A Novel Enhanced Green FluorescentProtein-Expressing NOG Mouse for Analyzingthe Microenvironment of Xenograft Tissues

The interaction between transplanted cells and host tissues is important for the growthand maintenance of transplanted cells. To analyze the mechanisms of these interactions, asystemic fluorescent protein-expressing mouse is a useful recipient. In this study, wegenerated a novel NOG strain, which strongly expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein(EGFP; PgkEGFP-NOG), especially in the liver, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, and testis.Because the host tissues expressed EGFP, xenotransplanted human cancer cells were clearlyidentified as EGFP-negative colonies in PgkEGFP-NOG mice. Immunohistochemical analysisrevealed that EGFP-expressing stromal tissues formed a complicated tumor microenvironmentwithin xenograft tissues. Moreover, a similar microenvironment was observed in human iPScell-derived teratomas. Collectively, these results indicated that a suitablemicroenvironment is essential for the growth and maintenance of xenotransplanted cells andthat PgkEGFP-NOG mice represent a useful animal model for analyzing the mechanisms ofmicroenvironment formation.     

Characterization of EBV-related Lymphoproliferative Lesions Arising in Donor Lymphocytes of Transplanted Human Tumor Tissues in the NOG Mouse

Human tumor tissue line models established in the severely immunodeficientNOD.Cg-Prkdc^scid Il2rg^tm1Sug/Jic(NOD/Shi-scid, IL-2Rγ^null or NOG) mouse are important toolsfor oncology research. During the establishment process, a lymphoproliferative lesion(LPL) that replaces the original tumor cells in the site of transplantation occurs. In thepresent study, we studied the impact of the LPL on the establishment process and thecharacteristics of the lesion, investigated the systemic distribution of the lesion in themouse, and evaluated the potential of a simple identification method. The incidence of thelesion varied among tumor types, and the lesion was found to be the leading cause ofunsuccessful establishment with gastric and colorectal cancer. The lesion consisted of avarying population of proliferating lymphoid cells that expressed CD20. The cells werepositive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related antigens, and EBV DNA was detected. Therewas systemic distribution of the lesion within the NOG mouse, and the most consistentgross finding was splenomegaly. Additionally, identification of LPL-affected cases waspossible by detecting splenomegaly in the 1st and 2nd generation mice at necropsy. Fromour findings the lesion was judged to arise from EBV-infected B cells originating from thedonor, and monitoring splenomegaly at necropsy was thought effective as a simple methodfor identifying the lesion at an early stage of the establishment process.     

结直肠癌肝转移原代肿瘤组织的异种移植动物模型的研究进展

肝是结直肠癌转移主要的靶器官,结直肠癌肝转移也是结直肠癌患者死亡的主要原因。近年来研究显示,结直肠癌肝转移原代肿瘤组织的异种移植(patient-derived tumor xenograft,PDTX)动物模型能较好的复制临床肿瘤患者的特征,其建模方法主要分为异种原位与异种异位种植模型。本文综述结直肠癌肝转移PDTX动物模型造模方法及其应用范围,以期为实验建模提供参考。     

In vivo effects of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor alone and in combination with other biological response modifiers on human digestive organ cancer xenografts transplanted in nude mice

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of rTNF alone or in combination with other BRMs on human digestive organ cancers. Six kinds of human digestive organ cancer xenografts (esophageal, stomach, colonic, pancreatic, bile duct, and liver cancers: EC-YO, GC-YN, CC-KK, PC-HN, BDC-SN and Li-7, respectively) were transplanted in nude mice, and rTNF was administered at 10³, 5 × 10³, or 10⁴U/head directly into the tumor 3 times a week for 2 weeks. EC-YO was the most sensitive to rTNF, and intratumoral administration of rTNF at 10³ U/head caused tumor regression. PC-HN, CC-KK and GC-YN were relatively sensitive to rTNF, and their growth was significantly inhibited by rTNF at 5 × 10³ U/head, however, the tumors regrew after treatment. Li-7 and BDC-SN were resistant to rTNF. The effects of rTNF in combination with recombinant interferon- (rIFN-), recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2), or streptococcal preparation OK-432 were assessed in mice transplanted with GC-YN. All combinations of rTNF at 5 × 10³ U/head and other BRMs were more effective than rTNF alone, and GC-YN tumors were completely regressed after treatment with a combination of rTNF and rIFN- or rTNF and OK-432. However in all cases, the combination of rTNF at 10³ U/head and any other BRM did not improve the effect. Furthermore, the adverse effects of the combinations were more serious than those of rTNF alone.TNF may still be a useful cytokine, because it can induce the regression of tumors. However, for its clinical application, a method should be developed to reduce its side effects.     

