Functional Expression of P-Glycoprotein in an Immortalised Cell Line of Rat Brain Endothelial Cells, RBE4

Abstract: The presence of P-glycoprotein in the cell plasma membrane limits the penetration of many cytotoxic substances into cells that express the gene product. There is considerable evidence also to indicate that P-glycoprotein is expressed as part of the normal blood-brain barrier in the luminal membranes of the cerebral capillary endothelial cells, where it presumably performs a protective function for the brain. This report describes the functional expression of P-glycoprotein in an immortalised cell line, RBE4, derived from rat cerebral capillary endothelial cells. The expression of P-glycoprotein is demonstrated by western immunoblotting and by immunogold and fluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies. The cellular accumulation of [³H]colchicine and [³H]vinblastine is investigated and shown to be enhanced by the presence of azidothymidine, chlorpromazine, verapamil, cyclosporin A, and PSC 833 ([3'-keto-Bmt¹]-[Val²]-cyclosporin) at 50 or 100 µ M concentration. It is concluded that the RBE4 cell line is a valuable tool for investigating the mechanisms of P-glycoprotein activity both in the blood-brain barrier and in multidrug resistance in general.     

New ultrastructural features on the cream hamster thyroid with special reference to the second kind of follicle

The thyroid cells of the cream hamster, characterized by abundance of microtubules and stratification of the organelles, undergo a particular evolution when the animals grow older. These changes are characterized by an increase of the number of lysosomes which in extreme cases become so prominent that they occupy the whole cytoplasm of the cell which thus loses its organelle stratification. As in other species, cream hamster thyroid contains so-called ultimobranchial follicles made up of at least six cell types: fibrillar dark and light cells, parafollicular cells, ciliated cells, vesicular cells, and cells with myelinic inclusions. The ultrastructure of these follicles in the cream hamster represents a mixture of the ultrastructural characteristics of the same follicles encountered in the rat and the mouse thyroid. Here also mixed follicles are seen. Nevertheless vesicular cells present such abundant "secretion granules" that the question arises as to whether these follicles produce a special secretion and perhaps a new hormone. Incubation of cream hamster thyroids in the prescence of vincristine induces vanishing of microtubules, formation of paracrystalline structures, and loss of stratification of the organelles. Although these last effects might be due to some specific toxic effect of the drug, it is suggested that the disappearing of the organelle stratification might result from a specific vincristine-induced disaggregation of the microtubules acting as a cytoskeleton.     

Analysis of Catharanthus roseus alkaloids by HPLC

Catharanthus roseus is a medicinal plant from which secondary metabolites used in chemotherapy to treat diverse cancers are extracted. The well known high value metabolites vincristine and vinblastine are just 2 of 130 alkaloids that can be found in C. roseus. However, only few (∼11) of this high number of chemical entities are frequently analyzed and even fewer (∼8) are available commercially. For more than 30 years, different analytical techniques have been developed to isolate and identify C. roseus metabolites, and then allowing revealing the therapeutic potential of C. roseus metabolites. Among few approaches, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique is still widely used for the separation and analysis of secondary metabolites such as those from C. roseus. This article thus reviews the most recent developments in HPLC analysis of alkaloids from C. roseus. Diverse considerations that are crucial to the efficiency of secondary metabolites separation and identification steps, such as biomass manipulation, extraction phase and protocols, HPLC separation and analysis protocols are reviewed in details. Examples of spectra obtained using the most common detectors are also shown and suggestions are made on how to proceed in developing efficient separation and identification methods at the analytical and semi-preparative scales.     

靶向肿瘤新生血管纳米粒的构建和质量控制

目的：制备F56多肽修饰的长春新碱纳米粒（F56-VCR-NP）,并建立其质量控制方法。方法：乳化－溶剂挥发法优化制备F56．VCR-NP：HPLC法测定其载药量、包封率,透射电镜下观察其形态,激光粒度分析仪测定其粒径和Zeta电位,CBQCA试剂盒测定纳米粒表面多肽密度,XPS进行表面元素分析。结果：优化制备的F56－VCR-NP粒径约为153nm,Zeta电位为－20．8mv,包封率为21．4％,载药量为1．9％,多肽连接效率为26．3％。结论：以聚乙二醇－聚乳酸（PEG-PLA）为原料,长春新碱为模型药物,成功制备出纳米粒子,并建立起有效的质量控制方法,对该实验样品进行了表征。结果表明此类纳米粒子尺寸均匀,表面多价连接F56多肽,载药量和包封率稳定可控,工艺成熟。     

长春新碱阳离子纳米结构脂质载体及其小肠吸收的研究

目的:硫酸长春新碱作为一种细胞毒型抗肿瘤药物,临床上多用其注射剂,虽应用广泛,但存在较多缺点,如药物半衰期短,代谢速率快以及毒副作用明显。本文目的是制备包载长春新碱和十二烷基磺酸钠的阳离子纳米结构脂质载体,并对其进行评价。方法:用复乳挥发法制备出目标脂质纳米粒;利用激光粒度仪对其粒径及zeta电位进行检测;利用高效液相色谱法对其包封率和载药量进行测定;透析法检测纳米粒的体外释放行为;用小肠吸收法评价纳米粒的促进吸收作用。结果:制得的纳米粒的平均粒径为(192.4±4.14)nm,多分散系数(PDI)为0.184±0.015,包封率为32.28%,Zeta电位为(30.6±4.09)m V,载药量为(1.56±0.10)%;体外释放实验显示在pH=7.4的中性释放介质中,硫酸长春新碱脂质纳米粒表现出缓释特性;小肠吸收实验表明十二烷基磺酸钠的加入和阳离子纳米粒的修饰可提高小肠对药物的吸收。结论:阳离子硫酸长春新碱纳米结构脂质载体具有缓释效果,并可以促进小肠对药物的吸收。     

