COX-2-mediated stimulation of the lymphangiogenic factor VEGF-C in human breast cancer

Increased expression of COX-2 or VEGF-C has been correlated with progressive disease in certain cancers. Present study utilized several human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T-47D, Hs578T and MDA-MB-231, varying in COX-2 expression) as well as 10 human breast cancer specimens to examine the roles of COX-2 and prostaglandin E (EP) receptors in VEGF-C expression or secretion, and the relationship of COX-2 or VEGF-C expression to lymphangiogenesis. We found a strong correlation between COX-2 mRNA expression and VEGF-C expression or secretion levels in breast cancer cell lines and VEGF-C expression in breast cancer tissues. Expression of LYVE-1, a selective marker for lymphatic endothelium, was also positively correlated with COX-2 or VEGF-C expression in breast cancer tissues. Inhibition of VEGF-C expression and secretion in the presence of COX-1/2 or COX-2 inhibitors or following downregulation of COX-2 with COX-2 siRNA established a stimulatory role COX-2 in VEGF-C synthesis by breast cancer cells. EP1 as well as EP4 receptor antagonists inhibited VEGF-C production indicating the roles of EP1 and EP4 in VEGF-C upregulation by endogenous PGE2. Finally, VEGF-C secretion by MDA-MB-231 cells was inhibited in the presence of kinase inhibitors for Her-2/neu, Src and p38 MAPK, indicating a requirement of these kinases for VEGF-C synthesis. These results, for the first time, demonstrate a regulatory role of COX-2 in VEGF-C synthesis (and thereby lymphangiogenesis) in human breast cancer, which is mediated at least in part by EP1/EP4 receptors

ZENK activation in the nidopallium of black-capped chickadees in response to both conspecific and heterospecific calls

Neuronal populations in the songbird nidopallium increase in activity the most to conspecific vocalizations relative to heterospecific songbird vocalizations or artificial stimuli such as tones. Here, we tested whether the difference in neural activity between conspecific and heterospecific vocalizations is due to acoustic differences or to the degree of phylogenetic relatedness of the species producing the vocalizations. To compare differences in neural responses of black-capped chickadees, Poecile atricapillus, to playback conditions we used a known marker for neural activity, ZENK, in the caudal medial nidopallium and caudomedial mesopallium. We used the acoustically complex ‘dee’ notes from chick-a-dee calls, and vocalizations from other heterospecific species similar in duration and spectral features. We tested the vocalizations from three heterospecific species (chestnut-backed chickadees, tufted titmice, and zebra finches), the vocalizations from conspecific individuals (black-capped chickadees), and reversed versions of the latter. There were no significant differences in the amount of expression between any of the groups except in the control condition, which resulted in significantly less neuronal activation. Our results suggest that, in certain cases, neuronal activity is not higher in response to conspecific than in response to heterospecific vocalizations for songbirds, but rather is sensitive to the acoustic features of the signal. Both acoustic features of the calls and the phylogenetic relationship between of the signaler and the receiver interact in the response of the nidopallium.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Citizen science to monitor the distribution of the Egyptian mongoose in southern Spain: who provide the most reliable information?

The Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon L.) is a medium-size carnivore widely distributed in Africa and in a small part of southern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, where mongoose populations have recently expanded. The mongoose is relatively easily detectable because of its diurnal habits and because it is the only species of Herpestidae occurring in the Iberian Peninsula. Therefore, its distribution could be monitored through citizen science. In this sense, information provided by stakeholders that make frequent use of natural environments, including hunters, landowners, or wildlife rangers, would be potentially very valuable. Nevertheless, the accuracy of the information provided by these stakeholders as regards mongoose occurrence has never been tested. To do so, we compared mongoose occurrences gathered through field transects (i.e., 2-km walking surveys in which direct observations and indirect signs were recorded) carried out in 218 Andalusian municipalities during 2010–2015 with those obtained through questionnaires conducted in 2016 to hunters (n = 251), landowners (n = 116), and wildlife rangers (n = 133). We did not find any significant difference between mongoose distribution estimated by the reference method (i.e., field surveys) and by questionnaire to wildlife rangers. In contrast, mongoose occurrences reported by hunters and landowners were significantly correlated among them, but not with those collected in field transects (nor with those provided by the rangers). This suggests that a participatory network for monitoring mongoose distribution could rely on the information provided by wildlife rangers. Previous studies showed that hunters can provide useful information from less accessible areas like private estates where official data are not collected. In this sense, our results suggest that further effort is needed to incorporate hunters and landowners in a participatory network to monitor mongoose distribution, and this could include collaborative actions to promote their involvement in addition to increasing their skills in mongoose detection.This study is framed within the projects INIA-CON15-189, RTI2018-096348-RC21, and SBPLY/17/180501/000184