Differential regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation in tumor cells by contortrostatin, a homodimeric disintegrin, and monomeric disintegrins echistatin and flavoridin

rAdinbitor, a disintegrin from Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus stejneger, inhibits tumorigenicity of hepatocarcinoma via enhanced anti-angiogenesis and immunocompetence

Adinbitor is a disintegrin previously obtained from Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus stejneger by our group. Here, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activities of recombinant Adinbitor (rAdinbitor). rAdinbitor stimulation can inhibit the in vitro proliferation, migration and invasion capacities of murine hepatocarcinoma H22 and Hca-F cells. The administrations of rAdinbitor either by gavage or intraperitoneal injection suppress the tumor malignancy and prolong the survival rate and time of H22-transplanted mice. The number and size of formed blood vessels decreased dramatically in tumorous tissues in that the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) were significantly decreased in responding to rAdinbitor treatment. The protein levels of IL-18 and IgG increased significantly in the serum of H22-transplanted tumor mice with rAdinbitor treatment. rAdinbitor shows in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effects as an angiogenesis inhibitor and immunocompetence enhancer.

Antiproliferative effect of the jararhagin toxin on B16F10 murine melanoma

BACKGROUND

Malignant melanoma is a less common but highly dangerous form of skin cancer; it starts in the melanocytes cells found in the outer layer of the skin. Jararhagin toxin, a metalloproteinase isolated from Bothrops jararaca snake venom acts upon several biological processes, as inflammation, pain, platelet aggregation, proliferation and apoptosis, though not yet approved for use, may one day be employed to treat tumors.

METHODS

B16F10 murine melanoma cells were treated with jararhagin (jara), a disintegrin-like metalloproteinase isolated from Bothrops jararaca snake venom, and jari (catalytic domain inactivated with 1,10-phenanthroline). Viability and adhesion cells were evaluated by MTT assay. The expression of caspase-3 active, phases of the cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry. We analyze in vivo the effects of jararhagin on melanoma growth, apoptosis and metastasis.

RESULTS

The tumor cells acquired round shapes, lost cytoplasmic expansions, formed clusters in suspension and decreased viability. Jari was almost 20 times more potent toxin than jara based on IC50 values and on morphological changes of the cells, also observed by scanning electron microscopy. Flow cytometry analysis showed 48.3% decrease in the proliferation rate of cells and 47.2% increase in apoptosis (jara) and necrosis (jari), following 1.2 μM jara and 0.1 μM jari treatments. Caspase-3 activity was increased whereas G0/G1 cell cycle phase was on the decline. Proliferative rate was assessed by staining with 5,6-carboxyfluoresceindiacetate succinimidyl ester, showing a significant decrease in proliferation at all concentrations of both toxins.

CONCLUSIONS

In vivo treatment of the toxins was observed reduction in the incidence of nodules, and metastasis and antiproliferative inhibition capacity. This data strengthens the potential use jararhagin as an anti-neoplastic drug.

Vicrostatin - an anti-invasive multi-integrin targeting chimeric disintegrin with tumor anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic activities

Similar to other integrin-targeting strategies, disintegrins have previously shown good efficacy in animal cancer models with favorable pharmacological attributes and translational potential. Nonetheless, these polypeptides are notoriously difficult to produce recombinantly due to their particular structure requiring the correct pairing of multiple disulfide bonds for biological activity. Here, we show that a sequence-engineered disintegrin (called vicrostatin or VCN) can be reliably produced in large scale amounts directly in the oxidative cytoplasm of Origami B E. coli. Through multiple integrin ligation (i.e., alphavbeta3, alphavbeta5, and alpha5beta1), VCN targets both endothelial and cancer cells significantly inhibiting their motility through a reconstituted basement membrane. Interestingly, in a manner distinct from other integrin ligands but reminiscent of some ECM-derived endogenous anti-angiogenic fragments previously described in the literature, VCN profoundly disrupts the actin cytoskeleton of endothelial cells (EC) inducing a rapid disassembly of stress fibers and actin reorganization, ultimately interfering with EC's ability to invade and form tubes (tubulogenesis). Moreover, here we show for the first time that the addition of a disintegrin to tubulogenic EC sandwiched in vitro between two Matrigel layers negatively impacts their survival despite the presence of abundant haptotactic cues. A liposomal formulation of VCN (LVCN) was further evaluated in vivo in two animal cancer models with different growth characteristics. Our data demonstrate that LVCN is well tolerated while exerting a significant delay in tumor growth and an increase in the survival of treated animals. These results can be partially explained by potent tumor anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic effects induced by LVCN.

