Expression and function of survivin in canine osteosarcoma

Investigation of serum survivin in dogs suffering from cancer: a multicenter study

Background

In contrast to human medicine, only a small number of serum tumor markers are established in veterinary medicine even though they are a non-invasive diagnostic tool.

Objectives

This study examined whether survivin could be suitable as a potential canine serum tumor marker.

Methods

This study measured the serum survivin concentrations of dogs with mammary tumors (n = 33), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 9), soft-tissue sarcoma (n = 18) and multicentric lymphoma (n = 22), using a commercially available, competitive immunoassay kit (BlueGene). The serum survivin concentrations were compared with those of a healthy control group (n = 20) and a control group of dogs with non-neoplastic diseases (n = 17).

Results

Dogs with malignant tumors had serum survivin concentrations between 15 and 5,906 pg/mL (median, 72 pg/mL), those in the healthy group ranged from 7 to 99 pg/mL (median, 21 pg/mL) and those in the group of dogs suffering from non-neoplastic diseases from 15 to 93 pg/mL (median, 42 pg/mL). The differences in the survivin concentrations between the healthy dogs and dogs with malignant tumors and between the dogs with non-neoplastic diseases and those with malignant tumors were significant (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively).

Conclusions

The serum survivin concentrations in dogs with malignant tumors, with some exceptions, are higher than in dogs with benign tumors and dogs that do not suffer from a malignancy. Therefore, survivin can provide information on the presence of malignant tumors and be used as a tumor marker in dogs.

Recent Advances in the Discovery of Biomarkers for Canine Osteosarcoma

Canine osteosarcoma (OSA) is an aggressive malignancy that frequently metastasizes to the lung and bone. Not only has there been essentially no improvement in therapeutic outcome over the past 3 decades, but there is also a lack of reliable biomarkers in clinical practice. This makes it difficult to discriminate which patients will most benefit from the standard treatment of amputation and adjuvant chemotherapy. The development of reliable diagnostic biomarkers could aid in the clinical diagnosis of primary OSA and metastasis; while prognostic, and predictive biomarkers could allow clinicians to stratify patients to predict response to treatment and outcome. This review summarizes biomarkers that have been explored in canine OSA to date. The focus is on molecular biomarkers identified in tumor samples as well as emerging biomarkers that have been identified in blood-based (liquid) biopsies, including circulating tumor cells, microRNAs, and extracellular vesicles. Lastly, we propose future directions in biomarker research to ensure they can be incorporated into a clinical setting.

Combination of ultrathin micro-patterned MXene and PEDOT: Poly(styrenesulfonate) enables organic electrochemical transistor for amperometric determination of survivin protein in children osteosarcoma

An ultrathin micro-patterned MXene/PEDOT:PSS-based organic electrochemical transistor biosensor was constructed, which can significantly amplify the amperometric signal and transistor's performance. A novel interdigitated OECTs biosensor has been developed for reliable determination of survivin for the following considerations: (1) The synergistic effect of intercalated MXene and ionic PEDOT:PSS enhanced the mobility and volumetric capacitance of OECTs biosensor. (2) Compared with the best previous literatures, our assay demonstrated enhanced detection limit of survivin down to 10 pg mL^-1, as well as satisfactory selectivity, reproducibility, and reliability. (3) Comparison of OECTs against commercial ELISA kit yielded favorable linearity (Y = 1.0015*X + 0.0039) and correlation coefficient (R² = 0.9717). Those advantages are expected to pave the way to design of an OECTs biosensor with robustness, non-invasiveness, and miniaturization for the point-of-care applications.

Phase-I trial of survivin inhibition with EZN-3042 in dogs with spontaneous lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Lymphoma is a common cancer in dogs. While most dogs receiving chemotherapy experience remission, very few are cured, and median survival times are generally in the 12-month range. Novel approaches to treatment are unquestionably needed. The Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein (IAP) family member survivin, which is one of the most commonly overexpressed proteins in human cancer, plays a key role in apoptosis resistance, a major cause of drug-resistant treatment failure. Survivin targeting therapies have shown promise preclinically; however, none have been evaluated in dogs to date. The goal of the current study was to determine the safety and pharmacodynamic effects of systemic administration of the anti-survivin locked nucleic acid antisense oligonucleotide EZN-3042 in dogs with lymphoma.

RESULTS

We performed a prospective phase-I clinical trial in dogs with biopsy-accessible peripheral nodal lymphoma. Eighteen dogs were treated with EZN-3042 as a 2-h IV infusion at 5 dose levels, from 3.25 to 8.25 mg/kg twice weekly for 3 treatments. No dose-limiting toxicities were encountered. Reduction in tumor survivin mRNA and protein were observed in 3 of 5 evaluable dogs at the 8.25 mg/kg dose cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, reduced survivin expression was demonstrated in lymphoma tissues in the majority of dogs treated with EZN-3042 at 8.25 mg/kg twice weekly, which was associated with minimal adverse effects. This dose may be used in future studies of EZN-3042/chemotherapy combinations in dogs with spontaneous lymphoma and other cancers.

YM155 enhances the cytotoxic activity of etoposide against canine osteosarcoma cells

Canine osteosarcoma (OSA) is an aggressive and highly malignant primary bone tumor. Its poor survival outcome remains problematic despite recent advances in anti-cancer therapy, therefore highlighting the need for alternative treatment options or drug repositioning. The aim of this study was to determine if YM155, a small-molecule survivin inhibitor, potentiates the chemotherapeutic efficacy of etoposide against canine OSA in vitro and in vivo. In cell culture, YM155 enhanced the cytotoxic effect of etoposide against canine OSA cell lines; however, the molecular mechanism behind this effect was heterogeneous, as only one cell line had an elevated apoptotic level. In addition, this effect was not associated with survivin suppression in two of the cell lines. These results suggest that the molecular target of YM155 is not restricted to survivin alone. When tested on a murine xenograft model, the average tumor volume of the combination treatment group (YM155, 5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, 5 consecutive days/week; and etoposide, 20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, every 5 days) was 66% smaller than the control group, although this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.17). Further studies to improve the treatment protocol are necessary to confirm the findings of this study.

