Intra-islet glucagon signalling regulates beta-cell connectivity, first-phase insulin secretion and glucose homoeostasis

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterised by the loss of first-phase insulin secretion. We studied mice with β-cell selective loss of the glucagon receptor (Gcgrfl/fl X Ins-1Cre), to investigate the role of intra-islet glucagon receptor signalling on pan-islet calcium activity and insulin secretion.

METHODS

Metabolic profiling was conducted on Gcgrβ-cell-/- and littermate controls. Crossing with GCaMP6f (STOP flox) animals further allowed for β-cell specific expression of a fluorescent calcium indicator. These islets were functionally imaged in vitro and in vivo. Wild-type mice were transplanted with islets expressing GCaMP6f in β-cells into the anterior eye chamber and placed on a high fat diet. Part of the cohort received a glucagon analogue (GCG-analogue) for 40 days and the control group were fed to achieve weight matching. Calcium imaging was performed regularly during the development of hyperglycaemia and in response to GCG-analogue treatment.

RESULTS

Gcgrβ-cell-/- mice exhibited higher glucose levels following intraperitoneal glucose challenge (control 12.7 mmol/L ± 0.6 vs. Gcgrβ-cell-/- 15.4 mmol/L ± 0.0 at 15 min, p = 0.002); fasting glycaemia was not different to controls. In vitro, Gcgrβ-cell-/- islets showed profound loss of pan-islet [Ca2+]I waves in response to glucose which was only partially rescued in vivo. Diet induced obesity and hyperglycaemia also resulted in a loss of co-ordinated [Ca2+]I waves in transplanted islets. This was reversed with GCG-analogue treatment, independently of weight-loss (n = 8).

CONCLUSION

These data provide novel evidence for the role of intra-islet GCGR signalling in sustaining synchronised [Ca2+]I waves and support a possible therapeutic role for glucagonergic agents to restore the insulin secretory capacity lost in T2D.

Primed conversion: The emerging player of precise and nontoxic photoconversion

In 2015, we reported primed conversion, a novel way to convert green-to-red photoconvertible fluorescent proteins, which emerges as a powerful tool for precision optical imaging. Primed conversion uses the intercept of blue and red-to-far-red light instead of traditional violet or near-UV light illumination which offers a series of advantages. Here, we review the fundamental principles and applications of primed conversion with a focus on its use in single-cell labelling and lineage tracing. We provide a historical perspective of lineage tracing techniques, thereby covering basic principles of fluorescence, photoconvertible fluorescent proteins, and eventually primed conversion. We then present the molecular requirements for primed conversion to take place and showcase how it can be used for dual-colour high-fidelity lineage tracing. Further, we discuss potential future developments of the primed conversion imaging toolkit that can benefit the study of both development and disease progression.

Highly specific and non-invasive imaging of Piezo1-dependent activity across scales using GenEPi

Mechanosensing is a ubiquitous process to translate external mechanical stimuli into biological responses. Piezo1 ion channels are directly gated by mechanical forces and play an essential role in cellular mechanotransduction. However, readouts of Piezo1 activity are mainly examined by invasive or indirect techniques, such as electrophysiological analyses and cytosolic calcium imaging. Here, we introduce GenEPi, a genetically-encoded fluorescent reporter for non-invasive optical monitoring of Piezo1-dependent activity. We demonstrate that GenEPi has high spatiotemporal resolution for Piezo1-dependent stimuli from the single-cell level to that of the entire organism. GenEPi reveals transient, local mechanical stimuli in the plasma membrane of single cells, resolves repetitive contraction-triggered stimulation of beating cardiomyocytes within microtissues, and allows for robust and reliable monitoring of Piezo1-dependent activity in vivo. GenEPi will enable non-invasive optical monitoring of Piezo1 activity in mechanochemical feedback loops during development, homeostatic regulation, and disease.

Biodegradable Harmonophores for Targeted High-Resolution In Vivo Tumor Imaging

Optical imaging probes have played a major role in detecting and monitoring a variety of diseases. In particular, nonlinear optical imaging probes, such as second harmonic generating (SHG) nanoprobes, hold great promise as clinical contrast agents, as they can be imaged with little background signal and unmatched long-term photostability. As their chemical composition often includes transition metals, the use of inorganic SHG nanoprobes can raise long-term health concerns. Ideally, contrast agents for biomedical applications should be degraded in vivo without any long-term toxicological consequences to the organism. Here, we developed biodegradable harmonophores (bioharmonophores) that consist of polymer-encapsulated, self-assembling peptides that generate a strong SHG signal. When functionalized with tumor cell surface markers, these reporters can target single cancer cells with high detection sensitivity in zebrafish embryos in vivo. Thus, bioharmonophores will enable an innovative approach to cancer treatment using targeted high-resolution optical imaging for diagnostics and therapy.

Primed Track: Reliable Volumetric Single-cell Tracking and Lineage Tracing of Living Specimen with Dual-labeling Approaches

Mammalian embryonic development starts with a single fertilized zygote that develops into a blastocyst embryo consisting of three cell types that evolve into either embryonic or extra-embryonic tissues. Lineage tracing of these cells can provide important information about the molecular and cellular dynamics contributing to fate allocation during early development. While global labeling techniques allow for visualization of all cells at the same time, lineage tracing of cells over several divisions can become complicated due to embryo movement and rotation as well as increasing cell densities. Here, we use green-to-red photoconvertible proteins for both global and sparse labeling of cells of interest in the developing murine embryo. We use primed conversion to achieve precise photoconversion of single nuclei in 4-cell stage embryos followed by volumetric live imaging to capture development up to the blastocyst stage. We developed an image analysis pipeline, called primed Track, that uses the dual labeling strategy for both straightforward segmentation and registration of all cells in the embryo as well as correction of rotational and spatial drift. Together, this strategy allows for reliable and fast tracking and lineage tracing of individual cells, even over increased imaging time intervals that result in a major reduction in data volume, all essential conditions for volumetric long-term imaging techniques.

