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Dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system leads to systemic hypertension and maladaptive fibrosis in various organs. We showed recently that myocardial fibrosis and the loss of cardiac function in mice with transverse aortic constriction (TAC) could be averted by treatment with the caveolin-1 scaffolding domain (CSD) peptide. Here, we used angiotensin II (AngII) infusion (2.1 mg/kg/day for 2 wk) in mice as a second model to confirm and extend our observations on the beneficial effects of CSD on heart and kidney disease. AngII caused cardiac hypertrophy (increased heart weight to body weight ratio (HW/BW) and cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area); fibrosis in heart and kidney (increased levels of collagen I and heat shock protein-47 (HSP47)); and vascular leakage (increased levels of IgG in heart and kidney). Echocardiograms of AngII-infused mice showed increased left ventricular posterior wall thickness (pWTh) and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), and decreased ejection fraction (EF), stroke volume (SV), and cardiac output (CO). CSD treatment (i.p. injections, 50 μg/mouse/day) of AngII-infused mice significantly suppressed all of these pathological changes in fibrosis, hypertrophy, vascular leakage, and ventricular function. AngII infusion increased β1 and β3 integrin levels and activated Pyk2 in both heart and kidney. These changes were also suppressed by CSD. Finally, bone marrow cell (BMC) isolated from AngII-infused mice showed hyper-migration toward SDF1. When AngII-infused mice were treated with CSD, BMC migration was reduced to the basal level observed in cells from control mice. Importantly, CSD did not affect the AngII-induced increase in blood pressure (BP), indicating that the beneficial effects of CSD were not mediated via normalization of BP. These results strongly indicate that CSD suppresses AngII-induced pathological changes in mice, suggesting that CSD can be developed as a treatment for patients with hypertension and pressure overload-induced heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol (RSV), a natural polyphenol, has been reported to produce effect on genes transcription in lipid metabolism. In this study, we aim to explore the novel mechanisms of RSV on the regulation of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) transcription. Via body weight, blood glucose, serum lipid, and liver pathology detection, we found that RSV decreased body weight, blood glucose and lipid accumulation in rats fed high-fat diet. Based on co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and western blotting assay, we found that RSV up-regulated klf5 phosphorylation and decreased the interaction of klf5 with c-Myc, which were accompanied by down-regulation of Cav-1 expression in livers of rats fed with high-fat diet. Moreover, in HEK293 cells, we observed RSV enhanced klf5 phosphorylation and separated the interaction of klf5 with c-Myc through inhibiting the activation of PI3K/PKD1/Akt pathway, which maybe promoted c-Myc binding to the promoter to inhibit Cav-1 expression. The results of the present study demonstrated that RSV activated klf5 phosphorylation by inhibiting PI3K/PKD1/Akt pathway, and then attenuated the interaction of klf5 with c-Myc, subsequently probably promoted the c-Myc binding to the promoter to repress Cav-1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Caveolin-3 (CAV3) protein is known to be expressed specifically in various myocytes, but its physiological function remains unclear. CAV3, located at the cell membrane, may promote the sensitivity of the Akt signaling pathway, which is closely related to glucose metabolism and to cell growth and proliferation. Methods: The CAV3 gene was stably transfected into C2C12 muscle cells, and the effects were evaluated by biochemical assays, WB and confocal microscopy for the observation of cellular glucose metabolism, growth and proliferation, and the effect of CAV3 on the Akt signaling pathway with no insulin stimulation. Results: After C2C12 cells were transfected with the mouse CAV3 gene, which increased CAV3 expression, the abundance of the CAV3 and GLUT4 proteins on the cell membrane increased, but the total GLUT4 protein content of the cell was unchanged. Glucose uptake was increased, and this did not affect the glycogen synthesis, but the cell surface area and cell proliferation increased. While there were significant increases in p-Akt and p-p70s6K, which is a downstream component of Akt signaling, the level of GSK3β protein, another component of Akt signaling did not change. Conclusions: The muscle, CAV3 protein can activate Akt signaling, increase GLUT4 protein localization in the cell membrane, increase glucose uptake, and promote myocyte growth and proliferation. CAV3 protein has a physiological role in glycometabolism, growth and proliferation, independent of insulin stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Caveolin1 (CAV1) is involved in lipid homeostasis and endocytosis, but little is known about the significance of CAV1 in the pathogenesis and development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to determine the role of CAV1 in NAFLD. Methods: Expression of CAV1 in the in vitro and in vivo models of NAFLD was analyzed. The effects of CAV1 knockdown or overexpression on free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation in L02 cells and AML12 cells were determined. CAV1 knockout (CAV1-KO) mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates were subjected to a high fat diet (HFD) for 4 weeks, and the functional consequences of losing the CAV1 gene and its subsequent molecular mechanisms were also examined. Results: Noticeably, CAV1 expression was markedly reduced in NAFLD. CAV1 knockdown led to the aggravation of steatosis that was induced by FFA in both L02 cells and AML12 cells, while CAV1 overexpression markedly attenuated lipid accumulation in the cells. Consistent with CAV1 repression in the livers of HFD-induced mice, the CAV1-KO mice exhibited more severe hepatic steatosis upon HFD intake. In addition, increased cholesterol levels and elevated transaminases were detected in the plasma of CAV1-KO mice. The protein expression of SREBP1, a key gene involved in lipogenesis, was augmented following CAV1 suppression in FFA-treated hepatocytes and in the livers of HFD-fed CAV1-KO mice. Conclusions: CAV1 serves as an important protective factor in the development of NAFLD by modulating lipid metabolism gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolae are membrane invaginations present at high densities in muscle and fat. Recent work has demonstrated that myocardin family coactivators (MYOCD, MKL1), which are important for contractile differentiation and cell motility, increase caveolin (CAV1, CAV2, CAV3) and cavin (CAVIN1, CAVIN2, CAVIN3) transcription, but several aspects of this control mechanism remain to be investigated. Here, using promoter reporter assays we found that both MKL1/MRTF-A and MKL2/MRTF-B control caveolins and cavins via their proximal promoter sequences. Silencing of MKL1 and MKL2 in smooth muscle cells moreover reduced CAV1 and CAVIN1 mRNA levels by well over 50%, as did treatment with second generation inhibitors of MKL activity. GATA6, which modulates expression of smooth muscle-specific genes, reduced CAV1 and CAV2, whereas the cavins were unaffected or increased. Viral overexpression of MKL1 and myocardin induced caveolin and cavin expression in bladder smooth muscle cells from rats and humans and MYOCD correlated tightly with CAV1 and CAVIN1 in human bladder specimens. A recently described activator of MKL-driven transcription (ISX) failed to induce CAV1/CAVIN1 which may be due to an unusual transactivation mechanism. In all, these findings further support the view that myocardin family coactivators are important transcriptional drivers of caveolins and cavins in smooth muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthracyclines are chemotherapeutic drugs known to induce heart failure in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanisms involved in anthracycline cardiotoxicity are an area of relevant investigation. Caveolins bind, organize and regulate receptors and signaling molecules within cell membranes. Caveolin-3 (Cav-3), integrins and related membrane repair proteins can function as cardioprotective proteins. Expression of these proteins in anthracycline-induced heart failure has not been evaluated. We tested the hypothesis that daunorubicin alters cardioprotective protein expression in the heart. Rabbits were administered daunorubicin (3 mg/kg, IV) weekly, for three weeks or nine weeks. Nine weeks but not three weeks of daunorubicin resulted in progressive reduced left ventricular function. Cav-3 expression in the heart was unchanged at three weeks of daunorubicin and increased in nine week treated rabbits when compared to control hearts. Electron microscopy showed caveolae in the heart were increased and mitochondrial number and size were decreased after nine weeks of daunorubicin. Activated beta-1 (β1) integrin and the membrane repair protein MG53 were increased after nine weeks of daunorubicin vs. controls with no change at the three week time point. The results suggest a potential pathophysiological role for Cav3, integrins and membrane repair in daunorubicin-induced heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is localized in caveole and has important effects on caveolar coordination through its interaction with caveolin-1 (Cav-1), which supports normal functioning of vascular endothelial cells. However, the relationship between genotypic polymorphisms of e-NOS and Cav-1 genes and ischemic stroke (IS) remains lesser reported. This hospital-based case-control study aimed to determine the genetic polymorphisms of the eNOS (Glu298Asp) and Cav-1 (G14713A and T29107A) genes in association with susceptibility risk in patients who had suffered from a large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke. Genotyping determination for these variant alleles was performed using the TaqMan assay. The distributions of observed allelic and genotypic frequencies for the polymorphisms were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in healthy controls. The risk for an LAA stroke in the Asp298 variant was 1.72 (95% CI = 1.09–2.75) versus Glu298 