Silencing TRPM7 mimics the effects of magnesium deficiency in human microvascular endothelial cells.

Evidence has accumulated to suggest that magnesium might play a role in controlling angiogenesis. Since microvascular endothelial cells are protagonists in this process, we investigated the behavior of these cells cultured in low extracellular magnesium or silenced for its transporter Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin (TRPM)7, essential for cellular magnesium homeostasis. In particular, we focused on some crucial steps of the angiogenic process, i.e. proliferation, migration, protease production and organization in tridimensional structures. Silencing TRPM7 mimics the effects of low extracellular magnesium on human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC). Indeed, while no effects were observed on the production of metalloproteases and on tridimensional organization on matrigel, both magnesium deficiency and silencing of TRPM7 impair cell migration and inhibit growth by arresting the cells in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Since low extracellular magnesium markedly decreases TRPM7 in HMEC, we suggest that TRPM7 downregulation might mediate low magnesium-induced inhibition of cell growth and migration. Human endothelial cells from the umbilical vein are growth inhibited by low magnesium and growth stimulated after TRPM7 silencing. An impairment of ERK phosphorylation in HMEC silencing TRPM7 is responsible, in part, for the different proliferative behavior of these two cell types. We broadened our studies also to endothelial colony-forming cells and found that they are sensitive to fluctuations of the concentrations of extracellular magnesium, while their proliferation rate is not modulated by TRPM7 silencing. Our results point to magnesium and TRPM7 as a modulators of the angiogenic phenotype of microvascular endothelial cells.

Magnesium deficiency promotes a pro-atherogenic phenotype in cultured human endothelial cells via activation of NFkB.

Phenotypic modulation of endothelium to a dysfunctional state contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, partly through the activation of the transcription factor NFkB. Several data indicate that magnesium deficiency caused by prolonged insufficient intake and/or defects in its homeostasis may be a missing link between diverse cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis. Here we report that endothelial cells cultured in low magnesium rapidly activate NFkB, an event which is prevented by exposure to the anti-oxidant trolox. It is well known that NFkB activation correlates with marked alterations of the cytokine network. In the present study, we show that exposure of endothelial cells to low magnesium increases the secretion of RANTES, interleukin 8 and platelet derived growth factor BB, all important players in atherogenesis. Moreover, we describe the increased secretion of matrix metalloprotease-2 and -9 and of their inhibitor TIMP-2. Interestingly, by zymography we show that metalloprotease activity predominated over the inhibitory effect of TIMP-2. These results indicate that low magnesium promotes endothelial dysfunction by inducing pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic events.

N6-Alkyladenosines: Synthesis and evaluation of in vitro anticancer activity.

A series of adenosine analogues differently substituted in N6-position were synthesized to continue our studies on the relationships between structure and biological activity of iPA. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by standard studies of ¹H NMR, MS and elemental analysis. These molecules were then evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity on bladder cancer cells. We found that some of these compounds possess anti-proliferative activity but have no effect on cell invasion and metalloprotease activity.

Synthesis and evaluation of in vitro anticancer activity of some novel isopentenyladenosine derivatives.

The present study describes the synthesis, the characterization and the evaluation of some derivatives of N(6)-isopentenyladenosine on T24 human bladder carcinoma cells. In particular we have modified the hydroxyl groups in the ribose moiety, the position of the isopentenyl chain in the purine ring and the base moiety. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by standard studies of NMR, MS and elemental analysis. We here show that only two derivatives, 1-(3-methyl-2-butenylamino)-9-(3'-deoxy-beta-d-ribofuranosyl)-purine hydrobromide and 2-amino-6-(3-methyl-2- butenylamino)-9-(beta-d-ribofuranosyl)-purine, inhibit the growth of T24 cells, although to a lower extent than N(6)-isopentenyladenosine. We conclude that the integrity of ribosidic and purine moiety and the N(6) position of the chain are essential for maintaining the antiproliferative activity.

Conversion to stem-cell state in response to microenvironmental cues is regulated by balance between epithelial and mesenchymal features in lung cancer cells.

