Extracellular vesicle-associated tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptors ROR1 and ROR2 promote breast cancer progression

BACKGROUND

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) harbor a plethora of different biomolecules, which they can transport across cells. In cancer, tumor-derived EVs thereby support the creation of a favorable tumor microenvironment. So far, EV uptake and cargo delivery into target cells have been regarded as the main mechanisms for the pro-tumoral function of EVs. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the fate of the oncogenic transmembrane Wnt tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 and 2 (ROR1, ROR2) delivered via distinct EV subpopulations to breast cancer cells and aimed to unravel their impact on tumor progression.

METHODS

EVs were isolated by differential ultracentrifugation from cell culture supernatant as well as plasma samples from healthy individuals (n = 27) and breast cancer patients (n = 41). EVs were thoroughly characterized by electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, immunoblot, and flow cytometry. ROR transfer to target cells was observed using microscopy-based assays and biodistribution experiments were conducted in syngeneic mice. EV impact on cancer cell migration and invasion was tested in functional assays.

RESULTS

We observed that the supernatant of ROR-overexpressing cells was sufficient for transferring the receptors to ROR-negative cells. Analyzing the secretome of the ROR-overexpressing cells, we detected a high enrichment of ROR1/2 on large and small EVs, but not on large oncosomes. Interestingly, the majority of ROR-positive EVs remained attached to the target cell surface after 24 h of stimulation and was quickly removed by treatment with trypsin. Nonetheless, ROR-positive EVs increased migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, even after chemically inhibiting EV uptake, in dependence of RhoA downstream signaling. In vivo, ROR-depleted EVs tended to distribute less into organs prone for the formation of breast cancer metastases. ROR-positive EVs were also significantly elevated in the plasma of breast cancer patients and allowed to separate them from healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The oncogenic Wnt receptors ROR1/2 are transferred via EVs to the surface of ROR-negative cancer cells, in which they induce an aggressive phenotype supporting tumor progression. Video Abstract.

WNT11/ROR2 signaling is associated with tumor invasion and poor survival in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer has been associated with activation of the WNT signaling pathway, although no driver mutations in WNT genes have been found yet. Instead, a high expression of the alternative WNT receptor ROR2 was observed, in particular in breast cancer brain metastases. However, its respective ligand and downstream signaling in this context remained unknown.

METHODS

We modulated the expression of ROR2 in human breast cancer cells and characterized their gene and protein expression by RNA-Seq, qRT-PCR, immunoblots and reverse phase protein array (RPPA) combined with network analyses to understand the molecular basis of ROR2 signaling in breast cancer. Using co-immunoprecipitations, we verified the interaction of ROR2 with the identified ligand, WNT11. The functional consequences of WNT11/ROR2 signaling for tumor cell aggressiveness were assessed by microscopy, impedance sensing as well as viability and invasion assays. To evaluate the translational significance of our findings, we performed gene set enrichment, expression and survival analyses on human breast cancer brain metastases.

RESULTS

We found ROR2 to be highly expressed in aggressive breast tumors and associated with worse metastasis-free survival. ROR2 overexpression induced a BRCAness-like phenotype in a cell-context specific manner and rendered cells resistant to PARP inhibition. High levels of ROR2 were furthermore associated with defects in cell morphology and cell-cell-contacts leading to increased tumor invasiveness. On a molecular level, ROR2 overexpression upregulated several non-canonical WNT ligands, in particular WNT11. Co-immunoprecipitation confirmed that WNT11 indeed interacts with the cysteine-rich domain of ROR2 and triggers its invasion-promoting signaling via RHO/ROCK. Knockdown of WNT11 reversed the pro-invasive phenotype and the cellular changes in ROR2-overexpressing cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our study revealed a novel auto-stimulatory loop in which ROR2 triggers the expression of its own ligand, WNT11, resulting in enhanced tumor invasion associated with breast cancer metastasis.

