0000000000287975

AUTHOR

Elise C. Kohn

Proteomic Strategies and their Application in Cancer Research

The understanding of carcinogenesis and tumor progression on a molecular basis needs a detailed study of proteins as effector molecules and as critical components of the multiple interconnected signaling pathways that drive the neoplastic phenotype. Thus, the proteomic approach represents a powerful tool for the challenge of the post-genomic era. The term “cancer proteome” refers to the collection of proteins expressed by a given cancer cell and should be considered as a highly dynamic entity within the cell, which affects a variety of cellular activities. The emerging proteomic analysis platforms including 2D-PAGE, mass spectrometry technologies, and protein microarrays represent powerful…

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Carboxyamidotriazole inhibits cell growth of imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukaemia cells including T315I Bcr-Abl mutant by a redox-mediated mechanism.

Mutation of the Bcr–Abl oncoprotein is one of most frequent mechanisms by which chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells become resistant to imatinib. Here, we show that treat- ment of cell lines harbouring wild type or mutant BCR–ABL with carboxyamidotriazole (CAI), a calcium influx and signal transduction inhibitor, inhibits cell growth, the expres- sion of Bcr–Abl and its downstream signalling, and induces apoptosis. Moreover, we show that CAI acts by increasing intracellular ROS. Clinically significant, CAI has also inhibitory effects on T315I Bcr–Abl mutant, a mutation that causes CML cells to become insensitive to imatinib and second generation abl kinase inhibitors.

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Proteomic Approaches in Colon Cancer: Promising Tools for New Cancer Markers and Drug Target Discovery

Novel technologies are needed from which to identify new and more efficient biomarkers and improved molecular targets for the expedient and accurate diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Many advances have been made in direct and virtual imaging for detection of polyps and malignant-type lesions. These require tissue verification before definitive intervention. Inclusion of a simple serum test, more accurate than CEA, especially for early cancer detection, would make virtual imaging much more successful. Proteomics, the study of the proteins and protein pathways involved in disease, is a new dimension in preclinical and clinical development. Mass spectrometric analysis of serum prot…

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Abstract 4372: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) exosomes promote angiogenesis in a Src-dependent fashion in vitro and in vivo

Abstract CML is an uncontrolled proliferation of bone marrow myeloid cells driven by the constitutively active fusion product tyrosine kinase BCR/ABL. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature, is newly recognized as a factor in CML progression. Exosomes, released by a broad spectrum of cells, are microvesicles that play an important role in cell-to-cell communication both in physiological and pathological conditions. The role of exosomes released by CML cells in angiogenesis is emerging; however, little is known about the mechanisms involved in this process. We first isolated and characterized exosomes released by K562 CML cells and we demonstrated thei…

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Role of calcium in E-selectin induced phenotype of T84 colon carcinoma cells

The adhesion of cancer cells to the endothelium during the metastatic process involves the interaction of specific cell-cell adhesion receptors on the cell surface. E-selectin on endothelial cells and sialyl Lewis X carbohydrate component on tumor cells are mainly implicated in the adhesion of colon carcinoma cells to the endothelium of target organ. In this paper we show that binding of E-selectin to T84 colon tumor cells causes approximately a twofold increase in intracellular calcium concentration. In particular, using two inhibitors of receptor operated calcium channels, CAI and SK&F 96365, we present evidences that the augmentation in cytoplasmic calcium originates from ionic influx fr…

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Abstract 5135: Exosomes released by K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells promote endothelial cell tubular differentiation through uptake and cell-to-cell transfer

Abstract We hypothesized that exosomes were a venue through which to transfer pro-angiogenic stimuli into and between endothelial cells during endothelial cell tubular differentiation. Exosomes are microvesicles of endocytic origin released by most normal and tumor cells that play an important role in cell-to-cell communication. Angiogenesis is recognized to be a factor in progression of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, the mechanism through which this happens has not been elucidated. We first optimized and characterized secretion of exosomes from CML K562 cells, showing expected selective enrichment of exosomal markers CD63, CD81 and Tsg101 in exosomes compared to the K562 whole ce…

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Effects of carboxyamidotriazole on in vitro models of imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia.

