Adenovirus-mediated expression of human prorelaxin promotes the invasive potential of canine mammary cancer cells

The dual and multifaceted role of relaxin-2 in cancer

The continuous increase in cancer-associated deaths despite the substantial improvement in diagnosis and treatment has sparked discussions on the need for novel biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for cancer. Although increasing evidence has demonstrated the pivotal role of relaxin-2 in multiple cancers, their role is a double-edged sword with both protumor and antitumor having been reported in various malignant tumors. Considering this dual role, it appears the biological mechanism underpinning the action of relaxin-2 in cancer is not clear and further studies to elucidate their potential as a preventive factor for cancers are of prime importance. Herein, a summarized up-to-date report on the role of relaxin-2 in human cancer including detailed clinical and experimental evidence supporting their tumor-promoting and inhibitory functions in cancer development and progression has been elucidated. Also, signaling pathways and other factors orchestrating the activities of relaxin-2 in the tumor microenvironment has been discussed. Collectively, the evidence from this review has demonstrated the need for further evaluation of the role of relaxin-2 as a diagnostic and or prognostic biomarker for cancer.

Molecular Characterization of CF33 Canine Cell Line and Evaluation of Its Ability to Respond against Infective Stressors in Sight of Anticancer Approaches

Simple Summary

Canine mammary cancer is very common and has many similarities with human breast cancer. Risk factors, physiological and pathological behaviors, and the clinical course in dogs are very similar to humans. Several molecular similarities have also been reported, such as overexpression of EGF, proliferation markers, metalloproteinase and cyclooxygenase, TP53 mutations, and CXCR4/SDF1 axis activation. These common characteristics make these breast tumors resistant to conventional therapies. It is therefore necessary to study therapeutic alternatives. Cell lines could be helpful to test in vitro immunomodulant anti-cancer therapies, allowing a reduction of laboratory animals’ involvement in the preliminary tests and achieving results in a shorter time. Although the canine mammary carcinoma cell line CF33 has been widely used in many studies on dog mammary cancer, characterization of its gene expression profile and of the influence of infective stressors of this cell line is poor. Our study shows the interaction of CF33 and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) as an infective stressor, indicating that these cells may represent an in vitro model for assessing novel therapeutic approaches using bacteria.

Abstract

Spontaneous mammary tumors are the most frequent neoplasms in bitches and show similarities with human breast cancer in risk factors, clinical course, and histopathology. The poor prognosis of some cancer subtypes, both in human and dog, demands more effective therapeutic approaches. A possible strategy is the new anticancer therapy based on immune response modulation through bacteria or their derivatives on canine mammary carcinoma cell lines. The aim of the present study was to analyze the CF33 cell line in terms of basal expression of immune innate genes, CXCR4 expression, and interaction with infectious stressors. Our results highlight that CF33 maintains gene expression parameters typical of mammary cancer, and provides the basal gene expression of CF33, which is characterized by overexpression of CXCR4, CD44, RAD51, LY96, and a non-continuous expression of TP53 and PTEN. No mutations appeared in the CXCR4 gene until the 58th passage; this may represent important information for studying the CXCR4 pathway as a therapeutic target. Moreover, the CF33 cell line was shown to be able to interact with Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) (an infective stressor), indicating that these cells could be used as an in vitro model for developing innovative therapeutic approaches involving bacteria.

Serum relaxin as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Relaxin is a short circulating peptide hormone. The aim of this study was to understand the role of relaxin in progression of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and to assess its diagnostic and prognostic significance.

METHODS

A total of 124 patients with EOC, 46 patients with benign ovarian diseases, and 50 healthy controls were recruited. Serum levels of relaxin were determined by ELISA method. The relationship between serum relaxin level and each of the clinicopathological parameters was analyzed using the χ2 test. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. The statistical difference in survival between the different groups was compared using the log-rank test. Survival correlation with the prognostic factors was further investigated by multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model with backward stepwise likelihood ratio.

RESULTS

The results showed that serum relaxin level was significantly higher in patients with EOC than those with benign ovarian diseases and healthy controls (p< 0.01). Serum relaxin level was associated with FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, tumor resectability, survival of the patients, chemotherapy and tumor recurrence (p< 0.05). Analysis using the Kaplan-meier method indicated that patients with high serum relaxin had significantly shorter overall survival time than those with low relaxin (p< 0.01). In a multivariate analysis along with clinical prognostic parameters, serum relaxin was identified as an independent adverse prognostic variable for survival.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that serum relaxin may be a clinically useful indicator for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation in EOC patients.

Evolution of the relaxin/insulin-like gene family in anthropoid primates

The relaxin/insulin-like gene family includes signaling molecules that perform a variety of physiological roles mostly related to reproduction and neuroendocrine regulation. Several previous studies have focused on the evolutionary history of relaxin genes in anthropoid primates, with particular attention on resolving the duplication history of RLN1 and RLN2 genes, which are found as duplicates only in apes. These studies have revealed that the RLN1 and RLN2 paralogs in apes have a more complex history than their phyletic distribution would suggest. In this regard, alternative scenarios have been proposed to explain the timing of duplication, and the history of gene gain and loss along the organismal tree. In this article, we revisit the question and specifically reconstruct phylogenies based on coding and noncoding sequence in anthropoid primates to readdress the timing of the duplication event giving rise to RLN1 and RLN2 in apes. Results from our phylogenetic analyses based on noncoding sequence revealed that the duplication event that gave rise to the RLN1 and RLN2 occurred in the last common ancestor of catarrhine primates, between ∼44.2 and 29.6 Ma, and not in the last common ancestor of apes or anthropoids, as previously suggested. Comparative analyses based on coding and noncoding sequence suggests an event of convergent evolution at the sequence level between co-ortholog genes, the single-copy RLN gene found in New World monkeys and the RLN1 gene of apes, where changes in a fraction of the convergent sites appear to be driven by positive selection.

Targeting the relaxin hormonal pathway in prostate cancer

Targeting the androgen signalling pathway has long been the hallmark of anti-hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. However, development of androgen-independent prostate cancer is an inevitable outcome to therapies targeting this pathway, in part, owing to the shift from cancer dependence on androgen signalling for growth in favor of augmentation of other cellular pathways that provide proliferation-, survival- and angiogenesis-promoting signals. This review focuses on the role of the hormone relaxin in the development and progression of prostate cancer, prior to and after the onset of androgen independence, as well as its role in cancers of other reproductive tissues. As the body of literature expands, examining relaxin expression in cancerous tissues and its role in a growing number of in vitro and in vivo cancer models, our understanding of the important involvement of this hormone in cancer biology is becoming clearer. Specifically, the pleiotropic functions of relaxin affecting cell growth, angiogenesis, blood flow, cell migration and extracellular matrix remodeling are examined in the context of cancer progression. The interactions and intercepts of the intracellular signalling pathways of relaxin with the androgen pathway are explored in the context of progression of castration-resistant and androgen-independent prostate cancers. We provide an overview of current anti-hormonal therapeutic treatment options for prostate cancer and delve into therapeutic approaches and development of agents aimed at specifically antagonizing relaxin signalling to curb tumor growth. We also discuss the rationale and challenges utilizing such agents as novel anti-hormonals in the clinic, and their potential to supplement current therapeutic modalities.

