In-depth analyses of native N-linked glycans facilitated by high-performance anion exchange chromatography-pulsed amperometric detection coupled to mass spectrometry.

Characterization of glycans present on glycoproteins has become of increasing importance due to their biological implications, such as protein folding, immunogenicity, cell-cell adhesion, clearance, receptor interactions, etc. In this study, the resolving power of high-performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAE-PAD) was applied to glycan separations and coupled to mass spectrometry to characterize native glycans released from different glycoproteins. A new, rapid workflow generates glycans from 200 µg of glycoprotein supporting reliable and reproducible annotation by mass spectrometry (MS). With the relatively high flow rate of HPAE-PAD, post-column splitting diverted 60% of the flow to a novel desalter, then to the mass spectrometer. The delay between PAD and MS detectors is consistent, and salt removal after the column supports MS. HPAE resolves sialylated (charged) glycans and their linkage and positional isomers very well; separations of neutral glycans are sufficient for highly reproducible glycoprofiling. Data-dependent MS2 in negative mode provides highly informative, mostly C- and Z-type glycosidic and cross-ring fragments, making software-assisted and manual annotation reliable. Fractionation of glycans followed by exoglycosidase digestion confirms MS-based annotations. Combining the isomer resolution of HPAE with MS2 permitted thorough N-glycan annotation and led to characterization of 17 new structures from glycoproteins with challenging glycan profiles.

PEGylated liposomal Gemcitabine: insights into a potential breast cancer therapeutic.

PURPOSE: Nanoencapsulation of chemotherapeutics is an established method to target breast tumors and has been shown to enhance the efficacy of therapy in various animal models. During the past two decades, the nucleoside analog Gemcitabine has been under investigation to treat both recalcitrant and localized breast cancer, often in combination with other chemotherapeutics. In this study, we investigated the chemotherapeutic efficacy of a novel Gemcitabine-encapsulated liposome previously formulated by our group, GemPo, on both sensitive (4T1) and recalcitrant (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. METHODS: Gemcitabine free drug and liposomal Gemcitabine were compared both in vitro and in vivo using breast cancer models. RESULTS: We demonstrated that GemPo differently hindered the growth, survival and migration of breast cancer cells, according to their drug sensitivities. Specifically, whereas GemPo was a more potent cytotoxic and apoptotic agent in sensitive breast cancer cells, it more potently inhibited cell migration in the resistant cell line. However, GemPo still acted as a more potent inhibitor of migration, in comparison with free Gemcitabine, irrespective of cell sensitivity. Administration of GemPo in a 4T1-bearing mouse model inhibited tumor growth while increasing mice survival, as compared with free Gemcitabine and a vehicle control. Interestingly, the inclusion of a mitotic inhibitor, Paclitaxel, synergized only with free Gemcitabine in this model, yet was as effective as GemPo alone. However, inclusion of Paclitaxel with GemPo significantly improved mouse survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to demonstrate the pleiotropic effects of Gemcitabine and Gemcitabine-loaded nanoparticles in breast cancer, and opens the door for a novel treatment for breast cancer patients.

Proteomic and scanning electron microscopic analysis of submandibular sialoliths.

OBJECTIVES: Several theories have been proposed regarding the genesis of sialoliths, including the organic core theory, which suggests epithelial or bacterial etiology originating in the central core. Our aim was to use novel methodologies to analyze central areas (the core) of calculi from sialolithiasis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The structures of the halves of six submandibular salivary stones were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After structural analysis, from the other six halves, samples from the central parts of the core and peripheral parts of the core were digested with trypsin and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The peptide mass fingerprints were compared with the results of in silico digestion. RESULTS: SEM analysis of the sialoliths showed that organic structures (collagen/fibrous-like structures, bacterial fragments) were visible only outside of the core in the concentric layers of external areas, but not in the core area. The mass spectrometry (MS)/MS post-source decay experiments were completed from the four, most intense signals observed in the MS spectrum and human defensin was proven to be present in three of the examined samples, originated from the peripheral region of three cores. CONCLUSIONS: Although proteomic analysis demonstrated defensin protein in the peripheral region of the core in three sialoliths, SEM failed to prove organic structures in the core. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: New investigation modalities still cannot prove organic structures in the core, henceforward challenging the organic core theory.

