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Hailey-Hailey disease (MIM16960) is a blistering skin disease caused by mutations in the Ca2+ ATPase ATP2C1. We found that the abnormal Ca2+ signaling seen in Hailey-Hailey disease keratinocytes correlates with decreased protein levels of ATP2C1. Human ATP2C1 protein approximated 115 kDa in size. The ATP2C1 is localized to the Golgi apparatus in human keratinocytes, similar to its localization in yeast and Caenorhabditis elegans. To test whether the ATP2C1 controls Golgi Ca2+ stores, we measured intraorganelle Ca2+ concentrations using specifically targeted aequorins. Whereas normal keratinocytes display Golgi Ca2+ levels comparable to other epithelial cells, Hailey-Hailey disease keratinocyte Golgi Ca2+ refill is slower, and the maximum Ca2+ concentration reached is significantly lower. These findings were replicated in vivo, because clinically normal Hailey-Hailey disease epidermis contained lower Ca2+ stores and displayed an abnormal Ca2+ gradient. In this report we localize the ATP2C1, demonstrate its physiologic relevance in mammalian cells, and measure intraorganelle Golgi Ca2+ in keratinocytes.

Purpose: Therapeutic efficacy of KRASG12C(OFF) inhibitors (KRASG12Ci) in KRASG12C-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) varies widely. The activation status of RAS signaling in tumors with KRASG12C mutation remains unclear, as its ability to cycle between the active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound states may influence downstream pathway activation and therapeutic responses. We hypothesized that the interaction between RAS and its downstream effector RAF in tumors may serve as indicators of RAS activity, rendering NSCLC tumors with a high degree of RAS engagement and downstream effects more responsive to KRASG12Ci compared to tumors with lower RAS---RAF interaction., Experimental Design: We developed a method for measuring in situ RAS binding to RAF in cancer samples using proximity ligation assays (PLAs) designed to detect panRAS-CRAF interactions., Results: The panRAS-CRAF PLA signal correlated with levels of both RAS-GTP and phosphorylated ERK protein, suggesting that this assay can effectively assess active RAS signaling. We found that elevated panRAS-CRAF PLA signals were associated with increased sensitivity to KRASG12Ci in KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC cell lines, xenograft models, and patient samples. Applying a similar PLA approach to measure the interactions between EGFR and its adaptor protein GRB2 as a surrogate for EGFR activity, we found no relationship between EGFR activity and response to KRASG12Ci in the same samples., Conclusions: Our study highlights the importance of evaluating in situ RAS-RAF interactions as a potential predictive biomarker for identifying NSCLC patients most likely to benefit from KRASG12Ci. The PLA developed for quantifying these interactions represents a valuable tool for guiding treatment strategies.

