RESUMEN

Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is an aggressive and deadly subtype of human breast cancer that is highly metastatic, displays stem-cell like features, and has limited treatment options. Therefore, developing and characterizing preclinical mouse models with tumors that resemble BLBC is important for human therapeutic development. ATF3 is a potent oncogene that is aberrantly expressed in most human breast cancers. In the BK5.ATF3 mouse model, overexpression of ATF3 in the basal epithelial cells of the mammary gland produces tumors that are characterized by activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Here, we used RNA-Seq and microRNA (miRNA) microarrays to better define the molecular features of BK5.ATF3-derived mammary tumors. These analyses showed that these tumors share many characteristics of human BLBC including reduced expression of Rb1, Esr1, and Pgr and increased expression of Erbb2, Egfr, and the genes encoding keratins 5, 6, and 17. An analysis of miRNA expression revealed reduced levels of Mir145 and Mir143, leading to the upregulation of their target genes including both the pluripotency factors Klf4 and Sox2 as well as the cancer stem-cell-related gene Kras. Finally, we show through knock-down experiments that ATF3 may directly modulate MIR145/143 expression. Taken together, our results indicate that the ATF3 mouse mammary tumor model could provide a powerful model to define the molecular mechanisms leading to BLBC, identify the factors that contribute to its aggressiveness, and, ultimately, discover specific genes and gene networks for therapeutic targeting.

Asunto(s)

Factor de Transcripción Activador 3/genética , Neoplasias de la Mama/genética , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/genética , Animales , Neoplasias de la Mama/metabolismo , Neoplasias de la Mama/patología , Línea Celular Tumoral , Femenino , Humanos , Factor 4 Similar a Kruppel , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/metabolismo , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/patología , Neoplasias Mamarias Experimentales/genética , Neoplasias Mamarias Experimentales/metabolismo , Neoplasias Mamarias Experimentales/patología , Ratones , Regulación hacia Arriba , Vía de Señalización Wnt

RESUMEN

Female transgenic mice that constitutively overexpress the transcription factor ATF3 in the basal epithelium of the mammary gland develop mammary carcinomas with high frequency, but only if allowed to mate and raise pups early in life. This transgenic mouse model system reproduces some features of human breast cancer in that about 20% of human breast tumor specimens exhibit overexpression of ATF3 in the tumor cells. The ATF3-induced mouse tumors are phenotypically similar to mammary tumors induced by overexpression of activating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway genes. We now show that the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway is indeed activated in ATF3-induced tumors. ß-catenin is transcriptionally up-regulated in the tumors, and high levels of nuclear ß-catenin are seen in tumor cells. A reporter gene for Wnt/ß-catenin pathway activity, TOPGAL, is up-regulated in the tumors and several downstream targets of Wnt signaling, including Ccnd1, Jun, Axin2 and Dkk4, are also expressed at higher levels in ATF3-induced tumors compared to mammary glands of transgenic females. Several positive-acting ligands for this pathway, including Wnt3, Wnt3a, Wnt7b, and Wnt5a, are significantly overexpressed in tumor tissue, and mRNA for Wnt3 is about 5-fold more abundant in transgenic mammary tissue than in non-transgenic mammary tissue. Two known transcriptional targets of ATF3, Snai1 and Snai2, are also overexpressed in the tumors, and Snail and Slug proteins are found to be located primarily in the nuclei of tumor cells. In vitro knockdown of Atf3 expression results in significant decreases in expression of Wnt7b, Tcf7, Snai2 and Jun, suggesting that these genes may be direct transcriptional targets of ATF3 protein. By chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, both ATF3 and JUN proteins appear to bind to a particular subclass of AP-1 sites upstream of the transcriptional start sites of each of these genes.

Asunto(s)

Factor de Transcripción Activador 3/genética , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/etiología , Transducción de Señal , Factor de Transcripción Activador 3/efectos adversos , Animales , Femenino , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Humanos , Neoplasias Mamarias Experimentales , Ratones , Ratones Transgénicos , Proteína Oncogénica p65(gag-jun)/metabolismo , Transcripción Genética , Proteínas Wnt/metabolismo , beta Catenina/metabolismo