MicroRNA-377 exerts a potent suppressive role in osteosarcoma through the involvement of the histone acetyltransferase 1-mediated Wnt axis

It has been demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) may contribute to tumorigenesis and tumor growth in osteosarcoma (OS), which is a primary malignant tumor of bone frequently diagnosed in adolescents and young people. The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the functional relevance of miR-377 in OS and to investigate whether the mechanism was related to the histone acetyltransferase 1 (HAT1)-mediated Wnt signaling pathway. By screening differentially expressed genes in microarray GSE47572, HAT1 was found to be a candidate gene of interest. Besides, the regulatory miRNA (miR-377) of HAT1 was also selected. The interaction among miR-377, HAT1, and the Wnt signaling pathway was evaluated. In addition, the miR-377 expression was altered in OS cells (U-2OS and SOSP-9607) to assess the in vitro cell apoptosis and the in vivo tumor growth. OS tissues presented elevated HAT1 expression and decreased miR-377 expression. A putative miR-377 binding site in HAT1 3'-UTR HAT1 was verified. Cells with miR-377 overexpression or HAT1 silencing were observed to exhibit reduced HAT1 expression and promoted apoptosis, accompanied by blockade of Wnt signaling. Moreover, the in vivo experiment revealed that miR-377 overexpression or HAT1 silencing inhibited tumor growth and reduced tumor size in nude mice. Taken together, our results conclude that miR-377 may promote OS cell apoptosis through inactivation of the HAT1-mediated Wnt signaling pathway, highlighting the potential therapeutic effect of miR-377 on OS treatment.

Proliferation inhibition and apoptosis promotion by dual silencing of VEGF and Survivin in human osteosarcoma

Simultaneous silencing of multiple upregulated genes is an attractive and viable treatment strategy for many incurable diseases including cancer. Herein we used a dual gene-targeted siRNA conjugate composed of VEGF and Survivin siRNA sequences in the same backbone to inhibit proliferation and angiogenesis in two human osteosarcoma cell lines. We synthesized siRNA sequences targeting the VEGF and Survivin genes individually (VEGF siRNA and Survivin siRNA) or simultaneously (one-chain-double-target siRNA: dual siRNA). VEGF and Survivin mRNA and protein expression levels in human osteosarcoma MG-63 and Saos-2 cells were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. VEGF and Survivin protein location and expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. MG-63 and Saos-2 cell migration, proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis were detected by scratch test, MTT assay, flow cytometry, and capillary tube assay respectively. The dual siRNA induced similar downregulation of VEGF and Survivin mRNA and protein levels, compared with VEGF siRNA or Survivin siRNA alone. The dual siRNA caused greater suppression of MG-63 and Saos-2 cell migration, proliferation and angiogenesis, and promoted more cell apoptosis than VEGF siRNA or Survivin siRNA alone, suggesting that the effects of the dual siRNA on inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis and promoting apoptosis were superior to those of the single-target siRNAs. Simultaneous silencing of VEGF and Survivin using the dual siRNA may be an advantageous alternative for the development of therapeutic strategies against human osteosarcoma.

A genetically engineered microRNA-34a prodrug demonstrates anti-tumor activity in a canine model of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OSA) represents the most common primary bone tumor in humans and pet dogs. Little progress has been made with regard to viable treatment options in the past three decades and patients presenting with metastatic disease continue to have a poor prognosis. Recent mouse studies have suggested that microRNA-34a (miR-34a) may have anti-tumor activities in human OSA models. Due to the conservation of microRNA across species, we hypothesized that a bioengineered miR-34a prodrug (tRNA/miR-34a) would have similar effects in canine OSA, providing a valuable preclinical model for development of this therapeutic modality. Using a panel of canine OSA cell lines, we found that tRNA/miR-34a reduced viability, clonogenic growth, and migration and invasion while increasing tumor cell apoptosis. Furthermore, canine OSA cells successfully process the tRNA/miR-34a into mature miR-34a which reduces expression of target proteins such as platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα), Notch1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, our subcutaneous OSA xenograft model demonstrated in vivo tumor growth delay, increased necrosis and apoptosis by tRNA/miR-34a, and decreased cellular proliferation ability. Taken together, these data support that this novel microRNA-based therapy may possess clinical utility in a spontaneously-occurring large animal model of OSA, which can then serve to inform the clinical development of this therapy for human OSA patients.

β Lapachone blocks the cell cycle and induces apoptosis in canine osteosarcoma cells

ABSTRACT: Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor of primitive bone cells with a high incidence in dogs and humans. The need for more effective drugs with less adverse consequences has pushed the development of chemotherapeutic agents from plants and other natural sources. The aim of this study was to verify the cytotoxic effects of β-lapachone, a compound present in the sawdust of Tabebuia sp. (popularly known as ipê) wood, on canine osteosarcoma cells subcultured and treated in different concentrations (0.1μm, 0.3μm e 1.0μm) and exposure times (24h, 48h e 72h). Results were obtained through Trypan blue dye exclusion, tetrazolium reducing method, cell survival assay, Annexin V-FITC and Propidium Iodine labeling, JC-1 dye labeling and cell cycle kinetics e analysis. The group treated with 0.3μm β-lapachone presented higher decrease in cell viability (80.27%, 24h, 47.41%, 48h and 35.19%, 72h) and greater progression of cytotoxicity (19.73%, 24h, 52.59%, 48h and 64.81%, 72h). The lower IC50 (0.180μm) was verified in the group treated for 72 hours. Cell growth after treatment decreased as concentration and time of exposure increased, with 0.50% survival fraction at the concentration of 1.0μm. Initial apoptosis was the most frequent type of cell death in all groups, reaching bottom in the 24-hour group treated with 0.1μm (4.26%) and peaking in the 72-hour group treated with 1.0μm (85.89%). Mitochondrial depolarization demonstrated a dose-dependent phenomenon, indicating the intrinsic apoptosis. Cell growth inhibition by blocking cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase related to the exposure the time. β-lapachone is cytotoxic for canine osteosarcoma cells, induces apoptosis and promotes cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase.