A comparative study of carbonic anhydrase activity in lymphocytes from colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent healthy counterparts

Several carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms play an essential role in processes connected to tumorigenesis, as they efficiently accelerate the hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate and proton. In this context, examples are CA IX and CA XII, which were proved to be upregulated in many solid malignancies. On the other hand, cancer and the immune system are inextricably linked, and targeting the immune checkpoints recently was shown to efficiently improve the treatment of malignancies. In this study, we have investigated the expression of CA isoforms in tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) that, according to the immunosurveillance theory, were suggested to have a crucial role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). T lymphocytes isolated from healthy surrounding mucosa showed a higher CA activity compared to those present in tumour and peripheral blood in the same patients. CA I and II were confirmed as enzyme isoforms involved in the process, as determined by proteomic analysis of corresponding TIL samples. These preliminary findings suggest a dysregulation of the local immune response in the CRC tissues and a loss of effective anticancer mechanisms mediated by CAs therein.     

Patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model of adult rhabdomyosarcoma invades and recurs after resection in contrast to the subcutaneous ectopic model

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare mesenchymal tumor. The aim of the present study was to develop a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model of RMS and compare the PDOX model to a subcutaneous (s.c.)-transplant model. A patient RMS from a striated muscle was grown orthotopically in the right biceps femoris muscle and right quadriceps muscle of nude mice to establish a PDOX model, as well as under the skin to establish an s.c. model. PDOX tumors grew at a statistically-significant faster rate compared to the s.c. tumors. Recurrence after surgical resection occurred only in PDOX tumors, not in the s.c. model. Histologically, only the PDOX model was shown to be invasive. In conclusion, these results indicate that the PDOX model of adult RMS is malignant and the subcutaneous model is benign. These results emphasize that a proper tumor microenvironment is necessary for patient-like behavior of a tumor in a mouse model.     

Reproduction in mice: The fate of spermatozoa not involved in fertilization

Mechanisms were sought through which the control of preimplantation mouse embryo development by spermatozoa might be effected. A potential route for the transmission of sperm-dependent stimuli to C3HeB/FeJ females was uncovered. It was found that within 24–48 hr after artificial insemination with spermatozoa, in which the DNA had been labeled with tritiated thymidine, a minimum of 9% of the radioactivity was transported across the uterine walls. It was deposited among the maternal tissues in a pattern that differed from the patterns of isotope distribution obtained when either free tritiated thymidine or Escherichia coli cells containing DNA labeled with tritiated thymidine were used instead of labeled sper-matozoa. In sperm-treated animals the ovaries, the adrenals, and a mesenteric lymph node exhibited strikingly large accumulations of radioactivity. The heart, spleen, and uterus manifested lesser accumulations of label, but were higher than liver, kidney, lung, brain, muscle, and intestine. The specific activity of the lymph node was found to decrease during the 12–72-hr period following insemination. This result led to the hypothesis that the lymphatic system could serve as a route for the dissemination, to maternal tissues, of radioactivity originally associated with spermatozoa deposited in the uterus. Heat-inactivated spermatozoa, which have the potential for facilitating the first cleavage of fertilized embryos, exhibited a distribution pattern indistinguishable from untreated spermatozoa. Sperm protein kinase was found to survive the heat inactivation of spermatozoa. This stability was interpreted as being compatible with the kinase functioning as an intermediary in the transmission of sperm-dependent stimuli that control preimplantation embryo development in mice.     

Methyl‐donor deficiency in adolescence affects memory and epigenetic status in the mouse hippocampus

DNA methylation is one of the essential factors in the control of gene expression. Alteration of the DNA methylation pattern has been linked to various neurological, behavioral and neurocognitive dysfunctions. Recent studies have pointed out the importance of epigenetics in brain development and functions including learning and memory. Nutrients related to one‐carbon metabolism are known to play important roles in the maintenance of genomic DNA methylation. Previous studies have shown that the long‐term administration of a diet lacking essential one‐carbon nutrients such as methionine, choline and folic acid (methyl donors) caused global DNA hypermethylation in the brain. Therefore, the long‐term feeding of a methyl‐donor‐deficient diet may cause abnormal brain development including learning and memory. To confirm this hypothesis, 3‐week‐old mice were maintained on a folate‐, methionine‐ and choline‐deficient (FMCD) or control (CON) diet for 3 weeks. We found that the methyl‐donor deficiency impaired both novel object recognition and fear extinction after 3 weeks of treatment. The FMCD group showed spontaneous recovery of fear that differed from that in CON. In addition, we found decreased Gria1 gene expression and specific CpG hypermethylation of the Gria1 promoter region in the FMCD hippocampus. Our data suggest that a chronic dietary lack of methyl donors in the developmental period affects learning, memory and gene expressions in the hippocampus.     

