The Unfolded Protein Response Plays a Predominant Homeostatic Role in Response to Mitochondrial Stress in Pancreatic Stellate Cells

Activated pancreatic stellate cells (PaSC) are key participants in the stroma of pancreatic cancer, secreting extracellular matrix proteins and inflammatory mediators. Tumors are poorly vascularized, creating metabolic stress conditions in cancer and stromal cells that necessitate adaptive homeostatic cellular programs. Activation of autophagy and the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR) have been described in hepatic stellate cells, but the role of these processes in PaSC responses to metabolic stress is unknown. We reported that the PI3K/mTOR pathway, which AMPK can regulate through multiple inputs, modulates PaSC activation and fibrogenic potential. Here, using primary and immortalized mouse PaSC, we assess the relative contributions of AMPK/mTOR signaling, autophagy and the UPR to cell fate responses during metabolic stress induced by mitochondrial dysfunction. The mitochondrial uncoupler rottlerin at low doses (0.5–2.5 μM) was added to cells cultured in 10% FBS complete media. Mitochondria rapidly depolarized, followed by altered mitochondrial dynamics and decreased cellular ATP levels. This mitochondrial dysfunction elicited rapid, sustained AMPK activation, mTOR pathway inhibition, and blockade of autophagic flux. Rottlerin treatment also induced rapid, sustained PERK/CHOP UPR signaling. Subsequently, high doses (>5 μM) induced loss of cell viability and cell death. Interestingly, AMPK knock-down using siRNA did not prevent rottlerin-induced mTOR inhibition, autophagy, or CHOP upregulation, suggesting that AMPK is dispensable for these responses. Moreover, CHOP genetic deletion, but not AMPK knock-down, prevented rottlerin-induced apoptosis and supported cell survival, suggesting that UPR signaling is a major modulator of cell fate in PaSC during metabolic stress. Further, short-term rottlerin treatment reduced both PaSC fibrogenic potential and IL-6 mRNA expression. In contrast, expression levels of the angiogenic factors HGF and VEGFα were unaffected, and the immune modulator IL-4 was markedly upregulated. These data imply that metabolic stress-induced PaSC reprogramming differentially modulates neighboring cells in the tumor microenvironment.     

Estrogen Receptor and HER2 Status on Disseminated Tumor Cells and Primary Tumor in Patients with Early Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: We evaluated both estrogen receptor (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status on disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow of 54 patients with early breast cancer and compared these with the corresponding primary tumor (PT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bone marrow aspirates were obtained at the time of first surgery, and ER and HER2 status on DTCs was assessed simultaneously by immunocytochemistry using a triple fluorescence staining method. RESULTS: The median number of DTCs was 13 (range 1-95). The concordance rate between ER status on DTC and PT was 74%. Patients with an ER-positive PT were significantly more likely to have at least one ER-positive DTC (34 out of 42) than patients with an ER-negative PT (6 out of 12; P = .031). Thirty-nine (93%) of the 42 patients with ER-positive PT had at least one ER-negative DTC. The concordance rate between HER2 status on DTC and PT was 52%. The probability of having at least one HER2-positive DTC was not related to the HER2 status of the PT (P = 0.56). Twenty-two (46%) of the 48 patients with a HER2-negative PT had at least one HER2-positive DTC. All the six patients with a HER2-positive PT had at least one HER2-negative DTC. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our study confirms that ER and/or HER2 status may differ between DTC and PT. This discordance could be important for patients lacking ER or HER2 expression on the PT but showing ER-positive or HER2-positive DTC because they might benefit from an endocrine and/or HER2-targeted therapy.     

The effect of thermal treatment on antibacterial properties of nanostructured TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>(N) films illuminated with visible light

This work focuses on the photocatalytic performances and antibacterial activity of nitrogen doped TiO₂ nanosystems with three and five layers obtained by a sol-gel route, followed by thermal treatment in oxygen or ammonia atmosphere at temperatures between 400 and 1000°C. Subsequently, the antibacterial activity of the obtained nanosystems on the Escherichia coli cells are determined and discussed. The obtained results show a significant dependence of the functional performances on the system’s composition. In particular, the antimicrobial activity of nitrogen-doped TiO₂ films is correlated with the temperature of thermal treatment and illumination time with visible artificial light.     

Carvedilol Prevents Ovariectomy-Induced Myocardial Contractile Dysfunction in Female Rat

Carvedilol has beneficial effects on cardiac function in patients with heart failure but its effect on ovariectomy-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction remains unclear. Estrogen deficiency induces myocardial contractile dysfunction and increases cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women. Our aim was to investigate whether carvedilol, a beta receptor blocker, would prevent ovariectomy-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction. Female rats (8 weeks old) that underwent bilateral ovariectomy were randomly assigned to receive daily treatment with carvedilol (OVX+CAR, 20 mg/kg), placebo (OVX) and SHAM for 58 days. Left ventricle papillary muscle was mounted for isometric tension recordings. The inotropic response to Ca²⁺ (0.62 to 3.75 mM) and isoproterenol (Iso 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻² M) were assessed. Expression of calcium handling proteins was measured by western blot analysis. Carvedilol treatment in the OVX animals: prevented weight gain and slight hypertrophy, restored the reduced positive inotropic responses to Ca²⁺ and isoproterenol, prevented the reduction in SERCA2a expression, abolished the increase in superoxide anion production, normalized the increase in p22^phox expression, and decreased serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity. This study demonstrated that myocardial contractile dysfunction and SERCA2a down regulation were prevented by carvedilol treatment. Superoxide anion production and NADPH oxidase seem to be involved in this response.     