RESUMEN

Few studies demonstrated neural circuits related to disgust were influenced by internal sexual orientation in male. Here we used fMRI to study the neural responses to disgust in homosexual and heterosexual men to investigate that issue. Thirty-two healthy male volunteers (sixteen homosexual and sixteen heterosexual) were scanned while viewing alternating blocks of three types of erotic film: heterosexual couples (F-M), male homosexual couples (M-M), and female homosexual couples (F-F) engaged in sexual activity. All the participants rated their level of disgust and sexual arousal as well. The F-F and M-M stimuli induced disgust in homosexual and heterosexual men, respectively. The common activations related to disgusting stimuli included: bilateral frontal gyrus and occipital gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, right cerebellum, and right thalamus. Homosexual men had greater neural responses in the left medial frontal gyrus than did heterosexual men to the sexual disgusting stimuli; in contrast, heterosexual men showed significantly greater activation than homosexual men in the left cuneus. ROI analysis showed that negative correlation were found between the magnitude of MRI signals in the left medial frontal gyrus and scores of disgust in homosexual subjects (p<0.05). This study indicated that there were regions in common as well as regions specific for each type of erotic stimuli during disgust of homosexual and heterosexual men.

Asunto(s)

Nivel de Alerta/fisiología , Mapeo Encefálico/métodos , Emociones/fisiología , Literatura Erótica/psicología , Heterosexualidad/psicología , Homosexualidad Masculina/psicología , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética/métodos , Hombres/psicología , Adulto , Análisis de Varianza , Actitud , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Estimulación Luminosa

RESUMEN

Alterations in gamma-frequency oscillations are implicated in psychiatric disorders, and polymorphisms in NRG-1 and ERBB4, genes encoding Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) and one of its receptors, designated ErbB4, are associated with schizophrenia. Here we show that NRG-1 selectively increases the power of kainate-induced, but not carbachol-induced, gamma oscillations in acute hippocampal slices. NRG-1beta is more effective than NRG-1alpha, a splice variant with lower affinity for ErbB receptors, and neither isoform affects the network activity without prior induction of gamma oscillations. NRG-1beta dramatically increases gamma oscillation power in hippocampal slices from both rats (2062 +/- 496%) and mice (710 +/- 299%). These effects of NRG-1beta are blocked by PD158780, a pan-specific antagonist of ErbB receptors, and are mediated specifically via ErbB4 receptors, because mice harboring a targeted mutation of ErbB4 do not respond to NRG-1. Moreover, we demonstrate that 50% of gamma-amino butyric acidergic parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons, which heavily contribute to the generation of gamma oscillations, express ErbB4 receptors. Importantly, both the number of PV-immunoreactive interneurons (-31%) and the power of kainate-induced gamma oscillations (-60%) are reduced in ErbB4 knockout mice. This study provides the first plausible link between NRG-1/ErbB4 signaling and rhythmic network activity that may be altered in persons with schizophrenia.

Asunto(s)

Relojes Biológicos/fisiología , Hipocampo/fisiología , Neurregulina-1/fisiología , Esquizofrenia/metabolismo , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Animales , Electrofisiología , Receptores ErbB/deficiencia , Receptores ErbB/genética , Receptores ErbB/fisiología , Técnicas In Vitro , Interneuronas/metabolismo , Interneuronas/patología , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , Parvalbúminas/metabolismo , Ratas , Ratas Wistar , Receptor ErbB-4 , Esquizofrenia/genética

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of the bZip transcription factor, ATF3, in basal epithelial cells of transgenic mice under the control of the bovine cytokeratin-5 (CK5) promoter has previously been shown to induce epidermal hyperplasia, hair follicle anomalies and neoplastic lesions of the oral mucosa including squamous cell carcinomas. CK5 is known to be expressed in myoepithelial cells of the mammary gland, suggesting the possibility that transgenic BK5.ATF3 mice may exhibit mammary gland phenotypes. METHODS: Mammary glands from nulliparous mice in our BK5.ATF3 colony, both non-transgenic and transgenic, were examined for anomalies by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Nulliparous and biparous female mice were observed for possible mammary tumor development, and suspicious masses were analyzed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Human breast tumor samples, as well as normal breast tissue, were similarly analyzed for ATF3 expression. RESULTS: Transgenic BK5.ATF3 mice expressed nuclear ATF3 in the basal layer of the mammary ductal epithelium, and often developed squamous metaplastic lesions in one or more mammary glands by 25 weeks of age. No progression to malignancy was seen in nulliparous BK5.ATF3 or non-transgenic mice held for 16 months. However, biparous BK5.ATF3 mice developed mammary carcinomas with squamous metaplasia between 6 months and one year of age, reaching an incidence of 67%. Cytokeratin expression in the tumors was profoundly disturbed, including expression of CK5 and CK8 (characteristic of basal and luminal cells, respectively) throughout the epithelial component of the tumors, CK6 (potentially a stem cell marker), CK10 (a marker of interfollicular epidermal differentiation), and mIRSa2 and mIRSa3.1 (markers of the inner root sheath of hair follicles). Immunohistochemical studies indicated that a subset of human breast tumors exhibit high levels of nuclear ATF3 expression. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of ATF3 in CK5-expressing cells of the murine mammary gland results in the development of squamous metaplastic lesions in nulliparous females, and in mammary tumors in biparous mice, suggesting that ATF3 acts as a mammary oncogene. A subset of human breast tumors expresses high levels of ATF3, suggesting that ATF3 may play an oncogenic role in human breast tumorigenesis, and therefore may be useful as either a biomarker or therapeutic target.

