My interest has been achieving better prevention and treatment of cancer by applying information about "susceptibility genes" obtained from various sourses to human cases.
Many environmental precarcinogens have to be metabolically activated by drug-metabolizing enzymes in the body before exerting carcinogenic effects. It has been known for some time that polymorphisms, or interindividual differences, exist in activities of these enzymes. Thus, polymorphisms of certain drug-metabolizing enzymes are convenient tools for evaluation of effects of precarcinogens and their metabolites on human carcinogenesis. They can also be used to evaluate individual risks under specific conditions. Cytochrome P450IIE1 (CYP2E1), for example, is known to metabolically activate nitrosamines and other compounds, and we detected for the first time the association between polymorphisms of the CYP2E1 gene and susceptibility to human lung cancer.
The restriction enzyme DraI detected a single nucleotide polymorphism in intron 6 of the CYP2E1 gene. In this polymorphism, the frequencies of the genotypes, CC, CD, and DD differed between patients with lung cancer and controls. An association was also found between the amount of lifelong smoking exposure and the distribution of the genotypes of the polymorphism among lung cancer patients. Whether these associations are based on different CYP2E1 activities in individuals is still to be elucidated. Several researchers in various parts of the world have performed similar association studies since then. There are reports that have associated the DraI polymorphisn with susceptibility to several human malignancies and other diseases such as alcoholism. We have to note, however, that there are great ethnic differences in the frequencies of the polymorphic alleles. The frequency of the minor C allele in the general Japanese population is about 30%, while the frequencies in the general Finnish and Swedish populations are both about 10%, for example.
Cancer cells exhibit many abnormalities the origins of which are not fully understood. We were particularly interested in global changes of gene expression in cancer, because it seems that in many solid tumors, unlike some leukemias, accumulation of abnormalities of a number of genes may be needed to develop full-blown cancer. Changes in expression of a set of genes seem to play important roles, whether their abnormalities may be genetic or epigenitic. These abnormalities probably occur in a very complex way, giving rise to changes in multiple signal transduction pathways. We have thus performed microarray analyses and tested if certain specific groups of genes move in a specific direction during carcinogenesis. Our studies using a rat model of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis have indicated that expressions of certain groups of growth factors and receptors are highly co-regulated.
This led us to postulate that some classes of proteinases may be involved in regulation or dysregulation of important cellular molecules that could affect cell signaing. Proteinases constitute a large group of proteins involved in metabolism of numerous other proteins. We found that expressions of some proteinases are shut down in cancer, which may affect cell processes due to altered metabolism of numerous mitogens. Neprilysin (NEP, CD10, CALLA) is a proteinase expressed on the membranes of numerous kinds of epithelial cells. NEP catalytically inactivates fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2). Other substrates of NEP include bombesin, gastrin releasing peptide, atrial natriuretic factor, substance P, neurotensin, amyloid beta, and endothelins. In the above model of rat hepatocarcinogenesis, the expression of NEP was decreased during the process of liver cancer formation. In the intermediate state of the carcinogenesis, i.e., cirrhosis of the liver, expression level of NEP was also intermediate between normal liver and hepatocellular carcinoma. Our further studies have indicated that the decrease of NEP is accompanied by progressive methylation of the promoter of the NEP gene.
Its relevance to the whole process of carcinogenesis is still rather obscure, but inactivation of some of proteinases including NEP can be at least one cause of changes in expression of multiple genes, often involved in similar cell processes . We thus consider study of the precise functions of these genes important in the understanding of tumor formation.