RAS-driven cancers comprise up to 30% of human cancers. RMC-6236 is a RAS(ON) multi-selective noncovalent inhibitor of the active, GTP-bound state of both mutant and wild-type variants of canonical RAS isoforms with broad therapeutic potential for the aforementioned unmet medical need. RMC-6236 exhibited potent anticancer activity across RAS-addicted cell lines, particularly those harboring mutations at codon 12 of KRAS. Notably, oral administration of RMC-6236 was tolerated in vivo and drove profound tumor regressions across multiple tumor types in a mouse clinical trial with KRASG12X xenograft models. Translational PK/efficacy and PK/PD modeling predicted that daily doses of 100 mg and 300 mg would achieve tumor control and objective responses, respectively, in patients with RAS-driven tumors. Consistent with this, we describe here objective responses in two patients (at 300 mg daily) with advanced KRASG12X lung and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, respectively, demonstrating the initial activity of RMC-6236 in an ongoing phase I/Ib clinical trial (NCT05379985)., Significance: The discovery of RMC-6236 enables the first-ever therapeutic evaluation of targeted and concurrent inhibition of canonical mutant and wild-type RAS-GTP in RAS-driven cancers. We demonstrate that broad-spectrum RAS-GTP inhibition is tolerable at exposures that induce profound tumor regressions in preclinical models of, and in patients with, such tumors. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 897., (©2024 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Background: The bromodomain and extraterminal protein (BET) inhibitor trotabresib has demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors, including high-grade gliomas. CC-90010-GBM-001 (NCT04047303) is a phase I study investigating the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and CNS penetration of trotabresib in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas scheduled for salvage resection., Methods: Patients received trotabresib 30 mg/day on days 1-4 before surgery, followed by maintenance trotabresib 45 mg/day 4 days on/24 days off after surgery. Primary endpoints were plasma pharmacokinetics and trotabresib concentrations in resected tissue. Secondary and exploratory endpoints included safety, pharmacodynamics, and antitumor activity., Results: Twenty patients received preoperative trotabresib and underwent resection with no delays or cancelations of surgery; 16 patients received maintenance trotabresib after recovery from surgery. Trotabresib plasma pharmacokinetics were consistent with previous data. Mean trotabresib brain tumor tissue:plasma ratio was 0.84 (estimated unbound partition coefficient [KPUU] 0.37), and modulation of pharmacodynamic markers was observed in blood and brain tumor tissue. Trotabresib was well tolerated; the most frequent grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse event during maintenance treatment was thrombocytopenia (5/16 patients). Six-month progression-free survival was 12%. Two patients remain on treatment with stable disease at cycles 25 and 30., Conclusions: Trotabresib penetrates the blood-brain-tumor barrier in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma and demonstrates target engagement in resected tumor tissue. Plasma pharmacokinetics, blood pharmacodynamics, and safety were comparable with previous results for trotabresib in patients with advanced solid tumors. Investigation of adjuvant trotabresib + temozolomide and concomitant trotabresib + temozolomide + radiotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma is ongoing (NCT04324840)., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology.)

Bromodomain and extraterminal proteins (BET) play key roles in regulation of gene expression, and may play a role in cancer-cell proliferation, survival, and oncogenic progression. CC-90010-ST-001 (NCT03220347) is an open-label phase I study of trotabresib, an oral BET inhibitor, in heavily pretreated patients with advanced solid tumors and relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Primary endpoints were the safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose, and RP2D of trotabresib. Secondary endpoints were clinical benefit rate (complete response [CR] + partial response [PR] + stable disease [SD] of ≥4 months' duration), objective response rate (CR + PR), duration of response or SD, progression-free survival, overall survival, and the pharmacokinetics (PK) of trotabresib. In addition, part C assessed the effects of food on the PK of trotabresib as a secondary endpoint. The dose escalation (part A) showed that trotabresib was well tolerated, had single-agent activity, and determined the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) and schedule for the expansion study. Here, we report long-term follow-up results from part A (N = 69) and data from patients treated with the RP2D of 45 mg/day 4 days on/24 days off or an alternate RP2D of 30 mg/day 3 days on/11 days off in the dose-expansion cohorts (parts B [N = 25] and C [N = 41]). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) are reported in almost all patients. The most common severe TRAEs are hematological. Toxicities are generally manageable, allowing some patients to remain on treatment for ≥2 years, with two patients receiving ≥3 years of treatment. Trotabresib monotherapy shows antitumor activity, with an ORR of 13.0% (95% CI, 2.8-33.6) in patients with R/R DLBCL (part B) and an ORR of 0.0% (95% CI, 0.0-8.6) and a CBR of 31.7% (95% CI, 18.1-48.1) in patients with advanced solid tumors (part C). These results support further investigation of trotabresib in combination with other anticancer agents., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Standard-of-care treatment for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (ndGBM), consisting of surgery followed by radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ), has improved outcomes compared with RT alone; however, prognosis remains poor. Trotabresib, a novel bromodomain and extraterminal inhibitor, has demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with high-grade gliomas., Methods: In this phase Ib, dose-escalation study (NCT04324840), we investigated trotabresib 15, 30, and 45 mg combined with TMZ in the adjuvant setting and trotabresib 15 and 30 mg combined with TMZ+RT in the concomitant setting in patients with ndGBM. Primary endpoints were to determine safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose, and/or recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of trotabresib. Secondary endpoints were assessment of preliminary efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics were investigated as an exploratory endpoint., Results: The adjuvant and concomitant cohorts enrolled 18 and 14 patients, respectively. Trotabresib in combination with TMZ or TMZ+RT was well tolerated; most treatment-related adverse events were mild or moderate. Trotabresib pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in both settings were consistent with previous data for trotabresib monotherapy. The RP2D of trotabresib was selected as 30 mg 4 days on/24 days off in both settings. At last follow-up, 5 (28%) and 6 (43%) patients remain on treatment in the adjuvant and concomitant settings, respectively, with 1 patient in the adjuvant cohort achieving complete response., Conclusions: Trotabresib combined with TMZ in the adjuvant setting and with TMZ+RT in the concomitant setting was safe and well tolerated in patients with ndGBM, with encouraging treatment durations. Trotabresib 30 mg was established as the RP2D in both settings., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press, the Society for Neuro-Oncology and the European Association of Neuro-Oncology.)

