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Sirt1 (Sirtuin 1), AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), and eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) modulate hepatic energy metabolism and inflammation and play a major role in the development of NASH. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) play an important role in signal transduction by modulating intracellular levels of cyclic nucleotides. We previously found the PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil to synergize with leucine and leucine-metformin combinations in preclinical studies of NASH and obesity. However, efficacy is diminished at higher sildenafil concentrations. Herein, we have successfully modeled the U-shaped sildenafil dose-response in vitro and utilized this model to assess potential mechanisms of this dose-response relationship. Adipocytes and liver cells were treated with leucine (0.5 mM) and different concentrations of sildenafil (1 nM to 100 &micro, M). cAMP, cGMP, and P-AMPK protein expression were used to demonstrate the biphasic response for increasing concentrations of sildenafil. The reversal with higher sildenafil levels was blunted by PDE2 inhibition. These data indicate that sildenafil-mediated increases in cGMP inhibits PDE3 at lower concentrations, which increases cAMP. However, further increases in cGMP from higher sildenafil concentrations activate PDE2 and consequently decrease cAMP, which demonstrates crosstalk between cAMP and cGMP via PDE2, PDE3, and PDE5. These changes in cAMP concentration are further reflected in downstream effects, including AMPK activation.

Background We have previously shown leucine (Leu) to activate Sirt1 by lowering its KM for NAD+, thereby amplifying the effects of other sirtuin activators and improving insulin sensitivity. Metformin (Met) converges on this pathway both indirectly (via AMPK) and by direct activation of Sirt1, and we recently found Leu to synergize with Met to improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control while achieving ~ 80% dose-reduction in diet-induced obese mice. Accordingly, we sought here to define the mechanism of this interaction. Methods Muscle cells C2C12 and liver cells HepG2 were used to test the effect of Met–Leu on Sirt1 activation. Caenorhabditis elegans was used for glucose utilization and life span studies. Results Leu (0.5 mmol/L) + Met (50–100 μmol/L) synergistically activated Sirt1 (p Conclusion Thus, Leu and Met synergize to enable Sirt1 activation at low NAD+ concentrations (typical of energy replete states). Sirt1 and AMPK activations are required for Met–Leu's full action, which result in improvements in energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

// Jheelam Banerjee 1 , Arokya M.S. Papu John 1 , Mohammed H. Al-Wadei 1 , Hildegard M. Schuller 1 1 Experimental Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical & Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA Correspondence to: Hildegard M. Schuller, email: hmsch@utk.edu Keywords: pancreatic cancer, prevention, γ-aminobutyric acid, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, cancer stem cell signaling Received: December 2, 2015 Accepted: May 22, 2016 Published: June 02, 2016 ABSTRACT Smoking and alcoholism are risk factors for the development of pancreatitis-associated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We have previously shown that these cancers overexpressed stress neurotransmitters and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) while the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was suppressed. Using a hamster model, the current study has tested the hypothesis that cAMP decrease by GABA supplementation in the drinking water prevents the development of pancreatitis-associated PDAC. Our data reveal strong preventive effects of GABA supplementation on the development of PDAC and pancreatic intraductal neoplasia (PanIN). ELISA assays and immunohistochemistry revealed significant decreases in the levels of cAMP and interleukin 6 accompanied by reductions in the expression of several cancer stem cell markers and phosphorylated signaling proteins, which stimulate cell proliferation, and migration in pancreatic exocrine cells of GABA treated animals. We conclude that cAMP decrease by GABA supplementation inhibits multiple cancer stimulating pathways in cancer stem cells, differentiated cancer cells and the immune system, identifying this approach as promising novel tool for the prevention of PDAC in individuals with a history of smoking and alcoholism.

A small subpopulation of pancreatic cancer cells with characteristics of stem cells drive tumour initiation, progression and metastasis. A better understanding of the regulation of cancer stem cells may lead to more effective cancer prevention and therapy. We have shown that the proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cell lines is activated by the nicotinic receptor-mediated release of stress neurotransmitters, responses reversed by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). However, the observed cancer inhibiting effects of GABA will only succeed clinically if GABA inhibits pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) in addition to the more differentiated cancer cells that comprise the majority of cancer tissues and cell lines. Using PCSCs isolated from two pancreatic cancer patients by cell sorting and by spheroid formation assay from pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1, we tested the hypothesis that nicotine induces the self-renewal of PCSCs. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) α3, α4, α5 and α7 were expressed and chronic exposure to nicotine increased the protein expression of these receptors. Immunoassays showed that PCSCs produced the stress neurotransmitters epinephrine and norepinephrine and the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. Chronic nicotine significantly increased the production of stress neurotransmitters and sonic hedgehog (SHH) while inducing Gli1 protein and decreasing GABA. GABA treatment inhibited the induction of SHH and Gli1. Spheroid formation and 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assays showed significant nicotine-induced increases in self renewal and cell proliferation, responses blocked by GABA. Our data suggest that nicotine increases the SHH-mediated malignant potential of PCSCs and that GABA prevents these effects.

Nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading type of lung cancer and has a poor prognosis. We have shown that chronic stress promoted NSCLC xenografts in mice via stress neurotransmitter-activated cAMP signaling downstream of beta-adrenergic receptors and incidental beta-blocker therapy was reported to improve clinical outcomes in NSCLC patients. These findings suggest that psychological stress promotes NSCLC whereas pharmacologically or psychologically induced decreases in cAMP may inhibit NSCLC. Cancer stem cells are thought to drive the development, progression and resistance to therapy of NSCLC. However, their potential regulation by stress neurotransmitters has not been investigated. In the current study, epinephrine increased the number of cancer stem cell like cells (CSCs) from three NSCLC cell lines in spheroid formation assays while enhancing intracellular cAMP and the stem cell markers sonic hedgehog (SHH), aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH-1) and Gli1, effects reversed by GABA or dynorphin B via Gαi -mediated inhibition of cAMP formation. The growth of NSCLC xenografts in a mouse model of stress reduction was significantly reduced as compared with mice maintained under standard conditions. Stress reduction reduced serum levels of corticosterone, norepinephrine and epinephrine while the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and opioid peptides increased. Stress reduction significantly reduced cAMP, VEGF, p-ERK, p-AKT, p-CREB, p-SRc, SHH, ALDH-1 and Gli1 in xenograft tissues whereas cleaved caspase-3 and p53 were induced. We conclude that stress neurotransmitters activate CSCs in NSCLC via multiple cAMP-mediated pathways and that pharmacologically or psychologically induced decreases in cAMP signaling may improve clinical outcomes in NSCLC patients.

Background/Aims: Nicotinic acid (NA), a lipid-lowering drug, serves as a source of NAD+, the cofactor for Sirt1. Leucine (Leu) stimulates the AMPK/Sirt1 axis and amplifies the effects of other AMPK/Sirt1 activating compounds. Therefore, we tested the interactive effects of leucine and low dose NA on AMPK/Sirt1 signaling and downstream effects of lipid metabolism in cell culture, C. elegans and mice. Methods: LDL-receptor knockout mice were fed an atherogenic Western diet supplemented with leucine (24 g/kg diet) and sub-therapeutic NA combinations (50 mg/kg diet and 250 mg/kg diet) or low therapeutic NA (1000 mg/kg diet) for 8 weeks to evaluate markers of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Results: NA-Leu increased P-AMPK and Sirt1 in adipocytes and myotubes. In C. elegans, NA-Leu increased P-AMPK and DAF-16 (FOXO), reduced lipid accumulation and increased median survival under mild oxidative stress conditions. In the mice, NA-Leu reduced total cholesterol, cholesterol esters, plasma triglycerides, atherosclerotic lesion size, lipid area, and aortic macrophage infiltration, similar to the therapeutic NA dose. Conclusion: Leu amplifies the effects of NA on lipid metabolism, hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in mice, at least in part by activation of the AMPK/Sirt1 axis. This combination may be a potential therapeutic alternative for hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.

Sirt1, AMPK, and eNOS modulate hepatic energy metabolism and inflammation and are key players in the development of NASH. L-leucine, an allosteric Sirt1 activator, synergizes with low doses of metformin or sildenafil on the AMPK-eNOS-Sirt1 pathway to reverse mild NAFLD in preclinical mouse models. Here we tested a possible multicomponent synergy to yield greater therapeutic efficacy in NAFLD/NASH. Liver cells and macrophages or an atherogenic diet induced NASH mouse model was treated with two-way and three-way combinations. The three-way combination Sild-Met-Leu increased hepatic fatty acid oxidation and reduced lipogenic gene expression and inflammatory marker in vitro. In mice, Sild-Met-Leu reduced the diet induced increases of ALT, TGFβ, PAI-1, IL1β, and TNFα, hepatic collagen expression, and nearly completely reversed hepatocyte ballooning and triglyceride accumulation, while all two-way combinations had only modest effects. Therefore, these data provide preclinical evidence for therapeutic efficacy of Sild-Met-Leu in the treatment of NAFLD and NASH.