Abstract: Neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP), a cell-surface enzyme expressed by epithelial cells that cleaves and inactivates biologically active small peptides, is downregulated in various cancers. NEP is encoded by a gene that contains a CpG island in the promoter region, whose hypermethylation appears related to decreased expression. Altered expression of NEP has also been reported in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), suggesting its possible role in hepatocarcinogenesis. To elucidate the status of NEP in HCC, methylation in the promoter region of the gene that encodes NEP in male Fischer 344 rats with HCC, induced by a choline-deficient, l-amino acid-defined diet, was investigated by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, combined bisulfite restriction analysis, and bisulfite genomic sequencing. These analyses together showed the promoter to be frequently methylated in HCC in contrast to its unmethylated status in normal liver, the degree of methylation being inversely related to the level of mRNA expression evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (P = 0.031). In two rat liver cell lines, RLC-16 and RLC-27, the promoter was heavily methylated and NEP mRNA expression was negative. However, administration of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine caused NEP expression, suggesting that methylation of CpG is a factor regulating transcriptional expression. Together with the data from microarray analyses performed previously using the same animal model, the current results suggest that reduced expression of NEP or other ectopeptidases could impact on molecules involved in signal-transducing systems, including G-protein coupled receptors, via modified turnover of extracellularly active small peptides.
Abstract: Gene expression profiles of HCC and surrounding non-cancerous tissues in rats fed a CDAA diet for 70 weeks, as well as normal liver tissues, were explored using an oligonucleotide microarray for 3757 genes. A total of 146 genes were identified as differentially expressed; the affected functions including metabolism, apoptosis, cell cycling, RNA splicing, Wnt signaling, reactive oxygen species-induced stress, and fibro/cirrhogenesis. The genes were found to fit into four distinct expression patterns after classification by hierarchical and k-means clustering procedures. Notably, genes within the same functional category tended to be found within the same cluster, thus gene functions appeared to be related to their expression patterns. For example, genes encoding receptors (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.01) and cytokines (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.05) were both enriched in a cluster characterized by low expression in HCC compared to their surrounding tissues. While some of the receptors in this cluster had cell-proliferative potential, others are known to be growth-suppressive. It was noted, however, that four of the 10 receptor genes encode G-protein-coupled receptors, for which growth-suppressive potential has been reported. The seven growth factors in the same cluster included two fibroblast growth factors. The current findings suggest the possibility that genes differentially expressed in this multistep carcinogenic model may be classified into relatively few clusters according to their expression patterns, and that these clusters may be associated with gene functional categories.
Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the terminal event in chronic liver diseases with repeated cycles of cellular injury and regeneration. Although much is known about the cellular pathogenesis and etiological agents leading to HCC, the molecular events are not well understood. The choline-deficient (CD) model of rodent HCC involves the consecutive emergence of a fatty liver, apoptosis, compensatory proliferation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis that is markedly similar to the sequence of events typified by human HCC. Moreover, oxidative stress is thought to play a pivotal role in the progression of the disease. Here, we hypothesize that gene expression profiling can temporally mirror the histopathology and oxidative DNA damage observed with this model. We show that clusters of highly co-regulated genes representing distinct cellular pathways for lipid biosynthesis and metabolism, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and tissue remodeling temporally correlate with the well-defined sequential emergence of pathological alterations in the progression of liver disease. Additionally, an oxidative stress signature was observed that was corroborated in a time-dependent manner with increases in oxidized purines and abasic sites in DNA. Collectively, expression patterns were strongly driven by pathology, demonstrating that patterns of gene expression in advanced stages of liver disease are primarily driven by histopathological changes and to a much lesser degree by the original etiological agent. In conclusion, gene expression profiling coupled with the CD model of HCC provides a unique opportunity to unveil the molecular events associated with various stages of liver injury and carcinogenesis and to distinguish between causal and consecutive changes.
Abstract: Effects of phenyl N-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN), a spin-trapping agent, on the development of frank cancers were examined in male Wistar rats fed with a choline-deficient, l-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet for 70 weeks. PBN (0.065% in the drinking water) reduced incidences, multiplicities and possibly sizes of both hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas when administered for all 70 weeks or only for the first 26 weeks, and those of carcinomas but not adenomas, when administered only for the last 44 weeks. These results indicate that PBN can prevent the development of frank HCCs in the CDAA diet model. The anti-carcinogenic effect of PBN may be ascribed to the prevention of both the development of HCAs and their malignant conversion to HCCs. If such findings can be generalized, PBN may be able to serve as a good tool to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying carcinogenic processes.
