The molecular mechanisms by which ovarian hormones stimulate growth of breast tumors are unclear. It has been reported previously that estrogens activate the signal-transducing Src/p21 ras /Erk pathway in human breast cancer cells via an interaction of estrogen receptor (ER) with c-Src. We now show that progestins stimulate human breast cancer T47D cell proliferation and induce a similar rapid and transient activation of the pathway which, surprisingly, is blocked not only by anti-progestins but also by anti-estrogens. In Cos-7 cells transfected with the B isoform of progesterone receptor (PR B ), progestin activation of the MAP kinase pathway depends on co-transfection of ER. A transcriptionally inactive PR B mutant also activates the signaling pathway, demonstrating that this activity is independent of transcriptional effects. PR B does not interact with c-Src but associates via the N-terminal 168 amino acids with ER. This association is required for the signaling pathway activation by progestins. We propose that ER transmits to the Src/p21 ras /Erk pathway signals received from the agonist-activated PR B . These findings reveal a hitherto unrecognized cross-talk between ovarian hormones which could be crucial for their growth-promoting effects on cancer cells.

Aims Microglia and infiltrated macrophages play important roles in inflammatory processes after ischemic stroke. Modulating microglia/macrophage polarization from pro‐inflammatory phenotype to anti‐inflammatory state has been suggested as a potential therapeutic approach in the treatment of ischemic stroke. Melatonin has been shown to be neuroprotective in experimental stroke models. However, the effect of melatonin on microglia polarization after stroke and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Methods In vivo, cerebral ischemia was induced by distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) in C57BL/6J mice. Melatonin was injected intraperitoneally (20 mg/kg) at 0 and 24 hours after ischemia. In vitro, the microglial cell line BV2 was stimulated to the pro‐inflammatory state with conditioned media (CM) collected from oxygen‐glucose deprivation (OGD) challenged neuronal cell line Neuro‐2a (N2a). Real‐time PCR was utilized to detect the mRNA expression of microglia phenotype markers. Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway was determined by Western blot of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3). A neuron‐microglia co‐culture system was used to determine whether melatonin can inhibit the neurotoxic effect of pro‐inflammatory microglia to post‐OGD neurons. Results Melatonin treatment reduced brain infarct and improved neurological functions 3 days after dMCAO, which was accompanied by decreased expression of pro‐inflammatory markers and increased expression of anti‐inflammatory markers in the ischemic brain. In vitro studies confirmed that melatonin directly inhibited the pro‐inflammatory responses in BV2 cells upon exposure to OGD neuron CM. The microglia possessing pro‐inflammatory phenotype exacerbated post‐OGD N2a cells death, whereas melatonin reduced such neurotoxic effect. Further, melatonin enhanced the otherwise inhibited pSTAT3 expression in BV2 cells treated with OGD neuron CM. STAT3 blockade significantly reduced the effect of melatonin on microglial phenotype shift. Conclusion: Melatonin treatment ameliorates brain damage at least partially through shifting microglia phenotype from pro‐inflammatory to anti‐inflammatory polarity in a STAT3‐dependent manner.

Th1-derived IFN-γ targets naive T cells and inhibits Th17 development. However, Th1, Th17, and memory but not naive T cells are colocalized in an inflammatory environment. To demonstrate the kinetic relationship between these T cell subsets, we investigated the role of IFN-γ in regulating the development and balance between Th17 and Th1 in humans. We show that IFN-γ stimulates B7-H1 expression on APC subsets and abates their Th1 polarization capacity in a B7-H1-dependent manner. Interestingly, IFN-γ triggers APCs to produce IL-1 and IL-23 and enables them to induce memory Th17 expansion via IL-1 and IL-23 in a B7-H1-independent manner. We propose a novel dynamic between Th1 and Th17 in the course of inflammation as follows: Th1-mediated inflammation is attenuated by IFN-γ-induced B7-H1 on APCs and is evolved toward Th17-mediated chronic inflammation by IFN-γ-induced, APC-derived IL-1 and IL-23. Our study challenges the dogma that IFN-γ suppresses Th17 and enhances Th1 development.

