Functional collaboration between different cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors suppresses tumor growth with distinct tissue specificity

The presence of two families of seven distinct mammalian cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor genes is thought to mediate the complexity of connecting a variety of cellular processes to the cell cycle control pathway. The distinct pattern of tissue expression of CDK inhibitor genes suggests that they may function as tumor suppressors with different tissue specificities. To test this hypothesis, we have characterized two strains of double mutant mice lacking either p18(INK4c) and p27(KIP1) or p18(INK4c) and p21(CIP1/WAF1). Loss of both p18 and p27 function resulted in the spontaneous development by 3 months of age of at least eight different types of hyperplastic tissues and/or tumors in the pituitary, adrenals, thyroid, parathyroid, testes, pancreas, duodenum, and stomach. Six of these hyperplastic tissues and tumors were in endocrine organs, and several types of tumors routinely developed within the same animal, a phenotype reminiscent of that seen in combined human multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes. The p18-p21 double null mice, on the other hand, developed pituitary adenomas, multifocal gastric neuroendocrine hyperplasia, and lung bronchioalveolar tumors later in life. G(1) CDK2 and CDK4 kinase activities were increased in both normal and neoplastic tissues derived from mice lacking individual CDK inhibitors and were synergistically stimulated by the simultaneous loss of two CDK inhibitors. This indicates that an increase in G(1) CDK kinase activity is a critical step during but is not sufficient for tumor growth. Our results suggest that functional collaborations between distinct CDK inhibitor genes are tissue specific and confer yet another level of regulation in cell growth control and tumor suppression.     

Localization of Carboxyl Ester Lipase in Human Pituitary Gland and Pituitary Adenomas

Carboxyl ester lipase (CEL) is an enzyme that hydrolyzes a wide variety of lipid substrates, including ceramides, which are known to show inhibitory regulation of pituitary hormone secretion in experimental models. Because no studies on CEL expression in human pituitary and pituitary adenomas have been reported in the literature, we investigated CEL expression in 10 normal pituitary glands and 86 well-characterized pituitary adenomas [12 FSH/LH cell, 17 α-subunit/null cell, 6 TSH cell, 21 ACTH cell, 11 prolactin (PRL) cell, and 19 GH cell adenomas] using IHC, immunoelectron microscopy, Western blotting, and quantitative RT-PCR. In normal adenohypophysis, CEL was localized in GH, ACTH, and TSH cells. In adenomas, it was mainly found in functioning GH, ACTH, and TSH tumors, whereas its expression was poor in the corresponding silent adenomas and was lacking in FSH/LH cell, null cell, and PRL cell adenomas. Ultrastructurally, CEL was localized in secretory granules close to their membranes. This is the first study demonstrating CEL expression in normal human pituitary glands and in functioning GH, ACTH, and TSH adenomas. Considering that CEL hydrolyzes ceramides, inactivating their inhibitory function on pituitary hormone secretion, our findings suggest a possible role of CEL in the regulation of hormone secretion in both normal and adenomatous pituitary cells. (J Histochem Cytochem 58:881–889, 2010)     

Truncation of CDK5 activator p35 induces intensive phosphorylation of Ser202/Thr205 of human tau

Hyperphosphorylated tau is a major component of neurofibrillary tangles, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. CDK5 is a kinase that phosphorylates the tau protein, and its endogenous activator, p35, regulates its activity. Recently, calpain was found to digest p35 to its truncated product, p25. Several lines of evidence suggest that p25-CDK5 has much more powerful kinase activity and that it may cause abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau. In this study, we have examined the kinetic characteristics of in vitro phosphorylation of the longest isoform of human tau by CDK5 and its activators using recombinant proteins. Although the kinase activity of CDK5 in phosphorylating tau was significantly higher in the presence of p25, the affinity of CDK5 for tau was not different. Phosphopeptide mapping revealed enhanced phosphorylation of Ser(202)/Thr(205) residues by p25-CDK5 (amino acid residues of tau are numbered according to the longest isoform of human tau). These results suggest that cleavage of p35 to p25 greatly enhances the kinase activity of CDK5 and increases the phosphorylation of Ser(202)/Thr(205). Considering the fact that phosphorylation of Ser(202)/Thr(205) antagonizes the tau-mediated nucleation of tubulin, p25-CDK5 may play a pivotal role in neuronal cell death in Alzheimer's disease.     

p19Ink4d Is a Tumor Suppressor and Controls Pituitary Anterior Lobe Cell Proliferation

