Prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in epithelial ovarian cancer and its relation to beta-catenin expression.

We investigated the expression and prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -7, its relation to beta-catenin expression and clinicopathological factors in epithelial ovarian cancer. The expression of MMP-7 was analyzed immunohistochemically in a series of 284 primary epithelial ovarian cancers, their 36 metastases and 8 normal ovaries. In cancers with endometrioid histology, a high percentage area of MMP-7 expression and an intense MMP-7 signal was significantly associated with nuclear positivity of beta-catenin in cancer cells (p = 0.003, chi2 = 8.853 and p = 0.030, chi2 = 4.713, respectively). In all tumors and nonendometrioid subgroup, a low percentage area of MMP-7 positive tumor cells was significantly correlated with a high histological grade of the tumor (p = 0.003 and 0.005, respectively), in all tumors also with advanced stage of the tumor (p = 0.002) and large primary residual tumor (p = 0.005). A 10-year disease-related survival (DRS) was significantly better when the percentage area of MMP-7 expression in cancer cells was high, when compared to low (p = 0.0008). A high percentage area of intense MMP-7 signal in cancer cells predicted a significantly more favorable DRS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.0003 and 0.0052, respectively). In multivariate analysis, a high percentage area of intense MMP-7 signal in tumor cells was an independent prognostic factor, predicting favorable DRS and RFS. The present study showed that intense MMP-7 signal in tumor cells is an independent prognostic factor predicting better survival in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Geldanamycin activates Hsp70 response and attenuates okadaic acid-induced cytotoxicity in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Reversible protein phosphorylation regulates the biological activities of many human proteins involved in crucial cellular processes, e.g., protein-protein interactions, cell signaling, gene transcription, cell growth, and death. A malfunction of cellular homeostasis in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is involved in the age-related retinal degeneration. In this study, we examined cytotoxicity in human RPE cells subjected to the protein phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid (OA). Moreover, the influence of Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GA), a benzoquinone ansamycin, in cytoprotection was assessed. Hsp70 protein levels were analyzed by Western blot. Cellular viability was determined by LDH and MTT assays. To study apoptotic cell death, caspase-3 enzyme activity was measured by assaying the cleavage of a fluorescent peptide substrate and Hoechst dye was used to visualize nuclear morphology. OA treatment caused morphological changes and induced cytotoxicity by caspase-3-independent manner in the RPE cells. No evidence of nuclear fragmentation was observed in response to OA. Interestingly, GA treatment accumulated Hsp70 protein and attenuated OA-induced cytotoxicity. This study suggests that Hsp70 and Hsp90 are closely related to cytoprotection of RPE cells in response to protein phosphatase inhibition.

High hydrostatic pressure inhibits the biosynthesis of eukaryotic elongation factor-2.

High continuous hydrostatic pressure is known to inhibit the total cellular protein synthesis. In this study, our goal was to identify pressure-regulated proteins by using two dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. This analysis showed that under 30 MPa continuous hydrostatic pressure the biosynthesis of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF-2) was inhibited both in HeLa carcinoma and T/C28a4 chondrocytic cell lines. Western blot analysis of HeLa cells revealed that the cellular protein level of eEF-2 decreased by 40%-50% within 12 h of the pressure treatment. However, the steady-state mRNA level of eEF-2 was not affected by the pressure. Cycloheximide addition after 4 h-pressure treatment suggested that the half-life of eEF-2 protein was shorter in pressurized cells. eEF-2 is responsible for the translocation of ribosome along the specific mRNA during translation, and its phosphorylation prevents the ribosomal translocation. Therefore, increased phosphorylation of eEF-2 was considered as one mechanism that could explain the reduced level of protein synthesis in pressurized HeLa cell cultures. However, Western blot analysis with an antibody recognizing the Thr56-phosphorylated form of eEF-2 showed that phosphorylation of eEF-2 was not elevated in pressurized samples. In conclusion, the inhibition of protein synthesis under high pressure occurs independent of the phosphorylation of eEF-2. However, this inhibition may result from the decrease of cellular eEF-2 protein.

Hydrostatic pressure-induced changes in cellular protein synthesis.