Background: CC-90011 is an oral, potent, selective, reversible inhibitor of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) that was well tolerated, with encouraging activity in patients who had advanced solid tumors or relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma. The authors present long-term safety and efficacy and novel pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic data from the first-in-human study of CC-90011., Methods: CC-90011-ST-001 (ClincalTrials.gov identifier NCT02875223; Eudract number 2015-005243-13) is a phase 1, multicenter study in which patients received CC-90011 once per week in 28-day cycles. The objectives were to determine the safety, maximum tolerated dose, and/or recommended phase 2 dose (primary) and to evaluate preliminary efficacy and pharmacokinetics (secondary)., Results: Sixty-nine patients were enrolled, including 50 in the dose-escalation arm and 19 in the dose-expansion arm. Thrombocytopenia was the most common treatment-related adverse event and was successfully managed with dose modifications. Clinical activity with prolonged, durable responses were observed, particularly in patients who had neuroendocrine neoplasms. In the dose-escalation arm, one patient with relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma achieved a complete response (ongoing in cycle 58). In the dose-expansion arm, three patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms had stable disease after nine or more cycles, including one patient who was in cycle 46 of ongoing treatment. CC-90011 decreased levels of secreted neuroendocrine peptides chromogranin A, progastrin-releasing peptide, and RNA expression of the blood pharmacodynamic marker monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation-associated., Conclusions: The safety profile of CC-90011 suggested that its reversible mechanism of action may provide an advantage over other irreversible LSD1 inhibitors. The favorable tolerability profile, clinical activity, durable responses, and once-per-week dosing support further exploration of CC-90011 as monotherapy and in combination with other treatments for patients with advanced solid tumors and other malignancies., (© 2022 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Cancer Society.)

Purpose: Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is implicated in multiple tumor types, and its expression in cancer stem cells is associated with chemoresistance. CC-90011 is a potent, selective, and reversible oral LSD1 inhibitor. We examined CC-90011 in advanced solid tumors and relapsed/refractory (R/R) non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)., Patients and Methods: CC-90011-ST-001 (NCT02875223; 2015-005243-13) is a phase I, multicenter, first-in-human dose-escalation study. Nine dose levels of CC-90011 (1.25-120 mg) given once per week were explored. Primary objectives were to determine safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and/or recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Secondary objectives were to evaluate preliminary efficacy and pharmacokinetics., Results: Fifty patients were enrolled, 49 with solid tumors (27 neuroendocrine tumors/carcinomas) and 1 with R/R NHL. Median age was 61 years (range, 22-75). Patients received a median of three (range, 1-9) prior anticancer regimens. The RP2D was 60 mg once per week; the nontolerated dose (NTD) and MTD were 120 mg once per week and 80 mg once per week, respectively. Grade 3/4 treatment-related toxicities were thrombocytopenia (20%; an on-target effect unassociated with clinically significant bleeding), neutropenia (8%; in the context of thrombocytopenia at the highest doses), and fatigue (2%). The patient with R/R NHL had a complete response, currently ongoing in cycle 34, and 8 patients with neuroendocrine tumors/carcinomas had stable disease ≥6 months, including bronchial neuroendocrine tumors, kidney tumor, and paraganglioma., Conclusions: CC-90011 is well tolerated, with the RP2D established as 60 mg once per week. The MTD and NTD were determined to be 80 mg once per week and 120 mg once per week, respectively. Further evaluation of CC-90011 is warranted., (©2020 American Association for Cancer Research.)