Cepharanthine Enhances TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis Through STAMBPL1-Mediated Downregulation of Survivin Expression in Renal Carcinoma Cells

Cepharanthine (CEP) is a natural plant alkaloid, and has anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, antioxidative and anticancer properties. In this study, we investigated whether CEP could sensitize renal carcinoma Caki cells to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis. CEP alone and TRAIL alone had no effect on apoptosis. However, combined CEP and TRAIL treatment markedly enhanced apoptotic cell death in cancer cells, but not in normal cells. CEP induced downregulation of survivin and cellular-FLICE inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) expression at post-translational levels. Ectopic expression of survivin blocked apoptosis by combined treatment with CEP plus TRAIL, but not in c-FLIP overexpression. Interestingly, CEP induced survivin downregulation through downregulation of deubiquitin protein of STAM-binding protein-like 1 (STAMBPL1). Overexpression of STAMBPL1 markedly recovered CEP-mediated survivin downregulation. Taken together, our study suggests that CEP sensitizes TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through downregulation of survivin expression at the post-translational levels in renal carcinoma cells.

Canine sarcomas as a surrogate for the human disease

Pet dogs are becoming increasingly recognized as a population with the potential to inform medical research through their treatment for a variety of maladies by veterinary health professionals. This is the basis of the One Health initiative, supporting the idea of collaboration between human and animal health researchers and clinicians to study spontaneous disease processes and treatment in animals to inform human health. Cancer is a major health burden in pet dogs, accounting for approximately 30% of deaths across breeds. As such, pet dogs with cancer are becoming increasingly recognized as a resource for studying the pharmacology and therapeutic potential of anticancer drugs and therapies under development. This was recently highlighted by a National Academy of Medicine Workshop on Comparative Oncology that took place in mid-2015 (http://www.nap.edu/21830). One component of cancer burden in dogs is their significantly higher incidence of sarcomas as compared to humans. This increased incidence led to canine osteosarcoma being an important component in the development of surgical approaches for osteosarcoma in children. Included in this review of sarcomas in dogs is a description of the incidence, pathology, molecular characteristics and previous translational therapeutic studies associated with these tumors. An understanding of the patho-physiological and molecular characteristics of these naturally occurring canine sarcomas holds great promise for effective incorporation into drug development schemas, for evaluation of target modulation or other pharmacodynamic measures associated with therapeutic response. These data could serve to supplement other preclinical data and bolster clinical investigations in tumor types for which there is a paucity of human patients for clinical trials.

YM155 sensitizes TRAIL-induced apoptosis through cathepsin S-dependent down-regulation of Mcl-1 and NF-κB-mediated down-regulation of c-FLIP expression in human renal carcinoma Caki cells

YM155, a small-molecule survivin inhibitor, has been reported for its anti-cancer activity in various cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of YM155 to enhance TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human renal carcinoma cells. We found that YM155 alone had no effect on apoptosis, however, combined treatment with YM155 and TRAIL markedly induced apoptosis in human renal carcinoma cells (Caki, ACHN, and A498), breast cancer cells (MDA-MB231), and glioma cells (U251MG), but not normal cells [mesangial cell (MC) and human skin fibroblast (HSF)]. YM155 induced down-regulation of Mcl-1 expression at the post-translational levels, and the overexpression of Mcl-1 markedly inhibited YM155 plus TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, YM155 induced down-regulation of c-FLIP mRNA expression through inhibition of NF-κB transcriptional activity. Ectopic expression of c-FLIP markedly blocked YM155-induced TRAIL sensitization. Taken together, our results suggested that YM155 sensitizes TRAIL-mediated apoptosis via down-regulation of Mcl-1 and c-FLIP expression in renal carcinoma Caki cells.

Up-regulation of 5-lipoxygenase by inhibition of cathepsin G enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis through down-regulation of survivin

Cathepsin G is a serine protease secreted from activated neutrophils, it has important roles in inflammation and immune response. Moreover, cathepsin G promotes tumor cell-cell adhesion and migration in cancer cells. In this study, we investigated whether inhibition of cathepsin G could sensitize TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells. An inhibitor of cathepsin G [Cathepsin G inhibitor I (Cat GI); CAS 429676-93-7] markedly induced TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human renal carcinoma (Caki, ACHN, and A498), lung cancer (A549) and cervical cancer (Hela) cells. In contrast, combined treatment with Cat GI and TRAIL had no effect on apoptosis in normal cells [mesangial cell (MC) and human skin fibroblast (HSF)]. Cat GI induced down-regulation of survivin expression at the post-translational level, and overexpression of survivin markedly blocked apoptosis induced by combined treatment with Cat GI plus TRAIL. Interestingly, Cat GI induced down-regulation of survivin via 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Inhibition of 5-LOX by gene silencing (siRNA) or a pharmacological inhibitor of 5-LOX (zileuton) markedly attenuated combined treatment-induced apoptosis. Taken together, our results indicate that inhibition of cathepsin G sensitizes TRAIL-induced apoptosis through 5-LOX-mediated down-regulation of survivin expression.

