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PubMed2001

Pancreatic cancer cells require an EGF receptor-mediated autocrine pathway for proliferation in serum-free conditions.

In-vitro and in-vivo studies have shown that autocrine growth factors and receptors are frequently expressed in human malignancies. Few of these studies, however, provide evidence that the identified autocrine pathway is functional. In this study, a functional autocrine growth pathway in pancreatic cancer has been identified using an in-vitro cell culture system. When pancreatic cancer cells were grown without change of medium, proliferation was greater than when either medium was replaced frequently (HPAF, CAPAN-2, PANC-1 or SW1990) or cells were grown in the presence of the EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478 or the MEK inhibitor PD098059 (HPAF or CAPAN-2). Activity of extracellular-regulated kinases (ERK) 1 and 2 and c- jun and c- fos mRNA levels were significantly elevated in CAPAN-2 cells cultured continuously in serum-free medium. Collectively, the observations indicate that the EGF receptor and the ERK MAP kinase pathway mediate autocrine signals. In contrast to previous reports, the GRP and IGF-I receptors were shown not to be required for autocrine effects on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. Autocrine stimulation of the EGF receptor can contribute to sustained mitogenic activity and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells.

Cell Division↗

PubMed1990

Identification of interleukin-6 as an autocrine growth factor for Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized B cells.

Autocrine growth factors are believed to be important for maintenance of an immortalized state by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), because cell-free supernatants of EBV-immortalized cell lines promote the proliferation of autologous cells and permit their growth at low cell density. In this study, we provide evidence for the existence of two autocrine growth factor activities produced by EBV-immortalized lines distinguished by size and biological activities. Much of the autocrine growth factor activity in lymphoblastoid cell line supernatants resided in a low-molecular-weight (less than 5,000) fraction. However, up to 20 to 30% of the autocrine growth factor activity resided in the high-molecular-weight (greater than 5,000) fraction. While the nature of the low-molecular-weight growth factor activity remains undefined, the high-molecular-weight growth factor activity was identified as interleukin-6 (IL-6). Culture supernatants from six EBV-induced lymphoblastoid cell lines tested contained IL-6 activity, because they promoted proliferation in the IL-6-dependent hybridoma cell line B9. In addition, a rabbit antibody to human IL-6 neutralized the capacity of the high-molecular-weight (greater than 5,000) fraction of a lymphoblastoid cell line supernatant to promote growth both in autologous EBV-immortalized cells and in B9 cells. Similarly, this high-molecular-weight autocrine growth factor activity was neutralized by a monoclonal antibody to human IL-6. Furthermore, characteristic bands, attributable to IL-6, were visualized in supernatants of each of four EBV-induced lymphoblastoid cell lines after immunoprecipitation with a rabbit antiserum to human IL-6. Thus, in addition to its previously reported properties, IL-6 is an autocrine growth factor for EBV-immortalized B cells cultured under serum-free conditions.

B-Lymphocytes↗

PubMed2002

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) autocrine signaling regulates survival and mitogenic pathways in glioblastoma cells: evidence that the novel PDGF-C and PDGF-D ligands may play a role in the development of brain tumors.

