Background & Aims Epithelial regeneration is essential for homeostasis and repair of the mucosal barrier. In the context of infectious and immune-mediated intestinal disease, interleukin (IL) 22 is thought to augment these processes. We sought to define the mechanisms by which IL22 promotes mucosal healing . Methods Intestinal stem cell cultures and mice were treated with recombinant IL22. Cell proliferation, death, and differentiation were assessed in vitro and in vivo by morphometric analysis, quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. Results IL22 increased the size and number of proliferating cells within enteroids but decreased the total number of enteroids. Enteroid size increases required IL22-dependent up-regulation of the tight junction cation and water channel claudin-2, indicating that enteroid enlargement reflected paracellular flux–induced swelling. However, claudin-2 did not contribute to IL22-dependent enteroid loss, depletion of Lgr5 + stem cells, or increased epithelial proliferation. IL22 induced stem cell apoptosis but, conversely, enhanced proliferation within and expanded numbers of transit-amplifying cells. These changes were associated with reduced wnt and notch signaling, both in vitro and in vivo, as well as skewing of epithelial differentiation, with increases in Paneth cells and reduced numbers of enteroendocrine cells. Conclusions IL22 promotes transit-amplifying cell proliferation but reduces Lgr5 + stem cell survival by inhibiting notch and wnt signaling. IL22 can therefore promote or inhibit mucosal repair, depending on whether effects on transit-amplifying or stem cells predominate. These data may explain why mucosal healing is difficult to achieve in some inflammatory bowel disease patients despite markedly elevated IL22 production.

B7-H1 and B7-H3, two members of the B7 family that are thought to regulate T-cell activation, are expressed in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, their prognostic significance is poorly understood. In the present study we reported that B7-H1 and B7-H3 were expressed in 96/128 (72.7%) and 89/128 (69.5%) samples, respectively. B7-H1 and B7-H3 expression and the number of infiltrating T-cell intracellular antigen-1+ and interferon-γ+ cells in NSCLC tissues were significantly higher than those in the adjacent tissues (p<0.01). High B7-H1 or B7-H3 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (p<0.05, respectively). Sex, TNM stage, B7-H1, B7-H3, and T-cell intracellular antigen-1 expression remained significant prognostic factors after adjusting for other prognostic factors in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. In vitro studies revealed that knockdown of B7-H3 on tumor cells enhanced T-cell growth and interferon-γ secretion when stimulated by anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies. Interferon-γ reduced CXCR4 expression on cancer cells and inhibited the CXCL12-induced cell migration. B7-H1 and B7-H3 are independent predictors of poorer survival in patients with NSCLC. Interference of the signal pathways of these negative regulatory molecules might be a new strategy for treating NSCLC.

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Clioquinol is an anti-microbial drug, and it was recently found to induce cancer cell death. In the present study, clioquinol was found to trigger autophagy by inducing LC3 lipidation and autophagosome formation which was abolished by an autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. Further study showed clioquinol displayed no effects on PI3KC3 or Beclin 1 expression but downregulated the expression and the enzymatic activity of mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR), a critical modulator of autophagy. Moreover, clioquinol inhibited the catalytic activity of the mTOR complex 1, thus suppressing phosphorylation of P70S6K and 4E-BP1, two major proteins associated with autophagy in the mTORC1 signaling pathway. Clioquinol induced leukemia and myeloma cell apoptosis, however, addition of autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine attenuated this kind of cell death. Therefore, this study demonstrated that clioquinol induces autophagy in associated with apoptosis in leukemia and myeloma cells by disrupting mTOR signaling pathway.

