Loss of Protease-Activated Receptor 4 Prevents Inflammation Resolution and Predisposes the Heart to Cardiac Rupture After Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rupture is a major lethal complication of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Despite significant advances in reperfusion strategies, mortality from cardiac rupture remains high. Studies suggest that cardiac rupture can be accelerated by thrombolytic therapy, but the relevance of this risk factor remains controversial. METHODS: We analyzed protease-activated receptor 4 (Par4) expression in mouse hearts with MI and investigated the effects of Par4 deletion on cardiac remodeling and function after MI by echocardiography, quantitative immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Par4 mRNA and protein levels were increased in mouse hearts after MI and in isolated cardiomyocytes in response to hypertrophic and inflammatory stimuli. Par4-deficient mice showed less myocyte apoptosis, reduced infarct size, and improved functional recovery after acute MI relative to wild-type (WT). Conversely, Par4-/- mice showed impaired cardiac function, greater rates of myocardial rupture, and increased mortality after chronic MI relative to WT. Pathological evaluation of hearts from Par4-/- mice demonstrated a greater infarct expansion, increased cardiac hemorrhage, and delayed neutrophil accumulation, which resulted in impaired post-MI healing compared with WT. Par4 deficiency also attenuated neutrophil apoptosis in vitro and after MI in vivo and impaired inflammation resolution in infarcted myocardium. Transfer of Par4-/- neutrophils, but not of Par4-/- platelets, in WT recipient mice delayed inflammation resolution, increased cardiac hemorrhage, and enhanced cardiac dysfunction. In parallel, adoptive transfer of WT neutrophils into Par4-/- mice restored inflammation resolution, reduced cardiac rupture incidence, and improved cardiac function after MI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal essential roles of Par4 in neutrophil apoptosis and inflammation resolution during myocardial healing and point to Par4 inhibition as a potential therapy that should be limited to the acute phases of ischemic insult and avoided for long-term treatment after MI.

TMZ-induced PrPc/par-4 interaction promotes the survival of human glioma cells.

Malignant gliomas recur even after extensive surgery and chemo-radiotherapy. Although a relatively novel chemotherapeutic agent, temozolomide (TMZ), has demonstrated promising activity against gliomas, the effects last only a few months and drug resistance develops thereafter in many cases. It has been acknowledged that glioma cells respond to TMZ treatment by undergoing G2/M arrest, but not apoptosis. Here we demonstrate a phase-specific chemotherapy resistance due to cellular prion protein (PrPc) in human glioma cells upon TMZ treatment. TMZ-induced G2/M-arrested cultures show an upregulation of PrPc expression and are more resistant, whereas G1/S-phase cells that show decreased levels of PrPc are more sensitive to apoptosis. Furthermore, an investigation into the biological significance of PrPc association with par-4 provided the first evidence of a relationship between the endogenous levels of PrPc and the resistance of glioma cells to the apoptotic effects of TMZ. Upon TMZ treatment, PrPc exerts its antiapoptotic activity by inhibiting PKA-mediated par-4 phosphorylation that are important for par-4 activation, nuclear entry and initiation of apoptosis. In context with cell cycle-dependent responses to chemotherapy, the data from this study suggest the possibility of exploiting the PrPc-dependent pathway to improve the efficacy of TMZ-based regimen for patients with gliomas.

Thrombin receptor overexpression in malignant and physiological invasion processes.

Although the involvement of soluble and matrix-immobilized proteases in tumor cell invasion and metastasis is well recognized, the role of proteolytically activated cell surface receptors has not been elucidated. We report here that thrombin receptor, a member of the protease-activated receptor family, is preferentially expressed in highly metastatic human breast carcinoma cell lines and breast carcinoma biopsy specimens. Introduction of thrombin receptor antisense cDNA considerably inhibited the invasion of metastatic breast carcinoma cells in culture through a reconstituted basement membrane. During placental implantation of the human embryo, thrombin receptor is transiently expressed in the invading cytotrophoblasts. These results emphasize the involvement of thrombin receptor in cell invasion associated with tumor progression and normal embryonic development.

Altered adhesive properties of cord blood endothelial outgrowth cells expressing IL-1ra.

