Arachidonic Acid Stimulates Cell Adhesion through a Novel p38 MAPK-RhoA Signaling Pathway That Involves Heat Shock Protein 27

Rho GTPases are critical components of cellular signal transduction pathways. Both hyperactivity and overexpression of these proteins have been observed in human cancers and have been implicated as important factors in metastasis. We previously showed that dietary n-6 fatty acids increase cancer cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins, such as type IV collagen. Here we report that in MDA-MB-435 human melanoma cells, arachidonic acid activates RhoA, and inhibition of RhoA signaling with either C3 exoenzyme or dominant negative Rho blocked arachidonic acid-induced cell adhesion. Inhibition of the Rho kinase (ROCK) with either small molecule inhibitors or ROCK II-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) blocked the fatty acid-induced adhesion. However, unlike other systems, inhibition of ROCK did not block the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK); instead, Rho activation depended on p38 MAPK activity and the presence of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), which is phosphorylated downstream of p38 after arachidonic acid treatment. HSP27 associated with p115RhoGEF in fatty acid-treated cells, and this association was blocked when p38 was inhibited. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of HSP27 blocked the fatty acid-stimulated Rho activity. Expression of dominant negative p115-RhoGEF or p115RhoGEF-specific siRNA inhibited both RhoA activation and adhesion on type IV collagen, whereas a constitutively active p115RhoGEF restored the arachidonic acid stimulation in cells in which the p38 MAPK had been inhibited. These data suggest that n-6 dietary fatty acids stimulate a set of interactions that regulates cell adhesion through RhoA and ROCK II via a p38 MAPK-dependent association of HSP27 and p115RhoGEF.The ability of tumor cells to metastasize to secondary sites is a hallmark of neoplastic disease. Unfortunately, this propensity to spread is the primary cause of morbidity and death in cancer patients (1). Metastasis is clearly a highly regulated, multistep process that occurs in a spatiotemporal manner (2–4). To escape the restrictive compartment boundaries characteristic of adult tissue, separate intravasation and extravasation steps requiring alterations in co-adhesion, adhesion, invasion, and migration must occur. Execution of these biological processes, involving multiple proteins and cellular organelles, require highly coordinated cell signaling mechanisms.The Rho family of small GTPases regulates many facets of cytoskeletal rearrangements that facilitate cell attachment and migration (5–7). Rho GTPases act as molecular switches by changing from an inactive GDP-bound conformation to an active GTP-bound conformation, thereby regulating a signaling pathway. These proteins are directly regulated by Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs),² Rho GTPase activating proteins, and Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitors (8–12). RhoGEFs bind to the GTPase to catalyze the dissociation of GDP, allowing the binding of GTP and thereby promoting Rho activation (8). The RGS (regulators of G protein signaling) domain-containing RhoGEFs are a recently described family of GEFs. Currently, there are three members of this family, PDZ-RhoGEF, LARG, and p115RhoGEF (13–15), in which the RGS domains function as a heterotrimeric GTPase-activating domain (13, 15, 16). The RGS family of RhoGEFs has been shown to regulate Rho during several processes including cytoskeletal rearrangements, cell adhesion, and cancer progression (17–21).There is significant interplay between the activity of small GTPases and signaling derived from fatty acid metabolism (22–28). Linoleic acid, which is metabolized to arachidonic acid, is an n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid that is present at high levels in most western diets (29). In animal models, diets high in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been shown to enhance tumor progression and metastasis (30, 31). Additionally, arachidonic acid is stored in cell membranes and is made available by phospholipases under conditions of increased inflammatory response (32). Arachidonic acid is further metabolized by cyclooxygenases (COX), lipoxygenases (LOX), and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases to yield bioactive products that have myriad effects on cells, and altered metabolism of arachidonic acid by COX, LOX, and P450 has been implicated in cancer progression (31, 33–36).We have studied mechanisms of cell adhesion using the MDA-MB-435 cells as a model of a highly metastatic human cancer cell line (37). These cells have been extensively studied for their ability to recapitulate the metastatic cascade in vivo and in vitro, although recent work indicates that the cells currently in use are most likely a human melanoma line (38). We initially observed that arachidonic acid (AA) enhanced adhesion of MDA-MB-435 cells to type IV collagen through specific integrin-mediated pathways (37). Exogenous AA led to the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-activated protein kinase 2 and the phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) via a p38 MAPK-dependent process (39). Inhibition of p38 MAPK activation blocked cell adhesion as did function-blocking antibodies specific for subunits of the collagen receptor (40). More recently, we identified the key metabolite of AA (15-(S)- hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid) and the upstream kinases (TAK1 and MKK6) that are responsible for activation of p38 MAPK in this system (41).In this study we investigated the role of Rho activation in the MDA-MB-435 cells after exposure to arachidonic acid. Several aspects of the regulation of Rho signaling in these cells provide insights into the cross-talk between important signaling pathways.     

