An accessible pharmacodynamic transcriptional biomarker for notch target engagement.

γ-Secretase mediates amyloid production in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and oncogenic activity of Notch. γ-Secretase inhibitors (GSIs) are thus of interest for AD and oncology. A peripheral biomarker of Notch activity would aid determination of the therapeutic window and dosing regimen for GSIs, given toxicities associated with chronic Notch inhibition. This study examined the effects of GSI MK-0752 on blood and hair follicle transcriptomes in healthy volunteers. The effects of a structurally diverse GSI on rhesus blood and hair follicles were also compared. Significant dose-related effects of MK-0752 on transcription were observed in hair follicles, but not blood. The GSI biomarker identified in follicles exhibited 100% accuracy in a clinical test cohort, and was regulated in rhesus by a structurally diverse GSI. This study identified a translatable, accessible pharmacodynamic biomarker of GSI target engagement and provides proof of concept of hair follicle RNA as a translatable biomarker source.

Crosstalk between PKCα and Notch-4 in endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells.

The Notch pathway is functionally important in breast cancer. Notch-1 has been reported to maintain an estrogen-independent phenotype in estrogen receptor α (ERα)+ breast cancer cells. Notch-4 expression correlates with Ki67. Notch-4 also plays a key role in breast cancer stem-like cells. Estrogen-independent breast cancer cell lines have higher Notch activity than estrogen-dependent lines. Protein kinase Cα (PKCα) overexpression is common in endocrine-resistant breast cancers and promotes tamoxifen (TAM)-resistant growth in breast cancer cell lines. We tested whether PKCα overexpression affects Notch activity and whether Notch signaling contributes to endocrine resistance in PKCα-overexpressing breast cancer cells.Analysis of published microarray data from ERα+ breast carcinomas shows that PKCα expression correlates strongly with Notch-4. Real-time reverse transcription PCR and immunohistochemistry on archival specimens confirmed this finding. In a PKCα-overexpressing, TAM-resistant T47D model, PKCα selectively increases Notch-4, but not Notch-1, expression in vitro and in vivo. This effect is mediated by activator protein-1 (AP-1) occupancy of the Notch-4 promoter. Notch-4 knockdown inhibits estrogen-independent growth of PKCα-overexpressing T47D cells, whereas Notch-4IC expression stimulates it. Gene expression profiling shows that multiple genes and pathways associated with endocrine resistance are induced in Notch-4IC- and PKCα-expressing T47D cells. In PKCα-overexpressing T47D xenografts, an orally active γ-secretase inhibitor at clinically relevant doses significantly decreased estrogen-independent tumor growth, alone and in combination with TAM. In conclusion, PKCα overexpression induces Notch-4 through AP-1. Notch-4 promotes estrogen-independent, TAM-resistant growth and activates multiple pathways connected with endocrine resistance and chemoresistance. Notch inhibitors should be clinically evaluated in PKCα- and Notch-4-overexpressing, endocrine-resistant breast cancers.

Down-regulation of the Notch pathway mediated by a gamma-secretase inhibitor induces anti-tumour effects in mouse models of T-cell leukaemia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: gamma-Secretase inhibitors (GSIs) block NOTCH receptor cleavage and pathway activation and have been under clinical evaluation for the treatment of malignancies such as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). The ability of GSIs to decrease T-ALL cell viability in vitro is a slow process requiring >8 days, however, such treatment durations are not well tolerated in vivo. Here we study GSI's effect on tumour and normal cellular processes to optimize dosing regimens for anti-tumour efficacy. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Inhibition of the Notch pathway in mouse intestinal epithelium was used to evaluate the effect of GSIs and guide the design of dosing regimens for xenograft models. Serum Abeta(40) and Notch target gene modulation in tumours were used to evaluate the degree and duration of target inhibition. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic correlations with biochemical, immunohistochemical and profiling data were used to demonstrate GSI mechanism of action in xenograft tumours. KEY RESULTS: Three days of >70% Notch pathway inhibition was sufficient to provide an anti-tumour effect and was well tolerated. GSI-induced conversion of mouse epithelial cells to a secretory lineage was time- and dose-dependent. Anti-tumour efficacy was associated with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis that was in part due to Notch-dependent regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Intermittent but potent inhibition of Notch signalling is sufficient for anti-tumour efficacy in these T-ALL models. These findings provide support for the use of GSI in Notch-dependent malignancies and that clinical benefits may be derived from transient but potent inhibition of Notch.

Apoptosis mediated by HIV protease is preceded by cleavage of Bcl-2.

