Small-interfering RNA targeted at antiapoptotic mRNA increases keratinocyte sensitivity to apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Gene silencing RNA interference technology concentrates on downregulation of gene expression using specific double-stranded RNA molecules (small-interfering RNA, siRNA), which induce the degradation of complementary mRNA. SiRNA therapeutics is currently being tested in several clinical trials. Skin disorders are an attractive target for siRNA-based technology because effective agents can be delivered by topical application. In several inflammatory skin disorders, the barrier function of the skin is markedly impaired and this may increase the delivery efficiency. Psoriasis is a very common skin disorder. The characteristics of this disorder are abnormal keratinocyte proliferation and inflammation. Keratinocytes from psoriatic epidermis express much higher levels of the antiapoptotic protein, Bcl-xL, compared with normal keratinocytes. Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) plays a major role in cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis in many cell types, including keratinocytes and IGF-1R activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Keratinocytes from patients with psoriasis are more susceptible to IGF-1-stimulated proliferation compared with normal keratinocytes. IGF-1R is expressed by proliferating basal and suprabasal keratinocytes and is more abundant in psoriatic lesions. OBJECTIVES: To prove the validity of IGF-1R and Bcl-xL as useful targets for siRNA-based therapeutics and to deliver siRNA selectively and efficiently to primary human keratinocytes; this is a primary essential step in the development of siRNA. METHODS: Primary normal human keratinocytes were transfected with various siRNA molecules, and transfection efficiency was monitored by fluorescent labelling. Cell growth and apoptosis induction were evaluated in the transfected cells. RESULTS: We were able to deliver efficiently siRNA targeting Bcl-xL or IGF-1R to primary human keratinocyte cultures. We also showed that siRNAs targeting Bcl-xL and IGF-1R induce growth inhibition, apoptosis and increased sensitivity to ultraviolet B in keratinocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings demonstrate that Bcl-xL and IGF-1R are valid, important targets for siRNA-based technology directed at the suppression of keratinocyte hyperproliferation.

Alterations of microRNAs throughout the malignant evolution of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: the role of miR-497 in epithelial to mesenchymal transition of keratinocytes.

Skin carcinogenesis is known to be a multi-step process with several stages along its malignant evolution. We hypothesized that transformation of normal epidermis to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is causally linked to alterations in microRNAs (miRNA) expression. For this end we decided to evaluate their alterations in the pathologic states ending in cSCC. Total RNA was extracted from formalin fixed paraffin embedded biopsies of five stages along the malignant evolution of keratinocytes towards cSCC: Normal epidermis, solar elastosis, actinic keratosis KIN1-2, advanced actinic keratosis KIN3 and well-differentiated cSCC. Next-generation small RNA sequencing was performed. We found that 18 miRNAs are overexpressed and 28 miRNAs are underexpressed in cSCC compared to normal epidermis. miR-424, miR-320, miR-222 and miR-15a showed the highest fold change among the overexpressed miRNAs. And miR-100, miR-101 and miR-497 showed the highest fold change among the underexpressed miRNAs. Heat map of hierarchical clustering analysis of significantly changed miRNAs and principle component analysis disclosed that the most prominent change in miRNAs expression occurred in the switch from 'early' stages; normal epidermis, solar elastosis and early actinic keratosis to the 'late' stages of epidermal carcinogenesis; late actinic keratosis and cSCC. We found several miRNAs with 'stage specific' alterations while others display a clear 'gradual', either progressive increase or decrease in expression along the malignant evolution of keratinocytes. The observed alterations focused in miRNAs involved in the regulation of AKT/mTOR or in those involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transition. We chose to concentrate on the evaluation of the molecular role of miR-497. We found that it induces reversion of epithelial to mesenchymal transition. We proved that SERPINE-1 is its biochemical target. The present study allows us to further study the pathways that are regulated by miRNAs along the malignant evolution of keratinocytes towards cSCC.

Vertebrate mRNAs with a 5'-terminal pyrimidine tract are candidates for translational repression in quiescent cells: characterization of the translational cis-regulatory element.

