Upregulation of CFTR in patients with endometriosis and its involvement in NFκB-uPAR dependent cell migration.

Endometriotic tissues exhibit high migration ability with the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Our previous studies have demonstrated that cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) acts as a tumor suppressor regulating cell migration. In the present study, we explored whether CFTR plays a role in the development of human endometriosis. We found that both mRNA and protein expression levels of CFTR and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) were significantly increased in ectopic endometrial tissues from patients with endometriosis compared to normal endometrial tissues from women without endometriosis and positively correlated. In human endometrial Ishikawa (ISK) cells, overexpression of CFTR stimulated cell migration with upregulated NFκB p65 and uPAR. Knockdown of CFTR inhibited cell migration. Furthermore, inhibition of NFκB with its inhibitors (curcumin or Bay) significantly reduced the expression of uPAR and cell migration in the CFTR-overexpressing ISK cells. Collectively, the present results suggest that the CFTR-NFκB-uPAR signaling may contribute to the progression of human endometriosis, and indicate potential targets for diagnosis and treatment.

Up-regulation of Bcl-2 by CD147 Through ERK Activation Results in Abnormal Cell Survival in Human Endometriosis.

CONTEXT: Human endometriosis (EMS) is characterized by insufficient apoptosis. Our previous studies have shown elevated CD147 expression in human endometriotic tissues and its involvement in endometrial cell apoptosis. However, the exact underlying mechanism remains elusive. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine the correlation of the highly expressed CD147 with anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 in human endometriotic tissues and to determine the CD147-regulated apoptotic pathway in human endometrial epithelial cell line (HES). DESIGN: This was a laboratory study using human tissue analysis and HES cell culture. SETTING: The setting was an academic research center and hospital. PATIENTS: Patients were 30 women with ovarian EMS and 12 women without EMS. INTERVENTIONS: mRNA levels of CD147 and Bcl-2 were evaluated in endometriotic tissues by quantitative real-time PCR. HES cells were transfected with pcDNA3.0-CD147 overexpressing plasmid or immune-depleted by CD147 antibody. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measures were reverse transcription, quantitative real-time PCR, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay, and Western blotting. RESULTS: In human endometriotic tissues, Bcl-2 was up-regulated and positively correlated with CD147 expression, accompanied by activated ERK signaling. In HES cells, overexpression of CD147 increased viable cells and up-regulated Bcl-2 expression by activation of ERK signaling. Interference with CD147 function suppressed ERK signaling and decreased Bcl-2 expression, followed by accumulation of apoptotic factors, including cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase. CONCLUSIONS: The presently found strong correlations between Bcl-2 and CD147, ERK, and CD147 in human endometriotic lesions and the demonstrated reduced cell apoptosis through CD147-ERK-Bcl-2 intrinsic apoptosis signaling axis suggest that this CD147-regulated signaling may contribute to the enhanced cell survival in the progression of human EMS.

[Inhibition of microRNA-23a increases cisplatin sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells: the possible molecular mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in cisplatin sensitivity of resistant ovarian cancer A2780 cells after inhibition of miR-23a expression and explore the molecular mechanisms. METHODS: The drug-resistant ovarian cancer A2780 cells were exposed to cisplatin alone or in combination with antagomir-23a. The cell inhibition rates after the treatments were detected using MTT assay, cell cycle changes assessed with flow cytometry; and apoptotic cells observed using Hoechst33258 staining. The changes in glycoprotein P-gp expression in the cells were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: Inhibition of miR-23 a combined with cisplatin treatment significantly increased the cell inhibition rate (P<0.01) and lowered the IC(50) so of cisplatin by 83.76% from 110.18 µmol/L in the control group to 17.89 µmol/L (P<0.01). The combined treatments also caused cell cycle arrestin G0/G1 phase, increased the cell apoptosis rate (P<0.01) and the number of cells stained with Hoechst33258; the cellular expression of P-gp protein was significantly reduced as the cisplatin doses increased (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Inhibition of miR-23a expression increases the sensitivity of A2780 cells to cisplatin possibly by inhibiting the negative regulation by miR-23a target genes that causes inhibition of P-gp protein expression.

Generation of scFv specific to human VEGFR-3 from the neutralizing mAb BDD073.

