2023
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1807/126400
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Item HSPA4 regulated glioma progression via activation of AKT signaling pathway(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-05-31) Yuan, Xi; Sun, Xiangdong; Zhou, Bin; Zhao, Shuang; Li, Yikun; Ming, HaolangGlioma is still an incurable disease with high invasiveness. Heat shock 70 kDa protein 4 (HSPA4) is a member of the HSP110 family, and is associated with the development and progression of various cancers. In the current study, we assessed the expression of HSPA4 in clinical samples, and found that HSPA4 was up-regulated in glioma tissues and correlated with tumor recurrence and grade. Survival analyses demonstrated that glioma patients with high HSPA4 expression had lower overall survival and disease-free survival times. In vitro knockdown of HSPA4 inhibited glioma cell proliferation, mediated cell cycle arrest at G2 phase and apoptosis, and reduced the migration ability. In vivo, the growth of HSPA4-knockdown xenografts was markedly suppressed compared to the tumors formed by HSPA4 positive control cells. Additionally, Gene set enrichment analyses disclosed that HSPA4 was associated with the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The regulatory effect of the AKT activator SC79 on cell proliferation and apoptosis was suppressed by HSPA4 knockdown, indicating that HSPA4 is capable of promoting glioma development. In summary, these data showed that HSPA4 is likely to play a pivotal role in the progression of glioma, and consequently may be a promising therapeutic target for glioma therapy.Item Identification of Critical Mitochondrial Hub Gene for Facial Nerve Regeneration(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-22) Cao, Xiaofang; Zhang, Yan; Shi, Yu; Li, Ying; Gao, Li; Wang, Xiumei; Sun, LiangMitochondria play a critical role in nerve regeneration, yet the impact of gene expression changes related to mitochondria in facial nerve regeneration remains unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed the expression profile of the facial motor nucleus (FMN) using data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE162977). By comparing different time points in the data, we identified Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs). Additionally, we collected mitochondria-related genes from the Gene Ontology (GO) database and intersected them with the DEGs, resulting in the identification of Mitochondria-related DEGs (MIT-DEGs). To gain further insights, we performed functional enrichment and pathway analysis of the MIT-DEGs. To explore the interactions among these MIT-DEGs, we constructed a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network using the STRING database and identified hub genes using the Degree algorithm of Cytoscape software. To validate the relevance of these genes to nerve regeneration, we established a rat FNI model and conducted a series of experiments. Through these experiments, we confirmed three MIT-DEGs (Myc, Lyn, and Cdk1) associated with facial nerve regeneration. Our findings provide valuable insights into the transcriptional changes of mitochondria-related genes in the FMN following FNI, which can contribute to the development of new treatment strategies for FNI.Item Yeast profilin mutants inhibit classical nuclear import and alter the balance between actin and tubulin levels(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-15) Stochaj, UrsulaProfilin is a small protein that controls actin polymerization in yeast and higher eukaryotes. In addition, profilin has emerged as a multifunctional protein that contributes to other processes in multicellular organisms. This study focuses on profilin (Pfy1) in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The primary sequence of yeast Pfy1 and its metazoan orthologs diverge vastly. However, structural elements of profilin are conserved among different species. To date, the full spectrum of Pfy1 functions has yet to be defined. The current work explores the possible involvement of yeast profilin in nuclear protein import. To this end, a panel of well characterized yeast profilin mutants was evaluated. The experiments demonstrate that (i) yeast profilin regulates nuclear protein import, (ii) determines the subcellular localization of essential nuclear transport factors, and (iii) controls the relative abundance of actin and tubulin. Together, these results define yeast profilin as a moonlighting protein that engages in multiple essential cellular activities.Item The role of BCL2L13 in Glioblastoma: Turning a need into a target(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-13) Jacobs, Joadi; Iranpour, Rosa; Barzegar Behrooz, Amir; da Silva Rosa, Simone C.; Ghavami, SaeidGlioblastoma (GBM) is the most common aggressive central nervous system (CNS) cancer. GBM has a