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Long-term survivors of glioblastoma multiforme, the most common form of primary intracranial malignancy in adults, are extremely rare. Experimental animal models that more closely resemble human disease are essential for the identification of effective novel therapies. We report here an extensive analysis of the 4C8 glioma model to assess its suitability for evaluating novel type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) therapies of malignant glioma. We first determined that expression of major histocompatibility complex I and II and of alphavbeta3 in the 4C8 model was comparable to that seen in human glioma cells. Next, using a panel of Delta(gamma1)34.5 HSVs, we demonstrated that, in vitro, 4C8 cells were as sensitive as human glioma cells to both infection and lysis and that the 4C8 cells supported the production of foreign gene products. Replication competence of HSV was demonstrated in vitro. Finally, 4C8 intracranial gliomas were established in immunologically competent syngeneic B6D2F1 mice, treated by intratumoral injection of selected engineered HSVs, including the interleukin-12-expressing virus, M002. Survival data from these studies demonstrated that 4C8 cells in vivo are sensitive to both direct oncolysis and HSV-mediated interleukin-12 expression. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses of immune-related infiltrating cells supported the concept that survival was prolonged in part because of antitumor actions of these cells. We conclude that the 4C8/B6D2F1 syngeneic glioma model is suitable for preclinical evaluation of HSV-based therapies and that M002 is a superior virus for the treatment of murine glioma in this model.

Altered expression of CCN3 has been observed in a variety of musculoskeletal tumours, including Ewing's sarcoma (ES). Despite its widespread distribution, very little is known about its biological functions and molecular mechanisms of action. We transfected CCN3 gene into a CCN3-negative ES cell line and analysed the in vitro and in vivo behaviours of stably transfected clones. Forced expression of CCN3 significantly reduced cell proliferation in vitro, growth in anchorage-independent conditions, and tumorigenicity in nude mice. Despite the antiproliferative effect, CCN3-transfected ES cells displayed increased migration and invasion of Matrigel. The decreased expression of alpha2beta1 integrin receptor and the increased amount of cell surface-associated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 following the expression of CCN3 may be the basis for the increased migratory abilities of transfected cells. Cells lacking alpha2beta1 are less facilitated to have stable anchorage since the predominant collagen extracted from ES tissue is indeed type I collagen, and proMMP-9 was recently found to provide a cellular switch between stationary and migratory ES cell phase. Our findings are in line with those recently obtained in glioblastoma. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms appear to be different, further highlighting the importance of the cellular context in the regulation of function of CCN proteins.

The CCN genes encode secreted proteins, associated to the extracellular matrix. They are involved in diverse biological processes such as regulation of cell- adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation and survival. They play important roles in pregnancy, development, angiogenesis, wound repair and inflammation. Several lines of evidence support a role for CCN genes in fibrotic disorders and tumorigenesis. We will focus our attention in this review on two CCN proteins: CCN1 and CCN3, that appear to exert distinct and opposite effects. Recent data suggest that CCN1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor and a key regulator in cancer progression, while CCN3 exhibits suppressive capabilities. The possible opposite functions of CCN1 and CCN3 in tumorigenesis, and the relevance of the distinct expression profiles of these two genes observed in many cancers are discussed below.

A cell line of murine osteogenic progenitor cells, Kusa, was established from femoral bone marrow stromal cells with other types of mesenchymal progenitor cells. We characterized two sublines of Kusa (Kusa-A1 and Kusa-O) from several aspects, including the use of an expression profiling system, a cDNA microarray. The original Kusa subline (Kusa-A1) had high alkaline phosphatase activity and high accumulation of calcium deposits in a condition inducing mineralization, with ascorbic acid and beta-glycerophosphate. Kusa-O, a low osteogenic subline of Kusa, had high alkaline phosphatase activity but slow accumulation of calcium deposits even in the inducing condition. These two Kusa sublines differed in the expression of the osteogenic marker genes, osteocalcin and osteopontin, during mineralization. A type of cDNA microarray revealed marked downregulation of gene expression in the inducing condition in both Kusa-A1 and Kusa-O. Another type of high-throughput microarray was performed to examine the difference in gene expression patterns between Kusa-A1 and Kusa-O. By this analysis, periostin, which would be involved in a stage of osteogenesis, was low in Kusa-A1. On the contrary, Myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C), a myogenic transcriptional factor, was high in Kusa-A1, although no expression of any other myogenic genes was shown.

