Conjunctival sac fluid contains elevated levels of soluble TRAIL: implications for the anti-tumoral surveillance of the anterior surface of the eye

Little is known on the ability of different epithelia to release soluble TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and the relevance of TRAIL secretion by epithelial cells is still incompletely understood. On these bases, we have measured the concentration of soluble TRAIL by ELISA in the conjunctival sac fluid. It was the highest ever detected in a biological fluid (mean value of 26,800 pg/ml), being approximately 20-fold greater than that found in human saliva and >200-fold greater than that detected in human serum. On the other hand, osteoprotegerin, the soluble decoy receptor of TRAIL, was almost undetectable in the conjunctival sac fluid. Of note, the levels of soluble TRAIL measured in conjunctival sac fluid were in the range able to induce in vitro apoptosis of lymphoma cells. By in situ immunohistochemistry, TRAIL protein expression was predominantly detected in the corneal epithelium and, to a less extent, in the conjunctival epithelium. By flow cytometry analysis, membrane-associated TRAIL was documented in isolated corneal epithelial cells obtained from patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). The key contribution provided by corneal epithelium to the production of soluble TRAIL was underscored in time-course experiments, in which a marked decrease of the levels of soluble TRAIL in the conjunctival sac fluid was demonstrated 1 day after PRK followed by a progressive recovery at days 5-30 after PRK. Taken together, our findings strongly support a major role of soluble TRAIL in protecting cornea and conjunctiva from tumor formation and/or invasion.     

肿瘤坏死因子相关的凋亡诱导配体(TRAIL)cDNA的克隆、表达和活性测定

肿瘤坏死因子相关的凋亡诱导配体 (TRAIL)能选择性诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡 .为利用基因工程技术获得重组TRAIL蛋白可溶性片段 (sTRAIL) ,设计 1对引物 .利用PCR技术特异性扩增出sTRAIL的cDNA ,克隆于质粒pGEM 3Zf( )的EcoRⅠ和PstⅠ位点 .经测序证明序列正确后克隆于表达质粒pBV2 2 0的EcoRⅠ和PstⅠ位点 ,转化大肠杆菌DH5α .转化菌株经温度诱导 ,SDS PAGE检测和Western印迹鉴定 ,获得重组sTRAIL的高水平非融合表达菌株 .表达量占菌体总蛋白的 2 0 % .对其表达产物进行了初步纯化 ,SDS PAGE结果显示纯度可达 90 %以上 .用L92 9细胞测定其生物学活性表明 ,重组蛋白在体外能明显诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡     

提高重组TRAIL表达产率的优化策略

肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体（Apo2L/TRAIL）是一种新型的抗肿瘤蛋白。针对缩短发酵周期,提高生产效率这一目标,首先在摇瓶中利用响应面设计优化发酵表达条件,总TRAIL蛋白的表达量提高到25.7%。在此基础上研究了发酵条件对可溶性TRAIL蛋白表达量的影响。于3.7L发酵罐放大进行补料-分批发酵实验时,单位菌体可溶性TRAIL蛋白的表达量提高了67%,实现了在大肠杆菌高密度培养过程中单位细胞重组TRAIL蛋白的可溶性表达和体积生产率的提高。     

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and erythropoiesis: a role for PKC epsilon

The regulation of the hematopoietic stem cell pool size and the processes of cell differentiation along the hematopoietic lineages involve apoptosis. Among the different factors with a recognized activity on blood progenitor cells, TRAIL - a member of the TNF family of cytokines - has an emerging role in the modulation of normal hematopoiesis.PKC(epsilon) levels are regulated by EPO in differentiating erythroid progenitors and control the protection against the apoptogenic effect of TRAIL. EPO-induced erythroid CD34 cells are insensitive to the apoptogenic effect of TRAIL between day 0 and day 3, due to the lack of specific surface receptors expression. Death receptors appear after day 3 of differentiation and consequently erythroid cells become sensitive to TRAIL up to day 9/10, when the EPO-driven up-regulation of PKC epsilon intracellular levels inhibits the TRAIL-mediated apoptosis, via Bcl-2. In the time interval between day 3 and 9, therefore, the number of erythroid progenitors can be limited by the presence of soluble or membrane-bound TRAIL present in the bone marrow microenvironment.     

