Redox phospholipidomics discovers pro-ferroptotic death signals in A375 melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo.

Growing cancer cells effectively evade most programs of regulated cell death, particularly apoptosis. This necessitates a search for alternative therapeutic modalities to cause cancer cell's demise, among them - ferroptosis. One of the obstacles to using pro-ferroptotic agents to treat cancer is the lack of adequate biomarkers of ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is accompanied by peroxidation of polyunsaturated species of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to hydroperoxy- (-OOH) derivatives, which act as death signals. We demonstrate that RSL3-induced death of A375 melanoma cells in vitro was fully preventable by ferrostatin-1, suggesting their high susceptibility to ferroptosis. Treatment of A375 cells with RSL3 caused a significant accumulation of PE-(18:0/20:4-OOH) and PE-(18:0/22:4-OOH), the biomarkers of ferroptosis, as well as oxidatively truncated products - PE-(18:0/hydroxy-8-oxo-oct-6-enoic acid (HOOA) and PC-(18:0/HOOA). A significant suppressive effect of RSL3 on melanoma growth was observed in vivo (utilizing a xenograft model of inoculation of GFP-labeled A375 cells into immune-deficient athymic nude mice). Redox phospholipidomics revealed elevated levels of 18:0/20:4-OOH in RSL3-treated group vs controls. In addition, PE-(18:0/20:4-OOH) species were identified as major contributors to the separation of control and RSL3-treated groups, with the highest variable importance in projection predictive score. Pearson correlation analysis revealed an association between tumor weight and contents of PE-(18:0/20:4-OOH) (r = -0.505), PE-18:0/HOOA (r = -0.547) and PE 16:0-HOOA (r = -0.503). Thus, LC-MS/MS based redox lipidomics is a sensitive and precise approach for the detection and characterization of phospholipid biomarkers of ferroptosis induced in cancer cells by radio- and chemotherapy.

Comparative Oncology Assessment of a Novel Inhibitor of Valosin-Containing Protein in Tumor-Bearing Dogs.

Pet dogs with naturally occurring cancers play an important role in studies of cancer biology and drug development. We assessed tolerability, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships with a first-in-class small molecule inhibitor of valosin-containing protein (VCP/p97), CB-5339, administered to 24 tumor-bearing pet dogs. Tumor types assessed included solid malignancies, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma. Through a stepwise dose and schedule escalation schema, we determined the maximum tolerated dose to be 7.5 mg/kg when administered orally on a 4 days on, 3 days off schedule per week for 3 consecutive weeks. Adverse events were minimal and mainly related to the gastrointestinal system. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic data suggest a relationship between exposure and modulation of targets related to induction of the unfolded protein response, but not to tolerability of the agent. An efficacy signal was detected in 33% (2/6) of dogs with multiple myeloma, consistent with a mechanism of action relating to induction of proteotoxic stress in a tumor type with abundant protein production. Clinical trials of CB-5339 in humans with acute myelogenous leukemia and multiple myeloma are ongoing.

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS generic assay platform for small molecule drug bioanalysis.

AIM: We developed a generic high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry approach for quantitation of small molecule compounds without availability of isotopically labelled standard. METHODS: The assay utilized 50 µL of plasma and offers 8 potential internal standards (IS): acetaminophen, veliparib, busulfan, neratinib, erlotinib, abiraterone, bicalutamide, and paclitaxel. Preparation consisted of acetonitrile protein precipitation and aqueous dilution in a 96 well-plate format. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a Kinetex C18 reverse phase (2.6 µm, 2 mm x 50 mm) column and a gradient of 0.1 % formic acid in acetonitrile and water over an 8 min run time. Mass spectrometric detection was performed on an AB SCIEX4000QTRAP with electrospray, positive-mode ionization. Performance of the generic approach was evaluated with seven drugs (LMP744, olaparib, cabozantinib, triapine, ixabepilone, berzosertib, eribulin) for which validated assays were available. RESULTS: The 8 IS covered a range of polarity, size, and ionization; eluted over the range of chromatographic retention times; were quantitatively extracted; and suffered limited matrix effects. The generic approach proved to be linear for test drugs evaluated over at least 3 orders of magnitude starting at 1-10 ng/mL, with extension of assay ranges with analyte isotopologue MRM channels. At a bias of less than 16 % and precision within 15 %, the assay performance was acceptable. CONCLUSION: The generic approach has become a useful tool to further define the pharmacology of drugs studied in our laboratory and may be utilized as described, or as starting point to develop drug-specific assays with more extensive performance characterization.