Fast In Vivo Imaging of SHG Nanoprobes with Multiphoton Light-Sheet Microscopy

Two-photon light-sheet microscopy (2P-SPIM) provides a unique combination of advantages for fast and deep fluorescence imaging in live tissues. Detecting coherent signals such as second-harmonic generation (SHG) in 2P-SPIM in addition to fluorescence would open further imaging opportunities. However, light-sheet microscopy involves an orthogonal configuration of illumination and detection that questions the ability to detect coherent signals. Indeed, coherent scattering from micron-sized structures occurs predominantly along the illumination beam. By contrast, point-like sources such as SHG nanocrystals can efficiently scatter light in multiple directions and be detected using the orthogonal geometry of a light-sheet microscope. This study investigates the suitability of SHG light-sheet microscopy (SHG-SPIM) for fast imaging of SHG nanoprobes. Parameters that govern the detection efficiency of KTiOPO₄ and BaTiO₃ nanocrystals using SHG-SPIM are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The effects of incident polarization, detection numerical aperture, nanocrystal rotational motion, and second-order susceptibility tensor symmetries on the detectability of SHG nanoprobes in this specific geometry are clarified. Guidelines for optimizing SHG-SPIM imaging are established, enabling fast in vivo light-sheet imaging combining SHG and two-photon excited fluorescence. Finally, microangiography was achieved in live zebrafish embryos by SHG imaging at up to 180 frames per second and single-particle tracking of SHG nanoprobes in the blood flow.

Primed Track, high-fidelity lineage tracing in mouse pre-implantation embryos using primed conversion of photoconvertible proteins

Accurate lineage reconstruction of mammalian pre-implantation development is essential for inferring the earliest cell fate decisions. Lineage tracing using global fluorescence labeling techniques is complicated by increasing cell density and rapid embryo rotation, which hampers automatic alignment and accurate cell tracking of obtained four-dimensional imaging data sets. Here, we exploit the advantageous properties of primed convertible fluorescent proteins (pr-pcFPs) to simultaneously visualize the global green and the photoconverted red population in order to minimize tracking uncertainties over prolonged time windows. Confined primed conversion of H2B-pr-mEosFP-labeled nuclei combined with light-sheet imaging greatly facilitates segmentation, classification, and tracking of individual nuclei from the 4-cell stage up to the blastocyst. Using green and red labels as fiducial markers, we computationally correct for rotational and translational drift, reduce overall data size, and accomplish high-fidelity lineage tracing even for increased imaging time intervals – addressing major concerns in the field of volumetric embryo imaging.

A mouse embryo starts with one cell, which divides to create identical daughters that quickly start to multiply. Within three to four days, certain cells begin to specialize and take on specific roles. Scientists want to track these early events to understand how they give rise to an individual formed of huge numbers of cells organized in specialized tissues. To do so, researchers genetically manipulate embryos so that each cell produces fluorescent molecules that ‘glow’ under light. These embryos are grown inside a special microscope for several days. Images are taken regularly and then processed by specialized software that automatically tracks the fluorescent cells and their daughters over time. This helps reconstruct the history of each cell, and which structures they give rise to.

However, many embryos move and turn around between images, and so software packages often lose track of which cell was which. Taking images more frequently is not possible because each imaging event exposes the embryo to light, which can damage its fragile cells.

To address this problem, Welling, Mohr et al. made embryonic cells produce a special fluorescent marker, which is normally green but can be converted to red. Then, a technique known as primed conversion was used so that only one cell in a four-cell embryo would glow red. Welling, Mohr et al. designed a piece of software, baptized ‘primed Track’, that can use this red cell (and its daughters) to reorient the embryo during image analysis and reliably identify and match any mother cell to its daughters. The new approach means the experiments require fewer imaging events, but also fewer embryos because even the ones that move a lot can be studied. This should help scientists look into how early life processes give rise to specialized cells, and even explore the fate of cells in other tissues.

Image Correlation Spectroscopy with Second Harmonic Generating Nanoparticles in Suspension and in Cells

The absence of photobleaching, blinking, and saturation combined with a high contrast provides unique advantages of higher-harmonic generating nanoparticles over fluorescent probes, allowing for prolonged correlation spectroscopy studies. We apply the coherent intensity fluctuation model to study the mobility of second harmonic generating nanoparticles. A concise protocol is presented for quantifying the diffusion coefficient from a single spectroscopy measurement without the need for separate point-spread-function calibrations. The technique's applicability is illustrated on nominally 56 nm LiNbO₃ nanoparticles. We perform label-free raster image correlation spectroscopy imaging in aqueous suspension and spatiotemporal image correlation spectroscopy in A549 human lung carcinoma cells. In good agreement with the expected theoretical result, the measured diffusion coefficient in water at room temperature is (7.5 ± 0.3) μm²/s. The diffusion coefficient in the cells is more than 10³ times lower and heterogeneous, with an average of (3.7 ± 1.5) × 10^-3 μm²/s.

Primed Conversion: The New Kid on the Block for Photoconversion

In 2015, a novel way to convert photoconvertible fluorescent proteins was reported that uses the intercept of blue and far-red light instead of traditional violet or near-UV light illumination. This Minireview describes and contrasts this distinct two-step mechanism termed primed conversion with traditional photoconversion. We provide a comprehensive overview of what is known to date about primed conversion and focus on the molecular requirements for it to take place. We provide examples of its application to axially confined photoconversion in complex tissues as well as super-resolution microscopy. Further, we describe why and when it is useful, including its advantages and disadvantages, and give an insight into potential future development in the field.