The aim of this study was to examine the potential of endothelial outgrowth cells (EOCs) expanded from CD34(+) cord blood-derived cells (CB-EOCs) for overexpression of therapeutic transgenes. As proof of principle, we overexpressed icIL-1ra in CB-EOCs. Proinflammatory activation of CB-EOCs in response to cytokine stimulation (IL-1beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)) and during coculture with monocytes showed that icIL-1ra-expressing CB-EOCs express significantly reduced levels of ICAM-1, MCP-1 and thrombin receptor expression. Moreover, overexpression of icIL-1ra attenuated the IL-1beta-mediated proinflammatory activation by diminishing the expression of ICAM-1, SELE, MCP-1 and IL-1beta. Interestingly, overexpression of icIL-1ra also inhibited TNF-induced upregulation of ICAM-1. Expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, tissue factor and IL-1beta was also decreased on direct contact with monocytes. These changes in gene expression were accompanied by functional reduction in leukocyte rolling, adhesion of monocytes to CB-EOCs, as well as by a reduction in transendothelial migration of monocytes. Our findings show that CB-EOCs stably expressing transgenic icIL-1ra are protected against activation by not only IL-1beta but also TNFalpha-mediated proinflammatory stimuli and inhibit decisive pathomechanisms of inflammatory processes such as rolling, adhesion and transmigration of monocytes. Therefore, icIL-ra transgenic CB-EOCs may prove to be beneficial in the treatment of IL-1beta- and TNFalpha-mediated inflammatory vasculopathies.

Phosphatidylserine exposure and other apoptotic-like events in Bernard-Soulier syndrome platelets.

In the Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS), the giant platelets are said to have increased phosphatidylserine (PS) surface exposure in the resting state and shortened survival in the circulation. When normal platelets are activated, they undergo many biochemical and morphological changes, some of which are apoptotic. Herein, we investigated apoptotic-like events in BSS platelets upon activation, specifically, PS exposure, microparticle (MP) formation, cell shrinkage, and loss of mitochondrial inner membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)). Platelets from two unrelated BSS patients were examined in whole blood; agonists used were collagen, thrombin, PAR1- or PAR4-activating peptides (APs), or combinations of collagen with thrombin, and the PAR-APs. Flow cytometry was used to measure PS exposure (annexin A5 binding), platelet-derived MPs (forward scatter; events <0.75 microm size), and DeltaPsi(m) (TMRM fluorescence). PS exposure was increased on resting and activated BSS platelets, and this was independent of the platelet size. MP formation by BSS platelets was generally enhanced. Cell shrinkage occurred on activation to form smaller, PS-exposing platelets in BSS and controls. A proportion of PS-exposing BSS and control platelets exhibited DeltaPsi(m) loss, but unlike controls, there was also loss of DeltaPsi(m) in the BSS platelets not exposing PS. Thus, BSS platelets undergo apoptotic-like events upon activation, with PS exposure and MP formation being enhanced. These events may play a role in the shortened survival in BSS, as well as affecting thrombin generation.

Up-regulation of protease-activated receptor-1 in diabetic glomerulosclerosis.

Patients with diabetes are under a hypercoagulable state leading to generation of thrombin. It is not known whether thrombin plays a role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. We analyzed gene expression of two thrombin receptors, protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) and PAR-4 in the kidney of diabetic db/db mice. Mice developed hyperglycemia from 7 to 10 weeks of age and showed renal abnormalities such as mesangial expansion and urinary albumin excretion at 10 weeks of age. PAR-1 mRNA was up-regulated in isolated glomeruli in db/db mice compared with age-matched db/m littermates, but PAR-4 mRNA was not. In situ hybridization studies showed that PAR-1 mRNA was detected mainly at the glomerulus, and that intensive signals were observed in mesangial cells and podocytes. The up-regulation of PAR-1 in glomeruli in diabetic mice may play a role in the progression of glomerulosclerosis and abnormal urinary albumin excretion in diabetic nephropathy.

Essential role for proteinase-activated receptor-2 in arthritis.

