Increased HRD score in cisplatin resistant penile cancer cells.

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION: Penile cancer is a rare disease in demand for new therapeutic options. Frequently used combination chemotherapy with 5 fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) in patients with metastatic penile cancer mostly results in the development of acquired drug resistance. Availability of cell culture models with acquired resistance against standard therapy could help to understand molecular mechanisms underlying chemotherapy resistance and to identify candidate treatments for an efficient second line therapy. METHODS: We generated a cell line from a humanpapilloma virus (HPV) negative penile squamous cell carcinoma (UKF-PEC-1). This cell line was subject to chronic exposure to chemotherapy with CDDP and / or 5-FU to induce acquired resistance in the newly established chemo-resistant sublines (PEC-1rCDDP2500, adapted to 2500 ng/ml CDDP; UKF-PEC-1r5-FU500, adapted to 500 ng/ml 5- FU; UKF-PEC1rCDDP2500/r5-FU500, adapted to 2500 ng/ml CDDP and 500 ng/ml 5 -FU). Afterwards cell line pellets were formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded and subject to sequencing as well as testing for homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). Additionally, exemplary immunohistochemical stainings for p53 and gammaH2AX were applied for verification purposes. Finally, UKF-PEC-1rCDDP2500, UKF-PEC-1r5-FU500, UKF-PEC1rCDDP2500/r5-FU500, and UKF-PEC-3 (an alternative penis cancer cell line) were tested for sensitivity to paclitaxel, docetaxel, olaparib, and rucaparib. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The chemo-resistant sublines differed in their mutational landscapes. UKF-PEC-1rCDDP2500 was characterized by an increased HRD score, which is supposed to be associated with increased PARP inhibitor and immune checkpoint inhibitor sensitivity in cancer. However, UKF-PEC-1rCDDP2500 did not display sensitivity to PARP inhibitors.

Chemotherapy-associated angiogenesis in neuroblastoma tumors.

The influences of cytotoxic drugs on endothelial cells remain incompletely understood. Herein, we examined the effects of chemotherapeutic agents in experimental angiogenesis models and analyzed vessel densities in clinical neuroblastoma tumor samples. Cisplatin (20 to 500 ng/mL), doxorubicin (4 to 100 ng/mL), and vincristine (0.5 to 4 ng/mL), drugs commonly involved in neuroblastoma therapy protocols, induced pro-angiogenic effects in different angiogenesis models. They enhanced endothelial cell tube formation, endothelial cell sprouting from spheroids, formation of tip cells in the sprouting assay, expression of αvß3 integrin, and vitronectin binding. All three drugs increased global cellular kinase phosphorylation levels, including the angiogenesis-relevant molecules protein kinase Cß and Akt. Pharmacological inhibition of protein kinase Cß or Akt upstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase reduced chemotherapy-induced endothelial cell tube formation. Moreover, the investigated chemotherapeutics dose dependently induced vessel formation in the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. Tumor samples from seven high-risk patients with neuroblastoma were analyzed for vessel density by IHC. Results revealed that neuroblastoma samples taken after chemotherapy consistently showed an enhanced microvessel density compared with the corresponding samples taken before chemotherapy. In conclusion, our data show that chemotherapy can activate endothelial cells by inducing multiple pro-angiogenic signaling pathways and exert pro-angiogenic effects in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we report a previously unrecognized clinical phenomenon that might, in part, be explained by our experimental observations: chemotherapy-associated enhanced vessel formation in tumors from patients with neuroblastoma.

Value of c-MET and Associated Signaling Elements for Predicting Outcomes and Targeted Therapy in Penile Cancer.

Whereas the lack of biomarkers in penile cancer (PeCa) impedes the development of efficacious treatment protocols, preliminary evidence suggests that c-MET and associated signaling elements may be dysregulated in this disorder. In the following study, we investigated whether c-MET and associated key molecular elements may have prognostic and therapeutic utility in PeCa. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from therapy-naïve patients with invasive PeCa was used for tissue microarray (TMA) analysis. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the expression of the proteins c-MET, PPARg, ß-catenin, snail, survivin, and n-MYC. In total, 94 PeCa patients with available tumor tissue were included. The median age was 64.9 years. High-grade tumors were present in 23.4%, and high-risk HPV was detected in 25.5%. The median follow-up was 32.5 months. High expression of snail was associated with HPV-positive tumors. Expression of ß-catenin was inversely associated with grading. In both univariate COX regression analysis and the log-rank test, an increased expression of PPARg and c-MET was predictive of inferior disease-specific survival (DSS). Moreover, in multivariate analysis, a higher expression of c-MET was independently associated with worse DSS. Blocking c-MET with cabozantinib and tivantinib induced a significant decrease in viability in the primary PeCa cell line UKF-PeC3 isolated from the tumor tissue as well as in cisplatin- and osimertinib-resistant sublines. Strikingly, a higher sensitivity to tivantinib could be detected in the latter, pointing to the promising option of utilizing this agent in the second-line treatment setting.

