Changes in Susceptibility to Oncolytic Vesicular Stomatitis Virus during Progression of Prostate Cancer.

UNLABELLED: A major challenge to oncolytic virus therapy is that individual cancers vary in their sensitivity to oncolytic viruses, even when these cancers arise from the same tissue type. Variability in response may arise due to differences in the initial genetic lesions leading to cancer development. Alternatively, susceptibility to viral oncolysis may change during cancer progression. These hypotheses were tested using cells from a transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer infected with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Primary cultures from murine cancers derived from prostate-specific Pten deletion contained a mixture of cells that were susceptible and resistant to VSV. Castration-resistant cancers contained a higher percentage of susceptible cells than cancers from noncastrated mice. These results indicate both susceptible and resistant cells can evolve within the same tumor. The role of Pten deletion was further investigated using clonal populations of murine prostate epithelial (MPE) progenitor cells and tumor-derived Pten(-/-) cells. Deletion of Pten in MPE progenitor cells using a lentivirus vector resulted in cells that responded poorly to interferon and were susceptible to VSV infection. In contrast, tumor-derived Pten(-/-) cells expressed higher levels of the antiviral transcription factor STAT1, activated STAT1 in response to VSV, and were resistant to VSV infection. These results suggest that early in tumor development following Pten deletion, cells are primarily sensitive to VSV, but subsequent evolution in tumors leads to development of cells that are resistant to VSV infection. Further evolution in castration-resistant tumors leads to tumors in which cells are primarily sensitive to VSV. IMPORTANCE: There has been a great deal of progress in the development of replication-competent viruses that kill cancer cells (oncolytic viruses). However, a major problem is that individual cancers vary in their sensitivity to oncolytic viruses, even when these cancers arise from the same tissue type. The experiments presented here were to determine whether both sensitive and resistant cells are present in prostate cancers originating from a single genetic lesion in transgenic mice, prostate-specific deletion of the gene for the tumor suppressor Pten. The results indicate that murine prostate cancers are composed of both cells that are sensitive and cells that are resistant to oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Furthermore, androgen deprivation led to castration-resistant prostate cancers that were composed primarily of cells that were sensitive to VSV. These results are encouraging for the use of VSV for the treatment of prostate cancers that are resistant to androgen deprivation therapy.

Localization of APOL1 protein and mRNA in the human kidney: nondiseased tissue, primary cells, and immortalized cell lines.

Although APOL1 gene variants are associated with nephropathy in African Americans, little is known about APOL1 protein synthesis, uptake, and localization in kidney cells. To address these questions, we examined APOL1 protein and mRNA localization in human kidney and human kidney-derived cell lines. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy performed on nondiseased nephrectomy cryosections from persons with normal kidney function revealed that APOL1 protein was markedly enriched in podocytes (colocalized with synaptopodin and Wilms' tumor suppressor) and present in lower abundance in renal tubule cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization detected APOL1 mRNA in glomeruli (podocytes and endothelial cells) and tubules, consistent with endogenous synthesis in these cell types. When these analyses were extended to renal-derived cell lines, quantitative RT-PCR did not detect APOL1 mRNA in human mesangial cells; however, abundant levels of APOL1 mRNA were observed in proximal tubule cells and glomerular endothelial cells, with lower expression in podocytes. Western blot analysis revealed corresponding levels of APOL1 protein in these cell lines. To explain the apparent discrepancy between the marked abundance of APOL1 protein in kidney podocytes observed in cryosections versus the lesser abundance in podocyte cell lines, we explored APOL1 cellular uptake. APOL1 protein was taken up readily by human podocytes in vitro but was not taken up efficiently by mesangial cells, glomerular endothelial cells, or proximal tubule cells. We hypothesize that the higher levels of APOL1 protein in human cryosectioned podocytes may reflect both endogenous protein synthesis and APOL1 uptake from the circulation or glomerular filtrate.

Apolipoprotein L1 nephropathy risk variants associate with HDL subfraction concentration in African Americans.

