趋化因子CXCL12及其受体CXCR4在胶质瘤中的研究进展

CXCL12是趋化因子家族成员之一,是能够特异性结合其受体CXCR4发挥趋化性作用的细胞因子。最初,CXCL12及CXCR4被发现于炎症细胞,参与机体炎症、免疫等病理反应。接下来的几年中发现,它在机体发育、成熟过程中也有重要作用。如今,大量研究表明它与肿瘤的生长、侵袭及转移密切相关。据报道,在乳腺癌、肺癌、卵巢癌等二十余种肿瘤组织中发现CXCL12及CXCR4的表达,其中也包括中枢系统肿瘤-胶质瘤。CXCL12/CXCR4参与胶质瘤生长过程的多个步骤,包括肿瘤增殖、侵袭、转移等。有实验指出,转移灶的CXCR4表达水平较原发灶高,CXCR4有可能成为抑制胶质瘤生长、转移的重要靶目标。     

CXCL12/CXCR4轴的表达和功能研究进展

CXCL12/CXCR4(CXC ligand 12/CXC receptor 4)轴不仅在趋化、细胞迁徙方面起作用,还参与细胞增殖、分化、干细胞的归巢、炎症反应、免疫调节、内分泌调节及提高痛觉敏感性等多种生命活动中。CXCR4在许多类型的肿瘤中有高表达,并且对于这些类型的肿瘤的远处转移有十分明显的促进作用。在干细胞归巢方面,间充质干细胞中CXCR4表达普遍不高,通过病毒载体过表达CXCR4于间充质干细胞,用于移植治疗损伤或炎症性疾病,取得了十分不错的成效,并引起了广泛关注。在免疫调节方面,研究者发现CXCL12/CXCR4轴也参与到其中。本文对CXCL12/CXCR4轴的生物学功能进行了综述。     

趋化因子SD-1及其受体CXCR4在卵巢癌中的研究进展

基质细胞衍生因子-1(Stromal cell derived factor-1,SDF-1)是CXC趋化因子家族的重要成员,系统命名为CXCL12,能与它的唯一受体CXC趋化因子受体-4(CXC chemokine receptor-4,CXCR4)形成CXCL12-CXCR4生物学轴,CXCL12-CXCR4生物学轴在肿瘤生长、侵袭、转移过程中发生重要作用。到目前为止,已发现CXCL12-CXCR4在卵巢癌、胰腺癌、肝癌等多种肿瘤组织中表达。然而,国内目前还没有关于CXCL12-CXCR4与卵巢癌关系的相关综述,本文将从趋化因子CXCL12及其受体CXCR4,CXCL12/CXCR4轴与卵巢癌细胞系实验研究,CXCL12-CXCR4轴与卵巢癌的临床研究,CXCL12/CXCR4与卵巢癌预后,CXCL12/CXCR4与卵巢癌治疗展望等五个方面对CXCL12-CXCR4生物轴与卵巢癌的关系,及其在卵巢癌治疗中的应用展开综述。     

趋化因子CXCL12及其受体CXCR4与肿瘤的关系

趋化因子是一组具有趋化作用的细胞因子,最近研究发现趋化因子CXCL12及其受体CXCR4与多种肿瘤的侵袭和转移密切相关,该文就CXCL12及CXCR4的生物学特性、在肿瘤侵袭及淋巴结转移中的作用特征及作用机制等方面进行综述,从而为肿瘤转移防治提供依据。     

CXCR4/CXCL12 在肿瘤中的研究进展

研究表明趋化因子及其受体在胚胎发育、干细胞迁移以及各种免疫反应中发挥重要作用,是许多生理及病理过程中细胞运动的重要因素。趋化因子受体CXCR4是一个由352个氨基酸构成的、7次跨膜的G蛋白偶联受体。趋化因子CXCL12为其特异性受体。研究发现,CXCR4/CXCL12在多种肿瘤中都有表达,在肿瘤的生长、血管生成、转移等方面发挥着重要作用。与正常组织相比,肿瘤组织及转移灶CXCR4高表达。因此,对CXCR4/CXCL12轴在肿瘤病生理中的作用机制进行进一步研究,很可能为肿瘤的治疗及对肿瘤转移的预防提供一个新的思路。我们现在就对其在肿瘤病生理中的作用做一综述。     

CXCR4/CXCL12轴与肿瘤发生发展中的作用研究进展

趋化因子受体是一类G蛋白偶联的7次跨膜受体,其与配体结合能参与调控多种生理和病理学过程,CXCR4/CXCL12轴在多种肿瘤中都高表达。本文对该轴生物学功能以及在肿瘤中的表达、增殖、侵袭转移及治疗等方面作一综述,提示此轴可成为抗肿瘤药物治疗的新靶点。     

