Miljana Momčilović

Novel platinum(IV) complexes induce rapid tumor cell death in vitro

The anticancer activity of platinum complexes has been known since the discovery of classical Pt(II)‐based drug cisplatin. However, Pt(IV) complexes have greater inertness than corresponding Pt(II) complexes, thus allowing the oral administration and reducing the toxicity associated with platinum‐based chemotherapy. Here, we describe the in vitro antitumor activity of some novel Pt(IV)‐based agents against mouse fibrosarcoma L929 cells and human astrocytoma U251 cells. The cytotoxicity of 2 Pt(IV) complexes with bidentate ethylenediamine‐N,N′‐di‐3‐propanoato esters was found to be markedly higher than that of their Pt(II) counterparts and comparable to the antitumor action of cisplatin. In contrast to cisplatin, which caused oxidative stress‐independent apoptotic cell death of tumor cells, these Pt(IV) complexes induced oxygen radical‐mediated tumor cell necrosis. Importantly, the cytotoxic action of novel Pt(IV) complexes was markedly more rapid than that of cisplatin, indicating their potential usefulness in anticancer therapy.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is necessary for progression of autoimmune diabetes mellitus

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine of the innate immune system that plays a major role in the induction of immunoinflammatory responses. To examine the role of endogenous MIF in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (TID) we evaluated the effects of administration of neutralizing anti‐MIF antibodies to NOD mice with accelerated forms of diabetes induced by injection of cyclophosphamide or by transfer of diabetogenic spleen cells. Both accelerated forms of diabetes were markedly reduced by anti‐MIF antibody. Furthermore, MIF‐deficient (MIF−/−) mice were less susceptible to the induction of immunoinflammatory diabetes, insulitis and apoptosis within the endocrine pancreas by multiple low doses of streptozotocin (MLD‐STZ) than genetically matched wild type (WT) mice. MIF deficiency resulted in lower proliferation and lymphocyte adhesion, as well as reduced production from the spleens and peritoneal cells of a variety of inflammatory mediators typically associated with development of the disease including IL‐12, IL‐23, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β. Furthermore, MIF deletion affected the production of IL‐18, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and iNOS in the islets of Langerhans. These data, along with the higher expression of IL‐4 and TGF‐β observed in the periphery and in the pancreas of MLD‐STZ‐challenged MIF−/− mice as compared to WT controls suggest that MIF deficiency has induced an immune deviation towards protective type 2/3 response. These results suggest that MIF participates in T1D by controlling the functional activity of monocytes/macrophages and T cells and modulating their secretory capacity of pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory molecules. J. Cell. Physiol. 215: 665–675, 2008.

Anticancer Properties of Ganoderma Lucidum Methanol Extracts In Vitro and In Vivo

Anticancer activities of various extracts of the medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum, have been widely demonstrated and are mainly associated with the presence of different bioactive polysaccharides and triterpenoids. We have evaluated and compared in vitro and in vivo the antitumor effects of two preparations from Ganoderma lucidum: a methanol extract containing total terpenoids (GLme) and a purified methanol extract containing mainly acidic terpenoids (GLpme). Both extracts inhibited tumor growth of B16 mouse melanoma cells inoculated subcutaneously into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice and reduced viability of B16 cells in vitro, whereby GLme exhibited stronger effect. Furthermore, anticancer activity of GLme was demonstrated for the first time against two other rodent tumor cell lines, L929-mouse fibrosarcoma and C6-rat astrocytoma. The mechanism of antitumor activity of GLme comprised inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death mediated by upregulated p53 and inhibited Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, the antitumor effect of the GLme was associated with intensified production of reactive oxygen species, whereas their neutralization by the antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine, resulted in partial recovery of cell viability. Thus, our results suggest that GLme might be a good candidate for treatment of diverse forms of cancers.

