Serum biomarkers are urgently needed for patient stratification and efficient treatment monitoring in pancreatic cancer (PC). Within a prospective diagnostic observation study, blood samples were obtained from 78 patients with advanced PC before and weekly during the course of palliative chemotherapy. Circulating nucleosomes and immunogenic cell death markers, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), soluble receptors of advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) and DNAse activity, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and correlated with results of radiological staging after 2 months of treatment, with time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Median TTP and OS of PC patients were 3.9 and 7.7 months, respectively. Pretherapeutic baseline biomarker levels did not correlate with objective response; however, nucleosome levels on day (d) 28 were higher (p = 0.048) and sRAGE levels at time of staging (d56) were lower in progressive patients (p = 0.046). Concerning estimation of prognosis, high nucleosome levels (d7, d14, d21 and d56), low sRAGE levels (d56) and DNAse activity courses (d0-d7) correlated with TTP, whereas high nucleosomes (d7, d14 and d56), high HMGB1 (d21 and d56) and DNAse (d0-d7) were associated with OS. After adjustment to Karnofsky performance score, nucleosomes and HMGB1 (both d56) and DNAse (d0-d7) remained independent prognostic factors. Thus, courses of circulating nucleosomes and immunogenic cell death markers HMGB1 and sRAGE show prognostic relevance in PC patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Pyruvic acid, an intermediate metabolite of glucose, an effective scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha production and NF-kappaB signaling pathways, reduces circulating levels of HMGB1 (high mobility group B1), decreases COX-2 (cyclo-oxygenase-2), iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase), and IL-6 (interleukin-6) mRNA expression in liver, ileal mucosa, and colonic mucosa in animal models with endotoxemia. These studies suggest that pyruvate has potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Insulin influences the production of pyruvate by its action on glucose metabolism and pyruvate is an insulin secretagogue. This suggests that in metabolic syndrome X, obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cancer (where insulin resistance is common due to enhanced TNF-alpha production) pyruvate plays a role. This may have relevance to the use of glucose-insulin-potassium regimen in these clinical conditions, sepsis, and cancer.

The combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy is regarded as a promising approach for the treatment of certain types of cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be fully investigated to guide the design of more efficient protocols for cancer chemoimmunotherapy. It is well known that danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) can activate immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), via Toll-like receptors (TLRs); however, the role of DAMPs released from chemical drug-treated tumor cells in the activation of the immune response needs to be further elucidated. Here, we found that colorectal cancer (CRC) cells treated with oxaliplatin (OXA) and/or 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) released high levels of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). After OXA/5-Fu therapy, the sera of CRC patients also exhibited increased levels of HMGB1 and HSP70, both of which are well-known DAMPs. The supernatants of dying CRC cells treated with OXA/5-Fu promoted mouse and human DC maturation, with upregulation of HLA-DR, CD80 and CD86 expression and enhancement of IL-1β, TNF-α, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, RANTES and IP-10 production. Vaccines composed of DCs pulsed with the supernatants of chemically stressed CRC cells induced a more significant IFN-γ-producing Th1 response both in vitro and in vivo. However, the supernatants of chemically stressed CRC cells failed to induce phenotypic maturation and cytokine production in TLR4-deficient DCs, indicating an essential role of TLR4 in DAMP-induced DC maturation and activation. Furthermore, pulsing with the supernatants of chemically stressed CRC cells did not efficiently induce an IFN-γ-producing Th1 response in TLR4-deficient DCs. Collectively, these results demonstrate that DAMPs released from chemically stressed cancer cells can activate DCs via TLR4 and enhance the induction of an anti-tumor T-cell immune response, delineating a clinically relevant immuno-adjuvant pathway triggered by DAMPs.