Assessment of PI3K/mTOR/AKT Pathway Elements to Serve as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Penile Cancer.

The PI3K/mTOR/AKT pathway might represent an intriguing option for treatment of penile cancer (PeCa). We aimed to assess whether members of this pathway might serve as biomarkers and targets for systemic therapy. Tissue of primary cancer from treatment-naïve PeCa patients was used for tissue microarray analysis. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with antibodies against AKT, pAKT, mTOR, pmTOR, pS6, pPRAS, p4EBP1, S6K1 and pp70S6K. Protein expression was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics as well as overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and metastasis-free survival (MFS). AKT inhibition was tested in two primarily established, treatment-naïve PeCa cell lines by treatment with capivasertib and analysis of cell viability and chemotaxis. A total of 76 patients surgically treated for invasive PeCa were included. Higher expression of AKT was significantly more prevalent in high-grade tumors and predictive of DSS and OS in the Kaplan-Meier analysis, and an independent predictor of worse OS and DSS in the multivariate regression analysis. Treatment with pan-AKT inhibitor capivasertib in PeCa cell lines induced a significant downregulation of both total AKT and pAKT as well as decreased cell viability and chemotaxis. Selected protein candidates of the mTOR/AKT signaling pathway demonstrate association with histological and survival parameters of PeCa patients, whereas AKT appears to be the most promising one.

Testing of the Survivin Suppressant YM155 in a Large Panel of Drug-Resistant Neuroblastoma Cell Lines.

The survivin suppressant YM155 is a drug candidate for neuroblastoma. Here, we tested YM155 in 101 neuroblastoma cell lines (19 parental cell lines, 82 drug-adapted sublines). Seventy seven (77) cell lines displayed YM155 IC50s in the range of clinical YM155 concentrations. ABCB1 was an important determinant of YM155 resistance. The activity of the ABCB1 inhibitor zosuquidar ranged from being similar to that of the structurally different ABCB1 inhibitor verapamil to being 65-fold higher. ABCB1 sequence variations may be responsible for this, suggesting that the design of variant-specific ABCB1 inhibitors may be possible. Further, we showed that ABCC1 confers YM155 resistance. Previously, p53 depletion had resulted in decreased YM155 sensitivity. However, TP53-mutant cells were not generally less sensitive to YM155 than TP53 wild-type cells in this study. Finally, YM155 cross-resistance profiles differed between cells adapted to drugs as similar as cisplatin and carboplatin. In conclusion, the large cell line panel was necessary to reveal an unanticipated complexity of the YM155 response in neuroblastoma cell lines with acquired drug resistance. Novel findings include that ABCC1 mediates YM155 resistance and that YM155 cross-resistance profiles differ between cell lines adapted to drugs as similar as cisplatin and carboplatin.

YM155-Adapted Cancer Cell Lines Reveal Drug-Induced Heterogeneity and Enable the Identification of Biomarker Candidates for the Acquired Resistance Setting.

Survivin is a drug target and its suppressant YM155 a drug candidate mainly investigated for high-risk neuroblastoma. Findings from one YM155-adapted subline of the neuroblastoma cell line UKF-NB-3 had suggested that increased ABCB1 (mediates YM155 efflux) levels, decreased SLC35F2 (mediates YM155 uptake) levels, decreased survivin levels, and TP53 mutations indicate YM155 resistance. Here, the investigation of 10 additional YM155-adapted UKF-NB-3 sublines only confirmed the roles of ABCB1 and SLC35F2. However, cellular ABCB1 and SLC35F2 levels did not indicate YM155 sensitivity in YM155-naïve cells, as indicated by drug response data derived from the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP) and the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) databases. Moreover, the resistant sublines were characterized by a remarkable heterogeneity. Only seven sublines developed on-target resistance as indicated by resistance to RNAi-mediated survivin depletion. The sublines also varied in their response to other anti-cancer drugs. In conclusion, cancer cell populations of limited intrinsic heterogeneity can develop various resistance phenotypes in response to treatment. Therefore, individualized therapies will require monitoring of cancer cell evolution in response to treatment. Moreover, biomarkers can indicate resistance formation in the acquired resistance setting, even when they are not predictive in the intrinsic resistance setting.