Mechanistic studies of Gemcitabine-loaded nanoplatforms in resistant pancreatic cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer remains the deadliest of all cancers, with a mortality rate of 91%. Gemcitabine is considered the gold chemotherapeutic standard, but only marginally improves life-span due to its chemical instability and low cell penetrance. A new paradigm to improve Gemcitabine's therapeutic index is to administer it in nanoparticles, which favour its delivery to cells when under 500 nm in diameter. Although promising, this approach still suffers from major limitations, as the choice of nanovector used as well as its effects on Gemcitabine intracellular trafficking inside pancreatic cancer cells remain unknown. A proper elucidation of these mechanisms would allow for the elaboration of better strategies to engineer more potent Gemcitabine nanotherapeutics against pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Gemcitabine was encapsulated in two types of commonly used nanovectors, namely poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and cholesterol-based liposomes, and their physico-chemical parameters assessed in vitro. Their mechanisms of action in human pancreatic cells were compared with those of the free drug, and with each others, using cytotoxity, apoptosis and ultrastructural analyses. RESULTS: Physico-chemical analyses of both drugs showed high loading efficiencies and sizes of less than 200 nm, as assessed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), with a drug release profile of at least one week. These profiles translated to significant cytotoxicity and apoptosis, as well as distinct intracellular trafficking mechanisms, which were most pronounced in the case of PLGem showing significant mitochondrial, cytosolic and endoplasmic reticulum stresses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates how the choice of nanovector affects the mechanisms of drug action and is a crucial determinant of Gemcitabine intracellular trafficking and potency in pancreatic cancer settings.

Nanotechnology-mediated targeting of tumor angiogenesis.

Angiogenesis is disregulated in many diseased states, most notably in cancer. An emerging strategy for the development of therapies targeting tumor-associated angiogenesis is to harness the potential of nanotechnology to improve the pharmacology of chemotherapeutics, including anti-angiogenic agents. Nanoparticles confer several advantages over that of free drugs, including their capability to carry high payloads of therapeutic agents, confer increased half-life and reduced toxicity to the drugs, and provide means for selective targeting of the tumor tissue and vasculature. The plethora of nanovectors available, in addition to the various methods available to combine them with anti-angiogenic drugs, allows researchers to fine-tune the pharmacological profile of the drugs ad infinitum. Use of nanovectors has also opened up novel avenues for non-invasive imaging of tumor angiogenesis. Herein, we review the types of nanovector and therapeutic/diagnostic agent combinations used in targeting tumor angiogenesis.

Estradiol-dependent regulation of angiopoietin expression in breast cancer cells.

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) is a ligand for Tie-2 receptors and a promoter of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis plays an important role in breast cancer, as it is one of the critical events required for tumors to grow and metastasize. In this study, we investigated the influence of estradiol (E2) on the expression of angiopoietins in breast cancer cell lines. Ang-1 mRNA and protein expressions were significantly higher in estrogen receptor-negative (ERα-) breast cancer cells than in estrogen receptor-positive (ERα+) cells. Exposure of ERα+ cells to E2 resulted in further reductions of Ang-1 levels. In mouse mammary pads inoculated with breast cancer cells, both tumor size and Ang-1 production were significantly lower in ERα+ cell-derived xenografts, as compared to those derived from ERα- cells. Reduction of circulating levels of E2 by ovariectomy eliminated this response. Overall, these results indicate that Ang-1 mRNA and protein expressions: (1) negatively correlate with the level of ERα in breast cancer cell lines; (2) are downregulated by E2 in an ERα dependent manner; and (3) positively correlate with the degree of angiogenesis in vivo. We conclude that Ang-1 is an important modulator of growth and progression of ERα- breast cancers.

Coupling growth-factor engineering with nanotechnology for therapeutic angiogenesis.

