Spontaneous and pronase‐induced HER2 truncation increases the trastuzumab binding capacity of breast cancer tissues and cell lines

A subgroup of HER2‐overexpressing breast tumours co‐expresses p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ , a truncated HER2 receptor that retains a functional HER2 kinase domain but lacks the extracellular domain, thus impairing trastuzumab binding. We evaluated p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ expression in 99 frozen breast carcinoma samples by western blot analysis. The HER2‐positive cell line BT474 treated with pervanadate or pronase was used as a positive control for p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ expression. Immunohistochemistry was performed on parallel formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded sections of the same case series using antibodies directed against either the intra‐ or extra‐cellular binding domain of HER2. In particular, biotinylated trastuzumab (BiotHER) was used to evaluate the binding capacity of the humanized antibody. To avoid a subjective evaluation of the score values and the percentage of immunostained cells, the slides were scanned and automatically analysed. The number of cases with HER2 overexpression (score 3+) and HER2 gene amplification was higher in the p185 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ ‐positive/p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ ‐positive samples than in the p185 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ ‐positive/p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ ‐negative group. Automated analysis confirmed a significantly higher percentage of 3+ scored cells in p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ ‐positive cases. Conversely, the percentage of 2+ scored cells was higher in p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ ‐negative cases. The status of the HER2 extracellular domain was then studied using flow cytometry on BT474 cells after pronase enzymatic digestion using trastuzumab and pertuzumab, while the presence of HER2‐HER3 dimers was studied using a proximity‐ligation assay. In vitro experiments showed that short‐term pronase digestion of BT474 cells produced two HER2 fragments (of 95 and 150 kDa, detectable in tissue specimens as well), increased the binding affinity of trastuzumab, reduced the rate of HER2–HER3 dimers, and did not interfere with pertuzumab‐binding capacity. In conclusion, the presence of p95 $^{{\rm{HER2}}}$ as detected by western blot analysis does not compromise the immunohistochemical detection of HER2. Our data suggest that a reduction of the receptor steric hindrance as induced by enzymatic shedding may facilitate the binding capacity of trastuzumab. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cigarette smoke disrupts the integrity of airway adherens junctions through the aberrant interaction of p120‐catenin with the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1

Adherens junctions (AJs) containing epithelial cadherin (E‐cad) bound to p120‐catenin (p120ctn) and β‐catenin (β‐ctn) play a crucial role in regulating cell–cell adhesion. Cigarette smoke abrogates cell–cell adhesion between epithelial cells by disrupting E‐cad, a hallmark of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), yet the underlying mechanism remains unknown. We used an organotypic culture of primary human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells treated with smoke‐concentrated medium (Smk) to establish an essential role for the interaction between p120ctn and the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 (MUC1‐CT) in regulating E‐cad disruption. Within the first 4 h of smoke exposure, apical MUC1‐CT repositioned to the basolateral membrane of pseudo‐stratified HBE cells, where it interacted with p120ctn. A time‐dependent increase in MUC1‐CT/p120ctn complexes occurred in conjunction with a time‐dependent dissociation of p120ctn/E‐cad/β‐ctn complexes, as well as the coordinated degradation of p120ctn and E‐cad. Interestingly, Smk induced a similar interaction between MUC1‐CT and β‐ctn, but this occurred 44 h after MUC1‐CT's initial interaction with p120ctn, and well after the AJs were destroyed. Blocking MUC1‐CT's interaction with p120ctn using a MUC1‐CT dominant‐negative peptide, PMIP, successfully abolished Smk's disruptive effects on AJs and recovered apical‐basolateral polarity of HBE cells. The MUC1‐CT/p120ctn interaction was highly dependent on EGFR/Src/Jnk‐mediated tyrosine phosphorylation (TyrP) of MUC1‐CT. Accordingly, EGFR, Src or Jnk inhibitors (AG1478, PP2, SP600125, respectively) abrogated Smk‐induced MUC1‐CT‐TyrP, MUC1‐CT/p120ctn interaction, AJ disruption, and loss of cellular polarity. Our work identified MUC1‐CT and p120ctn as important regulators of epithelial polarity and cell‐cell adhesion during a smoke‐induced EMT‐like process. Novel therapeutics designed to inhibit MUC1‐CT/p120ctn complex formation may prevent EMT in the smoker's airway. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Substance P Activates p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase to Promote IL-6 Induction in Human Dental Pulp Fibroblasts

