Metformin attenuates lung fibrosis development via NOX4 suppression

BACKGROUND

Accumulation of profibrotic myofibroblasts in fibroblastic foci (FF) is a crucial process for development of fibrosis during idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) pathogenesis, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β plays a key regulatory role in myofibroblast differentiation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been proposed to be involved in the mechanism for TGF-β-induced myofibroblast differentiation. Metformin is a biguanide antidiabetic medication and its pharmacological action is mediated through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which regulates not only energy homeostasis but also stress responses, including ROS. Therefore, we sought to investigate the inhibitory role of metformin in lung fibrosis development via modulating TGF-β signaling.

METHODS

TGF-β-induced myofibroblast differentiation in lung fibroblasts (LF) was used for in vitro models. The anti-fibrotic role of metfromin was examined in a bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis model.

RESULTS

We found that TGF-β-induced myofibroblast differentiation was clearly inhibited by metformin treatment in LF. Metformin-mediated activation of AMPK was responsible for inhibiting TGF-β-induced NOX4 expression. NOX4 knockdown and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment illustrated that NOX4-derived ROS generation was critical for TGF-β-induced SMAD phosphorylation and myofibroblast differentiation. BLM treatment induced development of lung fibrosis with concomitantly enhanced NOX4 expression and SMAD phosphorylation, which was efficiently inhibited by metformin. Increased NOX4 expression levels were also observed in FF of IPF lungs and LF isolated from IPF patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that metformin can be a promising anti-fibrotic modality of treatment for IPF affected by TGF-β.

Effect of Intensive Walking Exercise on Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow in Intermittent Claudication

Walking exercise is generally accepted as a valid therapeutic regimen in the treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) of Fontaine stage II. In order to quantify the effect of walking exercise and/or drug therapy on regional muscular blood flow, PAOD Fontaine stage II was induced by multiple ligations of the femoral artery and of all side branches in one hindlimb of mongrel dogs; the contralateral extremity served as control.

The animals underwent walking exercise with increasing intensities on a tread mill five days per week over one year; one group received 600 mg buflomedil (BF) per day orally in addition. At the end of the training period, the regional blood flow in all skeletal muscles of both hindlimbs was quantified by means of 15 μm radioactively labeled microspheres at resting conditions, after treadmill exercise (ten minutes) with or without preinjection of BF (3 mg/kg body weight) into the abdominal aorta.

At resting condition and at the end of treadmill exercise the regional muscular blood flow did not differ significantly between the diseased and control extremity Supplementary oral treatment with BF over one year had no significant effect; the increase in muscular blood flow during treadmill exercise was not enhanced after intra- aortic injection of BE

Consequently walking exercise has the potential to increase the functional capacity of collaterals in intermittent claudication and to restore blood supply to skeletal muscle.

Involvement of PARK2-Mediated Mitophagy in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Pathogenesis

Fibroblastic foci, known to be the leading edge of fibrosis development in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), are composed of fibrogenic myofibroblasts. Autophagy has been implicated in the regulation of myofibroblast differentiation. Insufficient mitophagy, the mitochondria-selective autophagy, results in increased reactive oxygen species, which may modulate cell signaling pathways for myofibroblast differentiation. Therefore, we sought to investigate the regulatory role of mitophagy in myofibroblast differentiation as a part of IPF pathogenesis. Lung fibroblasts were used in in vitro experiments. Immunohistochemical evaluation in IPF lung tissues was performed. PARK2 was examined as a target molecule for mitophagy regulation, and a PARK2 knockout mouse was employed in a bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model. We demonstrated that PARK2 knockdown-mediated mitophagy inhibition was involved in the mechanism for activation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway accompanied by enhanced myofibroblast differentiation and proliferation, which were clearly inhibited by treatment with both antioxidants and AG1296, a PDGFR inhibitor. Mitophagy inhibition-mediated activation of PDGFR signaling was responsible for further autophagy suppression, suggesting the existence of a self-amplifying loop of mitophagy inhibition and PDGFR activation. IPF lung demonstrated reduced PARK2 with concomitantly increased PDGFR phosphorylation. Furthermore, bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis was enhanced in PARK2 knockout mice and subsequently inhibited by AG1296. These findings suggest that insufficient mitophagy-mediated PDGFR/PI3K/AKT activation, which is mainly attributed to reduced PARK2 expression, is a potent underlying mechanism for myofibroblast differentiation and proliferation in fibroblastic foci formation during IPF pathogenesis.