high mortality rate, with a median survival time of 12-15 months after diagnosis. A poor prognosis and a shorter life expectancy may result from resistance to standard treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. Temozolomide (TMZ) has been the mainstay treatment for GBM, but unfortunately, there are high rates of resistance with GBM bypassing apoptosis. A proposed mechanism for bypassing apoptosis is decreased ceramide levels, and previous research has shown that within GBM cells, BCL2L13 can inhibit ceramide synthase. This review aims to discuss the causes of resistance in GBM cells, followed by a brief description of BCL2L13 and an explanation of its mechanism of action. Further, lipids, specifically ceramide, will be discussed concerning cancer and GBM cells, focusing on ceramide synthase and its role in developing GBM. By gathering all current information on BCL2L13 and ceramide synthase, this review seeks to enable an understanding of these pieces of GBM in the hope of finding an effective treatment for this disease.Item Histone H4 asymmetrically dimethylated at arginine 3 (H4R3me2a), a mark of super-enhancers(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-15) Sudhakar, Sadhana R. N.; Wu, Li; Patel, Shrinal; Zovoilis, Athanasios; Davie, James R.Histone H4 asymmetrically dimethylated at arginine 3 (H4R3me2a) is an active histone mark catalyzed by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1), a major arginine methyltransferase in vertebrates catalyzing asymmetric dimethylation of arginine. H4R3me2a stimulates the activity of lysine acetyltransferases such as CBP/p300 which catalyze the acetylation of H3K27, a mark of active enhancers, super-enhancers, and promoters. There are a few studies on the genomic location of H4R3me2a. In chicken polychromatic erythrocytes, H4R3me2a is found in introns and intergenic regions and binds to the globin locus control region (a super-enhancer), and globin regulatory regions. In this report, we analyzed chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data for the genomic location of H4R3me2a in the breast cancer cell line MCF7. As in avian cells, MCF7 H4R3me2a is present in intronic and intergenic regions. Nucleosomes with H4R3me2a and H3K27ac next to nucleosome-free regions are found at super-enhancers, enhancers, and promoter regions of expressed genes. Genes with critical roles in breast cancer cells have broad domains of nucleosomes with H4R3me2a, H3K27ac, and H3K4me3. Our results are consistent with PRMT1-mediated H4R3me2a playing a key role in the chromatin organization of regulatory regions of vertebrate genomes.Item Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1, a major regulator of biological processes(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-10-10) Sudhakar, Sadhana R. N.; Khan, Shahper N.; Clark, Ariel; Hendrickson-Rebizant, Thordur; Patel, Shrinal; Lakowski, Ted M.; Davie, James R.Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is a major type I arginine methyltransferase that catalyzes the formation of monomethyl and asymmetric dimethylarginine in protein substrates. It was first identified to asymmetrically methylate histone H4 at the 3rd arginine residue forming the H4R3me2a active histone mark. However, several protein substrates are now identified as being methylated by PRMT1. As a result of its association with diverse classes of substrates, PRMT1 regulates several biological processes like chromatin dynamics, transcription, RNA processing, and signal transduction. The review provides an overview of PRMT1 structure, biochemical features, specificity, regulation, and role in cellular functions. We discuss the genomic distribution of PRMT1 and its association with tRNA genes. Further, we explore the different substrates of PRMT1 involved in splicing. In the end, we discuss the proteins that interact with PRMT1 and their downstream effects in diseased states.Item BioCanRx Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy 2022 Proceedings(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-08-02) Lee, Stacey N.; Hoskin, Victoria; Laumont, Céline M.; Snelling, Shannon; Lindo, Lorenzo; Bird, Lou; Samarkina, Vera; Thurston, Chantale; Fox, Grace; Ivanco, Sarah; Mahoney, Megan; Boudreau, Jeanette E; Nersesian, SarahFrom November 19-21, 2022, BioCanRx held its first post-pandemic in-person Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy in Montreal, Canada. The meeting was well-attended by patients, trainees, researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals, who came together to discuss the current state and future of biotherapeutics for cancer in Canada and beyond. Three plenaries, three keynote speakers, a lively debate and panel discussions, together with poster sessions and a social event made the event memorable and productive. The current state of cellular therapies, cellular engineering, clinical