Behavioural Effects of Using Sulfasalazine to Inhibit Glutamate Released by Cancer Cells: A Novel target for Cancer-Induced Depression.

Despite the lack of robust evidence of effectiveness, current treatment options for cancer-induced depression (CID) are limited to those developed for non-cancer related depression. Here, anhedonia-like and coping behaviours were assessed in female BALB/c mice inoculated with 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells. The behavioural effects of orally administered sulfasalazine (SSZ), a system x inhibitor, were compared with fluoxetine (FLX).

Differences in electrophysiological properties of functionally identified nociceptive sensory neurons in an animal model of cancer-induced bone pain.

Background: Bone cancer pain is often severe, yet little is known about mechanisms generating this type of chronic pain. While previous studies have identified functional alterations in peripheral sensory neurons that correlate with bone tumours, none has provided direct evidence correlating behavioural nociceptive responses with properties of sensory neurons in an intact bone cancer model.

Results: In a rat model of prostate cancer-induced bone pain, we confirmed tactile hypersensitivity using the von Frey test.

Depressive-like behaviours and decreased dendritic branching in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice with tumors: A novel validated model of cancer-induced depression.

Depression is commonly comorbid in cancer patients and has detrimental effects on disease progression. Evidence suggests that biological mechanisms may induce the onset of cancer-induced depression (CID). The present investigation aims to establish a validated preclinical animal model of CID.

Inhibition of breast cancer-cell glutamate release with sulfasalazine limits cancer-induced bone pain.

Cancer in bone is frequently a result of metastases from distant sites, particularly from the breast, lung, and prostate. Pain is a common and often severe pathological feature of cancers in bone, and is a significant impediment to the maintenance of quality of life of patients living with bone metastases. Cancer cell lines have been demonstrated to release significant amounts of the neurotransmitter and cell-signalling molecule l-glutamate via the system xC(-) cystine/glutamate antiporter.

Oxidative stress and cancer pain.

Breast cancers are the most common source of metastases to bone, of which cancer-induced bone pain is a frequent pathological feature. Cancer-induced bone pain is a unique pain state with multiple determinants that remains to be well understood and managed. Current standard treatments are limited by dose-dependent side effects that can reduce the quality of life of patients.

Glutamate signaling in healthy and diseased bone.

Bone relies on multiple extracellular signaling systems to maintain homeostasis of its normal structure and functions. The amino acid glutamate is a fundamental extracellular messenger molecule in many tissues, and is used in bone for both neural and non-neural signaling. This review focuses on the non-neural interactions, and examines the evolutionarily ancient glutamate signaling system in the context of its application to normal bone functioning and discusses recent findings on the role of glutamate signaling as they pertain to maintaining healthy bone structure.

Extracellular glutamate alters mature osteoclast and osteoblast functions.

Glutamatergic intercellular communication is involved in many aspects of metabolic homeostasis in normal bone. In bone metastasis, the balance between bone formation and degradation is disrupted. Although the responsible mechanisms are not clear, we have previously identified that cancer cell lines used in bone tumour models secrete glutamate, suggesting that tumour-derived glutamate may disrupt sensitive signalling systems in bone.

Evidence for the role of matrix metalloproteinase-13 in bone resorption by giant cell tumor of bone.

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCT) is an aggressively osteolytic primary bone tumor that is characterized by the presence of abundant multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells, hematopoietic monocytes, and a distinct mesenchymal stromal cell component. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 is the principal proteinase expressed by the stromal cells of GCT. The release of cytokines, particularly interleukin-1beta, by the giant cells of GCT acts on stromal cells to stimulate a surge in MMP-13 secretion.

A by-product of glutathione production in cancer cells may cause disruption in bone metabolic processes.

Bone is a frequent site for metastasis of breast and prostate cancers, often resulting in pathologic changes in bone metabolism and severe pain. The mechanisms involved are not well understood, but tumour cells may release factors that interfere with bone homeostasis. Several observations have led us to hypothesize that the functional disruptions in bone metastasis are the result of a biological process common to many cell types.