Although RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene silencing provides a powerful strategy for modulating specific gene functions, difficulties associated with siRNA delivery have impeded the development of efficient therapeutic applications. In particular, the efficacy of siRNA delivery into neurons has been limited by extremely low transfection efficiencies. e-PAM-R is a biodegradable arginine ester of PAMAM dendrimer, which is readily degradable under physiological conditions (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C). In the present study, we investigated the efficiency of siRNA delivery by e-PAM-R in primary cortical cultures and in rat brain. e-PAM-R/siRNA complexes showed high transfection efficiencies and low cytotoxicities in primary cortical cultures. Localization of fluorescence-tagged siRNA revealed that siRNA was delivered not only into the nucleus and cytoplasm, but also along the processes of the neuron. e-PAM-R/siRNA complex-mediated target gene reduction was observed in over 40% of cells and it was persistent for over 48 h. The potential use of e-PAM-R was demonstrated by gene knockdown after transfecting High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1, a novel cytokine-like molecule) siRNA into H(2)O(2)- or NMDA-treated primary cortical cultures. In these cells, HMGB1 siRNA delivery successfully reduced both basal and H(2)O(2)- or NMDA-induced HMGB1 levels, and as a result of that, neuronal cell death was significantly suppressed in both cases. Furthermore, we showed that e-PAM-R successfully delivered HMGB1 siRNA into the rat brain, wherein HMGB1 expression was depleted in over 40% of neurons and astrocytes of the normal brain. Moreover, e-PAM-R-mediated HMGB1 siRNA delivery notably reduced infarct volume in the postischemic rat brain, which is generated by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 60 min. These results indicate that e-PAM-R, a novel biodegradable nonviral gene carrier, offers an efficient means of transfecting siRNA into primary neuronal cells and in the brain and of performing siRNA-mediated gene knockdown.

OBJECTIVE

In addition to the hyperactivation of the inflammatory cytokines, high-mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1), recently identified as a lethal late-phase mediator is suspected to be closely correlated with the development of sepsis. Therefore, the therapeutic efficacy of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (ART-123) administration on the production of inflammatory cytokines and the plasma level of HMGB1 was investigated in experimental endotoxemia.

METHODS

Prospective, comparative, experimental study.

METHODS

Laboratory animal research center at a university.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g).

METHODS

Endotoxemia was induced in rats by a bolus intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a dosage of 4 mg/kg (LPS group). ART-123 (1 mg/kg) was administered as a bolus injection 30 minutes before or 4 hours after injection of LPS (ART-123 pretreated/treated group). As a control, an equal volume of physiologic saline was administered instead of LPS and ART-123 (control group).

RESULTS

Rats were randomly divided into ART-123 pretreated group, ART-123 treated group, and LPS group, respectively. After the injection of LPS, the levels of inflammatory cytokines and thrombin-antithrombin III complex, plasma HMGB1 concentrations, liver immunohistochemical and histopathologic characteristics, liver dysfunction, and survival rate were examined. The increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and plasma HMGB1 induced by LPS in this rat model were improved by the administration of ART-123; additionally, reduced liver dysfunction and increased survival rate were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that ART-123 inhibits the expression of inflammatory cytokines and decreases the plasma HMGB1 levels in experimental endotoxemia. In addition, ART-123 administration markedly reduced liver dysfunction and mortality even with delayed treatment of ART-123. The use of ART-123 may therefore be a beneficial treatment for septic patients.

COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that mostly affects the respiratory system. The consequent inflammation is not able to clear viruses. The persistent excessive inflammatory response can build up a clinical picture that is very difficult to manage and potentially fatal. Modulating the immune response plays a key role in fighting the disease. One of the main defence systems is the activation of neutrophils that release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) under the stimulus of autophagy. Various molecules can induce NETosis and autophagy; some potent activators are damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and, in particular, the high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). This molecule is released by damaged lung cells and can induce a robust innate immunity response. The increase in HMGB1 and NETosis could lead to sustained inflammation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, blocking these molecules might be useful in COVID-19 treatment and should be further studied in the context of targeted therapy.

