Overexpression of the receptor tyrosine kinase Tie-1 intracellular domain in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology domains (Tie-1) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that regulates angiogenesis and antiapoptotic survival signaling. Tie-1 expression is generally associated with endothelial cells and neovascularization. We previously identified Tie-1 in human breast tumor samples using a PCR-based screen for protein kinases expressed in breast tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine the cell types expressing Tie-1, whether Tie-1 is expressed in tumor cells, and to examine the regulation of Tie-1 in breast cancer. METHODS: Tie-1 expression was analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry using an antibody to the carboxy terminus of Tie-1. Tie-1 expression was determined in a variety of cancer cell lines, clinical breast and colon tumor samples, and in corresponding benign tissue from the same patient. Tie-1 expression and distribution in breast tumors was scored by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Tie-1 was overexpressed in 14/23 breast tumors compared with 0/9 corresponding normal tissues from the same patients. Immunohistochemistry revealed that Tie-1 was overexpressed in epithelial breast cancer cells and ductal carcinoma in situ. In all breast tumor samples, Tie-1 was expressed as a truncated 40- to 43-kD doublet consisting of the intracellular portion of the protein, which contains the tyrosine kinase catalytic domain. The 40- to 43-kD Tie-1 doublet was expressed in a broad variety of cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that breast cancer cells overexpress a cleaved form of the Tie-1 protein. Our results implicate the intracellular domain of Tie-1, which includes the catalytic kinase domain, in breast cancer progression.     

Proteoglycans on bone marrow endothelial cells bind and present SDF-1 towards hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Recognition events between hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) and bone marrow endothelial cells (BMEC) initiate homing of HPC to the bone marrow. The chemokine SDF-1 is present on BMEC and plays a crucial role in bone marrow engraftment. We studied the role of proteoglycans (PGs) on BMEC in binding and presentation of SDF-1. SDF-1 mRNA was present in three human BMEC cell lines. Competition experiments showed that 125I-SDF-1 alpha binding to the BMEC cell line 4LHBMEC was inhibited by heparins, heparan sulfate (HS) intestinal mucosa, chondroitin and dermatan sulfate (CS/DS), but not by HS bovine kidney. Pretreatment of 4LHBMEC with glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-degrading enzymes or sodium chlorate demonstrated that SDF-1 bound to both HSPGs and CS/DSPGs in a sulfation-dependent manner, as determined with an SDF-1 antibody recognizing the CXCR4-binding site. 4LHBMEC bound four-fold more SDF-1 than HUVEC. Isolated endothelial PGs did not bind SDF-1 in a filter or microplate-binding assay, suggesting the necessity of membrane association. In flow adhesion experiments, endothelial arrest of CXCR4+ KG-1 and not of CXCR4- KG-1a cells increased significantly when SDF-1 was presented on 4LHBMEC. In conclusion, SDF-1 is produced by BMEC and binds to the BMEC cell surface via HS and CS/DS-GAGs, thereby presenting its CXCR4 binding site to HPC contributing to their arrest.     

Associations of substance use, abuse, and dependence with subsequent suicidal behavior

General population survey data are used to disaggregate the associations of substance use disorders with suicide attempts in order to evaluate a number of hypotheses about the processes leading to these associations. Data are from the US National Comorbidity Survey (1990-1992). Discrete-time survival analysis is used to study the effects of retrospectively reported temporally prior substance use, abuse, and dependence in predicting first onset of suicidal behavior. Alcohol and drug use predict subsequent suicide attempts after controlling for sociodemographics and comorbid mental disorders. Previous use is not a significant predictor among current nonusers. Abuse and dependence are significant predictors among users for three of the 10 substances considered (alcohol, inhalants, and heroin). The number of substances used is more important than the types of substances used in predicting suicidal behavior. Disaggregation shows that the effects of use are largely on suicidal ideation and nonplanned attempts among ideators. In comparison, the effects of use on suicide plans and planned attempts among ideators are not significant. Clinicians need to be aware that current substance use, even in the absence of abuse or dependence, is a significant risk factor for unplanned suicide attempts among ideators.     

Who will need long-term care? Creation and validation of an instrument that identifies older people at risk.