The translation of mammalian ribosomal protein (rp) mRNAs is selectively repressed in nongrowing cells. This response is mediated through a regulatory element residing in the 5' untranslated region of these mRNAs and includes a 5' terminal oligopyrimidine tract (5' TOP). To further characterize the translational cis-regulatory element, we monitored the translational behavior of various endogenous and heterologous mRNAs or hybrid transcripts derived from transfected chimeric genes. The translational efficiency of these mRNAs was assessed in cells that either were growing normally or were growth arrested under various physiological conditions. Our experiments have yielded the following results: (i) the translation of mammalian rp mRNAs is properly regulated in amphibian cells, and likewise, amphibian rp mRNA is regulated in mammalian cells, indicating that all of the elements required for translation control of rp mRNAs are conserved among vertebrate classes; (ii) selective translational control is not confined to rp mRNAs, as mRNAs encoding the naturally occurring ubiquitin-rp fusion protein and elongation factor 1 alpha, which contain a 5' TOP, also conform this mode of regulation; (iii) rat rpP2 mRNA contains only five pyrimidines in its 5' TOP, yet this mRNA is translationally controlled in the same fashion as other rp mRNAs with a 5' TOP of eight or more pyrimidines; (iv) full manifestation of this mode of regulation seems to require both the 5' TOP and sequences immediately downstream; and (v) an intact translational regulatory element from rpL32 mRNA fails to exert its regulatory properties even when preceded by a single A residue.

Association between the Absolute Baseline Lymphocyte Count and Response to Neoadjuvant Platinum-based Chemotherapy in Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer.

AIMS: Platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) improves overall survival in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). A pathological complete response (pCR) at radical cystectomy after NAC is associated with better overall survival, but there are no established predictive biomarkers of response to NAC in MIBC. The aim of this study was to find laboratory variables associated with pCR following NAC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective review of MIBC patients treated with NAC followed by radical cystectomy at the Sheba Medical Center between 2005 and 2015. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method and compared between patients who achieved or did not achieve pCR using the Log-rank test. Baseline and pre-surgery laboratory values were collected and compared between patients who subsequently achieved pCR and those who did not using logistic regression. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients underwent radical cystectomy after NAC, with a median follow-up of 32 (range 4.8-111.4) months from diagnosis. Of 55 patients with documented pathological outcome on radical cystectomy, 17 (31%) achieved pCR (complete responders). Of the 15 complete responders with follow-up data, 13 (87%) were still alive at time of last follow-up for this study (July 2015). Patients who did not achieve pCR had a significantly worse overall survival than complete responders (P = 0.0007). The baseline lymphocyte count, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were significantly associated with response (P = 0.037, P = 0.045, P = 0.042, respectively) on univariate analysis, whereas baseline albumin, haemoglobin, neutrophils, platelets and the total white blood count were not significantly associated with response. Lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in responders than non-responders throughout three time points (P = 0.003 using a generalised linear mixed model). CONCLUSIONS: A high baseline level of lymphocytes is associated with the achievement of pCR at radical cystectomy after NAC, which, in turn, is associated with a significantly longer overall survival. Our results suggest that chemosensitivity in MIBC is associated with lymphocyte count.

Growth-dependent and PKC-mediated translational regulation of the upstream stimulating factor-2 (USF2) mRNA in hematopoietic cells.

Upstream stimulating factor (USF2) is a basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor, which is found in most tissues. A critical role for USF2 in cellular proliferation has been proposed based on its importance in the regulation of various cyclins and P53 and its capability to antagonize c-myc. In this paper we report that IL-3, which is a major growth factor for mast cells, induces USF2 protein synthesis in murine mast cells (MC-9). Surprisingly, it does not significantly affect the level of USF2 mRNA in these cells at any of the time points tested. Using polysomal fractionation and RNA analysis we then demonstrated that this translational regulation is mostly the result of increased USF2 translational efficiency. Moreover, protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors prevented both the induction of USF2 protein synthesis and the increase in USF2 translational efficiency in IL-3-activated mast cells. Two other hematopoietic cell lines were used to determine whether the translational regulation of USF2 is of a more general nature: mouse lymphosarcoma cells whose proliferation is inhibited by dexamethasone; and mouse erythroleukemia cells that differentiate upon exposure to hexamethylen bisacetamide. In both cell types, USF2 translation was repressed in the non-dividing cells. This strongly implies that USF2 is translationally repressed in quiescent hematopoietic cells. Considering the proposed role of USF in proliferation it seems that translational regulation of USF2 might have an important role in cellular growth.