of the eNOS. In the GA/AA (rs3807987) variant, it was 1.79 (95% CI = 1.16–2.74) versus GG and in TA/AA (rs7804372) was 1.61 (95% CI = 1.06–2.43) versus TT of the Cav-1, respectively. A tendency toward an increased LAA stroke risk was significant in carriers with the eNOS Glu298Asp variant in conjunction with the G14713 A and T29107A polymorphisms of the Cav-1 (aOR = 2.03, P-trend = 0.002). A synergistic effect between eNOS and Cav-1 polymorphisms on IS risk elevation was significantly influenced by alcohol drinking, heavy cigarette smoking (P-trend<0.01), and hypercholesterolemia (P-trend < 0.001). In conclusion, genotypic polymorphisms of the eNOS Glu298Asp and Cav-1 14713A/29107A polymorphisms are associated with the elevated risk of LAA stroke among Han Chinese in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study we have investigated whether Caveolin-1 expression in non-malignant and malignant prostate tissue is a potential prognostic marker for outcome in prostate cancer patients managed by watchful waiting. Caveolin-1 was measured in prostate tissues obtained through transurethral resection of the prostate from 395 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. The majority of the patients (n = 298) were followed by watchful waiting after diagnosis. Tissue microarrays constructed from malignant and non-malignant prostate tissue were stained with an antibody against Caveolin-1. The staining pattern was scored and related to clinicopathologic parameters and outcome. Microdissection and qRT-PCR analysis of Cav-1 was done of the prostate stroma from non-malignant tissue and stroma from Gleason 3 and 4 tumors. Cav-1 RNA expression was highest in non-malignant tissue and decreased during cancer progression. High expression of Caveolin-1 in tumor stroma was associated with significantly longer cancer specific survival in prostate cancer patients. This association remained significant when Gleason score and local tumor stage were combined with Caveolin-1 in a Cox regression model. High stromal Caveolin-1 immunoreactivity in prostate tumors is associated with a favourable prognosis in prostate cancer patients managed by watchful waiting. Caveolin-1 could possibly become a useful prognostic marker for prostate cancer patients that are potential candidates for active surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibition of Extracellular Matrix degradation by nitric oxide (NO) induces cardiac protection against coronary ischemia/reperfusion (IR). Glycosylation of Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer (EMMPRIN) stimulates enzymatic activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the heart, although the mechanisms leading to EMMPRIN glycosylation are poorly understood. We sought to determine if NO may induce cardiac protection by preventing glycosylation of EMMPRIN in a mouse model of IR. Here we found that Caveolin-3 binds to low glycosylated EMMPRIN (LG-EMMPRIN) in cardiac cells and in the hearts of healthy mice, whereas IR disrupted the complex in nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) knockout (KO) mice. By contrast, the binding was partially restored when mice were fed with an NO donor (DEA-NO) in the drinking water, showing a significant reduction on infarct size (NOS2KO: 34.6±5 vs NOS2KO+DEA-NO: 20.7±9), in expression of matrix metalloproteinases, and cardiac performance was improved (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). NOS2KO: 31±4 vs NOS2KO+DEA-NO: 46±6). The role of Caveolin-3/EMMPRIN in NO-mediated cardiac protection was further assayed in Caveolin-3 KO mice, showing no significant improvement on infarct size (Caveolin-3 KO: 34.8±3 vs Caveolin-3 KO+DEA-NO:33.7±5), or in the expression of MMPs, suggesting that stabilization of the complex Caveolin-3/LG-EMMPRIN may play a significant role in the cardioprotective effect of NO against IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolin-1 (CAV-1) participates in regulating vesicular transport, signal transduction, tumor progression, and cholesterol homeostasis. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that CAV-1 improves dyslipidemia, inhibits cyclophilin A (CypA)- mediated ROS production, prevents mitochondrial compensatory action and attenuates oxidative stress responses in cholesterol-induced hypercholesterolemia. To determine the role of CAV-1 in mediating oxidative and antioxidative as well as cholesterol homeostasis, hypercholesterolemic rabbits were intravenously administered antenapedia-CAV-1 (AP-CAV-1) peptide for 2 wk. AP-CAV-1 enhanced CAV-1 expression by ˃15%, inhibited CypA expression by ˃50% (P < 0.05) and significantly improved dyslipidemia, thus reducing neutral lipid peroxidation. Moreover, CAV-1 attenuated hypercholesterolemia-induced changes in mitochondrial morphology and biogenesis and preserved mitochondrial respiratory function. In addition, CAV-1 protected against hypercholesterol-induced oxidative stress responses by reducing the degree of oxidative damage and enhancing the expression of antioxidant enzymes. CAV-1 treatment significantly suppressed apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by the reduction in the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling-positive cells. We concluded that CAV-1 plays a critical role in inhibiting CypA-mediated ROS production, improving dyslipidemia, maintaining mitochondrial function, and suppressing oxidative stress responses that are vital for cell survival in hypercholesterol-affected renal organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microparticles (MPs) are small membrane fragments shed from normal as well as activated, apoptotic or injured cells. Emerging evidence implicates MPs as a causal and/or contributing factor in altering normal vascular cell phenotype through initiation of proinflammatory signal transduction events and paracrine delivery of proteins, mRNA and miRNA. However, little is known regarding the mechanism by which MPs influence these events. Caveolae are important membrane microdomains that function as centers of signal transduction and endocytosis. Here, we tested the concept that the MP-induced pro-inflammatory phenotype shift in endothelial cells (ECs) depends on caveolae. Consistent with previous reports, MP challenge activated ECs as evidenced by upregulation of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression. ICAM-1 upregulation was mediated by activation of NF-κB, Poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1 (PARP-1) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). This response was absent in ECs lacking caveolin-1/caveolae. To test whether caveolae-mediated endocytosis, a dynamin-2 dependent process, is a feature of the proinflammatory response, EC’s were pretreated with the dynamin-2 inhibitor dynasore. Similar to observations in cells lacking caveolin-1, inhibition of endocytosis significantly attenuated MPs effects including, EGFR phosphorylation, activation of NF-κB and upregulation of ICAM-1 expression. Thus, our results indicate that caveolae play a role in mediating the pro-inflammatory signaling pathways which lead to EC activation in response to MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial hemorrhage remains the most feared complication in tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) thrombolysis for ischemic stroke. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly elucidated. In this study, we reported an important role of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) s-nitrosylation in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and 9 secretion from tPA-treated ischemic endothelial cells. Brain vascular endothelial cells (bEND3) were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 2 h before adding recombinant human tPA for 6 h. This treatment induced a significant increase of MMP2 and 9 in the media of bEND3 cells and a simultaneous degradation of fibronectin and laminin β-1, the two main components of extracellular matrix (ECM). Inhibition of MMP2 and 9 with SB-3CT completely blocked the degradation of fibronectin and laminin β-1. ODG+tPA treatment led to Cav-1 shedding from bEND3 cells into the media. Notably, OGD triggered nitric oxide (NO) production and S-nitrosylationof Cav-1 (SNCav-1). Meanwhile tPA induced activation of ERK signal pathway and stimulates the secretion of SNCav-1. Pretreatment of bEND3 cells with C-PTIO (a NO scavenger) or U0126 (a specific ERK inhibitor) significantly reduced OGD-induced S-nitrosylation of Cav-1 in cells and blocked the secretion of Cav-1 and MMP2 and 9 into the media as well as the degradation of fibronectin and laminin β-1 in OGD and tPA-treated cells. These data indicate that OGD-triggered Cav-1 S-nitrosylation interacts with tPA-induced ERK activation to augment MMP2 and 9 secretion and subsequent ECM degradation, which may account for the exacerbation of ischemic blood brain barrier damage following tPA thrombolysis for ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoplasms of extra-thymic T-cell origin represent a rare and difficult population characterized by poor clinical outcome, aggressive presentation, and poorly defined molecular characteristics. Much work has been done to gain greater insights into distinguishing features among malignant subtypes, but there also exists a need to identify unifying characteristics to assist in rapid diagnosis and subsequent potential treatment. Herein, we investigated gene expression data of five different mature T-cell lymphoma subtypes (n = 187) and found 21 genes to be up- and down-regulated across all malignancies in comparison to healthy CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell controls (n = 52). From these results, we sought to characterize a role for caveolin-1 (CAV1), a gene with previous description in the progression of both solid and hematological tumors. Caveolin-1 was upregulated, albeit with a heterogeneous nature, across all mature T-cell lymphoma subtypes, a finding confirmed using immunohistochemical staining on an independent sampling of mature T-cell lymphoma biopsies (n = 65 cases). Further, stratifying malignant samples in accordance with high and low CAV1 expression revealed that higher expression of CAV1 in mature T-cell lymphomas is analogous with an enhanced inflammatory and invasive gene expression profile. Taken together, these results demonstrate a role for CAV1 in the