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Introduction: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents cancer originating from the renal epithelium and accounts for > 90% of cancers in the kidney. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is overexpressed in tumor-associated neovascular endothelial cells of many solid tumors, including metastatic RCC. Although studied in several small clinical studies, PSMA-based imaging and therapy have not been pursued rigorously in preclinical RCC. This study aimed to evaluate the preclinical performance of PSMA-based radiotheranostic agents in a relevant murine model., Methods: A PSMA-overexpressing murine cell line, PSMA+ RENCA, was developed by lentiviral transduction. PSMA-based theranostic agents, 68 Ga-L1/ 177 Lu-L1/ 225 Ac-L1, were synthesized in high radiochemical yield and purity following our reported methods. Immunocompetent BALB/c mice were used for flank and orthotopic tumor inoculation. 68 Ga-L1 was evaluated in small animal PET/CT imaging in flank and PET/MR imaging in orthotopic models. Cell viability studies were conducted for 177 Lu-L1 and 225 Ac-L1. Proof-of-concept treatment studies were performed using 225 Ac-L1 (0, 37 kBq, 2 kBq × 37 kBq, 1 week apart) using PSMA+ RENCA in the flank model., Results: Cellular uptake of 68 Ga-L1, 177 Lu-L1, and 225 Ac-L1 confirmed the specificity of the agents to PSMA+ RENCA cells rather than to RENCA (wt) cells, which are low in PSMA expression. The uptake in PSMA+ RENCA cells at 1 h for 68 Ga-L1 (49.0% incubated dose [ID] ± 3.6%ID/million cells), 177 Lu-L1 (22.1%ID ± 0.5%ID)/million cells), and 225 Ac-L1 (4.1% ± 0.2% ID)/million cells), respectively, were higher than the RENCA (wt) cells (~ 1%ID-2%ID/million cells). PET/CT images displayed > 7-fold higher accumulation of 68 Ga-L1 in PSMA+ RENCA compared to RENCA (wt) in flank implantation at 1 h. A twofold higher accumulation of 68 Ga-L1 was observed in orthotopic tumors than in normal kidneys during 1-3 h postinjection. High lung uptake was observed with 68 Ga-L1 PET/MR imaging 3 weeks after orthotopic implantation of PSMA+ RENCA due to spontaneous lung metastases. The imaging data were further confirmed by immunohistochemical characterization. 225 Ac-L1 (0-37 kBq) displayed a dose-dependent reduction of cell proliferation in the PSMA+ RENCA cells after 48 h incubation; ~ 40% reduction in the cells with treated 37 kBq compared to vehicle ( p < 0.001); however, no effect was observed with 177 Lu-L1 (0-3700 kBq) up to 144 h postinoculation, suggesting lower efficacy of β-particle-emitting radiations in cellular studies compared to α-particle-emitting 225 Ac-L1. Animals treated with 225 Ac-L1 at 1 week posttumor inoculation in flank models displayed significant tumor growth delay ( p < 0.03) and longer median survival of 21 days and 24 days for the treatment groups 37 kBq and 2 kBq × 37 kBq, respectively, compared to the vehicle group (12 days)., Conclusion: The results suggest that a theranostic strategy targeting PSMA, employing PET and α-emitting radiopharmaceuticals, enabled tumor growth control and enhanced survival in a relevant immunocompetent murine model of RCC. These studies provide the rationale for clinical studies of PSMA-targeted theranostic agents in patients with RCC., Competing Interests: SRB, IM, and MP are coinventors on one or more US patents covering compounds discussed in this submission. They are entitled to a portion of any licensing fees and royalties generated by this technology. This arrangement has been reviewed and approved by Johns Hopkins University, following its conflict-of-interest policies. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Singh, Thotakura, Alati, Lisok, Jiang, Merino, Minn, Yadav, Markowski, Ged, Pavlovich, Singla, Solnes, Gorin, Pomper, Rowe and Banerjee.)

