The Expression Pattern and Clinical Significance of Lysyl Oxidase Family in Gliomas.

LOX (Lysyl oxidase) family participates in the catalysis of collagen and elastin to maintain ECM homeostasis. Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor and LOX family has not been systemic studied in glioma. In this study, we found LOX family members are upregulated expressed in gliomas samples. A protein-protein interaction network (PPIN) was construct to visualize and understand the differential expression pattern, as well as functional annotation, for LOX family and their interacting proteins, which involved in collagen fibril organization and MAPK signaling pathway. Through subcellular localization distribution, the LOX family members distribute both intracellular and extracellular. All five LOX members are consistently significantly correlate with dendritic cell both in immune infiltrate of GBM and LGG. Survival analysis showed that high expression of LOX family is associated with a poor prognosis of gliomas patients. These analyses provide important clues to identify the potential biological roles for LOX family in gliomas, which might serve as diagnosis markers.

The challenge of determining lysyl oxidase activity: Old methods and novel approaches.

The lysyl oxidase (LOX) family of enzymes catalyze the oxidative deamination of lysine and hydroxylysine residues in collagen and elastin in the initiation step of the formation of covalent cross-linkages, an essential process for extracellular matrix (ECM) maturation. Elevated LOX expression levels leading to increased LOX activity is associated with diverse pathologies including fibrosis, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Different protocols have been so far established to detect and quantify LOX activity from tissue samples and cultured cells, all of them showing advantages and drawbacks. This review article presents a critical overview of the main features of currently available methods as well as introduces some recent technologies called to revolutionize our approach to LOX catalysis.

Intramuscular collagen characteristics and expression of related genes in skeletal muscle of cull cows receiving a high-energy diet.

We aimed to investigate differences in the synthesis and metabolism of intramuscular collagen in the Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle between heifers and cull-cows fed high-energy diet. Ten cull-cows, (74.9 ± 3.2 months age, weighing 536 ± 14.55 kg) and ten heifers (18.4 ± 3.2 months age, weighting 310.5 ± 14.5 kg) were fed with high-energy diets for 150 days. The total collagen content did not differ between treatments. Greater collagen solubility was observed in heifers than cull-cows, although no differences in lysyl oxidase activity were observed between treatments. No differences were observed for mRNA expression of CO1A1, MMP2, MMP9 and TIMP2 between treatments. However, cull-cows presented greater mRNA expression of COL3A1, TIMP1 and TIMP3 than heifers. Our data give no indication that feeding a high-energy diet to cull-cows decreases the concentration of intramuscular collagen in the LT muscle or increases its solubility in respect to the collagen solubility in LT muscles from heifers on the same diet.

The prognostic value of the lysyl oxidase family in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Our study intended to evaluate the prognostic value of lysyl oxidase (LOX) and its four relevant members, the lysyl oxidase-like genes (LOXL1-4), in ovarian cancer (OC) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Kaplan-Meier plotter (KM plotter) database was used to investigate the prognostic power of the LOX family for OC patients. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were the clinical endpoints. The prognostic roles of the LOX family in OC patients were also analyzed according to various clinicopathological characteristics, including histological subtypes, clinical stages, pathological grades, and chemotherapeutic treatments. RESULTS: Overexpression of LOX, LOXL1, LOXL2, and LOXL3 mRNA indicated poor OS and PFS in OC patients, particularly in serous and grade II + III OC patients. Overexpression of LOXL4 mRNA resulted in worse PFS in OC patients. Overexpression of LOX and LOXL1 mRNA showed worse OS and PFS in stage III + IV OC patients, and overexpression of LOXL3 mRNA indicated worse OS and PFS in stage I + II OC patients. Overexpression of LOX, LOXL3, and LOXL4 mRNA indicated worse OS and PFS among OC patients who received platinum, taxol, and taxol + platinum chemotherapy. Overexpression of LOXL1 and LOXL2 mRNA was related to lower OS and PFS in OC patients who received platinum chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: LOX, LOXL1, LOXL2, and LOXL3 may become potential predictive markers for negative outcomes in OC patients. Moreover, the LOX family can serve as new molecular predictors for the efficiency of platinum-based chemotherapy in OC patients.