tumor microenvironment of mature T-cell malignancies and point toward potential prognostic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mutations in GJB2, which encodes connexin 26 (Cx26), a cochlear gap junction protein, represent a major cause of pre-lingual, non-syndromic deafness. The degeneration of the organ of Corti observed in Cx26 mutant—associated deafness is thought to be a secondary pathology of hearing loss. Here we focused on abnormal development of the organ of Corti followed by degeneration including outer hair cell (OHC) loss. Methods: We investigated the crucial factors involved in late-onset degeneration and loss of OHC by ultrastructural observation, immunohistochemistry and protein analysis in our Cx26-deficient mice (Cx26f/fP0Cre). Results: In ultrastructural observations of Cx26f/fP0Cre mice, OHCs changed shape irregularly, and several folds or notches were observed in the plasma membrane. Furthermore, the mutant OHCs had a flat surface compared with the characteristic wavy surface structure of OHCs of normal mice. Protein analysis revealed an increased protein level of caveolin-2 (CAV2) in Cx26f/fP0Cre mouse cochlea. In immunohistochemistry, a remarkable accumulation of CAV2 was observed in Cx26f/fP0Cre mice. In particular, this accumulation of CAV2 was mainly observed around OHCs, and furthermore this accumulation was observed around the shrunken site of OHCs with an abnormal hourglass-like shape. Conclusions: The deformation of OHCs and the accumulation of CAV2 in the organ of Corti may play a crucial role in the progression of, or secondary OHC loss in, GJB2-associated deafness. Investigation of these molecular pathways, including those involving CAV2, may contribute to the elucidation of a new pathogenic mechanism of GJB2-associated deafness and identify effective targets for new therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolae are membrane organelles that play roles in glucose and lipid metabolism and in vascular function. Formation of caveolae requires caveolins and cavins. The make-up of caveolae and their density is considered to reflect cell-specific transcriptional control mechanisms for caveolins and cavins, but knowledge regarding regulation of caveolae genes is incomplete. Myocardin (MYOCD) and its relative MRTF-A (MKL1) are transcriptional coactivators that control genes which promote smooth muscle differentiation. MRTF-A communicates changes in actin polymerization to nuclear gene transcription. Here we tested if myocardin family proteins control biogenesis of caveolae via activation of caveolin and cavin transcription. Using human coronary artery smooth muscle cells we found that jasplakinolide and latrunculin B (LatB), substances that promote and inhibit actin polymerization, increased and decreased protein levels of caveolins and cavins, respectively. The effect of LatB was associated with reduced mRNA levels for these genes and this was replicated by the MRTF inhibitor CCG-1423 which was non-additive with LatB. Overexpression of myocardin and MRTF-A caused 5-10-fold induction of caveolins whereas cavin-1 and cavin-2 were induced 2-3-fold. PACSIN2 also increased, establishing positive regulation of caveolae genes from three families. Full regulation of CAV1 was retained in its proximal promoter. Knock down of the serum response factor (SRF), which mediates many of the effects of myocardin, decreased cavin-1 but increased caveolin-1 and -2 mRNAs. Viral transduction of myocardin increased the density of caveolae 5-fold in vitro. A decrease of CAV1 was observed concomitant with a decrease of the smooth muscle marker calponin in aortic aneurysms from mice (C57Bl/6) infused with angiotensin II. Human expression data disclosed correlations of MYOCD with CAV1 in a majority of human tissues and in the heart, correlation with MKL2 (MRTF-B) was observed. The myocardin family of transcriptional coactivators therefore drives formation of caveolae and this effect is largely independent of SRF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sterol response element binding protein (SREBP) is a key transcription factor in insulin and glucose metabolism. We previously demonstrated that elevated levels of membrane sphingomyelin (SM) were related to peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), which is a known target gene of SREBP-1 in adipocytes. However, the role of SM in SREBP expression in adipocytes remains unknown. In human abdominal adipose tissue from obese women with various concentrations of fasting plasma insulin, SREBP-1 proteins decreased in parallel with increases in membrane SM levels. An inverse correlation was found between the membrane SM content and the levels of SREBP-1c/ERK/Ras/PPARγ/CREB proteins. For the first time, we demonstrate the effects of SM and its signaling pathway in 3T3-F442A adipocytes. These cells were enriched or unenriched with SM in a range of concentrations similar to those observed in obese subjects by adding exogenous natural SMs (having different acyl chain lengths) or by inhibiting neutral sphingomyelinase. SM accumulated in caveolae of the plasma membrane within 24 h and then in the intracellular space. SM enrichment decreased SREBP-1 through the inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) but not JNK or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Ras/Raf-1/MEK1/2 and KSR proteins, which are upstream mediators of ERK, were down-regulated, whereas SREBP-2/caveolin and cholesterol were up-regulated. In SM-unmodulated adipocytes treated with DL-1-Phenyl-2-Palmitoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PPMP), where the ceramide level increased, the expression levels of SREBPs and ERK were modulated in an opposite direction relative to the SM-enriched cells. SM inhibited the insulin-induced expression of SREBP-1. Rosiglitazone, which is an anti-diabetic agent and potent activator of PPARγ, reversed the effects of SM on SREBP-1, PPARγ and CREB. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights indicating that excess membrane SM might be critical for regulating SREBPs in adipocytes via a MAPK-dependent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The humanized monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1, Kadcyla) has been approved by the U.S. FDA to treat human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive metastatic breast cancer. Despite its effectiveness in most patients, some are initially resistant or develop resistance. No biomarker of drug resistance to T-DM1 has been identified. Antibody-drug efficacy is associated with antibody internalization in the cell; therefore, cellular sensitivity of cells to the drug may be linked to cellular vesicle trafficking systems. Caveolin-1 is a 22 KD protein required for caveolae formation and endocytic membrane transport. In this study, the relationship between caveolin-1 expression and the chemosensitivity of HER-2-positive breast cancer cells to T-DM1 was investigated. Samples from 32 human breast cancer biopsy and normal tissue specimens were evaluated immunohistochemically for caveolin-1 expression. Caveolin-1 was shown to be expressed in 68% (22/32) of the breast cancer specimens. In addition, eight (72.7%, 8/11) HER-2 positive breast cancer specimens had a higher caveolin-1 expression than normal tissues. HER-2-positive BT-474 and SKBR-3 breast cancer cells that express low and moderate levels of caveolin-1, respectively, were treated with trastuzumab or its conjugate T-DM1. Cell viability and molecular localizations of caveolin-1, antibody and its conjugate were examined. Confocal microscopy showed that T-DM1 and caveolin-1 colocalized in SKBR-3 cells, which also were five times more sensitive to the conjugate in terms of cell survival than BT-474 cells, although T-DM1 also showed improved drug efficacy in BT-474 cells than trastuzumab treatment. Caveolin-1 expression in these lines was manipulated by transfection of GFP-tagged caveolin-1 or caveolin-1 siRNA. BT-474 cells overexpressing caveolin-1 were more sensitive to T-DM1 treatment than mock-transfected cells, whereas the siRNA-transfected SKBR-3 cells had decreased sensitivity to T-DM1 than mock-transfected SKBR-3 cells. The expression of caveolin-1 could mediate endocytosis and promote the internalization of T-DM1 into HER-2 positive cancer cells. Thus, caveolin-1 protein may be an effective predictor for determining the outcome of T-DM1 treatment in breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The RhoA/ROCK pathway and Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) participate in the process of tumorigenesis in numerous types of cancer. Up-regulation of RhoA/ROCK and Cav-1 expression is considered to be associated with the development and progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We investigated the association between genetic variations of RhoA/ROCK and Cav-1 and the risk of ccRCC in the Chinese population. Methods: Between May 2004 and March 2014, a total of 1,248 clear cell renal cell carcinoma cases and 1,440 cancer-free controls were enrolled in this hospital-based case-control study. Nine SNPs in RhoA/ROCK and Cav-1 were genotyped using the TaqMan assay. Result: We found two SNPs (Cav-1 rs1049334 and ROCK1 rs35996865) were significantly associated with the increasing risk of ccRCC (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001 respectively). The analysis of combined risk alleles revealed that patients with 2–4 risk alleles showed a more remarkable growth of ccRCC risk than the patients with 0–1 risk alleles(OR = 1.66, 95%CI = 1.31–2.11, P < 0.001). Younger subjects (P = 0.001, OR = 1.83, 95%CI = 1.30–2.57), higher weight subjects (P = 0.001, OR = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.25–2.47), female subjects (P = 0.007, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.17–2.62), nonsmokers (P < 0.001, OR = 1.67, 95%CI = 1.26–2.23), drinkers (P = 0.025, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.07–2.85), subjects with hypertension (P = 0.025, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.07–2.85) and diabetes (P = 0.026, OR = 4.31, 95% CI = 1.19–15.62) showed a stronger association between the combined risk alleles and the risk of ccRCC by using the stratification analysis. Furthermore, we observed higher Cav-1 mRNA levels in the presence of the rs1049334 A allele in normal renal tissues. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the two SNPs (Cav-1 rs1049334 and ROCK1 rs35996865) and genotypes with a combination of 2–4 risk alleles were associated with the risk of ccRCC. The functional SNP rs1049334 may affect the risk of ccRCC by altering the expression of Cav-1 and the relevance between the risk effects and the functional impact of this polymorphism needs further validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether MURC/cavin-4, a plasma membrane and Z-line associated protein exhibiting an overlapping distribution with Caveolin-3 (Cav-3) in heart and muscle tissues, may be expressed and play a role in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), an aggressive myogenic tumor affecting childhood. We found MURC/cavin-4 to be expressed, often concurrently with Cav-3, in mouse and human RMS, as demonstrated through in silico analysis of gene datasets and immunohistochemical analysis of tumor samples. In vitro expression studies carried out using human cell lines and primary mouse tumor cultures showed that expression levels of both MURC/cavin-4 and Cav-3, while being low or undetectable during cell proliferation, became robustly increased during myogenic differentiation, as detected via semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting analysis. Furthermore, confocal microscopy analysis performed on human RD and RH30 cell lines confirmed that MURC/cavin-4 mostly marks differentiated cell elements, colocalizing at the cell surface with Cav-3 and labeling myosin heavy chain (MHC) expressing cells. Finally, MURC/cavin-4 silencing prevented the differentiation in the RD cell line, leading to morphological cell impairment characterized by depletion of myogenin, Cav-3 and MHC protein levels. Overall, our data suggest that MURC/cavin-4, especially in combination with Cav-3, may play a consistent role in the differentiation process of RMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is a multifunctional scaffolding protein serving as a platform for the cell’s signal-transduction and playing an important role in inflammation. However, its role in inflammatory bowel disease is not clear. A recent study showed that Cav-1 is increased and mediates angiogenesis in dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis, which are contradictory to our pilot findings in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis. In the present study, we further clarified the role of Cav-1 in TNBS-induced colitis. Methods: In BALB/c mice, acute colitis was induced by intra-rectal administration of one dose TNBS, while chronic colitis was induced by administration of TNBS once a week for 7 weeks. To assess the effects of complete loss of Cav-1, Cav-1 knockout (Cav-1−/−) and control wild-type C57 mice received one TNBS administration. Body weight and clinical scores were monitored. Colon Cav-1 and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were quantified through ELISAs. Inflammation was evaluated through histological analysis. Results: Colon Cav-1 levels were significantly decreased in TNBS-induced colitis mice when compared to normal mice and also inversely correlated with colon inflammation scores and proinflammatory cytokine levels (IL-17, IFN-γ and TNF) significantly. Furthermore, after administration of TNBS, Cav-1−/− mice showed significantly increased clinical and colon inflammatory scores and body weight loss when compared with control mice. Conclusions and Significance: Cav-1 may play a protective role in the development of TNBS-induced colitis. Our findings raise an important issue in the evaluation of specific molecules in animal models that different models may exhibit opposite results because of the different mechanisms involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased level of oxidative stress, a major actor of cellular aging, impairs the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle and leads to the reduction in the number and size of muscle fibers causing sarcopenia. Caveolin 1 is the major component of caveolae, small membrane invaginations involved in signaling and endocytic trafficking. Their role has recently expanded to mechanosensing and to the regulation of oxidative stress-induced pathways. Here, we increased the amount of reactive oxidative species in myoblasts by addition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at non-toxic concentrations. The expression level of caveolin 1 was significantly decreased as early as 10 min after 500 μM H2O2 treatment. This reduction was not observed in the presence of a proteasome inhibitor, suggesting that caveolin 1 was rapidly degraded by the proteasome. In spite of caveolin 1 decrease, caveolae were still able to assemble at the plasma membrane. Their functions however were significantly perturbed by oxidative stress. Endocytosis of a ceramide analog monitored by flow cytometry was significantly diminished after H2O2 treatment, indicating that oxidative stress impaired its selective internalization via caveolae. The contribution of caveolae to the plasma membrane reservoir has been monitored after osmotic cell swelling. H2O2 treatment increased membrane fragility revealing that treated cells were more sensitive to an acute mechanical stress. Altogether, our results indicate that H2O2 decreased caveolin 1 expression and impaired caveolae functions. These data give new insights on age-related deficiencies in skeletal muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light microscopy enables noninvasive imaging of fluorescent species in biological specimens, but resolution is generally limited by diffraction to ~200–250 nm. Many biological processes occur on smaller length scales, highlighting the importance of techniques that can image below the diffraction limit and provide valuable single-molecule information. In recent years, imaging techniques have been developed which can achieve resolution below the diffraction limit. Utilizing one such technique, fluorescence photoactivation localization microscopy (FPALM), we demonstrated its ability to construct super-resolution images from single molecules in a living zebrafish embryo, expanding the realm of previous super-resolution imaging to a living vertebrate organism. We imaged caveolin-1 in vivo, in living zebrafish embryos. Our results demonstrate the successful image acquisition of super-resolution images in a living vertebrate organism, opening several opportunities to answer more dynamic biological questions in vivo at the previously inaccessible nanoscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) mediates growth-inhibitory effects on most target cells via activation of the canonical SMAD signaling pathway. This growth-inhibitory activity may be coupled with cellular differentiation. Our studies demonstrate that TGF-β1 inhibits proliferation of primary, non-transformed human lung fibroblasts in association with the induction of myofibroblast differentiation. Differentiated myofibroblasts maintain the capacity to proliferate in response to exogenous mitogenic stimuli and are resistant to serum deprivation-induced apoptosis. These proliferative and anti-apoptotic properties of myofibroblasts are related, in part, to the down-regulation of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) by TGF-β1. Cav-1 down-regulation is mediated by early activation of p38 MAPK and does not require SMAD signaling. In contrast, myofibroblast differentiation is dependent on activation of the SMAD pathway, but not on p38 MAPK. Thus, combinatorial signaling by TGF-β1 of myofibroblast differentiation and down-regulation of Cav-1 by SMAD and p38 MAPK pathways, respectively, confer proliferative and apoptosis-resistant properties to myofibroblasts. Selective targeting of this SMAD-independent, p38-MAPK/Cav-1-dependent pathway is likely to be effective in the treatment of pathological conditions characterized by TGF-β signaling and myofibroblast activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Aberrant promoter DNA methylation can serve as a predictive biomarker for improved clinical responses to certain chemotherapeutics. One of the major advantages of methylation biomarkers is the ease of detection and clinical application. In order to identify methylation biomarkers predictive of a response to a taxane-platinum based chemotherapy regimen in advanced NSCLC we performed an unbiased methylation analysis of 1,536 CpG dinucleotides in cancer-associated gene loci and correlated results with clinical outcomes. Methods: We studied a cohort of 49 patients (median age 62 years) with advanced NSCLC treated at the Atlanta VAMC between 1999 and 2010. Methylation analysis was done on the Illumina GoldenGate Cancer panel 1 methylation microarray platform. Methylation data were correlated with clinical response and adjusted for false discovery rates. Results: Cav1 methylation emerged as a powerful predictor for achieving disease stabilization following platinum taxane based chemotherapy (p = 1.21E-05, FDR significance  = 0.018176). In Cox regression analysis after multivariate adjustment for age, performance status, gender, histology and the use of bevacizumab, CAV1 methylation was significantly associated with improved overall survival (HR 0.18 (95%CI: 0.03–0.94)). Silencing of CAV1 expression in lung cancer cell lines(A549, EKVX)by shRNA led to alterations in taxane retention. Conclusions: CAV1 methylation is a predictor of disease stabilization and improved overall survival following chemotherapy with a taxane-platinum combination regimen in advanced NSCLC. CAV1 methylation may predict improved outcomes for other chemotherapeutic agents which are subject to cellular clearance mediated by caveolae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of people taking statins is increasing across the globe, highlighting the importance of fully understanding statins' effects on the cardiovascular system. The beneficial impact of statins extends well beyond regression of atherosclerosis to include direct effects on tissues of the cardiovascular system (‘pleiotropic effects’). Pleiotropic effects on the cardiac myocyte are often overlooked. Here we consider the contribution of the caveolin protein, whose expression and cellular distribution is dependent on cholesterol, to statin effects on the cardiac myocyte. Caveolin is a structural and regulatory component of caveolae, and is a key regulator of cardiac contractile function