Combination therapy with pazopanib and tivantinib modulates VEGF and c-MET levels in refractory advanced solid tumors.

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGFR and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-MET signaling pathways act synergistically to promote angiogenesis. Studies indicate VEGF inhibition leads to increased levels of phosphorylated c-MET, bypassing VEGF-mediated angiogenesis and leading to chemoresistance. We conducted a phase 1 clinical trial with 32 patients with refractory solid tumors to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of combinations of VEGF-targeting pazopanib and the putative c-MET inhibitor ARQ197 (tivantinib) at 5 dose levels (DLs). Patients either took pazopanib and tivantinib from treatment initiation (escalation phase) or pazopanib alone for 7 days, with paired tumor sampling, prior to starting combination treatment (expansion phase). Hypertension was the most common adverse event. No more than 1 dose limiting toxicity (DLT) occurred at any DL, so the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was not determined; DL5 (800 mg pazopanib daily and 360 mg tivantinib BID) was used during the expansion phase. Twenty of 31 evaluable patients achieved stable disease lasting up to 22 cycles. Circulating VEGF, VEGFR2, HGF, and c-MET levels were assessed, and only VEGF levels increased. Tumor c-MET levels (total and phosphorylated) were determined in paired biopsies before and after 7 days of pazopanib treatment. Total intact c-MET decreased in 6 of 7 biopsy pairs, in contrast to previously reported c-MET elevation in response to VEGF inhibition. These results are discussed in the context of our previously reported analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in these tumors.

Isoform- and Phosphorylation-specific Multiplexed Quantitative Pharmacodynamics of Drugs Targeting PI3K and MAPK Signaling in Xenograft Models and Clinical Biopsies.

Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK (MAPK) and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways influence several cell functions involved in oncogenesis, making them attractive drug targets. We describe a novel multiplex immunoassay to quantitate isoform-specific phosphorylation of proteins in the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways as a tool to assess pharmacodynamic changes. Isoform-specific assays measuring total protein and site-specific phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, MEK1/2, AKT1/2/3, and rpS6 were developed on the Luminex platform with validated antibody reagents. The multiplex assay demonstrated satisfactory analytic performance. Fit-for-purpose validation was performed with xenograft models treated with selected agents. In PC3 and HCC70 xenograft tumors, the PI3Kß inhibitor AZD8186 suppressed phosphorylation of AKT1, AKT2, and rpS6 for 4 to 7 hours post single dose, but levels returned to baseline by 24 hours. AKT3 phosphorylation was suppressed in PC3 xenografts at all doses tested, but only at the highest dose in HCC70. The AKT inhibitor MK-2206 reduced AKT1/2/3 phosphorylation in SW620 xenograft tumors 2 to 4 hours postdose, and the MEK inhibitor selumetinib reduced MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation by up to 50% and >90%, respectively. Clinical utility was demonstrated by analyzing biopsies from untreated patients with plexiform neurofibromas enrolled in a clinical trial of selumetinib (NCT02407405). These biopsies showed MEK and ERK phosphorylation levels sufficient for measuring up to 90% inhibition, and low AKT and rpS6 phosphorylation. This validated multiplex immunoassay demonstrates the degree and duration of phosphorylation modulation for three distinct classes of drugs targeting the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways.

Redox Epiphospholipidome in Programmed Cell Death Signaling: Catalytic Mechanisms and Regulation.

