Blocking adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cell types by S. agalactiae type-specific polysaccharides

By using immortalized and normal endothelial cells, we were able to detect inhibitory effects of type specific polysaccharides from Streptococcus agalactiae on adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cells, which is an essential step of cancer metastasis. The inhibition was probably due to specific structures of the bacterial polysaccharides, since the structures of the saccharides are very similar to those of cancer specific sialyl Lewis carbohydrates (sialyl Le^a and Le^x) which bind to ELAM-1 of endothelial cells. This result indicated that the bacterial polysaccharides from S. agalactiae could be very useful and hopeful as cancer metastasis inhibitors.Abbreviations HUVECs human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells - ELAM-1 endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1     

Basi molecolari dell'interazione polline-stilo

Abstract

Molecular basis of pollen-style interaction - Pollen interaction with sporophytic “female” tissues leads to a block on tube growth within the style in the Angiosperm families under gametophytic control of self-incompatibility (SI). Primary events of the interaction may be described in terms of a signal-receptor model. Alternatively, a cytotoxic enzyme activity (RNase), located in the transmitting tract of the style, should be responsible for inhibition of the incompatible tubes, through degradation of pollen RNA and interference with protein synthesis. In several systems, the expression of the SI-controlling gene has been clarified on the female side (S-glycoproteins); by contrast, no conclusive evidence has been provided for the nature of the S-products in the male gametophyte.     

Mechanotransduction of shear stress occurs through changes in VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 tension: Implications for cell migration

Recent work has shown that cadherins at cell-cell junctions bear tensile forces. Using novel FRET-based tension sensors, we showed first that in response to shear stress, endothelial cells rapidly reduce mechanical tension on vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin. Second, we observed a simultaneous increase in tension on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM)-1, induced by an interaction with vimentin. In this commentary, we discuss how our results fit with existing data on cadherins as important mediators of mechanotransduction, in particular, in cell migration where mechanical tension across cadherins may communicate the direction of movement. The ability of PECAM-1 to bear mechanical tension may also be important in other PECAM-1 functions, such as leukocyte transmigration through the endothelium. Additionally, our observation that vimentin expression was required for PECAM-1 tension and mechanotransduction of fluid flow suggests that intermediate filaments are capable of transmitting tension. Overall, our results argue against models where an external force is passively transferred across the cytoskeleton, and instead suggest that cells actively respond to extracellular forces by modulating tension across junctional proteins.     

Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons and Differentiated Adipose-derived Stem Cells: An In Vitro Co-culture Model to Study Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, located in the intervertebral foramina of the spinal column, can be used to create an in vitro system facilitating the study of nerve regeneration and myelination. The glial cells of the peripheral nervous system, Schwann cells (SC), are key facilitators of these processes; it is therefore crucial that the interactions of these cellular components are studied together. Direct contact between DRG neurons and glial cells provides additional stimuli sensed by specific membrane receptors, further improving the neuronal response. SC release growth factors and proteins in the culture medium, which enhance neuron survival and stimulate neurite sprouting and extension. However, SC require long proliferation time to be used for tissue engineering applications and the sacrifice of an healthy nerve for their sourcing. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) differentiated into SC phenotype are a valid alternative to SC for the set-up of a co-culture model with DRG neurons to study nerve regeneration. The present work presents a detailed and reproducible step-by-step protocol to harvest both DRG neurons and ASC from adult rats; to differentiate ASC towards a SC phenotype; and combines the two cell types in a direct co-culture system to investigate the interplay between neurons and SC in the peripheral nervous system. This tool has great potential in the optimization of tissue-engineered constructs for peripheral nerve repair.     

Dissecting the roles of ROCK isoforms in stress-induced cell detachment

The homologous Rho kinases, ROCK1 and ROCK2, are involved in stress fiber assembly and cell adhesion and are assumed to be functionally redundant. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from ROCK1^−/− and ROCK2^−/− mice, we have recently reported that they play different roles in regulating doxorubicin-induced stress fiber disassembly and cell detachment: ROCK1 is involved in destabilizing the actin cytoskeleton and cell detachment, whereas ROCK2 is required for stabilizing the actin cytoskeleton and cell adhesion. Here, we present additional insights into the roles of ROCK1 and ROCK2 in regulating stress-induced impairment of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion. In response to doxorubicin, ROCK1^−/− MEFs showed significant preservation of both focal adhesions and adherens junctions, while ROCK2^−/− MEFs exhibited impaired focal adhesions but preserved adherens junctions compared with the wild-type MEFs. Additionally, inhibition of focal adhesion or adherens junction formations by chemical inhibitors abolished the anti-detachment effects of ROCK1 deletion. Finally, ROCK1^−/− MEFs, but not ROCK2^−/− MEFs, also exhibited preserved central stress fibers and reduced cell detachment in response to serum starvation. These results add new insights into a novel mechanism underlying the anti-detachment effects of ROCK1 deletion mediated by reduced peripheral actomyosin contraction and increased actin stabilization to promote cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion. Our studies further support the differential roles of ROCK isoforms in regulating stress-induced loss of central stress fibers and focal adhesions as well as cell detachment.     