Asunto(s)

Factor de Transcripción Activador 3/fisiología , Transformación Celular Neoplásica/genética , Glándulas Mamarias Animales/patología , Oncogenes , Factor de Transcripción Activador 3/genética , Factor de Transcripción Activador 3/metabolismo , Animales , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Biomarcadores de Tumor/metabolismo , Biomarcadores de Tumor/fisiología , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/genética , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patología , Bovinos , Proliferación Celular , Femenino , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Queratina-5/genética , Glándulas Mamarias Animales/crecimiento & desarrollo , Glándulas Mamarias Animales/metabolismo , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/genética , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/patología , Ratones , Ratones Transgénicos , Oncogenes/fisiología , Embarazo , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/fisiología , Transgenes

RESUMEN

Polymorphisms in the Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and ErbB4 receptor genes have been associated with schizophrenia in numerous cohort and family studies, and biochemical measurements from postmortem prefrontal cortex homogenates suggest that NRG/ErbB signalling is altered in schizophrenia. Moreover, recent work from our group, and from others, indicates that NRG/ErbB signalling has a role in regulating glutamatergic transmission--an intriguing finding given that glutamatergic hypofunction has been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis underlying schizophrenia. Here we will provide a brief background of the complexity of the NRG/ErbB signalling system. We will then focus on how NRG1 reverses (depotentiates) long-term potentiation (LTP) at hippocampal Schaeffer collateral--CA1 glutamatergic synapses in the adult brain. Specifically, we found that NRG1 depotentiates LTP in an activity- and time-dependent manner. A role of endogenous NRG for regulating plasticity at hippocampal synapses is supported by experiments demonstrating that ErbB receptor antagonists completely block LTP depotentiation by brief theta-pulse stimuli, a subthreshold stimulus paradigm that reverses LTP in live animals. Preliminary results indicate that NRG1-mediated LTP depotentiation is NMDA receptor independent, and manifests as an internalization of GluR1-containing AMPA receptors. The importance of the NRG/ ErbB signalling pathway in regulating homeostasis at glutamatergic synapses, and its possible implications for schizophrenia, will be discussed.

Asunto(s)

Encéfalo/fisiopatología , Neurregulinas/fisiología , Plasticidad Neuronal/fisiología , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Variación Genética , Humanos , Potenciación a Largo Plazo , Neurregulina-1/fisiología , Neurregulinas/genética , Receptor ErbB-2/fisiología , Transducción de Señal

RESUMEN

Glycinergic synaptic inhibition is part of acoustic information processing in brain stem auditory pathways and contributes to the regulation of neuronal excitation. We found previously that unilateral cochlear ablation (UCA) in young adult guinea pigs decreased [3H]strychnine binding activity in several brain stem auditory nuclei. This study determined if the UCA-induced deficit could be regulated by protein kinase C (PKC), protein kinase A (PKA) or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). The specific binding of [3H]strychnine was measured in slices of the dorsal (DCN), posteroventral (PVCN) and anteroventral (AVCN) cochlear nucleus (CN), the lateral (LSO) and medial (MSO) superior olive, and the inferior colliculus (IC) 145 days after UCA. Tissues from age-matched unlesioned animals served as controls. UCA induced deficits in specific binding in the AVCN, PVCN, and LSO on the ablated side and in the MSO bilaterally. These deficits were reversed by 3 microM phorbol 1,2-dibutyrate, a PKC activator, or 0.2 mM dibutyryl-cAMP, a PKA activator. However, 50 nM Ro31-8220, a PKC inhibitor, and 2 microM H-89, a PKA inhibitor, had no effect in unlesioned controls and after UCA. In contrast, 4 microM KN-93, a CaMKII inhibitor, relieved or reversed the UCA-induced binding deficits and elevated binding in the IC. These findings suggest that a UCA-induced down-regulation of glycine receptor synthesis may have occurred via reduced phosphorylation of proteins that control receptor synthesis; this effect was reversed by diminishing CaMKII activity or increasing PKC and PKA activity.