Excessive EP4 Signaling in Smooth Muscle Cells Induces Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm by Amplifying Inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: Excessive prostaglandin E2 production is a hallmark of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Enhanced expression of prostaglandin E2 receptor EP4 (prostaglandin E receptor 4) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) has been demonstrated in human AAAs. Although moderate expression of EP4 contributes to vascular homeostasis, the roles of excessive EP4 in vascular pathology remain uncertain. We aimed to investigate whether EP4 overexpression in VSMCs exacerbates AAAs. Approach and Results: We constructed mice with EP4 overexpressed selectively in VSMCs under an SM22α promoter (EP4-Tg). Most EP4-Tg mice died within 2 weeks of Ang II (angiotensin II) infusion due to AAA, while nontransgenic mice given Ang II displayed no overt phenotype. EP4-Tg developed much larger AAAs than nontransgenic mice after periaortic CaCl2 application. In contrast, EP4fl/+;SM22-Cre;ApoE-/- and EP4fl/+;SM22-Cre mice, which are EP4 heterozygous knockout in VSMCs, rarely exhibited AAA after Ang II or CaCl2 treatment, respectively. In Ang II-infused EP4-Tg aorta, Ly6Chi inflammatory monocyte/macrophage infiltration and MMP-9 (matrix metalloprotease-9) activation were enhanced. An unbiased analysis revealed that EP4 stimulation positively regulated the genes binding cytokine receptors in VSMCs, in which IL (interleukin)-6 was the most strongly upregulated. In VSMCs of EP4-Tg and human AAAs, EP4 stimulation caused marked IL-6 production via TAK1 (transforming growth factor-ß-activated kinase 1), NF-κB (nuclear factor-kappa B), JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase), and p38. Inhibition of IL-6 prevented Ang II-induced AAA formation in EP4-Tg. In addition, EP4 stimulation decreased elastin/collagen cross-linking protein LOX (lysyl oxidase) in both human and mouse VSMCs. CONCLUSIONS: Dysregulated EP4 overexpression in VSMCs promotes inflammatory monocyte/macrophage infiltration and attenuates elastin/collagen fiber formation, leading to AAA exacerbation.

Downregulation of lysyl oxidase in venous malformations: Association with vascular destabilization and sclerotherapy.

Venous malformations (VM) are localized defects in vascular morphogenesis manifested by dilated venous channels with reduced perivascular cell coverage. As a vital enzyme for extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, lysyl oxidase (LOX) plays important roles in vascular development and diseases. However, the expression and significance of LOX are unknown in VM. Herein, 22 VM specimens and eight samples of normal skin tissues were evaluated immunohistochemically for the expression of LOX, α-smooth muscle cell actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß). In vitro studies on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were employed for determining potential mechanisms. Our results showed that LOX expression was significantly reduced in VM compared with normal skin tissues, in parallel with attenuated perivascular α-SMA+ cell coverage and TGF-ß downregulation in VM. Further correlation analysis indicated that LOX expression was positively correlated with perivascular α-SMA+ cell coverage and TGF-ß expression in VM. Moreover, marked elevation of LOX, TGF-ß and α-SMA was observed in bleomycin-treated VM samples. Furthermore, our in vitro data demonstrated that both recombinant TGF-ß and bleomycin induced obvious increase of LOX expression and activity and a concomitant increase in ECM components in HUVEC, which could be reversed by LOX inhibition. To our best knowledge, this study revealed for the first time the downregulation of LOX in VM and its correlation with vascular destabilization and TGF-ß-induced endothelial ECM deposition. Moreover, our results highlighted that LOX may be implicated in the sclerotherapy of VM and holds promise as a therapeutic target.

Analysis of lysyl oxidase as a marker for diagnosis of canine mammary tumors.

