Antiangiogenic Effect of Dopamine and Dopaminergic Agonists as an Adjuvant Therapeutic Option in the Treatment of Cancer, Endometriosis, and Osteoarthritis

Dopamine (DA) and dopamine agonists (DA-Ag) have shown antiangiogenic potential through the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. They inhibit VEGF and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR 2) functions through the dopamine receptor D2 (D2R), preventing important angiogenesis-related processes such as proliferation, migration, and vascular permeability. However, few studies have demonstrated the antiangiogenic mechanism and efficacy of DA and DA-Ag in diseases such as cancer, endometriosis, and osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, the objective of this review was to describe the mechanisms of the antiangiogenic action of the DA-D2R/VEGF-VEGFR 2 system and to compile related findings from experimental studies and clinical trials on cancer, endometriosis, and OA. Advanced searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, SciFinder, ProQuest, EBSCO, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubChem, NCBI Bookshelf, DrugBank, livertox, and Clinical Trials. Articles explaining the antiangiogenic effect of DA and DA-Ag in research articles, meta-analyses, books, reviews, databases, and clinical trials were considered. DA and DA-Ag have an antiangiogenic effect that could reinforce the treatment of diseases that do not yet have a fully curative treatment, such as cancer, endometriosis, and OA. In addition, DA and DA-Ag could present advantages over other angiogenic inhibitors, such as monoclonal antibodies.

Neurophysiological Mechanisms Related to Pain Management in Bone Tumors

BACKGROUND

Primary and metastatic bone tumor incidence has increased in the previous years. Pain is a common symptom and is one of the most important related factors to the decrease of quality of life in patients with bone tumor. Different pain management strategies are not completely effective and many patients afflicted by cancer pain cannot be controlled properly. In this sense, we need to elucidate the neurophysiology of cancer-induced pain, contemplating other components such as inflammation, neuropathies and cognitive components regarding bone tumors, and thus pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches in this field.

AIM

This study aims to identify the neurophysiology of the mechanisms related to pain management in bone tumors.

METHODS

Advanced searches were performed in scientific databases: PubMed, ProQuest, EBSCO, and the Science Citation index to get information about the neurophysiology mechanisms related to pain management in bone tumors.

RESULTS

The central and peripheral mechanisms that promote bone cancer pain are poorly understood. Studies have shown that bone cancer could be related to neurochemicals produced by tumor and inflammatory cells, coupled with peripheral sensitization due to nerve compression and injury caused by tumor growth. The activity of mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons, substance P, cysteine/ glutamate antiporter, and other neurochemical dynamics brings us putative strategies to suggest better and efficient treatments against pain in cancer patients.

CONCLUSION

Cancer-induced bone pain could include neuropathic and inflammatory pain, but with different modifications to the periphery tissue, nerves and neurochemical changes in different neurological levels. In this sense, we explore opportunity areas in pharmacological and nonpharmacological pain management, according to pain-involved mechanisms in this study.

Control of fibrosis by TGFβ signalling modulation promotes redifferentiation during limited regeneration of mouse ear

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signalling is involved in several aspects of regeneration in many organs and tissues of primitive vertebrates. It has been difficult to recognize the role of this signal in mammal regeneration due to the low ability of this animal class to reconstitute tissues. Nevertheless, ear-holes in middle-age female mice represent a model to study the limited epimorphic-like regeneration in mammals. Using this model, in this study we explored the possible participation of TGFβ signalling in mammal regeneration. Positive pSmad3 cells, as well as TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 isoforms, were detected during the redifferentiation phase in the blastema-like structure. Daily administration of the inhibitor of the TGFβ intracellular pathway, SB431542, during 7 days from the re-differentiation phase, resulted in a decreased level of pSmad3 accompanied by a transitory higher growth of the new tissue, larger cartilage nodules, and new muscle formation. These phenotypes were associated with a decrease in the number of α-SMA-positive cells and loose packing of collagen I. These results indicate that the modulation of the fibrosis mediated by TGFβ signalling contributes to enhancing the differentiation of cartilage and muscle during limited ear-hole regeneration.

Understanding the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms That Control Early Cell Fate Decisions During Appendicular Skeletogenesis

The formation of the vertebrate skeleton is orchestrated in time and space by a number of gene regulatory networks that specify and position all skeletal tissues. During embryonic development, bones have two distinct origins: bone tissue differentiates directly from mesenchymal progenitors, whereas most long bones arise from cartilaginous templates through a process known as endochondral ossification. Before endochondral bone development takes place, chondrocytes form a cartilage analgen that will be sequentially segmented to form joints; thus, in the cartilage template, either the cartilage maturation programme or the joint formation programme is activated. Once the cartilage differentiation programme starts, the growth plate begins to form. In contrast, when the joint formation programme is activated, a capsule begins to form that contains special articular cartilage and synovium to generate a functional joint. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms controlling the earliest molecular events that regulate cell fate during skeletogenesis in long bones. We will explore the initial processes that lead to the recruitment of mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells, the commitment of chondrocyte lineages, and the formation of skeletal elements during morphogenesis. Thereafter, we will review the process of joint specification and joint morphogenesis. We will discuss the links between transcription factor activity, cell–cell interactions, cell–extracellular matrix interactions, growth factor signalling, and other molecular interactions that control mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell fate during embryonic skeletogenesis.