The effect of tumor promoters and antagonists on in vitro directional migration of 10T1/2 mouse embryo cells

In vitro directional migration of 10 T1/2 fibroblasts is partially inhibited by TPA but not by its non promoting analogues. Other tumor promoters, e.g., phenobarbital, saccharin, and benzoylperoxide had no measurable effect when added in concentrations known to affect in vitro two-step transformation or intercellular communication. Inhibitors of in vitro transformation do not affect migration, except for dexamethasone, which inhibited it. Hence, there is no evidence for a general correlation between tumor promoting potential and inhibition of in vitro directional migration.Abbreviations DDT 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-cholorophenyl) ethane - DEXA dexamethasone - DMSO dimethylsulfoxide - RA retinylacetate - SD standard deviation - SOD superoxide dismutase - TPA 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate; 4-0-Me-TPA, 4-0-methyl-TPA     

The lymphocyte plasma membrane: Locus of control in the immune response

Summary The lymphocyte plasma membrane is the locus of events which control the immune response. T and B lymphocytes, which mediate cellular and humoral immunity respectively, show distinctive plasma membrane morphologies and cell surface receptors. The dynamic state of these plasma membrane components is emphasized by their lateral mobility in the fluid plane of the membrane, as well as variation in their structure or expression as the lymphocyte proliferates and differentiates in response to stimulation by antigen or mitogens. The best understood membrane glycoproteins are surface membrane immunoglobulins that serve as antigen receptors on B cells, and the histocompatability-β ₂ microglobulin complex that has an immunoglobulin-like structure. Other less well defined surface structures showing modulation during the cell cycle may affect growth regulation of proliferating lymphocytes. Some of these are shared by fetal and neoplastic cells. Major theories of lymphocyte signaling are discussed, and the early events in lymphocyte activation are reviewed. While a complete model encompassing all these early events is not yet possible, the central issues can be usefully discussed in terms of receptor-transducer-effector concepts derived by strong parallels from a knowledge of hormone-membrane interactions. Presented in the formal symposium on Information Transfer in Eukaryotic Cells, at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Tissue Culture Association, Montreal, Quebec, June 2–5, 1975. Supported by: Medical Research Council of Canada and National Cancer Institute of Canada. Scholar of the Medical Research Council of Canada.     

Mobilization‐based transplantation of young‐donor hematopoietic stem cells extends lifespan in mice

Mammalian aging is associated with reduced tissue regeneration and loss of physiological integrity. With age, stem cells diminish in their ability to regenerate adult tissues, likely contributing to age‐related morbidity. Thus, we replaced aged hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with young‐donor HSCs using a novel mobilization‐enabled hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) technology as an alternative to the highly toxic conditioning regimens used in conventional HSCT. Using this approach, we are the first to report an increase in median lifespan (12%) and a decrease in overall mortality hazard (HR: 0.42, CI: 0.273–0.638) in aged mice following transplantation of young‐donor HSCs. The increase in longevity was accompanied by reductions of frailty measures and increases in food intake and body weight of aged recipients. Young‐donor HSCs not only preserved youthful function within the aged bone marrow stroma, but also at least partially ameliorated dysfunctional hematopoietic phenotypes of aged recipients. This compelling evidence that mammalian health and lifespan can be extended through stem cell therapy adds a new category to the very limited list of successful anti‐aging/life‐extending interventions. Our findings have implications for further development of stem cell therapies for increasing health and lifespan.     

豆腐柴根提取物对小鼠T淋巴细胞增殖反应的影响

利用3H-TdR放射性来测定T淋巴细胞增殖强度的方法,研究了豆腐柴根提取物对小鼠T淋巴细胞增殖反应的影响.结果表明,豆腐柴根提取物在一定浓度范围内可促进刀豆蛋白(ConA)诱导T淋巴细胞发生增殖反应,其中2μg.mL-1提取物浓度效果最为明显.该研究为合理开发利用豆腐柴这一野生药物资源提供了科学的实验依据.     

The cancer secretome,current status and opportunities in the lung,breast and colorectal cancer context

Despite major improvements on the knowledge and clinical management, cancer is still a deadly disease. Novel biomarkers for better cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment prediction are urgently needed. Proteins secreted, shed or leaking from the cancer cell, collectively termed the cancer secretome, are promising biomarkers since they might be detectable in blood or other biofluids. Furthermore, the cancer secretome in part represents the tumor microenvironment that plays a key role in tumor promoting processes such as angiogenesis and invasion. The cancer secretome, sampled as conditioned medium from cell lines, tumor/tissue interstitial fluid or tumor proximal body fluids, can be studied comprehensively by nanoLC-MS/MS-based approaches. Here, we outline the importance of current cancer secretome research and describe the mass spectrometry-based analysis of the secretome. Further, we provide an overview of cancer secretome research with a focus on the three most common cancer types: lung, breast and colorectal cancer. We conclude that the cancer secretome research field is a young, but rapidly evolving research field. Up to now, the focus has mainly been on the discovery of novel promising secreted cancer biomarker proteins. An interesting finding that merits attention is that in cancer unconventional secretion, e.g. via vesicles, seems increased. Refinement of current approaches and methods and progress in clinical validation of the current findings are vital in order to move towards applications in cancer management. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: An Updated Secretome.     