Effective Labeling of Primary Somatic Stem Cells with BaTiO3 Nanocrystals for Second Harmonic Generation Imaging

While nanoparticles are an increasingly popular choice for labeling and tracking stem cells in biomedical applications such as cell therapy, their intracellular fate and subsequent effect on stem cell differentiation remain elusive. To establish an effective stem cell labeling strategy, the intracellular nanocrystal concentration should be minimized to avoid adverse effects, without compromising the intensity and persistence of the signal necessary for long-term tracking. Here, the use of second-harmonic generating barium titanate nanocrystals is reported, whose achievable brightness allows for high contrast stem cell labeling with at least one order of magnitude lower intracellular nanocrystals than previously reported. Their long-term photostability enables to investigate quantitatively at the single cell level their cellular fate in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) using both multiphoton and electron microscopy. It is found that the concentration of nanocrystals in proliferative multipotent progenitors is over 2.5-fold greater compared to quiescent stem cells; this difference vanishes when HSCs enter a nonquiescent, proliferative state, while their potency remains unaffected. Understanding the nanoparticle stem cell interaction allows to establish an effective and safe nanoparticle labeling strategy into somatic stem cells that can critically contribute to an understanding of their in vivo therapeutic potential.

Optogenetic control with a photocleavable protein, PhoCl

To expand the range of experiments that are accessible with optogenetics, we developed a photocleavable protein (PhoCl) that spontaneously dissociates into two fragments after violet-light-induced cleavage of a specific bond in the protein backbone. We demonstrated that PhoCl can be used to engineer light-activatable Cre recombinase, Gal4 transcription factor, and a viral protease that in turn was used to activate opening of the large-pore ion channel Pannexin-1.

Determination of the source of SHG verniers in zebrafish skeletal muscle

SHG microscopy is an emerging microscopic technique for medically relevant imaging because certain endogenous proteins, such as muscle myosin lattices within muscle cells, are sufficiently spatially ordered to generate detectable SHG without the use of any fluorescent dye. Given that SHG signal is sensitive to the structural state of muscle sarcomeres, SHG functional imaging can give insight into the integrity of muscle cells in vivo. Here, we report a thorough theoretical and experimental characterization of myosin-derived SHG intensity profiles within intact zebrafish skeletal muscle. We determined that “SHG vernier” patterns, regions of bifurcated SHG intensity, are illusory when sarcomeres are staggered with respect to one another. These optical artifacts arise due to the phase coherence of SHG signal generation and the Guoy phase shift of the laser at the focus. In contrast, two-photon excited fluorescence images obtained from fluorescently labeled sarcomeric components do not contain such illusory structures, regardless of the orientation of adjacent myofibers. Based on our results, we assert that complex optical artifacts such as SHG verniers should be taken into account when applying functional SHG imaging as a diagnostic readout for pathological muscle conditions.

In vivo cell tracking using PhOTO zebrafish

By combining the strength of previously described in vivo cell tracking methodologies, we have recently generated a set of transgenic zebrafish lines, called "PhOTO (photoconvertible optical tracking of…)" zebrafish. PhOTO zebrafish lines are suitable for cell tracking during highly dynamic events, including gastrulation, tissue regeneration, tumorigenesis, and cancer/disease progression. Global monitoring of cell shape, cell interactions, e.g., cell intercalations, coordinated division, and cell dynamics are accomplished by using fluorescence imaging of nuclear and plasma membrane fluorescent protein labeling. The irreversible green-to-red photoconversion property of Dendra2 fusions enables noninvasive, specific and high-contrast selection of targeted cells of interest, which greatly simplifies cell tracking and segmentation in time and space. Here we demonstrate photoconversion and in vivo cell tracking using PhOTO zebrafish.

Automated processing of zebrafish imaging data: a survey

Due to the relative transparency of its embryos and larvae, the zebrafish is an ideal model organism for bioimaging approaches in vertebrates. Novel microscope technologies allow the imaging of developmental processes in unprecedented detail, and they enable the use of complex image-based read-outs for high-throughput/high-content screening. Such applications can easily generate Terabytes of image data, the handling and analysis of which becomes a major bottleneck in extracting the targeted information. Here, we describe the current state of the art in computational image analysis in the zebrafish system. We discuss the challenges encountered when handling high-content image data, especially with regard to data quality, annotation, and storage. We survey methods for preprocessing image data for further analysis, and describe selected examples of automated image analysis, including the tracking of cells during embryogenesis, heartbeat detection, identification of dead embryos, recognition of tissues and anatomical landmarks, and quantification of behavioral patterns of adult fish. We review recent examples for applications using such methods, such as the comprehensive analysis of cell lineages during early development, the generation of a three-dimensional brain atlas of zebrafish larvae, and high-throughput drug screens based on movement patterns. Finally, we identify future challenges for the zebrafish image analysis community, notably those concerning the compatibility of algorithms and data formats for the assembly of modular analysis pipelines.

Transcription factor kinetics and the emerging asymmetry in the early mammalian embryo

There is a long-running controversy about how early cell fate decisions are made in the developing mammalian embryo. ( 1) (,) ( 2) In particular, it is controversial when the first events that can predict the establishment of the pluripotent and extra-embryonic lineages in the blastocyst of the pre-implantation embryo occur. It has long been proposed that the position and polarity of cells at the 16- to 32-cell stage embryo influence their decision to either give rise to the pluripotent cell lineage that eventually contributes to the inner cell mass (ICM), comprising the primitive endoderm (PE) and the epiblast (EPI), or the extra-embryonic trophectoderm (TE) surrounding the blastocoel. The positioning of cells in the embryo at this developmental stage could largely be the result of random events, making this a stochastic model of cell lineage allocation. Contrary to such a stochastic model, some studies have detected putative differences in the lineage potential of individual blastomeres before compaction, indicating that the first cell fate decisions may occur as early as at the 4-cell stage. Using a non-invasive, quantitative in vivo imaging assay to study the kinetic behavior of Oct4 (also known as POU5F1), a key transcription factor (TF) controlling pre-implantation development in the mouse embryo, ( 3) (-) ( 5) a recent study identifies Oct4 kinetics as a predictive measure of cell lineage patterning in the early mouse embryo. ( 6) Here, we discuss the implications of such molecular heterogeneities in early development and offer potential avenues toward a mechanistic understanding of these observations, contributing to the resolution of the controversy of developmental cell lineage allocation.