Using physiological, pharmacological, and gene disruption approaches, we demonstrate that proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) plays a pivotal role in mediating chronic inflammation. Using an adjuvant monoarthritis model of chronic inflammation, joint swelling was substantially inhibited in PAR-2-deficient mice, being reduced by more than fourfold compared with wild-type mice, with virtually no histological evidence of joint damage. Mice heterozygous for PAR-2 gene disruption showed an intermediate phenotype. PAR-2 expression, normally limited to endothelial cells in small arterioles, was substantially upregulated 2 weeks after induction of inflammation, both in synovium and in other periarticular tissues. PAR-2 agonists showed potent proinflammatory effects as intra-articular injection of ASKH95, a novel synthetic PAR-2 agonist, induced prolonged joint swelling and synovial hyperemia. Given the absence of the chronic inflammatory response in the PAR-2-deficient mice, our findings demonstrate a key role for PAR-2 in mediating chronic inflammation, thereby identifying a novel and important therapeutic target for the management of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Amelioration of collagen-induced arthritis by thrombin inhibition.

The deleterious role of fibrin deposition in arthritic joints prompted us to explore the effect of the thrombin inhibition on the course of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in the mouse. CIA was induced in male DBA/1J mice using native chicken type II collagen. The thrombin inhibitor polyethyleneglycol-hirudin (PEG-hirudin) was given for 16 days, starting 20 days after the first immunization (preventive treatment) or at the onset of clinical signs of arthritis (curative treatment). All the mice treated with PEG-hirudin had a significantly prolonged clotting time compared with control mice. PEG-hirudin, administered in a preventive way, led to significantly reduced incidence and severity of CIA during most of the treatment period, as assessed by clinical scoring. Accordingly, histological features showed a significant diminution of synovial hyperplasia in PEG-hirudin-treated mice compared with untreated mice. There was also a significant downmodulation of the synovial proinflammatory IL-1beta and IL-12p35 cytokine mRNAs in treated mice. Intra-articular fibrin, evaluated by immunohistochemistry, was significantly reduced in treated mice compared with control mice and correlated with both clinical and histological scorings. Most importantly, once arthritis was established, PEG-hirudin also showed a curative effect. In conclusion, PEG-hirudin can both prevent the onset of CIA in a dose-dependent manner and ameliorate established arthritis, suggesting that thrombin inhibition may offer a new therapeutic approach in arthritis.

Protease-activated receptor-4: a novel mechanism of inflammatory pain modulation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Protease-activated receptor-4 (PAR(4)), the most recently discovered member of the PARs family, is activated by thrombin, trypsin and cathepsin G, but can also be selectively activated by small synthetic peptides (PAR(4)-activating peptide, PAR(4)-AP). PAR(4) is considered a potent mediator of platelet activation and inflammation. As both PAR(1) and PAR(2) have been implicated in the modulation of nociceptive mechanisms, we investigated the expression of PAR(4) in sensory neurons and the effects of its selective activation on nociception. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH AND KEY RESULTS: We demonstrated the expression of PAR(4) in sensory neurons isolated from rat dorsal root ganglia by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. We found that PAR(4) colocalized with calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P. We also showed that a selective PAR(4)-AP was able to inhibit calcium mobilization evoked by KCl and capsaicin in rat sensory neurons. Moreover, the intraplantar injection of a PAR(4)-AP significantly increased nociceptive threshold in response to thermal and mechanical noxious stimuli, while a PAR(4) inactive control peptide had no effect. The anti-nociceptive effects of the PAR(4)-AP were dose-dependent and occurred at doses below the threshold needed to cause inflammation. Finally, co-injection of the PAR(4)-AP with carrageenan significantly reduced the carrageenan-induced inflammatory hyperalgesia and allodynia, but had no effect on inflammatory parameters such as oedema and granulocyte infiltration. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Taken together, these results identified PAR(4) as a novel potential endogenous analgesic factor, which can modulate nociceptive responses in normal and inflammatory conditions.

