scholarly journals Simulating tumor microenvironment: changes in protein expression in an in vitro co-culture system

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviana Salvatore ◽  
Gabriella Teti ◽  
Silvia Bolzani ◽  
Stefano Focaroli ◽  
Sandra Durante ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (s1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Désirée Baruffaldi ◽  
Marta Canta ◽  
Candido Fabrizio Pirri ◽  
Francesca Frascella

A 3D culture system based on a photocurable matrix has been developed. The aim is to create a 3D printable platform mimicking lung cancer tissue, to study tumor microenvironment evolution, in terms of structural (architecture) and molecular (signalling) components.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Zhi Liu ◽  
Da-Ting Han ◽  
Dan-Rong Shi ◽  
Bo Hong ◽  
Yun Qian ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: PD-L1 immunotherapy remains poorly efficacious in colorectal cancer. The RON receptor tyrosine kinase plays an important role in regulating tumor immunity. Here, we identify patterns of RON and PD-L1 expression and explore the clinical significance of these patterns in colorectal cancer. Methods: Gene expression data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO; n = 290) and patients at the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (FAHZUSM; n = 381) and were analyzed to determine the prognostic value of RON and PD-L1 expression within the tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment of colorectal cancer. Human colorectal cancer cell lines were treated with BMS-777607 to explore the relationship between RON activity and PD-L1 protein expression. Signaling pathways and protein expression perturbed by RON inhibition were evaluated by cellular immunofluorescence and western blot. Results: In the GEO cohort, cut-off values for RON and PD-L1 expression of 7.70 and 4.30, respectively, were determined. Stratification of patients based on these cutoffs demonstrated that high expression of RON and PD-L1 associated with poor prognosis. In the FAHZUSM cohort, rates of high expression of RON in tumor cells, high PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and in tumor infiltrating monocytes, and both high RON and high PD-L1 expression in the tumor microenvironment were 121 (32%), 43 (11%), 91 (24%), and 51 (13.4%), respectively. High expression of RON and high expression of PD-L1 in the tumor cell compartment was significantly correlated (p < 0.001). High expression of RON and PD-L1 were independent prognostic factors for poorer overall survival. Concurrent high expression of both RON and PD-L1 in the tumor microenvironment was significantly associated with poor prognosis. In vitro , BMS-777607 inhibited the phosphorylation of RON, inhibited PD-L1 expression, and attenuated activation of the ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways in colorectal cancer cells. Conclusions: RON, PD-L1 and the crosstalk between these proteins plays an important role in predicting the prognostic value of colorectal cancer. Moreover, phosphorylation of RON upregulates the expression of PD-L1, which provides a novel approach to immunotherapy in colorectal cancer.


Author(s):  
Haiyun Sun ◽  
Chong Wang ◽  
Ying Zhou ◽  
Xingbo Cheng

Objective: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is an important complication of diabetes. This study was attempted to discover the effects of long noncoding RNA OIP5-AS1 (OIP5-AS1) on the viability and oxidative stress of cardiomyocyte in DCM. Methods: The expression of OIP5-AS1 and microRNA-34a (miR-34a) in DCM was detected by qRT-PCR. In vitro, DCM was simulated by high glucose (HG, 30 mM) treatment in H9c2 cells. The viability of HG (30 mM)-treated H9c2 cells was examined by MTT assay. The reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were used to evaluate the oxidative stress of HG (30 mM)-treated H9c2 cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the interactions among OIP5-AS1, miR-34a and SIRT1. Western blot was applied to analyze the protein expression of SIRT1. Results: The expression of OIP5-AS1 was down-regulated in DCM, but miR-34a was up-regulated. The functional experiment stated that OIP5-AS1 overexpression increased the viability and SOD level, while decreased the ROS and MDA levels in HG (30 mM)-treated H9c2 cells. The mechanical experiment confirmed that OIP5-AS1 and SIRT1 were both targeted by miR-34a with the complementary binding sites at 3′UTR. MiR-34a overexpression inhibited the protein expression of SIRT1. In the feedback experiments, miR-34a overexpression or SIRT1 inhibition weakened the promoting effect on viability, and mitigated the reduction effect on oxidative stress caused by OIP5-AS1 overexpression in HG (30 mM)-treated H9c2 cells. Conclusions: OIP5-AS1 overexpression enhanced viability and attenuated oxidative stress of cardiomyocyte via regulating miR-34a/SIRT1 axis in DCM, providing a new therapeutic target for DCM.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 096368972097873
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Youming Zhu ◽  
Na Li ◽  
Tao Wu ◽  
Xianyu Zheng ◽  
...  