长春新碱诱导建立人结肠癌多药耐受性小鼠模型及MDR1和MRP1基因表达

目的建立人结肠癌多药耐受性动物模型并初步探索其耐药机制。方法结合体内外诱导方法建立人结肠癌多药耐受性动物模型,利用VCR和CTX的肿瘤抑制实验评价其MDR特性;利用real-time PCR和West-ern blotting等方法分析其P-gp/MDR1和MRP1基因和蛋白的表达。结果肿瘤抑制实验结果显示,MDR和敏感型结肠癌模型的肿瘤生长速度差异不显著,MDR结肠癌动物模型对于VCR和CTX的耐药性均有较大程度的提高;表达分析结果显示,人结肠癌MDR动物模型的P-gp/MDR1表达水平有较大提高,而MRP1表达没有显著变化。结论人结肠癌多药耐受性动物模型具有较好的多药耐受性,其多药耐受性表型主要是由于P-gp/MDR1过量表达所导致。     

A genetic assay to detect chromosome gain and/or loss in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster

A genetic short-term test is described that allows (i) detection and (ii) quantitative evaluation of aneuploidy induced in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster. In this somatic aneuploidy test (SAT) larvae of the genotype z w⁻/ w^+JY are exposed to the test compound. Gain and/or loss of the w^+JY chromosome leads to the formation of aneupliod daughter cells: z w⁻/w^+JY and z w⁻/O, respectively. These cells are fully viable, proliferate and, when they are part of an eye primordium, form a yellow/ /white twin spot on the otherwise red background after metamorphosis. The number of eyes screened, the size and number of spots allow for a quantitative estimate of the frequency of induced aneuploidy. Induced aneuploidy was detected after exposure of larvae to X-rays and to vincristine. The somatic aneuploidy test seems to be a simple, sensitive and fast method to screen environmental chemicals for their ability to induce aneuploidy.     

Antitubulin agents can initiate different apoptotic pathways

The effect of antitubulin agents (Taxol, Vincristine, and Nocodazole) on MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells was studied. The purpose of the study was to determine the type of death of these cells and the role of p53 protein in this process. The data obtained show that the antitubulin agents can activate not only both subtypes of the mitotic catastrophe (death during mitosis and postmitotic death of polyploid cells) but also death of mononuclear cells. It is assumed that disturbance of the organization of the microtubule system activates the G1 checkpoint in the cell cycle. Apoptosis is activated in a p53-independent manner in K-mitotic cells and after complete microtubule disassembly in interphase cells.     

Multidrug Resistance-Related Transport Proteins in Isolated Human Brain Microvessels and in Cells Cultured from These Isolates

Abstract: The multidrug transporter, P-glycoprotein (Pgp), at the blood-brain barrier is thought to be important for limiting access of toxic agents to the brain, but controversy surrounds its cellular location, whether on endothelium or on adjacent astrocyte foot processes. In the present study, the distribution of protein and mRNA for Pgp and for another transporter, multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), is compared with that for the endothelial marker, platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) and for the astrocyte-derived glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in microvessels isolated from human brain and in cells grown from these microvessels. Activities of the multidrug transporters are assessed in the cultured cells from the effects of transport inhibitors on intracellular [³H]vincristine accumulation. The isolated microvessels show strong immunocytochemical staining for Pgp and PECAM-1 and little or no staining for GFAP and MRP, and they contain mRNAs detectable by RT-PCR encoding only Pgp and PECAM-1, but not GFAP or MRP. Thus, Pgp may well be synthesised and expressed on cells within the microvessels rather than on adherent astrocyte foot processes. In cells grown from the microvessels, although PECAM-1 remains, Pgp expression decreases and MRP appears. Evidence suggests these multidrug transporters are functionally active in the cultured cells.     

Characterization of HSP27 phosphorylation induced by microtubule interfering agents: implication of p38 signalling pathway

Vincristine and paclitaxel are widely used antitumoral drugs that interfere with microtubule dynamics. We have previously demonstrated that vincristine induces phosphorylation of HSP27 at serine 82 in MCF-7 cells. In this report, we show that vincristine also causes phosphorylation of serines 78 and 15. Moreover, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of this chaperone is induced by the p38 signalling pathway while the JNK pathway is not implicated. Differences between vincristine and paclitaxel treatments are also appreciated. Thus, while vincristine induces a strong phosphorylation of the three serines, paclitaxel induces a weak phosphorylation of serine 78 and has no effect over serines 82 and 15 phosphorylation. Interestingly, pre-treatment of cells with a ten-fold excess of paclitaxel abolishes vincristine-induced phosphorylation of HSP27.