A huge diversification of phospholipids, forming the aqueous interfaces of all biomembranes, cannot be accommodated within a simple concept of their role as membrane building blocks. Indeed, a number of signaling functions of (phospho)lipid molecules has been discovered. Among these signaling lipids, a particular group of oxygenated polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), so called lipid mediators, has been thoroughly investigated over several decades. This group includes oxygenated octadecanoids, eicosanoids, and docosanoids and includes several hundreds of individual species. Oxygenation of PUFA can occur when they are esterified into major classes of phospholipids. Initially, these events have been associated with non-specific oxidative injury of biomembranes. An alternative concept is that these post-synthetically oxidatively modified phospholipids and their adducts with proteins are a part of a redox epiphospholipidome that represents a rich and versatile language for intra- and inter-cellular communications. The redox epiphospholipidome may include hundreds of thousands of individual molecular species acting as meaningful biological signals. This review describes the signaling role of oxygenated phospholipids in programs of regulated cell death. Although phospholipid peroxidation has been associated with almost all known cell death programs, we chose to discuss enzymatic pathways activated during apoptosis and ferroptosis and leading to peroxidation of two phospholipid classes, cardiolipins (CLs) and phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs). This is based on the available LC-MS identification and quantitative information on the respective peroxidation products of CLs and PEs. We focused on molecular mechanisms through which two proteins, a mitochondrial hemoprotein cytochrome c (cyt c), and non-heme Fe lipoxygenase (LOX), change their catalytic properties to fulfill new functions of generating oxygenated CL and PE species. Given the high selectivity and specificity of CL and PE peroxidation we argue that enzymatic reactions catalyzed by cyt c/CL complexes and 15-lipoxygenase/phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein 1 (15LOX/PEBP1) complexes dominate, at least during the initiation stage of peroxidation, in apoptosis and ferroptosis. We contrast cell-autonomous nature of CLox signaling in apoptosis correlating with its anti-inflammatory functions vs. non-cell-autonomous ferroptotic signaling facilitating pro-inflammatory (necro-inflammatory) responses. Finally, we propose that small molecule mechanism-based regulators of enzymatic phospholipid peroxidation may lead to highly specific anti-apoptotic and anti-ferroptotic therapeutic modalities.

Clinical Evolution of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Carcinomas.

The significance of the phenotypic plasticity afforded by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) for cancer progression and drug resistance remains to be fully elucidated in the clinic. We evaluated epithelial-mesenchymal phenotypic characteristics across a range of tumor histologies using a validated, high-resolution digital microscopic immunofluorescence assay (IFA) that incorporates ß-catenin detection and cellular morphology to delineate carcinoma cells from stromal fibroblasts and that quantitates the individual and colocalized expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin (E) and the mesenchymal marker vimentin (V) at subcellular resolution ("EMT-IFA"). We report the discovery of ß-catenin+ cancer cells that coexpress E-cadherin and vimentin in core-needle biopsies from patients with various advanced metastatic carcinomas, wherein these cells are transitioning between strongly epithelial and strongly mesenchymal-like phenotypes. Treatment of carcinoma models with anticancer drugs that differ in their mechanism of action (the tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib in MKN45 gastric carcinoma xenografts and the combination of tubulin-targeting agent paclitaxel with the BCR-ABL inhibitor nilotinib in MDA-MB-468 breast cancer xenografts) caused changes in the tumor epithelial-mesenchymal character. Moreover, the appearance of partial EMT or mesenchymal-like carcinoma cells in MDA-MB-468 tumors treated with the paclitaxel-nilotinib combination resulted in upregulation of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers and susceptibility to FAK inhibitor. A metastatic prostate cancer patient treated with the PARP inhibitor talazoparib exhibited similar CSC marker upregulation. Therefore, the phenotypic plasticity conferred on carcinoma cells by EMT allows for rapid adaptation to cytotoxic or molecularly targeted therapy and could create a form of acquired drug resistance that is transient in nature. SIGNIFICANCE: Despite the role of EMT in metastasis and drug resistance, no standardized assessment of EMT phenotypic heterogeneity in human carcinomas exists; the EMT-IFA allows for clinical monitoring of tumor adaptation to therapy.