As a critical signaling node, ERK1/2 are attractive drug targets, particularly in tumors driven by activation of the MAPK pathway. Utility of targeting the MAPK pathway has been demonstrated by clinical responses to inhibitors of MEK1/2 or RAF kinases in some mutant BRAF-activated malignancies. Unlike tumors with mutations in BRAF, those with mutations in KRAS (>30% of all cancers and >90% of certain cancer types) are generally not responsive to inhibitors of MEK1/2 or RAF. Here, a covalent ERK1/2 inhibitor, CC-90003, was characterized and shown to be active in preclinical models of KRAS-mutant tumors. A unique occupancy assay was used to understand the mechanism of resistance in a KRAS-mutant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of colorectal cancer. Finally, combination of CC-90003 with docetaxel achieved full tumor regression and prevented tumor regrowth after cessation of treatment in a PDX model of lung cancer. This effect corresponded to changes in a stemness gene network, revealing a potential effect on tumor stem cell reprograming. IMPLICATIONS: Here, a covalent ERK1/2 inhibitor (CC-90003) is demonstrated to have preclinical efficacy in models of KRAS-mutant tumors, which present a therapeutic challenge for currently available therapies., (©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.)

The HECT domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4-1 (Neural precursor cell Expressed Developmentally Down regulated gene 4-1) is frequently overexpressed in human cancers and displays oncogenic-like properties through the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of multiple protein substrates. However, little is known about small molecule enzymatic inhibitors of HECT domain-containing ubiquitin ligases. We now demonstrate that indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural anti-cancer phytochemical derived from cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, represents a new chemical scaffold of small molecule enzymatic inhibitors of NEDD4-1. Using in vitro ubiquitination assays, I3C, its stable synthetic derivative 1-benzyl-I3C and five novel synthetic analogues were shown to directly inhibit NEDD4-1 ubiquitination activity. Compared to I3C, which has an IC50 of 284μM, 1-benzyl-I3C was a significantly more potent NEDD4-1 enzymatic inhibitor with an IC50 of 12.3μM. Compounds 2242 and 2243, the two indolecarbinol analogues with added methyl groups that results in a more nucleophilic benzene ring π system, further enhanced potency with IC50s of 2.71μM and 7.59μM, respectively. Protein thermal shift assays that assess small ligand binding, in combination with in silico binding simulations with the crystallographic structure of NEDD4-1, showed that each of the indolecarbinol compounds bind to the purified catalytic HECT domain of NEDD4-1. The indolecarbinol compounds inhibited human melanoma cell proliferation in a manner that generally correlated with their effectiveness as NEDD4-1 enzymatic inhibitors. Taken together, we propose that I3C analogues represent a novel set of anti-cancer compounds for treatment of human melanomas and other cancers that express indolecarbinol-sensitive target enzymes., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Antiproliferative signaling of combinations of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural indolecarbinol compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, was investigated in human melanoma cells. Melanoma cell lines with distinct mutational profiles were sensitive to different extents to the antiproliferative response of aspirin, with oncogenic BRAF-expressing G361 cells and wild-type BRAF-expressing SK-MEL-30 cells being the most responsive. I3C triggered a strong proliferative arrest of G361 melanoma cells and caused only a modest decrease in the proliferation of SK-MEL-30 cells. In both cell lines, combinations of aspirin and I3C cooperatively arrested cell proliferation and induced a G1 cell cycle arrest, and nearly ablated protein and transcript levels of the melanocyte master regulator microphthalmia-associated transcription factor isoform M (MITF-M). In melanoma cells transfected with a -333/+120-bp MITF-M promoter-luciferase reporter plasmid, treatment with aspirin and I3C cooperatively disrupted MITF-M promoter activity, which accounted for the loss of MITF-M gene products. Mutational analysis revealed that the aspirin required the LEF1 binding site, whereas I3C required the BRN2 binding site to mediate their combined and individual effects on MITF-M promoter activity. Consistent with LEF1 being a downstream effector of Wnt signaling, aspirin, but not I3C, downregulated protein levels of the Wnt co-receptor LDL receptor-related protein-6 and β-catenin and upregulated the β-catenin destruction complex component Axin. Taken together, our results demonstrate that aspirin-regulated Wnt signaling and I3C-targeted signaling pathways converge at distinct DNA elements in the MITF-M promoter to cooperatively disrupt MITF-M expression and melanoma cell proliferation.