Expression of TRAIL receptors in human autoreactive and foreign antigen-specific T cells

Deletion of T cells due to apoptosis induction is a regulatory mechanism in the human immune system that may be impaired in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Involvement of the apoptosis-mediating CD95/CD95 ligand system in MS has been demonstrated. Here, we report that (auto)antigen-specific human T cells are not killed in vitro by soluble TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) although expressing death-inducing receptors, TRAIL receptor 1 (TRAIL-R1) and TRAIL-R2. Apoptosis was assessed by caspase activation and DNA fragmentation, receptor expression was detected by RT - PCR and flow cytometry. The (auto)antigen-specific T cells were also resistant to specific TRAIL-R1/TRAIL-R2-directed induction of apoptosis, indicating that coexpression of the truncated TRAIL-R3 and TRAIL-R4 in these T cells is not responsible for the observed resistance. Upon stimulation, levels of death-inducing TRAIL receptors decreased whereas TRAIL was up-regulated on the cell surface. In contrast to CD95, the role of TRAIL receptors in MS might not involve regulation of T cell vulnerability.     

Improvement of Expression Level and Bioactivity of Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) by a Novel Zinc ion Feeding Strategy

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) is a new member of the TNF superfamily. In this work, the key role of Zn²⁺ in high-level expression of soluble TRAIL was confirmed. The yield of soluble TRAIL reached 1.6 g l⁻¹ using a novel, two-stage Zn²⁺ feeding strategy, and the accumulation of TRAIL inclusion bodies decreased. Furthermore, the purified TRAIL showed stronger cytotoxicity activity against human pancreatic 1990 tumor cells as the molar ratio of Zn²⁺ to TRAIL monomer was 2 in purified TRAIL solution.     

Sensitization of cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by decoy receptor 3

Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3)/TR6/M68 is a soluble receptor that binds to the Fas ligand LIGHT and TL1A. Elevated levels of DcR3 expression have been found in many tumors. We report an unexpected effect of DcR3 by sensitizing Jurkat and U937 cells to apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Cell death triggered by anti-Fas and tumor necrosis factor was unaffected by DcR3. DcR3 by itself did not stimulate apoptosis. The ability to augment TRAIL-initiated cell death was not observed with soluble lymphotoxin beta receptor or soluble death receptor 3, indicating that binding to LIGHT or TL1A alone is insufficient to trigger TRAIL sensitivity. Incubation with DcR3 did not increase the surface expression of TRAIL receptor, and the level of Fas-associated death domain protein and cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein was not altered. Instead, in the presence of DcR3, TRAIL engagement resulted in an increased activation of caspase-8, an elevated cleavage of Bid, and enhanced release of Smac and cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol compared with TRAIL alone. This led to increased activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. The unusual ability of DcR3 to promote TRAIL-triggered death may be used to potentiate TRAIL efficacy during treatment tumors overexpressing DcR3.     

pVAX1 plasmid vector-mediated gene transfer of soluble TRAIL suppresses human hepatocellular carcinoma growth in nude mice

The extracellular domain of the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) may function as a soluble cytokine to selectively kill various cancer cells without toxicity to most normal cells. We used a high-biosafety plasmid pVAX1 as a vector and constructed a recombinant plasmid expressing the extracellular domain (95-281 aa) of human TRAIL fused with signal peptides of human IgGgamma, designated as pVAX-sT. Transduction of human BEL7402 liver cancer cells with pVAX-sT led to high levels of sTRAIL protein in the cell culture media and induced apoptosis. The therapeutic potential of pVAX-sT was then evaluated in the BEL7402 transplanted naked mouse model. Subsequent intratumoral administration of naked pVAX-sT resulted in the expression of soluble TRAIL in the sera and the tumor site, as well as effective suppression of tumor growth, with no toxicity to liver. In conclusion, the successful inhibition of liver cancer growth and the absence of detectable toxicity suggest that pVAX-sT could be useful in the gene therapy of liver cancer.     

Bone marrow stroma confers resistance to Apo2 ligand/TRAIL in multiple myeloma in part by regulating c-FLIP