Deletion of JMJD2B in neurons leads to defective spine maturation, hyperactive behavior and memory deficits in mouse

JMJD2B is a histone demethylase enzyme that regulates gene expression through demethylation of H3K9me3. Although mutations of JMJD2B have been suggested to be responsible for neurodevelopmental disorders, the function of JMJD2B in the central nervous system (CNS) remains to be elucidated. Here we show that JMJD2B has a critical role in the development of the CNS. We observed JMJD2B expression, which was especially strong in the hippocampus, throughout the CNS from embryonic periods through adulthood. We generated neuron-specific JMJD2B-deficient mice using the cre-loxP system. We found an increase in total spine number, but a decrease in mature spines, in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. JMJD2B-deficient mice exhibited hyperactive behavior, sustained hyperactivity in a novel environment, deficits in working memory and spontaneous epileptic-like seizures. Together these observations indicate that JMJD2B mutant mice display symptoms reminiscent of neurodevelopmental disorders. Our findings provide evidence for the involvement of histone demethylation in the formation of functional neural networks during development.

Extracellular vesicle transfer of cancer pathogenic components

Extracellular vesicles (EV), known as exosomes and microvesicles, serve as versatile intercellular communication vehicles. Increasing evidence has shown that cancer cell-derived EV carry pathogenic components, such as proteins, messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), DNA, lipids and transcriptional factors, that can mediate paracrine signaling in the tumor microenvironment. These data suggest that EV transfer of cancer pathogenic components enable long-distance crosstalk between cancer cells and distant organs, resulting in the promotion of the initial steps for pre-metastatic niche formation. Understanding the metastatic mechanisms through EV transfer may open up a new avenue for cancer therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, the circulating EV have also been of interest as a source for liquid biopsies. EV in body fluids provide a reliable source of miRNA and proteins for cancer biomarkers. The tumor-specific components in EV effectively provide various messages on the physiological and pathological status of cancer patients. Although many researchers are searching for EV biomarkers using miRNA microarrays and proteome analyses, the detection technology for circulating EV in body fluids has not yet reached the point of clinical application. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding EV function, specifically in metastasis through the transfer of cancer pathogenic components. Furthermore, we highlight the potential of using circulating EV for cancer diagnosis.

Versatile roles of extracellular vesicles in cancer

Numerous studies have shown that non-cell-autonomous regulation of cancer cells is an important aspect of tumorigenesis. Cancer cells need to communicate with stromal cells by humoral factors such as VEGF, FGFs, and Wnt in order to survive. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have also been shown to be involved in cell-cell communication between cancer cells and the surrounding microenvironment and to be important for the development of cancer. In addition, these EVs contain small noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), which contribute to the malignancy of cancer cells. Here, we provide an overview of current research on EVs, especially miRNAs in EVs. We also propose strategies to treat cancers by targeting EVs around cancer cells.

CNTFR Genotype and Sprint/power Performance: Case-control Association and Functional Studies

The aim of this study was to investigate whether rs41274853 in the 3'-untranslated region of the ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor gene (CNTFR) is associated with elite sprint/power athletic status and assess its functional significance. A total of 211 Japanese sprint/power track and field athletes (62 international, 72 national, and 77 regional athletes) and 814 Japanese controls were genotyped at rs41274853. Luciferase reporter assay was conducted to investigate whether this C-to-T polymorphism affects binding of microRNA miR-675-5p to this region. The TT genotype was significantly more frequent among international sprint/power athletes (19.4%) than in the controls after Bonferroni correction (7.9%, P=0.036, OR=2.81 [95% CI: 1.43-5.55]). Furthermore, in non-athletic young/middle-aged men (n=132), TT genotype carriers exhibited significantly greater leg extension power (26.6±5.4 vs. 24.0±5.4 W/kg BW, P=0.019) and vertical jump performance (50.1±6.9 vs. 47.9±7.5 cm, P=0.047) than the CC+CT genotype carriers. Reporter assays revealed that the miR-675-5p binds to this polymorphic region within the CNTFR mRNA, irrespective of the rs41274853 allele present. Although the functional significance of the rs41274853 polymorphism remains unclear, the CNTFR is one of the candidate genes contributing to sprint/power performance.