The aim of this study was to create and measure the predictive validity of a screening instrument that identifies older people who are at risk for developing a need for long-term care within a year. This was an observational study, with participants allocated to either a derivation cohort or a validation cohort, in the United States. A nationally representative sample of older community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (n = 6,538) participated in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Questions addressed sociodemographic, functional, health-related, and utilization characteristics in 1991 and 1992, linked to records of Medicare payments for health services during 1991-1992. In the derivation cohort, 14 self-reported characteristics were significant predictors of developing a need for long-term care within 1 year. In the validation cohort, these 14 characteristics identified a high-risk subgroup (18%) that, during the following year, developed a need for long-term care at six times the rate of the low-risk majority. This brief survey instrument identifies a high-risk minority of older people that will, during the following year, develop a need for long-term care at six times the rate of the low-risk majority. This instrument may be useful for targeting at-risk subgroups of older populations to receive interventions designed to preserve functional independence and avert the need for long-term care.     

An investigation of human and rat liver microsomal mycophenolic acid glucuronidation: evidence for a principal role of UGT1A enzymes and species differences in UGT1A specificity.

Mycophenolic acid (MPA; 1,3-dihydro-4-hydroxy-6-methoxy-7-methyl-3-oxo-5-isobenzylfuranyl)-4-methyl-4-hexenoate), the active metabolite of the immunosuppressant prodrug, mycophenolate mofetil, undergoes glucuronidation to its 7-O-glucuronide as a primary route of metabolism. Because differences in glucuronidation may influence the efficacy and/or toxicity of MPA, we investigated the MPA UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) activities of human liver microsomes (HLMs) and rat liver microsomes with the goal of identifying UGTs responsible for MPA catalysis. HLMs (n = 23) exhibited higher average MPA glucuronidation rates (14.7 versus 6.0 nmol/mg/min, respectively, p < 0.001) and higher apparent affinity for MPA (K(m) = 0.082 mM versus 0.20 mM, p < 0.001) compared with rat liver microsomes. MPA UGT activities were reduced >80% in liver microsomes from Gunn rats. To identify the active enzymes, human and rat UGT1A enzymes were screened for MPA-glucuronidating activity. UGT1A9 was the only human liver-expressed UGT1A enzyme with significant activity and exhibited both high affinity (K(m) = 0.077 mM) and high activity (V(max) = 28 nmol x min(-1) x mg(-1)). Spearman correlation analyses revealed a stronger relationship between HLM MPA UGT activities and 1A9-like content (r(2) = 0.79) relative to 1A1 (r(2) = 0.20), 1A4-like (r(2) = 0.22), and 1A6 (r(2) = 0.41) protein. A different profile was observed for rat with three active liver-expressed UGT1A enzymes: 1A1 (medium affinity/capacity), 1A6 (low affinity/medium capacity), and 1A7 (high affinity/capacity). Our data suggest that UGT1A enzymes are the major contributors to hepatic MPA metabolism in both species, but 1A9 is dominant in human, whereas 1A1 and 1A7 are likely the principal mediators in control rat liver. This information should be useful for interpretation of MPA pharmacokinetic and toxicity data in clinical and animal studies.     

Occupancy of striatal and extrastriatal dopamine D2/D3 receptors by olanzapine and haloperidol.

There have been conflicting reports as to whether olanzapine produces lower occupancy of striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor than typical antipsychotic drugs and preferential occupancy of extrastriatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors. We performed [(18)F] fallypride PET studies in six schizophrenic subjects treated with olanzapine and six schizophrenic subjects treated with haloperidol to examine the occupancy of striatal and extrastriatal dopamine receptors by these antipsychotic drugs. [(18)F] setoperone PET studies were performed in seven olanzapine-treated subjects to determine 5-HT(2A) receptor occupancy. Occupancy of dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors by olanzapine was not significantly different from that seen with haloperidol in the putamen, ventral striatum, medial thalamus, amygdala, or temporal cortex, that is, 67.5-78.2% occupancy; olanzapine produced no preferential occupancy of dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors in the ventral striatum, medial thalamus, amygdala, or temporal cortex. There was, however, significantly lower occupancy of substantia nigra/VTA dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors in olanzapine-treated compared to haloperidol-treated subjects, that is, 40.2 vs 59.3% (p=0.0014, corrected for multiple comparisons); in olanzapine-treated subjects, the substantia nigra/VTA was the only region with significantly lower dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor occupancy than the putamen, that is, 40.2 vs 69.2% (p<0.001, corrected for multiple comparison). Occupancy of 5-HT(2A) receptors was 85-93% in the olanzapine- treated subjects. The results of this study demonstrated that olanzapine does not produce preferential occupancy of extrastriatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors but does spare substantia nigra/VTA receptors. Sparing of substantia nigra/VTA dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor occupancy may contribute to the low incidence of extrapyramidal side effects in olanzapine-treated patients.     

