Mitochondrial redox signalling by p66Shc mediates ALS-like disease through Rac1 inactivation.

Increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage are among the mechanisms whereby mutant SOD1 (mutSOD1) associated with familial forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) induces motoneuronal death. The 66 kDa isoform of the growth factor adapter Shc (p66Shc) is known to be central in the control of mitochondria-dependent oxidative balance. Here we report that expression of mutSOD1s induces the activation of p66Shc in neuronal cells and that the overexpression of inactive p66Shc mutants protects cells from mutSOD1-induced mitochondrial damage. Most importantly, deletion of p66Shc ameliorates mitochondrial function, delays onset, improves motor performance and prolongs survival in transgenic mice modelling ALS. We also show that p66Shc activation by mutSOD1 causes a strong decrease in the activity of the small GTPase Rac1 through a redox-sensitive regulation. Our results provide new insight into the potential mechanisms of mutSOD1-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction.

Glutaredoxin 2 prevents aggregation of mutant SOD1 in mitochondria and abolishes its toxicity.

Vulnerability of motoneurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) arises from a combination of several mechanisms, including protein misfolding and aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage. Protein aggregates are found in motoneurons in models for ALS linked to a mutation in the gene coding for Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and in ALS patients as well. Aggregation of mutant SOD1 in the cytoplasm and/or into mitochondria has been repeatedly proposed as a main culprit for the degeneration of motoneurons. It is, however, still debated whether SOD1 aggregates represent a cause, a correlate or a consequence of processes leading to cell death. We have exploited the ability of glutaredoxins (Grxs) to reduce mixed disulfides to protein thiols either in the cytoplasm and in the IMS (Grx1) or in the mitochondrial matrix (Grx2) as a tool for restoring a correct redox environment and preventing the aggregation of mutant SOD1. Here we show that the overexpression of Grx1 increases the solubility of mutant SOD1 in the cytosol but does not inhibit mitochondrial damage and apoptosis induced by mutant SOD1 in neuronal cells (SH-SY5Y) or in immortalized motoneurons (NSC-34). Conversely, the overexpression of Grx2 increases the solubility of mutant SOD1 in mitochondria, interferes with mitochondrial fragmentation by modifying the expression pattern of proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics, preserves mitochondrial function and strongly protects neuronal cells from apoptosis. The toxicity of mutant SOD1, therefore, mostly arises from mitochondrial dysfunction and rescue of mitochondrial damage may represent a promising therapeutic strategy.

Inhibition of telomerase in the endothelial cells disrupts tumor angiogenesis in glioblastoma xenografts.

Tumor angiogenesis is a complex process that involves a series of interactions between tumor cells and endothelial cells (ECs). In vitro, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells are known to induce an increase in proliferation, migration and tube formation by the ECs. We have previously shown that in human GBM specimens the proliferating ECs of the tumor vasculature express the catalytic component of telomerase, hTERT, and that telomerase can be upregulated in human ECs by exposing these cells to GBM in vitro. Here, we developed a controlled in vivo assay of tumor angiogenesis in which primary human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) were subcutaneously grafted with or without human GBM cells in immunocompromised mice as Matrigel implants. We found that primary HUVECs did not survive in Matrigel implants, and that telomerase upregulation had little effect on HUVEC survival. In the presence of GBM cells, however, the grafted HUVECs not only survived in Matrigel implants but developed tubule structures that integrated with murine microvessels. Telomerase upregulation in HUVECs enhanced such effect. More importantly, inhibition of telomerase in HUVECs completely abolished tubule formation and greatly reduced survival of these cells in the tumor xenografts. Our data demonstrate that telomerase upregulation by the ECs is a key requisite for GBM tumor angiogenesis.

Telomerase inhibition impairs tumor growth in glioblastoma xenografts.

Telomerase is a specialized DNA polymerase that is required to replicate the ends of linear chromosomes, the telomeres. The majority of human cancers express high levels of telomerase activity that is permissive for tumor growth because it provides cells with an extended proliferative potential. Additionally, telomerase exerts cell growth promoting functions and favors cell survival. Human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells express high level of telomerase activity owing to the overexpression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the limiting subunit of the enzyme. Here we used retroviral mediated RNA interference to dampen down telomerase activity in two distinct human GBM cell lines, U87MG and TB10. Substantial decrease of hTERT mRNA and telomerase activity had only minimal effects on telomere length maintenance, cell growth and survival in vitro. On the contrary, development of tumors upon subcutaneously grafting of U87MG and TB10 cells and intracranial implantation of U87MG cells in nude athymic mice was strongly reduced by telomerase inhibition.

HIF1-positive and HIF1-negative glioblastoma cells compete in vitro but cooperate in tumor growth in vivo.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is characterized by extensive angiogenesis that is mostly orchestrated by the hypoxia inducible factor HIF-1. Deregulation of HIF-1 is believed to contribute to cancer initiation and progression. However, instances have been described in which loss of HIF-1 leads to more aggressive tumors. Here we investigated the consequences of downregulating HIF-1 function in the human GBM cell line TB10, both on cell proliferation in vitro and on tumor growth in vivo. RNA interference targeting the O2-regulated HIF-1alpha subunit efficiently reduced HIF-1alpha expression and transcriptional induction of HIF-1-responsive genes without affecting cell growth. Thus, singularly grown wild-type and HIF-1alpha-inhibited GBM cell populations did not significantly differ in proliferation rate. However, when the two populations were co-cultured, wild-type cells overgrew the HIF-1alpha-inhibited cells. Subcutaneous grafting in nude mice of wild-type and HIF-1alpha-inhibited GBM cells lead to comparable tumor formation and growth. Interestingly, cografting of wt and HIF-1alpha- inhibited GBM cells in nude mice resulted in more aggressive tumors, both in terms of tumor appearance and tumor growth. This suggests that cellular populations that differ in their ability to mount a response to hypoxia may compete in vitro but cooperate in vivo resulting in increased tumor aggressiveness.

Inverted meiosis and meiotic drive in mealybugs.

In the males of lecanoid coccids, or mealybugs, an entire, paternally derived, haploid chromosome set becomes heterochromatic after the seventh embryonic mitotic cycle. In females, both haploid sets are euchromatic throughout the life cycle. In mealybugs, as in all homopteran species, chromosomes are holocentric. Holocentric chromosomes are characterized by the lack of a localized centromere and consequently of a localized kinetic activity. In monocentric species, sister chromatid cohesion and monopolar attachment play a pivotal role in regulating chromosome behavior during the two meiotic divisions. Both these processes rely upon the presence of a single, localized centromere and as such cannot be properly executed by holocentric chromosomes. Here we furnish further evidence that meiosis is inverted in both sexes of mealybugs and we suggest how this might represent an adaptation to chromosome holocentrism. Moreover, we reveal that at the second meiotic division in males a monopolar spindle is formed, to which only euchromatic chromosomes become attached. By this mechanism the paternally derived, heterochromatic, haploid chromosome set strictly segregates from the euchromatic one, and it is then excluded from the genetic continuum as a result of meiotic drive.