The phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase signaling network: implications for human breast cancer

The Inflammatory response induced by aspartic proteases of Candida albicans is independent of proteolytic activity

The secretion of aspartic proteases (Saps) has long been recognized as a virulence-associated trait of the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. In this study, we report that different recombinant Saps, including Sap1, Sap2, Sap3, and Sap6, have differing abilities to induce secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by human monocytes. In particular Sap1, Sap2, and Sap6 significantly induced interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-6 production. Sap3 was able to stimulate the secretion of IL-1β and TNF-α. All Saps tested were able to induce Ca(2+) influx in monocytes. Treatment of these Saps with pepstatin A did not have any effect on cytokine secretion, indicating that their stimulatory potential was independent from their proteolytic activity. The capacity of Saps to induce inflammatory cytokine production was also independent from protease-activated receptor (PAR) activation and from the optimal pH for individual Sap activity. The interaction of Saps with monocytes induced Akt activation and phosphorylation of IκBα, which mediates translocation of NF-κB into the nucleus. Overall, these results suggest that individual Sap proteins can induce an inflammatory response and that this phenomenon is independent from the pH of a specific host niche and from Sap enzymatic activity. The inflammatory response is partially dependent on Sap denaturation and is triggered by the Akt/NF-κB activation pathway. Our data suggest a novel, activity-independent aspect of Saps during interactions of C. albicans with the host.

MK-2206, an allosteric Akt inhibitor, enhances antitumor efficacy by standard chemotherapeutic agents or molecular targeted drugs in vitro and in vivo

The serine/threonine kinase Akt lies at a critical signaling node downstream of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and is important in promoting cell survival and inhibiting apoptosis. An Akt inhibitor may be particularly useful for cancers in which increased Akt signaling is associated with reduced sensitivity to cytotoxic agents or receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We evaluated the effect of a novel allosteric Akt inhibitor, MK-2206, in combination with several anticancer agents. In vitro, MK-2206 synergistically inhibited cell proliferation of human cancer cell lines in combination with molecular targeted agents such as erlotinib (an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor) or lapatinib (a dual epidermal growth factor receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 inhibitor). Complementary inhibition of erlotinib-insensitive Akt phosphorylation by MK-2206 was one mechanism of synergism, and a synergistic effect was found even in erlotinib-insensitive cell lines. MK-2206 also showed synergistic responses in combination with cytotoxic agents such as topoisomerase inhibitors (doxorubicin, camptothecin), antimetabolites (gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil), anti-microtubule agents (docetaxel), and DNA cross-linkers (carboplatin) in lung NCI-H460 or ovarian A2780 tumor cells. The synergy with docetaxel depended on the treatment sequence; a schedule of MK-2206 dosed before docetaxel was not effective. MK-2206 suppressed the Akt phosphorylation that is induced by carboplatin and gemcitabine. In vivo, MK-2206 in combination with these agents exerted significantly more potent tumor inhibitory activities than each agent in the monotherapy setting. These findings suggest that Akt inhibition may augment the efficacy of existing cancer therapeutics; thus, MK-2206 is a promising agent to treat cancer patients who receive these cytotoxic and/or molecular targeted agents.

Gene expression profiles in 3D tumor analogs indicate compressive strain differentially enhances metastatic potential

Non-physiological mechanobiological stimuli typically occur in tumors and are considered to promote cancer spreading. Non-fluid related pressure (solid stress), which arises as tumors grow against adjacent tissues, is among the least studied endogenous stimuli due to challenges in replicating the in vivo environment. To this end, the novel devices well-pressor and the videomicroscopy-compatible optic-pressor were developed to exert precise compressive strain on cells in 3D gels in absence of other mechanical stimuli and soluble gradients. Glioblastoma (U87, HGL21) and breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cells in 1% agarose hydrogels were exposed to 50% compressive strain for 3 h (0.25-0.05 kPa). Live imaging showed that cells elongate and deflect vertically to the load. This stimulation is shown for the first time to differentially regulate metastasis-associated genes. Furthermore, a group of differentially expressed genes was identified in all cell types, both by microarrays and confirmed by RT-PCR for select genes (caveolin-1, integrin-β1, Rac1), indicating shared response mechanisms. These genes are functionally linked and involved in decreasing cell-cell contact, increasing ECM degradation, and ultimately promoting invasion. Caveolin could orchestrate these responses while the uPA and PI3K/Akt systems could play major roles. Future work will focus on specific molecular partnerships under compression and their impact on cancer progression.

Promoter- and cell-specific epigenetic regulation of CD44, Cyclin D2, GLIPR1 and PTEN by methyl-CpG binding proteins and histone modifications

Background

The aim of the current study was to analyze the involvement of methyl-CpG binding proteins (MBDs) and histone modifications on the regulation of CD44, Cyclin D2, GLIPR1 and PTEN in different cellular contexts such as the prostate cancer cells DU145 and LNCaP, and the breast cancer cells MCF-7. Since global chromatin changes have been shown to occur in tumours and regions of tumour-associated genes are affected by epigenetic modifications, these may constitute important regulatory mechanisms for the pathogenesis of malignant transformation.

Methods

In DU145, LNCaP and MCF-7 cells mRNA expression levels of CD44, Cyclin D2, GLIPR1 and PTEN were determined by quantitative RT-PCR at the basal status as well as after treatment with demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and/or histone deacetylase inhibitor Trichostatin A. Furthermore, genomic DNA was bisulfite-converted and sequenced. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed with the stimulated and unstimulated cells using antibodies for MBD1, MBD2 and MeCP2 as well as 17 different histone antibodies.

Results

Comparison of the different promoters showed that MeCP2 and MBD2a repressed promoter-specifically Cyclin D2 in all cell lines, whereas in MCF-7 cells MeCP2 repressed cell-specifically all methylated promoters. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that all methylated promoters associated with at least one MBD. Treatment of the cells by the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-CdR) caused dissociation of the MBDs from the promoters. Only MBD1v1 bound and repressed methylation-independently all promoters. Real-time amplification of DNA immunoprecipitated by 17 different antibodies showed a preferential enrichment for methylated lysine of histone H3 (H3K4me1, H3K4me2 and H3K4me3) at the particular promoters. Notably, the silent promoters were associated with unmodified histones which were acetylated following treatment by 5-aza-CdR.

Conclusions

This study is one of the first to reveal the histone code and MBD profile at the promoters of CD44, Cyclin D2, GLIPR1 and PTEN in different tumour cells and associated changes after stimulation with methylation inhibitor 5-aza-CdR.

Rictor phosphorylation on the Thr-1135 site does not require mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2

In animal cells, growth factors coordinate cell proliferation and survival by regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. Deregulation of this signaling pathway is common in a variety of human cancers. The PI3K-dependent signaling kinase complex defined as mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) functions as a regulatory Ser-473 kinase of Akt. We find that activation of mTORC2 by growth factor signaling is linked to the specific phosphorylation of its component rictor on Thr-1135. The phosphorylation of this site is induced by the growth factor stimulation and expression of the oncogenic forms of ras or PI3K. Rictor phosphorylation is sensitive to the inhibition of PI3K, mTOR, or expression of integrin-linked kinase. The substitution of wild-type rictor with its specific phospho-mutants in rictor null mouse embryonic fibroblasts did not alter the growth factor-dependent phosphorylation of Akt, indicating that the rictor Thr-1135 phosphorylation is not critical in the regulation of the mTORC2 kinase activity. We found that this rictor phosphorylation takes place in the mTORC2-deficient cells, suggesting that this modification might play a role in the regulation of not only mTORC2 but also the mTORC2-independent function of rictor.