Role of relaxin-2 in human primary osteosarcoma

Background

The aim of this study was to clarify the clinicopathological outcome of serum relaxin-2 and tissues relaxin-2 expression levels in human primary osteosarcoma (OS), and to explore the roles of relaxin-2 inhibition and determine its possibility as a therapeutic target in human osteosarcoma.

Methods

Real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay was performed to detect the expression of relaxin-2 mRNA in 36 cases of human osteosarcoma tissue samples. Serum relaxin-2 levels was measured in ELISA-based method in the 36 cases of osteosarcoma and 50 cases of controls. MTT and TUNEL assay was used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis after relaxin-2 knockdown with siRNA transfection for 48 hs in vitro. Matrigel invasion and angiogenesis formation assay was used to detect cell metastasis and angiogenesis with HMEC-1 endothelial cells after relaxin-2 knockdown with siRNA transfection for 48 hs in vitro. The effects of relaxin-2 knockdown with anti- relaxin-2 mAb treatment on growth, apoptosis angiogenesis formation and lung metastasis in vivo was analyzed.

Results

The results showed the levels of relaxin-2 mRNA expression in osteosarcoma tissue samples were significantly higher than those in the corresponding non-tumor tissue samples (P < 0.01), and the serum relaxin-2 levels were significantly higher in OS patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.01). The incidence of advanced stage cancer and hematogenous metastasis cancer in the high relaxin-2 mRNA expression group and high serum relaxin-2 levels groups was significantly higher than that in the low relaxin-2 expression group and low serum relaxin-2 levels groups, respectively. Knockdown of relaxin-2 by siRNA transfection in vitro inhibited proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis in vitro in MG-63 OS cells. In vivo, knockdown of relaxin-2 with anti- relaxin-2 mAb treatment inhibited tumor growth by 62% (P < 0.01) and the formation of lung metastases was inhibited by 72.4% (P < 0.01). Microvascular density was reduced more than 60% due to anti- relaxin-2 mAb treatment (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that overexpression of relaxin-2 is critical for the metastasis of human osteosarcoma. Detection of relaxin-2 mRNA expression or serum relaxin-2 levels may provide the first biological prognostic marker for OS. Furthermore, relaxin-2 is the potential molecular target for osteosarcoma therapy.

Elevated serum levels of human relaxin-2 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM: To assess the prognostic value of serum human relaxin 2 (H2 RLN) level in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS: From October 1998 to September 2009, 146 patients with histopathologically confirmed ESCC were enrolled in this study. One hundred patients underwent en bloc esophagectomy, and 46 patients with unresectable tumors underwent palliative surgery. Five of the 146 patients died of surgical complications. Serum levels of H2 RLN were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The relationship between serum H2 RLN level and each of the clinicopathological parameters was analyzed using the χ² test. Patients were classified into two groups according to their H2 RLN level (< 0.462 ng/mL vs≥ 0.462 ng/mL). When any analysis cell had fewer than five cases, the Fisher’s exact test was used. The statistical difference between groups A and B in each clinicopathological category was determined by the Student’s t test (two-tailed) or analysis of variance. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. The statistical difference in survival between the different groups was compared using the log-rank test. Survival correlation with the prognostic factors was further investigated by multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model with backward stepwise likelihood ratio.

RESULTS: ESCC patients tended to have significantly higher serum H2 RLN concentrations (0.48 ± 0.17 ng/mL, n = 141) compared with the healthy control group (0.342 ± 0.12 ng/mL, n = 112). There was a significant difference between patients with lymph node involvement (0.74 ± 0.15 ng/mL, n = 90), distant metastasis (0.90 ± 0.19 ng/mL, n = 32) and those without lymph node involvement (0.45 ± 0.12 ng/mL, n = 51), and distant metastasis (0.43 ± 0.14 ng/mL, n = 109), respectively (P < 0.01). Patients with high H2 RLN levels (≥ 0.462 ng/mL) had a poorer prognosis than patients with low serum H2 RLN levels (< 0.462 ng/mL; P = 0.0056). The H2 RLN level was also correlated with survival and tumor-node-metastasis staging, but not with age, tumor size, gender, lymphovascular invasion or the histological grade of tumors. Cox regression analysis showed that H2 RLN was an independent variable.

CONCLUSION: Serum concentrations of H2 RLN are frequently elevated in ESCC patients and are correlated with disease metastasis and survival. Serum concentrations of H2 RLN may be an important prognostic marker in ESCC patients.

RGD peptide-modified adenovirus expressing hepatocyte growth factor and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis improves islet transplantation

BACKGROUND

Islet transplantation has the potential for treating type I diabetes; however, its widespread clinical application is limited by the massive apoptotic cell death and poor revascularization of transplanted islet grafts.

METHODS

We constructed a surface-modified adenoviral vector with RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequences encoding human X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis and hepatocyte growth factor (RGD-Adv-hHGF-hXIAP). In vitro transgene expression in human islets was determined by enzyme-liniked immunosorbent assay. RGD-Adv-hHGF-hXIAP-transduced human islets were transplanted under the kidney capsule of streptozotocin-induced diabetic NOD/SCID mice. The blood glucose levels of mice were measured weekly. The kidneys bearing islets were isolated at the end of the experiment and subjected to immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

The transduction efficiency on human islets was significantly improved using RGD-modified adenovirus. HGF and XIAP gene expressions were dose-dependent after viral transduction. When exposed to a cocktail of inflammatory cytokines, RGD-Adv-hHGF-hXIAP-transduced human islets showed decreased caspase 3 activity and reduced apoptotic cell death. Prolonged normoglycemic control could be achieved by transplanting RGD-Adv-hHGF-hXIAP-transduced human islets. Immunofluorescence staining of kidney sections bearing RGD-Adv-hHGF-hXIAP-transduced islets was positive for insulin and von Willebrand factor (vWF) at 200 days after transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that ex vivo transduction of islets with RGD-Adv-hHGF-hXIAP decreased apoptotic islet cell death and improved islet revascularization, and eventually might improve the outcome of human islet transplantation.