Pro-inflammatory responses and oxidative stress induced by ZnO nanoparticles in vivo following intravenous injection

OBJECTIVE

To determine the toxicological effect of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), inflammatory responses, serum biological parameters and oxidative stress markers of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) were evaluated followed by intravenous treatment of ZnO NPs in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Inflammatory responses induced by a dose of 0.2 mg/kg ZnO NPs, followed by a single intravenous treatment were examined in mice. In addition, the serum biological parameters and oxidative stress markers were evaluated. Blood and spleen were collected following treatment. The mRNA transcript levels of inflammatory-related genes (TNF-α and IL1-β) were elevated in the spleen cells of mice treated with ZnO NPs at 12h.

RESULTS

The elevated levels of TNF-α and IL1-β in supernatants of spleen cell cultures of mice treated with ZnO NPs were also observed at 24h. The serum aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate pyruvate alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels significantly increased at 6h and 12h in ZnO NPs treated group, indicating liver cell injury and tissue damage. On the other hand, no elevation was observed in BUN and Cre, biochemical markers of kidney damage. SOD activities were significantly elevated at 24 h and 48 h.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows the ZnO induced pro-inflammatory response in vivo, that this response may be related to oxidative stress, and to show hepatic damage at an early stage.

Suppression of autophagy by extracellular vesicles promotes myofibroblast differentiation in COPD pathogenesis

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes and microvesicles, encapsulate proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) as new modulators of both intercellular crosstalk and disease pathogenesis. The composition of EVs is modified by various triggers to maintain physiological homeostasis. In response to cigarette smoke exposure, the lungs develop emphysema, myofibroblast accumulation and airway remodelling, which contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the lung disease pathogenesis through modified EVs in stress physiology is not understood. Here, we investigated an EV-mediated intercellular communication mechanism between primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) and lung fibroblasts (LFs) and discovered that cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced HBEC-derived EVs promote myofibroblast differentiation in LFs. Thorough evaluations of the modified EVs and COPD lung samples showed that cigarette smoke induced relative upregulation of cellular and EV miR-210 expression of bronchial epithelial cells. Using co-culture assays, we showed that HBEC-derived EV miR-210 promotes myofibroblast differentiation in LFs. Surprisingly, we found that miR-210 directly regulates autophagy processes via targeting ATG7, and expression levels of miR-210 are inversely correlated with ATG7 expression in LFs. Importantly, autophagy induction was significantly decreased in LFs from COPD patients, and silencing ATG7 in LFs led to myofibroblast differentiation. These findings demonstrate that CSE triggers the modification of EV components and identify bronchial epithelial cell-derived miR-210 as a paracrine autophagy mediator of myofibroblast differentiation that has potential as a therapeutic target for COPD. Our findings show that stressor exposure changes EV compositions as emerging factors, potentially controlling pathological disorders such as airway remodelling in COPD.

Nonquenched Isoscalar Spin-M1 Excitations in sd-Shell Nuclei

Differential cross sections of isoscalar and isovector spin-M1 (0(+)→1(+)) transitions are measured using high-energy-resolution proton inelastic scattering at E(p)=295  MeV on (24)Mg, (28)Si, (32)S, and (36)Ar at 0°-14°. The squared spin-M1 nuclear transition matrix elements are deduced from the measured differential cross sections by applying empirically determined unit cross sections based on the assumption of isospin symmetry. The ratios of the squared nuclear matrix elements accumulated up to E(x)=16  MeV compared to a shell-model prediction are 1.01(9) for isoscalar and 0.61(6) for isovector spin-M1 transitions, respectively. Thus, no quenching is observed for isoscalar spin-M1 transitions, while the matrix elements for isovector spin-M1 transitions are quenched by an amount comparable with the analogous Gamow-Teller transitions on those target nuclei.