trials and the role of the cancer microbiome were discussed in plenary session, and the patient voice was welcomed and present throughout the meeting, in large part due to the Learning Institute, a BioCanRx initiative to include patient partners in research. In this meeting review, we highlight the platform presentations, keynote speakers, debate combatants, panelists, and the patient perspective on the annual meeting.Item Naïve bayes classifier assisted automated detection of cerebral microbleeds in SWI brain images(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-08-21) Ateeq, Tayyab; Faheem, Zaid Bin; Ghoneimy, Mohamed; Ali (PhD Computer Engineering), Dr. Jehad; Li, Yang; Baz, AbdullahCerebral Microbleeds (CMBs) in the brain are the essential indicators of critical brain disorders such as dementia and ischemic stroke. Generally, CMBs are detected manually by experts which is an exhaustive task with limited productivity. Since, CMBs have complex morphological nature, so manual detection is prone to errors. This paper presents a machine learning-based automated Cerebral Microbleeds detection technique in the brain SWI scans based on statistical feature extraction and classification. The proposed method consists of three steps: 1. Removal of the skull and extraction of the brain 2. Thresholding for the extraction of initial candidates 3. Extracting features and applying classification models such as random forest and naïve bayes classifiers for the detection of true positive cerebral microbleeds. The proposed technique is validated on a dataset consisting of 20 subjects. The dataset is divided into training data which consists of 14 subjects with 104 microbleeds and testing data which consists of 6 subjects with 63 microbleeds. We were able to 85.7% sensitivity using the random forest classifier with 4.2 false positives per CMB and the naive bayes classifier achieved 90.5% sensitivity with 5.5 false positives per CMB. The proposed technique outperformed many state-of-the-art methods proposed in previous studies.Item LncRNAs: the good, the bad, and the unknown(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-08-11) Arunkumar, GanesanLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are significant contributors in maintaining genomic integrity through epigenetic regulation. LncRNAs can interact with chromatin-modifying complexes in both cis and trans pathways, drawing them to specific genomic loci and influencing gene expression via DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling. They can also operate as building blocks to assemble different chromatin-modifying components, facilitating their interactions and gene regulatory functions. Deregulation of these molecules has been associated with various human diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders. Thus, lncRNAs are implicated as potential diagnostic indicators and therapeutic targets. This review discusses the current understanding of how lncRNAs mediate epigenetic control, genomic integrity, and their putative functions in disease pathogenesis.Item Automatic detection of Cryptosporidium in optical microscopy images Using YOLOv5x: A comparative study(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-07-26) Lopez Salguero, Johan Sebastian; Rodríguez Rendón, Melissa; Triviño Valencia, Jessica; Cuellar Gil, Jorge Andrés; Naranjo Galvis, Carlos Andrés; Moscoso Londoño, Oscar; Londoño Calderón, César Leandro; Gonzáles Osorio, Fabio Augusto; Tabares Soto, ReinelHere, a machine learning tool (YOLOv5) enables the detection of Cryptosporidium microorganisms using optical and phase contrast microscope images. The two databases were processed using 520 images (optical microscopy) and 1200 images (phase contrast microscopy). It used Python libraries to label, standardize the size, and crop the images to generate the input tensors to the YOLOv5 network (s, m, and l). It implemented two experiments using randomly initialized weights in optical and phase contrast microscope images. The other two experiments used the parameters for the best training time obtained before and after retraining the models. Metrics used to assess model accuracy were mean average accuracy (mAP), confusion matrix, and the F1 scores. All three metrics confirmed that the optimal model used the best epoch of optical imaging training and retraining with phase contrast imaging. Experiments with randomly initialized weights with optical imaging showed the lowest precision for Cryptosporidium detection. The most stable model was YOLOv5m, with the best results in all categories. However, the differences between all models are lower than 2%, and YOLOv5s is the best option for Cryptosporidium detection considering the differences in computational costs of the models.Item The G protein-coupled receptor GPRC5A – A phorbol ester and retinoic acid induced orphan receptor with roles in