Macrophage metalloelastase (MME) as adjuvant for intra-tumoral injection of oncolytic adenovirus and its influence on metastases development

Oncolytic adenoviruses are a promising treatment alternative for many advanced cancers, including colorectal cancer. However, clinical trials have demonstrated that single-agent therapy in advanced tumor masses is rarely curative. Poor spreading of the virus through tumor tissue is one of the major issues limiting efficacy. As oncolytic viruses kill preferentially cancer cells, high extracellular matrix (ECM) content constitutes potential barriers for viral penetration within tumors. In this study, the ECM-degrading proteases relaxin, hyaluronidase, elastase and macrophage metalloelastase (MME) were tested for their antitumor efficacy alone and in combination with oncolytic adenovirus. MME improved the overall antitumor efficacy of oncolytic adenovirus in subcutaneous HCT116 xenografts. In a liver metastatic colorectal cancer model, intra-tumoral treatment of primary tumors from HT29 cells with MME monotherapy or with oncolytic adenovirus inhibited tumor growth. Combination therapy showed no increased mortality in comparison with either monotherapy alone. Contradictory results of effects of MME on tumorigenesis and metastasis formation have been reported in the literature. This study demonstrates for the first time in a metastatic animal model that MME, as a monotherapy or in combination with oncolytic virus, does not increase tumor invasiveness. Co-administration of MME and oncolytic adenovirus may be a suitable approach for further optimization aiming at clinical applications for metastatic colorectal cancer.

The metastatic potential of canine mammary tumours can be assessed by mRNA expression analysis of connective tissue modulators

Metastases are the crucial factor for the prognosis of canine mammary tumours (CMTs). In women, the peptide hormone relaxin is linked with metastatic breast cancer. Therefore, the impact of relaxin and its receptors on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression, metastatic disease and survival was analysed using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry of CMT samples from 59 bitches. The expression of relaxin and its receptor RXFP1 (relaxin family peptide receptor 1) was discovered on gene and protein levels. Intratumoural relaxin mRNA expression and relaxin plasma levels had no prognostic value. High mRNA levels RXFP1 were an independent marker of metastatic potential, with a more than 15-fold risk increase, and a predictor for shorter survival. Also, MMP-2 expression was associated with early death because of CMT. The mRNA expressions of relaxin, RXFP1 and MMP-2 were positively correlated indicating a common pathogenetic linkage. Thus, RXFP1 is proposed as a new early marker of metastatic potential in CMT and a possible therapeutic target.

Characterization and biological activity of relaxin in porcine milk

A lactocrine mechanism for delivery of maternally derived relaxin (RLX) into the neonatal circulation as a consequence of nursing was proposed for the pig. Immunoreactive RLX was detected in colostrum and in the serum of newborn pigs only if they were allowed to nurse. Milk-borne RLX concentrations are highest during early lactation (9-19  ng/ml), declining to <2  ng/ml by postnatal day 14. Whether milk-borne RLX is bioactive is unknown. Evidence that RLX concentrations in milk are higher than in maternal circulation in several species suggests the mammary gland as a site of local RLX production. It is unknown whether the porcine mammary gland is a source of RLX. Therefore, objectives were to evaluate RLX bioactivity in porcine milk during the first 2 weeks of lactation, identify the form of RLX in porcine milk, and determine whether mammary tissue from early lactation is a source of milk-borne RLX. Milk RLX bioactivity was determined using an in vitro bioassay in which cAMP production by human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells transfected with the human RLX receptor (RXFP1) was measured. RLX bioactivity was highest at lactation day (LD) 0, decreasing to undetectable levels by LD 4. Immunoblot analysis of milk proteins revealed an 18  kDa band, indicating proRLX as the primary form of RLX in porcine milk. ProRLX protein and transcripts were detected in porcine mammary tissue on LD 0 and 7. Results support the lactocrine hypothesis by defining the nature and a potential source for bioactive proRLX in porcine colostrum/milk.

Controlled extracellular matrix degradation in breast cancer tumors improves therapy by trastuzumab

Extracellular matrix (ECM) in solid tumors affects the effectiveness of therapeutics through blocking of intratumoral diffusion and/or physical masking of target receptors on malignant cells. In immunohistochemical studies of tumor sections from breast cancer patients and xenografts, we observed colocalization of ECM proteins and Her2/neu, a tumor-associated antigen that is the target for the widely used monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin). We tested whether intratumoral expression of the peptide hormone relaxin (Rlx) would result in ECM degradation and the improvement of trastuzumab therapy. As viral gene delivery into epithelial tumors with extensive tumor ECM is inefficient, we used a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-based approach to deliver the Rlx gene to the tumor. In mouse models with syngeneic breast cancer tumors, HSC-mediated intratumoral Rlx expression resulted in a decrease of ECM proteins and enabled control of tumor growth. Moreover, in a model with Her2/neu-positive BT474-M1 tumors and more treatment-refractory tumors derived from HCC1954 cells, we observed a significant delay of tumor growth when trastuzumab therapy was combined with Rlx expression. Our results have implications for antibody therapy of cancer as well as for other anticancer treatment approaches that are based on T-cells or encapsulated chemotherapy drugs.

Relaxin drives Wnt signaling through upregulation of PCDHY in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Relaxin, a potent peptide hormone of the insulin-like family normally produced and secreted by the human prostate, is upregulated in castrate resistant prostate cancer progression. In various tissues, relaxin increases angiogenesis and cell motility through upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteases, and nitric oxide, and therefore maybe an attractive target for cancer therapeutics.

METHODS

To examine the role of relaxin in prostate cancer progression, LNCaP cells stably transfected with relaxin (LNCaP(RLN)) were used to form xenograft tumors, and microarray expression analysis was subsequently performed to determine novel pathways regulated by relaxin. Prostate cancer tissue microarrays from patient samples were stained by immunohistochemistry for further validation and correlation of the findings.

RESULTS

Expression analysis identified novel relaxin regulated pathways, including the ProtocadherinY (PCDHY)/Wnt pathway. PCDHY, which upregulates Wnt11, has previously been shown to stabilize beta-catenin, causing beta-catenin to translocate from the cytoplasmic membrane to the nucleus and initiate TCF-mediated signaling. LNCaP(RLN) xenografts exhibit increased PCDHY expression and increased cytoplasmic localization of beta-catenin, suggesting relaxin directs Wnt11 overexpression through PCDHY upregulation. Similarly, prostate cancer samples from patients who have undergone androgen ablation have increased Wnt11 expression, which is further upregulated in castrate resistant tissues. Like relaxin, Wnt11, and PCDHY are negatively regulated by androgens, and further analysis indicated that the overexpression of relaxin results in dysregulation of androgen-regulated genes.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that prostate cancer cell motility and altered androgen receptor activity attributed to relaxin may be mediated in part by Wnt11.

