Cellular and molecular characterization of IDH1-mutated diffuse low grade gliomas reveals tumor heterogeneity and absence of EGFR/PDGFRα activation.

Diffuse low grade gliomas (DLGG, grade II gliomas) are slowly-growing brain tumors that often progress into high grade gliomas. Most tumors have a missense mutation for IDH1 combined with 1p19q codeletion in oligodendrogliomas or ATRX/TP53 mutations in astrocytomas. The phenotype of tumoral cells, their environment and the pathways activated in these tumors are still ill-defined and are mainly based on genomics and transcriptomics analysis. Here we used freshly-resected tumors to accurately characterize the tumoral cell population and their environment. In oligodendrogliomas, cells express the transcription factors MYT1, Nkx2.2, Olig1, Olig2, Sox8, four receptors (EGFR, PDGFRα, LIFR, PTPRZ1) but not the co-receptor NG2 known to be expressed by oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. A variable fraction of cells also express the more mature oligodendrocytic markers NOGO-A and MAG. DLGG cells are also stained for the young-neuron marker doublecortin (Dcx) which is also observed in oligodendrocytic cells in nontumoral human brain. In astrocytomas, MYT1, PDGFRα, PTPRZ1 were less expressed whereas Sox9 was prominent over Sox8. The phenotype of DLGG cells is overall maintained in culture. Phospho-array screening showed the absence of EGFR and PDGFRα phosphorylation in DLGG but revealed the strong activation of p44/42 MAPK/ERK which was present in a fraction of tumoral cells but also in nontumoral cells. These results provide evidence for the existence of close relationships between the cellular phenotype and the mutations found in DLGG. The slow proliferation of these tumors may be associated with the absence of activation of PDGFRα/EGFR receptors.

Elastokine-mediated up-regulation of MT1-MMP is triggered by nitric oxide in endothelial cells.

Membrane-type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been previously reported to be up-regulated in human microvascular endothelial cell-1 line (HMEC) by elastin-derived peptides (elastokines). The aim of the present study was to identify the signaling pathways responsible for this effect. We showed that elastokines such as (VGVAPG)(3) peptide and kappa elastin induced nitric oxide (NO) production in a time-, concentration- and receptor-dependent manner as it could be abolished by lactose and a receptor-derived competitive peptide. As evidenced by the use of NO synthase inhibitors, elastokine-mediated up-regulation of MT1-MMP and pseudotube formation on Matrigel required NO production through activation of the PI(3)-kinase/Akt/NO synthase and NO/cGMP/Erk1/2 pathways. Elastokines induced both PI(3)-kinase p110gamma sub-unit, Akt and Erk1/2 activation, as shown by a transient increase in phospho-Akt and phospho-Erk1/2, reaching a maximum after 5 and 15 min incubation, respectively. Inhibitors of PI(3)-kinase and MEK1/2 suppressed elastokine-mediated MT1-MMP expression at both the mRNA and protein levels, and decreased the ability of elastokines to accelerate pseudotube formation. Besides, elastokines mediated a time- and concentration-dependent increase of cGMP, suggesting a link between NO and MT1-MMP expression. This was validated by the use of a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, a NO donor and a cGMP analog. The guanylyl cyclase inhibitor abolished the stimulatory effect of elastokines on MT1-MMP expression. Inversely, the cGMP analog, mimicked the effect of both elastokines and NO donor in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Overall, our results demonstrated that such elastokine properties through NO and MT1-MMP may be of importance in the context of tumour progression.

The C-terminal CD47/IAP-binding domain of thrombospondin-1 prevents camptothecin- and doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in human thyroid carcinoma cells.

Camptothecin and doxorubicin belong to a family of anticancer drugs that exert cytotoxic effects by triggering apoptosis in various cell types. However there have only been few investigations showing that matricellular proteins like thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) could be involved in the underlying mechanism of this cytotoxicity. In this report, using Hoechst reagent staining, reactive oxygen species production and caspase-3 activity measurement, we determined that both camptothecin and doxorubicin induced apoptosis in human thyroid carcinoma cells (FTC-133). On the one hand, we demonstrated that camptothecin and doxorubicin inhibited TSP-1 expression mainly occurring at the transcriptional level. On the other hand, drug-induced apoptosis determined by western blot analysis for PARP cleavage and caspase-3 activity measurement, was significantly decreased in presence of exogenous TSP-1. In order to identify the sequence responsible for this effect, we used the CD47/IAP-binding peptide 4N1 (RFYVVMWK), derived from the C-terminal domain of TSP-1, and known to play a role in apoptosis. Thus, in presence of 4N1, camptothecin and doxorubicin-induced pro-apoptotic activity was considerably inhibited. These findings suggest that induction of apoptosis by camptothecin or doxorubicin in FTC-133 cells is greatly dependent by a down-regulation of TSP-1 expression and shed new light on a possible role for TSP-1 in drug resistance.

