GLI inhibitor GANT-61 diminishes embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma growth by inhibiting Shh/AKT-mTOR axis

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) typically arises from skeletal muscle. Currently, RMS in patients with recurrent and metastatic disease have no successful treatment. The molecular pathogenesis of RMS varies based on cancer sub-types. Some embryonal RMS but not other sub-types are driven by sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway. However, Shh pathway inhibitors particularly smoothened inhibitors are not highly effective in animals. Here, we show that Shh pathway effectors GLI1 and/or GLI2 are over-expressed in the majority of RMS cells and that GANT-61, a specific GLI1/2 inhibitor dampens the proliferation of both embryonal and alveolar RMS cells-derived xenograft tumors thereby blocking their growth. As compared to vehicle-treated control, about 50% tumor growth inhibition occurs in mice receiving GANT-61 treatment. The proliferation inhibition was associated with slowing of cell cycle progression which was mediated by the reduced expression of cyclins D1/2/3 & E and the concomitant induction of p21. GANT-61 not only reduced expression of GLI1/2 in these RMS but also significantly diminished AKT/mTOR signaling. The therapeutic action of GANT-61 was significantly augmented when combined with chemotherapeutic agents employed for RMS therapy such as temsirolimus or vincristine. Finally, reduced expression of proteins driving epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) characterized the residual tumors.     

Shh/Gli1信号参与小鼠脊髓损伤后血-脊髓屏障渗透性改变及运动功能恢复

目的:探讨sonic hedgehog/Gli1(Shh/Gli1)信号在小鼠脊髓损伤后病理变化及运动功能恢复中的作用。方法:成年雄性C57野生型、Gli1lz和Gli1lz/lz小鼠行T8节段脊髓夹伤及假手术。Gli1lz小鼠脊髓损伤及假手术后3 d行X-gal染色;7 d行Shh/PDGFr-α、Shh/GFAP、LacZ/GFAP染色,观察Shh/Gli1信号在小鼠脊髓损伤后的激活。C57野生型和Gli1lz/lz小鼠脊髓夹伤后7 d行GFAP染色和实时定量RT-PCR,观察星形胶质细胞反应;术后14 d尾静脉注射伊文氏兰观察血-脊髓屏障改变;术后1、3、5 d和7 d行BMS评分评价小鼠后肢运动功能。结果:脊髓损伤7 d后,损伤区Shh表达升高;Shh/Gli1信号报告基因LacZ表达升高,主要表达于反应性星形胶质细胞;免疫组织化学及实时定量RT-PCR结果显示Gli1基因敲除不影响脊髓损伤后GFAP表达;伊文氏兰染色及其定量分析显示Gli1lz/lz小鼠脊髓损伤后脊髓组织伊文氏兰外渗增加。BMS评分显示Gli1lz/lz小鼠运动功能恢复显著差于野生型小鼠。结论:Shh/Gli1信号在小鼠脊髓损伤后激活,可能参与脊髓损伤后血-脊髓屏障渗透性的改变,并影响脊髓损伤后的运动功能恢复。     

Shh在雷奈酸锶促进骨髓间充质干细胞成骨分化过程中的作用

 目的：研究Sonic Hedgehog（Shh）在雷奈酸锶（strontium ranelate,Sr）促进大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞（BMSCs）向成骨细胞分化中的作用。方法：采用全骨髓贴壁培养法分离、纯化、培养大鼠BMSCs,取第3~5代BMSCs加入成骨诱导液诱导成骨分化,再加入不同浓度Sr及Shh拮抗剂cyclopamine（Cy）,分别观察它们对BMSCs向成骨细胞分化的影响。酶标法检测成骨细胞分化早期标志物碱性磷酸酶(alkaline phosphatase,ALP)的活性;茜素红染色检测细胞钙化水平;Western blotting法检测Shh和Runx2蛋白的表达情况。结果：Sr（3 mmol/L）可以使细胞ALP活性增高,钙结节形成增加。Sr（0.1～5 mmol/L）作用BMSCs 7 d,可明显促进Shh和Runx2蛋白的表达,且Shh蛋白在1 mmol/L Sr作用时表达最多,而Runx2在3 mmol/L Sr作用时表达最多。1 mmol/L Sr作用BMSCs不同时间（1、3、5、7 d）,呈时间依赖性地上调Shh和Runx2蛋白的表达。Cy（10 μmol/L）不仅拮抗Sr对Shh和Runx2表达的上调作用,还抑制Sr对ALP和钙结节形成的促进作用。结论：Sr可通过上调Shh蛋白及成骨特异性转录因子Runx2的表达促进BMSCs向成骨细胞分化。     