Therapeutic angiogenesis is an emerging paradigm for the management of ischemic pathologies. Proangiogenic Therapy is limited, however, by the current inability to deliver angiogenic factors in a sustained manner at the site of pathology. In this study, we investigated a unique nonglycosylated active fragment of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor, 1K1, which acts as a potent angiogenic agent in vitro and in a zebrafish embryo and a murine matrigel implant model. Furthermore, we demonstrate that nanoformulating 1K1 for sustained release temporally alters downstream signaling through the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway, and amplifies the angiogenic outcome. Merging protein engineering and nanotechnology offers exciting possibilities for the treatment of ischemic disease, and furthermore allows the selective targeting of downstream signaling pathways, which translates into discrete phenotypes.

Shape effect of carbon nanovectors on angiogenesis.

Physically diverse carbon nanostructures are increasingly being studied for potential applications in cancer chemotherapy. However, limited knowledge exists on the effect of their shape in tuning the biological outcomes when used as nanovectors for drug delivery. In this study, we evaluated the effect of doxorubicin-conjugated single walled carbon nanotubes (CNT-Dox) and doxorubicin-conjugated spherical polyhydroxylated fullerenes or fullerenols (Ful-Dox) on angiogenesis. We report that CNTs exert a pro-angiogenic effect in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, the fullerenols or doxorubicin-conjugated fullerenols exerted a dramatically opposite antiangiogenic activity in zebrafish and murine tumor angiogenesis models. Dissecting the angiogenic phenotype into discrete cellular steps revealed that fullerenols inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, while CNTs attenuated the cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin on the endothelial cells. Interestingly, CNT promoted endothelial tubulogenesis, a late step during angiogenesis. Further, mechanistic studies revealed that CNTs, but not fullerenols, induced integrin clustering and activated focal adhesion kinase and downstream phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling in endothelial cells, which can explain the distinct angiogenic outcomes. The results of the study highlight the function of physical parameters of nanoparticles in determining their activity in biological settings.

Glycome and transcriptome regulation of vasculogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic vasculogenesis is an emerging concept that can potentially be harnessed for the management of ischemic pathologies. The present study elucidates the potential coregulation of vasculogenesis by the heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan-rich cell-surface glycome and the transcriptome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Differentiation of embryonic stem cells into endothelial cells in an in vitro embryoid body is paralleled by an amplification of heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan sulfation, which correlates with the levels of the enzyme N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 1 (NDST1). Small hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of NDST1 or modification of heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans in embryonic stem cells with heparinases or sodium chlorate inhibited differentiation of embryonic stem cells into endothelial cells. This was translated to an in vivo zebrafish embryo model, in which the genetic knockdown of NDST1 resulted in impaired vascularization characterized by a concentration-dependent decrease in intersegmental vessel lumen and a large tail-vessel configuration, which could be rescued by use of exogenous sulfated heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans. To explore the cross talk between the glycome and the transcriptome during vasculogenesis, we identified by microarray and then validated wild-type and NDST1 knockdown-associated gene-expression patterns in zebrafish embryos. Temporal analysis at 3 developmental stages critical for vasculogenesis revealed a cascade of pathways that may mediate glycocalyx regulation of vasculogenesis. These pathways were intimately connected to cell signaling, cell survival, and cell fate determination. Specifically, we demonstrated that forkhead box O3A/5 proteins and insulin-like growth factor were key downstream signals in this process. CONCLUSIONS: The present study for the first time implicates interplay between the glycome and the transcriptome during vasculogenesis, revealing the possibility of harnessing specific cellular glyco-microenvironments for therapeutic vascularization.

Nanoparticle-mediated targeting of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase signaling inhibits angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: Dysregulation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is a hallmark of human cancer, occurring in a majority of tumors. Activation of this pathway is critical for transformation and also for the angiogenic switch, which is a key step for tumor progression. The objective of this study was to engineer a PI3K inhibitor-loaded biodegradable nanoparticle and to evaluate its efficacy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Here we report that a nanoparticle-enabled targeting of the PI3K pathway results in inhibition of downstream Akt phosphorylation, leading to inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis of B16/F10 melanoma. It, however, failed to exert a similar activity on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, resulting from reduced internalization and processing of nanoparticles in this cell line. Excitingly, the nanoparticle-enabled targeting of the PI3K pathway resulted in inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation and tubulogenesis, two key steps in tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, it inhibited both B16/F10- and MDA-MB-231-induced angiogenesis in a zebrafish tumor xenotransplant model. CONCLUSION: Our study, for the first time, shows that targeting of the PI3K pathway using nanoparticles can offer an attractive strategy for inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.