Pituitary tumors develop in about one-quarter of the population, and most arise from the anterior lobe (AL). The pituitary gland is particularly sensitive to genetic alteration of genes involved in the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor (CKI)–CDK-retinoblastoma protein (Rb) pathway. Mice heterozygous for the Rb mutation develop pituitary tumors, with about 20% arising from the AL. Perplexingly, none of the CKI-deficient mice reported thus far develop pituitary AL tumors. In this study, we show that deletion of p19^Ink4d (p19), a CKI gene, in mice results in spontaneous development of tumors in multiple organs and tissues. Specifically, more than one-half of the mutant mice developed pituitary hyperplasia or tumors predominantly in the AL. Tumor development is associated with increased cell proliferation and enhanced activity of Cdk4 and Cdk6 and phosphorylation of Rb protein. Though Cdk4 is indispensable for postnatal pituitary cell proliferation, it is not required for the hyperproliferative pituitary phenotype caused by p19 loss. Loss of p19 phosphorylates Rb in Cdk4^−/− pituitary AL cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and rescues their proliferation defects, at least partially, through the activation of Cdk6. These results provide the first genetic evidence that p19 is a tumor suppressor and the major CKI gene that controls pituitary AL cell proliferation.     

CDK5 regulates cell adhesion and migration in corneal epithelial cells

CDK5 and its activator, p35, are expressed in mouse corneal epithelium and can be coimmunoprecipited from corneal epithelial cell lysates. Immunostaining shows CDK5 and p35 in all layers of the corneal epithelium, especially along the basal side of the basal cells. Stable transfection of corneal epithelial cells with CDK5, which increases CDK5 kinase activity by approximately 33%, also increases the number of cells adhering to fibronectin and the strength of adhesion. CDK5 kinase activity seems to be required for this effect, because the kinase inactive mutation, CDK5-T33, either reduces adhesion or has no significant effect, depending on the level of expression. Using an in vitro scrape wound in confluent cultures of stably transfected cells to examine the effect of CDK5 on cell migration, we show that reoccupation of the wound area is significantly decreased by CDK5 and increased by CDK5-T33. These findings indicate that CDK5 may be an important regulator of adhesion and migration of corneal epithelial cells.     

First BRET-based screening assay performed in budding yeast leads to the discovery of CDK5/p25 interaction inhibitors

The protein kinase CDK5 (cyclin-dependent kinase 5) is activated through its association with a cyclin-like protein p35 or p39. In pathological conditions (such as Alzheimer's disease and various other neuropathies), truncation of p35 leads to the appearance of the p25 protein. The interaction of p25 with CDK5 up-regulates the kinase activity and modifies the substrate specificity. ATP-mimetic inhibitors of CDK5 have already been developed. However, the lack of selectivity of such inhibitors is often a matter of concern. An alternative approach can be used to identify highly specific inhibitors that disrupt protein interactions involving protein kinases. We have developed a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based screening assay in yeast to discover protein-protein interaction inhibitors (P2I2). Here, we present the first use of BRET in yeast for the screening of small molecule libraries. This screening campaign led to the discovery of one molecule that prevents the interaction between CDK5 and p25, thus inhibiting the protein kinase activity. This molecule may give rise to high-specificity drug candidates.     

Heat Shock Inhibition of CDK5 Increases NOXA Levels through miR-23a Repression

Hyperthermia is a proteotoxic stress that is lethal when exposure is extreme but also cytoprotective in that sublethal exposure leads to the synthesis of heat shock proteins, including HSP70, which are able to inhibit stress-induced apoptosis. CDK5 is an atypical cyclin-dependent kinase family member that regulates many cellular functions including motility and survival. Here we show that exposure of a human lymphoid cell line to hyperthermia causes CDK5 insolubilization and loss of tyrosine-15 phosphorylation, both of which were prevented in cells overexpressing HSP70. Inhibition of CDK5 activity with roscovitine-sensitized cells to heat induced apoptosis indicating a protective role for CDK5 in inhibiting heat-induced apoptosis. Both roscovitine and heat shock treatment caused increased accumulation of NOXA a pro-apoptotic BH3-only member of the BCL2 family. The increased abundance of NOXA by CDK5 inhibition was not a result of changes in NOXA protein turnover. Instead, CDK5 inhibition increased NOXA mRNA and protein levels by decreasing the expression of miR-23a, whereas overexpressing the CDK5 activator p35 attenuated both of these effects on NOXA and miR-23a expression. Lastly, overexpression of miR-23a prevented apoptosis under conditions in which CDK5 activity was inhibited. These results demonstrate that CDK5 activity provides resistance to heat-induced apoptosis through the expression of miR-23a and subsequent suppression of NOXA synthesis. Additionally, they indicate that hyperthermia induces apoptosis through the insolubilization and inhibition of CDK5 activity.     