Apo2 ligand (Apo2L)/TRAIL induces apoptosis of cancer cells that express the specific receptors while sparing normal cells. Because the tumor microenvironment protects myeloma from chemotherapy, we investigated whether hemopoietic stroma induces resistance to Apo2L/TRAIL apoptosis in this disease. Apo2L/TRAIL-induced death was diminished in myeloma cell lines (RPMI 8226, U266, and MM1s) directly adhered to a human immortalized HS5 stroma cell line but not adhered to fibronectin. In a Transwell assay, with myeloma in the upper well and HS5 cells in the lower well, Apo2L/TRAIL apoptosis was reduced when compared with cells exposed to medium in the lower well. Using HS5 and myeloma patients' stroma-conditioned medium, we determined that soluble factor(s) produced by stroma-myeloma interactions are responsible for a reversible Apo2/TRAIL apoptosis resistance. Soluble factor(s) attenuated procaspase-8, procaspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and diminished mitochondrial membrane potential changes without affecting Bcl-2 family proteins and/or Apo2L/TRAIL receptors. Soluble factor(s) increased the baseline levels of the anti-apoptotic protein c-FLIP in all cell lines tested. Inhibition of c-FLIP by means of RNA interference increased Apo2/TRAIL sensitivity in RPMI 8226 cells. Unlike direct adhesion to fibronectin, soluble factor(s) have no impact on c-FLIP redistribution within cellular compartments. Cyclohexamide restored Apo2L/TRAIL sensitivity in association with down-regulation of c-FLIP, suggesting that c-FLIP synthesis, not intracellular traffic, is essential for soluble factor(s) to regulate c-FLIP. Additionally, IL-6 conferred resistance to Apo2L/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in association with increased c-FLIP levels. In conclusion, the immune cytotoxic effect of Apo2L/TRAIL can be restored at least in part by c-FLIP pathway inhibitors.     

The role of osteoprotegerin and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand in human microvascular endothelial cell survival

Endothelial cell survival and antiapoptotic pathways, including those stimulated by extracellular matrix, are critical regulators of vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, endothelial repair, and shear-stress-induced endothelial activation. One of these pathways is mediated by alpha(v)beta(3) integrin ligation, downstream activation of nuclear factor-kappaB, and subsequent up-regulation of osteoprotegerin (OPG). In this study, the mechanism by which OPG protects endothelial cells from death was examined. Serum-starved human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) plated on the alpha(v)beta(3) ligand osteopontin were protected from cell death. Immunoprecipitation experiments indicated that OPG formed a complex with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in HMECs under these conditions. Furthermore, inhibitors of TRAIL, including recombinant soluble TRAIL receptors and a neutralizing antibody against TRAIL, blocked apoptosis of serum-starved HMECs plated on the nonintegrin attachment factor poly-d-lysine. Whereas TRAIL was unable to induce apoptosis in HMECs plated on osteopontin, the addition of recombinant TRAIL did increase the percentage of apoptotic HMECs plated on poly-d-lysine. This evidence indicates that OPG blocks endothelial cell apoptosis through binding TRAIL and preventing its interaction with death-inducing TRAIL-receptors     

Functional solubilization of aggregation-prone TRAIL protein facilitated by coexpressing with protein isoaspartate methyltranferase

TRAIL was a tumor-specific protein in development as a novel anticancer therapeutic agent. Generally, when expressed in recombinant Escherichia coli, TRAIL protein was prone to form inclusion bodies. In this study, coexpression of human TRAIL protein and protein isoaspartate methyltranferase (PIMT) from E. coli on plasmid pBV–TRAIL–PCM in E. coli C600 was investigated to overcome the difficulties in soluble expression. The results showed that this PIMT coexpression strategy exerted a positive effect on the TRAIL protein expression in recombinant E. coli, which led to a mean increase in the intracellular concentration of soluble and total protein of TRAIL by 1.57-fold and 1.33-fold, respectively. At the same time, results also suggested that PIMT was a prospective partner for soluble expression of TRAIL protein.     

High-level production of soluble tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) in high-density cultivation of recombinant Escherichia coli using a combined feeding strategy

Recombinant Escherichia coli strain C600/pBV-TRAIL (encoding for 114-281 amino acids of TRAIL's soluble fragment) produced a recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL). Using a combined strategy of exponential feeding and pH-stat feeding, high concentrations of biomass (65 g dry wt l(-1)) and active soluble TRAIL (1.4 g l(-1)) were obtained within 30 h. The accumulation of acetate, which usually occurs during the process of high-density culture of Escherichia coli and especially in the induction stage of protein synthesis, was avoided.     

