Modification of the L1-CAM carboxy-terminus in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells

The neural cell adhesion molecule L1 has recently been shown to be expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. In this report, we demonstrate that L1 is expressed by moderately- to poorly-differentiated PDAC cells in situ, and that L1 expression is a predictor of poor patient survival. In vitro, reduced reactivity of an anti-L1 carboxy-terminus-specific antibody was observed in the more poorly differentiated fast-growing (FG) variant of the COLO357 population, versus its well-differentiated slow-growing (SG) counterpart, even though they express equivalent total L1. The carboxy-terminus of L1 mediates binding to the MAP kinase-regulating protein RanBPM and mutation of T1247/S1248 within this region attenuates the expression of malignancy associated proteins and L1-induced tumorigenicity in mice. Therefore, we reasoned that the differential epitope exposure observed might be indicative of modifications responsible for regulating these events. However, epitope mapping demonstrated that the major determinant of binding was actually N1251; mutation of T1247 and S1248, alone or together, had little effect on C20 binding. Moreover, cluster assays using CD25 ectodomain/L1 cytoplasmic domain chimeras demonstrated the N1251-dependent, RanBPM-independent stimulation of erk phosphorylation in these cells. Reactivity of this antibody also reflects the differential exposure of extracellular epitopes in these COLO357 sublines, consistent with the previous demonstration of L1 ectodomain conformation modulation by intracellular modifications. These data further support a central role for L1 in PDAC, and define a specific role for carboxy-terminal residues including N1251 in the regulation of L1 activity in PDAC cells

Aerosol Delivery of Small Hairpin Osteopontin Blocks Pulmonary Metastasis of Breast Cancer in Mice

Metastasis to the lung may be the final step in the breast cancer-related morbidity. Conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and surgery are somewhat successful, however, metastasis-related breast cancer morbidity remains high. Thus, a novel approach to prevent breast tumor metastasis is needed.Aerosol of lentivirus-based small hairpin osteopontin was delivered into mice with breast cancer twice a week for 1 or 2 months using a nose-only inhalation system. The effects of small hairpin osteopontin on breast cancer metastasis to the lung were evaluated using near infrared imaging as well as diverse molecular techniques. Aerosol-delivered small hairpin osteopontin significantly decreased the expression level of osteopontin and altered the expression of several important metastasis-related proteins in our murine breast cancer model.Aerosol-delivered small hairpin osteopontin blocked breast cancer metastasis. Our results showed that noninvasive targeting of pulmonary osteopontin or other specific genes responsible for cancer metastasis could be used as an effective therapeutic regimen for the treatment of metastatic epithelial tumors

Cigarette smoke extract suppresses the RIG-I-initiated innate immune response to influenza virus in the human lung

Cigarette smoking is the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and predisposes subjects to severe respiratory tract infections. Epidemiological studies have shown that cigarette smokers are seven times more likely to contract influenza infection than nonsmokers. The mechanisms underlying this increased susceptibility are poorly characterized. Retinoic acid-inducible gene (RIG)-I is believed to play an important role in the recognition of, and response to, influenza virus and other RNA viruses. Our study focused on how cigarette smoke extract (CSE) alters the influenza-induced proinflammatory response and suppresses host antiviral activity in the human lung using a unique lung organ culture model. We first determined that treatment with 2–20% CSE did not induce cytotoxicity as assessed by LDH release. However, CSE treatment inhibited influenza-induced IFN-inducible protein 10 protein and mRNA expression. Induction of the major antiviral cytokine IFN-β mRNA was also decreased by CSE. CSE also blunted viral-mediated RIG-I mRNA and protein expression. Inhibition of viral-mediated RIG-I induction by CSE was prevented by the antioxidants N-acetyl-cysteine and glutathione. These findings show that CSE suppresses antiviral and innate immune responses in influenza virus-infected human lungs through oxidative inhibition of viral-mediated induction of the pattern recognition receptor RIG-I. This immunosuppressive effect of CSE may play a role in the enhanced susceptibility of smokers to serious influenza infection in the lung