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is an extracellular metalloenzyme which mediates crosslinking of collagen and elastin. It has been reported to play a pivotal role in cancer metastasis especially in women suffering from breast cancer. The present study is the first to evaluate the gene expression levels of LOX by Real time-polymerase chain reaction (Real time-PCR) in dogs with mammary tumor besides molecular cloning and expression of canine lysyl oxidase gene (lox). Real time-PCR studies showed a significant upregulation (threefold higher) of lox in mammary tumor cases as compared to healthy dogs indicating its possible diagnostic and prognostic role in canine mammary tumors (CMTs). Cloning and sequencing of lox gene revealed 1230 bp CDS which is mostly conserved in C-terminal region. Sequence analysis of canine lox showed that it shares 99% homology with the predicted sequence available on NCBI and had greatest identity with the lox gene from cat. Protein structure predicted with homology modelling was validated by Ramachandran plot analysis which revealed most (approximately 95%) of the amino acids in favoured region. Additionally, recombinant lysyl oxidase expressed as His-tagged fusion protein in prokaryotic expression vector (pPROExHTa) was used in an ELISA for detection of circulating protein LOX in serum of CMT subjects. Receiver operating characteristics analysis of the ELISA revealed high sensitivity (90%) and specificity (85%) with histopathology as reference standard. Taken together, we propose LOX as a diagnostic biomarker and a putative prognostic candidate in CMT cases.

Myofibroblast Phenotype and Reversibility of Fibrosis in Patients With End-Stage Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial fibrosis is an important component of diastolic, and systolic, dysfunction in heart failure (HF) and depends on activation and differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts (MyoFb). Recent clinical evidence suggests that in late-stage HF, fibrosis is not reversible. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to examine the degree of differentiation of cardiac MyoFb in end-stage HF and the potential for their phenotypic reversibility. METHODS: Fibroblasts were isolated from the left ventricle of the explanted hearts of transplant recipients (ischemic and dilated cardiomyopathy), and from nonused donor hearts. Fibroblasts were maintained in culture without passaging for 4 or 8 days (treatment studies). Phenotyping included functional testing, immunostaining, and expression studies for markers of differentiation. These data were complemented with immunohistology and expression studies in tissue samples. RESULTS: Interstitial fibrosis with cross-linked collagen is prominent in HF hearts, with presence of activated MyoFbs. Tissue levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, lysyl oxidase, periostin, and osteopontin are elevated. Fibroblastic cells isolated from HF hearts are predominantly MyoFb, proliferative or nonproliferative, with mature α-smooth muscle actin stress fibers. HF MyoFb express high levels of profibrotic cytokines and the TGF-ß1 pathway is activated. Inhibition of TGF-ß1 receptor kinase in HF MyoFb promotes dedifferentiation of MyoFb with loss of α-smooth muscle actin and depolymerization of stress fibers, and reduces the expression of profibrotic genes and cytokines levels to non-HF levels. CONCLUSION: MyoFb in end-stage HF have a variable degree of differentiation and retain the capacity to return to a less activated state, validating the potential for developing antifibrotic therapy targeting MyoFb.

Lysyl oxidase and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α: biomarkers of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the main causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Recent studies on tumor microenvironments have shown that tumor metabolism exerts a vital role in cancer progression. AIM: To investigate whether lysyl oxidase (LOX) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) are prognostic and predictive biomarkers in GC. METHODS: A total of 80 tissue and blood samples were collected from 140 patients admitted to our hospital between August 2008 and March 2012. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to measure the expression of LOX and HIF1α in tumor and adjacent tissues collected from patients with GC. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of LOX and HIF1α in patients with GC. In addition, single-factor analysis was applied to analyze the relationship between LOX, HIF1α and prognosis of GC. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining suggested that the expression levels of LOX and HIF1α increased in tumor tissues from patients with GC. QRT-PCR analysis indicated that mRNA expression of LOX and HIF1α was also upregulated in tumor tissues, which was in accordance with the above results. We also detected expression of these two genes in blood samples. The expression level of LOX and HIF1α was higher in patients with GC than in healthy controls. Additional analysis showed that the expression level of LOX and HIF1α was related to the clinicopathological characteristics of GC. Expression of LOX and HIF1α increased with the number of lymph node metastases , deeper infiltration depth and later tumor-node-metastasis stages. Single-factor analysis showed that high expression of LOX and HIF1α led to poor prognosis of patients with GC. CONCLUSION: LOX and HIF1α can be used as prognostic and predictive biomarkers for GC.