PhOTO zebrafish: a transgenic resource for in vivo lineage tracing during development and regeneration

BACKGROUND

Elucidating the complex cell dynamics (divisions, movement, morphological changes, etc.) underlying embryonic development and adult tissue regeneration requires an efficient means to track cells with high fidelity in space and time. To satisfy this criterion, we developed a transgenic zebrafish line, called PhOTO, that allows photoconvertible optical tracking of nuclear and membrane dynamics in vivo.

METHODOLOGY

PhOTO zebrafish ubiquitously express targeted blue fluorescent protein (FP) Cerulean and photoconvertible FP Dendra2 fusions, allowing for instantaneous, precise targeting and tracking of any number of cells using Dendra2 photoconversion while simultaneously monitoring global cell behavior and morphology. Expression persists through adulthood, making the PhOTO zebrafish an excellent tool for studying tissue regeneration: after tail fin amputation and photoconversion of a ∼100 µm stripe along the cut area, marked differences seen in how cells contribute to the new tissue give detailed insight into the dynamic process of regeneration. Photoconverted cells that contributed to the regenerate were separated into three distinct populations corresponding to the extent of cell division 7 days after amputation, and a subset of cells that divided the least were organized into an evenly spaced, linear orientation along the length of the newly regenerating fin.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

PhOTO zebrafish have wide applicability for lineage tracing at the systems-level in the early embryo as well as in the adult, making them ideal candidate tools for future research in development, traumatic injury and regeneration, cancer progression, and stem cell behavior.

Intercellular bridges in vertebrate gastrulation

The developing zebrafish embryo has been the subject of many studies of regional patterning, stereotypical cell movements and changes in cell shape. To better study the morphological features of cells during gastrulation, we generated mosaic embryos expressing membrane attached Dendra2 to highlight cellular boundaries. We find that intercellular bridges join a significant fraction of epiblast cells in the zebrafish embryo, reaching several cell diameters in length and spanning across different regions of the developing embryos. These intercellular bridges are distinct from the cellular protrusions previously reported as extending from hypoblast cells (1–2 cellular diameters in length) or epiblast cells (which were shorter). Most of the intercellular bridges were formed at pre-gastrula stages by the daughters of a dividing cell maintaining a membrane tether as they move apart after mitosis. These intercellular bridges persist during gastrulation and can mediate the transfer of proteins between distant cells. These findings reveal a surprising feature of the cellular landscape in zebrafish embryos and open new possibilities for cell-cell communication during gastrulation, with implications for modeling, cellular mechanics, and morphogenetic signaling.

Paramagnetic, silicon quantum dots for magnetic resonance and two-photon imaging of macrophages

Quantum dots (QDs) are an attractive platform for building multimodality imaging probes, but the toxicity for typical cadmium QDs limits enthusiasm for their clinical use. Nontoxic, silicon QDs are more promising but tend to require short-wavelength excitations which are subject to tissue scattering and autofluorescence artifacts. Herein, we report the synthesis of paramagnetic, manganese-doped, silicon QDs (Si(Mn) QDs) and demonstrate that they are detectable by both MRI and near-infrared excited, two-photon imaging. The Si(Mn) QDs are coated with dextran sulfate to target them to scavenger receptors on macrophages, a biomarker of vulnerable plaques. TEM images show that isolated QDs have an average core diameter of 4.3 +/- 1.0 nm and the hydrodynamic diameters of coated nanoparticles range from 8.3 to 43 nm measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The Si(Mn) QDs have an r(1) relaxivity of 25.50 +/- 1.44 mM(-1) s(-1) and an r(2) relaxivity of 89.01 +/- 3.26 mM(-1) s(-1) (37 degrees C, 1.4 T). They emit strong fluorescence at 441 nm with a quantum yield of 8.1% in water. Cell studies show that the probes specifically accumulate in macrophages by a receptor-mediated process, are nontoxic to mammalian cells, and produce distinct contrast in both T(1)-weighted magnetic resonance and single- or two-photon excitation fluorescence images. These QDs have promising diagnostic potential as high macrophage density is associated with atherosclerotic plaques vulnerable to rupture.

Precision of the Dpp gradient

Morphogen concentration gradients provide positional information by activating target genes in a concentration-dependent manner. Recent reports show that the gradient of the syncytial morphogen Bicoid seems to provide precise positional information to determine target gene domains. For secreted morphogenetic ligands, the precision of the gradients, the signal transduction and the reliability of target gene expression domains have not been studied. Here we investigate these issues for the TGF-beta-type morphogen Dpp. We first studied theoretically how cell-to-cell variability in the source, the target tissue, or both, contribute to the variations of the gradient. Fluctuations in the source and target generate a local maximum of precision at a finite distance to the source. We then determined experimentally in the wing epithelium: (1) the precision of the Dpp concentration gradient; (2) the precision of the Dpp signaling activity profile; and (3) the precision of activation of the Dpp target gene spalt. As captured by our theoretical description, the Dpp gradient provides positional information with a maximal precision a few cells away from the source. This maximal precision corresponds to a positional uncertainly of about a single cell diameter. The precision of the Dpp gradient accounts for the precision of the spalt expression range, implying that Dpp can act as a morphogen to coarsely determine the expression pattern of target genes.

