c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase mediates leptin-stimulated androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation via signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and Akt.

Obesity is associated with advanced prostate cancer. Here we demonstrate that in mouse prostate cancer TRAMP-C1 cells epididymal fat extracts from high-fat diet-fed obese mice stimulate androgen-independent cell growth more significantly than those from low-fat diet-fed lean mice or genetically obese leptin-deficient ob/ob mice in correlation with leptin concentrations. This result suggests that obesity promotes androgen-independent prostate cancer cell growth via adipose leptin. We have reported that added leptin stimulates androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation through c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK). As with JNK, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and Akt are implicated in androgen-independent prostate cancer. In this study, we identify novel interaction of these three molecules in leptin-stimulated androgen-independent cell proliferation. Leptin activates JNK, STAT3 and Akt in a biphasic manner with a similar time-course. Pharmacological JNK inhibition suppresses leptin-stimulated DNA binding activity, as well as Ser-727 phosphorylation, of STAT3. Since JNK upregulates STAT3 activity via Ser-727 phosphorylation, JNK mediates leptin-stimulated STAT3 activation through Ser-727 phosphorylation. Moreover, JNK inhibition impairs leptin-stimulated Ser-473 phosphorylation of Akt that is required for its activation. Thus, JNK is involved in leptin-stimulated Akt activation. These findings together indicate that JNK mediates leptin-stimulated androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation via STAT3 and Akt.

Adiponectin as a growth inhibitor in prostate cancer cells.

Prostate cancer is associated with obesity. However, the molecular basis of this association is not well known. Adiponectin is a major adipose cytokine that decreases in circulation in obesity and ameliorates obesity. Here, we identify adiponectin as a novel inhibitor in prostate cancer cell growth. Adiponectin occurs in non-proteolytic (full-length adiponectin: f-adiponectin) and proteolytic (globular adiponectin) forms in various oligomeric states (trimer, hexamer, and high molecular weight complex). The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay demonstrates that f-adiponectin inhibits prostate cancer cell growth drastically at subphysiological concentrations. Furthermore, velocity sedimentation analysis shows that the high molecular weight complex of f-adiponectin is the inhibitory form. Moreover, f-adiponectin suppresses leptin- and/or insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)-stimulated, androgen-independent DU145 cell growth, and dihydrotestosterone-stimulated, androgen-dependent LNCaP-FGC cell growth. In addition, f-adiponectin enhances doxorubicin inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth. Therefore, f-adiponectin is a molecular mediator between prostate cancer and obesity, and may be therapeutic to prostate cancer.

Adiponectin activates c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and inhibits signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.

Adiponectin, a major adipose cytokine, plays a crucial role in the inhibition of metabolic syndrome by acting on such cell types as muscle cells and hepatocytes. Furthermore, evidence suggests that adiponectin may influence cancer pathogenesis. Adiponectin occurs in non-proteolytic (full-length adiponectin: f-adiponectin) and proteolytic (globular adiponectin: g-adiponectin) forms in various oligomeric states. Different forms of adiponectin show distinct biological effects through differential activation of downstream signaling pathways. Here we identify c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) as common downstream effectors of f- and g-adiponectin. f- and g-adiponectin both stimulate JNK activation in prostate cancer DU145, PC-3, and LNCaP-FGC cells, hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, and C2C12 myoblasts. Furthermore, both f- and g-adiponectin drastically suppress constitutive STAT3 activation in DU145 and HepG2 cells. These suggest that JNK and STAT3 may constitute a universal signaling pathway to mediate adiponectin's pathophysiological effects on metabolic syndrome and cancer.

Prostate cancer cell-adipocyte interaction: leptin mediates androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation through c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among men in the United States, and acquisition of hormone resistance (androgen independence) by cancer cells is a fatal event during the natural history of prostate cancer. Obesity is another serious health problem and has been shown to be associated with prostate cancer. However, little is known about the molecular basis of this association. Here we show that factor(s) secreted from adipocytes stimulate prostate cancer cell proliferation. Leptin is one of the major adipose cytokines, and it controls body weight homeostasis through food intake and energy expenditure. We identify leptin as a novel growth factor in androgen-independent prostate cancer cell growth. Strikingly, leptin stimulates cell proliferation specifically in androgen-independent DU145 and PC-3 prostate cancer cells but not in androgen-dependent LNCaP-FGC cells, although both cell types express functional leptin receptor isoforms. c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) has been shown recently to play a crucial role in obesity and insulin resistance. Intriguingly, leptin induces JNK activation in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells, and the pharmacological inhibition of JNK blocked the leptin stimulation of androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation. This suggests that JNK activation is required for leptin-mediated, androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, other cytokines produced by adipocytes and critical for body weight homeostasis cooperate with leptin in androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation: interleukin-6 and insulin-like growth factor I demonstrate additive and synergistic effects on the leptin stimulation of androgen-independent prostate cancer cell proliferation, respectively. Therefore, adipose cytokines, as well as JNK, are key mediators between obesity and hormone-resistant prostate cancer and could be therapeutic targets.

Transfection of human endothelial cells with HIV-1 tat gene activates NF-kappa B and enhances monocyte adhesion.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 Tat released from HIV-1-infected monocytes is believed to enter other cells via an integrin-facilitated pathway, resulting in altered gene expression. Indeed, exogenous Tat protein can increase cell adhesion molecule gene expression in human endothelial cells. Signaling pathways initiated by Tat in endothelial cells are not known. We evaluated the ability of endogenous tat to stimulate monocyte adhesion via activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) within human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Transfection with pcTat, but not control vector DNA, increased NF-kappaB binding activity, NF-kappaB luciferase reporter activity, and monocyte adhesion. pcTat also increased kappaB-dependent HIV-1-LTR-CAT reporter activity 28-fold compared with a 3-fold increase produced by transfection with an equivalent amount of pcTax (from human leukemia virus). The pcTat-induced increase in pNF-kappaB-Luc activity and monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells was blocked by cotransfection with dominant-negative mutant IkappaBalpha and by incubation with 10 mM aspirin. We conclude that monocyte adhesion to human endothelial cells stimulated by pcTat is mediated via an NF-kappaB-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, inhibition studies using aspirin suggest that pcTat-stimulated NF-kappaB activation and monocyte adhesion occur via a redox-sensitive mechanism.