cancer, inflammation, and immunity(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-07-11) Iglesias González, Pablo A.; Valdivieso, Ángel G.; Santa-Coloma, Tomás AntonioGPRC5A is the first member of a new class of orphan receptors coupled to G proteins, which also includes GPRC5B, GPRC5C, and GPRC5D. Since its cloning and identification in the 90s, substantial progress has been made in understanding the possible functions of this receptor. GPRC5A has been implicated in a variety of cellular events, such as cytoskeleton reorganization, cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, migration, and survival. It appears to be a central player in different pathological processes, including tumorigenesis, inflammation, immune response, and tissue damage. The levels of GPRC5A expression differ depending on the type of cancer, with increased expression in colon, pancreas, and prostate cancers, decreased expression in lung cancer, and varied results in breast cancer. In this review, we will discuss the early discovery of GPRC5A as a phorbol ester-induced gene and later as a retinoic acid-induced gene, its regulation, and its participation in important canonical pathways related to numerous types of tumors and inflammatory processes. GPRC5A represents a potential new target for cancer, inflammation, and immunity therapies.Item Remembering the Legacy of Professor Mohammad Hashemi: A Pioneer in Molecular Genetic Studies in Southeast Iran (1965-2019)(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-05-02) Tabasi, Farhad; Eskandari, Ebrahim; Ghavami, SaeidProfessor Mohammad Hashemi was a clinical biochemist, and cancer genetics scientist. He has been chair and head of department of clinical biochemistry at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran. He has played an important role in the improvement of understanding of genetics of disease in southeast Iran. He was also a part of international team for the discovery of the role of calprotectin (S100A8/A9) in cancer biology via regulation of cell fate in tumor cells. He had over 300 peer reviewed scientific publications and trained significant numbers of high quality personals (>40) in the field of biomedical sciences. His sudden death in 2019, shocked national and international scientific society but his scientific legacy will remain alive forever.Item Message from Dr. Philippe T. Georgel, Guest Editor for the Marshall University Collection, Brad D. Smith, President of Marshall University, and Dr. Anivandan Mukherjee, Provost of Marshall University:(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-03-14) Georgel, Philippe T.; Smith, Brad D.; Mukherjee, AvinandanWelcome to the Biochemistry and Cell Biology (BCB) Marshall University Collection. In this series, selected papers authored by Marshall University Faculty and Students are highlighted. The inaugural set of manuscripts is based on research projects presented during the 2022 Marshall University Student research and Creativity Symposium in Huntington, West Virginia (see details below). The entire Marshall University (MU) community is very proud of the research and creative activities displayed by our students during this event. In the future, the collection will continue publishing our student-based research, which will carry on displaying high standards of quality and innovation that make us proud of our institution.Item Mechanism of myocardial fibrosis regulation by IGF-1R in atrial fibrillation through the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a pathway(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-01-11) Zhang, Pei; Li, Huilin; Zhang, An; Wang, Xiao; Song, Qiyuan; Li, Zhan; Wang, Weizong; Xu, Jingwen; Hou, Yinglong; Zhang, YongAtrial structural remodeling takes on a critical significance to the occurrence and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). As revealed by recent data, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) plays a certain role in tissue fibrosis. In this study, the mechanism of IGF-1R in atrial structural remodeling was examined based on in vivo and in vitro experiments. First, cluster analysis of AF hub genes was conducted, and then the molecular mechanism was proposed by which IGF-1R regulates myocardial fibrosis via the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a pathway. Subsequently, the mentioned mechanism was verified in human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) and rats transduced with IGF-1 overexpression type 9 adeno-associated viruses. The results indicated that IGF-1R activation up-regulated collagen Ⅰ protein expression and Akt phosphorylation in HCFs and rat atrium. The administration of LY294002 reversed the above phenomenon, improved the shortening of atrial effective refractory period, and reduced the increased incidence of AF and atrial fibrosis in rats. The transfection of FoxO3a siRNA reduced