Utilizing tumor hypoxia to enhance oncolytic viral therapy in colorectal metastases

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of hypoxia-induced ribonucleotide reductase (RR) production on herpes oncolytic viral therapy. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Hypoxia is a common tumor condition correlated with therapeutic resistance and metastases. Attenuated viruses offer a unique cancer treatment by specifically infecting and lysing tumor cells. G207 is an oncolytic herpes virus deficient in RR, a rate-limiting enzyme for viral replication. METHODS: A multimerized hypoxia-responsive enhancer was constructed (10xHRE) and functionally tested by luciferase assay. 10xHRE was cloned upstream of UL39, the gene encoding the large subunit of RR (10xHRE-UL39). CT26 murine colorectal cancer cells were transfected with 10xHRE-UL39, incubated in hypoxia (1% O2) or normoxia (21% O2), and infected with G207 for cytotoxicity assays. CT26 liver metastases, with or without 10xHRE-UL39, were created in syngeneic Balb/C mice (n = 40). Livers were treated with G207 or saline. Tumors were assessed and stained immunohistochemically for G207. RESULTS: 10xHRE increased luciferase expression 33-fold in hypoxia versus controls (P < 0.001). In normoxia, 10xHRE-UL39 transfection did not improve G207 cytotoxicity. In hypoxia, G207 cytotoxicity increased 87% with 10xHRE-UL39 transfection versus nontransfected cells (P < 0.001). CT26 were resistant to G207 alone. Combining 10xHRE-UL39 with G207 resulted in a 66% decrease in tumor weights (P < 0.0001) and a 65% reduction in tumor nodules (P < 0.0001) versus G207 monotherapy. 10xHRE-UL39-transfected tumors demonstrated greater viral staining. CONCLUSIONS: Hypoxia-driven RR production significantly enhances viral cytotoxicity in vitro and reduces tumor burden in vivo. G207 combined with RR under hypoxic control is a promising treatment for colorectal cancer, which would otherwise be resistant to oncolytic herpes virus alone.     

Carcinoembryonic antigen directed herpes viral oncolysis improves selectivity and activity in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: G207 is an oncolytic herpes virus whose replicative cycle requires cellular ribonucleotide reductase (RR) for viral DNA synthesis. We attempt to enhance viral cytotoxicity in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-producing colorectal cancer (CRC) cells through CEA-driven RR production. METHODS: CEA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed on LS174T and HCT-8 human CRC cells. The CEA enhancer-promoter (CEA E-P) was functionally assessed by luciferase assay. CEA E-P was cloned upstream of UL39, the gene encoding the large subunit of RR. Cells were transfected with CEA E-P/UL39 and infected with G207 for cytotoxicity assays. LS174T, with or without CEA E-P/UL39, were implanted into athymic mouse flanks (n = 28) and treated with G207. RESULTS: CEA levels were 7-fold higher in LS174T versus HCT-8 ( P <.00001). CEA E-P increased luciferase expression 7.5-fold in LS174T ( P <.01), with no increase in HCT-8. G207 cytotoxicity of'CEA E-P/UL39-transfected LS174T cells increased 69% by day 10 versus nontransfected cells ( P <.001), with no significant increase in HCT-8. Combining CEA E-P/UL39 with G207 in LS174T flank tumors resulted in a 65% decrease in tumor volume versus G207, phosphate-buffered saline, or'CEA E-P/UL39 alone ( P <.0001). CONCLUSIONS: CEA-driven RR production by CEA-secreting CRC cells significantly improves oncolytic viral cytotoxicity and specificity in vitro, and reduces tumor burden in vivo.     