Real time detection and quantification of Epstein Barr virus in different grades of oral gingivitis and periodontitis patients.

BACKGROUND: Periodontal diseases are of microbial etiology and are globally causing loss of teeth in adult population. Many severe oral diseases have been recently associated to Herpes viruses, of which Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) have been indicated in the etiology of periodontal diseases. AIM: The purpose of the study was to compare the effect of EBV in different types of periodontal diseases namely acute gingivitis, chronic gingivitis, acute and chronic, localized and generalized aggressive (juvenile) periodontitis and apical periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 70 individuals were included in this study. Supragingival plaque and plaque from two deepest sites of the periodontal pockets were collected then stored at 70° c and prepared for nucleic acid extraction. For EBV detection, DNA were extracted from the plaque samples with the QIAamp DNA mini kit. Q-PCR was performed by targeting the non-polymorphic Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) gene using Corbett Research 6000 Q-PCR instrument and Rotor gene 6000 software. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of EBV in the disease group was 60% (27/45 patients) as compared to only 8% (4/25 people) in the normal population. The mean copy number of EBV DNA was found to be significantly higher in periodontitis (2234 ± 1811.34) when compared to gingivitis (554 ± 537.64, p = .001) and normal patients (370 ± 161.03, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Here, we found that the prevalence of EBV as well as copy number of EBV was significantly higher in periodontitis patients as compared to gingivitis patients or normal population.

Molecular Pharmacodynamics-Guided Scheduling of Biologically Effective Doses: A Drug Development Paradigm Applied to MET Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

The development of molecularly targeted agents has benefited from use of pharmacodynamic markers to identify "biologically effective doses" (BED) below MTDs, yet this knowledge remains underutilized in selecting dosage regimens and in comparing the effectiveness of targeted agents within a class. We sought to establish preclinical proof-of-concept for such pharmacodynamics-based BED regimens and effectiveness comparisons using MET kinase small-molecule inhibitors. Utilizing pharmacodynamic biomarker measurements of MET signaling (tumor pY1234/1235MET/total MET ratio) in a phase 0-like preclinical setting, we developed optimal dosage regimens for several MET kinase inhibitors and compared their antitumor efficacy in a MET-amplified gastric cancer xenograft model (SNU-5). Reductions in tumor pY1234/1235MET/total MET of 95%-99% were achievable with tolerable doses of EMD1214063/MSC2156119J (tepotinib), XL184 (cabozantinib), and XL880/GSK1363089 (foretinib), but not ARQ197 (tivantinib), which did not alter the pharmacodynamic biomarker. Duration of kinase suppression and rate of kinase recovery were specific to each agent, emphasizing the importance of developing customized dosage regimens to achieve continuous suppression of the pharmacodynamic biomarker at the required level (here, ≥90% MET kinase suppression). The customized dosage regimen of each inhibitor yielded substantial and sustained tumor regression; the equivalent effectiveness of customized dosage regimens that achieve the same level of continuous molecular target control represents preclinical proof-of-concept and illustrates the importance of proper scheduling of targeted agent BEDs. Pharmacodynamics-guided biologically effective dosage regimens (PD-BEDR) potentially offer a superior alternative to pharmacokinetic guidance (e.g., drug concentrations in surrogate tissues) for developing and making head-to-head comparisons of targeted agents. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(3); 698-709. ©2018 AACR.

Development and validation of a Luminex assay for detection of a predictive biomarker for PROSTVAC-VF therapy.