The lack of vasculogenesis often hampers the survivability and integration of newly engineered tissue grafts within the host. Autologous endothelial cells (ECs) are an ideal cell source for neovascularization, but they are limited by their scarcity, lack of proliferative capacity, and donor site morbidity upon isolation. The objective of this study was to determine whether differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) into the endothelial lineage can be enhanced by recombinant ETV2 overexpression. DPSCs were extracted from fresh dental pulp tissues. ETV2 overexpression in DPSCs was achieved by lentiviral infection and cellular morphological changes were evaluated. The mRNA and protein expression levels of endothelial-specific markers were assessed through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry. The tube formation assay and Matrigel plug assay were also performed to evaluate the angiogenic potential of the ETV2-transduced cells in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Additionally, proteomic analysis was performed to analyze global changes in protein expression following ETV2 overexpression. After lentiviral infection, ETV2-overexpressing DPSCs showed endothelial-like morphology. Compared with control DPSCs, significantly higher mRNA and protein expression levels of endothelial-specific genes, including CD31, VE-Cadherin, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2, were detected in ETV2-overexpressing DPSCs. Moreover, ETV2 overexpression enhanced capillary-like tube formation on Matrigel in vitro, as well as neovascularization in vivo. In addition, comparative proteomic profiling showed that ETV2 overexpression upregulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors, which was indicative of increased VEGF signaling. Taken together, our results indicate that ETV2 overexpression significantly enhanced the endothelial differentiation of DPSCs. Thus, this study shows that DPSCs can be a promising candidate cell source for tissue engineering applications.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 308
Author(s):  
Ying-Ray Lee ◽  
Chia-Ming Chang ◽  
Yuan-Chieh Yeh ◽  
Chi-Ying F. Huang ◽  
Feng-Mao Lin ◽  
...  

Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with an antipathogenic activity. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that are ubiquitously expressed in cells. Endogenous miRNA may function as an innate response to block pathogen invasion. The miRNA expression profiles of both mice and humans after the ingestion of honeysuckle were obtained. Fifteen overexpressed miRNAs overlapped and were predicted to be capable of targeting three viruses: dengue virus (DENV), enterovirus 71 (EV71) and SARS-CoV-2. Among them, let-7a was examined to be capable of targeting the EV71 RNA genome by reporter assay and Western blotting. Moreover, honeysuckle-induced let-7a suppression of EV71 RNA and protein expression as well as viral replication were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated that let-7a targeted EV71 at the predicted sequences using luciferase reporter plasmids as well as two infectious replicons (pMP4-y-5 and pTOPO-4643). The suppression of EV71 replication and viral load was demonstrated in two cell lines by luciferase activity, RT-PCR, real-time PCR, Western blotting and plaque assay. Furthermore, EV71-infected suckling mice fed honeysuckle extract or inoculated with let-7a showed decreased clinical scores and a prolonged survival time accompanied with decreased viral RNA, protein expression and virus titer. The ingestion of honeysuckle attenuates EV71 replication and related pathogenesis partially through the upregulation of let-7a expression both in vitro and in vivo. Our previous report and the current findings imply that both honeysuckle and upregulated let-7a can execute a suppressive function against the replication of DENV and EV71. Taken together, this evidence indicates that honeysuckle can induce the expression of let-7a and that this miRNA as well as 11 other miRNAs have great potential to prevent and suppress EV71 replication.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A737-A737
Author(s):  
Loise Francisco-Anderson ◽  
Loise Francisco-Anderson ◽  
Mary Abdou ◽  
Michael Goldberg ◽  
Erin Troy ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe small intestinal axis (SINTAX) is a network of anatomic and functional connections between the small intestine and the rest of the body. It acts as an immunosurveillance system, integrating signals from the environment that affect physiological processes throughout the body. The impact of events in the gut in the control of tumor immunity is beginning to be appreciated. We have previously shown that an orally delivered single strain of commensal bacteria induces anti-tumor immunity preclinically via pattern recognition receptor-mediated activation of innate and adaptive immunity. Some bacteria produce extracellular vesicles (EVs) that share molecular content with the parent bacterium in a particle that is roughly 1/1000th the volume in a non-replicating form. We report here an orally-delivered and gut-restricted bacterial EV which potently attenuates tumor growth to a greater extent than whole bacteria or checkpoint inhibition.MethodsEDP1908 is a preparation of extracellular vesicles produced by a gram-stain negative strain of bacterium of the Oscillospiraceae family isolated from a human donor. EDP1908 was selected for its immunostimulatory profile in a screen of EVs from a range of distinct microbial strains. Its mechanism of action was determined by ex vivo analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and by in vitro functional studies with murine and human cells.ResultsOral treatment of tumor-bearing mice with EDP1908 shows superior control of tumor growth compared to checkpoint inhibition (anti-PD-1) or an intact microbe. EDP1908 significantly increased the percentage of IFNγ and TNF producing CD8+ CTLs, NK cells, NKT cells and CD4+ cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). EDP1908 also increased tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells (DC1 and DC2). Analysis of cytokines in the TME showed significant increases in IP-10 and IFNg production in mice treated with EDP1908, creating an environment conducive to the recruitment and activation of anti-tumor lymphocytes.ConclusionsThis is the first report of striking anti-tumor effects of an orally delivered microbial extracellular vesicle. These data point to oral EVs as a new class of immunotherapeutic drugs. They are particularly effective at harnessing the biology of the small intestinal axis, acting locally on host cells in the gut to control distal immune responses within the TME. EDP1908 is in preclinical development for the treatment of cancer.Ethics ApprovalPreclinical murine studies were conducted under the approval of the Avastus Preclinical Services’ Ethics Board. Human in vitro samples were attained by approval of the IntegReview Ethics Board; informed consent was obtained from all subjects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 030006052098210
Author(s):  
Quan Wang ◽  
Jingcong Luo ◽  
Ruiqiang Sun ◽  
Jia Liu

Objective Common inhalation anesthetics used for clinical anesthesia (such as sevoflurane) may induce nerve cell apoptosis during central nervous system development. Furthermore, anesthetics can produce cognitive impairments, such as learning and memory impairments, that continue into adulthood. However, the precise mechanism remains largely undefined. We aimed to determine the function of microRNA-1297 (miR-1297) in sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity. Methods Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays were used to analyze miR-1297 expression in sevoflurane-exposed mice. MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays were used to measure cell growth, and neuronal apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry. Western blot analyses were used to measure PTEN, PI3K, Akt, and GSK3β protein expression. Results In sevoflurane-exposed mice, miR-1297 expression was up-regulated compared with the control group. MiR-1297 up-regulation led to neuronal apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation, and increased LDH activity in the in vitro model of sevoflurane exposure. MiR-1297 up-regulation also suppressed the Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway and induced PTEN protein expression in the in vitro model. PTEN inhibition (VO-Ohpic trihydrate) reduced PTEN protein expression and decreased the effects of miR-1297 down-regulation on neuronal apoptosis in the in vitro model. Conclusion Collectively, the results indicated that miR-1297 stimulates sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity via the Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway by regulating PTEN expression.


Author(s):  
Kosuke Sasaki ◽  
Shigetsugu Takano ◽  
Satoshi Tomizawa ◽  
Yoji Miyahara ◽  
Katsunori Furukawa ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Recent studies indicate that complement plays pivotal roles in promoting or suppressing cancer progression. We have previously identified C4b-binding protein α-chain (C4BPA) as a serum biomarker for the early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we elucidated the functional roles of C4BPA in PDAC cells and the tumor microenvironment. Methods We assessed stromal C4BPA, the C4BPA binding partner CD40, and the number of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in resected human PDAC tissues via immunohistochemical staining. The biological functions of C4BPA were investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and human PDAC cell lines. Mouse C4BPA (mC4BPA) peptide, which is composed of 30 amino acids from the C-terminus and binds to CD40, was designed for further in vitro and in vivo experiments. In a preclinical experiment, we assessed the efficacy of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP), dual immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs), and mC4BPA peptide in a mouse orthotopic transplantation model. Results Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that high stromal C4BPA and CD40 was associated with favorable PDAC prognosis (P=0.0005). Stromal C4BPA strongly correlated with the number of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (P=0.001). In in vitro experiments, flow cytometry revealed that recombinant human C4BPA (rhC4BPA) stimulation increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell numbers in PBMCs. rhC4BPA also promoted the proliferation of CD40-expressing PDAC cells. By contrast, combined treatment with gemcitabine and rhC4BPA increased PDAC cell apoptosis rate. mC4BPA peptide increased the number of murine T lymphocytes in vitro and the number of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes surrounding PDAC tumors in vivo. In a preclinical study, GnP/ICBs/mC4BPA peptide treatment, but not GnP treatment, led to the accumulation of a greater number of CD8+ T cells in the periphery of PDAC tumors and to greater tumor regression than did control treatment. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that the combination of GnP therapy with C4BPA inhibits PDAC progression by promoting antitumor T cell accumulation in the tumor microenvironment.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document