Estrogen and TCDD influence RLN2 gene activity in estrogen receptor-positive human breast cancer cells

Expression of relaxin is increased in human breast cancer, and relaxin was shown to increase in vitro invasiveness through increased production and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases in human breast cancer cells. The role of estrogen in the promotion of breast cancer is well-known. The environmental toxin 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a known carcinogen but has been shown to have antiestrogenic effects in human breast cancer cells. In this study, we have employed real-time PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to investigate the influence of estrogen and TCDD on relaxin-1 (RLN1) and relaxin-2 (RLN2) gene expression in MCF-7 and T47D human breast cancer cells. Estrogen increased RLN2 transcripts in T47D and MCF-7 cells after just 4 h of exposure, whereas TCDD did not. RLN1 transcripts were only induced after 24 h of estrogen exposure. TCDD did have antiestrogenic activity and reduced the estrogen-mediated increase in RLN2 and RLN1 mRNA. The estrogen-mediated increase in RLN2 mRNA levels was not caused by changes in the mRNA stability. ChIP analysis revealed binding of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha) to promoter sequences of the RLN2 gene. Thus, we provide evidence that RLN2 gene activity is directly regulated by activated ERalpha in human breast cancer cells and we show that activation of the arylhydrocarbon receptor by TCDD inhibits this regulation by estrogen.

Bipartite vector encoding hVEGF and hIL-1Ra for ex vivo transduction into human islets

Ex vivo gene transfer can improve the outcome of islet transplantation for treating type I diabetes. Earlier we have shown coexpression of human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) and human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (hIL-1Ra) after transfection of plasmid DNA encoding these two genes. Due to poor transfection efficiency of plasmid DNA and the better known islet transduction efficiency of adenoviral (Adv) vectors, in this study, we constructed Adv-hVEGF-hIL-1Ra by cloning hVEGF and hIL-1Ra coding sequences and polyA signal under separate cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoters in Adenoquick plasmid (Ad 13.1). There was dose and time dependent expression of these genes after transduction of Adv-hVEGF-hIL1Ra into human islets. The mRNA expression of hVEGF and hIL-1Ra was more than 100 times higher than that of the nontransduced and bipartite plasmid transfected control islets. Transduced islets were viable as evidenced by insulin release upon glucose challenge. Coexpression of hVEGF and hIL-1Ra by islets showed decrease in caspase-3 activity and apoptosis induced by a cocktail of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IFN-gamma. Compared to nontreated or Adv-LacZ transduced islets, transduction of islets with Adv-hVEGF-hIL-1Ra prior to transplantation under the kidney capsules of diabetic NOD-SCID mice reduced the blood glucose levels, and increased serum insulin and c-peptide levels. Immunohistochemical staining of the islet bearing kidney sections at day 20 after transplantation was positive for human insulin, hVEGF and von Willebrand factor. These results indicate that the bipartite Adv vector efficiently expresses both growth factor and antiapoptotic genes, decreases apoptosis and improves the outcome of islet transplantation.

Relaxin reduces xenograft tumour growth of human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

Introduction

Relaxin levels are increased in cases of human breast cancer and has been shown to promote cancer cell migration in carcinoma cells of the breast, prostate gland and thyroid gland. In oestrogen receptor alpha-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells, relaxin was shown to down-regulate the metastasis-promoting protein S100A4 (metastasin), a highly significant prognostic factor for poor survival in breast cancer patients. The cellular mechanisms of relaxin exposure in breast cancer cells are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate short-term and long-term effects of relaxin on cancer cell motility and S100A4 expression and to determine the long-term effects of relaxin on in vivo tumour growth in an oestrogen-independent context.

Method

We have established stable transfectants of highly invasive oestrogen-receptor alpha-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells with constitutive expression of bioactive H2-relaxin (MDA/RLN2). RLN2 secretion was determined by ELISA. Relaxin receptor RXFP1 (Relaxin-family-peptide) was detected by reverse transcription (RT) PCR and its activation was assessed by induction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Stable MDA/RLN2 clones and RLN2 treated MDA-MB-231 cells were subjected to motility and in vitro-invasion assays. Proliferation was assessed in bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and MTT assays. S100A4 expression was determined by RT-PCR and Western blot. Specific small interfering RNA was employed to down-regulate relaxin receptor and S100A4. MDA/EGFP vector control and two MDA/RLN2 clones were injected subcutaneously in nude mice to determine tumour growth and cancer cell invasiveness in vivo. Xenograft tumour tissues were assessed by histology and immunohistochemistry and frozen tissues were used for the detection of S100A4 and RLN2.

Results

Short-term exposure to relaxin for 24 hours increased cell motility in a relaxin receptor-dependent manner. This increase in cell motility was mediated by S100A4. Long-term exposure to relaxin secreted from stable transfectants reduced cell motility and in vitro invasiveness. Relaxin decreased cell proliferation and down-regulated cellular S100A4 levels in MDA-MB-231 and T47D breast cancer cells. Stable MDA/RLN2 transfectants produced smaller xenograft tumours containing reduced S100A4 protein levels in vivo.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that long-term exposure to relaxin confers growth inhibitory and anti-invasive properties in oestrogen-independent tumours in vivo, which may in part be mediated through a down-regulation of S100A4.

Adenovirus-mediated delivery of relaxin reverses cardiac fibrosis

We have evaluated the effectiveness of systemic adenovirally delivered mouse relaxin on reversing fibrosis in a transgenic murine model of fibrotic cardiomyopathy due to beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (beta(2)AR) overexpression. Recombinant adenoviruses expressing green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP), rat relaxin (Ad-rRLN) and mouse relaxin (Ad-mRLN) were generated and Ad-rRLN and Ad-mRLN were demonstrated to direct the expression of bioactive relaxin peptides in vitro. A single systemic injection of Ad-mRLN resulted in transgene expression in the liver and bioactive relaxin peptide in the plasma. Ad-mRLN, but not Ad-GFP, treatment reversed the increased left ventricular collagen content in beta(2)AR mice to control levels without affecting collagen levels in other heart chambers or in the lung and kidney. Hence a single systemic injection of adenovirus producing mouse relaxin reverses cardiac fibrosis without adversely affecting normal collagen levels in other organs and establishes the potential for the use of relaxin gene therapy for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.

