Comparative Phosphoproteomics of Neuro-2a Cells under Insulin Resistance Reveals New Molecular Signatures of Alzheimer's Disease.

Insulin in the brain is a well-known critical factor in neuro-development and regulation of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. The abnormality of brain insulin signaling is associated with the aging process and altered brain plasticity, and could promote neurodegeneration in the late stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The precise molecular mechanism of the relationship between insulin resistance and AD remains unclear. The development of phosphoproteomics has advanced our knowledge of phosphorylation-mediated signaling networks and could elucidate the molecular mechanisms of certain pathological conditions. Here, we applied a reliable phosphoproteomic approach to Neuro2a (N2a) cells to identify their molecular features under two different insulin-resistant conditions with clinical relevance: inflammation and dyslipidemia. Despite significant difference in overall phosphoproteome profiles, we found molecular signatures and biological pathways in common between two insulin-resistant conditions. These include the integrin and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase pathways, and we further verified these molecular targets by subsequent biochemical analysis. Among them, the phosphorylation levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and Src were reduced in the brain from rodent AD model 5xFAD mice. This study provides new molecular signatures for insulin resistance in N2a cells and possible links between the molecular features of insulin resistance and AD.

Etv2- and Fli1-Induced Vascular Progenitor Cells Enhance Functional Recovery in Ischemic Vascular Disease Model-Brief Report.

OBJECTIVE: Vascular progenitor cells (VPCs), which are able to differentiate into both endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, have the potential for treatment of ischemic diseases. Generated by pluripotent stem cells, VPCs carry the risk of tumorigenicity in clinical application. This issue could be resolved by direct lineage conversion, the induction of functional cells from another lineage by using only lineage-restricted transcription factors. Here, we show that induced VPCs (iVPCs) can be generated from fibroblasts by ETS (E-twenty six) transcription factors, Etv2 and Fli1. Approach and Results: Mouse fibroblasts were infected with lentivirus encoding Etv2 and Fli1. Cell colonies appeared in Fli1- and Etv2/Fli1-infected groups and were mechanically picked. The identity of cell colonies was confirmed by proliferation assay and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction with vascular markers. Etv2/Fli1- infected cell colonies were sorted by CD144 (also known as CDH5, VE-cadherin). We defined that CD144-positive iVPCs maintained its own population and expanded stably at multiple passages. iVPCs could differentiate into functional endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells by a defined medium. The functionalities of iVPC-derived endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were confirmed by analyzing LDL (low-density lipoprotein) uptake, carbachol-induced contraction, and tube formation in vitro. Transplantation of iVPCs into the ischemic hindlimb model enhanced blood flow without tumor formation in vivo. Human iVPCs were generated by human ETS transcription factors ETV2 and FLI1. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that ischemic disease curable iVPCs, which have self-renewal and bipotency, can be generated from mouse fibroblasts by enforced ETS family transcription factors, Etv2 and Fli1 expression. Our simple strategy opens insights into stem cell-based ischemic disease therapy.

Comparative performance analysis for abdominal phantom ROI detectability according to CT reconstruction algorithm: ADMIRE.

PURPOSE: We compared and analyzed the detectability performance pertaining to an abdominal phantom including a region of interest (ROI) according to a computed tomography (CT) reconstruction algorithm. METHODS: Three types of reconstruction algorithms (FBP, SAFIRE, and ADMIRE) were used to evaluate the detectability performance using the abdominal phantom (phantom size: 25 × 18 × 28 cm3 ). The vendor default settings for routine multi-detector computed tomography abdominal scans were used. As the quantitative evaluation method, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), difference in coefficient of variation (COV) with the normalization based on the FBP data, and the noise power spectrum (NPS) were measured. RESULTS: The characteristic of the ADMIRE-3 reconstructed image was higher than those of the FBP and SAFIRE-3 reconstructed images. The CNR values of the SAFIRE and ADMIRE images were much higher than the corresponding values of the FBP images. The difference in COV values for the ADMIRE images was ~1.2 times lower than the corresponding values of the SAFIRE images. CONCLUSION: The comparative analysis of the abdominal phantom low-contrast resolution differences for each CT exposure parameters showed that ADMIRE demonstrated better results than SAFIRE and FBP in terms of contrast, CNR, COV difference, and 1D NPS. This indicates that ADMIRE can provide a clearer observation even with the same number of contrast objects as compared to SAFIRE and FBP owing to its better contrast resolution in the central part of the contrast hole at low kV.

Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 Is Involved in Cardiac Repair After Myocardial Infarction Through Mobilization of Circulating Angiogenic Cells.

Increasing evidence suggests that circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) promote repair of ischemic tissues. Activation of formyl peptide receptor 2 (Fpr2) has been reported to stimulate repair of ischemic heart. This study was conducted to investigate the role of Fpr2 on CAC mobilization and cardiac protection in myocardial infarction (MI). WKYMVm, a strong agonist for Fpr2, was administered in a murine model of acute MI, and mobilization of CACs including endothelial progenitor cells (CD34+ Flk1+ or Sca1+ Flk1+ cells) in peripheral blood was monitored. CAC mobilization by daily injection of WKYMVm for the first 4 days after MI was as efficient as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and provided myocardial protection from apoptosis with increased vascular density and preservation of cardiac function. Transplantation of bone marrow (BM) from green fluorescent protein mice showed that BM-derived cells homed to ischemic heart after WKYMVm treatment and contributed to tissue protection. Transplantation of BM from Fpr2 knockout mice showed that Fpr2 in BM cells is critical in mediation of WKYMVm-stimulated myocardial protection and neovascularization after MI. These results suggest that activation of Fpr2 in BM after WKYMVm treatment provides cardiac protection through mobilization of CACs after MI, which may lead to the development of a new clinical protocol for treating patients with ischemic heart conditions. Stem Cells 2017;35:654-665.

Atrial natriuretic peptide accelerates human endothelial progenitor cell-stimulated cutaneous wound healing and angiogenesis.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a powerful vasodilating peptide secreted by cardiac muscle cells, and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been reported to stimulate cutaneous wound healing by mediating angiogenesis. To determine whether ANP can promote the EPC-mediated repair of injured tissues, we examined the effects of ANP on the angiogenic properties of EPCs and on cutaneous wound healing. In vitro, ANP treatment enhanced the migration, proliferation, and endothelial tube-forming abilities of EPCs. Furthermore, small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of natriuretic peptide receptor-1, which is a receptor for ANP, abrogated ANP-induced migration, tube formation, and proliferation of EPCs. In a murine cutaneous wound model, administration of either ANP or EPCs had no significant effect on cutaneous wound healing or angiogenesis in vivo, whereas the coadministration of ANP and EPCs synergistically potentiated wound healing and angiogenesis. In addition, ANP promoted the survival and incorporation of transplanted EPCs into newly formed blood vessels in wounds. These results suggest ANP accelerates EPC-mediated cutaneous wound healing by promoting the angiogenic properties and survival of transplanted EPCs.

Autotaxin Regulates Maintenance of Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells through Lysophosphatidic Acid-Mediated Autocrine Mechanism.

Ovarian cancer shows high mortality due to development of resistance to chemotherapy and relapse. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been suggested to be a major contributor in developing drug resistance and relapse in ovarian cancer. In this study, we isolated CSCs through sphere culture of A2780, SKOV3, OVCAR3 epithelial ovarian cancer cells and primary ovarian cancer cells from patients. We identified heat-stable factors secreted from ovarian CSCs stimulated migration and proliferation of CSCs. Mass spectrometry and ELISA analysis revealed that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) was significantly elevated in CSC culture media compared with non-CSC culture media. Treatment of CSCs with LPA resulted in augmented CSC characteristics such as sphere-forming ability, resistance to anticancer drugs, tumorigenic potential in xenograft transplantation, and high expression of CSC-associated genes, including OCT4, SOX2, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1. Treatment of CSCs with LPA receptor 1-specific inhibitors or silencing of LPA receptor 1 expression abrogated the LPA-stimulated CSC properties. Autotaxin, an LPA-producing enzyme, is highly secreted from ovarian CSCs, and pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of autotaxin markedly attenuated the LPA-producing, tumorigenic, and drug resistance potentials of CSCs. Clinicopathological analysis showed a significant survival disadvantage of patients with positive staining of autotaxin. In addition, we further identified that AKT1 activity was upregulated in ovarian CSCs through an LPA-dependent mechanism and silencing of AKT1 expression led to suppression of CSC characteristics. These results suggest that autotaxin-LPA-LPA receptor 1-AKT1 signaling axis is critical for maintaining CSC characteristics through an autocrine loop and provide a novel therapeutic target for ovarian CSCs.

