scholarly journals Acquired ABC-transporter overexpression in cancer cells: transcriptional induction or Darwinian selection?

Author(s):  
Dirk Theile ◽  
Pauline Wizgall

AbstractAcquired multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumor diseases has repeatedly been associated with overexpression of ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC-transporters) such as P-glycoprotein. Both in vitro and in vivo data suggest that these efflux transporters can cause MDR, albeit its actual relevance for clinical chemotherapy unresponsiveness remains uncertain. The overexpression can experimentally be achieved by exposure of tumor cells to cytotoxic drugs. For simplification, the drug-mediated transporter overexpression can be attributed to two opposite mechanisms: First, increased transcription of ABC-transporter genes mediated by nuclear receptors sensing the respective compound. Second, Darwinian selection of sub-clones intrinsically overexpressing drug transporters being capable of extruding the respective drug. To date, there is no definite data indicating which mechanism truly applies or whether there are circumstances promoting either mode of action. This review summarizes experimental evidence for both theories, suggests an algorithm discriminating between these two modes, and finally points out future experimental approaches of research to answer this basic question in cancer pharmacology.

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 1033-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederica L. Theodoulou ◽  
Ian D. Kerr

In most organisms, ABC transporters constitute one of the largest families of membrane proteins. In humans, their functions are diverse and underpin numerous key physiological processes, as well as being causative factors in a number of clinically relevant pathologies. Advances in our understanding of these diseases have come about through combinations of genetic and protein biochemical investigations of these transporters and the power of in vitro and in vivo investigations is helping to develop genotype–phenotype understanding. However, the importance of ABC transporter research goes far beyond human biology; microbial ABC transporters are of great interest in terms of understanding virulence and drug resistance and industrial biotechnology researchers are exploring the potential of prokaryotic ABC exporters to increase the capacity of synthetic biology systems. Plant ABC transporters play important roles in transport of hormones, xenobiotics, metals and secondary metabolites, pathogen responses and numerous aspects of development, all of which are important in the global food security area. For 3 days in Chester, this Biochemical Society Focused Meeting brought together researchers with diverse experimental approaches and with different fundamental questions, all of which are linked by the commonality of ABC transporters.


2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 1852-1860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sélène Ferrari ◽  
Maurizio Sanguinetti ◽  
Flavia De Bernardis ◽  
Riccardo Torelli ◽  
Brunella Posteraro ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMitochondrial dysfunction is one of the possible mechanisms by which azole resistance can occur inCandida glabrata. Cells with mitochondrial DNA deficiency (so-called “petite mutants”) upregulate ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes and thus display increased resistance to azoles. Isolation of suchC. glabratamutants from patients receiving antifungal therapy or prophylaxis has been rarely reported. In this study, we characterized two sequential and relatedC. glabrataisolates recovered from the same patient undergoing azole therapy. The first isolate (BPY40) was azole susceptible (fluconazole MIC, 4 μg/ml), and the second (BPY41) was azole resistant (fluconazole MIC, >256 μg/ml). BPY41 exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction and upregulation of the ABC transporter genesC. glabrata CDR1(CgCDR1),CgCDR2, andCgSNQ2. We next assessed whether mitochondrial dysfunction conferred a selective advantage during host infection by testing the virulence of BPY40 and BPY41 in mice. Surprisingly, even within vitrogrowth deficiency compared to BPY40, BPY41 was more virulent (as judged by mortality and fungal tissue burden) than BPY40 in both systemic and vaginal murine infection models. The increased virulence of the petite mutant correlated with a drastic gain of fitness in mice compared to that of its parental isolate. To understand this unexpected feature, genome-wide changes in gene expression driven by the petite mutation were analyzed by use of microarrays duringin vitrogrowth. Enrichment of specific biological processes (oxido-reductive metabolism and the stress response) was observed in BPY41, all of which was consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction. Finally, some genes involved in cell wall remodelling were upregulated in BPY41 compared to BPY40, which may partially explain the enhanced virulence of BPY41. In conclusion, this study shows for the first time that mitochondrial dysfunction selectedin vivounder azole therapy, even if strongly affectingin vitrogrowth characteristics, can confer a selective advantage under host conditions, allowing theC. glabratamutant to be more virulent than wild-type isolates.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merricka C. Livingstone ◽  
Alexis A. Bitzer ◽  
Alish Giri ◽  
Kun Luo ◽  
Rajeshwer S. Sankhala ◽  
...  

