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Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase (SULT2A1) is a cytosolic enzyme that mediates sulfo-conjugation of endogenous hydroxysteroids (dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone, bile acids), and diverse xenobiotic compounds. Upon sulfonation, SULT2A1 substrates become polar and water-soluble and thus suitable for rapid excretion. SULT2A1 is abundantly expressed in the liver and intestine. Recent evidence has shown that the ligand-activated vitamin D receptor (VDR) can transcriptionally induce the xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzymes. Herein, we report that VDR also targets SULT2A1 for transcriptional activation. Vitamin D stimulated endogenous SULT2A1 expression and induced transfected human, mouse, and rat SULT2A1 promoters in liver and intestinal cells upon cotransfection with VDR. An inverted repeat DNA element (IR0), located within Ϫ191 to Ϫ168 positions of mouse and rat Sult2A1, mediates VDR induction of Sult2A1. DNase1 footprinting, competition EMSA, and antibody supershift assay showed that the IR0 is a binding site for the RXR-␣/VDR heterodimer. Point mutations within the IR0 prevented RXR/VDR binding and abolished VDR-mediated Sult2A1 induction. The IR0 element conferred VDR responsiveness on a thymidine kinase promoter. Thus, VDR-mediated nuclear signaling may be important in the phase II metabolism involving Sult2A1. The rodent Sult2A1 gene is also induced by the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and pregnane X receptor (PXR) through the same IR0. In competition transfections, FXR or PXR inhibited VDR induction of the IR0. Competitive functional interactions among VDR, PXR, and FXR suggest that the intracellular hormonal and metabolic milieu may determine the extent to which a specific nuclear receptor pathway would influence steroid/xenobiotic metabolism using dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase.

The nuclear receptors pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) are the primary transcription factors coordinating induced expression of the enzymes and proteins directing oxidative, conjugative, and transport phases of endobiotic and xenobiotic metabolism, whereas hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4alpha), a regulator of hepatic lipid homeostasis, can modify the PXR/CAR response. Steroid- and bile acid-sulfotransferase (SULT2A1) promotes phase II metabolism through its sulfonating action on certain endobiotics, including steroids and bile acids, and on diverse xenobiotics, including therapeutic drugs. This study describes characterization of a PXR- and CAR-inducible composite element in the human SULT2A1 promoter and its synergistic interaction with HNF4alpha. Inverted and direct repeats of AG(G/T)TCA (IR2 and DR4), both binding to PXR and CAR, define the composite element. Differential recognition of the composite element by PXR and CAR is evident because single-site mutation at either IR2 or DR4 in the natural gene abolished the PXR response, whereas mutations at both repeats were necessary to abrogate completely the CAR response. The composite element conferred xenobiotic response to a heterologous promoter, and the cognate ligands induced PXR and CAR recruitment to the chromatin-associated response region. An HNF4alpha element adjacent to the -30 position enhanced basal promoter activity. Although functioning as a synergizer, the HNF4alpha element was not essential for the PXR/CAR response. An emerging role of SULT2A1 in lipid and caloric homeostasis suggests that illumination on the regulatory interactions driving human SULT2A1 expression may reveal new avenues to control certain metabolic disorders.

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Oncolytic virotherapy is an emerging bio-therapeutic platform for cancer treatment, which is based on selective infection/killing of cancer cells by viruses. Herein we identify the human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as an oncolytic virus. Using prostate cancer models, we show dramatic enhancement of RSV infectivity in vitro in the androgen-independent, highly metastatic PC-3 human prostate cancer cells compared to the non-tumorigenic RWPE-1 human prostate cells. The oncolytic efficiency of RSV was established in vivo using human prostate tumor xenografts in nude mice. Intra-tumoral and intra-peritoneal injections of RSV led to a significant regression of prostate tumors. Furthermore, enhanced viral burden in PC-3 cells led to selective destruction of PC-3 cancer cells in vitro and in xenograft tumors in vivo due to apoptosis triggered by the down-regulation of NF-κB activity (and the resulting loss of anti-apoptotic function of NF-κB) in RSV-infected PC-3 cells. The intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathway constitutes the major apoptotic pathway; however, the death-receptor-dependent extrinsic pathway, mediated by the paracrine/autocrine action of tumor necrosis factor-α produced from infected cells, also partly contributed to apoptosis. Thus, the oncolytic property of RSV can potentially be exploited to develop targeted therapeutics for the clinical management of prostate tumors.