Utilizing alpha-fetoprotein expression to enhance oncolytic viral therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-regulated ribonucleotide reductase (RR) production would promote more vigorous and specific viral killing in AFP-expressing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). BACKGROUND: AFP is expressed in over 70% of primary HCC but not in normal adult liver. AFP production by HCC can be exploited to target viral killing of tumor cells. G207 is an oncolytic herpes virus lacking UL39, the gene encoding RR. RR is an enzyme required for viral DNA synthesis and cytotoxicity. METHODS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for AFP levels on Hep3B and PLC5 human HCC cells. An AFP-albumin enhancer-promoter complex (AFP-alb) was constructed in a luciferase vector to assess function. AFP-alb was cloned upstream of UL39 (AFP-alb/UL39) and transfected into HCC cells for G207 cytotoxicity assays. Viral plaque forming assays evaluated G207 replication. Hep3B flank tumors, with and without AFP-alb/UL39 transfection, were established in athymic mice (n = 28) and treated with G207. RESULTS: Hep3B had 5-fold higher AFP levels than PLC5 (P < 0.00001). AFP-alb increased luciferase expression 72-fold in Hep3B (P < 0.001) and 3-fold in PLC5 (P < 0.001). AFP-alb/UL39 transfection increased G207 cytotoxicity 93% in Hep3B (P < 0.0005), with no significant increase in PLC5. Peak viral titers were 46-fold higher in Hep3B transfected with AFP-alb/UL39 versus mock-transfected cells (P < 0.01), with no significant change in PLC5. Flanks tumors transfected with AFP-alb/UL39 and treated with G207 demonstrated a 76% volume reduction versus mock-transfected tumors infected with G207 (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: AFP-driven RR production by hepatoma cells significantly enhances herpes viral cytotoxicity and specificity in vitro and reduces tumor burden in vivo.     

Herpes simplex virus amplicon delivery of a hypoxia-inducible angiogenic inhibitor blocks capillary formation in hepatocellular carcinoma

Tumor hypoxia induces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, which stimulates tumor angiogenesis. The VEGF pathway is inhibited by soluble VEGF receptors (soluble fetal liver kinase-1 [sFlk-1]) that bind VEGF and block its interaction with endothelial cells. Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-derived amplicons are replication-incompetent viruses used for gene delivery. We attempt to attenuate angiogenesis and inhibit hepatoma growth through amplicon-mediated expression of sFlk-1 under hypoxic control. A multimerized hypoxia-responsive enhancer (10xHRE) was cloned upstream of the sFlk-1 gene (10xHRE/sFlk-1). An amplicon expressing 10xHRE/sFlk-1 was genetically engineered (HSV10xHRE/sFlk-1). SK-HEP-1 human hepatoma cells were transduced with HSV10xHRE/sFlk-1 and incubated in normoxia (21% O₂) or hypoxia (1% O₂). Human umbilical vein endothelial cell assay evaluated capillary inhibition. Western blot assessed sFlk-1 expression. SK-HEP-1 flank tumors (n = 24) in athymic mice were treated with HSV10xHRE/sFlk-1. Media from hypoxic SK-HEP-1 transduced with HSV10xHRE/sFlk-1 yielded an 80% reduction in capillary formation (P < 0.005), whereas normoxic SK-HEP-1 yielded a 25% reduction (P < 0.05). Western blot of SK-HEP-1 transduced with HSV10xHRE/sFlk-1 demonstrated greater sFlk-1 expression in hypoxia vs. normoxia. SK-HEP-1 tumors treated with HSV10xHRE/sFlk-1 yielded a 72% reduction in volume vs. the control group (P < 0.000001). HSV amplicon-mediated delivery of a hypoxia-inducible soluble VEGF receptor substantially reduces new vessel formation and tumor growth in hepatoma. Presented at the Forty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 15–19, 2004 (oral presentation). Supported in part by grants RO1 CA 76416 and RO1 CA/DK80982 (Y.F.) from the National Institutes of Health, grant MBC-99366 (Y.F.) from the American Cancer Society, and grant BC024118 from the US Army and Rochester Nathan Shock Center.     

Employing Tumor Hypoxia for Oncolytic Therapy in Breast Cancer

Hypoxia is a common tumor condition associated with metastases, therapeutic resistance, and poor patient survival. Forty percent of breast cancers are hypoxic, with a median oxygen concentration of 3.9%, and a third of tumors have regions less than 0.3%. Normal breast tissue is reported to have oxygen concentrations greater than 9%. This tumor hypoxia in breast cancer confers resistance to conventional radiation therapy and chemotherapy, as well as making estrogen-receptor-positive tumors less sensitive to hormonal therapy. Novel treatment modalities are needed to target hypoxic tumor cells. Lower tumor oxygen levels compared with surrounding normal tissues may be utilized to target and enhance herpes oncolytic viral therapy in breast cancer. Attenuated oncolytic herpes simplex viruses offer a unique cancer treatment by specifically infecting, replicating within, and lysing tumor cells. They carry genetically engineered mutations to reduce their virulence and attenuate their ability to infect normal tissues. Studies have shown the safety and efficacy of oncolytic herpes simplex viruses in treating breast cancer both in humans and in preclinical models. The placement of essential viral genes under the control of a hypoxia-responsive enhancer, which is upregulated selectively in hypoxic tissue, represents a promising strategy to target oncolytic viruses precisely to hypoxic cancer cells. In this review we describe strategies to harness hypoxia as a trigger for oncolytic viral gene expression in breast cancer, thereby increasing the specificity of viral infection, replication, and cytotoxicity to hypoxic areas of tumor. Such a targeted approach will increase efficacy in the therapy of hypoxic tumors while achieving a reduction in total dose of viral therapy.Supported in part by AACR-Astra Zeneca Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation Fellowship (P.S.A), grants RO1 CA 75416 and RO1 CA/DK80982 (Y.F.) from the National Institutes of Health, grant MBC-99366 (Y.F.) from the American Cancer Society, grant BC024118 from the US Army (Y.F.), grant IMG0402501 from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (Y.F. and P.S.A.) and grant 032047 from Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (Y.F. and P.S.A.)     