Localized multiphoton photoactivation of paGFP in Drosophila wing imaginal discs

In biological imaging of fluorescent molecules, multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM) has become the favorite method of fluorescence microscopy in tissue explants and living animals. The great power of MPLSM with pulsed lasers in the infrared wavelength lies in its relatively deep optical penetration and reduced ability to cause potential nonspecific phototoxicity. These properties are of crucial importance for long time-lapse imaging. Since the excited area is intrinsically confined to the high-intensity focal volume of the illuminating beam, MPLSM can also be applied as a tool for selectively manipulating fluorophores in a known, three-dimensionally defined volume within the tissue. Here we introduce localized multiphoton photoactivation (MP-PA) as a technique suitable for analyzing the dynamics of photoactivated molecules with three-dimensional spatial resolution of a few micrometers. Short, intense laser light pulses uncage photoactivatable molecules via multiphoton excitation in a defined volume. MP-PA is demonstrated on photoactivatable paGFP in Drosophila wing imaginal discs. This technique is especially useful for extracting quantitative information about the properties of photoactivatable fusion proteins in different cellular locations in living tissue as well as to label single or small patches of cells in tissue to track their subsequent lineage.

Antiproliferative activity and induction of apoptosis in human colon cancer cells treated in vitro with constituents of a product derived from Pistacia lentiscus L. var. chia

In this report, we demonstrate that a 50% ethanol extract of the plant-derived product, Chios mastic gum (CMG), contains compounds which inhibit proliferation and induce death of HCT116 human colon cancer cells in vitro. CMG-treatment induces cell arrest at G(1), detachment of the cells from the substrate, activation of pro-caspases-8, -9 and -3, and causes several morphological changes typical of apoptosis in cell organelles. These events, furthermore, are time- and dose-dependent, but p53- and p21-independent. Apoptosis induction by CMG is not inhibited in HCT116 cell clones expressing high levels of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, or dominant-negative FADD, thereby indicating that CMG induces cell death via a yet-to-be identified pathway, unrelated to the death receptor- and mitochondrion-dependent pathways. The findings presented here suggest that CMG (a) induces an anoikis form of cell death in HCT116 colon cancer cells that includes events associated with caspase-dependent pathways; and (b) might be developed into a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of human colon and other cancers.

Kinetics of morphogen gradient formation

In the developing fly wing, secreted morphogens such as Decapentaplegic (Dpp) and Wingless (Wg) form gradients of concentration providing positional information. Dpp forms a longer-range gradient than Wg. To understand how the range is controlled, we measured the four key kinetic parameters governing morphogen spreading: the production rate, the effective diffusion coefficient, the degradation rate, and the immobile fraction. The four parameters had different values for Dpp versus Wg. In addition, Dynamin-dependent endocytosis was required for spreading of Dpp, but not Wg. Thus, the cellular mechanisms of Dpp and Wingless spreading are different: Dpp spreading requires endocytic, intracellular trafficking.

Morphogen transport in epithelia

We present a general theoretical framework to discuss mechanisms of morphogen transport and gradient formation in a cell layer. Trafficking events on the cellular scale lead to transport on larger scales. We discuss in particular the case of transcytosis where morphogens undergo repeated rounds of internalization into cells and recycling. Based on a description on the cellular scale, we derive effective nonlinear transport equations in one and two dimensions which are valid on larger scales. We derive analytic expressions for the concentration dependence of the effective diffusion coefficient and the effective degradation rate. We discuss the effects of a directional bias on morphogen transport and those of the coupling of the morphogen and receptor kinetics. Furthermore, we discuss general properties of cellular transport processes such as the robustness of gradients and relate our results to recent experiments on the morphogen Decapentaplegic (Dpp) that acts in the wing disk of the fruit fly Drosophila.

Differential susceptibility to etoposide in clones derived from a human ovarian cancer cell line

OBJECTIVES

To identify parameters/factors that may contribute to the differential sensitivity to etoposide in two clones isolated from the human ovarian carcinoma SKOV-3 cell line, which does not express p53 and is resistant to platinum-based regimens.

METHODS

Differential sensitivity of the cells to etoposide was monitored by microscopy to observe morphological changes, by flow cytometry analyses to detect cell cycle perturbations, and by molecular/biochemical assays to identify events involved in induction of apoptosis.

RESULTS

Etoposide treatment (1) induced apoptosis in one clone, ES, but not in another clone, ER, (2) had no effect on the expression of the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) in both cell clones, whereas the proapoptotic proteins Bak and Bax were dramatically upregulated in ES, but not ER cells, and (3) induced more extensive processing of procaspase-8, procaspase-9, and the caspase-3-targeted substrates, topoisomerase I and PARP, in ES cells. Ectopic overexpression of Bcl-2 in ES cells failed to inhibit etoposide-induced apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The differential susceptibility of ES and ER cells to etoposide-induced apoptosis is associated with differences in several events rather than with a specific single genetic regulator of the apoptotic machinery. We propose that the differential response of ovarian cancer patients to etoposide treatment is associated with the number of etoposide-sensitive cells in the tumor.

Labd-14-ene-8,13-diol (sclareol) induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells and enhances the activity of anticancer drugs

Sclareol is a labdane-type diterpene that has demonstrated a significant cytotoxic activity against human leukemic cell lines. Here, we report the effect of sclareol against the human breast cancer cell lines MN1 and MDD2 derived from the parental cell line, MCF7. MN1 cells express functional p53, whereas MDD2 cells do not express p53. Flow cytometry analysis of the cell cycle indicated that sclareol was able to inhibit DNA synthesis induce arrest at the G(0/1) phase of the cycle apoptosis independent of p53. Sclareol-induced apoptosis was further assessed by detection of fragmented DNA in the cells. Furthermore, sclareol enhanced the activity of known anticancer drugs, doxorubicin, etoposide and cisplatinum, against MDD2 breast cancer cell line.

