Daniela Pinterova

Cimetidine: An anticancer drug? ☆

Cimetidine, H(2) receptor antagonists, is commonly prescribed for gastric and duodenal ulcer disease. Additionally, cimetidine has been shown to have anticancer effects. This review describes the mechanism of antitumor action of cimetidine including its ability to interfere with tumor cell adhesion, angiogenesis and proliferation; its effect on the immune system; as well as inhibition of postoperative immunosuppression. Its anticancer effect is also compared to that of the other H(2) receptor antagonists as well as outcomes of cimetidine in clinical studies in cancer patients.

Development of a green fluorescent protein metastatic-cancer chick-embryo drug-screen model.

AbstractThe chick-embryo model has been an important tool to study tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis. However, an imageable model with a genetic fluorescent tag in the growing and spreading cancer cells that is stable over time has not been developed. We report here the development of such an imageable fluorescent chick-embryo metastatic cancer model with the use of green fluorescent protein (GFP). Lewis lung carcinoma cells, stably expressing GFP, were injected on the 12th day of incubation in the chick embryo. GFP-Lewis lung carcinoma metastases were visualized by fluorescence, after seven days additional incubation, in the brain, heart, and sternum of the developing chick embryo, with the most frequent site being the brain. The combination of streptokinase and gemcitabine was evaluated in this GFP metastatic model. Twelve-day-old chick embryos were injected intravenously with GFP-Lewis lung cancer cells, along with these two agents either alone or in combination. The streptokinase-gemcitabine combination inhibited metastases at all sites. The effective dose of gemcitabine was found to be 10 mg/kg and streptokinase 2000 IU per embryo. The data in this report suggest that this new stably fluorescent imageable metastatic-cancer chick-embryo model will enable rapid screening of new antimetastatic agents. Abbreviation: GFP — green fluorescent protein

Autoimmune Diabetes Mellitus with Adult Onset and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Children Have Different Genetic Predispositions

Abstract:  Type 1 diabetes with manifestation after 35 years of age is defined by CP <200 pmol/L and institution of insulin therapy within 6 months after diagnosis. Latent autoimmune diabetes mellitus in adults (LADA) manifesting after 35 years of age is defined by minimum 6 months after diagnosis without insulin therapy and C peptide (CP) >200 pmol/L and antiGAD > 50 ng/mL. We aimed to find a possible genetic discrimination among different types of autoimmune diabetes. To accomplish this goal, we analyzed DNA samples from 31 LADA patients, 75 patients with adult‐onset type 1 diabetes mellitus, 188 type 1 diabetic children, and 153 healthy adult individuals. We studied five genetic loci on chromosomes 6, 11, 4, and 14: HLA DRB1 and DQB1 alleles, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I–related gene‐A (MIC‐A) microsatellite polymorphism, interleukin (IL)‐18 single nucleotide polymorphism, the microsatellite polymorphism of nuclear factor kappa B gene (NF‐κB1), and the single nucleotide polymorphism of a gene for its inhibitor (NF‐κBIA). HLA‐DR3 was detected as the predisposition allele for LADA (OR = 4.94, P < 0.0001). Further we found a statistically significant increase of NF‐κBIA AA genotype (OR = 2.68, P < 0.01). On the other hand, DRB1*04, which is linked with DQB1*0302, was observed as a risk factor in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) onset after 35 years of age (OR = 10.47, P < 0.0001 and OR = 9.49, P < 0.0001, respectively). There was also an association with MIC‐A5.1 (OR = 2.14, P < 0.01). Statistically significant difference was found in the distribution of IL‐18 promoter –607 (C/A) polymorphism between LADA and T1DM in adults (P < 0.01). We conclude that all subgroups of autoimmune diabetes have partly different immunogenetic predisposition.

Wound healing gene therapy: cartilage regeneration induced by vascular endothelial growth factor plasmid

AIMS The identification of growth factors and cytokines with angiogenic activity has enabled new therapeutic treatments for a variety of diseases; this concept is called therapeutic angiogenesis. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most critical regulator of vascular formation. In the present study, we were interested in the therapeutic angiogenesis effect using plasmid transfer of human complementary DNA VEGF(165) (phVEGF(165)) in experimental skin and cartilage trauma. METHODS Ten BALB/c mice were used for cartilage injury model. At 6 weeks of age, all mice were ear-punched, resulting in 2-mm-diameter puncture through the center of both pinnae. Each mouse got phVEGF(165) injection into the first ear and vector without insert or saline injection into the second one. The healing process was followed. The hollow diameter was measured on days 0, 14, and 42. Histological sections of experimental and control pinnae were taken from days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 20, and 30 after experimental injury for hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid Schiff staining and for human VEGF immunocytochemistry. The expression of human VEGF was also checked by real-time polymerase chain reaction in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. KEY FINDINGS In BALB/c mouse strain, a significant angiogenesis promotion and cartilage repair were observed after phVEGF(165) injection into the punched ear area. SIGNIFICANCE We suggest that administering phVEGF(165) leads to faster cartilage regeneration even if not only on the angiogenic basis.