and adrenergic responsiveness. We employed an experimental model in which inhibition of myocyte HMG CoA reductase could be studied in the absence of paracrine influences from non-myocyte cells. Adult rat ventricular myocytes were treated with 10 µM simvastatin for 2 days. Simvastatin treatment reduced myocyte cholesterol, caveolin 3 and caveolar density. Negative inotropic and positive lusitropic effects (with corresponding changes in [Ca2+]i) were seen in statin-treated cells. Simvastatin significantly potentiated the inotropic response to β2-, but not β1-, adrenoceptor stimulation. Under conditions of β2-adrenoceptor stimulation, phosphorylation of phospholamban at Ser16 and troponin I at Ser23/24 was enhanced with statin treatment. Simvastatin increased NO production without significant effects on eNOS expression or phosphorylation (Ser1177), consistent with the reduced expression of caveolin 3, its constitutive inhibitor. In conclusion, statin treatment can reduce caveolin 3 expression, with functional consequences consistent with the known role of caveolae in the cardiac cell. These data are likely to be of significance, particularly during the early phases of statin treatment, and in patients with heart failure who have altered β-adrenoceptor signalling. In addition, as caveolin is ubiquitously expressed and has myriad tissue-specific functions, the impact of statin-dependent changes in caveolin is likely to have many other functional sequelae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) has significant roles in many primary tumors and metastasis, despite the fact that malignant cells from different cancer types have different profiles of CAV1 expression. There is little information concerning CAV1 expression and role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progresion and metastasis. The role of CAV1 in HCC progression was explored in this study. We reported that CAV1 was overexpressed in highly invasive HCC cell lines compared with poorly invasive ones. The immunohistochemical staining was obviously stronger in metastatic HCC samples than in the non-metastatic specimens via tissue microarrays. Furthermore, CAV1 overexpression enhanced HCC cell invasiveness in vitro, and promoted tumorigenicity and lung metastasis in vivo. By contrast, CAV1 stable knockdown markedly reduced these malignant behaviors. Importantly, we found that CAV1 could induce EMT process through Wnt/β-catenin pathway to promote HCC metastasis. We also identify MMP-7 as a novel downstream target of CAV1. We have determined that CAV1 acts as a mediator between hyperactive ERK1/2 signaling and regulation of MMP-7 transcription. Together, these studies mechanistically show a previously unrecognized interplay between CAV1, EMT, ERK1/2 and MMP-7 that is likely significant in the progression of HCC toward metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

c-Met, the receptor for Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), overexpressed and deregulated in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Caveolin 1 (CAV1), a plasma membrane protein that modulates signal transduction molecules, is also overexpressed in HCC. The aim of this study was to investigate biological and clinical significance of co-expression and activation of c-Met and CAV1 in HCC. We showed that c-Met and CAV1 were co-localized in HCC cells and HGF treatment increased this association. HGF-triggered c-Met activation caused a concurrent rise in both phosphorylation and expression of CAV1. Ectopic expression of CAV1 accelerated c-Met signaling, resulted in enhanced migration, invasion, and branching-morphogenesis. Silencing of CAV1 downregulated c-Met signaling, and decreased migratory/invasive capability of cells and attenuated branching morphogenesis. In addition, activation and co-localization of c-Met and CAV1 were elevated during hepatocarcinogenesis. In conclusion reciprocal activating crosstalk between c-Met and CAV1 promoted oncogenic signaling of c-Met contributed to the initiation and progression of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate tolerance developed after persistent nitroglycerin (GTN) exposure limits its clinical utility. Previously, we have shown that the vasodilatory action of GTN is dependent on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS/NOS3) activity. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is known to interact with NOS3 on the cytoplasmic side of cholesterol-enriched plasma membrane microdomains (caveolae) and to inhibit NOS3 activity. Loss of Cav-1 expression results in NOS3 hyperactivation and uncoupling, converting NOS3 into a source of superoxide radicals, peroxynitrite, and oxidative stress. Therefore, we hypothesized that nitrate tolerance induced by persistent GTN treatment results from NOS3 dysfunction and vascular toxicity. Exposure to GTN for 48–72 h resulted in nitrosation and depletion (>50%) of Cav-1, NOS3 uncoupling as measured by an increase in peroxynitrite production (>100%), and endothelial toxicity in cultured cells. In the Cav-1 deficient mice, NOS3 dysfunction was accompanied by GTN tolerance (>50% dilation inhibition at low GTN concentrations). In conclusion, GTN tolerance results from Cav-1 modification and depletion by GTN that causes persistent NOS3 activation and uncoupling, preventing it from participating in GTN-medicated vasodilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT)-derived factors have been proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), occupying the calcium/calmodulin binding site of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and then inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production, is also involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Thus, we investigated whether PVAT regulated vascular tone via Cav-1 and/or endothelial NO pathways. Isometric tension studies were carried out in isolated thoracic aortas from Wistar rats in the presence and absence of PVAT. Concentration-response curves of phenylephrine, acetylcholine, and sodium nitroprusside were illustrated to examine the vascular reactivity and endothelial function. The protein expressions of eNOS and Cav-1 were also examined in aortic homogenates. Our results demonstrated that PVAT significantly enhanced vasoconstriction and inhibited vasodilatation via endothelium-dependent mechanism. The aortic NO production was diminished after PVAT treatment, whereas protein expression and activity of eNOS were not significantly affected. In addition, Cav-1 protein expression was significantly increased in aortas with PVAT transfer. Furthermore, a caveolae depleter methyl-β-cyclodextrin abolished the effect of PVAT on the enhancement of vasoconstriction, and reversed the impairment of aortic NO production. In conclusion, unknown factor(s) released from PVAT may inhibit endothelial NO production and induce vasocontraction via an increase of Cav-1 protein expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Cancer development and progression is not only associated with the tumor cell proliferation but also depends on the interaction between tumor cells and the stromal microenvironment. A new understanding of the role of the tumor microenvironment suggests that the loss of stromal caveolin-1 (Cav-1) as a key regulator may become a potential therapy target. This study aims to elucidate whether stromal Cav-1 expression in pancreatic cancer can be a strong prognosis biomarker. Methods: Tissue samples from 45 pancreatic cancer patients were studied. Parenchyma and stroma were separated and purified using laser capture microdissection. Stromal Cav-1 expression was measured from pancreatic cancer, paraneoplastic, and normal tissue using immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the correlation of stromal Cav-1 expression with clinicopathologic features and prognostic indicators, such as tumor marker HER-2/neu gene. Results: Specimens from six patients (13.3%) showed high levels of stromal Cav-1 staining, those from eight patients (17.8%) showed a lower, intermediate level of staining, whereas those from 31 patients (68.9%) showed an absence of staining. Cav-1 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts was lower than that in paracancer-associated and in normal fibroblasts. Stromal Cav-1 loss was associated with TNM stage (P = 0.018), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.014), distant metastasis (P = 0.027), and HER-2/neu amplification (P = 0.007). The relationships of age, sex, histological grade, and tumor size with stromal Cav-1 expression were not significant (P>0.05). A negative correlation was found between circulating tumor cells and stromal Cav-1 expression (P<0.05). Conclusion: The loss of stromal Cav-1 in pancreatic cancer was an independent prognostic indicator, thus suggesting that stromal Cav-1 may be an effective therapeutic target for patients with pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: Caveolar proteins and caveolae negatively regulate a second clathrin-independent endocytic CLIC/GEEC pathway; caveolin-1 affects membrane diffusion properties of raft-associated CLIC cargo, and the scaffolding domain of caveolin-1 is required and sufficient for endocytic inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolin 1 (Cav-1) is an essential constituent of adipocyte caveolae which binds the beta subunit of the insulin receptor (IR) and is implicated in the regulation of insulin signaling. We have found that, during adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells the promoter, exon 1 and first intron of the Cav-1 gene undergo a demethylation process that is accompanied by a strong induction of Cav-1 expression, indicating that epigenetic mechanisms must have a pivotal role in this differentiation process. Furthermore, IR, PKB-Akt and Glut-4 expression are also increased during the differentiation process suggesting a coordinated regulation with Cav-1. Activation of Cav-1 protein by phosphorylation arises during the differentiation process, yet in fully mature adipocytes insulin is no longer able to significantly increase Cav-1 phosphorylation. However, these long-term differentiated cells are still able to respond adequately to insulin, increasing IR and PKB-Akt phosphorylation and glucose uptake. The activation of Cav-1 during the adipocyte differentiation process could facilitate the maintenance of insulin sensitivity