Glioblastoma multiforme, the most common form of malignant brain tumor,is resistant to all forms of therapy and causes death within 9-12 months of diagnosis. Glioblastomas are known to contain numerous genetic and physiological alterations affecting cell survival and proliferation; one of the most common alterations being platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) autocrine signaling characterized by coexpression of PDGF and its receptor. The PDGF family consists of four members, PDGF-A, -B, -C, and -D, that signal through the alpha and beta PDGF receptor (PDGFR) tyrosine kinases. Numerous studies have demonstrated expression of PDGF-A, PDGF-B, and the PDGFRs in gliomablastomas, but such studies have not been conducted for the newly identified PDGF-C and -D. Therefore, we examined the expression of all PDGF ligands and receptors in 11 glioma cell lines and 5 primary glioblastoma tumor tissues by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Expression of PDGF/PDGFR pairs that are known to functionally interact were identified in all of the samples. Interestingly, PDGF-C expression was ubiquitous in brain tumor cells and tissues but was very low or absent in normal adult and fetal brain. PDGF-D was expressed in 10 of 11 brain tumor cell lines and 3 of 5 primary brain tumor samples. As a strategy for blocking PDGFR signaling, CT52923, a potent selective small molecule piperazinyl quinazoline kinase inhibitor of the PDGFR, was identified. In model systems using NIH/3T3 cells, CT52923 blocked PDGF autocrine-mediated phosphorylation of PDGFR, Akt, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), while having no effect on v-fms or V12-ras-mediated Akt or extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (Erk) phosphorylation. More importantly, p.o. administration of CT52923 to nude mice caused a significant 61% reduction (P < 0.006) in tumor growth of NIH/3T3 cells transformed by PDGF, whereas tumor formation by cells expressing v-fms was unaffected. We next characterized PDGF autocrine signaling in five glioblastoma cell lines. In all of the cases, PDGF autocrine signaling was evident because treatment with 1-10 microM CT52923 inhibited PDGFR autophosphorylation when present at a detectable level and blocked downstream Akt and/or Erk phosphorylation. The functional significance of PDGF autocrine signaling in these cells was demonstrated by the fact that the CT52923 inhibited soft agar colony formation, and, when given p.o. to nude mice, it effectively reduced tumor formation by 44% (P < 0.0019) after s.c. injection of C6 glioblastoma cells. This study of glioblastoma cells and primary tissues is the first to implicate PDGF-C and -D in brain tumor formation and confirms the existence of autocrine signaling by PDGF-A and -B. More importantly, treatment with the PDGFR antagonist CT52923 inhibited survival and/or mitogenic pathways in all of the glioblastoma cell lines tested and prevented glioma formation in a nude mouse xenograft model. Together these findings demonstrate the potential therapeutic utility of this class of compounds for the treatment of glioblastoma.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed2003

Long-range signal transmission in autocrine relays.

Intracellular signaling induced by peptide growth factors can stimulate secretion of these molecules into the extracellular medium. In autocrine and paracrine networks, this can establish a positive feedback loop between ligand binding and ligand release. When coupled to intercellular communication by autocrine ligands, this positive feedback can generate constant-speed traveling waves. To demonstrate that, we propose a mechanistic model of autocrine relay systems. The model is relevant to the physiology of epithelial layers and to a number of in vitro experimental formats. Using asymptotic and numerical tools, we find that traveling waves in autocrine relays exist and have a number of unusual properties, such as an optimal ligand binding strength necessary for the maximal speed of propagation. We compare our results to recent observations of autocrine and paracrine systems and discuss the steps toward experimental tests of our predictions.

Autocrine Communication↗

PubMed2004

Self-organization of polarized cell signaling via autocrine circuits: computational model analysis.

Recent studies have suggested that autocrine signaling through epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) might be involved in generating or maintaining an intrinsic polarity in tissue cells, possibly via spatial localization of EGFR-mediated signaling. The difficulty of experimental investigation of autocrine signaling makes especially valuable an application of computational modeling for critical hypotheses about the dynamic operation of the underlying signaling circuits, both intracellular and extracellular. Toward this end, we develop and analyze here a spatially distributed dynamic computational model of autocrine EGFR signaling. Under certain conditions, the model spontaneously evolves into a state wherein sustained signaling is spatially localized on smaller than cell dimension, conferring a polarity to the otherwise nonpolar model cell. Conditions of a sufficiently large rate of autocrine EGFR ligand release and of a sufficiently small exogenous ligand concentration are qualitatively consistent with experimental observations of EGFR-mediated migration. Thus, computational analysis supports the concept that autocrine EGFR signaling circuits could play a role in helping generate and/or maintain an intrinsic cell spatial polarity, possibly related to migration as well as tissue organization. We additionally offer particular suggestions for critical nodes in the EGFR signaling circuits governing this self-organization capability.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2001

Autocrine and paracrine signaling through neuropeptide receptors in human cancer.

