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Biomedical subjects

G R Mundy

Publications and source records attributed to G R Mundy.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Bisphosphonates in the adjuvant treatment of cancer: experimental evidence and first clinical results. International Bone and Cancer Study Group (IBCG).

Several animal models, as well as a number of cell culture experiments, indicate a prophylactic effect of bisphosphonates in respect of subsequent bone metastasis. Moreover, in preliminary clinical trials involving patients with advanced breast cancer and local or remote metastases, biophosphonates produced a reduction in new skeletal metastases. This overview summarizes and discusses the results of the latest investigations. It opens with a section on the pathophysiology of bone metastasis, which is followed by a report on animal models and first studies of bisphosphonate treatment as a new approach in systemic adjuvant therapy.

Animals↗

Optimizing human demineralized bone matrix for clinical application.

The use of human demineralized bone matrix (DBM) powder in periodontal and orthopedic applications is limited by the variability in the osteoinductive or osteoconductive properties of the material. The goal of the present study was to establish simple in vitro and in vivo assays of DBM that would allow us to screen different lots of the material prior to testing in more rigorous animal models. The results demonstrate a wide variability in the performance of individual lots of DBM powder obtained from a single tissue bank. The studies also demonstrate that relatively simple screening can be used to establish the quality of the different lots, and that performance and ease of handling can be improved by using relatively small particle sizes delivered in a fibrin sealant matrix.

Animals↗

Role of the latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 1 in fibrillin-containing microfibrils in bone cells in vitro and in vivo.

Latent transforming growth factor beta-binding proteins (LTBPs) are extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that bind latent transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and influence its availability in bone and other connective tissues. LTBPs have homology with fibrillins and may have related functions as microfibrillar proteins. However, at present little is known about their structural arrangement in the ECM. By using antibodies against purified LTBP1, against a short peptide in LTBP1, and against epitope-tagged LTBP1 constructs, we have shown colocalization of LTBP1 and fibrillin 1 in microfibrillar structures in the ECM of cultured primary osteoblasts. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed localization of LTBP1 to 10- to 12-nm microfibrils and suggested an ordered aggregation of LTBP1 into these structures. Early colocalization of LTBP1 with fibronectin suggested a role for fibronectin in the initial assembly of LTBP1 into the matrix; however, in more differentiated osteoblast cultures, LTBP1 and fibronectin 1 were found in distinct fibrillar networks. Overexpression of LTBP1 deletion constructs in osteoblast-like cells showed that N-terminal amino acids 67-467 were sufficient for incorporation into fibrillin-containing microfibrils and suggested that LTBP1 can be produced by cells distant from the site of fibril formation. In embryonic long bones in vivo, LTBP1 and fibrillin 1 colocalized at the surface of newly forming osteoid and bone. However, LTBP1-positive fibrils, which did not contain fibrillin 1, were present in cartilage matrix. These studies show that in addition to regulating TGF beta 1, LTBP1 may function as a structural component of connective tissue microfibrils. LTBP1 may therefore be a candidate gene for Marfan-related connective tissue disorders in which linkage to fibrillins has been excluded.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Bisphosphonates as cancer drugs.

Bone appears to act like fertilizer for many tumors, including myeloma and metastatic breast cancer. The explanation must lie in interactions between tumor cells and the bone-tissue microenvironment. At this level, too, must lie the explanation of how bisphosphonates address not only cancer osteolysis but also the tumor burden. By inhibiting osteoclasts, the drugs may block a cancer-related vicious cycle.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Ibandronate reduces osteolytic lesions but not tumor burden in a murine model of myeloma bone disease.

We determined the effects of the potent bisphosphonate ibandronate in a murine model of human myeloma bone disease. In this model, bone lesions typical of the human disease develop in mice following inoculation of myeloma cells via the tail vein. Treatment with ibandronate (4 micrograms per mouse per day) significantly reduced the occurrence of osteolytic bone lesions in myeloma-bearing mice. However, ibandronate did not prevent the mice from developing hindlimb paralysis and did not produce a detectable effect on survival. There was no significant effect of ibandronate on total myeloma cell burden, as assessed by morphometric measurements of myeloma cells in the bone marrow, liver, and spleen, or by measurement of serum IgG2b levels. These results support clinical findings that bisphosphonates may be useful for the treatment of myeloma-associated bone destruction, but suggest that other therapies are also required to reduce tumor growth.

Animals↗

TGF-beta signaling blockade inhibits PTHrP secretion by breast cancer cells and bone metastases development.

