Subunit-Specific Role of NF-κB in Cancer

Kaltschmidt B, Greiner J, Kadhim H, Kaltschmidt C. Subunit-Specific Role of NF-κB in Cancer. Biomedicines. 2018;6(2): 44.The transcription factor NF-kB is a key player in inflammation, cancer development, and progression. NF-kB stimulates cell proliferation, prevents apoptosis, and could promote tumor angiogenesis as well as metastasis. Extending the commonly accepted role of NF-kB in cancer formation and progression, different NF-kB subunits have been shown to be active and of particular importance in distinct types of cancer. Here, we summarize overexpression data of the NF-kB subunits RELA, RELB, and c-REL (referring to the v-REL, which is the oncogene of Reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T) as well as of their upstream kinase inhibitor, namely inhibitor of kB kinases (IKK), in different human cancers, assessed by database mining. These data argue against a universal mechanism of cancer-mediated activation of NF-kB, and suggest a much more elaborated mode of NF-kB regulation, indicating a tumor type-specific upregulation of the NF-kB subunits. We further discuss recent findings showing the diverse roles of NF-kB signaling in cancer development and metastasis in a subunit-specific manner, emphasizing their specific transcriptional activity and the role of autoregulation. While non-canonical NF-kB RELB signaling is described to be mostly present in hematological cancers, solid cancers reveal constitutive canonical NF-kB RELA or c-REL activity. Providing a linkage to cancer therapy, we discuss the recently described pivotal role of NF-kB c-REL in regulating cancer-targeting immune responses. In addition, current strategies and ongoing clinical trials are summarized, which utilize genome editing or drugs to inhibit the NF-kB subunits for cancer treatment

Cyclooxygenase-2 is a neuronal target gene of NF-κB

BACKGROUND: NF-κB is implicated in gene regulation involved in neuronal survival, inflammmatory response and cancer. There are relatively few neuronal target genes of NF-κB characterized. RESULTS: We have identified the neuronal cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as a NF-κB target gene. In organotypic hippocampal slice cultures constitutive NF-κB activity was detected, which was correlated with high anti-COX-2 immunoreactivity. Aspirin a frequently used painkiller inhibits neuronal NF-κB activity in organotypic cultures resulting in a strong inhibition of the NF-κB target gene COX-2. Based on these findings, the transcriptional regulation of COX-2 by NF-κB was investigated. Transient transfections showed a significant increase of COX-2 promoter activity upon stimulation with PMA, an effect which could be obtained also by cotransfection of the NF-κB subunits p65 and p50. In the murine neuroblastoma cell line NB-4, which is characterized by constitutive NF-κB activity, COX-2 promoter activity could not be further increased with PMA or TNF. Constitutive promoter activity could be repressed upon cotransfection of the inhibitory subunit IκB-α. EMSA and mutational analysis conferred the regulatory NF-κB activity to the promoter distal κB-site in the human COX-2 promoter. CONCLUSIONS: NF-κB regulates neuronal COX-2 gene expression, and acts as an upstream target of Aspirin. This extends Aspirin's mode of action from a covalent modification of COX-2 to the upstream regulation of COX-2 gene expression in neurons

Tumor necrosis factor alpha induced proliferation of adult neural stem cells is mediated via NF-κB

Widera D, Mikenberg I, Elvers M, Kaltschmidt C, Kaltschmidt B. Tumor necrosis factor alpha triggers proliferation of adult neural stem cells via IKK/NF-kappa B signaling. BMC NEUROSCIENCE. 2006;8(Suppl 1):P1

Tumor necrosis factor α triggers proliferation of adult neural stem cells via IKK/NF-κB signaling

BACKGROUND: Brain inflammation has been recognized as a complex phenomenon with numerous related aspects. In addition to the very well-described neurodegenerative effect of inflammation, several studies suggest that inflammatory signals exert a potentially positive influence on neural stem cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is one of the best-characterized mediators of inflammation. To date, conclusions about the action of TNF on neural stem or progenitor cells (NSCs, NPCs) have been conflicting. TNF seems to activate NSC proliferation and to inhibit their differentiation into NPCs. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the molecular signal transduction mechanisms induced by TNF and resulting in NSC proliferation. RESULTS: Here we describe for the first time the TNF-mediated signal transduction cascade in neural stem cells (NSCs) that results in increased proliferation. Moreover, we demonstrate IKK-α/β-dependent proliferation and markedly up-regulated cyclin D1 expression after TNF treatment. The significant increase in proliferation in TNF-treated cells was indicated by increased neurosphere volume, increased bromodeoxyuridin (BrdU) incorporation and a higher total cell number. Furthermore, TNF strongly activated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) as measured by reporter gene assays and by an activity-specific antibody. Proliferation of control and TNF-treated NSCs was strongly inhibited by expression of the NF-κB super-repressor IκB-AA1. Pharmacological blockade of IκB ubiquitin ligase activity led to comparable decreases in NF-κB activity and proliferation. In addition, IKK-β gene product knock-down via siRNA led to diminished NF-κB activity, attenuated cyclin D1 expression and finally decreased proliferation. In contrast, TGFβ-activated kinase 1 (TAK-1) is partially dispensable for TNF-mediated and endogenous proliferation. Understanding stem cell proliferation is crucial for future regenerative and anti-tumor medicine. CONCLUSION: TNF-mediated activation of IKK-β resulted in activation of NF-κB and was followed by up-regulation of the bona-fide target gene cyclin D1. Activation of the canonical NF-κB pathway resulted in strongly increased proliferation of NSCs

On the cytotoxicity of HCR-NTPase in the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y