Understanding the genetic origins and demographic history of Indian populations is important both for questions concerning the early settlement of Eurasia and more recent events, including the appearance of Indo-Aryan languages and settled agriculture in the subcontinent. Although there is general agreement that Indian caste and tribal populations share a common late Pleistocene maternal ancestry in India, some studies of the Y-chromosome markers have suggested a recent, substantial incursion from Central or West Eurasia. To investigate the origin of paternal lineages of Indian populations, 936 Y chromosomes, representing 32 tribal and 45 caste groups from all four major linguistic groups of India, were analyzed for 38 single-nucleotide polymorphic markers. Phylogeography of the major Y-chromosomal haplogroups in India, genetic distance, and admixture analyses all indicate that the recent external contribution to Dravidian- and Hindi-speaking caste groups has been low. The sharing of some Y-chromosomal haplogroups between Indian and Central Asian populations is most parsimoniously explained by a deep, common ancestry between the two regions, with diffusion of some Indian-specific lineages northward. The Y-chromosomal data consistently suggest a largely South Asian origin for Indian caste communities and therefore argue against any major influx, from regions north and west of India, of people associated either with the development of agriculture or the spread of the Indo-Aryan language family. The dyadic Y-chromosome composition of Tibeto-Burman speakers of India, however, can be attributed to a recent demographic process, which appears to have absorbed and overlain populations who previously spoke Austro-Asiatic languages.

STR polymorphisms have proven to be extremely useful in population genetics studies and human identification. The fifteen analysed STR loci were tetra-nucleotide repeats: D5S818, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, THO1, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51.

Background Pancreatic cancer is frequently resistant to cancer therapeutics. Smoking and alcoholism are risk factors and pancreatic cancer patients often undergo nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and treatment for alcohol dependence. Based on our report that low dose nicotine within the range of NRT causes gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer, our current study has tested the hypothesis that GABA or the selective GABA-B-R agonist baclofen used to treat alcohol dependence reverse nicotine-induced gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. Methods Using mouse xenografts from the gemcitabine--sensitive pancreatic cancer cell line BXPC-3, we tested the effects of GABA and baclofen on nicotine-induced gemcitabine resistance. The levels of cAMP, p-SRC, p-ERK, p-AKT, p-CREB and cleaved caspase-3 in xenograft tissues were determined by ELISA assays. Expression of the two GABA-B receptors, metalloproteinase-2 and 9 and EGR-1 in xenograft tissues was monitored by Western blotting. Mechanistic studies were conducted in vitro, using cell lines BXPC-3 and PANC-1 and included analyses of cAMP production by ELISA assay and Western blots to determine protein expression of GABA-B receptors, metalloproteinase-2 and 9 and EGR-1. Results Our data show that GABA was as effective as gemcitabine and significantly reversed gemcitabine resistance induced by low dose nicotine in xenografts whereas baclofen did not. These effects of GABA were accompanied by decreases in cAMP, p-CREB, p-AKT, p-Src, p-ERK metalloproteinases-9 and -2 and EGR-1 and increases in cleaved caspase-3 in xenografts whereas baclofen had the opposite effects. In vitro exposure of cells to single doses or seven days of nicotine induced the protein expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and EGR-1 and these responses were blocked by GABA. Baclofen downregulated the protein expression of GABA-B-Rs in xenograft tissues and in cells exposed to baclofen for seven days in vitro. This response was accompanied by inversed baclofen effects from inhibition of cAMP formation after single dose exposures to stimulation of cAMP formation in cells pretreated for seven days. Conclusions These findings suggest GABA as a promising single agent for the therapy of pancreatic cancer and to overcome nicotine-induced gemcitabine resistance whereas treatment with baclofen may increase gemcitabine resistance.

The greater Himalayan region demarcates two of the most prominent linguistic phyla in Asia: Tibeto-Burman and Indo-European. Previous genetic surveys, mainly using Y-chromosome polymorphisms and/or mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms suggested a substantially reduced geneflow between populations belonging to these two phyla. These studies, however, have mainly focussed on populations residing far to the north and/or south of this mountain range, and have not been able to study geneflow patterns within the greater Himalayan region itself. We now report a detailed, linguistically informed, genetic survey of Tibeto-Burman and Indo-European speakers from the Himalayan countries Nepal and Bhutan based on autosomal microsatellite markers and compare these populations with surrounding regions. The genetic differentiation between populations within the Himalayas seems to be much higher than between populations in the neighbouring countries. We also observe a remarkable genetic differentiation between the Tibeto-Burman speaking populations on the one hand and Indo-European speaking populations on the other, suggesting that language and geography have played an equally large role in defining the genetic composition of present-day populations within the Himalayas.

Smoking and alcoholism are risk factors for the development of pancreatitis-associated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Using a hamster model of pancreatitis-associated PDAC induced by treatment with ethanol in the drinking water and the nicotine-derived nitrosamine 4-methylnitrosamino-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) by subcutaneous injection as well as immunohistochemistry of human PDAC tissue microarrays, we have previously shown that these cancers overexpressed stress neurotransmitters and cAMP while the inhibitory neurotransmitter ã-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was suppressed. Using our hamster model, the current study has tested the hypothesis that cAMP control by GABA supplementation in the drinking water prevents the development of pancreatitis-associated PDAC. Our data reveal strong preventive effects of GABA supplementation on the development of PDAC and pancreatic intraductal neoplasia (PanIN). ELISA assays and immunohistochemistry revealed significant decreases in the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and interleukin 6 accompanied by reductions in the expression of several cancer stem cell markers, phosphorylated signaling proteins associated with cell proliferation and migration in pancreatic exocrine cells of GABA treated animals. We conclude that cAMP control by GABA supplementation inhibits multiple cancer supporting pathways at the level of cancer stem cells, differentiated cancer cells and the immune system, identifying this approach as promising novel tool for the prevention of PDAC in individuals with a history of smoking and alcoholism. Citation Format: Jheelam Banerjee, Arokya M. Papu John, Mohammed H. Al-Wadei, Hildegard M. Schuller. Prevention of pancreatic cancer by cAMP control. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 823.

