Cell Biology

Secreted exosomes induce filopodia formation

1. Caitlin McAtee
2. Mikin Patel
3. Daisuke Hoshino
4. Bong Hwan Sung
5. Ariana von Lersner
6. Mingjian Shi
7. Nan Hyung Hong
8. Anna Young
9. Evan Krystofiak
10. Andries Zijlstra
11. Alissa M Weaver

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  In this important manuscript, the authors reveal novel findings on the role of exosomes in regulating filopodia formation. Filopodia are crucial for various cellular processes, including migration, polarization, directional sensing, and the formation of neuronal synapses. The authors convincingly demonstrate that exosomes, particularly those enriched with the protein THSD7A, play a significant role in promoting filopodia formation in both cancer cells and neurons.

Reviewed by eLife

Distal Gene Expression Governed by Lamins and Nesprins via Chromatin Conformation Change

1. Haihui Zhang
2. Zhengyang Lei
3. Fatemeh Momen-Heravi
4. Peiwu Qin

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study provides useful information on the impact of Lamin A/C knockdown on gene expression using RNA-Seq analysis. In addition, the impact of Lamin A/C knockdown on telomere dynamics is explored using live cell imaging. The conclusions, however, are inadequately supported by the data presented. Weaknesses include excessive reliance on gene ontology analysis without further validation of direct versus indirect effects, use of only one shRNA, which may have off target effects, validation of knockdown only from gene expression rather than protein levels, lack of discussion on previous studies showing the presence of Lamin A/C in the nuclear interior among others.

Reviewed by eLife

Glucose-stimulated KIF5B-driven microtubule sliding organizes microtubule networks in pancreatic β cells

1. Kai M Bracey
2. Margret Fye
3. Alisa Cario
4. Kung-Hsien Ho
5. Pi’illani Noguchi
6. Guoqiang Gu
7. Irina Kaverina

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  In their valuable study, Bracey et al. investigate how microtubule organization within pancreatic islet beta cells supports optimal insulin secretion. Using a combination of live imaging and photo-kinetic assays in an in vitro culture system, they provide compelling evidence that kinesin-1-mediated microtubule sliding, which plays critical roles in neurons and embryos, also plays a critical role in forming the sub-membranous microtubule band in response to glucose in beta cells. This work will be of interest to cell biologists studying cytoskeletal dynamics and organelle trafficking, as well as to translational biologists focused on diabetes.

Reviewed by eLife

Morphological Reprogramming of Primary Cilia Length Mitigates the Fibrotic Phenotype in Fibroblasts Across Diverse Fibrotic Conditions

1. Priyanka Verma
2. Bharat Yalavarthi
3. Swati Bhattacharyya
4. Dinesh Khanna
5. Johann E. Gudjonsson
6. Lam C. Tsoi
7. Rebecca Wells
8. Rebecca L Ross
9. Natalia Riobo-Del Galdo
10. Francesco Del Galdo
11. Sean M. Fortier
12. Maria E. Teves
13. John Varga
14. Dibyendu Bhattacharyya

Reviewed by Review Commons

Therapeutic effects of PDGF-AB/BB against cellular senescence in human intervertebral disc

1. Changli Zhang
2. Martha Elena Diaz-Hernandez
3. Takanori Fukunaga
4. Sreekala Shenoy
5. Sangwook Tim Yoon
6. Lisbet Haglund
7. Hicham Drissi

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This work demonstrates the therapeutic potential of recombinant human PDGF-AB/BB proteins in alleviating the senescent signatures of primary human intervertebral disc cells. The study represents a fundamental, significant advance in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration through the suppression of senescence. The strength of evidence supporting these conclusions is compelling, as it is primarily based on transcriptomic analysis and direct protein measurements from relatively homogeneous cell populations. This work will be of interest to spine basic scientists and clinicians, as well as to musculoskeletal scientists more broadly. The revised manuscript adds greater clarity, and the impact of the study is greatly enhanced.

Reviewed by eLife

JAK-STAT pathway activation compromises nephrocyte function in a Drosophila high-fat diet model of chronic kidney disease

1. Yunpo Zhao
2. Jianli Duan
3. Hannah Seah
4. Joyce van de Leemput
5. Zhe Han

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents important new insights linking obesity to kidney disease using a Drosophila model. A series of compelling experiments demonstrate that a high-fat diet induces excretion of a leptin-like JAK-STAT ligand from fat body, driving the adipose-nephrocyte axis through activated JAK-STAT signaling and subsequently causing a functional defect in nephrocytes. The approach using combination of genetic tools and pharmacological intervention is solid and confirms the mechanistic link, together with phenotypic analysis that further supports the authors conclusions.

Reviewed by eLife

Melanocyte differentiation and mechanosensation are differentially modulated by distinct extracellular matrix proteins

1. Carole Luthold
2. Marie Didion
3. Vanessa Samira Rácz
4. Emilio Benedum
5. Ann-Kathrin Burkhart
6. Nina Demmerle
7. Evelyn Wirth
8. Gubesh Gunaratnam
9. Sudharshini Thangamurugan
10. Volkhard Helms
11. Markus Bischoff
12. Annika Ridzal
13. Sandra Iden

Reviewed by Review Commons

Uev1A counteracts oncogenic Ras stimuli in both polyploid and diploid cells

1. Qi Zhang
2. Yunfeng Wang
3. Xueli Fu
4. Ziguang Wang
5. Yang Zhang
6. Lizhong Yan
7. Yuejia Wang
8. Muhan Yang
9. Dongze Song
10. Ruixing Zhang
11. Hongru Zhang
12. Shian Wu
13. Shaowei Zhao

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This valuable study examines the role of E2 ubiquitin enzyme, Uev1a in tissue resistance to oncogenic RasV12 in Drosophila melanogaster polyploid germline cells and human cancer cell lines. The incomplete evidence suggests that Uev1a works with the E3 ligase APC/C to degrade Cyclin A, and the strength of evidence could be increased by addressing the expression of CycA in the ovaries and the uev1a loss of function in human cancer cells. This work would be of interest to researchers in germline biology and cancer.

Reviewed by eLife

Sphingolipid imbalance aggravates tau pathology by endomembrane rigidification and rupture

1. Jessica Tittelmeier
2. Carl Alexander Sandhof
3. Nicole Martin
4. Deike El-Kabarity
5. Soki-Bradel Ngonza-Nito
6. Ronald Melki
7. Carmen Nussbaum-Krammer

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable study addresses the role of sphingolipid metabolism in maintaining endolysosomal membrane integrity and its impact on tau pathology in Caenorhabditis elegans and human cell culture models. The methods are solid and the proposed mechanisms are conceivable. However, the current evidence is incomplete and could be strengthened, due to reliance on imaging data and insufficient biochemical validation. The work will be of broad interest to cell biologists and biologists working on Alzheimer's disease and related proteinopathies.

Reviewed by eLife

Intra-manchette transport employs both microtubule and actin tracks

1. Jo H. Judernatz
2. Laura Pérez Pañeda
3. Tereza Kadavá
4. Albert J. R. Heck
5. Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai

Reviewed by Review Commons