Scalable and enhanced triboelectric output power generation by surface functionalized nanoimprint patterns.

We report nanoimprint lithographic submicron surface patterning for scalable output power generation and performance enhancement in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Specifically, one contact surface of a TENG is nanoimprinted with polyurethane acrylate (PUA) lines in different pitches and the counter contact surface is coated with perfluoropolyether (PFPE). The results show that a TENG with 200 nm pitch PUA lines exhibits voltage and current up to ∼430 V and ∼55 µA cm(-2), generating about a sixfold higher output power than that with a flat PUA surface at an applied force of 0.3 MPa. In addition, scalable output power was obtained by adjusting line pitches. Further enhancement in output power was also demonstrated by chemically functionalizing the PUA line patterns with poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA). The PDDA functionalization boosted voltage and current up to ∼500 V and ∼100 µA cm(-2), respectively, which corresponds to ∼50% power density enhancement. The approach introduced here is a simple, effective, scalable and reproducible way to fabricate TENGs.

Therapeutic angiogenesis in a murine model of limb ischemia by recombinant periostin and its fasciclin I domain.

Periostin, an extracellular matrix protein, is expressed in injured tissues, such as the heart with myocardial infarction, and promotes angiogenesis and tissue repair. However, the molecular mechanism associated with periostin-stimulated angiogenesis and tissue repair is still unclear. In order to clarify the role of periostin in neovascularization, we examined the effect of periostin in angiogenic potentials of human endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) in vitro and in an ischemic limb animal model. Recombinant periostin protein stimulated the migration and tube formation of ECFCs. To identify the functional domains of periostin implicated in angiogenesis, five fragments of periostin, including four repeating FAS-1 domains and a carboxyl terminal domain, were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Of the five different domains, the first FAS-1 domain stimulated the migration and tube formation of human ECFCs as potent as the whole periostin. Chemotactic migration of ECFCs induced by the full length and the first FAS-1 domain of periostin was abrogated by blocking antibodies against ß3 and ß5 integrins. Intramuscular injection of the full length and the first FAS-1 domain of periostin into the ischemic hindlimb of mice attenuated severe limb loss and promoted blood perfusion and homing of intravenously administered ECFCs to the ischemic limb. These results suggest that the first FAS-1 domain is responsible for periostin-induced migration and angiogenesis and it can be used as a therapeutic tool for treatment of peripheral artery occlusive disease by stimulating homing of ECFCs.

WKYMVm-induced activation of formyl peptide receptor 2 stimulates ischemic neovasculogenesis by promoting homing of endothelial colony-forming cells.

Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) are recruited to the sites of ischemic injury in order to contribute to neovascularization and repair of injured tissues. However, therapeutic potential of ECFCs is limited due to low homing and engraftment efficiency of transplanted ECFCs. The G-protein-coupled formyl peptide receptor (FPR) 2 has been implicated in regulation of inflammation and angiogenesis, while the role of FPR2 in homing and engraftment of ECFCs and neovascularization in ischemic tissues has not been fully defined. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of WKYMVm, a selective FPR2 agonist isolated by screening synthetic peptide libraries, on homing ability of ECFCs and vascular regeneration of ischemic tissues. WKYMVm stimulated chemotactic migration, angiogenesis, and proliferation ability of human ECFCs in vitro. Small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of FPR2, but not FPR3, abrogated WKYMVm-induced migration and angiogenesis of ECFCs. Intramuscular injection of WKYMVm resulted in attenuation of severe hind limb ischemia and promoted neovascularization in ischemic limb. ECFCs transplanted via tail vein into nude mice were incorporated into capillary vessels in the ischemic hind limb, resulting in augmented neovascularization and improved ischemic limb salvage. Intramuscular injection of WKYMVm promoted homing of exogenously administered ECFCs to the ischemic limb and ECFC-mediated vascular regeneration. Silencing of FPR2 expression in ECFCs resulted in abrogation of WKYMVm-induced in vivo homing of exogenously transplanted ECFCs to the ischemic limb, neovascularization, and ischemic limb salvage. These results suggest that WKYMVm promotes repair of ischemic tissues by stimulating homing of ECFCs and neovascularization via a FPR2-dependent mechanism.

