Regulation of SOX11 expression through CCND1 and STAT3 in mantle cell lymphoma.

The neural transcription factor SOX11 is usually highly expressed in typical mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), but it is absent in the more indolent form of MCL. Despite being an important diagnostic marker for this hard-to-treat malignancy, the mechanisms of aberrant SOX11 expression are largely unknown. Herein, we describe 2 modes of SOX11 regulation by the cell-cycle regulator cyclin D1 (CCND1) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). We found that ectopic expression of CCND1 in multiple human MCL cell lines resulted in increased SOX11 transcription, which correlated with increased acetylated histones H3K9 and H3K14 (H3K9/14Ac). Increased H3K9/14Ac and SOX11 expression was also observed after histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) or HDAC2 was depleted by RNA interference or inhibited by the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat. Mechanistically, we showed that CCND1 interacted with and sequestered HDAC1 and HDAC2 from the SOX11 locus, leading to SOX11 upregulation. Interestingly, our data revealed a potential inverse relationship between phosphorylated Y705 STAT3 and SOX11 expression in MCL cell lines, primary tumors, and patient-derived xenografts. Functionally, inactivation of STAT3 by inhibiting the upstream Janus kinase (JAK) 1 or JAK2 or by STAT3 knockdown was found to increase SOX11 expression, whereas interleukin-21 (IL-21)-induced STAT3 activation or overexpression of the constitutively active form of STAT3 decreased SOX11 expression. In addition, targeting SOX11 directly by RNA interference or indirectly by IL-21 treatment induced toxicity in SOX11+ MCL cells. Collectively, we demonstrate the involvement of CCND1 and STAT3 in the regulation of SOX11 expression, providing new insights and therapeutic implications in MCL.

Membrane-targeted synergistic activity of docosahexaenoic acid and lysozyme against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Antimicrobial polypeptides, including lysozymes, have membrane perturbing activity and are well-documented effector molecules of innate immunity. In cystic fibrosis, a hereditary disease with frequent lung infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the non-esterified fatty acid DA (docosahexaenoic acid), but not OA (oleic acid), is decreased, and DA supplementation has been shown to improve the clinical condition in these patients. We hypothesized that DA may, either alone or in conjunction with lysozyme, exert antibacterial action against Ps. aeruginosa. We found that DA and lysozyme synergistically inhibit the metabolic activity of Ps. aeruginosa, in contrast with OA. Electron microscopy and equilibrium dialysis suggest that DA accumulates in the bacterial membrane in the presence of lysozyme. Surface plasmon resonance with live bacteria and differential scanning calorimetry studies with bacterial model membranes reveal that, initially, DA facilitates lysozyme incorporation into the membrane, which in turn allows influx of more DA, leading to bacterial cell death. The present study elucidates a molecular basis for the synergistic action of non-esterified fatty acids and antimicrobial polypeptides, which may be dysfunctional in cystic fibrosis.

Cyclin D1 depletion induces DNA damage in mantle cell lymphoma lines.

Elevated cyclin D1 (CCND1) expression levels in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) are associated with aggressive clinical manifestations related to chemoresistance, but little is known about how this important proto-oncogene contributes to the resistance of MCL. Here, we showed that RNA interference-mediated depletion of CCND1 increased caspase-3 activities and induced apoptosis in the human MCL lines UPN-1 and JEKO-1. In vitro and xenotransplant studies revealed that the toxic effect of CCND1 depletion in MCL cells was likely due to increase in histone H2AX phosphorylation, a DNA damage marker. DNA fiber analysis suggested deregulated replication initiation after CCND1 depletion as a potential cause of DNA damage. Finally, in contrast to depletion or inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4, CCND1 depletion increased chemosensitivity of MCL cells to replication inhibitors hydroxyurea and cytarabine. Our findings have an important implication for CCND1 as a potential therapeutic target in MCL patients who are refractory to standard chemotherapy.