Survivin expression in canine spontaneous cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors and its prognostic importance

AIM

The present study was carried out to know the expression level of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein with an objective to determine its prognostic importance in cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue tumors of dogs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty cases of canine cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue tumors on histopathological examination revealed various round cell, epithelial, and mesenchymal cell tumors. Survivin gene expression was detected in all tumors tested by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assay by comparative cycle threshold method.

RESULTS

The mean survivin gene expression value of benign tumors was 0.94±0.63 folds and that of malignant tumors was 18.87±5.30 folds. Postsurgical follow up of 30 malignant tumor cases revealed death in 8, recurrence in 7, and neoplastic free alive status in 15 dogs with mean survivin fold difference values of 48.49±12.39, 14.63±6.37, and 5.034±2.27, respectively. The mean survivin gene expression value was significantly higher in malignant (30 cases, 18.87±5.30) compared to benign tumors (10 cases, 0.94±0.63), and it varied between various postsurgical follow-up groups (p<0.05). Survival analysis, using survivin gene expression median cutoff value of 3.74 in 30 malignant tumors, was performed to predict probable survival period in malignant cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors of dogs.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of the present study indicated that the expression of survivin in canine cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors has prognostic value, and survivin expression greater than median cutoff value of 3.74 has a poor prognosis.

Anti-tumour efficacy of etoposide alone and in combination with piroxicam against canine osteosarcoma in a xenograft model

Osteosarcoma (OSA) in dogs is locally invasive and highly malignant. Distant metastasis is the most common cause of death. To date, the survival rate in dogs with OSA remains poor. The cytotoxic effects of etoposide against canine OSA cell lines, either alone or in combination with piroxicam, have been previously demonstrated in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-tumour effect of etoposide alone and in combination with piroxicam on canine OSA using murine models. Etoposide single agent treatment significantly delayed tumour progression with a marked reduction in Ki-67 immunoreactivity in tumour tissue. Concomitant treatment with piroxicam did not enhance the anti-tumour efficacy of etoposide. Etoposide single agent treatment and combination treatment with piroxicam down-regulated survivin expression, but was not followed by increased apoptotic activity. These findings indicate that etoposide might be a promising novel therapeutic for canine OSA. Further investigations into its potential for clinical application in veterinary oncology are warranted.

Dihydromyricetin Induces Apoptosis and Reverses Drug Resistance in Ovarian Cancer Cells by p53-mediated Downregulation of Survivin

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of death in gynecological malignancies, and the resistance to chemotherapeutic agents remains a major challenge to successful ovarian cancer chemotherapy. Dihydromyricetin (DHM), a natural flavonoid derived from Ampeopsis Grossdentata, has been widely applied in food industry and medicine for a long time. However, little is known about the effects of DHM on ovarian cancer and the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrated that DHM could effectively inhibit the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells and induce cell apoptosis. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis (IAPs) family member, exhibited a decreased expression level after DHM treatment, which may be attributed to the activation of p53. Moreover, DHM markedly sensitized paclitaxel (PTX) and doxorubicin (DOX) resistant ovarian cancer cells to PTX and DOX by inhibiting survivin expression. Collectively, our findings highlight a previously undiscovered effect of DHM, which induces apoptosis and reverses multi-drug resistance against ovarian cancer cells through downregulation of survivin.

Vitamin D Impacts the Expression of Runx2 Target Genes and Modulates Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Membrane Vesicle Biogenesis Gene Networks in 143B Osteosarcoma Cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive malignancy of bone affecting children, adolescents and young adults. Understanding vitamin D metabolism and vitamin D regulated genes in OS is an important aspect of vitamin D/cancer paradigm, and in evaluating vitamin D as adjuvant therapy for human OS. Vitamin D treatment of 143B OS cells induced significant and novel changes in the expression of genes that regulate: (a) inflammation and immunity; (b) formation of reactive oxygen species, metabolism of cyclic nucleotides, sterols, vitamins and mineral (calcium), quantity of gap junctions and skeletogenesis; (c) bone mineral density; and (d) cell viability of skeletal cells, aggregation of bone cancer cells and exocytosis of secretory vesicles. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed significant reduction in Runx2 target genes such as fibroblast growth factor -1, -12 (FGF1 and FGF12), bone morphogenetic factor-1 (BMP1), SWI/SNF related, matrix associated actin dependent regulator of chromatin subfamily a, member 4 (SMARCA4), Matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE), Integrin, β4 (ITGBP4), Matrix Metalloproteinase -1, -28 (MMP1 and MMP28), and signal transducer and activator of transcription-4 (STAT4) in vitamin D treated 143B OS cells. These genes interact with the inflammation, oxidative stress and membrane vesicle biogenesis gene networks. Vitamin D not only inhibited the expression of Runx2 target genes MMP1, MMP28 and kallikrein related peptidase-7 (KLK7), but also migration and invasion of 143B OS cells. Vitamin D regulated Runx2 target genes or their products represent potential therapeutic targets and laboratory biomarkers for applications in translational oncology.

Effects of etoposide alone and in combination with piroxicam on canine osteosarcoma cell lines

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common primary bone tumour in dogs. The poor survival rate in dogs with OSA highlights the need for new therapeutic approaches. This study evaluated the cytotoxic effects of etoposide, alone and in combination with piroxicam, on canine OSA cell cultures. Etoposide alone significantly suppressed cell growth and viability, whereas etoposide in combination with piroxicam exhibited concentration dependent cytotoxicity. The anti-proliferative effect was a result of inactivity of the Cdc2-cyclin B1 complex, which correlated with an increase in the G₂/M fraction. This subsequently activated the apoptosis cascade, as indicated by elevated apoptosis levels and up-regulation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase proteolytic cleavage. Down-regulation of survivin expression induced by the combination treatment may have contributed to the enhanced cytotoxicity. The results of this study suggest that further investigation of etoposide and piroxicam as a therapeutic combination for canine OSA is warranted.

