Rab25 augments cancer cell invasiveness through a β1 integrin/EGFR/VEGF-A/Snail signaling axis and expression of fascin

The small GTP-binding protein Rab25 is associated with tumor formation and progression. However, recent studies have shown discordant effects of Rab25 on cancer cell progression depending on cell lineage. In the present study, we elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which Rab25 induces cellular invasion. We demonstrate that Rab25 increases β1 integrin levels and subsequent activation of EGFR and upregulation of VEGF-A expression, leading to increased Snail expression, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer cell invasiveness. Strikingly, we identify that Snail mediates Rab25-induced cancer cell invasiveness through fascin expression and that ectopic expression of Rab25 aggravates metastasis of ovarian cancer cells to the lung. We thus demonstrate a novel role of a β1 integrin/EGFR/VEGF-A/Snail signaling cascade in Rab25-induced cancer cell aggressiveness through induction of fascin expression, thus providing novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for Rab25-expressing cancer cells.

Resveratrol suppresses breast cancer cell invasion by inactivating a RhoA/YAP signaling axis

Hippo/YAP signaling is implicated in tumorigenesis and progression of various cancers. By inhibiting a plethora signaling cascades, resveratrol has strong anti-tumorigenic and anti-metastatic activity. In the present study, we demonstrate that resveratrol decreases the expression of YAP target genes. In addition, our data showed that resveratrol attenuates breast cancer cell invasion through the activation of Lats1 and consequent inactivation of YAP. Strikingly, we also demonstrate that resveratrol inactivates RhoA, leading to the activation of Lats1 and induction of YAP phosphorylation. Further, resveratrol in combination with other agents that inactivate RhoA or YAP showed more marked suppression of breast cancer cell invasion compared with single treatment. Collectively, these findings indicate the beneficial effects of resveratrol on breast cancer patients by suppressing the RhoA/Lats1/YAP signaling axis and subsequently inhibiting breast cancer cell invasion.

Quantitative PCR for Etiologic Diagnosis of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Pneumonia in Intensive Care Unit / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) requires prompt and appropriate treatment. Since methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a frequent pathogen in VAP, rapid identification of it, is pivotal. Our aim was to evaluate the utility of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as a useful method for etiologic diagnoses of MRSA pneumonia. METHODS: We performed qPCR for mecA, S. aureus-specific femA-SA, and S. epidermidis-specific femA-SE genes from bronchoalveolar lavage or bronchial washing samples obtained from clinically-suspected VAP. Molecular identification of MRSA was based on the presence of the mecA and femA-SA gene, with the absence of the femA-SE gene. To compensate for the experimental and clinical conditions, we spiked an internal control in the course of DNA extraction. We estimated number of colony-forming units per mL (CFU/mL) of MRSA samples through a standard curve of a serially-diluted reference MRSA strain. We compared the threshold cycle (Ct) value with the microbiologic results of MRSA. RESULTS: We obtained the mecA gene standard curve, which showed the detection limit of the mecA gene to be 100 fg, which corresponds to a copy number of 30. We chose cut-off Ct values of 27.94 (equivalent to 1x10(4) CFU/mL) and 21.78 (equivalent to 1x10(5) CFU/mL). The sensitivity and specificity of our assay were 88.9% and 88.9% respectively, when compared with quantitative cultures. CONCLUSION: Our results were valuable for diagnosing and identifying pathogens involved in VAP. We believe our modified qPCR is an appropriate tool for the rapid diagnosis of clinical pathogens regarding patients in the intensive care unit.

Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 2 and Gi/Src pathway mediate cell motility through cyclooxygenase 2 expression in CAOV-3 ovarian cancer cells

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive phospholipids and involves in various cellular events, including tumor cell migration. In the present study, we investigated LPA receptor and its transactivation to EGFR for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and cell migration in CAOV-3 ovarian cancer cells. LPA induced COX-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner, and pretreatment of the cells with pharmacological inhibitors of Gi (pertussis toxin), Src (PP2), EGF receptor (EGFR) (AG1478), ERK (PD98059) significantly inhibited LPA- induced COX-2 expression. Consistent to these results, transfection of the cells with selective Src siRNA attenuated COX-2 expression by LPA. LPA stimulated CAOV-3 cell migration that was abrogated by pharmacological inhibitors and antibody of EP2. Higher expression of LPA2 mRNA was observed in CAOV-3 cells, and transfection of the cells with a selective LPA2 siRNA significantly inhibited LPA-induced activation of EGFR and ERK, as well as COX-2 expression. Importantly, LPA2 siRNA also blocked LPA-induced ovarian cancer cell migration. Collectively, our results clearly show the significance of LPA2 and Gi/Src pathway for LPA-induced COX-2 expression and cell migration that could be a promising drug target for ovarian cancer cell metastasis.

The Effect of Cysteamine on the Radiation-Induced Apoptosis / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: To investigate the pathways of radiation induced apoptosis and the effect of cysteamine (beta-mercaptoethylamine), as a radioprotector, on it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HL-60 cells were assigned to control, irradiated, and cysteamine (1 mM, 10mM) pretreated groups, Irradiation was given in a single fraction of 10 Gy (6 MV x-ray) and cysteamine was administered 1 hour before irradiation. The activities of caspase-8 were measured in control and irradiated group to evaluate its relation to the radiation induced apoptosis. To evaluate the role of cysteamine in radiation induced apoptosis, the number of viable cells, the expression and activity of caspase-3, and the expression of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were measured and compared after irradiation the HL-60 cells with cysteamine pretreatment or not. RESULTS: The intracellular caspase-8 activity, known to be related to the death receptor induced apoptosis, was not affected by irradiation (p>0.05). The number of viable cells began to decrease from 6 hours after irradiation (p>0.05), but the number of viable cells in 1 mM cysteamine pretreated group was not decreased afger irradiation and was similar to those in the control group. In caspase-3 analyses, known as apoptosis executioner, its expression was not different but its activity was increased by irradiation (p>0.05). However, this increase of activity was suppressed by the pretreatment of 1mM crysteamine. The cleavage of PARP, thought to be resulted from caspase-3 activation, occurred after irradiation, which was attenuated by the pretreatment of 1mM cysteamine. CONCLUSION: these results show that radiation induced apoptotic process is somewhat different from death receptor induced one and the pretreatment of 1 mM cysteamine has a tendency to decrease the radiation-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

Effects of alpha-, beta-adrenergic, and calcium channel blockers on renin- angiotensin system in perfused rat heart

alpha-,beta-Adrenergics, and calcium channels were known to be related to inducing cardiac hypertrophy. Recently, it was reported that the cardiac renin-angiotensin system (RAS) was an important factor in ventricular hypertrophy. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of alpha-, beta-adrenergic, and calcium channel blockers that might be involved in the regulation of cardiac RAS. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of renin gene in the perfused rat heart. Changes in angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity and cyclic AMP (cAMP) content which were thought to play a role in inducing cardiac hypertrophy were measured in the perfused rat heart. The expression of renin gene was not only increased by isoproterenol with metoprolol-pretreatment but also increased by vasopressin treatment in the presence of calcium channel blocker, nifedipine or verapamil. Either prazosin alone or norepinephrine with prazosin-pretreatment significantly increased the ACE activity. However, isoproterenol with metoprolol-pretreatment significantly decreased the ACE activity. On the other hand, the ACE activity was not changed by vasopressin, nifedipine, or verapamil treatments. The content of cAMP was significantly increased by either isoproterenol or vasopressin treatment. According to these results, renin gene expression was associated with beta2-adrenoceptor and calcium channel. ACE activity was associated with alpha- and beta2- adrenoceptor. In conclusion, beta2-adrenoceptor was important in cardiac renin gene expression and ACE activity and alpha-, beta-adrenergic, and calcium channel blockers might be involved in the regulation of cardiac RAS in a complicated way.