Expression, purification and characterization of recombinant Jerdonitin, a P-II class snake venom metalloproteinase comprising metalloproteinase and disintegrin domains

Jerdonitin is a P-II class snake venom metalloproteinase comprising metalloproteinase and disintegrin domains. In this study, we established a high-level expression system in Pichia pastoris and developed a purification strategy for the recombinant Jerdonitin. This recombinant Jerdonitin degraded fibrinogen at a level of activity comparable with its wild type. The effects of recombinant Jerdonitin on inhibiting ADP-induced human platelet aggregation were in a dose-dependent manner with an IC(50) of 248nM. In addition, we reported here that Jerdonitin can significantly inhibit the growth of several cell lines, including human liver cancer cells (Bel7402), human leukemia cells (K562) and human gastric carcinoma cells (BGC823). This study offers recombinant Jerdonitin that will be valuable for further functional and structural studies of Jerdonitin.

Snake venom metalloproteases--structure and function of catalytic and disintegrin domains

Snake venoms are relevant sources of toxins that have evolved towards the engineering of highly active compounds. In the last years, research efforts have produced great advance in their understanding and uses. Metalloproteases with disintegrin domains are among the most abundant toxins in many Viperidae snake venoms. This review will focus on the structure, function and possible applications of the metalloprotease and disintegrin domains.

Isolation and characterization of two disintegrins inhibiting ADP-induced human platelet aggregation from the venom of Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus (Mohave Rattlesnake)

Disintegrins and disintegrin-like proteins are molecules found in the venom of four snake families (Atractaspididae, Elapidae, Viperidae, and Colubridae). The disintegrins are nonenzymatic proteins that inhibit cell-cell interactions, cell-matrix interactions, and signal transduction, and may have potential in the treatment of strokes, heart attacks, cancers, and osteoporosis. Prior to 1983, the venom of Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus (Mohave Rattlesnake) was known to be only neurotoxic; however, now there is evidence that these snakes can contain venom with: (1) neurotoxins; (2) hemorrhagins; and (3) both neurotoxins and hemorrhagins. In this study, two disintegrins, mojastin 1 and mojastin 2, from the venom of a Mohave rattlesnake collected in central Arizona (Pinal County), were isolated and characterized. The disintegrins in these venoms were identified by mass-analyzed laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight/time-of-flight (MALDI/TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry as having masses of 7.436 and 7.636 kDa. Their amino acid sequences are similar to crotratroxin, a disintegrin isolated from the venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake (C. atrox). The amino acid sequence of mojastin 1 was identical to the amino acid sequence of a disintegrin isolated from the venom of the Timber rattlesnake (C. horridus). The disintegrins from the Mohave rattlesnake venom were able to inhibit ADP-induced platelet aggregation in whole human blood both having IC50s of 13.8 nM, but were not effective in inhibiting the binding of human urinary bladder carcinoma cells (T24) to fibronectin.

Crystal Structure of Schistatin, a Disintegrin Homodimer from Saw-scaled Viper (Echis carinatus) at 2.5Å Resolution

This is the first structure of a biological homodimer of disintegrin. Disintegrins are a class of small (4-14 kDa) proteins that bind to transmembrane integrins selectively. The present molecule is the first homodimer that has been isolated from the venom of Echis carinatus. The monomeric chain contains 64 amino acid residues. The three-dimensional structure of schistatin has been determined by the multiple isomorphous replacement method. It has been refined to an R-factor of 0.190 using all the data to 2.5 A resolution. The two subunits of the disintegrin homodimer are related by a 2-fold crystallographic symmetry. Thus, the crystallographic asymmetric unit contains a monomer of disintegrin. The monomer folds into an up-down topology with three sets of antiparallel beta-strands. The structure is well ordered with four intramolecular disulfide bonds. the two monomers are firmly linked to each other through two intermolecular disulfide bridges at their N termini together with several other interactions. This structure has corrected the error in the disulfide bond pattern of the two intermolecular disulfide bridges that was reported earlier using chemical methods. Unique sequence and structural features of the schistatin monomers suggest that they have the ability to bind well with both alphaIIb beta3 and alphav beta3 integrins. The N termini anchored two chains of the dimer diverge away at their C termini exposing the Arg-Gly-Asp motif into opposite directions thus enhancing their binding efficiency to integrins. This is one of the unique features of the present disintegrin homodimer and seems to be responsible for the clustering of integrin molecules. The homodimer binds to integrins apparently with a higher affinity than the monomers and also plays a role in the signaling pathway.