The Akt activation inhibitor TCN-P inhibits Akt phosphorylation by binding to the PH domain of Akt and blocking its recruitment to the plasma membrane

Persistently hyper-phosphorylated Akt contributes to human oncogenesis and resistance to therapy. TCN-P, the active metabolite of the Akt phosphorylation inhibitor triciribine (TCN), is in clinical trials, but the mechanism by which TCN-P inhibits Akt phosphorylation is unknown. Here we show that in vitro, TCN-P inhibits neither Akt activity nor the phosphorylation of Akt S473 and T308 by mTOR or PDK1, respectively. However, in intact cells, TCN inhibits EGF-stimulated Akt recruitment to the plasma membrane and phosphorylation of Akt. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) demonstrates that TCN-P, but not TCN, binds Akt-derived pleckstrin homology (PH) domain (K_D: 690 nM). Furthermore, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy shows that TCN-P, but not TCN, binds to the PH domain in the vicinity of the PIP3 binding pocket. Finally, constitutively active Akt mutants, Akt1-T308D/S473D and myr-Akt1, but not the transforming mutant Akt1-E17K, are resistant to TCN-P and rescue from TCN inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Thus, our studies indicate that TCN-P binds to the PH domain of Akt and blocks its recruitment to the membrane and that the subsequent inhibition of Akt phosphorylation contributes to TCN-P anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activity, suggesting that this drug may be beneficial to patients whose tumors express persistently phosphorylated Akt.

Gene expression profiling of response to mTOR inhibitor everolimus in pre-operatively treated post-menopausal women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer

There is growing evidence that uncontrolled activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway contributes to the development and progression of breast cancer. Inhibition of this pathway has antitumour effects in preclinical studies and efficacy in combination with other agents in breast cancer patients. The aim of this study is to characterise the effects of pre-operative everolimus treatment in primary breast cancer patients and to identify potential molecular predictors of response. Twenty-seven patients with oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer completed 11-14 days of neoadjuvant treatment with 5-mg everolimus. Core biopsies were taken before and after treatment and analysed using Illumina HumanRef-8 v2 Expression BeadChips. Changes in proliferation (Ki67) and phospho-AKT were measured on diagnostic core biopsies/resection samples embedded in paraffin by immunohistochemistry to determine response to treatment. Patients that responded to everolimus treatment with significant reductions in proliferation (fall in % Ki67 positive cells) also had significant decreases in the expression of genes involved in cell cycle (P = 8.70E-09) and p53 signalling (P = 0.01) pathways. Highly proliferating tumours that have a poor prognosis exhibited dramatic reductions in the expression of cell cycle genes following everolimus treatment. The genes that most clearly separated responding from non-responding pre-treatment tumours were those involved with protein modification and dephosphorylation, including DYNLRB2, ERBB4, PTPN13, ULK2 and DUSP16. The majority of ER-positive breast tumours treated with everolimus showed a significant reduction in genes involved with proliferation, these may serve as markers of response and predict which patients will derive most benefit from mTOR inhibition.

Blockade of CCN6 (WISP3) activates growth factor-independent survival and resistance to anoikis in human mammary epithelial cells

CCN6 is a secreted cysteine-rich matricellular protein (36.9 kDa) that exerts growth-inhibitory functions in breast cancer. Reduction or loss of CCN6 protein has been reported in invasive carcinomas of the breast with lymph node metastasis and in inflammatory breast cancer. However, the mechanism by which CCN6 loss promotes breast cancer growth remains to be defined. In the present study, we developed lentiviral-mediated short hairpin RNA CCN6 knockdown (KD) in nontumorigenic mammary epithelial cells MCF10A and HME. We discovered that CCN6 KD protects mammary epithelial cells from apoptosis and activates growth factor-independent survival. In the absence of exogenous growth factors, CCN6 KD was able to promote growth under anchorage-independent conditions and triggered resistance to detachment-induced cell death (anoikis). On serum starvation, CCN6 KD was sufficient for activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Growth factor-independent cell survival was stunted in CCN6 KD cells when treated with either human recombinant CCN6 protein or the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Targeted inhibition of Akt isoforms revealed that the survival advantage rendered by CCN6 KD requires specific activation of Akt-1. The relevance of our studies to human breast cancer is highlighted by the finding that low CCN6 protein levels are associated with upregulated expression of phospho-Akt-1 (Ser(473)) in 21% of invasive breast carcinomas. These results enable us to pinpoint one mechanism by which CCN6 controls survival of breast cells mediated by the PI3K/Akt-1 pathway.

Distinct biological roles for the akt family in mammary tumor progression

The phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase/Akt pathway is frequently dysregulated in cancer, which can have unfavorable consequences in terms of cell proliferation, survival, metabolism, and migration. Increasing evidence suggests that Akt1, Akt2, and Akt3 play unique roles in breast cancer initiation and progression. We have recently shown that in contrast to Akt1, which accelerates mammary tumor induction in transgenic mice, Akt2 promotes metastasis of tumor cells without affecting the latency of tumor development. Despite the distinct phenotypic outputs resulting from Akt1 or Akt2 activation, very little is known about the mode by which such unique functions originate from these highly related kinases. Here we discuss potential mechanisms contributing to the differing functional specificity of Akt1 and Akt2 with respect to migration, invasion, and metastasis.

Subcellular localization of activated AKT in estrogen receptor- and progesterone receptor-expressing breast cancers: potential clinical implications

Activated v-AKT murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1 (AKT)/protein kinase B (PKB) kinase (pAKT) is localized to the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and/or nucleus in 50% of cancers. The clinical importance of pAKT localization and the mechanism(s) controlling this compartmentalization are unknown. In this study, we examined nuclear and cytoplasmic phospho-AKT (pAKT) expression by immunohistochemistry in a breast cancer tissue microarray (n = 377) with approximately 15 years follow-up and integrated these data with the expression of estrogen receptor (ER)alpha, progesterone receptor (PR), and FOXA1. Nuclear localization of pAKT (nuclear-pAKT) was associated with long-term survival (P = 0.004). Within the ERalpha+/PR+ subgroup, patients with nuclear-pAKT positivity had better survival than nuclear-pAKT-negative patients (P < or = 0.05). The association of nuclear-pAKT with the ERalpha+/PR+ subgroup was validated in an independent cohort (n = 145). TCL1 family proteins regulate nuclear transport and/or activation of AKT. TCL1B is overexpressed in ERalpha-positive compared with ERalpha-negative breast cancers and in lung metastasis-free breast cancers. Therefore, we examined the possible control of TCL1 family member(s) expression by the estrogen:ERalpha pathway. Estradiol increased TCL1B expression and increased nuclear-pAKT levels in breast cancer cells; short- interfering RNA against TCL1B reduced nuclear-pAKT. Overexpression of nuclear-targeted AKT1 in MCF-7 cells increased cell proliferation without compromising sensitivity to the anti-estrogen, tamoxifen. These results suggest that subcellular localization of activated AKT plays a significant role in determining its function in breast cancer, which in part is dependent on TCL1B expression.

