Altered expression and function of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) has been associated with several diseases such as endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and obesity. In these pathologies, oxLDL/LOX-1 activates signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation, cell motility and angiogenesis. Recent studies have indicated that olr1 mRNA is over-expressed in stage III and IV of human prostatic adenocarcinomas. However, the function of LOX-1 in prostate cancer angiogenesis remains to be determined. Our aim was to analyze the contribution of oxLDL and LOX-1 to tumor angiogenesis using C4-2 prostate cancer cells. We analyzed the expression of pro-angiogenic molecules and angiogenesis on prostate cancer tumor xenografts, using prostate cancer cell models with overexpression or knockdown of LOX-1 receptor. Our results demonstrate that the activation of LOX-1 using oxLDL increases cell proliferation, and the expression of the pro-angiogenic molecules VEGF, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in a dose-dependent manner. Noticeably, these effects were prevented in the C4-2 prostate cancer model when LOX-1 expression was knocked down. The angiogenic effect of LOX-1 activated with oxLDL was further demonstrated using the aortic ring assay and the xenograft model of tumor growth on chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos. Consequently, we propose that LOX-1 activation by oxLDL is an important event that enhances tumor angiogenesis in human prostate cancer cells.

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We describe a new optimized, scalable and reproducible method based on anion exchange chromatography to obtain high titers of rAAV vectors without empty capsids contamination. The method takes advantage of Q-sepharose matriz to development a scalable procedure. After the virus harvest from supernatant and lysate cells, virus crude was subjected to anion exchange chromatography with Q-sepharose column. Three different protocols were tested, and the elution peaks were evaluated through qPCR rAAV titration and 260/280 nm ratio determination in order to identified empty capsid-containing fractions. A 150 mM NH4Ac wash step fallowing by 1 M NaCl elution step generate a a high titer eluted fraction of rAAV with 1.334 260/280 nm ratio. The described method makes rAAV vector purification an easily adapted for a large scale GMP production format to produce empty capsid free rAAV for clinics.