Inappropriate activation of androgen receptor by relaxin via β-catenin pathway

We have previously demonstrated that human H2-relaxin can mediate androgen-independent growth of LNCaP through a mechanism that involves the activation of the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. The goal of the current study is to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which H2-relaxin causes activation of the AR pathway. Our data indicate that there is cross-talk between AR and components of the Wnt signaling pathway. Addition of H2-relaxin to LNCaP cells resulted in increased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) with subsequent cytoplasmic accumulation of beta-catenin. Immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemical studies demonstrated that the stabilized beta-catenin formed a complex with AR, which was then translocated into the nucleus. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis determined that the AR/beta-catenin complex binds to the proximal region of the prostate-specific antigen promoter. Inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, using LY294002, prevented both H2-relaxin-mediated phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3beta and translocation of beta-catenin/AR into the nucleus. Knockdown of beta-catenin levels using a beta-catenin-specific small interfering RNA inhibited H2-relaxin-induced AR activity. The combined data demonstrate that PI3K/Akt and components of the Wnt pathway can facilitate H2-relaxin-mediated activation of the AR pathway.

Relaxin-expressing, fiber chimeric oncolytic adenovirus prolongs survival of tumor-bearing mice

Selective replication of oncolytic viruses in tumor cells provides a promising approach for the treatment of human cancers. One of the limitations observed with oncolytic viruses currently used in the treatment of solid tumors is the inefficient spread of virus throughout the tumor mass following intratumoral injection. Data are presented showing that oncolytic adenoviruses expressing the relaxin gene and containing an Ad5/Ad35 chimeric fiber showed significantly enhanced transduction and increased virus spread throughout the tumor when compared with non-relaxin-expressing, Ad5-based viruses. The increased spread of such viruses throughout tumors correlated well with improved antitumor efficacy and overall survival in two highly metastatic tumor models. Furthermore, nonreplicating viruses expressing relaxin did not increase metastases, suggesting that high level expression of relaxin will not enhance metastatic spread of tumors. In summary, the data show that relaxin may play a role in rearranging matrix components within tumors, which helps recombinant oncolytic adenoviruses to spread effectively throughout the tumor mass and thereby increase the extent of viral replication within the tumor. Expressing relaxin from Ad5/Ad35 fiber chimeric adenoviruses may prove a potent and novel approach to treating patients with cancer.

Relaxin promotes prostate cancer progression

PURPOSE

To understand the role of relaxin peptide in prostate cancer, we analyzed the expression of relaxin and its receptor in human prostate cancer samples, the effects of relaxin signaling on cancer cell phenotype in vitro, and the effects of increased serum relaxin concentrations on cancer progression in vivo.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

The relaxin and its receptor leucine-rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 7 (LGR7) expression were studied by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (11 benign and 44 cancer tissue samples) and by relaxin immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays containing 10 normal and 69 cancer samples. The effects of relaxin treatment and endogenous relaxin/LGR7 suppression via short interfering RNA in PC-3 and LNCaP cells were analyzed in vitro. The effect of transgenic relaxin overexpression [Tg(Rln1)] on cancer growth and survival was evaluated in autochthonous transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP).

RESULTS

The relaxin mRNA expression was significantly higher in recurrent prostate cancer samples. In tissue microarrays of the 10 normal tissues, 8 had low staining in epithelial cells, whereas only 1 of 9 high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions had low expression (P = 0.005) and only 29 of 65 cancers had low expression (P = 0.047). Stimulation with relaxin increased cell proliferation, invasiveness, and adhesion in vitro. The suppression of relaxin/LGR7 via short interfering RNAs decreased cell invasiveness by 90% to 95% and growth by 10% to 25% and increased cell apoptosis 0.6 to 2.2 times. The Tg(Rln1) TRAMP males had shorter median survival time, associated with the decreased apoptosis of tumor cells, compared with non-Tg(Rln1) TRAMP animals.

CONCLUSIONS

Relaxin signaling plays a role in prostate cancer progression.

Analog of H2 relaxin exhibits antagonistic properties and impairs prostate tumor growth

Hormone antagonists can be effective tools to delineate receptor signaling pathways and their resulting downstream physiological actions. Mutation of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of human H2 relaxin (deltaH2) impaired its biological function as measured by cAMP signaling. In a competition assay, deltaH2 exhibited antagonistic activity by blocking recombinant H2 relaxin from binding to receptors on THP-1 cells. In a flow cytometry-based binding assay, deltaH2 demonstrated weak binding to 293T cells expressing the LGR7 receptor in the presence of biotinylated H2 relaxin. When human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and LNCaP) were engineered to overexpress eGFP, wild-type (WT) H2, or deltaH2, and subsequently implanted into NOD/SCID mice, tumor xenografts overexpressing deltaH2 displayed smaller volumes compared to H2 and eGFP controls. Plasma osmolality readings and microvessel density and area assessment suggest that deltaH2 modulates physiological parameters in vivo. In a second murine model, intratumoral injections of lentivectors engineered to express deltaH2/eGFP led to suppressed tumor growth compared to controls. This study provides further evidence supporting a role for H2 relaxin in prostate tumor growth. More importantly, we report how mutation of the H2 relaxin RBD confers the hormone derivative with antagonistic properties, offering a novel reagent for relaxin research.

Regulatable gene expression systems for gene therapy

It is feasible to restrict transgene expression to a tissue or region in need of therapy by using promoters that respond to focusable physical stimuli. The most extensively investigated promoters of this type are radiation-inducible promoters and heat shock protein gene promoters that can be activated by directed, transient heat. Temporal regulation of transgenes can be achieved by various two- or three-component gene switches that are triggered by an appropriate small molecule inducer. The most commonly considered gene switches that are reviewed herein are based on small molecule-responsive transactivators derived from bacterial tetracycline repressor, insect or mammalian steroid receptors, or mammalian FKBP12/FRAP. A new generation of gene switches combines a heat shock protein gene promoter and a small molecule-responsive gene switch and can provide for both spatial and temporal regulation of transgene activity.