Many tumor cells exhibit aberrant gap junctional intercellular communication, which can be restored by transfection with connexin genes. We have previously discovered that overexpression of connexin43 (Cx43) in C6 glioma cells not only reduces proliferation but also leads to production of soluble growth-inhibitory factors. We identified that several members of the CCN (Cyr61/connective tissue growth factor/nephroblastoma-overexpressed) family are up-regulated following Cx43 expression, including CCN3 (NOV). We now report evidence for an association between CCN3 and Cx43. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the 48-kDa full-length CCN3 protein was present in the lysate and conditioned medium of growth-suppressed C6-Cx43 cells, as well as primary astrocytes, but not in C6 parental and human glioma cells. Immunocytochemical examination of CCN3 revealed diffuse localization in parental C6 cells, whereas transfection of C6 cells with Cx43 (C6-Cx43) or with a modified Cx43 tagged to green fluorescent protein on its C terminus (Cx43-GFP) resulted in punctate staining, suggesting that CCN3 co-localizes with Cx43 in plaques at the plasma membrane. In cells expressing a C-terminal truncation of Cx43 (Cx43Delta244-382), this co-localization was lost. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay and co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that CCN3 was able to physically interact with Cx43. In contrast, CCN3 was not found to associate with Cx43Delta244-382. Similar experiments revealed that CCN3 did not co-localize or associate with other connexins, including Cx40 or Cx32. Taken together, these data support an interaction of CCN3 with the C terminus of Cx43, which could play an important role in mediating growth control induced by specific gap junction proteins.

The gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43) is thought to be involved in growth control in several tissues. Using the doxycycline inducible tet-on system, we generated human malignant trophoblast Jeg3 cells transfected with either Cx40, Cx43, or C-terminal truncated Cx43 (trCx43). Cx43, but not Cx40 or trCx43, displayed a reduced cell growth of Jeg3 cells in vitro and tumor growth in nude mice, suggesting a role of the C terminus of Cx43 in growth regulation. Using gene array analysis, the growth regulator NOV (CCN3), a member of the CCN gene family, was found to be up-regulated only in the Cx43-transfected cells. Validation by reverse transcriptase-PCR confirmed an up-regulation of the NOV transcript exclusively upon Cx43 induction. In contrast to Cx40 or trCx43, induction of Cx43 led to a switch in localization of NOV from the nucleus to the cell membrane, where it is colocalized with Cx43. Coimmunoprecipitation showed a binding of NOV to the C terminus of Cx43 in vitro as well as in transfected cells. Jeg3 cells transfected only with NOV revealed that NOV itself acts as a growth regulator. We suggest that Cx43 is able to regulate cell growth via an up-regulation of NOV transcription, a change in localization of the NOV protein and a binding of NOV to the C terminus of Cx43.

In this article we briefly review the reasons and advantages that underly our publisher's decision to introduce article-processing charges (APC) for manuscripts submitted to Cell Communication and Signaling. The charge is an attempt to develop a new business model for distributing biomedical information and has been accepted in a number of other journals. APCs will enable BioMed Central to continue to provide their excellent service and will help to establish our journal.

Background/aims: Connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) is expressed during activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and promotes HSC proliferation, adhesion, and collagen production. The aim of the study was to investigate CCN2 signaling pathways in HSC., Methods: Primary HSC were obtained by enzymatic perfusion of rat liver. DNA synthesis was evaluated by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation. Phosphorylation of Elk-1, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was evaluated by Western blot. Transcriptional factor binding activity was determined by gel mobility shift assay while c-fos promoter and CCN2 promoter activity was evaluated using luciferase reporters. c-fos mRNA expression was evaluated by Northern blot., Results: CCN2 stimulated DNA synthesis and phosphorylation of FAK, Elk-1 and ERK1/2, the latter of which was blocked by heparin. The serum response element binding activity and luciferase reporter activity of the c-fos promoter, together with expression of c-fos, were enhanced by CCN2. CCN2-induced c-fos gene activation, expression and cell proliferation were blocked by inhibiting ERK1/2 with PD98059. CCN2 promoter activity was enhanced by TGF-beta1 or PDGF via a Smad7-dependent pathway., Conclusions: CCN2-stimulated HSC DNA synthesis is associated with transient induction of c-fos gene activation and expression as well as activation of the ERK1/2 signal pathway.