Expression of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) protease in cultured cells leads to apoptosis, preceded by cleavage of bcl-2, a key negative regulator of cell death. In contrast, a high level of bcl-2 protects cells in vitro and in vivo from the viral protease and prevents cell death following HIV infection of human lymphocytes, while reducing the yields of viral structural proteins, infectivity, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. We present a model for HIV replication in which the viral protease depletes the infected cells of bcl-2, leading to oxidative stress-dependent activation of NF kappa B, a cellular factor required for HIV transcription, and ultimately to cell death. Purified bcl-2 is cleaved by HIV protease between phenylalanine 112 and alanine 113. The results suggest a new option for HIV gene therapy; bcl-2 muteins that have noncleavable alterations surrounding the HIV protease cleavage site.

Activation of the multicatalytic endopeptidase by oxidants. Effects on enzyme structure.

It is well established that the functional properties of proteins can be compromised by oxidative damage and, in vivo, proteins modified by oxidants are rapidly degraded. It was hypothesized that oxidants may also affect the ability of proteases to hydrolyze peptides and proteins. We therefore examined the effect of oxidants on the endopeptidase activities of the 650 kDa 20S proteasome or multicatalytic endopeptidase (MCP), which is thought to play a central role in nonlysosomal protein breakdown. Treatment of the MCP with the oxidant system, FeSO4-EDTA-ascorbate, stimulated the peptidase activities of the MCP while H2O2 treatment showed little or no stimulation. However, treatment of the MCP with FeSO4-EDTA-ascorbate or H2O2 stimulated proteinase activity by 480% and 730%, respectively. An endogenous activator of the MCP, PA28, stimulated the acidic, basic, and hydrophobic peptidase activities of the MCP, but had no effect on proteolytic activity. Treatment of PA28 with oxidants in the presence of MCP or alone did not greatly affect PA28's ability to activate the peptidase activities of the MCP. Using nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, structural alterations in the enzyme which may be responsible for the activation of peptidase and protease activities following exposure to oxidants were investigated. Treatment of the MCP with reagents that activate proteolysis, including H2O2, as well as the serine protease inhibitor 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin and the cysteine protease inhibitor p-(chloromercuri) benzenesulfonic acid, all caused dissociation of the 650 kDa MCP. However, exposure to FeSO4-EDTA-ascorbate resulted in little or no dissociation of the complex. The MCP complex dissociated by p-(chloromercuri) benzenesulfonic acid could be reassociated upon treatment with the reducing agent dithiothreitol, but dithiothreitol failed to completely reassociate 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin- or H2O2 treated MCP. Therefore, chemical modification of the MCP can cause activation with varying degrees of complex dissociation. These results suggest that metabolites, such as reactive oxygen species, in addition to endogenous proteins, such as PA28, are capable of modulating MCP activity.

ATP-stimulated degradation of oxidatively modified superoxide dismutase by cathepsin D in cardiac tissue extracts.

Proteins modified by oxidants are rapidly degraded by intracellular proteases. Oxidatively modified superoxide dismutase (Ox-SOD) was degraded 2-8 times faster at both acidic and alkaline pH than the native protein in bovine cardiac tissue extracts. At acidic pH, Ox-SOD hydrolysis was stimulated by ATP and by non-hydrolyzable ATP analogs by up to 50%, but degradation was not stimulated by ATP at alkaline pH. The aspartic protease inhibitor pepstatin completely inhibited the acid Ox-SOD hydrolyzing activity and its stimulation by ATP. This activity eluted from gel filtration with a molecular size of 34-48 kDa and contained the single chain and two mature forms of cathepsin D. Purified cathepsin D degraded Ox-SOD and ATP enhanced the affinity of cathepsin D for oxidatively modified proteins. Thus cardiac tissue proteins modified by oxidants may be substrates for the lysosomal protease cathepsin D.

Comparison of the multicatalytic proteinases isolated from the nucleus and cytoplasm of chicken red blood cells.

1. Two chromatographically distinct multicatalytic proteinases (MCP's) were isolated from the cytoplasm of chicken red blood cells and one MCP was purified from the nuclei. 2. The nuclear and the majority (97-99%) of the cytoplasmic multicatalytic proteolytic activity were chromatographically similar and differed from the minor cytoplasmic activity in their elution from hydroxylapatite, number of subunits on 2D-SDS-PAGE, and in their sensitivity to proteinase inhibitors. 3. Dichloroisocoumarin, a serine proteinase inhibitor, inhibited the hydrolysis of fluorogenic peptides but stimulated the degradation of casein by the multicatalytic proteinases suggesting that this enzyme has distinct active sites for protein and peptide hydrolysis.

Purification of the multicatalytic proteinase from the nucleus and cytoplasm of chicken red blood cells.

We have purified the multicatalytic proteinase from the nucleus and cytoplasm of chicken red blood cells. Both enzymes have an Mr of 700 kDa and can be separated into 8-10 bands (22-32 kDa) on 1D-SDS-PAGE.