Naphtho[1,2-b]furan-4,5-dione disrupts Janus kinase-2 and induces apoptosis in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells

Naphtho[1,2-b]furan-4,5-dione (NFD), prepared from 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and chloroacetaldehyde in an efficient one-pot reaction, exhibits an anti-carcinogenic effect. NFD-induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells, as indicated by the accumulation of sub-G1 population, externalization of phosphatidylserine, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) with subsequent release of cytochrome c, and activation of both capase-9 and caspase-3. This correlated with up-regulation in Bax and Bad, and down-regulation of various anti-apoptotic proteins, including Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), Mcl-1, and survivin in NFD-treated cells. In the analysis of signal transduction pathway, NFD suppressed the phosphorylation of JAK2 in MDA-MB-231 cells without altering the expression of JAK2 protein. Activation of STAT3, Src, and PI3K/Akt were also inhibited by NFD. Moreover, the JAK2 inhibitor AG490 blocked JAK2, STAT3, Src, PI3K, and Akt activation, whereas both Src inhibitor PP2 and PI3K inhibitor wortmannin did not affect JAK2 activation. This suggests that STAT3, Src, and PI3K/Akt are downstream molecules of the JAK2 signaling pathway. AG490 treatment also mimics the cytotoxic effects of NFD. Taken together, these results indicate that NFD disrupts JAK2 pathway and induces apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells.

Exploring the gain of function contribution of AKT to mammary tumorigenesis in mouse models

Elevated expression of AKT has been noted in a significant percentage of primary human breast cancers, mainly as a consequence of the PTEN/PI3K pathway deregulation. To investigate the mechanistic basis of the AKT gain of function-dependent mechanisms of breast tumorigenesis, we explored the phenotype induced by activated AKT transgenes in a quantitative manner. We generated several transgenic mice lines expressing different levels of constitutively active AKT in the mammary gland. We thoroughly analyzed the preneoplastic and neoplastic mammary lesions of these mice and correlated the process of tumorigenesis to AKT levels. Finally, we analyzed the impact that a possible senescent checkpoint might have in the tumor promotion inhibition observed, crossing these lines to mammary specific p53(R172H) mutant expression, and to p27 knock-out mice. We analyzed the benign, premalignant and malignant lesions extensively by pathology and at molecular level analysing the expression of proteins involved in the PI3K/AKT pathway and in cellular senescence. Our findings revealed an increased preneoplastic phenotype depending upon AKT signaling which was not altered by p27 or p53 loss. However, p53 inactivation by R172H point mutation combined with myrAKT transgenic expression significantly increased the percentage and size of mammary carcinoma observed, but was not sufficient to promote full penetrance of the tumorigenic phenotype. Molecular analysis suggest that tumors from double myrAKT;p53(R172H) mice result from acceleration of initiated p53(R172H) tumors and not from bypass of AKT-induced oncogenic senescence. Our work suggests that tumors are not the consequence of the bypass of senescence in MIN. We also show that AKT-induced oncogenic senescence is dependent of pRb but not of p53. Finally, our work also suggests that the cooperation observed between mutant p53 and activated AKT is due to AKT-induced acceleration of mutant p53-induced tumors. Finally, our work shows that levels of activated AKT are not essential in the induction of benign or premalignant tumors, or in the cooperation of AKT with other tumorigenic signal such as mutant p53, once AKT pathway is activated, the relative level of activity seems not to determine the phenotype.

Proteomic and transcriptomic profiling reveals a link between the PI3K pathway and lower estrogen-receptor (ER) levels and activity in ER+ breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Accumulating evidence suggests that both levels and activity of the estrogen receptor (ER) and the progesterone receptor (PR) are dramatically influenced by growth-factor receptor (GFR) signaling pathways, and that this crosstalk is a major determinant of both breast cancer progression and response to therapy. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, a key mediator of GFR signaling, is one of the most altered pathways in breast cancer. We thus examined whether deregulated PI3K signaling in luminal ER+ breast tumors is associated with ER level and activity and intrinsic molecular subtype.

METHODS

We defined two independent molecular signatures of the PI3K pathway: a proteomic (reverse-phase proteomic array) PI3K signature, based on protein measurement for PI3K signaling intermediates, and a PI3K transcriptional (mRNA) signature based on the set of genes either induced or repressed by PI3K inhibitors. By using these signatures, we scored each ER+ breast tumor represented in multiple independent expression-profiling datasets (four mRNA, n = 915; one protein, n = 429) for activation of the PI3K pathway. Effects of PI3K inhibitor BEZ-235 on ER expression and activity levels and cell growth were tested by quantitative real-time PCR and cell proliferation assays.

RESULTS

Within ER+ tumors, ER levels were negatively correlated with the PI3K activation scores, both at the proteomic and transcriptional levels, in all datasets examined. PI3K signature scores were also higher in ER+ tumors and cell lines of the more aggressive luminal B molecular subtype versus those of the less aggressive luminal A subtype. Notably, BEZ-235 treatment in four different ER+ cell lines increased expression of ER and ER target genes including PR, and treatment with IGF-I (which signals via PI3K) decreased expression of ER and target genes, thus further establishing an inverse functional relation between ER and PI3K. BEZ-235 had an additional effect on tamoxifen in inhibiting the growth of a number of ER+ cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that luminal B tumors have hyperactive GFR/PI3K signaling associated with lower ER levels, which has been correlated with resistance to endocrine therapy. Targeting PI3K in these tumors might reverse loss of ER expression and signaling and restore hormonal sensitivity.

High prevalence of PIK3CA/AKT pathway mutations in papillary neoplasms of the breast

Papillary lesions of the breast have an uncertain relationship to the histogenesis of breast carcinoma, and are thus diagnostically and managerially challenging. Molecular genetic studies have provided evidence that ductal carcinoma in situ and even atypical ductal hyperplasia are precursors of invasive carcinoma. However, papillary lesions have been seldom studied. We screened papillary breast neoplasms for activating point mutations in PIK3CA, AKT1, and RAS protein-family members, which are common in invasive ductal carcinomas. DNA extracts were prepared from sections of 89 papillary lesions, including 61 benign papillomas (28 without significant hyperplasia; 33 with moderate to florid hyperplasia), 11 papillomas with atypical ductal hyperplasia, 7 papillomas with carcinoma in situ, and 10 papillary carcinomas. Extracts were screened for PIK3CA and AKT1 mutations using mass spectrometry; cases that were negative were further screened for mutations in AKT2, BRAF, CDK, EGFR, ERBB2, KRAS, NRAS, and HRAS. Mutations were confirmed by sequencing or HPLC assay. A total of 55 of 89 papillary neoplasms harbored mutations (62%), predominantly in AKT1 (E17K, 27 cases) and PIK3CA (exon 20 >exon 9, 27 cases). Papillomas had more mutations in AKT1 (54%) than in PIK3CA (21%), whereas papillomas with hyperplasia had more PIK3CA (42%) than AKT1 (15%) mutations, as did papillomas with atypical ductal hyperplasia (PIK3CA 45%, AKT1 27%, and NRAS 9%). Among seven papillomas with carcinoma in situ, three had AKT1 mutations. The 10 papillary carcinomas showed an overall lower frequency of mutations, including 1 with an AKT1 mutation (in a tumor arising from a papilloma), 1 with an NRAS gene mutation (Q61H), and 2 with PIK3CA mutations (1 overlapping with the NRAS Q61H). These findings indicate that approximately two-thirds of papillomas are driven by mutations in the PI3CA/AKT pathway. Some papillary carcinomas may arise from these lesions, but others may have different molecular origins.