The WNT/ROR Pathway in Cancer: From Signaling to Therapeutic Intervention

The WNT pathway is one of the major signaling cascades frequently deregulated in human cancer. While research had initially focused on signal transduction centered on β-catenin as a key effector activating a pro-tumorigenic transcriptional response, nowadays it is known that WNT ligands can also induce a multitude of β-catenin-independent cellular pathways. Traditionally, these comprise WNT/planar cell polarity (PCP) and WNT/Ca²⁺ signaling. In addition, signaling via the receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptors (RORs) has gained increasing attention in cancer research due to their overexpression in a multitude of tumor entities. Active WNT/ROR signaling has been linked to processes driving tumor development and progression, such as cell proliferation, survival, invasion, or therapy resistance. In adult tissue, the RORs are largely absent, which has spiked the interest in them for targeted cancer therapy. Promising results in preclinical and initial clinical studies are beginning to unravel the great potential of such treatment approaches. In this review, we summarize seminal findings on the structure and expression of the RORs in cancer, their downstream signaling, and its output in regard to tumor cell function. Furthermore, we present the current clinical anti-ROR treatment strategies and discuss the state-of-the-art, as well as the challenges of the different approaches.

Plant functional trait response to environmental drivers across European temperate forest understorey communities

Functional traits respond to environmental drivers, hence evaluating trait-environment relationships across spatial environmental gradients can help to understand how multiple drivers influence plant communities. Global-change drivers such as changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition occur worldwide, but affect community trait distributions at the local scale, where resources (e.g. light availability) and conditions (e.g. soil pH) also influence plant communities. We investigate how multiple environmental drivers affect community trait responses related to resource acquisition (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), woodiness, and mycorrhizal status) and regeneration (seed mass, lateral spread) of European temperate deciduous forest understoreys. We sampled understorey communities and derived trait responses across spatial gradients of global-change drivers (temperature, precipitation, nitrogen deposition, and past land use), while integrating in-situ plot measurements on resources and conditions (soil type, Olsen phosphorus (P), Ellenberg soil moisture, light, litter mass, and litter quality). Among the global-change drivers, mean annual temperature strongly influenced traits related to resource acquisition. Higher temperatures were associated with taller understoreys producing leaves with lower SLA, and a higher proportional cover of woody and obligate mycorrhizal (OM) species. Communities in plots with higher Ellenberg soil moisture content had smaller seeds and lower proportional cover of woody and OM species. Finally, plots with thicker litter layers hosted taller understoreys with larger seeds and a higher proportional cover of OM species. Our findings suggest potential community shifts in temperate forest understoreys with global warming, and highlight the importance of local resources and conditions as well as global-change drivers for community trait variation.

[Botulinum Toxin in Functional Hypersalivation--All about Dosage?]

BACKGROUND

The use of botulinum toxin injection in the salivary gland, is taking an increasing significance in the treatment of functional hypersalivation today. With due regard to the off -label use and the prospect of success, dosage levels are not yet standardized.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In a retrospective study, 54 patients resp. 117 treatments were analysed over a period of 5 years according to their dosage levels of botulinum toxin, outcome and side effects.

RESULTS

In 90% of the cases, a reduction of saliva after botulinum toxin injections was reported, although a significant number of patients wished for an even greater effect. Compared to the first botulinum toxin injection, we therefore used a higher dosage plan in the following treatment in order to achieve better clinical results. Besides not enough saliva reduction, the main side effects were swallowing problems and thick or sticky saliva in patients with a tracheal cannula. With the exception of insufficient saliva reduction, the other described side effects were irrespective to the dosage level.

CONCLUSIONS

Botulinum toxin injection as a treatment of hypersalivation is an effective method with only minor side effects, even in increased dosage levels. Nevertheless, certain modifications according to each individual treatment are required. Possible side effects such as swallowing problems or non-responding situations should always be part of informed consent, especially as the latter is even possible for higher dosage levels.

Accurate detection of uniparental disomy and microdeletions by SNP array analysis in myelodysplastic syndromes with normal cytogenetics

Progress in the management of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has been hampered by the inability to detect cytogenetic abnormalities in 40-60% of cases. We prospectively analyzed matched pairs of bone marrow and buccal cell (normal) DNA samples from 51 MDS patients by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, and identified somatically acquired clonal genomic abnormalities in 21 patients (41%). Among the 33 patients with normal bone marrow cell karyotypes, five (15%) had clonal, somatically acquired aberrations by SNP array analysis, including four with segmental uniparental disomies (UPD) and one with three separate microdeletions. Each abnormality was detected more readily in CD34+ cells then in unselected bone marrow cells. Paired analysis of bone marrow and buccal cell DNA from each patient was necessary to distinguish true clonal genomic abnormalities from inherited copy number variations and regions with apparent LOH. UPDs affecting chromosome 7q were identified in two patients who had a rapidly deteriorating clinical course despite a low-risk International Prognostic Scoring System score (IPSS). Further studies of larger numbers of patients will be needed to determine whether 7q UPD detected by SNP array analysis will identify higher-risk MDS patients at diagnosis, analogous to those with 7q cytogenetic abnormalities.