Cancer therapies can provide substantially improved survival in some patients while other seemingly similar patients receive little or no benefit. Strategies to identify patients likely to respond well to a given therapy could significantly improve health care outcomes by maximizing clinical benefits while reducing toxicities and adverse effects. Using a glycan microarray assay, we recently reported that pretreatment serum levels of IgM specific to blood group A trisaccharide (BG-Atri) correlate positively with overall survival of cancer patients on PROSTVAC-VF therapy. The results suggested anti-BG-Atri IgM measured prior to treatment could serve as a biomarker for identifying patients likely to benefit from PROSTVAC-VF. For continued development and clinical application of serum IgM specific to BG-Atri as a predictive biomarker, a clinical assay was needed. In this study, we developed and validated a Luminex-based clinical assay for measuring serum IgM specific to BG-Atri. IgM levels were measured with the Luminex assay and compared to levels measured using the microarray for 126 healthy individuals and 77 prostate cancer patients. This assay provided reproducible and consistent results with low %CVs, and tolerance ranges were established for the assay. IgM levels measured using the Luminex assay were found to be highly correlated to the microarray results with R values of 0.93-0.95. This assay is a Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) and is suitable for evaluating thousands of serum samples in CLIA certified laboratories that have validated the assay. In addition, the study demonstrates that discoveries made using neoglycoprotein-based microarrays can be readily migrated to a clinical assay.

Effective implementation of novel MET pharmacodynamic assays in translational studies.

MET tyrosine kinase (TK) dysregulation is significantly implicated in many types of cancer. Despite over 20 years of drug development to target MET in cancers, a pure anti-MET therapeutic has not yet received market approval. The failure of two recently concluded phase III trials point to a major weakness in biomarker strategies to identify patients who will benefit most from MET therapies. The capability to interrogate oncogenic mutations in MET via circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) provides an important advancement in identification and stratification of patients for MET therapy. However, a wide range in type and frequency of these mutations suggest there is a need to carefully link these mutations to MET dysregulation, at least in proof-of-concept studies. In this review, we elaborate how we can utilize recently developed and validated pharmacodynamic biomarkers of MET not only to show target engagement, but more importantly to quantitatively measure MET dysregulation in tumor tissues. The MET assay endpoints provide evidence of both canonical and non-canonical MET signaling, can be used as "effect markers" to define biologically effective doses (BEDs) for molecularly targeted drugs, confirm mechanism-of-action in testing combination of drugs, and establish whether a diagnostic test is reporting MET dysregulation. We have established standard operating procedures for tumor biopsy collections to control pre-analytical variables that have produced valid results in proof-of-concept studies. The reagents and procedures are made available to the research community for potential implementation on multiple platforms such as ELISA, quantitative immunofluorescence assay (qIFA), and immuno-MRM assays.

Pharmacodynamic Response of the MET/HGF Receptor to Small-Molecule Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Examined with Validated, Fit-for-Clinic Immunoassays.

PURPOSE: Rational development of targeted MET inhibitors for cancer treatment requires a quantitative understanding of target pharmacodynamics, including molecular target engagement, mechanism of action, and duration of effect. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Sandwich immunoassays and specimen handling procedures were developed and validated for quantifying full-length MET and its key phosphospecies (pMET) in core tumor biopsies. MET was captured using an antibody to the extracellular domain and then probed using antibodies to its C-terminus (full-length) and epitopes containing pY1234/1235, pY1235, and pY1356. Using pMET:MET ratios as assay endpoints, MET inhibitor pharmacodynamics were characterized in MET-amplified and -compensated (VEGFR blockade) models. RESULTS: By limiting cold ischemia time to less than two minutes, the pharmacodynamic effects of the MET inhibitors PHA665752 and PF02341066 (crizotinib) were quantifiable using core needle biopsies of human gastric carcinoma xenografts (GTL-16 and SNU5). One dose decreased pY1234/1235 MET:MET, pY1235-MET:MET, and pY1356-MET:MET ratios by 60% to 80% within 4 hours, but this effect was not fully sustained despite continued daily dosing. VEGFR blockade by pazopanib increased pY1235-MET:MET and pY1356-MET:MET ratios, which was reversed by tivantinib. Full-length MET was quantifiable in 5 of 5 core needle samples obtained from a resected hereditary papillary renal carcinoma, but the levels of pMET species were near the assay lower limit of quantitation. CONCLUSIONS: These validated immunoassays for pharmacodynamic biomarkers of MET signaling are suitable for studying MET responses in amplified cancers as well as compensatory responses to VEGFR blockade. Incorporating pharmacodynamic biomarker studies into clinical trials of MET inhibitors could provide critical proof of mechanism and proof of concept for the field. Clin Cancer Res; 22(14); 3683-94. ©2016 AACR.

