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Introduction: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are pathologic lesions comprised of clusters of thin-walled capillaries characterized by abnormal proliferation, angiogenesis, and bleeding secondary to somatic or germline mutations in endothelial cells. CCMs can cause headaches, seizures and/or neurological defects. There is a clinical need to develop better tools to detect CCMs and follow their progression in conjunction with the current use of neuroimaging techniques. Here we present data supporting the utility of LOX-1 (lectin-type oxidized LDL receptor 1), a 50 kDa transmembrane protein implicated in endothelial cell dysfunction and ischemia, as a putative biomarker for CCM. Methods: CCM urine samples (n = 23) were collected from pediatric CCM patients. Matched healthy controls (n = 24) were collected from pediatric patients with either Chiari I malformation or fatty filum terminale, and otherwise normal findings. All samples were collected with patient/family consent and institutional review board approval. Samples were analyzed with Olink Proteomic Proximity Extension Assay (PEA). Differences in expression for 2,925 unique proteins were quantified between healthy control urine samples and CCM urine samples. The results were normalized, validated, and analyzed for demographic bias. In addition to urine samples, CCM tissue from patients was harvested and used to create primary cell lines for in vitro analysis of LOX-1 expression, in addition to immunofluorescence of lesional tissue excised at surgery. Results: ANOVA analysis of the CCM urine samples showed a statistically significant increase in LOX-1 compared to the control samples, with CCM patients exhibiting a > 5-fold increase in urinary expression. Corroborating these elevated levels of circulating marker, analysis of source tissue from surgically resected CCMs revealed that LOX-1 is increased in both CCM patient cavernoma primary cell lines and operative specimens. Conclusion: LOX-1 is involved with pathways implicated in CCM pathogenesis and our data here reveals that LOX-1 expression is significantly elevated in CCM patients as compared to matched healthy control individuals, including both source tissue from surgically excised CCMs and in analysis of samples collected from outside of the central nervous system, particularly urine. This proof-ofprinciple data suggests that LOX-1 may have potential utility as a target for CCM treatment and supports further investigation related to its potential mechanistic impact on CCM pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clusterin (CLU) is a chaperone‐like protein with multiple functions. sCLU is frequently upregulated in prostate tumor cells after chemo‐ or radiotherapy and after surgical or pharmacological castration. Moreover, CLU has been documented to modulate the cellular homolog of murine thymoma virus akt8 oncogene (AKT) activity. Here, we investigated how CLU overexpression influences phosphatidylinositol 3′‐kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling in human normal and cancer epithelial prostate cells. Human prostate cells stably transfected with CLU were broadly profiled by reverse phase protein array (RPPA), with particular emphasis on the PI3K/AKT pathway. The effect of CLU overexpression on normal and cancer cell motility was also tested. Our results clearly indicate that CLU overexpression enhances phosphorylation of AKT restricted to isoform 2. Mechanistically, this can be explained by the finding that the phosphatase PH domain leucine‐rich repeat‐containing protein phosphatase 1 (PHLPP1), known to dephosphorylate AKT2 at S474, is markedly downregulated by CLU, whereas miR‐190, a negative regulator of PHLPP1, is upregulated. Moreover, we found that phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was heavily phosphorylated at the inhibitory site S380, contributing to the hyperactivation of AKT signaling. By keeping AKT2 phosphorylation high, CLU dramatically enhances the migratory behavior of prostate epithelial cell lines with different migratory and invasive phenotypes, namely prostate normal epithelial 1A (PNT1A) and prostatic carcinoma 3 (PC3) cells. Altogether, our results unravel for the first time a circuit by which CLU can switch a low migration phenotype toward a high migration phenotype, through miR‐190‐dependent downmodulation of PHLPP1 expression and, in turn, stabilization of AKT2 phosphorylation. In human prostate cells, clusterin (CLU) overexpression was found to enhance the phosphorylation of AKT restricted to isoform 2. Mechanistically, this was explained by the finding that the phosphatase PHLPP1, known to dephosphorylate AKT2 at S474, is markedly downregulated by CLU, whereas miR‐190, a negative regulator of PHLPP1, is upregulated. Moreover, we found that PTEN was heavily phosphorylated at the inhibitory site S380, contributing to the hyperactivation of AKT signaling. Remarkably, we also demonstrated that by keeping AKT2 phosphorylation high, CLU dramatically enhances the migratory behavior of