Breast cancer frequently metastasizes to the skeleton, and the associated bone destruction is mediated by the osteoclast. Growth factors, including transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), released from bone matrix by the action of osteoclasts, may foster metastatic growth. Because TGF-beta inhibits growth of epithelial cells, and carcinoma cells are often defective in TGF-beta responses, any role of TGF-beta in metastasis is likely to be mediated by effects on the surrounding normal tissue. However, we present evidence that TGF-beta promotes breast cancer metastasis by acting directly on the tumor cells. Expression of a dominant-negative mutant (TbetaRIIDeltacyt) of the TGF-beta type II receptor rendered the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 unresponsive to TGF-beta. In a murine model of bone metastases, expression of TbetaRIIDeltacyt by MDA-MB-231 resulted in less bone destruction, less tumor with fewer associated osteoclasts, and prolonged survival compared with controls. Reversal of the dominant-negative signaling blockade by expression of a constitutively active TGF-beta type I receptor in the breast cancer cells increased tumor production of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), enhanced osteolytic bone metastasis, and decreased survival. Transfection of MDA-MB-231 cells that expressed the dominant-negative TbetaRIIDeltacyt with the cDNA for PTHrP resulted in constitutive tumor PTHrP production and accelerated bone metastases. These data demonstrate an important role for TGF-beta in the development of breast cancer metastasis to bone, via the TGF-beta receptor-mediated signaling pathway in tumor cells, and suggest that the bone destruction is mediated by PTHrP.

Animals↗

Systemic administration of acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1) prevents bone loss and increases new bone formation in ovariectomized rats.

There are no universally accepted agents that will substantially increase bone mass in osteoporotic patients. A number of peptides important in normal bone formation, such as members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, are not satisfactory for this purpose either because their beneficial effects are predominantly local or there is systemic toxicity associated with their administration. We have examined the effects of exogenous fibroblast growth factor-1 and -2 (FGF-1 and FGF-2) on bone in vivo, since FGFs have been shown recently to be essential for normal skeletal development. FGF-1 was injected daily (0.2 mg/kg intravenously) for 28 days into the tail vein of adult female rats immediately following and 6 months after sham operation or ovariectomy (OVX). In rats treated immediately post-OVX, OVX produced more than a 30% decrease in tibial bone density, which was prevented by FGF-1 and estrogen. However, FGF-1 also had an anabolic effect. In sham-operated rats, FGF-1 increased bone density to 2-fold, whereas estrogen had no effect. In rats 6 months post-OVX, severe bone loss and disruption of trabecular microarchitecture occurred similar to that seen in patients with severe osteoporosis. In these rats, administration of FGF-1 induced extensive new woven bone formation with new trabecular-like structures filling much of the marrow spaces, and bone density in the tibial metaphysis increased 3-fold. FGF-1 and FGF-2 were also administered subcutaneously over the calvaria of mice in doses of 2-2000 microg/day for 3 days and shown to produce substantial increases in bone formation when examined morphologically. Thus, we conclude that both local and systemic FGF-1 increases new bone formation and bone density, and systemic FGF-1 also appears to restore bone microarchitecture and prevent bone loss associated with estrogen-withdrawal.

Animals↗

Hormonal control of calcium homeostasis.

Calcium homeostasis in the extracellular fluid is tightly controlled and defended physiologically. Hypercalcemia always represents considerable underlying pathology and occurs when the hormonal control of calcium homeostasis is overwhelmed. The major hormones that are responsible for normal calcium homeostasis are parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D; these hormones control extracellular fluid calcium on a chronic basis. Over- or underproduction of these hormones or the tumor peptide, parathyroid hormone-related peptide, are the major causes of aberrant extracellular fluid calcium concentrations. These hormonal defense mechanisms are reviewed here.

Animals↗

Differential roles for bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor type IB and IA in differentiation and specification of mesenchymal precursor cells to osteoblast and adipocyte lineages.

Cumulative evidence indicates that osteoblasts and adipocytes share a common mesenchymal precursor and that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) can induce both osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation of this precursor. In the present study, we investigated the roles of BMP receptors in differentiation along these separate lineages using a well-characterized clonal cell line, 2T3, derived from the mouse calvariae. BMP-2 induced 2T3 cells to differentiate into mature osteoblasts or adipocytes depending upon culture conditions. To test the specific roles of the type IA and IB BMP receptor components, truncated and constitutively active type IA and IB BMP receptor cDNAs were stably expressed in these cells. Overexpression of truncated type IB BMP receptor (trBMPR-IB) in 2T3 cells completely blocked BMP-2-induced osteoblast differentiation and mineralized bone matrix formation. Expression of trBMPR-IB also blocked mRNA expression of the osteoblast specific transcription factor, Osf2/ Cbfa1, and the osteoblast differentiation-related genes, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OC). BMP-2-induced ALP activity could be rescued by transfection of wild-type (wt) BMPR-IB into 2T3 clones containing trBMPR-IB. Expression of a constitutively active BMPR-IB (caBMPR-IB) induced formation of mineralized bone matrix by 2T3 cells without addition of BMP-2. In contrast, overexpression of trBMPR-IA blocked adipocyte differentiation and expression of caBMPR-IA induced adipocyte formation in 2T3 cells. Expression of the adipocyte differentiation-related genes, adipsin and PPARgamma, correlated with the distinct phenotypic changes found after overexpression of the appropriate mutant receptors. These results demonstrate that type IB and IA BMP receptors transmit different signals to bone-derived mesenchymal progenitors and play critical roles in both the specification and differentiation of osteoblasts and adipocytes.

Adipocytes↗

Cadherin-6 mediates the heterotypic interactions between the hemopoietic osteoclast cell lineage and stromal cells in a murine model of osteoclast differentiation.