The phosphorylated prodrug FTY720 is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that reactivates ERα expression and enhances hormonal therapy for breast cancer.

Estrogen receptor-α (ERα)-negative breast cancer is clinically aggressive and does not respond to conventional hormonal therapies. Strategies that lead to re-expression of ERα could sensitize ERα-negative breast cancers to selective ER modulators. FTY720 (fingolimod, Gilenya), a sphingosine analog, is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prodrug for treatment of multiple sclerosis that also has anticancer actions that are not yet well understood. We found that FTY720 is phosphorylated in breast cancer cells by nuclear sphingosine kinase 2 and accumulates there. Nuclear FTY720-P is a potent inhibitor of class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) that enhances histone acetylations and regulates expression of a restricted set of genes independently of its known effects on canonical signaling through sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors. High-fat diet (HFD) and obesity, which is now endemic, increase breast cancer risk and have been associated with worse prognosis. HFD accelerated the onset of tumors with more advanced lesions and increased triple-negative spontaneous breast tumors and HDAC activity in MMTV-PyMT transgenic mice. Oral administration of clinically relevant doses of FTY720 suppressed development, progression and aggressiveness of spontaneous breast tumors in these mice, reduced HDAC activity and strikingly reversed HFD-induced loss of estrogen and progesterone receptors in advanced carcinoma. In ERα-negative human and murine breast cancer cells, FTY720 reactivated expression of silenced ERα and sensitized them to tamoxifen. Moreover, treatment with FTY720 also re-expressed ERα and increased therapeutic sensitivity of ERα-negative syngeneic breast tumors to tamoxifen in vivo more potently than a known HDAC inhibitor. Our work suggests that a multipronged attack with FTY720 is a novel combination approach for effective treatment of both conventional hormonal therapy-resistant breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer.

Overexpression of initiation factor eIF-4E does not relieve the translational repression of ribosomal protein mRNAs in quiescent cells.

Translation of ribosomal protein (rp) mRNA is selectively repressed in mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells, which cease to proliferate upon differentiation, and in NIH 3T3 cells, for which growth is arrested by either serum starvation, contact inhibition, or treatment with the DNA polymerase inhibitor, aphidicolin. The efficiency of translation of rp mRNAs correlates with the expression of the gene encoding the cap binding protein, eIF-4E, as indicated by the fact that the abundance of the corresponding mRNA and protein also fluctuates in a growth-dependent manner. To examine the hypothesis that eIF-4E plays a role in regulation of the translation efficiency of rp mRNAs, we utilized an NIH 3T3-derived eIF-4E-overexpressing cell line. These cells overproduce eIF-4E to the extent that even under conditions of growth arrest, the abundance of the respective protein in its active (phosphorylated) form is higher than that found in exponentially growing NIH 3T3 cells. Nevertheless, this surplus amount of eIF-4E does not prevent the translational repression of rp mRNAs when the growth of these cells is arrested by blocking DNA synthesis with aphidicolin or hydroxyurea. In complementary experiments we used an in vitro translation system to compare the competitive potential of mRNAs, containing the translational cis-regulatory element (5' terminal oligopyrimidne tract) and mRNAs lacking such a motif, for the cap binding protein. Our results demonstrate that both types of mRNAs, regardless of their translational response to growth arrest, exhibit similar sensitivity to the cap analogue m7G(5')ppp(5')G. It appears, therefore, that the presence of the regulatory sequence at the 5' terminus of rp mRNAs does not lessen its competitive potential for the cap binding protein and that the growth-dependent decrease in the activity of eIF-4E does not play a key role in the repression of translation of rp mRNAs.