Autocrine and paracrine signaling leading to stimulation of tumor cell growth is a common theme in human cancers. In addition to polypeptide growth factors such as EGF family members which signal through receptor tyrosine kinases, accumulating evidence supports the autocrine and paracrine involvement of specific neuropeptides with defined physiologic actions as neurotransmitters and gut hormones in lung, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic and prostatic cancers. These neuropeptides, including gastrin-releasing peptide, neuromedin B, neurotensin, gastrin, cholecystokinin and arginine vasopressin bind seven transmembrane-spanning receptors that couple to heterotrimeric G proteins. Studies with human small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells support a requirement for balanced signaling through G(q) and G(12/13) proteins leading to intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, PKC activation and regulation of the ERK and JNK MAP kinase pathways. While specific neuropeptide antagonists offer promise for interrupting the single neuropeptide autocrine systems operating in pancreatic and prostatic cancers, SCLC is exemplified by multiple, redundant neuropeptide autocrine systems such that tumor growth cannot be inhibited with a single specific antagonist. However, a novel class of neuropeptide derivatives based on the substance P sequence have been defined that exhibit broad specificity for neuropeptide receptors and induce apoptosis in SCLC by functioning as biased agonists that stimulate discordant signal transduction. Thus, interruption of autocrine and paracrine neuropeptide signaling with specific antagonists or broad-spectrum biased agonists offer promising new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of human cancers.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2006

Autocrine and juxtacrine effects of amphiregulin on the proliferative, invasive, and migratory properties of normal and neoplastic human mammary epithelial cells.

Amphiregulin (AR) autocrine loops have been associated with several types of cancer. We demonstrate that SUM149 breast cancer cells have a self-sustaining AR autocrine loop. SUM149 cells are epidermal growth factor (EGF)-independent for growth, and they overexpress AR mRNA, AR membrane precursor protein, and secreted AR relative to the EGF-dependent human mammary epithelial cell line MCF10A. MCF10A cells made to overexpress AR (MCF10A AR) are also EGF-independent for growth. Treatment with the pan-ErbB inhibitor CI1033 and the anti-EGF receptor (EGFR) antibody C225 demonstrated that ligand-mediated activation of EGFR is required for SUM149 cell proliferation. AR-neutralizing antibody significantly reduced both SUM149 EGFR activity and cell proliferation, confirming that an AR autocrine loop is required for mitogenesis in SUM149 cells. EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation was dramatically decreased in both SUM149 and MCF10A AR cells after inhibition of AR cleavage with the broad spectrum metalloprotease inhibitor GM6001, indicating that an AR autocrine loop is strictly dependent on AR cleavage in culture. However, a juxtacrine assay where fixed SUM149 cells and MCF10A AR cells were overlaid on top of EGF-deprived MCF10A cells showed that the AR membrane precursor can activate EGFR. SUM149 cells, MCF10A AR cells, and MCF10A cells growing in exogenous AR were all considerably more invasive and motile than MCF10A cells grown in EGF. Moreover, AR up-regulates a number of genes involved in cell motility and invasion in MCF10A cells, suggesting that an AR autocrine loop contributes to the aggressive breast cancer phenotype.

Amphiregulin↗

PubMed2006

Smad4-dependent regulation of urokinase plasminogen activator secretion and RNA stability associated with invasiveness by autocrine and paracrine transforming growth factor-beta.