Stimulation of cutaneous wound healing by an FPR2-specific peptide agonist WKYMVm.

Diabetes is one of the most common human diseases and 15% of the 200 million diabetics worldwide suffer from diabetic wounds. Development of new therapeutic agents is needed for treatment of diabetic wounds. Wound healing is mediated by multiple steps, including inflammation, epithelialization, neoangiogenesis, and granulation. Formyl peptide receptor 2 has been known to stimulate angiogenesis, which is essential for tissue repair and cutaneous wound healing. In this study, we explored the therapeutic effects of WKYMVm (Trp-Lys-Tyr-Met-Val-D-Met-NH2), a synthetic peptide agonist of formyl peptide receptor 2, on cutaneous wounds in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Topical application of WKYMVm onto cutaneous wounds stimulated formation of von Willebrand factor-positive capillary and α-smooth muscle actin-positive arteriole with a maximal stimulation on day 6, suggesting WKYMVm-stimulated angiogenesis. Infiltration of immune cells could be detected on early phase during wound healing and WKYMVm treatment acutely augmented infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages. In addition, reepithelialization and granulation tissue formation were accelerated by treatment with WKYMVm. These results suggest that WKYMVm has therapeutic effects on diabetic wounds by stimulating angiogenesis and infiltration of immune cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-α-activated mesenchymal stem cells promote endothelial progenitor cell homing and angiogenesis.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) accelerate regeneration of ischemic or injured tissues by stimulation of angiogenesis through a paracrine mechanism. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-activated MSCs secrete pro-angiogenic cytokines, including IL-6 and IL-8. In the present study, using an ischemic hindlimb animal model, we explored the role of IL-6 and IL-8 in the paracrine stimulation of angiogenesis and tissue regeneration by TNF-α-activated MSCs. Intramuscular injection of conditioned medium derived from TNF-α-treated MSCs (TNF-α CM) into the ischemic hindlimb resulted in attenuated severe limb loss and stimulated blood perfusion and angiogenesis in the ischemic limb. Immunodepletion of IL-6 and IL-8 resulted in attenuated TNF-α CM-stimulated tissue repair, blood perfusion, and angiogenesis. In addition, TNF-α CM induced migration of human cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) through IL-6- and IL-8-dependent mechanisms in vitro. Intramuscular injection of TNF-α CM into the ischemic limb led to augmented homing of tail vein-injected EPCs into the ischemic limb in vivo and immunodepletion of IL-6 or IL-8 from TNF-α CM attenuated TNF-α CM-stimulated homing of EPCs. In addition, intramuscular injection of recombinant IL-6 and IL-8 proteins resulted in increased homing of intravenously transplanted EPCs into the ischemic limb and improved blood perfusion in vivo. These results suggest that TNF-α CM stimulates angiogenesis and tissue repair through an increase in homing of EPCs through paracrine mechanisms involving IL-6 and IL-8.

