BDE-209 exposure in murine melanoma (B16-F1) cells modulates tumor malignancy and progression in vivo.

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer considered aggressive due to its high metastatic ability and rapid progression to other tissues and organs. BDE-209 (2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-decabromodiphenyl ether) is an additive used as a flame retardant and classified as a persistent organic pollutant that has a high bioaccumulation capacity due to its lipophilic nature. This substance has already been detected in rivers, air, soil, plants and even in different human biological samples, such as plasma, umbilical cord blood and breast milk, revealing a great concern to human populations. Thus, in the current study we investigated whether prior exposure of murine melanoma B16-F1 cells to BDE-209 modulates in vivo progression and malignancy of melanoma. B16-F1 cells were cultured and exposed in vitro to BDE-209 (0.01, 0.1 e 1 nM) for 15 days and then inoculated, via caudal vein, in C57BL/6 mice for experimental metastasis analysis after 20 days. Inoculation of BDE-209-exposed cells resulted in 82% increase of metastasis colonized area in the lungs of mice, downregulation of tumor suppressors genes, such as Timp3 and Reck, decrease of lipid peroxidation and increase of systemic and local inflammatory response. These findings are related to melanoma progression. Additionally, the histopathological analysis revealed greater number of focal points of metastases in the lungs and invasiveness of metastases to the mice brain (89%). The results showed that exposure to BDE-209 may alter the phenotype of B16-F1 cells, worsening their metastatic profile. Current data showed that BDE-209 may interfere with the prognosis of melanoma by modulating cells with less invasiveness capacity to a more aggressive profile.

Sensing soluble uric acid by Naip1-Nlrp3 platform.

Uric acid (UA), a product of purine nucleotide degradation able to initiate an immune response, represents a breakpoint in the evolutionary history of humans, when uricase, the enzyme required for UA cleavage, was lost. Despite being inert in human cells, UA in its soluble form (sUA) can increase the level of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in murine macrophages. We, therefore, hypothesized that the recognition of sUA is achieved by the Naip1-Nlrp3 inflammasome platform. Through structural modelling predictions and transcriptome and functional analyses, we found that murine Naip1 expression in human macrophages induces IL-1ß expression, fatty acid production and an inflammation-related response upon sUA stimulation, a process reversed by the pharmacological and genetic inhibition of Nlrp3. Moreover, molecular interaction experiments showed that Naip1 directly recognizes sUA. Accordingly, Naip may be the sUA receptor lost through the human evolutionary process, and a better understanding of its recognition may lead to novel anti-hyperuricaemia therapies.

Modulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Release by Biopolymer-Coated Liposomes.

This work describes the development of polysaccharide-coated liposomes to modulate the delivery of epidermal growth factor (EGF), with the aim to produce different EGF release profiles depending on the milieu of infected wounds. For this purpose, cationic liposomes were coated with one layer of sodium alginate (ALG) followed by one layer of chitosan (CHI) using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. The coated liposomes exhibited apparent hydrodynamic diameters of 278 ± 36 and 216 ± 96 nm for Lip-ALG and Lip-ALG-CHI, respectively. Thus, it appears that adding the CHI layer compacted the Lip-ALG one. The incorporation efficiency of EGF was a maximum of 55% for liposomes with a polymeric coating. In vitro release experiments showed that Lip-ALG-CHI exhibits a higher release rate constant under acidic pH conditions, resembling those of infected tissue. Using an ex vivo model of EGF release in porcine ear skin, these liposomes were found to accumulate in the epidermis. Thus, coated liposomes could represent a local EGF delivery mechanism to promote healing.

Oral exposure to BDE-209 modulates metastatic spread of melanoma in C57BL/6 mice inoculated with B16-F10 cells.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated, persistent and bioaccumulative flame retardants widely used in the manufacture of plastic products. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) is the most prevalent PBDE in the atmosphere and found in human blood, breast milk and umbilical cord. In vitro studies showed that BDE-209 interferes with murine melanoma cells (B16F10), modulating cell death rates, proliferation and migration, important events for cancer progression. In order to evaluate if BDE-209 modulates metastasis formation in murine models, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to BDE-209 (0.08, 0.8 and 8 µg/kg) via gavage (5-day intervals for 45 days) (9 doses in total). Then, mice were inoculated with melanoma cells (B16-F10) at caudal vein receiving 4 additional doses of BDE-209. At 20th day post-cell inoculation, blood, lung, liver, kidney and brain were sampled for hematological, biochemical and morphological analyses. The slightly higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the blood and pro-oxidant state in the liver of BDE-exposed mice indicated liver damage. Although the in vivo approach is for metastasis formation in the lung, they were unexpectedly observed in non-target organs (liver, brain, kidney and gonads). The similarity test showed high proximity among individuals from the control and a dissimilarity index between the control and exposed groups. The present data corroborate the known hepatotoxicity of BDE-209 to mice (C57BL/6) and demonstrate for the first time the increase of metastatic dissemination of B16F10 cells in vivo due to previous and continuous BDE-209 exposure, revealing possible implications of this organic compound with melanoma malignancy related traits.

Fucogalactan from the giant mushroom Macrocybe titans inhibits melanoma cells migration.

An aqueous extract containing polysaccharides was obtained from the giant mushroom Macrocybe titans, and it was purified by amylase treatment, freeze-thawing process and dialysis. The purified fraction (ESP) was analyzed by HPSEC and GC-MS which showed a homogenous polysaccharide with Mw 14.2 × 103 g/mol composed by galactose and fucose. NMR and methylation analysis of ESP confirmed the presence of a fucogalactan with a (1 → 6)-linked α-d-Galp main chain partially substituted at O-2 by non reducing end units of α-l-Fucp residues in the side chain. Its biological activity was evaluated against murine melanoma cells B16-F10. The fucogalactan did not alter the viability, proliferative capacity and morphology of cells. However, this polysaccharide was able to reduce the cell migration in vitro at 40% (100 µg/mL) and 33% (250 µg/mL). The results obtained showed that Macrocybe titans fucogalactan is a promising agent capable of altering melanoma cell migration without decrease the cell viability.

Inflammatory events induced by brown spider venom and its recombinant dermonecrotic toxin: a pharmacological investigation.

Accidents involving Brown spider (Loxosceles sp.) venom produce a massive inflammatory response in injured region. This venom has a complex mixture of different toxins, and the dermonecrotic toxin is the major contributor to toxic effects. The ability of Loxosceles intermedia venom and a recombinant isoform of dermonecrotic toxin to induce edema and increase in vascular permeability was investigated. These toxins were injected into hind paws and caused a marked dose and time-dependent edema and increase in vascular permeability in mice. Furthermore, the enzymatic activity of venom toxins may be primal for these effects. A mutated recombinant isoform of dermonecrotic toxin, that has only residual enzymatic activity, was not able to induce these inflammatory events. Besides the previous heating of toxins markedly reduced the paw edema and vascular permeability showing that thermolabile constituents can trigger these effects. In addition, the ability of these venom toxins to evoke inflammatory events was partially reduced in compound 48/80-pretreated animals, suggesting that mast cells may be involved in these responses. Pretreating mice with histamine (prometazine and cetirizine) and serotonin (methysergide) receptor antagonists significantly attenuated toxins induced edema and vascular permeability. Moreover, HPLC analysis of whole venom showed the presence of histamine sufficient to induce inflammatory responses. In conclusion, these inflammatory events may result from the activation of mast cells, which in turn release bioamines and may be related to intrinsic histamine content of venom.