Optimization of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) L1 expression in plants: Comparison of the suitability of different HPV-16 L1 gene variants and different cell-compartment localization

Virus-like particle-based vaccines for high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) appear to have great promise; however, cell culture-derived vaccines will probably be very expensive. The optimization of expression of different codon-optimized versions of the HPV-16 L1 capsid protein gene in plants has been explored by means of transient expression from a novel suite of Agrobacterium tumefaciens binary expression vectors, which allow targeting of recombinant protein to the cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or chloroplasts. A gene resynthesized to reflect human codon usage expresses better than the native gene, which expresses better than a plant-optimized gene. Moreover, chloroplast localization allows significantly higher levels of accumulation of L1 protein than does cytoplasmic localization, whilst ER retention was least successful. High levels of L1 (>17% total soluble protein) could be produced via transient expression: the protein assembled into higher-order structures visible by electron microscopy, and a concentrated extract was highly immunogenic in mice after subcutaneous injection and elicited high-titre neutralizing antibodies. Transgenic tobacco plants expressing a human codon-optimized gene linked to a chloroplast-targeting signal expressed L1 at levels up to 11% of the total soluble protein. These are the highest levels of HPV L1 expression reported for plants: these results, and the excellent immunogenicity of the product, significantly improve the prospects of making a conventional HPV vaccine by this means. © 2007 SGM.

Serine protease inhibition and mitochondrial dysfunction associated with cisplatin resistance in human tumor cell lines : targets for therapy

Indicators of mitochondrial function were studied in two different cell culture models of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum-II (CDDP) resistance: the intrinsically resistant human ovarian cancer cell line CI-80-13S, and resistant clones (HeLa-S1a and HeLa-S1b) generated by stable expression of the serine protease inhibitor—plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2), in the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa. In both models, CDDP resistance was associated with sensitivity to killing by adriamycin, etoposide, auranofin, bis[1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]gold(I) chloride {[Au(DPPE)2]Cl}, CdCl2 and the mitochondrial inhibitors rhodamine-123 (Rhl23), dequalinium chloride (DeCH), tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP), and ethidium bromide (EtBr) and with lower constitutive levels of ATP. Unlike the HeLa clones, CI-80-13S cells were additionally sensitive to chloramphenicol, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), rotenone, thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTFA), and antimycin A, and showed poor reduction of 1-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), suggesting a deficiency in NADH dehydrogenase and/or succinate dehydrogenase activities. Total platinum uptake and DNA-bound platinum were slightly lower in CI-80-13S than in sensitive cells. The HeLa-S1a and HeLa-S1b clones, on the other hand, showed poor reduction of triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), indicative of low cytochrome c oxidase activity. Total platinum uptake by HeLa-S1a was similar to HeLa, but DNA-bound platinum was much lower than for the parent cell line. The mitochondria of CI-80-13S and HeLa-S1a showed altered morphology and were fewer in number than those of JAM and HeLa. In both models, CDDP resistance was associated with less platinum accumulation and with mitochondrial and membrane defects, brought about one case with expression of a protease inhibitor which is implicated in tumor progression. Such markers may identify tumors suitable for treatment with gold phosphine complexes or other mitochondrial inhibitors.

Effects of oxygen and culture system on in vitro propagation and redifferentiation of osteoarthritic human articular chondrocytes

Regenerative medicine-based approaches for the repair of damaged cartilage rely on the ability to propagate cells while promoting their chondrogenic potential. Thus, conditions for cell expansion should be optimized through careful environmental control. Appropriate oxygen tension and cell expansion substrates and controllable bioreactor systems are probably critical for expansion and subsequent tissue formation during chondrogenic differentiation. We therefore evaluated the effects of oxygen and microcarrier culture on the expansion and subsequent differentiation of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes. Freshly isolated chondrocytes were expanded on tissue culture plastic or CultiSpher-G microcarriers under hypoxic or normoxic conditions (5% or 20% oxygen partial pressure, respectively) followed by cell phenotype analysis with flow cytometry. Cells were redifferentiated in micromass pellet cultures over 4 weeks, under either hypoxia or normoxia. Chondrocytes cultured on tissue culture plastic proliferated faster, expressed higher levels of cell surface markers CD44 and CD105 and demonstrated stronger staining for proteoglycans and collagen type II in pellet cultures compared with microcarrier-cultivated cells. Pellet wet weight, glycosaminoglycan content and expression of chondrogenic genes were significantly increased in cells differentiated under hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor-3alpha mRNA was up-regulated in these cultures in response to low oxygen tension. These data confirm the beneficial influence of reduced oxygen on ex vivo chondrogenesis. However, hypoxia during cell expansion and microcarrier bioreactor culture does not enhance intrinsic chondrogenic potential. Further improvements in cell culture conditions are therefore required before chondrocytes from osteoarthritic and aged patients can become a useful cell source for cartilage regeneration.