TRPM8: a potential target for cancer treatment

Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel superfamily plays critical roles in variety of processes, including temperature perception, pain transduction, vasorelaxation, male fertility, and tumorigenesis. One of seven families within the TRP superfamily of ion channels, the melastatin, or TRPM family comprises a group of eight structurally and functionally diverse channels. Of all the members of TRPM subfamily, TRPM8 is the most notable one. A lot of literatures have demonstrated that transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) could perform a myriad of functions in vertebrates and invertebrates alike. In addition to its well-known function in cold sensation, TRPM8 has an emerging role in a variety of biological systems, including thermoregulation, cancer, bladder function, and asthma. Recent studies have shown that TRPM8 is necessary to the initiation and progression of tumors, and the aberrant expression of TRPM8 was found in varieties of tumors, such as prostate tumor, melanoma, breast adenocarcinoma, bladder cancer, and colorectal cancer, making it a novel molecular target potentially useful in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This review outlines our current understanding on the role of TRPM8 in occurrence and development of different kinds of tumor and also includes discussion about the regulation of TRPM8 during carcinogenesis as well as therapeutic potential of targeting TRPM8 in tumor, which may be utilized for a potential pharmacological use as a target for anti-cancer therapy.

Prognostic Significance of Survivin Expression in Osteosarcoma Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy and has poor prognosis. Survivin has been identified as an independent prognostic factor for a majority of cancers. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of survivin expression on the clinical outcome of osteosarcoma patients.

Material/Methods

Online electronic databases were searched for related articles published between 2000 and 2015. Odds ratio (OR) and risk ratio (RR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were employed to calculate the significance.

Results

Overall, a total of 20 relevant studies were selected, including 1030 patients. No significant heterogeneity was observed among included studies (P>0.01, I²<50%). Survivin was expressed in 68.6% of all cases. Our results show that survivin expression increased the 5-year overall survival (RR=0.48, 95% CI=0.32–0.71, P=0.0002) and rate of postoperative recurrence (RR=1.80, 95% CI=1.09–2.97, P=0.02). It was associated with the grade of osteosarcoma (Enneking clinical stage, IIb–III vs. I–IIa: OR=5.26, 95% CI=3.76–7.34, P<0.00001; Price’s grade, III vs. I+II: OR=2.04, 95% CI=1.16–3.61, P=0.01), metastasis, and soft tissue invasion of osteosarcoma (OR=6.25, 95% CI=3.74–10.45, P<0.00001; OR=6.15, 95% CI=3.74–10.11, P<0.00001). No relationship was found between survivin expression and sex, age, or tumor size in patients with osteosarcoma.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that survivin can function as a new diagnostic biomarker for osteosarcoma and be used as a reference index to determine pathology classification of osteosarcoma, providing new targets for gene therapy of osteosarcoma.

YM155 exerts a growth inhibitory effect on human osteosarcoma in vitro and in vivo

YM155, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of survivin, is known to exert antitumor effects on various cancers, including breast, prostate and lung cancer. However, there are few studies describing the inhibitory effect of YM155 on human osteosarcoma (OS) which highly expresses survivin. Here, we tested the effects of YM155 on OS cells by several in vitro experiments. It was found that YM155 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion, induced cell apoptosis, as well as increased caspase-3, -8 and -9 activity in the OS cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that YM155 suppressed Mcl-1 and survivin expression without affecting the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) and Bcl-2. In addition, YM155 decreased phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and AKT expression without effecting total PI3K and AKT in the OS cell lines, which contributed to suppression of OS tumor growth at least in part. In addition, YM155 also suppressed tumor growth in vivo, reducing the size of OS MG63 cell xenografts. Taken together, the findings revealed that YM155 suppresses the tumor growth of OS in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that YM155 has potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of OS.

Influence of a survivin suppressor YM155 on the chemoresistance of canine histiocytic sarcoma cells

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) in dogs exhibits aggressive biological behaviors and currently few effective treatments are available. Survivin could serve as a potential therapeutic target in several cancers. Sepantronium bromide (YM155) is a potential novel survivin-targeting agent and in this study the influence of survivin expression on clinical outcomes and the effects of YM155 on biological activities in HS cells were investigated. Specimens of HS dogs (n = 30) and four canine HS cell lines were used. The correlation between survivin expression and clinical outcome in the HS dogs was retrospectively assessed using quantitative PCR. Following YM155 treatment of cell lines, apoptosis, cell viability, and drug transporter activities were evaluated using annexin V staining, methylthiazole tetrazolium assays, and Hoechst-33342 staining, respectively. Elevated survivin expression in the HS dogs corresponded with reduced disease-free intervals and survival time, and increased chemoresistance, which led to poor clinical outcomes. Furthermore, YM155 treatment suppressed cell-growth and resistance to lomustine in HS cells by inhibiting the activity of ATP-binding cassette transporters. The evidence presented here supports favorable preclinical evaluation and indicates that survivin-targeted therapies might be effective against HS dogs.

Diversity of Histologic Patterns and Expression of Cytoskeletal Proteins in Canine Skeletal Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS), the most common bone tumor, includes OS of the head (OSH) and appendicular OS (OSA). In dogs, it is classified into 6 histologic subtypes: osteoblastic, chondroblastic, fibroblastic, telangiectatic, giant cell, and poorly differentiated. This study investigated the significance of the histologic classification relevant to clinical outcome and the histologic and immunohistochemical relationships between pleomorphism and expression of cytoskeletal proteins in 60 cases each of OSH and OSA. Most neoplasms exhibited histologic diversity, and 64% of OS contained multiple subtypes. In addition to the above 6 subtypes, myxoid, round cell, and epithelioid subtypes were observed. Although the epithelioid subtypes were observed in only OSH, no significant difference in the frequency of other subtypes was observed. Also, no significant relevance was observed between the clinical outcome and histologic subtypes. Cytokeratin (CK) was expressed in both epithelioid and sarcomatoid tumor cells in various subtypes, and all CK-positive tumor cells also expressed vimentin. Vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) were expressed in all subtypes. A few SMA-positive spindle-shaped tumor cells exhibited desmin expression. Glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive tumor cells were observed in many subtypes, and some of these cells showed neurofilament expression. Although OSH exhibited significantly stronger immunoreactivity for SMA than OSA, no significant difference in other cytoskeletal proteins was observed. Some tumor cells had cytoskeletal protein expression compatible with the corresponding histologic subtypes, such as CK in the epithelioid subtype and SMA in the fibroblastic subtype. Thus, canine skeletal OS is composed of pleomorphic and heterogenous tumor cells as is reflected in the diversity of histologic patterns and expression of cytoskeletal proteins.

Sp1 and c-Myc modulate drug resistance of leukemia stem cells by regulating survivin expression through the ERK-MSK MAPK signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is initiated and maintained by a subset of self-renewing leukemia stem cells (LSCs), which contribute to the progression, recurrence and therapeutic resistance of leukemia. However, the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of LSCs drug resistance have not been fully defined. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the mechanisms of LSCs drug resistance.

METHODS

We performed reverse phase protein arrays to analyze the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins in the LSC-enriched leukemia cell line KG-1a. Immuno-blotting, cell viability and clinical AML samples were evaluated to verify the micro-assay results. The characteristics and transcriptional regulation of survivin were analyzed with the relative luciferase reporter assay, mutant constructs, chromatin immuno-precipitation (ChIP), quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and western blotting. The levels of Sp1, c-Myc, phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), phospho-mitogen and stress-activated protein kinase (p-MSK) were investigated in paired CD34+ and CD34- AML patient samples.

RESULTS

Survivin was highly over-expressed in CD34 + CD38- KG-1a cells and paired CD34+ AML patients compared with their differentiated counterparts. Functionally, survivin contributes to the drug resistance of LSCs, and Sp1 and c-Myc concurrently regulate levels of survivin transcription. Clinically, Sp1 and c-Myc were significantly up-regulated and positively correlated with survivin in CD34+ AML patients. Moreover, Sp1 and c-Myc were further activated by the ERK/MSK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, modulating survivin levels.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrated that ERK/MSK/Sp1/c-Myc axis functioned as a critical regulator of survivin expression in LSCs, offering a potential new therapeutic strategy for LSCs therapy.

Survivin suppressor (YM155) enhances chemotherapeutic efficacy against canine histiocytic sarcoma in murine transplantation models

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) in dogs exhibits aggressive clinical and biological behavior. Currently, no effective treatments are available for dogs with HS. Survivin, a member of a family of apoptosis protein inhibitors, could serve as a potential therapeutic target in several canine cancers. Sepantronium bromide (YM155) has recently been established as a novel survivin-targeting agent. The aim of this study was to use YM155 as a tool for evaluating survivin-targeted therapies against dogs with HS, and to investigate how YM155 treatment affects antitumor and chemotherapeutic efficacies in murine xenograft models using canine HS cells. The results showed that in HS cells with lomustine (CCNU) resistance, YM155 treatment suppressed both the cell-growth potential and cell resistance to CCNU, which essentially increases the chemotherapy efficacy in the murine models. The evidence presented here supports the favorable preclinical evaluation that survivin-targeted therapies might be effective against HS in dogs.

Prognostic utility of apoptosis index, Ki-67 and survivin expression in dogs with nasal carcinoma treated with orthovoltage radiation therapy

Apoptosis, Ki-67 and survivin expression have been reported as prognostic values in human cancer treated with radiation therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the outcome of canine nasal carcinomas treated with radiation therapy and these cancer markers. The apoptotic index (AI) was evaluated with TUNEL assays, and an immunohistochemical evaluation was performed on Ki-67 and survivin in 33 biopsy samples taken before treatment. Median survival times were estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank method. The AI ranged from 0 to 0.7%, and the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells defined as the proliferative index (PI) ranged from 0.8 to 77% in all samples. Neither the AI nor the PI had a significant relationship with survival time (P=0.056 and 0.211). Survivin expression was detected in 84.9% of samples of canine nasal carcinoma. Dogs with high survivin expression were associated with poorer response to treatment and had shorter survival times (P=0.017 and 0.031). Advanced-stage tumors were also significantly associated with a high level of survivin (P=0.026). Overexpression of survivin was shown to be an unfavorable prognostic factor in dogs with nasal carcinomas treated with radiation therapy.

Survivin inhibition via EZN-3042 in canine lymphoma and osteosarcoma

Canine lymphoma (LSA) and osteosarcoma (OS) have high mortality rates and remain in need of more effective therapeutic approaches. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family member protein that inhibits apoptosis and drives cell proliferation, is commonly elevated in human and canine cancer. Survivin expression is a negative prognostic factor in dogs with LSA and OS, and canine LSA and OS cell lines express high levels of survivin. In this study, we demonstrate that survivin downregulation in canine LSA and OS cells using a clinically applicable locked nucleic acid antisense oligonucleotide (EZN-3042, Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Piscataway Township, NJ, USA) inhibits growth, induces apoptosis and enhances chemosensitivity in vitro, and inhibits survivin transcription and protein production in orthotopic canine OS xenografts. Our findings strongly suggest that survivin-directed therapies might be effective in treatment of canine LSA and OS and support evaluation of EZN-3042 in dogs with cancer.