Host-oriented antiviral therapeutics are promising treatment options to combat COVID-19 and its emerging variants. However, relatively little is known about the cellular proteins hijacked by SARS-CoV-2 for its replication. Here we show that SARS-CoV-2 induces expression and cytoplasmic translocation of the nucleolar protein, nucleolin (NCL). NCL interacts with SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins and co-localizes with N-protein in the nucleolus and in stress granules. Knockdown of NCL decreases the stress granule component G3BP1, viral replication and improved survival of infected host cells. NCL mediates viral-induced apoptosis and stress response via p53. SARS-CoV-2 increases NCL expression and nucleolar size and number in lungs of infected hamsters. Inhibition of NCL with the aptamer AS-1411 decreases viral replication and apoptosis of infected cells. These results suggest nucleolin as a suitable target for anti-COVID therapies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Purpose: We developed a theranostic radiopharmaceutical that engages two key cell surface proteases, fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), each frequently overexpressed within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The latter is also expressed in most prostate tumor epithelium. To engage a broader spectrum of cancers for imaging and therapy, we conjugated small-molecule FAP and PSMA-targeting moieties using an optimized linker to provide 64 Cu-labeled compounds., Methods: We synthesized FP-L1 and FP-L2 using two linker constructs attaching the FAP and PSMA-binding pharmacophores. We determined in vitro inhibition constants (K i ) for FAP and PSMA. Cell uptake assays and flow cytometry were conducted in human glioma (U87), melanoma (SK-MEL-24), prostate cancer (PSMA + PC3 PIP and PSMA - PC3 flu), and clear cell renal cell carcinoma lines (PSMA + /PSMA - 786-O). Quantitative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and tissue biodistribution studies were performed using U87, SK-MEL-24, PSMA + PC3 PIP, and PSMA + 786-O experimental xenograft models and the KPC genetically engineered mouse model of pancreatic cancer., Results: 64 Cu-FP-L1 and 64 Cu-FP-L2 were produced in high radiochemical yields (> 98%) and molar activities (> 19 MBq/nmol). K i values were in the nanomolar range for both FAP and PSMA. PET imaging and biodistribution studies revealed high and specific targeting of 64 Cu-FP-L1 and 64 Cu-FP-L2 for FAP and PSMA. 64 Cu-FP-L1 displayed more favorable pharmacokinetics than 64 Cu-FP-L2. In the U87 tumor model at 2 h post-injection, tumor uptake of 64 Cu-FP-L1 (10.83 ± 1.02%ID/g) was comparable to 64 Cu-FAPI-04 (9.53 ± 2.55%ID/g). 64 Cu-FP-L1 demonstrated high retention 5.34 ± 0.29%ID/g at 48 h in U87 tumor. Additionally, 64 Cu-FP-L1 showed high retention in PSMA + PC3 PIP tumor (12.06 ± 0.78%ID/g at 2 h and 10.51 ± 1.82%ID/g at 24 h)., Conclusions: 64 Cu-FP-L1 demonstrated high and specific tumor targeting of FAP and PSMA. This compound should enable imaging of lesions expressing FAP, PSMA, or both on the tumor cell surface or within the TME. FP-L1 can readily be converted into a theranostic for the management of heterogeneous tumors., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has incited a global health crisis. Currently, there are limited therapeutic options for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. We evaluated the antiviral activity of sulforaphane (SFN), the principal biologically active phytochemical derived from glucoraphanin, the naturally occurring precursor present in high concentrations in cruciferous vegetables. SFN inhibited in vitro replication of six strains of SARS-CoV-2, including Delta and Omicron, as well as that of the seasonal coronavirus HCoV-OC43. Further, SFN and remdesivir interacted synergistically to inhibit coronavirus infection in vitro. Prophylactic administration of SFN to K18-hACE2 mice prior to intranasal SARS-CoV-2 infection significantly decreased the viral load in the lungs and upper respiratory tract and reduced lung injury and pulmonary pathology compared to untreated infected mice. SFN treatment diminished immune cell activation in the lungs, including significantly lower recruitment of myeloid cells and a reduction in T cell activation and cytokine production. Our results suggest that SFN should be explored as a potential agent for the prevention or treatment of coronavirus infections., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Expression of β-crystallin B2 (CRYβB2) is elevated in African American (AA) breast tumors. The underlying mechanisms of CRYβB2-induced malignancy and the association of CRYβB2 protein expression with survival have not yet been described. Here, we report that the expression of CRYβB2 in breast cancer cells increases stemness, growth, and metastasis. Transcriptomics data revealed that CRYβB2 upregulates genes that are functionally associated with unfolded protein response, oxidative phosphorylation, and DNA repair, while down-regulating genes related to apoptosis. CRYβB2 in tumors promotes de-differentiation, an increase in mesenchymal markers and cancer-associated fibroblasts, and enlargement of nucleoli. Proteome microarrays identified a direct interaction between CRYβB2 and the nucleolar protein, nucleolin. CRYβB2 induces nucleolin, leading to the activation of AKT and EGFR signaling. CRISPR studies revealed a dependency on nucleolin for the pro-tumorigenic effects of CRYβB2. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) xenografts with upregulated CRYβB2 are distinctively sensitive to the nucleolin aptamer, AS-1411. Lastly, in AA patients, higher levels of nucleolar CRYβB2 in primary TNBC correlates with decreased survival. In summary, CRYβB2 is upregulated in breast tumors of AA patients and induces oncogenic alterations consistent with an aggressive cancer phenotype. CRYβB2 increases sensitivity to nucleolin inhibitors and may promote breast cancer disparity., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are an extremely heterogenous group of malignancies with variable clinical behavior. Molecular imaging of patients with NETs allows for effective patient stratification and treatment guidance and is crucial in selection of targeted therapies. Positron emission tomography (PET) with the radiotracer L-[ 18 F]FDOPA is progressively being utilized for non-invasive in vivo visualization of NETs and pancreatic β-cell hyperplasia. While L-[ 18 F]FDOPA-PET is a valuable tool for disease detection and management, it also exhibits significant diagnostic limitations owing to its inherent physiological uptake in off-target tissues. We hypothesized that the D-amino acid structural isomer of that clinical tracer, D-[ 18 F]FDOPA, may exhibit superior clearance capabilities owing to a reduced in vivo enzymatic recognition and enzyme-mediated metabolism. Here, we report a side-by-side evaluation of D-[ 18 F]FDOPA with its counterpart clinical tracer, L-[ 18 F]FDOPA, for the non-invasive in vivo detection of NETs. In vitro evaluation in five NET cell lines, including invasive small intestinal neuroendocrine carcinomas (STC-1), insulinomas (TGP52 and TGP61), colorectal adenocarcinomas (COLO-320) and pheochromocytomas (PC12), generally indicated higher overall uptake levels of L-[ 18 F]FDOPA, compared to D-[ 18 F]FDOPA. While in vivo PET imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies in PC12, STC-1 and COLO-320 mouse xenografts further supported our in vitro data, they also illustrated lower off-target retention and enhanced clearance of D-[ 18 F]FDOPA from healthy tissues. Cumulatively our results indicate the potential diagnostic applications of D-[ 18 F]FDOPA for malignancies where the utility of L-[ 18 F]FDOPA-PET is limited by the physiological uptake of L-[ 18 F]FDOPA, and suggest D-[ 18 F]FDOPA as a viable PET imaging tracer for NETs., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors do not have any conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2019 Narayan et al.)