Abstract: Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), found in cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to suppress or promote carcinogenesis depending on various animal models. Regarding its preventive effects, I3C acts as an anti-estrogen and can induce apoptosis, but precise mechanisms remain to be determined. Since I3C induces cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver, it affects hydroxylation of estrogens and might therefore be expected to influence endometrial adenocarcinoma development. The present study was performed to clarify the effects of I3C using a rat two-stage endometrial carcinogenesis model, focusing on induction of cytochrome P450s and other estrogen-metabolic enzymes in the liver. First, to determine the estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity, an uterotropic assay was conducted using ovariectomized Donryu rats (experiment 1). Second, to elucidate the effects on endometrial carcinogenicity, female Donryu rats initiated with a single dose of N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine into a uterine horn were fed 0 or 500 p.p.m. I3C in diets for 12 months (experiment 2). In experiment 3, similarly initiated animals received 0 or 2000 p.p.m. I3C in their diet, or 1 microg/kg 17beta-estradiol (E2) or 5 microg/kg 4-hydroxyestradiol (4HE) subcutaneously twice a week for 12 months. In the uterotrophic assay, neither 500 nor 2000 p.p.m. of I3C showed any estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity. In the two uterine carcinogenicity studies, I3C and 4HE increased incidences of uterine adenocarcinomas and/or multiplicities of uterine proliferative lesions, E2-treatment being associated with a tendency for promotion. In the liver, I3C treatment consistently elevated estradiol 2- and 4-hydroxylase activities, in particular the latter, but without effects on estradiol 16alpha-hydoxylase activity. mRNAs for CYP 1A1, 1A2 and 1B1 were increased by I3C treatment, with translation confirmed immunohistochemically. These results suggest that induction of the CYP 1 family in the liver and sequential modulation of estrogen metabolism to increase 4HE might play a crucial role in promoting the effects of dietary I3C on endometrial adenocarcinoma development.
Abstract: The present study assessed effects of estrogens and their steroid metabolites on the endometrial carcinogenesis in young adult mice initiated with N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG). A total of 272 female CD-1 (ICR) mice were used and equally divided into 17 groups. Mice were implanted cholesterol pellets to the back subcutis at 9 weeks of age. Pellets contained nothing (control) or one of the experimental agents, three different estrogens and their 13 different steroid metabolites, at a concentration of 0.5% (w/w). At 10 weeks of age, mice were given a single intra-uterine administration of ENNG at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight. When reaching the 30 weeks of age (20 weeks after the ENNG treatment), mice were sacrificed to assess the development of endometrial proliferative lesions. While endometrial proliferative lesions, including hyperplasias and adenocarcinomas, were observed in all groups, the incidences of hyperplasias in the groups treated with 2-hydroxyestriol, 2-methoxyestradiol, 2-methoxyestriol and 16-epiestriol were significantly higher than that in the control group. On the other hand, adenocarcinomas were significantly developed in the groups treated with estrone, estradiol, estriol, 16beta-hydroxyestrone, 16alpha-hydroxyestrone and 17-epiestriol. These results indicate that, on the endometrial carcinogenesis in mice initiated with ENNG, estrogens and their metabolites belonging to the 16alpha-hydroxylation pathway and the upstream of the 16beta-hydroxylation pathway exert both promoting and progressing effects, whereas, the estrogen metabolites belonging to the 2- and 4-hydroxylation pathways (catechol estrogens) and the downstream of the 16beta-hydroxylation pathway exert only promoting or no effects. It is thus suggested that a metabolic profile of estrogens may be crucial for the endometrial carcinogenesis and that the rate of the 16alpha-hydroxylation may be associated with the increased carcinogenic risks of estrogens on the endometrium.