Relaxin—a pleiotropic hormone and its emerging role for experimental and clinical therapeutics

The insulin-related peptide hormone relaxin (Rlx) is known as pregnancy hormone for decades. In the 1980s, researchers began to recognize the highly intriguing fact that Rlx plays a role in a multitude of physiological processes far beyond pregnancy and reproduction. So, Rlx's contribution to the regulation of vasotonus, plasma osmolality, angiogenesis, collagen turnover, and renal function has been established. In addition, the peptide has been demonstrated to represent a mediator of cardiovascular pathology. The ongoing efforts to identify Rlx receptors eventually precipitated the discovery of the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) LGR7 and LGR8 as membrane receptors for human Rlx-2 in 2002. This review will summarize the current state of insight into this rapidly evolving field, which has further been expanded by the discovery of GPCR135 and GPCR142 as receptors for Rlx-3. In addition, Rlx has also been shown to activate the human glucocorticoid receptor (GR). There is evidence from Rlx and Rlx receptor knockouts suggesting that LGR7 is the only relevant receptor for mouse Rlx-1 (corresponding to human Rlx-2) in vivo and that insulin-like peptide (INSL)-3 represents the physiological ligand for LGR8. Regarding Rlx signal transduction, the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and nitric oxide (NO) pathways will be characterized as major cascades. Investigation of downstream signaling remains an important field for future research. Finally, the current state of therapeutical strategies using Rlx in animal models as well as in humans is summarized.

Functional expression of mouse relaxin and mouse relaxin-3 in the lung from an Ebola virus glycoprotein-pseudotyped lentivirus via tracheal delivery

The peptide hormone relaxin is a known modulator of connective tissue and the extracellular matrix by virtue of its ability to regulate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Relaxin knockout mice exhibit age-related pulmonary fibrosis, and delivery of recombinant human H2 relaxin ameliorates fibrotic-like conditions in the mouse lung. We investigated whether lentiviral vectors (LVs) engineering the expression of murine relaxins could induce MMP activity in the mouse lung. Mouse relaxin and mouse relaxin-3 peptides engineered by recombinant LVs were biologically active as shown by stimulation of cAMP from both THP-1 and 293T cells stably expressing relaxin receptor LGR7 and by up-regulation of MMP-2 activity from primary C57BL/6 lung cell cultures. To provide the virions with enhanced tropism for the lung, LVs were pseudotyped with the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus glycoprotein (EboZ GP) and delivered by endotracheal intubation. LVs engineering luciferase pseudotyped with EboZ GP, but not with vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein resulted in successful LV transduction and transgene expression in C57BL/6 mouse lung by as early as d 4. Mice treated via tracheal delivery with EboZ GP pseudotyped LVs that engineered expression of mouse relaxins exhibited increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in lung tissue up until the end of our study at d 21. Taken together, this study provides proof-of- principle that relaxin gene expression targeted to the mouse lungs can result in enhanced MMP activity offering potential for alleviating disease conditions characterized by dysregulation of extracellular matrix protein accumulation.

Production and characterization of recombinant equine prorelaxin

Relaxin is a peptide hormone produced by a wide variety of mammals. In the horse, the placenta is the major source of relaxin. Since pure equine relaxin is difficult to obtain to study its role in the pregnant mare, the objectives of this study were to produce recombinant equine prorelaxin and characterize its immunological and biological activity. First, an equine relaxin gene cassette was transfected into immortalized bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells. Second, immunological activity of media conditioned by transfected MAC-T cells was tested by Western blotting and quantified using a homologous equine radioimmunoassay. Finally, bioactivity of the conditioned media was tested using the human monocyte cell line, THP-1, which exhibits a rapid and dose-dependent increase in the accumulation of cAMP upon binding relaxin. The results showed that conditioned media, concentrated 5x, yielded 4.11 +/- 0.81 ng/ml recombinant equine prorelaxin. In addition, a 19 kDa immunoreactive band, corresponding to the expected size of equine prorelaxin, was visualized by SDS-PAGE. THP-1 cells incubated with conditioned media (5x) from transfected cells, in the presence of forskolin (1 microM) and isobutylmethylxanthine (50 microM), showed an increase in cAMP production over media from mock-transfected cells alone. In conclusion, recombinant equine prorelaxin secreted by MAC-T cells was both immunologically and biologically active. This study demonstrates the first attempt to produce recombinant equine prorelaxin, important for further study of the role of relaxin in the mare.

Relaxin enhances the oncogenic potential of human thyroid carcinoma cells

The role of members of the insulin-like superfamily in human thyroid carcinoma is primarily unknown. Here we demonstrate the presence of RLN2 relaxin and relaxin receptor LGR7 in human papillary, follicular, and undifferentiated anaplastic thyroid carcinoma suggesting a specific involvement of relaxin-LGR7 signaling in thyroid carcinoma. Stable transfectants of the LGR7-positive human follicular thyroid carcinoma cell lines FTC-133 and FTC-238 that secrete bioactive proRLN2 revealed this hormone to act as a multifunctional endocrine factor in thyroid carcinoma cells. Although RLN2 did not act as a mitogen, it acted as an autocrine/paracrine factor and significantly increased anchorage-independent growth and thyroid carcinoma cell motility and invasiveness through elastin matrices. Suppression of LGR7 expression by LGR7-siRNA abolished the RLN2-mediated accelerated tumor cell motility. The increased elastinolytic activity correlated with enhanced production and secretion of the lysosomal proteinases cathepsin-D (cath-D) and cath-L forms hereby identified as new RLN2 target molecules in human neoplastic thyrocytes. We found the intracellular distribution of procath-L specifically altered in RLN2 transfectants, providing first evidence for selective actions of relaxin on the powerful elastinolytic cath-L production, storage, and secretion in thyroid carcinoma cells. Thus, relaxin enhances the oncogenic potential and acts as novel endocrine modulator of invasiveness in human thyroid carcinoma cells.

The R273H p53 mutation can facilitate the androgen-independent growth of LNCaP by a mechanism that involves H2 relaxin and its cognate receptor LGR7

Mutations in p53 occur at a rate of approximately 70% in hormone-refractory prostate cancer (CaP), suggesting that p53 mutations facilitate the progression of CaP to androgen-independent (AI) growth. We have previously reported that transfection of p53 gain of function mutant alleles into LNCaP, an androgen-sensitive cell line, allows for AI growth of LNCaP in vitro. We herein confirm the in vivo relevance of those findings by demonstrating that the R273H p53 mutation (p53(R273H)) facilitates AI growth in castrated nude mice. In addition, we demonstrate that H2 relaxin is responsible for facilitating p53(R273H)-mediated AI CaP. H2 relaxin is overexpressed in the LNCaP-R273H subline. Downregulation of H2 relaxin expression results in significant inhibition of AI growth, whereas addition of recombinant human H2 relaxin to parental LNCaP promotes AI growth. Inhibition of AI growth was also achieved by blocking expression of LGR7, the cognate receptor of H2 relaxin. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis was used to demonstrate that p53(R273H) binds directly to the relaxin promoter, further confirming a role for H2 relaxin signaling in p53(R273H)-mediated AI CaP. Lastly, we used a reporter gene assay to demonstrate that H2 relaxin can induce the expression of prostate-specific antigen via an androgen receptor-mediated pathway.

