Shuttling of specific proteins out of the nucleus is essential for the regulation of the cell cycle and proliferation of both normal and malignant tissues. Dysregulation of this fundamental process may affect many other important cellular processes such as tumor growth, inflammatory response, cell cycle, and apoptosis. It is known that XPO1 (Exportin-1/Chromosome Region Maintenance 1/CRM1) is the main mediator of nuclear export in many cell types. Nuclear proteins exported to the cytoplasm by XPO1 include the drug targets topoisomerase IIα (topo IIα) and BCR-ABL and tumor suppressor proteins such as Rb, APC, p53, p21, and p27. XPO1 can mediate cell proliferation through several pathways: (i) the sub-cellular localization of NES-containing oncogenes and tumor suppressor proteins, (ii) the control of the mitotic apparatus and chromosome segregation, and (iii) the maintenance of nuclear and chromosomal structures. The XPO1 protein is elevated in ovarian carcinoma, glioma, osteosarcoma, pancreatic and cervical cancer. There is a growing body of research indicating that XPO1 may have an important role as a prognostic marker in solid tumors. Because of this, nuclear export inhibition through XPO1 is a potential target for therapeutic intervention in many cancers. The best understood XPO1 inhibitors are the small molecule nuclear export inhibitors (NEIs; Leptomycin B and derivatives, ratjadones, PKF050-638, valtrate, ACA, CBS9106, selinexor/KPT-330, and verdinexor/KPT-335). Selinexor and verdinexor are orally bioavailable, highly potent, small molecules that are classified as Selective Inhibitors of Nuclear Export (SINE). KPT-330 is the only NEI currently in Phase I/II human clinical trials in hematological and solid cancers. Of all the potential targets in nuclear cytoplasmic transport, the nuclear export receptor XPO1 remains the best understood and most advanced therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13045-014-0085-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cell proliferation of the human prostatic carcinoma cell line PC3 and of the epithelial cell strain PMU 23 derived from a primary culture of a stage III prostatic carcinoma was enhanced dose dependently by adding 0.1 nM to 10.0 nM bombesin (BMBS) to the culture medium. The growth stimulation was specifically inhibited by antibodies versus Gastrin Releasing Peptide (GRP) crossreacting with BMBS. Presence of BMBS-positive neuroendocrine cells in human prostate and measurable amounts of BMBS-like peptides in prostatic fluid were reported previously. In a binding assay using 125I-GRP, it was possible to demonstrate the presence of saturable specific receptors on PC3 cells, numerically comparable with those measured on small cell lung cancer cell lines. By immunofluorescence, however, no BMBS immunoreactivity on PC3 cells could be demonstrated. These observations suggest that BMBS plays a role in prostatic epithelium growth and that prostatic carcinoma may have an autocrine or paracrine proliferation stimulus within the gland microenvironment.

Summal'yThe expression and function of CD69, a member of the natural killer cell gene complex family of signal transducing receptors, was investigated on human monocytes. CD69 was found expressed on all peripheral blood monocytes, as a 28-and 32-kD disulfide-linked dimer. Molecular crosslinking of CD69 receptors induced extracellular Ca z § influx, as revealed by flow cytometry. CD69 cross-linking resulted also in phospholipase A2 activation, as detected by in vivo arachidonic acid release measurement from intact cells and by direct in vitro measurement of enzymatic activity using radiolabeled phosphatidylcholine vesicles. Prostaglandin E 2 or, 6-keto-prostaglandin F lc~, and leukotriene B4 were detected by radioimmunoassay in supernatants from CD69-stimulated monocytes, suggesting the activation of both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways after CD69 stimulation. CD69 cross-linking, moreover, was able to induce strong nitric oxide (NO) production from monocytes, as detected by accumulation of NO oxydixed derivatives, and cyclic GMP. It is important to note that NO generation was responsible for CD69-mediated increase in spontaneous cytotoxicity against L929 murine transformed fibroblast cell line and induction of redirected cytotoxicity towards P815 FctLII + routine mastocytoma cell line. These data indicate that CD69 can act as a potent stimulatory molecule on the surface of human peripheral blood monocytes.