CXCL12-CXCR4在人类恶性肿瘤中的生物学功能

转移和细胞浸润是实体癌和淋巴癌治疗的难点,也是疾病复发和死亡的主要原因。癌细胞的迁移是肿瘤转移和侵袭的前提。CXCL12-CXCR4通路在实体瘤和白血病的发病中发挥重要作用。CXCL12与其受体CXCR4之间的相互作用可以激活多种信号通路,调节不同的生理和病理生理过程。因此,阻断CXCL12-CXCR4的结合和/或下游通路在治疗各种疾病和癌症方面具有临床益处。目前,已发现一些CXCL12和CXCR4拮抗剂,并通过研究证实其在抗肿瘤活性方面取得了令人鼓舞的结果;但这些药物由于其严重的毒副作用未能大规模应用于临床患者。迫切需要研发新型CXCL12-CXCR4轴拮抗剂以治疗肿瘤。本文综述了CXCR4通路在实体肿瘤和白血病中的最新研究进展,并讨论了CXCR4通路在实体肿瘤和白血病中的治疗价值和未来的研究方向。     

CXCR4/Akt信号通路对食管癌细胞侵袭和肿瘤转移的调控作用

多项研究发现CXCR4在各种类型的癌症中高表达,然而尚不清楚CXCR4在食管癌细胞生长和转移中的作用。本研究检测了CXCR4在食管癌组织和细胞系(TE-1)中的表达,并通过转染CXCR4-短发夹RNA(CXCR4-sh RNA)慢病毒来敲低TE-1细胞中CXCR4的表达。应用PI3K/AKT抑制剂LY294002(50μmol/L)处理TE-1细胞12 h来考察AKT信号在食管癌细胞生长和转移中的作用;应用蛋白质印迹分析检测AKT和Rho家族蛋白(RhoA,Rac-1和Cdc42)的表达;应用CCK-8实验检测细胞增殖;Transwell实验检测细胞侵袭;对雄性BALB/c-nu/nu裸鼠皮下注射转染CXCR4-shRNA的TE-1细胞建立肿瘤异种移植模型。研究显示,CXCR4在食管癌组织中的表达水平明显高于癌旁组织,并且与TNM分期和淋巴结转移有关。CXCR4在人食管鳞状细胞癌细胞系(TE-1)中的表达水平明显高于人正常食管上皮细胞系(human normal esophageal epithelial cell line,HEEC)。敲低CXCR4能抑制食管鳞状细胞癌细胞的增殖和侵袭能力,并抑制肿瘤异种移植裸鼠的肿瘤形成。敲低CXCR4抑制了AKT的磷酸化及RhoA、Rac-1和Cdc42的表达。此外,PI3K/AKT抑制剂LY294002处理显著降低了TE-1细胞中AKT的磷酸化,并降低了RhoA、Rac-1和Cdc42的表达。本研究表明,CXCR4在食管癌患者中上调,与不良预后相关。下调CXCR4的表达可在体内和体外抑制食管癌肿瘤的生长和转移。下调CXCR4可通过抑制AKT信号的激活来抑制Rho家族粘附/侵袭相关蛋白的表达,从而抑制肿瘤转移。     

趋化因子CXCL1在肿瘤中的作用

趋化因子及其受体在许多生物学过程(如炎症发生、血管生成等)中起重要的作用。趋化因子CXCL1是单亚基趋药性细胞因子,该蛋白主要通过特异性结合G蛋白耦联受体CXCR2,在多种肿瘤的生长、增殖、转移和侵袭以及血管新生中起重要调控作用。该文重点阐述了趋化因子CXC亚家族成员CXCL1在肿瘤中的功能,并对其上游调控因子进行分析,深入探讨了CXCL1与肿瘤的相互关系。     

CXCL12及受体CXCR4在胆管癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的:探讨趋化因子CXCLl2及其受体CXCR4在胆管癌中的表达及与临床病理特征、预后的关系.方法:采用免疫组化SP法检测10例正常胆管、61例胆管癌(19例肝门部胆管癌、42例胆总管中下段癌)组织中CXCL12和CXCR4蛋白的表达.结果:正常胆管中无CXCL12和CXCR4蛋白的表达,胆管癌的CXCL12和CXCR4蛋白的表达分别为88%和53%,有转移的胆管癌中CXCR4蛋白的表达为94%,显著高于无转移组.相关性分析显示CXCR4蛋白的表达与肿瘤是否转移有关,与肿瘤复发时间及存活时间有关.结论:CXCR4可以作为判断胆管癌恶性程度高低及预后的指标之一.     

CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7轴在子宫内膜异位症中的研究进展

子宫内膜异位症(endometriosis, EMT)是常见的妇科疾病,发病率高,且有年轻化的趋势。因其治疗困难且复发率高,严重影响了女性的生活质量和生育能力。研究发现趋化因子CXCL12与其受体CXCR4和CXCR7在恶性肿瘤中起重要作用。虽然EMT为良性疾病,但有恶性肿瘤的生物学特征,近来发现CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7轴可以影响子宫内膜异位症的定植、侵袭和转移。本文就当前国内外研究CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7轴在EMT发生发展过程中的作用进行了综述,旨在为EMT的治疗找到新靶点。     

Small neutralizing molecules to inhibit actions of the chemokine CXCL12

The chemokine CXCL12 and the receptor CXCR4 play pivotal roles in normal vascular and neuronal development, in inflammatory responses, and in infectious diseases and cancer. For instance, CXCL12 has been shown to mediate human immunodeficiency virus-induced neurotoxicity, proliferative retinopathy and chronic inflammation, whereas its receptor CXCR4 is involved in human immunodeficiency virus infection, cancer metastasis and in the rare disease known as the warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, immunodeficiency, and myelokathexis (WHIM) syndrome. As we screened chemical libraries to find inhibitors of the interaction between CXCL12 and the receptor CXCR4, we identified synthetic compounds from the family of chalcones that reduce binding of CXCL12 to CXCR4, inhibit calcium responses mediated by the receptor, and prevent CXCR4 internalization in response to CXCL12. We found that the chemical compounds display an original mechanism of action as they bind to the chemokine but not to CXCR4. The highest affinity molecule blocked chemotaxis of human peripheral blood lymphocytes ex vivo. It was also active in vivo in a mouse model of allergic eosinophilic airway inflammation in which we detected inhibition of the inflammatory infiltrate. The compound showed selectivity for CXCL12 and not for CCL5 and CXCL8 chemokines and blocked CXCL12 binding to its second receptor, CXCR7. By analogy to the effect of neutralizing antibodies, this molecule behaves as a small organic neutralizing compound that may prove to have valuable pharmacological and therapeutic potential.     

Human osteoclasts express different CXC chemokines depending on cell culture substrate: molecular and immunocytochemical evidence of high levels of CXCL10 and CXCL12

Chemokines are important mediators of chemotaxis, cell adherence, and proliferation and exert specific functions in bone remodeling. Despite the potential intriguing role of chemokines in the regulation of osteoclast (OC) functions, little is known about the expression of chemokines and their receptors in human OCs at different stages of differentiation. Therefore, we analyzed the expression of CXC chemokine receptors (CXCR1, CXCR2, CXCR3, CXCR4 and CXCR5) and ligands (CXCL8, CXCL10, CXCL12 and CXCL13) both at molecular and protein levels, in human OCs grown on plastic or calcium phosphate-coated slides at different stages of differentiation. Real-time PCR showed that CXCR1, CXCR2, CXCR3, CXCR4, CXCR5 and CXCL8 were expressed in undifferentiated cells and significantly decreased during OC differentiation. By contrast, CXCL10 and CXCL12 were strongly upregulated from day 0 to day 8 in cells grown on calcium phosphate-coated slides. Immunocytochemistry showed that OCs grown on plastic expressed CXCR3, CXCR4, CXCR5, CXCL8 and CXCL12, while they were negative for CXCR1, CXCR2 and CXCL10. Interestingly, both at molecular and protein levels CXCL10 and CXCL12 significantly increased only when cells were differentiated on calcium phosphate-coated slides. These data suggest that the selection of a substrate that better mimics the tridimensional structure of bone tissue, thus favoring OC maturation and differentiation, may be necessary when studying osteoclastogenesis in vitro.     

In vitro characterization and inhibition of the CXCR4/CXCL12 chemokine axis in human uveal melanoma cell lines

Purpose  

The CXCR4/CXCL12 chemokine axis may play a critical role in guiding CXCR4+ circulating malignant cells to organ specific locations that actively secrete its ligand CXCL12 (SDF-1) such as bone, brain, liver, and lungs. We sought to characterize the presence of the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis in five uveal melanoma (UM) cell lines in vitro. The ability of TN14003, a synthetic peptide inhibitor that targets the CXCR4 receptor complex, to inhibit this axis was also assessed.