Caroline Bouzin

Role of Caveolar Compartmentation in Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor–Mediated Relaxation Ca2+ Signals and Gap Junction Function Are Regulated by Caveolin in Endothelial Cells

Background— In endothelial cells, caveolin-1, the structural protein of caveolae, acts as a scaffolding protein to cluster lipids and signaling molecules within caveolae and, in some instances, regulates the activity of proteins targeted to caveolae. Specifically, different putative mediators of the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)–mediated relaxation are located in caveolae and/or regulated by the structural protein caveolin-1, such as potassium channels, calcium regulatory proteins, and connexin 43, a molecular component of gap junctions. Methods and Results— Comparing relaxation in vessels from caveolin-1 knockout mice and their wild-type littermates, we observed a complete absence of EDHF-mediated vasodilation in isolated mesenteric arteries from caveolin-1 knockout mice. The absence of caveolin-1 is associated with an impairment of calcium homeostasis in endothelial cells, notably, a decreased activity of Ca2+-permeable TRPV4 cation channels that participate in nitric oxide– and EDHF-mediated relaxation. Moreover, morphological characterization of caveolin-1 knockout and wild-type arteries showed fewer gap junctions in vessels from knockout animals associated with a lower expression of connexins 37, 40, and 43 and altered myoendothelial communication. Finally, we showed that TRPV4 channels and connexins colocalize with caveolin-1 in the caveolar compartment of the plasma membrane. Conclusions— We demonstrated that expression of caveolin-1 is required for EDHF-related relaxation by modulating membrane location and activity of TRPV4 channels and connexins, which are both implicated at different steps in the EDHF-signaling pathway.

A mitochondrial switch promotes tumor metastasis

Metastatic progression of cancer is associated with poor outcome, and here we examine metabolic changes underlying this process. Although aerobic glycolysis is known to promote metastasis, we have now identified a different switch primarily affecting mitochondria. The switch involves overload of the electron transport chain (ETC) with preserved mitochondrial functions but increased mitochondrial superoxide production. It provides a metastatic advantage phenocopied by partial ETC inhibition, another situation associated with enhanced superoxide production. Both cases involved protein tyrosine kinases Src and Pyk2 as downstream effectors. Thus, two different events, ETC overload and partial ETC inhibition, promote superoxide-dependent tumor cell migration, invasion, clonogenicity, and metastasis. Consequently, specific scavenging of mitochondrial superoxide with mitoTEMPO blocked tumor cell migration and prevented spontaneous tumor metastasis in murine and human tumor models.

Preconditioning of the Tumor Vasculature and Tumor Cells by Intermittent Hypoxia: Implications for Anticancer Therapies

Hypoxia is a common feature in tumors associated with an increased resistance of tumor cells to therapies. In addition to O(2) diffusion-limited hypoxia, another form of tumor hypoxia characterized by fluctuating changes in pO(2) within the disorganized tumor vascular network is described. Here, we postulated that this form of intermittent hypoxia promotes endothelial cell survival, thereby extending the concept of hypoxia-driven resistance to the tumor vasculature. We found that endothelial cell exposure to cycles of hypoxia reoxygenation not only rendered them resistant to proapoptotic stresses, including serum deprivation and radiotherapy, but also increased their capacity to migrate and organize in tubes. By contrast, prolonged hypoxia failed to exert protective effects and even seemed deleterious when combined with radiotherapy. The use of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha)-targeting small interfering RNA led us to document that the accumulation of HIF-1alpha during intermittent hypoxia accounted for the higher resistance of endothelial cells. We also used an in vivo approach to enforce intermittent hypoxia in tumor-bearing mice and found that it was associated with less radiation-induced apoptosis within both the vascular and the tumor cell compartments (versus normoxia or prolonged hypoxia). Radioresistance was further ascertained by an increased rate of tumor regrowth in irradiated mice preexposed to intermittent hypoxia and confirmed in vitro using distinctly radiosensitive tumor cell lines. In conclusion, we have documented that intermittent hypoxia may condition endothelial cells and tumor cells in such a way that they are more resistant to apoptosis and more prone to participate in tumor progression. Our observations also underscore the potential of drugs targeting HIF-1alpha to resensitize the tumor vasculature to anticancer treatments.

89Zr-labeled anti-endoglin antibody-targeted gold nanoparticles for imaging cancer: implications for future cancer therapy

AIMS Antibody-labeled gold nanoparticles represent an attractive tool for cancer imaging and therapy. In this study, the anti-CD105 antibody was conjugated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for the first time. The antibody biodistribution in mice before and after conjugation to AuNPs was studied, with a focus on tumor targeting. MATERIALS & METHODS Antibodies were radiolabeled with 89Zr before conjugation to AuNPs (5 nm). Immunonanoconjugates were characterized in vitro in terms of size, stability in plasma and binding to the target. Quantitative PET imaging and ICP-MS analysis assessed in vivo distribution and specific tumor targeting of tracers. RESULTS The tumor uptake of immunoconjugates was preserved up to 24 h after injection, with high tumor contrast and selective tumor targeting. No major tracer accumulation was observed over time in nonspecific organs. ICP-MS analysis confirmed the antibody specificity after nanoparticle conjugation. CONCLUSION The anti-CD105 antibody conjugation to AuNPs did not greatly affect CD105-dependent tumor uptake and the efficacy of tumor targeting for cancer detection.