Cytokine upregulation of proteinase-activated-receptors 2 and 4 expression mediated by p38 MAP kinase and inhibitory kappa B kinase beta in human endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Up-regulation of proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) is a factor in a number of disease states and we have therefore examined the signalling pathways involved in the expression of the receptor. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: We investigated the effects of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), trypsin and the PAR2 activating peptide, 2-furoyl(2f)-LIGKV-OH on both mRNA and functional expression of PAR2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The effect of specific chemical inhibitors and dominant negative adenovirus constructs of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade and the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) signalling pathway was assessed. Methods included semi-quantitative and quantitative RT-PCR, [(3)H]inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation and Ca(2+)-dependent fluorescence. KEY RESULTS: The above agonists induced both mRNA and functional expression of PAR2; PAR4 mRNA, but not that for PAR1 or PAR-3, also increased following TNFalpha treatment. Inhibition of p38 MAP kinase reduced PAR2 and PAR4 expression, whilst inhibition of MEK1/ERK/JNK was without effect. A similar dependency upon p38 MAP kinase was observed for the expression of PAR4. TNFalpha -induced enhancement of PAR2 stimulated [(3)H]-inositol phosphate accumulation (IP) and Ca(2+) signalling was abolished following SB203580 pre-treatment. Infection with adenovirus encoding dominant-negative IKKbeta (Ad.IKKbeta(+/-)) and to a lesser extent dominant-negative IKKalpha (Ad.IKKalpha(+/-)), substantially reduced both control and IL-1beta- induced expression of both PAR2 and PAR4 mRNA and enhancement of PAR2-stimulated IP accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilisation. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These data reveal for the first time the signalling events involved in the upregulation of both PAR2 and PAR4 during pro-inflammatory challenge.

Expression cloning of oncogenes by retroviral transfer of cDNA libraries.

a cDNA library transfer system based on retroviral vectors has been developed for expression cloning in mammalian cells. The use of retroviral vectors results in stable cDNA transfer efficiencies which are at least 100-fold higher than those achieved by transfection and therefore enables the transfer and functional screening of very large libraries. In our initial application of retroviral transfer of cDNA libraries, we have selected for cDNAs which induce oncogenic transformation of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, as measured by loss of contact inhibition of proliferation. Nineteen different transforming cDNAs were isolated from a total of 300,000 transferred cDNA clones. Three of these cDNAs were derived from known oncogenes (raf-1, lck, and ect2), while nine others were derived from genes which had been cloned previously but were not known to have the ability to transform fibroblasts (beta-catenin, thrombin receptor, phospholipase C-gamma 2 and Spi-2 protease inhibitor genes). The Spi-2 cDNA was expressed in antisense orientation and therefore is likely to act as an inhibitor of an endogenous transformation suppressor. Seven novel cDNAs with transforming activities, including those for three new members of the CDC24 family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors, were also cloned from the retroviral cDNA libraries. Retroviral transfer of libraries should be generally useful for cloning cDNAs which confer selectable phenotypes on many different types of mammalian cells.

LIMK1 regulates Golgi dynamics, traffic of Golgi-derived vesicles, and process extension in primary cultured neurons.

In this study, we examined the subcellular distribution and functions of LIMK1 in developing neurons. Confocal microscopy, subcellular fractionation, and expression of several epitope-tagged LIMK1 constructs revealed that LIMK1 is enriched in the Golgi apparatus and growth cones, with the LIM domain required for Golgi localization and the PDZ domain for its presence at neuritic tips. Overexpression of wild-type LIMK1 suppresses the formation of trans-Golgi derived tubules, and prevents cytochalasin D-induced Golgi fragmentation, whereas that of a kinase-defective mutant has the opposite effect. Transfection of wild-type LIMK1 accelerates axon formation and enhances the accumulation of Par3/Par6, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)1 receptors, and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) at growth cones, while inhibiting the Golgi export of synaptophysin-containing vesicles. These effects were dependent on the Golgi localization of LIMK1, paralleled by an increase in cofilin phosphorylation and phalloidin staining in the region of the Golgi apparatus, and prevented by coexpression of constitutive active cofilin. The long-term overexpression of LIMK1 produces growth cone collapse and axon retraction, an effect that is dependent on its growth cone localization. Together, our results suggest an important role for LIMK1 in axon formation that is related with its ability to regulate Golgi dynamics, membrane traffic, and actin cytoskeletal organization.

G-protein-activated phospholipase C-beta, new partners for cell polarity proteins Par3 and Par6.