Myoepithelial cells play key roles in normal mammary gland development and in limiting pre-invasive to invasive breast tumor progression, yet their differentiation and perturbation in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are poorly understood. Here, we investigated myoepithelial cells in normal breast tissues of BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutation carriers and in non-carrier controls, and in sporadic DCIS. We found that in the normal breast of non-carriers, myoepithelial cells frequently co-express the p63 and TCF7 transcription factors and that p63 and TCF7 show overlapping chromatin peaks associated with differentiated myoepithelium-specific genes. In contrast, in normal breast tissues of BRCA1 mutation carriers the frequency of p63 + TCF7 + myoepithelial cells is significantly decreased and p63 and TCF7 chromatin peaks do not overlap. These myoepithelial perturbations in normal breast tissues of BRCA1 germline mutation carriers may play a role in their higher risk of breast cancer. The fraction of p63 + TCF7 + myoepithelial cells is also significantly decreased in DCIS, which may be associated with invasive progression.

Mammographic screening for breast cancer has led to increased detection of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and a reappraisal of the necessity of aggressive treatment with their attendant toxicities for a preneoplastic lesion. Fulvestrant, a selective estrogen receptor degrader, is very effective in the treatment of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, but delivery by the painful intramuscular (i.m) route is limiting. We hypothesized that intraductal (i.duc) administration of fulvestrant will provide a direct, safe and effective treatment for DCIS. Mice bearing mammary ductal xenografts of ER+, luciferase-tagged MCF-7 breast cancer cells were administered vehicle or fulvestrant i.m or i.duc. I.duc MCF-7-luc tumors in mice treated with fulvestrant i.duc or i.m grew significantly slower than vehicle control. Whole mount analysis and histopathology showed that i.duc fulvestrant achieved significantly larger cancer-free areas. Western blot analysis showed reduced levels of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and its downstream targets, c-Myc and Cyclin D1, and increased levels of ERβ, which is known to inhibit ERα function. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor sections showed that Ki67 and ERα protein levels decreased by 3-fold, and neoangiogenesis was inhibited by i.duc fulvestrant treatment. I.duc fulvestrant also reduced outgrowth of ERα+, autochthonous N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mammary tumors in rats. Overall, we have shown that i.duc fulvestrant was significantly more effective than, or equivalent in action to i.m fulvestrant in two preclinical models of breast cancer. These studies provide evidence for a novel and safe route for fulvestrant therapy of DCIS and prevention of breast cancer. This preclinical study provides a strong basis for conducting clinical trials for DCIS and early breast cancer., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: A combination of entinostat, all-trans retinoic acid, and doxorubicin (EAD) induces cell death and differentiation and causes significant regression of xenografts of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)., Methods: We investigated the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects of each component of the EAD combination therapy by high-throughput gene expression profiling of drug-treated cells., Results: Microarray analysis showed that entinostat and doxorubicin (ED) altered expression of genes related to growth arrest, inflammation, and differentiation. ED downregulated MYC, E2F, and G2M cell cycle genes. Accordingly, entinostat sensitized the cells to doxorubicin-induced growth arrest at G2. ED induced interferon genes, which correlated with breast tumors containing a higher proportion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. ED also increased the expression of immune checkpoint agonists and cancer testis antigens. Analysis of TNBC xenografts showed that EAD enhanced the inflammation score in nude mice. Among the genes differentially regulated between the EAD and ED groups, an all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-regulated gene, DHRS3, was induced in EAD-treated xenografts. DHRS3 was expressed at lower levels in human TNBC metastases compared to normal breast or primary tumors. High expression of ED-induced growth arrest and inflammatory genes was associated with better prognosis in TNBC patients., Conclusions: Entinostat potentiated doxorubicin-mediated cell death and the combination induced inflammatory signatures. The ED-induced immunomodulation may improve immunotherapy. Addition of ATRA to ED may potentiate inflammation and contribute to TNBC regression.