AbstractPlasmodium falciparum malaria contributes to a significant global disease burden. Circumsporozoite protein (CSP), the most abundant sporozoite stage antigen, is a prime vaccine candidate. Inhibitory monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CSP map to either a short junctional sequence or the central (NPNA)n repeat region. We compared in vitro and in vivo activities of six CSP-specific mAbs derived from human recipients of a recombinant CSP vaccine RTS,S/AS01 (mAbs 317 and 311); an irradiated whole sporozoite vaccine PfSPZ (mAbs CIS43 and MGG4); or individuals exposed to malaria (mAbs 580 and 663). RTS,S mAb 317 that specifically binds the (NPNA)n epitope, had the highest affinity and it elicited the best sterile protection in mice. The most potent inhibitor of sporozoite invasion in vitro was mAb CIS43 which shows dual-specific binding to the junctional sequence and (NPNA)n. In vivo mouse protection was associated with the mAb reactivity to the NANPx6 peptide, the in vitro inhibition of sporozoite invasion activity, and kinetic parameters measured using intact mAbs or their Fab fragments. Buried surface area between mAb and its target epitope was also associated with in vivo protection. Association and disconnects between in vitro and in vivo readouts has important implications for the design and down-selection of the next generation of CSP based interventions.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4221
Author(s):  
Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup ◽  
Svend Borup Jensen ◽  
Ole Lerberg Nielsen ◽  
Lars Jødal ◽  
Pia Afzelius

The development of new and better radioactive tracers capable of detecting and characterizing osteomyelitis is an ongoing process, mainly because available tracers lack selectivity towards osteomyelitis. An integrated part of developing new tracers is the performance of in vivo tests using appropriate animal models. The available animal models for osteomyelitis are also far from ideal. Therefore, developing improved animal osteomyelitis models is as important as developing new radioactive tracers. We recently published a review on radioactive tracers. In this review, we only present and discuss osteomyelitis models. Three ethical aspects (3R) are essential when exposing experimental animals to infections. Thus, we should perform experiments in vitro rather than in vivo (Replacement), use as few animals as possible (Reduction), and impose as little pain on the animal as possible (Refinement). The gain for humans should by far exceed the disadvantages for the individual experimental animal. To this end, the translational value of animal experiments is crucial. We therefore need a robust and well-characterized animal model to evaluate new osteomyelitis tracers to be sure that unpredicted variation in the animal model does not lead to a misinterpretation of the tracer behavior. In this review, we focus on how the development of radioactive tracers relies heavily on the selection of a reliable animal model, and we base the discussions on our own experience with a porcine model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5912
Author(s):  
Patricia Alvarez-Sieiro ◽  
Hendrik R. Sikkema ◽  
Bert Poolman

Many proteins have a multimeric structure and are composed of two or more identical subunits. While this can be advantageous for the host organism, it can be a challenge when targeting specific residues in biochemical analyses. In vitro splitting and re-dimerization to circumvent this problem is a tedious process that requires stable proteins. We present an in vivo approach to transform homodimeric proteins into apparent heterodimers, which then can be purified using two-step affinity-tag purification. This opens the door to both practical applications such as smFRET to probe the conformational dynamics of homooligomeric proteins and fundamental research into the mechanism of protein multimerization, which is largely unexplored for membrane proteins. We show that expression conditions are key for the formation of heterodimers and that the order of the differential purification and reconstitution of the protein into nanodiscs is important for a functional ABC-transporter complex.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhu ◽  
Kun-Bin Ke ◽  
Zhong-Kun Xia ◽  
Hong-Jian Li ◽  
Rong Su ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cyclin-dependent kinases 2/4/6 (CDK2/4/6) play critical roles in cell cycle progression, and their deregulations are hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods We used the combination of computational and experimental approaches to discover a CDK2/4/6 triple-inhibitor from FDA approved small-molecule drugs for the treatment of HCC. Results We identified vanoxerine dihydrochloride as a new CDK2/4/6 inhibitor, and a strong cytotoxicdrugin human HCC QGY7703 and Huh7 cells (IC50: 3.79 μM for QGY7703and 4.04 μM for Huh7 cells). In QGY7703 and Huh7 cells, vanoxerine dihydrochloride treatment caused G1-arrest, induced apoptosis, and reduced the expressions of CDK2/4/6, cyclin D/E, retinoblastoma protein (Rb), as well as the phosphorylation of CDK2/4/6 and Rb. Drug combination study indicated that vanoxerine dihydrochloride and 5-Fu produced synergistic cytotoxicity in vitro in Huh7 cells. Finally, in vivo study in BALB/C nude mice subcutaneously xenografted with Huh7 cells, vanoxerine dihydrochloride (40 mg/kg, i.p.) injection for 21 days produced significant anti-tumor activity (p < 0.05), which was comparable to that achieved by 5-Fu (10 mg/kg, i.p.), with the combination treatment resulted in synergistic effect. Immunohistochemistry staining of the tumor tissues also revealed significantly reduced expressions of Rb and CDK2/4/6in vanoxerinedihydrochloride treatment group. Conclusions The present study isthe first report identifying a new CDK2/4/6 triple inhibitor vanoxerine dihydrochloride, and demonstrated that this drug represents a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-637
Author(s):  
Cansu Ozel-Tasci ◽  
Gozde Pilatin ◽  
Ozgur Edeer ◽  
Sukru Gulec

AbstractBackgroundFunctional foods can help prevent metabolic diseases, and it is essential to evaluate functional characteristics of foods through in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches.ObjectiveWe aimed to use the bicameral cell culture system combined with the in vitro digestion to evaluate glucose bioavailability.Materials and methodsCake, almond paste, and pudding were modified by adding fiber and replacing sugar with sweeteners and polyols. Digestion process was modeled in test tubes. Rat enterocyte cells (IEC-6) were grown in a bicameral cell culture system to mimic the physiological characteristics of the human intestine. The glucose bioaccessibility and cellular glucose efflux were measured by glucose oxidase assay.Results and discussionThe glucose bioaccessibilities of modified foods were significantly lower (cake: 2.6 fold, almond paste: 9.2 fold, pudding 2.8 fold) than the controls. Cellular glucose effluxes also decreased in the modified cake, almond paste, and pudding by 2.2, 4, and 2 fold respectively compared to their controls.ConclusionOur results suggest that combining in vitro enzymatic digestion with cell culture studies can be a practical way to test in vitro glucose bioaccessibility and bioavailability in functional food development.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Montanucci ◽  
Silvia Terenzi ◽  
Claudio Santi ◽  
Ilaria Pennoni ◽  
Vittorio Bini ◽  
...  