Un análisis general de la prolisil-oxidasa circulante en pacientes no isquémicos con una insuficiencia cardiaca común con fracción de eyección conservada / A global assessment of circulating prolysyl oxidase in nonischemic patients with garden-variety heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Introducción y objetivos: La enzima lisil-oxidasa se expresa al alza en el miocardio de pacientes con cardiopatía hipertensiva. Se propone investigar si los pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca y fracción de eyección conservada de origen hipertensivo-metabólico (ICFEc-HM) presentaban también concentraciones elevadas de prolisil-oxidasa circulante (pLOXc) y las posibles consecuencias de ello. Métodos: Se cuantifican las concentraciones de pLOXc de 85 pacientes no isquémicos con ICFEp-HM en estadio C y se comparan con las de 51 controles sanos. Se evaluaron además las correlaciones entre las concentraciones de pLOXc y ciertos parámetros de rigidez miocárdica, productos del ciclo del colágeno y citocinas fibrogénicas, así como el valor predictivo de la concentración plasmática de la proenzima a 1 año de seguimiento. Resultados: Se detectaron valores aumentados de pLOXc y se encontró que se correlacionaban con los cocientes E/E' y las constantes de rigidez que se calcularon. El subgrupo de pacientes con disfunción diastólica de tipo 1 mostró una correlación negativa solo entre la pLOXc y el péptido natriurético cerebral, mientras que en los pacientes con un patrón diastólico restrictivo se demostró una fuerte correlación entre la pLOXc y la galectina-3. El análisis de Kaplan-Meier reveló que las concentraciones de pLOXc > 52,20 ng/ml incrementaron ligeramente el riesgo de desenlace fatal (test de log rank= 4,45; p = 0,034). Al aplicar la regresión de COX, se obtuvo que la pLOXc es un significativo predictor independiente de muerte u hospitalización por descompensación de la ICFEp-HM (HR = 1,360; IC95%, 1,126-1,638; p = 0,046). Conclusiones: Los pacientes con ICFEp-HM sintomática tienen altas concentraciones séricas de pLOXc, lo cual se asocia con índices de llenado diastólico restrictivo. Tales concentraciones representan un factor de riesgo moderado de mal pronóstico. A lo largo de la historia natural de la ICFEp-HM, se ha constatado que las concentraciones de pLOXc al principio se correlacionan negativamente con las de péptido natriurético cerebral, y después tienen correlación positiva con las de galectina-3, a medida que se desarrolla una disfunción diastólica avanzada

Introduction and objectives: Lysyl oxidase is overexpressed in the myocardium of patients with hypertensive cardiomyopathy. We aimed to explore whether patients with hypertensive-metabolic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HM-HFpEF) also have increased concentrations of circulating prolysyl oxidase (cpLOX) and its possible consequences. Methods: We quantified cpLOX concentrations in 85 nonischemic patients with stage C, HM-HFpEF, and compared them with those of 51 healthy controls. We also assessed the correlations of cpLOX with myocardial stiffness parameters, collagen turnover products and fibrogenic cytokines, as well as the predictive value of plasma proenzyme levels at 1-year of follow-up. Results: We detected raised cpLOX values and found that they correlated with calculated E/E' ratios and stiffness constants. The subgroup of patients with type I diastolic dysfunction showed a single negative correlation between cpLOX and B-type natriuretic peptide whereas patients with a restrictive diastolic pattern showed a strong correlation between cpLOX and galectin-3. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that cpLOX > 52.20 ng/mL slightly increased the risk of a fatal outcome (log-rank = 4.45; P = .034). When Cox regression was used, cpLOX was found to be a significant independent predictor of cardiovascular death or hospitalization due to the decompensation of HM-HFpEF (HR, 1.360; 95%CI, 1.126-1.638; P = .046). Conclusions: Patients with symptomatic HM-HFpEF show high cpLOX serum levels associated with restrictive diastolic filling indices. These levels represent a moderate risk factor for poor clinical outcome. Throughout the natural history of HM-HFpEF, we observed that cpLOX concentrations were initially negatively correlated with B-type natriuretic peptide but positively correlated with galectin-3 as advanced diastolic dysfunction developed

