Macrophages promote anti-androgen resistance in prostate cancer bone disease.

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (PC) is the final stage of PC that acquires resistance to androgen deprivation therapies (ADT). Despite progresses in understanding of disease mechanisms, the specific contribution of the metastatic microenvironment to ADT resistance remains largely unknown. The current study identified that the macrophage is the major microenvironmental component of bone-metastatic PC in patients. Using a novel in vivo model, we demonstrated that macrophages were critical for enzalutamide resistance through induction of a wound-healing-like response of ECM-receptor gene expression. Mechanistically, macrophages drove resistance through cytokine activin A that induced fibronectin (FN1)-integrin alpha 5 (ITGA5)-tyrosine kinase Src (SRC) signaling cascade in PC cells. This novel mechanism was strongly supported by bioinformatics analysis of patient transcriptomics datasets. Furthermore, macrophage depletion or SRC inhibition using a novel specific inhibitor significantly inhibited resistant growth. Together, our findings elucidated a novel mechanism of macrophage-induced anti-androgen resistance of metastatic PC and a promising therapeutic approach to treat this deadly disease.

RAC1B function is essential for breast cancer stem cell maintenance and chemoresistance of breast tumor cells.

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSC) are presumed to be responsible for treatment resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis of breast tumors. However, development of BCSC-targeting therapies has been held back by their heterogeneity and the lack of BCSC-selective molecular targets. Here, we demonstrate that RAC1B, the only known alternatively spliced variant of the small GTPase RAC1, is expressed in a subset of BCSCs in vivo and its function is required for the maintenance of BCSCs and their chemoresistance to doxorubicin. In human breast cancer cell line MCF7, RAC1B is required for BCSC plasticity and chemoresistance to doxorubicin in vitro and for tumor-initiating abilities in vivo. Unlike Rac1, Rac1b function is dispensable for normal mammary gland development and mammary epithelial stem cell (MaSC) activity. In contrast, loss of Rac1b function in a mouse model of breast cancer hampers the BCSC activity and increases their chemosensitivity to doxorubicin treatment. Collectively, our data suggest that RAC1B is a clinically relevant molecular target for the development of BCSC-targeting therapies that may improve the effectiveness of doxorubicin-mediated chemotherapy.

Steroid Ligands, the Forgotten Triggers of Nuclear Receptor Action; Implications for Acquired Resistance to Endocrine Therapy.

PURPOSE: There is strong epidemiologic evidence indicating that estrogens may not be the sole steroid drivers of breast cancer. We hypothesize that abundant adrenal androgenic steroid precursors, acting via the androgen receptor (AR), promote an endocrine-resistant breast cancer phenotype. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: AR was evaluated in a primary breast cancer tissue microarray (n = 844). Androstenedione (4AD) levels were evaluated in serum samples (n = 42) from hormone receptor-positive, postmenopausal breast cancer. Levels of androgens, progesterone, and estradiol were quantified using LC/MS-MS in serum from age- and grade-matched recurrent and nonrecurrent patients (n = 6) before and after aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy (>12 months). AR and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathway activities were analyzed in two independent AI-treated cohorts. RESULTS: AR protein expression was associated with favorable progression-free survival in the total population (Wilcoxon, P < 0.001). Pretherapy serum samples from breast cancer patients showed decreasing levels of 4AD with age only in the nonrecurrent group (P < 0.05). LC/MS-MS analysis of an AI-sensitive and AI-resistant cohort demonstrated the ability to detect altered levels of steroids in serum of patients before and after AI therapy. Transcriptional analysis showed an increased ratio of AR:ER signaling pathway activities in patients failing AI therapy (t test P < 0.05); furthermore, 4AD mediated gene changes associated with acquired AI resistance. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of examining the therapeutic consequences of the steroid microenvironment and demonstrable receptor activation using indicative gene expression signatures.

Monocyte-derived macrophages promote breast cancer bone metastasis outgrowth.