Luciferase therapeutic microcapsules for gene therapy.

MDCK cells were engineered to express luciferase driven by cytomegalovirus (CMV) or hybrid ubiquitin B (UbB) promoter and encapsulated in alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate microcapsules. In vitro experiments showed capsules could be monitored individually or in multi-layers quantitatively. When luciferase-expressing and non-luciferase expressing MDCK cells were mixed at different ratios and encapsulated, the signals increased linearly according to the number of capsules, in vitro and in vivo.

Cancer cells release glutamate via the cystine/glutamate antiporter.

Although the amino acid glutamate is used as an intercellular signaling molecule for normal bone homeostasis, little is known regarding its possible role in the metabolic disruption characteristic of bone metastasis. We have previously shown in vitro that cancer cell lines relevant to bone metastasis release glutamate into the extracellular environment. This study demonstrates the expression of multiple glutamate transporters in cancer cell lines of non-central nervous system origin.

Cancer cell lines release glutamate into the extracellular environment.

Bone is one of the most frequent sites for metastasis of breast and prostate cancers. Bone metastases are associated with pathologic changes in bone turnover and severe pain. The mechanisms that trigger these effects are not well understood, but it is postulated that tumour cells release factors which interfere with signalling processes critical to bone homeostasis.

Effect of zoledronic acid on the doxycycline-induced decrease in tumour burden in a bone metastasis model of human breast cancer.

Bone is one of the most frequent sites for metastasis in breast cancer patients often resulting in significant clinical morbidity and mortality. Bisphosphonates are currently the standard of care for breast cancer patients with bone metastasis. We have shown previously that doxycycline, a member of the tetracycline family of antibiotics, reduces total tumour burden in an experimental bone metastasis mouse model of human breast cancer.

Cyclooxygenase isoenzymes and patency of ductus arteriosus.

Prenatal patency of the ductus arteriosus is maintained mainly by prostaglandin (PG) E(2). Accordingly, the vessel is endowed in its muscular component with a complete, cyclooxygenase (COX) and PGE synthase (PGES), system for the synthesis of the compound. COX1 is better expressed than COX2, particularly in the premature, but COX2 is more extensively coupled with microsomal PGES (mPGES).

Re-expression of TSLC1 in a non-small-cell lung cancer cell line induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth.

The TSLC1 tumor-suppressor gene is silenced in a number of human cancer tissues and cell lines, including lung, prostate, liver, stomach, pancreatic, and breast cancers. Expression of TSLC1 in a non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line A549 suppresses tumorigenicity in nude mice. However, the molecular mechanism of TSLC1 action is not yet elucidated.

Quantification of anti-angiogenesis using the capillaries of the chick chorioallantoic membrane demonstrates that the effect of human angiostatin is age-dependent.

We present a method whereby en face estimation of the chorionic capillary plexus can be generated in the living chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and confirmed by post-fixation cross section analysis. This value does not alter significantly with age and provides a reliable and simple method to evaluate anti-angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenesis may be induced by an intervention, such as a pharmacological agent, applied to the surface of the CAM.

The cytoplasmic domain is critical to the tumor suppressor activity of TSLC1 in non-small cell lung cancer.

The tumor suppressor gene in lung cancer (TSLC1) encodes a membrane glycoprotein containing extensive homology in the extracellular domain with the immunoglobulin-superfamily cell adhesion molecules. The intracellular cytoplasmic domain (CT) contains a protein 4.1 (FERM) binding motif, and a PDZ-interacting motif.

Malignant ascites fluid (MAF), including ovarian-cancer-associated MAF, contains angiostatin and other factor(s) which inhibit angiogenesis.

Objective: The aim was to determine whether human malignant ascites fluid (MAF) associated with abdominal cancer, including ovarian cancer, contained factors which inhibit angiogenesis as well as others which stimulate this process.