Novel Approaches for Extracellular Matrix Targeting in Disease Treatment.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules, apart from structural role for the surrounding tissue, have also been defined as crucial mediators in several cell mechanisms. The proteolytic and cross-linking cascades of ECM have fundamental importance in health and disease, which is increasingly becoming acknowledged. However, formidable challenges remain to identify the diverse and novel role of ECM molecules, especially with regard to their distinct biophysical, biochemical, and structural properties. Considering the heterogeneous, dynamic, and hierarchical nature of ECM, the characterization of 3D functional molecular view of ECM in atomic detail will be very useful for further ECM-related studies. Nowadays, the creation of a pioneer ECM multidisciplinary integrated platform in order to decipher ECM homeostasis is more possible than ever. The access to cutting-edge technologies, such as optical imaging and electron and atomic force microscopies, along with diffraction and X-ray-based spectroscopic methods can integrate spanning wide ranges of spatial and time resolutions. Subsequently, ECM image-guided site-directed proteomics can reveal molecular compositions in defined native and reconstituted ECM microenvironments. In addition, the use of highly selective ECM enzyme inhibitors enables the comparative molecular analyses within pre-classified remodeled ECM microenvironments. Mechanistic information which will be derived can be used to develop novel protein-based inhibitors for effective diagnostic and/or therapeutic modalities targeting ECM reactions within tissue microenvironment.

Inhibition of lysyl oxidase expression by dextran sulfate affects invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells.

In the present study, the effect of dextran sulfate (DS) on the metastasis and invasion of human gastric cancer cells and its key underlying mechanism were investigated. The levels of hypoxia­inducible factor 1α (HIF­1α), transforming growth factor ß (TGF­ß) and lysyl oxidase (LOX) expression were evaluated in human gastric cancer and peritumoral tissues by immunohistochemical analysis. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were also examined using the Cell Counting Kit­8 assay and flow cytometry. The effect of DS on the invasion and migration of BGC­823 cells was assessed using a Transwell assay. BGC­823 cells were divided into the control (phosphate­buffered saline­treated) and experimental (DS­treated) groups, and cultured for different times under hypoxic conditions. Subsequently, LOX and TGF­ß expression levels in the cells were measured by immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence, reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. HIF­1α, TGF­ß and LOX expression levels were significantly higher in human gastric cancer tissues as compared with that in adjacent tissues. DS influenced cell proliferation and apoptosis in a dose­dependent manner. Furthermore, DS reduced the number of invaded and migrated cells. Under hypoxic conditions, DS reduced HIF­1α, TGF­ß and LOX expression levels in BGC­823 cells. After 12 h, the effect of combination of DS and ß­aminopropionitrile (BAPN) on LOX and TGF­ß protein levels was more significant compared with that of DS or BAPN alone. Therefore, DS may inhibit the invasion and migration of human gastric cancer cells under hypoxic conditions by influencing LOX.

In Vivo Expansion of Cancer Stemness Affords Novel Cancer Stem Cell Targets: Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor as an Example.