Metastasis is a primary cause of mortality due to cancer. Early metastatic growth involves both a remodeling of the extracellular matrix surrounding tumors and invasion of tumors across the basement membrane. Up-regulation of extracellular matrix degrading proteases such as urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and matrix metalloproteinases has been reported to facilitate tumor cell invasion. Autocrine transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling may play an important role in cancer cell invasion and metastasis; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we report that autocrine TGF-beta supports cancer cell invasion by maintaining uPA levels through protein secretion. Interestingly, treatment of paracrine/exogenous TGF-beta at higher concentrations than autocrine TGF-beta further enhanced uPA expression and cell invasion. The enhanced uPA expression by exogenous TGF-beta is a result of increased uPA mRNA expression due to RNA stabilization. We observed that both autocrine and paracrine TGF-beta-mediated regulation of uPA levels was lost upon depletion of Smad4 protein by RNA interference. Thus, through the Smad pathway, autocrine TGF-beta maintains uPA expression through facilitated protein secretion, thereby supporting tumor cell invasiveness, whereas exogenous TGF-beta further enhances uPA expression through mRNA stabilization leading to even greater invasiveness of the cancer cells.

Autocrine Communication↗

PubMed2002

Autocrine loops with positive feedback enable context-dependent cell signaling.

We describe a mechanism for context-dependent cell signaling mediated by autocrine loops with positive feedback. We demonstrate that the composition of the extracellular medium can critically influence the intracellular signaling dynamics induced by extracellular stimuli. Specifically, in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) system, amplitude and duration of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation are modulated by the positive-feedback loop formed by the EGFR, the Ras-MAPK signaling pathway, and a ligand-releasing protease. The signaling response to a transient input is short-lived when most of the released ligand is lost to the cellular microenvironment by diffusion and/or interaction with an extracellular ligand-binding component. In contrast, the response is prolonged or persistent in a cell that is efficient in recapturing the endogenous ligand. To study functional capabilities of autocrine loops, we have developed a mathematical model that accounts for ligand release, transport, binding, and intracellular signaling. We find that context-dependent signaling arises as a result of dynamic interaction between the parts of an autocrine loop. Using the model, we can directly interpret experimental observations on context-dependent responses of autocrine cells to ionizing radiation. In human carcinoma cells, MAPK signaling patterns induced by a short pulse of ionizing radiation can be transient or sustained, depending on cell type and composition of the extracellular medium. On the basis of our model, we propose that autocrine loops in this, and potentially other, growth factor and cytokine systems may serve as modules for context-dependent cell signaling.

Autocrine Communication↗

PubMed2001

Autocrine interleukin-6 production and highly malignant multiple myeloma: relation with resistance to drug-induced apoptosis.

In this study, flow cytometry was used to evaluate interleukin-6 (IL-6) production by bone marrow mononuclear cells from 47 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) in different clinical stages and 15 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. In patients with MM, autocrine IL-6 production paralleled the clinical disease stage. The largest proportion of syndecan-1(+)/IL-6(+) cells was detected in patients with resistant relapse or primary refractory disease, suggesting that tumor progression involves expansion of myeloma cells producing IL-6. The authors assessed autocrine IL-6 production and in vitro proliferation and apoptosis of myeloma cells in 6 myeloma cell clones (MCCs) and in 2 myeloma cell lines, namely IM-9 and U-266-1970, which showed different sensitivities to the addition of exogenous IL-6. Autocrine IL-6 production was observed in IL-6-independent MCC-2, MCC-3, and MCC-5 cloned from patients with aggressive disease and in the IM-9 cell line. In contrast, IL-6-dependent MCC-1, MCC-4, and MCC-6 were syndecan-1(+) and IL-6(-). Blocking experiments with anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody from clone AH65, which binds IL-6-IL-6Ralpha complexes, prevented cell proliferation of IL-6(+) MCCs. Flow cytometry evaluations after propidium iodide staining revealed different susceptibilities of MCCs to cell death. IL-6-producing MCCs showed minimal spontaneous and dexamethasone-induced apoptosis, whereas a regular amplitude of apoptosis occurred in the IL-6(-) MCCs. These data provide evidence that autocrine IL-6 reflects a highly malignant phenotype of myeloma cells. In fact, autocrine IL-6 production and deregulated apoptosis may induce expansion of selective IL-6(+) myeloma cells resistant to spontaneous and drug-induced cell death.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2001

Quantitative analysis of the EGF receptor autocrine system reveals cryptic regulation of cell response by ligand capture.

