Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy is a promising approach to treat various inflammatory disorders including multiple sclerosis. However, the fate of MSCs in the inflammatory microenvironment is largely unknown. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-studied animal model of multiple sclerosis. We demonstrated that autophagy occurred in MSCs during their application for EAE treatment. Inflammatory cytokines, e.g., interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor, induced autophagy in MSCs synergistically by inducing expression of BECN1/Beclin 1. Inhibition of autophagy by knockdown of Becn1 significantly improved the therapeutic effects of MSCs on EAE, which was mainly attributable to enhanced suppression upon activation and expansion of CD4+ T cells. Mechanistically, inhibition of autophagy increased reactive oxygen species generation and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1/3 activation in MSCs, which were essential for PTGS2 (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 [prostaglandin G/H synthase and cyclooxygenase]) and downstream prostaglandin E2 expression to exert immunoregulatory function. Furthermore, pharmacological treatment of MSCs to inhibit autophagy increased their immunosuppressive effects on T cell-mediated EAE. Our findings indicate that inflammatory microenvironment-induced autophagy downregulates the immunosuppressive function of MSCs. Therefore, modulation of autophagy in MSCs would provide a novel strategy to improve MSC-based immunotherapy.

G-protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) functions as a receptor for unsaturated long-chain free fatty acids and has an important role in regulating lipid and glucose metabolism. However, a role for GPR120 in the development of tumors has not yet been clarified. Here, we show that GPR120 signaling promotes angiogenic switching and motility of human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cells. We show that the expression of GPR120 is significantly induced in CRC tissues and cell lines, which is associated with tumor progression. Activation of GPR120 signaling in human CRC promotes angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo, largely by inducing the expression and secretion of proangiogenic mediators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-8 and cyclooxygenase-2-derived prostaglandin E 2 . The PI3K/Akt-NF-kB pathway is activated by GPR120 signaling and is required for GPR120 signaling-induced angiogenic switching in CRC cells. And, GPR120 activation enhances the motility of CRC cells and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, in vivo study shows that activation of GPR120 promotes angiogenesis and tumor growth. Finally, we find that GPR120 expression is positively correlated with VEGF expression and inversely correlated with the epithelial marker E-cadherin in CRC tissues. Collectively, our results demonstrate that GPR120 functions as a tumor-promoting receptor in CRC and, therefore, shows promise as a new potential target for cancer therapeutics.

Background Colon epithelial cell (CEC) apoptosis and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation may compromise barrier function, and it has been reported that signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b (STAT5b)-deficient mice exhibit increased susceptibility to colitis. It is hypothesised that the growth hormone (GH) target STAT5b maintains mucosal barrier integrity by promoting CEC survival and inhibiting NF-κB activation. Methods The GH effect upon mucosal injury due to 2,4,6-trinitro-benzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) administration was determined in STAT5b-deficient mice and wild-type (WT) controls. The effect of STAT5b deficiency upon CEC survival and NF-κB activation was determined and related to differences in intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to knock down STAT5b expression in the T84 CEC line, and the effect upon basal and GH-dependent regulation of proapoptotic and inflammatory pathways induced by tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) was determined. Results GH suppression of mucosal inflammation in TNBS colitis was abrogated in STAT5b-deficient mice. STAT5b deficiency led to activation of a proapoptotic pattern of gene expression in the colon, and increased mucosal permeability. The frequency of apoptotic CECs was increased in STAT5b-deficient mice while tight junction protein abundance was reduced. This was associated with upregulation of CEC Toll-like receptor 2 expression and NF-κB activation. STAT5b knockdown in T84 CEC increased TNFα-dependent NF-κB and caspase-3 activation. GH inhibition of TNFα signalling was prevented by STAT5b knockdown. Conclusion STAT5b maintains colonic barrier integrity by modulating CEC survival and NF-κB activation. STAT5b activation may therefore represent a novel therapeutic target in inflammatory bowel disease.

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The link between inflammation and colorectal carcinoma has been acknowledged. However, the impact of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on chemokine receptors in human colorectal carcinoma cells still remains to be elucidated. The present study shows that exposure to LPS elevated CXC chemokine receptor 7 (CXCR7) expression in colorectal carcinoma SW480 and Colo 205 cell lines expressing TLR4/myeloid differential protein (MD-2). CXCR7 is associated with SW480 cell proliferation and migration. However, exposure of SW480 and Colo 205 cells to LPS had no effect on CXCR4 expression. To further support the above results, the expression of TLR4, MD-2, and CXCR7 was analyzed in human colorectal carcinoma tissues. Higher rates of TLR4 (53%), MD-2 (70%), and CXCR7 (29%) expression were found in colorectal carcinoma tissues than in normal tissues. We demonstrated that the recombination of TLR4, MD-2 and CXCR7 strongly correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis in colorectal carcinoma tissue samples (p = 0.037, p = 0.002, p = 0.042, resp.). Accordingly, simultaneous examination of the expression of TLR4, MD-2 and CXCR7 in cancer tissues of colorectal carcinoma may provide valuable prognostic diagnosis of carcinoma growth and metastasis. Interplay of TLR4, MD-2 and CXCR7 may be of interest in the context of novel immunomodulatory therapies for colorectal carcinoma.

We investigated the clinicopathologic significance of HIF-1, CXCR4, and VEGF expression using immumohistochemistry in human colon cancer. HIF-1, CXCR4, and VEGF high expression levels were correlated positively with TNM stage, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis Furthermore, we found that combined high expression of any two of the three molecules (P = .028 for HIF-1/CXCR4, P = .007 for HIF-1/VEGF, and P = .004 for CXCR4/VEGF) had stronger correlation with lymph node metastasis than did each alone. However, a relationship with distant metastasis is seen only with the combinations CXCR4/VEGF (P = .069 for HIF-1/CXCR4, P = .062 for HIF-1/VEGF, and P = .035 for CXCR4/VEGF) as compared with those of single molecule high expression alone. Combined expression of all three molecules strongly correlates with lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. The mRNA expression of HIF-1, CXCR4, and VEGF were quantified by real-time PCR in different colon cancer tissue samples, the experiment results shown that fresh colon tissue samples significantly overexpressed CXCR4 and VEGF mRNA compared with negative control. Therefore, the disease-free survival of all patients after curative resection can be considered in association with all three markers expression.

Our investigation identified miR-219-5p as a negative regulator of PTC development through targeting of ERα.

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