prostate epithelial cell lines with different migratory and invasive phenotype, namely PNT1A and PC3 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is a reactive chemical used in manufacturing plastics. TDI exposure adversely affects workers' health, causing occupational asthma, but individuals differ in susceptibility. We recently suggested a role for signalling mediated by the enzyme autotaxin (ATX) and its product, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), in TDI toxicity. Here we genotyped 118 TDI-exposed workers for six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding proteins implicated in ATX–LPA signalling: purinergic receptor P2X7 ( P2RX7 ), C C motif chemokine ligand 2 ( CCL2 ), interleukin 1β ( IL1B ), and caveolin 1 ( CAV1 ). Two P2RX7 SNPs (rs208294 and rs2230911) significantly modified the associations between a biomarker of TDI exposure (urinary 2,4-toluene diamine) and plasma LPA; two IL1B SNPs (rs16944 and rs1143634) did not. CAV1 rs3807989 modified the associations, but the effect was not statistically significant ( p  = 0.05–0.09). In vitro , TDI-exposed bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE14o-) rapidly released ATX and IL-1β. P2X7 inhibitors attenuated both responses, but confocal microscopy showed non-overlapping localizations of ATX and IL-1β, and down-regulation of CAV1 inhibited the ATX response but not the IL-1β response. This study indicates that P2X7 is pivotal for TDI-induced ATX–LPA signalling, which was modified by genetic variation in P2RX7 . Furthermore, our data suggest that the TDI-induced ATX and IL-1β responses occur independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Akt kinase controls cell survival, proliferation, and invasive growth and is a critical factor for cancer development. Here we describe a cross-talk between phosphatases that may preserve levels of activated/phosphorylated Akt and confer aggressive growth of cancer cells. In prostatic cancer cells, but not in non-transformed cells or in prostate stem cells, we found that the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) overexpression down-regulated PH domain and leucine- rich repeat phosphatase (PHLPP) and that PHLPP overexpression down-regulated PTEN. We also show that silencing PTEN by siRNA increased the levels of PHLPPs. This cross-talk facilitated invasive migration and was mediated by epigenetic alterations, including activation of miR-190, miR-214, polycomb group of proteins, as well as DNA methylation. A role for the purinergic receptor P2X4, previously associated with wound healing, was indicated. We also show that TGF-β1 induced cross-talk concomitant with epithelial-mesenchymal transition in stem cells. The cross-talk emerged as an integrated part of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.Weconclude that cross-talk between PTEN and PHLPPs is silenced in normal prostate cells but activated in TGF-β1 transformed prostate stem and cancer cells and facilitates invasive growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We knocked down the TPMT gene using specifically designed siRNA in MOLT4 cells. [•] Our results show increased sensitivity of the cells to 6-TG, as compared to 6-MP. [•] The sensitivity of the cells toward 6-MP was not affected by TPMT knockdown. [•] Targeting TPMT by siRNA reflects the clinical consequences of TPMT polymorphism. [•] TPMT provides a differential contribution to the cytotoxic effects of the two drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The p110β subunit in the class IA PI3K family may act as an oncogene and is critical for prostate tumor development in PTEN knockout mice. We tested the possible involvement of p110β in a recently described rapid depletion of phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) in the nucleus. Previous work showed that this down-regulation is induced by extracellular ATP or by statins and is mediated by the purinergic receptor P2X7. Here, we used p110β knock out mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and siRNA-treated cancer cells. We found that p110β is essential for ATP- or statin-induced nuclear pAkt depletion in MEFs and in several cancer cell lines including prostate cancer cells. ATP, statin or the selective P2X7 agonist BzATP also inhibited cell growth, and this inhibition was not seen in p110β knock out cells. We also found that p110β was necessary for statin-induced changes in binding between FKBP51, pAkt and PTEN. Our data show that p110β is essential for the ATP- and statin-induced effects and support a role of nuclear pAkt in cancer development. They also provide support for a chemopreventive effect of statins mediated by depletion of nuclear pAkt. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Akt is an important oncoprotein, and data suggest a critical role for nuclear Akt in cancer development. We have previously described a rapid (3-5 min) and P2X7-dependent depletion of nuclear phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) and effects on downstream targets, and here we studied mechanisms behind the pAkt depletion. We show that cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins, or extracellular ATP, induced a complex and coordinated response in insulin-stimulated A549 cells leading to depletion of nuclear pAkt. It involved protein/lipid phosphatases PTEN, pleckstrin homology domain leucine-rich repeat phosphatase (PHLPP1 and -2), protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), and calcineurin. We employed immunocytology, immunoprecipitation, and proximity ligation assay techniques and show that PHLPP and calcineurin translocated to the nucleus and formed complexes with Akt within 3 min. Also PTEN translocated to the nucleus and then co-localized with pAkt close to the nuclear membrane. An inhibitor of the scaffolding immunophilin FK506-binding protein 51 (FKBP51) and calcineurin, FKS06, prevented depletion of nuclear pAkt. Furthermore, okadaic acid, an inhibitor of PP2A, prevented the nuclear pAkt depletion. Chemical inhibition and siRNA indicated that PHLPP, PP2A, and PTEN were required for a robust depletion of nuclear pAkt, and in prostate cancer cells lacking PTEN, transfection of PTEN restored the statin-induced pAkt depletion. The activation of protein and lipid phosphatases was paralleled by a rapid proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) translocation to the nucleus, a PCNA-p21cip1 complex formation, and cyclin D1 degradation. We conclude that these effects reflect a signaling pathway for rapid depletion of pAkt that may stop the cell cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juniper (Juniperus communis L.) is a northern coniferous plant generally used as a spice and for nutritional purposes in foods and drinks. It was previously reported that juniper extract (JE) affects p53 activity, cellular stress, and gene expression induced cell death in human neuroblastoma cells. Therefore, the effects of juniper on p53 and Akt signaling was examined further in A549 lung, 22RV1 and DU145 prostate, and HepG2 liver cancer cells using Western blot, confocal microscopy, and MTT analysis. We found that juniper simultaneously decreased cell viability, activated the p53 pathway, and inactivated the PI3K/Akt pathway. The p53 activation was associated with increased nuclear p53 level. Akt was dephosphorylated, and its inactivation was associated with increased levels of PHLPP1 and PHLPP2 phosphatases. Parallel increases of PARP suggest that JE decreased cell viability by activating cell death. In addition, JE potentiated the effects of gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil anticancer drugs. Thus, JE can activate cell death in different cancer cell lines through p53 and Akt pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial vascular malformations manifest on a continuum ranging from predominantly arterial to predominantly venous in pathology. Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are capillary malformations that exist at the midpoint of this continuum. The axon guidance factor Ephrin B2 and its receptor EphB4 are critical regulators of vasculogenesis in the developing central nervous system. Ephrin B2/EphB4 dysregulation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of arterial-derived arteriovenous malformations and vein-based vein of Galen malformations. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that aberrant Ephrin B2/EphB4 signaling may contribute to developing vascular malformations, but their role in CCMs remains largely uncharacterized. Evidence of Ephrin dysregulation in CCMs would be important to establish a common link in the pathogenic spectrum of EphrinB2/Ephb4 dysregulation. By studying patient-derived primary CCM endothelial cells (CCMECs), we established that CCMECs are functionally distinct from healthy endothelial cell controls; CCMECs demonstrated altered patterns of migration, motility, and impaired tube formation. In addition to the altered phenotype, the CCMECs also displayed an increased ratio of EphrinB2/EphB4 compared to the healthy endothelial control cells. Furthermore, whole exome sequencing identified mutations in both EphrinB2 and EphB4 in the CCMECs. These findings identify functional alterations in the EphrinB2/EphB4 ratio as a feature linking pathophysiology across the spectrum of arterial, capillary, and venous structural malformations in the central nervous system while revealing a putative therapeutic target., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We have synthesized an oxetane derivative of the benzimidazole compound mebendazole (OBD9) with enhanced solubility and strong anticancer activity in multiple types of cancer cells, especially colorectal cancer. In this report, we provide evidence that OBD9 suppresses colorectal cancer growth by interfering with the Wnt signaling pathway, a main driver of cell growth in colorectal cancer. Specifically, we find that OBD9 induces autophagic degradation of TNIK (traf2 and Nck-interacting kinase), which promotes T-cell factor-4 (TCF4)/beta-catenin-mediated gene expression. Thus, OBD9 as a TNIK inhibitor blocks Wnt/beta-catenin signaling at the final step of transcriptional