Expression and activity of cyclin-dependent kinases and glycogen synthase kinase-3 during NT2 neuronal differentiation

In the presence of retinoic acid undifferentiated NT2 cells turn into terminally differentiated hNT (or NT2N) neurons within 5 weeks. We have used this in vitro cellular model to investigate the changes in expression and activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) during this neuronal differentiation process. We here show that CDK1/2 protein level and kinase activity sharply decrease during the NT2-->hNT transition. In contrast, the activity of CDK5/p35 dramatically increases, probably as a result of an enhanced expression of p35 in a stable CDK5 level background. GSK-3 activity increases modestly during the differentiation of hNT cells, and this event correlates with enhanced expression of each of the three GSK-3 isoforms. Pharmacological inhibitors of CDKs and GSK-3 lead to a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability.     

Involvement of p27Kip1 in the G1- and S/G2-phase lengthening mediated by glucocorticoids in normal human lymphocytes.

Glucocorticoids inhibit cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle lengthening. In this report, we have analyzed, in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, the involvement of p27Kip1 in this slowing of proliferation. Following dexamethasone (DXM) treatment, p27Kip1 expression and regulation varied differently with the level of lymphocyte stimulation. In quiescent cells, DXM inhibited p27Kip1 protein expression by decreasing its rate of synthesis, whereas its half-life and mRNA steady state remained constant. In contrast, in stimulated lymphocytes, DXM increased p27Kip1 expression by enhancing its mRNA steady state. This increase is not only a consequence of the DXM-induced interleukin 2 inhibition: we also found an increase in p27Kip1 mRNA stability that was not observed in quiescent lymphocytes. Cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) complexes immunoprecipitated with p27Kip1 are differentially modified by DXM addition: (a) G1 kinasic complexes (cyclin D/CDK4 or CDK6) associated with p27Kip1 are strongly decreased by DXM, (b) S-phase complexes (CDK2/cyclin E and A) remained stable or increased, and (c) the association of p27Kip1 with the phosphorylated forms of CDK1 is increased by DXM. In addition, CDK2 kinase activity was decreased in DXM-treated cells: we suggest that p27Kip1 might participate in inhibiting its catalytic activity. These results indicated that, in normal lymphoid cells, p27Kip1 may be involved in DXM antiproliferative effects. The increase of p27Kip1 expression and a decrease in G1 mitogenic factors, together with the redistribution of p27Kip1 to S/G2-M regulatory complexes, may explain the lengthening of G1 and S/G2 after DXM treatment in lymphocytes.     

CDK5 is present in sea urchin and starfish eggs and embryos and can interact with p35, cyclin E and cyclin B3

While most cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs) are involved in cell cycle control, CDK5 is mostly known for crucial functions in neurogenesis. However, we cloned sea urchin CDK5 from a two‐cell stage cDNA library and found that the protein is present in eggs and embryos, up to the pluteus stage, but without associated kinase activity. To investigate the potential for nonneuronal roles, we screened a starfish cDNA library with the yeast two‐hybrid system, for possible CDK5 partners. Interactions with clones expressing part of cyclin B3 and cyclin E proteins were found and the full‐length cyclins were cloned. These interactions were verified in vitro but not in extracts of starfish oocytes and embryos, at any stages, despite the presence of detectable amounts of CDK5, cyclin B3, and cyclin E. We then looked for p35, the CDK5‐specific activator, and cloned the sea urchin ortholog. A sea urchin‐specific anomaly in the amino acid sequence is the absence of N‐terminal myristoylation signal, but nucleotide environment analysis suggests a much higher probability of translation initiation on the second methionine(Met44), that is associated with a conserved myristoylation signal. p35 was found to associate with CDK5 and, when bacterially produced, to confer protein kinase activity to CDK5 immunoprecipitated from sea urchin eggs and embryos. However, p35 mRNA expression was found to begin only at the end of the blastula stage, and the protein was undetectable at any embryonic stage, suggesting a neuronal role beginning in late larval stages. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 77: 449–461, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Phenotypical and Pharmacological Characterization of Stem-Like Cells in Human Pituitary Adenomas