BACKGROUND: Coding variants in the apolipoprotein L1 gene (APOL1) are strongly associated with non-diabetic nephropathy in African Americans. ApoL1 proteins associate with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles in the circulation. Plasma HDL particle subclass concentrations were compared in 73 African Americans based on APOL1 genotypes to detect differences potentially contributing to renal disease. METHODS: HDL subclass concentrations were measured using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in African American first-degree relatives of patients with non-diabetic end-stage renal disease. Participants had estimated glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) > 80 mL/min and lacked albuminuria. Additive effects of the number of APOL1 risk variants on natural logarithm-transformed HDL subclass concentrations were computed. RESULTS: Participants were 58.9% female with mean ± SD age 47.2 ± 13.3 years and GFR 92.4 ± 18.8 mL/min. The numbers with 2, 1 and 0 APOL1 nephropathy risk variants, respectively, were 36, 17 and 20. Mean ± SD medium-sized HDL concentrations were significantly lower for each additional APOL1 risk variant (2 versus 1 versus 0 risk variants: 9.0 ± 5.6 versus 10.1 ± 5.5 versus 13.1 ± 8.2 µmol/L, respectively; P = 0.0222 unadjusted; P = 0.0162 triglyceride- and ancestry adjusted). CONCLUSIONS: Lower medium-sized HDL subclass concentrations are present in African Americans based on increasing numbers of APOL1 nephropathy risk variants. Potential mechanistic roles of altered medium HDL concentrations on APOL1-associated renal microvascular diseases should be evaluated.

Automated, quantitative assessment of epidermal necrosis expression resulting from skin exposure to beta radiation.

PURPOSE: Radiation skin injuries are difficult to quantitatively assess. Various scoring scales exist based on visual images and can be used in quantitative form for histological scoring. As an alternative to human scoring systems, an automated, quantitative system is proposed to provide unbiased scoring of radiation skin injury biopsy samples, with comparisons to human-based scoring systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A unique algorithm was developed and tested on a sample pool obtained from in-vivo beta radiation experiments with a porcine model. The grading results achieved by the developed algorithm and those provided by an expert histopathologist are compared. RESULTS: The extent of the epidermal necrosis is quantified in terms of the number of dead cells and their respective distribution across the length of the samples. The accuracy of the grading performed by the automated algorithm is comparable to that of a trained histopathologist, as demonstrated by statistically significant difference between the grades. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed method as a potential tool designed to aid in the histopathological analysis of the tissues affected by beta radiation exposure. An expanded study with a larger sample pool is recommended to further improve the accuracy of the proposed algorithm.

Metabolomic profile associated with insulin resistance and conversion to diabetes in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study.

CONTEXT: Metabolomic profiling of amino acids and acylcarnitines has revealed consistent patterns associated with metabolic disease. OBJECTIVE: This study used metabolomic profiling to identify analytes associated with insulin sensitivity (SI) and conversion to type 2 diabetes (T2D). DESIGN: A multiethnic cohort from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study. SETTING: Community-based. PATIENTS: A total of 196 subjects (European American, Hispanic, and African American) were selected to represent extremes of the SI distribution and conversion to T2D between baseline and followup exams. MAIN OUTCOME: Mass spectrometry-based profiling of 69 metabolites. Subjects participated in a frequently sampled i.v. glucose tolerance test to measure SI and acute insulin response. T2D status was determined by a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis from 72 high and 75 low SI subjects revealed significantly decreased glycine and increased valine, leucine, phenylalanine, and combined glutamine and glutamate (P = .0079-7.7 × 10(-6)) in insulin-resistant subjects. Ethnic-stratified results were strongest in European Americans. Comparing amino acid profiles between subjects that converted to T2D (76 converters; 70 nonconverters) yielded a similar pattern of associations: decreased glycine and increased valine, leucine, and combined glutamine and glutamate (P = .016-.00010). Importantly, ß-cell function as a covariate revealed a similar pattern of association. CONCLUSIONS: A distinct pattern of differences in amino acids were observed when comparing subjects with high and low levels of SI. This pattern was associated with conversion to T2D, remaining significant when accounting for ß-cell function, emphasizing a link between this metabolic profile and insulin resistance. These results demonstrate a consistent metabolic signature associated with insulin resistance and conversion to T2D, providing potential insight into underlying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis.

An ACACB variant implicated in diabetic nephropathy associates with body mass index and gene expression in obese subjects.

Acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase B gene (ACACB) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2268388 is reproducibly associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM)-associated nephropathy (DN). ACACB knock-out mice are also protected from obesity. This study assessed relationships between rs2268388, body mass index (BMI) and gene expression in multiple populations, with and without T2DM. Among subjects without T2DM, rs2268388 DN risk allele (T) associated with higher BMI in Pima Indian children (n = 2021; p-additive = 0.029) and African Americans (AAs) (n = 177; p-additive = 0.05), with a trend in European Americans (EAs) (n = 512; p-additive = 0.09), but not Germans (n = 858; p-additive = 0.765). Association with BMI was seen in a meta-analysis including all non-T2DM subjects (n = 3568; p-additive = 0.02). Among subjects with T2DM, rs2268388 was not associated with BMI in Japanese (n = 2912) or EAs (n = 1149); however, the T allele associated with higher BMI in the subset with BMI≥30 kg/m(2) (n = 568 EAs; p-additive = 0.049, n = 196 Japanese; p-additive = 0.049). Association with BMI was strengthened in a T2DM meta-analysis that included an additional 756 AAs (p-additive = 0.080) and 48 Hong Kong Chinese (p-additive = 0.81) with BMI≥30 kg/m(2) (n = 1575; p-additive = 0.0033). The effect of rs2268388 on gene expression revealed that the T risk allele associated with higher ACACB messenger levels in adipose tissue (41 EAs and 20 AAs with BMI>30 kg/m(2); p-additive = 0.018) and ACACB protein levels in the liver tissue (mixed model p-additive = 0.03, in 25 EA bariatric surgery patients with BMI>30 kg/m(2) for 75 exams). The T allele also associated with higher hepatic triglyceride levels. These data support a role for ACACB in obesity and potential roles for altered lipid metabolism in susceptibility to DN.

The effect of ACACB cis-variants on gene expression and metabolic traits.

BACKGROUND: Acetyl Coenzyme A carboxylase ß (ACACB) is the rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid oxidation, and continuous fatty acid oxidation in Acacb knock-out mice increases insulin sensitivity. Systematic human studies have not been performed to evaluate whether ACACB variants regulate gene expression and insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and adipose tissues. We sought to determine whether ACACB transcribed variants were associated with ACACB gene expression and insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic African American (AA) and European American (EA) adults. METHODS: ACACB transcribed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 105 EAs and 46 AAs whose body mass index (BMI), lipid profiles and ACACB gene expression in subcutaneous adipose and skeletal muscle had been measured. Allelic expression imbalance (AEI) was assessed in lymphoblast cell lines from heterozygous subjects in an additional EA sample (n = 95). Selected SNPs were further examined for association with insulin sensitivity in a cohort of 417 EAs and 153 AAs. RESULTS: ACACB transcribed SNP rs2075260 (A/G) was associated with adipose ACACB messenger RNA expression in EAs and AAs (p = 3.8×10(-5), dominant model in meta-analysis, Stouffer method), with the (A) allele representing lower gene expression in adipose and higher insulin sensitivity in EAs (p = 0.04). In EAs, adipose ACACB expression was negatively associated with age and sex-adjusted BMI (r = -0.35, p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Common variants within the ACACB locus appear to regulate adipose gene expression in humans. Body fat (represented by BMI) may further regulate adipose ACACB gene expression in the EA population.

Lipotoxicity in diabetic nephropathy: the potential role of fatty acid oxidation.

Cellular toxicity mediated by lipids (lipotoxicity) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus. Genetic analyses now implicate lipotoxicity in susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus-associated nephropathy (T2DN), a pathway that had previously been unexplored. A genome-wide association study in Japanese patients identified a single nucleotide polymorphism in the acetyl-CoA carboxylase ß (ACACB) gene associated with T2DN. Replication analyses suggest that this same polymorphism may be a diabetic nephropathy risk allele in other ethnic groups. The ACACB gene (also called ACC2 or acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2) plays a critical role in intracellular fatty acid (FA) oxidation. This manuscript reviews the physiology of FA metabolism and adverse cellular effects that can result from dysregulation of this process. It is hypothesized that glomerular and tubular dysfunction can be induced by increases in intracellular FA concentrations, a process that may be enabled by genetic risk variants. This novel glucolipotoxicity hypothesis in T2DN warrants further investigation.

Functional mapping of disease susceptibility loci using cell biology.

In most genome-wide linkage studies, implication of a causative disease gene often requires years of expanding the study to more families and finer mapping of the initially described region. Even after such efforts, unobtainable sample sizes can be required to make statistically meaningful conclusions about a single gene. Here we demonstrate that by adding a layer of functional biology to statistical genetic results, this process can be accelerated. The diabetes susceptibility locus (chromosome 18p11) was systematically dissected by using a cell-based secretion assay and RNA interference, and we identified laminin alpha1 to have a role in pancreatic beta cell secretion. The screen was extended to identify laminin receptor 1 as a functional partner in regards to beta cell function. Our approach can potentially be widely used in the setting of high-throughput cellular screening of other loci to identify candidate genes.

Mitochondrial metabolism sets the maximal limit of fuel-stimulated insulin secretion in a model pancreatic beta cell: a survey of four fuel secretagogues.

