, 16, 20, and 24 h) post-treatment of tick exosomes-derived from UI, I, mock/ XM_002400035 -dsRNA is shown. Wounds at 0 h were considered as 100% for all groups, including untreated (UT) control. Mouse CXCL-12 expression was analyzed in skin samples from mice immunized with GST/GST-GRP protein is shown ( F ). Exact number of sample numbers for each group representing multiple experiments is 5 mice for GST/6 mice for GST-GRP groups (in C , F ). Statistical differences were calculated using Mann–Whitney U test and p value is shown. p < 0.05 is considered as statistically significant. ( G ) Schematic model showing tick-borne flavivirus transmission to vertebrate host via tick saliva-derived exosomes. Ixodes scapularis tick attaches firmly and bites on host skin for longer feeding. Secreted saliva contains a plethora of substances including cement and perhaps cement-like GRPs to seal the feeding cone/cavity for directional blood flow and to defend from being groomed off by the vertebrate host. During blood meal ingestion, infected-ticks may continuously spit saliva containing infectious exosomes with viral full-length RNA genomes or polyproteins at host skin interface. We propose that incubation of tick exosomes containing exosomal GRP modulates the battle ground at skin interface by delaying cell migration/recruitment of immune cells (like neutrophils and dendritic cells from circulation) at the wound/bite site. Tick exosomes containing GRP inhibits residential keratinocytes and IL-8/CXCL-12 to delay injury, wound-healing, tissue damage, and repair process that will eventually enable ticks to acquire a successful blood meal at the host skin interface. .

Article Snippet: Keratinocyte growth kit , ATCC , # PCS-200-040.

Techniques: Staining, Clinical Proteomics, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Control, Incubation, Infection, Fluorescence, Software, Derivative Assay, Expressing, MANN-WHITNEY, Transmission Assay, Migration

Journal: Cell reports

Article Title: Vimentin modulates regulatory T cell receptor-ligand interactions at distal pole complex, leading to dysregulated host response to viral pneumonia

doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115056

Figure Lengend Snippet: KEY RESOURCES TABLE

Article Snippet: Mouse Keratinocyte Growth Factor, KGF/FGF-7 ELISA Kit , MyBioSource.com , Cat#MBS701004.

Techniques: Purification, Blocking Assay, Plasmid Preparation, Functional Assay, Control, Virus, Recombinant, Avidin-Biotin Assay, Cell Isolation, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Software

Journal: Gels

Article Title: Arginine-Biofunctionalized Ternary Hydrogel Scaffolds of Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Chitosan–Polyvinyl Alcohol to Deliver Cell Therapy for Wound Healing

doi: 10.3390/gels10110679

Figure Lengend Snippet: ( A ) An illustrative representation of a cross-section of the skin, indicating the layers (epidermis and dermis) that were resembled by the 3D hybrid hydrogel, depicted with information regarding its components, chemical formula, and structure. ( B ) Scheme of the co-culture strategy of the cell therapy product simulating the skin layers, with the deposition of keratinocytes in the membrane layer (resembling basement membrane of skin) and populating the porous layer with fibroblasts to obtain a cellular biomimetic dermal–epidermal skin substitute construct (not to scale).

Article Snippet: For keratinocytes, Gold Keratinocyte Growth Basal Medium supplemented with a KGM-Gold TM Keratinocyte Single Quots TM Kit (Lonza, Morristown, NJ, USA), referred to as “complete basal keratinocyte medium”, was used.

Techniques: Co-Culture Assay, Membrane, Construct

Journal: Gels

Article Title: Arginine-Biofunctionalized Ternary Hydrogel Scaffolds of Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Chitosan–Polyvinyl Alcohol to Deliver Cell Therapy for Wound Healing

doi: 10.3390/gels10110679

Figure Lengend Snippet: ( A ) Results of cell viability (MTT cytotoxicity test) and ( B ) cell proliferation (measured using resazurin protocol) biological assays for the porous three-dimensional structures (3d = 3 days). ( C ) Calcein AM (viable cells, green fluorescence, left side images, identified as LIVE) and ethidium homodimer (dead cells, red fluorescence, right side images, identified as DEAD) staining for keratinocyte and fibroblast monoculture cells deposited onto the lower and upper faces of the L-arginine functionalized 3D constructs, respectively (scale bar = 100 µm). Details: schematic representation of cell deposition (not to scale).

Article Snippet: For keratinocytes, Gold Keratinocyte Growth Basal Medium supplemented with a KGM-Gold TM Keratinocyte Single Quots TM Kit (Lonza, Morristown, NJ, USA), referred to as “complete basal keratinocyte medium”, was used.

Techniques: Fluorescence, Staining, Construct

Journal: Gels

Article Title: Arginine-Biofunctionalized Ternary Hydrogel Scaffolds of Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Chitosan–Polyvinyl Alcohol to Deliver Cell Therapy for Wound Healing

doi: 10.3390/gels10110679

Figure Lengend Snippet: Fluorescence microscopy images showing representative images of the 3D CMC:PVA:CHI_L-Arg structure, where a co-culture of ( C ) keratinocytes (upper face—membrane) and ( D , E ) fibroblasts (lower face—porous structure) were seeded compared to controls (( A ) Keratinocyte +Control and ( B ) Fibroblast +Control). Cells were labeled with calcein AM (viable cells, green fluorescence, left column, identified as LIVE) and ethidium homodimer (dead cells, red fluorescence, right column, identified as DEAD). Scale bar = 100 µm. Detail: schematic representation of cell therapy dermal–epidermal skin substitute (not to scale).

Article Snippet: For keratinocytes, Gold Keratinocyte Growth Basal Medium supplemented with a KGM-Gold TM Keratinocyte Single Quots TM Kit (Lonza, Morristown, NJ, USA), referred to as “complete basal keratinocyte medium”, was used.

Techniques: Fluorescence, Microscopy, Co-Culture Assay, Membrane, Control, Labeling

Journal: Gels

Article Title: Arginine-Biofunctionalized Ternary Hydrogel Scaffolds of Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Chitosan–Polyvinyl Alcohol to Deliver Cell Therapy for Wound Healing

doi: 10.3390/gels10110679

Figure Lengend Snippet: Histopathological analysis of skin lesions in Hairless mice, showing representative images of ( A ) skin from the control group (no hydrogel applied) and ( B ) skin from the group treated with the 3D bilayer construct containing fibroblasts and keratinocytes (CM group). Black asterisk: intact epidermis; red asterisk: denser collagen; green asterisk: looser collagen; black arrow: reactive fibroblasts; red arrow: blood capillaries. The larger image displays the lesion area at 20× magnification, with a zoomed-in view of the highlighted area at 40× magnification.

Article Snippet: For keratinocytes, Gold Keratinocyte Growth Basal Medium supplemented with a KGM-Gold TM Keratinocyte Single Quots TM Kit (Lonza, Morristown, NJ, USA), referred to as “complete basal keratinocyte medium”, was used.

Techniques: Control, Construct