High FABP5 Versus CRABPII Expression Ratio in Recurrent Craniopharyngiomas: Implications for Future Treatment

A Novel Therapeutic Mechanism of Imipridones ONC201/ONC206 in MYCN-Amplified Neuroblastoma Cells via Differential Expression of Tumorigenic Proteins

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial nervous system tumor in children. It presents with a spectrum of clinical prognostic measures ranging from benign growths that regress spontaneously to highly malignant, treatment evasive tumors affiliated with increased mortality rates. MYCN amplification is commonly seen in high-risk neuroblastoma, rendering it highly malignant and recurrence prone. In our current study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of small molecule inducers of TRAIL, ONC201, and ONC206 in MYCN-amplified IMR-32 and non-MYCN-amplified SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cell lines. Our results exhibit potent antitumor activity of ONC201 and ONC206 via a novel inhibition of EGF-induced L1CAM and PDGFRβ phosphorylation in both cell lines. Drug treatment significantly reduced cellular proliferation, viability, migration, invasion, tumorsphere formation potential, and increased apoptosis in both cell lines. The protein expression of tumorigenic NMYC, Sox-2, Oct-4, FABP5, and HMGA1 significantly decreased 48 h post-drug treatment, whereas cleaved PARP1/caspase-3 and γH2AX increased 72 h post-drug treatment, compared with vehicle-treated cells in the MYCN-amplified IMR-32 cell line. We are the first to report this novel differential protein expression after ONC201 or ONC206 treatment in human neuroblastoma cells, demonstrating an important multitarget effect which may yield added therapeutic benefits in treating this devastating childhood cancer.

Analysis of CRABP2 and FABP5 genes in primary and recurrent pterygium tissues

The etiology of pterygium remains unclear, but ultraviolet (UV) radiation is generally considered to be major risk factor. Pterygium has similarity features with many cancers, including inflammation, invasion, cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, angiogenesis and recurrence after resection. Retinoic acid via cellular retinoic acid binding protein 2 (CRABP2) is involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and differentiation, while it via fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) is involved in survival, cell proliferation and angiogenesis, which pathway gets activated depends on the CRABP2/FABP5 ratio. Alterations of retinoid signaling were found in many cancer types. The deregulated retinoid signaling may also contribute to the development and/or recurrence of pterygium. The aim of our study was to determine mRNA and protein expressions of CRABP2 and FABP5 and ratio of CRABP2/FABP5 in primer and recurrent pterygium tissues. Pterygia tissues were collected from 30 eyes of 30 patients undergoing pterygium excision. CRABP2 and FABP5 mRNA and protein expression were assessed using Real-time PCR and Western blotting through examination of excised specimens from pterygium and conjunctiva tissues. The ratio of CRABP2/FABP5 gene expression was not altered when primary pterygium tissues compared normal conjunctival tissues (1.00-fold change). Whereas the ratio of CRABP2/ FABP5 gene expression was decreased when recurrent pterygium tissues compared normal conjunctival tissues (0.81-fold change). Understanding etiopathogenesis of pterygium may aid in the find of more promising treatments to prevent pterygium in earlier stages.