Intravenous liposomal delivery of the snake venom disintegrin contortrostatin limits breast cancer progression

Despite significant research in this area, metastatic breast cancer remains a disease with a poor prognosis. Until an effective therapy is developed, it is imperative that new treatment modalities be investigated. In this report, we describe an effective method for delivery of a novel snake venom disintegrin, contortrostatin (CN), in an orthotopic, xenograft model of human mammary cancer in immunodeficient mice. CN (Mr 13,500) is a homodimeric disintegrin isolated from venom of the Southern Copperhead snake. The homodimer possesses two Arg-Gly-Asp sites, which modulate its interaction with integrins on tumor cells and angiogenic vascular endothelial cells. Although our laboratory has previously described the antitumor activity of CN in a mouse model of human mammary cancer, the method of delivery, daily intratumor injection, was not translatable to clinical application. We now describe a clinically relevant method of administering CN, liposomal delivery (LCN). A unique liposomal system has been designed for i.v. administration of a biologically active protein with full retention of biological activity. Pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, platelet reactivity, and immunogenicity of LCN were determined and compared with similar characteristics of native, unencapsulated CN. There are several advantages to liposomal delivery of CN: (1) LCN has a significantly prolonged circulatory half-life compared with native CN; (2) LCN is passively accumulated in the tumor; (3) LCN has no platelet reactivity; and (4) LCN is not recognized by the immune system. Finally, antiangiogenic activity is an important component of CN's mechanism of antitumor action. We have demonstrated that i.v. delivery of LCN leads to potent antiangiogenic activity in the orthotopic, xenograft human mammary tumor model.

Inhibition of melanoma cells tumorigenicity by the snake venom toxin jararhagin

Skmel-28 human melanoma cells were treated with jararhagin (Jara), a metalloproteinase disintegrin isolated from Bothrops jararaca snake venom, and Jari (Jara with the catalytic domain inactivated). Following treatments, monolayer cells lost cytoplasmic expansions acquiring round shapes, detached and formed cell clusters in suspension. Cytotoxicity effect of Jari was dramatically increased at concentrations higher than 0.4 microM, whereas cell adhesion responses did not differ significantly between similar concentrations of Jara and Jari. Treated cells were significantly inhibited to adhere to non-coated wells, as to ECM proteins-coated plates. Migration and invasion were also significantly inhibited in vitro. A decreased proliferation rate was observed in toxin-treated cells. Immunofluorescence staining showed a wide distribution of Jari across the cells. Jara treated cells (67.5%) steady bound anti-jara antibodies after 90 min, while Jari treated cells steady bound only after 6h (57.3%), as determined by FACS. Skmel-28 melanoma cells tumorigenicity was evaluated 180 days after s.c. injections in AIRmin mice. A statistically significant decrease in the ability of Jara and Jari treated cells to promote lung metastasis was observed. These results point to the potential use of this toxin as a tool for applied researches in the clinical field.

Contortrostatin, a homodimeric disintegrin, actively disrupts focal adhesion and cytoskeletal structure and inhibits cell motility through a novel mechanism

Integrins play a major role in the regulation of cell motility. They physically link the extracellular environment to the cytoskeleton and participate in large protein complexes known as focal adhesions. In this report, it is demonstrated that treatment of tumor cells with the homodimeric disintegrin contortrostatin induces integrin-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation events and causes severe disruptions in the actin cytoskeleton and disassembly of focal adhesion structures without affecting cellular adhesion to a reconstituted basement membrane. Included in this disruption is the tyrosine phosphorylation and altered subcellular localization of FAK. Through use of transfected 293 cells with specific integrin expression profiles and anti-alphavbeta3 mAbs, we demonstrate that these events are mediated exclusively by the alphavbeta3 integrin and are likely the result of contortrostatin-mediated crosslinking of this receptor at the cell surface, since monovalent disintegrins, flavoridin or echistatin do not induce such effects. Further, it is shown that contortrostatin potently inhibits motility in cells expressing the alphavbeta33 integrin. The results of this study describe a novel integrin-mediated mechanism by which cell motility can be inhibited and suggest an alternative approach to therapeutic intervention for cancer invasion and metastasis.