Aim of study Smoking is an established risk factor for pancreatic cancer and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) often accompanies chemotherapy. The current study has tested the hypothesis that chronic exposure to low dose nicotine reduces the responsiveness of pancreatic cancer to the leading therapeutic for this cancer, gemcitabine. Methods The effects of chronic nicotine (1 μm/L) on two pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro and in a xenograft model were assessed by immunoassays, Western blots and cell proliferation assays. Results Exposure in vitro to nicotine for 7 days inhibited the gemcitabine-induced reduction in viable cells, gemcitabine-induced apoptosis as indicated by reduced expression of cleaved caspase-3 while inducing the phosphorylation of signalling proteins extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), v-akt thymoma viral oncogene homolog (protein kinase B, AKT) and Src. Nicotine (1 μm/L) in the drinking water for 4 weeks significantly reduced the therapeutic response of mouse xenografts to gemcitabine while reducing the induction of cleaved caspase-3 and the inhibition of phosphorylated forms of multiple signalling proteins by gemcitabine in xenograft tissues. Conclusions Our experimental data suggest that continued moderate smoking and NRT may negatively impact therapeutic outcomes of gemcitabine on pancreatic cancer and that clinical studies in cancer patients are now warranted.

Non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading type of lung cancer with a poor prognosis. Smoking is a risk factor but NSCLC develops in a significant number of nonsmokers. We have reported that social stress significantly promoted the growth of NSCLC xenografts, a response mediated by multiple cAMP-driven signaling cascades downstream of Gαi-coupled beta-adrenergic receptors activated by the stress neurotransmitters norepinephrine and epinephrine and reversed by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) via Gαi-coupled GABA-B-receptor signaling. In addition, improved clinical outcomes in NSCLC patients with incidental beta-blocker therapy have been reported. These findings suggest that psychological stress with the associated increase in systemic stress neurotransmitter levels and suppression of physiological agonists for Gαi-coupled receptors may significantly contribute to the high incidence and poor therapeutic response of NSCLC. On the other hand, these findings suggest that stress reduction may have significant inhibitory effects on NSCLC. To test this hypothesis, we achieved stress reduction in athymic nude mice by maintaining the animals in larger cages and by providing them with several enrichment items, resulting in reduced systemic levels of corticosterone, norepinephrine and epinephrine while the levels of GABA and the physiological agonists for Gαi-coupled opioid receptors, dynorphin A and B and met-enkephalin increased. We found that stress reduction significantly inhibited the establishment of xenografts and significantly reduced xenograft sizes. Xenografts in the stress reduction group expressed lower levels of cAMP, VEGF and sonic hedgehog (SHH) accompanied by reduced protein expression of p-ERK, p-AKT, p-CREB, p-SRc and Gli1 while cleaved caspase-3 and p53 proteins were induced. Based on the observed reduction of the cancer stem cell markers SHH and Gli1 in xenograft tissues, we conducted additional mechanistic experiments with cancer stem cells enriched from three NSCLC cell lines under selective sphere formation conditions over 21 days with subcultures every seven days. We found that epinephrine significantly increased stem cell self renewal associated with increased intracellular cAMP, increased levels of the stem cell markers SHH and aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 and increased expression of Gli1. Simultaneous treatment of the enriched cancer stem cells with GABA or dynorphin B completely reversed all of these effects. We conclude that stress reduction can act as a powerful inhibitor of NSCLC by restoring cAMP homeostasis and should be incorporated as important component into existing NSCLC prevention and therapy protocols to improve clinical outcomes. Supported in part by 5RC1CA144640 and State of Tennessee Center of Excellence for Human and Livestock Disease Citation Format: Jheelam Banerjee, Arokya M. S Papu John, Hildegard M. Schuller. Inhibition of non small-cell lung cancer by stress reduction. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3729. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3729

The Shompen, one of the most isolated and poorly understood contemporary hunter–gatherer populations, inhabit Great Nicobar Island, the southernmost island of the Nicobar archipelago. Morphological imprints in the Shompen were interpreted to favour a mixed Indo-Chinese, Malay, Negrito and Dravidian origin. Analyses of the mitochondrial, Y-chromosomal and autosomal gene pool of contemporary Shompen have revealed low diversity, illustrating a founder effect in the island population. Mitochondrial sequence analyses revealed the presence of two haplogroups of R lineage: B5a, and a newly defined clade, R12. Y-chromosomal analyses demonstrated the occurrence of a single lineage found predominantly in Austro-Asiatic speakers across Asia. With the different types of genetic markers analysed, the Shompen exhibit varying levels of genetic relatedness with the Nicobarese, and Austro-Asiatic speakers of mainland India and Southeast Asia. These genetic analyses provide evidence that the Shompen, an offshoot of the Nicobarese, are descendants of Mesolithic hunter–gatherers of Southeast Asian origin, deriving from at least two source populations.

