Increased mRNA expression of collagen V gene in pulmonary fibrosis of systemic sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Collagen V shows promise as an inducer of interstitial lung fibrosis in experimental systemic sclerosis (SSc). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Remodelling of the pulmonary interstitium was evaluated based on the clinical data and open lung biopsies from 15 patients with SSc. Normal lung tissues obtained from eight individuals who died of traumatic injuries were used as control group. Immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, morphometry, tri-dimensional reconstruction and a real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate the quantity, structure and molecular chains of collagen V. The impact of these markers was tested on clinical data. RESULTS: The main difference in collagen V content between SSc patients and the control group was an increased, abnormal and distorted fibre deposition in the alveolar septa and the pre-acinar artery wall. The lungs from SSc patients presented [alpha1(V)] and [alpha2(V)] mRNA chain expression increased, but [alpha2(V)] was proportionally increased compared with the control group. High levels of collagen V were inversely associated with vital capacity (r = -0.72; P = 0.002), forced vital capacity (r = -0.76; P < 0.001), forced expiratory volume in 1-s (r = -0.89; P < 0.001) and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (r = -0.62; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal collagen V fibres are overproduced in lungs from SSc patients and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease as this molecule regulates tissue collagen assembly. The aberrant histoarchitecture observed in SSc can be related to the overexpression of the [alpha2(V)] gene of unknown origin.

Expression of heterochromatin protein 1 in the primary tumor of breast cancer patients in the presence or absence of occult metastatic cells in the bone marrow.

Gene silencing may occur in breast cancer samples from patients presenting with occult metastatic cells in the bone marrow and one mechanism regulating gene suppression is heterochromatin formation. We have studied whether members of the heterochromatin protein 1 family (HP1Hs alpha, HP1Hs beta and HP1Hs gamma), which take part in chromatin packaging and gene expression regulation, were differentially expressed in tumors from patients with and without occult metastatic cells in their bone marrow. Tumor samples and bone marrow aspirates were obtained from 37 breast cancer patients. Median age was 63 years and 68% of the patients presented with clinical stage I/II disease. Presence of occult metastatic cells in bone marrow was detected through keratin-19 expression by nested RT-PCR in samples from 20 patients (54.1%). The presence of occult metastatic cells in bone marrow was not associated with node involvement, histological grade, estrogen receptor and ERBB2 immunoexpression. Relative gene expression of HP1Hs alpha, HP1Hs beta and HP1Hs gamma was determined by realtime RT-PCR and did not vary according to the presence of occult metastatic cells in bone marrow. In addition, the combined expression of these three transcripts could not be used to classify samples according to the presence of bone marrow micrometastasis. Our work indicates that regulation of heterochromatin formation through HP1 family members may not be the sole mechanism implicated in the metastatic process to the bone marrow.

Tamoxifen inhibits transforming growth factor-alpha gene expression in human breast carcinoma samples treated with triiodothyronine.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of triiodothyronine (T3), 17beta-estradiol (E2), and tamoxifen (TAM) on transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha gene expression in primary breast cancer cell cultures and interactions between the different treatments. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients included in the study (no.=12) had been newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Fresh human breast carcinoma tissue was cut into 0.3- mm slices. These slices were placed in six 35-mm dishes on 2-ml organ culture medium. Dishes received the following treatments: dish 1: ethanol; dish 2: T3; dish 3: T3+TAM; dish 4: TAM; dish 5: E2; dish 6: E2+TAM. TGF-alpha mRNA content was normalized to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA levels. All tissues included in this study were positive for estrogen receptor (ER) and thyroid hormone receptor expression. Treatment with T3 for 48 h significantly increased TGF-alpha mRNA levels compared to controls (15-fold), and concomitant treatment with TAM reduced expression to 3.4-fold compared to controls. When only TAM was added to the culture medium, TGF-alpha mRNA expression increased 5.3-fold, significantly higher than with all other treatment modalities. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that TGF-alpha mRNA expression is more efficiently upregulated by T3 than E2. Concomitant treatment with TAM had a mitigating effect on the T3 effect, while E2 induced TGF-alpha upregulation. Our findings show some similarities between primary culture and breast cancer cell lines, but also some important differences: a) induction of TGF-alpha, a mitogenic protein, by TAM; b) a differential effect of TAM that may depend on relative expression of ER alpha and beta; and c) supraphysiological doses of T3 may induce mitogenic signals in breast cancer tissue under conditions of low circulating E2.