Proteomic identification of betaig-h3 as a lysophosphatidic acid-induced secreted protein of human mesenchymal stem cells: paracrine activation of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells by betaig-h3.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is enriched in the serum and malignant effusion of cancer patients and plays a key role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. LPA-activated mesenchymal stem cells promote tumorigenic potentials of cancer cells through a paracrine mechanism. LPA-conditioned medium (LPA CM) from human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) elicited adhesion and proliferation of A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. To identify proteins involved in the LPA-stimulated paracrine functions of hASCs, we analyzed the LPA CM using liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry-based shotgun proteomics. We identified ßig-h3, an extracellular matrix protein that is implicated in tumorigenesis and metastasis, as an LPA-induced secreted protein in hASCs. LPA-induced ßig-h3 expression was abrogated by pretreating hASCs with the LPA receptor(1/3) inhibitor Ki16425 or small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of endogenous LPA(1). LPA-induced ßig-h3 expression was blocked by treating the cells with the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632, implying that LPA-induced ßig-h3 expression is mediated by the LPA(1)- Rho kinase pathway. Immunodepletion or siRNA-mediated silencing of ßig-h3 abrogated LPA CM-stimulated adhesion and proliferation of A549 cells, whereas retroviral overexpression of ßig-h3 in hASCs potentiated it. Furthermore, recombinant ßig-h3 protein stimulated the proliferation and adhesion of A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. These results suggest that hASC-derived ßig-h3 plays a key role in tumorigenesis by stimulating the adhesion and proliferation of cancer cells and it can be applicable as a biomarker and therapeutic target for lung cancer.

Synergistic combination of RAD51-SCR7 improves CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing efficiency by preventing R-loop accumulation.

CRISPR-Cas9 has emerged as a powerful tool for genome editing. However, Cas9 genome editing faces challenges, including low efficiency and off-target effects. Here, we report that combined treatment with RAD51, a key factor in homologous recombination, and SCR7, a DNA ligase IV small-molecule inhibitor, enhances CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome-editing efficiency in human embryonic kidney 293T and human induced pluripotent stem cells, as confirmed by cyro- transmission electron microscopy and functional analyses. First, our findings reveal the crucial role of RAD51 in homologous recombination (HR)-mediated DNA repair process. Elevated levels of exogenous RAD51 promote a post-replication step via single-strand DNA gap repair process, ensuring the completion of DNA replication. Second, using the all-in-one CRISPR-Cas9-RAD51 system, highly expressed RAD51 improved the multiple endogenous gene knockin/knockout efficiency and insertion/deletion (InDel) mutation by activating the HR-based repair pathway in concert with SCR7. Sanger sequencing shows distinct outcomes for RAD51-SCR7 in the ratio of InDel mutations in multiple genome sites. Third, RAD51-SCR7 combination can induce efficient R-loop resolution and DNA repair by enhanced HR process, which leads to DNA replication stalling and thus is advantageous to CRISPR-Cas9-based stable genome editing. Our study suggests promising applications in genome editing by enhancing CRISPR-Cas9 efficiency through RAD51 and SCR7, offering potential advancements in biotechnology and therapeutics.

Multi-proteomic analyses of 5xFAD mice reveal new molecular signatures of early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

An early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is crucial as treatment efficacy is limited to the early stages. However, the current diagnostic methods are limited to mid or later stages of disease development owing to the limitations of clinical examinations and amyloid plaque imaging. Therefore, this study aimed to identify molecular signatures including blood plasma extracellular vesicle biomarker proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease to aid early-stage diagnosis. The hippocampus, cortex, and blood plasma extracellular vesicles of 3- and 6-month-old 5xFAD mice were analyzed using quantitative proteomics. Subsequent bioinformatics and biochemical analyses were performed to compare the molecular signatures between wild type and 5xFAD mice across different brain regions and age groups to elucidate disease pathology. There was a unique signature of significantly altered proteins in the hippocampal and cortical proteomes of 3- and 6-month-old mice. The plasma extracellular vesicle proteomes exhibited distinct informatic features compared with the other proteomes. Furthermore, the regulation of several canonical pathways (including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling) differed between the hippocampus and cortex. Twelve potential biomarkers for the detection of early-stage Alzheimer's disease were identified and validated using plasma extracellular vesicles from stage-divided patients. Finally, integrin α-IIb, creatine kinase M-type, filamin C, glutamine γ-glutamyltransferase 2, and lysosomal α-mannosidase were selected as distinguishing biomarkers for healthy individuals and early-stage Alzheimer's disease patients using machine learning modeling with approximately 79% accuracy. Our study identified novel early-stage molecular signatures associated with the progression of Alzheimer's disease, thereby providing novel insights into its pathogenesis.