Pasdziernik M, Kaltschmidt B, Kaltschmidt C, Klinger C, Kaufmann M. On the cytotoxicity of HCR-NTPase in the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. BMC Research Notes. 2009;2(1):102.Background: The human cancer-related nucleoside triphosphatase (HCR-NTPase) is overexpressed in several tumour tissues including neuroblastoma. HCR-NTPase is an enzyme exhibiting a slow in vitro activity in hydrolysing nucleosidetriphosphates. However, its in vivo function is still unknown. To learn more about the physiological role of HCR-NTPase, we both overexpressed and silenced it in the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. Findings: No effect was observed when the expression of endogenously expressed HCR-NTPase in the cells was silenced by RNA interference. On the other hand, overexpression of HCR-NTPase led to cytotoxicity of the protein in SH-SY5Y cells. Even if the catalytic essential amino acid glutamate 114 was replaced by alanine (E114A-HCR-NTPase), the protein remained cytotoxic. The results could be confirmed by successfully rescuing the cells via RNA interference. Conclusion: Although expressed in several tumours, at least in SH-SY5Y, HCR-NTPase is not essential for the cells to survive. Increased levels of the protein lead to cytotoxicity due to physical intracellular interactions rather than hydrolysis of nucleosidetriphosphates by its intrinsic residual enzymatic activity

Preparation of Terpenoid-Invasomes with Selective Activity against S. aureus and Characterization by Cryo Transmission Electron Microscopy

Kaltschmidt B, Ennen I, Greiner J, et al. Preparation of Terpenoid-Invasomes with Selective Activity against S. aureus and Characterization by Cryo Transmission Electron Microscopy. Biomedicines. 2020;8(5): 105.Terpenoids are natural plant-derived products that are applied to treat a broad range of human diseases, such as airway infections and inflammation. However, pharmaceutical applications of terpenoids against bacterial infection remain challenging due to their poor water solubility. Here, we produce invasomes encapsulating thymol, menthol, camphor and 1,8-cineol, characterize them via cryo transmission electron microscopy and assess their bactericidal properties. While control- and cineol-invasomes are similarly distributed between unilamellar and bilamellar vesicles, a shift towards unilamellar invasomes is observable after encapsulation of thymol, menthol or camphor. Thymol- and camphor-invasomes show a size reduction, whereas menthol-invasomes are enlarged and cineol-invasomes remain unchanged compared to control. While thymol-invasomes lead to the strongest growth inhibition of S. aureus, camphor- or cineol-invasomes mediate cell death and S. aureus growth is not affected by menthol-invasomes. Flow cytometric analysis validate that invasomes comprising thymol are highly bactericidal to S. aureus. Notably, treatment with thymol-invasomes does not affect survival of Gram-negative E. coli. In summary, we successfully produce terpenoid-invasomes and demonstrate that particularly thymol-invasomes show a strong selective activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Our findings provide a promising approach to increase the bioavailability of terpenoid-based drugs and may be directly applicable for treating severe bacterial infections such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus

Culture bag systems for clinical applications of adult human neural crest-derived stem cells

Introduction Facing the challenging treatment of neurodegenerative diseases as well as complex craniofacial injuries such as those common after cancer therapy, the field of regenerative medicine increasingly relies on stem cell transplantation strategies. Here, neural crest-derived stem cells (NCSCs) offer many promising applications, although scale up of clinical-grade processes prior to potential transplantations is currently limiting. In this study, we aimed to establish a clinical-grade, cost-reducing cultivation system for NCSCs isolated from the adult human nose using cGMP-grade Afc-FEP bags. Methods We cultivated human neural crest-derived stem cells from inferior turbinate (ITSCs) in a cell culture bag system using Afc-FEP bags in human blood plasma-supplemented medium. Investigations of viability, proliferation and expression profile of bag-cultured ITSCs were followed by DNA-content and telomerase activity determination. Cultivated ITSCs were introduced to directed in vitro differentiation assays to assess their potential for mesodermal and ectodermal differentiation. Mesodermal differentiation was determined using an enzyme activity assay (alkaline phosphatase, ALP), respective stainings (Alizarin Red S, Von Kossa and Oil Red O), and RT-PCR, while immunocytochemistry and synaptic vesicle recycling were applied to assay neuroectodermal differentiation of ITSCs. Results When cultivated within Afc-FEP bags, ITSCs grew three-dimensionally in a human blood plasma-derived matrix, thereby showing unchanged morphology, proliferation capability, viability and expression profile in comparison to three dimensionally-cultured ITSCs growing in standard cell culture plastics. Genetic stability of bag-cultured ITSCs was further accompanied by unchanged telomerase activity. Importantly, ITSCs retained their potential to differentiate into mesodermal cell types, particularly including ALP-active, Alizarin Red S-, and Von Kossa-positive osteogenic cell types, as well as adipocytes positive in Oil Red O assays. Bag culture further did not affect the potential of ITSCs to undergo differentiation into neuroectodermal cell types coexpressing β-III-tubulin and MAP2 and exhibiting the capability for synaptic vesicle recycling. Conclusions Here, we report for the first time the successful cultivation of human NCSCs within cGMP-grade Afc-FEP bags using a human blood plasma-supplemented medium. Our findings particularly demonstrate the unchanged differentiation capability and genetic stability of the cultivated NCSCs, suggesting the great potential of this culture system for future medical applications in the field of regenerative medicine

NF-kappa,B p65 directs sex-specific neuroprotection in human neurons

Ruiz-Perera LM, Schneider L, Windmöller BA, et al. NF-kappa,B p65 directs sex-specific neuroprotection in human neurons. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 2018;8(1): 16012