Our aim was to evaluate whether endothelial overexpressing of the bradykinin B1 receptor could be associated with altered left ventricular and myocardial performance. Echocardiography and hemodynamic were employed to assess left ventricular morphology and function in Sprague Dawley transgenic rats overexpressing the endothelial bradykinin B1 receptor (Tie2B1 rats). The myocardial inotropism was evaluated on papillary muscles contracting in vitro. In Tie2B1 animals, an enlarged left ventricular cavity and lower fractional shortening coupled with a lower rate of pressure change values indicated depressed left ventricular performance. Papillary muscle mechanics revealed that both Tie2B1 and wild-type rat groups had the same contractile capacities under basal conditions; however, in transgenic animals, there was accentuated inotropism due to post-pause potentiation. Following treatment with the Arg(9)-BK agonist, Tie2B1 papillary muscles displayed a reduction in myocardial inotropism. Endothelial B1 receptor overexpression has expanded the LV cavity and worsened its function. There was an exacerbated response of papillary muscle in vitro to a prolonged resting pause, and the use of a B1 receptor agonist impairs myocardial inotropism.

Tumor suppressor and upstream master kinase Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) plays a significant role in suppressing cancer growth and metastatic progression. We show that low-LKB1 expression significantly correlates with poor survival outcome in breast cancer. In line with this observation, loss-of-LKB1 rendered breast cancer cells highly migratory and invasive, attaining cancer stem cell-like phenotype. Accordingly, LKB1-null breast cancer cells exhibited an increased ability to form mammospheres and elevated expression of pluripotency-factors (Oct4, Nanog and Sox2), properties also observed in spontaneous tumors in Lkb1 -/- mice. Conversely, LKB1-overexpression in LKB1-null cells abrogated invasion, migration and mammosphere-formation. Honokiol (HNK), a bioactive molecule from Magnolia grandiflora increased LKB1 expression, inhibited individual cell-motility and abrogated the stem-like phenotype of breast cancer cells by reducing the formation of mammosphere, expression of pluripotency-factors and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. LKB1, and its substrate, AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) are important for HNK-mediated inhibition of pluripotency factors since LKB1-silencing and AMPK-inhibition abrogated, while LKB1-overexpression and AMPK-activation potentiated HNK's effects. Mechanistic studies showed that HNK inhibited Stat3-phosphorylation/activation in an LKB1-dependent manner, preventing its recruitment to canonical binding-sites in the promoters of Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2. Thus, inhibition of the coactivation-function of Stat3 resulted in suppression of expression of pluripotency factors. Further, we showed that HNK inhibited breast tumorigenesis in mice in an LKB1-dependent manner. Molecular analyses of HNK-treated xenografts corroborated our in vitro mechanistic findings. Collectively, these results present the first in vitro and in vivo evidence to support crosstalk between LKB1, Stat3 and pluripotency factors in breast cancer and effective anticancer modulation of this axis with HNK treatment.