Cancer stem cell (CSC) identification relies on transplantation assays of cell subpopulations sorted from fresh tumor samples. Here, we attempt to bypass limitations of abundant tumor source and predetermined immune selection by in vivo propagating patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from human malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT), a rare and lethal pediatric neoplasm, to an advanced state in which most cells behave as CSCs. Stemness is then probed by comparative transcriptomics of serial PDXs generating a gene signature of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, invasion/motility, metastasis, and self-renewal, pinpointing putative MRT CSC markers. The relevance of these putative CSC molecules is analyzed by sorting tumorigenic fractions from early-passaged PDX according to one such molecule, deciphering expression in archived primary tumors, and testing the effects of CSC molecule inhibition on MRT growth. Using this platform, we identify ALDH1 and lysyl oxidase (LOX) as relevant targets and provide a larger framework for target and drug discovery in rare pediatric cancers.

Non-linear optical microscopy and histological analysis of collagen, elastin and lysyl oxidase expression in breast capsular contracture.

BACKGROUND: Capsular contracture is one of the most common complications in surgical interventions for aesthetic breast augmentation or post-mastectomy breast reconstruction involving the use of silicone prostheses. Although the precise cause of capsular contracture is yet unknown, the leading hypothesis is that it is caused by long-term unresolved foreign body reaction towards the silicone breast implant. To authors' best knowledge, this is the first study that elucidates the presence of lysyl oxidase (LOX)-an enzyme that is involved in collagen and elastin crosslinking within fibrous capsules harvested from patients with severe capsular contracture. It was hypothesized that over-expression of LOX plays a role in the irreversible crosslinking of collagen and elastin which, in turn, stabilizes the fibrous proteins and contributes to the progression of capsular contracture. METHODS: Eight fibrous capsules were collected from patients undergoing capsulectomy procedure, biomechanical testing was performed for compressive Young's moduli and evaluated for Type I and II collagen, elastin and LOX by means of non-linear optical microscopy and immunohistology techniques. RESULTS: Observations revealed the heterogeneity of tissue structure within and among the collected fibrous capsules. Regardless of the tissue structure, it has been shown that LOX expression was intensified at the implant-to-tissue interface. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate the involvement of LOX in the initiation of fibrous capsule formation which ultimately contributes towards the progression of capsular contracture.

Over-expression of lysyl oxidase is associated with poor prognosis and response to therapy of patients with lower grade gliomas.

Lower grade gliomas (LGGs) have highly diverse clinical phenotypes. The histological grade and type are insufficient to accurately predict the clinical outcomes of patients with LGGs. Therefore, identification of biomarkers that can facilitate the prediction of clinical outcomes in LGGs is urgently needed. Gene expression of LOX has been identified as a biomarker for various cancers. However, the clinical significance of LOX expression in LGGs has not been investigated. In this study, we analyzed the glioma RNA-seq dataset from TCGA (The Cancer Genome atlas) and identified lysyl oxidase (LOX) as a potential biomarker for LGGs. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high LOX expression is associated with worse overall survival and recurrence free survival in LGG patients. Besides, high LOX expression is associated with poor response to primary therapy, follow-up treatment, targeted molecular therapy, and radiation therapy. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses further confirmed LOX expression as an independent prognostic factor for LGG patients. Finally, we observed that LOX expression is significantly correlated with EMT (epithelial to mesenchymal transition) and IDH1 status in LGGs. In conclusion, our analyses suggest that LOX expression is a potential biomarker for prognosis and therapeutic response in LGGs.

Measurement of lysyl oxidase activity from small tissue samples and cell cultures.

Increasing interest in the multifunctional lysyl oxidase family of proteins is evident from the growth in the number of new publications each year. The enzymes have unique properties of strong affinities to extracellular matrix components, relative insolubility in typical buffers, low catalytic rates, and often low abundance. Here we provide detailed protocols to extract and assay lysyl oxidase enzymes from tissue samples, cell culture cell layers, and media. Buffer conditions and procedures are optimized based on the characteristics mentioned above, while avoiding the use of radioactive substrates. Peroxidase/Amplex Red-based coupled reactions have proven to be the most useful in this context under specified conditions, and permit calculation of specific enzyme activities in absolute amounts of nanomoles of product/unit time/mg protein.