Chemoresistance acquisition induces a global shift of expression of aniogenesis-associated genes and increased pro-angogenic activity in neuroblastoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Chemoresistance acquisition may influence cancer cell biology. Here, bioinformatics analysis of gene expression data was used to identify chemoresistance-associated changes in neuroblastoma biology. RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis of gene expression data revealed that expression of angiogenesis-associated genes significantly differs between chemosensitive and chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells. A subsequent systematic analysis of a panel of 14 chemosensitive and chemoresistant neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro and in animal experiments indicated a consistent shift to a more pro-angiogenic phenotype in chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells. The molecular mechanisms underlying increased pro-angiogenic activity of neuroblastoma cells are individual and differ between the investigated chemoresistant cell lines. Treatment of animals carrying doxorubicin-resistant neuroblastoma xenografts with doxorubicin, a cytotoxic drug known to exert anti-angiogenic activity, resulted in decreased tumour vessel formation and growth indicating chemoresistance-associated enhanced pro-angiogenic activity to be relevant for tumour progression and to represent a potential therapeutic target. CONCLUSION: A bioinformatics approach allowed to identify a relevant chemoresistance-associated shift in neuroblastoma cell biology. The chemoresistance-associated enhanced pro-angiogenic activity observed in neuroblastoma cells is relevant for tumour progression and represents a potential therapeutic target.

Onconase induces caspase-independent cell death in chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells.

The efficacy of Onconase on the growth of a panel of chemosensitive and chemoresistant neuroblastoma cell lines was investigated. Onconase decreased cell viability of chemosensitive (IMR-32, UKF-NB-3) and chemoresistant neuroblastoma cell lines characterised by high expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) (UKF-NB-3(r)DOX(20)) or by high P-gp expression in combination with mutated p53 (UKF-NB-3(r)VCR(10), Be(2)-C), in a similar manner. Moreover, Onconase caused cell cycle block in G1 phase and induced caspase-independent cell death. Transmission electron microscope investigations suggested that Onconase-induced autophagy contributes to Onconase-induced cell death. Antitumour activity of Onconase against naïve and drug-resistant neuroblastoma xenografts was confirmed in animals.

Anti-cancer effects of bortezomib against chemoresistant neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo.

The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade) was recently approved for the treatment of therapy-refractive multiple myeloma and is under investigation for numerous other types of cancer. A phase I clinical trial in paediatric patients resulted in tolerable toxicity. Since the emergence of chemoresistance represents one of the major drawbacks in cancer therapy, we investigated the influence of bortezomib on multi-drug resistant human neuroblastoma cell lines characterised by P-glycoprotein expression and p53 mutation. Nanomolar concentrations of bortezomib inhibited the cell cycle and induced apoptosis in chemosensitive as well as in chemoresistant cell lines. In vivo growth of chemosensitive and chemoresistant neuroblastoma cell lines was inhibited to a similar extent. In addition, bortezomib inhibited vessel formation in neuroblastoma xenografts. These findings and the favourable toxicity profile of bortezomib in children make it reasonable to further pursue additional development of the drug for the treatment of neuroblastoma and other paediatric solid tumours.

Potent oncolytic activity of multimutated herpes simplex virus G207 in combination with vincristine against human rhabdomyosarcoma.

Replication restricted oncolytic viruses such as multimutated herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) G207 represent a novel and attractive approach for cancer therapy, including pediatric solid tumors. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma of childhood and is often diagnosed already as an advanced disseminated disease. Despite aggressive therapeutic approaches, the prognosis for patients with metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma remains grim. Therefore, there is a need for novel effective drugs with superior safety and efficacy profile. In this study, we showed marked in vitro activity of HSV-1 G207 against embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells. All human embryonal (KF-RMS-1, RD, and CCA) and alveolar RMS (KFR, Rh28, Rh30, and Rh41) cell lines were highly sensitive to cytotoxic and replicative effects of G207 even at a multiplicity of infection of 0.01, except embryonal Rh1 rhabdomyosarcoma cells, which were efficiently killed only upon multiplicity of infection of 1.0. i.v. G207 treatment of xenotransplanted KFR and KF-RMS-1 tumors in mice led to significant tumor growth inhibition of both tumor entities, whereas intraneoplastic G207 treatment additionally resulted in complete tumor disappearance in 25% of animals. No difference has been found between alveolar and embryonal types of rhabdomyosarcoma. Combination treatment of both cell lines with G207 and vincristine led to strongly enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity without affecting infection efficiency and replication of G207 in KFR as well as in KF-RMS-1 cells. In vivo combination treatment using i.v. G207 and vincristine resulted in complete regression of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in five of eight animals and significant growth inhibition of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Taking into consideration the proven safety of G207 in humans, we suggest that G207 alone and in combination with vincristine should be additionally evaluated as a potential agent against human rhabdomyosarcoma.

