技术资料

Obesity increases the risk of developing multiple myeloma (MM). Adiponectin is a cytokine produced by adipocytes,but paradoxically decreased in obesity,that has been implicated in MM progression. Herein,we evaluated how prolonged exposure to adiponectin affected the survival of MM cells as well as putative signaling mechanisms. Adiponectin activates protein kinase A (PKA),which leads to decreased AKT activity and increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. AMPK,in turn,induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Adiponectin-induced apoptosis may be mediated,at least in part,by the PKA/AMPK-dependent decline in the expression of the enzyme acetyl-CoA-carboxylase (ACC),which is essential to lipogenesis. Supplementation with palmitic acid,the preliminary end product of fatty acid synthesis,rescues MM cells from adiponectin-induced apoptosis. Furthermore,5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furancarboxylic acid (TOFA),an ACC inhibitor,exhibited potent antiproliferative effects on MM cells that could also be inhibited by fatty acid supplementation. Thus,adiponectin's ability to reduce survival of MM cells appears to be mediated through its ability to suppress lipogenesis. Our findings suggest that PKA/AMPK pathway activators,or inhibitors of ACC,may be useful adjuvants to treat MM. Moreover,the antimyeloma effect of adiponectin supports the concept that hypoadiponectinemia,as occurs in obesity,promotes MM tumor progression. View Publication

Current therapies for delayed- or nonunion bone fractures are still largely ineffective. Previous studies indicated that the VEGF homolog placental growth factor (PlGF) has a more significant role in disease than in health. Therefore we investigated the role of PlGF in a model of semi-stabilized bone fracture healing. Fracture repair in mice lacking PlGF was impaired and characterized by a massive accumulation of cartilage in the callus,reminiscent of delayed- or nonunion fractures. PlGF was required for the early recruitment of inflammatory cells and the vascularization of the fracture wound. Interestingly,however,PlGF also played a role in the subsequent stages of the repair process. Indeed in vivo and in vitro findings indicated that PlGF induced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitors and stimulated cartilage turnover by particular MMPs. Later in the process,PlGF was required for the remodeling of the newly formed bone by stimulating osteoclast differentiation. As PlGF expression was increased throughout the process of bone repair and all the important cell types involved expressed its receptor VEGFR-1,the present data suggest that PlGF is required for mediating and coordinating the key aspects of fracture repair. Therefore PlGF may potentially offer therapeutic advantages for fracture repair. View Publication

A hallmark feature of glioblastoma is its strong self-renewal potential and immature differentiation state,which contributes to its plasticity and therapeutic resistance. Here,integrated genomic and biological analyses identified PLAGL2 as a potent protooncogene targeted for amplification/gain in malignant gliomas. Enhanced PLAGL2 expression strongly suppresses neural stem cell (NSC) and glioma-initiating cell differentiation while promoting their self-renewal capacity upon differentiation induction. Transcriptome analysis revealed that these differentiation-suppressive activities are attributable in part to PLAGL2 modulation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Inhibition of Wnt signaling partially restores PLAGL2-expressing NSC differentiation capacity. The identification of PLAGL2 as a glioma oncogene highlights the importance of a growing class of cancer genes functioning to impart stem cell-like characteristics in malignant cells. View Publication

The antitumor activity of LPS was first described by Dr. William Coley. However,its role in lung cancer remains unclear. The aim of our study was to elucidate the dose-dependent effects of LPS (0.1-10 μg/mouse) in a mouse model of B16-F10-induced metastatic lung cancer. Lung tumor growth increased at 3 and 7 d after the administration of low-dose LPS (0.1 μg/mouse) compared with control mice. This was associated with an influx of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs),regulatory T cells,myeloid-derived suppressor cells,and CD8(+) regulatory T cells. In contrast,high-dose LPS (10 μg/mouse) reduced lung tumor burden and was associated with a greater influx of pDCs,as well as a stronger Th1 and Th17 polarization. Depletion of pDCs during low-dose LPS administration resulted in a decreased lung tumor burden. Depletion of pDCs during high-dose LPS treatment resulted in an increased tumor burden. The dichotomy in LPS effects was due to the phenotype of pDCs,which were immunosuppressive after the low-dose LPS,and Th1- and T cytotoxic-polarizing cells after the high-dose LPS. Adoptive transfer of T cells into nude mice demonstrated that CD8(+) T cells were responsible for pDC recruitment following low-dose LPS administration,whereas CD4(+) T cells were required for pDC influx after the high-dose LPS. In conclusion,our data suggest differential effects of low-dose versus high-dose LPS on pDC phenotype and tumor progression or regression in the lungs of mice. View Publication