Cytokine-driven activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in tissue injury and inflammation is a key pathogenetic event in liver fibrogenesis leading to an expanded pool of matrix producing myofibroblasts (MFB) which represent the transformed counterpart of HSC. We hypothesize that expansion of the pool of MFB might also be accomplished by modulation of apoptosis, which plays an opposite and complementary role to mitosis in the cellular homeostasis. We characterized the susceptibility of HSC in primary culture and of MFB in secondary culture to apoptosis induced by the soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) and related the effects to the expression levels of Fas (APO-1/CD95) and some major proapoptotic and contra-apoptotic protooncogenes. MFB showed a dose-dependent apoptotic reaction upon exposure to sFasL as evidenced by a strong increase of nucleosomal DNA fragments, loss of cellular DNA, positive TUNEL reaction, and annexin staining. The effect was found only if protein synthesis (cycloheximide) or RNA synthesis (actinomycin D) were arrested. HSC maintained for various times in primary culture were completely resistant to sFasL in combination with cycloheximide, but in late primary cultures (day 7 onward) an increasing susceptibility to sFasL-mediated apoptosis was developed. By semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and alkaline phosphatase-antialkaline phosphatase staining Fas receptor was identified both in HSC and MFB at comparable expression levels. The expression of the contra-apoptotic protooncogenes bcl-2 and bcl-xl was found to be much stronger in early HSC than in late HSC and MFB as shown by ribonuclease protection assay. The expression of bcl-2 was additionally confirmed by semiquantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting. Proapoptotic bax was found in comparable quantities at the RNA level in HSC and MFB but at the protein level MFB showed increased bax expression. It is concluded that transformation of HSC to MFB is paralleled by an increasing sensitivity to sFasL-mediated apoptosis, which might be related to a strong decrease of bcl-2 and bcl-xl expression, leading to a preponderance of proapoptotic gene expression in MFB. Modulation of apoptotic susceptibility of transforming HSC could be an important complementary pathway in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. (HEPATOLOGY 1998;28:492-502.)

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in carcinogenesis. miR-205 has been shown to be upregulated in NSCLC. In the present study, we identified the promotive effects of miR-205 on various significant biological properties of NSCLC cells, and confirmed the regulation of PTEN by miR-205. The expression of miR-205 was examined by quantitative real-time PCR both in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. The effect of miR-205 on PTEN expression was assessed in NSCLC cell lines with miR-205 mimics/inhibitor to elevate/decrease miR-205 expression. Furthermore, the roles of miR-205 in regulating the biological properties of NSCLC cells, including growth, invasion and chemoresistance, were assayed using miR-205 mimic/inhibitor-transfected cells. The 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of PTEN combined with miR-205 and this was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and western blotting. miR-205 expression was increased in NSCLC cell lines as well as in tissues. Overexpression of miR-205 promoted growth, migration and invasion, and enhanced the chemoresistance of NSCLC cells. Luciferase activity and western blotting demonstrated that miR-205 negatively regulated PTEN at a posttranscriptional level. However, miR-205 knockdown suppressed these processes in A549 cells and increased the expression of PTEN protein. Furthermore, overexpression of PTEN exhibited effects identical with those of the miR-205 inhibitor in NSCLC cells. Our results demonstrated that miR-205 is involved in the tumorigenesis of NSCLC through modulation of the PTEN signaling pathway.