Bone metastasis is the major cause of death in breast cancer. The lack of effective treatment suggests that disease mechanisms are still largely unknown. As a key component of the tumor microenvironment, macrophages promote tumor progression and metastasis. In this study, we found that macrophages are abundant in human and mouse breast cancer bone metastases. Macrophage ablation significantly inhibited bone metastasis growth. Lineage tracking experiments indicated that these macrophages largely derive from Ly6C+CCR2+ inflammatory monocytes. Ablation of the chemokine receptor, CCR2, significantly inhibited bone metastasis outgrowth and prolonged survival. Immunophenotyping identified that bone metastasis-associated macrophages express high levels of CD204 and IL4R. Furthermore, monocyte/macrophage-restricted IL4R ablation significantly inhibited bone metastasis growth, and IL4R null mutant monocytes failed to promote bone metastasis outgrowth. Together, this study identified a subset of monocyte-derived macrophages that promote breast cancer bone metastasis in an IL4R-dependent manner. This suggests that IL4R and macrophage inhibition can have potential therapeutic benefit against breast cancer bone disease.

Unlocking the transcriptomic potential of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded clinical tissues: comparison of gene expression profiling approaches.

BACKGROUND: High-throughput transcriptomics has matured into a very well established and widely utilised research tool over the last two decades. Clinical datasets generated on a range of different platforms continue to be deposited in public repositories provide an ever-growing, valuable resource for reanalysis. Cost and tissue availability normally preclude processing samples across multiple technologies, making it challenging to directly evaluate performance and whether data from different platforms can be reliably compared or integrated. METHODS: This study describes our experiences of nine new and established mRNA profiling techniques including Lexogen QuantSeq, Qiagen QiaSeq, BioSpyder TempO-Seq, Ion AmpliSeq, Nanostring, Affymetrix Clariom S or U133A, Illumina BeadChip and RNA-seq of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) and fresh frozen (FF) sequential patient-matched breast tumour samples. RESULTS: The number of genes represented and reliability varied between the platforms, but overall all methods provided data which were largely comparable. Crucially we found that it is possible to integrate data for combined analyses across FFPE/FF and platforms using established batch correction methods as required to increase cohort sizes. However, some platforms appear to be better suited to FFPE samples, particularly archival material. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we illustrate that technology selection is a balance between required resolution, sample quality, availability and cost.

Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer as a Model for Translational Research.

Neoadjuvant therapy, where patients receive systemic therapy before surgical removal of the tumour, can downstage tumours allowing breast-conserving surgery, rather than mastectomy. In addition to its impact on surgery, the neoadjuvant setting offers a valuable opportunity to monitor individual tumour response. The effectiveness of standard and/or potential new therapies can be tested in the neoadjuvant pre-surgical setting. It can potentially help to identify markers differentiating patients that will potentially benefit from continuing with the same or a different adjuvant treatment enabling personalised treatment. Characterising the molecular response to treatment over time can more accurately identify the significant differences between baseline samples that would not be identified without post-treatment samples. In this review, we discuss the potential and challenges of using the neoadjuvant setting in translational breast cancer research, considering the implications for improving our understanding of response to treatment, predicting therapy benefit, modelling breast cancer dormancy, and the development of drug resistance.

Molecular changes during extended neoadjuvant letrozole treatment of breast cancer: distinguishing acquired resistance from dormant tumours.

BACKGROUND: The risk of recurrence for endocrine-treated breast cancer patients persists for many years or even decades following surgery and apparently successful adjuvant therapy. This period of dormancy and acquired resistance is inherently difficult to investigate; previous efforts have been limited to in-vitro or in-vivo approaches. In this study, sequential tumour samples from patients receiving extended neoadjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy were characterised as a novel clinical model. METHODS: Consecutive tumour samples from 62 patients undergoing extended (4-45 months) neoadjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy with letrozole were subjected to transcriptomic and proteomic analysis, representing before (≤ 0), early (13-120 days), and long-term (> 120 days) neoadjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy with letrozole. Patients with at least a 40% initial reduction in tumour size by 4 months of treatment were included. Of these, 42 patients with no subsequent progression were classified as "dormant", and the remaining 20 patients as "acquired resistant". RESULTS: Changes in gene expression in dormant tumours begin early and become more pronounced at later time points. Therapy-induced changes in resistant tumours were common features of treatment, rather than being specific to the resistant phenotype. Comparative analysis of long-term treated dormant and resistant tumours highlighted changes in epigenetics pathways including DNA methylation and histone acetylation. The DNA methylation marks 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine were significantly reduced in resistant tumours compared with dormant tissues after extended letrozole treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first patient-matched gene expression study investigating long-term aromatase inhibitor-induced dormancy and acquired resistance in breast cancer. Dormant tumours continue to change during treatment whereas acquired resistant tumours more closely resemble their diagnostic samples. Global loss of DNA methylation was observed in resistant tumours under extended treatment. Epigenetic alterations may lead to escape from dormancy and drive acquired resistance in a subset of patients, supporting a potential role for therapy targeted at these epigenetic alterations in the management of resistance to oestrogen deprivation therapy.