Serine protease inhibition and mitochondrial dysfunction associated with cisplatin resistance in human tumor cell lines: targets for therapy

Indicators of mitochondrial function were studied in two different cell culture models of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum-II (CDDP) resistance: the intrinsically resistant human ovarian cancer cell line CI-80-13S, and resistant clones (HeLa-S1a and HeLa-S1b) generated by stable expression of the serine protease inhibitor—plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2), in the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa. In both models, CDDP resistance was associated with sensitivity to killing by adriamycin, etoposide, auranofin, bis[1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]gold(I) chloride {[Au(DPPE)2]Cl}, CdCl2 and the mitochondrial inhibitors rhodamine-123 (Rhl23), dequalinium chloride (DeCH), tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP), and ethidium bromide (EtBr) and with lower constitutive levels of ATP. Unlike the HeLa clones, CI-80-13S cells were additionally sensitive to chloramphenicol, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), rotenone, thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTFA), and antimycin A, and showed poor reduction of 1-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), suggesting a deficiency in NADH dehydrogenase and/or succinate dehydrogenase activities. Total platinum uptake and DNA-bound platinum were slightly lower in CI-80-13S than in sensitive cells. The HeLa-S1a and HeLa-S1b clones, on the other hand, showed poor reduction of triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), indicative of low cytochrome c oxidase activity. Total platinum uptake by HeLa-S1a was similar to HeLa, but DNA-bound platinum was much lower than for the parent cell line. The mitochondria of CI-80-13S and HeLa-S1a showed altered morphology and were fewer in number than those of JAM and HeLa. In both models, CDDP resistance was associated with less platinum accumulation and with mitochondrial and membrane defects, brought about one case with expression of a protease inhibitor which is implicated in tumor progression. Such markers may identify tumors suitable for treatment with gold phosphine complexes or other mitochondrial inhibitors.

A novel bioreactor for ligament tissue engineering

Bioreactors are defined as devices in which biological and/or biochemical processes develop under closely monitored and tightly controlled environmental and operating conditions (e.g. pH, temperature, mechanical conditions, nutrient supply and waste removal). In functional tissue engineering of musculoskeletal tissues, a bioreactor capable of controlling dynamic loading plays a determinant role. It has been shown that mechanical stretching promotes the expression of type I and III collagens, fibronectin, tenascin-C in cultured ligament fibroblasts (J.C.-H. Goh et al., Tissue Eng. 9 (2003), S31) and that human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSC) – even in the absence of biochemical regulators – could be induced to differentiate into ligament-like fibroblast by the application of physiologically relevant cyclic strains (G. Vunjak-Novakovic et al., Ann. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 6 (2004), 131; H.A. Awad et al., Tissue Eng. 5 (1999), 267; R.G. Young et al., J. Orthop. Res. 16 (1998), 406). Different bioreactors are commercially available but they are too generic to be used for a given tissue, each tissue showing specific mechanical loading properties. In the case of ligament tissue engineering, the design of a bioreactor is still an open question. Our group proposes a bioreactor allowing cyclic traction–torsion on a scaffold seeded with stem cells.

Endothelin-1 is a novel prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoactive peptide and a hypoxia-inducible angiogenic growth factor associated with the development and growth of solid tumours. This study evaluated the expression of big endothelin-1 (big ET-1), a stable precursor of ET-1, and ET-1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Big ET-1 expression was evaluated in paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 10 NSCLC tumours using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation. The production of big ET-1 and ET-1 was studied in six established NSCLC cell lines. The plasma concentrations of big ET-1 were measured in 30 patients with proven NSCLC prior to chemotherapy by means of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay and compared to levels in 20 normal controls. Big ET-1 immunostaining was detected in the cancer cells of all tumours studied. Using in situ hybridisation, tumour cell big ET-1 mRNA expression was demonstrated in all samples. All six NSCLC cell lines expressed ET-1, with big ET-1 being detected in three. The median big ET-1 plasma level in patients with NSCLC was 5.4 pg/mL (range 0-22.7 pg/mL) and was significantly elevated compared to median big ET-1 plasma levels in controls, 2.1 pg/mL (1.2-13.4 pg/mL) (p=0.0001). Furthermore, patients with plasma big ET-1 levels above the normal range (upper tertile) had a worse outcome (p=0.01). In conclusion, big ET-1/ET-1 is expressed by resected NSCLC specimens and tumour cell lines. Plasma big ET-1 levels are elevated in NSCLC patients compared to controls with levels >7.8 pg/mL being associated with a worse outcome. The development of selective ET-1 antagonists such as Atrasentan indicates that ET-1 may be a therapeutic target in NSCLC. © 2004 Wichtig Editore.

