Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor signaling in 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation requires lipid rafts but not caveolae

Previously, we have found that lipid rafts/caveolae were essential for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor signaling during 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiation induction. However, it was not identified as to which of the membrane lipid-ordered microdomains mediates the receptor signal. Using small double-stranded RNA-mediated interference (RNAi), we successfully suppressed the caveolin-1 protein expression. In cells stably transfected with vector expressing small interfering RNA (siRNA) fragment, no caveolin-1 protein or caveola was detected. On the other hand, removal of caveolin-1 did not affect the caveolinless lipid rafts or the localization of IGF-1 receptor in lipid rafts on plasma membrane. IGF-1 receptor signal transduction and induced cellular differentiation were normal in RNAi cells with only lipid rafts. Furthermore, these IGF-1 receptor signaling events were still sensitive to the cholesterol-binding reagents. Thus, our results suggest that lipid rafts are sufficient for IGF-1 receptor signaling and the recruitment of signal molecules by caveolin-1 is not essential for IGF-1 receptor signaling.     

PAK is essential for RAS-induced upregulation of cyclin D1 during the G1 to S transition

Oncogenic RAS mutants such as v-Ha-RAS induce cell cycling, in particular the G1 to S transition, by upregulating cyclin D1 and downregulating p27, an inhibitor for cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). PI-3 kinase appears to be involved in the regulation of both cyclin D1 and p27. In this report, using two distinct inhibitors specific for PAK1-3 (CEP-1347 and WR-PAK18), we present the first evidence indicating that the PIX/Rac/CDC42-dependent Ser/Thr kinases PAK1-3, acting downstream of PI-3 kinase and upstream of the Raf/MEK/ERKs kinase cascade, is essential for RAS-induced upregulation of cyclin D1, but not downregulation of p27. Since these PAK-inhibitors block selectively the malignant growth of RAS transformants, in which PAK1 is constitutively activated, but not normal cell growth, it is suggested that RAS transformants are addicted to the high levels of PAK1 for their malignant entry to S phase.     

A novel proteomic coculture model of prostate cancer cell growth

Chemotherapy and androgen ablation therapy are only temporarily effective against prostate cancer, and current studies are ongoing to test agents that target proteins responsible for autocrine and paracrine stimulated growth. Given limitations of current laboratory models to test the effect of these agents on cell growth and protein targets, we developed a coculture model that can distinguish paracrine stimulated growth and effects on proteins. We found that LNCaP prostate cancer cells and an immortalized rat prostate cell line transfected to overexpress the antiapoptotic resistance protein Bcl-2 were stimulated to grow (>2-fold increase, p < 0.01) through autocrine effects from additional cells in an upper chamber of our system. Using a proteomic approach with a two-dimensional differential in gel electrophoresis method to increase fidelity, four proteins were found to increase after autocrine induced growth stimulation. These proteins were all identified by mass spectrometry as enzymes in the glycolytic pathway, validating the ability of this system to detect both clonogenic growth and the effect on proteins. These data, therefore, demonstrate a novel coculture model for further study of agents that target proteins in pathways of paracrine or autocrine stimulated cell growth.     

Estrogen receptor-alpha gene haplotype is associated with primary knee osteoarthritis in Korean population

Estrogen and estrogen receptors (ERs) are known to play important roles in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA). To investigate ER-alpha gene polymorphisms for its associations with primary knee OA, we conducted a case-control association study in patients with primary knee OA (n = 151) and healthy individuals (n = 397) in the Korean population. Haplotyping analysis was used to determine the relationship between three polymorphisms in the ER-alpha gene (intron 1 T/C, intron 1 A/G and exon 8 G/A) and primary knee OA. Genotypes of the ER-alpha gene polymorphism were determined by PCR followed by restriction enzyme digestion (PvuII for intron 1 T/C, XbaI for intron 1 A/G, and BtgI for exon 8 G/A polymorphism). There was no significant difference between primary knee OA patients and healthy control individuals in the distribution of any of the genotypes evaluated. However, we found that the allele frequency for the exon 8 G/A BtgI polymorphism (codon 594) was significantly different between primary knee OA patients and control individuals (odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval = 1.01-1.88; P = 0.044). In haplotype frequency estimation analysis, there was a significant difference between primary knee OA patients and control individuals (degrees of freedom = 7, chi2 = 21.48; P = 0.003). Although the number OA patients studied is small, the present study shows that ER-alpha gene haplotype may be associated with primary knee OA, and genetic variations in the ER-alpha gene may be involved in OA.     