Effect of a Smac Mimetic (TL32711, Birinapant) on the Apoptotic Program and Apoptosis Biomarkers Examined with Validated Multiplex Immunoassays Fit for Clinical Use.

PURPOSE: To support clinical pharmacodynamic evaluation of the Smac mimetic TL32711 (birinapant) and other apoptosis-targeting drugs, we describe the development, validation, and application of novel immunoassays for 15 cytosolic and membrane-associated proteins indicative of the induction, onset, and commitment to apoptosis in human tumors. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The multiplex immunoassays were constructed on the Luminex platform with apoptosis biomarkers grouped into three panels. Panel 1 contains Bak, Bax, total caspase-3, total lamin-B (intact and 45 kDa fragment), and Smac; panel 2 contains Bad, Bax-Bcl-2 heterodimer, Bcl-xL, Bim, and Mcl1; and panel 3 contains active (cleaved) caspase-3, Bcl-xL-Bak heterodimer, Mcl1-Bak heterodimer, pS99-Bad, and survivin. Antibody specificity was confirmed by immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Two laboratories analytically validated the multiplex immunoassays for application with core-needle biopsy samples processed to control preanalytical variables; the biologic variability for each biomarker was estimated from xenograft measurements. Studies of TL32711 in xenograft models confirmed a dose-dependent increase in activated caspase-3 6 hours after dosing and provided assay fit-for-purpose confirmation. Coincident changes in cytosolic lamin-B and subsequent changes in Bcl-xL provided correlative evidence of caspase-3 activation. The validated assay is suitable for use with clinical specimens; 14 of 15 biomarkers were quantifiable in patient core-needle biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: The validated multiplex immunoassays developed for this study provided proof of mechanism data for TL32711 and are suitable for quantifying apoptotic biomarkers in clinical trials.

Implementation of validated pharmacodynamic assays in multiple laboratories: challenges, successes, and limitations.

There is a "life cycle" of pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarker assays that guides the development and clinical implementation in our laboratories. The well-recognized elements of analytical assay validation and demonstration of fitness-for-purpose of the biomarker, specimen collection, handling, and assay methods are only a part of the required activities. Assay transfer across laboratories and testing on actual human clinical specimens are vital for understanding assay performance and robustness. In our experience, this patient specimen-centered approach has required assay method modifications, some unexpected, but which were critical to successful implementation in clinical trials. In addition, dispersing assays throughout the National Cancer Institute's clinical trials network has required the development of calibrator and control materials as well as formal training courses for smooth implementation. One measure of success of this approach has been that a number of the assays developed at NCI's Frederick National Laboratory have ultimately reached the stage of commercialization, enabling wide accessibility of the PD biomarker assays by the research community. See all articles in this ccr focus section, "Progress in pharmacodynamic endpoints."

Altered bone material properties in HLA-B27 rats include reduced mineral to matrix ratio and altered collagen cross-links.