Unlabelled: Human melanoma cells displaying distinct PTEN genotypes were used to assess the cellular role of this important tumor-suppressor protein in the antiproliferative response induced by the chemopreventative agent indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural indolecarbinol compound derived from the breakdown of glucobrassicin produced in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. I3C induced a G1-phase cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis by stabilization of PTEN in human melanoma cells that express wild-type PTEN, but not in cells with mutant or null PTEN genotypes. Importantly, normal human epidermal melanocytes were unaffected by I3C treatment. In wild-type PTEN-expressing melanoma xenografts, formed in athymic mice, I3C inhibited the in vivo tumor growth rate and increased PTEN protein levels in the residual tumors. Mechanistically, I3C disrupted the ubiquitination of PTEN by NEDD4-1 (NEDD4), which prevented the proteasome-mediated degradation of PTEN without altering its transcript levels. RNAi-mediated knockdown of PTEN prevented the I3C-induced apoptotic response, whereas knockdown of NEDD4-1 mimicked the I3C apoptotic response, stabilized PTEN protein levels, and downregulated phosphorylated AKT-1 levels. Co-knockdown of PTEN and NEDD4-1 revealed that I3C-regulated apoptotic signaling through NEDD4-1 requires the presence of the wild-type PTEN protein. Finally, in silico structural modeling, in combination with isothermal titration calorimetry analysis, demonstrated that I3C directly interacts with purified NEDD4-1 protein., Implications: This study identifies NEDD4-1 as a new I3C target protein, and that the I3C disruption of NEDD4-1 ubiquitination activity triggers the stabilization of the wild-type PTEN tumor suppressor to induce an antiproliferative response in melanoma. Mol Cancer Res; 12(11); 1621-34. ©2014 AACR., (©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Unlabelled: The p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) family of serine/threonine kinases is expressed in a variety of cancers and its substrate phosphorylation has been implicated in direct regulation of cell survival, proliferation, and cell polarity. This study characterizes and presents the most selective and potent RSK inhibitors known to date, LJH685 and LJI308. Structural analysis confirms binding of LJH685 to the RSK2 N-terminal kinase ATP-binding site and reveals that the inhibitor adopts an unusual nonplanar conformation that explains its excellent selectivity for RSK family kinases. LJH685 and LJI308 efficiently inhibit RSK activity in vitro and in cells. Furthermore, cellular inhibition of RSK and its phosphorylation of YB1 on Ser102 correlate closely with inhibition of cell growth, but only in an anchorage-independent growth setting, and in a subset of examined cell lines. Thus, RSK inhibition reveals dynamic functional responses among the inhibitor-sensitive cell lines, underscoring the heterogeneous nature of RSK dependence in cancer., Implications: Two novel potent and selective RSK inhibitors will now allow a full assessment of the potential of RSK as a therapeutic target for oncology., (©2014 AACR.)