Context: Although little is known as yet about the processes that coordinate cell-signalling pathways, matrix proteins are probably major players in this type of global control. The CCN (cyr61, ctgf, nov) proteins are an important family of matricellular regulatory factors involved in internal and external cell signalling. This family participates in angiogenesis, chondrogenesis, and osteogenesis, and they are probably involved in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation., Starting Point: Runping Gao and David Brigstock (Hepatol Res 2003; 27: 214-20) recently showed that CCN2 (CTGF, connective tissue growth factor) is a cell-adhesion factor for hepatic stellate cells. On exposure to transforming growth factor beta, hepatic stellate cells produce distinct CCN2 isoforms. Gao and Brigstock assign to CCN2 module 3 the capacity to mediate binding to low-density-lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP), which was previously reported to interact with CCN2 and to be involved in various types of signalling. They also establish that CCN2 binding to LRP is heparin dependent and that module 4 of CCN2 promotes LRP-independent adhesion of hepatic stellate cells. The differential binding of CCN2 isoforms to LRP highlights the importance of functional interactions between individual modules, and reinforces the concept that different module combinations might confer agonistic or antagonistic activities. WHERE NEXT? It is essential to understand how the distinct configuration of the various CCN isoform affects their biological activities and bioavailability, and to explore the mechanisms and the regulatory processes involved in the production of truncated CCN isoforms. A better understanding of the structural basis for their multifunctionality is a prerequisite to wider use of CCN proteins in molecular medicine.

Growth plate chondrocytes undergo a coordinated differentiation process resulting in terminal differentiation and new bone formation. Enchondromas are pre-malignant, benign cartilaginous lesions that arise from growth plate chondrocytes that fail to undergo terminal differentiation. NOV (nephroblastoma overexpressed) is a member of the CCN family of proteins, which share a common multi-modular organization. While the role of NOV in chondrocyte development and cartilage neoplasia is not known, other CCN family members play a role in chondrocyte differentiation, or are differentially regulated in cartilage neoplasia. In embryonic murine growth plates, NOV was expressed in pre-hypertrophic and early hypertrophic chondrocytes. PTHrP treatment (which inhibits terminal differentiation) decreased NOV expression in murine femurs maintained in organ culture, and decreased the activity of a NOV reporter construct in vitro. Expression of the CCN family members NOV, CTGF, CYR61, and WISP-1 was examined in 15 chondrosarcomas of various grades and in three enchondromas. Expression of all of the family members was lower in the higher-grade tumours. As identification of the grade of cartilage neoplasia can sometimes be difficult using histology alone, the level of expression of CCN family members could be a useful adjunct in the determination of tumour grade., (Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The molecularly cloned myeloblastosis-associated virus type-1(N) (MAV-1(N)) strain induces specifically nephroblastomas in chicken. MAV-induced nephroblastoma constitutes a unique animal model of the human Wilms' tumor. We have previously shown that the MAV-1(N) long terminal repeats (LTR) were necessary and sufficient for nephroblastoma induction. Since major determinants for oncogenesis have been mapped in the U3 region of several other retroviruses, we have analyzed the tumorigenic potential of five recombinant viruses partially deleted in their U3 region. The results obtained indicated that deletions of the LTRs resulted in a modification of the pathogenic spectrum of MAV-1(N) and a decreased efficiency for nephroblastoma induction.

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The CCN genes encode secreted signaling proteins that participate in fundamental processes including cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation, embryogenesis, tissue remodeling and patterning. Abnormal expression of CCN proteins is associated with several pathological conditions, including vascular diseases, fibrosis and cancer. Understanding the structural and functional basis for the variety of biological properties attributed to CCN proteins is an important challenge. It will help the understanding of their roles in the control of cellular proliferation, differentiation and death, thereby allowing their use for early diagnosis and therapy. In an attempt to evaluate the relevance of CCN3 as a useful tool in modern biomedical technologies, the biological properties of the CCN proteins and the data that established their potential usefulness will briefly be reviewed.

