Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027819 (neuroblastoma)
 27,800 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a neuroectodermal tumor that affects children in the first years of life. Half of NB cases present with metastatic disease at diagnosis and have a poor prognosis, in spite of the most advanced chemotherapeutic protocols combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Among the new avenues for NB treatment that are being explored, immunotherapy has attracted much interest. Emphasis has been placed on monoclonal antibodies directed to tumor-associated antigens--in particular the disialoganglioside GD2--that have been tested in the clinical setting with promising results. In addition, stimulation of cell-mediated antitumor effector mechanisms have been attempted-for example, by recombinant interleukin (IL)-2 administration. Nonetheless, the issue of the immunogenicity of human NB cells has never been thoroughly addressed. Here we shall review the work carried out in our lab in recent years and show that NB cells express tumor-associated antigens, such as MAGE-3, but lack constitutive expression of costimulatory molecules and surface HLA class I and II molecules. As such, NB cells are likely to be ignored by the host T cell compartment, since expression of HLA and costimulatory molecules on antigen presenting cells are sine qua non conditions for efficient peptide presentation to T cells and for the subsequent activation and clonal expansion of the latter cells. Notably, in vitro experiments with NB cell lines demonstrated that surface HLA class I molecules and the CD40 costimulatory molecule were upregulated following cell incubation with recombinant interferon-gamma. Interaction of CD40 with recombinant CD40 ligand induced apoptosis of NB cells through a caspase 8-dependent mechanism. Collectively, these results indicate that the immunogenicity of human NB cells is very low but suggest that manipulation by cytokine administration or gene transfer can increase their immunogenic potential. On the other hand, NB cells represent an excellent target for natural killer cells, the potential role of which in immunotherapy of NB is now being investigated.
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PMID:Immunogenicity of human neuroblastoma. 1565 Feb 33

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a solid tumor of infancy that presents a high rate of spontaneous regression, a phenomenon that likely reflects the activation of an apoptotic/differentiation program. Indeed, the level of expression of molecules involved in the regulation of apoptosis, such as p73 or survivin, is a prognostic factor in NB patients. The caspase-8 gene (CASP8) encodes a key enzyme at the top of the apoptotic cascade. Although methylation of a putative regulatory region of the CASP8 gene reportedly inhibits its transcription in some MYCN-amplified NB, our results indicate that the transcriptional inactivation of caspase-8 occurs in a subset of primary NB independently of MYCN amplification or CpG methylation. In addition, the apoptotic agent fenretinide (4HPR) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) induce caspase-8 expression without modifying the methylation status of this gene. Nevertheless, the methylation level of CASP8 intragenic and promoter regions is higher in MYCN-amplified tumors as compared to nonamplified samples. This phenomenon might reflect the existence of distinct DNA methylation errors in MYCN-amplified and MYCN-single copy tumors. To gain information on the mechanisms that regulate the expression of this crucial apoptotic gene, we searched for potential CASP8 regulatory regions and cloned a DNA element at the 5' terminus of this gene that functionally acts as a promoter only in NB cell lines that express caspase-8. The retinoic acid analogue 4HPR, IFN-gamma, and the demethylating agent 5-aza-cytidine activate this promoter in NB cells that lack endogenous caspase-8, indicating that this element may regulate both constitutive and inducible CASP8 expression. These results indicate also that demethylation of the cellular genome may upregulate CASP8 through the action of trans-acting factors. Our results provide new insights to the regulation of CASP8, a gene with an essential role in a variety of physiologic and pathologic conditions.
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PMID:Caspase-8 gene expression in neuroblastoma. 1565 Feb 42

Mechanisms related to the neuropathogenesis of enterovirus 71 infection remain unclear. This investigation conducts a comprehensive study of the apoptotic pathways in neural and non-neural cells following enterovirus 71 infection. Infections with enterovirus 71 not only induce classical cytopathic effects in SF268 (human glioblastoma), SK-N-MC (human neuroblastoma), RD, and Vero cells, but also induce classic signs of apoptosis in all cells, including DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine translocation. Apoptosis has also been caused by the efflux of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and subsequently by cleavage of caspase 9 in all cells. Activation of caspase 8 followed by cleavage of the proapoptotic protein Bid only occurs in non-neural cells. Results of this study demonstrate that a mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis mediated by activation and cleavage of caspase 9 is a main pathway in enterovirus 71-induced apoptosis, especially for enterovirus 71-infected neural cells.
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PMID:Diverse apoptotic pathways in enterovirus 71-infected cells. 1576 5