The 5' terminal oligopyrimidine tract confers translational control on TOP mRNAs in a cell type- and sequence context-dependent manner.

TOP mRNAs are vertebrate transcripts which contain a 5'terminal oligopyrimidine tract (5'TOP), encode for ribosomal proteins and elongation factors 1alpha and 2, and are candidates for growth-dependent translational control mediated through their 5'TOP. In the present study we show that elongation factor 2 (EF2) mRNA is translationally regulated in a growth-dependent manner in cells of hematopoietic origin, but not in any of three different non-hematopoietic cell lines studied. Human beta1-tubulin mRNA is a new member of the family which contains all the hallmarks of a typical TOP mRNA, yet its translation is refractory to growth arrest of any of the examined cell lines. Transfection experiments indicate that the first 29 and 53 nucleotides of the mRNAs encoding EF2 and beta1-tubulin, respectively, contain all the translational cis-regulatory elements sufficient for ubiquitously conferring growth-dependent translational control on a reporter mRNA. These results suggest that the distinct translational regulation of TOP mRNAs reflects downstream sequences which can override the regulatory features of the 5'TOP in a cell type-specific manner. This notion is further supported by the fact that mutations within the region immediately downstream of the 5'TOP of rpS16 mRNA confer onto the resulting transcripts growth-dependent translational control with a cell type specificity similar to that displayed by EF2 mRNA.

Oligopyrimidine tract at the 5' end of mammalian ribosomal protein mRNAs is required for their translational control.

Mammalian ribosomal protein (rp) mRNAs are subject to translational control, as illustrated by their selective release from polyribosomes in growth-arrested cells and their underrepresentation in polysomes in normally growing cells. In the present experiments, we have examined whether the translational control of rp mRNAs is attributable to the distinctive features of their 5' untranslated region, in particular to the oligopyrimidine tract adjacent to the cap structure. Murine lymphosarcoma cells were transfected with chimeric genes consisting of selected regions of rp mRNA fused to non-rp mRNA segments, and the translational efficiency of the resulting chimeric mRNAs was assessed in cells that either were growing normally or were growth-arrested by glucocorticoid treatment. We observed that translational control of rpL32 mRNA was abolished when its 5' untranslated region was replaced by that of beta-actin. At the same time, human growth hormone (hGH) mRNA acquired the typical behavior of rp mRNAs when it was preceded by the first 61 nucleotides of rpL30 mRNA or the first 29 nucleotides of rpS16 mRNA. Moreover, the translational control of rpS16-hGH mRNA was abolished by the substitution of purines into the pyrimidine tract or by shortening it from eight to six residues with a concomitant cytidine----uridine change at the 5' terminus. These results indicate that the 5'-terminal pyrimidine tract plays a critical role in the translational control mechanism. Possible factors that might interact with this translational cis regulatory element are discussed.

The expression of poly(A)-binding protein gene is translationally regulated in a growth-dependent fashion through a 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine tract motif.

Poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) is an important regulator of gene expression that has been implicated in control of translation initiation. Here we report the isolation and the initial structural and functional characterization of the human PABP gene. Delineation of the promoter region revealed that it directs the initiation of transcription at consecutive C residues within a stretch of pyrimidines. A study of the translational behavior of the corresponding mRNA demonstrates that it is translationally repressed upon growth arrest of cultured mouse fibroblasts and translationally activated in regenerating rat liver. Furthermore, transfection experiments show that the first 32 nucleotides of PABP mRNA are sufficient to confer growth-dependent translational control on a heterologous mRNA. Substitution of the C residue at the cap site by purines abolishes the translational control of the chimeric mRNA. These features have established PABP mRNA as a new member of the terminal oligopyrimidine tract mRNA family. Members of this family are known to encode for components of the translational apparatus and to contain an oligopyrimidine tract at the 5' terminus (5'TOP). This motif mediates their translational control in a growth-dependent manner.