Increased malignant behavior in neuroblastoma cells with acquired multi-drug resistance does not depend on P-gp expression.

Acquisition of P-gp-mediated multidrug-resistance does not always correlate with observed malignant behavior of NB. To characterize alterations accompanying development of multidrug-resistance in NB we established two neuroblastoma cell sublines resistant to vincristine (UKF-NB-3rVCR10) and doxorubicin (UKF-NB-3rDOX20). UKF-NB-3rVCR10 and UKF-NB-3rDOX20 overexpressed functional P-gp and developed an increased malignant phenotype: presented constitutive phosphorylation of AKT, resistance to gamma-irradiation, and had increased survival in serum-free medium. Inhibition of P-gp restored chemosensitivity but did not affect increased survival in serum-free medium and sensitivity to gamma-irradiation. Inhibition of AKT had no influence on chemoresistance but restored sensitivity to serum starvation. Both resistant cell lines acquired additional chromosomal changes. UKF-NB-3rVCR10 cells acquired a missense P53 mutation in exon 5, an increased MYCN amplification, an enhanced adhesion to endothelium, a decreased NCAM expression, a distinctly higher clonogenicity, and an increased in vivo tumorigenicity. We conclude that acquisition of increased malignant behavior in neuroblastoma occurs concomitantly with multidrug-resistance and is P-gp-independent.

Increased systemic efficacy of aphidicolin encapsulated in liposomes.

Aphidicolin, a tetracyclic diterpene antibiotic produced by Cephalosporium aphidicola, is under investigation as anti-cancer drug. Because of its poor solubility in water, it cannot be administered directly in vivo. Systemic application of aphidicolin glycinate or aphidicolin gamma-cyclodextrin complexes resulted in tumour growth inhibition but not in cures. To improve the pharmacokinetics, a liposomal preparation of aphidicolin was developed and tested in neuroblastoma-bearing (UKF-NB-3) mice. The loading capacity of these liposomes was limited. Therefore, 4.5 mg aphidicolin/kg body weight was the maximum aphidicolin dose that could be applied as liposomal preparation in this approach. Comparison of effects on tumour growth exhibited by aphidicolin liposomes (4.5 mg aphidicolin/kg) given for 15 consecutive days to those of gamma-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes (15 mg aphidicolin/kg) revealed comparable tumour growth inhibition, although aphidicolin concentrations were approximately 3-fold lower. This shows that liposomal encapsulation is a promising strategy for the improvement of systemic anti-cancer activity of aphidicolin.

Identification of flubendazole as potential anti-neuroblastoma compound in a large cell line screen.

Flubendazole was shown to exert anti-leukaemia and anti-myeloma activity through inhibition of microtubule function. Here, flubendazole was tested for its effects on the viability of in total 461 cancer cell lines. Neuroblastoma was identified as highly flubendazole-sensitive cancer entity in a screen of 321 cell lines from 26 cancer entities. Flubendazole also reduced the viability of five primary neuroblastoma samples in nanomolar concentrations thought to be achievable in humans and inhibited vessel formation and neuroblastoma tumour growth in the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. Resistance acquisition is a major problem in high-risk neuroblastoma. 119 cell lines from a panel of 140 neuroblastoma cell lines with acquired resistance to various anti-cancer drugs were sensitive to flubendazole in nanomolar concentrations. Tubulin-binding agent-resistant cell lines displayed the highest flubendazole IC50 and IC90 values but differences between drug classes did not reach statistical significance. Flubendazole induced p53-mediated apoptosis. The siRNA-mediated depletion of the p53 targets p21, BAX, or PUMA reduced the neuroblastoma cell sensitivity to flubendazole with PUMA depletion resulting in the most pronounced effects. The MDM2 inhibitor and p53 activator nutlin-3 increased flubendazole efficacy while RNAi-mediated p53-depletion reduced its activity. In conclusion, flubendazole represents a potential treatment option for neuroblastoma including therapy-refractory cells.

