Role of netrin-1 and netrin-1 dependence receptors in colorectal cancers

Although cancer is a multifaceted disease, all cancer types share identical molecular and cellular mechanisms. These mechanisms involve a collection of alterations critical to the normal physiological functioning of cells, such as alterations of growth factor signalling pathways, angiogenesis, cell adhesion signals, DNA replication and apoptotic cell death. Many genes involved in the processes enumerated above are functionally inactive in tumour cells, designating them as putative ‘tumour suppressor genes'. Back in the early 1990s, Vogelstein and colleagues suggested that a gene called DCC (for Deleted in Colorectal Cancer) could be a tumour suppressor gene because it was found to be deleted in more than 70% of colorectal cancers, as well as in many other cancers. During the last 15 years, controversial data have failed to firmly establish whether DCC is indeed a tumour suppressor gene. However, the recent observations that DCC triggers cell death and is a receptor for netrin-1, a molecule recently implicated in colorectal tumorigenesis, have prompted a renewal of interest in the role of DCC in tumorigenesis and suggest that the netrin-1/receptor pairs act as novel negative regulators of tumour development

Small molecule sensitization to TRAIL is mediated via nuclear localization, phosphorylation and inhibition of chaperone activity of Hsp27

10.1038/cddis.2013.413Cell Death and Disease410

Cancer - Cell survival guide

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62618/1/431035a.pd

A combinatorial extracellular matrix platform identifies cell-extracellular matrix interactions that correlate with metastasis

Extracellular matrix interactions have essential roles in normal physiology and many pathological processes. Although the importance of extracellular matrix interactions in metastasis is well documented, systematic approaches to identify their roles in distinct stages of tumorigenesis have not been described. Here we report a novel-screening platform capable of measuring phenotypic responses to combinations of extracellular matrix molecules. Using a genetic mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma, we measure the extracellular matrix-dependent adhesion of tumour-derived cells. Hierarchical clustering of the adhesion profiles differentiates metastatic cell lines from primary tumour lines. Furthermore, we uncovered that metastatic cells selectively associate with fibronectin when in combination with galectin-3, galectin-8 or laminin. We show that these molecules correlate with human disease and that their interactions are mediated in part by α3β1 integrin. Thus, our platform allowed us to interrogate interactions between metastatic cells and their microenvironments, and identified extracellular matrix and integrin interactions that could serve as therapeutic targets.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant K99-CA151968)National Institutes of Health (U.S.). Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service AwardStand Up To Cancer (SU2C/AACR)David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT (CTC Project)Harvard Stem Cell Institute (SG-0046-08-00)National Cancer Center (Postdoctoral Fellowship)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (U54CA126515)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (U54CA112967)Howard Hughes Medical InstituteMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Ludwig Center for Molecular Oncolog

Methamphetamine withdrawal induces activation of CRF neurons in the brain stress system in parallel with an increased activity of cardiac sympathetic pathways.

Methamphetamine (METH) addiction is a major public health problem in some countries. There is evidence to suggest that METH use is associated with increased risk of developing cardiovascular problems. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic METH administration and withdrawal on the activation of the brain stress system and cardiac sympathetic pathways. Mice were treated with METH (2 mg/kg, i.p.) for 10 days and left to spontaneous withdraw for 7 days. The number of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), c-Fos, and CRF/c-Fos neurons was measured by immunohistochemistry in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and the oval region of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (ovBNST), two regions associated with cardiac sympathetic control. In parallel, levels of catechol-o-methyl-transferase (COMT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) were measured in the heart. In the brain, chronic-METH treatment enhanced the number of c-Fos neurons and the CRF neurons with c-Fos signal (CRF+/c-Fos+) in PVN and ovBNST. METH withdrawal increased the number of CRF+neurons. In the heart, METH administration induced an increase in soluble (S)-COMT and membrane-bound (MB)-COMT without changes in phospho (p)-TH, Hsp27, or pHsp27. Similarly, METH withdrawal increased the expression of S- and MB-COMT. In contrast to chronic treatment, METH withdrawal enhanced levels of (p)TH and (p)Hsp27 in the heart. Overall, our results demonstrate that chronic METH administration and withdrawal activate the brain CRF systems associated with the heart sympathetic control and point towards a METH withdrawal induced activation of sympathetic pathways in the heart. Our findings provide further insight in the mechanism underlining the cardiovascular risk associated with METH use and proposes targets for its treatment

A Novel Motif Identified in Dependence Receptors

Programmed cell death signaling is a critical feature of development, cellular turnover, oncogenesis, and neurodegeneration, among other processes. Such signaling may be transduced via specific receptors, either following ligand binding—to death receptors—or following the withdrawal of trophic ligands—from dependence receptors. Although dependence receptors display functional similarities, no common structural domains have been identified. Therefore, we employed the Multiple Expectation Maximization for Motif Elicitation and the Motif Alignment and Search Tool software programs to identify a novel transmembrane motif, dubbed dependence-associated receptor transmembrane (DART) motif, that is common to all described dependence receptors. Of 3,465 human transmembrane proteins, 25 (0.7%) display the DART motif. The predicted secondary structure features an alpha helical structure, with an unusually high percentage of valine residues. At least four of the proteins undergo regulated intramembrane proteolysis. To date, we have not identified a function for this putative domain. We speculate that the DART motif may be involved in protein processing, interaction with other proteins or lipids, or homomultimerization

Molecular mechanisms of cell death:recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2018