Suppression of Mouse Melanoma Metastasis by EA-1, A Monoclonal Antibody Specific for α6 Integrins

The rat monoclonal antibody (mAb) termed EA-1 was originally selected for its capacity to block the adhesion of T lymphocyte progenitors to mouse thymic endothelium. Here we show that the mAb EA-1 recognizes the α6 chain of α6β1 and α6β4 integrins. Both molecules are present at a high level on the luminal and basolateral side of vascular endothelium and α6β1 integrin is expressed on the highly metastatic cell lines B16/129 (melanoma) and KLN-205 (carcinoma). These lung specific tumors bind preferentially to lung frozen sections, and EA-1 blocked this interaction in vitro. Moreover, mAb EA-1 inhibited experimental metastasis to the lung of B16/129 cells injected intravenously. Metastasis in vivo was blocked when the antibody was injected into mice before or simultaneously with the melanoma cells, as well as when melanoma cells were precoated with EA-1 before injection. We suggest that α6 integrins play a dual role in the metastatic process, mediating the adhesion of tumor cells to the luminal surface of the endothelium and the adhesion to laminin in the subendothelial extracellular matrix during extravasation. Despite the fact that α6 integrins are laminin receptors, EA-1 did not interfere with melanoma cell binding to laminin fragments. Our antibody EA-1 may therefore recognize a binding domain on α6 integrins of a novel ligand involved in cell-cell interaction.     

The malignant social network

Tumors contain a vastly complicated cellular network that relies on local communication to execute malignant programs. The molecular cues that are involved in cell-cell adhesion orchestrate large-scale tumor behaviors such as proliferation and invasion. We have recently begun to appreciate that many tumors contain a high degree of cellular heterogeneity and are organized in a cellular hierarchy, with a cancer stem cell (CSC) population identified at the apex in multiple cancer types. CSCs reside in unique microenvironments or niches that are responsible for directing their behavior through cellular interactions between CSCs and stromal cells, generating a malignant social network. Identifying cell-cell adhesion mechanisms in this network has implications for the basic understanding of tumorigenesis and the development of more effective therapies. In this review, we will discuss our current understanding of cell-cell adhesion mechanisms used by CSCs and how these local interactions have global consequences for tumor biology.     

N3ICD with the transmembrane domain can effectively inhibit EMT by correcting the position of tight/adherens junctions

EMT allows a polarized epithelium to lose epithelial integrity and acquire mesenchymal characteristics. Previously, we found that overexpression of the intracellular domain of Notch3 (N3ICD) can inhibit EMT in breast cancer cells. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the influence of N3ICD or N3ICD combined with the transmembrane domain (TD+N3ICD) on the expression and distribution of TJs/AJs and polar molecules. We found that although N3ICD can upregulate the expression levels of the above-mentioned molecules, TD+N3ICD can inhibit EMT more effectively than N3ICD alone. TD+N3ICD overexpression upregulated the expression of endogenous full-length Notch3 and contributed to correcting the position of TJs/AJs molecules and better acinar structures formation. Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that the upregulated endogenous full-length Notch3 could physically interact with E-ca in MDA-MB-231/pCMV-(TD+N3ICD) cells. Collectively, our data indicate that overexpression of TD+N3ICD can effectively inhibit EMT, resulting in better positioning of TJs/AJs molecules and cell-cell adhesion in breast cancer cells.

Abbreviations: EMT: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; TJs: Tight junctions; AJs: Adherens junctions; aPKC: Atypical protein kinase C; Crb: Crumbs; Lgl: Lethal (2) giant larvae; LLGL2: lethal giant larvae homolog 2; PAR: Partitioning defective; PATJ: Pals1-associated TJ protein     

A Platform for Extracellular Interactome Discovery Identifies Novel Functional Binding Partners for the Immune Receptors B7-H3/CD276 and PVR/CD155

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Highlights

• •New platform for high throughput detection of transient interactions between membrane proteins.
• •IL20RA is a receptor for the orphan checkpoint inhibitor B7-H3.
• •The natural killer cell protein KIR2DL5A binds the immune receptor PVR.
• •KIR2DL5 binding to PVR regulates natural killer cell cytotoxicity and inhibits tumor cell killing.
• •Elucidation of receptor interactomes to gain insights into extracellular protein biology.

     

Eph receptor and ephrin function in breast,gut, and skin epithelia

Epithelial cells are tightly coupled together through specialized intercellular junctions, including adherens junctions, desmosomes, tight junctions, and gap junctions. A growing body of evidence suggests epithelial cells also directly exchange information at cell-cell contacts via the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases and their membrane-associated ephrin ligands. Ligand-dependent and -independent signaling via Eph receptors as well as reverse signaling through ephrins impact epithelial tissue homeostasis by organizing stem cell compartments and regulating cell proliferation, migration, adhesion, differentiation, and survival. This review focuses on breast, gut, and skin epithelia as representative examples for how Eph receptors and ephrins modulate diverse epithelial cell responses in a context-dependent manner. Abnormal Eph receptor and ephrin signaling is implicated in a variety of epithelial diseases raising the intriguing possibility that this cell-cell communication pathway can be therapeutically harnessed to normalize epithelial function in pathological settings like cancer or chronic inflammation.