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The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS) and abnormal endothelial cells apoptosis is a multifactorial biological process. Oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) is a critical factor in the formation of AS. However, the exact mechanism is still not clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate some genes and biological pathways in endothelial cells apoptosis in response to ox-LDL. First, our results has validated that ox-LDL is an effective inducer of endothelial cells apoptosis, then, transcriptome sequencing was used to detect differential expression genes. In total, 71 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 32 upregulated genes and 39 downregulated genes. GO analysis showed that DEGs were mainly enriched in cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, gene expression, external side of plasma membrane, steroid binding, and signaling receptor binding. After KEGG analysis, the DEGs mainly focused on the following biochemical signaling pathways, including Signaling molecules and interaction (such as ICOSLG, IL6, ITGAM, TNFRSF13C and VTCN1), Signal transduction (such as IL13RA2, IL6, ITGAM, PDE5A, SGK3 and TNFRSF13C), Immune system (such as FCGR2A, ICOSLG, IL6, ITGAM and TNFRSF13C), and so on. These genes may play a dominant role in HAECs apoptosis and AS genesis. The above prediction and analysis provide an important basis for our follow-up study of the mechanism of these genes, which might be used as molecular targets or diagnostic biomarkers for AS.

Background & AimsAnti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNFα) agents have been used for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), however, it has up to 30% non-response rate. Identifying molecular pathways and finding reliable diagnostic biomarkers for patient response to anti-TNFα treatment are clearly needed.MethodsPublicly available transcriptomic data from IBD patients receiving anti-TNFα therapy was systemically collected and integrated. In silico flow cytometry approaches and MetaScape were applied to evaluate immune cell populations and to perform gene enrichment analysis, respectively. Genes identified within enrichment pathways validated in neutrophils were tracked in an anti-TNFα-treated animal model (with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to all genes to identify the best prediction biomarkers.ResultsA total of 449 samples were retrieved from control, baseline and after primary anti-TNFα therapy or placebo. No statistically significant differences were observed between anti-TNFα treatment responders and non-responders at baseline in immune microenvironment scores. Neutrophils, endothelial and B cell populations were higher in baseline non-responders and chemotaxis pathways may contribute to the treatment resistance. Genes related to chemotaxis pathways were significantly up-regulated in LPS-induced neutrophils but no statistically significant changes were observed in neutrophils treated with anti-TNFα. Interleukin 13 receptor subunit alpha 2 (IL13RA2) is the best predictor (ROC: 80.7%, 95% CI: 73.8% - 87.5%) with a sensitivity of 68.13% and specificity of 84.93%, and significantly higher in non-responders compared to responders (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsHyperactive chemotaxis influences responses to anti-TNFα treatment and IL13RA2 is a potential biomarker to predict anti-TNFα treatment response.

Aim/Objective: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. In UC, a wide range of criteria are used for disease remission, with few studies investigating the differences between disease remission and normal control groups. This paper compares known inflammatory and healing mediators in the mucosa of UC in clinical remission and normal controls, in order to better describe the remission state. Method: Mucosal biopsies from 72 study participants (48 UC and 24 normal controls) were included from the Advanced Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (ASIB Study), Arctic University of Norway, Norway. Clinical remission was defined as Mayo clinical score ≤ 2, with endoscopic subscores of ≤ 1. Targeted gene transcription analyses were performed using hydrolysis probes and SYBR-green. Results: Among the mucosal transcripts examined, 10 genes were regulated in remission versus normal controls, 8 upregulated pro-inflammatory transcripts (IL1B, IL33, TNF, TRAF1, CLDN2, STAT1, STAT3 and IL13Ra2) and 2 downregulated (pro-inflammatory TBX21 and anti-inflammatory TGFB1). In total, 14 transcripts were regulated between the investigated groups. Several master transcription factors for T-cell development were upregulated in patients with Mayo endoscopic score of 1 in comparison to 0. Conclusions: The mucosa of UC in clinical and endoscopic remission differs from normal mucosa, suggesting a remaining dysregulation of inflammatory and wound healing mechanisms.

Background: In this study, we aimed to detect the changes in the level of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 cytokines and their downstream genes including interleukin-13 receptor subunit alpha-2 (IL13Ra2), interleukin-4 receptor subunit alpha-1 (IL4Ra1), dual oxidase 1 (DUOX1) and dual oxidase 2 (DUOX2). The protective effects of Selenium-L-methionine on radiation-induced histopathological damages and changes in the level of these cytokines and genes were detected. Methods: Four groups of 20 rats (5 rats in each) namely, control; Selenium-L-methionine, radiation and radiation plus Selenium-L-methionine were used in this study. 4 mg/kg of Selenium-Lmethionine was administered 1 day before irradiation and five consecutive days after irradiation. Irradiation was done using a dose of 15 Gy 60Co gamma rays at 109 cGy/min. All rats were sacrificed 10 weeks after irradiation for detecting changes in IL-4 and IL-13 cytokines, the expressions of IL13Ra2, IL4Ra1, Duox1 and Duox2 and histopathological changes. Results: The level of IL-4 but not IL-13 increased after irradiation. This was associated with increased expression of IL4Ra1, Duox1 and Duox2, in addition to changes in morphological properties. Selenium-L-methionine could attenuate all injury markers following lung irradiation. Conclusion: Selenium-L-methionine can protect lung tissues against toxic effects of ionizing radiation. It is possible that the modulation of immune responses and redox interactions are involved in the radioprotective effect of this agent.