Ionizing radiation potentiates the antitumor efficacy of oncolytic herpes simplex virus G207 by upregulating ribonucleotide reductase

BACKGROUND: Replication-competent herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) mutants have an oncolytic effect on human and animal cancers. The aim of this study was to determine whether G207, an HSV-1 mutant, can be combined with ionizing radiation (IR) to increase antitumor activity while decreasing treatment-associated toxicity. METHODS: This study was performed by using G207, a replication-competent HSV-1 mutant deficient in viral ribonucleotide reductase (RR) and the gamma(1)34.5 neurovirulence protein. The antitumor activity of G207 or IR was tested against HCT-8 human colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in an in vivo mouse subcutaneous tumor model. RESULTS: We demonstrated that G207 has significant oncolytic effect on HCT-8 cells in vitro in a cytotoxicity assay and in vivo in a mouse flank tumor model and that these effects are improved with low-dose IR. We further illustrated that the increased tumoricidal effect is dependent on the up-regulation of cellular RR by IR measured by a functional bioassay for RR activity. Chemical inhibition of RR by hydroxyurea abrogates the enhanced effect. In contrast to G207, R3616, the parent virus of G207 that expresses functional RR, does not exhibit enhanced oncolysis when combined with IR. CONCLUSIONS: These data encourage clinical investigation of combination radiation therapy and HSV oncolytic therapy.     

Hypoxia induces the overexpression of microRNA-21 in pancreatic cancer cells

BackgroundPancreatic cancer cells exist in a hypoxic microenvironment containing numerous factors that impact tumor survival, proliferation, and metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRs) are differentially expressed in cancer but also altered by hypoxia. We hypothesized that hypoxia could induce expression of miR-21, an oncomir in pancreatic cancer cells.Materials and methodsWe examined how hypoxia regulates miR-21 expression in pancreatic cancer cell lines (BxPC-3, AsPC-1) by stem-loop RT-PCR. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were used to study how hypoxia alters hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α binding to the hypoxia response element of miR-21. BxPC-3 and AsPC-1 cells were transfected with a constitutively stable HIF-1α subunit or vector control (pcDNA3.1) to determine the influence of miR-21 in normoxia. The effect of mature miR-21 sense and antisense oligonucleotides on proliferation and apoptosis in hypoxic and normoxic conditions was assessed via WST-1 assay and flow cytometry.ResultsMiR-21 levels increased in all cell lines grown in hypoxic conditions versus normoxia, whereas siRNA targeting HIF-1α reduced miR-21 expression. Hypoxic conditions resulted in direct binding of HIF-1α to the predicted binding site in miR-21. Transfection with a constitutively stable HIF-1α expression plasmid in normoxia resulted in upregulated miR-21, similar to that seen in hypoxia. Cells transfected with antisense constructs targeting miR-21 had reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis in normoxia, whereas miR-21 overexpression abrogated hypoxia-associated reductions in proliferation.ConclusionsMiR-21 is induced by hypoxia in pancreatic cancer cells via HIF-1α upregulation. MiR-21 overexpression allows cells to avoid apoptosis in a hypoxic microenvironment. Inhibition of miR-21 expression may increase cellular susceptibility to hypoxia in pancreatic cancer.     