Although mutations in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase catalytic subunit (PIK3CA) are common in breast cancer, PI3K inhibitors alone have shown modest efficacy. We sought to identify additional pathways altered in PIK3CA-mutant tumors that might be targeted in combination with PI3K inhibitors. We generated two transgenic mouse models expressing the human PIK3CA-H1047R- and the -E545K hotspot-mutant genes in the mammary gland and evaluated their effects on development and tumor formation. Molecular analysis identified pathways altered in these mutant tumors, which were also targeted in multiple cell lines derived from the PIK3CA tumors. Finally, public databases were analyzed to determine whether novel pathways identified in the mouse tumors were altered in human tumors harboring mutant PIK3CA. Mutant mice showed increased branching and delayed involution of the mammary gland compared to parental FVB/N mice. Mammary tumors arose in 30% of the MMTV-PIK3CA-H1047R and in 13% of -E545K mice. Compared to MMTV-Her-2 transgenic mouse mammary tumors, H1047R tumors showed increased upregulation of Wnt/β-catenin/Axin2, hepatocyte growth factor (Hgf)/Stat3, insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf-2), and Igf-1R pathways. Inhibitors of STAT3, β-catenin, and IGF-1R sensitized H1047R-derived mouse tumor cells and PIK3CA-H1047R overexpressing human HS578T breast cancer cells to the cytotoxic effects of PI3K inhibitors. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database showed that, unlike primary PIK3CA-wild-type and HER-2 + breast carcinomas, PIK3CA-mutant tumors display increased expression of AXIN2, HGF, STAT3, IGF-1, and IGF-2 mRNA and activation of AKT, IGF1-MTOR, and WNT canonical signaling pathways. Drugs targeting additional pathways that are altered in PIK3CA-mutant tumors may improve treatment regimens using PI3K inhibitors alone., (© 2017 The Authors. Published by FEBS Press and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Loss of HOXA5 expression occurs frequently in breast cancer and correlates with higher pathological grade and poorer disease outcome. However, how HOX proteins drive differentiation in mammalian cells is poorly understood. In this paper, we investigated cellular and molecular consequences of loss of HOXA5 in breast cancer, and the role played by retinoic acid in HOXA5 function. Analysis of global gene expression data from HOXA5-depleted MCF10A breast epithelial cells, followed by validation, pointed to a role for HOXA5 in maintaining several molecular traits typical of the epithelial lineage such as cell-cell adhesion, tight junctions and markers of differentiation. Depleting HOXA5 in immortalized MCF10A or transformed MCF10A-Kras cells reduced their CD24 + /CD44 lo population, enhanced self-renewal capacity and reduced expression of E-cadherin (CDH1) and CD24. In the case of MCF10A-Kras, HOXA5 loss increased branching and protrusive morphology in Matrigel, all features suggestive of epithelial to basal transition. Further, orthotopically implanted xenografts of MCF10A-Kras-scr grew as well-differentiated pseudo-luminal carcinomas, while MCF10A-Kras-shHOXA5 cells formed aggressive, poorly differentiated carcinomas. Conversely, ectopic expression of HOXA5 in aggressive SUM149 or SUM159 breast cancer cells reversed the cellular and molecular alterations observed in the HOXA5-depleted cells. Retinoic acid is a known upstream regulator of HOXA5 expression. HOXA5 depletion in MCF10A cells engineered to express doxycycline-induced shHOXA5 slowed transition of cells from a less differentiated CD24 - /CD44 + to the more differentiated CD24 + /CD44 + state. This transition was promoted by retinal treatment, which upregulated endogenous HOXA5 expression and caused re-expression of occludin and claudin-7 (CLDN7). Expression of CDH1 and CD24 was transcriptionally upregulated by direct binding of HOXA5 to their promoter sequences as demonstrated by luciferase and ChIP analyses. Thus, loss of HOXA5 in mammary cells leads to loss of epithelial traits, an increase in stemness and cell plasticity, and the acquisition of more aggressive phenotypes., Competing Interests: None of the authors have any conflict of interest pertaining to the contents of this paper.