Effects of cell seeding density on real-time monitoring of anti-proliferative effects of transient gene silencing.

BACKGROUND: Real-time cellular analysis systems enable impedance-based label-free and dynamic monitoring of various cellular events such as proliferation. In this study, we describe the effects of initial cell seeding density on the anti-proliferative effects of transient gene silencing monitored via real-time cellular analysis. We monitored the real-time changes in proliferation of Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma and A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells with different initial seeding densities following transient receptor potential canonical 1 (TRPC1) silencing using xCELLigence system. Huh7 and A7r5 cells were seeded on E-plate 96 at 10,000, 5000, 1250 and 5000, 2500 cells well-1, respectively, following silencing vector transfection. The inhibitory effects of transient silencing on cell proliferation monitored every 30 min for 72 h. RESULTS: TRPC1 silencing did not inhibit the proliferation rates of Huh7 cells at 10,000 cells well-1 seeding density. However, a significant anti-proliferative effect was observed at 1250 cells well-1 density at each time point throughout 72 h. Furthermore, significant inhibitory effects on A7r5 proliferation were observed at both 5000 and 2500 cells well-1 for 72 h. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that the effects of transient silencing on cell proliferation differ depending on the initial cell seeding density. While high seeding densities mask the significant changes in proliferation, the inhibitory effects of silencing become apparent at lower seeding densities as the entry into log phase is delayed. Using the optimal initial seeding density is crucial when studying the effects of transient gene silencing. In addition, the results suggest that TRPC1 may contribute to proliferation and phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Accurate prediction of response to endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients: current and future biomarkers.

Approximately 70% of patients have breast cancers that are oestrogen receptor alpha positive (ER+) and are therefore candidates for endocrine treatment. Many of these patients relapse in the years during or following completion of adjuvant endocrine therapy. Thus, many ER+ cancers have primary resistance or develop resistance to endocrine therapy during treatment. Recent improvements in our understanding of how tumours evolve during treatment with endocrine agents have identified both changes in gene expression and mutational profiles, in the primary cancer as well as in circulating tumour cells. Analysing these changes has the potential to improve the prediction of which specific patients will respond to endocrine treatment. Serially profiled biopsies during treatment in the neoadjuvant setting offer promise for accurate and early prediction of response to both current and novel drugs and allow investigation of mechanisms of resistance. In addition, recent advances in monitoring tumour evolution through non-invasive (liquid) sampling of circulating tumour cells and cell-free tumour DNA may provide a method to detect resistant clones and allow implementation of personalized treatments for metastatic breast cancer patients. This review summarises current and future biomarkers and signatures for predicting response to endocrine treatment, and discusses the potential for using approved drugs and novel agents to improve outcomes. Increased prediction accuracy is likely to require sequential sampling, utilising preoperative or neoadjuvant treatment and/or liquid biopsies and an improved understanding of both the dynamics and heterogeneity of breast cancer.

Effects of 1-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-imidazole (TRIM) on receptor-independent and -dependent contractile responses in rat aorta.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study investigates whether 1-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-imidazole (TRIM), originally proposed as a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and also suggested to be an inhibitor of store-operated calcium entry in mouse anococcygeal muscle, inhibits receptor-independent and -dependent responses in rat thoracic aorta. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cyclopiazonic acid- and serotonin-induced vascular responses were investigated in aortic segments isolated from male Sprague Dawley rats using isolated tissue experiments. Changes in intracellular calcium levels were also monitored via front surface fluorescence measurements in fura-2-loaded embryonic rat vascular smooth muscle cell line A7r5. RESULTS: TRIM inhibited serotonin-mediated vascular contractions without affecting cyclopiazonic acid-induced responses. In addition, TRIM caused a nonlinear rightward shift in the serotonin concentration-response curve, possibly via serotonin receptor modulation. CONCLUSION: TRIM may have an impact on investigation of tissue-specific receptor-independent and -dependent vascular responses. It may also be used as a lead compound in the development of selective serotonin receptor modulators.