2-Amino-7-substituted benzoxazole analogs were identified by HTS as inhibitors of RSK2. Molecular modeling and medicinal chemistry techniques were employed to explore the SAR for this series with a focus of improving in vitro and target modulation potency and physicochemical properties., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Elastase is the only currently identified target protein for indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a naturally occurring hydrolysis product of glucobrassicin in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts that induces a cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of human breast cancer cells. In vitro elastase enzymatic assays demonstrated that I3C and at lower concentrations its more potent derivative 1-benzyl-indole-3-carbinol (1-benzyl-I3C) act as non-competitive allosteric inhibitors of elastase activity. Consistent with these results, in silico computational simulations have revealed the first predicted interactions of I3C and 1-benzyl-I3C with the crystal structure of human neutrophil elastase, and identified a potential binding cluster on an external surface of the protease outside of the catalytic site that implicates elastase as a target protein for both indolecarbinol compounds. The Δ205 carboxyterminal truncation of elastase, which disrupts the predicted indolecarbinol binding site, is enzymatically active and generates a novel I3C resistant enzyme. Expression of the wild type and Δ205 elastase in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells demonstrated that the carboxyterminal domain of elastase is required for the I3C and 1-benzyl-I3C inhibition of enzymatic activity, accumulation of the unprocessed form of the CD40 elastase substrate (a tumor necrosis factor receptor family member), disruption of NFκB nuclear localization and transcriptional activity, and induction of a G1 cell cycle arrest. Surprisingly, expression of the Δ205 elastase molecule failed to reverse indolecarbinol stimulated apoptosis, establishing an elastase-dependent bifurcation point in anti-proliferative signaling that uncouples the cell cycle and apoptotic responses in human breast cancer cells., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Treatment of highly tumorigenic MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells with indole-3-carbinol (I3C) directly inhibited the extracellular elastase-dependent cleavage of membrane-associated CD40, a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily. CD40 signaling has been implicated in regulating cell survival, apoptosis, and proliferation, as well as in sensitizing breast cancer cells to chemotherapy, and is therefore an important potential target of novel breast cancer treatments. The I3C-dependent accumulation of full-length unprocessed CD40 protein caused a shift in CD40 signaling through TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAF), including the TRAF1/TRAF2 positive regulators and TRAF3 negative regulator of NF-kappaB transcription factor activity. Because TRAF1 is a transcriptional target gene of NF-kappaB, I3C disrupted a positive feedback loop involving these critical cell survival components. siRNA ablation of elastase expression mimicked the I3C inhibition of CD40 protein processing and G(1) cell cycle arrest, whereas siRNA knockdown of TRAF3 and the NF-kappaB inhibitor IkappaB prevented the I3C-induced cell cycle arrest. In contrast, siRNA knockdown of PTEN had no effect on the I3C control of NF-kappaB activity, showing the importance of CD40 signaling in regulating this transcription factor. Our study provides the first direct in vitro evidence that I3C directly inhibits the elastase-mediated proteolytic processing of CD40, which alters downstream signaling to disrupt NF-kappaB-induced cell survival and proliferative responses. Furthermore, we have established a new I3C-mediated antiproliferative cascade that has significant therapeutic potential for treatment of human cancers associated with high levels of elastase and its CD40 membrane substrate.

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, has potent antiproliferative effects in human breast cancer cells and has been shown to decrease metastatic spread of tumors in experimental animals. Using chemotaxis and fluorescent-bead cell motility assays, we demonstrated that I3C significantly decreased the in vitro migration of MDA-MB-231 cells, a highly invasive breast cancer cell line. Immunofluorescence staining of the actin cytoskeleton revealed that concurrent with the loss of cell motility, I3C treatment significantly increased stress fiber formation. Furthermore, I3C induced the localization of the focal adhesion component vinculin and tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins to the cell periphery, which implicates an indole-dependent enhancement of focal adhesions within the outer boundary of the cells. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis of focal adhesion kinase demonstrated that I3C stimulated the dynamic formation of the focal adhesion protein complex without altering the total level of individual focal adhesion proteins. The RhoA-Rho kinase pathway is involved in stress fiber and focal adhesion formation, and I3C treatment stimulated Rho kinase enzymatic activity and cofilin phosphorylation, which is a downstream target of Rho kinase signaling, but did not increase the level of active GTP-bound RhoA. Exposure of MDA-MB-231 cells to the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632, or expression of dominant negative RhoA ablated the I3C induced formation of stress fibers and of peripheral focal adhesions. Expression of constitutively active RhoA mimicked the I3C effects on both processes. Taken together, our data demonstrate that I3C induces stress fibers and peripheral focal adhesions in a Rho kinase-dependent manner that leads to an inhibition of motility in human breast cancer cells., ((c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a naturally occurring component of Brassica vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, induces a G(1) cell-cycle arrest of human breast cancer cells, although the direct cellular targets that mediate this process are unknown. Treatment of highly invasive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with I3C shifted the stable accumulation of cyclin E protein from the hyperactive lower-molecular-mass 35-kDa form that is associated with cancer cell proliferation and poor clinical outcomes to the 50-kDa cyclin E form that typically is expressed in normal mammary tissue. An in vitro cyclin E processing assay, in combination with zymography, demonstrated that I3C, but not its natural dimer, 3,3'-diindolylmethane, disrupts proteolytic processing of the 50-kDa cyclin E into the lower-molecular-mass forms by direct inhibition of human neutrophil elastase enzymatic activity. Analysis of elastase enzyme kinetics using either cyclin E or N-methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-p-nitroanalide as substrates demonstrated that I3C acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor of elastase activity with an inhibitory constant of approximately 12 microM. Finally, siRNA ablation of neutrophil elastase protein production in MDA-MB-231 cells mimicked the I3C-disrupted processing of the 50-kDa cyclin E protein and the indole-induced cell-cycle arrest. Taken together, our results demonstrate that elastase is the first identified specific target protein for I3C and that the direct I3C inhibition of elastase enzymatic activity implicates the potential use of this indole, or related compounds, in targeted therapies of human breast cancers where high elastase levels are correlated with poor prognosis.