Cell polarity and asymmetric cell division are fundamental traits of all living cells and play an essential role in embryonic development, neuronal cell chirality formation, and maintenance of mammalian epithelial cell morphology. Heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) are involved in directing cell polarity and asymmetric cell division in different organisms. However, the mechanism for G-protein-mediated cell polarity and asymmetric cell division is poorly understood. In this study, we have demonstrated that G-protein-activated phospholipase C-beta (PLC-beta) interacts with cell polarity proteins Par3 and Par6 (Par: partition-defective) to form protein complexes and to mediate downstream signal transduction. The interactions between PLC-beta and Par proteins are direct and require the extreme C-terminal-specific sequence motifs of PLC-beta and the PDZ (PSD95/Dlg/ZO-1) domains of Par proteins. Binding of Par proteins with PLC-beta stimulates PLC-beta enzymatic activity, leading to the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate, and the production of diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate, important mediators in cell polarity and cell asymmetric division processes. Furthermore, we have shown that coexpression of PLC-beta with Par proteins induces transcriptional activation coupled to intracellular Ca2+ and the Wnt signaling pathway. Therefore, our data suggest that the interaction of PLC-beta with cell polarity Par proteins may serve as a nexus to transduce extracellular signals to transcriptional regulation through G-protein-mediated signaling pathway in cell polarity and cell asymmetric division.

Increased expression of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) and PAR4 in human coronary artery by inflammatory stimuli unveils endothelium-dependent relaxations to PAR2 and PAR4 agonists.

Protease-activated receptor (PAR)1 and PAR2 are expressed on vascular endothelial cells and mediate endothelium-dependent relaxation in several species, and PAR4 agonists cause similar responses in rat aortas. To date, only PAR1 has been reported to mediate relaxation of human arteries despite endothelial cell expression of both PAR1 and PAR2 in these tissues. Because inflammatory stimuli increase PAR2 expression in human endothelial cells in culture, the present study investigated the effect of similar stimuli on PARs in human isolated coronary arteries (HCAs). In HCA ring segments suspended for isometric tension measurements, the selective PAR1-activating peptide, TFLLR (0.01 to 10 micromol/L), caused endothelium-dependent relaxation of precontracted preparations. Little or no change in vascular tension was elicited by either the PAR2- or PAR4-activating peptides, SLIGKV and GYPGQV, respectively (up to 100 micromol/L). Exposure of HCAs to interleukin (IL)-1alpha (1 ng/mL, 12 hours) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (3 nmol/L, 12 hours) did not affect PAR1 expression but increased PAR2 and PAR4 mRNA levels by approximately 5- and 4-fold, respectively, as determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Similar IL-1alpha treatment did not affect TFLLR-induced relaxations but revealed significant endothelium-dependent relaxations to SLIGKV (100 micromol/L, 61.4+/-6.7%) and GYPGQV (100 micromol/L, 34.8+/-6.4%). These studies are the first to demonstrate functional PAR2 and PAR4 in human arteries in situ. The selective upregulation of PAR2 and PAR4 expression and the increased vascular response in HCAs after exposure to inflammatory stimuli suggest a role for these endothelial receptors during inflammation.

Up-regulation of protease-activated receptor-2 by bFGF in cultured human synovial fibroblasts.

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) have been implicated in the development of acute and chronic inflammatory responses. We have examined the expression of mRNA for PARs and their regulation by growth factors and cytokines in synovial fibroblasts derived from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Messenger RNA for PAR-1, -2 and -3 was detected in these cells, but not that for PAR-4. Expression of mRNA for PAR-2 was up-regulated by bFGF in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas expression of mRNA for PAR-1 and PAR-3 was not affected. Levels of mRNA encoding PAR-1, PAR-2 and PAR-3 did not increase in response to IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. Expression of mRNA for PAR-2 was maximal 12 h after addition of bFGF, and maximal levels of immunoreactive PAR-2 were reached after 24 h. Furthermore, PAR-2 agonist peptide (SLIGKV-NH(2)), but not the inactive reverse peptide (VKGILS-NH(2)), induced transitory cytosolic Ca(2+) mobilization in cells, and its response was increased by pretreatment with bFGF. An important role could be played by bFGF in the regulation of functional PAR-2 expression in cultured RA synovial fibroblasts.

