The study shows constitutive activation of the Notch pathway in various types of malignancies. However, it remains unclear how the Notch pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. We investigated the expression of the Notch pathway molecules in osteosarcoma biopsy specimens and examined the effect of Notch pathway inhibition. Real-time PCR revealed overexpression of Notch2, Jagged1, HEY1, and HEY2. On the other hand, Notch1 and DLL1 were downregulated in biopsy specimens. Notch pathway inhibition using g-secretase inhibitor and CBF1 siRNA slowed the growth of osteosarcomas in vitro. In addition, g-secretase inhibitortreated xenograft models exhibited significantly slower osteosarcoma growth. Cell cycle analysis revealed that g-secretase inhibitor promoted G1 arrest. Real-time PCR and western blot revealed that g-secretase inhibitor reduced the expression of accelerators of the cell cycle, including cyclin D1, cyclin E1, E2, and SKP2. On the other hand, p21cip1 protein, a cell cycle suppressor, was upregulated by g-secretase inhibitor treatment. These findings suggest that inhibition of Notch pathway suppresses osteosarcoma growth by regulation of cell cycle regulator expression and that the inactivation of the Notch pathway may be a useful approach to the treatment of patients with osteosarcoma.

BackgroundThe Hedgehog signaling pathway functions as an organizer in embryonic development. Recent studies have demonstrated constitutive activation of Hedgehog pathway in various types of malignancies. However, it remains unclear how Hedgehog pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. To explore the involvement of aberrant Hedgehog pathway in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma, we investigated the expression and activation of Hedgehog pathway in osteosarcoma and examined the effect of SMOOTHENED (SMO) inhibition.ResultsTo evaluate the expression of genes of Hedgehog pathway, we performed real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry using osteosarcoma cell lines and osteosarcoma biopsy specimens. To evaluate the effect of SMO inhibition, we did cell viability, colony formation, cell cycle in vitro and xenograft model in vivo. Real-time PCR revealed that osteosarcoma cell lines over-expressed Sonic hedgehog, Indian hedgehog, PTCH1, SMO, and GLI. Real-time PCR revealed over-expression of SMO, PTCH1, and GLI2 in osteosarcoma biopsy specimens. These findings showed that Hedgehog pathway is activated in osteosarcomas. Inhibition of SMO by cyclopamine, a specific inhibitor of SMO, slowed the growth of osteosarcoma in vitro. Cell cycle analysis revealed that cyclopamine promoted G1 arrest. Cyclopamine reduced the expression of accelerators of the cell cycle including cyclin D1, cyclin E1, SKP2, and pRb. On the other hand, p21cip1 wprotein was up-regulated by cyclopamine treatment. In addition, knockdown of SMO by SMO shRNA prevents osteosarcoma growth in vitro and in vivo.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that inactivation of SMO may be a useful approach to the treatment of patients with osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: The hypothesis that malignant tumours are generated by rare populations of cancer stem cells that are more tumourigenic than other cancer cells has gained increasing credence. The objective of this study was to identify and characterise a subpopulation of human sarcoma-initiating cells. METHODS: We examined established rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines by flow cytometry. Tumourigenesis was examined by xenograft models. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed to examine the gene expression using cell lines and biopsy specimens. RESULTS: Rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines included small populations of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3)-positive cells. FGFR3-positive KYM-1 and RD cells were more strongly tumourigenic than FGFR3-negative cells. In addition, xenoengraftment of 33% of single FGFR3-positive KYM-1 cells yielded tumour formation. Stem cell properties of FGFR3-positive cells were further established by real-time PCR, which demonstrated upregulation of undifferentiated cell markers and downregulation of differentiation markers. We showed that in the absence of serum, addition of basic fibroblast growth factor maintained and enriched FGFR3-positive cells. On the other hand, ciliary neurotrophic factor reduced the proportion of FGFR3-positive cells. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemical examination revealed that embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma patient biopsy specimens were found to overexpress FGFR3. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines include a minor subpopulation of FGFR3-positive sarcomainitiating cells, which can be maintained indefinitely in culture and which is crucial for their malignancy.

Background:Activation of the Notch pathway has been reported in various types of cancers. However, the role of the hairy/enhancer-of-split related with YRPW motif protein 1 (HEY1) in osteosarcoma is unknown. We examined the function of HEY1 in osteosarcoma.Methods:Expression of HEY1 was studied in human osteosarcoma. The effects of HEY1 in osteosarcoma were evaluated in vitro and in a xenograft model. Moreover, we examined the function of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) as a downstream effector of HEY1.Results:HEY1 was upregulated in human osteosarcoma. Knockdown of HEY1 inhibited the invasion of osteosarcoma cell lines. In contrast, the forced expression of HEY1 increased the invasion of mesenchymal stem cell. In addition, lung metastases were significantly inhibited by the knockdown of HEY1. We found that MMP9 was a downstream effector of HEY1 that promotes the invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Knockdown of HEY1 decreased the expression of MMP9. Addition of MMP9 rescued the invasion of osteosarcoma cells that had been rendered less invasive by knockdown of HEY1 expression.Conclusions:Our findings suggested that HEY1 augmented the metastasis of osteosarcoma via upregulation of MMP9 expression. Therefore, inhibition of HEY1 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for preventing osteosarcoma metastasis.

BackgroundThe cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumour response following chemotherapy are largely unknown. We found that low dose anti-tumour agents up-regulate early growth response 1 (EGR1) expression. EGR1 is a member of the immediate-early gene group of transcription factors which modulate transcription of multiple genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and development. It has been reported that EGR1 act as either tumour promoting factor or suppressor. We therefore examined the expression and function of EGR1 in osteosarcoma.MethodsWe investigated the expression of EGR1 in human osteosarcoma cell lines and biopsy specimens. We next examined the expression of EGR1 following anti-tumour agents treatment. To examine the function of EGR1 in osteosarcoma, we assessed the tumour growth and invasion in vitro and in vivo.ResultsReal-time PCR revealed that EGR1 was down-regulated both in osteosarcoma cell lines and osteosarcoma patients' biopsy specimens. In addition, EGR1 was up-regulated both in osteosarcoma patient' specimens and osteosarcoma cell lines following anti-tumour agent treatment. Although forced expression of EGR1 did not prevent osteosarcoma growth, forced expression of EGR1 prevented osteosarcoma cell invasion in vitro. In addition, forced expression of EGR1 promoted down-regulation of urokinase plasminogen activator, urokinase receptor, and urokinase plasminogen activity. Xenograft mice models showed that forced expression of EGR1 prevents osteosarcoma cell migration into blood vessels.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that although chemotherapy could not prevent osteosarcoma growth in chemotherapy-resistant patients, it did prevent osteosarcoma cell invasion by down-regulation of urokinase plasminogen activity via up-regulation of EGR1 during chemotherapy periods.