Epigenetics underpinning the regulation of the CXC (ELR+) chemokines in non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Angiogenesis may play a role in the pathogenesis of Non-Small Cell Lung cancer (NSCLC). The CXC (ELR+) chemokine family are powerful promoters of the angiogenic response. Methods: The expression of the CXC (ELR+) family members (CXCL1-3/GROα-γ, CXCL8/IL-8, CXCR1/2) was examined in a series of resected fresh frozen NSCLC tumours. Additionally, the expression and epigenetic regulation of these chemokines was examined in normal bronchial epithelial and NSCLC cell lines. Results: Overall, expression of the chemokine ligands (CXCL1, 2, 8) and their receptors (CXCR1/2) were down regulated in tumour samples compared with normal, with the exception of CXCL3. CXCL8 and CXCR1/2 were found to be epigenetically regulated by histone post-translational modifications. Recombinant CXCL8 did not stimulate cell growth in either a normal bronchial epithelial or a squamous carcinoma cell line (SKMES-1). However, an increase was observed at 72 hours post treatment in an adenocarcinoma cell line. Conclusions: CXC (ELR+) chemokines are dysregulated in NSCLC. The balance of these chemokines may be critical in the tumour microenvironment and requires further elucidation. It remains to be seen if epigenetic targeting of these pathways is a viable therapeutic option in lung cancer treatment. © 2011 Baird et al.

Regulation of EP receptors in non-small cell lung cancer by epigenetic modifications

Background: Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is frequently overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and results in increased levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE 2), an important signalling molecule implicated in tumourigenesis. PGE 2 exerts its effects through the E prostanoid (EP) receptors (EPs1-4). Methods: The expression and epigenetic regulation of the EPs were evaluated in a series of resected fresh frozen NSCLC tumours and cell lines. Results: EP expression was dysregulated in NSCLC being up and downregulated compared to matched control samples. For EPs1, 3 and 4 no discernible pattern emerged. EP2 mRNA however was frequently downregulated, with low levels being observed in 13/20 samples as compared to upregulation in 5/20 samples examined. In NSCLC cell lines DNA CpG methylation was found to be important for the regulation of EP3 expression, the demethylating agent decitabine upregulating expression. Histone acetylation was also found to be a critical regulator of EP expression, with the histone deacteylase inhibitors trichostatin A, phenylbutyrate and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid inducing increased expression of EPs2-4. Direct chromatin remodelling was demonstrated at the promoters for EPs2-4. Conclusions: These results indicate that EP expression is variably altered from tumour to tumour in NSCLC. EP2 expression appears to be predominantly downregulated and may have an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Epigenetic regulation of the EPs may be central to the precise role COX-2 may play in the evolution of individual tumours. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transcriptional regulation of IRS5/DOK4 expression in non-small-cell lung cancer cells

The insulin-receptor substrate family plays important roles in cellular growth, signaling, and survival. Two new members of this family have recently been isolated: IRS5/Dok4 and IRS6/Dok5. This study examines the expression of IRS5/DOK4 in a panel of lung cancer cell lines and tumor specimens. The results demonstrate that expression of IRS5/DOK4 is frequently altered with both elevated and decreased expression in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor specimens. The altered expression of IRS5/DOK4 observed in tumor samples is not due to aberrant methylation. In vitro cell culture studies demonstrate that treatment of NSCLC cell lines with the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) upregulates IRS5/DOK4. This finding indicates that expression is regulated epigenetically at the level of chromatin remodeling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments confirm that the IRS5/DOK4 promoter has enhanced histone hyperacetylation following treatments with TSA. Finally, hypoxia was demonstrated to downregulate IRS5/DOK4 expression. This expression was restored by TSA. The clinical relevance of altered IRS5/DOK4 expression in NSCLC requires fur ther evaluation.