The analysis of genetic variation, in the nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial DNA, provides unique information in tracing of maternal lineage, determination of population diversity, pharmacogenomics and human identification. This study characterizes the HVR-I and II sequence polymorphism in 80 tribal individuals, belonging to the Austro-Asiatic linguistic family of Chotanagpur plateau, India. A total of 115 polymorphic sites were observed in the sequenced regions and 77 unique haplotypes could be identified.

Pancreatic cancer is frequently resistant to cancer therapeutics. Smoking and alcoholism are risk factors and pancreatic cancer patients often undergo nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and treatment for alcohol dependence. Based on our report that low dose nicotine within the range of NRT causes gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer, our current study has tested the hypothesis that GABA or the selective GABA-B-R agonist baclofen used to treat alcohol dependence reverse nicotine-induced gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. Using pancreatic cancer cell lines BXPC-3 and PANC-1, our data show that GABA significantly reversed gemcitabine resistance induced by low dose nicotine in xenografts whereas baclofen did not. This effect of GABA was accompanied by decreases in cAMP, p-CREB, p-AKT, p-Src, p-ERK metalloproteinases-9 and -2 and EGR-1 and increases in cleaved caspase-3 in xenografts whereas baclofen had the opposite effects. In vitro exposure of cells to single doses or seven days of nicotine induced the protein expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and EGR-1 and these responses were blocked by GABA. Baclofen downregulated the protein expression of GABA-B-Rs in xenograft tissues and in cells exposed to baclofen for seven days in vitro. This response was accompanied by inversed baclofen effects from inhibition of cAMP formation after single dose exposures to stimulation of cAMP formation in cells pretreated for seven days. These findings suggest GABA as a promising agent to overcome nicotine-induced gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer whereas treatment of alcoholism by baclofen may increase gemcitabine resistance. Supported by grants RO1CA130888 and RO1CA042829 with the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: Jheelam Banerjee, Hussein A. N Al-Wadei, Mohammed H. Al-Wadei, Koami Dagnon, Hildegard M. Schuller. Nicotine-induced gemcitabine resistance is reversed by gamma-aminobutyric acid but enhanced by baclofen in pancreatic cancer xenografts and in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1703. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1703

Urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) is the 7th most common cancer in men and the 17th most common cancer in women. Smoking is an established risk factor for UBC. However, the mechanisms how smoking induces bladder cancer are poorly understood. Using two established human urothelial bladder cancer cell lines, our data show that nicotine significantly increased the proliferation of both cell lines. Both cell lines produced the stress neurotransmitters norepinephrine and epinephrine and nicotine further enhanced this activity. The broad-spectrum beta-blocker propranolol strongly inhibited base level and nicotine-induced proliferation in both cell lines, identifying beta-adrenergic receptors as mediators. Proliferation in response to exogenous addition of epinephrine, norepinephrine or the selective β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol and complete blockage of these responses by propranolol support this interpretation. Treatment with the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), that inhibits beta-adrenergic receptor-mediated proliferation of other cancer types via inhibition of cAMP formation, was less effective. These findings suggest that urothelial bladder cancer cells are stimulated in their growth via beta-adrenergic receptor signaling independent of cAMP by nicotine or psychological stress. Additional investigations are underway to further dissect the signal transduction pathways involved. Supported by the State of Tennessee Center of Excellence in Livestock Diseases and Human Health. Citation Format: Arokya M. Papu John, Jheelam Banerjee, Hildegard M. Schuller. Regulation of urothelial bladder cancer by nicotine and stress neurotransmitters. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5298. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5298

