ABSTRACT
KRAS is a small GTPase that regulates cell proliferation and survival. In tumors, the KRAS gene is mutated, and leading to unregulated tumor growth. Despite the recognized importance of KRAS in cancer, attempts to develop small molecule inhibitors have proved unsuccessful. An alternative strategy is gene silencing and the use of small nucleic acid sequences (e.g. siRNA, shRNA), has been reported to successfully downregulate KRAS. In this study we developed ternary nanocomplexes to deliver an anti-KRAS siRNA to colorectal cancer cells, exploiting the interaction of hyaluronic acid (HA) with CD44 as a means to achieve selective targeting of CD44-positive cancer cells. Two different polycations, poly(hexamethylene biguanide) and chitosan, were complexed with siRNA and coated with HA. Physico-chemical properties and stability of nanoparticles were characterized, including size, surface charge, and degree of siRNA protection. We demonstrate nanoparticle internalization (flow cytometry), siRNA cytosolic release (confocal microscopy) and KRAS silencing (RT-qPCR) in CD44+/KRAS+ colorectal cancer cell line, HCT-116. Further we demonstrate that the uptake of HA-decorated nanoparticles in cancer cells is higher when co-cultured with fibroblasts.
Subject(s)
Colorectal Neoplasms/therapy , Drug Delivery Systems/methods , Gene Silencing , Hyaluronan Receptors/metabolism , Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry , Nanomedicine/methods , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics , RNA, Small Interfering/administration & dosage , Biguanides/chemistry , Cell Line, Tumor , Chemical Phenomena , Chitosan/chemistry , Coculture Techniques , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Drug Liberation , Drug Stability , Fibroblasts/metabolism , Humans , Nanoparticles/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/deficiency , RNA, Small Interfering/geneticsABSTRACT
The cDNA clones for two members of a novel protein kinase family were isolated and sequenced. These protein-kinase-C-related kinases, PRK1 and PRK2, display extensive identity to each other, revealing non-kinase domain similar regions. HR1 and HR2. HR1 contains a motif repeated three times (HR1a-c), while HR2 shows similarity to the amino-terminal sequence of protein-kinase-C epsilon and eta isotypes. Both PRK1 and PRK2, expressed in COS 1 cells, are autophosphorylated in immunoprecipitates, indicating intrinsic kinase activity. PRK1 and PRK2, as well as a third member of this family, PRK3, show distinct patterns of expression in adult tissues.
Subject(s)
Protein Kinase C/genetics , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Base Sequence , Cell Line , Cloning, Molecular , DNA, Complementary , Humans , Molecular Sequence Data , Phosphorylation , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Sequence Homology, Amino AcidABSTRACT
A PCR approach has been employed to screen two cDNA libraries for PKC(-related) sequences. In each case multiple cDNAs were identified, including known PKC isotypes, a previously unknown PKC-eta related sequence and three members of what appears to be a protein kinase C related kinase (PRK 1-3) family. The origin and relationships of these predicted proteins is discussed.
Subject(s)
Protein Kinase C/genetics , Amino Acid Sequence , Cell Line , DNA, Complementary , Humans , Molecular Sequence Data , Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
Human sebaceous glands were isolated by shearing, and maintained for 7 days either on defined medium, on medium supplemented with 3 microM-testosterone or on medium supplemented with both 3 microM-testosterone and 1 microM-13-cis retinoic acid. Freshly isolated glands retained their in vivo morphology. On maintenance, the glands retained their freshly isolated rates of cell division, but the sebocytes showed increased keratinization and there was multilayering of the peripheral undifferentiated cells. However, glands maintained in the presence of 1 microM-13-cis retinoic acid showed very little luminal keratinization and only a small degree of multilayering. On autoradiography, freshly isolated glands retained their in vivo pattern of [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation. Similar patterns were seen when glands were maintained for 7 days with or without testosterone. However, in the presence of both testosterone and 13-cis retinoic acid there was only slight graining. Following 7 days maintenance the rate of lipogenesis fell significantly. This was partially reversed by testosterone, but further inhibited by 13-cis retinoic acid. The patterns of lipids that are synthesised after a week's maintenance are very similar to those seen in freshly isolated glands, except that the squalene:cholesterol ratio is reversibly regulated by 3 microM-testosterone and 1 microM-retinoic acid. Protein synthesis was maintained at the same rates as for freshly isolated glands under all conditions of maintenance. Whereas DNA synthetic rates were maintained in the presence of testosterone, they were significantly inhibited by 13-cis retinoic acid. Glandular wet weights were retained under all conditions of maintenance, except that they were significantly reduced by 13-cis retinoic acid. This study shows that human sebocytes continue to divide on organ maintenance, but that they do not differentiate fully. However, this provides the first demonstration that 13-cis retinoic acid acts on human sebaceous glands directly, reducing the rate of cell division and the rate of lipogenesis, which shows that the maintained human sebaceous gland might provide a useful model for studying the effect of 13-cis retinoic acid on human sebocytes.
Subject(s)
Sebaceous Glands/cytology , Testosterone/pharmacology , Tretinoin/pharmacology , Adult , Aged , DNA/biosynthesis , Humans , Lipids/biosynthesis , Male , Middle Aged , Organ Culture Techniques/methods , Organ Size/drug effects , Protein Biosynthesis , Sebaceous Glands/anatomy & histology , Sebaceous Glands/drug effects , Sebaceous Glands/metabolismABSTRACT
Lipid synthesis by freshly isolated human apocrine glands has been measured by the incorporation of [U-14C] acetate. Incorporation is linear over 6 h at 1010 +/- 282 pmol/mg wet weight/h (n = 11; mean +/- sem). The lipid classes, as percentages of the total lipid synthesized, were found by TLC to be cholesterol 12.3 +/- 2.0, mono-glycerides 7.5 +/- 1.5, 1,2 di-glycerides 3.0 +/- 0.9, 1,3 di-glycerides 3.5 +/- 0.5, tri-glycerides 28.4 +/- 1.8, free fatty acids 2.0 +/- 0.4, lysolecithin 15.4 +/- 3.9, sphingomyelin 9.9 +/- 4.3, phosphatidyl-choline 8.4 +/- 0.4, phosphatidyl-ethanolamine -inositol and -serine 1.8 +/- 0.1, phosphatidic acid and cardiolipin 3.3 +/- 0.5, and unidentified 3.3 +/- 0.5 (mean +/- sem, n = 5). Glands were maintained on permeable supports. After 10 d maintenance, electron microscopy showed that the cellular architecture had been preserved, that the ATP contents were the same as in freshly isolated glands, and that [U-14C] acetate incorporation was not significantly altered at 851 +/- 237 pmol/mg/h (n = 18). The addition of 3 microM testosterone had no effect on acetate incorporation at 844 +/- 231 pmol/mg/h (n = 18). The lipid classes and their proportions were similar to the values for fresh glands after 10 d maintenance both with and without testosterone.