Both host and graft vessels contribute to revascularization of xenografted human ovarian tissue in a murine model.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the human ovarian xenograft revascularization process. DESIGN Prospective experimental study. SETTING Gynecology research unit in a university hospital. PATIENT(S) Ovarian biopsies were obtained from 12 women aged 22-35 years. INTERVENTION(S) Frozen-thawed human ovarian fragments were intraperitoneally grafted into nude mice. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Graft perfusion was evaluated by Hoechst 33342 uptake. Murine and human vascularization was analyzed by CD31 and von Willebrand factor double immunostaining. RESULT(S) On day 3, some murine neovessels and perfused areas were located at the periphery of the fragments. Nonperfused native human vessels were present in the fragments. From day 5, perfused areas and murine endothelial areas progressively increased. Host angiogenesis initiated ovarian graft reperfusion: murine neovessels penetrated from the periphery and were colocalized with perfused areas. By day 10, the increase in perfusion and murine vascularization was significant. The center of the fragments was perfused and a significant increase was observed in human vasculature. CONCLUSION(S) Host and graft vessels contributed sequentially to graft revascularization: murine angiogenesis initiated reperfusion from day 5 and, by day 10, human angiogenesis was shown to participate in graft revascularization. Host and graft angiogenesis are potential targets to reduce the avascular period after grafting.

Effects of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor on the Lymphocyte-Endothelium Interactions: Identification of Caveolin-1 and Nitric Oxide as Control Points of Endothelial Cell Anergy

Tumors may evade immune responses at multiple levels, including through a defect in the lymphocyte-vessel wall interactions. The angiogenic nature of endothelial cells (EC) lining tumor blood vessels may account for such anergy. In this study, we examined whether mechanisms other than down-regulation of adhesion molecules could be involved, particularly signaling pathways dependent on the caveolae platforms. To mimic the influence of the tumor microenvironment, EC were exposed to TNF-α and the proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We identified a dramatic inhibition of lymphocyte adhesion on activated EC following either short or long VEGF pretreatments. We further documented that VEGF did not influence the abundance of major adhesion molecules, but was associated with a defect in ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 clustering at the EC surface. We also found that overexpression of the caveolar structural protein, caveolin-1, overcame the VEGF-mediated inhibition of adhesion and restored ICAM-1 clustering. Conversely, EC transduction with a caveolin-1 small interfering RNA reduced the TNF-α-dependent increase in adhesion. Finally, we identified VEGF-induced NO production by the endothelial NO synthase as the main target of the changes in caveolin-1 abundance. We found that the NO synthase inhibitor N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester could reverse the inhibitory effects of VEGF on lymphocyte adhesion and EC cytoskeleton rearrangement. Symmetrically, a NO donor was shown to prevent the ICAM clustering-mediated lymphocyte adhesion, thereby recapitulating the effects of VEGF. In conclusion, this study provides new insights on the mechanisms leading to the tumor EC anergy vs immune cells and opens new perspectives for the use of antiangiogenic strategies as adjuvant approaches to cancer immunotherapy.

Tumor Radiosensitization by Antiinflammatory Drugs: Evidence for a New Mechanism Involving the Oxygen Effect

We hypothesized that nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might enhance tumor radiosensitivity by increasing tumor oxygenation (pO2), via either a decrease in the recruitment of macrophages or from inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. The effect of four NSAIDs (diclofenac, indomethacin, piroxicam, and NS-398) on pO2 was studied in murine TLT liver tumors and FSaII fibrosarcomas. At the time of maximum pO2 (t(max), 30 minutes after administration), perfusion, oxygen consumption, and radiation sensitivity were studied. Local pO2 measurements were done using electron paramagnetic resonance. Tumor perfusion and permeability measurements were assessed by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. The oxygen consumption rate of tumor cells after in vivo NSAID administration was measured using high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance. Tumor-infiltrating macrophage localization was done with immunohistochemistry using CD11b antibody. All the NSAIDs tested caused a rapid increase in pO2. At t(max), tumor perfusion decreased, indicating that the increase in pO2 was not caused by an increase in oxygen supply. Also at t(max), global oxygen consumption decreased but the amount of tumor-infiltrating macrophages remained unchanged. Our study strongly indicates that the oxygen effect caused by NSAIDs is primarily mediated by an effect on mitochondrial respiration. When irradiation (18 Gy) was applied at t(max), the tumor radiosensitivity was enhanced (regrowth delay increased by a factor of 1.7). These results show the potential utility of an acute administration of NSAIDs for radiosensitizing tumors, and shed new light on the mechanisms of NSAID radiosensitization. These results also provide a new rationale for the treatment schedule when combining NSAIDs and radiotherapy.

