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Activation of the integrin family of cell adhesion receptors on progenitor cells may be a viable approach to enhance the effects of stem cell-based therapies by improving cell retention and engraftment. Here, we describe the synthesis and characterization of the first small molecule agonist identified for the integrin α4β1 (also known as very late antigen-4 or VLA-4). The agonist, THI0019, was generated via two structural modifications to a previously identified α4β1 antagonist. THI0019 greatly enhanced the adhesion of cultured cell lines and primary progenitor cells to α4β1 ligands VCAM-1 and CS1 under both static and flow conditions. Furthermore, THI0019 facilitated the rolling and spreading of cells on VCAM-1 and the migration of cells toward SDF-1α. Molecular modeling predicted that the compound binds at the α/β subunit interface overlapping the ligand-binding site thus indicating that the compound must be displaced upon ligand binding. In support of this model, an analog of THI0019 modified to contain a photoreactive group was used to demonstrate that when cross-linked to the integrin, the compound behaves as an antagonist instead of an agonist. In addition, THI0019 showed cross-reactivity with the related integrin α4β7 as well as α5β1 and αLβ2. When cross-linked to αLβ2, the photoreactive analog of THI0019 remained an agonist, consistent with it binding at the α/β subunit interface and not at the ligand-binding site in the inserted ("I") domain of the αL subunit. Co-administering progenitor cells with a compound such as THI0019 may provide a mechanism for enhancing stem cell therapy.

Current published data suggest that DNA mismatch repair (MMR) triggers prolonged G(2) cell cycle checkpoint arrest after alkylation damage from N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) by activating ATR (ataxia telangiectasia-Rad3-related kinase). However, analyses of isogenic MMR-proficient and MMR-deficient human RKO colon cancer cells revealed that although ATR/Chk1 signaling controlled G(2) arrest in MMR-deficient cells, ATR/Chk1 activation was not involved in MMR-dependent G(2) arrest. Instead, we discovered that disrupting c-Abl activity using STI571 (Gleevec, a c-Abl inhibitor) or stable c-Abl knockdown abolished MMR-dependent p73alpha stabilization, induction of GADD45alpha protein expression, and G(2) arrest. In addition, inhibition of c-Abl also increased the survival of MNNG-exposed MMR-proficient cells to a level comparable with MMR-deficient cells. Furthermore, knocking down GADD45alpha (but not p73alpha) protein levels affected MMR-dependent G(2) arrest responses. Thus, MMR-dependent G(2) arrest responses triggered by MNNG are dependent on a human MLH1/c-Abl/GADD45alpha signaling pathway and activity. Furthermore, our data suggest that caution should be taken with therapies targeting c-Abl kinase because increased survival of mutator phenotypes may be an unwanted consequence.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) stimulate similar cellular responses. TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta are known to initiate signaling through a pathway involving hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to ceramide (Kolesnick, R. N., and Golde, D. W. (1994) Cell 77, 325-328). In this system, ceramide acts as a second messenger stimulating a ceramide-activated serine/threonine protein kinase. The present studies demonstrate that LPS, like TNF and IL-1, stimulates ceramide-activated protein kinase activity in human leukemia (HL-60) cells and in freshly isolated human neutrophils. Lipid A, the biologically active core of LPS, enhanced kinase activity in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. As little as 10 nM lipid A was effective, and a maximal effect occurred with 500 nM lipid A, increasing kinase activity 5-fold. Native LPS similarly induced kinase activation. This effect of LPS was markedly enhanced by LPS binding protein and required the LPS receptor CD14. In contrast to TNF and IL-1, LPS did not cause sphingomyelin hydrolysis and thus stimulates ceramide-activated protein kinase without generating ceramide. Molecular modeling showed strong structural similarity between ceramide and a region of lipid A. Based on these observations, we propose that LPS stimulates cells by mimicking the second messenger function of ceramide.