In vitro growth suppression of human glioma cells by a 16-mer oligopeptide: a potential new treatment modality for malignant glioma

Exploiting Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Technology for the Identification of Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF2) Antagonists Endowed with Antiangiogenic Activity

Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation, is implicated in various physiological/pathological conditions, including embryonic development, inflammation and tumor growth. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is a heparin-binding angiogenic growth factor involved in various physiopathological processes, including tumor neovascularization. Accordingly, FGF2 is considered a target for antiangiogenic therapies. Thus, numerous natural/synthetic compounds have been tested for their capacity to bind and sequester FGF2 in the extracellular environment preventing its interaction with cellular receptors. We have exploited surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique in search for antiangiogenic FGF2 binders/antagonists. In this review we will summarize our experience in SPR-based angiogenesis research, with the aim to validate SPR as a first line screening for the identification of antiangiogenic compounds.

Anti-angiogenic effect of an insertional fusion protein of human basic fibroblast growth factor and ribonuclease-1

Human pancreatic ribonuclease-1 (RNase1) does not exhibit its cytotoxicity unless it is artificially internalized into the cytosol. Furthermore, once it encounters the cytosolic RNase inhibitor (RI), the activity of RNase1 is seriously reduced. To achieve the cellular targeting of RNase1 and the blocking of RI binding simultaneously, the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) sequence was inserted into RNase1 at the RI binding site using a gene fusion technique. The effect of this fusion protein, CL-RFN89, on the angiogenesis, which was accelerated by FGF-FGF receptor interaction, was investigated. It was shown by using fluorescein-labeled CL-RFN89, that the binding to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was dependent on the existence of the FGF receptors. In addition, CL-RFN89 inhibited the cellular growth of HUVECs in vitro and also inhibited the tube formation, using a three-dimensional tube formation assay. Furthermore, this fusion protein was shown to prevent in vivo tumor cell-induced angiogenesis, using the mouse dorsal air sac assay. These results demonstrated that CL-RFN89 inhibits angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo and that it can be expected to be a potent antiangiogenic agent.

Survey of the year 2003 commercial optical biosensor literature

In the year 2003 there was a 17% increase in the number of publications citing work performed using optical biosensor technology compared with the previous year. We collated the 962 total papers for 2003, identified the geographical regions where the work was performed, highlighted the instrument types on which it was carried out, and segregated the papers by biological system. In this overview, we spotlight 13 papers that should be on everyone's 'must read' list for 2003 and provide examples of how to identify and interpret high-quality biosensor data. Although we still find that the literature is replete with poorly performed experiments, over-interpreted results and a general lack of understanding of data analysis, we are optimistic that these shortcomings will be addressed as biosensor technology continues to mature.

Co-ordination of TGF-beta and FGF signaling pathways in bone organ cultures

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is known to regulate chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophic differentiation in embryonic bone cultures by a perichondrium dependent mechanism. To begin to determine which factors in the perichondrium mediate the effects of TGF-beta, we studied the effect of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-I) and Fibroblast Growth Factors-2 and -18 (FGF2, FGF18) on metatarsal organ cultures. An increase in chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophic differentiation was observed after treatment with IGF-I. A similar effect was seen after the perichondrium was stripped from the metatarsals suggesting IGF-I acts directly on the chondrocytes. Treatment with FGF-2 or FGF-18 resulted in a decrease in bone elongation as well as hypertrophic differentiation. Treatment also resulted in a decrease in BrdU incorporation into chondrocytes and an increase in BrdU incorporation in perichondrial cells, similar to what is seen after treatment with TGF-beta1. A similar effect was seen with FGF2 after the perichondrium was stripped suggesting that, unlike TGF-beta, FGF2 acts directly on chondrocytes to regulate proliferation and hypertrophic differentiation. To test the hypothesis that TGF-beta regulates IGF or FGF signaling, activation of the receptors was characterized after treatment with TGF-beta. Activation was measured as the level of tyrosine phosphorylation on the receptor. Treatment with TGF-beta for 24h did not alter the level of IGFR-I tyrosine phosphorylation. In contrast, treatment with TGF-beta resulted in and increase in tyrosine phosphorylation on FGFR3 without alterations in total FGFR3 levels. TGF-beta also stimulated expression of FGF18 mRNA in the cultures and the effects of TGF-beta on metatarsal development were blocked or partially blocked by pretreatment with FGF signaling inhibitors. The results suggest a model in which FGF through FGFR3 mediates some of the effects of TGF-beta on embryonic bone formation.

Overexpression of RFT induces G1-S arrest and apoptosis via p53/p21(Waf1) pathway in glioma cell

The regulator of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) transcription (RFT) has been reported to be a transcriptional repressor of FGF-2 and induce glioma cell death by its overexpression. Here we report that RFT regulates cell cycle as well as apoptosis by a novel mechanism. RFT expressed in some glioma cell lines, U138MG and T98G, but neither in U87MG nor U251MG. Overexpressed RFT-induced apoptosis in U87MG and U138MG with functioning-type p53 but neither in U251MG nor T98G with non-functioning-type p53. Administration of FGF-2 failed to prevent RFT-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of RFT caused G1-S arrest and upregulated both the phosphorylation of p53 at Ser-15 and the expression level of p21(Waf1). Furthermore, RNAi knockdown of p53 abolished RFT-induced apoptosis in U87MG. Taken together, our results support that RFT regulates G1-S transition and apoptosis via p53/p21(Waf1) pathway.