Efforts to induce the differentiation of cancer stem cells through treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) have yielded limited success, partially due to the epigenetic silencing of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-β The histone deacetylase inhibitor entinostat is emerging as a promising antitumor agent when added to the standard-of-care treatment for breast cancer. However, the combination of epigenetic, cellular differentiation, and chemotherapeutic approaches against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has not been investigated. In this study, we found that combined treatment of TNBC xenografts with entinostat, ATRA, and doxorubicin (EAD) resulted in significant tumor regression and restoration of epigenetically silenced RAR-β expression. Entinostat and doxorubicin treatment inhibited topoisomerase II-β (TopoII-β) and relieved TopoII-β-mediated transcriptional silencing of RAR-β Notably, EAD was the most effective combination in inducing differentiation of breast tumor-initiating cells in vivo Furthermore, gene expression analysis revealed that the epithelium-specific ETS transcription factor-1 (ESE-1 or ELF3), known to regulate proliferation and differentiation, enhanced cell differentiation in response to EAD triple therapy. Finally, we demonstrate that patient-derived metastatic cells also responded to treatment with EAD. Collectively, our findings strongly suggest that entinostat potentiates doxorubicin-mediated cytotoxicity and retinoid-driven differentiation to achieve significant tumor regression in TNBC. Cancer Res; 76(7); 2013-24. ©2016 AACR., (©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Early full-term pregnancy is one of the most effective natural protections against breast cancer. To investigate this effect, we have characterized the global gene expression and epigenetic profiles of multiple cell types from normal breast tissue of nulliparous and parous women and carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. We found significant differences in CD44(+) progenitor cells, where the levels of many stem cell-related genes and pathways, including the cell-cycle regulator p27, are lower in parous women without BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations. We also noted a significant reduction in the frequency of CD44(+)p27(+) cells in parous women and showed, using explant cultures, that parity-related signaling pathways play a role in regulating the number of p27(+) cells and their proliferation. Our results suggest that pathways controlling p27(+) mammary epithelial cells and the numbers of these cells relate to breast cancer risk and can be explored for cancer risk assessment and prevention., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bradykinin (BK) and des-Arg(9)-bradykinin (DBK) of kallikrein-kinin system exert its effects mediated by the B2 (B2R) and B1 (B1R) receptors, respectively. It was already shown that the deletion of kinin B1R or of B2R induces upregulation of the remaining receptor subtype. However studies on overexpression of B1R or B2R in transgenic animals have supported the importance of the overexpressed receptor but the expression of another receptor subtype has not been determined. Previous study described a marked vasodilatation and increased susceptibility to endotoxic shock which was associated with increased mortality in response to DBK in thoracic aorta from transgenic rat overexpressing the kinin B1R (TGR(Tie2B1)) exclusively in the endothelium. In another study, mice overexpressing B1R in multiple tissues were shown to present high susceptibility to inflammation and to lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxic shock. Therefore the role of B2R was investigated in the thoracic aorta isolated from TGR(Tie2B1) rats overexpressing the B1R exclusively in the vascular endothelium. Our findings provided evidence for highly increased expression level of the B2R in the transgenic rats. It was reported that under endotoxic shock, these rats exhibited exaggerated hypotension, bradycardia and mortality. It can be suggested that the high mortality during the pathogenesis of endotoxic shock provoked in the transgenic TGR(Tie2B1) rats could be due to the enhanced expression of B2R associated with the overexpression of the B1R., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To better understand the biology of hormone receptor-positive and-negative breast cancer and to identify methylated gene markers of disease progression, we carried out a genome-wide methylation array analysis on 103 primary invasive breast cancers and 21 normal breast samples, using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 array that queried 27,578 CpG loci. Estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive tumors displayed more hypermethylated loci than estrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumors. However, the hypermethylated loci in ER-negative tumors were clustered closer to the transcriptional start site compared with ER-positive tumors. An ER-classifier set of CpG loci was identified, which independently partitioned primary tumors into ER subtypes. A total of 40 (32 novel and 8 previously known) CpG loci showed differential methylation specific to either ER-positive or ER-negative tumors. Each of the 40 ER subtype-specific loci was validated in silico, using an independent, publicly available methylome dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas. In addition, we identified 100 methylated CpG loci that were significantly associated with disease progression; the majority of these loci were informative particularly in ER-negative breast cancer. Overall, the set was highly enriched in homeobox containing genes. This pilot study shows the robustness of the breast cancer methylome and illustrates its potential to stratify and reveal biological differences between ER subtypes of breast cancer. Furthermore, it defines candidate ER-specific markers and identifies potential markers predictive of outcome within ER subgroups.

Differentiation is an epigenetic program that involves the gradual loss of pluripotency and acquisition of cell type-specific features. Understanding these processes requires genome-wide analysis of epigenetic and gene expression profiles, which have been challenging in primary tissue samples due to limited numbers of cells available. Here we describe the application of high-throughput sequencing technology for profiling histone and DNA methylation, as well as gene expression patterns of normal human mammary progenitor-enriched and luminal lineage-committed cells. We observed significant differences in histone H3 lysine 27 tri-methylation (H3K27me3) enrichment and DNA methylation of genes expressed in a cell type-specific manner, suggesting their regulation by epigenetic mechanisms and a dynamic interplay between the two processes that together define developmental potential. The technologies we developed and the epigenetically regulated genes we identified will accelerate the characterization of primary cell epigenomes and the dissection of human mammary epithelial lineage-commitment and luminal differentiation., Competing Interests: KP receives research support from Novartis Oncology and is a consultant to Novartis Oncology. KP also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Metamark Genetics, Inc. and Theracrine, Inc. and holds AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stocks. TN and YN are founders and employees of GeneGo Inc.

Kinin B1 receptor is involved in chronic inflammation and expressed in human atherosclerotic lesions. However, its significance for lesion development is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effect of kinin B1 receptor deletion on the development of atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice. Mice deficient both in ApoE and in kinin B1 receptor (ApoE(-/-)-B(1)(-/-)) were generated and analyzed for their susceptibility to atherosclerosis and aneurysm development under cholesterol rich-diet (western diet) and angiotensin II infusion. Kinin B1 receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was significantly increased in ApoE(-/-) mice after Western-type diet. Although no difference in serum cholesterol was found between ApoE(-/-)-B(1)(-/-) and ApoE(-/-) mice under Western-type diet, aortic lesion incidence was significantly higher in ApoE(-/-)-B(1)(-/-) after this treatment. In accordance, we observed increased endothelial dysfunction in these mice. The mRNA expression of cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase I, CD-11, F4/80, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were increased in the aorta of double-deficient mice following Western-type diet, whereas the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma protein and the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity were decreased. In addition to the increased atherosclerotic lesions, the lack of kinin B(1) receptor also increased the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms after angiotensin II infusion. In conclusion, our results show that kinin B(1) receptor deficiency aggravates atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms under cholesterolemic conditions, supporting an antiatherogenic role for the kinin B(1) receptor.