Tissue repair driven by two different mechanisms of growth factor plasmids VEGF and NGF in mice auricular cartilage: regeneration mediated by administering growth factor plasmids

The focus of this study was to compare the role of nerve growth factor (NGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the regeneration of experimental skin and cartilage trauma. The role of VEGF in this process is known since decade; the NGF participation on this process has been first discussed within the spinal cord injury repair. We hypothesized that both VEGF and NGF induce angiogenesis and take part on the repair process. The angiogenesis response and the cartilage regeneration after phVEGF165 plasmid and rat pcNGF plasmid administration were investigated using BALB/c mice. PhVEGF165 and pcNFG were injected into the right mice ear and plain vector injection into the left ear the day before trauma. The next day, all mice were ear-punched, resulting in 2-mm diameter puncture through the center of both pinnae. In BALB/c mouse strain, a significantly faster cartilage repair was observed after phVEGF165 and pcNGF injection into punched ear area in comparison to the control group. It has been shown that the healing process is after VEGF and NGF injection driven differentially. In case of VEGF is the cartilage wound repaired by induction of new chondrocytes differentiation. In the case of NGF, the regeneration is supported by immature leukocytes attracted into the punched area. The leukocytes induct angiogenesis so far indirectly by inflammation. The NGF-induced inflammation environment may be a part of mosaic creating the complete picture of regeneration.

Development of New Spontaneous Metastatic Heterotopic Model of Lewis Lung Carcinoma Imaged by GFP Expression

Many studies have demonstrated the importance of spontaneous metastases in cancer research. Until now, we still had only a few spontaneous metastatic models with high occurrence rate of metastasis in distant lymph and visceral tissues. We report a syngeneic heterotopic metastatic model using the Lewis lung cancer cell line with high metastatic ratio in C57BL/6 mice after transplantation by injection of cancer cells and without surgical intervention. Metastatic process was declared for each mouse in two groups –sacrificed 3 or 5 weeks after subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of the tumor cells into the dorsal side of the tail. The total number of metastases was counted as the sum of observed macrometastases. Our model produced produced a 100% rate of spontaneous lymphatic and visceral metastases after a simple injection transplantation into the heterotopic site. In mice with large primary tumors which are non-lethal, visceral and lymph macrometastases were observed. Tumor volume correlated linearly not only with the tumor growth time, but also with the number of metastases in lymph nodes and organs. This new metastatic model could be useful for studying the metastasis mechanism and for developing therapy for lymph and visceral metastases.

Abstract 4273: Circulating human prostate cancer cells from an orthotopic mouse model rapidly captured by immunomagnetic beads and imaged by GFP expression

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are potential precursors of metastasis. They are also of use in diagnosing malignancy and for prognostic purposes. Our laboratory has previously isolated CTCs from orthotopic nude mouse models of human prostate cancer cells where the PC-3 cancer cells express green fluorescent protein (GFP). It was found that orthotopic tumors produced CTCs and not subcutaneous tumors, which may explain why orthotopic tumors metastasize and subcutaneous tumors do not. However, in this previous study, CTCs were observed only after culture. In the present study, using the GFP-expressing PC-3 orthotopic model and immunomagnetic beads coated with anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and anti-prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), GFP-expressing CTC were isolated within 15 minutes and were readily visualized by GFP fluorescence. It was possible to immediately place the immunomagnetic-bead-captured GFP-expressing PC-3 CTCs in 3-dimensional sponge cell culture, where they proliferated. The combination of GFP expression and the use of immunomagnetic beads is a very powerful method to obtain CTCs for either immediate analysis or for biological characterization in vivo or in 3-dimensional culture.