Spondyloarthropathy and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are often associated with severe osteopenia/osteoporosis in both children and adults. HLA-B27 transgenic rats present a phenotype that includes severe colitis and severely accelerated alveolar bone loss. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long bone density status, systemic bone metabolic markers, and intrinsic bone material properties in HLA-B27 transgenic (TG) rats, and compare them with those of age- and sex-matched wild-type (WT) animals. The results indicate that in the HLA-B27 rat, an animal susceptible to both alveolar bone loss (ABL) and long bone osteopenia, there is a statistically significant negative correlation between ABL and long bone bone mineral density (BMD), as well as mineral/matrix ratio at active bone-forming trabecular surfaces. The TG animals had a lower mineral/matrix ratio and higher relative proteoglycan and advanced glycation end product (ϵ-N-Carboxymethyl-L-lysine) content and pyridinoline/divalent collagen cross-link ratio compared with WT. These results may provide better understanding of the interrelationship between osteoporosis and oral bone loss, the underlying causes of the inferior bone strength in the HLA-B27 transgenic animals, and could prove to be a useful model in the elucidation of the pathophysiology of spondyloarthropathy and IBD-associated osteopenia/osteoporosis and in the evaluation of pharmacological intervention(s) against such conditions.

ENU mutation mapped to a distal region of chromosome 11 is a major determinant of bone size.

Using a phenotype driven n-ethyl-nitrosourea (ENU) screen in growth hormone-deficient mice, we have identified a mutant (named 14104) that exhibited a smaller bone size. Phenotype measurements by microcomputed tomography revealed that mutant mice exhibited a 43 and 34% reduction in tissue area and bone area, respectively at the femur middiaphysis. Dynamic histomorphometry revealed a 30 and 15% lower bone formation rate at the periosteal and endosteal surface, respectively. Breaking strength of the femur was reduced by 30% in the mutant mice. To determine if the 14104 locus is involved in a mechanical loading signaling pathway, the skeletal anabolic response to tibia axial loading was evaluated. The increase in trabecular response in the loaded region was severely compromised by the 14014 mutation. To identify the location of mutation, we performed linkage analysis using 62 polymorphic markers in the B6-DBA/2J F2 mice. The genome-wide linkage analysis identified the location of the mutation to a 72 to 83 cM region on chromosome 11 with peak logarithm of the odds scores of 15 for periosteal circumference at marker D11mit338. Sequence analysis revealed no mutation in the coding region of 11 potential candidate genes. Based on these data and published data on the skeletal phenotype of genes in this region, we concluded that the 109-119 Mb region of chromosome 11 harbors a bone size gene that regulates periosteal bone formation. The mutant strain developed in this study provides an important tool to identify a novel mechanosensitive gene that determines bone size during postnatal development.

Antimicrobial Property of Extracts of Indian Lichen against Human Pathogenic Bacteria.

Context. Usnea ghattensis G. Awasthi (Usneaceae) endemic fruticose lichen found growing luxuriantly in Northern Western Ghats of India, it also contains Usnic acid as a major chemical and tested against some human pathogenic bacteria. Objective. To explore antimicrobial properties of Usnea ghattensis against some human pathogenic bacteria. Materials and Methods. The lichen was extracted in acetone, methanol, and ethanol. In vitro antimicrobial activity was tested initially by Kirby-Bauer technique of disc diffusion method and was confirmed by minimum inhibitory concentration using Broth microdilution method according to the NCCLS guidelines. Results. Ethanol extract was most effective against Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a zone of inhibition 29.8 ± 0.6 mm and 12.3 ± 0.5 mm diameters at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL. Acetone and methanol extract demonstrated almost similar activity against Staphylococcus aureus and the zone of inhibition was 24.6 ± 0.5 and 24.7 ± 0.4 mm. Only methanol extract was showing activity against Streptococcus faecalis with a 13.5 ± 0.8 mm zone. MIC value noted against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis was 6.25 µ g/mL and 25 µ g/mL, whereas against Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MIC calculated was 3.125 µ g/mL and 200 µ g/mL, respectively. Conclusion. The present study demonstrates the relatively higher activity of this lichen against not only gram (+) but significantly also against gram (-) bacteria. This indicates that this lichen might be a rich source of effective antimicrobial agents.

Quantitation of Met tyrosine phosphorylation using MRM-MS.

