Signalling transduction of O-GlcNAcylation and PI3K/AKT/mTOR-axis in prostate cancer

Hexosamine biosynthetic (HBP) and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways are found to predominate the proliferation and survival of prostate cancer cells. Both these pathways have their own specific intermediates to propagate the secondary signals in down-stream cascades and besides having their own structured network, also have shared interconnecting branches. These interconnections are either competitive or co-operative in nature depending on the microenvironmental conditions. Specifically, in prostate cancer HBP and mTOR pathways increases the expression and protein level of androgen receptor in order to support cancer cell proliferation, advancement and metastasis. Pharmacological inhibition of a single pathway is therefore insufficient to stop disease progression as the cancer cells manage to alter the signalling channel. This is one of the primary reasons for the therapeutic failure in prostate cancer and emergence of chemoresistance. Inhibition of these multiple pathways at their common junctures might prove to be of benefit in men suffering from an advanced disease state. Hence, a thorough understanding of these cellular intersecting points and their significance with respect to signal transduction mechanisms might assist in the rational designing of combinations for effective management of prostate cancer.     

Novel Role for p21-activated Kinase 2 in Thrombin-induced Monocyte Migration

To understand the role of thrombin in inflammation, we tested its effects on migration of THP-1 cells, a human monocytic cell line. Thrombin induced THP-1 cell migration in a dose-dependent manner. Thrombin induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Pyk2, Gab1, and p115 RhoGEF, leading to Rac1- and RhoA-dependent Pak2 activation. Downstream to Pyk2, Gab1 formed a complex with p115 RhoGEF involving their pleckstrin homology domains. Furthermore, inhibition or depletion of Pyk2, Gab1, p115 RhoGEF, Rac1, RhoA, or Pak2 levels substantially attenuated thrombin-induced THP-1 cell F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling and migration. Inhibition or depletion of PAR1 also blocked thrombin-induced activation of Pyk2, Gab1, p115 RhoGEF, Rac1, RhoA, and Pak2, resulting in diminished THP-1 cell F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling and migration. Similarly, depletion of Gα₁₂ negated thrombin-induced Pyk2, Gab1, p115 RhoGEF, Rac1, RhoA, and Pak2 activation, leading to attenuation of THP-1 cell F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling and migration. These novel observations reveal that thrombin induces monocyte/macrophage migration via PAR1-Gα12-dependent Pyk2-mediated Gab1 and p115 RhoGEF interactions, leading to Rac1- and RhoA-targeted Pak2 activation. Thus, these findings provide mechanistic evidence for the role of thrombin and its receptor PAR1 in inflammation.     

Amino acids derived benzoxazepines: Design,synthesis and antitumor activity

Two series of new benzoxazepines substituted with different alkyl amino ethyl chains were synthesized comprising synthetic steps of inter and intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction, lithium aluminium hydride (LAH) reduction, debenzylation, bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (S_N2) reaction. The present study investigates the effect of a tyrosine-based benzoxazepine derivative in human breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and in breast cancer animal model. The anti-proliferative effect of 15a on MCF-7 cells was associated with G1 cell-cycle arrest. This G1 growth arrest was followed by apoptosis as 15a dose dependently increased phosphatidylserine exposure, PARP cleavage and DNA fragmentation that are hallmarks of apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, 15a activated components of both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis characterized by activation of caspase-8 and -9, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and increase in Bax/Bcl2 ratio. However, use of selective caspase inhibitors revealed that the caspase-8-dependent pathway is the major contributor to 15a-induced apoptosis. Compound 15a also significantly reduced the growth of MCF-7 xenograft tumors in athymic nude mice. Together, 15a could serve as a base for the development of a new group of effective breast cancer therapeutics.     

Rho A negatively regulates cytokine-mediated inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in brain-derived transformed cell lines: negative regulation of IKKalpha

The present study describes the role of RhoA as a negative regulator of iNOS expression via the inactivation of NF-kappaB in transformed brain cell lines [C(6) glioma, human astrocytoma (T98G, A172), neuroblastoma (NEB), and immortal rat astrocytes]. Treatment with lovastatin resulted in the induction of LPS/IFN-gamma-mediated iNOS mRNA and increased nitric oxide (NO) production. The addition of mevalonate and geranylgeranylpyrophosphate (GGPP) reversed the lovastatin-mediated effect, whereas FPP had no effect. An inhibitor of geranylgeranyltransferase inhibitor (GGTI 298) further induced the cytokine and lovastatin-mediated iNOS expression, suggesting the involvement of geranylgeranylated proteins in the regulation of iNOS. Bacterial toxin B (inactivates RhoA, B, and C; CDC42; Rac proteins), C3 ADP-ribosyltransferase (C3) toxin from C. botulinum (inactivates RhoA, B, and C proteins), and Y-27632 (selective inhibitor of Rho-associated kinases) increased the LPS/IFN-gamma-mediated iNOS expression. Lovastatin treatment induced NO by increasing NF-kappaB translocation and its association with the CREB-binding protein (CBP/p300) via the downregulation of RhoA. Inhibition of RhoA resulted in increased activation of IKKalpha. Cotransfection studies with dominant-negative form of RhoA and iNOS-luciferase or NF-kappaB-luciferase reporter constructs further support these observations. Taken together, these studies show that downregulation of RhoA by lovastatin resulted in increased iNOS expression via the activation of NF-kappaB-CBP/p300 pathway in transformed brain cells.     

Acetaminophen inhibits liver trytophan-2,3-dioxygenase activity with a concomitant rise in brain serotonin levels and a reduction in urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid

The effect of the analgesic agent, acetaminophen was determined on rat forebrain serotonin levels as well as hepatic tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) activity and urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). The results show that acetaminophen administration (100mg/kg) over three hours does not affect the holoenzyme of tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase but significantly inhibits the apoenzyme. This inhibition is accompanied by a concomitant rise in forebrain serotonin levels. This phenomenon is also accompanied by a reduction in urinary 5-HIAA levels. These results suggest that acetaminophen use is accompanied by changes in brain serotonin levels due to inhibition of hepatic tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase activity. This in turn could explain the possible abuse potential of acetaminophen and its effects on mood at high doses.