Asunto(s)

Vías Auditivas/fisiología , Tronco Encefálico/metabolismo , Cóclea/lesiones , Lateralidad Funcional , Proteínas Quinasas/fisiología , Receptores de Glicina/metabolismo , Animales , Tronco Encefálico/anatomía & histología , Tronco Encefálico/efectos de los fármacos , Cóclea/fisiopatología , Interacciones Farmacológicas , Activación Enzimática/efectos de los fármacos , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Femenino , Cobayas , Masculino , Unión Proteica/efectos de los fármacos , Unión Proteica/fisiología , Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Tritio/metabolismo

RESUMEN

Injury to areas of the central nervous system can alter neurotrophin levels, which may influence postlesion neuronal survival and plasticity. To determine if sensorineural hearing loss induces such changes, we used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in adult guinea pig brain stem auditory nuclei 3-60 days after a unilateral cochlear ablation (UCA). After UCA, which destroyed the cochlea and cochlear nerve on one side, NT-3 levels were usually depressed at 3 days by 22-44% but became elevated transiently at 7 days by 28-124%. BDNF levels were elevated transiently by 50% on the ablated side in the anteroventral (AVCN) and posteroventral (PVCN) cochlear nucleus at 3 days and may have signaled support for the survival of deafferented neurons. Coincident elevation at 3 and 7 days of BDNF or NT-3 and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 2 (ERK2-P) suggested a relationship to stimulated signal transduction activity. Elevated neurotrophin levels may have contributed to synaptogenesis in the AVCN and the superior olive and to changes in the synaptic biochemistry in the auditory nuclei after UCA. In contrast, deficiencies or failure to elevate neurotrophin levels within several days of the UCA correlated with upregulation of phosphorylated stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK-P), suggesting a relationship with stress-activated signal transduction and with the sparse degeneration of fibers observed in some of the auditory nuclei after UCA.

Asunto(s)

Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/metabolismo , Cóclea/lesiones , Nervio Coclear/lesiones , Núcleo Coclear/metabolismo , Pérdida Auditiva Sensorineural/metabolismo , Neurotrofina 3/metabolismo , Animales , Supervivencia Celular/fisiología , Cóclea/fisiopatología , Nervio Coclear/fisiopatología , Desnervación , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Femenino , Lateralidad Funcional/fisiología , Cobayas , Pérdida Auditiva Sensorineural/fisiopatología , Masculino , Proteína Quinasa 1 Activada por Mitógenos/metabolismo , Proteína Quinasa 8 Activada por Mitógenos/metabolismo , Degeneración Nerviosa/metabolismo , Degeneración Nerviosa/fisiopatología , Regeneración Nerviosa/fisiología , Plasticidad Neuronal/fisiología , Transducción de Señal/fisiología , Regulación hacia Arriba/fisiología

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: To establish a simple, sensitive in vitro method to evaluate oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced injury of brain hippocampal slices in rats. METHODS: Rat hippocampal slices were incubated in 2% 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) solution after oxygen/glucose deprivation. They were then soaked in a measured volume of ethanol and dimethylsulfoxide (50:50) to extract the TTC formazan Product which was then measured by spectrophotometry. OGD induced LDH release was simultaneously measured. RESULTS: Progressive prolongation of OGD induced hippocampal injury resulted in decreased formazan coloration as determined by spectrophotometry. There was a parallel increase in LDH release, thus a negative correlation in these two products was noted. (r=-0.933,P <0.01). The injury was attenuated in the brain slices pre-treated with nimodipine, dexamethasone, and ketamine, but not ONO-1078. CONCLUSION: Solvent extraction and spectrophotometric quantification of formazan represents an objective measurement of OGD-induced injury of rat hippocampal slices.