Membrane traffic during embryonic development: epithelial formation, cell fate decisions and differentiation

The analysis of membrane trafficking has in the past mainly dealt with single cells in culture. Recent studies of membrane trafficking in Drosophila focus on how cells are organized in tissues and form epithelia during embryogenesis. During these processes, the specific involvement of distinct biosynthetic and endocytic routes is starting to be understood. Once organized in epithelia, cells communicate with each other to make cell fate decisions through morphogen gradients and lateral inhibition. Endocytosis seems to play unexpected roles in shaping morphogen gradients and in biasing lateral inhibition events. Once committed to a developmental program, cells differentiate. In the case of neurons, trafficking through the biosynthetic and endocytic pathways may give the necessary speed of response and versatility to axons that navigate through a changing environment during pathfinding.

Robust formation of morphogen gradients

We discuss the formation of graded morphogen profiles in a cell layer by nonlinear transport phenomena, important for patterning developing organisms. We focus on a process termed transcytosis, where morphogen transport results from the binding of ligands to receptors on the cell surface, incorporation into the cell, and subsequent externalization. Starting from a microscopic model, we derive effective transport equations. We show that, in contrast to morphogen transport by extracellular diffusion, transcytosis leads to robust ligand profiles which are insensitive to the rate of ligand production.

Dpp gradient formation by dynamin-dependent endocytosis: receptor trafficking and the diffusion model

Developing cells acquire positional information by reading the graded distribution of morphogens. In Drosophila, the Dpp morphogen forms a long-range concentration gradient by spreading from a restricted source in the developing wing. It has been assumed that Dpp spreads by extracellular diffusion. Under this assumption, the main role of endocytosis in gradient formation is to downregulate receptors at the cell surface. These surface receptors bind to the ligand and thereby interfere with its long-range movement. Recent experiments indicate that Dpp spreading is mediated by Dynamin-dependent endocytosis in the target tissue, suggesting that extracellular diffusion alone cannot account for Dpp dispersal. Here, we perform a theoretical study of a model for morphogen spreading based on extracellular diffusion, which takes into account receptor binding and trafficking. We compare profiles of ligand and surface receptors obtained in this model with experimental data. To this end, we monitored directly the pool of surface receptors and extracellular Dpp with specific antibodies. We conclude that current models considering pure extracellular diffusion cannot explain the observed role of endocytosis during Dpp long-range movement.

Cellular resistance to vincristine suppresses NF-kappa B activation and apoptosis but enhances c-Jun-NH2-terminal protein kinase activation by tumor necrosis

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that potentiates the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. Although emergence of resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is a major problem in cancer therapy, its mechanism is incompletely understood. Recently, activation of a nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B has been reported to be a signal for anti-apoptosis. In this report, we investigated the effect of TNF on activation of NF-kappa B, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and apoptosis in vincristine-resistant human histiocytic lymphoma U937-VR cells. Unlike the parent clone (U937-VS), no activation of caspase-3, known to be required for apoptosism was found in vincristine-resistant cells on exposure to vincristine. These cells were also more resistant than U-937-VS cells to doxorubicin, daunomycin, and taxol. TNF-induced NF-kappa B activation, I kappa B alpha degradation, and nuclear translocation of p65 were all found to be highly suppressed in the U-937-VR cells. NF-kappa B activation by LPS, H2O2, and okadaic acid was also suppressed. However, vincristine resistance enhanced TNF-induced JNK activation. When examined for apoptosis, vincristine resistance suppressed the cytotoxic effects and caspase-3 activation by TNF. The resistant phenotype in U937-VR cells was independent of the expression of the apoptosis-suppressor, Bcl-2. Thus, overall these results indicate that vincristine resistance correlates with suppression of NF-kappa B activation, cytotoxicity, and caspase-3 activation but enhancement of JNK activation by TNF.

Curcumin downregulates cell survival mechanisms in human prostate cancer cell lines

While the role of nuclear transcription factor activator protein-1 (AP-1) in cell proliferation, and of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in the suppression of apoptosis are known, their role in survival of prostate cancer cells is not well understood. We investigated the role of NF-kappaB and AP-1 in the survival of human androgen-independent (DU145) and -dependent (LNCaP) prostate cancer cell lines. Our results show that the faster rate of proliferation of DU145 cells when compared to LNCaP cells correlated with the constitutive expression of activated NF-kappaB and AP-1 in DU-145 cells. The lack of constitutive expression of NF-kappaB and AP-1 in LNCaP cells also correlated with their sensitivity to the antiproliferative effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). TNF induced NF-kappaB activation but not AP-1 activation in LNCaP cells. In DU145 cells both c-Fos and c-Jun were expressed and treatment with TNF activated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), needed for AP-1 activation. In LNCaP cells, however, only low levels of c-Jun was expressed and treatment with TNF minimally activated JNK. Treatment of cells with curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, suppressed both constitutive (DU145) and inducible (LNCaP) NF-kappaB activation, and potentiated TNF-induced apoptosis. Curcumin alone induced apoptosis in both cell types, which correlated with the downregulation of the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and the activation of procaspase-3 and procaspase-8. Overall, our results suggest that NF-kappaB and AP-1 may play a role in the survival of prostate cancer cells, and curcumin abrogates their survival mechanisms.

A Fas-associated death domain protein-dependent mechanism mediates the apoptotic action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the human leukemic Jurkat cell line

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 and are useful for prevention and cure of cancers, especially colon and rectal cancers. The NSAIDs indomethacin and sulindac sulfide have been shown to induce apoptosis of colon epithelial cancer cells by a Bax-dependent mechanism that involves mitochondria-mediated activation of a caspase-9-dependent pathway. In this report, we demonstrate that indomethacin and sulindac sulfide induce apoptosis of human leukemic Jurkat cells by a mechanism that requires the Fas-associated Death Domain Protein-mediated activation of a caspase-8-dependent pathway. Therefore, NSAIDs induce apoptosis by different mechanisms depending on the cell type.