Abstract 1334: Chemotherapy regulated microRNA-125/HER2 pathway as a novel therapeutic target for trastuzumab-mediated cellular cytotoxicity in small-cell lung cancer

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for 15% of all lung cancer cases and is a highly lethal disease. For the last several decades, the standard treatment for SCLC has been deadlocked, and new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a member of the HER family and has been reported to be overexpressed in 30% of SCLC cases with poor prognosis. However, the clinical relevance of HER2-targeted therapy for SCLC remains unclear. Here, we firstly identify that cytotoxic drugs induce significant HER2 overexpression through microRNA-125a (miR-125a) and miR-125b downregulation, which in turn act as a novel therapeutic target for trastuzumab-mediated cellular cytotoxicity in SCLC. In this study, we showed that treatment of the HER2-positive SCLC cells, SBC-3 and SBC-5, with cytotoxic drugs induced a significant upregulation of HER2. Cisplatin (CDDP) treatment of SCLC cells resulted in a significant downregulation of miR-125a and miR-125b. We confirmed that miR-125a and miR-125b bound to the 3′-untranslated regions of HER2 mRNA, and that downregulation of miR-125a and miR-125b resulted in upregulation of HER2 in SCLC cells, suggesting a relationship between cytotoxic drug exposure and miR-125/HER2 dysregulation. Furthermore, using a calcein assay we demonstrated a significant synergistic cytotoxic effect of CDDP and trastuzumab that was mediated via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Finally, we clearly demonstrated the synergistic anti-tumor effect of these agents in an orthotopic lung cancer model in vivo. Our result offer a novel therapeutic strategy for HER2-positive SCLC by using trastuzumab combined with cytotoxic drugs.

Citation Format: Shigehiro Yagishita, Yu Fujita, Yuichi Fujimoto, Fumiyuki Takahashi, Kazuhisa Takahashi, Tomohide Tamura, Fumiaki Koizumi. Chemotherapy regulated microRNA-125/HER2 pathway as a novel therapeutic target for trastuzumab-mediated cellular cytotoxicity in small-cell lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1334. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1334

Extracellular vesicles in lung microenvironment and pathogenesis

Increasing attention is being paid to the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in various lung diseases. EVs are released by a variety of cells, including respiratory cells and immune cells, and they encapsulate various molecules, such as proteins and microRNAs, as modulators of intercellular communication. Cancer cell-derived EVs play crucial roles in promoting tumor progression and modifying their microenvironment. By contrast, noncancerous cell-derived EVs demonstrate protective functions against injury, such as tissue recovery and repair, to maintain physiological homeostasis. Airway cells in contact with harmful substances may alter their EV composition and modify the balanced reciprocal interactions with surrounding mesenchymal cells. We summarize the novel findings of EV function in various lung diseases, primarily chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

Trabecular bone score may improve FRAX® prediction accuracy for major osteoporotic fractures in elderly Japanese men: the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) Cohort Study

FRAX® is widely used to evaluate fracture risk of individuals in clinical settings. However, FRAX® prediction accuracy is not sufficient, and improvement is desired. Trabecular bone score, a bone microarchitecture index, may improve FRAX® prediction accuracy for major osteoporotic fractures in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men.

INTRODUCTION

To improve fracture risk assessment in clinical settings, we evaluated whether the combination of FRAX® and Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) improves the prediction accuracy of major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs) in elderly Japanese men compared to FRAX® alone.

METHODS

Two thousand and twelve community-dwelling men aged ≥65 years completed the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) Baseline Study comprising lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck areal bone mineral density (aBMD) measurements, and interviews regarding clinical risk factors required to estimate 10-year risk of MOF (hip, spine, distal forearm, and proximal humerus) using the Japanese version of FRAX® (v.3.8). TBS was calculated for the same vertebrae used for LS-aBMD with TBS iNsight software (v.2.1). MOFs that occurred during the follow-up period were identified by interviews or mail and telephone surveys. Prediction accuracy of a logistic model combining FRAX® score and TBS compared to FRAX® alone was evaluated by area under receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUCs), as well as category-free integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and net reclassification improvement (NRI).