Differential expression of store-operated calcium- and proliferation-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma cells following TRPC1 ion channel silencing.

TRPC1 and store-operated Ca(2+) (SOC) entry have previously been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation. The aim of the study was to determine genes and processes associated with TRPC1 down-regulation and the resulting increase of SOC entry and decrease in hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation. For this purpose, transcriptome analysis was performed to determine differentially expressed genes in TRPC1-silenced Huh7 cells. SOC entry- and proliferation-related genes correlated with TRPC1 down-regulation were also examined. Changes in SOC entry and cell proliferation were monitored in the TRPC1-silenced and parental cells and found to be significantly increased and decreased, respectively, in TRPC1-silenced cells. A total of 71 genes were significantly differentially expressed (40 up- and 31 down-regulated), including four mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling-associated genes. STIM1 levels were significantly up-regulated and negatively correlated with TRPC1 levels. In addition, expression of two cell cycle regulation genes, CDK11A/11B and URGCP, was observed to decrease, whereas ERBB3 and FGFR4, pro-survival genes, increased significantly in TRPC1-silenced cells. In conclusion, these results suggest reciprocal alterations in TRPC1 and STIM1 levels and a role for STIM1 in the regulation of SOC entry in TRPC1-silenced Huh7 cells. In addition to TRPC1, STIM1 may participate in Huh7 cell proliferation by regulating SOC entry. Alterations in MAPK signalling genes may be involved in diminished cell proliferation in TRPC1-silenced Huh7 cells. Similarly, changes in cell cycle regulating genes in TRPC1-silenced cells indicate possible cell cycle arrest along with compensatory up-regulation of ERBB3 growth factor receptor-amongst others-to maintain hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation.

Effects of cyclopiazonic acid and dexamethasone on serotonin-induced calcium responses in vascular smooth muscle cells

We previously observed that sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) blockade by cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) significantly potentiates serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT))-induced vascular contractions. Furthermore, 5-HT receptor antagonist methysergide partially inhibited CPA-potentiated 5-HT contractions. In the present study, we further investigated whether SERCA inhibition potentiates 5-HT-induced Ca2+ responses along with attenuating the receptor antagonism by store-operated Ca2+ (SOC) entry and protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated mechanisms. The effects of dexamethasone that was previously shown to induce SOC entry and enhance 5-HT responses were also tested. For this purpose, intracellular Ca2+ levels were monitored in A7r5 embryonic rat vascular smooth muscle cells by spectrofluorometry using the fluorescent indicator fura-2. The results showed that CPA, although not dexamethasone, significantly potentiated 5-HT-induced Ca2+ elevations. Ketanserin partially decreased 5-HT-induced and CPA-potentiated Ca2+ elevations whereas both PKC inhibitor D-sphingosine and SOC entry blocker 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) abolished the remaining responses. The data suggests that diminished antagonistic effect on 5-HT-induced Ca2+ elevations in the presence of SERCA inhibition is induced by SOC entry and PKC activation (AU)

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Effects of cyclopiazonic acid and dexamethasone on serotonin-induced calcium responses in vascular smooth muscle cells.

We previously observed that sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA) blockade by cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) significantly potentiates serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT))-induced vascular contractions. Furthermore, 5-HT receptor antagonist methysergide partially inhibited CPA-potentiated 5-HT contractions. In the present study, we further investigated whether SERCA inhibition potentiates 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) responses along with attenuating the receptor antagonism by store-operated Ca(2+) (SOC) entry and protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated mechanisms. The effects of dexamethasone that was previously shown to induce SOC entry and enhance 5-HT responses were also tested. For this purpose, intracellular Ca(2+) levels were monitored in A7r5 embryonic rat vascular smooth muscle cells by spectrofluorometry using the fluorescent indicator fura-2. The results showed that CPA, although not dexamethasone, significantly potentiated 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) elevations. Ketanserin partially decreased 5-HT-induced and CPA-potentiated Ca(2+) elevations whereas both PKC inhibitor D-sphingosine and SOC entry blocker 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) abolished the remaining responses. The data suggests that diminished antagonistic effect on 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) elevations in the presence of SERCA inhibition is induced by SOC entry and PKC activation.