Hydrostatic pressure is a well-known effector of cellular protein synthesis. High continuous hydrostatic pressure inhibits protein synthesis in general. It has been known for a long time that 30S ribosomal subunit is associated with the effects of pressure on protein synthesis in prokaryotes, however, the mechanisms of action are still not completely understood. Our new data suggest that synthesis of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF-2) is decreased under 30 MPa continuous hydrostatic pressure. Thus, eEF-2 may have a role in the synthesis of pressure-regulated proteins in eukaryotic cells. The presence of pressure-sensitive proteins indicate that hydrostatic pressure can induce very specific responses in stressed cells. Accumulation of heat shock protein 70 and 90 beta occurs under high pressure, independent of the general inhibition of protein synthesis, although this response appears clearly weaker than during heat stress.

Reticulon 4 in chondrocytic cells: barosensitivity and intracellular localization.

Members of the reticulon gene family are endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related proteins expressed in various human tissues, but their molecular functions are not understood. The reticulon 4 subfamily consists of three members, reticulon 4/Nogo-A, -B and -C. Reticulon 4-A is under intense investigation because of its inhibitory effect on neurite outgrowth, and reticulon 4-B has been suggested to induce apoptosis. Reticulon 4-C, the shortest member of this subfamily, is the least characterized. Reticulons are presumably guided to endoplasmic reticulum by a putative N-terminal retention motif. In this study the expressions of reticulon 4 subtypes in human chondrosarcoma cell line and in primary bovine chondrocytes were analyzed on mRNA level. These cell types, exposed to strong mechanical forces in vivo, were subjected to high hydrostatic pressure and mechanical stretch to study the possible mechanosensitivity of reticulon 4 genes. In addition, a green fluorescent protein-tagged reticulon 4-C and a fusion protein with mutated endoplasmic reticulum retention signal were used to study the significance of the C-terminal translocation signal (the di-lysine motif). As the result, both cell types expressed the three main isoforms of reticulon 4 family. The steady-state level of reticulon 4-B mRNA was shown to be up-regulated by pressure, but not by mechanical stretch indicating transcriptional barosensitivity. The reticular distribution pattern of reticulon 4-C was observed indicating a close association with endoplasmic reticulum. Interestingly, this pattern was maintained despite of the disruption of the putative localization signal. This suggests the presence of another, yet unidentified endoplasmic reticulum retention mechanism.

Stress responses of mammalian cells to high hydrostatic pressure.

High hydrostatic pressure causes stress response in many types of mammalian cells. We have previously shown that an accumulation of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in a chondrocytic cell line occurred without an activation of the gene itself. Stabilization of the hsp70 mRNA was shown to be the reason for the Hsp70 stress response in the pressurized cells. Since accumulation of Hsp70 in pressurized cells indicated that high hydrostatic pressure induces a stress response without heat shock transcription factor activation, we decided to investigate the activation of two other stress-associated transcription factors, activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Induction of Hsp70 in immortalized and primary chondrocytes, murine Neuro-2a neuroblastoma and HeLa cervical carcinoma cell lines was investigated at both mRNA and protein levels. In immortalized chondrocytes and HeLa cells, hsp70 mRNA levels were clearly elevated after 6 hours of the onset of 30 MPa continuous hydrostatic pressure, while in primary chondrocytes and Neuro-2a cells (the cells known to be stress-sensitive) no induction was observed. Surprisingly, neither heat shock nor high hydrostatic pressure could induce the hsp70 mRNA in Neuro-2a cells, although an activation of heat shock transcription factor could be observed in heat-shocked cells. No activation of the AP-1 and NF-kappaB binding to their target DNA sequences could be shown in the immortalized chondrocytes.

Gene expression profiles in chondrosarcoma cells subjected to cyclic stretching and hydrostatic pressure. A cDNA array study.

Mechanical forces have a profound effect on cartilage tissue and chondrocyte metabolism. Strenuous loading inhibits the cellular metabolism, while optimal level of loading at correct frequency raises an anabolic response in chondrocytes. In this study, we used Atlas Human Cancer cDNA array to investigate mRNA expression profiles in human chondrosarcoma cells stretched 8% for 6 hours at a frequency of 0.5 Hz. In addition, cultures were exposed to continuous and cyclic (0.5 Hz) 5 MPa hydrostatic pressure. Cyclic stretch had a more profound effect on the gene expression profiles than 5 MPa hydrostatic pressure. Several genes involved with the regulation of cell cycle were increased in stretched cells, as well as mRNAs for PDGF-B, glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, Tiam1, cdc37 homolog, Gem, integrin alpha6, and matrix metalloproteinase-3. Among down-regulated genes were plakoglobin, TGF-alpha, retinoic acid receptor-alpha and Wnt8b. A smaller number of changes was detected after pressure treatments. Plakoglobin was increased under cyclic and continuous 5 MPa hydrostatic pressure, while mitogen-activated protein kinase-9, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Rad6, CD9 antigen, integrins alphaE and beta8, and vimentin were decreased. Cyclic and continuous pressurization induces a number of specific changes. In conclusion, a different set of genes were affected by three different types of mechanical stimuli applied on chondrosarcoma cells.