Pancreatic ductal adenocarinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths in developed countries. The nucleoside analog Gemcitabine, which induces apoptosis, is widely used for the therapy of pancreatic cancer. Smoking and alcoholism are risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Nicotine replacement therapy often accompanies chemotherapy while the GABA-B receptor (GABA-B-R) agonist Baclofen has recently been suggested as an effective agent for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Our laboratory has shown that the proliferation and migration of PDAC and pancreatic duct epithelial cells in vitro is regulated by the nicotinic receptor-mediated synthesis and release of stress neurotransmitters that bind to beta-adrenoreceptors (beta-ARs). We have additionally shown that nicotine in the drinking water at a high dose (432 μmole/L) comparable to nicotine exposure in heavy smokers significantly stimulated the growth of PDAC xenografts whereas identical exposure of mice to low dose nicotine (1 μmole/L) reduced gemcitabine-induced apoptosis, thus significantly increasing resistance to gemcitabine. In the current study, we have investigated the potential prevention of nicotine-induced gemcitabine resistance by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and Baclofen in PDAC xenografts. We found that GABA significantly reduced nicotine-induce drug resistance. By contrast, Baclofen failed to reduce nicotine-induced resistance to gemcitabine while even slightly increasing xenograft growth in mice not exposed to nicotine. Investigation of xenograft tissues for the expression levels of the GABA-B-R, intracellular cAMP and signaling proteins associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis by immunoassays and western blots revealed effective inhibition of cAMP-dependent signaling in xenografts of mice treated with GABA. By contrast, Baclofen did not inhibit cAMP-dependent signaling and decreased the protein expression of the GABA-R, suggesting downregulation of the receptor. Our findings identify GABA as a promising agent for the prevention of nicotine-induced resistance to gemcitabine in PDAC. On the other hand, our data suggest that treatment of alcohol dependence by Baclofen should be avoided in PDAC patients. Supported by grants RO1CA130888 and RO1CA042829 with the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: Jheelam Banerjee, Mohammed H. Al-Wadei, Hussein A. N. Al-Wadei, Hildegard M. Schuller. GABA but not baclofen prevents gemcitabine resistance induced by low dose nicotine in pancreatic cancer xenografts. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2191. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2191

Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in developed countries. The nucleoside analog Gemcitabine, which induces apoptosis, is widely used for the therapy of pancreatic cancer. Smoking is an established risk factor for pancreatic cancer and nicotine replacement therapy often accompanies chemotherapy. Using the two human pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1 and BXPC-3 in vitro, our data show that low concentrations of nicotine significantly reduces the growth inhibiting effects of gemcitabine while also significantly inhibiting gemcitabine-induced apoptosis as indicated by determination of cleaved caspase-3 in immunoassays. Analysis of other signaling proteins is currently in progress. In a mouse xenograft model with BXPC-3 cells, a 1 micromolar concentration of nicotine in the drinking water significantly reduced the therapeutic response to gemcitabine while additionally reducing the induction of pro-apoptotic proteins and the inhibition of growth stimulating proteins by gemcitabine. Our data suggest that nicotine replacement therapy and possibly also the exposure to second hand smoke may negatively impact therapeutic outcomes of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer patients. Nicotine addiction should be treated with non nicotine agents in such patients and exposure to tobacco smoke in any form should be avoided. Supported by grants RO1CA130888 and RO1CA042829 with the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 152. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-152

Smoking is an established risk factor for pancreatic cancer. More than 95% of all pancreatic cancers are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Our data has earlier established that nicotine contributes to the progression of smoking associated PDAC by increasing the systemic levels of the stress neurotransmitters adrenaline and noradrenaline in pancreatic cancer xenografts. These findings suggested that development and progression of PDAC is subject to significant modulation by stimulatory stress neurotransmitters. Here we demonstrate that nicotine abrogates the apoptotic activity of gemcitabine, gefitinib, and meloxicam, which are standard therapy for PDAC, in a variety of human PDAC cell lines. We first evaluated the effect of gemcitabine, gefitinib and meloxicam on cell proliferation using a varied range of concentrations and timepoints on pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1 and BXPC-3. The results demonstrated that all the three anti-cancer drugs significantly inhibited the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 and BXPC-3. The IC50 values were determined for optimal concentration and timepoint. It was next examined whether chronic nicotine could confer protection against apoptosis induced by gemcitabine, gefitinib, and meloxicam, which are widely used to treat PDAC. Cells were stimulated with 1 µM nicotine (pre-determined concentration) in the presence or absence of the IC50 concentrations of the indicated drugs. Our results indicated that nicotine suppresses apoptosis induced by gemcitabine, gefitinib, and meloxicam in pancreatic cancer cells, as measured by TUNEL assays, viability assays and western blotting of apoptosis associated proteins. In conclusion, the antiapoptotic effects of nicotine, negatively impacts the chemosensitivity of PDAC cells against anticancer drugs. These findings suggest that continued exposure to nicotine during cancer therapy may significantly reduce the responsiveness to anti-cancer agents. This work is supported by grants RO1CA130888 and RO1CA042829 with the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1010. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1010