The CCN (CYR61 [Cystein-rich61]/CTGF [connective tissue growth factor]/NOV [Nephroblastoma overexpressed]) proteins constitute a family of regulatory factors involved in many aspects of cell proliferation and differentiation. An increasing body of evidence indicates that abnormal expression of the CCN proteins is associated to tumourgenesis. The multimodular architecture of the CCN proteins, and the production of truncated isoforms in tumours, raise interesting questions regarding the participation of each individual module to the various biological properties of these proteins. In this article, we review the current data regarding the involvement of CCN proteins in tumourigenesis. We also attempt to provide structural basis for the stimulatory and inhibitory functions of the full length and truncated CCN proteins that are expressed in various tumour tissues.

The CCN family of genes consists presently of six members in human (CCN1-6) also known as Cyr61 (Cystein rich 61), CTGF (Connective Tissue Growth Factor), NOV (Nephroblastoma Overexpressed gene), WISP-1, 2 and 3 (Wnt-1 Induced Secreted Proteins). Results obtained over the past decade have indicated that CCN proteins are matricellular proteins, which are involved in the regulation of various cellular functions, such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, adhesion and migration. The CCN proteins have recently emerged as regulatory factors involved in both internal and external cell signaling. CCN3 was reported to physically interact with fibulin-1C, integrins, Notch and S100A4. Considering that, the conformation and biological activity of these proteins are dependent upon calcium binding, we hypothesized that CCN3 might be involved in signaling pathways mediated by calcium ions.In this article, we review the data showing that CCN3 regulates the levels of intracellular calcium and discuss potential models that may account for the biological effects of CCN3.

We demonstrate a novel interaction of the nephroblastoma overexpressed gene (NOV), a member of the CCN gene family, with the Notch signaling pathway. NOV associates with the epidermal growth factor-like repeats of Notch1 by the CT (C-terminal cysteine knot) domain. The promoters of HES1 and HES5, which are the downstream transducers of Notch signaling, were activated by NOV. Expressions of NOV and Notch1 were concomitant in the presomitic mesoderm and later in the myocytes and chondrocytes, suggesting their synergistic effects in mesenchymal cell differentiation. In C2/4 myogenic cells, elevated expression of NOV led to down-regulation of MyoD and myogenin, resulting in inhibition of myotube formation. These results indicate that NOV-Notch1 association exerts a positive effect on Notch signaling and consequently suppresses myogenesis.

The CCN3(NOV) protein belongs to the CCN [cysteine-rich CYR61, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), nephroblastoma overexpressed gene (Nov)] family of growth regulators, sharing a strikingly conserved multimodular organization but exhibiting distinctive functional features. Although previous studies have revealed an expression of CCN3 protein in several normal tissues, including kidney, nervous system, lung, muscle, and cartilage, less is known about its expression in tumors. In this study, we analyzed the expression of CCN3 in musculoskeletal tumors, using a panel of human cell lines and tissue samples. An association between CCN3 expression and tumor differentiation was observed in rhabdomyosarcoma and cartilage tumors, whereas, in Ewing's sarcoma, the expression of this protein seemed to be associated with a higher risk to develop metastases. CCN3 expression was found in 15 of 45 Ewing's sarcoma tissue samples. In particular, we did not observe any expression of CCN3 in the 15 primary tumors that did not develop metastases. In contrast, 15 of the 30 primary tumors that developed lung and/or bone metachronous metastases showed a high expression of the protein (P < 0.001, Fisher's test). Our studies indicate that CCN3 is generally expressed in the cells of the musculoskeletal system. This protein may play a role both in normal and pathological conditions. However, the regulation of CCN3 expression varies in the different neoplasms and depends on the type of cells. Thus, as reported for other CCN genes, the biological properties and regulation of expression of CCN3 are dependent on the cellular context and the nature of the cells in which it is produced. Further studies will help to clarify the biological role of this protein in musculoskeletal neoplasms.