Inhibition of anti-IgM-induced translocation of protein kinase C beta I inhibits ERK2 activation and increases apoptosis

Expression of the COOH-terminal residues 179-330 of the LSP1 protein in the LSP1(+) B-cell line W10 increases anti-IgM- or ionomycin-induced apoptosis, suggesting that expression of this LSP1 truncate (B-LSP1) interferes with a Ca(2+)-dependent step in anti-IgM signaling. Here we show that inhibition of Ca(2+)-dependent conventional protein kinase C (cPKC) isoforms with Gö6976 increases anti-IgM-induced apoptosis of W10 cells and that expression of B-LSP1 inhibits translocation of PKCbetaI but not of PKCbetaII or PKCalpha to the plasma membrane. The increased anti-IgM-induced apoptosis is partially reversed by overexpression of PKCbetaI. This shows that the B-LSP1-mediated inhibition of PKCbetaI leads to increased anti-IgM-induced apoptosis. Expression of constitutively active PKCbetaI protein in W10 cells activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK2, whereas expression of B-LSP1 inhibits anti-IgM-induced activation of ERK2, suggesting that anti-IgM-activated PKCbetaI is involved in the activation of ERK2 and that inhibition of ERK2 activation contributes to the increased anti-IgM-induced apoptosis. Pull-down assays show that LSP1 interacts with PKCbetaI but not with PKCbetaII or PKCalpha in W10 cell lysates, while in vitro LSP1 and B-LSP1 bind directly to PKCbetaI. Thus, B-LSP1 is a unique reagent that binds PKCbetaI and inhibits anti-IgM-induced PKCbetaI translocation, leading to inhibition of ERK2 activation and increased apoptosis.

Influence of promoter DNA topology on sequence-specific DNA binding and transactivation by tumor suppressor p53

Transcriptional activation by the tumor suppressor p53 is regulated at multiple levels, including posttranslational modifications of the p53 protein, interaction of p53 with various regulatory proteins, or at the level of sequence-specific DNA binding to the response elements in p53's target genes. We here propose as an additional regulatory mechanism that the DNA topology of p53-responsive promoters may determine the interaction of p53 with its target genes. We demonstrate that sequence-specific DNA binding (SSDB) and transcriptional activation by p53 of the mdm2 promoter is inhibited when this promoter is present in supercoiled DNA, where it forms a non-B-DNA structure which spans the p53-responsive elements. Relaxation of the supercoiled DNA in vitro resulted in conversion of the non-B-DNA to a B-DNA conformation within the mdm2 promoter, and correlated with an enhanced SSDB of p53 and an elevated expression of a reporter gene. In contrast, sequence specific DNA binding and transcriptional activation of the p21 promoter were not inhibited by DNA supercoiling. We propose that conformational alterations within p53-responsive sites, which either promote or prohibit sequence specific DNA binding of p53, are an important feature in orchestrating the activation of different p53 responsive promoters.

Variability of the metabolic effect of soluble insulin and the rapid-acting insulin analog insulin aspart

OBJECTIVE

To study the intra- and interindividual variability of the metabolic activity of soluble insulin and of the rapid-acting insulin analog insulin aspart after subcutaneous injection.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of nine healthy male volunteers received subcutaneous injections of soluble insulin (0.2 U/kg) in the abdominal region on each of the four study days. Another 10 volunteers received an injection of insulin aspart four times. Glucose infusion rates necessary to neutralize the blood glucose-lowering effect of the administered insulin were registered during euglycemic glucose clamps (blood glucose 5.0 mmol/l; basal intravenous insulin infusion 0.15 mU x kg(-1) x min(-1) over the subsequent 600 min. We investigated the variation in metabolic activity by calculating coefficients of variation (CVs).

RESULTS

In comparison to soluble insulin, subcutaneous injections of insulin aspart led to a more rapid onset of action and a shorter duration of action. Subcutaneous injection of the insulin preparations resulted in intraindividual CVs of the summary measures between 10 and 30% (soluble insulin vs. insulin aspart: maximal metabolic activity 15+/-7 vs. 16+/-10%, time to maximal metabolic activity 14+/-10 vs. 11+/-6%; NS between the preparations [means +/- SD]). The decline to half-maximal activity after maximal activity showed a lower intraindividual CV with insulin aspart (19+/-9 vs. 11+/-5%; P = 0.018). The interindividual CVs were higher than the intraindividual CVs (26 vs. 28, 23 vs. 19, and 26 vs. 17%). Generally, the pharmacodynamic variability was higher than the pharmacokinetic variability. For the pharmacokinetic measures, the intra- and interindividual variability in t(max) was lower for insulin aspart than for soluble insulin.