蝎毒多肽干预K562/BALB/c-nu小鼠Hedgehog通路传导的机制研究

目的探究蝎毒多肽干预K562/BALB/c-nu白血病荷瘤小鼠Hedgehog通路信号传导的机制,从基因、蛋白水平解析蝎毒多肽抑制慢性粒细胞白血病发展的分子机制和作用靶点。方法将K562/BALB/c-nu白血病荷瘤小鼠分为对照组、模型组、伊马替尼(50 mg/kg)组和蝎毒多肽高、中、低剂量(0.3、0.6、1.2 mg/kg)组,药物干预14 d后,实时荧光定量PCR(q RT-PCR)法检测小鼠瘤组织Hedgehog信号通路上游因子Shh、Ptch、Smo m RNA表达水平,Western blotting法检测Shh、Ptch、Smo蛋白表达水平,ELISA法检测小鼠瘤组织Hedgehog信号通路下游因子Gli1蛋白表达水平。结果与模型组比较,蝎毒多肽干预组小鼠瘤组织Shh m RNA和蛋白表达水平均升高;蝎毒多肽低、中剂量组小鼠瘤组织Ptch、Smo m RNA及蛋白表达水平均降低;伊马替尼组各上游因子与模型组比较差异不显著;蝎毒多肽低、中剂量组小鼠瘤组织Gli1蛋白表达水平降低,蝎毒多肽高剂量组、伊马替尼组Gli1蛋白表达水平无显著差异。结论蝎毒多肽能够抑制Hedgehog信号通路上游因子Ptch、Smo以及下游因子Gli1的表达,而伊马替尼对Hedgehog信号通路无明显抑制作用。     

Shh/Gli1信号通路在异氟醚后处理减轻大鼠脑缺血-再灌注损伤中的作用

目的评价Shh/Gli1信号通路在异氟醚后处理减轻大鼠脑缺血-再灌注损伤中的作用。方法清洁级健康雄性SD大鼠44只,6~8周龄,体重220~280 g,采用随机数字表法将其分为四组:假手术组(S组)、缺血-再灌注组(IR组)、缺血-再灌注+异氟醚后处理组(ISO组)和环巴胺+缺血-再灌注+异氟醚后处理组(CYC组),每组11只。采用线栓法栓塞大脑中动脉90 min、再灌注24 h制备脑缺血-再灌注损伤模型。ISO组大鼠在再灌注即刻吸入1.5%异氟醚。CYC组大鼠在缺血前30 min腹腔注射Shh/Gli1信号通路特异性抑制剂环巴胺10 mg/kg。再灌注24 h后,所有大鼠进行神经行为学评分,采用TTC法测定脑梗死体积,HE染色和尼氏染色观察病理学改变,TUNEL染色观察海马CA1区细胞凋亡,免疫荧光和Western blot法测定Shh和Gli1蛋白含量。结果与S组比较,IR组、ISO组和CYC组大鼠神经行为学评分明显升高,脑梗死体积明显增大,坏死和凋亡细胞明显增多,组织病理学损伤严重,Shh和Gli1蛋白含量明显增加(P<0.05)。与IR组比较,ISO组神经行为学评分和脑梗死体积明显降低,坏死和凋亡明显减少,组织病理学损伤明显减轻,Shh和Gli1蛋白含量明显增加(P<0.05)。与ISO组比较,CYC组神经行为学评分明显升高,脑梗死体积明显增大,坏死和凋亡细胞明显增多,组织病理学损伤明显加重,Shh和Gli1蛋白含量明显减少(P<0.05)。结论 Shh/Gli1信号通路激活参与了异氟醚后处理减轻大鼠脑缺血-再灌注损伤的过程。     

Primary cilia mediate sonic hedgehog signaling to regulate neuronal‐like differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells for resveratrol induction in vitro

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into neuronal‐like cell types under specific conditions. The classical antioxidant inducers such as β‐mercaptoethanol (BME), butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA), and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) are limited in clinical because of toxicity. Resveratrol, a safer, natural antioxidant, can stimulate osteoblastic differentiation of MSCs. However, its effect of inducing MSCs to differentiate into neuronal‐like cells is less well studied, and its differentiated mechanisms are not well understood. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, mediated by the primary cilia, is crucial for embryonic development and tissue differentiation, but relatively little is known about the role of Shh signaling and primary cilia in neuronal‐like differentiation of MSCs. Here we show that primary cilia, harboring patched 1 (Ptc1), are present in growth‐arrested MSCs and that smoothened (Smo) and Gli1 are present in cytoplasm of MSCs, which are important components of the Shh signaling pathway. After resveratrol induction, MSCs acquire neuronal‐like cell morphologies and phenotypes, Smo translocates to the primary cilia, Gli1 enters the nucleus, and expressions of Smo and Gli1 proteins increase, which can be inhibited by cyclopamine, a Smo antagonist. Meanwhile, Smo agonist (SAG) attains similar effects compared with the resveratrol group. These data indicate that resveratrol can induce MSCs to differentiate into neuronal‐like cells and activate Shh signaling pathway in the primary cilia. Moreover, the primary cilia and Shh signaling are essential for resveratrol inducing neuronal‐like differentiation of MSCs. Our finding is important for understanding the neuronal‐like differentiation mechanism of MSCs for resveratrol and promoting its clinical therapeutic utility. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.