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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Cdk Inhibitors (P16/P19/P21) Induce Senescence And Autophagy In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts, "Fueling" Tumor Growth Via Paracrine Interactions, Without An Increase In Neo-Angiogenesis., Claudia Capparelli, Barbara Chiavarina, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Timothy G Pestell, Richard Pestell, James Hulit, Sebastiano Andò, Anthony Howell, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti Oct 2012

Cdk Inhibitors (P16/P19/P21) Induce Senescence And Autophagy In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts, "Fueling" Tumor Growth Via Paracrine Interactions, Without An Increase In Neo-Angiogenesis., Claudia Capparelli, Barbara Chiavarina, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Timothy G Pestell, Richard Pestell, James Hulit, Sebastiano Andò, Anthony Howell, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Here, we investigated the compartment-specific role of cell cycle arrest and senescence in breast cancer tumor growth. For this purpose, we generated a number of hTERT-immortalized senescent fibroblast cell lines overexpressing CDK inhibitors, such as p16(INK4A), p19(ARF) or p21(WAF1/CIP1). Interestingly, all these senescent fibroblast cell lines showed evidence of increased susceptibility toward the induction of autophagy (either at baseline or after starvation), as well as significant mitochondrial dysfunction. Most importantly, these senescent fibroblasts also dramatically promoted tumor growth (up to ~2-fold), without any comparable increases in tumor angiogenesis. Conversely, we generated human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 cells) overexpressing CDK inhibitors, …


Metabolic Remodeling Of The Tumor Microenvironment: Migration Stimulating Factor (Msf) Reprograms Myofibroblasts Toward Lactate Production, Fueling Anabolic Tumor Growth., Valentina Carito, Gloria Bonuccelli, Ubaldo E Martinez-Outschoorn, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Maria Cristina Caroleo, Erika Cione, Anthony Howell, Richard G Pestell, Michael P. Lisanti, Federica Sotgia Sep 2012

Metabolic Remodeling Of The Tumor Microenvironment: Migration Stimulating Factor (Msf) Reprograms Myofibroblasts Toward Lactate Production, Fueling Anabolic Tumor Growth., Valentina Carito, Gloria Bonuccelli, Ubaldo E Martinez-Outschoorn, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Maria Cristina Caroleo, Erika Cione, Anthony Howell, Richard G Pestell, Michael P. Lisanti, Federica Sotgia

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Migration stimulating factor (MSF) is a genetically truncated N-terminal isoform of fibronectin that is highly expressed during mammalian development in fetal fibroblasts, and during tumor formation in human cancer-associated myofibroblasts. However, its potential functional role in regulating tumor metabolism remains unexplored. Here, we generated an immortalized fibroblast cell line that recombinantly overexpresses MSF and studied their properties relative to vector-alone control fibroblasts. Our results indicate that overexpression of MSF is sufficient to confer myofibroblastic differentiation, likely via increased TGF-b signaling. In addition, MSF activates the inflammation-associated transcription factor NFκB, resulting in the onset of autophagy/mitophagy, thereby driving glycolytic metabolism (L-lactate …


Mitochondrial Fission Induces Glycolytic Reprogramming In Cancer-Associated Myofibroblasts, Driving Stromal Lactate Production, And Early Tumor Growth., Carmela Guido, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Zhao Lin, Richard G Pestell, Anthony Howell, Teresa A Zimmers, Mathew C Casimiro, Saveria Aquila, Sebastiano Ando', Ubaldo E Martinez-Outschoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P Lisanti Aug 2012

Mitochondrial Fission Induces Glycolytic Reprogramming In Cancer-Associated Myofibroblasts, Driving Stromal Lactate Production, And Early Tumor Growth., Carmela Guido, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Zhao Lin, Richard G Pestell, Anthony Howell, Teresa A Zimmers, Mathew C Casimiro, Saveria Aquila, Sebastiano Ando', Ubaldo E Martinez-Outschoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P Lisanti

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Recent studies have suggested that cancer cells behave as metabolic parasites, by inducing oxidative stress in adjacent normal fibroblasts. More specifically, oncogenic mutations in cancer cells lead to ROS production and the "secretion" of hydrogen peroxide species. Oxidative stress in stromal fibroblasts then induces their metabolic conversion into cancer-associated fibroblasts. Such oxidative stress drives the onset of autophagy, mitophagy, and aerobic glycolysis in fibroblasts, resulting in the local production of high-energy mitochondrial fuels (such as L-lactate, ketone bodies, and glutamine). These recycled nutrients are then transferred to cancer cells, where they are efficiently burned via oxidative mitochondrial metabolism (OXPHOS). We …


Two-Compartment Tumor Metabolism: Autophagy In The Tumor Microenvironment And Oxidative Mitochondrial Metabolism (Oxphos) In Cancer Cells., Ahmed F Salem, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Zhao Lin, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Herbert B Tanowitz, Mazhar Salim Al-Zoubi, Anthony Howell, Richard Pestell, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti Jul 2012