Abstract 2946: Gene expression profiling in circulating cells (CTCs) of breast carcinoma patients - a tool for early metastasis detection and therapy individualization

Background: Tumor cell dissemination is an early process in breast cancer (BC) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are considered potential surrogate marker for the detection and characterization of minimal residual disease. Here we monitored hematogenous micrometastasis in BC patients by gene expression profiling of CTCs based on CTC-abundance in blood and expression of 35 oncomarkers on the mRNA level by multimarker quantitative PCR (qPCR). Characteristics of the early dissemination process and gene expression profile changes were studied by analyzing tumor tissue and CTCs of primary and metastatic BC patients. Methods: In primary BC five ml blood was collected before and after chemotherapy (n=87 patients). In metastatic BC 5 ml blood of 72 patients was studied either at the time of relapse of BC or at a documented progressive BC before receiving new therapy. All samples were analyzed for CTCs using the AdnaTest BreastCancer (AdnaGen AG, Langenhagen, Germany). CTCs were immunomagnetically enriched using the AdnaTest BreastCancerSelect followed by RNA isolation, subsequent gene expression analysis by reverse transcription and multiplex-PCR for the detection of EpCAM, MUC-1 and HER-2 transcripts. RNA from formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE)-tumor tissue (n=46) was isolated with RecoverAll® (Ambion). After reverse transcription the cDNA was gene-specifically pre-amplified for multimarker qPCR analysis on the Biomark® (Fludigm, USA) microfluidic chip for 48 genes in each of 48 samples (2034 rxn in total). qPCR data were analyzed with GenEx ver. 5.0 (MultiD, SE) and correlated to available clinical data. Results: 286 CTC samples were analyzed in total. Blood sample was considered positive in the AdnaTest if at least one marker was measured above the cut-off level in the sample. CTCs were found in 29/87 (33,3%) of primary BC patients before chemotherapy and in 10/87 (11,5 %) patients after chemotherapeutical treatment. Among metastatic BC patients 48/72 (67%) were CTC positive. Gene expression analysis of the CTCs in metastatic BC patients and FFPE samples revealed 20 genes that were differentially expressed (p Conclusion: Gene expression profiling of CTCs is a potential discriminator of patients with therapy sensitive and therapy resistant tumor cell populations and therefore with good and inferior prognosis. The predictive value of expression profiles in CTCs for therapeutic interventions will be prospectively evaluated. Study has been supported by IGA NS 9776-3 Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2946.

Abstract P3-03-01: Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring in Breast Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) patients still harbor a considerable risk of metastatic relapse caused by minimal residual disease (MRD) despite of complete removal of primary tumor. The aim of this study was to identify single disseminated tumor cells (DTC) in the bone marrow and circulating tumor cells (CTC) in the peripheral blood as potential biomarkers for therapy response monitoring and metastatic relapse risk prediction. Finally, the gene expression profiles of CTCs have been analyzed. METHODS: A total of 87 patients with diagnosed BC at stage I to III and 115 metastatic patients were enrolled into a prospective study between years 2008 - 2010. Peripheral blood (5ml) for CTC-detection was collected from primary BC patients before chemotherapy (CHT), after 2 cycles of CHT and after the CHT. Metastatic BC patients have been examined for CTCs before starting a new line of the treatment. Bone marrow aspirates from 16 premenopausal BC patients (mean age 31) with primary tumor were analyzed for the presence of DTC by immunocytochemistry using the pan-cytokeratin antibody A45-B/B3 (Epimet™, AS Diagnostik, Germany) before surgery. CTC detection in blood was performed by AdnaTest BreastCancer TM (AdnaGen AG, Germany), which is based on the detection of EpCAM, HER2 and MUC1 specific transcripts in enriched CTC-lysates. cDNA from isolated CTCs has been further pre-amplified and used for multimarker qPCR gene expression profiling using Biomark® microfluidic 48x48 GE Dynamic arrays (Fluidigm, USA). qPCR results have been analyzed by GENEX vs. 5.2 software (MultiD Analysis). RESULTS: 286 CTC samples have been analyzed in total. The analysis has shown that the expression profiles of CTCs from primary BC patients have been significantly different comparing them to the CTC-profiles from metastatic BC patients for several of tested genes (e.g., CK19, GA7332, MLFIP1, SATB1, PTEN). Interestingly, before surgery of primary tumor DTCs were found in 5/16 patients (31 %) and CTCs in 7/16 (43 %). Both DTCs and CTCs together were found in 4/16 (25%) patients. In 18% of the primary BC patients no dissemination markers were found CONCLUSIONS: Information based on the CTCs-gene expression profiles could provide an additional support for therapy management. Metastatic potential of enriched CTCs will be further evaluated on the single cell level. This work has been supported by Grant Agency of Ministry of Health, Czech Republic (IGA NS9976) and Grant Agency of Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic no. 7709 and 59410. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-03-01.