[Effects of puerarin on proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells induced by thrombin].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of puerarin on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) induced by thrombin and the mechanism thereof. METHODS: VSMCs were isolated from the thoracic aorta of a SD rat and cultured, then co-cultured with thrombin of the concentration 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0, and 10 U/L for 24 h, thrombin of the concentration of 1 U/L for 0, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h respectively, or thrombin of the concentration of 1 U/L combined with puerarin of the concentrations of 1.5 x 10(-5), 1.5 x 10(-4), or 1.5 x 10(-3) mol/L for 24 h. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell number and cell cycle. Western blotting was used to indicate the protein expression of the oncogenes c-fos and bcl-2 RT-PCR was used to evaluate the thrombin receptor (TR) mRNA expression. RESULTS: he numbers of the groups of VSMCs stimulated by 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0, and 10 U/L thrombin for 24 hours were 4.82 x 10(4)/ml +/- 0.11 x 10(4)/ml, 6.37 x 10(4)/ml +/- 0.09 x 10(4)/ml, 8.78 x 10(4)/ml +/- 0.08 x 10(4)/ml, 7.37 x 10(4)/ml +/- 0.07 x 10(4)/ml, and 5.28 x 10(4)/ml +/- 0.12 x 10(4)/ml respectively, all significantly higher than that of the control group (4.08 +/- 0.054 x 10(4)/ml, all P < 0.05). The effect of thrombin was in a dose-dependent manner within a concentration range of 0.1 - 1.0 U/L. The suppression rates of VSMC proliferation in the combination groups with puerarin of the concentrations of 1.5 x 10(-5), 1.5 x 10(-4), and 1.5 x 10(-3) mol/L were 10.9% +/- 1.6%, 32.1% +/- 3.3%, and 42.6% +/- 5.2% respectively in comparison with the thrombin group (all P < 0.05). The c-fos protein expression of the VSMCs after thrombin stimulation for 24 h increased by 156.0% +/- 11.3% (P < 0.05), and the bcl-2 protein expression of the VSMCs pretreated with puerarin of the concentrations of 1.5 x 10(-5), 1.5 x 10(-4), and 1.5 x 10(-3) mol/L, and then stimulated by thrombin was significantly lower than that of the VSMCs only stimulated by thrombin with the suppression rates of 20.7% +/- 2.1%, 31.6% +/- 5.2%, and 44.5% +/- 7.5% respectively (all P < 0.05). The bcl-2 protein expression of the VSMCs after thrombin stimulation for 24 h increased by 96.7% +/- 8.3% (P < 0.05), and the bcl-2 protein expression of the VSMCs pretreated with puerarin of the concentrations of 1.5 x 10(-5), 1.5 x 10(-4), and 1.5 x 10(-3) mol/L, and then stimulated by thrombin was significantly lower than that of the VSMCs only stimulated by thrombin with the suppression rates of 7.1% +/- 0.8%, 18.8% +/- 1.2%, and 39.6% +/- 6.4% respectively (all P < 0.05). The stimulation of thrombin increased the TR mRNA expression by 183.9% +/- 9.4%. The puerarin of the concentrations of 1.5 x 10(-5) mol/L and 1.5 x 10(-4) mol/L decreased the increase of TR mRNA expression induced by thrombin, however, without significant differences (both P > 0.05), and puerarin of the concentration of 1.5 x 10(-3) mol/L significantly suppressed the increase of TR mRNA expression induced by thrombin by 17.6% +/- 1.7% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Puerarin suppresses the proliferation and DNA synthesis of VSMC induced by thrombin. The inhibitory effect of puerarin is closely related with the suppression of the protein expression of c-fos and bcl-2n, and partly related with the suppression of the TR mRNA expression.

Solid tumor cells express functional "tethered ligand" thrombin receptor.

Previous work demonstrated that alpha-thrombin promoted tumor cell adhesion to endothelium and extracellular matrix as well as enhanced the metastatic capacity of tumor cells. This study was initiated to investigate whether the thrombin effect on tumor cells is mediated through the "tethered ligand" thrombin receptor. RT-PCR analysis using primers based on the human thrombin receptors detected mRNA in human colon adenocarcinoma cells (clone A), whose authenticity was confirmed by Southern hybridization. The presence of thrombin receptor mRNA in rat (W256 carcinosarcoma) and mouse (melanoma) tumor cells was demonstrated by RT-PCR/Southern blotting using species-specific PCR primers. Sequencing of the PCR fragment of clone A cells revealed complete homology with the reported human cDNA sequence. Subsequently, tumor cells derived from three species, i.e., human, rat, and mouse, were found to express the thrombin receptor protein as revealed by immunoblotting using ligand peptide-derived mAb ATAP138, whose reactivity towards the M(r) approximately 66,000, potential thrombin receptor was blocked by preincubating the antibody with the immunogen peptide SFLLRNPNDKYEPF (TRP 14). Finally, peptides TRP 14 and TRP 7 (SFLLRNP), but not TRP 5 (FLLRN), were found to mimic alpha-thrombin in stimulating tumor cell adhesion to fibronectin, suggesting that the thrombin receptors expressed on solid tumor cells are biologically functional.