Multimutated herpes simplex virus g207 is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis.

The mode of the antitumoral activity of multimutated oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 G207 has not been fully elucidated yet. Because the antitumoral activity of many drugs involves the inhibition of tumor blood vessel formation, we determined if G207 had an influence on angiogenesis. Monolayers of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human dermal microvascular endothelial cells, but not human dermal fibroblasts, bronchial epithelial cells, and retinal glial cells, were highly sensitive to the replicative and cytotoxic effects of G207. Moreover, G207 infection caused the destruction of endothelial cell tubes in vitro. In the in vivo Matrigel plug assay in mice, G207 suppressed the formation of perfused vessels. Intratumoral treatment of established human rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts with G207 led to the destruction of tumor vessels and tumor regression. Ultrastructural investigations revealed the presence of viral particles in both tumor and endothelial cells of G207-treated xenografts, but not in adjacent normal tissues. These findings show that G207 may suppress tumor growth, in part, due to inhibition of angiogenesis.

Expression level of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) inversely correlates with the ability of neuroblastoma cells to adhere to endothelium in vitro.

The precise function of cell adhesion molecules in the hematogenous phase of neuroblastoma metastasis is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) modulates neuroblastoma cell (NB) adhesion and transendothelial penetration in a coculture model. Our data, assessed on 11 NB cell lines, demonstrate an inverse correlation between NCAM expression and NB cell adhesion. Transfection of the NB cell line UKF-NB-4 with a cDNA encoding the human NCAM-140 kD isoform enhanced NCAM expression and the amount of tumor cell aggregates, reduced the amount of single tumor cells, and diminished initial NB cell adhesion to an endothelial cell monolayer. Treatment of UKF-NB-4 with NCAM antisense oligonucleotides reduced NCAM surface level, increased the number of single tumor cells, and induced up-regulation of NB cell adhesion to endothelium. Modulation of NCAM expression had no effect on transendothelial penetration. Fluorescence analysis revealed a down-regulation of NCAM in single tumor cells, prior to NB adhesion. The data support the view that low levels of NCAM are necessary for NB cells to leave a tumor cell aggregate and adhere to endothelial cells.

3'-Azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine induced deficiency of thymidine kinases 1, 2 and deoxycytidine kinase in H9 T-lymphoid cells.

Continuous cultivation of T-lymphoid H9 cells in the presence of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT) resulted in a cell variant cross-resistant to both thymidine and deoxycytidine analogs. Cytotoxic effects of AZT, 2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxythymidine as well as different deoxycytidine analogs such as 2',3'-dideoxycytidine, 2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine (dFdC) and 1-ss-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) were strongly reduced in H9 cells continuously exposed to AZT when compared to parental cells (>8.3-, >6.6-, >9.1-, 5 x 10(4)-, 5 x 10(3)-fold, respectively). Moreover, anti-HIV-1 effects of AZT, d4T, ddC and 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine (3TC) were significantly diminished (>222-, >25-, >400-, >200-fold, respectively) in AZT-resistant H9 cells. Study of cellular mechanisms responsible for cross-resistance to pyrimidine analogs in AZT-resistant H9 cells revealed decreased mRNA levels of thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) and lack of deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) mRNA expression. The loss of dCK gene expression was confirmed by western blot analysis of dCK protein as well as dCK enzyme activity assay. Moreover, enzyme activity of TK1 and TK2 was reduced in AZT-resistant cells. In order to determine whether lack of dCK affected the formation of the active triphosphate of the deoxycytidine analog dFdC, dFdCTP accumulation and retention was measured in H9 parental and AZT-resistant cells after exposure to 1 and 10 microM dFdC. Parental H9 cells accumulated about 30 and 100 pmol dFdCTP/10(6) cells after 4hr, whereas in AZT-resistant cells no dFdCTP accumulation was detected. These results demonstrate that continuous treatment of H9 cells in the presence of AZT selected for a thymidine analog resistant cell variant with cross-resistance to deoxycytidine analogs, due to deficiency in TK1, TK2, and dCK.

