Role of phyto-stabilised silver nanoparticles in suppressing adjuvant induced arthritis in rats.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was aimed to evaluate the anti-arthritic effects of silver nanoparticles synthesised using Piper nigrum extract and to further establish its mechanism of action in a rat model of adjuvant induced arthritis (AA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adjuvant arthritis was induced by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (0.1mL) into the left hind paw of 36 albino Wistar rats (n=6). Silver nanoparticles stabilised with Piper nigrum extract (25 and 50mg/kg). Commercial silver nanoparticles (50mg/kg) and methotrexate (0.1mg/kg) were administered by intraperitoneal route from day 11 to day 22 on alternate days. RESULTS: It was found that treatment with silver nanoparticles stabilised with Piper nigrum (S-AgNPs) significantly reduced the paw edema and alleviated the histopathological changes of cell infiltration, synovial hyperplasia, bone and cartilage destruction. Furthermore, the phytostabilised silver nanoparticles (S-AgNPs) inhibited the protein expression of NF-kß p65 and TNF-α as evidenced by immunohistochemistry analysis. CONCLUSION: Our current findings suggest that silver nanoparticles stabilised with Piper nigrum extract (S-AgNPs) have potent anti-arthritic activity which is mediated by inhibition of TNF-α and suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines that are secreted in response to activated transcription factors of NF-kß.

E6AP mediates regulated proteasomal degradation of the nuclear receptor coactivator amplified in breast cancer 1 in immortalized cells.

The steroid receptor coactivator oncogene, amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1; also known as ACTR/RAC-3/TRAM-1/SRC-3/p/CIP), is amplified and overexpressed in a variety of epithelial tumors. AIB1 has been reported to have roles in both steroid-dependent and steroid-independent transcription during tumor progression. In this report, we describe that the cellular levels of AIB1 are controlled through regulated proteasomal degradation. We found that serum withdrawal or growth in high cell density caused rapid degradation of AIB1 protein, but not mRNA, in immortalized cell lines. Proteasome inhibitors prevented this process, and high molecular weight ubiquitylated species of AIB1 were detected. Nuclear export was required for proteasomal degradation of AIB1 and involved the ubiquitin ligase, E6AP. AIB1/E6AP complexes were detected in cellular extracts, and reduction of cellular E6AP levels with E6AP short interfering RNA prevented proteasomal degradation of AIB1. Conversely, overexpression of E6AP promoted AIB1 degradation. The COOH terminus of AIB1 interacted with E6AP in vitro and deletion of this region in AIB1 rendered it resistant to degradation in cells. From our results, we propose a model whereby signals promoted by changes in the cellular milieu initiate E6AP-mediated proteasomal degradation of AIB1 and thus contribute to the control of steady-state levels of this protein.

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and its role in cancer.

Critical cellular processes are regulated, in part, by maintaining the appropriate intracellular levels of proteins. Whereas de novo protein synthesis is a comparatively slow process, proteins are rapidly degraded at a rate compatible with the control of cell cycle transitions and cell death induction. A major pathway for protein degradation is initiated by the addition of multiple 76-amino acid ubiquitin monomers via a three-step process of ubiquitin activation and substrate recognition. Polyubiquitination targets proteins for recognition and processing by the 26S proteasome, a cylindrical organelle that recognizes ubiquitinated proteins, degrades the proteins, and recycles ubiquitin. The critical roles played by ubiquitin-mediated protein turnover in cell cycle regulation makes this process a target for oncogenic mutations. Oncogenes of several common malignancies, for example colon and renal cell cancer, code for ubiquitin ligase components. Cervical oncogenesis by human papillomavirus is also mediated by alteration of ubiquitin ligase pathways. Protein degradation pathways are also targets for cancer therapy, as shown by the successful introduction of bortezomib, an inhibitor of the 26S proteasome. Further work in this area holds great promise toward our understanding and treatment of a wide range of cancers.

The nuclear receptor coactivator AIB1 mediates insulin-like growth factor I-induced phenotypic changes in human breast cancer cells.

The nuclear receptor coactivator AIB1 (amplified in breast cancer 1) is overexpressed in human breast cancers and is required for estrogen signaling. However, the role of AIB1 in breast cancer etiology is not known. Here, we show that AIB1 is rate-limiting for insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I)-dependent phenotypic changes and gene expression in human breast cancer cells. Reduction of endogenous AIB1 levels by small interfering RNA in MCF-7 breast cancer cells prevented IGF-I-stimulated anchorage-independent growth by reducing IGF-I-dependent anti-anoikis. cDNA array and immunoblot analysis of gene expression revealed that reduction in AIB1 levels led to a significant decrease in the expression of several genes controlling the cell cycle and apoptosis. These AIB1-dependent changes were also observed in the presence of estrogen antagonist and were corroborated in the estrogen receptor-negative cell line MDA MB-231. AIB1 reduction decreased the expression of the IGF-I receptor and IRS-1 in MCF-7 but not in MDA MB-231 cells. IGF-I-stimulated activation of AKT was reduced by AIB1 small interfering RNA treatment, whereas mitogen-activated protein kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2) activation by IGF-I was unaffected. We conclude that AIB1 is required for IGF-I-induced proliferation, signaling, cell survival, and gene expression in human breast cancer cells, independent of its role in estrogen receptor signaling.

Overexpression of the nuclear receptor coactivator AIB1 (SRC-3) during progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: The nuclear receptor coactivator amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1) was found to be amplified and overexpressed in breast and some other epithelial tumors. We have reported that expression of AIB1 is rate limiting for growth factor, as well as hormone signaling. Here, we assess the involvement of AIB1 in the development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We investigated expression levels of AIB1 protein and mRNA in pancreatic cancer cell lines and in a series of archival pancreatic adenocarcinoma (n=78), pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (n=93), pancreatitis (n=28), and normal pancreas tissues (n=52). We also determined AIB1 gene copy numbers by fluorescence in situ hybridization in a subset of cases. RESULTS: In normal pancreas ducts, we rarely found detectable levels of AIB1 mRNA or protein (<6% of the samples). In pancreatitis and low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, we found an increased frequency of AIB1 expression (>14 and >23%, respectively) relative to normal tissues (P < 0.01). Adenocarcinoma, as well as high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, showed increased levels as well as the highest frequency of AIB1 expression with >65% of samples positive for mRNA and protein (P < 0.0001 relative to the other groups). An increased copy number of the AIB1 gene, observed in 37% of cancers, may account for a portion of the increase in expression. CONCLUSIONS: AIB1 overexpression is frequent in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and its precursor lesions. On the basis of its rate-limiting role for the modulation of growth factor signals, we propose a major role of AIB1 in the multistage progression of pancreatic cancer.