The presence and functional role of tumor stem cells in benign tumors, and in human pituitary adenomas in particular, is a debated issue that still lacks a definitive formal demonstration. Fifty-six surgical specimens of human pituitary adenomas were processed to establish tumor stem-like cultures by selection and expansion in stem cell-permissive medium or isolating CD133-expressing cells. Phenotypic and functional characterization of these cells was performed (1) ex vivo, by immunohistochemistry analysis on paraffin-embedded tissues; (2) in vitro, attesting marker expression, proliferation, self-renewal, differentiation, and drug sensitivity; and (3) in vivo, using a zebrafish model. Within pituitary adenomas, we identified rare cell populations expressing stem cell markers but not pituitary hormones; we isolated and expanded in vitro these cells, obtaining fibroblast-free, stem-like cultures from 38 pituitary adenoma samples. These cells grow as spheroids, express stem cell markers (Oct4, Sox2, CD133, and nestin), show sustained in vitro proliferation as compared to primary cultures of differentiated pituitary adenoma cells, and are able to differentiate in hormone-expressing pituitary cells. Besides, pituisphere cells, apparently not tumorigenic in mice, engrafted in zebrafish embryos, inducing pro-angiogenic and invasive responses. Finally, pituitary adenoma stem-like cells express regulatory pituitary receptors (D2R, SSTR2, and SSTR5), whose activation by a dopamine/somatostatin chimeric agonist exerts antiproliferative effects. In conclusion, we provide evidence that human pituitary adenomas contain a subpopulation fulfilling biological and phenotypical signatures of tumor stem cells that may represent novel therapeutic targets for therapy-resistant tumors.     

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Five Mediates Activation of Lung Xanthine Oxidoreductase in Response to Hypoxia

Background

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) is involved in oxidative metabolism of purines and is a source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As such, XOR has been implicated in oxidant-mediated injury in multiple cardiopulmonary diseases. XOR enzyme activity is regulated, in part, via a phosphorylation-dependent, post-translational mechanism, although the kinase(s) responsible for such hyperactivation are unknown.

Methods and Results

Using an in silico approach, we identified a cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) consensus motif adjacent to the XOR flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) binding domain. CDK5 is a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase historically linked to neural development and injury. We tested the hypothesis that CDK5 and its activators are mediators of hypoxia-induced hyperactivation of XOR in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (EC) and the intact murine lung. Using complementary molecular and pharmacologic approaches, we demonstrated that hypoxia significantly increased CDK5 activity in EC. This was coincident with increased expression of the CDK5 activators, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator 1 (CDK5r1 or p35/p25), and decreased expression of the CDK5 inhibitory peptide, p10. Expression of p35/p25 was necessary for XOR hyperactivation. Further, CDK5 physically associated with XOR and was necessary and sufficient for XOR phosphorylation and hyperactivation both in vitro and in vivo. XOR hyperactivation required the target threonine (T222) within the CDK5-consensus motif.

Conclusions and Significance

These results indicate that p35/CDK5-mediated phosphorylation of T222 is required for hypoxia-induced XOR hyperactivation in the lung. Recognizing the contribution of XOR to oxidative injury in cardiopulmonary disease, these observations identify p35/CDK5 as novel regulators of XOR and potential modifiers of ROS-mediated injury.     

Haploinsufficiency of p18(INK4c) sensitizes mice to carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis

The INK4 family of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors negatively regulates cyclin D-dependent CDK4 and CDK6 and thereby retains the growth-suppressive function of Rb family proteins. Mutations in the CDK4 gene conferring INK4 resistance are associated with familial and sporadic melanoma in humans and result in a wide spectrum of tumors in mice. Whereas loss of function of other INK4 genes in mice leads to little or no tumor development, targeted deletion of p18(INK4c) causes spontaneous pituitary tumors and lymphoma late in life. Here we show that treatment of p18 null and heterozygous mice with a chemical carcinogen resulted in tumor development at an accelerated rate. The remaining wild-type allele of p18 was neither mutated nor silenced in tumors derived from heterozygotes. Hence, p18 is a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor in mice.     