the anti-fibrotic effect of LY294002 in HCFs. The above data revealed that activation of IGF-1R takes on a vital significance to atrial structural remodeling by facilitating myocardial fibrosis and expediting the occurrence and maintenance of AF through the regulation of the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway.Item TELOMERE BIOLOGY AND RIBOSOME BIOGENESIS: STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL INTERCONNECTIONS(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-03-21) Valeeva, Liia R; Abdulkina, Liliia R; Agabekian, Inna A; Shakirov, Eugene VTelomeres are the nucleoprotein structures which play a pivotal role in the protection and maintenance of eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomeres and the enzyme telomerase which replenishes telomeric DNA lost during replication are important factors necessary to ensure continued cell proliferation. Cell proliferation is also dependent on proper and efficient protein synthesis, which is carried out by ribosomes. Mutations in genes involved in either ribosome biogenesis or telomere biology result in cellular abnormalities and can cause human genetic diseases, defined as ribosomopathies and telomeropathies, respectively. Interestingly, recent discoveries indicate that many of the ribosome assembly and rRNA maturation factors have additional non-canonical functions in telomere biology. Similarly, several key proteins and enzymes involved in telomere biology, including telomerase, have unexpected roles in rRNA transcription and maturation. These observations point to an intriguing crosstalk mechanism potentially explaining the multiple pleiotropic symptoms of mutations in many causal genes identified in various telomeropathy and ribosomopathy diseases. In this review, we provide a brief summary of eukaryotic telomere and rDNA loci structures, highlight several universal features of rRNA and telomerase biogenesis, evaluate intriguing interconnections between telomere biology and ribosome assembly, and conclude with an assessment of overlapping features of human diseases of telomeropathies and ribosomopathies.Item SARS-CoV-2 E protein-induced THP-1 pyroptosis is reversed by Ruscogenin(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-02-15) Huang, Houda; Li, Xiuzhen; Zha, Duoduo; Lin, Hongru; Yang, Lingyi; Wang, Yihan; Xu, Luyan; Wang, Linsiqi; Lei, Tianhua; Zhou, Zhou; Xiao, Yun-Fei; Xin, Hong-Bo; Fu, Mingui; Qian, YisongSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an emerging pathogenic coronavirus, has been reported to cause excessive inflammation and dysfunction in multiple cells and organs, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we showed exogenous addition of SARS-CoV-2 envelop protein (E protein) potently induced cell death in cultured cell lines, including THP-1 monocytic leukemia cells, endothelial cells and bronchial epithelial cells, in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. SARS-CoV-2 E protein caused pyroptosis-like cell death in THP-1 and led to GSDMD cleavage. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 E protein up-regulated the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines that may be attributed to activation of NF-κB, JNK and p38 signal pathways. Notably, we identified a natural compound, Ruscogenin, effectively reversed E protein-induced THP-1 death via inhibition of NLRP3 activation and GSDMD cleavage. In conclusion, these findings suggested that Ruscogenin may have beneficial effects on preventing SARS-CoV-2 E protein-induced cell death and might be a promising treatment for the complications of COVID-19.Item Analysis of Financial Challenges Faced by Graduate Students in Canada(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-03-10) Laframboise, Sarah Jane; Bailey, Thomas; Dang, Anh-Thu; Rose, Mercedes; Zhou, Zier; Berg, Matthew D.; Holland, Stephen; Abdul, Sami Aftab; O'Connor, Kaela; El-Sahli, Sara; Boucher, Dominique M.; Fairman, Garrett; Deng, Jacky; Shaw, Katherine; Noblett, Nathaniel; D’Addario, Alexa; Empey, Madelaine; Sinclair, KeatonGraduate students are vital to the creation of research and innovation in Canada. The National Graduate Student Finance Survey was launched in 2021 by the Ottawa Science Policy Network (OSPN) to investigate the financial realities of Canadian graduate students. Closing in April 2022, the survey received 1,305 responses from graduate students representing various geographical locations, years of study, fields of education, and demographic backgrounds. The results capture a snapshot into graduate student finances, including an in-depth analysis of stipends, scholarships, debt, tuition and living expenses. In its entirety, we found that the majority of graduate students are facing significant financial concerns. This is largely due to stagnant funding for students both from federal and provincial granting agencies and from