Orthotopic tumorgrafts in nude mice as a model to evaluate calcitriol effects in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Calcitriol antiproliferative effects were observed in xenografts of breast cancer cell lines, however they were not yet investigated in tumorgrafts, consisting of freshly collected breast cancer samples xenografted into animals. To establish a tumorgraft model, from freshly collected breast cancer samples, which were directly implanted in nude mice, to study calcitriol effects. METHODS: Breast cancer samples collected from 12 patients were orthotopically implanted into nude mice. Animals were treated with weekly intratumoral injections of calcitriol 3 µg/Kg, which was previously shown to induce peak serum calcitriol levels in the predicted therapeutic range. RESULTS: Success engraftment rate was 25%. Tumorgrafts were established from aggressive (HER2 positive or histological grade 3) highly proliferative samples and original tumor characteristics were preserved. Calcitriol highly induced its target gene, CYP24A1, indicating that the genomic vitamin D pathway is active in tumorgrafts. However, no differences in the expression of proliferation and apoptosis markers (BrdU incorporation, Ki67, CDKN1A, CDKN1B, BCL2 expression) were observed in these highly proliferative tumor samples. CONCLUSIONS: Tumorgrafts seem a promising model to explore other calcitriol doses and regimens, considering the heterogeneity of the disease and microenvironment interactions.

Gene expression profiling of clinical stages II and III breast cancer.

Clinical stage (CS) is an established indicator of breast cancer outcome. In the present study, a cDNA microarray platform containing 692 genes was used to identify molecular differences between CSII and CSIII disease. Tumor samples were collected from patients with CSII or CSIII breast cancer, and normal breast tissue was collected from women without invasive cancer. Seventy-eight genes were deregulated in CSIII tumors and 22 in CSII tumors when compared to normal tissue, and 20 of them were differentially expressed in both CSII and CSIII tumors. In addition, 58 genes were specifically altered in CSIII and expression of 6 of them was tested by real time RT-PCR in another cohort of patients with CSII or CSIII breast cancer and in women without cancer. Among these genes, MAX, KRT15 and S100A14, but not APOBEC3G or KRT19, were differentially expressed on both CSIII and CSII tumors as compared to normal tissue. Increased HMOX1 levels were detected only in CSIII tumors and may represent a molecular marker of this stage. A clear difference in gene expression pattern occurs at the normal-to-cancer transition; however, most of the differentially expressed genes are deregulated in tumors of both CS (II and III) compared to normal breast tissue.

Simultaneous changes in the function and expression of beta 1 integrins during the growth arrest of poorly differentiated colorectal cells (LISP-1).