RESULTS

We identified 22 men with MOFs during 8140 person-years (PY) of follow-up among 1872 men; 67 men who suffered from fractures other than MOFs were excluded. Participants with MOFs had significantly lower TBS (p = 0.0015) and higher FRAX® scores (p = 0.0089) than those without. IDI and NRI showed significant improvements in reclassification accuracy using FRAX® plus TBS compared to FRAX® alone (IDI 0.006 (p = 0.0362), NRI 0.452 (p = 0.0351)), although no difference was observed in AUCs between the two.

CONCLUSIONS

TBS may improve MOF prediction accuracy of FRAX® for community-dwelling elderly Japanese men.

Greater milk intake is associated with lower bone turnover, higher bone density, and higher bone microarchitecture index in a population of elderly Japanese men with relatively low dietary calcium intake: Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) Study

The effects of milk intake on bone health are not clear in elderly Asian men with low dietary calcium intake. This study showed that greater milk intake is associated with lower bone turnover, higher bone density, and higher bone microarchitecture index in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men.

INTRODUCTION

The consumption of milk or dairy products is widely recommended for maintaining bone health regardless of gender or age. However, little evidence exists on the beneficial effects of milk intake on bone health in elderly Japanese men characterized with relatively low dietary calcium intake. Here we examined whether or not greater milk intake was associated with lower bone turnover, higher bone density, and stronger bone microarchitecture in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men.

METHODS

Interviews were conducted to obtain information on medical history and lifestyle, including the amount of habitual milk intake, nutrient intake calculations based on a 1-week food diary, and measurements of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the lumbar spine (LS), total hip (TH), and femoral neck (FN) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), trabecular bone score (TBS) using DXA images at LS, and biochemical markers of bone turnover in sera. Participants with a history of diseases or medications that affect bone metabolism, or with missing data, were excluded from the analysis.

RESULTS

The median intake of milk in the 1479 participants (mean age, 73.0 ± 5.1 years) was one glass of milk per day. Bone turnover markers showed a decreasing trend (p < 0.05) and aBMD at TH (p = 0.0019) and FN (p = 0.0057) and TBS (p = 0.0017) showed increasing trends with greater milk intake after adjusting for demographic and behavioral confounding factors. This association was attenuated after further adjusting for nutrient intake, in particular, calcium intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater milk intake was associated with lower bone turnover, higher aBMD, and higher TBS in community-dwelling elderly Japanese men.

Chemotherapy-Regulated microRNA-125-HER2 Pathway as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Trastuzumab-Mediated Cellular Cytotoxicity in Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for 15% of all lung cancer cases and is a highly lethal disease. For the last several decades, the standard treatment for SCLC has been deadlocked, and new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. HER2 is a member of the HER family and has been reported to be overexpressed in 30% of SCLC cases with poor prognosis. However, the clinical relevance of HER2-targeted therapy for SCLC remains unclear. Here, we first identify that cytotoxic drugs induce significant HER2 overexpression through microRNA-125a (miR-125a) and miR-125b downregulation, which in turn act as a novel therapeutic target for trastuzumab-mediated cellular cytotoxicity in SCLC. In this study, we showed that treatment of the HER2-positive SCLC cells, SBC-3 and SBC-5, with cytotoxic drugs induced a significant upregulation of HER2. Cisplatin (CDDP) treatment of SCLC cells resulted in a significant downregulation of miR-125a and miR-125b. We confirmed that miR-125a and miR-125b bound to the 3'-untranslated regions of HER2 mRNA, and that downregulation of miR-125a and miR-125b resulted in upregulation of HER2 in SCLC cells, suggesting a relationship between cytotoxic drug exposure and miR-125/HER2 dysregulation. Furthermore, using a calcein assay, we demonstrated a significantly enhanced cytotoxic effect of CDDP and trastuzumab that was mediated via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Finally, we clearly demonstrated the enhanced antitumor effect of these agents in an orthotopic lung cancer model in vivo. Our results offer a novel therapeutic strategy for HER2-positive SCLCs by using trastuzumab combined with cytotoxic drugs.