Recombinant Csk expressed in Escherichia coli is autophosphorylated on tyrosine residue(s).

The C-terminal src kinase (Csk) is responsible for the phosphorylation of the carboxy-terminal tyrosine of several tyrosine kinases of the Src family. This phosphorylation site has a negative regulatory function. Csk is unique among the members of the protein tyrosine kinase family because it lacks the conserved tyrosine autophosphorylation site and has been thought to be devoid of autophosphorylation activity. Using the glutathione S-transferase (GST) bacterial expression system, we have produced large amounts of a chimeric rat Csk protein. We have determined that the GST-Csk fusion protein isolated from bacteria is autophosphorylated on tyrosine residue(s). GST-Csk and purified Csk are capable of undergoing autophosphorylation on tyrosine residue(s) in vitro. The GST-Csk fusion protein also phosphorylates exogenous substrates, including the heteropolymer poly-Glu/Tyr and enolase. This is the first indication that Csk is autophosphorylated on tyrosine residue(s) both in vivo in bacteria expressing Csk cDNA and in vitro. These findings suggest that the autophosphorylation of Csk might play a role in the regulation of its kinase activity as well as its binding to other cellular proteins.

Inhibition of eicosanoid and PAF formation by dexamethasone in rat inflammatory polymorphonuclear neutrophils may implicate lipocortin 's'.

In polymorphonuclear neutrophils, phospholipase A2 activity is the rate-limiting step for platelet-activating factor (PAF) formation and for the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid derivatives, leukotrienes and prostaglandins. Glucocorticosteroids inhibit phospholipase A2 activity by inducing in target cells the synthesis and release of phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins named 'lipocortins'. Here, we report that rat pleural inflammatory polymorphonuclear neutrophils, treated with dexamethasone, decrease their production of eicosanoids and PAF. Evidence is presented which may implicate lipocortin 's' in these inhibitions since (i) phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins are found in the supernatant of dexamethasone-treated cells, (ii) this supernatant inhibits the formation of lipid mediators in untreated cells, inhibition being reversed either by incubating the supernatant with a monoclonal antibody against rat lipocortin or by boiling it and (iii) a 36 kDa lipocortin from mice lungs mimics the effects of dexamethasone when added exogenously on untreated cells. Our results favour the hypothesis that the newly formed lipocortin 's' could be responsible for the antiphospholipase A2 activity of glucocorticosteroids.

The presence of lipocortin in human embryonic skin fibroblasts and its regulation by anti-inflammatory steroids.

Human embryonic skin fibroblasts in culture produce pro-inflammatory lipid mediators and all types of prostanoids. When these cells were treated with the anti-inflammatory steroid, dexamethasone, prostaglandin production was inhibited. This phenomenon required glucocorticoid receptor occupancy and mRNA and protein synthesis. The inhibitory effect was prevented by treating the cells with a monoclonal antibody, BF 26, raised against renocortin, a lipocortin-like protein formed in rat kidney medulla interstitial cells in culture. When the proteins present in the supernatants and the cell pellets derived from control and dexamethasone-treated cells were analyzed for their ability to inhibit phospholipase A2, four inhibitory peaks, at 45, 30, 15 kDa and one peak under 12 kDa, were found in the supernatants of control and dexamethasone-treated cells, whereas one single inhibitory peak at 15 kDa was found in the cell pellets. The antiphospholipase activity was much greater in dexamethasone-treated cells than in control cells. These results suggest that preformed lipocortin exists in human cells and that lipocortin is synthesized and released under glucocorticoid treatment.

Expression of annexin I, II, V, and VI by rat osteoblasts in primary culture: stimulation of annexin I expression by dexamethasone.