Cells usually lose adhesion and increase proliferation and migration during malignant transformation. Here, we studied how proliferation can affect the other two characteristics, which ultimately lead to invasion and metastasis. We determined the expression of beta 1 integrins, as well as adhesion and migration towards laminin-1, fibronectin, collagens type I and type IV presented by LISP-1 colorectal cancer cells exposed to 2.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an agent capable of decreasing proliferation in this poorly differentiated colorectal cell line. Untreated cells (control), as shown by flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies, expressed alpha 2 (63.8 11.3% positive cells), alpha 3 (93.3 7.0%), alpha 5 (50.4 12.0%) and alpha 6 (34.1 4.9%) integrins but not alpha1, alpha 4, alpha v or 4. Cells adhered well to laminin-1 (73.4 6.0%) and fibronectin (40.0 2.0%) substrates but very little to collagens. By using blocking monoclonal antibodies, we showed that alpha 2, alpha 3 and alpha 6 mediated laminin-1 adhesion, but neither alpha 3 nor alpha 5 contributed to fibronectin adherence. DMSO arrested cells at G0/G1 (control: 55.0 2.4% vs DMSO: 70.7 2.5%) while simultaneously reducing alpha 5 (24.2 19%) and alpha 6 (14.3 10.8%) expression as well as c-myc mRNA (7-fold), the latter shown by Northern blotting. Although the adhesion rate did not change after exposure to DMSO, alpha 3 and alpha 5 played a major role in laminin-1 and fibronectin adhesion, respectively. Migration towards laminin-1, which was clearly increased upon exposure to DMSO (control: 6 2 cells vs DMSO: 64 6 cells), was blocked by an antibody against alpha 6. We conclude that the effects of DMSO on LISP-1 proliferation were accompanied by concurrent changes in the expression and function of integrins, consequently modulating adhesion/migration, and revealing a complex interplay between function/expression and the proliferative state of cells.

Normal HC11 and ras-transformed mouse mammary cells are resistant to the antiproliferative effects of retinoic acid.

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of retinoic acid on the growth of the mouse mammary cells HC11 and HC11ras, which are a model for in vitro breast cancer progression. The expression of the two classes (RARs and RXRs) of retinoic acid receptor mRNAs was determined by Northern blot analysis. Receptor functional integrity was determined by testing whether RAR mRNA could be induced by retinoic acid. The effects of a 72-h exposure to 50 M 13-cis retinoic acid on HC11 and HC11ras cell proliferation and HC11 cell differentiation were investigated by flow cytometric cell cycle analysis, and by determination of -casein mRNA expression, respectively. The possibility that retinoic acid would induce the expression of the vitamin D receptor and synergize with vitamin D, a known inhibitor of HC11 cell growth, was also investigated. HC11 cells expressed higher mRNA levels of both RAR a and RAR g when compared to HC11ras cells. In contrast, RAR , as well as RXR a, and g expression was low in both HC11 and HC11ras cells. In addition, RAR mRNA was induced by retinoic acid treatment in both cells. In spite of these observations, no effects were seen on cell proliferation or differentiation upon exposure to retinoic acid. Neither vitamin D receptor induction nor synergy with vitamin D on growth inhibition was observed. We conclude that the RAR expression profile could be related to the transformed state in HC11ras cells and that the retinoic acid resistance observed merits further investigation.

Antiproliferative effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on breast cells: a mini review.

The hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3), the active form of vitamin D3, is an important regulator of calcium homeostasis, exerts antiproliferative effects on various cell systems and can induce differentiation in some kinds of hematopoietic cells. These effects are triggered by its receptor, vitamin D receptor (VDR), a phosphoprotein member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, which functions as a transcriptional factor. VDR binds as a heterodimer with retinoid X receptor (R X R) to hexameric repeats, characterized as vitamin D-responsive elements present in the regulatory region of target genes such as osteocalcin, osteopontin, calbindin-D28K, calbindin-D9K, p21WAF1/CIP1, TGF-beta2 and vitamin D 24-hydroxylase. Many factors such as glucocorticoids, estrogens, retinoids, proliferation rate and cell transformation can modulate VDR levels. VDR is expressed in mammary tissue and breast cancer cells, which are potential targets to hormone action. Besides having antiproliferative properties, vitamin D might also reduce the invasiveness of cancer cells and act as an anti-angiogenesis agent. All of these antitumoral features suggest that the properties of vitamin D could be explored for chemopreventive and therapeutic purposes in cancer. However, hypercalcemia is an undesirable side effect associated with pharmacological doses of 1,25-(OH)2D3. Some promising 1,25-(OH)2D3 analogs have been developed, which are less hypercalcemic in spite of being potent antiproliferative agents. They represent a new field of investigation.