Live-cell detection of intracellular enzyme activity requires that substrates are cell-permeable and that the generated products are easily detected and retained in cells. Our objective was to create a novel fluorogenic substrate that could be used for real-time detection of apoptosis in living cells. We have synthesized a highly cell-permeable caspase-3 substrate, DEVD-NucView488, by linking a fluorogenic DNA-binding dye to the caspase-3 recognition sequence that renders the dye nonfunctional. On substrate cleavage, the dye is released and becomes highly fluorescent on binding to DNA. DEVD-NucView488 detected caspase-3 activation within a live-cell population much earlier and with higher sensitivity compared with other apoptosis reagents that are currently available. Furthermore, cells incubated with DEVD-NucView488 exhibited no toxicity and normal apoptotic progression. DEVD-NucView488 is an ideal substrate for kinetic studies of caspase-3 activation because it detects caspase-3 activity in real-time and also efficiently labels DNA in nuclei of caspase-3-activated cells for real-time fluorescent visualization of apoptotic morphology. The strategy utilized in the design of this fluorogenic substrate can be applied in future endeavors to develop substrates for detecting real-time intracellular enzyme activity.

The phytochemical indole-3-carbinol (I3C), from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, has been shown to elicit a potent anti-proliferative response in human breast cancer cell lines. Treatment of the immortalized human mammary epithelial cell line MCF10A with I3C induced a G1 cell cycle arrest, elevated p53 tumor suppressor protein levels and stimulated expression of downstream transcriptional target, p21. I3C treatment also elevated p53 levels in several breast cancer cell lines that express mutant p53. I3C did not arrest MCF10A cells stably transfected with dominant-negative p53, establishing a functional requirement for p53. Cell fractionation and immunolocalization studies revealed a large fraction of stabilized p53 protein in the nucleus of I3C-treated MCF10A cells. With I3C treatment, phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase family member ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) was phosphorylated, as were its substrates p53, CHK2 and BRCA1. Phosphorylation of p53 at the N-terminus has previously been shown to disrupt the interaction between p53 and its ubiquitin ligase, MDM2, and therefore stabilizing p53. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis revealed that I3C reduced by 4-fold the level of MDM2 protein that associated with p53. The p53-MDM2 interaction and absence of p21 production were restored in cells treated with I3C and the ATM inhibitor wortmannin. Significantly, I3C does not increase the number of 53BP1 foci or H2AX phosphorylation, indicating that ATM is activated independent of DNA double-strand breaks. Taken together, our results demonstrate that I3C activates ATM signaling through a novel pathway to stimulate p53 phosphorylation and disruption of the p53-MDM2 interaction, which releases p53 to induce the p21 CDK inhibitor and a G1 cell cycle arrest.