Induction of apoptosis in 9-nitrocamptothecin-treated DU145 human prostate carcinoma cells correlates with de novo synthesis of CD95 and CD95 ligand and down-regulation of c-FLIP(short)

Stimulation of CD95 leads to oligomerization of this receptor and the recruitment of the Fas-associated death domain (FADD) and procaspase-8 to form the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). Subsequent proteolytic activation of caspase-8 at the DISC leads to the activation of downstream caspases and execution of apoptosis. The anticancer drug 9-nitrocamptothecin (9NC) inhibits the nuclear enzyme topoisomerase I (Top1), an event followed by apoptosis of cancer cells. We investigated whether other mechanisms downstream of the DNA-Top1-9NC complexing step regulate the apoptotic ability of 9NC in DU145 cells. We demonstrate that induction of apoptosis in DU145 cells, upon exposure to 9NC, is associated with de novo expression of CD95 and CD95L, suggesting that 9NC-induced apoptosis is mediated by the CD95 system. In this line, we observed early activation of procaspase-3, -7, and -8, but not -1, -9, and -10. Moreover, 9NC treatment resulted in the dramatic down-regulation of c-FLIP(short) expression, but not that of c-FLIP(long) or FADD. Furthermore, incubation of DU145 cells with a neutralizing antibody (NOK-1) to CD95L or transient transfection of a c-FLIP(short) expression vector into DU145 cells partially abrogated 9NC-triggered apoptosis. We propose that 9NC triggers apoptosis by driving DU145 cells from a nonapoptotic status (c-FLIP(short)(high), CD95(low), CD95L(low)) toward a proapoptotic status (c-FLIP(short)(low), CD95(high), CD95L(high)). These findings indicate that in addition to a Top1-mediated effect, 9NC can additionally activate a CD95/CD95L-dependent apoptotic pathway.

9-Nitrocamptothecin inhibits HIV-1 replication in human peripheral blood lymphocytes: a potential alternative for HIV-infection/AIDS therapy

The ability of the anti-cancer drug, 9-Nitrocamptothecin (9NC), to inhibit replication of HIV-1 in clinically relevant primary lymphocytic cells was studied. Primary peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from a non-infected donor were freshly infected with HIV-1 and treated with 9NC by using three different treatment schedules. Cells were monitored for cytotoxicity by the XTT metabolic cell proliferation assay and a sensitive flow cytometric assay that was capable of measuring cell cycle changes and apoptosis. 9NC inhibited replication of HIV-1 in PBLs by greater than 95% in a dose-dependent manner as measured by the level of extracellular HIV-1 p24 release. Similar results were observed, whether 9NC was applied in a single, double, or triple dose regimen. Minimal cytotoxicity was observed for both non-infected and infected PBLs, as determined by the XTT assay. Moreover, 9NC induced apoptosis within 24 hours of drug treatment in freshly infected, but not non-infected, PBLs. The data showed that 9NC reduced replication of HIV-1 in primary human lymphocytes; thus, it indicates the potential clinical utility of this drug as an alternative or adjunct therapy for HIV-infection/AIDS.

9-Nitrocamptothecin is an effective drug for the treatment of human lung tumors: comparison of in vitro and in vivo studies

9-Nitrocamptothecin (9NC) results in complete regression of small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non-SCLC (NSCLC) growing as xenografts in immunodeficient mice. In this study, we have monitored histological changes in the tumors during 9NC-induced regression, and perturbations in the cell cycle of cells derived from these tumors using flow cytometry. In vivo, 9NC treatment induces dramatic changes in the tumor cells, which die by apoptosis and are ultimately eliminated from the normal tissue. In vitro, 9NC treatment resulted in apoptosis and cytostasis of the NSCLC and SCLC cells, respectively. Further, 9NC induced cytostasis in control, normal human lung fibroblasts. Therefore, the studies in vivo have indicated that 9NC acquires a remarkable antitumor activity against both the SCLC and NSCLC types tested, and that results of studies in vitro may not reflect the results observed in vivo.

Characterization of a novel topoisomerase I mutation from a camptothecin-resistant human prostate cancer cell line

In this study, we characterized the structure and function of topoisomerase I (top1) protein in the camptothecin (CPT)-resistant prostate cancer cell lines, DU-145/RC0.1 and DU-145/RC1 (RC0.1 and RC1, respectively). Both of the cell lines were previously selected by continuous exposure to 9-nitro-CPT. The RC0.1 and RC1 cells have high cross-resistance to CPT derivatives including SN-38 and topotecan, but are not cross-resistant to the non-top1 inhibitors etoposide, doxorubicin, and vincristine. Although the top1 protein levels were not decreased in the resistant cells compared with the parental cells, CPT-induced DNA cleavage was markedly reduced in the RC0.1 and RC1 nuclear extracts. The resistant-cell-line nuclear extracts also demonstrated top1 catalytic activity and resistance to CPT, in in vitro assays. Reverse transcription-PCR products from the resistant cell lines were sequenced, and revealed a point mutation resulting in a R364H mutation in the top1 of both RC0.1 and RC1. No wild-type top1 RNA or genomic DNA was detected in the resistant cell lines. Using a purified recombinant R364H top1, we found that the R364H mutant top1 was CPT resistant and fully active. In the published top1 crystal structure, the R364H mutation is close to the catalytic tyrosine and other well-known mutations leading to CPT resistance.

Structure-activity relationship of alkyl camptothecin esters

The cytotoxicity of camptothecin (CPT) esters 1-6 was measured. Like parental camptothecin, esters 2 and 3, but not 1, 4, 5, and 6, inhibited proliferation of human leukemia cells in culture and induced programmed cell death as assessed by flow cytometry studies. Exhibition of similar levels of antiproliferative activities of CPT 2 and 3 required different incubation time periods in cell cultures, with CPT and 3 requiring the shortest and longest periods, respectively. Both 2 and 3 were inactive against cells resistant to the semisynthetic CPT derivative 9-nitrocamptothecin and unable to stabilize DNA-topoisomerase I (Topo I) "cleavable complexes" in a cell-free system, suggesting that Topo I activity was required but insufficient for the mechanism of action of 2 and 3. Mouse liver homogenate converted esters to parental CPT, but the conversion rates were different with different esters. Of four tested esters in this experiment, ester 2 had the fastest conversion rate. In vivo studies showed that ester 2 had an exceptional lack of toxicity in nude mice, even at enormous doses, and demonstrated extensive activity against human breast and colon tumors grown as xenografts in immunodeficient nude mice, whereas no antitumor activity was observed for the other esters. In conclusion, ester 2 is a prodrug of the antitumor compound CPT, and it can be administered at very high doses in mice with no appearance of toxicity. This study provides a basis for further evaluation of CPT ester 2 as an investigational anticancer agent.

Up-regulation of cyclin B1 and cdc2 expression during 9-nitrocamptothecin-induced regression of DU145 prostate tumor

BACKGROUND

We investigated changes in the content and subcellular localization of the cell cycle regulators, cyclin B1 and cyclin-dependent kinase cdc2, in human prostate DU145 tumor and cultured cells treated with the anticancer drug 9-nitrocamptothecin (9NC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Proteins of interest were identified by Western blot methodology using specific antibodies.

RESULTS

The cyclin B1 and cdc2 contents were dramatically elevated in biopsies of DU145 tumor regressing upon 9NC-treatment. In vitro, 9NC-induced apoptosis of DU145 cells was associated with up-regulation of expression and nuclear accumulation of cyclin B1 and cdc2. No changes were observed in cyclins A and E and the cyclin-dependent kinase cdk2 in 9NC-treated DU145 tumor and cultured cells.

CONCLUSION

9NC-induced apoptosis in DU145 cells in vivo and in vitro is associated with up-regulation of expression and nuclear localization of cyclin B1 and cdc2.

Telomerase activity, Myc and Bcl-2: possible indicators of effective therapy of prostate cancer with 9-nitrocamptothecin

In this report, we demonstrate the down-regulation of telomerase activity and c-Myc and Bcl-2 expression during 9-nitrocamptothecin (9NC)-induced regression of human DU145 prostate tumors grown as xenografts in immunodeficient mice. These changes were not observed in tumors generated by DU145-derived cells resistant to 9NC. We suggest that telomerase activity, c-Myc and Bcl-2 can collectively serve as molecular diagnostic indicators of the effectiveness of 9NC during treatment of human prostate tumors.

Susceptibility to apoptosis is restored in human leukemia HCW-2 cells following induction and stabilization of the apoptotic effector Bak

We demonstrate that treatment of HCW-2 cells, an apoptotic resistant variant of the human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cell line with phorbol-12-myristate acetate (PMA), induced differentiation along the monocytic lineage. During this process there was a dramatic increase in the mitochondrial levels of the apoptosis effector, Bak, due to the stabilization of bak mRNA, which was correlated with the sensitization of HCW-2 cells to respond to the apoptotic effect of staurosporine (STS). Treatment of PMA-differentiated, but not undifferentiated, HCW-2 cells induced processing of Bid, substantial efflux of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytosol, activation of caspase-3 and apoptosis. The biological significance of the increased mitochondrial Bak in differentiated HCW-2 cells was supported by the finding that transient transfection of a bak cDNA into HCW-2 cells conferred sensitivity to STS-triggered apoptosis, as determined by pro-caspase-3 processing, cytochrome c efflux and DNA fragmentation. Our results suggest that the induction of Bak, upon monocytic differentiation, may be a critical event that regulates the apoptotic sensitivity of differentiated HCW-2 cells. Oncogene (2000) 19, 4108 - 4116

The staurosporine analog, Ro-31-8220, induces apoptosis independently of its ability to inhibit protein kinase C

A series of bisindolylmaleimide (Bis) compounds were designed as analogs of the natural compound staurosporine (STS), which is a potent inducer of apoptosis. Many of the Bis analogs appear to be highly selective inhibitors of the protein kinase C (PKC) family, including PKC-alpha, -beta, -gamma, -delta, -epsilon, and -zeta, unlike STS, which is an inhibitor of a broad spectrum of protein kinases. In this report we describe the effects of the Bis analogs, Bis-I, Bis-II, Bis-III and Ro-31-8220 on the survival and proliferation of HL-60 cells, which have been widely used as a model cell system for studying the biological roles of PKC. Treatment of HL-60 cells with Bis-I, Bis-II, Bis-III, or Ro-31-8220 blocked phosphorylation of the PKC target protein Raf-1 with equal potency but did not appear to affect the general phosphorylation of proteins by other kinases. However, the biological effects of the Bis compounds were different: Bis-I and Bis-II had no observable effects on either cell survival or proliferation; Bis-III inhibited cell proliferation but not survival, whereas Ro-31-8220 induced apoptosis. These results indicated that the members of the PKC family which could be inhibited by the Bis analogs were required neither for survival nor proliferation of HL-60 cells. Analyses of cells treated with Ro-31-8220 showed that the apoptotic effect of Ro-31-8220 on HL-60 cells was mediated by a well-characterized transduction process of apoptotic signals: i.e., mitochondrial cytochrome c efflux and the activation of caspase-3 in the cytosol. Moreover, the ability of Ro-31-8220 to induce apoptotic activation was completely inhibited by the over-expression of the apoptotic suppressor gene, Bcl-2, in the cells. Interestingly, proliferation of the Bcl-2-over-expressing cells was still sensitive to the presence of Ro-31-8220, suggesting that the inhibitory effects of Ro-31-8220 on viability and cell proliferation were mediated by different mechanisms. In particular, the apoptotic effect of Ro-31-8220 on cells was not altered by the presence of an excess amount of the other Bis analogs, suggesting that this effect is mediated by a factor(s) other than PKC or by a mechanism which was not saturable by the other Bis analogs. Finally, structure-function analyses of compounds related to Ro-31-8220 revealed that a thioamidine prosthetic group in Ro-311-8220 was largely responsible for its apoptotic activity.