Coarsening Dynamics of Domains in Lipid Membranes

We investigate isothermal diffusion and growth of micron-scale liquid domains within membranes of free-floating giant unilamellar vesicles with diameters between 80 and 250 μm. Domains appear after a rapid temperature quench, when the membrane is cooled through a miscibility phase transition such that coexisting liquid phases form. In membranes quenched far from a miscibility critical point, circular domains nucleate and then progress within seconds to late stage coarsening in which domains grow via two mechanisms 1), collision and coalescence of liquid domains, and 2), Ostwald ripening. Both mechanisms are expected to yield the same growth exponent, α = 1/3, where domain radius grows as time^α. We measure α = 0.28 ± 0.05, in excellent agreement. In membranes close to a miscibility critical point, the two liquid phases in the membrane are bicontinuous. A quench near the critical composition results in rapid changes in morphology of elongated domains. In this case, we measure α = 0.50 ± 0.16, consistent with theory and simulation.     

Association between anti-nucleophosmin and anti-cardiolipin antibodies in (NZW × BXSB)F1 mice and human systemic lupus erythematosus

We showed previously that nucleophosmin (NPM), a nucleolar phosphoprotein, is recognized by sera from (NZW × BXSB)F₁ (WB) mice, a model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and anti-phospholipid syndrome. In the present study we analysed the prevalence and kinetics of anti-NPM autoantibodies in WB mice by a solid-phase ELISA with recombinant human (rh) NPM as the antigen and showed that most male WB mouse sera had anti-NPM antibodies that were responsible for their indirect immunofluorescence staining pattern on Hep-2 cells. Anti-NPM antibodies were significantly associated with anti-cardiolipin (aCL) antibodies. This antibody profile mirrored that observed in certain human SLE sera because anti-NPM antibodies were detected in 28% of the sera from patients with SLE and were similarly associated with aCL antibodies. The demonstration that rhNPM bound to cardiolipin (CL) in vitro and increased the CL-binding activity of a WB-derived aCL monoclonal antibody indicates that NPM can interact with CL to form SLE-related immunogenic particles that might be responsible for the concomitant production of anti-NPM and aCL antibodies.     

Feedback Regulation of SIN by Etd1 and Rho1 in Fission Yeast

In fission yeast, the septation initiation network (SIN) is thought to promote cytokinesis by downstream activation of Rho1, a conserved GTPase that controls cell growth and division. Here we show that Etd1 and PP2A-Pab1, antagonistic regulators of SIN, are Rho1 regulators. Our genetic and biochemical studies indicate that a C-terminal region of Etd1 may activate Rho1 by directly binding it, whereas an N-terminal domain confers its ability to localize at the growing tips and the division site where Rho1 functions. In opposition to Etd1, our results indicate that PP2A-Pab1 inhibits Rho1. The SIN cascade is upstream-regulated by the Spg1 GTPase. In the absence of Etd1, activity of Spg1 drops down prematurely, thereby inactivating SIN. Interestingly, we find that ectopic activation of Rho1 restores Spg1 activity in Etd1-depleted cells. By using a cytokinesis block strategy, we show that Rho1 is essential to feedback-activate Spg1 during actomyosin ring constriction. Therefore, activation of Spg1 by Rho1, which in turn is regulated by Etd1, uncovers a novel feedback loop mechanism that ensures SIN activity while cytokinesis is progressing.     

Substance P analogues function as bombesin receptor antagonists and inhibit small cell lung cancer clonal growth

Human small cell lung cancer (SCLC) produces and secretes BN/GRP (bombesin/gastrin releasing peptide). Because BN stimulates the growth of SCLC cells and these cells have receptors for BN-like peptides, it is important to define agents which disrupt this self-promoting autocrine growth cycle. Here, substance P analogues were evaluated as BN receptor antagonists using SCLC cell lines. (D-Arg¹, D-Pro², D-Trp^7,9, Leu¹¹) substance P [(APTTL)SP] was one of the more potent analogues tested in inhibiting BN-like peptide receptor binding with an IC₅₀ value of 1 μM. Micromolar concentrations of (APTTL)SP antagonized BN receptor mediated elevation of cytosolic Ca²⁺ levels and decreased the colony formation in soft agarose. These data suggest that SP analogues function as SCLC BN receptor antagonists and may be useful in disrupting the autocrine growth function of BN-like peptides.