Strain difference in susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis between Albino Oxford and Dark Agouti rats correlates with disparity in production of IL-17, but not nitric oxide

Albino Oxford (AO) rats, unlike Dark Agouti (DA) rats are resistant to the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The reason for the resistance could be some restraining mechanism preventing auto‐aggressive cell activation at the level of draining lymph nodes (DLN) during the induction phase of the disease. Such a mechanism could be anti‐proliferative action of nitric oxide (NO), which has already been shown of importance for the resistance of several rat strains to the induction of the disease. Importantly, number of AO DLN cells (DLNC) is markedly lower and with lower proliferative response to myelin basic protein (MBP) ex vivo in comparison to DA DLNC in the inductive phase of EAE, thus implying that in AO rats DLNC do not proliferate as extensively as in DA rats. We show that AO rats do not produce larger quantities of NO than DA rats after immunization. Further, DLNC of immunized AO rats have significantly lower mRNA expression and synthesis of interferon (IFN)‐γ and interleukin (IL)‐17 compared to DLNC of DA rats. Collectively, these results suggest that there is a substantial difference between EAE‐resistant AO rats and EAE‐prone DA rats in the initiation of autoimmune response. This difference seems to be independent of anti‐proliferative actions of NO, but correlates with impaired IL‐17 production in AO rats.

Organotin(IV)‐Loaded Mesoporous Silica as a Biocompatible Strategy in Cancer Treatment

The strong therapeutic potential of an organotin(IV) compound loaded in nanostructured silica (SBA-15pSn) is demonstrated: B16 melanoma tumor growth in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice is almost completely abolished. In contrast to apoptosis as the basic mechanism of the anticancer action of numerous chemotherapeutics, the important advantage of this SBA-15pSn mesoporous material is the induction of cell differentiation, an effect unknown for metal-based drugs and nanomaterials alone. This non-aggressive mode of drug action is highly efficient against cancer cells but is in the concentration range used nontoxic for normal tissue. JNK (Jun-amino-terminal kinase)-independent apoptosis accompanied by the development of the melanocyte-like nonproliferative phenotype of survived cells indicates the extraordinary potential of SBA-15pSn to suppress tumor growth without undesirable compensatory proliferation of malignant cells in response to neighboring cell death.

CXCL12 expression within the CNS contributes to the resistance against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Albino Oxford rats.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the CNS. Albino Oxford (AO) rats are resistant to the induction of EAE, while the disease can be readily induced in Dark Agouti (DA) rats. Here we investigated a potential contribution of the CNS milieu in the limitation of the encephalitogenic autoimmune response. EAE was induced by immunization of the respective rat strains with spinal cord homogenate emulsified in complete Freunds adjuvant. AO rats did not exhibit clinical signs after immunization while DA rats developed severe neurologic deficits. Infiltration of immune cells into spinal cords (SC) was evident in both strains 12-14 days after the immunization. EAE lesions of AO rats contained substantially lower numbers of CD4+ T cells and CD11b+ cells compared to those in DA rats. This went together with lower levels of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17 in the cells isolated from SC. We found a dramatic increase of CXCL12 expression in SC tissue and microvessels of AO rats, whereas DA rats markedly decreased the expression of this chemokine within their CNS. Administration of the CXCL12 antagonist AMD3100 to a substrain of AO rats that developed a weak EAE led to earlier onset and exacerbation of the disease. These results suggest a role of CXCL12 in down-regulating autoimmune processes in AO rats during EAE. Therapeutic modulation of CXCL12 could be a promising strategy for the treatment of CNS autoimmunity.

Kinetics of IFN-γ and IL-17 expression and production in active experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Dark Agouti rats

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) have been involved in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We have carried out a follow-up study of the expression and production of these cytokines, as well as of cells expressing these cytokines during the course of active EAE in Dark Agouti (DA) rats. As a result, IL-17, but not IFN-gamma expression and production had the peak value in draining lymph nodes (DLN) during the induction phase of the disease, and in spinal cords (SC) at the onset of clinical signs of the disease, and then declined toward the resolution of the disease. Also, a significant proportion of IFN-gamma/IL-17 double-positive cells was observed in SC of DA rats in active EAE. Importantly, the highest proportion of IL-17 single positive and double-positive cells, but not of IFN-gamma single positive cells, was observed at the onset of the disease. The observed difference in the kinetics of IFN-gamma and IL-17 expression during active EAE in DA rats suggests different roles these cytokines might have in the pathogenesis of the disease.