Epigenetic regulation of glucose transporters in non-small cell lung cancer

Due to their inherently hypoxic environment, cancer cells often resort to glycolysis, or the anaerobic breakdown of glucose to form ATP to provide for their energy needs, known as the Warburg effect. At the same time, overexpression of the insulin receptor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with an increased risk of metastasis and decreased survival. The uptake of glucose into cells is carried out via glucose transporters or GLUTs. Of these, GLUT-4 is essential for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Following treatment with the epigenetic targeting agents histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), GLUT-3 and GLUT-4 expression were found to be induced in NSCLC cell lines, with minimal responses in transformed normal human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs). Similar results for GLUT-4 were observed in cells derived from liver, muscle, kidney and pre-adipocytes. Bioinformatic analysis of the promoter for GLUT-4 indicates that it may also be regulated by several chromatin binding factors or complexes including CTCF, SP1 and SMYD3. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that the promoter for GLUT-4 is dynamically remodeled in response to HDACi. Overall, these results may have value within the clinical setting as (a) it may be possible to use this to enhance fluorodeoxyglucose (18F) positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging sensitivity; (b) it may be possible to target NSCLC through the use of HDACi and insulin mediated uptake of the metabolic targeting drugs such as 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG); or (c) enhance or sensitize NSCLC to chemotherapy. © 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Carbonic anhydrase IX expression, a novel surrogate marker of tumor hypoxia, is associated with a poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer

Purpose To evaluate carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX as a surrogate marker of hypoxia and investigate the prognostic significance of different patterns of expression in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Standard immunohistochemical techniques were used to study CA IX expression in 175 resected NSCLC tumors. CA IX expression was determined by Western blotting in A549 cell lines grown under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Measurements from microvessels to CA IX positivity were obtained. Results CA IX immunostaining was detected in 81.8% of patients. Membranous (m) (P = .005), cytoplasmic (c) (P = .018), and stromal (P < .001) CA IX expression correlated with the extent of tumor necrosis (TN). The mean distance from vascular endothelium to the start of tumor cell positivity was 90 μm, which equates to an oxygen pressure of 5.77 mmHg. The distance to blood vessels from individual tumor cells or tumor cell clusters was greater if they expressed mCA IX than if they did not (P < .001). Hypoxic exposure of A549 cells for 16 hours enhanced CAIX expression in the nuclear and cytosolic extracts. Perinuclear (p) CA IX (P = .035) was associated with a poor prognosis. In multivariate analysis, pCA IX (P = .004), stage (P = .001), platelet count (P = .011), sex (P = .027), and TN (P = .035) were independent poor prognostic factors. Conclusion These results add weight to the contention that mCA IX is a marker of tumor cell hypoxia. The absence of CA IX staining close to microvessels suggests that these vessels are functionally active. pCA IX expression is representative of an aggressive phenotype. © 2003 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) is expressed in prostate cancer tissues and cell lines and expression is differentially regulated in vitro by ghrelin

Background Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid peptide hormone that is expressed in the stomach and a range of peripheral tissues, where it frequently acts as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor. Ghrelin is modified by a unique acylation required for it to activate its cognate receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), which mediates many of the actions of ghrelin. Recently, the enzyme responsible for adding the fatty acid residue (octanoyl/acyl group) to the third amino acid of ghrelin, GOAT (ghrelin O-acyltransferase), was identified. Methods We used cell culture, quantitative real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and immunohistochemistry to demonstrate the expression of GOAT in prostate cancer cell lines and tissues from patients. Real-time RT-PCR was used to demonstrate the expression of prohormone convertase (PC)1/3, PC2 and furin in prostate cancer cell lines. Prostate-derived cell lines were treated with ghrelin and desacyl ghrelin and the effect on GOAT expression was measured using quantitative RT-PCR. Results We have demonstrated that GOAT mRNA and protein are expressed in the normal prostate and human prostate cancer tissue samples. The RWPE-1 and RWPE-2 normal prostate-derived cell lines and the LNCaP, DU145, and PC3 prostate cancer cell lines express GOAT and at least one other enzyme that is necessary to produce mature, acylated ghrelin from proghrelin (PC1/3, PC2 or furin). Finally, ghrelin, but not desacyl ghrelin (unacylated ghrelin), can directly regulate the expression of GOAT in the RWPE-1 normal prostate derived cell line and the PC3 prostate cancer cell line. Ghrelin treatment (100nM) for 6 hours significantly decreased GOAT mRNA expression two-fold (P < 0.05) in the PC3 prostate cancer cell line, however, ghrelin did not regulate GOAT expression in the DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines. Conclusions This study demonstrates that GOAT is expressed in prostate cancer specimens and cell lines. Ghrelin regulates GOAT expression, however, this is likely to be cell-type specific. The expression of GOAT in prostate cancer supports the hypothesis that the ghrelin axis has autocrine/paracrine roles. We propose that the RWPE-1 prostate cell line and the PC3 prostate cancer cell line may be useful for investigating GOAT regulation and function.