Orthotopic tumorgrafts in nude mice as a model to evaluate calcitriol effects in breast cancer / Modelo de enxerto tumoral ortotópico em camundongos para avaliar os efeitos do calcitriol em câncer de mama

Abstract Calcitriol antiproliferative effects were observed in xenografts of breast cancer cell lines, however they were not yet investigated in tumorgrafts, consisting of freshly collected breast cancer samples xenografted into animals. Objectives To establish a tumorgraft model, from freshly collected breast cancer samples, which were directly implanted in nude mice, to study calcitriol effects. Methods Breast cancer samples collected from 12 patients were orthotopically implanted into nude mice. Animals were treated with weekly intratumoral injections of calcitriol 3 μg/Kg, which was previously shown to induce peak serum calcitriol levels in the predicted therapeutic range. Results Success engraftment rate was 25%. Tumorgrafts were established from aggressive (HER2 positive or histological grade 3) highly proliferative samples and original tumor characteristics were preserved. Calcitriol highly induced its target gene, CYP24A1, indicating that the genomic vitamin D pathway is active in tumorgrafts. However, no differences in the expression of proliferation and apoptosis markers (BrdU incorporation, Ki67, CDKN1A, CDKN1B, BCL2 expression) were observed in these highly proliferative tumor samples. Conclusions Tumorgrafts seem a promising model to explore other calcitriol doses and regimens, considering the heterogeneity of the disease and microenvironment interactions.

Resumo Os efeitos antiproliferativos de calcitriol foram observados em xenotransplantes de linhagens celulares de câncer de mama, entretanto, não foram ainda investigados em enxertos tumorais, consistindo de implantes em animais de amostras de câncer de mama recém-coletadas. Objetivos Estabelecer modelo de enxerto tumoral, a partir de amostra de câncer de mama recém-coletada e diretamente implantada em camundongos nude, para estudar o efeito do calcitriol. Métodos Amostras de câncer de mama de 12 pacientes foram implantadas ortotopicamente em camundongos nude. Os animais foram tratados com injeção intratumoral semanal de calcitriol 3 μg/Kg, a qual foi previamente associada com indução de pico sérico de calcitriol dentro do intervalo de nível terapêutico. Resultados A taxa de sucesso de pega do enxerto foi de 25%. Os enxertos tumorais foram estabelecidos de tumores agressivos com alta taxa de proliferação (HER2 positivo ou grau histológico 3) e as características do tumor original foram preservadas. O calcitriol induziu fortemente a expressão do gene alvo, CYP24A1, indicando que a via genômica da vitamina D está ativa nos enxertos tumorais, entretanto, não se observou diferenças na expressão de marcadores de proliferação e apoptose (incorporação de BrdU, expressão de Ki67, CDKN1A, CDKN1B e BCL2) nestas amostras altamente proliferativas. Conclusões Os enxertos tumorais parecem ser um modelo promissor para explorar outros esquemas e doses de calcitriol, considerando a heterogeneidade da doença e interações com o microambiente.

Human breast tumor slices: a model for identification of vitamin D regulated genes in the tumor microenvironment.

While many studies have addressed the direct effects of 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 on breast cancer (BC) cells, stromal-epithelial interactions, which are important for the tumor development, have been largely ignored. In addition, high concentrations of the hormone, which cannot be attained in vivo, have been used. Our aim was to establish a more physiological breast cancer model, represented by BC tissue slices, which maintain epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, cultured with a relatively low 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 concentration, in order to evaluate the vitamin D pathway. Freshly excised human BC samples were sliced and cultured in complete culture media containing vehicle, 0.5 nM or 100 nM 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 for 24 h. BC slices remained viable for at least 24 h, as evaluated by preserved tissue morphology in hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained sections and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation by 10% of tumor cells. VDR mRNA expression was detected in all samples and CYP24A1 mRNA expression was induced by 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 in both concentrations (but mainly with 100 nM). Our results indicate that the vitamin D signaling pathway is functional in BC slices, a model which preserves stromal-epithelial interactions and mimics in vivo conditions.

