RhoA triggers a specific signaling pathway that generates transforming microvesicles in cancer cells.

Vesicular structures called microvesicles (MVs) that are shed from the surfaces of cancer cells are capable of transferring oncogenic cargo to recipient cancer cells, as well as to normal cells, sending mitogenic signals that greatly enhance tumor growth. Because MVs are stable in the circulation, they also may have a key role in secondary colonization and metastasis. Thus, understanding how MVs are generated could have important consequences for interfering with cancer progression. Here we report that the small GTPase RhoA triggers a specific signaling pathway essential for MV biogenesis in various human cancer cells. Inhibiting the activity of different proteins comprising this pathway blocks MV biogenesis in the donor cancer cells and prevents oncogenic transformation in cell culture as well as tumor growth in mice. Although RhoA has often been implicated in human cancer, these findings now highlight a previously unappreciated role for this GTPase in malignant transformation, and demonstrate that blocking MV biogenesis may offer novel approaches for interfering with malignant transformation.

Expression and activity of transglutaminase II in spontaneous tumours of dogs and cats.

Tissue transglutaminase II (TGase II) is a dual function protein with both transamidating and guanidine triphosphate (GTP)-binding capabilities. Previous studies have implicated TGase as a pro-apoptotic molecule; however, our recent findings indicate that TGase II may act as a survival factor in various cell types. The purpose of this study was to survey TGase II expression in normal tissue and spontaneous tumours of dogs and cats, by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Bladder, liver and adrenal gland exhibited prominent expression of TGase II while other tissues, including mammary gland, displayed limited expression and activity. TGase II GTP-binding in normal tissues was proportional to the level of expression in all tissues examined. Normal mammary tissue and that showing benign hyperplasia did not express TGase II. However, 11/25 (44%) of canine mammary carcinomas and 10/12 (83%) of feline mammary carcinomas strongly expressed TGase II in either a stromal, cellular or combined pattern. The pattern of expression was not related to the classification of mammary carcinoma (solid, tubulopapillary, complex or anaplastic), except that two anaplastic canine mammary carcinomas showed prominent TGase II expression. Two canine mammary carcinoma cell lines showed prominent TGase expression, and when the TGase activity was inhibited, the cells became more sensitive to doxorubicin-induced cell death. Thus, TGase II was significantly expressed in mammary cancers from dogs and cats and immunoreactivity of TGase II was similar to that reported in humans beings. The pro-survival effect of TGase II in canine mammary carcinoma cell lines was similar to that previously reported in humans patients.

Effects of tissue transglutaminase on retinoic acid-induced cellular differentiation and protection against apoptosis.

Retinoic acid (RA) and its various synthetic analogs affect mammalian cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Whereas treatment of the human leukemia cell line HL60 with RA results in cellular differentiation, addition of the synthetic retinoid, N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide (HPR), induces HL60 cells to undergo apoptosis. Moreover, pretreatment of HL60 cells as well as other cell lines (i.e. NIH3T3 cells) with RA blocks HPR-induced cell death. In attempting to discover the underlying biochemical activities that might account for these cellular effects, we found that monodansylcadaverine (MDC), which binds to the enzyme (transamidase) active site of tissue transglutaminase (TGase), eliminated RA protection against cell death and in fact caused RA to become an apoptotic factor, suggesting that the ability of RA to protect against apoptosis is linked to the expression of active TGase. Furthermore, it was determined that expression of exogenous TGase in cells exhibited enhanced GTP binding and transamidation activities and mimicked the survival advantage imparted by RA. We tested whether the ability of this dual function enzyme to limit HPR-mediated apoptosis was a result of the ability of TGase to bind GTP and/or catalyze transamidation and found that GTP binding was sufficient for the protective effect. Moreover, excessive transamidation activity did not appear to be detrimental to cell viability. These findings, taken together with observations that the TGase is frequently up-regulated by environmental stresses, suggest that TGase may function to ensure cell survival under conditions of differentiation and cell stress.

Analysis of the genetic alterations in a case of juvenile multiple colon carcinoma with hypogammaglobulinemia.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported the clinical characterization of a case of juvenile multiple colorectal carcinoma with hypogammaglobulinemia. Several recent studies have determined that agammaglobulinemia was caused by the loss of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) function. However, any genetic alterations associated with carcinoma formation in individuals with this immunodeficient disease have not been reported. METHODS: DNA from eight carcinoma tissues and nine adenoma tissues from this reported case were examined for mutations in p53 by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis, K-ras by mutant allele specific analysis, and replication error or loss of heterozygosity of the TP53 locus on chromosome #17. RESULTS: We found that p53 and K-ras were mutated in the carcinoma tissues. However, each tumor showed unequal and diverse results. CONCLUSIONS: The progression of individual tumor was not due to a common genetic event caused directly under the influence of the primary disease at the genetic level.

Constitutive activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase by a mutant epidermal growth factor receptor.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF) variant type III (EGFRvIII) is a constitutively active, naturally occurring mutation of the EGF receptor that is found in many types of human tumors. When overexpressed in NIH3T3 fibroblasts, EGFRvIII induces transformation by enhancing cell growth and reducing apoptosis. Analysis of downstream signaling pathways has revealed that extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity is down-regulated, raising doubt as to the significance of this pathway in promoting transformation. We investigated whether the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway was affected by EGFRvIII. NIH3T3 cells expressing EGFRvIII exhibited a high basal level of JNK activity, which was not present in cells overexpressing the normal EGF receptor. Treatment of cells overexpressing EGFRvIII with inhibitors of the EGF receptor or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase resulted in the down-regulation of JNK activity. Furthermore, the down-regulation of JNK activity was associated with a loss of properties related to transformation, and there was no evidence for JNK activity in the promotion of apoptosis in these cells. These findings implicate constitutive activation of the JNK pathway in transformation by EGFRvIII.

The SH3 domain contributes to BCR/ABL-dependent leukemogenesis in vivo: role in adhesion, invasion, and homing.

To determine the possible role of the BCR/ABL oncoprotein SH3 domain in BCR/ABL-dependent leukemogenesis, we studied the biologic properties of a BCR/ABL SH3 deletion mutant (delta SH3 BCR/ABL) constitutively expressed in murine hematopoietic cells. delta SH3 BCR/ABL was able to activate known BCR/ABL-dependent downstream effector molecules such as RAS, PI-3kinase, MAPK, JNK, MYC, JUN, STATs, and BCL-2. Moreover, expression of delta SH3 BCR/ABL protected 32Dcl3 murine myeloid precursor cells from apoptosis, induced their growth factor-independent proliferation, and resulted in transformation of primary bone marrow cells in vitro. Unexpectedly, leukemic growth from cells expressing delta SH3 BCR/ABL was significantly retarded in SCID mice compared with that of cells expressing the wild-type protein. In vitro and in vivo studies to determine the adhesive and invasive properties of delta SH3 BCR/ABL-expressing cells showed their decreased interaction to collagen IV- and laminin-coated plates and their reduced capacity to invade the stroma and to seed the bone marrow and spleen. The decreased interaction with collagen type IV and laminin was consistent with a reduced expression of alpha 2 integrin by delta SH3 BCR/ABL-transfected 32Dcl3 cells. Moreover, as compared with wild-type BCR/ABL, which localizes primarily in the cytoskeletal/membrane fraction, delta SH3 BCR/ABL was more evenly distributed between the cytoskeleton/membrane and the cytosol compartments. Together, the data indicate that the SH3 domain of BCR/ABL is dispensable for in vitro transformation of hematopoietic cells but is essential for full leukemogenic potential in vivo.