人类肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡配体活性部位基因在毕赤酵母中的表达

探讨了人类肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡配体 (TRAIL)生物活性部分在巴斯德毕赤酵母 (Pichiapastoris)中的分泌表达。由于TRAIL活性部位区第 149 15 0氨基酸含有一个Kex2位点 ,根据Pichiapastoris分泌表达的特点 ,对 149位氨基酸进行了改造 ,使其编码的氨基酸由Arg突变为Lys。这样使TRAIL在分泌的过程中不被Kex2切割 ,保证了片段的完整。序列分析正确后 ,将编码TRAIL的可溶区的基因片段插入到酵母表达载体pPIC9K中 ,使之位于α 因子信号肽下游 ,且与之同框 ,构建分泌型表达载体pPIC9K TRAIL。采用原生质体法将重组质粒转化Pichiapastoris菌株GS115 ,获基因工程菌株Pichiapastoris(pPIC9K TRAIL)。将工程菌用甲醇诱导培养 3～ 4d ,对摇瓶发酵的培养上清进行SDS PAGE、Westernblot分析和体外生物活性检测 ,结果发现发酵液中分子量约为 19kD和 38kD的蛋白质能被TRAIL多克隆抗体特异性识别 ,且具有在体外诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的活性。通过薄层扫描分析显示目的蛋白最高可占可溶性总蛋白的 36 %。上述实验结果表明 ,在Pichiapastoris中表达的TRAIL能以寡聚体的形式存在并且具有生物学活性。     

Fn14?Trail Effectively Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Growth

Background

New strategies for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are needed, given that currently available chemotherapeutics are inefficient. Since tumor growth reflects the net balance between pro-proliferative and death signaling, agents shifting the equilibrium toward the latter are of considerable interest. The TWEAK:Fn14 signaling axis promotes tumor cell proliferation and tumor angiogenesis, while TRAIL:TRAIL-receptor (TRAIL-R) interactions selectively induce apoptosis in malignant cells. Fn14•TRAIL, a fusion protein bridging these two pathways, has the potential to inhibit tumor growth, by interfering with TWEAK:Fn14 signaling, while at the same time enforcing TRAIL:TRAIL-R-mediated apoptosis. Consequently, Fn14•TRAIL''s capacity to inhibit HCC growth was tested.

Results

Fn14•TRAIL induced robust apoptosis of multiple HCC cell lines, while sparing non-malignant hepatocyte cell lines. Differential susceptibility to this agent did not correlate with expression levels of TRAIL, TRAIL-R, TWEAK and Fn14 by these lines. Fn14•TRAIL was more potent than soluble TRAIL, soluble Fn14, or a combination of the two. The requirement of both of Fn14•TRAIL''s molecular domains for function was established using blocking antibodies directed against each of them. Subcutaneous injection of Fn14•TRAIL abrogated HCC growth in a xenograft model, and was well tolerated by the mice.

Conclusions

In this study, Fn14•TRAIL, a multifunctional fusion protein originally designed to treat autoimmunity, was shown to inhibit the growth of HCC, both in vitro and in vivo. The demonstration of this fusion protein’s potent anti-tumor activity suggests that simultaneous targeting of two signaling axes by a single fusion can serve as a basis for highly effective anti-cancer therapies.     

Regulation of soluble and surface-bound TRAIL in human T cells, B cells, and monocytes

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF/nerve growth factor superfamily that, apart from inducing cell death in susceptible cells, displays immunoregulatory functions influencing, for instance, T cell proliferation. It can be found in two forms: membrane-bound and soluble protein. The regulation of these is still not fully understood. In this study, we have analyzed the regulation of TRAIL surface expression and secretion in human T cells, B cells, and monocytes in response to specific stimuli. T cells, B cells, and monocytes were cultured in the presence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)+interleukin (IL-2), anti-CD40+IL-4, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), respectively. In particular, not only PHA+IL-2 but also LPS were able to induce secretion of soluble TRAIL, but did not enhance the expression of surface-bound TRAIL. Simultaneously, we investigated the effect of the pleiotropic stimulus interferon (IFN)-beta, known to target all leukocyte subsets, on TRAIL. Predominantly, monocytes were affected by IFN-beta, causing both release of soluble TRAIL and upregulation of the surface-bound form. IFN-beta, however, did not cause any upregulation of TRAIL in T cells. Our data serve as a basis to better understand the complex regulation of TRAIL in human peripheral immune cells and might help to clarify the role of the TRAIL system in immunopathology.     