Sequence and diversity of DRB genes of Aotus nancymaae, a primate model for human malaria parasites

 The New World primate Aotus nancymaae is susceptible to infection with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax and has therefore been recommended by the World Health Organization as a model for evaluation of malaria vaccine candidates. We present here a first step in the molecular characterization of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II DRB genes of Aotus nancymaae (owl monkey or night monkey) by nucleotide sequence analysis of the polymorphic exon 2 segments. In a group of 15 nonrelated animals captivated in the wild, 34 MHC DRB alleles could be identified. Six allelic lineages were detected, two of them having human counterparts, while two other lineages have not been described in any other New World monkey species studied. As in the common marmoset, the diversity of DRB alleles appears to have arisen largely by point mutations in the β-pleated sheets and by frequent exchange of fixed sequence motifs in the α-helical portion. Pairs of alleles differing only at amino acid position b86 by an exchange of valine to glycine are present in Aotus, as in humans. Essential amino acid residues contributing to MHC DR peptide binding pockets number 1 and 4 are conserved or semiconserved between HLA-DR and Aona-DRB molecules, indicating a capacity to bind similar peptide repertoires. These results support fully our using Aotus monkeys as an animal model for evaluation of future subunit vaccine candidates. Received: 10 August 1999 / Revised: 11 October 1999     

Meiotic crossover patterns: Obligatory crossover,interference and homeostasis in a single process

During meiosis, crossover recombination is tightly regulated. A spatial patterning phenomenon known as interference ensures that crossovers are well-spaced along the chromosomes. Additionally, every pair of homologs acquires at least one crossover. A third feature, crossover homeostasis, buffers the system such that the number of crossovers remains steady despite decreases or increases in the number of earlier recombinational interactions. Here we summarize recent work from our laboratory supporting the idea that all 3 of these aspects are intrinsic consequences of a single basic process and suggesting that the underlying logic of this process corresponds to that embodied in a particular (beam-film) model.     

Comparison of the Morphology Development of Polymer–Fullerene and Polymer–Polymer Solar Cells during Solution‐Shearing Blade Coating

In this work, the detailed morphology studies of polymer poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) (P3HT):fullerene(PCBM) and polymer(P3HT):polymer naphthalene diimide thiophene (PNDIT) solar cell are presented to understand the challenge for getting high performance all‐polymer solar cells. The in situ X‐ray scattering and optical interferometry and ex situ hard and soft X‐ray scattering and imaging techniques are used to characterize the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) ink during drying and in dried state. The crystallization of P3HT polymers in P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction shows very different behavior compared to that of P3HT:PNDIT BHJ due to different mobilities of P3HT in the donor:acceptor glass. Supplemented by the ex situ grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction and soft X‐ray scattering, PNDIT has a lower tendency to form a mixed phase with P3HT than PCBM, which may be the key to inhibit the donor polymer crystallization process, thus creating preferred small phase separation between the donor and acceptor polymer.     