Nanoparticle-mediated targeting of MAPK signaling predisposes tumor to chemotherapy.

The MAPK signal transduction cascade is dysregulated in a majority of human tumors. Here we report that a nanoparticle-mediated targeting of this pathway can optimize cancer chemotherapy. We engineered nanoparticles from a unique hexadentate-polyD,L-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid polymer chemically conjugated to PD98059, a selective MAPK inhibitor. The nanoparticles are taken up by cancer cells through endocytosis and demonstrate sustained release of the active agent, resulting in the inhibition of phosphorylation of downstream extracellular signal regulated kinase. We demonstrate that nanoparticle-mediated targeting of MAPK inhibits the proliferation of melanoma and lung carcinoma cells and induces apoptosis in vitro. Administration of the PD98059-nanoparticles in melanoma-bearing mice inhibits tumor growth and enhances the antitumor efficacy of cisplatin chemotherapy. Our study shows the nanoparticle-mediated delivery of signal transduction inhibitors can emerge as a unique paradigm in cancer chemotherapy.

Signaling and regulation of endothelial cell survival by angiopoietin-2.

Angiopoietins are ligands for endothelial cell-specific Tie-2 receptors. Whereas angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) activates these receptors and promotes cell survival, migration, and sprouting, little information is available regarding how Ang-2 influences these cells. In this study, we evaluated signaling pathways and biological effects of physiological concentrations of Ang-2 in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Ang-2 at 150 and 300 ng/ml elicited a transient (reaching peak values within 15 min of exposure) increase in the phosphorylation of Tie-2 receptors, protein kinase B (Akt), ERK1/2, and p38 members of the mitogen-activated protein kinases. However, unlike Ang-1, Ang-2 significantly inhibited JNK/SAPK phosphorylation. When vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was present along with Ang-2, ERK1/2 phosphorylation was inhibited, whereas augmentation of Ang-1-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation was triggered by VEGF. Ang-2 treatment had no effect on cell migration and in vitro wound healing but significantly attenuated serum deprivation-induced apoptosis and promoted survival. These effects were completely reversed by phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3)-kinase and ERK1/2 inhibitors but were augmented by an inhibitor of the p38 pathway. These results suggest that Ang-2 promotes endothelial cell survival through the ERK1/2 and PI3-kinase pathways and that this angiopoietin is not a strong promoter of endothelial cell migration. We also conclude that the nature of interactions in terms of ERK1/2 activation between Ang-2 and VEGF is different from that of Ang-1 and VEGF.

Roles of reactive oxygen species in angiopoietin-1/tie-2 receptor signaling.

In this study we identified the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in signaling and biological effects of the angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1)/tie-2 receptor pathway. Exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells to Ang-1 (50 ng/ml) induced rapid and transient production of ROS, particularly superoxide anions. ROS production was attenuated by preincubation with a peptide (gp91ds-tat) that inhibits the association of the gp91(phox) subunit with the p47(phox) subunit of NADPH oxidase and by the expression of a dominant-negative form of Rac-1 (Rac1N17). These results suggest that ROS production in response to Ang-1 exposure originates mainly from a Rac-1-dependent NADPH oxidase. Overexpression of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and Rac1N17, as well as preincubation with selective inhibitors of NADPH oxidase augmented basal p38 phosphorylation, inhibited Ang-1-induced PAK-1 phosphorylation and potentiated Ang-1-induced Erk1/2 phosphorylation but had no influence on AKT and SAPK/JNK phosphorylation by Ang-1. Exposure to Ang-1 (100 ng/ml) for 5 h induced a threefold increase in endothelial cell migration, a response that was strongly inhibited by overexpression of antioxidants, Rac1N17, and selective NADPH oxidase inhibitors. We conclude that activation of tie-2 receptors by Ang-1 triggers the production of ROS through activation of NADPH oxidase and that ROS generation by Ang-1 promotes endothelial cell migration while negatively regulating Erk1/2 phosphorylation.