Lysyl oxidase is involved in synovial hyperplasia and angiogenesis in rats with collagen­induced arthritis.

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) serves an important role in remodeling the extracellular matrix and angiogenesis in various types of cancer; however, whether LOX is involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis remains unknown. In order to investigate this in the present study, ß­aminopropionitrile, an inhibitor of LOX, was injected intraperitoneally into rats with type II collagen­induced arthritis (CIA). Subsequently, synovial hyperplasia was examined by hematoxyl in and eosin staining, and the microvascular density (MVD) and expression levels of LOX, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)­2 and MMP­9 in the synovial membrane and fluid were determined by immunohistochemistry and ELISA, respectively. The enzyme activity of LOX was evaluated by the Amplex Red Hydrogen Peroxide method. The results demonstrated an increased amount of rough synovial membranes, higher MVD in these membranes and more synovial cell layers in CIA rats compared with in the control rats. In addition, higher enzymatic activity of LOX and higher expression levels of MMP­2 and MMP­9 were revealed in CIA rats compared with in the control rats. Notably, ß­aminopropionitrile inhibited paw swelling and the decreased the arthritis index, the MVD in the synovial membranes and the expression levels of MMP­2 and MMP­9. Furthermore, the expression level of LOX in the synovial membranes was positively associated with the MVD and the expression levels of MMP­2 and MMP­9, suggesting that LOX promotes synovial hyperplasia and angiogenesis and that LOX may be a potential therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis.

The composition of collagen in the aneurysm wall of men and women.

BACKGROUND: Loss of vessel wall integrity by degradation is essential for the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and ultimately its rupture. The observed greater rupture rate in women with AAA might be related to gender differences in the biomechanical properties of the aneurysm wall. The aim of the study was to compare the biomechanically important structure of collagen between men and women with AAA. METHODS: Biopsies of the aneurysm walls were obtained during elective open repair of men (n = 14) and women (n = 14) treated for AAA. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Western blot, messenger RNA expression, and histochemical analyses were performed to assess the cross-linking and the amount and the composition of collagen. RESULTS: There was neither a difference in the thickness of the aneurysm wall, nor in the histological evaluation of the collagen composition between the sexes. Relative collagen content in the aneurysm wall was similar in men and women, as assessed by messenger RNA expression and HPLC. Collagen cross-linking differed between the sexes; women had more lysyl pyridinoline (LP) than men (0.140 vs 0.07; P = .005), resulting in a lower hydroxyl pyridinoline (HP):LP ratio (3.28 vs 8.41; P = .003). There was no difference in messenger RNA and protein expressions of lysyl hydroxylase and lysyl oxidase to associate with the lower HP:LP ratio in women. CONCLUSIONS: The composition of collagen in the aneurysm wall of men and women are in several aspects similar, with the exception of collagen cross-linking, suggesting that the difference in rupture rate between the sexes rather depend on the composition of other vessel wall structures.

Función e importancia clínica de la enzima lisil-oxidasa / Role and clinical significance of the lysyl oxidase enzyme / Funções e importância clínicas da enzima lisil-oxidase

La lisil-oxidasa (LOX) es una quinoenzima que contiene cobre y lisil-tirosilquinona como cofactor. Esta amino-oxidasa actúa en la catálisis de la desaminación oxidativa de residuos de lisina en los precursores del colágeno y de elastina. Anteriormente se ha informado sobre su biosíntesis, sus propiedades catalíticas y mecanismo de reacción, cofactores e inhibidores, así como la expresión y respuesta a diversos efectores celulares. En este trabajo se analizan las funciones e implicancias clínicas de LOX ya que sus niveles aumentan en muchas enfermedades fibróticas y en algunos tumores, con lo que promueven metástasis, mientras que la expresión de la enzima está disminuida en enfermedades que involucran un deterioro en el metabolismo del cobre. LOX tiene funciones paradójicas en cáncer puesto que actúa tanto en la supresión como en la promoción tumoral. Se plantea su rol en la aterogénesis y la disfunción endotelial, en trastornos oculares, fibrosis, enfermedades iatrogénicas, regeneración ósea y aumento del riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares, entre otras. Se encaran los últimos avances referidos a la acción proangiogénica del cobre y las funciones de la proteína precursora de LOX, cuyos niveles de expresión están asociados con diversos tipos de cáncer.