The response of plasma membrane lipid composition in callus of the halophyte Spartina patens (Poaceae) to salinity stress

Callus cultures of the salt marsh grass Spartina patens were examined to determine changes and consistencies in membrane lipid composition in response to salt. Major membrane lipid classes remained stable at all salinity levels (0, 170, 340 mmol/L). However, the membrane protein to lipid ratio decreased significantly in response to elevated NaCl. Callus plasma membrane (PM) consisted predominantly of sterols, about 60% (mol%) of the total lipids. Glycolipid was the second largest lipid class, making up about 20% (mol%) of the total. With increasing salinity, the relative percentage of sitosterol decreased, while that of campesterol increased. The phospholipid species detected were phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), and phosphatidylinositol (PI). When callus was grown at 340 mmol/L NaCl, PC increased significantly. PI and PS were also significantly elevated in salinity treatments. Only 24-32% of the PM fatty acids were common plant membrane fatty acids, C16, C18, C20, and C22, while over 60% were the less common fatty acids, C11 and C14. Membrane fluidity remained stable in response to growth medium salinity. The findings on membrane responses to salinity will facilitate a better understanding of this halophyte's tactics for salt tolerance.     

Identification and expression of the first nonmammalian amyloid-beta precursor-like protein APLP2 in the amphibian Xenopus laevis.

The Alzheimer's disease-linked amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) belongs to a superfamily of proteins, which also comprises the amyloid-beta precursor-like proteins, APLP1 and APLP2. Whereas APP has been identified in both lower and higher vertebrates, thus far, APLP1 and 2 have been characterized only in human and rodents. Here we identify the first nonmammalian APLP2 protein in the South African claw-toed frog Xenopus laevis. The identity between the Xenopus and mammalian APLP2 proteins is approximately 75%, with the highest degree of conservation in a number of amino-terminal regions, the transmembrane domain and the cytoplasmic tail. Furthermore, amino acid residues known to be phosphorylated and glycosylated in mammalian APLP2 are conserved in Xenopus. The availability of the Xenopus APLP2 protein sequence allowed a phylogenetic analysis of APP superfamily members that suggested the occurrence of APP and preAPLP lineages with their separation predating the mammalian-amphibian split. As in mammals, Xenopus APLP2 mRNA was ubiquitously expressed and alternatively spliced forms were detected. However, the expression ratios between the mRNA forms in the various tissues examined were different between Xenopus and mammals, most prominently for the alternatively spliced forms containing the Kunitz protease inhibitor-coding region that were less abundantly expressed than the corresponding mammalian forms. Thus, the identification of APLP2 in Xenopus has revealed evolutionarily conserved regions that may help to delineate functionally important domains, and its overall high degree of conservation suggests an important role for this APP superfamily member.     

The Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase/Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Cascade Activation Is a Key Signalling Pathway Involved in the Regulation of G1 Phase Progression in Proliferating Hepatocytes

In this study, activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway was analyzed in proliferating rat hepatocytes both in vivo after partial hepatectomy and in vitro following epidermal growth factor (EGF)-pyruvate stimulation. First, a biphasic MEK/ERK activation was evidenced in G(1) phase of hepatocytes from regenerating liver but not from sham-operated control animals. One occurred in early G(1) (30 min to 4 h), and the other occurred in mid-late G(1), peaking at around 10.5 h. Interestingly, the mid-late G(1) activation peak was located just before cyclin D1 induction in both in vivo and in vitro models. Second, the biological role of the MEK/ERK cascade activation in hepatocyte progression through the G(1)/S transition was assessed by adding a MEK inhibitor (PD 98059) to EGF-pyruvate-stimulated hepatocytes in primary culture. In the presence of MEK inhibitor, cyclin D1 mRNA accumulation was inhibited, DNA replication was totally abolished, and the MEK1 isoform was preferentially targeted by this inhibition. This effect was dose dependent and completely reversed by removing the MEK inhibitor. Furthermore, transient transfection of hepatocytes with activated MEK1 construct resulted in increased cyclin D1 mRNA accumulation. Third, a correlation between the mid-late G(1) MEK/ERK activation in hepatocytes in vivo after partial hepatectomy and the mitogen-independent proliferation capacity of these cells in vitro was established. Among hepatocytes isolated either 5, 7, 9, 12 or 15 h after partial hepatectomy, only those isolated from 12- and 15-h regenerating livers were able to replicate DNA without additional growth stimulation in vitro. In addition, PD 98059 intravenous administration in vivo, before MEK activation, was able to inhibit DNA replication in hepatocytes from regenerating livers. Taken together, these results show that (i) early induction of the MEK/ERK cascade is restricted to hepatocytes from hepatectomized animals, allowing an early distinction of primed hepatocytes from those returning to quiescence, and (ii) mid-late G(1) MEK/ERK activation is mainly associated with cyclin D1 accumulation which leads to mitogen-independent progression of hepatocytes to S phase. These results allow us to point to a growth factor dependency in mid-late G(1) phase of proliferating hepatocytes in vivo as observed in vitro in proliferating hepatocytes and argue for a crucial role of the MEK/ERK cascade signalling pathway.     

Early Histological and Functional Effects of Chronic Copper Exposure in Rat Liver

Cu is an essential trace element capable of producing toxic effects in animals and man when ingested acutely or chronically in excess. Although chronic Cu exposure is increasingly recognized as a public health issue, its early effects remain largely unknown. We approached the significance of a moderate chronic Cu load in young rats to correlate early hepatic histopathological changes with functional alterations of liver cells. For this purpose, supplementation with 1200 ppm of Cu in rat food for 16 weeks was chosen. In these conditions, Cu load elicited a significant decrease in growth curves. There were mild light microscopy alterations in Cu-treated rats, although increasing intracellular Cu storage was correlated with longer Cu exposure both by histological and biochemical measurements. Ultrastructural alterations included lysosomal inclusions as well as mitochondrial and nuclear changes. Liver perfusion studies revealed higher rates of basal O₂ consumption and colloidal carbon-induced O₂ uptake in Cu-treated rats, with enhanced carbon-induced O₂/carbon uptake ratios and NF-κB DNA binding activity. These changes were time-dependent and returned to control values after 12 or16 weeks. It is concluded that subchronic Cu loading in young rats induces early hepatic morphological changes, with enhancement in Küpffer cell-dependent respiratory burst activity and NF-κB DNA binding, cellular responses that may prevent or alleviate the hepatotoxicity of the metal.     

Adenovirus-5-vectored P. falciparum vaccine expressing CSP and AMA1. Part B: safety, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the CSP component

Background

A protective malaria vaccine will likely need to elicit both cell-mediated and antibody responses. As adenovirus vaccine vectors induce both these responses in humans, a Phase 1/2a clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of an adenovirus serotype 5-vectored malaria vaccine against sporozoite challenge.

Methodology/Principal Findings

NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC is an adenovirus vector encoding the Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 circumsporozoite protein (CSP). It is one component of a two-component vaccine NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA consisting of one adenovector encoding CSP and one encoding apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) that was evaluated for safety and immunogenicity in an earlier study (see companion paper, Sedegah et al). Fourteen Ad5 seropositive or negative adults received two doses of NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC sixteen weeks apart, at particle units per dose. The vaccine was safe and well tolerated. All volunteers developed positive ELISpot responses by 28 days after the first immunization (geometric mean 272 spot forming cells/million[sfc/m]) that declined during the following 16 weeks and increased after the second dose to levels that in most cases were less than the initial peak (geometric mean 119 sfc/m). CD8+ predominated over CD4+ responses, as in the first clinical trial. Antibody responses were poor and like ELISpot responses increased after the second immunization but did not exceed the initial peak. Pre-existing neutralizing antibodies (NAb) to Ad5 did not affect the immunogenicity of the first dose, but the fold increase in NAb induced by the first dose was significantly associated with poorer antibody responses after the second dose, while ELISpot responses remained unaffected. When challenged by the bite of P. falciparum-infected mosquitoes, two of 11 volunteers showed a delay in the time to patency compared to infectivity controls, but no volunteers were sterilely protected.

Significance

The NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC vaccine expressing CSP was safe and well tolerated given as two doses, but did not provide sterile protection.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00392015","term_id":"NCT00392015"}}NCT00392015