by these fully mature adipocytes isolated from additional external stimuli. However, under the influence of physiological conditions associated to obesity, such as chronic inflammation and hypoxia, insulin sensitivity would finally be compromised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate diverse cellular functions by triggering signal transduction events, such as Src and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. Here, we report the role of caveolin-1 and Src homology 2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP-2) in H2O2-induced signaling pathway in brain astrocytes. H2O2-mediated oxidative stress induced phosphorylation of caveolin-1 and association between p-caveolin-1 and SHP-2. SHP-2 specifically bound to wild-type caveolin-1 similarly to c-Src tyrosine kinase (CSK), but not to phosphorylation-deficient mutant of caveolin-1 (Y14A), and interfered with complex formation between caveolin-1 and CSK. In the presence of CSK siRNA, binding between caveolin-1 and SHP-2 was enhanced by H2O2 treatment, which led to reduced Src phosphorylation at tyrosine (Tyr) 530 and enhanced Src phosphorylation at Tyr 419. In contrast, siRNA targeting of SHP-2 facilitated H2O2-mediated interaction between caveolin-1 and CSK and enhanced Src phosphorylation at Tyr 530, leading to subsequent decrease in Src downstream signaling, such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK). Our results collectively indicate that SHP-2 alters Src kinase activity by interfering with the complex formation between CSK and phosphotyrosine caveolin-1 in the presence of H2O2, thus functions as a positive regulator in Src signaling under oxidative stress in brain astrocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is a conserved group of structural membrane proteins that form special cholesterol and sphingolipid-rich compartments, especially in adipocytes. Recently, it has been reported that CAV1 is an important target protein in sex hormone-dependent regulation of various metabolic pathways, particularly in cancer and diabetes. To clarify distinct roles of CAV1 in sex-dependent obesity development, we investigated the effects of high fat diet (HFD) and sex steroid hormones on CAV1 expression in adipose tissues of male and female rats. Results of animal experiments revealed that estrogen (17-β-estradiol, E2) and androgen (dihydrotestosterone, DHT) had opposite effects on body weight gain as well as on the regulation of CAV1, hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in adipose tissues. Furthermore, sex hormone receptors and aromatase were differentially expressed in a sex-dependent manner in response to E2 and DHT treatments. In vivo data were confirmed using 3T3-L1 and HIB1B cell lines, where Cav1 knock down stimulated lipogenesis but suppressed sex hormone receptor signaling proteins. Most importantly, co-immunoprecipitation enabled the identification of previously unrecognized CAV1-interacting mitochondrial or lipid oxidative pathway proteins in adipose tissues. Taken together, current data showed that CAV1 may play important preventive role in the development of obesity, with more prominent effects in females, and proved to be an important target protein for the hormonal regulation of adipose tissue metabolism by manipulating sex hormone receptors and mitochondrial oxidative pathways. Therefore, we can report, for the first time, the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of sex steroid hormones in the sex-dimorphic regulation of CAV1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid rafts are ordered microdomains within cellular membranes that are rich in cholesterol and sphingolipids. Caveolin (Cav-1) and flotillin (Flt-1) are markers of lipid rafts, which serve as an organizing center for biological phenomena and cellular signaling. Lipid rafts involvement in dengue virus (DENV) processing, replication, and assembly remains poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the role of lipid rafts after DENV endocytosis in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). The non-structural viral proteins NS3 and NS2B, but not NS5, were associated with detergent-resistant membranes. In sucrose gradients, both NS3 and NS2B proteins appeared in Cav-1 and Flt-1 rich fractions. Additionally, double immunofluorescence staining of DENV-infected HMEC-1 cells showed that NS3 and NS2B, but not NS5, colocalized with Cav-1 and Flt-1. Furthermore, in HMEC-1cells transfected with NS3 protease, shown a strong overlap between NS3 and Cav-1, similar to that in DENV-infected cells. In contrast, double-stranded viral RNA (dsRNA) overlapped weakly with Cav-1 and Flt-1. Given these results, we investigated whether Cav-1 directly interacted with NS3. Cav-1 and NS3 co-immunoprecipitated, indicating that they resided within the same complex. Furthermore, when cellular cholesterol was depleted by methyl-beta cyclodextrin treatment after DENV entrance, lipid rafts were disrupted, NS3 protein level was reduced, besides Cav-1 and NS3 were displaced to fractions 9 and 10 in sucrose gradient analysis, and we observed a dramatically reduction of DENV particles release. These data demonstrate the essential role of caveolar cholesterol-rich lipid raft microdomains in DENV polyprotein processing and replication during the late stages of the DENV life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolin-1 is a scaffolding/regulatory protein that interacts with diverse signaling molecules. Caveolin-1null mice have marked metabolic abnormalities, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. We found the redox stress plasma biomarker plasma 8-isoprostane was elevated in caveolin-1null mice, and discovered that siRNA-mediated caveolin-1 knockdown in endothelial cells promoted significant increases in intracellular H2O2. Mitochondrial ROS production was increased in endothelial cells after caveolin-1 knockdown; 2-deoxy-D-glucose attenuated this increase, implicating caveolin-1 in control of glycolytic pathways. We performed unbiased metabolomic characterizations of endothelial cell lysates following caveolin-1 knockdown, and discovered strikingly increased levels (up to 30-fold) of cellular dipeptides, consistent with autophagy activation. Metabolomic analyses revealed that caveolin-1 knockdown led to a decrease in glycolytic intermediates, accompanied by an increase in fatty acids, suggesting a metabolic switch. Taken together, these results establish that caveolin-1 plays a central role in regulation of oxidative stress, metabolic switching, and autophagy in the endothelium, and may represent a critical target in cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the general population; yet, the precise mechanisms resulting in AF are not fully understood. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the principal structural component of caveolae organelles in cardiac fibroblasts, is involved in several cardiovascular conditions; however, the study on its function in atrium, in particular, in AF, is still lacking. This report examines the hypothesis that Cav-1 confers an anti-AF effect by mediating atrial structural remodeling through its anti-fibrotic action. We evaluated the expression of Cav-1, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and fibrosis in atrial specimens of 13 patients with AF and 10 subjects with sinus rhythm, and found that the expression of Cav-1 was significantly downregulated, whereas TGF-β1 level, collagens I/III contents and atrial fibrosis were markedly increased, in AF. Western blot analysis demonstrated that treatment of human atrial fibroblasts (HAFs) with TGF-β1 resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent repression of Cav-1. Downregulation of Cav-1 with siRNA increased the TGF-β1-induced activation of Smad signal pathway and collagens production in HAFs. Furthermore, incubation of HAFs with the peptides derived from Cav-1 to achieve Cav-1 gain-of-function abolished the TGF-β1-induced production of collagens I/III and decreases of MMP-2/-9 expression. Therefore it was concluded that Cav-1 is an important anti-AF signaling mediator by conferring its anti-fibrotic effects in atrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) has been recently identified to be over-expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and promote HCC cell motility and invasion ability via inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the mechanism of aberrant overexpression of Cav-1 remains vague. Here, we observed that Cav-1 expression was positively associated with GLI1 expression in HCC tissues. Forced expression of GLI1 up-regulated Cav-1 in Huh7 cells, while knockdown of GLI1 decreased expression of Cav-1 in SNU449 cells. Additionally, silencing Cav-1 abolished GLI1-induced EMT of Huh7 cells. The correlation between GLI1 and Cav-1 was confirmed in tumor specimens from HCC patients and Cav-1 was found to be associated with poor prognosis after hepatic resection. The relationship between protein expression of GLI1 and Cav-1 was also established in HCC xenografts of nude mice. These results suggest that GLI1 may be attributed to Cav-1 up-regulation which plays an important role in GLI1-driven EMT phenotype in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) can ambiguously behave as either tumor suppressor or oncogene depending on its phosphorylation state and the type of cancer. In this study we show that Cav-1 was phosphorylated on tyrosine 14 (pCav-1) by Src-kinase family members in various human cell lines and primary mouse cultures of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most frequent soft-tissue sarcoma affecting childhood. Cav-1 overexpression in the human embryonal RD or alveolar RH30 cells yielded increased pCav-1 levels and reinforced the phosphorylation state of either ERK or AKT kinase, respectively, in turn enhancing in vitro cell proliferation, migration, invasiveness and chemoresistance. In contrast, reducing the pCav-1 levels by administration of a Src-kinase inhibitor or through targeted Cav-1 silencing counteracted the malignant in vitro phenotype of RMS cells. Consistent with these results, xenotransplantation of Cav-1 overexpressing RD cells into nude mice resulted in substantial tumor growth in comparison to control cells. Taken together, these data point to pCav-1 as an important and therapeutically valuable target for overcoming the progression