Despite the potent antiinflammatory effects of pharmacologically induced adenosine 5'-monophosphate kinase (AMPK) activation on Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-induced cellular activation, there is little evidence that AMPK is activated during inflammatory conditions. In the present studies, we examined mechanisms by which TLR4 engagement may affect the ability of AMPK to become activated in neutrophils and macrophages under in vitro conditions and in the lungs during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury. We found that incubation of neutrophils or macrophages with LPS diminished the ability of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR) or hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) to activate AMPK. Although ratios of AMP to adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) were increased in LPS-treated neutrophils and in the lungs of LPS exposed mice, a condition that should result in AMPK activation, no activation of AMPK was found. Immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis revealed that nuclear to cytosolic translocation of the proinflammatory mediator high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) correlated with inhibition of AMPK activation in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Moreover, while induced overexpression of HMGB1 resulted in inhibition of AMPK activation, Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-induced knockdown of HMGB1 was associated with enhanced activation of AMPK in macrophages incubated with AICAR. Increased interaction between liver kinase B1 (LKB1), an upstream activator of AMPK, and HMGB1 was found in LPS-stimulated macrophages and in the lungs of mice exposed to LPS. These results suggest that nuclear to cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 in TLR4-activated cells potentiates inflammatory responses by binding to LKB1, thereby inhibiting the antiinflammatory effects of AMPK activation.

EP is a potent inhibitor of HMGB1 release that has significant anti-inflammatory activities and exerts a protective effect in animal models of inflammation. As inflammation is linked to cancer growth, we hypothesized that EP would have anti-tumor activity and explored its effects in a liver tumor model. Mice injected intraportally with MC38 colorectal cancer cells led to the growth of visible hepatic tumors within 2 weeks. Pretreatment with EP 30 min prior to infusion of tumor cells and continuing daily for 9 days inhibited tumor growth significantly in a dose-dependent manner, with 80 mg/kg EP achieving >70% reduction in the number of tumor nodules when compared with untreated animals. Delayed treatment with EP also suppressed tumor growth significantly, although to a lesser extent. Tumors had early, marked leukocytic infiltrates, and EP administration decreased innate (NK cells, monocytes) and adaptive (T and B cell lymphocytic) immune cell infiltrates acutely and significantly in the liver. Serum IL-6 and HMGB1 levels, which were elevated following tumor injection, were decreased significantly in EP-treated animals. Tumors showed an increase in apoptosis in EP treated mice, and tumor cells treated in vitro with EP had marked increases in LC3-II and cleaved PARP, consistent with enhanced autophagic flux and apoptosis. Thus, EP inhibition of tumor growth in the liver was mediated by tumor (induction of apoptosis) and host (decreased inflammation) effects. EP administration may have a therapeutic role in the treatment of cancer in conjunction with other therapeutic agents.

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) undergoes acetylation, nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation, and release from stressed kidneys, unleashing a signaling cascade of events leading to systemic inflammation. Here, we tested whether the deacetylase activity of Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) participates in regulating nuclear retention of HMGB1 to ultimately modulate damage signaling initiated by HMGB1 secretion during stress. When immunoprecipitated acetylated HMGB1 was incubated with SIRT1, HMGB1 acetylation decreased by 57%. Proteomic analysis showed that SIRT1 deacetylates HMGB1 at four lysine residues (55, 88, 90, and 177) within the proinflammatory and nuclear localization signal domains of HMGB1. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of SIRT1 in endothelial cells increased HMGB1 acetylation and translocation. In vivo, deletion of SIRT1 reduced nuclear HMGB1 while increasing its acetylation and release into circulation during basal and ischemic conditions, causing increased renal damage. Conversely, resveratrol pretreatment led to decreased HMGB1 acetylation, its nuclear retention, decreased systemic release, and reduced tubular damage. Thus, a vicious cycle is set into motion in which the inflammation-induced repression of SIRT1 disables deacetylation of HMGB1, facilitates its nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation, and systemic release, thereby maintaining inflammation.

Sepsis is caused by an overwhelming immune response to bacterial infection. The discovery of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) as a late mediator of lethal sepsis has prompted investigation into the development of new therapeutics which specifically target this protein. Here, we show that chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, prevents lethality in mice with established endotoxemia or sepsis. This effect is still observed even if administration of chloroquine is delayed. The protective effects of chloroquine were mediated through inhibition of HMGB1 release in macrophages, monocytes, and endothelial cells, thereby preventing its cytokine-like activities. As an inhibitor of autophagy, chloroquine specifically inhibited HMGB1-induced Iκ-B degradation and NF-κB activation. These findings define a novel mechanism for the anti-inflammatory effects of chloroquine and also suggest a new potential clinical use for this drug in the setting of sepsis.