No abstract

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) regulates steroid and drug metabolism by inducing the genes encoding phase I and phase II enzymes. SULT2A1 is a liver- and intestine-expressed sulfo-conjugating enzyme that converts the alcohol-OH of neutral steroids, bile acids, and drugs to water-soluble sulfated metabolites. 1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] induces SULT2A1 gene transcription after the recruitment of VDR to the vitamin D-responsive chromatin region of SULT2A1. A composite element in human SULT2A1 directs the 1,25-(OH)2D3-mediated induction of natural and heterologous promoters. This element combines a VDR/retinoid X receptor-alpha-binding site [vitamin D response element (VDRE)], which is an imperfect inverted repeat 2 of AGCTCA, and a CAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)-binding site located 9 bp downstream to VDRE. The binding sites were identified by EMSA, antibody supershift, and deoxyribonuclease I footprinting. C/EBP-alpha at the composite element plays an essential role in the VDR regulation of SULT2A1, because 1) induction was lost for promoters with inactivating mutations at the VDRE or C/EBP element; 2) SULT2A1 induction by 1,25-(OH)2D3 in C/EBP-alpha-deficient cells required the expression of cotransfected C/EBP-alpha; and 3) C/EBP-beta did not substitute for C/EBP-alpha in this regulation. VDR and C/EBP-alpha were recruited concurrently to the composite element along with the coactivators p300, steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC-1), and SRC-2, but not SRC-3. VDR and C/EBP-alpha associated endogenously as a DNA-dependent, coimmunoprecipitable complex, which was detected at a markedly higher level in 1,25-(OH)2D3-treated cells. These results provide the first example of the essential role of the interaction in cis between C/EBP-alpha and VDR in directing 1,25-(OH)2D3-induced expression of a VDR target gene.

BackgroundOncolytic virotherapy for cancer treatment utilizes viruses for selective infection and death of cancer cells without any adverse effect on normal cells. We previously reported that the human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a novel oncolytic virus against androgen-independent PC-3 human prostate cancer cells. The present study extends the result to androgen-dependent prostate cancer, and explores the underlying mechanism that triggers RSV-induced oncolysis of prostate cancer cells.MethodsThe oncolytic effect of RSV on androgen-sensitive LNCaP human prostate cancer cells and on androgen-independent RM1 murine prostate cancer cells was studied in vitro in culture and in vivo in a xenograft or allograft tumor model. In vitro, cell viability, infectivity and apoptosis were monitored by MTT assay, viral plaque assay and annexin V staining, respectively. In vivo studies involved virus administration to prostate tumors grown in immune compromised nude mice and in syngeneic immune competent C57BL/6J mice. Anti-tumorogenic oncolytic activity was monitored by measuring tumor volume, imaging bioluminescent tumors in live animals and performing histopathological analysis and TUNEL assay with tumorsResultsWe show that RSV imposes a potent oncolytic effect on LNCaP prostate cancer cells. RSV infectivity was markedly higher in LNCaP cells compared to the non-tumorigenic RWPE-1 human prostate cells. The enhanced viral burden led to LNCaP cell apoptosis and growth inhibition of LNCaP xenograft tumors in nude mice. A functional host immune response did not interfere with RSV-induced oncolysis, since growth of xenograft tumors in syngeneic C57BL/6J mice from murine RM1 cells was inhibited upon RSV administration. LNCaP cells failed to activate the type-I interferon (IFNα/β)-induced transcription factor STAT-1, which is required for antiviral gene expression, although these cells could produce IFN in response to RSV infection. The essential role of IFN in restricting infection was further borne out by our finding that neutralizing IFN activity resulted in enhanced RSV infection in non-tumorigenic RWPE-1 prostate cells.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that RSV is potentially a useful therapeutic tool in the treatment of androgen-sensitive and androgen-independent prostate cancer. Moreover, impaired IFN-mediated antiviral response is the likely cause of higher viral burden and resulting oncolysis of androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells.