Douglas Yee

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I rescues breast cancer cells from chemotherapy-induced cell death - Proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects

Insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐I protects many cell types from apoptosis. As a result, it is possible that IGF‐I‐responsive cancer cells may be resistant to apoptosis‐inducing chemotherapies. Therefore, we examined the effects of IGF‐I on paclitaxel and doxorubicin‐induced apoptosis in the IGF‐I‐responsive breast cancer cell line MCF‐7. Both drugs caused DNA laddering in a dose‐dependent fashion, and IGF‐I reduced the formation of ladders. We next examined the effects of IGF‐I and estradiol on cell survival following drug treatment in monolayer culture. IGF‐I, but not estradiol, increased survival of MCF‐7 cells in the presence of either drug. Cell cycle progression and counting of trypan‐blue stained cells showed that IGF‐I was inducing proliferation in paclitaxel‐treated but not doxorubicin‐treated cells. However, IGF‐I decreased the fraction of apoptotic cells in doxorubicin‐ but not paclitaxel‐treated cells. Recent work has shown that mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphotidylinositol‐3 (PI‐3) kinase are activated by IGF‐I in these cells. PI‐3 kinase activation has been linked to anti‐apoptotic functions while MAPK activation is associated with proliferation. We found that IGF‐I rescue of doxorubicin‐induced apoptosis required PI‐3 kinase but not MAPK function, suggesting that IGF‐I inhibited apoptosis. In contrast, IGF‐I rescue of paclitaxel‐induced apoptosis required both PI‐3 kinase and MAPK, suggesting that IGF‐I‐mediated protection was due to enhancement of proliferation. Therefore, IGF‐I attenuated the response of breast cancer cells to doxorubicin and paclitaxel by at least two mechanisms: induction of proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis. Thus, inhibition of IGF‐I action could be a useful adjuvant to cytotoxic chemotherapy in breast cancer.

Characterization of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I and Its Receptor and Binding Proteins in Transected Nerves and Cultured Schwann Cells

Abstract: The insulin‐like growth factors (IGFs) are trophic factors whose growth‐promoting actions are mediated via the IGF‐I receptor and modulated by six IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs). In this study, we observed increased transcripts of both IGF‐I and IGF‐I receptor after rat sciatic nerve transection. Schwann cells (SCs) were the main source of IGF‐I and IGFBP‐5 immunoreactivity until 7 days after nerve transection, when invading macrophages in the distal nerve stumps were strongly IGF‐I positive. In vitro, IGF‐I promoted SC mitogenesis. Northern analysis revealed that SCs expressed IGF‐I receptor and IGFBP‐5. IGF‐I treatment increased the intensity of IGFBP‐5 without affecting gene expression. Des(1–3)IGF‐I, an IGF‐I analogue with low affinity for IGFBP, had no such effect. Incubation of recombinant human IGFBP‐5 with SC conditioned media revealed IGF‐I protection of IGFBP‐5 from proteolysis, implying the presence of an IGFBP‐5 protease in SC conditioned media. Collectively, these data support the concept that, in response to nerve injury, invading macrophages produce IGF‐I and SC express the IGF‐I receptor, to facilitate regeneration. This regenerative process may be augmented further by the ability of SC to secrete IGFBPs, which in turn may increase local IGF‐I bioavailability.

Igf system components as prognostic markers in breast cancer

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) family of ligands, receptors, and binding proteins can regulate breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro, and interruption of these pathways inhibits IGF-mediated cell proliferation. If the IGF family members are key regulators of breast cancer growth and progression in vivo, we would expect their expression to be an indicator of the prognosis of the disease. Thus, measurement of IGF expression may provide an indicator of the growth effect within a tumor, and provide new targets for treatment of the disease. In this review we will summarize the data generated thus far indicating that IGF family members are indicators of prognosis of breast cancer, and that measurement of the whole IGF family in concert may provide useful information for treatment strategies of breast cancer.

Identification of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in breast cancer cells

SummaryThe insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are potent mitogens for some breast cancer cell lines. Recent evidence suggests that IGF-induced mitogenesis may be influenced by specific IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs). In this study, breast cancer cell lines were examined for IGFBP protein and mRNA expression. Western ligand blot examination of conditioned media from breast cancer cell lines suggested that the IGFBP protein expression was heterogeneous. Although all breast cancer cell lines expressed a 24kDa binding protein, MCF-7, an estrogen receptor positive (ER+) cell line, expressed a IGFBP compatible with reported sizes for IGFBP-2. Estrogen receptor negative (ER−) cells (MDA-MD-231, Hs578T) secreted IGFBPs consistent with sizes reported for IGFBP-1 and -3. Examination of mRNA expression supported these findings; IGFBP-2 was seen in all (4/4) ER+ cell lines while high levels of IGFBP-3 were found in ER− cell lines (3/5), although lower levels of IGFBP-3 mRNA could be found in some ER+ cell lines. In MCF-7 cells, steady state levels of IGFBP-3 mRNA were decreased by estradiol, while IGFBP-2 mRNA levels were slightly increased. These data suggest that IGFBP expression by breast cancer cells is heterogeneous, that the pattern of IGFBP expression is different between ER+ and ER− cell lines, and that in ER+ cells IGFBP mRNA may be regulated by estrogens. Thus, the IGFBPs may play an important role in mediating the mitogenic response of breast cancer cells to the IGFs.

Cloning, chromosome localization, expression, and characterization of an Src homology 2 and pleckstrin homology domain-containing insulin receptor binding protein hGrb10γ.

hGrb10α (previously named Grb-IR) is a Src-homology 2 domain-containing protein that binds with high affinity to the tyrosine-phosphorylated insulin receptor and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor. At least two isoforms of human Grb10, (hGrb10α and hGrb10β), which differ in the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain and the N-terminal sequence, have previously been identified in insulin target tissues such as human skeletal muscle and fat cells. Here we report the cloning of the third isoform of the hGrb10 family (hGrb10γ) from human skeletal muscle and its localization to human chromosome 7. We have also determined the human chromosome localization of Grb7 to 17q21-q22 and Grb14 to chromosome 2. hGrb10γ contains an intact PH domain and an N-terminal sequence that is present in hGrb10α but absent in hGrb10β. RNase protection assays and Western blot analysis showed that hGrb10α and hGrb10γ are differentially expressed in insulin target cells including skeletal muscle, liver, and adipocyte cells. hGrb10γ is also expressed in HeLa cells and various breast cancer cell lines. The protein bound with high affinity to the insulin receptor in cells, and the interaction was dependent on the tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor. hGrb10γ also underwent insulin-stimulated membrane translocation and serine phosphorylation. hGrb10γ phosphorylation was inhibited by PD98059, a specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, and wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Taken together, our data suggest that hGrb10 isoforms are potential downstream signaling components of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and that the PH domain may play an important role in the involvement of these isoforms in signal transduction pathways initiated by insulin and other growth factors.

The insulin-like growth factor system as a target in breast cancer

SummaryEvidence from several experimental systems has shown that the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) can stimulate breast cancer proliferation. Since IGF action is mediated by interaction with specific cell surface receptors, interruption of these signalling pathways could result in inhibition of cellular growth. In all extracellular fluids, the IGFs are associated with high affinity binding proteins, the IGFBPs. Although the function of each IGFBP is not known, it is clear that under certain circumstances the IGFBPs can bind the IGFs and prevent receptor activation, and thus might have a role in a targeted approach to breast cancer therapy. Here we present our studies using IGFBP-1 to inhibit growth of the breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

Strain-specific differences in formation of apoptotic DNA ladders in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

We tested the ability of seven MCF-7 strains to undergo DNA fragmentation, as measured by DNA laddering, following doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Four strains were found to undergo DNA laddering while three were not. All strains were inhibited by doxorubicin, although sensitivity differed. Finally, we show by detection of sub-G1 DNA that doxorubicin induced the same fold increase in apoptosis in MCF-7-ATCC, which did not ladder, and MCF-7-MG, which did ladder. Therefore, detection of DNA ladders is not an accurate indicator of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells as fragmentation of DNA appears to vary between strains.

Gene expression of the insulin-like growth factors and their receptors in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells

Insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF I and II) are polypeptides with both growth-promoting and insulin-like metabolic effects. Immunoreactive IGF I is present in the retina and both IGF I and II are present in vitreal fluid. The type I and type II IGF receptors are also localized within the neural retina. The presence of IGFs and IGF receptors within the eye suggests a possible growth-promoting effect of IGFs on ocular tissues. IGF may enter the eye from the blood or, alternatively, arise from an ocular cell type which synthesizes and secretes IGF. IGF I and II mRNA synthesis in scleral cells and IGF I synthesis in rat retina suggests endogenous IGF production in the eye. We hypothesized that IGFs and IGF receptors are synthesized by one ocular cell type, the retinal pigment-epithelium (RPE). As a first step in studying IGF production by the RPE, we analyzed expression of the IGF and IGF receptor genes by cultured human RPE cells. Using Northern analysis, RNase protection and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we found that cultured RPE cells synthesize mRNA for IGF I and the type I and type II IGF receptors.

Insulin-like growth factors in human breast cancer

SummarySeveral protooncogenes and suppressor genes and a variety of growth factors and their receptors have been shown to be mutated, deleted, or activated in human breast cancer. These changes may account for the unregulated growth of breast carcinoma cells.Insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I, IGF-II) belong to a family of polypeptides with growth promoting properties and structural homology to insulin. They exert their mitogenic effects by binding to the IGF-I receptor and activating its tyrosine protein kinase. Other proteins that specifically bind the IGFs include the plasma membrane IGF-II receptor, which also binds lysosomal hydrolases, and several IGF-binding proteins which may serve to modulate IGF interactions with receptors.Breast cancer cell lines express IGF-I and IGF-II receptors and different patterns of binding proteins. IGF-I and IGF-II are each mitogenic for subsets of breast cancer cell lines. This effect is inhibited by antibodies directed against the IGF-I receptor. In breast tumors, IGF-I is expressed by stromal cells, but not carcinoma cells; it is not expressed by breast cancer cell lines. IGF-I is therefore a potential paracrine regulator of breast cancer cell growth. Similarly, IGF-II is expressed in breast tumors, predominantly in stromal cells, but sometimes also in carcinoma cells and in a subset of cell lines. Thus, IGF-II is also a potential paracrine regulator of breast cancer cell growth; in addition, it can be an autocrine regulator in some breast cancer cells.

The insulin-like growth factor family of ligands, receptors, and binding proteins

SummaryThe insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) have important roles in normal cellular growth and development. The IGFs have also been implicated in regulation of tumor cell growth. Two ligands, IGF-I and IGF-II, have been identified that are expressed in both fetal and adult tissues. They interact with at least two specific cell surface receptors. The type I IGF receptor is homologous to the insulin receptor in structure and has tyrosine kinase activity. The type II receptor is identical to the mannose-6-phosphate receptor known to be important in the trafficking of lysosomal enzymes; its role in IGF signal transduction is not clear. Furthermore, a hybrid receptor composed of subunits from the insulin receptor and the type I IGF receptor have been identified. In addition to these receptors, six different IGF binding proteins have been identified, which modulate the activity of the IGFs in various ways. Thus, there is great potential for complex interactions between the family members that could ultimately regulate normal and neoplastic cell growth.