Extracellular high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1) has been implicated in the inflammation response leading to the precancerous lesions of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the role of HMGB-1 in the inflammation response in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells and its underlying mechanisms were still not fully understood. In this study, the inflammation response in NHBE cells was stimulated by 2.5, 5, and 10 μg/ml HMGB-1. However, the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) blocker RAGE-Ab (5 μg/ml) or 10 μM c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) inhibitor SP600125 could inhibit HMGB1-induced the release of inflammation cytokines including TNF-α, IL-8, IL-10, and MCP-1 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, HMGB1-induced RAGE protein expression, JNK and NF-κB activation were attenuated by the pretreatment with RAGE-Ab or JNK inhibitor SP600125 in Western blot analysis. Our data indicated that HMGB-1 induced inflammation response in NHBE cells through activating RAGE/JNK/NF-κB pathway. HMGB-1 could act as a therapeutic target for inflammation leading NHBE cells to the precancerous lesions of NSCLC.

High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), a nonhistone nuclear protein and a cytokine mediator, is implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Extracellular HMGB1 binds to its receptors and triggers downstream signal cascade leading to the perpetuation of synovitis and local tissue invasion. Here, we investigated a novel role of HMGB1 in regulating hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α to mediate angiogenesis in RA synovium. HIF-1α mRNA levels and activities in synovial fibroblasts from RA patients were enhanced by HMGB1. Pharmacological inhibition of TLR4 and NF-kappaB activation blocked the HMGB1-dependent upregulation of HIF-1α mRNA expression and its activity, suggesting the involvement of transcriptional regulation. HMGB1 stimulated expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and inhibition of HIF-1α attenuated HMGB1-induced VEGF. Conditioned media derived from HMGB1-stimulated synovial fibroblasts enhanced tube formation in human microvascular endothelial cells by upregulating HIF-1α. In the joint tissues of mice with collagen-induced arthritis, treatment with anti-HMGB1 neutralizing antibody prevented blood vessel formation in association with decreased expression of HIF-1α. These observations support the idea that increased HMGB1 induces an extension of inflamed synovium by accelerating angiogenesis in RA through enhancement of HIF-1α activation. Therefore, inhibition of HMGB1 could prove beneficial for the treatment of angiogenesis in RA.

Multicellular organisms have evolved systems/mechanisms to detect various forms of danger, including attack by microbial pathogens and a variety of pests, as well as tissue and cellular damage. Detection via cell-surface receptors activates an ancient and evolutionarily conserved innate immune system.

Potentially harmful microorganisms are recognized by the presence of molecules or parts of molecules that have structures or chemical patterns unique to microbes and thus are perceived as non-self/foreign. They are referred to as Microbe-Associated Molecular Patterns (MAMPs). Recently, a class of small molecules that is made only by nematodes, and that functions as pheromones in these organisms, was shown to be recognized by a wide range of plants. In the presence of these molecules, termed Nematode-Associated Molecular Patterns (NAMPs), plants activate innate immune responses and display enhanced resistance to a broad spectrum of microbial and nematode pathogens. In addition to pathogen attack, the relocation of various endogenous molecules or parts of molecules, generally to the extracellular milieu, as a result of tissue or cellular damage is perceived as a danger signal, and it leads to the induction of innate immune responses. These relocated endogenous inducers are called Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs).

This mini-review is focused on plant DAMPs, including the recently discovered Arabidopsis HMGB3, which is the counterpart of the prototypic animal DAMP HMGB1. The plant DAMPs will be presented in the context of plant MAMPs and NAMPs, as well as animal DAMPs.

Liver inflammation plays a critical role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) etiology. Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMP), such as high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and dysregulated miRNAs involved in inflammatory disease states, such as miR-21, may participate in the link between inflammation and cancer. We sought to determine the role of HMGB1 signaling in HCC tumor progression. We first document the concordant expression increase of HMGB1 and miR-21 in HCC cell lines and primary HCC tumor samples and subsequently show that HMGB1 stimulation results in overexpression of miR-21. These changes were found to be dependent on the IL6/STAT3 signaling axis. Invasion and migration of HCC cells in vitro were inhibited by both STAT3 and miR-21 antagonists, suggesting a role for this pathway in HCC tumor progression. We verified that HMGB1-induced expression of miR-21 in HCC provides a posttranscriptional repression of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors RECK and TIMP3, which are known to impact HCC progression and metastases. Finally, we found that inhibition of miR-21 in murine HMGB1-overexpressing HCC xenografts led to reduced tumor MMP activity through released repression of the miR-21 targets RECK and TIMP3, which ultimately impeded tumor progression. The prototypical DAMP, HMGB1, is released during liver inflammation and provides a favorable environment for HCC growth. HMGB1 signaling increases miR-21 expression to mediate the enhanced activity of MMPs through RECK and TIMP3. These findings provide a novel mechanism for HMGB1-mediated HCC progression through the IL6/Stat3-miR-21 axis.