TAZ mediates lysophosphatidic acid-induced migration and proliferation of epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), a downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, has been reported to regulate organ size, tissue homeostasis, and tumorigenesis by acting as a transcriptional co-activator. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid implicated in tumorigenesis and metastasis of ovarian cancer through activation of G protein-coupled receptors. However, the involvement of TAZ in LPA-induced tumorigenesis of ovarian cancer has not been elucidated. METHODS: In order to demonstrate the role of TAZ in LPA-stimulated tumorigenesis, the effects of LPA on TAZ expression and cell migration were determined by Western blotting and chemotaxis analyses in R182 human epithelial ovarian cancer cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Treatment of R182 cells with the LPA receptor inhibitor Ki16425 blocked LPA-induced cell migration. In addition, transfection of R182 cells with small interfering RNA specific for LPA receptor 1 resulted in abrogation of LPA-stimulated cell migration. LPA induced phosphorylation of ERK and p38 MAP kinase in R182 cells and pretreatment of cells with the MEK-ERK pathway inhibitor U0126, but not the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190, resulted in abrogation of LPA-induced cell migration. Pretreatment of R182 cells with U0126 attenuated LPA-induced mRNA levels of TAZ and its transcriptional target genes, such as CTGF and CYR61, without affecting phosphorylation level of YAP. These results suggest that MEK-ERK pathway plays a key role in LPA-induced cell migration and mRNA expression of TAZ in R182 cells, without affecting stability of TAZ protein. In addition, small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of TAZ expression attenuated LPA-stimulated migration of R182 cells. These results suggest that TAZ plays a key role in LPA-stimulated migration of epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

Macrophages regulate smooth muscle differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells via a prostaglandin F2α-mediated paracrine mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: Mesenchymal stem cells are useful for vascular regeneration of injured tissues. Macrophages are involved in acute or chronic inflammatory diseases, and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), a proinflammatory cytokine, plays a key role in the activation of macrophages within injured tissues. To explore the role of macrophages on mesenchymal stem cell-mediated vascular regeneration, we examined the effects of IL-1ß-activated macrophages on differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) to smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and the vascular regenerative capacity of the differentiated SMCs in a hindlimb ischemia animal model. METHODS AND RESULTS: We demonstrate that IL-1ß-conditioned medium from RAW 264.7 macrophages induces differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to α-smooth muscle actin-positive SMCs, and the differentiated SMCs exhibited increased contractility in response to KCl and carbachol treatment. Transplantation of the differentiated SMCs attenuated severe hindlimb ischemia and promoted vascular regeneration. IL-1ß treatment stimulated secretion of prostaglandin F(2α) from RAW 264.7 cells. Small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of the prostaglandin F(2α) receptor completely abrogated IL-1ß conditioned medium-stimulated α-smooth muscle actin expression. Moreover, prostaglandin F(2α) treatment stimulated expression of α-smooth muscle actin in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that IL-1ß-activated macrophages promote differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to SMCs through a prostaglandin F(2α)-mediated paracrine mechanism.

Periostin mediates human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell-stimulated tumor growth in a xenograft lung adenocarcinoma model.

Mesenchymal stem cells stimulate tumor growth in vivo through a lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-dependent mechanism. However, the molecular mechanism by which mesenchymal stem cells stimulate tumorigenesis is largely elusive. In the present study, we demonstrate that conditioned medium from A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549 CM) induces expression of periostin, an extracellular matrix protein, in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs). A549 CM-stimulated periostin expression was abrogated by pretreatment of hASCs with the LPA receptor 1 (LPA(1)) inhibitor Ki16425 or short hairpin RNA-mediated silencing of LPA(1), suggesting a key role of the LPA-LPA(1) signaling axis in A549 CM-stimulated periostin expression. Using a xenograft transplantation model of A549 cells, we demonstrated that co-injection of hASCs potentiated tumor growth of A549 cells in vivo and that co-transplanted hASCs expressed not only periostin but also α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of carcinoma-associated fibroblasts. Small interfering RNA- or short hairpin RNA-mediated silencing of periostin resulted in blockade of LPA-induced α-SMA expression in hASCs. In addition, silencing of periostin resulted in blockade of hASC-stimulated growth of A549 xenograft tumors and in vivo differentiation of transplanted hASCs to α-SMA-positive carcinoma-associated fibroblasts. Conditioned medium derived from LPA-treated hASCs (LPA CM) potentiated proliferation and adhesion of A549 cells and short interfering RNA-mediated silencing or immunodepletion of periostin from LPA CM abrogated proliferation and adhesion of A549 cells. These results suggest a pivotal role for hASC-secreted periostin in growth of A549 xenograft tumors within the tumor microenvironment.