Valproic acid and interferon-alpha synergistically inhibit neuroblastoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Valproic acid (VPA) as a differentiation inducing anti-neoplastic substance is currently tested in solid tumour and leukaemia patients. Previously, we were able to show that the anti-cancer activity of VPA was synergistically increased by interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in Be(2)-C neuroblastoma (NB) cells. Now, we studied the effects of VPA in combination with IFN-alpha on two other NB cell lines. UKF-NB-2 and UKF-NB-3 cell growth was synergistically inhibited by VPA and IFN-alpha. Cell cycle investigations revealed massive accumulation of cells in G0/G1-phase after a combined treatment with VPA and IFN-alpha. The VPA-induced accumulation of acetylated histones in NB cell nuclei that indicates inhibition of histone deacetylases was not further enhanced by the combination treatment with IFN-alpha. Most strikingly, VPA plus IFN-alpha synergistically inhibited growth of UKF-NB-3 xenograft tumours in nude mice and induced complete cures in two out of six animals, while single treatment merely inhibited tumour growth. The results of this study together with our previous report strongly encourage the clinical evaluation of VPA and IFN-alpha for NB patients.

Induction of differentiation and suppression of malignant phenotype of human neuroblastoma BE(2)-C cells by valproic acid: enhancement by combination with interferon-alpha.

Valproic acid (VPA) has been shown to induce growth-arrest and differentiation of human neuroectodermal tumors similarly to several other fatty acids. In the present study, we show that continuous VPA treatment together with Interferon-alpha (INF-alpha) synergistically inhibited cell growth of a well-established model of neuroblastoma (NB) differentiation using the human N-myc amplified cell line BE(2)-C. Suppression of tumor growth was accompanied by morphological features of neuronal differentiation and inhibition of histone deacetylase activity. Furthermore, induction of differentiation was concomitant with altered expression of genes related to malignant phenotype such as down-regulation of N-myc, induction of bcl-2 and neural cell adhesion molecule. Production of inhibitors of angiogenesis like thrombospondin-1 and activin A was up-regulated in differentiated NB cells. Treatment with VPA alone decreased the ability of BE(2)-C cells to adhere to and penetrate human endothelium. All these effects of VPA were significantly enhanced when combined with INF-alpha which on its own had little or no effect. These results suggest that combination of VPA and INF-alpha may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for NB due to enhanced inhibition of tumor cell growth, induction of tumor differentiation and suppression of malignant biology by reduced angiogenic and decreased metastatic potentials.

Thrombin stimulates IL-6 and IL-8 expression in cytomegalovirus-infected human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Recently, we reported that thrombin specifically stimulates protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) signaling in RPE entailing inhibition of Sp1 dependent HCMV replication. We now studied whether thrombin modulates the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine/chemokines IL-6 and IL-8 in mock- and cytomegalovirus-infected human retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE). Our data show that thrombin/PAR-1 stimulates IL-6 and IL-8 gene transcription and protein secretion in both mock- and HCMV-infected RPE. Thrombin/PAR-1-mediated signaling stimulated PKC and NF-kappaB-dependent IL-6 and IL-8 gene expression via phosphoinositide 3-kinase and further downstream via p42/44 and p38 MAPKs. Thus, thrombin/PAR-1-mediated IL-6/IL-8 gene expression is uncoupled from Sp1 inhibition and may support proinflammatory pathomechanisms probably involved in hemorrhage/HCMV retinitis progression.

Testing of SNS-032 in a Panel of Human Neuroblastoma Cell Lines with Acquired Resistance to a Broad Range of Drugs.

Novel treatment options are needed for the successful therapy of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Here, we investigated the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor SNS-032 in a panel of 109 neuroblastoma cell lines consisting of 19 parental cell lines and 90 sublines with acquired resistance to 14 different anticancer drugs. Seventy-three percent of the investigated neuroblastoma cell lines and all four investigated primary tumor samples displayed concentrations that reduce cell viability by 50% in the range of the therapeutic plasma levels reported for SNS-032 (<754 nM). Sixty-two percent of the cell lines and two of the primary samples displayed concentrations that reduce cell viability by 90% in this concentration range. SNS-032 also impaired the growth of the multidrug-resistant cisplatin-adapted UKF-NB-3 subline UKF-NB-3(r)CDDP(1000) in mice. ABCB1 expression (but not ABCG2 expression) conferred resistance to SNS-032. The antineuroblastoma effects of SNS-032 did not depend on functional p53. The antineuroblastoma mechanism of SNS-032 included CDK7 and CDK9 inhibition-mediated suppression of RNA synthesis and subsequent depletion of antiapoptotic proteins with a fast turnover rate including X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP), myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (Mcl-1), baculoviral IAP repeat containing 2 (BIRC2; cIAP-1), and survivin. In conclusion, CDK7 and CDK9 represent promising drug targets and SNS-032 represents a potential treatment option for neuroblastoma including therapy-refractory cases.