Human stem cells and their derivatives could provide virtually unlimited sources of tissue for a wide range of toxicity models that could complement conventional animal models with more relevant, humanized versions. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have already been proven valuable for drug/toxicity screens and mechanistic studies including analysis of disease pathway and developmental toxicity. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are generated by reprogramming somatic cells back to become hESC-like cells, allow assays to be designed where the contribution of an individual's genetic background or environmental exposure history to toxicity response can be determined. Comprehensive profiling of hESC/iPSCs via genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics could be used to elucidate pathway perturbations that underlie toxicity and disease, enabling the development of predictive assays for toxicity. While technological hurdles still exist for widespread use and implementation, incorporation of human stem cell based assays into drug discovery and toxicity testing offers the potential for safer, more customized medicines and more accurate risk assessment for environmental toxicants, as well as reduced costs and decreased use of animal models. We examine limitations and deficiencies of current toxicology approaches and how human stem cell based in vitro assays may overcome them. We describe how human stem cells are used for predictive toxicology. We also identify technological limitations that prevent stem cells from being integrated into standard practice, as well as new tools and technologies that may overcome them. We discuss research priorities that are most useful for transforming cell-based toxicology models into reality, and research areas in which stem cell technology could make substantial contributions to the development and implementation of stem cell based models for toxicity testing. Increased use of human in vitro models of toxicity could reduce the use of animals in safety and risk assessment studies and offers the potential to dramatically enhance our understanding of the molecular basis of toxicity, leading to improved human models and assays for predicting biological response to drugs and environmental hazards.

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) transcription is repressed by DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) through a DNA sequence element, NRE1, in the viral long terminal repeat that is a sequence-specific DNA binding site for the Ku antigen subunit of the kinase. While Ku is an essential component of the active kinase, how the catalytic subunit of DNA-PK (DNA-PK cs ) is regulated through its association with Ku is only beginning to be understood. We report that activation of DNA-PK cs and the repression of MMTV transcription from NRE1 are dependent upon Ku conformation, the manipulation of DNA structure by Ku, and the contact of Ku80 with DNA. Truncation of one copy of the overlapping direct repeat that comprises NRE1 abrogated the repression of MMTV transcription by Ku-DNA-PK cs . Remarkably, the truncated element was recognized by Ku-DNA-PK cs with affinity similar to that of the full-length element but was unable to promote the activation of DNA-PK cs . Analysis of Ku-DNA-PK cs interactions with DNA ends, double-and single-stranded forms of NRE1, and the truncated NRE1 element revealed striking differences in Ku conformation that differentially affected the recruitment of DNA-PK cs and the activation of kinase activity.The long terminal repeat (LTR) of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) includes a complex transcriptional regulatory region that is strongly responsive to steroid hormones and prolactin (5, 6, 13-15, 18, 37, 39, 67, 73, 83). Tumorigenesis is mediated through the insertional activation of cellular protooncogenes (12,42,84). In addition to the promoter-proximal hormone response element and distal prolactin-responsive region, MMTV also contains several DNA sequence elements in the central portion of the LTR that repress or limit virally induced transcription and the response of the virus to steroid hormones (3,51,55,56,76,77,90). At least some of these elements appear to function to restrict virally induced gene expression and tumorigenesis to the lactating mammary gland, where the effects of prolactin and steroid converge to overcome the negative regulatory elements to promote a strong induction of virally induced transcription. Deletion of portions of the viral LTR that include one or more of the negative regulatory sequences deregulates MMTV-induced transcription and leads to virally induced tumors at sites not normally observed with wild-type virus, most notably T-cell lymphoma (40,77,90,91).Studies by several groups have shown that one of the negative regulatory sequences in the MMTV LTR that acts to repress viral transcription occurs in a region between 350 and 400 bp upstream of the viral transcriptional initiation site (21,40,77,85,90). We previously delimited the repressor element within this region, NRE1, to 23 bp of DNA centered over a sequence containing an overlapping direct repeat of the sequence GAGAAAGA (31). NRE1 was shown to inhibit transcription from the MMTV promoter-proximal regulatory region in T cells and in transformed mammary fibroblasts derived from an MMTV-induced tumor (31). De...

microRNAs play critical roles in the progression and metastasis of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). miR-92b acts as an oncogene in some malignancies; however, its role in NSCLC remains poorly understood. Here, we found that miR-92b was significantly increased in human NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Inhibition of miR-92b remarkably suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. Reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK) was identified to be a target of miR-92b. Expression of miR-92b was negatively correlated with RECK in NSCLC tissues. Collectively, miR-92b might promote NSCLC cell growth and motility partially by inhibiting RECK.