Roles of iNOS and nNOS in sepsis-induced pulmonary apoptosis.

Apoptosis(programmed cell death) is induced in pulmonary cells and contributes to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury in septic humans. Previous studies have shown that nitric oxide (NO) is an important modulator of apoptosis; however, the functional role of NO derived from inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in sepsis-induced pulmonary apoptosis remains unknown. We measured pulmonary apoptosis in a rat model of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis in the absence and presence of the selective iNOS inhibitor 1400W. Four groups were studied 24 h after saline (control) or LPS injection in the absence and presence of 1400W pretreatment. Apoptosis was evaluated using DNA fragmentation, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining, and caspase activation. LPS administration significantly augmented pulmonary cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in airway and alveolar epithelial cells. Pretreatment with 1400W significantly enhanced LPS-induced pulmonary apoptosis and increased caspase-3 and -7 activation. The antiapoptotic effect of iNOS was confirmed in iNOS-/- mice, which developed a greater degree of pulmonary apoptosis both under control conditions and in response to LPS compared with wild-type mice. By comparison, genetic deletion of the neuronal NOS had no effect on LPS-induced pulmonary apoptosis. We conclude that NO derived from iNOS plays an important protective role against sepsis-induced pulmonary apoptosis.

Angiopoietin-1 activates both anti- and proapoptotic mitogen-activated protein kinases.

In this study, we identified whether mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) mediate the effects of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) on endothelial cell apoptosis. Exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells to Ang-1 (300 ng/ml) evoked within 15-30 min a 15-fold and a 5-fold increase in phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPKs, respectively. Inhibitors of the PI-3 kinase pathway attenuated Ang-1-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation at a level up-stream from Raf and MEK1/2, but these inhibitors augmented Ang-1-induced p38 phosphorylation. When serum and growth supplements were withdrawn, the percentage of endothelial apoptosis tripled over 24 h compared with control cells. The presence of Ang-1 (300 ng/ml) significantly attenuated endothelial cell apoptosis and inhibited caspase-9, -7, and -3 activation. These antiapoptotic effects were augmented when a p38 inhibitor was combined with Ang-1, whereas inhibition of ERK1/2 eliminated the antiapoptotic properties of Ang-1. We conclude that both anti- (ERK1/2) and pro- (p38) apoptotic members of MAPKs are simultaneously activated by Ang-1 in endothelial cells and that activation of ERK1/2 by Ang-1 is mediated through the PI-3 kinase pathway. The strong antiapoptotic effects of the ERK and the PI-3 kinase pathways mask the proapoptotic function of p38 MAPKs resulting in net attenuation of apoptosis by Ang-1.

Mechanisms which mediate the antiapoptotic effects of angiopoietin-1 on endothelial cells.

The main objective of this study was to identify molecular mechanisms through which angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), a ligand for Tie-2 receptors, influences endothelial cell apoptosis. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured in a medium enriched with 2% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and growth supplements. Apoptosis was induced over 24 h by reducing FBS to 0.1%. Activation of caspase-9, -8, -7, and -3 and the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs), cytochrome c, as well as Smac proteins were evaluated with immunoblotting. Ang-1 clearly attenuated serum deprivation-evoked apoptosis, an effect which required Tie-2 receptor activation. Activation of caspase-9, -7, and -3, but not caspase-8, was inhibited by Ang-1. The inhibitory effects of Ang-1 on apoptosis and caspase activation were reversed by a PI-3 kinase inhibitor (wortmannin). Ang-1 exposure upregulated the expression of Survivin but not XIAP (members of IAPs), reduced the cystosolic levels of Smac, but not that of cytochrome c, and had no effect on the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins. This is the first study to report on the mitochondrial mechanisms through which Ang-1 inhibits apoptosis and to investigate the role of the newly discovered Smac. We conclude that Ang-1 inhibits endothelial cell apoptosis through several pathways, which include PI-3 kinase/AKT activation, inhibition of Smac release from the mitochondria, and upregulation of Survivin protein.