Signaling from protease-activated receptor-1 inhibits migration and invasion of breast cancer cells.

Proteases give cancer a defining characteristic of being able to break through extracellular matrix barriers and invade into other tissues in response to chemotactic signals. Recently, the cell surface protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 has been shown to act as a chemokine receptor in inflammatory cells, and its expression is tightly correlated with metastatic propensity of breast cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to determine whether activation of PAR1 or the other known PARs (PAR2-4) can regulate migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. We found that the highly invasive MDAMB231 breast cancer cell line expressed very high levels of functional PAR1, PAR2, and PAR4, whereas minimally invasive MCF7 cells had trace amounts of PAR1 and low levels of PAR2 and PAR4. Despite the differences in expression, PAR2 and PAR4 acted as chemokine receptors in both invasive and minimally invasive breast cell lines. Quite unexpectedly, we found that activation of PAR1 with thrombin or the peptide agonist SFLLRN markedly inhibited invasion and migration of MDAMB231 cells when applied as a concentration gradient in the direction of cell movement. Additionally, we demonstrated that inhibition of chemotaxis was mediated through a G(i)/phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase-dependent pathway. Activation of G(i) signaling with epinephrine or wasp venom mastoparan also inhibited invasion and migration of the breast cancer cells. These findings suggest that therapeutics targeted toward G(i)-couplers that are selectively expressed in breast cancer cells could prove beneficial in halting the progression of invasive breast cancer.

Tissue factor-initiated thrombin generation activates the signaling thrombin receptor on malignant melanoma cells.

The human melanoma cell line M24met expresses tissue factor, the cellular initiator of the blood coagulation cascade. Blocking of the coagulation pathways at the level of tissue factor, factor Xa, or thrombin inhibits hematogenous M24met metastasis in SCID mice, implicating a role for thrombin generation in this process. Dependent on cell surface tissue factor activity, M24met cells generate thrombin in vitro. Thrombin and the thrombin receptor agonist peptide TRP-14 activate a signaling pathway in M24met cells that involves an increase in intracellular calcium and induces cell proliferation. Immunofluorescence evidences expression of the signaling thrombin receptor on these cells. Thus, M24met melanoma cells express both the initiating cell surface receptor for the coagulation pathways and the central signaling receptor of the coagulation system, suggesting the in situ generation of proliferative signals which can contribute to the malignant phenotype.

Different Expression of Hypoxic and Angiogenic Factors in Human Endometriotic Lesions.

Endometriosis is associated with local angiogenic and hypoxic mechanisms. Indeed, peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis generates a specific microenvironment to support the growth and development of ectopic endometrial tissues. The association between proangiogenic markers and hypoxic processes in different endometriosis phenotypes was investigated in the present study, analyzing the expression of several genes, related to hypoxic signaling pathway and involved in angiogenic processes, in nonpregnant women with different forms of endometriosis. Samples of ovarian endometrioma (OMA; n = 16) or deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE; n = 11) were collected, and in addition, control endometrium was collected from healthy women by hysteroscopy. The gene expression of the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) 1/2α, protease-activated receptors (PARs) », and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A was evaluated by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Ovarian endometrioma expresses high levels of HIF-1/2α, PAR-1/4, and VEGF-A, while DIE did not show significantly different gene expression compared to endometrium from unaffected women. A positive correlation between the expression of HIF-1/2α and VEGF-A mRNA was observed in OMA. The overall data point out that the heterogeneity of the disease reflects differences in expression levels of genes associated with hypoxia and angiogenesis, suggesting that such conditions may have an active role in the development of the disease.