Autocrine signaling is important in normal tissue physiology as well as pathological conditions. It is difficult to analyze these systems, however, because they are both self-contained and recursive. To understand how parameters such as ligand production and receptor expression influence autocrine activity, we investigated a human epidermal growth factor/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF/EGFR) loop engineered into mouse B82 fibroblasts. We varied the level of ligand production using the tet-off expression system and used metalloprotease inhibitors to modulate ligand release. Receptor expression was varied using antagonistic blocking antibodies. We compared autocrine ligand release with receptor activation using a microphysiometer-based assay and analyzed our data using a quantitative model of ligand release and receptor dynamics. We found that the activity of our autocrine system could be described in terms of a simple ratio between the rate of ligand production (V(LT)) and the rate of receptor production (V(R)). At a V(LT)/V(R) ratio of <0.3, essentially no ligand was found in the extracellular medium, but a significant number of cell receptors (30-40%) were occupied. As the V(LT)/V(R) ratio increased from 0.3 towards unity, receptor occupancy increased and significant amounts of ligand appeared in the medium. Above a V(LT)/V(R) ratio of 1.0, receptor occupancy approached saturation and most of the released ligand was lost into the medium. Analysis of human mammary epithelial cells showed that a V(LT)/V(R) ratio of < 5 x 10(-4)was sufficient to evoke >20% of a maximal proliferative response. This demonstrates that natural autocrine systems can be active even when no ligand appears in the extracellular medium.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Autocrine interleukin-6/interleukin-6 receptor stimulation in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Autocrine growth factor stimulation resulting in growth self-sufficiency is a hallmark of cancer. Classically, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells have autocrine epidermal growth factor stimulation through coexpression of receptors and ligands. In addition to epidermal growth factor receptor and other growth factor ligand-receptor autocrine loops, increasing evidence suggests important roles for cytokines in mediating intracellular signaling events important in cell growth and survival. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been shown to activate pathways important in tumorigenesis including Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription, phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling. Using immunohistochemistry, we demonstrate that NSCLC specimens have tumor expression of IL-6 and IL-6 receptor components gp80 and gp130. These results suggest that IL-6 autocrine signaling might contribute to downstream signaling events in NSCLC and further support the concept of multiple autocrine pathways contributing to the pathogenesis of NSCLC.

Autocrine Communication↗

PubMed1997

[Effect of EBV-LMP and EGF autocrine on proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE and their relationship in action].

EBV-LMP gene transfection, radioimmuno-binding assay (RIA) and colorimetric cell viability assay (MTT) were used to investigate the effect and relationship of EBV-LMP and EGF autocrine on the growth and proliferation of well differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line (CNE1). Autocrine EGF was detected in the supernant of CNE1 cells and CNE1 cells could grow in serum-free medium, implicating that the cell proliferation-promoting effect of EGF autocrine was present in the CNE1 cell line. Nevertheless the positive signals of LMP gene polymerase chain reaction and LMP Mab immunohistochemical staining in pCMV alpha-LMP DNA transfected cells, confirmed the successful transfection of LMP gene. EGF autocrine amount and the proliferation of CNE1 cells in serum-free medium were more obvious in post-transfected cells than those in untransfected cells. The present study represents the first report on promotion of EGF autocrine in EBV-LMP-transfected cells, thus promoting cell proliferation.

Autocrine Communication↗

PubMed2001

Autocrine transforming growth factor beta suppresses telomerase activity and transcription of human telomerase reverse transcriptase in human cancer cells.

