Weight Loss Upregulates the Small GTPase DIRAS3 in Human White Adipose Progenitor Cells, Which Negatively Regulates Adipogenesis and Activates Autophagy via Akt-mTOR Inhibition.

Long-term weight-loss (WL) interventions reduce insulin serum levels, protect from obesity, and postpone age-associated diseases. The impact of long-term WL on adipose-derived stromal/progenitor cells (ASCs) is unknown. We identified DIRAS3 and IGF-1 as long-term WL target genes up-regulated in ASCs in subcutaneous white adipose tissue of formerly obese donors (WLDs). We show that DIRAS3 negatively regulates Akt, mTOR and ERK1/2 signaling in ASCs undergoing adipogenesis and acts as a negative regulator of this pathway and an activator of autophagy. Studying the IGF-1-DIRAS3 interaction in ASCs of WLDs, we demonstrate that IGF-1, although strongly up-regulated in these cells, hardly activates Akt, while ERK1/2 and S6K1 phosphorylation is activated by IGF-1. Overexpression of DIRAS3 in WLD ASCs completely inhibits Akt phosphorylation also in the presence of IGF-1. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and S6K1 is lesser reduced under these conditions. In conclusion, our key findings are that DIRAS3 down-regulates Akt-mTOR signaling in ASCs of WLDs. Moreover, DIRAS3 inhibits adipogenesis and activates autophagy in these cells.

A new method for the purification of bioactive insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3.

We present a novel efficient procedure for high level purification of human IGFBP-3. Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) are key regulators of insulin-like growth factor mediated signal transduction and thereby can profoundly influence cellular phenotypes. Certain IGFBPs, including IGFBP-3, have also been described to possess additional IGF-independent activities, which rely, at least in part, on their nuclear localization. However, the mechanisms of IGF-independent biological activities of IGFBP-3 are not well understood. For the study of these functions, recombinant IGFBP-3 is used. However, it has traditionally been difficult to obtain recombinant protein in sufficient quality and quantity. Here we describe a new procedure for the purification of recombinant IGFBP-3 from cell culture supernatants involving a two-step affinity purification procedure. Using this new protocol, we obtained pure IGFBP-3 free of any visible contaminants. We also provide evidence that the protein purified in this way retains biological activity, to bind IGF and modulate IGF-dependent signal transduction. We also show that the purified protein produced by the new procedure is readily internalized by human fibroblasts, suggesting that this protein is also suitable to study intracellular trafficking of IGFBP-3.

Insulin-like growth factor-induced signals activate mitochondrial respiration.

From experiments with lower eukaryotes it is known that the metabolic rate and also the rate of aging are tightly controlled by the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/insulin signal transduction pathway. The mitochondrial theory of aging implies that an increased metabolic rate leads to increased mitochondrial activity; increased production of reactive oxygen species due to these alterations would speed up the aging process. To address the question if mitochondrial activity is influenced by insulin/IGF signaling, we have established an experimental system to determine the influence of IGF-I-dependent signaling on mitochondrial function. We used DU145 prostate cancer cells, known for the intact IGF signal transduction pathway, to address the influence of IGF receptor activation on mitochondrial function by high-resolution respirometry. These experiments revealed that indeed mitochondrial function is regulated by IGF signaling, and up-regulation of respiration seems to require phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT signaling, but is independent of IGF effects on cell cycle progression. Collectively these data establish a regulatory cross-talk between insulin/IGF signal transduction and mitochondrial function, two major pathways implicated in controlling the rate of aging.

High-risk human papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein detection in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Persistent infections by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types are the main etiologic factor for cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether high-risk E7 oncoprotein is adequate as a marker for the detection of cervical cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: HPV typing was done in biopsies from 58 cervical carcinoma and 22 normal cervical squamous epithelia. The HPV-16 E7, HPV-18 E7, and HPV-45 E7 oncoprotein levels were monitored by immunohistochemistry and compared with those of p16(INK4a) and Ki67. RESULTS: Fifty-five (94.8%) tumors were high-risk HPV-DNA-positive (46 HPV-16, 2 HPV-16 and HPV-18, 4 HPV-18, 1 HPV-33, and 2 HPV-45). HPV-DNA could not be detected in three tumors (5.2%). High HPV E7 oncoprotein levels were shown in 57 cervical cancers (98.3%), without correlation between expression levels and tumor stages. CONCLUSION: This is the first study which systematically analyzes the levels of the major HPV oncoproteins in cervical carcinomas demonstrating that the high-risk HPV E7 proteins are regularly expressed in these cancers. This suggests that high-risk E7 oncoproteins are necessary for cervical cancers and apparently essential as tumor marker.

Expression of the high-risk human papillomavirus type 18 and 45 E7 oncoproteins in cervical carcinoma biopsies.

E7 proteins are major oncoproteins of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs), which play a key role in cervical carcinogenesis. These proteins have been shown to immortalize primary human cells. Due to the absence of antibodies with suitable sensitivity and specificity, little is known about expression of the E7 oncoproteins in naturally infected tissues. Recently, high-level expression of the E7 protein of HPV-16, the most prevalent oncogenic HPV type, was demonstrated in cervical carcinomas by immunohistochemistry; however, approximately 15 additional high-risk HPV types are known to be associated with cervical carcinoma. It is unknown whether the E7 oncoproteins of HPV-18 and -45, the second and third most prevalent HPV types, are expressed in cervical cancers. Using antibodies against HPV-18 and -45 E7 proteins, it is shown here for the first time that the HPV-18 and -45 E7 proteins can be detected in cervical carcinoma biopsies. Together with anti-HPV-16 E7 antibodies, this could create the possibility of detecting E7 oncoproteins in approximately 80 % of all cervical cancers.

High level HPV-16 E7 oncoprotein expression correlates with reduced pRb-levels in cervical biopsies.

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are major etiological agents of cervical cancer. Despite excellent epidemiological evidence for a direct role of HPV-16 in cervical carcinogenesis, molecular pathways underlying carcinogenesis in vivo remain obscure. The E7 gene is required for immortalization and maintenance of the transformed phenotype in vitro; however, little is known about its role for tumorigenesis in vivo. The E7 gene codes for an unstable protein the abundance of which in cervical biopsies is unknown. We show here that E7 protein levels strongly increase during cervical carcinogenesis, underlining its fundamental role in cervical cancer. The E7 protein was found predominantly in the nucleus and to a minor extent in the cytoplasm in the cervical cancer cell line Ca Ski in vitro and in invasive cervical carcinoma in situ, suggesting that nuclear resident E7 plays a major role in cervical carcinogenesis in humans. The retinoblastoma protein (pRb) is a major E7-target in vitro. We show here that pRb expression is initially upregulated in LSIL and disappears in later stages concomitant with increased E7 levels, suggesting that E7-driven degradation of pRb is involved in cervical tumorigenesis in humans.