Propylene oxide in blood and soluble nonprotein thiols in nasal mucosa and other tissues of male Fischer 344/N rats exposed to propylene oxide vapors--relevance of glutathione depletion for propylene oxide-induced rat nasal tumors.

High concentrations of propylene oxide (PO) induced inflammation in the respiratory nasal mucosa (RNM) of rodents. Concentrations > or =300 ppm caused nasal tumors. In order to investigate if glutathione depletion could be relevant for these effects, we determined in PO exposed male Fischer 344/N rats PO in blood and soluble nonprotein SH-groups (NPSH) in RNM and other tissues. Rats were exposed once (6 h) to PO concentrations between 0 and 750 ppm, and repeatedly for up to 20 days (6 h, 5 days/week) to concentrations between 0 and 500 ppm. At the end of the exposures, PO in blood and NPSH in tissues were determined. PO in blood was dependent on concentration and duration of exposure. After the 1-day exposures, NPSH depletion was most distinctive (RNM > liver > lung). Compared to controls, NPSH levels were 43% at 50 ppm PO in RNM and 16% at > or =300 ppm in both RNM and liver. Lung NPSH fell linearly to 20% at 750 ppm. After repeated exposures over 3 and 20 days to 5, 25, 50, 300, and 500 ppm, NPSH losses were less pronounced. At both time points, NPSH were 90%, 70%, 50%, 30%, and 30% of the control values in RNM. Liver NPSH decreased to 80% and 50% at 300 and 500 ppm, respectively. After 20 days, lung NPSH declined to 70% (300 ppm) and 50% (500 ppm). We conclude that continuous, severe perturbation of GSH in RNM following repeated high PO exposures may lead to inflammatory lesions and cell proliferation, critical steps on the path towards tumorigenicity.     

Inhibition of glioblastoma angiogenesis and invasion by combined treatments directed against vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, epidermal growth factor receptor, and vascular endothelial-cadherin.

PURPOSE: Inhibition of angiogenesis can influence tumor cell invasion and metastasis. We previously showed that blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) with the monoclonal antibody DC101 inhibited intracerebral glioblastoma growth but caused increased tumor cell invasion along the preexistent vasculature. In the present study, we attempted to inhibit glioma cell invasion using a monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which in the context of human glioblastomas, has been implicated in tumor cell invasion. In addition, we analyzed whether blockade of vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin as a different antiangiogenic target could also inhibit glioblastoma angiogenesis and growth. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS: Nude mice who received intracerebral glioblastoma xenografts were treated using monoclonal antibodies against VEGFR-2 (DC101), EGFR (C225), and VE-cadherin (E4G10) either alone or in different combinations. RESULTS: Increased tumor cell invasion provoked by DC101 monotherapy was inhibited by 50% to 66% by combined treatment with C225 and DC101. C225 inhibited glioblastoma cell migration in vitro, but had no effect on the volume of the main tumor mass or on tumor cell proliferation or apoptosis in vivo, either alone or in combination with DC101. The anti-VE-cadherin monoclonal antibody E4G10 was a weaker inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis and growth than DC101, and also caused a weaker increase in tumor cell invasion. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of angiogenesis achieved by blocking either VEGFR-2 or VE-cadherin can cause increased glioma cell invasion in an orthotopic model. Increased tumor cell invasion induced by potent inhibition of angiogenesis with DC101 could be inhibited by simultaneous blockade of EGFR.