胰岛素调节人胰腺癌细胞ASPC-1中HIF-1α的表达研究

目的 探讨胰岛素对胰腺癌细胞株ASPC-1中缺氧诱导因子1α(hypoxia-inducible factor-1α,HIF-1α)表达的影响.方法 将ASPC-1细胞分为5组:常氧组,常氧加胰岛素组,缺氧组,同一缺氧时间不同胰岛素浓度组以及相同胰岛素浓度不同缺氧时间组,实时定量PCR检测HIF-1α基因表达,免疫细胞化学与Western blot检测HIF-1α蛋白表达水平的变化.Transwell实验检测加入胰岛素后肿瘤细胞侵袭能力的变化.结果 常氧下ASPC-1细胞即有一定水平HIF-1α表达,加入胰岛素刺激后HIF-1α蛋白表达随着胰岛素浓度的升高和作用时间的延长而逐渐升高,与对照组相比差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);缺氧条件下HIF-1α表达较常氧时升高(P＜0.05);相同缺氧时间使用不同浓度胰岛素刺激时,高浓度胰岛素刺激下HIF-1α的表达较单纯缺氧更高(P＜0.05),低浓度胰岛素对HIF-1α无明显作用(P＞0.05);使用相同胰岛素处理后再进行缺氧处理,随着时间延长HIF-1α的表达先升高后下降,但各处理组较对照组差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).Transwell实验显示胰岛素可增强胰腺癌细胞的侵袭能力(P＜0.05).结论 胰岛素可上调胰腺癌细胞ASPC-1中HIF-1蛋白表达,并且这种作用具有一定的剂量依赖性和时间依赖性.胰岛素还可以增加ASPC-1的侵袭能力.

Abstract：

Objective To investigate the effect of insulin on the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in human pancreatic cancer cell line ASPC-1. Methods We divided ASPC-1 cells into five groups: normoxia; normoxia stimulated with insulin; hypoxia; hypoxia pretreated with different concentration of insulin; hypoxia of different time points pretreated with same concentration of insulin. Real-time PCR was used to test the expression of HIF-1α mRNA. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of HIF-1α in ASPC-1 of insulin treated cancer cells. Western blot was used to determine the expression of HIF-1 α protein in those cells. Transwell was used to test whether insulin could enhance the invasion ability of ASPC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. Results Insulin promotes HIF-1α protein expression. ASPC-1 cells expressed low levels of HIF-1α protein under normoxic condition. After stimulated with insulin, the expression of HIF-1 α protein significantly increased (P ＜ 0. 05 ). After treated with hypoxia, the expression of HIF-1α protein also increased(P ＜ 0. 05 ). Low concentrations of insulin didn't increase the expression of HIF-1α under hypoxic environment ( P ＞ 0. 05 ), while high concentration of insulin could increase its expression(P ＜ 0. 05). When ASPC-1 cells pretreated with insulin suffered from hypoxia, the expression of HIF-1α first increased then decreased moderately( P ＜0. 05). Insulin could enhance the invasion ability of pancreatic cancer cells( P ＜ 0. 05 ). Conclusions Insulin mediates the expression of HIF-1α protein in human pancreatic cancer ASPC-1 cells with the characteristics of dose and time dependency. Insulin could enhance the invasion ability of ASPC-1 cells.     

Inhibition of autophagy with chloroquine is effective in melanoma

BackgroundCancer cells adapt to the stress resulting from accelerated cell growth and a lack of nutrients by activation of the autophagy pathway. Two proteins that allow cell growth in the face of metabolic stress and hypoxia are hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp 90). We hypothesize that chloroquine (CQ), an antimalarial drug that inhibits autophagosome function, in combination with either echinomycin, a HIF-1α inhibitor, or 17-dimethylaminoethylamino-17-dimethoxygeldanamycin (17-DMAG), an Hsp 90 inhibitor, will result in cytotoxicity in melanoma.Materials and methodsMultiple human melanoma cell lines (BRAF wild-type and mutant) were tested in vitro with CQ in combination with echinomycin or 17-DMAG. These treatments were performed in hypoxic (5% O₂) and normoxic (18% O₂) conditions. Mechanism of action was determined through Western blot of autophagy-associated proteins HIF-1α and Hsp 90.ResultsChloroquine, echinomycin, and 17-DMAG each induced cytotoxicity in multiple human melanoma cell lines, in both normoxia and hypoxia. Chloroquine combined with echinomycin achieved synergistic cytotoxicity under hypoxic conditions in multiple melanoma cell lines (BRAF wild-type and mutant). Western blot analysis indicated that echinomycin reduced HIF-1α levels, both alone and in combination with CQ. Changes in LC3 flux indicated inhibition of autophagy at the level of the autophagosome by CQ therapy.ConclusionsTargeting autophagy with the antimalarial drug CQ may be an effective cancer therapy in melanoma. Sensitivity to chloroquine is independent of BRAF mutational status. Combining CQ with the HIF-1α inhibitor echinomycin improves cytotoxicity in hypoxic conditions.     