Gene trio signatures as molecular markers to predict response to doxorubicin cyclophosphamide neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

In breast cancer patients submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (4 cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, AC), expression of groups of three genes (gene trio signatures) could distinguish responsive from non-responsive tumors, as demonstrated by cDNA microarray profiling in a previous study by our group. In the current study, we determined if the expression of the same genes would retain the predictive strength, when analyzed by a more accessible technique (real-time RT-PCR). We evaluated 28 samples already analyzed by cDNA microarray, as a technical validation procedure, and 14 tumors, as an independent biological validation set. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (4 AC). Among five trio combinations previously identified, defined by nine genes individually investigated (BZRP, CLPTM1, MTSS1, NOTCH1, NUP210, PRSS11, RPL37A, SMYD2, and XLHSRF-1), the most accurate were established by RPL37A, XLHSRF-1 based trios, with NOTCH1 or NUP210. Both trios correctly separated 86% of tumors (87% sensitivity and 80% specificity for predicting response), according to their response to chemotherapy (82% in a leave-one-out cross-validation method). Using the pre-established features obtained by linear discriminant analysis, 71% samples from the biological validation set were also correctly classified by both trios (72% sensitivity; 66% specificity). Furthermore, we explored other gene combinations to achieve a higher accuracy in the technical validation group (as a training set). A new trio, MTSS1, RPL37 and SMYD2, correctly classified 93% of samples from the technical validation group (95% sensitivity and 80% specificity; 86% accuracy by the cross-validation method) and 79% from the biological validation group (72% sensitivity and 100% specificity). Therefore, the combined expression of MTSS1, RPL37 and SMYD2, as evaluated by real-time RT-PCR, is a potential candidate to predict response to neoadjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in breast cancer patients.

Expression of E-cadherin, Snail and Hakai in epithelial cells isolated from the primary tumor and from peritumoral tissue of invasive ductal breast carcinomas.

Epithelial intercellular cohesion, mainly mediated by E-cadherin (CDH1) expression and function, may be deregulated during cancer cell invasion of adjacent tissues and lymphatic and vascular channels. CDH1 expression is down-modulated in invasive lobular breast carcinomas but its regulation in invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) is less clear. CDH1 expression is repressed by transcription factors such as Snail (SNAI1) and its product is degraded after Hakai ubiquitination. We compared CDH1, SNAI1 and HAKAI mRNA expression in IDC and paired adjacent normal breast tissue and evaluated its relation with node metastasis and circulating tumor cells. Matched tumor/peritumoral and blood samples were collected from 30 patients with early IDC. Epithelial cells from each compartment (tumor/peritumoral) were recovered by an immunomagnetic method and gene expression was determined by real time RT-PCR. There were no differences in CDH1, SNAI1 and HAKAI mRNA expression between tumor and corresponding peritumoral samples and no differential tumoral gene expression according to nodal involvement. Another 30 patients with a long-term follow-up (at least 5 years) and a differential prognosis (good or poor, as defined by breast cancer death) had E-cadherin and Snail protein detected by immunohistochemistry in tumor samples. In this group, E-cadherin-positive expression, but not Snail, may be associated with a better prognosis. This is the first report simultaneously analyzing CDH1, SNAI1 and HAKAI mRNA expression in matched tumor and peritumoral samples from patients with IDC. However, no clear pattern of their expression could distinguish the invasive tumor compartment from its adjacent normal tissue.