Several kinase inhibitors that target aberrant signaling pathways in tumor cells have been deployed in cancer therapy. However, their impact on the tumor immune microenvironment remains poorly understood. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib showed striking responses in cancer clinical trial patients across several malignancies. Here, we show that cabozantinib rapidly eradicates invasive, poorly differentiated PTEN/p53-deficient murine prostate cancer. This was associated with enhanced release of neutrophil chemotactic factors from tumor cells, including CXCL12 and HMGB1, resulting in robust infiltration of neutrophils into the tumor. Critically, cabozantinib-induced tumor clearance in mice was abolished by antibody-mediated granulocyte depletion or HMGB1 neutralization or blockade of neutrophil chemotaxis with the CXCR4 inhibitor plerixafor. Collectively, these data demonstrate that cabozantinib triggers a neutrophil-mediated anticancer innate immune response, resulting in tumor clearance.Significance: This study is the first to demonstrate that a tyrosine kinase inhibitor can activate neutrophil-mediated antitumor innate immunity, resulting in invasive cancer clearance. Cancer Discov; 7(7); 750-65. ©2017 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 653.

The multifunctional protein high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is expressed in hippocampus and cerebellum of adult mouse brain. Our aim was to determine whether HMGB1 affects glutamatergic transmission by monitoring neurotransmitter release from glial (gliosomes) and neuronal (synaptosomes) re-sealed subcellular particles isolated from cerebellum and hippocampus. HMGB1 induced release of the glutamate analogue [(3)H]d-aspartate form gliosomes in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas nerve terminals were insensitive to the protein. The HMGB1-evoked release of [(3)H]d-aspartate was independent of modifications of cytosolic Ca(2+) , but it was blocked by dl-threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartate (dl-TBOA), an inhibitor of glutamate transporters. HMGB1 also stimulated the release of endogenous glutamate in a Ca(2+)-independent and dl-TBOA-sensitive manner. These findings suggest the involvement of carrier-mediated release. Moreover, dihydrokainic acid, a selective inhibitor of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1), does not block the effect of HMGB1, indicating a role for the glial glutamate-aspartate transporter (GLAST) subtype in this response. We also demonstrate that HMGB1/glial particles association is promoted by Ca(2+). Furthermore, although HMGB1 can physically interact with GLAST and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), only its binding with RAGE is promoted by Ca(2+). These results suggest that the HMGB1 cytokine could act as a modulator of glutamate homeostasis in adult mammal brain.

Damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) are cellularly derived molecules that can initiate and perpetuate immune responses following trauma, ischemia and other types of tissue damage in the absence of pathogenic infection. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a prototypical DAMP and is associated with the hallmarks of cancer. Recently we found that HMGB1 release after chemotherapy treatment is a critical regulator of autophagy and a potential drug target for therapeutic interventions in leukemia. Overexpression of HMGB1 by gene transfection rendered leukemia cells resistant to cell death; whereas depletion or inhibition of HMGB1 and autophagy by RNA interference or pharmacological inhibitors increased the sensitivity of leukemia cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. HMGB1 release sustains autophagy as assessed by microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) lipidation, redistribution of LC3 into cytoplasmic puncta, degradation of p62 and accumulation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. Moreover, these data suggest a role for HMGB1 in the regulation of autophagy through the PI3KC3-MEKERK: pathway, supporting the notion that HMGB1-induced autophagy promotes tumor resistance to chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an active receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE), functions as a potent proinflammatory cytokine-like factor that contributes to the pathogenesis of vasculature. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with accelerated development of both microvascular and macrovascular disease and increases the risk of ischemic stroke. Using a model of streptozotocin-induced type-1 diabetes (T1DM) in rats, we investigated the changes in HMGB and RAGE and tested the effects of Niaspan, a slow release form of niacin, on the expression of pro-inflammatory proteins in rats after stroke.