DNA damage of stromal fibroblastic cells is known to promote tumorigenesis in number of tissues including the breast and pancreas. 69% of prostate cancer patients lose expression of the Tgfbr2 in the stromal compartment. We previously described, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) responsiveness of the prostate stromal fibroblastic cells can promote tumorigenesis in transgenic mice. It is known TGF-ß promotes DNA stability, however the mechanism is not known. We found that human prostate cancer stroma has significant number of cells with DNA double stranded breaks, as determined by phosphorylated Ser139-histone H2 (γH2AX) immunolocalization. Similarly, prostate stromal cells from mice with a conditional Tgfbr2-knockout were positive for γH2AX staining. Further promoter methylation array analysis of prostate stromal cells from Tgfbr2-knockout and Tgfbr2-flox (control) indicated 17 DNA damage repair genes to be methylated in Tgfbr2-knockout cells versus the control. Thus, we hypothesized that the loss of stromal TGF-ß responsiveness facilitates stromal DNA damage accumulation through epigenetic regulation. We sought to test the role of stromal TGF-ß signaling in epigenetic regulation. Fourteen of 17 genes were RT-PCR verified to be silenced in Tgfbr2-KO cells and re-expressed following 5-azaDC (de-methylating agent) treatment. Homologous genes were found to be epigenetically silenced in human prostate CAF (carcinoma associated fibroblasts) cultured from primary tumors compared to NAF (normal prostate fibroblasts) from 10 prostate cancer patients. A downstream mediator of TGF-ß signaling includes Smad3 activation. Thus, a similar methylation array analysis of Smad3-knockout prostate stromal cells was performed. We found none of the DNA damage repair genes to be silenced in Smad3-KO cells. Next, we measured DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) mRNA, protein and activity in Tgfbr2-KO and Tgfbr2-flox cultured prostate stromal cells. Interestingly, protein expression and activity of DNMT1 was 3-fold greater in Tgfbr2-KO stroma over Tgfbr2-flox cells, in the absence of DNMT1 mRNA expression differences. DNMT3b differed little between the two cell types. The use of proteasome inhibitor, MG-132, suggested DNMT1 to be down regulated by TGF-ß in a post-translational manner. Finally, tissue recombinant experiments of Tgfbr2-KO prostate stromal cells with LNCaP, human prostate cancer epithelia, developed large tumors in orthotopic grafts. Similar grafts with wild type and Smad3-KO stromal cells with LNCaP epithelia developed small tumors. Strikingly Tgfbr2-KO stromal cells treated with 5-azaDC and subsequently grafted with LNCaP cells developed smaller tumors. These results for the first time support the role of TGF-ß signaling on stromal DNA stability in tumorigenesis and support a mechanism for TGF-ß responsiveness results in epigenetic silencing of DNA damage repair genes. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1429.

Introduction: A previously described mouse model, Tgfbr2-fspKO, with a conditional stromal knockout of the TGF-beta type II receptor (Tgfbr2), developed prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesions and subsequently progressed to prostate adenocarcinoma. Tissue recombination of wild-type (WT) prostatic organoids with 100% Tgfbr2-floxE2/floxE2 prostatic stroma resulted in grafts with normal prostatic glandular architecture, whereas recombination with 100% Tgfbr2-fspKO stroma resulted in grafts with PIN lesions. Interestingly, only grafts made with a mixture of WT and KO stroma resulted in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, loss of stromal Tgfbr2 expression occurs in a proportion of human prostate cancer tissues. The objective of the study was to elucidate the mechanism(s) contributing to the cancer progression in the context of a mixed heterogeneous stroma. Method: Prostate stromal-epithelial interactions were described by a hybrid computational model involving a hypothesized 2-step mechanism (initial transformation followed by invasion), where these steps are controlled by stromal-derived paracrine morphogenic factors. Biological parameters for the candidate morphogens (Wnt3a and SDF-1/CXCL12) were assessed by qPCR and ELISA from stromal mixing co-culture experiments. Results: Modeling indicated that the expression of the initiating morphogen increases as a function of the % of Tgfbr2-KO stromal cells. The incidence of invasion promoted by the pro-invasive morphogen was biphasic with a 50/50 mixture of WT and Tgfbr2-KO stromal cells resulting in maximal cancer progression. Wnt3a is produced at 4-fold higher levels in Tgfbr2-KO vs WT stroma and antibody mediated depletion of Wnt3a from stromal conditioned media reduced the growth rate of LNCaP cells. SDF-1 is produced at nearly 4-fold higher levels in WT vs. Tgfbr2-KO stroma and SDF-1 mRNA expression is synergistically increased when WT and Tgfbr2-KO stroma are co-cultured. Additionally, CD90 expression is heterogeneously expressed by stromal tissues associated with primary human prostate cancer as compared to benign tissue as demonstrated by immunofluorescence staining. Conclusions: The model and data support the importance of stromal heterogeneity in the development of prostatic adenocarcinoma in two independent tumorigenic steps. Each step is facilitated by a different stromal component, so that stromal heterogeneity results in the maximal tumorigenesis. Tgfbr2-KO stromal cells produce an altered cytokine profile that drives the proliferation of the epithelial compartment and likely primes the WT stromal cells to produce additional cytokines, like SDF-1, that promote epithelial invasion and cancer progression. While most studies tend to focus on the altered stroma, this study suggests that the WT stroma cells play a necessary and important role required as a rate-limiting step for prostate cancer progression. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1428.