Homomeric and heteromeric interactions of the extracellular domains of death receptors and death decoy receptors

Death receptors (DRs) can induce apoptosis by oligomerization with TRAIL, whereas death decoy receptors (DcRs) cannot, due to their lack of functional intracellular death domains. However, it is not known whether DRs and DcRs can interact with one another to form oligomeric complexes prior to TRAIL binding. To address this issue, the extracellular domains (ECDs) of DR4 (sDR4), DR5 (sDR5), DcR1 (sDcR1), and DcR2 (sDcR2) were expressed in a soluble, monomeric form, and their binding interactions were quantified by surface plasmon resonance. The purified sDRs and sDcRs exhibited native-like secondary structure and bound to TRAIL with binding affinities in the nanomolar range (K(D)= approximately 10-62 nM), suggesting that they were properly folded and functional. The soluble receptors interacted homophilically and heterophilically with similar micromolar range affinities (K(D)= approximately 1-9 microM), with the exception that sDR5 did not interact with the sDcRs. Our results suggest that most DRs and DcRs can laterally interact through their ECDs to form homomeric and/or heteromeric complexes in the absence of TRAIL binding.     

HIV infection enhances TRAIL-induced cell death in macrophage by down-regulating decoy receptor expression and generation of reactive oxygen species

Background

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) could induce apoptosis of HIV-1-infected monocyte-derived macrophage (MDM), but the molecular mechanisms are not well understood.

Methodology/Principal Findings

By using an HIV-1 Env-pseudotyped virus (HIV-1 PV)-infected MDM cell model we demonstrate that HIV-1 PV infection down-regulates the expression of TRAIL decoy receptor 1 (DcR1) and 2 (DcR2), and cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP), but dose not affect the expression of death receptor 4 and 5 (DR4, DR5), and Bcl-2 family members in MDM cells. Furthermore, recombinant soluble TRAIL and an agonistic anti-DR5 antibody, AD5-10, treatment stimulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and JNK phosphorylation.

Conclusions/Significance

HIV infection facilitates TRIAL-induced cell death in MDM by down-regulating the expression of TRAIL decoy receptors and intracellular c-FLIP. Meanwhile, the agonistic anti-DR5 antibody, AD5-10, induces apoptosis synergistically with TRAIL in HIV-1-infected cells. ROS generation and JNK phosphorylation are involved in this process. These findings potentiate clinical usage of the combination of TRAIL and AD5-10 in eradication of HIV-infected macrophage and AIDS.     

The release of soluble forms of TRAIL and DR5 by neutrophils of oral cavity cancer patients

In the present study we examined the release of the soluble form of TRAIL by neutrophils (PMN) derived from patients with oral cavity cancer. Simultaneously, we estimated the ability of PMNs of these patients to release the soluble form of DR5 receptor, a natural regulatory protein of TRAIL. The obtained results were confronted with the serum levels of sTRAIL and sDR5. The cells were isolated from 21 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity at diagnosis and three weeks after surgery treatment. For comparative purposes we performed similar examinations in autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Cytoplasmic protein fractions of the cells were analyzed for the presence of TRAIL and DR5 by western blotting. Soluble TRAIL and soluble DR5 concentrations in the culture supernatants of cells were confronted with their serum levels using ELISA kit. PMN and PBMC of the whole cancer patient group expressed decreased TRAIL protein and unchanged expression of DR5 receptor in comparison with the control group. Unchanged release of sTRAIL by PMNs of patients in Stage II was accompanying the decrease of the ability of PBMC to secrete this protein. In patients in Stage IV the secretion of sTRAIL by PMNs and PBMC was impaired. In contrast to changes in sTRAIL secretion by PMN and PBMC of oral cavity cancer patients, the secretion of sDR5 by these cells was unchanged. The serum levels of sTRAIL were increased in patients in Stage II before treatment and decreased in the same patients after treatment. The altered ability of PMN of PBMC to secrete sTRAIL may have different implications for the immune response of patients with oral cavity cancer cells at different stages of disease.     

Overexpression and refolding of thioredoxin/TRAIL fusion from inclusion bodies and further purification of TRAIL after cleavage by enteropeptidase

The human TRAIL gene (encoding residues 114-281) was synthesized by PCR and cloned into plasmid pET-32a. High level expression (1.5 g l(-1)) of thioredoxin/TRAIL fusion was achieved in Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3), mainly as inclusion bodies. Refolded fusion thioredoxin/TRAIL was cleaved by enteropeptidase and TRAIL was separated from thioredoxin on Ni-NTA agarose. High yield (400 mg l(-1)) of TRAIL without N-terminal methionine and His tag was obtained. Sedimentation coefficient demonstrated that 98% of TRAIL formed trimers. TRAIL formed crystals of space group P3 (1) with unit-cell dimensions a = b = 72.5 A, c = 141.5 A. Apoptosis induced in HeLa cells by purified TRAIL was 5-fold enhanced by emetine.