Phosphorylation has long been accepted as a key cellular regulator of cell signaling pathways. The recent development of multiple-reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) provides a useful tool for measuring the absolute quantity of phosphorylation occupancy at pivotal sites within signaling proteins, even when the phosphorylation sites are in close proximity. Here, we described a targeted quantitation approach to measure the absolute phosphorylation occupancy at Y1234 and Y1235 of Met. The approach is utilized to obtain absolute occupancy of the two phosphorylation sites in the full-length recombinant Met. It is further applied to quantitate the phosphorylation state of these two sites in SNU-5 cells treated with a Met inhibitor.

Genomic profiling of messenger RNAs and microRNAs reveals potential mechanisms of TWEAK-induced skeletal muscle wasting in mice.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle wasting is a devastating complication of several physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the loss of skeletal muscle mass in various chronic diseases. We have recently reported that proinflammatory cytokine TWEAK is a major muscle-wasting cytokine. Emerging evidence suggests that gene expression is regulated not only at transcriptional level but also at post-transcriptional level through the expression of specific non-coding microRNAs (miRs) which can affect the stability and/or translation of target mRNA. However, the role of miRs in skeletal muscle wasting is unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To understand the mechanism of action of TWEAK in skeletal muscle, we performed mRNA and miRs expression profile of control and TWEAK-treated myotubes. TWEAK increased the expression of a number of genes involved in inflammatory response and fibrosis and reduced the expression of few cytoskeletal gene (e.g. Myh4, Ankrd2, and TCap) and metabolic enzymes (e.g. Pgam2). Low density miR array demonstrated that TWEAK inhibits the expression of several miRs including muscle-specific miR-1-1, miR-1-2, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206. The expression of a few miRs including miR-146a and miR-455 was found to be significantly increased in response to TWEAK treatment. Ingenuity pathway analysis showed that several genes affected by TWEAK are known/putative targets of miRs. Our cDNA microarray data are consistent with miRs profiling. The levels of specific mRNAs and miRs were also found to be similarly regulated in atrophying skeletal muscle of transgenic mice (Tg) mice expressing TWEAK. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that TWEAK affects the expression of several genes and microRNAs involved in inflammatory response, fibrosis, extracellular matrix remodeling, and proteolytic degradation which might be responsible for TWEAK-induced skeletal muscle loss.

Targeted transgenic expression of an osteoclastic transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase in cells of osteoclastic lineage increases bone resorption and bone loss in male young adult mice.

This study evaluated whether transgenic expression of PTP-oc (osteoclastic transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase) in cells of the osteoclast lineage would affect bone resorption and bone density in young adult mice. Transgenic mice were generated with a transgenic construct using a tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase exon 1C promoter to drive expression of rabbit PTP-oc in osteoclastic cells. pQCT evaluation of femurs of young adult male progeny of three lines showed that transgenic mice had reduced bone volume and area, cortical and trabecular bone mineral content, and density. Histomorphometric analyses at secondary spongiosa of the femur and at metaphysis of the L4 vertebra confirmed that male transgenic mice had decreased trabecular surface, reduced percentage of trabecular area, decreased trabecular number, increased trabecular separation, and increased osteoclast number per bone surface length. Consistent with an increase in bone resorption, the serum C-telopeptide level was 25% higher in transgenic mice than in wild-type littermates. However, the bone phenotype was not readily observed in female young adult transgenic mice. This could in part be due to potential interactions between estrogen and PTP-oc signaling, since the bone loss phenotype was seen in young adult ovariectomized transgenic mice by microcomputed tomography analysis. In vitro, the average pit area per resorption pit created by marrow-derived transgenic osteoclasts was approximately 50% greater than that created by wild-type osteoclasts. Transgenic osteoclasts showed a lower c-Src phosphotyrosine 527 level, greater c-Src kinase activity, and increased tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin. In summary, this study provides compelling in vivo evidence that PTP-oc is a positive regulator of osteoclasts.