Stromal cells promote prostate cancer initiation and progression. Metastasized prostate cancers form osteoblastic bone lesions. The prostate cancer associated stroma expresses alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). Additionally, 69% of human prostate cancer tissues lost stromal TGFbeta type II receptor (Tgfbr2) expression. Conditional stromal knockout of the Tgfbr2 mouse model developed prostate adenocarcinoma. In parallel to the primary site, we observed human prostate cancer associated stroma in bone metastasis gained the expression of androgen receptor and alpha-SMA, which were negative in the normal bone marrow. Tgfbr2 expression was also lost in prostate cancer associated stroma in bone marrow, compared to its high expression in the normal bone marrow. This led us to question whether the stromal cells from the primary site or the bone marrow contribute the prostate cancer osteoblastic bone lesion development. In vitro, the conditioned media from Tgfbr2-flox or Tgfbr2-KO mouse prostate stromal cells (PSC) or bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) were incubated on the C42B prostate cancer epithelia. Expressions of PTHrP, RANKL osteolytic factors and ET1, RUNX2, BMP2 osteoblastic factors by C42B cells were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The Tgfbr2-flox PSC conditioned media significantly increased the C42B cell expression of all the osteolytic and osteoblastic factors examined compared to C42B cells without conditioned media. However, the Tgfbr2-KO PSC conditioned media decreased the expression of PTHrP and RANKL, while further increased the expression of osteoblastic factors, ET1, RUNX2 and BMP2 by C42B cells by at least 2-fold. Conditioned media of Tgfbr2-flox and Tgfbr2-KO BMSC increased the expression of C42B cells on osteolytic factors (10-fold PTHrP and 2-fold RANKL), but neither has significant effect on expression of osteoblastic factors. Importantly, Tgfbr2-KO PSC and BMSC conditioned media increased C42B proliferation similarly by 2-fold over that of respective Tgfbr2-Tgfbr2-flox conditioned media. We found that the reduced PTHrP and RANKL expression was associated with respective promoter methylation, when C42B cells were incubated with Tgfbr2-KO PSC, but not BMSC. Epigenetic silencing of such osteolytic genes, would suggest for the first time, that the prostate stroma could influence osteoblastic tumor at a distant site. So, GFP labeled C42B cells, following pre-incubation with PSC or BMSC conditioned media, were injected into the tibia of SCID mice. X-rays of the bone lesions and fluorescence imaging of GFP-expressing tumor growth were measured. The data suggested, that the stromal cells from primary prostates, but not from the second metastasis site of bone marrow, promotes prostate cancer growth in the bone and osteoblastic bone lesion development. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1418.

Phylogenetic analysis of human complete mitochondrial DNA sequences has largely contributed to resolving phylogenies and antiquity of different lineages belonging to the majorhaplogroups L, N and M (East-Asian lineages). In the absence of whole mtDNA sequence information of M lineages reported in India that exhibits highest diversity within the sub-continent, the present study was undertaken to provide a detailed analysis of this haplogroup to precisely characterize the lineages and unravel their intricate phylogeny. The phylogenetic tree constructed from sequencing information of twenty four whole mtDNA genome revealed novel substitutions in the previously defined M2a and M6 lineages. The most striking feature of this phylogenetic tree is the formulation of a new lineage M30, distinguished by the presence of 12007 transition, and comprises of the recently defined M18 and a potential new sub-lineage possessing substitution at 16223 and 16300. M30 further branches into M30a sub-lineage, defined by 15431 and 195A substitution. The age of M30 lineage was estimated at 33,042 YBP, indicating a more recent expansion time than M2 (49,686 YBP). Contradictory to earlier reports, the M5 lineage does not always include a 12477 substitution, and is more appropriately defined by a transversion at 10986A. The phylogenetic tree also identifies a potential new lineage M* with HVSI sequence 16223,16325. No new substitutions were found in M25 and the M3 mt DNA genome could only be tentatively rooted by 16126 mutation. M4 and M*(16251, 16267) lineages could not be resolved distinctly. This study describes seven new basal mutations and fourteen lineages that substantially contribute to the present understanding of superhaplogroup M. The phylogenetic tree supported by median-joining network helps in distinctly identifying the genetic relation between different M lineages that could not be achieved solely by control region sequence information. Although high control region diversity has been reported in the different M lineages distributed in India, complete sequencing of M* and defined lineages suggests that these mt DNA genomes emerged from a limited number of branches arising from the M trunk.

Paleoanthropological evidence indicates that modern humans reached South Asia in one of the first dispersals out of Africa, which were later followed by migrations from different parts of the world...