Because autocrine transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) can suppress carcinogenesis, which is often associated with telomerase activation, we studied whether autocrine TGF-beta inhibits telomerase activity. Restoration of autocrine TGF-beta activity in human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells after reexpression of its type II receptor (RII) led to a significant reduction of telomerase activity and the mRNA level of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), whereas suppression of the autocrine TGF-beta activity with a dominant negative RII without the cytoplasmic domain (deltaRII) in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells led to a significant increase of telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA level. This appears to be due to repression of hTERT mRNA transcription because exogenous TGF-beta treatment of MCF-7 cells transiently transfected with a hTERT promoter-reporter construct significantly repressed the hTERT promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the hTERT promoter activity was significantly decreased in HCT116 RII cells and increased in MCF-7 deltaRII cells when compared with their respective controls. Therefore, autocrine TGF-beta appears to target hTERT promoter to inhibit telomerase activity.

Autocrine Communication↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Delineation of the roles of paracrine and autocrine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in myeloma cell lines in survival versus cell cycle. A possible model for the cooperation of myeloma cell growth factors.

Primary myeloma cells rapidly apoptose as soon as they are removed from their bone-marrow environment. A likely explanation is that the tumor environment produces survival factors that may counteract a spontaneous activation of pro-apoptotic program. Additional factors may trigger cell cycling in surviving myeloma cells. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a well recognized myeloma cell growth factor produced mainly by the tumor environment. However, myeloma cells themselves may produce low levels of autocrine IL-6. The respective roles of paracrine versus autocrine IL-6 are a matter of debate. We investigated these roles using the XG-6 myeloma cell line whose growth is dependent on addition of exogenous IL-6, despite its weak IL-6 mRNA and protein expression. The apoptosis induced by exogenous IL-6 deprivation was blocked by transferring the Mcl-1 gene coding for an anti-apoptotic protein in XG-6 cells. An XG-6Mcl-1 cell line which can survive and grow without adding IL-6 was obtained. We show that anti-IL-6 or anti-gp130 antibodies abrogated cell cycling whereas they did not affect cell survival. These data indicate that the weak autocrine IL-6 produced by myeloma cells is sufficient to trigger cell cycling whereas their survival requires large exogenous IL-6 concentrations. This important role of autocrine IL-6 has to be considered when evaluating the mechanism of action of myeloma cell growth factors. These factors may actually block an activated pro-apoptotic program, making possible a weak production of autocrine IL-6 to promote cell cycling.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1994

Autocrine transforming growth factor-beta 1 and beta 2 expression is increased by cell crowding and quiescence in colon carcinoma cells.

Although a great deal is known about the cellular effects of exogenous transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) treatment and the effects of various exogenous agents (including TGF-beta's themselves) on TGF-beta expression, studies of cellular controls for autocrine TGF-beta expression and function have been rare. Since exogenous TGF-beta treatment blocks progression through the cell cycle, it seemed likely that autocrine TGF-beta activity would be induced by growth states in which there was little or no cell division such as confluency or quiescence. Specific TGF-beta 1 or beta 2 neutralizing antibody treatment of a colon carcinoma cell line designated CBS showed that autocrine TGF-beta activity could be demonstrated in quiescent cells but not in preconfluent cells. Studies of kinetics of TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 mRNA levels during the establishment of quiescence revealed a significant increase of both isoforms in quiescent cells. The quiescent cells also secreted three- to fourfold and four-to fivefold higher levels of total (latent plus active) TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 protein in the conditioned media than the confluent cells and preconfluent cells, respectively. There was no detectable active form of either TGF-beta isoform in the conditioned media of preconfluent cells, whereas a significant amount of active TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 was detected in the conditioned media of quiescent cells. Quantitative RNase protection assays were developed to compare the effects of cell crowding vs quiescence on TGF-beta expression. TGF-beta 1 was primarily induced by quiescence. TGF-beta 2 was induced by both quiescence and cell crowding. Increased TGF-beta 1 mRNA levels appeared to be exclusively due to an increase in stability, while increased TGF-beta 2 mRNA levels were due to increased transcription. This growth state-related induction of TGF-beta's was also observed in two other colon carcinoma cell lines. These studies show that TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 are autocrine-negative factors which can be situationally expressed by cells as a function of their growth state. Autocrine expression of the TGF-beta's in this model system appears not to affect exponentially growing cells, but rather to function by maintaining a quiescent state and/or by blocking progression through the cell cycle.