Gene trio signatures as molecular markers to predict response to doxorubicin cyclophosphamide neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancerpatients

In breast cancer patients submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (4 cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, AC), expression of groups of three genes (gene trio signatures) could distinguish responsive from non-responsive tumors, as demonstrated by cDNA microarray profiling in a previous study by our group. In the current study, we determined if the expression of the same genes would retain the predictive strength, when analyzed by a more accessible technique (real-time RT-PCR). We evaluated 28 samples already analyzed by cDNA microarray, as a technical validation procedure, and 14 tumors, as an independent biological validation set. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (4 AC). Among five trio combinations previously identified, defined by nine genes individually investigated (BZRP, CLPTM1,MTSS1, NOTCH1, NUP210, PRSS11, RPL37A, SMYD2, and XLHSRF-1), the most accurate were established by RPL37A, XLHSRF-1based trios, with NOTCH1 or NUP210. Both trios correctly separated 86 percent of tumors (87 percent sensitivity and 80 percent specificity for predicting response), according to their response to chemotherapy (82 percent in a leave-one-out cross-validation method). Using the pre-established features obtained by linear discriminant analysis, 71 percent samples from the biological validation set were also correctly classified by both trios (72 percent sensitivity; 66 percent specificity). Furthermore, we explored other gene combinations to achieve a higher accuracy in the technical validation group (as a training set). A new trio, MTSS1, RPL37 and SMYD2, correctly classified 93 percent of samples from the technical validation group (95 percent sensitivity and 80 percent specificity; 86 percent accuracy by the cross-validation method) and 79 percent from the biological validation group (72 percent sensitivity and 100 percent specificity). Therefore, the combined expression of MTSS1, RPL37 and SMYD2, as evaluated by real-time RT-PCR, is a potential candidate to predict response to neoadjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in breast cancer patients.

Expression of E-cadherin, Snail and Hakai in epithelial cells isolated from the primary tumor and from peritumoral tissue of invasive ductal breast carcinomas

Epithelial intercellular cohesion, mainly mediated by E-cadherin (CDH1) expression and function, may be deregulated during cancer cell invasion of adjacent tissues and lymphatic and vascular channels. CDH1 expression is down-modulated in invasive lobular breast carcinomas but its regulation in invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) is less clear. CDH1 expression is repressed by transcription factors such as Snail (SNAI1) and its product is degraded after Hakai ubiquitination. We compared CDH1, SNAI1 and HAKAI mRNA expression in IDC and paired adjacent normal breast tissue and evaluated its relation with node metastasis and circulating tumor cells. Matched tumor/peritumoral and blood samples were collected from 30 patients with early IDC. Epithelial cells from each compartment (tumor/peritumoral) were recovered by an immunomagnetic method and gene expression was determined by real time RT-PCR. There were no differences in CDH1, SNAI1 and HAKAI mRNA expression between tumor and corresponding peritumoral samples and no differential tumoral gene expression according to nodal involvement. Another 30 patients with a long-term follow-up (at least 5 years) and a differential prognosis (good or poor, as defined by breast cancer death) had E-cadherin and Snail protein detected by immunohistochemistry in tumor samples. In this group, E-cadherin-positive expression, but not Snail, may be associated with a better prognosis. This is the first report simultaneously analyzing CDH1, SNAI1 and HAKAI mRNA expression in matched tumor and peritumoral samples from patients with IDC. However, no clear pattern of their expression could distinguish the invasive tumor compartment from its adjacent normal tissue.

Gene expression profiling of clinical stages II and III breast cancer

Clinical stage (CS) is an established indicator of breast cancer outcome. In the present study, a cDNA microarray platform containing 692 genes was used to identify molecular differences between CSII and CSIII disease. Tumor samples were collected from patients with CSII or CSIII breast cancer, and normal breast tissue was collected from women without invasive cancer. Seventy-eight genes were deregulated in CSIII tumors and 22 in CSII tumors when compared to normal tissue, and 20 of them were differentially expressed in both CSII and CSIII tumors. In addition, 58 genes were specifically altered in CSIII and expression of 6 of them was tested by real time RT-PCR in another cohort of patients with CSII or CSIII breast cancer and in women without cancer. Among these genes, MAX, KRT15 and S100A14, but not APOBEC3G or KRT19, were differentially expressed on both CSIII and CSII tumors as compared to normal tissue. Increased HMOX1 levels were detected only in CSIII tumors and may represent a molecular marker of this stage. A clear difference in gene expression pattern occurs at the normal-to-cancer transition; however, most of the differentially expressed genes are deregulated in tumors of both CS (II and III) compared to normal breast tissue.