Antibody complementarity-determining regions (CDRs): a bridge between adaptive and innate immunity

BACKGROUND

It has been documented that, independently from the specificity of the native antibody (Ab) for a given antigen (Ag), complementarity determining regions (CDR)-related peptides may display differential antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor activities.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In this study we demonstrate that a synthetic peptide with sequence identical to V(H)CDR3 of a mouse monoclonal Ab (mAb) specific for difucosyl human blood group A is easily taken up by macrophages with subsequent stimulation of: i) proinflammatory cytokine production; ii) PI3K-Akt pathway and iii) TLR-4 expression. Significantly, V(H)CDR3 exerts therapeutic effect against systemic candidiasis without possessing direct candidacidal properties.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

These results open a new scenario about the possibility that, beyond the half life of immunoglobulins, Ab fragments may effectively influence the antiinfective cellular immune response in a way reminiscent of regulatory peptides of innate immunity.

LAPTM4B-35, a novel tetratransmembrane protein and its PPRP motif play critical roles in proliferation and metastatic potential of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Lysosomal protein transmembrane 4 beta (LAPTM4B) was originally identified as a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-associated gene. This gene and its protein product LAPTM4B-35, are both overexpressed in a variety of human cancers. However, its specific role in cell transformation and malignancy has remained elusive. In the present study we investigated the effects of LAPTM4B-35 overexpression on the malignant phenotypic features in the HLE cell line. Our data show that overexpression of LAPTM4B-35 promotes cell proliferation, exogenous growth-stimulating factor-independent and anchorage-independent growth, and enhances metastatic potential, including promotion of both cell migration and invasion. Study of the underlying mechanisms demonstrated alterations of molecular events involved in these processes, which included upregulation of proliferation-promoting transcription factors such as c-Myc, c-Jun, and c-Fos, and cell cycle-promoting proteins such as cyclin D1 and cyclin E. In addition, mutagenesis study showed that the PPRP motif in the N-terminal region of LAPTM4B-35 plays a critical role in promoting proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as in the upregulation of the oncoproteins noted above. These data offer insight into the mechanism by which this novel tetratransmembrane protein contributes to the pathogenesis of liver cancer, and suggest that it may be a potential target for cancer therapy.

Her2 activates NF-kappaB and induces invasion through the canonical pathway involving IKKalpha

The membrane bound receptor tyrosine kinase Her2 is overexpressed in approximately 30% of human breast cancers, which correlates with poor prognosis. Her2-induced signaling pathways include MAPK and PI3K/Akt, of which the latter has been shown to be critical for Her2(+) breast cancer cell growth and survival. In addition, the NF-kappaB pathway has been shown to be activated downstream of Her2 overexpression; however, the mechanisms leading to this activation are not currently clear. Using Her2(+)/ER(-) breast cancer cells, we show that Her2 activates NF-kappaB through the canonical pathway which, surprisingly, involves IKKalpha. Knockdown of IKKalpha led to a significant decrease in transcription levels of multiple NF-kappaB-regulated cytokine and chemokine genes. siRNA-mediated knockdown of IKKalpha resulted in a decrease in cancer cell invasion, but had no effect on cell proliferation. Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway had no effect on NF-kappaB activation, but significantly inhibited cell proliferation. Our study suggests different roles for the NF-kappaB and PI3K pathways downstream of Her2, leading to changes in invasion and proliferation of breast cancer cells. In addition this work indicates the importance of IKKalpha as a mediator of Her2-induced tumor progression.

Mechanisms for the activity of heterocyclic cyclohexanone curcumin derivatives in estrogen receptor negative human breast cancer cell lines

Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form that currently requires more drug treatment options. Thus, we have further modified cyclohexanone derivatives of curcumin and examined them for cytotoxicity towards ER-negative human breast cancer cells. Two of the analogs screened elicited increased cytotoxic potency compared to curcumin and other previously studied derivatives. Specifically, 2,6-bis(pyridin-3-ylmethylene)-cyclohexanone (RL90) and 2,6-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethylene)-cyclohexanone (RL91) elicited EC(50) values of 1.54 and 1.10 µM, respectively, in MDA-MB-231 cells and EC(50) values of 0.51 and 0.23 in SKBr3 cells. All other new compounds examined were less potent than curcumin, which elicited EC(50) values of 7.6 and 2.4 µM in MDA-MB-231 and SKBr3 cells, respectively. Mechanistic analyses demonstrated that RL90 and RL91 significantly induced G(2)/M-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. RL90 and RL91 also modulated the expression of key cell signaling proteins, specifically, in SKBr3 cells, protein levels of Her-2, Akt, and NFκB were decreased in a time-dependent manner, while activity of stress kinases JNK1/2 and P38 MAPK were increased. Signaling events in MDA-MB-231 cells were differently implicated, as EGFR protein levels were decreased and activity of GSK-3β transiently decreased, while β-catenin protein level and activity of P38 MAPK, Akt, and JNK1/2 were transiently increased. In conclusion replacement of the phenyl group of cyclohexanone derived curcumin derivatives with heterocyclic rings forms a class of second-generation analogs that are more potent than both curcumin and other derivatives. These new derivatives provide a platform for the further development of drugs for the treatment of ER-negative breast cancer.

Ovarian hormones are not required for PRL-induced mammary tumorigenesis, but estrogen enhances neoplastic processes

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that increased prolactin (PRL) exposure raises the risk of invasive estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)-positive breast cancer in women. However, the mechanism(s) whereby this occurs and the interactions with estrogen itself in this disease remain poorly understood. In order to investigate the role of ovarian hormones in the disease process, we employed a transgenic model neu-related lipocalin (NRL)-PRL in which transgenic PRL is directed to mammary epithelial cells by the PRL- and estrogen-insensitive NRL promoter, mimicking the endogenous PRL expression within the breast observed in women. This high local exposure leads to mammary lesion development and eventually carcinomas. Ovariectomy (ovx), shortly after puberty, did not alter the incidence or latency of PRL-induced mammary carcinomas, consistent with the independence of PRL from circulating estrogens as a risk factor for invasive breast cancer in women. However, chronic estrogen administration to ovx NRL-PRL females decreased the latency of both ERalpha-positive and -negative tumors. We identified multiple mechanisms that may underlie this observation. Elevated estrogen exposure cooperated with PRL to increase epithelial proliferation and myoepithelial abnormalities, increasing the incidence of preneoplastic lesions. Critical components of the extracellular matrix secreted by the myoepithelium were reduced with age, and transgenic PRL raised transcripts for tenascin-C and maspin, both associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in subclasses of clinical breast tumors. Mammary pERK1/2 and pAkt, but not phosphorylated Stat5, were markedly elevated by local PRL. Together, these findings indicate that PRL employs multiple mechanisms to promote mammary tumorigenesis.

Signaling-dependent nuclear export of estradiol receptor controls cell cycle progression in breast cancer cells

Estradiol receptor plays a key role in breast cancer and specific hormonal therapies blocking the receptor functions have been developed. Unfortunately, many patients become resistant to this treatment and develop metastatic breast tumors. The causes of breast tumor progression and hormonal therapy resistance are still debated. Many proteins are mislocalized in human cancers, and increasing evidence indicates that nuclear exclusion of estradiol receptor is involved in tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells and hormonal therapy resistance. Therefore, analysis of intracellular localization of estradiol receptor together with screening for specific compounds that redirect the mislocalized receptor to the correct subcellular compartment is a very promising approach to the discovery of novel anticancer compounds. We recently dissected estradiol receptor nuclear export in breast cancer cells and its dependence on PI3-K. This export has a strong impact on cell cycle progression. A peptide mimicking the nuclear export sequence of estradiol receptor specifically traps the receptor in nuclear compartment and blocks the S-phase entry of target cells.