Although imatinib mesylate (IM) has revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), some patients develop resistance with progression of leukemia. Alternative or additional targeting of signaling pathways deregulated in bcr-abl-driven CML cells may provide a feasible option for improving clinical response and overcoming resistance. In this study, we show that carboxyamidotriazole (CAI), an orally bioavailable calcium influx and signal transduction inhibitor, is equally effective in inhibiting the proliferation and bcr-abl dependent- and independent-signaling pathways in imatinib-resistant CML cells. CAI inhibits phosphorylation of cellular proteins including STAT5 and CrkL a…

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L-asparaginase inhibits invasive and angiogenic activity and induces autophagy in ovarian cancer

Recent work identified L-asparaginase (L-ASP) as a putative therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. We suggest that L-ASP, a dysregulator of glycosylation, would interrupt the local microenvironment, affecting the ovarian cancer cell-endothelial cell interaction and thus angiogenesis without cytotoxic effects. Ovarian cancer cell lines and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC) were exposed to L-ASP at physiologically attainable concentrations and subjected to analyses of endothelial tube formation, invasion, adhesion and the assessment of sialylated proteins involved in matrix-associated and heterotypic cell adhesion. Marked reduction in HMVEC tube formation in vitro, HMVEC and ovari…

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Role of exosomes released by chronic myelogenous leukemia cells in angiogenesis

The present study is designed to assess if exosomes released from Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) cells may modulate angiogenesis. We have isolated and characterized the exosomes generated from LAMA84 CML cells and demonstrated that addition of exosomes to human vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) induces an increase of both ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 cell adhesion molecules and interleukin-8 expression. The stimulation of cell-cell adhesion molecules was paralleled by a dose-dependent increase of adhesion of CML cells to a HUVEC monolayer. We further showed that the treatment with exosomes from CML cells caused an increase in endothelial cell motility accompanied by a loss of VE-cadherin and β-ca…

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Comparative study of T84 and T84SF human colon carcinoma cells: in vitro and in vivo ultrastructural and functional characterization of cell culture and metastasis

To better understand the relationship between tumor heterogeneity, differentiation, and metastasis, suitable experimental models permitting in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary. A new variant cell line (T84SF) exhibiting an altered phenotype was recently selected from a colon cancer cell line (T84) by repetitive plating on TNF-alpha treated human endothelial cells and subsequent selection for adherent cells. The matched pair of cell lines provides a useful system to investigate the extravasation step of the metastatic cascade. Since analysis of morphological differences can be instructive to the understanding of metastatic potential of tumor cells, we compared the ultrastructural and …

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E-selectin modulates the malignant properties of T84 colon carcinoma cells.

The extravasation of metastatic cells is regulated by molecular events involving the initial adhesion of tumor cells to the endothelium and subsequently the migration of cells in the host connective tissue. E-selectin on endothelial cells and sialyl Lewis X carbohydrate component on tumor cells are mainly involved in the adhesion of colon carcinoma cells to the endothelium of target organ. Interaction of T84 colon cancer cells to purified E-selectin in vitro caused an increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of proteins as well as the modulation of cellular properties correlated to the metastatic phenotype. Specifically, E-selectin-stimulated actin reorganization, increased coll…

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Comparative Proteome Profiling and Functional Analysis of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Cell Lines

The aim of the present study was the molecular profiling of different Ph+ chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell lines (LAMA84, K562, and KCL22) by a proteomic approach. By employing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry analysis, we have identified 191 protein spots corresponding to 142 different proteins. Among these, 63% were cancer-related proteins and 74% were described for the first time in leukemia cells. Multivariate analysis highlighted significant differences in the global proteomic profile of the three CML cell lines. In particular, the detailed analysis of 35 differentially expressed proteins revealed that LAMA84 cells preferentially expressed prot…

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