Relaxin Downregulates the Calcium Binding Protein S100A4 in MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cells

Expressed in the human breast and in human breast cancer tissues, the heterodimeric peptide hormone relaxin is involved in extracellular matrix turnover. To investigate the role of relaxin in estrogen receptor-alpha negative human breast cancer cells, we established transfectants of the human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line stably overexpressing H2-relaxin (MDA-MB-231/pIRES-EGFP-H2). These transfectants produced and secreted functional relaxin. Our investigations revealed downregulation of mRNA and protein of the calcium binding protein S100A4 (metastasin) in MDA-MB-231/pIRES-EGFP-H2 transfectants, indicating a distinct and novel role for relaxin in estrogen receptor-alpha negative human breast cancer cells.

Human Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Source and Potential Target for Relaxin-Like Hormones

We investigated the expression of H1, H2 relaxin and INSL-3, mRNA and protein, and LGR7 and LGR8 transcripts in human C-cell hyperplasia, primary medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) tissues, MTC metastases, and the human MTC-TT and mouse MTC-M cell lines. Relaxin-like peptide hormones were detected in C-cell hyperplasia and in MTC tissues, but were absent in human normal parafollicular C-cells of benign goiter tissues. In contrast to calcitonin, mRNA, and immunoreactive protein, no differences in the expression of relaxin and INSL3 were observed in MTC tissues of different pTNM classification or between primary and metastatic MTC tissues studied. All MTC tissues constitutively expressed LGR7 and LGR8 transcripts. Thus, relaxin-like hormones appear to be present early during C-cell hyperplasia and potentially functional relaxin/INSL3 ligand-receptor systems are present in human MTC tissues and in MTC cell lines.

Photonic Monitoring in Real Time of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 Gene Expression under Relaxin-Induced Conditions in a Novel Murine Wound Model

Relaxin is known to promote vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in reproductive tissue, and successful wound healing depends on good vascularization of wound sites, a process that relaxin may facilitate. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of relaxin on the development of vascular tissue at wound sites in a novel VEGF receptor 2-luc (VEGFR2-luc) transgenic mouse wound model by monitoring the rate of VEGFR2-luc-mediated gene expression using bioluminescence and real-time imaging. To this end, 12 FVB/N VEGFR2-luc transgenic male mice were assigned to treatments (six per group): saline alone or relaxin (1 g/6 h/14 days) administered intraperitoneally (i.p.). On day 0, a set of full-thickness wounds (6-mm punch) were generated under anesthesia on the dorsal aspect of each mouse. Photonic emissions were recorded (5-min collection of photons) from wound sites 10 min after the administration of luciferin (150 mg/kg i.p.) on day 0 and on days 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, and 14 postwounding to quantify luciferase activity using an IVIS 100 biophotonic imaging system. Animals were sacrificed (three per group) on day 7 or 14, and wound tissue specimens were recovered for molecular and histologic analyses. Although photonic emission from wound sites increased (P < .001) over time with peak values obtained by day 7, no significant (P > .05) effect of relaxin treatment on VEGFR2-luc gene expression was noted at wound sites. Whereas measuring relaxin's effect on angiogenesis indirectly via the VEGFR2 model was not successful, photonic imaging provides an exciting new tool using alternative models (i.e., VEGF-luc mouse) to study relaxin-induced gene expression in normal (i.e., wound healing) or tumorigenic tissues in real time.

Central Effects of Long-Term Relaxin Expression in the Rat

A recombinant adenovirus containing the human H2 preprorelaxin (hH2) cDNA and a reporter gene was coinjected with a transactivator virus (Ad-tTA) into the lateral cerebral ventricles of female rats. Cardiovascular effects were measured over a 21-day period. Circulating vasopressin in the periphery was significantly greater (P < .0001) in the relaxin-treated group throughout the experimental period, compared with controls. There was a significant decrease in plasma osmolality (P < .05) by approximately 10 mmol/L in the treated group by day 14. Immunofluorescence for hH2 present in cryosections showed rAd transduction and hH2 expression from ependymal cells of the ventricular system. Adenovirus-mediated delivery of hH2 to the brain is capable of producing bioactive relaxin that affects cardiovascular parameters.

Regulatable gene expression systems for gene therapy applications: progress and future challenges

Gene therapy aims to revert diseased phenotypes by the use of both viral and nonviral gene delivery systems. Substantial progress has been made in making gene transfer vehicles more efficient, less toxic, and nonimmunogenic and in allowing long-term transgene expression. One of the key issues in successfully implementing gene therapies in the clinical setting is to be able to regulate gene expression very tightly and consistently as and when it is needed. The regulation ought to be achievable using a compound that should be nontoxic, be able to penetrate into the desired target tissue or organ, and have a half-life of a few hours (as opposed to minutes or days) so that when withdrawn or added (depending on the regulatable system used) gene expression can be turned "on" or "off" quickly and effectively. Also, the genetic switches employed should ideally be nonimmunogenic in the host. The ability to switch transgenes on and off would be of paramount importance not only when the therapy is no longer needed, but also in the case of the development of adverse side effects to the therapy. Many regulatable systems are currently under development and some, i.e., the tetracycline-dependent transcriptional switch, have been used successfully for in vivo preclinical applications. Despite this, there are no examples of switches that have been employed in a human clinical trial. In this review, we aim to highlight the main regulatable systems currently under development, the gene transfer systems employed for their expression, and also the preclinical models in which they have been used successfully. We also discuss the substantial challenges that still remain before these regulatable switches can be employed in the clinical setting.

Relaxin stimulates leukocyte adhesion and migration through a relaxin receptor LGR7-dependent mechanism

Leukocytes are critical effectors of inflammation and tumor biology. Chemokine-like factors produced by such inflammatory sites are key mediators of tumor growth that activate leukocytic recruitment and tumor infiltration and suppress immune surveillance. Here we report that the endocrine peptide hormone, relaxin, is a regulator of leukocyte biology with properties important in recruitment to sites of inflammation. This study uses the human monocytic cell line THP-1 and normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to define a novel role for relaxin in regulation of leukocyte adhesion and migration. Our studies indicate that relaxin promotes adenylate cyclase activation, substrate adhesion, and migratory capacity of mononuclear leukocytes through a relaxin receptor LGR7-dependent mechanism. Relaxin-stimulated cAMP accumulation was observed to occur primarily in non-adherent cells. Relaxin stimulation results in increased substrate adhesion and increased migratory activity of leukocytes. In addition, relaxin-stimulated substrate adhesion resulted in enhanced chemotaxis to monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. These responses in THP-1 and peripheral blood mononuclear cells are relaxin dose-dependent and proportional to cAMP accumulation. We further demonstrate that LGR7 is critical for mediating these biological responses by use of RNA interference lentiviral short hairpin constructs. In summary, we provide evidence that relaxin is a novel leukocyte stimulatory agent with properties affecting adhesion and chemomigration.