Background Non-functional pituitary adenoma (NFPA) is highly heterogeneous with different hormone expression subtypes. Of them, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-positive expression is an important subtype of NFPAs. It is well-known that FSH exerted its functions through binding its receptor. However, the expression rate of FSH receptor was significantly higher in aggressive pituitary adenomas. This study aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics of FSH-positive NFPAs for effective stratification of patient, target treatment, prognostic assessment, and personalized treatment of FSH-positive NFPAs. Methods Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics was used to investigate differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between FSH-positive and negative NFPAs. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were used to analyze the DEPs. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between invasive and non-invasive NFPAs from GEO database were analyzed with pathway enrichment analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed based on DEPs in excetral cellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and PI3K-Akt pathways. Cytoscape was used to obtain most significant modules. Western blot was used to validate the expressions of upregulated proteins (ITGA1, ITGA6, and ITGB4), the expression and phosphorylated status of Akt in PI3K-Akt pathway, and the expression of FSH receptors in FSH-positive relative to negative NFPAs. Results A total of 594 DEPs (374 upregulated and 220 downregulated) were identified between FSH-positive and negative NFPAs. Nineteen KEGG pathway networks were identified to involve DEPs, and reveal molecular differences between FSH-positive and negative NFPAs, including three important pathways that were significantly associated with tumor invasiveness and aggressiveness: ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Further, focal adhesion pathway was also confirmed with invasiveness-related NFPA DEG data that were derived from GEO database. Moreover, the significantly upregulated DEPs (ITGA1, ITGA6, and ITGB4) that were associated with tumor invasiveness and aggressiveness were confirmed by immunoaffinity analysis in FSH-positive vs. negative NFPAs. Also, the phosphorylation level but not its expression level of AKT in PI3K-AKT signaling was significantly increased, and the expression level of FSH receptor was significantly increased in FSH-positive relative to negative NFPAs. Also, overlapping analysis of 594 DEPs and 898 DEGs revealed 45 invasiveness-related DEPs, including 11 upregulated DEPs (ITGA6, FARP1, PALLD, PPBP, LIMA1, SCD, UACA, BAG3, CLU, PLEC, and GATM) that were also upregulated genes in invasive NFPAs, and 8 downregulated DEPs (ALCAM, HP, FSTL4, IL13RA2, NPTX2, DPP6, CRABP2, and SLC27A2) that were also downregulated genes in invasive NFPAs. Conclusions FSH-positive expression was an important NFPA subtype. It was the first time for this study to reveal FSH-related proteomic variations and the corresponding molecular network alterations in FSH-positive relative to negative NFPAs. Also, three signaling pathways (ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways) and involved upregulated proteins (ITGA1, ITGA6, ITGB4, pAKT, and FSHR) were significantly associated with tumor invasiveness and aggressiveness, and a set of invasiveness-related DEPs were identified with overlapping analysis of 594 DEPs in FSH-positive vs. negative NFPAs and 898 DEGs in invasive vs. non-invasive NFPAs. These findings offered the scientific evidence to in-depth understand molecular characteristics of FSH-positive NFPAs, and effectively stratify the post-surgery patients for personalized prognostic assessment and targeted treatment of FSH-positive NFPAs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s13167-019-00187-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Introduction: Redox interactions play a key role in radiation injury including heart diseases. In present study, we aimed to detect the possible protective role of selenium-L-methionine on infiltration of immune cells and Duox1&2 upregulation in rat’s heart tissues. Methods: In this study, 20 rats were divided into 4 groups (5 rats in each) namely: irradiation; irradiation plus Selenium-L-methionine; control; and Selenium-L-methionine treatment. Irradiation (15 Gy to chest) was performed using a cobalt-60 gamma ray source while 4 mg/kg of selenium-L-methionine was administered intraperitoneally. Ten weeks after irradiation, rats were sacrificed for detection of IL-4 and IL-13 cytokines, infiltration of macrophages and lymphocytes as well as the expressions of IL4Ra1, Duox1, IL13Ra2 and Duox2. Results: Results showed an increase in the level of IL-4 as well as the expressions of IL4Ra1, Duox1 and Duox2. Similarly, there was an increase in the infiltration of lymphocytes and macrophages. There was significant attenuation of all these changes following treatment with selenium-L-methionine. Conclusion: Selenium-L-methionine has the potential to protect heart tissues against radiation injury. Downregulation of pro-oxidant genes and modulation of some cytokines such as IL-4 are involved in the radioprotective effect of selenium-L-methionine on heart tissues.

Background: Heart injury is one of the most important concerns after exposure to a high dose of radiation in chest cancer radiotherapy or whole body exposure to a radiation disaster. Studies have proposed that increased level of inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines following radiotherapy or radiation events play a key role in the development of several side effects such as cardiovascular disorders. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of IL-4 and IL-13 cytokines as well as signaling pathways such as IL4Ra1, IL13Ra2, Duox1 and Duox2. In addition, we detected the possible protective effect of curcumin on the expression of these factors and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Materials and Methods: Twenty rats were divided into 4 groups including control; curcumin treated; radiation; and radiation plus curcumin. After 10 weeks, rats were sacrificed for evaluation of mentioned parameters. Results: Results showed an increase in the level of IL-4 and all evaluated genes, as well as increased infiltration of lymphocytes and macrophages. Treatment with curcumin could attenuate these changes. Conclusion: Curcumin could reduce radiation-induced heart injury markers in rats.

Background. The interleukin-13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13RA2) and ephrin type A receptor 2 (EPHA2) are attractive therapeutic targets, being expressed in similar to 90% of canine and human gliomas, and absent in normal brain. Clinical trials using an earlier generation IL-13 based cytotoxin showed encouraging clinical effects in human glioma, but met with technical barriers associated with the convection-enhanced delivery (CED) method. In this study, IL-13 mutant and ephrin A1 (EFNA1)-based bacterial cytotoxins targeted to IL13RA2 and EPHA2 receptors, respectively, were administered locoregionally by CED to dogs with intracranial gliomas to evaluate their safety and preliminary efficacy. Methods. In this phase I, 3 + 3 dose escalation trial, cytotoxins were infused by CED in 17 dogs with gliomas expressing IL13RA2 or EPHA2 receptors. CED was performed using a shape-fitting therapeutic planning algorithm, reflux-preventing catheters, and real-time intraoperative MRI monitoring. The primary endpoint was to determine the maximum tolerated dose of the cytotoxic cocktail in dogs with gliomas. Results. Consistent intratumoral delivery of the cytotoxic cocktail was achieved, with a median target coverage of 70% (range, 40-94%). Cytotoxins were well tolerated over a dose range of 0.012-1.278 mu g/mL delivered to the target volume (median, 0.099 mu g/mL), with no dose limiting toxicities observed. Objective tumor responses, up to 94% tumor volume reduction, were observed in 50% (8/16) of dogs, including at least one dog in each dosing cohort >0.05 mu g/mL. Conclusions. This study provides preclinical data fundamental to the translation of this multireceptor targeted therapeutic approach to the human clinic. Wake Forest University Translational Sciences Institute, National Cancer Institute [R01CA139099, R01CA74145, P01CA207206]; Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University Brain Tumor Center of Excellence; Hearn Fund for Brain Tumor Research; Pratto Fund for Brain Tumor Research; Dallas Ray Swing Brain Tumor Fund Published version This work was supported by grants from the Wake Forest University Translational Sciences Institute, National Cancer Institute (R01CA139099, R01CA74145, P01CA207206), the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University Brain Tumor Center of Excellence, Hearn Fund for Brain Tumor Research, Pratto Fund for Brain Tumor Research, and Dallas Ray Swing Brain Tumor Fund.

Background: It has been proposed that increased levels of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines play a key role in radiation-induced lung injury. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 are two pro-fibrotic cytokines that promote the production of free radicals through stimulation of Duox1 and Duox2. In this experimental study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of IL4Ra1, Duox1, IL13Ra2, and Duox2 genes following rat’s lung irradiation. Objectives: Also, we detected the modulatory effect of a combination of curcumin and L-selenomethionine on the expression of these genes. Methods: Twenty male rats were divided into four groups as G1: control (no treatment or radiation); G2: treatment with a combination of curcumin and L-selenomethionine; G3: radiation; G4: radiation plus a combination of curcumin and L-selenomethionine. sixty-seven days after irradiation, rats were killed for detecting the expression of IL4Ra1, IL13Ra2, Duox1, and Duox2. Results: The results showed no detectable expression for IL13Ra2, while the expression of IL4Ra1, Duox1, and Duox2 was increased. Treatment with a combination of curcumin and L-selenomethionine could attenuate the expression of these genes. Conclusions: This study proposes that upregulation of Duox1 and Duox2 may be involved in radiation-induced lung injury. Treatment with a combination of curcumin and L-selenomethionine may be useful for the mitigation of lung injury through modulation of these genes.

Purpose To determine the effects of titanium nanoparticles, that may have been scattered after dental implant placement, on gene and promoter expression, and gingival tissue. Methods Ca9-22 cell lines were used as gingival epithelial cells to assess the effects of titanium dioxide nanomaterials as titanium nanoparticles. Cells were cocultured with or without titanium dioxide nanomaterials prior to gene and promoter expression analysis. Expression of interleukin-13α2 receptor was investigated using real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining. Additionally, the enhanced messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of transforming growth factor β1 was analyzed using the same method. Results Titanium dioxide nanomaterials affected gene and promoter expression in Ca9-22 cells: among the 160 upregulated genes, the upregulation of IL13RA2, which encodes interleukin-13α2 receptor, was the highest (8.625 log2 fold change). Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the increased expression of interleukin-13α2 receptor, which enhanced transforming growth factor β1 expression by stimulation with interleukin-13. Conclusion Titanium dioxide nanomaterials applied on the gingival epithelium around the dental implant may increase interleukin-13α2 receptor expression. In turn, this can enhance the secretion of transforming growth factor β1, which is known to promote the differentiation of osteoclasts involved in bone resorption, and potentially affect gingival tissue.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) is the second most common type of renal carcinoma following clear cell renal cell carcinoma, and the role of immune-related genes (IRGs) in tumorigenesis and metastasis is evident; its prognostic value in PRCC remains unclear. In this study, we downloaded the gene expression profiles and clinical data of patients with PRCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and obtained IRGs from the ImmPort database. A total of 371 differentially expressed IRGs (DEIRGs) were discovered between PRCC and normal kidney tissues. Prognostic DEIRGs (PDEIRGs) were identified by univariate Cox regression analysis. Then, we screened the four most representative PDEIRGs (IL13RA2, CCL19, BIRC5, and INHBE) and used them to construct a risk model to predict the prognosis of patients with PRCC. This model precisely stratified survival outcome and accurately identified mutation burden in PRCC. Thus, our results suggest that these four PDEIRGs are available prognostic predictors for PRCC. They could be used to assess the prognosis and to guide individualized treatments for patients with PRCC.

The endometrium, composed of epithelial and stromal cell compartments, is tightly regulated by the ovarian steroid hormones estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) during early pregnancy. Through the progesterone receptor (PGR), steroid receptor coactivators, and other transcriptional coregulators, progesterone inhibits E2-induced cell proliferation and induces the differentiation of stromal cells in a process called decidualization to promote endometrial receptivity. Although interleukin-13 receptor subunit alpha-2 (Il13ra2) is expressed in the human and mouse endometrium, its potential role in the steroid hormone regulation of the endometrium has not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we employed PGR knockout mice and steroid receptor coactivator-1 knockout mice (SRC-1−/−) to profile the expression of Il13ra2 in the murine endometrium and determine the role of these transcriptional regulators in the hormone-responsiveness of Il13ra2 expression. Furthermore, we utilized a well-established decidualization-inducing steroidogenic cocktail and a siRNA-based knockdown of IL13RA2 to determine the importance of IL13RA2 in the decidualization of primary human endometrial stromal cells. Our findings demonstrate that Il13ra2 is expressed in the subepithelial stroma of the murine endometrium in response to ovarian steroid hormones and during early pregnancy in a PGR- and SRC-1-dependent manner. Furthermore, we show that knockdown of IL13RA2 before in vitro decidualization of primary human endometrial stromal cells partially compromises the full decidualization response. We conclude that Il13ra2 is a downstream target of progesterone through PGR and SRC-1 and plays a role in mediating the stromal action of ovarian steroid hormones.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is both the most common and deadly malignant primary brain tumor with a 1-year survival of 37.2% and a 5-year survival of just 5.1%. Despite advances in imaging technology, distinguishing between pseudoprogression and pseudoresponse remains problematic and there is a dire need for additional diagnostic methods. Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles are found in a variety of biofluids and are good candidates for a liquid biopsy. A unique characteristic of GBM is the overexpression of the α2 variant of IL-13 receptor (IL13Rα2) in 78-96% of patients while virtually undetectable in normal brain tissue. We hypothesize that biofluids of patients with GBM contains sufficient IL13Rα2-positive extracellular vesicles (EV) to inform the clinical picture regarding disease status such as tumor recurrence and response to therapy. We have measured the levels of IL13Rα2 in the EV fraction of plasma from GBM patients and correlated these levels to patient survival, and patient clinical characteristics (n=35). We have demonstrated that the EV fraction of some patients with GBM is enriched for the IL13Rα2 receptor. The plasma level of IL13Rα2 could also predict the level of IL13Rα2 in the GBM tumor (n=9). Further, IL13Rα2 positive EVs from patient-derived GBM cell lines could be immunoprecipitated for further interrogation of genomic and proteomic molecular markers. These exciting findings lay the groundwork for a GBM liquid biopsy based on tumor-specific EVs in patient biofluids.