Methods: MAF was collected from six patients, four with ovarian cancer, one with gastric cancer, and one with liver metastases. Using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) the effect of MAF on 7-day-old CAM capillaries was examined for 48 h.

The response of the lamb ductus arteriosus to endothelin: developmental changes and influence of light.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a putative messenger of oxygen in the ductus arteriosus. Since the ability of the vessel to contract to oxygen increases with gestation, we wished to ascertain whether ET-1 action is also developmentally regulated. A corollary objective was to assess whether any gestational variation in the ET-1 contraction is due to a change in the ET(A)-mediated action or to a shift in the balance between opposing, contractile (ET(A) - mediated) and relaxant (ET(B)-mediated), actions.

Doxycycline decreases tumor burden in a bone metastasis model of human breast cancer.

Bone is one of the most frequent sites for metastasis in breast cancer patients,often resulting in significant clinical morbidity and mortality. Increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity of tumor cells correlates with a higher invasive and metastatic potential. Members of the tetracycline family of antibiotics, including doxycycline, have potential treatment value for bone metastasis; they inhibit cancer cell proliferation, and they are also potent MMP inhibitors and are highly osteotropic.

Metabolism of rabbit angiostatin glycoforms I and II in rabbits: angiostatin-I leaves the intravascular space faster and appears to have greater anti-angiogenic activity than angiostatin-II.

Plasminogen (PLG) exists in the circulation as two glycoforms, I and II. Angiostatin (AST) is a polypeptide that has been cleaved from the kringle region of PLG and has strong anti-angiogenic properties. AST-I and AST-II, which consisted only of kringles 1 through 3, were prepared by the action of urokinase on purified rabbit PLG-I and PLG-II, respectively, in the presence of N-acetyl cysteine, followed by affinity chromatography on lysine-Sepharose.

Function of cyclo-oxygenase-1 and cyclo-oxygenase-2 in the ductus arteriosus from foetal lamb: differential development and change by oxygen and endotoxin.

1. Prenatal patency of the ductus arteriosus is maintained mainly by prostaglandin(PG) E(2). Here we have examined the relative importance of cyclo-oxygenase-1 (COX1) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX2) for PGE(2) formation in the foetal lamb ductus (0.

Deletion of the endothelin-A-receptor suppresses oxygen-induced constriction but not postnatal closure of the ductus arteriosus.

Experiments were carried out in mutant 129/SvEv mice lacking the endothelin-A (ET(A))-receptor to determine whether endothelin-1 (ET-1), acting as a messenger for oxygen constriction, is responsible for closure of the ductus arteriosus at birth. The isolated ductus from ET(A) -/- fetuses, unlike that from ET(A) +/+ littermates, contracted marginally to oxygen and ET-1 but responded to a thromboxane analog. In vivo, reduction in ductus lumen was equally pronounced in tracheotomized ET(A) -/- and ET(A) +/+ newborns.

Endothelin A receptor is necessary for O(2) constriction but not closure of ductus arteriosus.

In vitro and in vivo techniques were developed with genetically modified mice to determine whether endothelin-1 (ET-1) functions as an O(2) mediator in closure of the ductus arteriosus (DA) at birth. Wild-type CD-1 and 129/SvEv mice with ET(A) receptor -/-, +/-, and +/+ genotypes were used. Isolated DA from term ET(A) +/+ fetuses contracted to O(2) (5-95%) and a thromboxane A(2) analog (ONO-11113, 0.

Carbon monoxide formation in the ductus arteriosus in the lamb: implications for the regulation of muscle tone.

1. We have previously shown that carbon monoxide (CO) potently relaxes the lamb ductus arteriosus and have ascribed this response to inhibition of a cytochrome P450-based mono-oxygenase reaction controlling the formation of endothelin-1 (ET-1). In the present study, we have examined whether CO is formed naturally in the vessel.