A strain of Lactobacillus plantarum affects segmented filamentous bacteria in the intestine of immunosuppressed mice

Segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) are present in the gastrointestinal tract of mice from weaning until the maturation of the immune system. Probiotic bacteria also have an effect on host immunity. To study the relationships established between these bacteria, samples from a mouse model fed with Lactobacillus plantarum under different immunological conditions were analysed. SFB populations were measured by a newly designed group-specific quantitative PCR assay. The results confirmed the presence of the probiotic in the intestine and an expansion of SFB in the ileum of immunocompromised mice, which was abolished upon administration of L. plantarum, an effect not described to date.     

Effect of hyperthermia in combination with TRAIL on the JNK‐Bim signal transduction pathway and growth of xenograft tumors

Approximately 25% of patients with colorectal cancer develop metastases to the liver, and surgery is currently the best treatment available. But there are several patients who are unresectable, and isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP) offers a different approach in helping to treat these patients. IHP is a method used for isolating the liver and delivering high doses of chemotherapeutic agents. The efficacy of IHP has been improved by combining hyperthermia not only with chemotherapeutics but with other deliverable agents such as tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL). In this study, we used human colorectal cancer CX‐1 cells and treated them with hyperthermia and TRAIL, causing cytotoxicity. We were able to demonstrate that the numbers of live cells were significantly reduced with hyperthermia and 10 ng/ml of TRAIL combined. We also showed that the effect of hyperthermia on TRAIL in our studies was enhancement of the apoptotic pathway by the promotion of JNK and Bim_EL activity as well as PARP cleavage. We have also used our CX‐1 cells to generate tumors in Balb/c nude mice. With intratumoral injections of TRAIL combined with hyperthermia at 42°C, we were able to show a delayed onset of tumor growth in our xenograft model. J. Cell. Biochem. 110: 1073–1081, 2010. Published 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

低聚果糖对AOM/DSS诱导的结肠炎相关结直肠癌小鼠辅助性T细胞的调控作用

探讨益生元低聚果糖（FOS）对结肠炎相关结直肠癌（CAC）小鼠肠道辅助性T细胞的调节作用。

将6周龄SPF级雄性C57BL6小鼠（体重18～20 g）随机分为对照组、模型组和干预组,每组10只。通过偶氮甲烷、葡聚糖硫酸钠构建CAC小鼠模型,干预组每日使用2 mg/kg b.w. FOS灌胃,持续10周。造模期间监测各组小鼠体重变化,造模结束后测量结肠长度和肿瘤数目。采用微球免疫分析法检测血清Th1/Th2/Th17相关细胞因子水平,流式细胞术分析肠系膜淋巴结内Th1、Th2、Th17细胞亚群比例。

与模型组相比,干预组小鼠结肠长度显著增加（t=3.106,P=0.006 4）,肿瘤数目显著减少（U=15.000,P=0.011 1）,血清中IL-17A（t=3.504,P=0.008 8）、TNF-α（t=2.381,P=0.030 0）等促炎细胞因子水平降低,肠系膜淋巴结Th17细胞比例显著降低（t=6.031,P=0.002 7）,Th1/Th2显著升高（t=2.419,P=0.038 7）。

FOS可调控CAC模型小鼠结肠内辅助性T细胞的分化,抑制肿瘤的发生。

     

The interstitial system of the trigeminal spinal tract projects to the red nucleus in mice

We studied projections from the interstitial system of the spinal trigeminal tract (InSy-S5T) to the red nucleus of the mouse with retrograde tracers (fluorogold and latex microbeads impregnated with rhodamine and fluorescein). Injections in the magnocellular part of the red nucleus caused labeling of cells in the rostral, intermediate, and caudal paratrigeminal nucleus (Pa5), dorsal paramarginal nucleus (PaMD), insular trigemeo-lateral cuneate nucleus (I5CuL), and the trigeminal extension of the parvocellular reticular formation (5RPC). All projections were bilateral, but contralateral projections were stronger. The number of retrogradely labeled cells in the InSy-S5T in 3-, 6-, and 12-month-old mice was similar. Injections restricted to the parvocellular red nucleus did not label the nuclei of the InSy-S5T. This projection from the InSy-S5T to the red nucleus may mediate modulation of the facial muscles by pain and other sensory information.