// Anirudh Sattiraju 1, 2, * , Kiran Kumar Solingapuram Sai 1, 2, * , Ang Xuan 4, * , Darpan N. Pandya 2 , Frankis G. Almaguel 1 , Thaddeus J. Wadas 1, 3 , Denise M. Herpai 2, 3 , Waldemar Debinski 2, 3 and Akiva Mintz 1, 2 1 Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 2 Brain Tumor Center of Excellence, Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 3 Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 4 Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, The People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Akiva Mintz, email: amintz@wakehealth.edu Keywords: glioblastoma, IL13RA2, alpha particle therapy, Actinium-225, Copper-64 Received: January 10, 2017 Accepted: April 15, 2017 Published: May 11, 2017 ABSTRACT Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary malignant brain cancer that invariably results in a dismal prognosis. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have not been completely effective as standard treatment options for patients due to recurrent disease. We and others have therefore developed molecular strategies to specifically target interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13RA2), a GBM restricted receptor expressed abundantly on over 75% of GBM patients. In this work, we evaluated the potential of Pep-1L, a novel IL13RA2 targeted peptide, as a platform to deliver targeted lethal therapies to GBM. To demonstrate GBM-specificity, we radiolabeled Pep-1L with Copper-64 and performed in vitro cell binding studies, which demonstrated specific binding that was blocked by unlabeled Pep-1L. Furthermore, we demonstrated real-time GBM localization of [ 64 Cu]Pep-1L to orthotopic GBMs using small animal PET imaging. Based on these targeting data, we performed an initial in vivo safety and therapeutic study using Pep-1L conjugated to Actinium-225, an alpha particle emitter that has been shown to potently and irreversibly kill targeted cells. We infused [ 225 Ac]Pep-1L into orthotopic GBMs using convection-enhanced delivery and found no significant adverse events at injected doses. Furthermore, our initial data also demonstrated significantly greater overall, median and mean survival in treated mice when compared to those in control groups ( p < 0.05). GBM tissue extracted from mice treated with [ 225 Ac]Pep-1L showed double stranded DNA breaks, lower Ki67 expression and greater propidium iodide internalization, indicating anti-GBM therapeutic effects of [ 225 Ac]Pep-1L. Based on our results, Pep-1L warrants further investigation as a potential targeted platform to deliver anti-cancer agents.

We have studied the effect of chromium disilicide and titanium nitride nanoparticles on the expression level of genes encoding important regulatory enzymes and factors (NAMPT, UPS7, E2F8, FAS/TNFSF6, TBX3, and IL13RA2) in mouse liver for evaluation of possible toxic effects of these nanoparticles. It was shown that treatment of mice by titanium nitride nanoparticles (20 nm; 20 mg with food every working day for 2 months) led to up-regulation of the expression of NAMPT, FAS, TBX3, and IL13RA2 genes and to down-regulation of USP7 and E2F8 genes in the liver tissue. Changes for TBX3 and IL13RA2 genes were more significant than for other genes. Furthermore, treatment of mice by chromium disilicide nanoparticles (45 nm; 20 mg with food every working day for 2 months) led to more significant changes in the expression of USP7, E2F8, FAS, and TBX3 genes in comparison to the effect of titanium nitride nanoparticles. At the same time, effect of titanium nitride nanoparticles on the expression of NAMPT gene in the liver tissue was stronger as compared to chromium disilicide nanoparticles. Additionally, treatment of mice by chromium disilicide nanoparticles did not change significantly the expression of IL13RA2 gene in the liver. The present study demonstrates that chromium disilicide and titanium nitride nanoparticles had variable effects on the expression of most studied genes in a gene specific manner, which possibly reflect genotoxic activities of studied nanoparticles, but molecular mechanisms of observed changes in gene expressions warrant further investigation.

Peptides that target cancer cell surface receptors are promising platforms to deliver diagnostic and therapeutic payloads specifically to cancer but not normal tissue. IL13RA2 is a tumor-restricted receptor found to be present in several aggressive malignancies, including in the vast majority of high-grade gliomas and malignant melanoma. This receptor has been successfully targeted for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes using modified IL-13 ligand and more recently using a specific peptide, Pep-1L. In the current work, we establish the in vitro and in vivo tumor binding properties of radiolabeled Pep-1L, designed for tumor imaging. We radiolabeled Pep-1L with Copper-64 and demonstrated specific cell uptake in the IL13RA2-over expressing G48 glioblastoma cell line having abundant IL13RA2 expression. [64Cu]Pep-1L binding was blocked by unlabeled ligand, demonstrating specificity. To demonstrate in vivo tumor uptake, we intravenously injected into tumor-bearing mice and demonstrated that [64Cu]Pep-1L specifically bound tumors at 24 hours, which was significantly blocked (3-fold) by pre-injecting unlabeled peptide. To further demonstrate specificity of Pep-1L towards IL13RA2 in vivo, we exploited an IL13RA2-inducible melanoma tumor model that does not express receptor at baseline but expresses abundant receptor after treatment with doxycycline. We injected [64Cu]Pep-1L into mice bearing IL13RA2-inducible melanoma tumors and performed in vivo PET/CT and post-necropsy biodistribution studies and found that tumors that were induced to express IL13RA2 receptor by doxycycline pretreatment bound radiolabeled Pep-1L 3-4 fold greater than uninduced tumors, demonstrating receptor specificity. This work demonstrates that [64Cu]Pep-1L selectively binds hIL13RA2-expressing tumors and validates Pep-1L as an effective platform to deliver diagnostics and therapeutics to IL13RA2-expressing cancers.

We have studied the effect of inhibition of IRE1 (inositol requiring enzyme 1), which is a central mediator of endoplasmic reticulum stress and a controller of cell proliferation and tumor growth, on hypoxic regulation of the expression of different proliferation related genes in U87 glioma cells. It was shown that hypoxia leads to up-regulation of the expression of IL13RA2, CD24, ING1, ING2, ENDOG, and POLG genes and to down-regulation – of KRT18, TRAPPC3, TSFM, and MTIF2 genes at the mRNA level in control glioma cells. Changes for ING1 and CD24 genes were more significant. At the same time, inhibition of IRE1 modifies the effect of hypoxia on the expression of all studied genes. In particular, it increases sensitivity to hypoxia of the expression of IL13RA2, TRAPPC3, ENDOG, and PLOG genes and suppresses the effect of hypoxia on the expression of ING1 gene. Additionally, it eliminates hypoxic regulation of KRT18, CD24, ING2, TSFM, and MTIF2 genes expressions and introduces sensitivity to hypoxia of the expression of BET1 gene in glioma cells. The present study demonstrates that hypoxia, which often contributes to tumor growth, affects the expression of almost all studied genes. Additionally, inhibition of IRE1 can both enhance and suppress the hypoxic regulation of these gene expressions in a gene specific manner and thus possibly contributes to slower glioma growth, but several aspects of this regulation must be further clarified.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:There are some treatment strategies using up-front chemotherapy or androgen receptor axis targeting therapies for metastatic hormone-naive prostate cancer (mHNPC). Howeve...