GSTP1、E-cadherin在垂体腺瘤中的表达及临床意义

目的：研究谷胱甘肽S-转移酶P1（GSTP1）、上皮钙粘蛋白（E-cadherin）在垂体腺瘤中的表达及临床意义。方法：应用免疫组化SP染色法检测30例侵袭性垂体腺瘤与30例非侵袭性垂体腺瘤中GSTP1、E-cadherin的表达。结果：GSTP1在侵袭性垂体腺瘤中的表达较非侵袭性垂体腺瘤显著降低（P〈0.05）;E-cadherin在侵袭性垂体腺瘤中的表达较非侵袭性垂体腺瘤显著降低（P〈0.05）;GSTP1、E-cadherin在垂体腺瘤中的表达呈正相关（r=0.82,P〈0.05）。结论：GSTP1、E-cadherin在垂体腺瘤中的表达与肿瘤侵袭程度显著相关,两者联合检测有助于判断垂体腺瘤侵袭性及预后。     

Differential regulation of MAP kinase activity by corticotropin-releasing hormone in normal and neoplastic corticotropes

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays an important role in regulating the development and function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The mechanisms by which CRH regulates tissue-specific growth, differentiation and gene expression remain to be established. In the present study, we show that CRH differentially regulates MAP kinase activity in normal ovine anterior pituitary cells and mouse corticotrope AtT20 cells. Incubation of ovine normal anterior pituitary cells with CRH increased MAP kinase activity, an effect mimicked by cAMP and inhibited by the protein kinase A inhibitor H89. In contrast, incubation of mouse pituitary tumor AtT20 cells with CRH inhibited MAP kinase activity, an effect also mimicked by forskolin and inhibited by H89. This decrease in MAP kinase activity occurred with a time course similar to the increase seen in normal anterior pituitary cells. Furthermore, both effects of CRH on MAP kinase activity were inhibited by atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). ANP also reversed the inhibition of DNA synthesis induced by CRH in AtT20 cells. Thus, CRH may differentially regulate cell growth in sheep normal anterior pituitary and mouse tumor corticotropes by modulating MAP kinase activity through a mechanism dependent on cAMP production and subject to regulation by ANP.     

Early involvement of estrogen-induced pituitary tumor transforming gene and fibroblast growth factor expression in prolactinoma pathogenesis.

Pituitary tumors are commonly encountered, and result from clonal expansion of a single mutated cell. Hypothalamic hormones, local growth factors and circulating sex steroid hormones promote pituitary tumor growth and expansion into large invasive tumors. Estrogen acting directly through its receptor and by stimulation of fibroblast growth factor regulates prolactin synthesis and secretion. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (bFGF) modulates angiogenesis, tumor formation and progression in many tissues, including the anterior pituitary. A pituitary tumor-derived transforming gene (PTTG) has been isolated, which is tumorigenic in vivo, regulates bFGF secretion, and inhibits chromatid separation. The human PTTG family consists of at least three homologous genes, of which PTTG1 is located on chromosome 5q33 and is expressed at low levels in most normal human tissues but is highly expressed in malignant human cell lines and in pituitary tumors. We report here that pituitary pttg is regulated in vivo and in vitro by estrogen. Maximal induction of rat pituitary pttg mRNA in vivo occurred early in pituitary transformation (normal cell to hypertrophic/hyperplastic cell), coincident with bFGF and vascular endothelial growth factor induction and pituitary angiogenesis. We also demonstrate that pttg expression is induced by bFGF, and show concordant pttg and bFGF expression in experimental and human pituitary adenomas. As bFGF and estrogen both induce pttg, and pttg expression coincides with the early lactotrophic hyperplastic response, angiogenesis and prolactinoma development, we propose a previously unknown paracrine growth factor-mediated mechanism for pituitary tumor pathogenesis and potentially other estrogen-regulated tumors.     

Genetic characterization of p27kip1 and stathmin in controlling cell proliferation in vivo

The CDK inhibitor p27^kip1 is a critical regulator of cell cycle progression, but the mechanisms by which p27^kip1 controls cell proliferation in vivo are still not fully elucidated. We recently demonstrated that the microtubule destabilizing protein stathmin is a relevant p27^kip1 binding partner. To get more insights into the in vivo significance of this interaction, we generated p27^kip1 and stathmin double knock-out (DKO) mice. Interestingly, thorough characterization of DKO mice demonstrated that most of the phenotypes of p27^kip1 null mice linked to the hyper-proliferative behavior, such as the increased body and organ weight, the outgrowth of the retina basal layer and the development of pituitary adenomas, were reverted by co-ablation of stathmin. In vivo analyses showed a reduced proliferation rate in DKO compared to p27^kip1 null mice, linked, at molecular level, to decreased kinase activity of CDK4/6, rather than of CDK1 and CDK2. Gene expression profiling of mouse thymuses confirmed the phenotypes observed in vivo, showing that DKO clustered with WT more than with p27 knock-out tissue. Taken together, our results demonstrate that stathmin cooperates with p27^kip1 to control the early phase of G1 to S phase transition and that this function may be of particular relevance in the context of tumor progression.