Keratinocyte differentiation, adhesion and motility are directed by extracellular Ca2+ concentration increases, which in turn increase intracellular Ca2+ levels. Normal keratinocytes, in contrast to most non-excitable cells, require Ca2+ release from both Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores for efficient Ca2+ signaling. Dysfunction of the Golgi human secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase hSPCA1, encoded by ATP2C1, abrogates Ca2+ signaling and causes the acantholytic genodermatosis, Hailey-Hailey disease. We have examined the role of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store, established and maintained by the sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase SERCA2 encoded by ATP2A2, in Ca2+ signaling. Although previous studies have shown acute SERCA2 inactivation to abrogate Ca2+ signaling, we find that chronic inactivation of ATP2A2 in keratinocytes from patients with the similar acantholytic genodermatosis, Darier disease, does not impair the response to raised extracellular Ca2+ levels. This normal response is due to a compensatory upregulation of hSPCA1, as inactivating ATP2C1 expression with siRNA blocks the response to raised extracellular Ca2+ concentrations in both normal and Darier keratinocytes. ATP2C1 inactivation also diminishes Darier disease keratinocyte viability, suggesting that compensatory ATP2C1 upregulation maintains viability and partially compensates for defective endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase in Darier disease keratinocytes. Keratinocytes thus are unique among mammalian cells in their ability to use the Golgi Ca2+ store to mediate Ca2+ signaling.

Actin reorganization and the formation of adherens junctions are necessary for normal cell-to-cell adhesion in keratinocytes. Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) is blistering skin disease, resulting from mutations in the Ca2+ ATPase ATP2C1, which controls Ca2+ concentrations in the cytoplasm and Golgi of human keratinocytes. Because actin reorganization is among the first responses to raised cytoplasmic Ca2+, we examined Ca2+-induced actin reorganization in normal and HHD keratinocytes. Even though HHD keratinocytes display raised baseline cytoplasmic Ca2+, we found that actin reorganization in response to Ca2+ was impaired in HHD keratinocytes. Defects in actin reorganization were linked to a marked decrease in cellular ATP in HHD keratinocytes, which persists, in vivo, in HHD epidermis. Defective actin reorganization was reproduced in normal keratinocytes in which the intracellular ATP concentration had been lowered pharmacologically. ATP concentrations in undifferentiated keratinocytes markedly declined after extracellular Ca2+ was increased, but then recovered to a new baseline that was approximately 150% of the previous baseline. In contrast, ATP concentrations in HHD keratinocytes did not change in response to increased extracellular Ca2+. This report provides new insights into how the ATP2C1-controlled ATP metabolism mediates Ca2+-induced cell-to-cell adhesion in normal keratinocytes. In addition, these findings implicate inadequate ATP stores as an additional cause in the pathogenesis of HHD and suggest novel therapeutic options.

Although basal permeability barrier function is established at birth, the higher risk for infections, dermatitis, and percutaneous absorption of toxic agents may indicate incomplete permeability barrier maturation in the early neonatal period. Since stratum corneum (SC) acidification in adults is required for normal permeability barrier homeostasis, and lipid processing occurs via acidic pH dependent enzymes, we hypothesized that, in parallel with the less acidic surface pH, newborn SC would exhibit signs of incomplete barrier formation. Fluorescence lifetime imaging reveals that neonatal rat SC acidification first becomes evident by postnatal day 3, in extracellular "microdomains" at the SC- stratum granulosum (SG) interface, where pH-sensitive lipid processing is known to occur. This localized acidification correlated temporally with efficient processing of secreted lamellar body contents to mature extracellular lamellar bilayers. Since expression of the key acidifying mechanism NHE1 is maximal just prior to birth, and gradually declines over the first postnatal week, suboptimal SC acidification at birth cannot be attributed to insufficient NHE1 expression, but could instead reflect reduced NHE1 activity. Expression of the key lipid processing enzyme, beta-glucocerebrosidase (beta-GlcCer'ase), develops similar to NHE1, excluding a lack of beta-GlcCer'ase protein as rate limiting for efficient lipid processing. These results define a postnatal development consisting of initial acidification in the lower SC followed by outward progression, which is accompanied by formation of mature extracellular lamellar membranes. Thus, full barrier competence appears to require the extension of acidification in microdomains from the SC/SG interface outward toward the skin surface in the immediate postnatal period.