缺氧诱导因子1α在肝癌细胞上皮-间充质化中的作用

目的:探讨缺氧诱导因子1 α(HIF-1 α)在肝癌上皮-间充质化(EMT)中的作用.方法:采用可调控HIF-1 α表达的肝癌HepG2Tet-on-HIF-1α细胞系,首先用real-time PCR与Western blot方法检测低氧环境中HepG2Tet-on-HIF-1α细胞EMT相关分子(E-cadherin,vimentin,FSP-1)及HIF-1 α的mRNA和蛋白表达水平,然后在常氧环境下,采用强力霉素(Dox)诱导HepG2Tet-on-HIF-1α细胞HIF-1 α过表达,以及HepG2Tet-on-HIF-1α细胞经Dox处理后再转染HIF-1αsiRNA,观察上述分子的表达情况.结果:低氧处理后,HepG2Tet-on-HIF-1α细胞EMT相关分子及HIF-1 α的mRNA和蛋白表达水平较常氧状态下均明显增加(均P＜0.05);常氧环境下,Dox能诱导HepG2Tet-on-HIF-1α细胞HIF-1 α过表达,同时明显增加EMT相关分子的mRNA和蛋白表达水平(均P＜0.05),但转染HIF-1αsiRNA后,Dox的诱导作用被取消.结论:HIF-1α促进HepG2细胞EMT,并可能是肝癌基因治疗的有效靶点.     

Oncolytic herpes viral therapy is effective in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

The rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in western countries, along with the poor prognosis offered by present-day treatment modalities, makes novel therapies for this disease necessary. Oncolytic herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are replication-competent viruses that are highly effective in the treatment of a wide variety of experimental models of human malignancies. This study seeks to investigate the effectiveness of oncolytic herpes viruses in the treatment of primary HCC cell lines. Sixteen commercially available human HCC cell lines were studied. G207 is an attenuated, replication-competent, oncolytic HSV engineered to selectively replicate within cancer cells. Cell lines were tested for viral sensitivity to G207 and their ability to support viral replication using standard cytotoxicity and viral replication assays. Eleven of 16 cell lines were moderately to highly sensitive to G207 viral oncolysis. HCC cell lines additionally demonstrated the ability to support viral replication in vitro with as high as 800-fold amplification of the administered viral dose observed. G207 is cytotoxic to, and efficiently replicates within, HCC cell lines in vitro. From these data, we suggest that oncolytic HSV therapy may have a role in the treatment of HCC, and in vivo studies are warranted. Presented in part at the 2005 American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Congress, Hollywood, Florida, April 14–17, 2005. Supported by grants R01CA75461 and R01CA72632 from the National Institutes of Health, and by grant MBC-99366 from the American Cancer Society (Yuman Fong).     

缺氧微环境对胰腺癌细胞发生上皮向间叶转化的诱导作用

目的 探讨胰腺癌细胞在缺氧微环境中通过发生上皮向间叶转化(EMT)从而获得侵袭性表型的可能机制.方法 在缺氧微环境下培养胰腺癌细胞Pane-1、Transwell侵袭小室对比检测细胞在缺氧微环境下侵袭能力的变化情况.Western blot、免疫荧光检测缺氧对Panc-1细胞上皮细胞标记分子E-cadherin、间叶细胞标记分子vimentin表达的影响;实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(PCR)检测缺氧对EMT诱导因子Snail表达的影响.将编码HIF-1α cDNA的真核表达载体pCD-NA 3.1-HIF-1α瞬时转染Panc-1细胞,Western blot检测HIF-1α对E-cadherin、vimentin表达的影响.结果 常氧组细胞每高倍镜视野穿透数为(84±3)个,缺氧组为(121±5)个,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).Panc-1细胞在常氧、缺氧12 h、缺氧24 h、缺氧48 h条件下E-cadherin蛋白的相对值分别为(0.59±0.04、54.00±0.05、0.45±0.10、0.36±0.03);vimentin蛋白的相对值分别为:(0.36±0.05、0.41±0.04、0.48±0.06、0.58±0.05),缺氧同常氧组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).缺氧微环境下Panc-1细胞Snail mRNA的表达量升高,在缺氧第3天后差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05).Panc-1细胞转染HIF-1α前后,E-cadherin蛋白的相对值分别为0.63±0.05、0.47±0.07;Vvi-mentin蛋白的相对值分别为0.47±0.07、0.32±0.04,转染前后差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 缺氧微环境可能通过活化HIF-lα、Snail等转录因子,促进胰腺癌细胞发生上皮向间叶转化,产生侵袭性表型.     