Antagonism of serotonin receptor 1B decreases viability and promotes apoptosis in the COS canine osteosarcoma cell line

Serotonin receptor 1B (5HTR1B) traditionally exhibits anti-proliferative activity in osteoblasts. We examined the expression and function of 5HTR1B in the COS canine osteosarcoma cell line and normal canine osteoblasts. Equal levels of 5HTR1B gene and protein expression were found between normal and malignant osteoblasts. Treatment with serotonin enhanced viability of osteosarcoma cells but not normal osteoblasts. Challenge with the 5HTR1B agonist anpirtoline caused no change in cell viability. Rather incubation with the specific receptor antagonist SB224289 caused reduction in osteoblast viability, with this effect more substantial in osteosarcoma cells. Investigation of this inhibitory activity showed 5HTR1B antagonism induces apoptosis in malignant cells. Evaluation of phosphorylated levels of CREB and ERK, transcriptional regulators associated with serotonin receptor signalling in osteoblasts, revealed aberrant 5HTR1B signalling in COS. Our results confirm the presence of 5HTR1B in a canine osteosarcoma cell line and highlight this receptor as a possible novel therapeutic target.

Pien Tze Huang induces apoptosis in multidrug‑resistant U2OS/ADM cells via downregulation of Bcl‑2, survivin and P-gp and upregulation of Bax

Pien Tze Huang (PZH) is a well-known traditional Chinese formula that was first prescribed by a royal physician in the Ming Dynasty. PZH has been used to treat various types of cancers including osteosarcoma. Previous studies have shown that PZH may effectively inhibit osteosarcoma cell growth in vivo and in vitro via induction of apoptosis and inhibition of migratory and invasive abilities. However, little is known regarding the effects of PZH on osteosarcomas that are resistant to chemotherapy, which has emerged as a major clinical problem. In the present study, the cellular effects of PZH on multidrug-resistant U2OS/ADM human osteosarcoma cells were investigated. Our results showed that PZH reduced cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner and arrested cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, suggesting that PZH inhibits the proliferation of U2OS/ADM cells. Hoechst 33258 staining and Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining revealed typical nuclear features of apoptosis, and treatment with PZH increased the proportion of apoptotic Annexin V-positive cells in a dose-dependent manner. Further experiments demonstrated that apoptosis induction by PZH was accompanied by downregulation of Bcl-2 and survivin and upregulation of Bax. In addition, following treatment with PZH, intracellular Rhodamine 123 accumulation was increased and the expression of P-gp was significantly suppressed. Taken together, these results provide a possible molecular mechanism for the anticancer effect of PZH on U2OS/ADM cells and suggest that PZH may be a potent therapeutic agent for drug-resistant osteosarcoma.

Inhibition of survivin influences the biological activities of canine histiocytic sarcoma cell lines

Canine histiocytic sarcoma (CHS) is an aggressive malignant neoplasm that originates from histiocytic lineage cells, including dendritic cells and macrophages, and is characterized by progressive local infiltration and a very high metastatic potential. Survivin is as an apoptotic inhibitory factor that has major functions in cell proliferation, including inhibition of apoptosis and regulation of cell division, and is expressed in most types of human and canine malignant neoplasms, including melanoma and osteosarcoma. To investigate whether survivin was expressed at high levels in CHS and whether its expression was correlated with the aggressive biological behavior of CHS, we assessed relation between survivin expression and CHS progression, as well as the effects of survivin inhibition on the biological activities of CHS cells. We comparatively analyzed the expression of 6 selected anti-apoptotic genes, including survivin, in specimens from 30 dogs with histiocytic sarcoma and performed annexin V staining to evaluate apoptosis, methylthiazole tetrazolium assays to assess cell viability and chemosensitivity, and latex bead assays to measure changes in phagocytic activities in 4 CHS cell lines and normal canine fibroblasts transfected with survivin siRNA. Survivin gene expression levels in 30 specimens were significantly higher than those of the other 6 genes. After transfection with survivin siRNA, apoptosis, cell growth inhibition, enhanced chemosensitivity, and weakened phagocytic activities were observed in all CHS cell lines. In contrast, normal canine fibroblasts were not significantly affected by survivin knockdown. These results suggested that survivin expression may mediate the aggressive biological activities of CHS and that survivin may be an effective therapeutic target for the treatment of CHS.

Comparative analysis of the surface exposed proteome of two canine osteosarcoma cell lines and normal canine osteoblasts

Background

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common primary bone tumor of dogs and carries a poor prognosis despite aggressive treatment. An improved understanding of the biology of OSA is critically needed to allow for development of novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools. The surface-exposed proteome (SEP) of a cancerous cell includes a multifarious array of proteins critical to cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, adhesion, and inter-cellular communication. The specific aim of this study was to define a SEP profile of two validated canine OSA cell lines and a normal canine osteoblast cell line utilizing a biotinylation/streptavidin system to selectively label, purify, and identify surface-exposed proteins by mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Additionally, we sought to validate a subset of our MS-based observations via quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot and semi-quantitative immunocytochemistry. Our hypothesis was that MS would detect differences in the SEP composition between the OSA and the normal osteoblast cells.