BACKGROUND In colorectal carcinoma (CRC),activation of the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is commonly observed. In addition,the commonly used 5FU-based chemotherapy in patients with metastatic CRC was found to enrich a subpopulation of CD26(+) cancer stem cells (CSCs). As activation of the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway was also found in the CD26(+) CSCs and therefore,we hypothesized that an ATP-competitive pan-Raf inhibitor,Raf265,is effective in eliminating the cancer cells and the CD26(+) CSCs in CRC patients. METHODS HT29 and HCT116 cells were treated with various concentrations of Raf265 to study the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of Raf265. Anti-tumor effect was also demonstrated using a xenograft model. Cells were also treated with Raf265 in combination with 5FU to demonstrate the anti-migratory and invasive effects by targeting on the CD26(+) CSCs and the anti-metastatic effect of the combined treatment was shown in an orthotopic CRC model. RESULTS Raf265 was found to be highly effective in inhibiting cell proliferation and tumor growth through the inhibition of the RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. In addition,anti-migratory and invasive effect was found with Raf265 treatment in combination with 5FU by targeting on the CD26(+) cells. Finally,the anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effect of Raf265 in combination with 5FU was also demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS This preclinical study demonstrates the anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activity of Raf265 in CRC,providing the basis for exploiting its potential use and combination therapy with 5FU in the clinical treatment of CRC. View Publication

PURPOSE: The class I phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase (PI3K) plays a major role in proliferation and survival in a wide variety of human cancers. A key factor in successful development of drugs targeting this pathway is likely to be the identification of responsive patient populations with predictive diagnostic biomarkers. This study sought to identify candidate biomarkers of response to the selective PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We used a large panel of breast cancer cell lines and in vivo xenograft models to identify candidate predictive biomarkers for a selective inhibitor of class I PI3K that is currently in clinical development. The approach involved pharmacogenomic profiling as well as analysis of gene expression data sets from cells profiled at baseline or after GDC-0941 treatment. RESULTS: We found that models harboring mutations in PIK3CA,amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2,or dual alterations in two pathway components were exquisitely sensitive to the antitumor effects of GDC-0941. We found that several models that do not harbor these alterations also showed sensitivity,suggesting a need for additional diagnostic markers. Gene expression studies identified a collection of genes whose expression was associated with in vitro sensitivity to GDC-0941,and expression of a subset of these genes was found to be intimately linked to signaling through the pathway. CONCLUSION: Pathway focused biomarkers and the gene expression signature described in this study may have utility in the identification of patients likely to benefit from therapy with a selective PI3K inhibitor. View Publication

The steps to leukemia following an in utero fusion of MLL (HRX,ALL-1) to a partner gene in humans are not known. Introduction of the Mll-AF9 fusion gene into embryonic stem cells results in leukemia in mice with cell-type specificity similar to humans. In this study we used myeloid colony assays,immunophenotyping,and transplantation to evaluate myelopoiesis in Mll-AF9 mice. Colony assays demonstrated that both prenatal and postnatal Mll-AF9 tissues have significantly increased numbers of CD11b(+)/CD117(+)/Gr-1(+/-) myeloid cells,often in compact clusters. The self-renewal capacity of prenatal myeloid progenitors was found to decrease following serial replating of colony-forming cells. In contrast,early postnatal myeloid progenitors increased following replating; however,the enhanced self-renewal of early postnatal myeloid progenitor cells was limited and did not result in long-term cell lines or leukemia in vivo. Unlimited replating,long-term CD11b/Gr-1(+) myeloid cell lines,and the ability to produce early leukemia in vivo in transplantation experiments,were found only in mice with overt leukemia. Prenatal Mll-AF9 tissues had reduced total (mature and progenitor) CD11b/Gr-1(+) cells compared with wild-type tissues. Colony replating,immunophenotyping,and cytochemistry suggest that any perturbation of cellular differentiation from the prenatal stage onward is partial and largely reversible. We describe a novel informative in vitro and in vivo model system that permits study of the stages in the pathogenesis of Mll fusion gene leukemia,beginning in prenatal myeloid cells,progressing to a second stage in the postnatal period and,finally,resulting in overt leukemia in adult animals. View Publication

For antibody-based therapy of cancer,monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) of human origin are superior to mouse,mouse/human chimeric or humanized mAbs,because of their minimum immunogenicity to humans and their efficient collaboration with human effector cells. In the present study,human mAbs were prepared against a pancarcinoma antigen,MK-1 (Ep-CAM),using a genetically-engineered mouse (KM mouse) that contains the human immunoglobulin genes. Spleen cells from KM mice,immunized with recombinant MK-1,were fused with P3-U1 mouse myeloma cells. Of 44 anti-MK-1 clones analyzed,two were of IgG4 and the others of IgM clones. Although the two IgG4 clones were suggested to recognize the same antigenic determinant or two closely located determinants,their VK regions were encoded by different light-chain genes while their VH sequences were identical. The two IgG4 and one of the IgM clones tested revealed antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity,respectively,against MK-1-expressing cells in vitro,suggesting that these fully human mAbs produced against MK-1 and their V-region genes,which are applicable for the preparation of engineered antibody fragments that may be useful for antibody-based therapy of cancer. View Publication