Development of small RNA delivery systems for lung cancer therapy

RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a powerful tool for studying target identification and holds promise for the development of therapeutic gene silencing. Recent advances in RNAi delivery and target selection provide remarkable opportunities for translational medical research. The induction of RNAi relies on small silencing RNAs, which affect specific messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation. Two types of small RNA molecules, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), have a central function in RNAi technology. The success of RNAi-based therapeutic delivery may be dependent upon uncovering a delivery route, sophisticated delivery carriers, and nucleic acid modifications. Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, for which novel therapeutic strategies are critically needed. Recently, we have reported a novel platform (PnkRNA™ and nkRNA^®) to promote naked RNAi approaches through inhalation without delivery vehicles in lung cancer xenograft models. We suggest that a new class of RNAi therapeutic agent and local drug delivery system could also offer a promising RNAi-based strategy for clinical applications in cancer therapy. In this article, we show recent strategies for an RNAi delivery system and suggest the possible clinical usefulness of RNAi-based therapeutics for lung cancer treatment.

MMP13 can be a useful differentiating marker between squamous cell carcinoma and benign hyperkeratotic lesions in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a severe hereditary mechanobullous disease resulting from mutations in the COL7A1 gene, coding for type VII collagen. Patients with RDEB tend to develop squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) at sites of chronic ulceration or scarring on the whole body. Distinguishing SCC from benign hyperkeratotic lesions is often difficult, not only clinically but also histologically in patients with RDEB. We investigated several matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) subtypes by comparing the DNA amplification microarray findings between evident SCCs and benign hyperkeratotic lesions in the same patient with RDEB. We report that MMP13 was found to be strongly positive in SCCs but negative in benign hyperkeratotic lesions. We found that there is an evident difference in the transitional area between SCCs and benign hyperkeratotic lesions. We propose that MMP13 may be a useful differentiating marker between SCC and benign hyperkeratotic lesions in RDEB.

Saturation of two photon emission in ZnO nanoparticles with second order nonlinearity

The nonlinear optical effects such as second harmonic generation and two-photon emission in ZnO nanocrystals have been studied using microscopic time-resolved and time-integrated emission spectroscopy.

A Supramolecular Substance, [2] Rotaxane, Induces Apoptosis in Human Molt-3 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells

The antitumor effects of a supramolecular substance, the [2] rotaxane (TRO-A0001), and its molecular mechanisms were investigated. TRO-A0001 suppressed the proliferation of cultured human Molt-3 acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells for 12-72 h in a dose-dependent manner. Based on flow cytometry, TRO-A0001 clearly induced apoptosis after 24 h. The mitochondrial membrane potential disappeared after treatment with 1.0 µM of TRO-A0001. Expression of the cleaved forms of capase-9 and caspase-3 was significantly increased in cells exposed to TRO-A0001, whereas the expression of XIAP, a type of inhibitor of apoptosis family, was decreased. These results suggest that [2] rotaxane TRO-A0001 may be a highly promising new antitumor medicine.

Highly prevalent SERPINB7 founder mutation causes pseudodominant inheritance pattern in Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis

BACKGROUND

Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) is a distinct autosomal recessive genodermatosis characterized by diffuse transgressive palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK). Very recently, putative loss-of-function mutations in SERPINB7, which encodes a member of the serine protease inhibitor superfamily and is abundantly expressed in the epidermis, have been identified as a cause of NPPK.

OBJECTIVES

To confirm further the role of SERPINB7 mutations in the pathogenesis of NPPK.

METHODS

We analysed 10 Japanese families with NPPK using Sanger and/or whole-exome sequencing.

RESULTS

We identified one novel and three recurrent null mutations in SERPINB7. In all the families, the NPPK trait was inherited in an autosomal recessive manner; in one of the families, there was pseudodominant inheritance, which had not been described in NPPK.

CONCLUSIONS

These data clearly provide further evidence that NPPK is caused by loss-of-function mutations in SERPINB7.