Endothelium homeostasis alterations govern the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Several studies show that vitamins anti-oxidant proprieties rescue the endothelial functions adversely affected by oxidative stress in several diseases. We investigated the vitamin D anti-oxidant potential in human endothelial cells exposed to H2O2 oxidative stress. Vitamin D protected endothelial cells against H2O2 oxidative stress counteracting the superoxide anion generation, the apoptosis and blocking the extrinsic caspase cascade by positively controlling phospho-active ERKs level. MEKs/ERKs inhibitor U0126 reverted the vitamin D anti-oxidant effects. Characterizing the vitamin D downstream effector, we found that vitamin D up-regulated SirT-1 and reverted the SirT-1 down-regulation induced by H2O2. ERKs activation by vitamin D strictly correlated with SirT-1 protein accumulation since both MEKs/ERKs inhibition and ERK1/2 silencing decreased SIRT-1. SirT-1 inhibition by Sirtinol reverted the vitamin D anti-oxidant effects. Thus, vitamin D significantly reduced the endothelial malfunction and damage caused by oxidative stress, through the activation of MEKs/ERKs/SirT-1 axis.

Epigenetic modifications play a key role in the patho-physiology of many tumors and the current use of agents targeting epigenetic changes has become a topic of intense interest in cancer research. DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors represent a promising class of epigenetic modulators. Research performed yielded promising anti-tumorigenic activity for these agents in vitro and in vivo against a variety of hematologic and solid tumors. These epigenetic modulators cause cell cycle and growth arrest, differentiation and apoptosis. Rationale for combining these agents with cytotoxic therapy or radiation is straightforward since the use of DNMT inhibitor offers greatly improved access for cytotoxic agents or radiation for targeting DNA-protein complex. The positive results obtained with these combined approaches in preclinical cancer models demonstrate the potential impact DNMT inhibitors may have in treatments of different cancer types. Therefore, as the emerging interest in use of DNMT inhibitors as a potential chemo- or radiation sensitizers is constantly increasing, further clinical investigations are inevitable in order to finalize and confirm the consistency of current observations.The present article will provide a brief review of the biological significance and rationale for the clinical potential of DNMT inhibitors in combination with other chemotherapeutics or ionizing radiation. The molecular basis and mechanisms of action for these combined treatments will be discussed herein.

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Multimodal treatment has improved the outcome of many solid tumors, and in some cases the use of radiosensitizers has significantly contributed to this gain. Activation of the extracellular signaling kinase pathway (MEK/ERK) generally results in stimulation of cell growth and confers a survival advantage playing the major role in human cancer. The potential involvement of this pathway in cellular radiosensitivity remains unclear. We previously reported that the disruption of c-Myc through MEK/ERK inhibition blocks the expression of the transformed phenotype; affects in vitro and in vivo growth and angiogenic signaling; and induces myogenic differentiation in the embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) cell lines (RD). This study was designed to examine whether the ERK pathway affects intrinsic radiosensitivity of rhabdomyosarcoma cancer cells. Exponentially growing human ERMS, RD, xenograft-derived RD-M1, and TE671 cell lines were used. The specific MEK/ERK inhibitor, U0126, reduced the clonogenic potential of the three cell lines, and was affected by radiation. U0126 inhibited phospho-active ERK1/2 and reduced DNA protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) suggesting that ERKs and DNA-PKcs cooperate in radioprotection of rhabdomyosarcoma cells. The TE671 cell line xenotransplanted in mice showed a reduction in tumor mass and increase in the time of tumor progression with U0126 treatment associated with reduced DNA-PKcs, an effect enhanced by radiotherapy. Thus, our results show that MEK/ERK inhibition enhances radiosensitivity of rhabdomyosarcoma cells suggesting a rational approach in combination with radiotherapy.

c-Src is a tyrosine kinase belonging to the Src-family kinases. It is overexpressed and/or hyperactivated in a variety of cancer cells, thus its inhibition has been predicted to have therapeutic effects in solid tumors. Recently, the pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine 3 was reported as a dual c-Src/Abl inhibitor. Herein we describe a multidisciplinary drug discovery approach for the optimization of the lead 3 against c-Src. Starting from the X-ray crystal structure of c-Src in complex with 3, Monte Carlo free energy perturbation calculations were applied to guide the design of c-Src inhibitors with improved activities. As a result, the introduction of a meta hydroxyl group on the C4 anilino ring was computed to be particularly favorable. The potency of the synthesized inhibitors was increased with respect to the starting lead 3. The best identified compounds were also found active in the inhibition of neuroblastoma cell proliferation. Furthermore, compound 29 also showed in vivo activity in xenograft model using SH-SY5Y cells.