Simultaneous changes in the function and expression of beta 1 integrins during the growth arrest of poorly differentiated colorectal cells (LISP-1)

Cells usually lose adhesion and increase proliferation and migration during malignant transformation. Here, we studied how proliferation can affect the other two characteristics, which ultimately lead to invasion and metastasis. We determined the expression of ß1 integrins, as well as adhesion and migration towards laminin-1, fibronectin, collagens type I and type IV presented by LISP-1 colorectal cancer cells exposed to 2.5 percent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an agent capable of decreasing proliferation in this poorly differentiated colorectal cell line. Untreated cells (control), as shown by flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies, expressed alpha2 (63.8 ± 11.3 percent positive cells), alpha3 (93.3 ± 7.0 percent), alpha5 (50.4 ± 12.0 percent) and alpha6 (34.1 ± 4.9 percent) integrins but not alpha1, alpha4, alphav or ß4. Cells adhered well to laminin-1 (73.4 ± 6.0 percent) and fibronectin (40.0 ± 2.0 percent) substrates but very little to collagens. By using blocking monoclonal antibodies, we showed that alpha2, alpha3 and alpha6 mediated laminin-1 adhesion, but neither alpha3 nor alpha5 contributed to fibronectin adherence. DMSO arrested cells at G0/G1 (control: 55.0 ± 2.4 percent vs DMSO: 70.7 ± 2.5 percent) while simultaneously reducing alpha5 (24.2 ± 19 percent) and alpha6 (14.3 ± 10.8 percent) expression as well as c-myc mRNA (7-fold), the latter shown by Northern blotting. Although the adhesion rate did not change after exposure to DMSO, alpha3 and alpha5 played a major role in laminin-1 and fibronectin adhesion, respectively. Migration towards laminin-1, which was clearly increased upon exposure to DMSO (control: 6 ± 2 cells vs DMSO: 64 ± 6 cells), was blocked by an antibody against alpha6. We conclude that the effects of DMSO on LISP-1 proliferation were accompanied by concurrent changes in the expression and function of integrins, consequently modulating adhesion/migration, and revealing a complex interplay between function/expression and the proliferative state of cells

Normal HC11 and ras-transformed mouse mammary cells are resistant to the antiproliferative effects of retinoic acid

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of retinoic acid on the growth of the mouse mammary cells HC11 and HC11ras, which are a model for in vitro breast cancer progression. The expression of the two classes (RARs and RXRs) of retinoic acid receptor mRNAs was determined by Northern blot analysis. Receptor functional integrity was determined by testing whether RAR á mRNA could be induced by retinoic acid. The effects of a 72-h exposure to 50 æM 13-cis retinoic acid on HC11 and HC11ras cell proliferation and HC11 cell differentiation were investigated by flow cytometric cell cycle analysis, and by determination of á-casein mRNA expression, respectively. The possibility that retinoic acid would induce the expression of the vitamin D receptor and synergize with vitamin D, a known inhibitor of HC11 cell growth, was also investigated. HC11 cells expressed higher mRNA levels of both RAR a and RAR g when compared to HC11ras cells. In contrast, RAR á, as well as RXR a, á and g expression was low in both HC11 and HC11ras cells. In addition, RAR á mRNA was induced by retinoic acid treatment in both cells. In spite of these observations, no effects were seen on cell proliferation or differentiation upon exposure to retinoic acid. Neither vitamin D receptor induction nor synergy with vitamin D on growth inhibition was observed. We conclude that the RAR expression profile could be related to the transformed state in HC11ras cells and that the retinoic acid resistance observed merits further investigation.