To determine whether rat osteoblasts synthesize proteins of the annexin family and to evaluate the extent to which glucocorticoids modulate the expression of annexins by these cells, osteoblasts were grown in primary cultures in the absence or presence of dexamethasone, and the expression of annexins was evaluated by immunoblotting using polyclonal antibodies against human annexins. Four different annexins (I, II, V, and VI) were found to be expressed by rat osteoblasts. The expression of annexin I, but not the other annexins studied, was increased in osteoblasts cultured in the presence of dexamethasone (173 +/- 33% increase comparing untreated cells and cells treated for 10 days with 5 x 10(-7) M dexamethasone). Increased expression of annexin I was observed after the third day of exposure to dexamethasone and rose thereafter until day 10; annexin I expression increased with dexamethasone concentrations above 10(-10) M throughout the range of concentrations studied. The increase in annexin I protein was associated with an increase in annexin I mRNA and was completely blocked by the concomitant addition of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU 38486. The increase in annexin I content following dexamethasone treatment was associated with an increase in alkaline phosphatase activity and PTH-induced cAMP stimulation, whereas phospholipase A2 activity in the culture medium was reduced to undetectable levels. The finding that four annexins are expressed in rat osteoblasts in primary culture raises the possibility that these proteins could play an important role in bone formation by virtue of their ability to bind calcium and phospholipids, serve as Ca2+ channels, interact with cytoskeletal elements, and/or regulate phospholipase A2 activity. In addition, the dexamethasone-induced increase in annexin I may represent a mechanism by which glucocorticoids modify osteoblast function.

Purification and characterization of a 32-kDa phospholipase A2 inhibitory protein (lipocortin) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

A 32-kDa protein was isolated from human monocytes after calcium precipitation and chromatography. The protein activity was assessed by the inhibition of soluble phospholipase A2 (PLA2). This in vitro inhibitory effect on phospholipases A2 was found only with negatively charged phospholipids. The protein was also able to inhibit cellular PLA2 in mouse thymocytes. The biochemical properties and amino acid composition strongly suggest that the protein shares similarities with endonexin. Using a neutralizing monoclonal antibody against rat lipocortin, we found a cross-reactivity with the 32-kDa protein. According to the biochemical and immunological properties, we propose to relate this PLA2 inhibitory protein from human monocytes to lipocortin.

Identification of four lipocortin proteins and phosphorylation of lipocortin I by protein kinase C in cytosols of porcine thyroid cell cultures.

Four proteins of the lipocortin family, lipocortin I (35 kDa), lipocortin II (36 kDa), lipocortin V (32 kDa) and lipocortin VI (67-70 kDa), were identified in the cytosols of 2-day-old cultures of thyroid cells. Only lipocortin I was phosphorylated in vitro in fully differentiated, thyroid stimulating hormone-treated cells (0.1 mU/ml). Protein kinase C was the only kinase activity which phosphorylated lipocortin I. Phosphorylation shifted its pI from 6.9 to 6.6. The in vitro phosphorylation of lipocortin I was impaired in cultures exposed for 2 days to phorbol ester (10(-7) M), although it was present in both the cytosol and the particulate fraction of these cells.

Lipocortin inhibition of extracellular and intracellular phospholipases A2 is substrate concentration dependent.

Hydrolysis of Escherichia coli membrane phospholipids by pancreatic phospholipase A2 was inhibited by lipocortin from human monocytes in a substrate dependent manner. Inhibition was completely overcome at substrate concentrations above 250 microM. Lipocortin also inhibited partially purified preparations of two intracellular phospholipases A2 isolated from rat liver mitochondria and rat platelets when these enzymes were assayed at low micromolar concentrations of phosphatidylethanolamine. Inhibition gradually decreased with increasing substrate concentrations both for pancreatic and platelet phospholipase A2 and became completely abolished above 15 and 50 microM phosphatidylethanolamine, respectively.

Purification and characterization of phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins from pig thyroid gland.

A 32 kDa phospholipase A2 inhibitory protein was isolated from pig thyroid gland after calcium precipitation and fast protein liquid anion-exchange chromatography. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the purity of the protein. The protein activity was assessed by the inhibition of pancreatic phospholipase A2 on [3H]oleic acid-labelled Escherichia coli membranes as substrate and on the prostaglandin E2 production of cultured thyroid cells. The amino acid composition and the isoelectric point were quite similar to those of endonexin previously described in other tissues or cells. The cross-reactivity of a polyclonal antibody against a 32 kDa lipocortin from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with our thyroidal 32 kDa protein confirmed its lipocortin nature. Before the purification by fast protein liquid chromatography, the Ca2+ pellet contained lipocortin I (35 kDa and its core protein 33 kDa) identified by its cross-reactivity with a polyclonal antibody.

Characterization and partial purification of 'renocortins': two polypeptides formed in renal cells causing the anti-phospholipase-like action of glucocorticoids.