Regulatory effect of the AMPK-COX-2 signaling pathway in curcumin-induced apoptosis in HT-29 colon cancer cells

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a highly conserved protein in eukaryotes, functions as a major metabolic switch to maintain energy homeostasis. It also intrinsically regulates the mammalian cell cycle. Moreover, the AMPK cascade has emerged as an important pathway implicated in cancer control. In this study we investigated the effects of curcumin on apoptosis and the regulatory effect of the AMPK-cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathway in curcumin-induced apoptosis. Curcumin has shown promise as a chemopreventive agent because of its in vivo regression of various animal-model colon cancers. This study focused on exploiting curcumin to apply antitumorigenic effects through modulation of the AMPK-COX-2 cascade. Curcumin exhibited a potent apoptotic effect on HT-29 colon cancer cells at concentrations of 50 micromol/L and above. These apoptotic effects were correlated with the decrease in pAkt and COX-2, as well as the increase in p-AMPK. Cell cycle analysis showed that curcumin induced G(1)-phase arrest. Further study with AMPK synthetic inhibitor Compound C has shown that increased concentrations of Compound C would abolish AMPK expression, accompanied by a marked increase in COX-2 as well as pAkt expression in curcumin-treated HT-29 cells. By inhibiting AMPK with Compound C, we found that curcumin-treated colon cancer cells were no longer undergoing apoptosis; rather, they were proliferative. These results indicate that AMPK is crucial in apoptosis induced by curcumin and further that the pAkt-AMPK-COX-2 cascade or AMPK-pAkt-COX-2 pathway is important in cell proliferation and apoptosis in colon cancer cells.

Targeting CD133 antigen in cancer

BACKGROUND

Much attention has been focused on CD133 as a marker of cancer cells with stem-cell-like ability. In the cancer stem cells (CSCs) model, only a small proportion of tumour cells are able to self-renew extensively, while the bulk of cells proceed to differentiate into committed heterogeneous clones. On the basis of the involvement of CSCs in tumourigenesis and treatment resistance, it is conceivable that only eradication of CSCs can lead to a cancer cure.

OBJECTIVE

To highlight the most recent evidence about the role of CD133 as a marker of CSCs in human tumours, and the therapeutic perspectives associated with its specific targeting.

METHODS

A literature search through Medline to locate published full articles using the following key words for selection: 'CD133 and cancer targeting', 'CD133 and chemo resistance', and 'CD133 and molecular pathways'. Only studies in English are considered.

RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS

The role of CD133 as a marker of CSCs has been documented in several human neoplasms; its expression seems to predict unfavourable prognosis. Novel therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting molecular pathways critical for CD133+ CSCs survival are being examined.

Dithiolethione compounds inhibit Akt signaling in human breast and lung cancer cells by increasing PP2A activity

The chemo-preventative effects of dithiolethione compounds are attributed to their activation of anti-oxidant response elements (ARE) by reacting with the Nrf2/Keap1 protein complex. In this study, we demonstrate anti-proliferative effects of the dithiolethione compound ACS-1 in human cancer cell lines (A549 and MDA-MB-231) by increasing the activity of the tumor suppressor PP2A. ACS-1 inhibited EGF-induced cellular proliferation in a concentration and time-dependent manner. Akt activation, as determined by serine-473 phosphorylation, was inhibited by ACS-1 in cells stimulated with either EGF or fibronectin. Furthermore, ACS-1 inhibited mTOR signaling and decreased c-myc protein levels. ACS-1 did not proximally alter EGFR or integrin signaling, but caused a concentration-dependent increase in PP2A activity. The effect of ACS-1 on Akt activation was not observed in the presence of the PP2A inhibitor okadaic acid. ACS-1 effects on PP2A activity were independent of ARE activation and cAMP formation. In addition to ACS-1, other dithiolethione compounds showed similar effects in reducing Akt activation, suggesting that this class of compounds may have other effects beyond chemoprevention.

Akt1 and akt2 play distinct roles in the initiation and metastatic phases of mammary tumor progression

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt survival pathway is often dysregulated in cancer. Our previous studies have shown that coexpression of activated Akt1 with activated ErbB2 or polyoma virus middle T antigen uncoupled from the PI3K pathway (PyVmT Y315/322F) accelerates mammary tumor development but cannot rescue the metastatic phenotype associated with these models. Here, we report the generation of transgenic mice expressing activated Akt2 in the mammary epithelium. Like the mouse mammary tumor virus-Akt1 strain, mammary-specific expression of Akt2 delayed mammary gland involution. However, in contrast to Akt1, coexpression of Akt2 with activated ErbB2 or PyVmT Y315/322F in the mammary glands of transgenic mice did not affect the latency of tumor development. Strikingly, Akt2 coexpresssion markedly increased the incidence of pulmonary metastases in both tumor models, demonstrating a unique role in tumor progression. Together, these observations argue that these highly conserved kinases have distinct biological and biochemical outputs that play opposing roles in mammary tumor induction and metastasis.

Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase Pin1 is critical for the regulation of PKB/Akt stability and activation phosphorylation

The serine/threonine protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt) plays a pivotal role in diverse cellular functions. Elevated expression of activated Akt has been detected in a wide variety of human cancers; however, the mechanism of Akt protein stability regulation remains unclear. In this study, we showed a strong correlation between the expression levels of an oncogenic peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase Pin1 and levels of Akt phosphorylation at S473 in multiple cancer types (P<0.0001). Akt-pS473 status combined with Pin1 expression levels predicted a poorer prognosis than did either one alone in patients with breast cancer (P=0.0052). We further showed that Pin1 regulated Akt stability and phosphorylation on S473 through the phosphorylated Thr-Pro motifs of Akt. These motifs are conserved evolutionary and are required for the maintenance of Akt stability and its interaction with Pin1. In addition, repressing Pin1 expression through either homologue Pin1 knockout or small interfering RNA-mediated knockingdown compromised its ability to protect Akt from degradation. Our results show how Akt protein stability is regulated by the peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase Pin1 and highlight the importance of this oncogenic network in human disease pathogenesis.

PTEN deficiency in a luminal ErbB-2 mouse model results in dramatic acceleration of mammary tumorigenesis and metastasis

Overexpression and/or amplification of the ErbB-2 oncogene as well as inactivation of the PTEN tumor suppressor are two important genetic events in human breast carcinogenesis. To address the biological impact of conditional inactivation of PTEN on ErbB-2-induced mammary tumorigenesis, we generated a novel transgenic mouse model that utilizes the murine mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoter to directly couple expression of activated ErbB-2 and Cre recombinase to the same mammary epithelial cell (MMTV-NIC). Disruption of PTEN in the mammary epithelium of the MMTV-NIC model system dramatically accelerated the formation of multifocal and highly metastatic mammary tumors, which exhibited homogenous pathology. PTEN-deficient/NIC-induced tumorigenesis was associated with an increase in angiogenesis. Moreover, inactivation of PTEN in the MMTV-NIC mouse model resulted in hyperactivation of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. However, like the parental strain, tumors obtained from PTEN-deficient/NIC mice displayed histopathological and molecular features of the luminal subtype of primary human breast cancer. Taken together, our findings provide important implications in understanding the molecular determinants of mammary tumorigenesis driven by PTEN deficiency and ErbB-2 activation and could provide a valuable tool for testing the efficacy of therapeutic strategies that target these critical signaling pathways.

