ABSTRACT
Deregulation of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl has been implicated in the progression of several human cancers. However, the role of Axl in prostate cancer remains poorly understood, and the therapeutic efficacy of Axl targeting remains untested. In this report we identified Axl as a new therapeutic target for prostate cancer. Axl is consistently overexpressed in prostate cancer cell lines and human prostate tumors. Interestingly, the blockage of Axl gene expression strongly inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion and tumor growth. Furthermore, inhibition of Axl expression by small interfering RNA regulates a transcriptional program of genes involved in cell survival, strikingly all connected to the nuclear factor-κB pathway. Additionally, blockage of Axl expression leads to inhibition of Akt, IKKα and IκBα phosphorylation, increasing IκBα expression and stability. Furthermore, induction of Akt phosphorylation by insulin-like growth factor 1 in Axl knockdown cells restores Akt activity and proliferation. Taken together, our results establish an unambiguous role for Axl in prostate cancer tumorigenesis with implications for prostate cancer treatment.
Subject(s)
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic , Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Movement , Cell Proliferation , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Humans , Male , Molecular Targeted Therapy , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Neoplasm Metastasis , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Signal Transduction , Up-Regulation , Axl Receptor Tyrosine KinaseABSTRACT
No effective vaccine or immunotherapy is presently available for patients with the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) induced by Shiga-like toxin (Stx) producedbyenterohaemorragic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains, such as those belonging to the O157:H7 serotype. In this work we evaluated the performance of Bacillus subtilis strains, a harmless spore former gram-positive bacterium species, as a vaccine vehicle for the expression of Stx2B subunit (Stx2B). A recombinant B. subtilis vaccine strain expressing Stx2B under the control of a stress inducible promoter was delivered to BALB/c mice via oral, nasal or subcutaneous routes using both vegetative cells and spores. Mice immunized with vegetative cells by the oral route developed low but specific anti-Stx2B serum IgG and fecal IgA responses while mice immunized with recombinant spores developed anti-Stx2B responses only after administration via the parenteral route. Nonetheless, serum anti-Stx2B antibodies raised in mice immunized with the recombinant B. subtilis strain did not inhibit the toxic effects of the native toxin, both under in vitro and in vivo conditions, suggesting that either the quantity or the quality of the induced immune response did not support an effective neutralization of Stx2 produced by EHEC strains.
Até o presente o momento, não há vacina ou imunoterapia disponível para pacientes com Síndrome Hemolítica Urêmica (SHU) induzida pela toxina Shiga-like (Stx) produzida por linhagens de Escherichia coli entero-hemorragica (EHEC), tais como as pertencentes ao sorotipo O157:H7. Neste trabalho, avaliamos a performance de Bacillus subtilis, uma espécie bacteriana gram-positiva não-patogênica formadora de esporos, como veículo vacinal para a expressão da subunidade B da Stx2B (Stx2B). Uma linhagem vacinal recombinante de B. subtilis expressando Stx2B, sob o controle de um promoter induzível por estresse, foi administrada a camundongos BALB/c por via oral, nasal ou subcutânea usando células vegetativas e esporos. Camundongos imunizados com células vegetativas e esporos pela via oral desenvolveram títulos anti-Stx2B baixos, mas específicos, de IgG sérico e IgA fecal, enquanto camundongos imunizados com esporos recombinates desenvolveram resposta anti-Stx2B apenas após a administração pela via parenteral. No entanto, anticorpos produzidos em camundongos imunizados com a linhagem recombinante de B. subtilis não inibiram os efeitos tóxicos da toxina nativa em condições in vitro e in vivo, sugerindo que a quantidade e/ou a qualidade da resposta imune gerada não suportam uma neutralização efetiva da Stx2 produzidas por linhagens de EHEC.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli , Antibodies, Bacterial/analysis , Bacillus subtilis/isolation & purification , In Vitro Techniques , Bacterial Vaccines , Mice , Spores, Bacterial , Methods , Serotyping , MethodsABSTRACT
No effective vaccine or immunotherapy is presently available for patients with the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) induced by Shiga-like toxin (Stx) produced by enterohaemorragic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains, such as those belonging to the O157:H7 serotype. In this work we evaluated the performance of Bacillus subtilis strains, a harmless spore former gram-positive bacterium species, as a vaccine vehicle for the expression of Stx2B subunit (Stx2B). A recombinant B. subtilis vaccine strain expressing Stx2B under the control of a stress inducible promoter was delivered to BALB/c mice via oral, nasal or subcutaneous routes using both vegetative cells and spores. Mice immunized with vegetative cells by the oral route developed low but specific anti-Stx2B serum IgG and fecal IgA responses while mice immunized with recombinant spores developed anti-Stx2B responses only after administration via the parenteral route. Nonetheless, serum anti-Stx2B antibodies raised in mice immunized with the recombinant B. subtilis strain did not inhibit the toxic effects of the native toxin, both under in vitro and in vivo conditions, suggesting that either the quantity or the quality of the induced immune response did not support an effective neutralization of Stx2 produced by EHEC strains.