METHODS

T1DM rats were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and treated without or with Niaspan (40 mg/kg) daily for 14 days after MCAo. Non-streptozotocin rats (WT) were also subjected to MCAo. Immunostaining for inflammatory mediators including HMGB1, RAGE, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) immunostaining (n=8/group) and Western blotting (n=4/group) were performed.

RESULTS

Compared to WT-MCAo rats, T1DM-MCAo rats showed an increased expression of HMGB1 (0.82±0.07 vs. 1.81±0.98, P<0.05), RAGE (1.31±0.22 vs. 3.77±0.72, P<0.05), MMP-9 (0.74±0.08 vs. 1.61±0.09, P<0.05) and TLR4 (2.85±0.22 vs. 6.72±0.44, P<0.05) after stroke. Niaspan treatment significantly attenuated the expression of HMGB1 (1.80±0.98 vs. 1.31±0.01, P<0.05), RAGE (3.77±0.71 vs. 1.78±0.45, P<0.05), MMP-9 (1.61±0.09 vs. 0.97±0.07, P<0.05) and TLR4 (6.72±0.44 vs. 2.28±0.43, P<0.05) in the ischemic brain in T1DM-MCAo rats.

CONCLUSIONS

T1DM increases HMGB1/RAGE, TLR4 and MMP-9 expression after stroke. Niaspan treatment of stroke in T1DM rats inhibits HMGB1/RAGE, TLR4 and MMP-9 expression which may contribute to the reduced inflammatory response after stroke in T1DM rats.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cancer to cause death due to advanced stage at diagnosis and poor response to current treatment. Autophagy is the lysosome-mediated degradation pathway which plays a critical role in cellular defense, quality control, and energy metabolism. Targeting autophagy is now an exciting field for translational cancer research, as autophagy dysfunction is among the hallmarks of cancer. Pancreatic tumors have elevated autophagy under basal conditions when compared with other epithelial cancers. This review describes our current understanding of the interaction between autophagy and pancreatic cancer development, including risk factors (e.g., pancreatitis, smoking, and alcohol use), tumor microenvironment (e.g., hypoxia and stromal cells), and molecular biology (e.g., K-Ras and p53) of pancreatic cancer. The importance of the HMGB1-RAGE pathway in regulation of autophagy and pancreatic cancer is also presented. Finally, we describe current studies involving autophagy inhibition using either pharmacological inhibitors (e.g., chloroquine) or RNA interference of essential autophagy genes that regulate chemotherapy sensitivity in pancreatic cancer. Summarily, autophagy plays multiple roles in the regulation of pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and treatment, although the exact mechanisms remain unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the expression of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) and the modulating effects on its downstream cytokines in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls.

METHODS

HMGB1 concentrations in serum from SLE patients and controls were measured by immunoblot analysis. HMGB1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Immunofluorescence assay was employed to examine the translocation of HMGB1 in monocytes after endotoxin stimulation. Release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) by PBMC after rHMGB1 stimulation was also measured.

RESULTS

Serum HMGB1 levels and HMGB1 mRNA expressions in PBMC were elevated in SLE patients compared with controls. A positive correlation was demonstrated between HMGB1 concentrations and SLE Disease Activity Index. There was an inverse correlation between HMGB1 levels and C4 and C3 concentrations in SLE patients. HMGB1 concentrations were higher in patients with vasculitis and myositis. Lipopolysaccharide stimulated a temporarily elevated release of HMGB1 in SLE patients compared with controls. The pattern and localization of HMGB1 staining in monocytes were similar in both groups. After stimulation with rHMGB1, TNF-alpha level decreased but IL-6 level increased in SLE patients compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that increased serum levels of HMGB1 in SLE may be associated with lupus disease activity. The altered production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in response to rHMGB1 stimulation may participate in the disruption of cytokine homeostasis in SLE.