Alginate-based microencapsulation of live cells may offer the opportunity to treat chronic and degenerative disorders. So far, a thorough assessment of physical-chemical behavior of alginate-based microbeads remains cloudy. A disputed issue is which divalent cation to choose for a high performing alginate gelling process. Having selected, in our system, high mannuronic (M) enriched alginates, we studied different gelling cations and their combinations to determine their eventual influence on physical-chemical properties of the final microcapsules preparation,in vitroandin vivo. We have shown that used of ultrapure alginate allows for high biocompatibility of the formed microcapsules, regardless of gelation agents, while use of different gelling cations is associated with corresponding variable effects on the capsules’ basic architecture, as originally reported in this work. However, only the final application which the capsules are destined to will ultimately guide the selection of the ideal, specific gelling divalent cations, since in principle there are no capsules that are better than others.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 287
Author(s):  
Daniela Costa ◽  
Rui M. Tavares ◽  
Paula Baptista ◽  
Teresa Lino-Neto

An increase in cork oak diseases caused by Biscogniauxia mediterranea and Diplodia corticola has been reported in the last decade. Due to the high socio-economic and ecologic importance of this plant species in the Mediterranean Basin, the search for preventive or treatment measures to control these diseases is an urgent need. Fungal endophytes were recovered from cork oak trees with different disease severity levels, using culture-dependent methods. The results showed a higher number of potential pathogens than beneficial fungi such as cork oak endophytes, even in healthy plants. The antagonist potential of a selection of eight cork oak fungal endophytes was tested against B. mediterranea and D. corticola by dual-plate assays. The tested endophytes were more efficient in inhibiting D. corticola than B. mediterranea growth, but Simplicillium aogashimaense, Fimetariella rabenhorstii, Chaetomium sp. and Alternaria alternata revealed a high potential to inhibit the growth of both. Simplicillium aogashimaense caused macroscopic and microscopic mycelial/hyphal deformations and presented promising results in controlling both phytopathogens’ growth in vitro. The evaluation of the antagonistic potential of non-volatile and volatile compounds also revealed that A. alternata compounds could be further explored for inhibiting both pathogens. These findings provide valuable knowledge that can be further explored in in vivo assays to find a suitable biocontrol agent for these cork oak diseases.


1994 ◽  
Vol 179 (4) ◽  
pp. 1273-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Manetti ◽  
F Gerosa ◽  
M G Giudizi ◽  
R Biagiotti ◽  
P Parronchi ◽  
...  

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) facilitates the generation of a T helper type 1 (Th1) response, with high interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production, while inhibiting the generation of IL-4-producing Th2 cells in polyclonal cultures of both human and murine T cells and in vivo in the mouse. In this study, we analyzed the effect of IL-12, present during cloning of human T cells, on the cytokine profile of the clones. The culture system used allows growth of clones from virtually every T cell, and thus excludes the possibility that selection of precommitted Th cell precursors plays a role in determining characteristics of the clones. IL-12 present during the cloning procedures endowed both CD4+ and CD8+ clones with the ability to produce IFN-gamma at levels severalfold higher than those observed in clones generated in the absence of IL-12. This priming was stable because the high levels of IFN-gamma production were maintained when the clones were cultured in the absence of IL-12 for 11 d. The CD4+ and some of the CD8+ clones produced variable amounts of IL-4. Unlike IFN-gamma, IL-4 production was not significantly different in clones generated in the presence or absence of IL-12. These data suggest that IL-12 primes the clone progenitors, inducing their differentiation to high IFN-gamma-producing clones. The suppression of IL-4-producing cells observed in polyclonally generated T cells in vivo and in vitro in the presence of IL-12 is not observed in this clonal model, suggesting that the suppression depends more on positive selection of non-IL-4-producing cells than on differentiation of individual clones. However, antigen-specific established Th2 clones that were unable to produce IFN-gamma with any other inducer did produce IFN-gamma at low but significant levels when stimulated with IL-12 in combination with specific antigen or insoluble anti-CD3 antibodies. This induction of IFN-gamma gene expression was transient, because culture of the established clones with IL-12 for up to 1 wk did not convert them into IFN-gamma producers when stimulated in the absence of IL-12. These results suggest that Th clones respond to IL-12 treatment either with a stable priming for IFN-gamma production or with only a transient low level expression of the IFN-gamma gene, depending on their stage of differentiation.


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