Specific induction of heat shock protein 90beta by high hydrostatic pressure.

In chondrocytes, a low-amplitude intermittent hydrostatic pressure induces production of extracellular matrix molecules, while high hydrostatic pressure inhibits it. High pressure increases cellular heat shock protein 70 level in a number of cell types on account of increased stabilisation of the heat shock protein 70 mRNA. In our experiments, only bovine primary chondrocytes, but not an immortalized chondrocytic cell line, could resist the induction of the stress response in the presence of continuous 30 MPa hydrostatic pressure. We have recently shown that protein synthesis is required for the stabilization. According to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis the synthesis of heat shock protein 90 was also increased in a chondrocytic cell line and in HeLa cells, and mass spectrometric analysis suggested that the induction was rather due to increase in heat shock protein 90beta than in heat shock protein 90alpha. The stress response was rather intense in HeLa cells, therefore, we investigated the effect of continuous 30 MPa hydrostatic pressure on the expression of the two heat shock protein 90 genes in HeLa cells using Northern and Western blot analyses. Heat shock protein 90beta mRNA level increased within 6 hours of exposure to 30 MPa hydrostatic pressure, while hsp90alpha level remained stable. At protein level there was a clear increase in the heat shock protein 90beta/heat shock protein 90alpha ratio, too. These results show a specific regulation of stress proteins in cells exposed to high hydrostatic pressure.

cDNA array reveals mechanosensitive genes in chondrocytic cells under hydrostatic pressure.

Hydrostatic pressure (HP) has a profound effect on cartilage metabolism in normal and pathological conditions, especially in weight-bearing areas of the skeletal system. As an important component of overall load, HP has been shown to affect the synthetic capacity and well-being of chondrocytes, depending on the mode, duration and magnitude of pressure. In this study we examined the effect of continuous HP on the gene expression profile of a chondrocytic cell line (HCS-2/8) using a cDNA array containing 588 well-characterized human genes under tight transcriptional control. A total of 51 affected genes were identified, many of them not previously associated with mechanical stimuli. Among the significantly up-regulated genes were immediate-early genes, and genes involved in heat-shock response (hsp70, hsp40, hsp27), and in growth arrest (GADD45, GADD153, p21(Cip1/Waf1), tob). Markedly down-regulated genes included members of the Id family genes (dominant negative regulators of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors), and cytoplasmic dynein light chain and apoptosis-related gene NIP3. These alterations in the expression profile induce a transient heat-shock gene response and activation of genes involved in growth arrest and cellular adaptation and/or differentiation.

High pressure effects on cellular expression profile and mRNA stability. A cDNA array analysis.

Hydrostatic pressure has a profound effect on cartilage tissue and chondrocyte metabolism. Depending on the type and magnitude of pressure various responses can occur in the cells. The mechanisms of mechanotransduction at cellular level and the events leading to specific changes in gene expression are still poorly understood. We have previously shown that induction of stress response in immortalized chondrocytes exposed to high static hydrostatic pressure increases the stability of heat shock protein 70 mRNA. In this study, our aim was to examine the effect of high pressure on gene expression profile and to study whether stabilization of mRNA molecules is a general phenomenon under this condition. For this purpose a cDNA array analysis was used to compare mRNA expression profile in pressurized vs. non-pressurized human chondrosarcoma cells (HCS 2/8). mRNA stability was analyzed using actinomycin-treated and nontreated samples collected after pressure treatment. A number of immediate-early genes, and genes regulating cell cycle and growth were up-regulated due to high pressure. Decrease in osteonectin, fibronectin, and collagen types VI and XVI mRNAs was observed. Also bikunin, cdc37 homologue and Tiam1, genes linked with hyaluronan metabolism, were down-regulated. In general, stability of down-regulated mRNA species appeared to increase. However, no increase in mRNA above control level due to stabilization was noticed in the genes available in the array. On the other hand, mRNAs of certain immediate-early genes, like c-jun, jun-B and c-myc, became destabilized under pressure treatment. Increased accumulation of mRNA on account of stabilization under high pressure conditions seems to be a tightly regulated, specific phenomenon.