The optimization of protocols for proteome difference gel electrophoresis (DiGE) analysis of preneoplastic skin

Difference gel electrophoresis (DiGE) allows the reliable comparison of proteome differences between two or three samples within a single gel, by way of a CyDye fluorescent labeling system. This facilitates identification of protein differences avoiding the difficulties associated with gel-to-gel variation. A drawback of this approach is the necessity for high-purity protein samples, since contaminants can interfere with the labeling process, affecting subsequent analysis. Thus far, DiGE has been applied to the study of various sample types derived from relatively simple starting materials such as serum, cell lines, or primary cells. Herein, we describe optimization of protein extraction and purification from a complex tissue (the murine ear) of which a major component is skin, which is compatible with the CyDye labeling system and DiGE. Protein samples obtained by this method from preneoplastic, transgenic tissue have been effectively compared to normal tissue samples to reveal bona fide differences, verifiable by Western blotting. In total, 41 protein differences (21 up- and 20 down-regulated in the pathological samples) were identified by mass spectrometry (MS). This method can therefore form a guide for those wishing to perform DiGE on complex tissues, and is especially useful for samples with relatively insoluble components such as skin.     

A dominant-negative form of the major human abasic endonuclease enhances cellular sensitivity to laboratory and clinical DNA-damaging agents

Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease 1 (APE1) is the primary enzyme in mammals for the repair of abasic sites in DNA, as well as a variety of 3' damages that arise upon oxidation or as products of enzymatic processing. If left unrepaired, APE1 substrates can promote mutagenic and cytotoxic outcomes. We describe herein a dominant-negative form of APE1 that lacks detectable nuclease activity and binds substrate DNA with a 13-fold higher affinity than the wild-type protein. This mutant form of APE1, termed ED, possesses two amino acid substitutions at active site residues Glu(96) (changed to Gln) and Asp(210) (changed to Asn). In vitro biochemical assays reveal that ED impedes wild-type APE1 AP site incision function, presumably by binding AP-DNA and blocking normal lesion processing. Moreover, tetracycline-regulated (tet-on) expression of ED in Chinese hamster ovary cells enhances the cytotoxic effects of the laboratory DNA-damaging agents, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS; 5.4-fold) and hydrogen peroxide (1.5-fold). This MMS-induced, ED-dependent cell killing coincides with a hyperaccumulation of AP sites, implying that excessive DNA damage is the cause of cell death. Because an objective of the study was to identify a protein reagent that could be used in targeted gene therapy protocols, the effects of ED on cellular sensitivity to a number of chemotherapeutic compounds was tested. We show herein that ED expression sensitizes Chinese hamster ovary cells to the killing effects of the alkylating agent 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (also known as carmustine) and the chain terminating nucleoside analogue dideoxycytidine (also known as zalcitabine), but not to the radiomimetic bleomycin, the nucleoside analogue beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (also known as cytarabine), the topoisomerase inhibitors camptothecin and etoposide, or the cross-linking agents mitomycin C and cisplatin. Transient expression of ED in the human cancer cell line NCI-H1299 enhanced cellular sensitivity to MMS, 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea, and dideoxycytidine, demonstrating the potential usefulness of this strategy in the treatment of human tumors.     

Continuous delivery of IFN-beta promotes sustained maturation of intratumoral vasculature

IFNs have pleiotropic antitumor mechanisms of action. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the effects of IFN-beta on the vasculature of human xenografts in immunodeficient mice. We found that continuous, systemic IFN-beta delivery, established with liver-targeted adeno-associated virus vectors, led to sustained morphologic and functional changes of the tumor vasculature that were consistent with vessel maturation. These changes included increased smooth muscle cell coverage of tumor vessels, improved intratumoral blood flow, and decreased vessel permeability, tumor interstitial pressure, and intratumoral hypoxia. Although these changes in the tumor vasculature resulted in more efficient tumor perfusion, further tumor growth was restricted, as the mature vasculature seemed to be unable to expand to support further tumor growth. In addition, maturation of the intratumoral vasculature resulted in increased intratumoral penetration of systemically administered chemotherapy. Finally, molecular analysis revealed increased expression by treated tumors of angiopoietin-1, a cytokine known to promote vessel stabilization. Induction of angiopoietin-1 expression in response to IFN-beta was broadly observed in different tumor lines but not in those with defects in IFN signaling. In addition, IFN-beta-mediated vascular changes were prevented when angiopoietin signaling was blocked with a decoy receptor. Thus, we have identified an alternative approach for achieving sustained vascular remodeling-continuous delivery of IFN-beta. In addition to restricting tumor growth by inhibiting further angiogenesis, maturation of the tumor vasculature also improved the efficiency of delivery of adjuvant therapy. These results have significant implications for the planning of combination anticancer therapy.     

Marine and freshwater regime changes impact a community of migratory Pacific salmonids in decline

Marine and freshwater ecosystems are increasingly at risk of large and cascading changes from multiple human activities (termed “regime shifts”), which can impact population productivity, resilience, and ecosystem structure. Pacific salmon exhibit persistent and large fluctuations in their population dynamics driven by combinations of intrinsic (e.g., density dependence) and extrinsic factors (e.g., ecosystem changes, species interactions). In recent years, many Pacific salmon have declined due to regime shifts but clear understanding of the processes driving these changes remains elusive. Here, we unpacked the role of density dependence, ecosystem trends, and stochasticity on productivity regimes for a community of five anadromous Pacific salmonids (Steelhead, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Dolly Varden, and Coastal Cutthroat Trout) across a rich 40-year time-series. We used a Bayesian multivariate state-space model to examine whether productivity shifts had similarly occurred across the community and explored marine or freshwater changes associated with those shifts. Overall, we identified three productivity regimes: an early regime (1976–1990), a compensatory regime (1991–2009), and a declining regime (since 2010) where large declines were observed for Steelhead, Dolly Varden, and Cutthroat Trout, intermediate declines in Coho and no change in Pink Salmon. These regime changes were associated with multiple cumulative effects across the salmon life cycle. For example, increased seal densities and ocean competition were associated with lower adult marine survival in Steelhead. Watershed logging also intensified over the past 40 years and was associated with (all else equal) ≥97% declines in freshwater productivity for Steelhead, Cutthroat, and Coho. For Steelhead, marine and freshwater dynamics played approximately equal roles in explaining trends in total productivity. Collectively, these changing environments limited juvenile production and lowered future adult returns. These results reveal how changes in freshwater and marine environments can jointly shape population dynamics among ecological communities, like Pacific salmon, with cascading consequences to their resilience.     

The genetic drivers for the successful invasive potential of a generalist bird,the House crow

Biological Invasions - What kind of genetic structure helps the rapid range expansion of the invasive species is fundamental to understand spread of invasion. The House crow (Corvus splendens), an...