Two kinin receptors have been described, the inducible B(1) and the constitutive B(2). B(1) receptors are important in cardiovascular homeostasis and inflammation. To further clarify their vascular function, we have generated transgenic rats (TGR(Tie2B(1))) overexpressing the B(1) receptor exclusively in the endothelium. Endothelial cell-specific expression was confirmed by B(1)-agonist-induced relaxation of isolated aorta, which was abolished by endothelial denudation of the vessel. This vasodilatation was mediated by nitric oxide (NO) and K(+) channels. TGR(Tie2B(1)) rats were normotensive but, in contrast to controls, reacted with a marked fall in blood pressure and increased vascular permeability after intravenous injection of a B(1) agonist. After lipopolysaccharide treatment, they present a more pronounced hypotensive response and marked bradycardia associated with increased mortality when compared to non-transgenic control animals. Thus, the transgenic rats overexpressing kinin B(1) receptors exclusively in the endothelium generated in this study support an important role of this receptor in the vasculature during the pathogenesis of endotoxic shock.

Objective: Kinins mediate pathophysiological processes related to hypertension, pain, and inflammation through the activation of two G-protein-coupled receptors, named B(1) and B(2). Although these peptides have been related to glucose homeostasis, their effects on energy balance are still unknown., Research Design and Methods: Using genetic and pharmacological strategies to abrogate the kinin B(1) receptor in different animal models of obesity, here we present evidence of a novel role for kinins in the regulation of satiety and adiposity., Results: Kinin B(1) receptor deficiency in mice (B(1)(-/-)) resulted in less fat content, hypoleptinemia, increased leptin sensitivity, and robust protection against high-fat diet-induced weight gain. Under high-fat diet, B(1)(-/-) also exhibited reduced food intake, improved lipid oxidation, and increased energy expenditure. Surprisingly, B(1) receptor deficiency was not able to decrease food intake and adiposity in obese mice lacking leptin (ob/ob-B(1)(-/-)). However, ob/ob-B(1)(-/-) mice were more responsive to the effects of exogenous leptin on body weight and food intake, suggesting that B(1) receptors may be dependent on leptin to display their metabolic roles. Finally, inhibition of weight gain and food intake by B(1) receptor ablation was pharmacologically confirmed by long-term administration of the kinin B(1) receptor antagonist SSR240612 to mice under high-fat diet., Conclusions: Our data suggest that kinin B(1) receptors participate in the regulation of the energy balance via a mechanism that could involve the modulation of leptin sensitivity.

Kinins play a central role in the modulation of cardiovascular function and in the pathophysiology of inflammation. These peptides mediate their effects by binding to two specific G-protein coupled receptors named B1 and B2. To evaluate the full functional relevance of the kallikrein-kinin system, we generated mice lacking both kinin receptors (B1B2-/-). Because of the close chromosomal position of both kinin receptor genes, B1B2-/- mice could not be obtained by simple breeding of the single knockout lines. Therefore, we inactivated the B1 receptor gene by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells derived from B2-deficient animals. The B1B2-/- mice exhibited undetectable levels of mRNAs for both receptors and a lack of response to bradykinin (B2 agonist) and des-Arg9-bradykinin (B1 agonist), as attested by contractility studies with isolated smooth muscle tissues. B1B2-/- mice are healthy and fertile, and no sign of cardiac abnormality was detected. They are normotensive but exhibit a lower heart rate than controls. Furthermore, kinin receptor deficiency affects the pathogenesis of endotoxin-induced hypotension. While blood pressure decreased markedly in wild-type mice and B2-/- and moderately in B1-/- mice after bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection, blood pressure remained unchanged in B1B2-/- mice. These results clearly demonstrate a pivotal role of kinins and their receptors in hypotension induced by endotoxemia in mice.

Kinins are potent vasoactive peptides generated in blood and tissues by the kallikrein serine proteases. Two distinct kinin receptors have been described, one constitutive (subtype B2) and one inducible (subtype B1), and many physiological functions have been attributed to these receptors, including glucose homeostasis and control of vascular permeability. In this study we show that mice lacking the kinin B1 receptor (B1-/- mice) have lower fasting plasma glucose concentrations but exhibit higher glycemia after feeding when compared to wild-type mice. B1-/- mice also present pancreas abnormalities, characterized by fewer pancreatic islets and lower insulin content, which leads to hypoinsulinemia and reduced insulin release after a glucose load. Nevertheless, an insulin tolerance test indicated higher sensitivity in B1-/- mice. In line with this phenotype, pancreatic vascular permeability was shown to be reduced in B1 receptor-ablated mice. The B1 agonist desArg9bradykinin injected intravenously can induce the release of insulin into serum, and this effect was not observed in the B1-/- mice or in isolated islets. Our data demonstrate the importance of the kinin B1 receptor in the control of pancreatic vascular homeostasis and insulin release, highlighting a new role for this receptor in the pathogenesis of diabetes and related diseases.