Two-Compartment Tumor Metabolism: Autophagy In The Tumor Microenvironment And Oxidative Mitochondrial Metabolism (Oxphos) In Cancer Cells., Ahmed F Salem, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Zhao Lin, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Herbert B Tanowitz, Mazhar Salim Al-Zoubi, Anthony Howell, Richard Pestell, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Previously, we proposed a new paradigm to explain the compartment-specific role of autophagy in tumor metabolism. In this model, autophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction in the tumor stroma promotes cellular catabolism, which results in the production of recycled nutrients. These chemical building blocks and high-energy "fuels" would then drive the anabolic growth of tumors, via autophagy resistance and oxidative mitochondrial metabolism in cancer cells. We have termed this new form of stromal-epithelial metabolic coupling: "two-compartment tumor metabolism." Here, we stringently tested this energy-transfer hypothesis, by genetically creating (1) constitutively autophagic fibroblasts, with mitochondrial dysfunction or (2) autophagy-resistant cancer cells, with increased …


Autophagy And Senescence In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Metabolically Supports Tumor Growth And Metastasis Via Glycolysis And Ketone Production., Claudia Capparelli, Carmela Guido, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Phd, Gloria Bonuccelli, Renee Balliet, Timothy G Pestell, Allison F Goldberg, Richard Pestell, Anthony Howell, Sharon Sneddon, Ruth Birbe, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti Jun 2012

Autophagy And Senescence In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Metabolically Supports Tumor Growth And Metastasis Via Glycolysis And Ketone Production., Claudia Capparelli, Carmela Guido, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Phd, Gloria Bonuccelli, Renee Balliet, Timothy G Pestell, Allison F Goldberg, Richard Pestell, Anthony Howell, Sharon Sneddon, Ruth Birbe, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Senescent fibroblasts are known to promote tumor growth. However, the exact mechanism remains largely unknown. An important clue comes from recent studies linking autophagy with the onset of senescence. Thus, autophagy and senescence may be part of the same physiological process, known as the autophagy-senescence transition (AST). To test this hypothesis, human fibroblasts immortalized with telomerase (hTERT-BJ1) were stably transfected with autophagy genes (BNIP3, CTSB or ATG16L1). Their overexpression was sufficient to induce a constitutive autophagic phenotype, with features of mitophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction and a shift toward aerobic glycolysis, resulting in L-lactate and ketone body production. Autophagic fibroblasts also showed …


Ctgf Drives Autophagy, Glycolysis And Senescence In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Via Hif1 Activation, Metabolically Promoting Tumor Growth., Claudia Capparelli, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Carmela Guido, Renee Balliet, Timothy G Pestell, Anthony Howell, Sharon Sneddon, Richard Pestell, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Michael P. Lisanti, Federica Sotgia Jun 2012

Ctgf Drives Autophagy, Glycolysis And Senescence In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Via Hif1 Activation, Metabolically Promoting Tumor Growth., Claudia Capparelli, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Carmela Guido, Renee Balliet, Timothy G Pestell, Anthony Howell, Sharon Sneddon, Richard Pestell, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Michael P. Lisanti, Federica Sotgia

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Previous studies have demonstrated that loss of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in stromal cells drives the activation of the TGF-β signaling, with increased transcription of TGF-β target genes, such as connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). In addition, loss of stromal Cav-1 results in the metabolic reprogramming of cancer-associated fibroblasts, with the induction of autophagy and glycolysis. However, it remains unknown if activation of the TGF-β / CTGF pathway regulates the metabolism of cancer-associated fibroblasts. Therefore, we investigated whether CTGF modulates metabolism in the tumor microenvironment. For this purpose, CTGF was overexpressed in normal human fibroblasts or MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Overexpression of …


Changes In Expression Of Genes Associated With Autophagy And Apoptosis In Neuronal Cells Infected With Hsv-1may Suggest Infection-Induced Mechanisms Of Neurodegeneration, Alexis Mark, Fiora D. Zoga, Brian J. Balin Phd, Denah M. Appelt Phd, Susan T. Hingley May 2012

Changes In Expression Of Genes Associated With Autophagy And Apoptosis In Neuronal Cells Infected With Hsv-1may Suggest Infection-Induced Mechanisms Of Neurodegeneration, Alexis Mark, Fiora D. Zoga, Brian J. Balin Phd, Denah M. Appelt Phd, Susan T. Hingley

Research Day

Background:This study investigates the potential role of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), by exploring changes in gene expression related to antiviral immunity and the autophagic pathway. Autophagy is a process that recycles organelles and proteins to create more energy for the cell. This pathway has been linked to neurodegeneration, as malfunctions in the completion of this process lead to a decline in overall cellular health and function. Interestingly, HSV-1 has been shown to block the completion of autophagy, which would potentially contribute to the cytopathic changes observed …


Radiation Sensitization Of Breast Cancer Cells By Vitamin D Through The Promotion Of Autophagic Cell Death, Eden Wilson May 2012

Radiation Sensitization Of Breast Cancer Cells By Vitamin D Through The Promotion Of Autophagic Cell Death, Eden Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