常氧条件下调控表达缺氧诱导因子1α对肝癌细胞增殖和侵袭能力的影响

目的探讨在体外常氧条件下,诱导表达缺氧诱导因子1d（HIF-1α）对肝癌细胞（HepG2）增殖及侵袭能力的影响。方法利用Tet—on基因调控系统构建能诱导表达HIF-1α的HepG2^Tet-on-HIF-1α“细胞系;常氧条件下,噻唑兰法检测HIF-1α对细胞增殖、黏附能力的影响,Transwell法检测其对HepG2细胞侵袭能力的影响。结果常氧条件下,强力霉素（1μg／m1）可诱导HepG2^Tet-on-HIF-1α“细胞HIF-1αmRNA和蛋白表达增加;增殖实验中,Dox（＋）组与Dox（一）组各时段吸光度A490nm值无差异（P〉0．05）;黏附实验中,Dox（＋）组的A490nm值明显高于Dox（-）组（P=0．008）;Dox（＋）组侵袭细胞数[（37．6114-8．424）个]明显高于Dox（-）组[（25．3334-8．117）个]（P〈0．01）。结论Tet—on基因调控系统可上调HIF-1α mRNA的转录并增加其蛋白的表达;常氧条件下,HIF-1α不影响HepG2细胞的增殖,但明显增加其黏附和侵袭能力。     

瘢痕中缺氧诱导因子-1α的表达及其与凋亡的关系

目的 探讨瘢痕内缺氧环境减轻的机制。方法 采用免疫组化法检测烧伤后肉芽、不同时期瘢痕和正常皮肤中缺氧诱导因子-1α（hypoxia-inducible factor 1α，HIF-1α）、p53的表达，采用权重方法分别对各组瘢痕的HIF-1α、p53表达结果进行量化，分析各自规律及相互间关系。结果 随着瘢痕的成熟，HIF-1α表达强度逐渐减弱，p53表达强度在1年内逐渐增强，相互间具有负相关性（P〈0．01）。结论 p53在瘢痕成熟过程中起重要作用，HIF-1α可能通过协同p53诱导细胞凋亡，减少耗氧来减轻缺氧环境。     

Effect of aprotinin on in vitro cerebral endothelial ICAM-1 expression induced by astrocyte-conditioned medium

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Aprotinin administration may decrease the incidence of stroke associated with coronary artery bypass surgery by an unknown mechanism. Astrocytes exposed to hypoxia produce proinflammatory cytokines and upregulate intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 on cerebral endothelium. This study investigated the effects of aprotinin on cerebral endothelial activation by hypoxic astrocytes in vitro. METHODS: Mouse astrocytes were exposed to hypoxia in an anaerobic chamber for 4 h followed by reoxygenation for 24 h. Astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM) collected from mouse astrocytes subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR) or normoxia were applied to mouse cerebral endothelial cell (MCEC) cultures for 4 and 24 h in normoxia. Endothelial cells were preincubated for 1 h with aprotinin (1600 KIU mL(-1)) prior to exposure to ACM. Flow cytometry was used to estimate endothelial ICAM-1 expression. Interleukin (IL)-1beta space concentrations in ACM were estimated with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Repeated comparisons were made using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc Tukey test as appropriate. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Data is presented as mean (standard deviation, SD). RESULTS: MCEC ICAM-1 expression was greater after 24 h exposure to HR-ACM compared to normoxic-ACM (mean channel flouresence (MCF) 107.5 (4.5) vs. 74.3 (4.5), respectively, P < 0.001). ICAM-1 expression was decreased by aprotinin preincubation compared to control (MCF 91.0 (1.1) vs. 107.5 (2.1), P = 0.006). Supernatant IL-1beta concentrations in astrocytes exposed to HR were greater than those exposed to normoxia (7.1 (0.2) vs. 4.1 (0.2), P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This may be a neuroprotective mechanism associated with aprotinin administration.