1 Anti-inflammatory steroids reduce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in rat renomedullary interstitial cells in culture by inhibiting the release of arachidonic acid from membranous phospholipid stores, exhibiting antiphospholipase-like properties. 2 After treatment of the cells with dexamethasone 10(-6)M, these cells release a protein in the supernatant. 3 This supernatant is able to inhibit PGE2 secretion in untreated cells and to inhibit phospholipase A2 activity in an in vitro system. 4 Using chromatofocusing separation, we showed that two distinct proteins exist with isoelectric points of 5.8 and 8.3. 5 Using gel permeation separation, we showed that two proteins exist with apparent molecular weights of 15,000 and 30,000 daltons. 6 We conclude that, in renal cells in culture, anti-inflammatory steroids induce the synthesis and the release of two polypeptides which we have named 'Renocortins' (induced by corticoids in renal cells) causing the antiphospholipase-like action of glucocorticoids. 7 Our results are in good agreement with others, but as renal cells are not directly involved in the inflammatory process, we suggest that this steroid-induced phenomenon is not solely involved in the inflammatory reaction but is of more general physiological relevance.

Participation of annexins in protein phosphorylation.

Simultaneous discovery of members of the annexin family of calcium and phospholipid binding proteins by several groups is intimately linked to the possibility that these proteins may be controlled by phosphorylation. Indeed, annexin I and annexin II have been identified as major substrates for the tyrosine kinase activity associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) and for the retrovirus encoded protein tyrosine kinase pp60v-arc. Both annexins are also in vitro and/or in situ substrates for platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), insulin and hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) receptor tyrosine kinases. In addition, to serve as substrates for tyrosine protein kinases some annexins are cellular targets for serine threonine protein kinases such as protein kinase C (PKC) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). Although the role of annexin phosphorylation has not been studied in detail, it is thought to influence their vesicle aggregation and phospholipid binding properties. Some annexins are also potent inhibitors of various serine/threonine and tyrosine kinases. The physiological functions of the annexins have still not been clearly defined. Therefore the identification of the ability of these proteins to undergo phosphorylation may be helpful in assigning them a precise biological role.

Novel concepts in the mode of action of anti-inflammatory steroids.

Since the discovery that cortisone could be used as an anti-inflammatory agent, this compound and synthetic anti-inflammatory steroids have been widely used in all inflammatory and allergic diseases. Anti-inflammatory steroids have been reported to act on almost all steps of the inflammatory reaction. Nevertheless their molecular mechanism of action has remained poorly understood, in opposition to non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs whose mechanism is now well known. We report here recent data concerning their molecular mechanism of action. These recent results have all led to the conclusion that part of their action can be explained by the synthesis "de novo" of one or more proteins which then will inhibit the deacylation of arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipids. Whether the action of this or these proteins can explain all the known anti-inflammatory actions of steroids remains to be investigated.

Phospholipase A2 inhibitory activity in thymocytes of dexamethasone-treated mice--possible implication of lipocortins.

The cellular phospholipase A2 activity of mouse thymocytes was estimated in vitro by the release of [3H]-Arachidonic acid from labeled and calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated cells. This activity was decreased in thymocytes from dexamethasone-treated mice. Thus, the presence of phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins in mouse thymus was investigated. Three main proteins (36 kDa I, 36 kDa II, 73 kDa) were purified. These proteins were able to inhibit both phospholipase A2 in vitro, and the release of [3H]-Arachidonic acid from labeled and stimulated mouse thymocytes. Biochemical analysis revealed that the three proteins were lipocortin-like proteins. Our results show that in vivo dexamethasone treatment induces a phospholipase A2 inhibitory activity in mouse thymus, such an inhibition can be reproduced on isolated thymocytes by purified thymic lipocortins, known as glucocorticosteroid-inducible proteins.

Angiotensin II-induced transcriptional activation of the cyclin D1 gene is mediated by Egr-1 in CHO-AT(1A) cells.

Cyclin D1 protein expression is regulated by mitogenic stimuli and is a critical component in the regulation of G(1) to S phase progression of the cell cycle. Angiotensin II (Ang II) binds to specific G protein-coupled receptors and is mitogenic in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing the rat vascular Ang II type 1A receptor (CHO-AT(1A)). We recently reported that in these cells, Ang II induced cyclin D1 promoter activation and protein expression in a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-, SHP-2-, and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK)-dependent manner (Guillemot, L., Levy, A., Zhao, Z. J., Béréziat, G., and Rothhut, B. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 26349-26358). In this report, transfection studies using a series of deleted cyclin D1 promoters revealed that two regions between base pairs (bp) -136 and -96 and between bp -29 and +139 of the human cyclin D1 promoter contained regulatory elements required for Ang II-mediated induction. Mutational analysis in the -136 to -96 bp region provided evidence that a Sp1/early growth response protein (Egr) motif was responsible for cyclin D1 promoter activation by Ang II. Gel shift and supershift studies showed that Ang II-induced Egr-1 binding involved de novo protein synthesis and correlated well with Egr-1 promoter activation. Both U0126 (an inhibitor of the MAPK/ERK kinase MEK) and wortmannin (an inhibitor of PI3K) abrogated Egr-1 endogenous expression and Egr-1 promoter activity induced by Ang II. Moreover, using a co-transfection approach, we found that Ang II induction of Egr-1 promoter activity was blocked by dominant-negative p21(ras), Raf-1, and tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 mutants. Identical effects were obtained when inhibitors and dominant negative mutants were tested on the -29 to +139 bp region of the cyclin D1 promoter. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that Ang II-induced cyclin D1 up-regulation is mediated by the activation and specific interaction of Egr-1 with the -136 to -96 bp region of the cyclin D1 promoter and by activation of the -29 to +139 bp region, both in a p21(ras)/Raf-1/MEK/ERK-dependent manner, and also involves PI3K and SHP-2.