Silencing of TRPC1 regulates store-operated calcium entry and proliferation in Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

PURPOSE: Previously, we observed reciprocal changes in TRPC1 and TRPC6 expression levels in aging rat aorta and A7r5, rat embryonic vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, downregulation of TRPC1 significantly elevated store-operated Ca(2+) entry suggesting the regulatory role of TRPC1 in A7r5 cells. Since TRPC6 upregulation shown to be associated with cell proliferation, the purpose of our study was to investigate the functional consequences of TRPC1 ion channel downregulation by RNA interference in Huh7 human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. METHODS: Huh7 cells used in quantitative gene and protein expression as well as in functional analyses. To determine mRNA and protein levels, quantitative real-time RT-PCR and western blot analyses were performed, respectively. In functional analyses, real-time changes in proliferation, migration and intracellular Ca(2+) levels were monitored. RESULTS: In shTRPC1-transfected Huh7 cells, TRPC1 mRNA and protein levels significantly decreased whereas store-operated Ca(2+) entry significantly elevated. TRPC1-silencing suppressed cell proliferation without affecting cell migration in real-time cellular analyses. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TRPC1 may take part both in regulation of store-operated Ca(2+) entry and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Simultaneous measurement of cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium levels: observations in TRPC1-silenced hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

INTRODUCTION: The measurement of intracellular Ca(2+), cytosolic or stored in organelles, i.e., mitochondria, gave valuable data for numerous areas of research. In case of tumor cells, mitochondrial Ca(2+) levels play essential roles in apoptosis along with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+). In this study, we describe a Ca(2+) monitoring system that allows studying both adherent cells and tissues and discuss data obtained from hepatocellular carcinoma cells and rat thoracic aorta by using this system. METHODS: For this purpose, two apparatus, one for adherent cells and the other for intact rat aorta, were designed and produced. With this system, changes in cytosolic Ca(2+) levels following store-operated calcium (SOC) entry induced by sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA) blockers were recorded in different hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Furthermore, cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca(2+) levels were simultaneously measured in TRPC1-silenced Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In addition, the effects of trifluoromethylphenylimidazole (TRIM) on cyclopiazonic acid (CPA)-, serotonin (5-HT)-, and phenylephrine (PE)-induced changes in isometric force and cytosolic Ca(2+) levels were determined simultaneously in rat thoracic aorta. The effects of aging on PE-induced responses were also investigated. RESULTS: After SOC entry activation, cytosolic Ca(2+) levels were increased, as expected in all hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Mitochondrial Ca(2+) levels following CPA-induced ER depletion were significantly (p<.05) diminished in TRPC1-silenced Huh7 cells. In addition, TRIM partially inhibited both 5-HT-induced contractions and cytosolic Ca(2+) levels without affecting CPA and PE responses. PE-induced contractions and cytosolic Ca(2+) levels were similar in aorta from young and old (3 and 22 months, respectively) rats. DISCUSSION: We confirmed that the system provides valuable data about intracellular Ca(2+) dynamics by allowing simultaneous measurements and sequential addition of compounds in adherent cells. The decrease in mitochondrial Ca(2+) loading following CPA-induced ER depletion in TRPC1-silenced Huh7 cells suggests a possible role of TRPC1 in hepatocellular carcinoma cell apoptosis. The system also enables the simultaneous measurement of isometric force and cytosolic Ca(2+) levels and promotes understanding vascular physiology and disease.

Effects of passage number on proliferation and store-operated calcium entry in A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells.