Results

Shotgun MS identified 133 putative surface proteins when output from all samples were combined, with good consistency between biological replicates. Eleven of the MS-detected proteins underwent analysis of gene expression by PCR, all of which were actively transcribed, but varied in expression level. Western blot of whole cell lysates from all three cell lines was effective for Thrombospondin-1, CYR61 and CD44, and indicated that all three proteins were present in each cell line. Semi-quantitative immunofluorescence indicated that CD44 was expressed at much higher levels on the surface of the OSA than the normal osteoblast cell lines.

Conclusions

The results of the present study identified numerous differences, and similarities, in the SEP of canine OSA cell lines and normal canine osteoblasts. The PCR, Western blot, and immunocytochemistry results, for the subset of proteins evaluated, were generally supportive of the mass spectrometry data. These methods may be applied to other cell lines, or other biological materials, to highlight unique and previously unrecognized differences between samples. While this study yielded data that may prove useful for OSA researchers and clinicians, further refinements of the described techniques are expected to yield greater accuracy and produce a more thorough SEP analysis.

Survivin -31G>C polymorphism and gastrointestinal tract cancer risk: a meta-analysis

Background

Emerging evidence showed that common functional −31G>C polymorphism (rs9904341 G>C) in the promoter region of the survivin gene is involved in the regulation of survivin expression, thus increasing an individual’s susceptibility to gastrointestinal tract (GIT) cancer; but individually published results are inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to derive a more precise estimation of the association between survivin −31G>C polymorphism and GIT cancer risk.

Methods

A literature search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and CBM databases was conducted from inception through July 1st, 2012. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of association.

Results

Nine case-control studies were included with a total of 2,231 GIT cancer cases and 2,287 healthy controls. The results indicated that survivin −31G>C polymorphism was associated with increased risk of GIT cancer. In the stratified analysis by cancer types, significant associations were observed between survivin −31G>C polymorphism and increased risk of colorectal and gastric cancers. However, the lack of association of survivin −31G>C polymorphism with esophageal cancer risk may be due to a lack of a sufficient number of eligible studies and the influence of different genetic and environmental factors.

Conclusion

Results from the current meta-analysis suggests that survivin −31G>C polymorphism might increase the risk of GIT cancer, especially among gastric and colorectal cancers.

The cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor NS-398 inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human osteosarcoma cells via downregulation of the survivin pathway

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is frequently overexpressed in human malignancies and plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. The present study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of COX-2 and survivin (SUV) in human osteosarcomas (OS), and explore the effects and molecular mechanisms of a selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 and SUV on tumor proliferation and apoptosis. Fifty cases of human OS and osteochondromas (OC) were collected. The expression of COX-2 and SUV was assessed using immunohistochemical assays in biopsy samples. MG-63 human OS cells were treated with different concentrations of NS-398, used to investigate their effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis. The recombinant small hairpin RNA adenovirus vector rAd5-SUV was constructed, and the effects and molecular mechanisms of knockdown of SUV on proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated in MG-63 cells. A subcutaneous xenograft tumor model was established, validating the effects of rAd5-SUV on tumor growth in vivo. Based on the results, the expression of COX-2 and SUV in OS showed a higher strong reactivity rate compared with OC (73.3 vs. 25.0%, P=0.001; 63.3 vs. 30.0%, P=0.02), but it did not correlate with the clinicopathological characteristics of OS. NS-398 inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis and decreased the mRNA expression of COX-2 and SUV in MG-63 cells. Furthermore, adenovirus-mediated knockdown of SUV inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, reduced the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), increased the expression of caspase-3 (CAS-3) and slowed the growth of xenograft tumors in MG-63 cells. Taken together, the expression of COX-2 and SUV is closely correlated with human OS, and inhibition of COX-2 or knockdown of SUV suppresses tumor proliferation and induces apoptosis, suggesting that COX-2 may be involved in OS cell proliferation and apoptosis through SUV-mediated regulation of PCNA and CAS-3 expression, and provides a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer.

Immunohistochemical investigation of cell cycle and apoptosis regulators (survivin, β-catenin, p53, caspase 3) in canine appendicular osteosarcoma

Background

Osteosarcoma (OSA) represents the most common canine primary bone tumour. Despite several pathways have been investigated so far, few molecules have been identified as prognostic tools or potential therapeutic targets, and there is still the need to find out molecular pathways with specific influence over OSA progression to facilitate earlier prognosis and treatment.

Aims of the present study were to evaluate the immunohistochemical pattern and levels of expression of a panel of molecules (survivin, β-catenin, caspase 3 -inactive and active forms- and p53) involved in cell cycle and apoptosis regulation in canine OSA samples, known to be of interest in the study also of human OSA, and to detect specific relations among them and with histological tumour grade, disease free interval (DFI) and overall survival (OS).

Results

Nuclear β-catenin immunostaining was detected in normal osteoblasts adjacent to the tumour, and in 47% of the cases. Cytoplasmic and/or membranous immunostaining were also observed. Nuclear survivin and p53 positive cells were found in all cases. Moderate/high cytoplasmic β-catenin expression (≥10% positive cells) was significantly associated with the development of metastasis (P = 0.014); moderate/high nuclear p53 expression (≥10% positive cells) was significantly associated with moderate/high histological grade (P = 0.017) and shorter OS (P = 0.049). Moderate/high nuclear survivin expression (≥15% positive cells) showed a tendency toward a longer OS (P = 0,088).

Conclusions

The present results confirmed p53 as negative prognostic marker, while suggested survivin as a potential positive prognostic indicator, rather than indicative of a poor prognosis. The detection of nuclear β-catenin immunostaining in normal osteoblasts and the absent/low expression in most of the OSAs, suggested that this pathway could not play a major role in oncogenic transformation of canine osteoblasts. Further studies are needed to confirm these hypotheses.