Assessment of free fatty acids and cholesteryl esters delivered in liposomes as novel class of antibiotic.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare associated infections (HAI) with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria continue to be a global threat, highlighting an urgent need for novel antibiotics. In this study, we assessed the potential of free fatty acids and cholesteryl esters that form part of the innate host defense as novel antibacterial agents for use against MDR bacteria. METHODS: Liposomes of six different phospholipid mixtures were employed as carrier for six different fatty acids and four different cholesteryl esters. Using a modified MIC assay based on DNA quantification with the fluoroprobe Syto9, formulations were tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria implicated in HAI. Formulations with MIC values in the low µg/mL range were further subjected to determination of minimal bactericidal activity, hemolysis assay with sheep erythrocytes, and cytotoxicity testing with the human liver cell line HepG2. The potential for synergistic activity with a standard antibiotic was also probed. RESULTS: Palmitic acid and stearic acid prepared in carrier 4 (PA4 and SA4, respectively) were identified as most active lipids (MIC against MDR Staphylococcus epidermidis was 0.5 and 0.25 µg/mL, respectively; MIC against vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) was 2 and 0.5 µg/mL, respectively). Cholesteryl linoleate formulated with carrier 3 (CL3) exhibited activity against the S. epidermidis strain (MIC 1 µg/mL) and a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain (MIC 8 µg/mL) and lowered the vancomycin MIC for VRE from 32-64 µg/mL to as low as 4 µg/mL. At 90 µg/mL PA4, SA4, and CL3 effected less than 5 % hemolysis over 3 h and PA4 and CL3 did not exhibit significant cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cells when applied at 100 µg/mL over 48 h. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that selected fatty acids and cholesteryl esters packaged with phospholipids exhibit antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and may augment the activity of antibiotics. Bactericidal activity could be unlinked from hemolytic and cytotoxic activity and the type of phospholipid carrier greatly influenced the activity. Thus, fatty acids and cholesteryl esters packaged in liposomes may have potential as novel lipophilic antimicrobial agents.

CCND1 mutations increase protein stability and promote ibrutinib resistance in mantle cell lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by the t(11;14) translocation, which leads to deregulated expression of the cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin D1 (CCND1). Genomic studies of MCL have also identified recurrent mutations in the coding region of CCND1. However, the functional consequence of these mutations is not known. Here, we showed that, compared to wild type (WT), single E36K, Y44D or C47S CCND1 mutations increased CCND1 protein levels in MCL cell lines. Mechanistically, these mutations stabilized CCND1 protein through attenuation of threonine-286 phosphorylation, which is important for proteolysis through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. In addition, the mutant proteins preferentially localized to the nucleus. Interestingly, forced expression of WT or mutant CCND1 increased resistance of MCL cell lines to ibrutinib, an FDA-approved Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor for MCL treatment. The Y44D mutant sustained the resistance to ibrutinib even at supraphysiologic concentrations (5-10 µM). Furthermore, primary MCL tumors with CCND1 mutations also expressed stable CCND1 protein and were resistant to ibrutinib. These findings uncover a new mechanism that is critical for the regulation of CCND1 protein levels, and is directly relevant to primary ibrutinib resistance in MCL.

Estrogen inhibits lysyl oxidase and decreases mechanical function in engineered ligaments.

Women are more likely to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture than men, and the incidence of ACL rupture in women rises with increasing estrogen levels. We used an engineered ligament model to determine how an acute rise in estrogen decreases the mechanical properties of ligaments. Using fibroblasts isolated from human ACLs from male or female donors, we engineered ligaments and determined that ligaments made from female ACL cells had more collagen and were equal in strength to those made from male ACL cells. We then treated engineered ligaments for 14 days with low (5 pg/ml), medium (50 pg/ml), or high (500 pg/ml) estrogen, corresponding to the range of in vivo serum estrogen concentrations and found that collagen within the grafts increased without a commensurate increase in mechanical strength. Mimicking the menstrual cycle, with 12 days of low estrogen followed by 2 days of physiologically high estrogen, resulted in a decrease in engineered ligament mechanical function with no change in the amount of collagen in the graft. The decrease in mechanical stiffness corresponded with a 61.7 and 76.9% decrease in the activity of collagen cross-linker lysyl oxidase with 24 and 48 h of high estrogen, respectively. Similarly, grafts treated with the lysyl oxidase inhibitor ß-aminoproprionitrile (BAPN) for 24 h showed a significant decrease in ligament mechanical strength [control (CON) = 1.58 ± 0.06 N; BAPN = 1.06 ± 0.13 N] and stiffness (CON = 7.7 ± 0.46 MPa; BAPN = 6.1 ± 0.71 MPa) without changing overall collagen levels (CON = 396 ± 11.5 µg; BAPN = 382 ± 11.6 µg). Together, these data suggest that the rise in estrogen during the follicular phase decreases lysyl oxidase activity in our engineered ligament model and if this occurs in vivo may decrease the stiffness of ligaments and contribute to the elevated rate of ACL rupture in women.