CONCLUSIONS

The metabolic effect of soluble insulin shows an intraindividual variability of 10-20% in healthy volunteers, even under strictly controlled experimental conditions. The overall variability of action of insulin aspart was comparable to that of soluble insulin.

Time-action profiles of novel premixed preparations of insulin lispro and NPL insulin

OBJECTIVE

To study the pharmacodynamic properties of three premixed formulations of the rapid-acting insulin analog insulin lispro and its protamine-retarded preparation, neutral protamine lispro (NPL) insulin.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In this open, single-center, euglycemic glucose clamp study, 30 healthy volunteers (12 women, 18 men) aged 27 +/- 2 years (mean +/- SD), whose BMI was 23.0 +/- 2.3 kg/m2, received subcutaneous injections of 0.3 U/kg body wt of insulin mixture (high-mixture 75/25, mid-mixture 50/50, or low-mixture 25/75 insulin lispro/NPL insulin), insulin lispro, or NPL insulin on one of the five study days in randomized order. Glucose infusion rates were determined over a period of 24 h after administration.

RESULTS

Maximal metabolic activity decreased after subcutaneous injection of the mixtures with lower insulin lispro content; however, the time point of maximal and of early half-maximal metabolic activity was comparable among the three mixtures. Higher proportions of insulin lispro resulted in higher values for area under the curve within the first 360 min after injection and a more rapid decline to late half-maximal activity. Serum insulin concentrations showed a similar pattern.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of insulin lispro are preserved in stable mixtures with NPL insulin.

Neurobiology of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptors and CRF-binding protein: implications for the treatment of CNS disorders

The actions of CRF in the brain and in the periphery are mediated through multiple binding sites. There are three receptors, CRF1, CRF2 alpha and CRF2 beta, which encode 411, 415 and 431 amino acid proteins and transduce signals via the stimulation of intracellular cAMP production. The recent identification of high-affinity non-peptide CRF receptor antagonists should allow for rapid progress in drug development of CRF receptor antagonists. In addition to the receptors, the actions of CRF in brain and in the periphery can also be modulated by a binding protein of 322 amino acids. Ligands of CRF-BP, such as CRF (6-33) can elevate brain levels of 'free' CRF and improve learning and memory without stress-like side effects of CRF receptor agonists. Urocortin, a mammalian CRF-related peptide with close sequence homology to fish urotensin, interacts with CRF1, CRF2 receptors and with CRF-BP. These data indicate that CRF receptor antagonists may be useful for the treatment of the disease states where CRF is elevated such as anxiety and depression, anorexia nervosa and stroke and that ligand inhibitors of CRF-BP may be used to elevate brain levels of 'free' urocortin and other CRF-related peptides.

Demonstration of silver-stained nucleolar organizer region associated proteins (AgNORs) after wet autoclave pretreatment in breast carcinoma: correlation to tumor stage and long-term survival

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region associated proteins (AgNORs) are known to reflect cellular and nucleolar activity. Due to a novel staining procedure, which substantially improves visualisation of AgNORs on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded material, AgNORs can be reliably demonstrated as true substructures of the nucleoli. The aim of the present study was to apply a standardized morphometric AgNOR quantification on a large series of breast carcinomas with regard to its prognostic relevance. AgNOR quantity was evaluated on archival tumor tissues of 115 adenocarcinomas of the breast treated with the wet autoclave method prior to standardized silver-staining and morphometric analysis. AgNOR parameters were correlated to prognostic features (steroid hormonal receptor status, tumor type, tumor size, histological grading, pTNM, and UICC stage) carrying out both univariate and multivariate survival analyses. AgNOR number and area were proven to be statistically significantly related (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.67, Bonferroni adjusted P = 0.0001). Almost all AgNOR parameters, in particular CV (coefficient of variation) of corrected area (delta-area) and CV of number, were statistically significantly correlated to estrogen and progesterone receptor status as well as histological grading of tumors. Increased AgNOR parameters were statistically significantly associated with early tumor relapse and cancer related death. Univariate and multivariate analysis by means of Cox regression revealed independent prognostic significance for CV of delta-area and number of AgNORs. Various AgNOR parameters (CV of number, CV of delta-area, CV of area, mean delta-area, and mean area of AgNORs per nucleus) determined on wet autoclave pre-treated formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissues are statistically highly significantly associated with the prognostic outcome, independently predicting tumor-free and overall survival.