activation. We suggest that OBD9 provides a potential novel autophagy-mediated, Wnt-damping therapeutic strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer., (©2022 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Extracellular nucleotides are important mediators of cell activation and trigger multiple responses via membrane receptors known as purinergic receptors (P2). P2X receptors are ligand-gated ion channels, activated by extracellular ATP. P2X4 is one of the most sensitive purinergic receptors, that is typically expressed by neurons, microglia, and some epithelial and endothelial cells. P2X4 mediates neuropathic pain via brain-derived neurotrophic factor and is also involved in inflammation in response to high ATP release. It is therefore involved in multiple inflammatory pathologies as well as neurodegenerative diseases. We have produced monoclonal antibodies (mAb) directed against this important human P2X4 receptor. Focusing on two mAbs, we showed that they also recognize mouse and rat P2X4. We demonstrated that these mAbs can be used in flow cytometry, immunoprecipitation, and immunohistochemistry, but not in Western blot assays, indicating that they target conformational epitopes. We also characterized the expression of P2X4 receptor on mouse and human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). We showed that P2X4 is expressed at the surface of several leukocyte cell types, with the highest expression level on eosinophils, making them potentially sensitive to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). P2X4 is expressed by leucocytes, in human and mouse, with a significant gender difference, males having higher surface expression levels than females. Our findings reveal that PBL express significant levels of P2X4 receptor, and suggest an important role of this receptor in leukocyte activation by ATP, particularly in P2X4 high expressing eosinophils.

Tight junctions (TJ) act as hubs for intracellular signaling pathways controlling epithelial cell fate and function. Deregulation of TJ is a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which contributes to carcinoma progression and metastasis. However, the signaling mechanisms linking TJ to the induction of EMT are not understood. Here, we identify a TJ-based signalosome, which controls AKT signaling and EMT in breast cancer. The coxsackie and adenovirus receptor (CXADR), a TJ protein with an essential yet uncharacterized role in organogenesis and tissue homeostasis, was identified as a key component of the signalosome. CXADR regulated the stability and function of the phosphatases and AKT inhibitors PTEN and PHLPP2. Loss of CXADR led to hyperactivation of AKT and sensitized cells to TGFβ1-induced EMT. Conversely, restoration of CXADR stabilized PHLPP2 and PTEN, inhibited AKT, and promoted epithelial differentiation. Loss of CXADR in luminal A breast cancer correlated with loss of PHLPP2 and PTEN and poor prognosis. These results show that CXADR promotes the formation of an AKT-inhibitory signalosome at TJ and regulates epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in breast cancer cells. Moreover, loss of CXADR might be used as a prognostic marker in luminal breast cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: The tight junction protein CXADR controls epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in breast cancer by stabilizing the AKT regulators PTEN and PHLPP2. Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/79/1/47/F1.large.jpg., (©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rated as the fifth most common malignancy and third in cancer-related deaths worldwide. Statins, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are potent cholesterol-lowering drugs, and recent epidemiologic evidence suggests that statins prevent aggressive HCC development. Previous experiments revealed that statins downregulate phosphorylated Akt (pAkt). Here, it is demonstrated that atorvastatin decreases nuclear pAkt levels in pancreatic and lung cancer cell lines within minutes, and this rapid effect is mediated by the purinergic P2X receptors. Akt is upregulated by hepatitis viruses and has oncogenic activity in HCC; therefore, we tested the possibility that the P2X-Akt pathway is important for the anticipated anticancer effects of statins in hepatocytes. Atorvastatin decreased hepatitis B virus X protein- and insulin-induced pAkt and pGsk3β (Ser9) levels. Furthermore, Akt-induced lipogenesis was counteracted by atorvastatin, and these statin-induced effects were dependent on P2X receptors. Statin also decreased proliferation and invasiveness of hepatocytes. These data provide mechanistic evidence for a P2X receptor-dependent signaling pathway by which statins decrease pAkt, its downstream phosphorylation target pGsk3β, and lipogenesis in hepatocytes. Implications: The Akt pathway is deregulated and may act as a driver in HCC development; the P2X-Akt signaling pathway may have a role in anticancer effects of statins. Mol Cancer Res; 15(6); 714-22. ©2017 AACR ., (©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.)