Antiproliferative effects of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on breast cells: a mini review

The hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3), the active form of vitamin D3, is an important regulator of calcium homeostasis, exerts antiproliferative effects on various cell systems and can induce differentiation in some kinds of hematopoietic cells. These effects are triggered by its receptor, vitamin D receptor (VDR), a phosphoprotein member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, which functions as a transcriptional factor. VDR binds as a heterodimer with retinoid X receptor (R X R) to hexameric repeats, characterized as vitamin D-responsive elements present in the regulatory region of target genes such as osteocalcin, osteopontin, calbindin-D28K, calbindin-D9K, p21WAF1/CIP1, TGF-ß2 and vitamin D 24-hydroxylase. Many factors such as glucocorticoids, estrogens, retinoids, proliferation rate and cell transformation can modulate VDR levels. VDR is expressed in mammary tissue and breast cancer cells, which are potential targets to hormone action. Besides having antiproliferative properties, vitamin D might also reduce the invasiveness of cancer cells and act as an anti-angiogenesis agent. All of these antitumoral features suggest that the properties of vitamin D could be explored for chemopreventive and therapeutic purposes in cancer. However, hypercalcemia is an undesirable side effect associated with pharmacological doses of 1,25-(OH)2D3. Some promising 1,25-(OH)2D3 analogs have been developed, which are less hypercalcemic in spite of being potent antiproliferative agents. They represent a new field of investigation

Differential regulation of vitamin D receptor expression in distinct leukemic cell lines upon phorbol ester-induced growth arrest

A close correlation between vitamin D receptor (VDR) abundance and cell proliferation rate has been shown in NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, MCF-7 breast cancer and in HL-60 myeloblastic cells. We have now determined if this association occurs in other leukemic cell lines, U937 and K562, and if VDR content is related to c-myc expression, which is also linked to cell growth state. Upon phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) treatment, cells from the three lineages (HL-60, U937 and K562) differentiated and expressed specific surface antigens. All cell lines analyzed were growth inhibited by PMA and the doubling time was increased, mainly due to an increased fraction of cells in the G0/G1 phase, as determined by flow cytometry measurements of incorporated bromodeoxyuridine and cell DNA content. C-myc mRNA expression was down-regulated and closely correlated to cell growth arrest. However, VDR expression in leukemic cell lines, as determined by immunofluorescence and Northern blot assays, was not consistently changed upon inhibition of cell proliferation since VDR levels were down-regulated only in HL-60 cells. Our data suggest that VDR expression cannot be explained simply as a reflection of the leukemic cell growth state.

Integrin receptors and TGF-Beta expression in chronic myeloid leukemia cells

To understand relationiship between transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-ß1) and the integrin profile presented by chronic myeloid leukemia cells, we have studied, using Northen analysis, the expression of TGF-ß1 messenger RNA (TGF-ß mRNA) in myeloid cell lines and in patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In addition we determined the positivity for alfa4 and alfa5 integrin moleculas in those cell using specific monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. CML patients (N=3) presented mean values of alfa4 higher (alfa4: 60 ñ 20 per cent); alfa5: 70 ñ 41 per cent) than AML (N=10) blast cells (alfa4: 25 ñ 23 per cent); alfa5: 18 ñ 16 per cent). Northern analysis revealed an almost four-fold higher expression of TGF-ß mRNA in K562 (derived from a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia) compared to the myeloblastic cell line HL60. The highest TGF-ß mRNA levels were seen in the U937 lineage. CML leukemic cells (N=3) showed high TGF-ß mRNA levels comparable to the levels expressed by K562 which was paralleled by high ß1 integrin mRNA. AML blast cells presented a variable degree of expression of TGF-ß mRNA when compared to HL60. One patient with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (FAB subtype M7), usually associated with myelofibrosis, presented the highest TGF-ß mRNA levels. We conclude that studing TGF-ß1 and its mechanisms of action will help in understanding fibrosis in leukemic patients, and perhaps to design treatments for such conditions