INTRODUCTION: Embryonic rat aortic smooth muscle cells, A7r5, have been used extensively as an in vitro vascular smooth muscle cell model. They are usually provided at 11th passage by supplier and generally used before 25th passage. However, the exact passage number (P#) used is not reported in general. METHODS: In this study, A7r5 cells (P#<18 and P#>23) were used in quantitative gene (5-HT2A and SERCA2b) expression as well as in functional analyses including measurements of real-time changes in cell proliferation and in 5-HT- and CPA-induced intracellular Ca(2+) levels. RESULTS: CPA-induced SR Ca(2+) release and store-operated Ca(2+) entry significantly increased (p<.05) while cell proliferation decreased in P#>23 cells (p<.01). Furthermore, 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) elevations and 5-HT2A mRNA levels did not change whereas SERCA2b mRNA levels and CPA-induced [Ca(2+)]i levels were significantly elevated in P#>23 cells (p<.05, p<.01, respectively). DISCUSSION: Changes in SERCA2b expression and SOCE may contribute to suppression of cell proliferation during A7r5 subculturing. Therefore, passage numbers and subculturing procedure should be reported and taken into account during expressional and functional analyses for an accurate comparison of published data.

Introducing basic molecular biology to Turkish rural and urban primary school children via hands-on PCR and gel electrophoresis activities.

This study includes the results of a 2-day education project titled "Molecular Biology Laboratory Summer School, MoBiLYO." The project was held at a University Research Center by scientists from Department of Pharmacology and graduate students. The project was composed of introductory lectures, model construction, DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and gel electrophoresis. The participants were 13-year-old eighth-graders attending primary schools affiliated with Ministry of National Education in urban and rural areas of Izmir, Turkey. The purpose of this study was to introduce basic molecular biology concepts through individually performed experiments such as PCR and gel electrophoresis integrated with creative drama. The students were assessed at the beginning and the end of each project day via mini-tests, experimental and presentation skills evaluation forms. Data showed that students' knowledge about DNA structure and basic molecular biology techniques significantly increased. On the basis of experimental and presentational skills, there was no significant difference between kids from urban and rural schools or between public and boarding public schools, whereas the average score of girls was significantly higher than that of boys. In conclusion, individually performed experiments integrated with creative drama significantly increased students' perception of complex experimental procedures on basic molecular biology concepts. Data suggests that integration of these concepts into the science and technology curriculum of Turkish primary education may support the recruitment of future scientists who can handle rapidly developing genomic techniques that will affect our everyday life.

Expression levels of TRPC1 and TRPC6 ion channels are reciprocally altered in aging rat aorta: implications for age-related vasospastic disorders.

We previously showed that the expression of transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC)6 ion channel elevated when TRPC1 was knocked down in A7r5 cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore whether TRPC6 is also upregulated in aging rat aorta comparable to that of TRPC1 in longitudinal in vivo aging model. We further investigated a possible causal relationship between altered phenylephrine-induced contractions and the expression levels of TRPC6, a purported essential component of alpha-adrenergic receptor signaling in aging aorta. Immunoblot analysis showed that TRPC1 protein levels significantly decreased whereas TRPC6 increased drastically in aorta from 16- to 20-month-old rats compared to that from 2 to 4 months. Immunohistochemical data demonstrated spatial changes in TRPC6 expression within the smooth muscle layers along with increased detection in the adventitia of the aged rat aorta. The phenylephrine-induced contractions were potentiated in aging aorta. In conclusion, based on this aging model, TRPC6 overexpression could be related with TRPC1 downregulation and might be responsible for the increased adrenoceptor sensitivity which contributes to the development of age-related vasospastic disorders.

Post-transcriptional silencing of TRPC1 ion channel gene by RNA interference upregulates TRPC6 expression and store-operated Ca2+ entry in A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells.

This study investigates functional consequences of TRPC1 ion channel downregulation observed in aging rat aorta by employing RNA interference in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. For this purpose, A7r5 aortic smooth muscle cells were used in quantitative gene and protein expression as well as in functional analyses. According to quantitative RT-PCR results, TRPC3, TRPC4 and TRPC5 mRNAs were not at detectable levels. In siTRPC1-transfected cells, TRPC1 mRNA and protein levels were decreased by 40% and 64%; however, those of TRPC6 were drastically increased by 100% and 200%, respectively. In fura-2-loaded TRPC1 knockdown cells, despite the decreased TRPC1 levels, cyclopiazonic acid-induced Ca2+ entry and store-operated Ca2+ entry following Ca2+ addition were elevated by 77% and 135%, respectively. Results suggest that decrease in TRPC1 may be compensated by upregulated TRPC6 that possibly takes part in store-operated Ca2+ entry in vascular smooth muscle cells.