Stimulation of the Migration and Expansion of Adult Mouse Neural Stem Cells by the FPR2-Specific Peptide WKYMVm.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are multipotent cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation into different nervous system cells. Mouse NSCs (mNSCs) are useful tools for studying neurogenesis and the therapeutic applications of neurodegenerative diseases in mammals. Formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2), expressed in the central nervous system and brain, is involved in the migration and differentiation of murine embryonic-derived NSCs. In this study, we explored the effect of FPR2 activation in adult mNSCs using the synthetic peptide Trp-Lys-Tyr-Met-Val-D-Met-NH2 (WKYMVm), an agonist of FPR2. After isolation of NSCs from the subventricular zone of the adult mouse brain, they were cultured in two culture systems-neurospheres or adherent monolayers-to demonstrate the expression of NSC markers and phenotypes. Under different conditions, mNSCs differentiated into neurons and glial cells such as astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. Treatment with WKYMVm stimulated the chemotactic migration of mNSCs. Moreover, WKYMVm-treated mNSCs were found to promote proliferation; this result was confirmed by the expansion of mNSCs in Matrigel and the increase in the number of Ki67-positive cells. Incubation of mNSCs with WKYMVm in a supplement-free medium enhanced the survival rate of the mNSCs. Together, these results suggest that WKYMVm-induced activation of FPR2 stimulates cellular responses in adult NSCs.

Application of Proteomics in Cancer: Recent Trends and Approaches for Biomarkers Discovery.

Proteomics has become an important field in molecular sciences, as it provides valuable information on the identity, expression levels, and modification of proteins. For example, cancer proteomics unraveled key information in mechanistic studies on tumor growth and metastasis, which has contributed to the identification of clinically applicable biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets. Several cancer proteome databases have been established and are being shared worldwide. Importantly, the integration of proteomics studies with other omics is providing extensive data related to molecular mechanisms and target modulators. These data may be analyzed and processed through bioinformatic pipelines to obtain useful information. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of cancer proteomics and recent advances in proteomic techniques. In particular, we aim to offer insights into current proteomics studies of brain cancer, in which proteomic applications are in a relatively early stage. This review covers applications of proteomics from the discovery of biomarkers to the characterization of molecular mechanisms through advances in technology. Moreover, it addresses global trends in proteomics approaches for translational research. As a core method in translational research, the continued development of this field is expected to provide valuable information at a scale beyond that previously seen.

Emodin induces collagen type I synthesis in Hs27 human dermal fibroblasts.

Fibrillar collagen and elastic fibers are the main components of the dermal extracellular matrix (ECM), which confers mechanical strength and resilience to the skin. In particular, type I collagen produced by fibroblasts is the most abundant collagen that determines the general strength of the ECM, thereby contributing to the prevesntion of the skin-aging process. Although the natural anthraquinone derivative emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone) exerts numerous beneficial effects, including antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects in diverse cells, the effect of emodin on collagen expression or skin aging is not fully understood. The present study demonstrated that exposure to emodin increased type I collagen synthesis in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in Hs27 human dermal fibroblasts. Subsequent experiments showed that emodin strongly increased collagen type I levels without altering cell proliferation or cellular matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression. Additionally, it was determined that increased phosphorylation of 5' AMP-activated protein kinase, following emodin treatment, was responsible for increased type I collagen synthesis. These findings clearly indicate that emodin plays an important role in collagen type I synthesis in dermal fibroblasts, thereby making it a potential drug candidate for treating skin aging and wrinkles.