Galectin-1 in melanoma biology and related neo-angiogenesis processes.

Aggressiveness of advanced melanomas relates in part to their marked propensity to develop neoangiogenesis and metastases. Among its numerous pro-cancer roles, galectin (gal)-1 expressed and/or secreted by both cancer and endothelial cells stimulates proliferation and angiogenesis. This study first shows that gal-1 is more highly expressed at both mRNA and protein levels than its congeners in melanomas and particularly in advanced lesions. The roles of gal-1 were further investigated in vivo in the highly proliferating and vascularized pseudometastatic B16F10 mouse melanoma model using stable knockdown B16F10 cells and wild-type versus gal-1 knockout mice, and then in vitro in B16F10 tumoral and lung microvascular cells. Gal-1 depletion in the B16F10 tumor cells but not in the tumor-bearing mice significantly increased melanoma-bearing mice survival. Tumor-derived gal-1 thus seems to have more critical roles than the host-derived one. In fact, gal-1 displays distinct effects on the H-Ras-dependent p53/p21 pathways: in primary lung microvessel endothelial cells, gal-1 seems to be involved in the maintenance of senescent status through the induction of both p53 and p21 while it stimulates B16F10 cancer cell proliferation through a p53/p21 decrease. Altogether, these data point to gal-1 as a potential target to combat melanomas.

Antitumor effects of in vivo caveolin gene delivery are associated with the inhibition of the proangiogenic and vasodilatory effects of nitric oxide

In tumors, caveolin‐1, the structural protein of caveolae, constitutes a key switch through its function as a tumor suppressor and a promoter of metastases. In endothelial cells (EC), caveolin is also known to directly interact with the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and thereby to modulate nitric oxide (NO)‐mediated processes including vasodilation and angiogenesis. In this study, we examined whether the modulation of the stoichiometry of the caveolin/eNOS complex in EC lining tumor blood vessels could affect the tumor vasculature and consecutively tumor growth. For this purpose, we used cationic lipids, which are delivery systems effective at targeting tumor vs. normal vascular networks. We first documented that in vitro caveolin transfection led to the inhibition of both VEGF‐induced EC migration and tube formation on Matrigel. The DNA‐lipocomplex was then administered through the tail vein of tumor‐bearing mice. The direct interaction between recombinant caveolin and native eNOS was validated in coimmunoprecipitation experiments from tumor extracts. A dramatic tumor growth delay was observed in mice transfected with caveolin‐ vs. sham‐transfected animals. Using laser Doppler imaging and microprobes, we found that in the early time after lipofection (e.g., when macroscopic effects on the integrity of the tumor vasculature were not detectable), caveolin expression impaired NO‐dependent tumor blood flow. At later stages post‐transfection, a decrease in tumor microvessel density in the central core of caveolin‐transfected tumors was also documented. In conclusion, our study reveals that by exploiting the exquisite regulatory interaction between eNOS and caveolin and the propensity of cationic lipids to target EC lining tumor blood vessels, caveolin plasmid delivery appears to be a safe and efficient way to block neoangiogenesis and vascular function in solid tumors, independently of any direct effects on tumor cells.

Moderate Caveolin-1 Downregulation Prevents NADPH Oxidase–Dependent Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Uncoupling by Angiotensin II in Endothelial Cells

Objective— We analyzed the role of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in the cross-talk between NADPH oxidase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling in endothelial caveolae. Methods and Results— In intact endothelial cells, angiotensin II (AII) concurrently increased NO and O2 −· production (to 158±12% and 209±5% of control). NO production was sensitive to inhibition of NADPH oxidase and small interfering RNA downregulation of nonreceptor tyrosine kinase cAbl. Reciprocally, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a NOS inhibitor, partly inhibited O2 −· stimulated by AII (by 47±11%), indicating eNOS uncoupling, as confirmed by increased eNOS monomer/dimer ratio (by 35%). In endothelial cell fractions separated by isopycnic ultracentrifugation, AII promoted colocalization of cAbl and the NADPH oxidase subunit p47phox with eNOS to Cav-1-enriched fractions, as confirmed by proximity ligation assay. Downregulation of Cav-1 by small interfering RNA (to 50%), although it preserved eNOS confinement, inhibited AII-stimulated p47phox translocation and NADPH oxidase activity in Cav-1-enriched fractions and reversed eNOS uncoupling. AII infusion produced hypertension and decreased blood hemoglobin-NO in Cav-1+/+ mice but not in heterozygote Cav-1+/− mice with similar Cav-1 reduction. Conclusion— Cav-1 critically regulates reactive oxygen species–dependent eNOS activation but also eNOS uncoupling in response to AII, underlining the possibility to treat endothelial dysfunction by modulating Cav-1 abundance.