Abstract: We encountered a brain tumor arising in the right lateral ventricle of a 14-week-old, female Donryu rat and investigated its histological and immunohistochemical characteristics. Macroscopically, the tumor appeared as a grayish mass with a size of 10 mm in diameter, present in front of the right hemicerebrum and well circumscribed on the cut surface. Histological examination revealed the tumor to be a hypercellular mass occupying the front part of the right lateral ventricle and expanding into the area in front of the hemicerebrum, continuing to the ependymal area at its edge. The tumor was constituted by columnar- or pleomorphic-shaped, highly atypical cells of epithelial origin surrounding fibrovascular cores as single or multiple cell layers. Growth was papillary with high proliferating activity. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells proved positive for cytokeratin but negative for vimentin, S100 protein or glial fibrillary acidic protein, a profile characteristic for the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus, whereas the ependymal cells were found to be positive for all 4 items. In conclusion, the present tumor was diagnosed as a rat choroid plexus carcinoma, only the third such case to be reported in the world literature, with particular features.
Abstract: Models of the oligomeric FGF signaling complex, including those derived from crystal structures, vary in stoichiometry and arrangement of the three subunits comprised of heparin/heparan sulfate chains, FGFR tyrosine kinase and activating FGF. Here, using covalent affinity crosslinking of radiolabeled FGF7 to binary complexes of FGFR2IIIb and heparin, we show that two molecules of FGF7 contact each FGFR2IIIb. This supports models that propose a dimeric complex of two units with stoichiometry 1 FGF:1 FGFR in which each FGF contacts both FGFR. The bivalent FGF7 contact was dependent on the full-length amino terminus of FGF7alpha and the intracellular domain of FGFR2IIIb extending through the juxtamembrane domain and the beta1 and beta2 strands of the kinase which is required for ATP binding. We propose that the differences in crosslinking report differences in relationships among subunits in the ectodomain of the complex that are affected by the amino terminus of FGF and the FGFR intracellular domain. From this, we suggest the corollary that conformational relationships among subunits in the ectodomain are transmitted to the intracellular and ATP binding domains during activation of the complex.
Abstract: Epithelial cells, which express FGFR2IIIb, bind and respond to FGF-1, FGF-7 and FGF-10, but not FGF-2. Stromal cells, which bind and respond to FGF-1 and FGF-2, but not FGF-7 and FGF-10, express FGFR2IIIc or FGFR1IIIc. Here we show that when both isolated FGFR2betaIIIb and FGFR2betaIIIc or their common Ig module II are allowed to affinity select heparin from a mixture, the resultant binary complexes bound FGF-1, FGF-2, and FGF-7 with nearly equal affinity. In addition, FGF-2 and FGF-7 bound to both heparin-Ig module IIIb and IIIc complexes, but FGF-1 bound to neither Ig module III. The results show that in isolation both Ig modules II and III of FGFR2 can interact with heparin and that each exhibits a binding site for FGF. We suggest that the specificity of FGFR2IIIb and FGFR2IIIc is dependent on the cell membrane environment and heparin/heparan sulfate. Ig modules II and III cooperate both within monomers and across dimers with cellular heparan sulfates to confer cell type-dependent specificity of the FGFR complex for FGF.
Abstract: Lung cancer has been associated with smoking and many carcinogenic compounds are thought to contribute to the origin of lung cancer. Most of these carcinogens exert their carcinogenicity after conversion to more potent forms through reactions mediated by drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450s (CYPs). Carcinogens in the human body are then detoxified by enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and excreted. The genetic differences, or polymorphisms, of these enzymes may affect genetically-determined susceptibility to lung cancer. Recently, a variety of polymorphisms have been found for drug-metabolizing enzymes in humans, such as CYP2E1, CYP1A1, CYP2D6, and GST. These polymorphisms have been related to susceptibility to lung cancer by some researchers. Their relevance with the dose of tobacco smoke has also been investigated.
