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RESEARCH

Nanotubes NPU trojno_spletna stran_edite

Triple labelling of actin filaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules for broad application in cell biology: uncovering the cytoskeletal composition in tunneling nanotubes (Histochem Cell Biol. 2019 Oct;152(4):311-317)

TUNNELING NANOTUBES

Tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) are membranous connections that represent a unique type of intercellular communication in different cell types. They are crucial in the initial stages of oncogenesis and thus a critical factor in the pathobiology of cancer. Since TNTs are involved in tumour growth, metastasis and chemoresistance, they are considered promising therapeutic targets. Our research focuses on the comprehensive molecular, cell biological and physiological characterisation of homocellular TNTs in normal and cancer urothelial cells as well as heterocellular TNTs. These novel insights into the biological activity of TNTs have the potential to further advance the search for anticancer drugs that target TNTs.

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Notable publications:

  1. Molecular, morphological and functional properties of tunnelling nanotubes between normal and cancer urothelial cells: New insights from the in vitro model mimicking the situation after surgical removal of the urothelial tumor. Resnik N, Baraga D, Glažar P, Jokhadar Zemljič Š, Derganc J, Sepčić K, Veranič P, Kreft ME. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Dec 19;10:934684. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.934684. eCollection 2022. 

  2. Triple labelling of actin filaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules for broad application in cell biology: uncovering the cytoskeletal composition in tunneling nanotubes. Resnik N, Erman A, Veranič P, Kreft ME. Histochem Cell Biol. 2019 Oct;152(4):311-317. doi: 10.1007/s00418-019-01806-3.  

  3. Helical organization of microtubules occurs in a minority of tunneling membrane nanotubes in normal and cancer urothelial cells. Resnik N, Prezelj T, De Luca GMR, Manders E, Polishchuk R, Veranič P, Kreft ME. Sci Rep. 2018 Nov 20;8(1):17133. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-35370-y. 

  4. The role of cholesterol-sphingomyelin membrane nanodomains in the stability of intercellular membrane nanotubes. Lokar M, Kabaso D, Resnik N, Sepčić K, Kralj-Iglič V, Veranič P, Zorec R, Iglič A. Int J Nanomedicine. 2012;7:1891-902. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S28723. 

  5. Temperature and cholera toxin B are factors that influence formation of membrane nanotubes in RT4 and T24 urothelial cancer cell lines. Kabaso D, Lokar M, Kralj-Iglič V, Veranič P, Iglič A. Int J Nanomedicine. 2011;6:495-509. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S16982. 

  6. Protruding membrane nanotubes: attachment of tubular protrusions to adjacent cells by several anchoring junctions. Lokar M, Iglic A, Veranic P. Protoplasma. 2010 Oct;246(1-4):81-7. doi: 10.1007/s00709-010-0143-7. 

  7. Mechanisms for the formation of membranous nanostructures in cell-to-cell communication.Schara K, Jansa V, Sustar V, Dolinar D, Pavlic JI, Lokar M, Kralj-Iglic V, Veranic P, Iglic A. Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2009;14(4):636-56. doi: 10.2478/s11658-009-0018-0. 

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