Antitumor effects of analogs of LH-RH and somatostatin: Experimental and clinical studies

Many clinical approaches for the treatment of hormone-sensitive tumors are being developed based on analogs of LH-RH and somatostatin. Inhibition of the pituitary-gonadal axis forms the basis for oncological applications of LH-RH agonists like [ -Trp⁶]-LH-RH and new LH-RH antagonists free of edematogenic effects such as [Ac- -Nal(2)¹- -Phe(4Cl)²- -Pal(3)³, -Cit⁶, -Ala¹⁰]-LH-RH (SB-75). Agonists and antagonists of LH-RH have been used in patients with prostate cancer and might be also beneficial for the treatment of breast cancer and ovarian, endometrial and pancreatic carcinomas. Some of the effects of LH-RH analogs can be due to direct action since LH-RH receptors have been found in these cancers. The use of sustained delivery systems based on microcapsules of PLG, makes the treatment more efficacious. Octaeptide analogs of somatostatin such as -P s-Trp-NH₂ (RC-160) and related analogs were designed specifically for antitumor activity. These somatostatin analogs, by virtue of having a wide spectrum of activities appear to inhibit various tumors through multiple mechanisms. Direct antiproliferative actions of somatostatin analogs appear to be mediated by specific receptors located on tumor cells. High affinity binding sites for RC-160 and related analogs have been found in human pancreatic, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers and brain tumors such as meningiomas. In vivo administration of analog RC-160 inhibits the growth of Dunning R-3327 prostate cancers in rats, MXT mammary tumors in mice and BOP-induced ductal pancreatic cancers in hamsters. Combination of microcapsules of RC-160 with [ -Trp⁶]-LH-RH results in synergistic potentiation of the inhibition of these cancers. Somatostatin analog RC-160 and LH-RH antagonist SB-75 are the object of further experimental studies and clinical trials aimed at the exploration of their inhibitory effects on the processes of malignant growth.     

Acute Vascular Disruption by 5,6-Dimethylxanthenone-4-Acetic Acid in an Orthotopic Model of Human Head and Neck Cancer

The sustenance of most solid tumors including head and neck cancers (HNCs) is strongly dependent on the presence of a functioning vascular network. In this study, we examined the acute effects of a tumor vascular disrupting agent (VDA), 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA; ASA404), in an orthotopic model of human HNC. Noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to monitor the vascular response of orthotopic FaDu xenografts to VDA therapy. Untreated tumors showed a marked but heterogeneous pattern of enhancement after contrast agent injection on serial T1-weighted (T1W) MR images. After VDA treatment, T2W and T1W MRI revealed evidence of hemorrhaging and lack of functioning vessels (enhancement) within the tumor. Quantitative estimates of relative vascular volume also showed a significant (P < .01) reduction in DMXAA-treated tumors 24 hours after therapy compared with untreated controls. Histology and immunostaining of untreated orthotopic FaDu tumors revealed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma histology with distinctly visible CD31⁺ endothelial cells. In sharp contrast, minimal CD31 staining with irregular endothelial fragments and faint outlines of blood vessels were seen in DMXAA-treated tumor sections. CD31 immunostaining and histology also highlighted the selectivity of vascular damage and tissue necrosis after VDA therapy with no evidence of toxicity observed in normal salivary gland, heart, liver, and skeletal muscle tissues. Together, our results demonstrate a potent and selective vascular disruptive activity of DMXAA in an orthotopic HNC model. Further evaluation into its antitumor effects alone and in combination with other agents is warranted.     

A functional genomics approach using metabolomics and in silico pathway analysis

In the field of functional genomics increasing effort is being undertaken to analyze the function of orphan genes using metabolome data. Improved analytical equipment allows screening simultaneously for a high number of metabolites. Such metabolite profiles are analyzed using multivariate data analysis techniques and changes in the genotype will in many cases lead to different metabolite profiles. Here, a theoretical framework that may be applied to identify the function of orphan genes is presented. The approach is based on a combination of metabolome analysis combined with in silico pathway analysis. Pathway analysis may be carried out using convex analysis and a change in the active pathway structure of deletion mutants expressed in a different metabolite profile may disclose the function or the functional class of an orphan gene. The concept is illustrated using a simplified model for growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Titin Extensibility In Situ: Entropic Elasticity of Permanently Folded and Permanently Unfolded Molecular Segments