Identification and characterization of phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins in human mononuclear cells.

Calcium-dependent phospholipid binding and phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins were isolated from human mononuclear cells. Lipocortins I and II were present whereas lipocortin IV (endonexin I) was not. The other proteins were purified to homogeneity and shown to have molecular masses of 35, 36, 32 and 73 kDa. The 36-kDa and 73-kDa proteins are related, the smaller appears to be part of the larger. The 73-kDa protein is related to the 67-kDa calelectrin and to lipocortin VI; the 32-kDa protein is different from endonexin I but related to chromobindin 7 and to lipocortin V. The 35-kDa protein has been identified by tryptic peptide sequencing as lipocortin III. All these proteins inhibit phospholipase A2 activity in vitro and the three smaller ones inhibit the [3H]arachidonic acid release from prelabelled monocytes induced by the calcium ionophore A23187 in a dose-dependent manner.

Role of immunoglobulins G1 and G2 in anaphylactic shock in the guinea pig.

Heating serum from actively sensitised guinea pigs did not remove its ability to sensitise recipient animals in vivo and parenchymal lung strips in vitro to anaphylaxis. Thermoresistant antibodies should thus account for the transferable sensitising effect, which persists for at least 9 days. IgG1 and IgG2, contained in the serum, were separated by affinity chromatography to determine the importance and the participation of these subclasses in passive anaphylactic shock. IgG1, present in smaller amounts than IgG2, was more effective in sensitising isolated lung strips. The intravenous administration of ovalbumin to guinea pigs, which had been injected with 0.8 mg/kg of IgG1 or 2 mg/kg of IgG2 9 days beforehand, induced an intense bronchoconstriction with leucopenia and moderate thrombopenia, suggesting an as yet undescribed role for IgG2 in passive tissue sensitisation. The use of mepyramine, an antagonist of the histamine H1 receptor, WEB 2086, an antagonist of platelet-activating factor, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid, a dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and lipooxygenase, alone or associated, demonstrated that the anaphylactic contraction of lung strips from guinea pigs sensitised by IgG1 is mediated by histamine and arachidonate derivatives, whereas that of lung strips from guinea pigs sensitised with IgG2 is mostly mediated by histamine. In addition, the association of the three potential antagonists slightly reduced the anaphylactic contraction of lung strips provided by guinea pigs sensitised by serum. Our results, using a sensitisation procedure considered until now to involve exclusively IgE antibodies, indicate that IgG1 and IgG2 are in fact the essential antibodies for passive anaphylactic shock in the guinea pig.

Protein kinase C-dependent phosphorylation of annexins I and II in mesangial cells.

In this study we describe the phosphorylation of annexins from cultured rat mesangial cells by protein kinase C (PKC) both in vitro and in vivo. Annexins I and II were detected either by Western-blot analysis or by immunoprecipitation using specific antibodies. In the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP, cytosolic annexin I and annexin II were phosphorylated in vitro only when Ca2+ and phospholipids were added, but not in the presence of phospholipids alone. Annexin I was shown to be a better substrate than annexin II. In experiments in vivo performed on 32P-labelled mesangial cells, the addition of two well-known activators of PKC, namely angiotensin II (AII) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), increased preferentially the phosphorylation of annexin I. Annexin II was phosphorylated to a much lesser extent after AII treatment. Phosphoamino acid analysis of annexins, either by two-dimensional chromatography or by using a specific antiphosphotyrosine antibody, revealed only phosphoserine in these experiments in vivo. The addition of AII to mesangial cells increased serine phosphorylation of annexin I and annexin II, whereas PMA only increased serine phosphorylation of annexin I. V8-protease phosphopeptide mapping of annexin I that was phosphorylated both in vitro and in vivo by PKC from mesangial cells shows similar phosphopeptides.