Dysregulated PI3K/Akt/PTEN pathway is a marker of a short disease-free survival in node-negative breast carcinoma

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of several human cancers. In this study, the biological and prognostic value of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway dysregulation was assessed by immunohistochemistry in a well-characterized series of 72 patients with node-negative breast cancer with a long-term follow-up. Phosphorylated Akt and PTEN expression was reduced in 32% and 12.5% of the tumors, respectively. Phosphorylated Akt or PTEN status was not associated with the main clinicopathologic and biological parameters, whereas their expression was tightly related to their downstream targets cyclin D1 and p27(Kip1) which are involved in cell proliferation. Survival analysis showed a strong association between a shorter disease-free survival and the dysregulated expression of phosphorylated Akt (P = .036), PTEN (P = .003), p27(Kip1) (P = .008), and Ki67 (P = .0007), or the distinct subtypes of breast tumors (luminal, HER2 overexpressing, and basal-like; P = .03). Moreover, multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional-hazards regression model showed that PTEN and Ki67 were independent predictive factors of disease recurrence and that their simultaneous dysregulation strongly increased the hazards ratio of the patients with node-negative breast cancer (hazards ratio, 38.30; P = .0014). In conclusion, our results show that the dysregulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/PTEN pathway is relevant to the prognosis in node-negative breast carcinoma and that the evaluation of key components of this pathway might be a useful tool to identify the patients with node-negative breast cancer at high-risk of disease recurrence.

Mechanism and management of AKT inhibitor-induced hyperglycemia

PURPOSE

Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin pathways are among the most active areas of drug discovery in cancer research. However, due to their integral roles in insulin signaling, inhibitors targeting these pathways often lead to hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. We investigated the mechanism of hyperglycemia induced by GSK690693, a pan-AKT kinase inhibitor in clinical development, as well as methods to ameliorate these side effects.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

The effect of GSK690693 on blood glucose, insulin, and glucagon levels was characterized in mice. We then evaluated the effects of commonly prescribed antidiabetic agents on GSK690693-induced hyperglycemia. The mechanism of blood glucose increase was evaluated using fasting and tracer uptake studies and by measuring liver glycogen levels. Finally, approaches to manage AKT inhibitor-induced hyperglycemia were designed using fasting and low carbohydrate diet.

RESULTS

We report that treatment with antidiabetic agents does not significantly affect GSK690693-induced hyperglycemia in rodents. However, administration of GSK690693 in mice significantly reduces liver glycogen (approximately 90%), suggesting that GSK690693 may inhibit glycogen synthesis and/or activate glycogenolysis. Consistent with this observation, fasting before drug administration reduces baseline liver glycogen levels and attenuates hyperglycemia. Further, GSK690693 also inhibits peripheral glucose uptake and introduction of a low-carbohydrate (7%) or 0% carbohydrate diet after GSK690693 administration effectively reduces diet-induced hyperglycemia in mice.

CONCLUSIONS

The mechanism of GSK690693-induced hyperglycemia is related to peripheral insulin resistance, increased gluconeogenesis, and/or hepatic glycogenolysis. A combination of fasting and low carbohydrate diet can reduce the magnitude of hyperglycemia induced by an AKT inhibitor.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and AKT1 mutations occur early in breast carcinoma

Mutationally activated protein kinases are appealing therapeutic targets in breast carcinoma. Mutations in phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3KCA) have been described in 8-40% of invasive breast carcinomas, and AKT1 mutations have been characterized in 1-8% of breast carcinomas. However, there is little data on these mutations in breast precursor lesions. To further delineate the molecular evolution of breast tumorigenesis, samples of invasive breast carcinoma with an accompanying in situ component were macro dissected from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue and screened for mutations in PIK3CA exons 7, 9, 20, and AKT1 exon 2. Laser capture micro dissection (LCM) was performed on mutation-positive carcinomas to directly compare the genotypes of separated invasive and in situ tumor cells. Among 81 cases of invasive carcinoma, there were eight mutations in PIK3CA exon 20 (7 H1047R, 1 H1047L) and four mutations in exon 9 (2 E545K, 1 E542K, 1 E545G), totaling 12/81 (14.8%). In 11 cases examined, paired LCM in situ tumor showed the identical PIK3CA mutation in invasive and in situ carcinoma. Likewise, 3 of 78 (3.8%) invasive carcinomas showed an AKT1 E17K mutation, and this mutation was identified in matching in situ carcinoma in both informative cases. Mutational status did not correlate with clinical parameters including hormone receptor status, grade, and lymph node status. The complete concordance of PIK3CA and AKT1 mutations in matched samples of invasive and in situ tumor indicates that these mutations occur early in breast cancer development and has implications with regard to therapeutics targeted to the PI3 kinase pathway.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase as a therapeutic target in melanoma

PURPOSE

Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinases (PI3K) are critical for malignant cellular processes including growth, proliferation, and survival, and are targets of drugs in clinical development. We assessed expression of PI3K in melanomas and nevi, and studied associations between PI3K pathway members and in vitro response to a PI3K inhibitor, LY294002.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Using Automated Quantitative Analysis, we quantified expression of p85 and p110alpha subunits in 540 nevi and 523 melanomas. We determined the IC(50) for LY294002 for 11 melanoma cell lines and, using reverse phase protein arrays, assessed the association between levels of PI3K pathway members and sensitivity to LY294002.

RESULTS

p85 and p110alpha tend to be coexpressed (P < 0.0001); expression was higher in melanomas than nevi (P < 0.0001) for both subunits, and higher in metastatic than primary melanomas for p85 (P < 0.0001). Although phospho-Akt (pAkt) levels decreased in all cell lines treated with LY294002, sensitivity was variable. We found no association by t tests between baseline p85, p110alpha, and pAkt levels and sensitivity to LY294002, whereas pS6 Ser(235) and Ser(240) were lower in the more resistant cell lines (P = 0.01 and P = 0.004, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Expression of p85 and p110alpha subunits is up-regulated in melanoma, indicating that PI3K is a good drug target. Pretreatment pS6 levels correlated with sensitivity to the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, whereas PI3K and pAkt did not, suggesting that full activation of the PI3K pathway is needed for sensitivity to PI3K inhibition. pS6 should be evaluated as a predictor of response in melanoma patients treated with PI3K inhibitors, as these drugs enter clinical trials.

Sensitivity of breast cancer cell lines to the novel insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitor NVP-AEW541 is dependent on the level of IRS-1 expression

To investigate the potential value of targeting insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in breast cancer, we examined the effects of NVP-AEW541, a selective small-molecule inhibitor of the IGF-1R tyrosine kinase, in a panel of 16 breast cancer cell lines. All cell lines expressed IGF-1R, but MCF-7 expressed much higher levels of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) than the others. NVP-AEW541 was more potent at inhibiting growth of MCF-7 cells as compared to the others (IC(50), 1 microM vs. approximately 7 microM). Comparing MCF-7 to T47D cells, which express IGF-1R at a level identical to MCF-7 but have less than 1/30 the amount of IRS-1, NVP-AEW541 caused cell-cycle arrest at the G1-S boundary, reduced in vitro cell migration, and enhanced the cytotoxic effects of vinorelbine and paclitaxel in MCF-7, but not in T47D. While NVP-AEW541 decreased the phosphorylation of IGF-1R in both cell lines, it inhibited phosphorylation of Akt and disrupted the IRS-1/PI3K complex only in MCF-7. These findings suggest that inhibiting IGF-1R may be an effective therapeutic strategy for breast cancers that co-express IGF-1R and IRS-1 at high levels.

