G-CSF increases secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by human lung cancer cells

Suppressing effects of daily oral supplementation of beta-glucan extracted from Agaricus blazei Murill on spontaneous and peritoneal disseminated metastasis in mouse model

PURPOSE

The Basidiomycete fungus Agaricus blazei Murill has traditionally been used as a health food for the prevention of cancer.

METHODS

We examined whether beta-(1-6)-D: -glucan extracted from A. blazei is a potential anticancer agent in an in vitro and in vivo animal model.

RESULTS

Here we show that (1) beta-glucan had cytotoxic effect against human ovarian cancer HRA cells, but not against murine Lewis lung cancer 3LL cells, in vitro; (2) beta-glucan promotes p38 MAPK activity for suppressing HRA cell proliferation and amplifying the apoptosis cascade; (3) beta-glucan stimulates translocation of the proapoptotic protein, Bax, from the cytosol to mitochondria, cytochrome c release, and subsequent caspase-9 activation; (4) treatment with SB203580, a p38 MAPK-specific inhibitor, suppresses beta-glucan-induced effects, indicating that activation of p38 MAPK is involved in the suppression of cell proliferation and mitochondrial activation-mediated cell death pathway; (5) in mice, oral supplementation with beta-glucan reduces pulmonary metastasis of 3LL cells and peritoneal disseminated metastasis of HRA cells and inhibits the growth of these metastatic tumors in lung or peritoneal cavity, in part, by suppressing uPA expression; and (6) in an in vivo experimental metastasis assay, however, the oral supplementation with beta-glucan after i.v. tumor cell inoculation did not reduce the number of lung tumor colonies.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with beta-glucan may be beneficial for cancer patients with or at risk for metastasis. The beta-glucan-dependent signaling pathways are critical for our understanding of anticancer events and development of cancer therapeutic agents.

Suppressing effects of dietary supplementation of soybean trypsin inhibitor on spontaneous, experimental and peritoneal disseminated metastasis in mouse model

The modifying effects of a Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) and a Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitor (BBI), purified from soybean trypsin inhibitor, as dietary supplements on experimental and spontaneous pulmonary metastasis of murine Lewis lung carcinoma 3LL cells as well as peritoneal disseminated metastasis model in human ovarian cancer HRA cells were investigated in i.v., s.c. and i.p. injection models in mice. Seven groups of female C57BL/6 or nude mice were fed a basal diet (control group) or the basal diet supplemented with KTI or BBI (5, 15, or 50 g/kg). Here we show that, in an in vivo spontaneous metastasis assay, the diet supplementation with KTI (15 and 50 g/kg), but not with BBI, for 28 days immediately after s.c. tumor cell inoculation significantly inhibited the formation of lung metastasis in C57BL/6 mice in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of lung metastasis was not due to direct antitumor effects of KTI. In an in vivo experimental metastasis assay, the diet supplementation with KTI or BBI for 21 days after i.v. tumor cell inoculation did not reduce the number of lung tumor colonies. In addition, KTI (15 or 50 g/kg) treatment in a peritoneal disseminated metastasis model of HRA cells resulted in a 40% reduction in total tumor burden when compared with control animals. Immunoblot analysis revealed that KTI specifically reduced expression of uPA protein as well as phosphorylation of MAP kinase and PI3 kinase proteins in the cells stimulated with agonists (G-CSF for 3LL cells or TGF-beta1 for HRA cells). These results suggest that dietary supplementation of KTI more efficiently regulates the mechanism involved in the entry into vascular circulation of tumor cells (intravasation) than in extravasation during the metastatic process. KTI treatment may also be beneficial for ovarian cancer patients with or at risk for peritoneal disseminated metastasis; it greatly reduces tumor burden in part by inhibiting phosphorylation of MAP kinase and PI3 kinase, leading to suppression of uPA expression.

Granulocyte-Colony stimulating factor and macrophage-colony stimulating factor in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer

We have investigated the serum level of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and macrophagecolony stimulating factor (M-CSF) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in relation to the control group and commonly accepted tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin fragment 19 (CYFRA 21-1). Additionally, we have defined the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve of G-CSF and M-CSF. Serum levels of cytokines were measured in 61 patients with NSCLC and in 20 healthy subjects. G-CSF and M-CSF were determined using ELISA. CYFRA 21-1 was measured by radioimmunoassay and CEA by microparticle enzyme immunoassay. There were significant increases in the level of circulating G-CSF in the lung cancer patients compared to the control group. Moreover, the diagnostic sensitivity of G-CSF was higher (56%) than the sensitivity of CYFRA 21-1 (51%), but lower than the CEA sensitivity (62%). The diagnostic specificity of G-CSF was higher (70%) than the M-CSF specificity (40%) and the G-CSF predictive values were higher in relation to the predictive values of M-CSF. These results suggest a potential role of G-CSF as a tumor marker for NSCLC.