Abstract. Titin (also known as connectin) is a giant protein that spans half of the striated muscle sarcomere. In the I-band titin extends as the sarcomere is stretched, developing what is known as passive force. The I-band region of titin contains tandem Ig segments (consisting of serially linked immunoglobulin-like domains) with the unique PEVK segment in between (Labeit, S., and B. Kolmerer. 1995. Science. 270:293–296). Although the tandem Ig and PEVK segments have been proposed to behave as stiff and compliant springs, respectively, precise experimental testing of the hypothesis is still needed. Here, sequence-specific antibodies were used to mark the ends of the tandem Ig and PEVK segments. By following the extension of the segments as a function of sarcomere length (SL), their respective contributions to titin's elastic behavior were established. In slack sarcomeres (~2.0 μm) the tandem Ig and PEVK segments were contracted. Upon stretching sarcomeres from ~2.0 to 2.7 μm, the “contracted” tandem Ig segments straightened while their individual Ig domains remained folded. When sarcomeres were stretched beyond ~2.7 μm, the tandem Ig segments did not further extend, instead PEVK extension was now dominant. Modeling tandem Ig and PEVK segments as entropic springs with different bending rigidities (Kellermayer, M., S. Smith, H. Granzier, and C. Bustamante. 1997. Science. 276:1112–1116) indicated that in the physiological SL range (a) the Ig-like domains of the tandem Ig segments remain folded and (b) the PEVK segment behaves as a permanently unfolded polypeptide. Our model provides a molecular basis for the sequential extension of titin's different segments. Initially, the tandem Ig segments extend at low forces due to their high bending rigidity. Subsequently, extension of the PEVK segment occurs only upon reaching sufficiently high external forces due to its low bending rigidity. The serial linking of tandem Ig and PEVK segments with different bending rigidities provides a unique passive force–SL relation that is not achievable with a single elastic segment.     

Hungarian paediatricians' attitudes regarding the treatment and non-treatment of defective newborns: a comparative study

Conclusion: The four compared surveys clearly show that paediatricians from different backgrounds encounter these moral dilemmas in their everyday practice. Hungarian paediatricians facing morally significant decisions of discontinuation of treatment in defective newborns were permissive toward passive euthanasia like their Australian and Canadian colleagues, but were almost unanimously against active euthanasia like their Polish colleagues. The results of our study revealed a strong paternalistic attitude among Hungarian doctors, unwillingness to include other professionals in a discussion of moral problems and neglect of the nurses' views in these matters. Many physicians in the Hungarian study group were not aware of the legal ramifications in such cases. These findings were similar to the results of the Polish study. It is plausible that the paternalistic attitude and ignorance of the relevant law is common in all 'former' socialist countries. The Australian, Canadian and Hungarian doctors displayed more understanding and tolerance towards passive euthanasia. Many physicians in all study groups seemed to be not familiar with the legal regulations of their own country. The paediatricians of the four studies showed the greatest difference in their attitudes towards active euthanasia, with the Australian community being more permissive, the Canadian, Polish and Hungarian community rejecting it.     

POLLINATOR LIMITATION IN THE FACULTATIVELY AUTOGAMOUS ANNUAL,LUPINUS NANUS (LEGUMINOSAE)

The importance of pollinator visitation for determining both maternal reproductive success and outcrossing rates was investigated in the facultatively autogamous annual, Lupinus nanus. Sixty plants in each of two adjacent sites were assigned to either a pollinator-exclusion, pollen-augmentation, or open-pollinated (control) treatment. Flower, fruit, and seed production were recorded for each plant, and outcrossing rates were determined for plants in all three treatments at each site. Pollinator-exclusion reduced the reproductive success of plants at Site 1, but had no effect on reproduction for plants at Site 2. Pollen-augmentation increased fruit production by 22% and seed production by 45% at Site 2, but had no effect on reproduction for plants at Site 1. Plants in the open-pollinated, control treatment outcrossed at intermediate rates at both sites, with plants at Site 2 (outcrossing rate, t = 0.66) outcrossing at a significantly higher rate than plants at Site 1 (t = 0.40). The pollen-augmentation treatment increased the outcrossing rate for plants at both sites (Site 1, t = 0.72; Site 2, t = 0.78). These results indicate that pollinator availability can limit maternal reproductive success for this facultatively autogamous plant species. Additionally, the intermediate outcrossing rates observed in nature for this species are not a consequence of plant characters alone, but instead result from plant characters combined with the local pollination ecology.     

Disruption of Drosophila Rad50 causes pupal lethality, the accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks and the induction of apoptosis in third instar larvae

The Rad50/Mre11/Nbs1 protein complex has a crucial role in DNA metabolism, in particular in double-strand break (DSB) repair through homologous recombination (HR). To elucidate the role of the Rad50 protein complex in DSB repair in a multicellular eukaryote, we generated a Rad50 deficient Drosophila strain by P-element mediated mutagenesis. Disruption of Rad50 causes retarded development and pupal lethality. To investigate the mechanism of pupal death, brains and wing imaginal discs from third instar larvae were studied in more detail. Wing imaginal discs from Rad50 mutant larvae displayed a 3.5-fold increase in the induction of spontaneous apoptotic cells in comparison to their heterozygous siblings. This finding correlates with increased levels of phosphorylated histone H2Av, indicating an accumulation of DSBs in Rad50 mutant larvae. A 45-fold increase in the frequency of anaphase bridges was detected in the brains of Rad50 deficient larvae, consistent with a role for Rad50 in telomere maintenance and/or replication of DNA. The induction of DSBs and defects in chromosome segregation are in agreement with a role of Drosophila Rad50 in repairing the DSBs that arise during replication.