A New Look into the Mode of Action of Metal-Based Anticancer Drugs.

The mode of action of Pt- and Pd-based anticancer agents (cisplatin and Pd2Spm) was studied by characterising their impact on DNA. Changes in conformation and mobility at the molecular level in hydrated DNA were analysed by quasi-elastic and inelastic neutron scattering techniques (QENS and INS), coupled to Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and microRaman spectroscopies. Although INS, FTIR and Raman revealed drug-triggered changes in the phosphate groups and the double helix base pairing, QENS allowed access to the nanosecond motions of the biomolecule's backbone and confined hydration water within the minor groove. Distinct effects were observed for cisplatin and Pd2Spm, the former having a predominant effect on DNA´s spine of hydration, whereas the latter had a higher influence on the backbone dynamics. This is an innovative way of tackling a drug´s mode of action, mediated by the hydration waters within its pharmacological target (DNA).

Anticancer drug impact on DNA - a study by neutron spectroscopy coupled with synchrotron-based FTIR and EXAFS.

Complementary structural and dynamical information on drug-DNA interplay has been achieved at a molecular level, for Pt/Pd-drugs, allowing a better understanding of their pharmacodynamic profile which is crucial for the development of improved chemotherapeutic agents. The interaction of two cisplatin-like dinuclear Pt(ii) and Pd(ii) complexes with DNA was studied through a multidisciplinary experimental approach, using quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) techniques coupled with synchrotron-based extended X-ray absorption fine structure (SR-EXAFS) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflectance (SR-FTIR-ATR). DNA extracted from drug-exposed human triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) was used, with a view to evaluate the effect of the unconventional antineoplastic agents on this low prognosis type of cancer. The drug impact on DNA's dynamical profile, via its hydration layer, was provided by QENS, a drug-triggered enhanced mobility having been revealed. Additionally, an onset of anharmonicity was detected for dehydrated DNA, at room temperature. Far- and mid-infrared measurements allowed the first simultaneous detection of the drugs and their primary pharmacological target, as well as the drug-prompted changes in DNA's conformation that mediate cytotoxicity. The local environment of the absorbing Pd(ii) and Pt(ii) centers in the drugs' adducts with adenine, guanine and glutathione was attained by EXAFS.

BDNF promotes axon branching of retinal ganglion cells via miRNA-132 and p250GAP.

A crucial step in the development of the vertebrate visual system is the branching of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons within their target, the superior colliculus/tectum. A major player in this process is the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, the molecular basis for the signaling pathways mediating BDNF action is less well understood. As BDNF exerts some of its functions by controlling the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), we investigated whether miRNAs are also involved in BDNF-mediated retinal axon branching. Here, we demonstrate that the expression pattern of miRNA-132 in the retina is consistent with its involvement in this process, and that BDNF induces the upregulation of miRNA-132 in retinal cultures. Furthermore, in vitro gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches in retinal cultures reveal that miRNA-132 mediates axon branching downstream of BDNF. A known target of miRNA-132 is the Rho family GTPase-activating protein, p250GAP. We find that p250GAP is expressed in RGC axons and mediates the effects of miRNA-132 in BDNF-induced branching. BDNF treatment or overexpression of miRNA-132 leads to a reduction in p250GAP protein levels in retinal cultures, whereas the overexpression of p250GAP abolishes BDNF-induced branching. Finally, we used a loss-of-function approach to show that miRNA-132 affects the maturation of RGC termination zones in the mouse superior colliculus in vivo, while their topographic targeting remains intact. Together, our data indicate that BDNF promotes RGC axon branching during retinocollicular/tectal map formation via upregulation of miRNA-132, which in turn downregulates p250GAP.

Chemotherapeutic Targets in Osteosarcoma: Insights from Synchrotron-MicroFTIR and Quasi-Elastic Neutron Scattering.

This study aimed at the development of improved drugs against human osteosarcoma, which is the most common primary bone tumor in children and teenagers with a low prognosis. New insights into the impact of an unconventional Pd(II) anticancer agent on human osteosarcoma cells were obtained by synchrotron radiation-Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy and quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) experiments from its effect on the cellular metabolism to its influence on intracellular water, which can be regarded as a potential secondary pharmacological target. Specific infrared biomarkers of drug action were identified, enabling a molecular-level description of variations in cellular biochemistry upon drug exposure. The main changes were detected in the protein and lipid cellular components, namely, in the ratio of unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acids. QENS revealed reduced water mobility within the cytoplasm for drug-treated cells, coupled to a disruption of the hydration layers of biomolecules. Additionally, the chemical and dynamical profiles of osteosarcoma cells were compared to those of metastatic breast cancer cells, revealing distinct dissimilarities that may influence drug activity.

Minor abnormalities of testis development in mice lacking the gene encoding the MAPK signalling component, MAP3K1.

In mammals, the Y chromosome is a dominant male determinant, causing the bipotential gonad to develop as a testis. Recently, cases of familial and spontaneous 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD) have been attributed to mutations in the human gene encoding mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1, MAP3K1, a component of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway. In individuals harbouring heterozygous mutations in MAP3K1, dysregulation of MAPK signalling was observed in lymphoblastoid cell lines, suggesting a causal role for these mutations in disrupting XY sexual development. Mice lacking the cognate gene, Map3k1, are viable and exhibit the eyes open at birth (EOB) phenotype on a mixed genetic background, but on the C57BL/6J genetic background most mice die at around 14.5 dpc due to a failure of erythropoiesis in the fetal liver. However, no systematic examination of sexual development in Map3k1-deficient mice has been described, an omission that is especially relevant in the case of C57BL/6J, a genetic background that is sensitized to disruptions to testis determination. Here, we report that on a mixed genetic background mice lacking Map3k1 are fertile and exhibit no overt abnormalities of testis development. On C57BL/6J, significant non-viability is observed with very few animals surviving to adulthood. However, an examination of development in Map3k1-deficient XY embryos on this genetic background revealed no significant defects in testis determination, although minor abnormalities were observed, including an increase in gonadal length. Based on these observations, we conclude that MAP3K1 is not required for mouse testis determination. We discuss the significance of these data for the functional interpretation of sex-reversing MAP3K1 mutations in humans.