Kinins are important mediators in cardiovascular homeostasis, inflammation, and nociception. Two kinin receptors have been described, B 1 and B 2 . The B 1 receptor is normally absent in healthy tissues, but is highly induced under pathological conditions. To understand the molecular mechanism of B 1 receptor up-regulation, we determined the mouse B 1 receptor gene structure, isolated and characterized the promoter region and studied its transcriptional regulation. The mouse B 1 receptor gene contains two exons (with the entire coding region located in the second exon) and a TATA-less promoter with multiple transcription start sites. A 7.7-kbp portion of the 5'-flanking region was examined for promoter activity in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). A minimal 92-bp fragment, located immediately upstream of the transcription start region, exerted basal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-inducible transcription activity in the sense and antisense orientation, and was thereby identified as an enhancer element. Nuclear extracts from VSMCs showed basal and LPS-inducible binding activity of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB at this sequence. B 1 receptor transcription activation in response to LPS was abolished by cotransfection with IkappaBalphaDeltaN, an NF-kappaB repressor. In summary, our results reveal the structure of the mouse B 1 receptor gene and the involvement of NF-kappaB in the inducible mouse kinin B 1 receptor expression under pathological conditions.

Experimental evidence has shown that the inducible bradykinin (BK) B1 receptor (BKB1-R) subtype is involved in the development of hyperalgesia associated with type 1 diabetes. Selective BKB1-R antagonists inhibited, whereas selective agonists increased the hyperalgesic activity in diabetic mice in thermal nociceptive tests. Here we evaluate the development of diabetic hyperalgesia in a BKB1-R-knockout (KO) genotype compared to wild-type (WT) mice. The BKB1-R-KO mice were backcrossed for 10 generations to C57BL/6 genetic background before use in the experiments. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) and thermal nociception was assessed by the hot plate and tail immersion tests. The hyperalgesia observed in wild type mice was totally absent in the BKB1-R-KO mice. Furthermore, the selective BKB1-R agonist, desArg9BK, significantly increased the hyperalgesic activity in diabetic WT mice but had no effect on nociceptive responses in diabetic BKB1-R-KO mice. Taken together, the results confirm the crucial role of the BKB1-R, upregulated alongside inflammatory diabetes, in the development of diabetes-induced hyperalgesia.

The genes encoding the two kinin receptors, B1 and B2, are closely linked on the same chromosome in human, mouse, and rat. In this article, we present the organisation of the B B2 locus in these mammals. This organisation was obtained by comparing the kinin receptor mRNA sequences of man and mouse with the sequence of chromosomes 14 and 12, respectively. We found that the two genes are located in tandem orientation, separated by only 7.8 kb in mice and 12 kb in humans. The distance of the two genes on rat chromosome 6 was determined by long-range PCR to be 9.5 kb. The organisation of the two genes encoding the kinin receptors is similar in the three species, except that the human B1 gene harbors an additional exon, which may originate from the insertion of an Alu repetitive sequence during evolution. Moreover, the human and rat, but not the murine, B2 genes carry an alternatively spliced exon between exons 2 and 3, termed exon 2b.

1. The effect of endogenous glucocorticoid hormones on the expression of rat B(1) receptors was examined by means of molecular and pharmacological functional approaches. 2. Rats were adrenalectomized (ADX), and 7 days after this procedure the intradermal injection of B(1) receptor agonist des-Arg(9)-BK produced a significant increase in the paw volume, while only a weak effect was observed in sham-operated animals. A similar increase in the contractile responses mediated by B(1) agonist des-Arg(9)-BK was also observed in the rat portal vein in vitro. 3. Chemical ADX performed with mitotane (a drug that reduces corticosteroid synthesis) produced essentially the same up-regulation of B(1) receptors as that observed in ADX rats. 4. The modulation of B(1) receptor expression was evaluated by ribonuclease protection assay, employing mRNA obtained from the lungs and paw of ADX rats. 5. Additionally, both paw oedema and contraction of portal vein mediated by B(1) agonist des-Arg(9)-BK in ADX rats, were markedly inhibited by treatment with dexamethasone, or COX-2 inhibitor meloxican, or with the NF-kappaB inhibitor PDTC. Interestingly, the same degree of inhibition was achieved when the animals were treated with a combination of submaximal doses of dexamethasone and PDTC. 6. The involvement of NF-kappaB pathway was further confirmed by mobility shift assay using nuclear extracts from lung, paw and heart of ADX rats. It was also confirmed that the treatment of ADX rats with dexamethasone, PDTC or dexamethasone plus PDTC completely inhibit NF-kappaB activation caused by absence of endogenous glucucorticoid. 7. Together, the results of the present study provide, for the first time, molecular and pharmacological evidence showing that B(1) kinin receptor expression can be regulated through endogenous glucocorticoids by a mechanism dependent on NF-kappaB pathway. Clinical significance of the present findings stem from evidence showing the importance of B(1) kinin receptors in the mediation of inflammatory and pain related responses.