Radiation therapy is a widely used tool in cancer therapy and is frequently offered as the first line of treatment for cancers of the breast. While radiotherapy is often initially effective in killing tumor cells or suppressing their growth, there are factors that confer tumor cell resistance to irradiation. Development of resistance may lead to disease recurrence despite the use of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. A primary goal of the studies in Dr. Gewirtz’s laboratory is to develop strategies to overcome resistance to radiation (and chemotherapy) in breast cancer, with the ultimate goal of preventing or attenuating disease recurrence. …


The Graded Redefined Assessment Of Strength Sensibility And Prehension: Reliability And Validity., Sukhvinder Kalsi-Ryan, Dorcas Beaton, Armin Curt, Susan Duff, Milos R Popovic, Claudia Rudhe, Michael G Fehlings, Mary C Verrier Mar 2012

The Graded Redefined Assessment Of Strength Sensibility And Prehension: Reliability And Validity., Sukhvinder Kalsi-Ryan, Dorcas Beaton, Armin Curt, Susan Duff, Milos R Popovic, Claudia Rudhe, Michael G Fehlings, Mary C Verrier

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

Abstract With the advent of new interventions targeted at both acute and chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), it is critical that techniques and protocols are developed that reliably evaluate changes in upper limb impairment/function. The Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength Sensibility and Prehension (GRASSP) protocol, which includes five subtests, is a quantitative clinical upper limb impairment measure designed for use in acute and chronic cervical SCI. The objectives of this study were to: (1) establish the inter-rater and test-retest reliability, and (2) establish the construct and concurrent validity with the International Standards of Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI), …


Mnsod And Autophagy In Prevention Of Oxidative Mitochondrial Injuries Induced By Uvb In Murine Skin, Vasudevan Bakthavatchalu Jan 2012

Mnsod And Autophagy In Prevention Of Oxidative Mitochondrial Injuries Induced By Uvb In Murine Skin, Vasudevan Bakthavatchalu

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

UVB radiation is a known environmental carcinogen that causes DNA damage and increase ROS generation in mitochondria. Accumulating evidence suggests that mtDNA damage and increased ROS generation trigger mitochondrial translocation of p53. Within mitochondria, p53 interacts with nucleoid macromolecular complexes such as mitochondrial antioxidant MnSOD, mitochondrial DNA polymerase Polγ, and mtDNA. Mitochondria are considered to be a potential source for damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as mtDNA, cytochrome C, ATP, and formyl peptides. Intracytoplasmic release of DAMPs can trigger inflammasome formation and programmed cell death processes. Autophagic clearance of mitochondria with compromised integrity can inhibit inflammatory and cell death processes. …


Mitochondrial Morphology And Function In Neuronal Cells Under Stress, Lonnie Schneider Jan 2012

Mitochondrial Morphology And Function In Neuronal Cells Under Stress, Lonnie Schneider

All ETDs from UAB

Neurodegenerative disease encompasses a wide range of conditions and pathologies that can manifest at any age depending on the etiology. A major factor in both early onset and age-related neurodegeneration is mitochondrial dysfunction. To investigate how mitochondrial bioenergetics is affected by cellular stress, we used an in vitro culture system to examine mitochondrial function in response to oxidative stress. We also studied an in vivo model of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis to determine the impact of deficient autophagy-lysosomal activity on mitochondrial morphology, composition and function. In vitro we found that retinoic acid-induced differentiation of dopaminergic neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells exhibited increased mitochondrial …


Regulation Of Cell Death By Autophagy In Glial Neoplasms, Latika R. Kohli Jan 2012

Regulation Of Cell Death By Autophagy In Glial Neoplasms, Latika R. Kohli

All ETDs from UAB

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive malignancies of the peripheral nervous system. The majority of MPNSTs arise in patients of the autosomal dominant genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) although they also arise sporadically. In the absence of any effective chemotherapeutic options and with surgery constituting the mainstay of treatment, MPNST patients face an extremely poor prognosis. This underscores the need to develop novel therapeutic strategies against this tumor type. It is well accepted that the crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis can be exploited to derive maximal therapeutic benefit, especially through combinatorial therapies. However, this interaction is extremely …


Modulation Of Alpha-Synuclein Metabolism And Toxicity By Cathepsin D, Donna Marlana Crabtree Jan 2012

Modulation Of Alpha-Synuclein Metabolism And Toxicity By Cathepsin D, Donna Marlana Crabtree

All ETDs from UAB

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most commonly occurring neurodegenerative movement disorder, and aberrant accumulation of the protein α-synuclein is thought to be a major contributing factor in disease development. Dysfunction of the autophagy lysosome pathway (ALP) has been implicated in PD pathogenesis. Our lab and others have shown that the lysosomal enzyme cathepsin D (CD) is an important regulator of α-synuclein degradation. The primary focus of this thesis is probing the structure/function dynamic that exists between α-synuclein and CD. We have found that lentiviral-mediated over expression of wild type CD (wtCD) leads to subtle alterations in the ALP in a …