Regulatory T cells (T(reg)) that prevent autoimmune diseases by suppression of self-reactive T cells may also suppress the immune response against cancer. In mice,depletion of T(reg) by Ab therapy leads to more efficient tumor rejection. T(reg)-mediated suppression of antitumor immune responses may partly explain the poor clinical response to vaccine-based immunotherapy for human cancer. In this study,we measured the prevalence of T(reg) that coexpress CD4 and CD25 in the PBLs,tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes,and regional lymph node lymphocytes from 65 patients with either pancreas or breast cancer. In breast cancer patients (n = 35),pancreas cancer patients (n = 30),and normal donors (n = 35),the prevalence of T(reg) were 16.6% (SE 1.22),13.2% (SE 1.13),and 8.6% (SE 0.71) of the total CD4(+) cells,respectively. The prevalence of T(reg) were significantly higher in breast cancer patients (p textless 0.01) and pancreas cancer patients (p textless 0.01) when compared with normal donors. In tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and lymph node lymphocytes,the T(reg) prevalence were 20.2% (SE 3.93) and 20.1% (SE 4.3),respectively. T(reg) constitutively coexpressed CTLA-4 and CD45RO markers,and secreted TGF-beta and IL-10 but did not secrete IFN-gamma. When cocultured with activated CD8(+) cells or CD4(+)25(-) cells,T(reg) potently suppressed their proliferation and secretion of IFN-gamma. We conclude that the prevalence of T(reg) is increased in the peripheral blood as well as in the tumor microenvironment of patients with invasive breast or pancreas cancers. These T(reg) may mitigate the immune response against cancer,and may partly explain the poor immune response against tumor Ags. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are purported to be epithelial tumour cells expressing CD44(+)CD24(lo) that exhibit aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (Aldefluor(+)). We hypothesised that if CSCs are responsible for tumour dissemination,disseminated cells in the bone marrow (BM) would be positive for putative breast CSC markers. Therefore,we assessed the presence of Aldefluor(+) epithelial (CD326(+)CD45(dim)) cells for the presence of the CD44(+)CD24(lo) phenotype in BM of patients with primary breast cancer (PBC). METHODS: BM aspirates were collected at the time of surgery from 66 patients with PBC. Thirty patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) prior to aspiration. BM was analysed for Aldefluor(+) epithelial cells with or without CD44(+)CD24(lo) expression by flow cytometry. BM aspirates from three healthy donors (HD) were subjected to identical processing and analyses and served as controls. RESULTS: Patients with triple-receptor-negative (TN) tumours had a significantly higher median percentage of CD44(+)CD24(lo) CSC within Aldefluor(+) epithelial cell population than patients with other immunohistochemical subtypes (P=0.018). Patients with TN tumours or with pN2 or higher pathologic nodal status were more likely to have a proportion of CD44(+)CD24(lo) CSC within Aldefluor(+) epithelial cell population above the highest level of HD. Furthermore,patients who received NACT were more likely to have percentages of Aldefluor(+) epithelial cells than the highest level of HD (P=0.004). CONCLUSION: The percentage of CD44(+)CD24(lo) CSC in the BM is higher in PBC patients with high risk tumour features. The selection or enrichment of Aldefluor(+) epithelial cells by NACT may represent an opportunity to target these cells with novel therapies. View Publication

The activating NK cell receptor DNAX accessory molecule-1 (DNAM-1) contributes to tumor immune surveillance and plays a crucial role in NK cell-mediated recognition of several types of human tumors,including ovarian carcinoma. Here,we have analyzed the receptor repertoire and functional integrity of NK cells in peritoneal effusions from patients with ovarian carcinoma. Relative to autologous peripheral blood NK cells,tumor-associated NK cells expressed reduced levels of the DNAM-1,2B4,and CD16 receptors and were hyporesponsive to HLA class I-deficient K562 cells and to coactivation via DNAM-1 and 2B4. Moreover,tumor-associated NK cells were also refractory to CD16 receptor stimulation,resulting in diminished Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against autologous tumor cells. Coincubation of NK cells with ovarian carcinoma cells expressing the DNAM-1 ligand CD155 led to reduction of DNAM-1 expression. Therefore,NK cell-mediated rejection of ovarian carcinoma may be limited by perturbed DNAM-1 expression on tumor-associated NK cells induced by chronic ligand exposure. Thus,these data support the notion that tumor-induced alterations of activating NK cell receptor expression may hamper immune surveillance and promote tumor progression. View Publication

DNA immunization with in vivo electroporation is an efficient alternative protocol for the production of monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Generation of mAb by DNA immunization is a novel approach to circumvent the following technical hurdles associated with problematic antigens: low abundance and protein instability and use of recombinant proteins that lack posttranslational modifications. This chapter describes the use of a DNA-based immunization protocol for the production of mAb against a house dust mite allergen,designated as Blo t 11,which is a paramyosin homologue found in Blomia tropicalis mites. The Blo t 11 cDNA fused at the N terminus to the sequence of a signal peptide was cloned into the pCI mammalian expression vector. The DNA construct was injected intramuscularly with in vivo electroporation into mice,and the specific antibody production in mice was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hybridomas were generated by fusing mouse splenocytes with myeloma cells using the ClonaCell-HY Hybridoma Cloning Kit. Six hybridoma clones secreting Blo t 11 mAb were successfully generated,and these mAb are useful reagents for immunoaffinity purification and immunoassays. View Publication