within their institutions. This reality is even worse for international students, members of historically underrepresented communities, and those with dependents, all of whom experience additional restrictions that impact their financial security. Based on our findings, we propose several recommendations to the Tri-Council agencies (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) and academic institutions to strengthen graduate student finances and sustain the future of research in Canada.Item Mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase (MSK1/2) regulated gene expression in normal and disease states(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-02-21) Sattarifard, Hedieh; Safaei, Akram; Khazeeva, Enzhe; Rastegar, Mojgan; Davie, James R.The mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinases (MSK) are epigenetic modifiers that regulate gene expression in normal and disease cell states. MSK1 and 2 are involved in a chain of signal transduction events bringing signals from the external environment of a cell to specific sites in the genome. MSK1/2 phosphorylate histone H3 at multiple sites, resulting in chromatin remodeling at regulatory elements of target genes and the induction of gene expression. Several transcription factors (RELA of NF-κB, CREB) are also phosphorylated by MSK1/2 and contribute to induction of gene expression. In response to signal transduction pathways, MSK1/2 can stimulate genes involved in cell proliferation, inflammation, innate immunity, neuronal function, and neoplastic transformation. Abrogation of the MSK-involved signaling pathway is among the mechanisms by which pathogenic bacteria subdue the host’s innate immunity. Depending on the signal transduction pathways in play and the MSK-targeted genes, MSK may promote or hinder metastasis. Thus, depending on the type of cancer and genes involved, MSK overexpression may be a good or poor prognostic factor. In this review, we focus on mechanisms by which MSK1/2 regulate gene expression, and recent studies on their roles in normal and diseased cells.Item Structural Features, Intrinsic Disorder, and Modularity of a Pyriform Spidroin 1 Core Repetitive Domain(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-02-15) Simmons, Jeffrey R.; Gasmi-Seabrook, Geneviève; Rainey, Jan KOrb-weaving spiders produce up to seven silk types, each with distinct biological roles, protein compositions and mechanics. Pyriform (or piriform) silk is composed of pyriform spidroin 1 (PySp1) and is the fibrillar component of attachment discs that attach webs to substrates and to each other. Here, we characterize the 234-residue repeat unit (the “Py unit”) from the core repetitive domain of Argiope argentata PySp1. Solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based backbone chemical shift and dynamics analysis demonstrates a structured core flanked by disordered tails, structuring that is maintained in a tandem protein of two connected Py units, indicative of structural modularity of the Py unit in the context of the repetitive domain. Notably, AlphaFold2 predicts the Py unit structure with low confidence, echoing low confidence and poor agreement to the NMR-derived structure for the Argiope trifasciata aciniform spidroin (AcSp1) repeat unit. Rational truncation, validated through NMR spectroscopy, provided a 144-residue construct retaining the Py unit core fold, enabling near-complete backbone and side-chainItem Epidermal melanocytes metabolize extracellular nucleotides by purinergic enzymes(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-01-04) Naasani, Liliana Ivet Sous; Azevedo, Jéssica Gonçalves; Sevigny, Jean; Franco de Oliveira, Tiago; Maria-Engler, Silvya SSME; Wink, Márcia RosangelaThe human epidermal melanocyte (hEM) are melanin-producing cells that provide skin pigmentation and protection against ultraviolet radiation. Although purinergic signaling is involved in skin biology and pathology, the presence of NTPDase members, as well as the rate of nucleotides degradation by melanocytes was not described yet. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the expression of ectonucleotidases in hEM derived from discarded foreskin of male patients. The expression of purinergic enzymes was confirmed by mRNA and flow cytometry. Among the ectonucleotidases, NTPDase1 and CD73 were the ectoenzymes with higher expression. The hydrolysis rate for ATP, ADP and AMP was low, in comparison to other primary cells already investigated. The amount of ATP in the culture medium was increased after a scratch wound, decreasing to basal levels in 48h, while the NTPDase1 and P2X7 expression increased. Therefore, it is possible to suggest that after cell injury, the ATP released by hEM into the extracellular space will be hydrolyzed by ectonucleotidases as the NTPDase1 that will control the levels of nucleotides in the skin microenvironment.