ObjectiveTo explore novel related genes and potential biomarkers of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs).Materials and MethodsTwo data sets from ICGC and two from the NCBI GEO database were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PanNETs. The common DEGs among the four sources were analyzed; furthermore, the relationship of these gene expression patterns with different PanNET grades, their mutation status and corresponding impact on prognosis, the interaction network, and the relationship with three known PanNET genes (ATRX, DAXX, and MEN1) were analyzed by two other GEO data and cBioPortal database. Finally, the expressions of novel DEGs were validated in Chinese PanNET tissues by RT-qPCR.ResultsFive new DEGs (ABCC8, PCSK2, IL13RA2, KLKB1, and PART1) and one confirmed DEG-ISL1 were identified. The mutation counts of DEGs increased with the tumor grade increasing from G1 to G3, and PanNET patients present vascular invasion or are deceased. These DEG expression patterns in PanNETs are quite different from that of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and are related to A–D–M (ATRX–DAXX–MEN1) mutation. ABCC8 and KLKB1 are co-occurrence with the A–D–M axis in PanNETs. Importantly, patients with DEG mutations have a lower survival rate. RT-qPCR verification results of KLKB1 (P < 0.01), IL13RA2 (P < 0.01), ABCC8 (P < 0.01), and PART1 (P < 0.0001) expressions in Chinese PanNET tissues are consistent with our database analysis, which were significantly up-regulated. However, the expression of PCSK2 (P < 0.01) was contrary to our bioinformatics analysis, which was significantly down-regulated, suggesting that the expression trend of PCSK2 may be different among different races. These results indicated that these five genes may play an important role in the occurrence and progression of PanNETs.ConclusionFive novel common DEGs identified are related to the development and prognosis of PanNETs and may serve as specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Introduction: Interleukin-13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13Rα2) is a high affinity receptor for IL-13, best known as a decoy receptor that lacks intracellular kinase activity. Yet, IL13Rα2 has been shown to play an important role in the pathobiology of glioblastomas, colon, ovarian and pancreatic cancer, through the recruitment and activation of FAK, SRC and other intracellular signaling pathways. In breast cancer, the function of IL13Rα2 remains controversial. Increased IL13Rα2 expression is associated with poor prognosis for high grade tumors but not low-grade tumors, while was also reported to be associated with poor prognosis in luminal subtypes only. Increased levels of IL13Rα2 were reported in breast cancer cells with brain metastatic tropism, yet the function of IL13Rα2 during brain metastatic colonization remains unexplored. Since IL-13 is expressed by various cells within the brain niche, this study tests the hypothesis that ligand dependent and independent mechanisms modulate IL13Rα2 function during brain metastatic progression. Methods and results: qPCR, Western blot and IHC analysis demonstrated that IL13Rα2 was expressed at various levels in HER2+ and TN brain-trophic breast cancer cell lines (231BR, JmT1BR3, 4T1BR5, F2-7), brain-metastasis patient-derived xenografts (BM-PDXs) and a cohort of 26 clinical breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) samples. To assess how IL13Rα2 influences pro-metastatic abilities independent of ligand, inducible-shRNAs and CRISPR/cas9 were used to downregulate IL13Rα2 expression in 231BR cells. Knockdown of IL13Rα2 reduced the ability of 231BR cells to migrate (41.7% ± 4.5 vs 71.5% ± 9.7; p=0.001) and invade (49.5% ± 6.5 vs 73.1% ± 2.9; p=0.001) compared to the empty vector (EV) control cells. Furthermore, inducible-IL13Rα2 downregulation decreased significantly the proliferation (-22.1% at 96 hours, p Conclusions: These results suggest that ligand-dependent and independent mechanisms modulate IL13Rα2 through brain metastatic colonization. Ligand-independent IL13Rα2 promotes proliferation and invasion of cancer cells, favoring early dissemination and brain colonization. Loss of IL13Rα2 at later stages of BM, may prevent IL-13-induced blockage of proliferation and promote aggressiveness of established BM. Citation Format: Ricaurte Alejandro Marquez-Ortiz, Maria J Contreras-Zarate, Nicole L Day, Ryan Ormond, Virginia F Borges, Diana M Cittelly. Ligand dependent and independent roles of interleukin-13 receptor alpha 2 in breast cancer brain metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-05-04.

BACKGROUND The outstanding efficacy of bi-specific T-cell engagers (BiTE against hematological malignancies offers hope that they can similarly target solid tumors like GBM. In this study, we have designed a BiTE protein with specificity to the tumor-associated antigen, IL13Rα2, and investigated how BiTE protein engages a host’s T cell immune response to promote anti-glioma activity in pre-clinical models of GBM. MATERIAL AND METHODS BiTE molecule consisting of two single chain variable regions (scFv) of antibodies against either murine or human CD3ε and scFv47 against human IL13Rα2 connected through a flexible linker (BiTEIL13Rα2) were sub-cloned in a lentiviral expression cassette. The BiTE molecule (BiTEIL13Rα2off) modified to abrogate the interaction of scFv47 with IL13Rα2 served as a negative control. The BiTE proteins were isolated from the supernatants of HEK293T cells using His-Tag affinity chromatography and validated in SDS-PAGE, Western Blot, and ELISA assays. The BiTEIL13Rα2-induced T cells activation was measured in (i) cytotoxicity assay against IL13Rα2+ glioma cells, (ii) flow cytometry measuring for CD69 and CD25 T cells’ activation markers, and (iii) the production of cytokines, IFNγ and TNFα. For in vivo analysis, VmDk and C57Bl/6 mice bearing established intracranial glioma were treated systemically with BiTE proteins. The survival of the mice was recorded and analyzed using the log-rank test. RESULTS Here we show that BiTEIL13Rα2 specifically binds to IL13Rα2 but not to IL13Rα1, whereas BiTEIL13Rα2off has no binding activity to both IL13 receptors. The co-culture of naïve murine or donor’s human CD3+ T cells with IL13Rα2+ glioma cells in the presence of BiTEIL13Rα2 but not with BiTEIL13Rα2off (i) activates CD3+CD8+ T cells as judged by upregulation of CD69, CD25, and production of IFNγ and TNFα and (ii) results in concentration- and antigen-dependent cytotoxicity in glioma cells. Furthermore, a direct comparison of CD3+ T cells obtained from the peripheral blood and tumor tissue of GBM patients revealed that BiTEIL13Rα2 induces a potent cytotoxic activity of CD3+ T cells against IL13Rα2+ glioma cells. Finally, treatment of immunocompetent mice bearing IL13Rα2+ murine glioma with BiTEIL13Rα2 resulted in a higher frequency of intratumoral CD8+ T cells, and significant (p CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate that BiTEIL13Rα2 protein activates CD3+ T cells in an antigen-specific fashion. Furthermore, systemic treatment with BiTEIL13Rα2 protein confers a significant survival benefit in pre-clinical syngeneic glioma models, warranting investigations in other IL13Rα2-expressing cancers and translation to clinical settings.