The precise metabolic steps that couple glucose catabolism to insulin secretion in the pancreatic beta cell are incompletely understood. ATP generated from glycolytic metabolism in the cytosol, from mitochondrial metabolism, and/or from the hydrogen shuttles operating between cytosolic and mitochondrial compartments has been implicated as an important coupling factor. To identify the importance of each of these metabolic pathways, we have compared the fates of four fuel secretagogues (glucose, pyruvate, dihydroxyacetone, and glycerol) in the INS1-E beta cell line. Two of these fuels, dihydroxyacetone and glycerol, are normally ineffective as secretagogues but are enabled by adenovirus-mediated expression of glycerol kinase. Comparison of these two particular fuels allows the effect of redox state on insulin secretion to be evaluated since the phosphorylated products dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glycerol phosphate lie on opposite sides of the NADH-consuming glycerophosphate dehydrogenase reaction. Based upon measurements of glycolytic metabolites, mitochondrial oxidation, mitochondrial matrix calcium, and mitochondrial membrane potential, we find that insulin secretion most tightly correlates with mitochondrial metabolism for each of the four fuels. In the case of glucose stimulation, the high control strength of glucose phosphorylation sets the pace of glucose metabolism and thus the rate of insulin secretion. However, bypassing this reaction with pyruvate, dihydroxyacetone, or glycerol uncovers constraints imposed by mitochondrial metabolism, each of which attains a similar maximal limit of insulin secretion. More specifically, we found that the hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, related to the proton export from the mitochondrial matrix, correlates well with insulin secretion. Based on these findings, we propose that fuel-stimulated secretion is in fact limited by the inherent thermodynamic constraints of proton gradient formation.

The transcription factor SREBP-1c is instrumental in the development of beta-cell dysfunction.

Accumulation of lipids in non-adipose tissues is often associated with Type 2 diabetes and its complications. Elevated expression of the lipogenic transcription factor, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), has been demonstrated in islets and liver of diabetic animals. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying SREBP-1c-induced beta-cell dysfunction, we employed the Tet-On inducible system to achieve tightly controlled and conditional expression of the nuclear active form of SREBP-1c (naSREBP-1c) in INS-1 cells. Controlled expression of naSREBP-1c induced massive accumulation of lipid droplets and blunted nutrient-stimulated insulin secretion in INS-1 cells. K(+)-evoked insulin exocytosis was unaltered. Quantification of the gene expression profile in this INS-1 stable clone revealed that naSREBP-1c induced beta-cell dysfunction by targeting multiple genes dedicated to carbohydrate metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, cell growth, and apoptosis. naSREBP-1c elicits cell growth-arrest and eventually apoptosis. We also found that the SREBP-1c processing in beta-cells was irresponsive to acute stimulation of glucose and insulin, which was distinct from that in lipogenic tissues. However, 2-day exposure to these agents promoted SREBP-1c processing. Therefore, the SREBP-1c maturation could be implicated in the pathogenesis of beta-cell glucolipotoxicity.

Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase I in INS1E cells: effects on cell metabolism and insulin secretion.

Lipid metabolism in the beta-cell is critical for the regulation of insulin secretion. Pancreatic beta-cells chronically exposed to fatty acids show higher carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) protein levels, higher palmitate oxidation rates and an altered insulin response to glucose. We examined the effect of increasing CPT I levels on insulin secretion in cultured beta-cells. We prepared a recombinant adenovirus containing the cDNA for the rat liver isoform of CPT I. The overexpression of CPT I in INS1E cells caused a more than a 5-fold increase in the levels of CPT I protein (detected by Western blotting), a 6-fold increase in the CPT activity, and an increase in fatty acid oxidation at 2.5 mM glucose (1.7-fold) and 15 mM glucose (3.1-fold). Insulin secretion was stimulated in control cells by 15 mM glucose or 30 mM KCl. INS1E cells overexpressing CPT I showed lower insulin secretion on stimulation with 15 mM glucose (-40%; P<0.05). This decrease depended on CPT I activity, since the presence of etomoxir, a specific inhibitor of CPT I, in the preincubation medium normalized the CPT I activity, the fatty-acid oxidation rate and the insulin secretion in response to glucose. Exogenous palmitate (0.25 mM) rescued glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in CPT I-overexpressing cells, indicating that the mechanism of impaired GSIS was through the depletion of a critical lipid. Depolarizing the cells with KCl or intermediary glucose concentrations (7.5 mM) elicited similar insulin secretion in control cells and cells overexpressing CPT I. Glucose-induced ATP increase, glucose metabolism and the triacylglycerol content remained unchanged. These results provide further evidence that CPT I activity regulates insulin secretion in the beta-cell. They also indicate that up-regulation of CPT I contributes to the loss of response to high glucose in beta-cells exposed to fatty acids.