Osteoclasts are multinucleated cells of hemopoietic origin that are responsible for bone resorption during physiological bone remodeling and in a variety of bone diseases. Osteoclast development requires direct heterotypic cell-cell interactions of the hemopoietic osteoclast precursors with the neighboring osteoblast/stromal cells. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these heterotypic interactions are poorly understood. We isolated cadherin-6 isoform, denoted cadherin-6/2 from a cDNA library of human osteoclast-like cells. The isolated cadherin-6/2 is 3,423 bp in size consisting of an open reading frame of 2,115 bp, which encodes 705 amino acids. This isoform lacks 85 amino acids between positions 333 and 418 and contains 9 different amino acids in the extracellular domain compared with the previously described cadherin-6. The human osteoclast-like cells also expressed another isoform denoted cadherin-6/1 together with the cadherin-6. Introduction of cadherin-6/2 into L-cells that showed no cell-cell contact caused evident morphological changes accompanied with tight cell-cell association, indicating the cadherin-6/2 we isolated here is functional. Moreover, expression of dominant-negative or antisense cadherin-6/2 construct in bone marrow-derived mouse stromal ST2 cells, which express only cadherin-6/2, markedly impaired their ability to support osteoclast formation in a mouse coculture model of osteoclastogenesis. Our results suggest that cadherin-6 may be a contributory molecule to the heterotypic interactions between the hemopoietic osteoclast cell lineage and osteoblast/bone marrow stromal cells required for the osteoclast differentiation. Since both osteoclasts and osteoblasts/bone marrow stromal cells are the primary cells controlling physiological bone remodeling, expression of cadherin-6 isoforms in these two cell types of different origin suggests a critical role of these molecules in the relationship of osteoclast precursors and cells of osteoblastic lineage within the bone microenvironment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Smad5 and DPC4 are key molecules in mediating BMP-2-induced osteoblastic differentiation of the pluripotent mesenchymal precursor cell line C2C12.

Since the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily that induce the differentiation of mesenchymal precursor cells into the osteogenic cells, we identified the relevant signaling molecules responsible for mediating BMP-2 effects on mesenchymal precursor cells. BMP-2 induces osteoblastic differentiation of the pluripotent mesenchymal cell line C2C12 by increasing alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin production. As recent studies have demonstrated that cytoplasmic Smad proteins are involved in TGF-beta superfamily signaling, we plan to isolate the relevant Smad family members involved in osteoblastic differentiation. We identified human Smad5, which is highly homologous to Smad1. BMP-2 caused serine phosphorylation of Smad5 as well as Smad1. In contrast, TGF-beta failed to cause serine phosphorylation of Smad1 and Smad5. We found Smad5 is directly activated by BMP type Ia or Ib receptors through physical association with these receptors. Following phosphorylation, Smad5 bound to DPC4, another Smad family member, and the complex was translocated to the nucleus. Overexpression of point-mutated Smad5 (G419S) or a C-terminal deletion mutant DPC4 (DPC4 delta C) blocked the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin production, and Smad5-DPC4 signaling cascades upon BMP-2 treatment in C2C12 cells. These data suggest that activation of Smad5 and subsequent Smad5-DPC4 complex formation are key steps in the BMP signaling pathway, which mediates BMP-2-induced osteoblastic differentiation of the C2C12 mesenchymal cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Current use of bisphosphonates in oncology. International Bone and Cancer Study Group.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to review the recent data on bisphosphonate use in oncology and to provide some guidelines on the indications for their use in cancer patients. DESIGN: The group consensus reached by experts on the rationale for the use of bisphosphonates in cancer patients and their current indications for the treatment of tumor-induced hypercalcemia and metastatic bone pain in advanced disease and for the prevention of the complications of multiple myeloma and of metastatic bone disease are reviewed. RESULTS: Bisphosphonates are potent inhibitors of tumor-induced osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. They now constitute the standard treatment for cancer hypercalcemia, for which we recommend a dose of 1,500 mg of clodronate or 90 mg of pamidronate; the latter compound is more potent and has a longer lasting effect. Intravenous bisphosphonates exert clinically relevant analgesic effects in patients with metastatic bone pain. Regular pamidronate infusions can also achieve a partial objective response by conventional International Union Against Cancer criteria and enhance the objective response rate to chemotherapy. In breast cancer, the prolonged administration of oral clodronate 1,600 mg daily reduces the frequency of morbid skeletal events by more than one fourth, whereas monthly pamidronate infusions of 90 mg for only 1 year in addition to chemotherapy reduce by more than one third the frequency of all skeletal-related events. The use of bisphosphonates to prevent bone metastases remains experimental. Last, bisphosphonates in addition to chemotherapy are superior to chemotherapy alone in patients with stages II and III multiple myeloma and can reduce the skeletal morbidity rate by approximately one half. CONCLUSION: Bisphosphonate use is a major therapeutic advance in the management of the skeletal morbidity caused by metastatic breast cancer or multiple myeloma, although many questions remain unanswered, notably regarding the optimal selection of patients and the duration of treatment.

Analgesics, Non-Narcotic↗

Cancer and bone.

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Bone Neoplasms↗