Cancer cells within a tumor are functionally heterogeneous and specific subpopulations, defined as cancer initiating cells (CICs), are endowed with higher tumor forming potential. The CIC state, however, is not hierarchically stable and conversion of non-CICs to CICs under microenvironment signals might represent a determinant of tumor aggressiveness. How plasticity is regulated at the cellular level is however poorly understood. To identify determinants of plasticity in lung cancer we exposed eight different cell lines to TGFß1 to induce EMT and stimulate modulation of CD133(+) CICs. We show that response to TGFß1 treatment is heterogeneous with some cells readily switching to stem cell state (1.5-2 fold CICs increase) and others being unresponsive to stimulation. This response is unrelated to original CICs content or extent of EMT engagement but is tightly dependent on balance between epithelial and mesenchymal features as measured by the ratio of expression of CDH1 (E-cadherin) to SNAI2. Epigenetic modulation of this balance can restore sensitivity of unresponsive models to microenvironmental stimuli, including those elicited by cancer-associated fibroblasts both in vitro and in vivo. In particular, tumors with increased prevalence of cells with features of partial EMT (hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype) are endowed with the highest plasticity and specific patterns of expression of SNAI2 and CDH1 markers identify a subset of tumors with worse prognosis. In conclusion, here we describe a connection between a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype and conversion to stem-cell state in response to external stimuli. These findings have implications for current endeavors to identify tumors with increased plasticity.

Regulation and function of TRPM7 in human endothelial cells: TRPM7 as a potential novel regulator of endothelial function.

TRPM7, a cation channel of the transient receptor potential channel family, has been identified as a ubiquitous magnesium transporter. We here show that TRPM7 is expressed in endothelial cells isolated from the umbilical vein (HUVEC), widely used as a model of macrovascular endothelium. Quiescence and senescence do not modulate TRPM7 amounts, whereas oxidative stress generated by the addition of hydrogen peroxide increases TRPM7 levels. Moreover, high extracellular magnesium decreases the levels of TRPM7 by activating calpains, while low extracellular magnesium, known to promote endothelial dysfunction, stimulates TRPM7 accumulation partly through the action of free radicals. Indeed, the antioxidant trolox prevents TRPM7 increase by low magnesium. We also demonstrate the unique behaviour of HUVEC in responding to pharmacological and genetic inhibition of TRPM7 with an increase of cell growth and migration. Our results indicate that TRPM7 modulates endothelial behavior and that any condition leading to TRPM7 upregulation might impair endothelial function.

Blocking the rise of intracellular calcium inhibits the growth of cells cultured in different concentrations of magnesium.

Divalent cations, especially calcium and magnesium, have been shown to play an important regulatory role in endothelial and immune cells. To learn more about the interaction of these two metals in the regulation of cell growth, we altered the calcium/magnesium ratio by culturing human endothelial cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes in media containing different concentrations of magnesium. We observed that the growth of the three cell types was retarded in low extracellular magnesium, and this retardation is particularly evident in highly proliferating cells. High concentrations of magnesium does not exert any effect on cell growth. When (i) calcium influx was blocked by adding the calcium antagonist verapamil, and (ii) calcium release from intracellular stores was inhibited by exposure to TMB-8, the growth of endothelial cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes was inhibited. In particular, the release of calcium from intracellular stores seems to be more important than its influx in sustaining cell proliferation. Our results indicate that calcium plays a crucial role in mediating cell proliferation independently from the extracellular concentrations of magnesium.

Effects of cytokinins, cytokinin ribosides and their analogs on the viability of normal and neoplastic human cells.

We examined the effects of some cytokinins and cytokinin ribosides including a series of adenosine analogs differently substituted in the N(6) position, along with some hypoxanthine derivatives on the viability of normal and neoplastic human cells. Cytokinins such as trans-zeatin, isopentenyladenine and benzyladenine do not show any effect, while cytokinin ribosides such as trans-zeatin riboside, isopentenyladenosine, and benzylaminopurine riboside impair the viability of normal and neoplastic cells, apart from colon carcinoma LoVo cells.

Downregulation of HD-PTP by high magnesium concentration: novel insights into magnesium-induced endothelial migration.

Magnesium promotes endothelial migration, an event which is orchestrated by a complex interplay between protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases. We found that high extracellular concentrations of magnesium do not modulate the levels and the activation of FAK and Src, two tyrosine kinases involved in driving cell migration. Interestingly, we show that magnesium induced-endothelial motility correlates with the downregulation of HD-PTP, a potential tyrosine phopshatase previously shown to be involved in modulating cell migration. The decreased amounts of HD-PTP are not dependent upon transcriptional mechanisms. In contrast to Fibroblast Growth Factor-induced HD-PTP downregulation, the proteasome seems not to be involved in regulating HD-PTP levels in endothelial cells cultured in high magnesium containing medium. Our results indicate that, in the presence of high magnesium concentrations, endothelial cells are stimulated to migrate through complex mechanisms involving also HD-PTP.