BackgroundCathelicidin (LL-37 in humans and mCRAMP in mice) represents a family of endogenous antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory peptides. Cancer-associated fibroblasts can promote the proliferation of colon cancer cells and growth of colon cancer tumors.MethodsWe examined the role of cathelicidin in the development of colon cancer, using subcutaneous human HT-29 colon-cancer-cell-derived tumor model in nude mice and azoxymethane- and dextran sulfate-mediated colon cancer model in C57BL/6 mice. We also determined the indirect antitumoral mechanism of cathelicidin via the inhibition of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of colon cancer cells and fibroblast-supported colon cancer cell proliferation.ResultsIntravenous administration of cathelicidin expressing adeno-associated virus significantly reduced the size of tumors, tumor-derived collagen expression, and tumor-derived fibroblast expression in HT-29-derived subcutaneous tumors in nude mice. Enema administration of the mouse cathelicidin peptide significantly reduced the size and number of colonic tumors in azoxymethane- and dextran sulfate-treated mice without inducing apoptosis in tumors and the adjacent normal colonic tissues. Cathelicidin inhibited the collagen expression and vimentin-positive fibroblast expression in colonic tumors. Cathelicidin did not directly affect HT-29 cell viability, but did significantly reduce tumor growth factor-β1-induced EMT of colon cancer cells. Media conditioned by the human colonic CCD-18Co fibroblasts promoted human colon cancer HT-29 cell proliferation. Cathelicidin pretreatment inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation mediated by media conditioned by human colonic CCD-18Co fibroblasts. Cathelicidin disrupted tubulin distribution in colonic fibroblasts. Disruption of tubulin in fibroblasts reduced fibroblast-supported colon cancer cell proliferation.ConclusionCathelicidin effectively inhibits colon cancer development by interfering with EMT and fibroblast-supported colon cancer cell proliferation.
Background and ObjectivesObesity is a global epidemic which increases the risk of the metabolic syndrome. Cathelicidin (LL-37 and mCRAMP) is an antimicrobial peptide with an unknown role in obesity. We hypothesize that cathelicidin expression correlates with obesity and modulates fat mass and hepatic steatosis.Materials and MethodsMale C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet. Streptozotocin was injected into mice to induce diabetes. Experimental groups were injected with cathelicidin and CD36 overexpressing lentiviruses. Human mesenteric fat adipocytes, mouse 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes, and human HepG2 hepatocytes were used in the in vitro experiments. Cathelicidin levels in non-diabetic, prediabetic, and Type II diabetic patients were measured by ELISA.ResultsLentiviral cathelicidin overexpression reduced hepatic steatosis and decreased the fat mass of high-fat diet-treated diabetic mice. Cathelicidin overexpression reduced mesenteric fat and hepatic fatty acid translocase (CD36) expression that was reversed by lentiviral CD36 overexpression. Exposure of adipocytes and hepatocytes to cathelicidin significantly inhibited CD36 expression and reduced lipid accumulation. Serum cathelicidin protein levels were significantly increased in non-diabetic and prediabetic patients with obesity, compared to non-diabetic patients with normal body mass index (BMI) values. Prediabetic patients had lower serum cathelicidin protein levels than non-diabetic subjects.ConclusionsCathelicidin inhibits the CD36 fat receptor and lipid accumulation in adipocytes and hepatocytes, leading to a reduction of fat mass and hepatic steatosis in vivo. Circulating cathelicidin levels are associated with increased BMI. Our results demonstrate that cathelicidin modulates the development of obesity.
