PARP-1 Regulates Metastatic Melanoma through Modulation of Vimentin-induced Malignant Transformation

PARP inhibition can induce anti-neoplastic effects when used as monotherapy or in combination with chemo- or radiotherapy in various tumor settings; however, the basis for the anti-metastasic activities resulting from PARP inhibition remains unknown. PARP inhibitors may also act as modulators of tumor angiogenesis. Proteomic analysis of endothelial cells revealed that vimentin, an intermediary filament involved in angiogenesis and a specific hallmark of EndoMT (endothelial to mesenchymal transition) transformation, was down-regulated following loss of PARP-1 function in endothelial cells. VE-cadherin, an endothelial marker of vascular normalization, was up-regulated in HUVEC treated with PARP inhibitors or following PARP-1 silencing; vimentin over-expression was sufficient to drive to an EndoMT phenotype. In melanoma cells, PARP inhibition reduced pro-metastatic markers, including vasculogenic mimicry. We also demonstrated that vimentin expression was sufficient to induce increased mesenchymal/pro-metastasic phenotypic changes in melanoma cells, including ILK/GSK3-β-dependent E-cadherin down-regulation, Snail1 activation and increased cell motility and migration. In a murine model of metastatic melanoma, PARP inhibition counteracted the ability of melanoma cells to metastasize to the lung. These results suggest that inhibition of PARP interferes with key metastasis-promoting processes, leading to suppression of invasion and colonization of distal organs by aggressive metastatic cells.     

Melatonin in the seasonal response of the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

Aphids display life cycles largely determined by the photoperiod.During the warm long-day seasons.most aphid species reproduce by viviparous parthenogenesis.The shortening of the photoperiod in autumn induces a switch to sexual reproduction.Males and sexual females mate to produce overwintering resistant eggs.In addition to this full life cycle(holocycle),there are anholocyelic lineages that do not respond to changes in photoperiod and reproduce continuously by parthenogenesis.The molecular or hormonal events that trigger the scasonal response(i.c,induction of the sexual phenotypes)are still unknown.Although circadian synthesis of melatonin is known to play a key role in vertebrate photoperiodism,the involvement of the circadian clock and/or of the hor-mone melatonin in insect seasonal responses is not so well established.Here we show that melatonin levels in the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum are significantly higher in holocyclice aphids reared under short days than under long days,while no differences were found between anholoeyelic aphids under the same conditions.We also found that melatonin is localized in the aphid suboesophageal ganglion(SOG)and in the thoracic ganglionic mass(TGM).In analogy to vertcbrates,insect-type arylalkxylamine N-acetyltransferases(i-AANATs)are thought to play a key role in melatonin synthesis.We measured the expression of four I-AANAT genes identified in A.pisum and localized two of them in situ in the insect central nervous systems(CNS).Levels of expression of these genes were compatible with the quantities of melatonin observed.Moreover,like melatonin,expression of these genes was found in the SOG and the TGM.     

Economic Decisions for Others: An Exception to Loss Aversion Law

In everyday life, people often make decisions on behalf of others. The current study investigates whether risk preferences of decision-makers differ when the reference point is no longer their own money but somebody else money. Thirty four healthy participants performed three different monetary risky choices tasks by making decisions for oneself and for another unknown person. Results showed that loss aversion bias was significantly reduced when participants were choosing on behalf of another person compared to when choosing for themselves. The influence of emotions like regret on decision-making may explain these results. We discuss the importance of the sense of responsibility embodied in the emotion of regret in modulating economic decisions for self but not for others. Moreover, our findings are consistent with the Risk-as-feelings hypothesis, suggesting that self-other asymmetrical behavior is due to the extent the decision-maker is affected by the real and emotional consequences of his/her decision.     

High SEPT9_v1 Expression Is Associated with Poor Clinical Outcomes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The purpose of this work was to determine SEPT9_v1 expression levels in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and to analyze whether SEPT9_v1 expression is relevant to clinical outcomes. Recently, the SEPT9 isoform SEPT9_v1 has been implicated in oncogenesis, and methylation of the SEPT9 promoter region was reported in HNSCC. These findings led us to hypothesize that SEPT9_v1 could be differently expressed in HNSCC. To determine whether SEPT9_v1 is expressed in HNSCC, tissue microarray immunohistochemical analysis was performed using a SEPT9_v1-specific antibody. Tissue microarrays stained with a polyclonal SEPT9_v1-specific antibody was used to determine protein expression levels in HNSCC tissue samples, some with known clinical outcomes. This analysis showed that SEPT9_v1 is in fact highly expressed in HNSCC compared with normal epithelium, and high expression levels directly correlated with poor clinical outcomes. Specifically, a high SEPT9_v1 expression was associated with decreased disease-specific survival (P = .012), time to indication of surgery at primary site (P = .008), response to induction chemotherapy (P = .0002), and response to chemotherapy (P = .02), as well as advanced tumor stage (P = .012) and N stage (P = .0014). The expression of SEPT9_v1 was also strongly correlated with smoking status (P = .00094). SEPT9_v1 is highly expressed in HNSCC, and a high expression of SEPT9_v1 is associated with poor clinical outcomes. These data indicate that SEPT9_v1 warrants additional investigation as a potential biomarker for HNSCC.