Resistance to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor axitinib is associated with increased glucose metabolism in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Alterations in energy (glucose) metabolism are key events in the development and progression of cancer. In pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, we investigated changes in glucose metabolism induced by resistance to the receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (RTKI) axitinib. Here, we show that human cell lines and mouse PDAC cell lines obtained from the spontaneous pancreatic cancer mouse model (Kras^G12DPdx1-cre) were sensitive to axitinib. The anti-proliferative effect was due to a G2/M block resulting in loss of 70–75% cell viability in the most sensitive PDAC cell line. However, a surviving sub-population showed a 2- to 3-fold increase in [C-14]deoxyglucose ([C-14]DG) uptake. This was sustained in axitinib-resistant cell lines, which were derived from parental PDAC. In addition to the axitinib-induced increase in [C-14]DG uptake, we observed a translocation of glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1) transporters from cytosolic pools to the cell surface membrane and a 2-fold increase in glycolysis rates measured by the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). We demonstrated an axitinib-induced increase in phosphorylated Protein Kinase B (pAkt) and by blocking pAkt with a phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor we reversed the Glut-1 translocation and restored sensitivity to axitinib treatment. Combination treatment with both axitinib and Akt inhibitor in parental pancreatic cell line resulted in a decrease in cell viability beyond that conferred by single therapy alone. Our study shows that PDAC resistance to axitinib results in increased glucose metabolism mediated by activated Akt. Combining axitinib and an Akt inhibitor may improve treatment in PDAC.     

Biodiversity on the brink: Evaluating a transdisciplinary research collaboration

Global biodiversity is facing an extinction crisis. Australia has one of the highest terrestrial species extinction rates in the world. Scientists, policy advisors and governments have recommended that the issue be addressed at a landscape-scale, while noting that there are significant knowledge gaps that are hampering implementation of such an approach. From 2011–2015, the Australian Government funded a transdisciplinary research program, the Landscapes and Policy Hub, to meet this need. Transdisciplinary research is widely acknowledged as essential to address the complexity of contemporary environmental problems. Given that such research programs are in their infancy, it is important to evaluate their efficacy and provide an empirical basis for improving their design. This paper presents an evaluation of the strategies fostering transdisciplinarity adopted by the Landscapes and Policy Hub. A heavy emphasis on communication, with skilled knowledge brokering, regular face-to-face meetings using participatory activities and shared field engagements enhanced transdisciplinary interaction between researchers and research users. However, establishing a fully integrated interdisciplinary research program remained a challenge. Efforts to enable shared conceptual frameworks to emerge through adaptive application of theory in practice could have been balanced with increased effort at the outset for researchers and research users to collaboratively formulate shared research questions, leading to the establishment of teams that could address these questions through cross-mobilisation of interdisciplinary expertise.     

A microbial sensor for discovering structural probes of protein misfolding and aggregation

In all cell types, protein homeostasis, or “proteostasis,” is maintained by sophisticated quality control networks that regulate protein synthesis, folding, trafficking, aggregation, disaggregation, and degradation. In one notable example, Escherichia coli employ a proteostasis system that determines whether substrates of the twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway are correctly folded and thus suitable for transport across the tightly sealed cytoplasmic membrane. Herein, we review growing evidence that the Tat translocase itself discriminates folded proteins from those that are misfolded and/or aggregated, preferentially exporting only the former. Genetic suppressors that inactivate this mechanism have recently been isolated and provide direct evidence for the participation of the Tat translocase in structural proofreading of its protein substrates. We also discuss how this discriminatory “folding sensor” has been exploited for the discovery of structural probes (e.g., sequence mutations, pharmacologic chaperones, intracellular antibodies) that modulate the folding and solubility of virtually any protein-of-interest, including those associated with aggregation diseases (e.g., α-synuclein, amyloid-β protein). Taken together, these studies highlight the utility of engineered bacteria for rapidly and inexpensively uncovering potent anti-aggregation factors.     

Naturally occurring compounds in differentiation based therapy of cancer

Differentiation of cancer cells entails the reversion of phenotype from malignant to the original. The conversion to cell type characteristic for another tissue is named transdifferentiation. Differentiation/transdifferentiation of malignant cells in high grade tumor mass could serve as a nonaggressive approach that potentially limits tumor progression and augments chemosensitivity. While this therapeutic strategy is already being used for treatment of hematological cancers, its feasibility for solid malignancies is still debated. We will presently discuss the natural compounds that show these properties, with focus on anthraquinones from Aloe vera, Senna, Rheum sp. and hop derived prenylflavonoids.     

全球免疫细胞治疗药物开发现状与趋势

目的:从产品开发角度分析免疫细胞治疗类药物的发展现状和未来趋势。方法:检索科睿唯安(Clarivate Analytics)的Cortellis数据库的数据,利用定量分析法和对比分析法对检索结果进行分析。结果:目前已有2种免疫细胞治疗类药物上市,1种免疫细胞治疗类药物处于预注册阶段,4种药物处于临床Ⅲ期,同时大量处于临床Ⅱ/Ⅰ期药物显示未来市场上将有更多免疫细胞治疗类药物。产品交易方面,目前在免疫细胞治疗类药物的商业交易也趋向频繁。通过列举分析目前已发生的交易金额前十的交易,发现其中药物开发及商业化许可是最主要的交易模式。结论:目前免疫细胞治疗类药物市场尚处于起步阶段,但随着未来技术的不断发展改进,相信未来有更多的药物进入商用市场,为癌症及其他疾病的治疗提供新的契机。     

里氏木霉纤维二糖水解酶Ⅱ在毕赤酵母中的高效表达

本工作采用巴氏毕赤酵母Pichiapastoris表达系统进行了里氏木霉Trichodermareesei纤维二糖水解酶Ⅱ(CellobiohydrolaseII)的表达。用RT-PCR的方法从经稻草粉诱导的里氏木霉培养物中分离出纤维二糖水解酶Ⅱ的基因,将其插入到巴氏毕赤酵母的表达载体pPICZαA中,并使之处于α-因子信号肽序列的下游,得到重组质粒pPICZαA-cbh2。通过电穿孔的方法用线性化的pPICZαA-cbh2转化巴氏毕赤酵母GS115菌株,经过大量筛选后得到可以高效表达纤维二糖水解酶的毕赤酵母菌株P.pastorisCBHⅡ1。在甲醇诱导的条件下培养P.pastorisCBHⅡ1,培养液中的CMC活性可达到3.82U/mL,SDS-PAGE分析结果表明纤维二糖水解酶在P.pastorisCBHⅡ1中的表达量远远高于里氏木霉。对表达产物进行了LC-MS分析,结果表明所表达的蛋白为里氏木霉的纤维二糖水解酶。     

全球寡核苷酸类药物开发现状与趋势

从产品开发角度分析寡核苷酸类药物的发展现状和未来趋势。     

Pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells: From basic research to applications

Basic research on pluripotent stem cells is designed to enhance understanding of embryogenesis, whereas applied research is designed to develop novel therapies and prevent diseases. Attainment of these goals has been enhanced by the establishment of embryonic stem cell lines, the technological development of genomic reprogramming to generate induced-pluripotent stem cells, and improvements in vitro techniques to manipulate stem cells. This review summarizes the techniques required to generate neural cells from pluripotent stem cells. In particular, this review describes current research applications of a simple neural differentiation method, the neural stem sphere method, which we developed.