H2 relaxin overexpression increasesin vivo prostate xenograft tumor growth and angiogenesis

Our study reports a preliminary investigation into the role of human H2 relaxin in prostate tumor growth. A luciferase-expressing human prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, was generated and termed PC3-Luc. PC3-Luc cells were transduced with lentiviral vectors engineering the expression of either enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) or both H2 relaxin and eGFP in a bicistronic format. These transduced cells were termed PC3-Luc-eGFP and PC3-Luc-H2/eGFP, respectively. To gauge effects, PC3-Luc-H2/eGFP and PC3-Luc-eGFP cells were injected into NOD/SCID mice and monitored over 6 weeks. PC-3 tumor xenografts overexpressing H2 relaxin exhibited greater tumor volumes compared to control tumors. Circulating H2 relaxin levels in sera increased with the relative size of the tumor, with moderately elevated H2 relaxin levels in mice bearing PC3-Luc-H2/eGFP tumors compared to PC3-Luc-eGFP tumors. Zymographic analysis demonstrated that proMMP-9 enzyme activity was significantly downregulated in H2 relaxin-overexpressing tumors. An advanced angiogenic phenotype was observed in H2 relaxin-overexpressing tumors indicated by greater intratumoral vascularization by immunohistochemical staining of endothelial cells with anti-mouse CD31. Moreover, PC3-Luc-H2/eGFP tumors exhibited increased VEGF transcript by reverse-transcription PCR, compared to basal levels in control animals. Taken together, our study provides the first account of a potential role of H2 relaxin in prostate tumor development.

Cloning, sequencing and characterization of lentiviral-mediated expression of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) interleukin-2 receptor alpha cDNA

The rhesus macaque CD25 (RhCD25) cDNA isolated from rhesus PBMCs was found to share 95.5 and 91.9% homology with the human orthologue at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. Comparative sequence analyses suggest that both human CD25 (HuCD25) and RhCD25 share identity for most of the critical amino acids previously identified to be essential for viable folding and IL-2 ligand binding. The human leukemic cell line, HH, deficient for IL-2Ralpha was transduced with a lentiviral vector (LV) engineered to express RhCD25 (HH-RhCD25). RhCD25 was characterized for expression by flow cytometric analyses, ELISA, Western blotting, functional signalling, and biological assays in comparison to HuCD25. In summary, vectors expressing the RhCD25 cDNA can be used as a tool to aid in the characterization of soluble CD25 in non-human primate studies, and to provide a tempting alternative as an autologous cell surface marker in rhesus macaque gene therapy and bone marrow transplantation studies.

Elevated Concentrations of Serum Relaxin are Associated with Metastatic Disease in Breast Cancer Patients

Relaxin (RLX) is known to induce remodeling of benign stromal tissues through upregulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Recently, we could show that RLX also induces MMPs in breast cancer cells and enhances in vitro invasiveness. To investigate its potential role for progression of breast cancer in vivo, RLX serum concentrations were determined in 160 breast cancer patients during post-surgical follow-up. RLX concentrations in cancer patients were significantly higher than in a control population of healthy blood donors and patients with various other diseases (0.47 versus 0.29 ng/ml, p < 0.0001). There was a significant difference between patients with metastases (0.62 ng/ml) and those without (0.38 ng/ml, p < 0.0001). Overall survival was shorter in RLX-positive ( > 0.4 ng/ml) than in RLX-negative patients (p = 0.016). Cox regression analysis showed that RLX was not an independent variable, in contrast to metastatic disease and primary lymph node involvement. Taken together, the detection of elevated RLX concentrations especially in patients with metastases supports the assumption that there is a role for RLX in tissue remodeling during breast cancer progression.

Biology of primate relaxin: a paracrine signal in early pregnancy?

Relaxin is a peptide hormone that exerts numerous effects in a variety of tissues across a broad range of species. Although first identified more than 75 years ago interest in relaxin biology has waxed and waned over the years consistent with peaks and troughs of new experimental data on its wide-ranging biological effects and advances in relaxin enabling technologies. Recent insights into species-dependent differences in relaxin biology during pregnancy have once again stimulated a relative surge of interest in the study of relaxin's reproductive biology. Identification and pharmacological characterization of orphaned relaxin receptors and exploration of its paracrine effects on pregnancy using genomic and proteomic technologies have succeeded in fueling current interest in relaxin research. Primates and non-primate vertebrates exhibit very disparate profiles of relaxin genomics, proteomics and functional biology. Non-human primates appear to exhibit a very close similarity to humans with respect to relaxin reproductive biology but the similarities and subtle differences are only just beginning to be understood. We, and others, have shown that relaxin produces significant changes to the non-human primate endometrium during the peri-implantation period that are consistent with relaxin's long perceived role as a paracrine modulator of pregnancy. The purpose of this review is to summarize the reproductive biology of relaxin in non-human primates with a specific emphasis on the paracrine role of ovarian and endometrial relaxin during embryo implantation and early pregnancy.

Relaxin-like peptides in cancer

The members of the relaxin-like hormone family, relaxin and INSL3, also known as relaxin-like factor (RLF) or Leydig cell-derived insulin-like factor (LEY-I-L), are implicated in various mechanisms associated with tumor cell growth, differentiation, invasion and neovascularization. The recent discovery of the relaxin receptor LGR7 and the INSL3/relaxin receptor LGR8 has provided evidence of an auto/paracrine relaxin-like action in tumor tissues and enables the elucidation of the cellular pathways involved in the proposed functions of relaxin in tumor biology. Our review summarizes our current knowledge of the expression of relaxin and INSL3 in human neoplastic tissues and discusses the etiological roles of these heterodimeric peptide hormones in cancer. Discussion of possible cellular cascades involved in actions linking relaxin-like peptides and neoplasia include the role of relaxin-like peptides in tumor cell growth and differentiation; the effect of relaxin in stimulating the synthesis of the vasodilatory and tumor cell cytostatic and antiapoptotic molecule, nitric oxide; the potential ability of relaxin to upregulate vascular endothelial growth factor to promote angiogenesis and neovascularization and the concerted fine-tuned action of relaxin on the matrix metalloproteinases on the extracellular matrix to facilitate tumor cell attachment, migration and invasion.