Edited by Xiao-Fan WangChemoresistance is a leading obstacle in effective management of advanced prostate cancer (PCa). A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in PCa chemoresistance could improve treatment of patients with PCa. In the present study, using immune histochemical, chemistry, and precipitation assays with cells from individuals with benign or malignant prostate cancer or established PCa cell lines, we found that the oncogenic transcription factor pre-B cell leukemia homeobox-1 (PBX1) promotes PCa cell proliferation and confers to resistance against common anti-cancer drugs such as doxorubicin and cisplatin. We observed that genetic PBX1 knockdown abrogates this resistance, and further experiments revealed that PBX1 stability was modulated by the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway. To directly probe the impact of this pathway on PBX1 activity, we screened for PBX1-specific deubiquitinases (Dubs) and found that ubiquitin-specific peptidase 9 X-linked (USP9x) interacted with and stabilized the PBX1 protein by attenuating its Lys-48 -linked polyubiquitination. Moreover, the USP9x inhibitor WP1130 markedly induced PBX1 degradation and promoted PCa cell apoptosis. The results in this study indicate that PBX1 confers to PCa chemoresistance and identify USP9x as a Dub of PBX1. We concluded that targeting the USP9x/ PBX1 axis could be a potential therapeutic strategy for managing advanced prostate cancer.Prostate cancer (PCa) 4 is a malignant disease developed in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. The epidemiological studies reveal that PCa is one of the most common cancers in men and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide (1). Several treatment modalities have been developed against prostate cancers, including androgen-deprivation therapy, localized radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Currently, androgendeprivation therapy is the standard frontline therapy for advanced PCa patients; nevertheless, most patients will eventually develop resistance and these castration-resistant PCa patients rely on chemotherapy. Unfortunately, this regimen only prolongs modest survival of PCa patients, of which many acquire chemoresistance and eventually evolve to a fatal clinical outcome (1). It is widely believed that molecular and genetic events are key players in the resistance but they are not well defined.Pre-B cell leukemia homeobox-1 (PBX1), a member of the TALE (three-amino acid loop extension) family of atypical homeodomain proteins, is cloned from pre-B cell leukemia (2), our recent study demonstrated that it up-regulates the transcription of ring finger protein 6 and contributes to leukemia chemoresistance (3). However, more and more evidence shows that PBX1 is dysregulated and contributes to proliferation, survival, metastasis, and chemoresistance in various solid tumors, including breast, lung, gastric, and ovarian cancers. For example, high expression of PBX1 drives breast cancer proliferation and metastasis by regulating the estrogen receptor transcriptional re...

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are among the most common cancers across the world. Particularly, a large number of patients with CRC also have liver metastasis. Currently, there are just a few targeted drugs against these two kinds of tumors which can only benefit a very small population of patients. Therefore, the need of more effective therapeutic drugs or strategies for these two types of cancers is urgent. PS341 (Bortezomib) is the first proteasome inhibitor drug which has been approved in clinical treatment for multiple myeloma. Here we demonstrated that PS341 negatively regulated HCC and CRC both in vitro and in vivo, including the inhibition of cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), the expression of stemness-related genes, cell migration and invasiveness. Mechanically, PS341 upregulated the expression of FOXO3, which inhibited the transcriptional activation of CTNNB1. The downregualtion of CTNNB1 led to apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and the inhibition of migration, invasion, self-renewal and tumor formation of these two cancer types. In sum, our findings shed light on the PS341 mediated targeted therapy against both HCC and CRC in the future.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on traumatic brain injury (TBI), and further evaluate whether the underlying neuroprotective mechanisms are associated with neurological apoptosis and the expression of 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) in the hippocampus. A total of 90 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups (n=30/group): Sham, TBI and Dex groups. The rat models of TBI were established using a modified weight-drop device and Dex (15 µg/kg) was intravenously administered immediately following TBI. The brain edema and neurological function outcomes of TBI were assessed using wet-dry weight analysis and the Neurological Severity Score method. The expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) in the rat hippocampus were evaluated using immunohistochemical staining and western blot analysis. The protein levels of HSP70 in the hippocampal region were analyzed using western blot analysis. The results of the present study revealed that administration of Dex post-TBI improved brain edema and neurological outcomes, due to the attenuation of the TBI-induced reduction of Bax expression and increase of Bcl-2 and HSP70 expression. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that administration of Dex may serve as a neuroprotective agent against brain injury, at least partially via the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis and upregulation of HSP70 expression in the hippocampus.