// Mian Xie 1, * , Xiao-jun Wu 2, 3, * , Jin-jun Zhang 4 , Chao-sheng He 5, * 1 China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China 2 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China 3 Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China 4 Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work correspondence to: Mian Xie, e-mail: mianxie@gird.cn Keywords: lung cancer, IL13Rα2, TAZ, PI3K Received: May 15, 2014 Accepted: September 08, 2015 Published: September 21, 2015 ABSTRACT IL-13 receptor subunit alpha-2 (IL13Rα2) is associated with poor prognosis in some cancers. However, the role of IL13Rα2 in lung cancer remains unknown. We showed that IL13Rα2 overexpression was associated with late stages of disease progression and shorter disease-free survival (DFS) as well as overall survival (OS) in resected lung cancer patients. IL13Rα2 promoted the migration, invasion and anoikis resistance of lung cancer cells in vitro . Silencing of IL13Rα2 in lung cancer cells decreased invasion in vitro and lung metastasis in vivo . IL13Rα2 activated phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), Akt, and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). Inhibition of PI3K attenuated activation of TAZ and its downstream target genes by IL13Rα2. We suggest that inhibition of IL13Rα2 is a potential therapeutic approach in lung cancer.

Cancer/testis (CT) antigens are potential immunotherapeutic targets in cancer. However, the expression of particular antigens is limited to a subset of tumors of a given type. Thus, there is a need to identify antigens with complementary expression patterns for effective therapeutic intervention. In this study, we searched for genes that were distinctly expressed at a higher level in lung tumor tissue and the testes compared with other nontumor tissues and identified members of the VCX/Y gene family as novel CT antigens. VCX3A, a member of the VCX/Y gene family, was expressed at the protein level in approximately 20% of lung adenocarcinomas and 35% of squamous cell carcinomas, but not expressed in normal lung tissues. Among CT antigens with concordant mRNA and protein expression levels, four CT antigens, XAGE1, VCX, IL13RA2, and SYCE1, were expressed, alone or in combination, in about 80% of lung adenocarcinoma tumors. The CT antigen VCX/Y gene family broadens the spectrum of CT antigens expressed in lung adenocarcinomas for clinical applications. Cancer Res; 74(17); 4694–705. ©2014 AACR.

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood. IL-13 receptor (IL-13R) is a heterodimer composed of the IL-13Rα1 chain (IL-13Rα1) and the IL-4Rα chain (IL-4Rα), both IL-13 and IL-4 activate STAT6 and STAT3. IL-13Rα2 chain (IL-13Rα2) binds to IL-13 with high affinity and it does not contain the Box1 motif which is an important domain for intracellular signaling. IL13Rα2 was the target protein because it does not as- sociate with signaling molecules and instead acts as a "decoy" receptor. The studies were performed on IL13Rα2 to inhibit the protein that expressed during the causes for asthma disease. The potential drug with IUPAC name "5-(2-(tert-butylamino)-1-hydroxyethyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)" was designed successfully in inhibit the actions of IL13Rα2 protein.

Object The Il13ra2 gene is often overexpressed in brain tumors, making Il13ra2 one of the vaccine targets for immunotherapy of glioma. In this study, using a mouse glioma model, the authors tested the hypothesis that vaccination using dendritic cells transfected with Il13ra2 mRNA induces strong immunological antitumor effects. Methods A plasmid was constructed for transduction of the mRNAs transcribed in vitro into dendritic cells. This was done to transport the intracellular protein efficiently into major histocompatibility complex class II compartments by adding a late endosomal/lysosomal sorting signal to the Il13ra2 gene. The dendritic cells transfected with this Il13ra2 mRNA were injected intraperitoneally into the mouse glioma model at 3 and 10 days after tumor cell implantation. The antitumor effects were estimated based on the survival rate, results of histological analysis, and immunohistochemical findings for immune cells. Results The group treated by vaccination therapy with dendritic cells transfected with Il13ra2 mRNA survived significantly longer than did the control groups. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that greater numbers of T lymphocytes containing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were found in the group vaccinated with dendritic cells transfected with Il13ra2 mRNA. Conclusions These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of vaccination with dendritic cells transfected with Il13ra2 mRNA for the treatment of malignant glioma.

TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT TMIC-01. TUMOR TARGETED QUANTUM DOTS TO IDENTIFY GLIOMA INITIATING CELLS AND EXOSOMES Achutha Madhankumar, Oliver Mrowczynski, Suhag Patel, Elias Rizk, Cody Weston, Michael Glantz, Lichong Xu, Christopher Siedlecki, and James Connor; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA GBM and certain brain metastatic cancers possess invasiveness and high infiltrating potential making them harder to detect at the earlier stage of the disease progression. Identification of cancer stem cells and exosomes secreted by them in the biofluids like CSF will be an ideal way to determine the presence of residual cancer after therapy. We utilize ligand conjugated quantum dots (QD) to specifically label the cancer stem cells and exosomes to identify the presence of certain invasive markers. Human glioma initiating cells were cultured in adherent form and were exposed to interleukin-13 conjugated quantum dots (IL13QD), which binds the glioma initiating cells expressing IL13Ra2 receptor and also the exosomes secreted by the glioma stem cells. Exosomes that were isolated from glioma stem cells and patients CSF were demonstrated to express IL13Ra2 receptor. Fluorescent microscopy, electron microscopy and flow cytometry were performed on the exosomes after complexing with nano quantum dots (QD). IL13QD was demonstrated to specifically bind glioma stem cells both in the monolayer and spheroid culture. The binding affinity of the exosomes to the quantum dots were also confirmed by atomic force microscopy. The morphology and size of exosomes were confirmed by electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering method. The density plot from the flow cytometer experiments with IL13QD-exosomes complex indicates a possibility to identify the tumor associated exosomes. Our experiment infers that in ex vivo, tumor targeted quantum dots can bind with tumor initiating glioma stem cells and extracellular vesicles (exosomes) that are secreted by cancer cells. There is a future possibility to differentiate the metastatic tumor associated exosomes from the non-metastatic exosomes based on their QD binding profile Neuro-Oncology 17:v221–v225, 2015. doi:10.1093/neuonc/nov236.1 Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology 2015.

INTRODUCTION: Astrocytomas are common brain tumors. Increased expression levels of Interleukin-13 Receptor α2 (IL-13RA2) have been reported in astrocytomas. The Interleukin-13 signaling pathway may be associated with cell migration when binding to Interleukin-13 Receptor α1. OBJECTIVE: To investigate Interleukin-13 Receptor α1 (IL-13RA1) and IL13RA2 expression levels in human diffusely infiltrative astrocytomas and test the involvement of Interleukin-13 levels in cell migration in two glioblastoma cell lines. METHODS: IL13RA expression levels were accessed by quantitative real time PCR in 128 samples of astrocytomas and 18 samples of non-neoplastic brain tissues from temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. The impact of IL-13 levels (10 and 20 ng/mL) on cell migration was analyzed by the wound assay in U87MG and A172 cells. RESULTS: Glioblastoma presented higher IL13RA1 and IL13RA2 expression levels compared to lower grades astrocytomas and to non-neoplastic cases. U87MG and A172 cells presented higher expression levels of IL-13RA1 vs. IL-13RA2. A significant difference in migration rate was observed in A172 cells treated with 10 ng/mL of IL-13 vs. control: treated cells presented slower migration than non-treated cells. U87MG cells treated with IL-13 20ng/mL presented slower migration than non-treated cells. This indicates that the IL13Rα1 signaling pathway was not activated, indeed inhibited by the decoy IL-13Rα2, slowing cell migration. This impact occurred with a lesser concentration of IL-13 on the A172 than on the U87MG cell line, because A172 cells have a higher IL-13RA2/A1 ratio. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest IL-13 receptors as possible targets to decrease tumor cell migration.

The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)expressing T cells as therapy for refractory hematologic malignancies (1) has spurred ongoing efforts to extend their application toward other difficult-totreat tumors. High-grade gliomas, for example, are prime candidates. These tumors—often difficult to reach by means of surgery and systemic chemotherapy—can greatly benefit from therapies that can actively home to the site of disease. Several surface proteins overexpressed by high-grade gliomas have been identified, all of which, in theory, can be targeted by CAR T cells. Interleukin (IL)13Ra2, for example, has been demonstrated to be overexpressed in high-grade gliomas (2), with very little to no expression in healthy cells. However, as the study by Krebs et al. (3) reminds us, specificity cannot be taken for granted. In the August issue of Cytotherapy, the group from Baylor College of Medicine show how CAR T cells expressing IL13 muteins (that should theoretically bind preferentially to IL13Ra2) are also capable of recognizing and responding to the closely related IL13Ra1. IL13-mutein CAR T cells produced significant levels of interferon (IFN)-g in response to both IL13Ra1 and IL13Ra2 proteins (and not to IL4R proteins). Higher levels of IFN-g (P < 0.001) were seen secreted by IL13-mutein CAR T cells after culture in plates that were pre-coated with IL13Ra1 or IL13Ra2. These IL13-mutein CART cells are also able to recognize and kill cells that express either IL13Ra1 or IL13Ra2 on their surface. Tumor cells genetically modified to express only IL13Ra1 or IL13Ra2 were able to stimulate IFN-g secretion from IL13-mutein CAR T cells, but unmodified cells or green fluorescent proteinemodified cells were not able to do so (P < 0.001). More importantly

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mammalian target of rapamycin are well-known therapeutic targets for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Sunitinib is an agent that targets VEGF receptors and is considered to be a standard treatment for metastatic or unresectable clear cell RCC (ccRCC). However, ccRCC eventually develops resistance to sunitinib in most cases, and the mechanisms underlying this resistance are not fully elucidated. In the present study, we established unique primary xenograft models, KURC1 (Kyoto University Renal Cancer 1) and KURC2, from freshly isolated ccRCC specimens. The KURC1 xenograft initially responded to sunitinib treatment, however finally acquired resistance. KURC2 retained sensitivity to sunitinib for over 6 months. Comparing gene expression profiles between the two xenograft models with different sensitivity to sunitinib, we identified interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13RA2) as a candidate molecule associated with the acquired sunitinib-resistance in ccRCC. And patients with high IL13RA2 expression in immunohistochemistry in primary ccRCC tumor tends to have sunitinib-resistant metastatic site. Next, we showed that sunitinib-sensitive 786-O cells acquired resistance in vivo when IL13RA2 was overexpressed. Conversely, shRNA-mediated knockdown of IL13RA2 successfully overcame the sunitinib-resistance in Caki-1 cells. Histopathological analyses revealed that IL13RA2 repressed sunitinib-induced apoptosis without increasing tumor vasculature in vivo. To our knowledge, this is a novel mechanism of developing resistance to sunitinib in a certain population of ccRCC, and these results indicate that IL13RA2 could be one of potential target to overcome sunitinib resistance.

BACKGROUND: IL13Ra2 is overexpressed in majority of high grade astrocytomas and other malignancies, and has been validated as a target for therapeutic applications in various pre-clinical models. However, current IL13-based therapeutic agents lack specificity due to interaction with the IL13Ra1 receptor, which is widely expressed by normal cells. The generation of a targeting agent that strictly binds to IL13Ra2 would significantly expand the therapeutic potential for the treatment of IL13Ra2-expressing cancers. Recently, we developed and extensively characterized monoclonal antibody 47 (mAb47), which exclusively binds to a native form of human IL13Ra2. The goal of this study was to engineer a single-chain antibody (scFv) from the parental hybridoma cell line, test its targeting properties as a soluble agent, and create an adenovirus (Ad) with a modified fiber incorporating scFv47 as a targeting motif.METHODS: The phage-display approach was utilized for selection of functional combination of variable heavy and light chains from established hybridoma cells producing mAb47. Purified phages displaying scFv47 were tested for their interaction with IL13Ra2hFc recombinant protein. A competitive ELISA was utilized to verify if parental mAb47 and scFv47 share the same epitope. The soluble form of scFv47 expressed in E. coli and CHO cells was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, and tested for stability and targeting properties. To generate IL13Ra2-specific Ad, the fiber of a replication-deficient Ad5 encoding green fluorescent protein was replaced with a chimeric fiber gene composed of a T4 fibritin trimerization domain linked at its C-terminal to scFV47 (AdFFscFv47-CMV-GFP). To generate viral particles, a construct encoding the adenoviral genome was rescued in HEK293F28 cells, propagated, and purified. IL13Ra2+ and IL13Ra2- U251 cell lines were established via stable transfection with either control or IL13Ra2-specific shRNAs (U251-IL13Ra2. KO), respectively. The AdFFscFv47-CMV-GFP virus was tested for targeting properties in these U251 cell lines and IL13Ra2-expressing U87 glioma cells.RESULTS: The biopanning-selected pool of phages, as well several individual clones, demonstrated specific binding to IL13Ra2hFc protein, but not to hIgG in plate ELISA. Binding of scFv47-displayed phages to IL13Ra2 was completely abolished by the mAb47, but not control IgG or other tested IL13Ra2 mAbs, thus confirming the same IL13Ra2 epitope for scFv47 and parental mAb47. Similarly to phage-displayed scFv47, the soluble scFv47 showed specific binding to IL123Ra2, but not IL13Ra1. Interaction of Ad5FFscFv47-CMV-GFP was also specific to IL13Ra2-expressing U251 cells, as judged by flow cytometry for GFP expression in U251-IL13Ra2+ versus U251-IL13Ra2.KO cells. Furthermore, GFP expression in cells infected with Ad5FFscFv47-CMV-GFP strongly correlated with the level of surface expression of IL13Ra2. The specificity of viral infection was further validated in a U251 glioma model.CONCLUSION: Our data validate the scFv47 as a highly selective IL13Ra2 targeting agent and open venues for the exploration of scFv47-based viral, cell and protein therapeutics for the treatment of various IL13Ra2-expressing human malignancies.

Interleukin (IL)-13 is a major inducer of fibrosis in many chronic infectious and autoimmune diseases. In studies of the mechanisms underlying such induction, we found that IL-13 induces transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) in macrophages through a two-stage process involving, first, the induction of a receptor formerly considered to function only as a decoy receptor, IL-13Ralpha(2). Such induction requires IL-13 (or IL-4) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Second, it involves IL-13 signaling through IL-13Ralpha(2) to activate an AP-1 variant containing c-jun and Fra-2, which then activates the TGFB1 promoter. In vivo, we found that prevention of IL-13Ralpha(2) expression reduced production of TGF-beta(1) in oxazolone-induced colitis and that prevention of IL-13Ralpha(2) expression, Il13ra2 gene silencing or blockade of IL-13Ralpha(2) signaling led to marked downregulation of TGF-beta(1) production and collagen deposition in bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. These data suggest that IL-13Ralpha(2) signaling during prolonged inflammation is an important therapeutic target for the prevention of TGF-beta(1)-mediated fibrosis.

Item does not contain fulltext OBJECTIVE: Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are relatively rare and mostly benign tumours. Approximately 10% of PPGL are malignant, as defined by the presence of metastases, i.e chromaffin tissue at a location that usually does not contain chromaffin cells. However, up to 35% of tumours in patients carrying an SDHB mutation appears to be malignant. Nowadays, no reliable marker allows to predict whether a PPGL is, or will become malignant. In addition, there are no curative treatments if metastases occur. The aim of the present study was to dentify genetic markers allowing to distinguish benign from malignant tumours. DESIGN AND METHOD: An mRNA expression array was performed on benign and malignant PPGL. The genes showing a different expression between the benign and malignant tumours were selected to be confirmed and validated by qRT-PCR. Finally, the remaining genes were stained by immunohistochemistry on Tissue MicroArray including a large series of PPGL. RESULTS: Forty benign and 12 malignant PPGL were investigated for differences in mRNA expression with Affymetrix arrays. Expression data were normalized according to Affymetrix recommendations. Then, using Pomelo II (http://pomelo2.bioinfo.cnio.es/), a Limma t-test was performed, to assess which genes were differentially expressed between benign and malignant PPGL. First, a non-clustered analysis was performed and 10 genes with a False Discovery Rate (FDR) below 0.05 and a relative overexpression ratio of at least 4 were found, including Interleukin 13 Receptor alpha 2 (IL13RA2) and Monooxygenase DBH-like 1 (MOXD1). Secondly, a supervised cluster analysis was performed (based on HIF target genes), resulting in 2 groups, which were both investigated for differences in mRNA expression between benign and malignant tumours. Five genes showed an FDR below 0.01 and were overexpressed in malignant tumours with a ratio higher than 4, including Contactin 4 (CNTN4), Iroquois Homeobox 3 (IRX3), and Sulfatase 2 (SULF2). These genes were further investigated using qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry on Tissue Micro Array including 91 benign and 12 malignant PPGL. CONCLUSIONS: Significant overexpression of Contactin 4 was shown in malignant compared to benign tumours, and may therefore contribute to distinguish malignant from benign PPGL.

e15151 Background: We examined whether 133 germline polymorphisms (SNPs) in 15 candidate genes (CSF1R, IL8RA, TLR4, IL10, IL10RA, CTLA4, IL2, IL2RA, TGF b1, ICOS, IL13, IL13RA2, IFNgR, IL15 and IL15RA) would predict clinical outcome in the ACCORD-12 phase III trial which randomly compared neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) plus capecitabine (CAP45) with dose-intensified RT plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CAPOX50) in T3-4 Nx M0 resectable rectal cancer. Methods: A candidate-gene association study was conducted in 316 patients (n = 161 in the CAPOX50 and n = 155 in the CAP45 arm). The primary end-point was tumor response according to the Dworak score in each arm. Logistic regressions were used to assess univariate/multivariate associations. The Storey and Tibshirani method based on the control of false discovery rate was used ( q-value < 0.10 (adjusted p-value) considered as true discovery). Multivariate models adjusted on treatment arm and T stage were performed to determine prognostic and predictive values of SNPs for tumor response. Results: In univariate analysis, two SNPs in IL2RA (rs11256456: OR = 5.1 [2.38; 11] and rs706781: OR = 4.2 [1.98 ; 8.74]) were significantly associated with the Dworak score in the CAP45 arm, and one in IL2RA the CAPOX50 arm (rs2104286: OR = 0.11 [0.01 ; 0.90]. All were confirmed in the multivariate analysis. A significant haplotypic effect was observed in the CAP-45 arm (p = 0.0001). Interaction was significant for IL2RA rs11256456 ( p= 0.03) and rs706781 ( p= 0.002) and no significant for IL2RA rs2104286 ( p= 0.722), suggesting a predictive deleterious effect the first two ones for response to oxaliplatin-based chemoRT, and a prognostic effect of the third one for response to chemoRT (+/- oxaliplatin). None of the three IL2RA SNPs were correlated with survival in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: This pharmacogenetic analysis shows that SNPs in IL2RA have a significant association with response to chemoRT with capecitabine in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Their predictive effect may identify patients in whom oxaliplatin addition to chemoRT is deleterious.