Staged stromal extracellular 3D matrices differentially regulate breast cancer cell responses through PI3K and beta1-integrins

Background

Interactions between cancer cells and stroma are critical for growth and invasiveness of epithelial tumors. The biochemical mechanisms behind tumor-stromal interactions leading to increased invasiveness and metastasis are mostly unknown. The goal of this study was to analyze the direct effects of staged stroma-derived extracellular matrices on breast cancer cell behavior.

Methods

Early and late three-dimensional matrices were produced by NIH-3T3 and tumor-associated murine fibroblasts, respectively. After removing fibroblasts, extracted matrices were re-cultured with breast epithelial cells of assorted characteristics: MCF-10A (non-tumorigenic), MCF-7 (tumorigenic, non-invasive), and MDA-MB-231 (tumorigenic, invasive). Effects prompted by staged matrices on epithelial cell's growth, morphology and invasion were determined. Also, matrix-induced velocity, directionality and relative track orientation of invasive cells were assessed in the presence or absence of inhibitors of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) and/or beta-1 integrin.

Results

We observed that assorted breast epithelial cells reacted differently to two-dimensional vs. staged, control (early) and tumor-associated (late), three-dimensional matrices. MCF-10A had a proliferative advantage on two-dimensional substrates while MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 showed no difference. MCF-10A and MCF-7 formed morphologically distinguishable aggregates within three-dimensional matrices, while MDA-MB-231 exhibited increased spindle-shape morphologies and directional movements within three-dimensional matrices. Furthermore, MDA-MB-231 acquired a pattern of parallel oriented organization within tumor-associated, but not control matrices. Moreover, tumor-associated matrices induced PI3K and beta1-integrin dependent Akt/PKB activity in MDA-MB-231 cells. Interestingly, beta1-integrin (but not PI3K) regulated tumor-associated matrix-induced mesenchymal invasion which, when inhibited, resulted in a change of invasive strategy rather than impeding invasion altogether.

Conclusion

We propose that both cells and matrices are important to promote effective breast cancer cell invasion through three-dimensional matrices and that beta1-integrin inhibition is not necessarily sufficient to block tumor-matrix induced breast cancer cell invasion. Additionally, we believe that characterizing stroma staging (e.g., early vs. late or tumor-associated) might be beneficial for predicting matrix-induced cancer cell responses in order to facilitate the selection of therapies.

Adiponectin haploinsufficiency promotes mammary tumor development in MMTV-PyVT mice by modulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog activities

BACKGROUND

Adiponectin is an adipokine possessing beneficial effects on obesity-related medical complications. A negative association of adiponectin levels with breast cancer development has been demonstrated. However, the precise role of adiponectin deficiency in mammary carcinogenesis remains elusive.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In the present study, MMTV-polyomavirus middle T antigen (MMTV-PyVT) transgenic mice with reduced adiponectin expressions were established and the stromal effects of adiponectin haploinsufficiency on mammary tumor development evaluated. In mice from both FVB/N and C57BL/6J backgrounds, insufficient adiponectin production promoted mammary tumor onset and development. A distinctive basal-like subtype of tumors, with a more aggressive phenotype, was derived from adiponectin haplodeficient MMTV-PyVT mice. Comparing with those from control MMTV-PyVT mice, the isolated mammary tumor cells showed enhanced tumor progression in re-implanted nude mice, accelerated proliferation in primary cultures, and hyperactivated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/beta-catenin signaling, which at least partly attributed to the decreased phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) activities. Further analysis revealed that PTEN was inactivated by a redox-regulated mechanism. Increased association of PTEN-thioredoxin complexes was detected in tumors derived from mice with reduced adiponectin levels. The activities of thioredoxin (Trx1) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1) were significantly elevated, whereas treatment with either curcumin, an irreversible inhibitor of TrxR1, or adiponectin largely attenuated their activities and resulted in the re-activation of PTEN in these tumor cells. Moreover, adiponectin could inhibit TrxR1 promoter-mediated transcription and restore the mRNA expressions of TrxR1.

CONCLUSION

Adiponectin haploinsufficiency facilitated mammary tumorigenesis by down-regulation of PTEN activity and activation of PI3K/Akt signalling pathway through a mechanism involving Trx1/TrxR1 redox regulations.

Tissue microarray analysis of eIF4E and its downstream effector proteins in human breast cancer

Background

Eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is elevated in many cancers and is a prognostic indicator in breast cancer. Many pro-tumorigenic proteins are selectively translated via eIF4E, including c-Myc, cyclin D1, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Tousled-like kinase 1B (TLK1B). However, western blot analysis of these factors in human breast cancer has been limited by the availability of fresh frozen tissue and the labor-intensive nature of the multiple assays required. Our goal was to validate whether formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues arranged in a tissue microarray (TMA) format would be more efficient than the use of fresh-frozen tissue and western blot to test multiple downstream gene products.

Results

Breast tumor TMAs were stained immunohistochemically and quantitated using the ARIOL imaging system. In the TMAs, eIF4E levels correlated strongly with c-Myc, cyclin D1, TLK1B, VEGF, and ODC. Western blot comparisons of eIF4E vs. TLK1B were consistent with the immunohistochemical results. Consistent with our previous western blot results, eIF4E did not correlate with node status, ER, PR, or HER-2/neu.

Conclusion

We conclude that the TMA technique yields similar results as the western blot technique and can be more efficient and thorough in the evaluation of several products downstream of eIF4E.

The role of PTEN/Akt/PI3K signaling in the maintenance and viability of prostate cancer stem-like cell populations

Characterization of the molecular pathways that are required for the viability and maintenance of self-renewing tumor-initiating cells may ultimately lead to improved therapies for cancer. In this study, we show that a CD133(+)/CD44(+) population of cells enriched in prostate cancer progenitors (PCaPs) has tumor-initiating potential and that these progenitors can be expanded under nonadherent, serum-free, sphere-forming conditions. Cells grown under these conditions have increased in vitro clonogenic and in vivo tumorigenic potential. mRNA expression analysis of cells grown under sphere-forming conditions, compared with long-term monolayer cultures, revealed preferential activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. PI3K p110alpha and beta-protein levels were higher in cells grown under sphere-forming conditions, and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) knockdown by shRNA led to an increase in sphere formation as well as increased clonogenic and tumorigenic potential. Similarly, shRNA knockdown of FoxO3a led to an increase in tumorigenic potential. Consistent with these results, inhibition of PI3K activity by the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 led to growth inhibition of PCaPs. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathways are critical for prostate cancer stem-like cell maintenance and that targeting PI3K signaling may be beneficial in prostate cancer treatment by eliminating prostate cancer stem-like cells.