Substance P (SP) induces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, which are implicated in pulp inflammation. To determine the signal pathway of SP-induced IL-6, we examined the activities of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in human dental pulp cell (PF-10) cultures. SP induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK within 5 min; this activation persisted for up to 40 min and was independent of the activation of extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK-1 and ERK-2) that were induced after SP stimulation of PF-10 cells. As shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assay p38 MAPK was not involved in SP-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). However, p38 MAPK mediated SP-induced IL-6 production, as shown by the use of specific inhibitors of this kinase. Our results suggest that the activation of p38 MAPK is important for NF-κB-independent regulator of neurogenic inflammation in dental pulp tissues.     

SRC-3 coactivator regulates cell resistance to cytotoxic stress via TRAF4-mediated p53 destabilization

Steroid receptor coactivator 3 (SRC-3) is an oncogenic nuclear receptor coactivator that plays a significant role in drug resistance. Using a lentiviral cDNA library rescue screening approach, we identified a SRC-3 downstream gene—TRAF4 (tumor necrosis factor [TNF] receptor associated-factor 4)—that functions in cell resistance to cytotoxic stress. TRAF4 expression is positively correlated with SRC-3 expression in human breast cancers. Similar to that observed for SRC-3 overexpression, breast cancer cells overexpressing TRAF4 are more resistant to stress-induced death. Here, we further dissected the underlying molecular mechanism for SRC-3 and TRAF4-mediated resistance to cytotoxic agents. We observed that SRC-3 expression is inversely correlated with the expression of p53-regulated proapoptotic genes in breast cancers and further found that SRC-3 and TRAF4 overexpression diminished cytotoxic stress-induced up-regulation of the tumor suppressor p53 protein. To determine the mechanism, we showed that the TRAF domain of TRAF4 bound to the N-terminal TRAF-like region of the deubiquitinase HAUSP (herpesvirus-associated ubiquitin-specific protease; also named USP7) and blocked the access of p53 to the same region of HAUSP. This TRAF4-mediated inhibition of HAUSP then led to the loss of p53 deubiquitination and its stabilization in response to cellular stress. Consistent with this cellular function, we also found that TRAF4 overexpression in breast cancer patients was associated significantly with poor prognosis. Because of SRC-3''s ability to abrogate p53 function, our results suggest that SRC-3 overexpression may be especially important in tumors in which p53 is not mutated.     

Cisplatin causes cell death via TAB1 regulation of p53/MDM2/MDMX circuitry

The interdependence of p53 and MDM2 is critical for proper cell survival and cell death and, when altered, can lead to tumorigenesis. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways function in a wide variety of cellular processes, including cell growth, migration, differentiation, and death. Here we discovered that transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1)-binding protein 1 (TAB1), an activator of TAK1 and of p38α, associates with and inhibits the E3 ligase activity of MDM2 toward p53 and its homolog, MDMX. Depletion of TAB1 inhibits MDM2 siRNA-mediated p53 accumulation and p21 induction, partially rescuing cell cycle arrest induced by MDM2 ablation. Interestingly, of several agents commonly used as DNA-damaging therapeutics, only cell death caused by cisplatin is mitigated by knockdown of TAB1. Two mechanisms are required for TAB1 to regulate apoptosis in cisplatin-treated cells. First, p38α is activated by TAB1 to phosphorylate p53 N-terminal sites, leading to selective induction of p53 targets such as NOXA. Second, MDMX is stabilized in a TAB1-dependent manner and is required for cell death after cisplatin treatment. Interestingly TAB1 levels are relatively low in cisplatin-resistant clones of ovarian cells and in ovarian patient''s tumors compared with normal ovarian tissue. Together, our results indicate that TAB1 is a potential tumor suppressor that serves as a functional link between p53–MDM2 circuitry and a key MAPK signaling pathway.     

