Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) directly influences platinum drug chemosensitivity in ovarian tumour cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy response in ovarian cancer patients is frequently compromised by drug resistance, possibly due to altered drug metabolism. Platinum drugs are metabolised by glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), which is abundantly, but variably expressed in ovarian tumours. We have created novel ovarian tumour cell line models to investigate the extent to which differential GSTP1 expression influences chemosensitivity. METHODS: Glutathione S-transferase P1 was stably deleted in A2780 and expression significantly reduced in cisplatin-resistant A2780DPP cells using Mission shRNA constructs, and MTT assays used to compare chemosensitivity to chemotherapy drugs used to treat ovarian cancer. Differentially expressed genes in GSTP1 knockdown cells were identified by Illumina HT-12 expression arrays and qRT-PCR analysis, and altered pathways predicted by MetaCore (GeneGo) analysis. Cell cycle changes were assessed by FACS analysis of PI-labelled cells and invasion and migration compared in quantitative Boyden chamber-based assays. RESULTS: Glutathione S-transferase P1 knockdown selectively influenced cisplatin and carboplatin chemosensitivity (2.3- and 4.83-fold change in IC50, respectively). Cell cycle progression was unaffected, but cell invasion and migration was significantly reduced. We identified several novel GSTP1 target genes and candidate platinum chemotherapy response biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: Glutathione S-transferase P1 has an important role in cisplatin and carboplatin metabolism in ovarian cancer cells. Inter-tumour differences in GSTP1 expression may therefore influence response to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients.

Structure-function relationships in novel peptide dodecamerswith broad-spectrum bactericidal and endotoxin-neutralizing activities.

A series of designed peptide 33-mers (betapep peptides) areknown to be bactericidal [Mayo, Haseman, Ilyina and Gray (1998)Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1425, 81-92]. Here dodecapeptides (SC-1-SC-8), which 'walk through' the sequence ofbetapep-25, were investigated for their ability to kill Gram-negativeand -positive bacteria and to neutralize endotoxin. SC-4 (KLFKRHLKWKI I-NH(2); the -NH(2) at the right of each sequenceindicates amidation of the C-terminal carboxylate group) is the mosteffective, more so than betapep-25, at killing Gram-negative bacteriawith nanomolar LD(50) values. Against Gram-positive bacteria,SC-4 also shows good activity with submicromolar LD(50)values. Leakage studies indicate rapid bacterial membrane permeability,with t(1/2) valuesof 10-15 min. SC-4 in the micromolar range also effectivelyneutralizes endotoxin and is not haemolytic below 10(-4)M. For all SC peptides, CD and NMR data indicate the presence of both 3(10)- and alpha-helix. For SC-4, nuclear-Overhauser-effect-based computational modelling yields an amphipathic helix with K1, K4,R5, and K8 arrayed on the same face (K is lysine, R is arginine). Activity differences among SC peptides and single-site variants of SC-4allow some structure-function relationships to be deduced. Relative to other known bactericidal peptides in the linear peptide,helix-forming category, SC-4 is the most potent broad-spectrumantibacterial identified to date. The present study contributes to thedevelopment of agents involved in combating the ever-recurring problemof drug-resistant micro-organisms.

Heparin dodecasaccharide binding to platelet factor-4 and growth-related protein-alpha. Induction of a partially folded state and implications for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

alpha-Chemokines are known heparin-binding proteins. Here, a heparin dodecasaccharide (H12) was purified and used in NMR studies to investigate binding to growth-related protein-alpha (Gro-alpha) and to platelet factor-4-M2 (PF4-M2), an N-terminal chimera of PF4. Pulsed field gradient NMR was used to derive diffusion coefficients as the protein (monomer):H12 ratio was varied. In the absence of H12, both PF4-M2 and Gro-alpha give diffusion coefficients consistent with the presence of mostly dimers. As the PF4-M2:H12 ratio is increased from 1:6 to 2:1, the diffusion coefficient increases, indicating dissociation to the monomer state. On addition of H12 to either protein, (15)N/(1)H heteronuclear single quantum coherence NMR data demonstrate loss of (1)H resonance dispersion and intensity, particularly at protein:H12 ratios of 2:1 to 4:1, indicating significant perturbation to native structures. For Gro-alpha in particular, (1)H resonance dispersion appears random coil-like. At these same ratios, circular dichroism (CD) data show general retention of secondary structure elements with a slight shift to additional helix formation. Random coil NMR resonance dispersion suggests a shift to a less compact, partially folded, and/or more flexible state. Further addition of H12 causes resonance intensity and dispersion to return making NMR spectra appear native-like. At low PF4-M2:H12 ratios, loss of resonance intensity for residues proximal to Arg-20 and Arg-22 in three-dimensional NMR HCCH-TOCSY spectra suggests that the Arg-20-Arg-22 loop either interacts most strongly with H12 and/or that binding at this site is heterogeneous. This domain was previously shown to be crucial to heparin binding. Of particular interest to the biology of PF4-heparin complex formation, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia antibody binding occurs at about the same PF4-M2:H12 ratio as does this transition to a partially folded PF4-M2 state, strongly suggesting that heparin-induced thrombocytopenia antibody recognizes a less folded, lower aggregate state of the protein.