Carcinoma↗

PubMed1992

Interrupting autocrine ligand-receptor binding: comparison between receptor blockers and ligand decoys.

Stimulation of cell behavioral functions by ligand/receptor binding can be accomplished in autocrine fashion, where cells secrete ligand capable of binding to receptors on their own surfaces. This proximal secretion of autocrine ligands near the surface receptors on the secreting cell suggests that control of these systems by inhibitors of receptor/ligand binding may be more difficult than for systems involving exogenous ligands. Hence, it is of interest to predict the conditions under which successful inhibition of cell receptor binding by the autocrine ligand can be expected. Previous theoretical work using a compartmentalized model for autocrine cells has elucidated the conditions under which addition of solution decoys for the autocrine ligand can interrupt cell receptor/ligand binding via competitive binding of the secreted molecules (Forsten, K. E., and D. A. Lauffenburger. 1992. Biophys. J. 61:1-12.) We now apply a similar modeling approach to examine the addition of solution blockers targeted against the cell receptor. Comparison of the two alternative inhibition strategies reveals that a significantly lower concentration of receptor blockers, compared to ligand decoys, will obtain a high degree of inhibition. The more direct interruption scheme characteristic of the receptor blockers may make them a preferred strategy when feasible.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Dexamethasone inhibits prolonged survival and autocrine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor production by human eosinophils cultured on laminin or tissue fibronectin.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophil autocrine generation of viability-promoting cytokines resulting from interaction with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins may be important in promoting their persistence in allergic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: We examined eosinophil interaction with fibronectin, laminin, collagen, fibrinogen, hyaluronate, or vitronectin in terms of adhesion and for their ability to promote prolonged eosinophil survival by autocrine generation of IL-3, IL-5, or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The effect of dexamethasone was examined because it may inhibit integrin-dependent autocrine generation of viability-enhancing cytokines. METHODS: Microtiter wells were coated with different ECM proteins, and assays were performed to determine their levels of eosinophil adhesion, and tests were performed to determine their prolonged survival in culture. The receptors involved in these processes, the cytokines generated, and the effect of a dose range of dexamethasone were all examined. RESULTS: Eosinophils cultured for 3 days on laminin or tissue fibronectin exhibited dose-dependent prolonged survival, which was not seen with any other ECM protein. Unstimulated eosinophils adhered to wells coated with laminin or fibronectin but not to wells coated with any of the other ECM proteins that were tested. Laminin-dependent eosinophil adhesion and prolonged survival were inhibited by specific monoclonal antibodies to beta1 and alpha6beta1. Laminin-dependent survival was inhibited by a neutralizing antibody to GM-CSF, an anti-IL-5 antibody achieved a measurable but insignificant inhibition of survival, and an antibody to IL-3 had no effect. Increasing concentrations of dexamethasone (maximal at 10(-7) mol/L) inhibited both laminin- and fibronectin-dependent enhanced eosinophil viability at 3 days. Eosinophils cultured on either laminin or fibronectin for 24 or 72 hours generated picogram quantities of GM-CSF, which were inhibited by the addition of dexamethasone (10(-7) mol/L). CONCLUSION: We have confirmed that eosinophils adhere to laminin in an alpha6beta1-dependent manner, and this interaction results in the autocrine generation of GM-CSF, which enhances eosinophil survival in culture. Both laminin and tissue fibronectin-dependent autocrine GM-CSF generation were inhibited by physiologically relevant concentrations of dexamethasone. This may represent an important mechanism by which glucocorticoids reduce the tissue eosinophilia in allergic disease.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