Construction, molecular modeling, and simulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell walls

The mycobacterial cell wall is extraordinarily thick and tight consisting mainly of (1). long chain fatty acids, the mycolic acids, and (2). a unique polysaccharide, arabinogalactan (AG). These two chemical constituents are covalently linked through ester bonds. Minnikin (The Biology of the Mycobacteria; Academic: London, 1982) proposed that the mycobacterial cell wall is composed of an asymmetric lipid bilayer. The inner leaflet of the cell wall contains mycolic acids covalently linked to AG. This inner leaflet is believed to have the lowest permeability to organic compounds of the overall cell wall. Conformational search and molecular dynamics simulation were used to explore the conformational profile of AG and the conformations and structural organization of the mycolic acid-AG complex, and overall, an inner leaflet molecular model of the cell wall was constructed. The terminal arabinose residues of AG that serve as linkers between AG and mycolic acids were found to exist in four major chemical configurations. The mycolate hydrocarbon chains were determined to be tightly packed and perpendicular to the "plane" formed by the oxygen atoms of the 5-hydroxyl groups of the terminal arabinose residues. For Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the average packing distance between mycolic acids is estimated to be approximately 7.3 A. Thus, Minnikin's model is supported by this computational study. Overall, this modeling and simulation approach provides a way to probe the mechanism of low permeability of the cell wall and the intrinsic drug resistance of M. tuberculosis. In addition, monolayer models were built for both dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, two common phospholipids in bacterial and animal membranes, respectively. Structural comparisons of these cell wall phospholipid membrane models were made to the M. tuberculosis cell wall model.     

Synthesis and antiviral activity of novel 2',4'-doubly branched carbocyclic nucleosides

A series of 2' and 4'-doubly branched carbocyclic nucleosides 15, 16, 17 and 18 were synthesized starting from simple acyclic ketone derivatives. The required 4'-quatemary carbon was constructed using Claisen rearrangement. In addition, the installation of a methyl group in the 2'-position was accomplished using a Grignard carbonyl addition of isopropenylmagnesium bromide. Bis-vinyl was successfully cyclized using a Grubbs' catalyst II. Natural bases (adenine, cytosine) were efficiently coupled by using Pd(0) catalyst.     

The consequences of exhaustive antiestrogen therapy in breast cancer: estrogen-induced tumor cell death

Forty years ago, the endocrine treatment for breast cancer was a last resort at palliation before the disease overwhelmed the patient (1). Ovarian ablation was the treatment of choice for the premenopausal patient, whereas either adrenalectomy or, paradoxically, high-dose synthetic estrogen therapy were used for treatment in postmenopausal patients. A reduction or an excess of estrogen provoked objective responses in one out of three women. Unfortunately, there was no way of predicting who would respond to endocrine ablation, and because so few patients responded there was no enthusiasm for developing new endocrine agents. All hopes for a cure for breast cancer turned to appropriate combinations of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Today tamoxifen, a nonsteroidal antiestrogen (2), has proven to be effective in all stages of premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer, and several new endocrine strategies, including aromatase inhibitors, luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) superagonists, and a pure antiestrogen (fulvestrant), are now available for breast cancer treatment. Additionally, tamoxifen and raloxifene, a related compound, are used to reduce the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis, respectively, in high-risk groups (3). Hormonal modulation and strategies to prevent the actions of estrogen in the breast are ubiquitous. However, with successful changes in treatment strategies comes the consequence of change. This minireview will describe the current strategies for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer and present emerging new concepts about the consequences of exhaustive antiestrogen treatment on therapeutic resistance.     

A highly bioactive lignophenol derivative from bamboo lignin exhibits a potent activity to suppress apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells

Approaches to protection against neurodegenerative diseases, in which oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated, should be based on the current concept on the etiology of these diseases. Recently, a new therapeutic strategy has been proposed to protect neurons from cell death by attenuating the apoptotic signal transduction. Lignin, a durable aromatic network polymer second to cellulose in abundance, was able to be converted into highly active lignophenol derivatives with antioxidant activity by using our newly developed phase-separation technique. These lignophenol derivatives were found to show the potent neuroprotective activity against oxidative stress. Among the compounds examined, a lignocresol derivative from bamboo (lig-8) exhibited the most potent neuroprotective activity against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y by preventing the caspase-3 activation via either caspase-8 or caspase-9. Furthermore, it was found that lig-8 exerted the antiapoptotic effect by inhibiting dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition induced by H(2)O(2) or by the peripheral benzodiazepin receptor ligand PK11195. Lig-8 was also shown to be potent in the antioxidant activity in the cells exposed to H(2)O(2), as assessed by flow cytometry using 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate and in vitro reactive oxygen species-scavenging potency. These data suggest that lig-8 is a promising neuroprotector, which affects the signaling pathway of neuronal cell death and that it would be of benefit to delay the progress of neurodegenerative diseases.     

Synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activity of 4-[4-(4,6-bisphenylamino-triazin-2-ylamino)-5-methoxy-2-methylphenylazo]-5-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid and its derivatives

A structure-based design approach has been used to optimize a lead HIV-1 entry inhibitor targeted to the envelope glycoprotein gp41. The docking study on this lead compound revealed important structural requirements that need to be preserved as well as structural non-requirements that could be eliminated to substantially reduce the molecular size of the lead compound. Based on the results from docking study, a limited number of analogues were designed and synthesized. This approach yielded a new analogue (compound 4) that retained the anti-HIV-1 activity with reduced molecular size approaching towards more drug-like character.