The role of corticotropin-releasing factor in the anxiogenic effects of ethanol withdrawal

In summary, endogenous CRF has been demonstrated to play an important role in the endocrine but also autonomic and behavioral responses to a stressor and to mediate some of the signs and symptoms observed in human affective and anxiety disorders. These findings led to the hypothesis that the anxiety that characterizes drug withdrawal, such as ethanol withdrawal in humans, may be related in part to the action of CRF-producing neurons in the CNS. Indeed, rats made dependent on an ethanol liquid diet showed significant signs of enhanced stress responsiveness that was blocked by intracerebral administration of a CRF antagonist. At this time little is known about the specific site of action for endogenous CRF. However, recent studies using local administration of CRF antagonist and in vivo CRF microdialysis suggest that the central nucleus of the amygdala may be an important site for the increases in CRF activity associated with the anxiogenic effects of ethanol withdrawal. Although preliminary, these results propound that ethanol dependence may involve a prolonged dysregulation of the CRF system in the basal forebrain that may contribute to the increased motivational effect of ethanol withdrawal.

Alcohol, the reward system and dependence

Evidence is presented to show that multiple neurotransmitter systems of the brain reward systems including GABA, glutamate, dopamine, serotonin and opioid peptides are involved in alcohol reinforcement. Dependence is associated with changes in many of these same systems, but also with changes in other neurotransmitters, such as brain corticotropin releasing factor. A midbrain forebrain circuitry that involves parts of the nucleus accumbens and amygdala is hypothesized to be the focus for the neuropharmacology of alcohol reinforcement.

Differential retrograde labelling with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and Lucifer yellow (LY) in an invertebrate nervous system--HRP fluorescence and LY preservation limit choice of fixative

The possible application of the combination of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and Lucifer Yellow CH (LY) for differential retrograde labelling of a relatively large invertebrate nervous system requiring the enzymatic marker to be processed after fixation and sectioning was evaluated. In control experiments an HRP fluorescence induced by glutaraldehyde (GA) fixation was detected and its spectral properties were investigated. This fluorescence, however, does not occur after previous treatment of the tissue with depolymerized paraformaldehyde (PFA) instead of GA. PFA as a fixing agent is also necessary to yield maximum preservation of LY labelling during subsequent HRP histochemistry. Both findings strongly recommend the use of PFA instead of GA as fixative for the combination of HRP and LY. It is shown that the HRP/LY differential labelling technique renders a valid method for the study of the structural interactions at the fibre level of identified neurones in a relatively large invertebrate nervous system, also after retrograde tracing.

Molecular cloning of a pea mRNA encoding an early light induced, nuclear coded chloroplast protein

cDNA clones were isolated for a chloroplast protein, the mRNA of which is induced to maximum levels within 2-4 h after onset of illumination in five day old, etiolated pea seedlings.The cDNA library was constructed from poly(A)(+)-mRNA which was isolated from 4 h illuminated seedlings. The extremely short induction period of the early light induced protein(ELIP)-mRNA established the basis of our screening procedure. Colony hybridization experiments were performed with(32)P-labelled cDNA probes, synthesized from RNA of seedlings which had been exposed to different programs of illumination. Plasmid DNAs were isolated from colonies showing strong hybridization signals exclusively with cDNA corresponding to the 4 h-mRNA. Hybrid released translation of preselected plasmids p 17/C2 and p17/C4 revealed a peptide of Mr 24 000. After posttranslational importin vitro, the processed product of Mr 17 000 appears in the chloroplast. Using these clones, the expression of the ELIP-mRNA was investigated by DOT-hybridization. The ELIP-mRNA reaches maximum levels within 2-4 hours after onset of illumination. Our results correspond precisely to thein vivo characteristics and indicate positive identification of the sought clones.

Neurosecretory cells in the circadian-clock system of the scorpion, Androctonus australis

The somata of the efferent neurosecretory fibers that control the circadian sensitivity rhythm in the median eyes of the scorpion, Androctonus australis, were detected in the brain by retrograde labeling with Lucifer Yellow CH. A total of 20-40 neurons are arranged in two groups displaying a bilaterally symmetrical, marginal position near the circumesophageal connectives. Half the cells in each group send fibers into the ipsilateral optic nerve; the fibers from the other half enter the contralateral optic nerve.