In our previous study, we have produced a neutralizing mAb of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3), specifically BDD073, which could inhibit angiogenesis in the CAM model. However, the clinical application of BDD073 is restricted due to its mouse origin, which might cause human anti-mouse antibody reactions. Herein, we generated functional recombinant single-chain variable fragments (scFv) from mAb BDD073 producing mouse hybridoma cells. The scFv gene containing variable regions of heavy and light chains of BDD073 was cloned into an expression vector with trx tag and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant scFv was purified and refolded with Ni-NTA agarose metal affinity column. The bacterially expressed scFv showed moderate potency and specificity to the human VEGFR-3. It may serve as a potential candidate of anti-VEGFR3 treatment for biotechnological and therapeutic applications.

Elevated expression of CD147 in patients with endometriosis and its role in regulating apoptosis and migration of human endometrial cells.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the expression of CD147 in 60 human endometriosis lesions and how CD147 regulates migration and apoptosis in human uterine epithelial (HESs) cells. DESIGN: Experimental clinical study and laboratory-based investigation. SETTING: Hospital and academic research center. PATIENT(S): Sixty women with chocolate cysts and 16 control women without endometriosis. INTERVENTION(S): Human uterine epithelial cells were treated with anti-CD147 antibody. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Real-time polymerase chain reaction for detecting CD147 expression in 60 human endometriosis lesions; migration assay and CellTiter 96 AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay (MTS) assay for cell functional investigation; Western blot for detecting protein levels; gelatin zymography for evaluating the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in cultured cells. RESULT(S): Expression of CD147 was significantly higher in ectopic endometrial tissues from patients with endometriosis than in normal endometrial tissues. Interference with CD147 function led to decreased migration and cell viability in HESs cells. Surprisingly, MMP-2 expression and activity were not changed after treating HESs cells with anti-CD147 antibody. Further examination revealed that immunodepletion of CD147 induced apoptosis in HESs cells, leading to the activation of caspase 3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. CONCLUSION(S): The results of the present study suggest that abnormally high expression of CD147 in ovarian endometriosis lesions with enhanced cell survival (reduced apoptosis) and migration, in an MMP-2-independent manner, may underlie the progression of endometriosis in humans.

Reconstitution of coronary vasculature by an active fraction of Geum japonicum in ischemic hearts.

Chronic coronary heart disease (cCHD) is characterized by atherosclerosis, which progressively narrows the coronary artery lumen and impairs myocardial blood flow. Restoration of occluded coronary vessels with newly formed collaterals remains an ideal therapeutic approach due to the need for redirecting blood flow into the ischemic heart. In this study, we investigated the effect of an active fraction isolated from Geum joponicum (AFGJ) on angiogenesis in cCHD hearts. Our results demonstrated that AFGJ not only enhanced capillary tube formation of endothelial cells, but also promoted the growth of new coronary collaterals (at the diameter 0.021-0.21 mm) in the ischemic region of hearts in rat cCHD model. Our study also indicated that the growth of new collaterals in ischemic hearts resulted in improved functional recovery of the cCHD hearts as demonstrated by ECG and echocardiography analyses. These data suggest that AFGJ may provide a novel therapeutic method for effective treatment of cCHD.

Inhibition of angiogenesis by a novel neutralizing antibody targeting human VEGFR-3.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3) is a receptor for the vascular endothelial growth factor C and D (VEGF-C and D) and plays a critical role in the development of embryonic vascular system and regulation of tumor lymphangiogenesis. In this report, we generated a novel panel of 17 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human VEGFR-3 and determined their ability to inhibit the proliferation of human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells and angiogenesis of chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Among these mAbs, BDD073 was demonstrated to inhibit the interaction of soluble VEGFR-3 with VEGF-D and the proliferation of HEL cells. Furthermore, in chick embryo CAM angiogenesis experiments, the angiogenesis induced by recombinant glutathione-S-transferase-VEGF-D was decreased in the presence of antibody BDD073. These data suggest that this novel neutralizing antibody against human VEGFR-3 could be a tool for the investigations into the biology of VEGFR-3, and potentially a reagent for blocking VEGF-D-induced angiogenesis and lymphogenesis.