Abstract: Prevention is an important and effective measure for reducing death caused by cancer. Thus information on individual susceptibility to cancer is valuable in suggesting high risk individuals to avoid intake of carcinogenic substances and receive frequent physical screening. To this end, polymorphisms found within cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes implicated in the metabolism of procarcinogens are expected to be good genetic targets in assessing human cancer susceptibility. We have found polymorphisms in the CYP2E1 and CYP1A1 genes associated with lung cancer susceptibility, though there were some discrepancies from observations made by other investigators. Discrepancies among investigators from different regions, however, are very common in these pharmacogenetic studies. We present an explanation for these discrepancies, difficulties associated with prediction of relative risk of individuals, and future directions.
Abstract: Polymorphic metabolism of certain chemical carcinogens may result in differences in susceptibility to cancers. Human CYP2E1 (cytochrome P450IIE1) is an enzyme involved in the metabolic activation of precarcinogens such as nitrosamines. We detected a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the human CYP2E1 gene for the restriction endonuclease Dra I. The distribution of this polymorphism was examined among lung cancer patients (n = 91), patients with cancer of the digestive tract (n = 45) and controls (n = 76). A significant difference in the distribution was observed between lung cancer patients and controls (chi 2 = 11.4 with 2 df; p < 0.005). On the other hand, there was no significant difference between patients between cancer of the digestive tract and controls (chi 2 = 4.87 with 2 df; NS). This finding suggests that the Dra I polymorphism of the CYP2E1 gene is associated with susceptibility to lung cancer. In addition, an association was found between the amount of lifelong smoking exposure and the distribution of the genotypes of the RFLP among lung cancer patients. The distribution pattern seemed deviated from that of controls especially in the population of low smoking exposure. Our Northern blot analysis data using RNA from human liver autopsy samples suggest that the Dra I polymorphism might be associated with the gene expression of CYP2E1 at mRNA level.
Abstract: Complimentary DNA for the 67kDa-laminin receptor was cloned from the cDNA library derived from a human lung cancer cell line, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. Expression of the gene was estimated by Northern analysis in various types of human lung cancer. As a result, increased expression of the laminin receptor was demonstrated especially in the cell types of small cell cancer and bronchioloalveolar cell cancer, which are aggressive biologically. Antibody raised against a partial sequence of the polypeptide was prepared for immunodetection of 67kDa-laminin receptor. It was shown that immunohistochemistry with the antibody could be applied to diagnostic use in lung cancer. The results also suggest that the laminin receptor polypeptide is not necessarily a membrane-associated protein and may function without further processing to the receptor.
Abstract: Human cytochrome P450IIE1 (CYP2E) is involved in the metabolic activation of procarcinogens such as N-nitrosodimethylamine, benzene and ethyl carbamate. We screened DNA from 28 individuals for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) is the human P450IIE1 gene and detected an RFLP for the restriction endonuclease DraI. The distribution of the genotypes of this polymorphisms among lung cancer patients (n = 74) differed from that among controls (n = 73) with statistical significance of p < 0.05. In addition, the distribution among patients with cancers of the digestive system (n = 38) was also different from that among controls. Our findings indicate an association between the DraI polymorphism of the IIE1 gene and susceptibility to cancers of the lung and the digestive system.
Abstract: Cytochrome P450IIE1 (P450IIE1) is involved in metabolic activation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, aniline and benzene. We detected a restriction fragment length polymorphism of the human P450IIE1 gene with the restriction endonuclease DraI. The population was thus divided into three genotypes, namely, heterozygotes (CD) and two forms of homozygotes (CC and DD). The distribution of these genotypes among lung cancer patients differed from that among controls with statistical significance of P less than 0.05 (chi 2 = 7.01 with 2 degrees of freedom). This result strongly suggests that host susceptibility to lung cancer is associated with the DraI polymorphism of the P450IIE1 gene.