Rheumatoid arthritis and anti-thyroid antibodies

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of B cell responses in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and healthy individuals of different ages, vaccinated with the pandemic (p)2009 influenza vaccine. The in vivo response was measured by the hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay, which represents the most established correlate with vaccine protectiveness. The in vitro response was measured by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) in cultures of vaccine-stimulated PBMC. Both responses are somewhat impaired in IBD patients undergoing anti-TNF-α treatment but these are much more decreased in IBD patients undergoing treatment with anti-TNF-α and immunosuppressive (IS) drugs. These latter patients had in vivo and in vitro B cell responses similar to those of elderly individuals. Moreover, as we have previously demonstrated in healthy subjects, the in vitro response to the polyclonal stimulus CpG may be used as a biomarker for subsequent vaccine response and AID activation is correlated with the serum response in IBD patients, as it is in healthy individuals. These results altogether indicate that IBD patients on anti-TNF-α and IS have significantly impaired in vivo and in vitro B cell responses, as compared to those on monotherapy. This is the first report to demonstrate that B cell defects, as measured by the autonomous AID reporter, in IBD patients contribute to reduced humoral responses to the influenza vaccine, as we have previously shown for elderly individuals.     

水通道蛋白4对一氧化碳中毒后迟发性脑病大鼠神经损伤的影响

目的 探讨水通道蛋白4(Aquaporin 4,AQP4)对一氧化碳(Carbon monoxide,CO)中毒后迟发性脑病(Delayed encephalopathy,DEACMP)大鼠神经损伤的影响。方法 将210只雄性SD大鼠随机分为空白对照(Blank control,BC)组、CO中毒(CO)组、钠-钾-氯共转运体(Na⁺-K⁺-Cl^- cotransporter,NKCC)抑制剂处理(布美他尼)组、p38-丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(Mitogen activated protein kinase,MAPK)抑制剂处理(MAPK)组和AQP4特异性抑制剂处理(AQP4抑制剂)组,每组各42只; 根据造模后不同时间点将每组大鼠进一步分为染毒3、6、12、24、48、72 h和7 d后共7个亚组,每亚组各6只; 取大鼠脑前额叶皮质组织,计算脑皮质含水量,采用HE法观察脑皮质形态; 采用免疫组化链霉菌抗生物素蛋白-过氧化物酶(Streptavidin-perosidase,SP)染色法测定大鼠脑皮质AQP4,p38 MAPK,NKCC1、胶质纤维酸性蛋白(Glial fibrillary acidic protein,GFAP)和S100钙结合蛋白B(S100 calcium binding protein B,S100B)蛋白表达水平。结果 与BC组比较,CO组大鼠在染毒3、6、12、24、48、72 h后尾静脉COHB水平和脑皮质含水量显著升高,脑皮质AQP4,p38 MAPK,NKCC1,GFAP和S100B蛋白表达水平显著升高,染毒7 d后恢复正常(P<0.05); 与CO组比较,布美他尼组、MAPK组和AQP4抑制剂组大鼠脑皮质含水量显著降低,脑皮质AQP4,p38 MAPK,NKCC1,GFAP和S100B蛋白表达水平显著降低,且AQP4抑制剂组变化更明显(P<0.05)。结论 p38-MAPK/NKCC信号通路可能参与调控CO中毒DEACMP大鼠脑皮质AQP4表达,抑制AQP4表达可有效减轻大鼠脑水肿并改善预后,有望成为预防和治疗DEACMP的新靶点。