CTLA-4 (CD152) is a cell surface receptor that behaves as a negative regulator of the proliferation and the effector function of T cells. We have previously shown that CTLA-4 is also expressed on neoplastic lymphoid and myeloid cells, and it can be targeted to induce apoptosis. In our study, we have extended our analysis and have discovered that surface expression of CTLA-4 is detectable by flow cytometry on 30 of 34 (88%) cell lines derived from a variety of human malignant solid tumors including carcinoma, melanoma, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and osteosarcoma (but not in primary osteoblast-like cultures). However, by reverse transcriptase-PCR, CTLA-4 expression was detected in all cell lines. We have also found, by immunohistochemistry, cytoplasmic and surface expression of CTLA-4 in the tumor cells of all 6 osteosarcoma specimens examined and in the tumour cells of all 5 cases (but only weakly or no positivity at all in neighbouring nontumor cells) of ductal breast carcinomas. Treatment of cells from CTLA-4-expressing tumor lines with recombinant forms of the CTLA-4-ligands CD80 and CD86 induced apoptosis associated with sequential activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3. The level of apoptosis was reduced by soluble CTLA-4 and by anti-CTLA-4 scFvs antibodies. The novel finding that CTLA-4 molecule is expressed and functional on human tumor cells opens up the possibility of antitumor therapeutic intervention based on targeting this molecule.
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PMID:CTLA-4 is constitutively expressed on tumor cells and can trigger apoptosis upon ligand interaction. 1591 38

Vitamin E (VE) analogues, epitomized by alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TOS), are potent inducers of apoptosis and anti-cancer agents. Here, we tested their effect on the highly malignant N-type neuroblastoma (Nb) cells and their differentiated, neurone-like counterparts. Nb cells were highly susceptible to several VE analogues, while differentiated Nb cells were relatively resistant to alpha-TOS. The importance of caspase-9 rather than caspase-8, as judged by specific siRNAs studies, together with the loss of the inner mitochondrial potential, suggests that alpha-TOS triggers apoptosis in Nb cells via the mitochondrial pathway. Cultured Nb cells were sensitized to alpha-TOS by pre-treatment with Bcl-2, Bcl-xL or Mcl-1 siRNAs, while the malignant cell line was more resistant to the vitamin E analogue when Bax was knocked down. In contrast, overexpression of Bcl-2 in Nb cells rendered them more resistant to alpha-TOS-induced apoptosis. The resistance of differentiated Nb cells to alpha-TOS-mediated apoptosis occurred via two modes: first, by up-regulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins and second, by accumulation of decreased levels of reactive oxygen species when challenged with alpha-TOS. We conclude that alpha-TOS is highly selective in killing malignant brain cancer cells while relatively inert toward differentiated neuronal cells, and that vitamin E analogues may be novel therapeutics for the treatment of tumours such as neuroblastomas.
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PMID:Alpha-tocopheryl succinate selectively induces apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells: potential therapy of malignancies of the nervous system? 1600 65

Fas and p75 neurotrophin receptors (p75(NTR)) are death receptors that alone induce apoptosis of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line respectively by Fas ligand or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a p75(NTR) ligand). We report on the modulation of Fas-mediated apoptosis by concomitant p75(NTR) activation. The exposure to both ligands suppressed the apoptotic effect. A co-localisation of Fas and p75(NTR) receptors was evidenced by co-capping and immunoprecipitation assays. Moreover, a caspase-8 inhibitor suppressed the protective effect of the concomitant BDNF and Fas ligand stimulation, suggesting that p75(NTR) and Fas receptors could share common signalling pathways.
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PMID:Modulation of Fas-induced apoptosis by p75 neurotrophin receptor in a human neuroblastoma cell line. 1621 72

There is a worldwide increasing concern over the neurological risks of thimerosal (ethylmercury thiosalicylate) which is an organic mercury compound that is commonly used as an antimicrobial preservative. In this study, we show that thimerosal, at nanomolar concentrations, induces neuronal cell death through the mitochondrial pathway. Thimerosal, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, decreased cell viability as assessed by calcein-ethidium staining and caused apoptosis detected by Hoechst 33258 dye. Thimerosal-induced apoptosis was associated with depolarization of mitochondrial membrane, generation of reactive oxygen species, and release of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria to cytosol. Although thimerosal did not affect cellular expression of Bax at the protein level, we observed translocation of Bax from cytosol to mitochondria. Finally, caspase-9 and caspase-3 were activated in the absence of caspase-8 activation. Our data suggest that thimerosal causes apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells by changing the mitochondrial microenvironment.
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PMID:Thimerosal induces neuronal cell apoptosis by causing cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor release from mitochondria. 1627 74