Integrin-linked kinase--essential roles in physiology and cancer biology

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a multifunctional intracellular effector of cell-matrix interactions and regulates many cellular processes, including growth, proliferation, survival, differentiation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis. The use of recently developed Cre-lox-driven recombination and RNA-interference technologies has enabled the evaluation of the physiological roles of ILK in several major organ systems. Significant developmental and tissue-homeostasis defects occur when the gene that encodes ILK is deleted, whereas the expression of ILK is often elevated in human malignancies. Although the cause(s) of ILK overexpression remain to be fully elucidated, accumulating evidence suggests that its oncogenic capacity derives from its regulation of several downstream targets that provide cells with signals that promote proliferation, survival and migration, supporting the concept that ILK is a relevant therapeutic target in human cancer. Furthermore, a global analysis of the ILK 'interactome' has yielded several novel interactions, and has revealed exciting and unexpected cellular functions of ILK that might have important implications for the development of effective therapeutic agents.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 protects fibrosarcoma cells from etoposide-induced apoptosis through activation of the PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway

High levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) in tumors are associated with poor prognosis in several cancer types, and the reason for this association is not fully understood. Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 has been suggested to contribute to tumor growth by protecting cancer cells from apoptosis, and we have previously shown that wild type murine fibrosarcoma cells are significantly more resistant to apoptosis induced by chemotherapy than PAI-1-deficient fibrosarcoma cells. Here, we further investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the antiapoptotic function of PAI-1 focusing on the phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate kinase (PI3K)/Akt cell survival pathway. We demonstrate that the activation level of the Akt cell survival pathway is reduced in PAI-1-deficient cells. Inhibition of either PI3K or Akt by synthetic inhibitors sensitized the wild type but not the PAI-1-deficient cells to etoposide-induced cell death. More importantly, reintroduction of PAI-1 expression in PAI-1-deficient cells induced an increase in Akt activity and protection against etoposide-induced apoptosis. Concordantly, silencing of PAI-1 by RNA interference in wild type fibrosarcoma cells decreased the level of active Akt, and this was accompanied by a sensitization of the cells to etoposide-induced cell death. Altogether, our data suggest that PAI-1 influences sensitivity to etoposide-induced apoptosis through the PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway by acting upstream of PI3K and Akt. This points to PAI-1 as a possible therapeutic target in cancer diseases where PAI-1 inhibits chemotherapy-induced apoptosis.

Frequent PTEN genomic alterations and activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in basal-like breast cancer cells

INTRODUCTION

Basal-like carcinomas (BLCs) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpressing (HER2+) carcinomas are the subgroups of breast cancers that have the most aggressive clinical behaviour. In contrast to HER2+ carcinomas, no targeted therapy is currently available for the treatment of patients with BLCs. In order to discover potential therapeutic targets, we aimed to discover deregulated signalling pathways in human BLCs.

METHODS

In this study, we focused on the oncogenic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway in 13 BLCs, and compared it with a control series of 11 hormonal receptor negative- and grade III-matched HER2+ carcinomas. The two tumour populations were first characterised by immunohistochemistry and gene expression. The PI3K pathway was then investigated by gene copy-number analysis, gene expression profiling and at a proteomic level using reverse-phase protein array technology and tissue microarray. The effects of the PI3K inhibition pathway on proliferation and apoptosis was further analysed in three human basal-like cell lines.

RESULTS

The PI3K pathway was found to be activated in BLCs and up-regulated compared with HER2+ tumours as shown by a significantly increased activation of the downstream targets Akt and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). BLCs expressed significantly lower levels of the tumour suppressor PTEN and PTEN levels were significantly negatively correlated with Akt activity within that population. PTEN protein expression correlated significantly with PTEN DNA copy number and more importantly, reduced PTEN DNA copy numbers were observed specifically in BLCs. Similar to human samples, basal-like cell lines exhibited an activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and low/lack PTEN expression. Both PI3K and mTOR inhibitors led to basal-like cell growth arrest. However, apoptosis was specifically observed after PI3K inhibition.

CONCLUSIONS

These data provide insight into the molecular pathogenesis of BLCs and implicate the PTEN-dependent activated Akt signalling pathway as a potential therapeutic target for the management of patients with poor prognosis BLCs.

ErbB3 is required for ductal morphogenesis in the mouse mammary gland

Introduction

The receptor ErbB3/HER3 is often over-expressed in human breast cancers, frequently in conjunction with over-expression of the proto-oncogene ERBB2/HER2/NEU. Although the prognostic/predictive value of ErbB3 expression in breast cancer is unclear, ErbB3 is known to contribute to therapeutic resistance. Understanding ErbB3 functions in the normal mammary gland will help to explain its role in cancer etiology and as a modulator of signaling responses to the mammary oncogene ERBB2.

Methods

To investigate the roles of ErbB3 in mouse mammary gland development, we transplanted mammary buds from ErbB3^-/- embryos into the cleared mammary fat pads of wild-type immunocompromised mice. Effects on ductal outgrowth were analyzed at 4 weeks, 7 weeks and 20 weeks after transplantation for total ductal outgrowth, branch density, and number and area of terminal end buds. Sections of glands containing terminal end buds were analyzed for number and epithelial area of terminal end buds. Terminal end buds were also analyzed for presence of mitotic figures, apoptotic figures, BrdU incorporation, and expression of E-cadherin, P-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin, and cleaved caspase-3.

Results

The mammary ductal trees developed from ErbB3^-/- buds only partly filled the mammary fat pad. In contrast to similar experiments with ErbB2^-/- mammary buds, this phenotype was maintained through adulthood, pregnancy, and parturition. In addition, and in contrast to similar work with ErbB4^-/- mammary buds, lobuloalveolar development of ErbB3^-/- transplanted glands was normal. The ErbB3^-/- mammary outgrowth defect was associated with a decrease in the size of the terminal end buds, and with increases in branch density, in the number of terminal end buds, and in the number of luminal spaces. Proliferation rates were not affected by the lack of ErbB3, but there was an increase in apoptosis in ErbB3^-/- terminal end buds.

Conclusions

Endogenous ErbB3 regulates morphogenesis of mammary epithelium.

Identification of 4-(2-(4-amino-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-yl)-1-ethyl-7-{[(3S)-3-piperidinylmethyl]oxy}-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-4-yl)-2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (GSK690693), a novel inhibitor of AKT kinase

Overexpression of AKT has an antiapoptotic effect in many cell types, and expression of dominant negative AKT blocks the ability of a variety of growth factors to promote survival. Therefore, inhibitors of AKT kinase activity might be useful as monotherapy for the treatment of tumors with activated AKT. Herein, we describe our lead optimization studies culminating in the discovery of compound 3g (GSK690693). Compound 3g is a novel ATP competitive, pan-AKT kinase inhibitor with IC 50 values of 2, 13, and 9 nM against AKT1, 2, and 3, respectively. An X-ray cocrystal structure was solved with 3g and the kinase domain of AKT2, confirming that 3g bound in the ATP binding pocket. Compound 3g potently inhibits intracellular AKT activity as measured by the inhibition of the phosphorylation levels of GSK3beta. Intraperitoneal administration of 3g in immunocompromised mice results in the inhibition of GSK3beta phosphorylation and tumor growth in human breast carcinoma (BT474) xenografts.

AKT alters genome-wide estrogen receptor alpha binding and impacts estrogen signaling in breast cancer

Estrogen regulates several biological processes through estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and ERbeta. ERalpha-estrogen signaling is additionally controlled by extracellular signal activated kinases such as AKT. In this study, we analyzed the effect of AKT on genome-wide ERalpha binding in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Parental and AKT-overexpressing cells displayed 4,349 and 4,359 ERalpha binding sites, respectively, with approximately 60% overlap. In both cell types, approximately 40% of estrogen-regulated genes associate with ERalpha binding sites; a similar percentage of estrogen-regulated genes are differentially expressed in two cell types. Based on pathway analysis, these differentially estrogen-regulated genes are linked to transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), NF-kappaB, and E2F pathways. Consistent with this, the two cell types responded differently to TGF-beta treatment: parental cells, but not AKT-overexpressing cells, required estrogen to overcome growth inhibition. Combining the ERalpha DNA-binding pattern with gene expression data from primary tumors revealed specific effects of AKT on ERalpha binding and estrogen-regulated expression of genes that define prognostic subgroups and tamoxifen sensitivity of ERalpha-positive breast cancer. These results suggest a unique role of AKT in modulating estrogen signaling in ERalpha-positive breast cancers and highlights how extracellular signal activated kinases can change the landscape of transcription factor binding to the genome.