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper-containing quinoenzyme, having lysyl-tyrosyl-quinone as cofactor. This amino oxidase catalyzes the oxidative deamination of lysine residues in collagen and elastin precursors. Its biosynthesis, catalytic properties and reaction mechanism, cofactors and inhibitors as well as expression and response to various cellular effectors have previously been reported. In the present paper, functions and clinical implications of LOX are analyzed, since LOX levels are increased in many fibrotic diseases, and in some tumors promoting metastasis, whereas the expression of the enzyme is decreased in diseases involving deterioration in copper metabolism. LOX shows paradoxical roles in cancer both suppressing and promoting tumors. The role of LOX in atherogenesis and endothelial dysfunction, eye disorders, fibrosis, iatrogenic diseases, bone regeneration, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, among others, are addressed. Recent developments related to the proangiogenic action of copper and functions of LOX precursor protein, whose expression levels are associated with various cancers, are discussed.

A lisil oxidase (LOX) é uma quinoenzima contendo cobre e lisil-tirosil-quinona como cofator. Esta amino oxidase atua na catálise da desaminação oxidativa de resíduos de lisina de precursores de colágeno e elastina. Anteriormente foi informado sobre sua biossíntese, suas propriedades catalíticas e mecanismo de reação, cofatores e inibidores, bem como a expressão e resposta a vários efetores celulares. Neste trabalho as funções e implicações clínicas de LOX são analisadas visto que seus níveis aumentam em muitas doenças fibróticas e em alguns tumores promovendo metástases, enquanto que a expressão da enzima está reduzida em doenças que envolvem deterioração no metabolismo do cobre. LOX tem funções paradoxais em câncer, uma vez que atua tanto na supressão quanto na promoção tumoral. Discute-se ser papel na aterogênese e disfunção endotelial, distúrbios oculares, fibrose, doenças iatrogênicas, regeneração óssea e aumento do risco de doença cardiovascular, dentre outras. São encarados os últimos avanços associados com a ação pró-angiogênica do cobre e as funções da proteína precursora de LOX, cujos níveis de expressão estão associadas com vários tipos de câncer.

Lysyl oxidase expression in cardiac fibroblasts is regulated by α2ß1 integrin interactions with the cellular microenvironment.

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) catalyzes crosslink formation between fibrillar collagens and elastins and an increase in LOX activity has been associated with cardiac fibrosis following myocardial infarction (MI). It has been previously reported that LOX expression is regulated by growth factors and cytokines including transforming growth factor (TGF-ß1); however, it is unclear how the biophysical and biochemical properties of the cellular microenvironment affect LOX expression. In this study, we isolated rat cardiac fibroblasts (CF) and infarct cardiac fibroblasts (ICF), from healthy and 1-week post-MI left ventricular tissue respectively, and cultured them under varied substrate conditions in vitro to assess their influence on LOX expression. Culture of ICF on collagen I-coated plates increased LOX expression versus uncoated plates with an additional increase observed with the presence of TGF-ß1. To further investigate the effect of integrin interactions with collagen I on LOX expression, we inhibited the α2ß1 integrin from binding to collagen I and found gene and protein expression of LOX to be downregulated. Together, this demonstrates that the interaction of α2ß1 integrin to collagen I in the cellular microenvironment can regulate expression of LOX. Further studies investigating additional integrin interactions may identify therapeutic targets for treating cardiac fibrosis.