A Potent Immunomodulatory Compound, (S,R)-3-Phenyl-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxasole Acetic Acid, Prevents Spontaneous and Accelerated Forms of Autoimmune Diabetes in NOD Mice and Inhibits the Immunoinflammatory Diabetes Induced by Multiple Low Doses of Streptozotocin in CBA/H Mice

(S,R)-3-Phenyl-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxasole acetic acid (VGX-1027) is an isoxazole compound that exhibits various immunomodulatory properties. The capacity of VGX-1027 to prevent interleukin (IL)-1β plus interferon-γ-induced pancreatic islet death in vitro prompted us to evaluate its effects on the development of autoimmune diabetes in preclinical models of human type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Administration of VGX-1027 to NOD mice with spontaneous or accelerated forms of diabetes induced either by injection of cyclophosphamide or by transfer of spleen cells from acutely diabetic syngeneic donors markedly reduced the cumulative incidence of diabetes and insulitis. In addition, VGX-1027 given either i.p. or p.o. to CBA/H mice made diabetic with multiple low doses of streptozotocin successfully counteracted the development of destructive insulitis and hyperglycemia. The animals receiving VGX-1027 exhibited reduced production of the proinflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, and inducible nitric-oxide synthase-mediated nitric oxide generation in both pancreatic islets and peripheral compartments. These results indicate that VGX-1027 probably exerts its antidiabetogenic effects by limiting cytokine-mediated immunoinflammatory events, leading to inflammation and destruction of pancreatic islets. VGX-1027 seems worthy of being considered as a candidate drug in the development of new therapeutic strategies for the prevention and early treatment of T1D.

CXCL12 in control of neuroinflammation

Inflammation within the central nervous system (CNS) is strictly controlled and if possible prevented. Such a tight control is necessary due to high sensitivity of nervous tissue to mechanical and biochemical consequences of inflammation. Still, neuroinflammation is a typical feature of a chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). It is assumed that mechanisms that should prevent activation of immune cells at the periphery, in the lymphoid tissues, and/or inflammation within the CNS are inadequately efficient in MS patients. Here, some recent data about the importance of CXCL12 for regulation of neuroinflammation and contribution of its deviant expression within the CNS to EAE and MS pathogenesis are presented.

Methylprednisolone inhibits interleukin-17 and interferon-gamma expression by both naive and primed T cells

BackgroundInterleukin-17 (IL-17)-producing cells are increasingly considered to be the major pathogenic population in various autoimmune disorders. The effects of glucocorticoids, widely used as therapeutics for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, on IL-17 generation have not been thoroughly investigated so far. Therefore, we have explored the influence of methylprednisolone (MP) on IL-17 expression in rat lymphocytes, and compared it to the effect of the drug on interferon (IFN)-γ.ResultsProduction of IL-17 in mitogen-stimulated lymph node cells (LNC) from non-treated rats, as well as in myelin basic protein (MBP)-stimulated draining LNC from rats immunized with spinal cord homogenate and complete Freunds adjuvant was significantly reduced by MP. The reduction was dose-dependent, sustained through the follow-up period of 48 hours, and was not achieved through anti-proliferative effect. Additionally, MP inhibited IL-17 production in purified T cells as well, but to less extent than in LNC. In its influence on IL-17 production MP inhibited Ror-γT transcription factor expression, as well as Jun phosphorylation, but not ERK or p38 activation in mitogen-stimulated LNC. Importantly, MP collaborated with IFN-γ in inhibiting IL-17 generation in LNC.ConclusionThe observed difference in the effect of MP on IL-17 and IFN-γ could be important for the understanding of the variability in the efficiency of glucocorticoids in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.