One particular strategy to render anticancer therapies efficient consists of converting the patient's own tumor cells into therapeutic vaccines, via the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD). One of the hallmarks of ICD dwells in the active release of ATP by cells committed to undergo, but not yet having succumbed to, apoptosis. We observed that the knockdown of essential autophagy-related genes (ATG3, ATG5, ATG7 and BECN1) abolishes the pre-apoptotic secretion of ATP by several human and murine cancer cell lines undergoing ICD. Accordingly, autophagy-competent, but not autophagy-deficient, tumor cells treated with ICD inducers in vitro could induce a tumor-specific immune response in vivo. Cancer cell lines stably depleted of ATG5 or ATG7 normally generate tumors in vivo, and such autophagy-deficient neoplasms, upon systemic treatment with ICD inducers, exhibit the same levels of apoptosis (as monitored by nuclear shrinkage and caspase-3 activation) and necrosis (as determined by following the kinetics of HMGB1 release) as their autophagy-proficient counterparts. However, autophagy-incompetent cancers fail to release ATP, to recruit immune effectors into the tumor bed and to respond to chemotherapy in conditions in which autophagy-competent tumors do so. The intratumoral administration of ecto-ATPase inhibitors increases extracellular ATP concentrations, re-establishes the therapy-induced recruitment of dendritic cells and T cells into the tumor bed, and restores the chemotherapeutic response of autophagy-deficient cancers. Altogether, these results suggest that autophagy-incompetent tumor cells escape from chemotherapy-induced (and perhaps natural?) immunosurveillance because they are unable to release ATP.

Inflammatory damage plays an important role in cerebral ischemic pathogenesis. HMGB1-induced NF-kappaB activation pathway has been gaining recognition as a key contributor to the proinflammatory response. Tanshinone II A (Tan II A) has been proved to elicit a series of biologic effects through its antiinflammatory property. But the mechanism underlying is poorly understood. This study evaluated the Tan II A's protective role in cerebral ischemia and its potential mechanism. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to pMCAO. Experiment 1 was used to evaluate the longitudinal expression of HMGB1, RAGE and TLR4 and NF-kappaB in the cerebral ischemia. Experiment 2 was used to detect Tan II A's neuroprotection. At 24 h after pMCAO, neurologic deficit, brain water content and infarct size were measured. Immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, Western blot and confocal microscope were used to analyze the expression of HMGB1, RAGE, TLR4 and NF-kappaB. Experiment 3 was used to detect Tan II A's influence on BBB. The expressions of HMGB1, TLR4, RAGE and NF-kappaB were up-regulated in ischemic brain. Compared with pMCAO group, the expressions of these factors significantly decreased in Tan II A-H group, the neurologic deficit, infarct volume and brain water content were alleviated (P<0.05) and claudin-5 was predominantly expressed in brain capillaries. Tan II A protected the brain from damage caused by pMCAO; this effect may be through down-regulation of HMGB1, RAGE and TLR4, NF-kappaB and up-regulation claudin-5 expression.

A combined transcriptome and proteome analysis was carried out to identify key genes and proteins differentially expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells producing high and low levels of dhfr-GFP fusion protein. Comparison of transcript levels was performed using a proprietary 15K CHO cDNA microarray chip, whereas proteomic analysis was performed using iTRAQ quantitative protein profiling technique. Microarray analysis revealed 77 differentially expressed genes, with 53 genes upregulated and 24 genes downregulated. Proteomic analysis gave 75 and 80 proteins for the midexponential and stationary phase, respectively. Although there was a general lack of correlation between mRNA levels and quantitated protein abundance, results from both datasets concurred on groups of proteins/genes based on functional categorization. A number of genes (20%) and proteins (45 and 23%) were involved in processes related to protein biosynthesis. We also identified three genes/proteins involved in chromatin modification. Enzymes responsible for opening up chromatin, Hmgn3 and Hmgb1, were upregulated whereas enzymes that condense chromatin, histone H1.2, were downregulated. Genes and proteins that promote cell growth (Igfbp4, Ptma, S100a6, and Lgals3) were downregulated, whereas those that deter cell growth (Ccng2, Gsg2, and S100a11) were upregulated. Other main groups of genes and proteins include carbohydrate metabolism, signal transduction, and transport. Our findings show that an integrated genomic and proteomics approach can be effectively utilized to monitor transcriptional and posttranscriptional events of mammalian cells in culture.