and multidrug resistance of RMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolins are an essential component of cholesterol-rich invaginations of the plasma membrane known as caveolae. These flask-shaped, invaginated structures participate in a number of important cellular processes, including vesicular transport, cholesterol homeostasis, and signal transduction. We investigated the effects of CAV-1 on mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant enzymes in hypercholesterolemia-affected target organs. A total of eighteen male New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups: a normal-diet group, an untreated hypercholesterolemia-induced group, and a hypercholesterolemia-induced group that received intravenous administration of antennapedia-CAV-1 (AP-CAV-1) peptide every 2 days for 2 weeks. Serum biochemistry, CAV-1 distribution, neutral lipid distribution, mitochondrial morphology, biogenesis-mediated protein content, oxidative stress balance, antioxidant enzyme levels, and apoptotic cell death of liver tissue were analysed. Hepatic and circulating cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels differed significantly between the three groups (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining intensity of CAV-1 was greater in AP-CAV-1-treated rabbits than in untreated rabbits, especially in the vicinity of the liver vasculature. The high levels of neutral lipids, malondialdehyde, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactive 1α (PGC-1α), and nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) seen in untreated hypercholesteremic animals were attenuated by administration of AP-CAV-1 (P<0.05). In addition, mitochondria in animals that received treatment exhibited darker electron-dense matrix and integrated cristae. Furthermore, the levels of ROS modulator 1 (Romo1) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-2, as well as catalase activity were significantly lower in CAV-1-treated hypercholesterolemic rabbits (P<0.05). AP-CAV-1 treatment also restored mitochondrial respiratory chain subunit protein content (OXPHOS complexes I–V), thereby preserving mitochondrial function (P<0.05). Furthermore, AP-CAV-1 treatment significantly suppressed apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by a reduction in the number of TUNEL-positive cells. Our results indirectly indicate that CAV-1 mediates the negative effects of PGC-1α on hepatic mitochondrial respiratory chain function, promotes the antioxidant enzyme defence system, and maintains mitochondrial biogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OCTN2 - the Organic Cation Transporter Novel family member 2 (SLC22A5) is known to be a xenobiotic/drug transporter. It transports as well carnitine - a compound necessary for oxidation of fatty acids and mutations of its gene cause primary carnitine deficiency. Octn2 regulation by protein kinase C (PKC) was studied in rat astrocytes - cells in which β-oxidation takes place in the brain. Activation of PKC with phorbol ester stimulated L-carnitine transport and increased cell surface presence of the transporter, although no PKC-specific phosphorylation of Octn2 could be detected. PKC activation resulted in an augmented Octn2 presence in cholesterol/sphingolipid-rich microdomains of plasma membrane (rafts) and increased co-precipitation of Octn2 with raft-proteins, caveolin-1 and flotillin-1. Deletion of potential caveolin-1 binding motifs pointed to amino acids 14–22 and 447–454 as the caveolin-1 binding sites within Octn2 sequence. A direct interaction of Octn2 with caveolin-1 in astrocytes upon PKC activation was detected by proximity ligation assay, while such an interaction was excluded in case of flotillin-1. Functioning of a multi-protein complex regulated by PKC has been postulated in rOctn2 trafficking to the cell surface, a process which could be important both under physiological conditions, when carnitine facilitates fatty acids catabolism and controls free Coenzyme A pool as well as in pathology, when transport of several drugs can induce secondary carnitine deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations that lead to muscular dystrophy often create deficiencies in cytoskeletal support of the muscle sarcolemma causing hyperactive mechanosensitive cation channel (MSC) activity and elevated intracellular Ca2+. Caveolae are cholesterol-rich microdomains that form mechanically deformable invaginations of the sarcolemma. Mutations to caveolin-3, the main scaffolding protein of caveolae in muscle, cause Limbe-Girdle muscular dystrophy. Using genetic and acute chemical perturbations of developing myotubes we investigated whether caveolae are functionally linked to MSCs. MSC sensitivity was assayed using suction application to patches and probe-induced indentation during whole-cell recordings. Membrane mechanical stress in patches was monitored using patch capacitance/impedance. Cholesterol depletion disrupted caveolae and caused a large increase in MSC current. It also decreased the membrane mechanical relaxation time, likely reflecting cytoskeleton dissociation from the bilayer. Reduction of Cav3 expression with miRNA also increased MSC current and decreased patch relaxation time. In contrast Cav3 overexpression produced a small decrease in MSC currents. To acutely and specifically inhibit Cav3 interactions, we made a chimeric peptide containing the antennapedia membrane translocation domain and the Cav3 scaffolding domain (A-CSD3). A-CSD3 action was time dependent initially producing a mild Ca2+ leak and increased MSC current, while longer exposures decreased MSC currents coinciding with increased patch stiffening. Images of GFP labeled Cav3 in patches showed that Cav3 doesn’t enter the pipette, showing patch composition differed from the cell surface. However, disruption via cholesterol depletion caused Cav3 to become uniformly distributed over the sarcolemma and Cav3 appearance in the patch dome. The whole-cell indentation currents elicited under the different caveolae modifying conditions mirror the patch response supporting the role of caveolae in MSC function. These studies show that normal expression levels of Cav3 are mechanoprotective to the sarcolemma through multiple mechanisms, and Cav3 upregulation observed in some dystrophies may compensate for other mechanical deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiogenesis is the result of the combined activity of the tumor microenvironment and signaling molecules. The angiogenic switch is represented as an imbalance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors and is a rate-limiting step in the development of tumors. Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their membrane-anchored ligands, known as ephrins, constitute the largest receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) subfamily and are considered a major family of pro-angiogenic RTKs. Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a highly aggressive bone and soft tissue tumor affecting children and young adults. As other solid tumors, EWS are reliant on a functional vascular network for the delivery of nutrients and oxygen and for the removal of waste. Based on the biological roles of EphA2 in promoting angiogenesis, we explored the functional role of this receptor and its relationship with caveolin-1 (CAV1) in EWS angiogenesis. We demonstrated that lack of CAV1 results in a significant reduction in micro vascular density (MVD) on 3 different in vivo models. In vitro, this phenomenon correlated with inactivation of EphA2 receptor, lack of AKT response and downregulation of bFGF. We also demonstrated that secreted bFGF from EWS cells acted as chemoattractant for endothelial cells. Furthermore, interaction between EphA2 and CAV1 was necessary for the right localization and signaling of the receptor to produce bFGF through AKT and promote migration of endothelial cells. Finally, introduction of a dominant-negative form of EphA2 into EWS cells mostly reproduced the effects occurred by CAV1 silencing, strongly suggesting that the axis EphA2-CAV1 participates in the promotion of endothelial cell migration toward the tumors favoring EWS angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding spatial distribution and dynamics of receptors within unperturbed membranes is essential for elucidating their role in antiviral signaling, but conventional studies of detergent-resistant membrane fractions cannot provide this information. Caveolae are integral to numerous signaling pathways and these membrane domains have been previously implicated in viral entry but not antiviral defense. This study shows, for the first time, the importance of spatio-temporal regulation of signaling receptors and the importance of the regulation of clustering for downstream signaling. A novel mechanism for virus evasion of host cell defenses is demonstrated through disruption of clusters of signaling molecules organized within caveolin-rich domains. Viral infection leads to a downregulation in Caveolin-1b (Cav-1b), disrupting clusters of CRFB1, a zebrafish type I interferon receptor (–R) subunit. Super-resolution microscopy has enabled the first single-molecule imaging of CRFB1 association with cav-1b-containing membrane domains. Strikingly, downregulation of Cav-1b, the major protein component of caveolae, caused CRFB1 clusters to disperse. Dispersal of CRFB1 clusters led to a suppressed antiviral immune response both in vitro and in vivo, through abrogation of downstream signaling. This response strongly suggests that CRFB1 organization within cav-1b-containing membrane domains is critical for IFN-mediated antiviral defense and presents a previously undescribed antiviral evasion strategy to alter IFN signaling and the antiviral immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salmonella are able to modulate host cell functions facilitating both uptake and resistance to cellular host defence mechanisms. While interactions between bacterial modulators and cellular proteins have been the main focus of Salmonella research, relatively little is known about mammalian gene regulation in response to Salmonella infection. A major class of mammalian gene modulators consists of microRNAs. For our study we examined interactions of microRNAs and regulated mRNAs in mammalian intestinal Salmonella infections using a piglet model. Methodology/Principal