A novel hydrogel of poloxamer 407 and chitosan obtained by gamma irradiation exhibits physicochemical properties for wound management

Application of polymers cross-linked by gamma irradiation on cutaneous wounds has resulted in the improvement of healing. Chitosan (CH) and poloxamer 407 (P407)-based hydrogels confer different advantages in wound management. To combine the properties of both compounds, a gamma-irradiated mixture of 0.75/25% (w/w) CH and P407, respectively, was obtained (CH-P), and several physical, chemical, and biological analyses were performed. Notably, gamma radiation induced changes in the mixture's thermal behavior, viscosity, and swelling, and exhibited stability at neutral pH. The thermal reversibility provided by P407 and the bacteriostatic effect of CH were maintained. Mice full-thickness wounds treated with CH-P diminished the wound area during the first days. Consequently, with this treatment, increased levels of macrophages, α-SMA, and collagen deposition in wounds were observed, indicating a more mature scar tissue. In conclusion, the new hydrogel CH-P, at physiologic pH, combined the beneficial characteristics of both polymers and produced new properties for wound management.

Chondrocyte differentiation for auricular cartilage reconstruction using a chitosan based hydrogel

Tissue engineering with the use of biodegradable and biocompatible scaffolds is an interesting option for ear repair. Chitosan-Polyvinyl alcohol-Epichlorohydrine hydrogel (CS-PVA-ECH) is biocompatible and displays appropriate mechanical properties to be used as a scaffold. The present work, studies the potential of CS-PVA-ECH scaffolds seeded with chondrocytes to develop elastic cartilage engineered-neotissues. Chondrocytes isolated from rabbit and swine elastic cartilage were independently cultured onto CS-PVA-ECH scaffolds for 20 days to form the appropriate constructs. Then, in vitro cell viability and morphology were evaluated by calcein AM and EthD-1 assays and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) respectively, and the constructs were implanted in nu/nu mice for four months, in order to evaluate the neotissue formation. Histological analysis of the formed neotissues was performed by Safranin O, Toluidine blue (GAG's), Verhoeff-Van Gieson (elastic fibers), Masson's trichrome (collagen) and Von Kossa (Calcium salts) stains and SEM. Results indicate appropriate cell viability, seeded with rabbit or swine chondrocyte constructs; nevertheless, upon implantation the constructs developed neotissues with different characteristics depending on the animal species from which the seeded chondrocytes came from. Neotissues developed from swine chondrocytes were similar to auricular cartilage, while neotissues from rabbit chondrocytes were similar to hyaline cartilage and eventually they differentiate to bone. This result suggests that neotissue characteristics may be influenced by the animal species source of the chondrocytes isolated.

Regulation of α5 and αV Integrin Expression by GDF-5 and BMP-7 in Chondrocyte Differentiation and Osteoarthritis

The Integrin β1 family is the major receptors of the Extracellular matrix (ECM), and the synthesis and degradation balance of ECM is seriously disrupted during Osteoarthritis (OA). In this scenario, integrins modify their pattern expression and regulate chondrocyte differentiation in the articular cartilage. Members of the Transforming growth factor beta (Tgf-β) Superfamily, such as Growth differentiation factor 5 (Gdf-5) and Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (Bmp-7), play a key role in joint formation and could regulate the integrin expression during chondrocyte differentiation and osteoarthritis progression in an experimental OA rat model. Decrease of α5 integrin expression in articular cartilage was related with chondrocyte dedifferentiation during OA progression, while increase of α1, α2, and α3 integrin expression was related with fibrous areas in articular cartilage during OA. Hypertrophic chondrocytes expressed αV integrin and was increased in the articular cartilage of rats with OA. Integrin expression during chondrocyte differentiation was also analyzed in a micromass culture system of mouse embryo mesenchymal cells, micromass cultures was treated with Gdf-5 or Bmp-7 for 4 and 6 days, respectively. Gdf-5 induced the expression of the α5 sub-unit, while Bmp-7 induced the expression of the αV sub-unit. This suggests a switch in signaling for prehypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation towards hypertrophy, where Gdf-5 could maintain the articular chondrocyte phenotype and Bmp-7 would induce hypertrophy. Decrease of Ihh expression during late stages of OA in rat model suggest that the ossification in OA rat knees and endochondral ossification could be activated by Bmp-7 and αV integrin in absence of Ihh. Thus, chondrocyte phenotype in articular cartilage is similar to prehypetrophic chondrocyte in growth plate, and is preserved due to the presence of Indian hedgehog (Ihh), Gdf-5 and α5 integrin to maintain articular cartilage and prevent hypertrophy.

Coordination of chondrocyte differentiation and joint formation byα5β1 integrin in the developing appendicular skeleton

The control point by which chondrocytes take the decision between the cartilage differentiation program or the joint formation program is unknown. Here, we have investigated the effect of α5β1 integrin inhibitors and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) on joint formation. Blocking ofα5β1 integrin by specific antibodies or RGD peptide(arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) induced inhibition of pre-hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation and ectopic joint formation between proliferating chondrocytes and hypertrophic chondrocytes. Ectopic joint expressed Wnt14,Gdf5, chordin, autotaxin, type I collagen and CD44, while expression of Indian hedgehog and type II collagen was downregulated in cartilage. Expression of these interzone markers confirmed that the new structure is a new joint being formed. In the presence of BMP7, inhibition of α5β1 integrin function still induced the formation of the ectopic joint between proliferating chondrocytes and hypertrophic chondrocytes. By contrast,misexpression of α5β1 integrin resulted in fusion of joints and formation of pre-hypertrophic chondrocytes. These facts indicate that the decision of which cell fate to make pre-joint or pre-hypertrophic is made on the basis of the presence or absence of α5β1 integrin on chondrocytes.