Neovascularization of ischemic myocardium by human bone-marrow-derived angioblasts prevents cardiomyocyte apoptosis, reduces remodeling and improves cardiac function

Left ventricular remodeling is a major cause of progressive heart failure and death after myocardial infarction. Although neoangiogenesis within the infarcted tissue is an integral component of the remodeling process, the capillary network is unable to support the greater demands of the hypertrophied myocardium, resulting in progressive loss of viable tissue, infarct extension and fibrous replacement. Here we show that bone marrow from adult humans contains endothelial precursors with phenotypic and functional characteristics of embryonic hemangioblasts, and that these can be used to directly induce new blood vessel formation in the infarct-bed (vasculogenesis) and proliferation of preexisting vasculature (angiogenesis) after experimental myocardial infarction. The neoangiogenesis resulted in decreased apoptosis of hypertrophied myocytes in the peri-infarct region, long-term salvage and survival of viable myocardium, reduction in collagen deposition and sustained improvement in cardiac function. The use of cytokine-mobilized autologous human bone-marrow-derived angioblasts for revascularization of infarcted myocardium (alone or in conjunction with currently used therapies) has the potential to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality associated with left ventricular remodeling.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) receptor gene expression of ovarian carcinoma does not correlate with G-CSF caused cell proliferation

BACKGROUND

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) is a growth factor commonly used to avoid leukopenia after chemotherapy. Endogenous G-CSF is produced by macrophages and granulocytes that infiltrate tumors. It has been reported that rhG-CSF stimulates the proliferation of several cell lines as well as bladder carcinoma cells. Conversely, in some hematopoietic cell lines such as U-937, WEHI-3B, and K-562 no effect or in some cases a differentiation pattern was found. Moreover, the role of rhG-CSF on the proliferation of solid tumors is not well understood.

METHODS

In this study, 10 ovarian carcinoma biopsies were characterized for the presence of G-CSF and G-CSF receptor by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical analysis. Proliferation was analyzed by ATP viability assays.

RESULTS

Performing RT-PCR, these biopsies and four ovarian carcinoma cell lines were analyzed for endogenous G-CSF production, which was found in some biopsies and in all cell lines. Despite the presence of the G-CSF receptor in all biopsies and cell lines, no proliferation was found after rhG-CSF incubation of the cell lines or the tumor samples for 3 and for 6 days, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Summarizing the authors' in vitro studies, rhG-CSF does not affect the proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cells in vitro.

Infection, neutrophils, and hematopoietic growth factors in the pathogenesis of neonatal chronic lung disease

Continued definition of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of chronic lung disease (CLD) has persuaded investigators that inflammatory cells and mediators are key factors in the pathophysiology of the disease. High numbers of inflammatory cells and their products are present in the airways of ventilated neonates with respiratory distress syndrome and precede the development of CLD. This article reviews the mechanisms underlying neutrophil recruitment in the lungs of ventilated preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome and the injurious effects that these cells can produce on lung parenchyma with special emphasis on the development of CLD. The role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is stressed as a pivotal mechanism of neutrophil recruitment and activation.

Changes of the coagulation and fibrinolysis system in malignancy: their possible impact on future diagnostic and therapeutic procedures

The interaction between malignant cell growth and the coagulation and fibrinolysis system has been a well known phenomenon for decades. During recent years, this area of research has received new attention. Experimental data suggest a role for the coagulation and fibrinolysis system in tumor development, progression and metastasis. Also, clinical research suggests that targeting the coagulation system or fibrinolysis system might influence the course of malignant disease beneficially. This paper reviews data on various hemostatic and fibrinolytic parameters in malignancy; the possible use of such parameters as risk markers in oncology patients; and possible targets of anti-neoplastic therapies using anticoagulant and/or antifibrinolytic strategies. Current evidence suggests that the tissue factor/factor VIIa pathway mediates the most abundant procoagulant stimulus in malignancy via the increase in thrombin generation. Tissue factor has been suggested to mediate pro-metastatic properties via coagulation-dependent and coagulation-independent pathways; tissue factor has also been implicated in tumor neo-angiogenesis. However, so far no model has been validated that would allow the use of tissue factor in its soluble or insoluble form as a marker for risk stratification in tumor patients. On the other hand, there is now good evidence that parts of the fibrinolytic system, such as urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its receptor ("uPAR"), can be used as strong predictors of outcome in several types of cancer, specifically breast cancer. Observation of various treatment options in patients with thromboembolic disease and cancer as well as attempts to use anticoagulants and/or therapies modulating the fibrinolytic system as anti-neoplastic treatment strategies have yielded exciting results. These data indicate that anticoagulant therapy, and specifically low molecular weight heparin therapy, is likely to have anti-neoplastic effects; and that their use in addition to chemotherapy will probably improve outcome of tumor treatment in certain types of cancer. However, the body of clinical data is still relatively small and the question whether or not we should routinely consider the coagulation and/or fibrinolysis system as therapeutic targets in cancer patients is yet to be answered.

Granulocyte, granulocyte-macrophage, and macrophage colony-stimulating factors can stimulate the invasive capacity of human lung cancer cells

We and other researchers have previously found that colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), which generally include granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), promote invasion by lung cancer cells. In the present study, we studied the effects of these CSFs on gelatinase production, urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) production and their activity in human lung cancer cells. Gelatin zymographs of conditioned media derived from human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines revealed two major bands of gelatinase activity at 68 and 92 kDa, which were characterized as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 respectively. Treatment with CSFs increased the 68- and 92-kDa activity and converted some of a 92-kDa proenzyme to an 82-kDa enzyme that was consistent with an active form of the MMP-9. Plasminogen activator zymographs of the conditioned media from the cancer cells showed that CSF treatment resulted in an increase in a 48-55 kDa plasminogen-dependent gelatinolytic activity that was characterized as human uPA. The conditioned medium from the cancer cells treated with CSFs stimulated the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, providing a direct demonstration of the ability of enhanced uPA to increase plasmin-dependent proteolysis. The enhanced invasive behaviour of the cancer cells stimulated by CSFs was well correlated with the increase in MMPs and uPA activities. These data suggest that the enhanced production of extracellular matrix-degrading proteinases by the cancer cells in response to CSF treatment may represent a biochemical mechanism which promotes the invasive behaviour of the cancer cells.