Findings: After performing microRNA as well as mRNA specific microarray analysis of ileal samples from Salmonella infected as well as control piglets, we integrated expression analysis with target prediction identifying microRNAs that mainly regulate focal adhesion as well as actin cytoskeleton pathways. Particular attention was given to miR-29a, which was involved in most interactions including Caveolin 2. RT-qPCR experiments verified up-regulation of miR-29a after infection while its predicted target Caveolin 2 was significantly down-regulated as examined by transcript and protein detection. Reporter gene assays as well as RNAi experiments confirmed Caveolin 2 to be a miR-29a target. Knock-down of Caveolin 2 in intestinal epithelial cells resulted in retarded proliferation as well as increased bacterial uptake. In addition, our experiments showed that Caveolin 2 regulates the activation of the small Rho GTPase CDC42 but apparently not RAC1 in human intestinal cells. Conclusions/Significance: Our study outlines for the first time important regulation pathways in intestinal Salmonella infection pointing out that focal adhesion and organisation of actin cytoskeleton are regulated by microRNAs. Functional relevance is shown by miR-29a mediated Caveolin 2 regulation, modulating the activation state of CDC42. Further analysis of examined interactions may support the discovery of novel strategies impairing the uptake of intracellular pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caveolae are plasma membrane structures formed from a complex of the proteins caveolin-1 and caveolin-2. Caveolae interact with pro-inflammatory cytokines and are dysregulated in fibrotic disease. Although caveolae are present infrequently in healthy kidneys, they are abundant during kidney injury. An association has been identified between a CAV1 gene variant and long term kidney transplant survival. Chronic, gradual decline in transplant function is a persistent problem in kidney transplantation. The aetiology of this is diverse but fibrosis within the transplanted organ is the common end point. This study is the first to investigate the association of CAV2 gene variants with kidney transplant outcomes. Genomic DNA from donors and recipients of 575 kidney transplants performed in Belfast was investigated for common variation in CAV2 using a tag SNP approach. The CAV2 SNP rs13221869 was nominally significant for kidney transplant failure. Validation was sought in an independent group of kidney transplant donors and recipients from Dublin, Ireland using a second genotyping technology. Due to the unexpected absence of rs13221869 from this cohort, the CAV2 gene was resequenced. One novel SNP and a novel insertion/deletion in CAV2 were identified; rs13221869 is located in a repetitive region and was not a true variant in resequenced populations. CAV2 is a plausible candidate gene for association with kidney transplant outcomes given its proximity to CAV1 and its role in attenuating fibrosis. This study does not support an association between CAV2 variation and kidney transplant survival. Further analysis of CAV2 should be undertaken with an awareness of the sequence complexities and genetic variants highlighted by this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Xuezhikang is the extract of red yeast rice, which has been widely used for the management of atherosclerotic disease, but the molecular basis of its antiatherosclerotic effects has not yet been fully identified. Here we investigated the changes of eNOS in vascular endothelia and RBCs, eNOS regulatory factor Caveolin-1 in endothelia, and hemorheological parameters in atherosclerotic rats to explore the protective effects of Xuezhikang. Methodology/Principal Findings: Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 12/group) group C, controls; group M, high-cholesterol diet (HCD) induced atherosclerotic models; group X, HCD+Xuezhikang; and group L, HCD +Lovastatin. In group X, Xuezhikang inhibited oxidative stress, down-regulated caveolin-1 in aorta wall (P<0.05), up-regulated eNOS expression in vascular endothelia and erythrocytes (P<0.05), increased NOx (nitrite and nitrate) in plasma and cGMP in erythrocyte plasma and aorta wall (P<0.05), increased erythrocyte deformation index (EDI), and decreased whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity (P<0.05), with the improvement of arterial pathology. Conclusions/Significance: Xuezhikang up-regulated eNOS expression in vascular endothelia and RBCs, increased plasma NOx and improved abnormal hemorheology in high cholesterol diet induced atherosclerotic rats. The elevated eNOS/NO and improved hemorheology may be beneficial to atherosclerotic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in the world and is one of the leading causes of cancer death. The anti-metabolite 5- fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely used in the treatment of patients with colon cancer and other cancer types. 5-FU-based chemotherapy has been shown to be very efficient in the improvement of overall survival of the patients and for the eradication of the disease. Unfortunately, common side effects of 5-FU include severe alterations in the motility of the gastrointestinal tissues. Nevertheless, the molecular and cellular effects of 5-FU in smooth muscle cells are poorly understood. Primary smooth muscle cell cultures are an important tool for studies of the biological consequences of 5-FU at the cellular level. The avian gizzard is one of the most robust organs of smooth muscle cells. Here we studied the molecular and cellular effects of the chemotherapic drug 5-FU in a primary culture of chick gizzard smooth muscle cells. We found that treatment of smooth muscle cells with 5-FU inhibits cell proliferation by the arrest of cells in the G1 phase of cell cycle and induce apoptosis. 5-FU induced a decrease in the percentage of histone H3-positive cells. Treatment of cells with 5-FU induced changes in cellular and nuclear morphology, a decrease in the number of stress fibers and a major decrease in the number of caveolin-3 positive cells. Our results suggest that the disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and the reduction of caveolin-3 expression could explain the alterations in contractility observed in patients treated with 5-FU. These findings might have an impact in the understanding of the cellular effects of 5-FU in smooth muscle tissues and might help the improvement of new therapeutic protocols for the treatment of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of cardiomyopathy, and mechanisms linking the underlying risk and dietary factors are not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that dietary intake of saturated fat increases the levels of sphingolipids, namely ceramide and sphingomyelin in cardiac cell membranes that disrupt caveolae, specialized membrane micro-domains and important for cellular signaling. C57BL/6 mice were fed two high-fat diets: palmitate diet (21% total fat, 47% is palmitate), and MCT diet (21% medium-chain triglycerides, no palmitate). We established that high-palmitate feeding for 12 weeks leads to 40% and 50% increases in ceramide and sphingomyelin, respectively, in cellular membranes. Concomitant with sphingolipid accumulation, we observed a 40% reduction in systolic contractile performance. To explore the relationship of increased sphingolipids with caveolins, we analyzed caveolin protein levels and intracellular localization in isolated cardiomyocytes. In normal cardiomyocytes, caveolin-1 and caveolin-3 co-localize at the plasma membrane and the T-tubule system. However, mice maintained on palmitate lost 80% of caveolin-3, mainly from the T-tubule system. Mice maintained on MCT diet had a 90% reduction in caveolin-1. These data show that caveolin isoforms are sensitive to the lipid environment. These data are further supported by similar findings in human cardiac tissue samples from non-obese, obese, non-obese cardiomyopathic, and obese cardiomyopathic patients. To further elucidate the contractile dysfunction associated with the loss of caveolin-3, we determined the localization of the ryanodine receptor and found lower expression and loss of the striated appearance of this protein. We suggest that palmitate-induced loss of caveolin-3 results in cardiac contractile dysfunction via a defect in calcium-induced calcium release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a lethal fibrotic disease characterized by the unrelenting proliferation and persistence of fibroblasts in a type I collagen-rich matrix that result in an expanding reticular network of fibrotic tissue. However, the underlying mechanism responsible for the persistence of myofibroblasts in IPF remains unclear. During normal tissue repair, unwanted fibroblasts are eliminated during collagen-matrix contraction by a mechanism whereby high PTEN activity suppresses Akt. We have previously found that FoxO3a, a transcriptional activator of apoptosis-inducing proteins, is inactivated in IPF fibroblasts resulting from aberrantly high PI3K/Akt activity due to inappropriately low PTEN activity. Here we demonstrate that this low FoxO3a activity confers IPF fibroblasts with resistance to collagen-mediated apoptosis. We show that the mechanism by which low FoxO3a activity confers IPF fibroblasts with an apoptotic resistant phenotype involves suppression of Fas expression as a result of down regulation of cav-1 expression via a PTEN/Akt-dependent pathway. We demonstrate that PTEN over-expression or Akt inhibition increases FoxO3a expression in IPF fibroblasts, resulting in up-regulation of caveolin-1. We show that FoxO3a binds to the cav-1 promoter region and ectopic expression of FoxO3a transcriptionally increases cav-1 mRNA and protein expression. In turn, we show that overexpression of caveolin-1 increases Fas levels and caspase-3/7 activity and promotes IPF fibroblast apoptosis on polymerized type I collagen. We have found that the expression of caveolin-1, Fas and cleaved caspase-3 proteins in fibroblasts within the fibroblastic foci of IPF patient specimens is low. Our data indicate that the pathologically altered PTEN/Akt axis inactivates FoxO3a down-regulating cav-1 and Fas expression. This confers IPF fibroblasts with an apoptosis-resistant phenotype and may be responsible for IPF progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]