Resistance to current treatment regimens, such as radiation therapy, remains a major concern in oncology and may be caused by defects in apoptosis programs. Because inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), which are expressed at high levels in many tumors, block apoptosis at the core of the apoptotic machinery by inhibiting caspases, therapeutic modulation of IAPs could target a key control point in resistance. Here, we report for the first time that full-length or mature second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (Smac), an inhibitor of IAPs, significantly enhanced gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis and reduced clonogenic survival in neuroblastoma, glioblastoma, or pancreatic carcinoma cells. Notably, Smac had no effect on DNA damage/DNA repair, activation of nuclear factor-kappaB, up-regulation of p53 and p21 proteins, or cell cycle arrest following gamma-irradiation, indicating that Smac did not alter the initial damage and/or cellular stress response. Smac enhanced activation of caspase-2, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and cytochrome c release on gamma-irradiation. Inhibition of caspases also blocked gamma-irradiation-induced mitochondrial perturbations, indicating that Smac facilitated caspase activation, which in turn triggered a mitochondrial amplification loop. Interestingly, mitochondrial perturbations were completely blocked by the broad-range caspase inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone or the relatively selective caspase-2 inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Asp-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone, whereas caspase-8 or caspase-3 inhibitors only inhibited the increased drop of mitochondrial membrane potential provided by Smac, suggesting that caspase-2 was acting upstream of mitochondria after gamma-irradiation. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence that targeting IAPs (e.g., by Smac agonists) is a promising strategy to enhance radiosensitivity in human cancers.
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PMID:Sensitization for gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis by second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase. 1628 43

Caspase 8 is a key apoptotic factor in the receptor/ligand apoptosis-signaling cascade. Absent caspase 8 expression is shown to correlate with poor prognosis in neuroblastoma. Paradoxically, the caspase 8 gene can produce as plice variant and novel inhibitor of itself-caspase 8l. The presence of caspase 8 alone in tumors may not necessarily portend a good prognosis. We sought to determine whether caspase 8l is present in neuroblastoma and whether over-expression of this protein could inhibit caspase 8-dependent apoptosis. Six of 6 histologically undifferentiated and 2 of 5 differentiated neuroblastoma tumors expressed the caspase 8l isoform, whereas caspase 8l was absent in 3 of 3 ganglioneuromas. Seven human neuroblastoma cell lines were surveyed. Two of the 5 cell lines that expressed caspase 8 also expressed the caspase 8l isoform and both were of a less differentiated neuronal phenotype. Over-expression of caspase 8l in cell lines afforded protection against TRAIL, but not against etoposide induced apoptosis. Conversely, blockade of Caspase 8l in cells that express this splice variant made them more sensitive to apoptosis induced cell death. We demonstrate the caspase 8l isoform is present in neuroblastoma and appears to be associated with undifferentiated cell lines and tumors. Furthermore, it suppresses caspase 8-dependent apoptosis.
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PMID:Caspase 8L, a novel inhibitory isoform of caspase 8, is associated with undifferentiated neuroblastoma. 1637 45

Neuroblastoma, the most common paediatric solid tumour, arises from defective neural crest cells. Genetic alterations occur frequently in the most aggressive neuroblastomas. In particular, deletion or suppression of the proapoptotic enzyme caspase-8 is common in malignant, disseminated disease, although the effect of this loss on disease progression is unclear. Here we show that suppression of caspase-8 expression occurs during the establishment of neuroblastoma metastases in vivo, and that reconstitution of caspase-8 expression in deficient neuroblastoma cells suppressed their metastases. Caspase-8 status was not a predictor of primary tumour growth; rather, caspase-8 selectively potentiated apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells invading the collagenous stroma at the tumour margin. Apoptosis was initiated by unligated integrins by means of a process known as integrin-mediated death. Loss of caspase-8 or integrin rendered these cells refractory to integrin-mediated death, allowed cellular survival in the stromal microenvironment, and promoted metastases. These findings define caspase-8 as a metastasis suppressor gene that, together with integrins, regulates the survival and invasive capacity of neuroblastoma cells.
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PMID:Potentiation of neuroblastoma metastasis by loss of caspase-8. 1639


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