Over the past decade, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) has formulated guidelines for the definition and interpretation of cell death from morphological, biochemical, and functional perspectives. Since the field continues to expand and novel mechanisms that orchestrate multiple cell death pathways are unveiled, we propose an updated classification of cell death subroutines focusing on mechanistic and essential (as opposed to correlative and dispensable) aspects of the process. As we provide molecularly oriented definitions of terms including intrinsic apoptosis, extrinsic apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, entotic cell death, NETotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death, immunogenic cell death, cellular senescence, and mitotic catastrophe, we discuss the utility of neologisms that refer to highly specialized instances of these processes. The mission of the NCCD is to provide a widely accepted nomenclature on cell death in support of the continued development of the field.</p

Down-Regulation of Neogenin Accelerated Glioma Progression through Promoter Methylation and Its Overexpression in SHG-44 Induced Apoptosis

Dependence receptors have been proved to act as tumor suppressors in tumorigenesis. Neogenin, a DCC homologue, well known for its fundamental role in axon guidance and cellular differentiation, is also a dependence receptor functioning to control apoptosis. However, loss of neogenin has been reported in several kinds of cancers, but its role in glioma remains to be further investigated.Western blot analysis showed that neogenin level was lower in glioma tissues than in their matching surrounding non-neoplastic tissues (n = 13, p<0.01). By immunohistochemical analysis of 69 primary and 16 paired initial and recurrent glioma sections, we found that the loss of neogenin did not only correlate negatively with glioma malignancy (n = 69, p<0.01), but also glioma recurrence (n = 16, p<0.05). Kaplan-Meier plot and Cox proportional hazards modelling showed that over-expressive neogenin could prolong the tumor latency (n = 69, p<0.001, 1187.6 ± 162.6 days versus 687.4 ± 254.2 days) and restrain high-grade glioma development (n = 69, p<0.01, HR: 0.264, 95% CI: 0.102 to 0.687). By Methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), we reported that neogenin promoter was methylated in 31.0% (9/29) gliomas, but absent in 3 kinds of glioma cell lines. Interestingly, the prevalence of methylation in high-grade gliomas was higher than low-grade gliomas and non-neoplastic brain tissues (n = 33, p<0.05) and overall methylation rate increased as glioma malignancy advanced. Furthermore, when cells were over-expressed by neogenin, the apoptotic rate in SHG-44 was increased to 39.7% compared with 8.1% in the blank control (p<0.01) and 9.3% in the negative control (p<0.01).These observations recapitulated the proposed role of neogenin as a tumor suppressor in gliomas and we suggest its down-regulation owing to promoter methylation is a selective advantage for glioma genesis, progression and recurrence. Furthermore, the induction of apoptosis in SHG-44 cells after overexpression of neogenin, indicated that neogenin could be a novel target for glioma therapy

Hsp27 regulates podocyte cytoskeletal changes in an in vitro model of podocyte process retraction

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is characterized by structural changes in the actin‐rich foot processes of glomerular podocytes. We previously identified high concentrations of the small heat shock protein hsp27 within podocytes as well as increased glomerular accumulation and phosphorylation of hsp27 in puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) ‐induced experimental NS. Here we analyzed murine podocytes stably transfected with hsp27 sense, antisense, and vector control constructs using a newly developed in vitro PAN model system. Cell morphology and the microfilament structure of untreated sense and antisense transfectants were altered compared with controls. Vector cell survival, polymerized actin content, cell area, and hsp27 content increased after 1.25 μg/ml PAN treatment and decreased after 5.0 μg/ml treatment. In contrast, sense cells were unaffected by 1.25 μg/ml PAN treatment whereas antisense cells showed decreases or no changes in all parameters. Treatment of sense cells with 5.0 μ g/ml PAN resulted in increased cell survival and cell area whereas antisense cells underwent significant decreases in all parameters. Hsp27 provided dramatic protection against PAN‐induced microfilament disruption in sense > vector > antisense cells. We conclude that hsp27 is able to regulate both the morphological and actin cytoskeletal response of podocytes in an in vitro model of podocyte injury.—Smoyer, W. E., Ransom, R. F. Hsp27 regulates podocyte cytoskeletal changes in an in vitro model of podocyte process retraction. FASEB J. 16, 315–326 (2002)Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154256/1/fsb2fj010681com.pd

A PCR-mutagenesis strategy for rapid detection of mutations in codon 634 of the ret proto-oncogene related to MEN 2A.

BACKGROUND: Multiple endocrine neoplasias type 2A (MEN 2A) is a dominantly inherited cancer syndrome. Missence mutations in the codon encoding cysteine 634 of the ret proto-oncogene have been found in 85% of the MEN 2A families. The main tumour type always present in MEN 2A is medullar thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Only 25% of all MTC are hereditary, and generally they are identified by a careful family history. However, some familial MTCs are not easily detected by this means and underdiagnosis of MEN 2A is suspected. METHODS: DNA samples from MEN 2A patients were amplified by PCR. The products were incubated with the restriction enzyme Bst ApI or Bgl I. The samples were loaded in non-denaturing 10% Polyacrilamyde Gel and run at 120 volts for 40 min. The gels were stained with 10 μg/ml ethidium bromide, and the bands were visualized under a UV lamp. RESULTS: We developed a PCR-mutagenic method to check the integrity of the three bases of the cysteine 634 codon. CONCLUSION: The method can be used to detect inherited mutations in MTC patients without a clear family history. The method is relatively simple to use as a routine test in these patients to decrease the underdiagnosis of MEN 2A. In addition, the assay can be used to screen affected families with any mutation in cysteine 634