P38 MAPK-dependent Targets of Gaseous Transmitters Proapoptotic Action in Jurkat Cells

Background: p38 MAPK participates in gases-induced apoptosis signal transmission though it hasn’t molecular structure necessary for interaction with gaseotransmitters.Methodology: annexin positive cells and cells with decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential were detected by flow cytometry. Caspase 3 and 9 activity was investigated via spectrophotometry. Protein contents of Bcl-2 family members were measured with western blot analysis.Results: Caspase-3 and -9 activity and the number of cells with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential showed the apoptotic reaction vector when p38 MAPK-dependent pathways of NO and CO action inhibited. Inhibition of p38 kinase in H2S treated cells led to caspase-3 activation accompanied with the decrease of the number of apoptotic cells. Proteins Bcl-2 and Bad were the p38 MAPK-dependent targets of all three gases action. P38 MAPK influenced on protein Aven when intracellular H2S concentration increased and on Bcl-xl protein in CO-treated cells. In both cases p38 kinase was the negative regulator of these proteins and promoted the proapoptotic action of gases abolishing the gases-mediated increase of the Aven and Bcl-xl content.    Conclusion: p38 MAPK acted proapoptotically in the cases of intracellular increase of NO and H2S and antiapoptotically in CO-treated cells.

RNA sequencing of single cells obtained from immunolabeled tumor sections: the first experience

We performed laser microdissection-assisted RNA sequencing of single cells of breast tumo

Cortical branched actin determines cell cycle progression

International audienc

Different morphological structures of breast tumors demonstrate individual drug resistance gene expression profiles

AIM

Up-regulation of flotillins, new marker of metastatic development, induces cell invasion and metastatic development

Flotillin 1 and 2 are two ubiquitous, highly conserved and related proteins present in man

Clinically relevant morphological structures in breast cancer represent transcriptionally distinct tumor cell populations with varied degrees of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44+CD24- stemness

Intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer is represented by different morphological structures (tubular, alveolar, solid, trabecular, and discrete) and contributes to poor prognosis; however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. In this study, we performed 3D imaging, laser microdissection-assisted array comparative genomic hybridization and gene expression microarray analysis of different morphological structures and examined their association with the standard immunohistochemistry scorings and CD44+CD24- cancer stem cells. We found that the intratumor morphological heterogeneity is not associated with chromosomal aberrations. By contrast, morphological structures were characterized by specific gene expression profiles and signaling pathways and significantly differed in progesterone receptor and Ki-67 expression. Most importantly, we observed significant differences between structures in the number of expressed genes of the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes and the association with cancer invasion pathways. Tubular (tube-shaped) and alveolar (spheroid-shaped) structures were transcriptionally similar and demonstrated co-expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Solid (large shapeless) structures retained epithelial features but demonstrated an increase in mesenchymal traits and collective cell migration hallmarks. Mesenchymal genes and cancer invasion pathways, as well as Ki-67 expression, were enriched in trabecular (one/two rows of tumor cells) and discrete groups (single cells and/or arrangements of 2-5 cells). Surprisingly, the number of CD44+CD24- cells was found to be the lowest in discrete groups and the highest in alveolar and solid structures. Overall, our findings indicate the association of intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44+CD24- stemness and the appeal of this heterogeneity as a model for the study of cancer invasion

Гетерогенность экспрессии генов преметастатических ниш опухолевыми клетками рака молочной железы

Aim. To investigate the expression of the genes TGFB1, TNF, CSF1, CSF2, VEGFA and HIF1A in the patients with invasive breast carcinoma of no special type considering the intratumoral morphological heterogeneity. Methods. The technology of laser capture microdissection PALM was used to isolate five types of morphological tumor structures from three patients with invasive carcinoma of no special type (IC NST), luminal A subtype, T1-2NxMx. The level of expression of the cytokine (TNF), growth factor genes (TGFB1, CSF1, CSF2, VEGFA) and the HIF1A gene was assessed in the samples obtained using real-time PCR, TaqMan-probes and specific oligonucleotides. Results. The study demonstrated the absence of the expression of the growth factor gene CSF2 in tumor cells of IC NST, and the expression of the gene CSF1, independent from the metastasis status and tumor structure type. The prevalence of the expression of the genes VEGFA and TGFB1 was revealed in the alveolar and solid structures along with the rare expression of the gene TNF. Conclusions. The expression of pre-metastatic niche genes in the tumors of patients with IC NST is heterogeneous. The hypoxia-mediated change in the cytokine gene expression may be expected in the alveolar and solid structures, which ultimately results in the formation of microenvironment, facilitating tumor growth and the formation of tumor metastatic potential

Heterogeneity of circulating tumor cells in neoadjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer

The biological properties of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and their dynamics during neoadjuvant chemotherapy are important, both for disease progression prediction and therapeutic target determination, with the aim of preventing disease progression. The aim of our study was to estimate of different CTC subsets in breast cancer during the NACT (neoadjuvant chemotherapy). The prospective study includes 27 patients with invasive breast cancer, T2-4N0-3M0, aged 32 to 60 years. Venous heparinized blood samples, taken before and after biopsy, after each courses of chemotherapy (on days 3-7), and before surgical intervention, served as the material for this study. Different subsets of circulating tumor cells were determined on the basis of the expression of EpCAM, CD45, CD44, CD24, and N-Cadherin using flow cytometry. As the result of this study, it has been observed that significant changes in the quantity of the different subsets of circulating tumor cells in patients' blood were observed after carrying out the 3rd course of NACT. NACT causes significant changes in the quantity of six CTC subsets, with various combinations of stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) properties

Гетерогенность экспрессии генов преметастатических ниш опухолевыми клетками рака молочной железы

Aim. To investigate the expression of the genes TGFB1, TNF, CSF1, CSF2, VEGFA and HIF1A in the patients with invasive breast carcinoma of no special type considering the intratumoral morphological heterogeneity. Methods. The technology of laser capture microdissection PALM was used to isolate five types of morphological tumor structures from three patients with invasive carcinoma of no special type (IC NST), luminal A subtype, T1-2NxMx. The level of expression of the cytokine (TNF), growth factor genes (TGFB1, CSF1, CSF2, VEGFA) and the HIF1A gene was assessed in the samples obtained using real-time PCR, TaqMan-probes and specific oligonucleotides. Results. The study demonstrated the absence of the expression of the growth factor gene CSF2 in tumor cells of IC NST, and the expression of the gene CSF1, independent from the metastasis status and tumor structure type. The prevalence of the expression of the genes VEGFA and TGFB1 was revealed in the alveolar and solid structures along with the rare expression of the gene TNF. Conclusions. The expression of pre-metastatic niche genes in the tumors of patients with IC NST is heterogeneous. The hypoxia-mediated change in the cytokine gene expression may be expected in the alveolar and solid structures, which ultimately results in the formation of microenvironment, facilitating tumor growth and the formation of tumor metastatic potential