Background & AimsCathelicidin (LL-37 in human and mCRAMP in mice) represents a family of endogenous antimicrobial peptides with anti-inflammatory effects. LL-37 also suppresses collagen synthesis, an important fibrotic response, in dermal fibroblasts. Here, we determined whether exogenous cathelicidin administration modulates intestinal fibrosis in two animal models of intestinal inflammation and in human colonic fibroblasts.MethodsC57BL/6J mice (n = 6 per group) were administered intracolonically with a trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) enema to induce chronic (6–7 weeks) colitis with fibrosis. We administered mCRAMP peptide (5 mg/kg every 3 day, week 5–7) or cathelicidin gene (Camp)-expressing lentivirus (107 infectious units week 4) intracolonically or intravenously, respectively. We then infected 129Sv/J mice with Salmonella typhimurium orally to induce cecal inflammation with fibrosis. Camp-expressing lentivirus (107 infectious units day 11) was administered intravenously.ResultsTNBS-induced chronic colitis was associated with increased colonic collagen (col1a2) mRNA expression. Intracolonic cathelicidin (mCRAMP peptide) administration or intravenous delivery of lentivirus-overexpressing cathelicidin gene significantly reduced colonic col1a2 mRNA expression in TNBS-exposed mice compared with vehicle administration. Salmonella infection also caused increased cecal inflammation associated with collagen (col1a2) mRNA expression that was prevented by intravenous delivery of Camp-expressing lentivirus. Exposure of human primary intestinal fibroblasts and human colonic CCD-18Co fibroblasts to transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and/or insulin-like growth factor 1 induced collagen protein and mRNA expression, which was reduced by LL-37 (3–5 μM) through a MAP kinase-dependent mechanism.ConclusionsCathelicidin can reverse intestinal fibrosis by directly inhibiting collagen synthesis in colonic fibroblasts.
. difficile infection (CDI) is a common debilitating nosocomial infection associated with high mortality. Several CDI outbreaks have been attributed to ribotypes 027, 017, and 078. Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that the nonpathogenic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 (S.b) is effective for the prevention of CDI. However, there is no current evidence suggesting this probiotic can protect from CDI caused by outbreak-associated strains. We used established hamster models infected with outbreak-associated C. difficile strains to determine whether oral administration of live or heat-inactivated S.b can prevent cecal tissue damage and inflammation. Hamsters infected with C. difficile strain VPI10463 (ribotype 087) and outbreakassociated strains ribotype 017, 027, and 078 developed severe cecal inflammation with mucosal damage, neutrophil infiltration, edema, increased NF-B phosphorylation, and increased proinflammatory cytokine TNF␣ protein expression. Oral gavage of live, but not heated, S.b starting 5 days before C. difficile infection significantly reduced cecal tissue damage, NF-B phosphorylation, and TNF␣ protein expression caused by infection with all strains. Moreover, S.b-conditioned medium reduced cell rounding caused by filtered supernatants from all C. difficile strains. S.b-conditioned medium also inhibited toxin A-and B-mediated actin cytoskeleton disruption. S.b is effective in preventing C. difficile infection by outbreak-associated via inhibition of the cytotoxic effects of C. difficile toxins. (46). C. difficile is an anaerobic bacterium that produces two toxins -toxin A and toxin B -that mediate diarrhea, inflammation, and apoptosis of the mucosal epithelium in animals and humans (32). The effects of the toxin in target intestinal cells involve inactivation of the Rho family of GTPase, leading to cytoskeletal disorganization, epithelial cell apoptosis, and ultimately cell death (42, 54). C. difficile toxins also stimulate transcription of several proinflammatory genes, including tumor necrosis factor-␣ (TNF␣) (19) and activate transcription factors and mitogen-activated protein kinases involved in their proinflammatory effects (18,25). The mainstream CDI regimen includes the use of metronidazole, vancomycin, and fidaxomicin (55). However, many C. difficileinfected patients may also suffer from recurrent infections (13), while the recent epidemics that also involve new epidemic outbreak-associated strains (29) pose a major medical problem and epidemiological concern. These challenges have been met with a broad range of preventive approaches against CDI, including the use of probiotics, most notably Saccharomyces boulardii (S.b) alone or in combination with established antibiotic treatment (23,24).S.b is a nonpathogenic yeast that represents one of the well-studied probiotics against CDI in both experimental and clinical settings (24,40). Randomized double-blind placebocontrolled clinical trials have shown that S.b CNCM I-745 is an effective probiotic in the prophylaxis of antibi...
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