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Oncogene 2021 Mar 10. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), also known as CCN2, is a member of the CCN protein family of secreted proteins with roles in diverse biological processes. CTGF regulates biological functions such as cell proliferation, migration, adhesion, wound healing, and angiogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate a mechanistic link between CTGF and enhanced aerobic glycolysis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Read More

Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2021 Mar 1;134:105961. Epub 2021 Mar 1.

Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Disease, Department of Inflammation, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK.

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF, CCN2) is a matricellular protein which plays key roles in normal mammalian development and in tissue homeostasis and repair. In pathological conditions, dysregulated CCN2 has been associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and tissue fibrosis. In this study, genetic manipulation of the CCN2 gene was employed to investigate the role of CCN2 expression in vitro and in experimentally-induced models of pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Read More

J Cell Physiol 2021 Mar 3. Epub 2021 Mar 3.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

Cellular communication network factor (CCN) family members are multifunctional matricellular proteins that manipulate and integrate extracellular signals. In our previous studies investigating the role of CCN family members in cellular metabolism, we found three members that might be under the regulation of energy metabolism. In this study, we confirmed that CCN2 and CCN3 are the only members that are tightly regulated by glycolysis in human chondrocytic cells. Read More

J Dermatol Sci 2021 Feb 16. Epub 2021 Feb 16.

Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Aged human skin is primarily attributable to the loss of collagen. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) acts as an anti-fibrotic factor by suppression of collagen production. In aged human skin, HGF is elevated in dermal fibroblasts and thus contributes to dermal aging (thin dermis) by suppression of collagen production. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2021 Feb;25(3):1233-1241

Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Zhangjiagang Hospital of Soochow University, Zhangjiagang, China.

Objective: Mechanical-stress has been reported to trigger cartilage fibrosis, in which transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) are involved. However, the function of integrin-α5β1, a cytomembrane receptor, on mechanical-stress related fibrosis has not yet been elucidated. This study aims to reveal the interaction of TGF-β1/CCN2/integrin-α5β1 in the mechanical-stress induced chondrocyte (CH) fibrosis. Read More