Prognostic and therapeutic relevance of FLIP and procaspase-8 overexpression in non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung carcinoma remains by far the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Overexpression of FLIP, which blocks the extrinsic apoptotic pathway by inhibiting caspase-8 activation, has been identified in various cancers. We investigated FLIP and procaspase-8 expression in NSCLC and the effect of HDAC inhibitors on FLIP expression, activation of caspase-8 and drug resistance in NSCLC and normal lung cell line models. Immunohistochemical analysis of cytoplasmic and nuclear FLIP and procaspase-8 protein expression was carried out using a novel digital pathology approach. Both FLIP and procaspase-8 were found to be significantly overexpressed in tumours, and importantly, high cytoplasmic expression of FLIP significantly correlated with shorter overall survival. Treatment with HDAC inhibitors targeting HDAC1-3 downregulated FLIP expression predominantly via post-transcriptional mechanisms, and this resulted in death receptor- and caspase-8-dependent apoptosis in NSCLC cells, but not normal lung cells. In addition, HDAC inhibitors synergized with TRAIL and cisplatin in NSCLC cells in a FLIP- and caspase-8-dependent manner. Thus, FLIP and procaspase-8 are overexpressed in NSCLC, and high cytoplasmic FLIP expression is indicative of poor prognosis. Targeting high FLIP expression using HDAC1-3 selective inhibitors such as entinostat to exploit high procaspase-8 expression in NSCLC has promising therapeutic potential, particularly when used in combination with TRAIL receptor-targeted agents.

Hydrogel microwell arrays allow the assessment of protease-associated enhancement of cancer cell aggregation and survival

Current routine cell culture techniques are only poorly suited to capture the physiological complexity of tumor microenvironments, wherein tumor cell function is affected by intricate three-dimensional (3D), integrin-dependent cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. 3D cell cultures allow the investigation of cancer-associated proteases like kallikreins as they degrade ECM proteins and alter integrin signaling, promoting malignant cell behaviors. Here, we employed a hydrogel microwell array platform to probe using a high-throughput mode how ovarian cancer cell aggregates of defined size form and survive in response to the expression of kallikreins and treatment with paclitaxel, by performing microscopic, quantitative image, gene and protein analyses dependent on the varying microwell and aggregate sizes. Paclitaxel treatment increased aggregate formation and survival of kallikrein-expressing cancer cells and levels of integrins and integrin-related factors. Cancer cell aggregate formation was improved with increasing aggregate size, thereby reducing cell death and enhancing integrin expression upon paclitaxel treatment. Therefore, hydrogel microwell arrays are a powerful tool to screen the viability of cancer cell aggregates upon modulation of protease expression, integrin engagement and anti-cancer treatment providing a micro-scaled yet high-throughput technique to assess malignant progression and drug-resistance.

Different in vitro activation methods for latent transforming growth factors (TGF)–β : considerable exogenous factors to promote higher mesenchymal-origin cell proliferation in a bioprocessing platform

Regenerative medicine includes two efficient techniques, namely tissue-engineering and cell-based therapy in order to repair tissue damage efficiently. Most importantly, huge numbers of autologous cells are required to deal these practices. Nevertheless, primary cells, from autologous tissue, grow very slowly while culturing in vitro; moreover, they lose their natural characteristics over prolonged culturing period. Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-β) is a ubiquitous protein found biologically in its latent form, which prevents it from eliciting a response until conversion to its active form. In active form, TGF-β acts as a proliferative agent in many cell lines of mesenchymal origin in vitro. This article reviews on some of the important activation methods-physiochemical, enzyme-mediated, non-specific protein interaction mediated, and drug-induced- of TGF-β, which may be established as exogenous factors to be used in culturing medium to obtain extensive proliferation of primary cells.