| 1. |
- Abrate, Alberto, et al.
(författare)
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Mesenchymal stem cells expressing therapeutic genes induce autochthonous prostate tumour regression
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cancer. - : Elsevier. - 0959-8049 .- 1879-0852. ; 50:14, s. 2478-2488
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) as vehicles of therapeutic genes represent a unique tool to activate drugs within a neoplastic mass due to their property to home and engraft into tumours. In particular, MSC expressing the cytosine deaminase:: uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (CD-MSC) have been previously demonstrated to inhibit growth of subcutaneous prostate cancer xenografts thanks to their ability to convert the non-toxic 5-fluorocytosine into the antineoplastic 5-fluorouracil. Since both the immune system and the tumour microenvironment play a crucial role in directing cancer progression, in order to advance towards clinical applications, we tested the therapeutic potential of this approach on animal models that develop autochthonous prostate cancer and preserve an intact immune system. As cell vectors, we employed adipose-tissue and bone-marrow MSC. CD-MSC toxicity on murine prostate cancer cells and tumour tropism were verified in vitro and ex-vivo before starting the preclinical studies. Magnetic Resonance Imaging was utilised to follow orthotopic tumour progression. We demonstrated that intravenous injections of CD-MSC cells, followed by intraperitoneal administration of 5-fluorocytosine, caused tumour regression in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) model, which develops aggressive and spontaneous prostate cancer. These results add new insights to the therapeutic potential of specifically engineered MSC in prostate cancer disease.
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| 2. |
- Bettiga, Arianna, et al.
(författare)
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Bladder cancer cell growth and motility implicate cannabinoid 2 receptor-mediated modifications of sphingolipids metabolism
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2045-2322. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The inhibitory effects demonstrated by activation of cannabinoid receptors (CB) on cancer proliferation and migration may also play critical roles in controlling bladder cancer (BC). CB expression on human normal and BC specimens was tested by immunohistochemistry. Human BC cells RT4 and RT112 were challenged with CB agonists and assessed for proliferation, apoptosis, and motility. Cellular sphingolipids (SL) constitution and metabolism were evaluated after metabolic labelling. CB1-2 were detected in BC specimens, but only CB2 was more expressed in the tumour. Both cell lines expressed similar CB2. Exposure to CB2 agonists inhibited BC growth, down-modulated Akt, induced caspase 3-activation and modified SL metabolism. Baseline SL analysis in cell lines showed differences linked to unique migratory behaviours and cytoskeletal re-arrangements. CB2 activation changed the SL composition of more aggressive RT112 cells by reducing (p amp;lt; 0.01) Gb3 ganglioside (-50 +/- 3%) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P, -40 +/- 4%), which ended up to reduction in cell motility (-46 +/- 5%) with inhibition of p-SRC. CB2-selective antagonists, gene silencing and an inhibitor of SL biosynthesis partially prevented CB2 agonist-induced effects on cell viability and motility. CB2 activation led to ceramide-mediated BC cell apoptosis independently of SL constitutive composition, which instead was modulated by CB2 agonists to reduce cell motility.
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| 3. |
- Castiglione, Fabio, et al.
(författare)
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Inhibition of Phosphodiesterase 4 Enhances Clitoral and Vaginal Blood Flow Responses to Dorsal Clitoral Nerve Stimulation or PGE1 in Anesthetized Female Rats
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Sexual Medicine. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1743-6095 .- 1743-6109. ; 10:4, s. 939-950
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction. Cyclic adenosine 35 monophosphate (cAMP) is produced by adenylate cyclase after activation by, e.g., vasoactive intestinal polypeptide or prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). The cAMP-degrading phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) is expressed in the vagina and clitoris, but no information is available on the functional role for PDE4-related signals in the female neurovascular genital response. Aim. The aim of this study is to study the effect of inhibition of PDE4 with rolipram on nerve- and PGE1-induced vaginal and clitoral blood flow responses of rat. Methods. Measure of clitoral and vaginal blood flow and blood pressure in anesthetized rats during activation of the dorsal clitoral nerve (DCN) before and after intraperitoneal administration of rolipram or sildenafil (phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors [PDE5]) and nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor). Effect by topical administration of PGE1 on genital blood flow was also evaluated. Main Outcome Measure. Blood flow was recorded as tissue perfusion units (TPU) by a Laser Doppler Flowmeter. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was recorded (cmH2O) in the carotid artery. Blood flow responses are expressed as TPU/MAP. Unpaired t-test and an analysis of variance were used. Results. Compared with control stimulations, rolipram (0.3mg/kg) caused a twofold increase in peak blood flow (Pandlt;0.05) and fourfold increase of the rate of clitoral blood flow during activation of the DCN (Pandlt;0.05). Simultaneously, a twofold increase in peak blood flow and threefold increase in rate of blood flow were noted in the vagina (Pandlt;0.05). Similar effects were noted for sildenafil (0.2mg/kg) (Pandlt;0.05). Inhibitory effects by L-NNA (60mg/kg) on blood flow responses to DCN activation were significantly lower for rats treated with rolipram than with sildenafil (Pandlt;0.05). PGE1-induced (10g) blood flow responses were significantly higher (Pandlt;0.05) in rats treated with rolipram than with sildenafil. Conclusions. These findings suggest that the cAMP/PDE4 system may be of similar functional importance as the nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate/PDE5 pathway for neurovascular genital responses of the female rat. Castiglione F, Bergamini A, Russo A, La Croce G, Castagna G, Colciago G, Salonia A, Rigatti P, Montorsi F, and Hedlund P. Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4 enhances clitoral and vaginal blood flow responses to dorsal clitoral nerve stimulation or PGE1 in anesthetized female rats. J Sex Med 2013; 10: 939-950.
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| 4. |
- Mistretta, Francesco A., et al.
(författare)
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DFL23448, A Novel Transient Receptor Potential Melastin 8-Selective Ion Channel Antagonist, Modifies Bladder Function and Reduces Bladder Overactivity in Awake Rats
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. - : AMER SOC PHARMACOLOGY EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS. - 0022-3565 .- 1521-0103. ; 356:1, s. 200-211
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The transient receptor potential melastin 8 ion channel (TRPM8) is implicated in bladder sensing but limited information on TRPM8 antagonists in bladder overactivity is available. This study characterizes a new TRPM8-selective antagonist (DFL23448 [5-(2-ethyl-2H-tetrazol-5-yl)-2-(3-fluorophenyl)-1,3-thiazol-4-ol]) and evaluates it in cold-induced behavioral tests and tests on bladder function and experimental bladder overactivity in vivo in rats. DFL23448 displayed IC50 values of 10 and 21 nM in hTRPM8 human embryonic kidney 293 cells activated by Cooling Agent 10 or cold, but it had limited activity (IC50 > 10 mu M) at transient receptor potential vanilloids TRPV1, TRPA1, or TRPV4 or at various G protein-coupled receptors. In rats, DFL23448 administered intravenously or orally had a half-life of 37 minutes or 4.9 hours, respectively. DLF23448 (10 mg/kg i.v.) reduced icilin-induced "wet dog-like" shakes in rats. Intravesical DFL23448 (10 mg/l), but not vehicle, increased micturition intervals, micturition volume, and bladder capacity. During bladder overactivity by intravesical prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)), vehicle controls exhibited reductions in micturition intervals, micturition volumes, and bladder capacity by 37%-39%, whereas the same parameters only decreased by 12%-15% (P < 0.05-0.01 versus vehicle) in DFL23448-treated rats. In vehicle-treated rats, but not in DFL23448-treated rats, intravesical PGE(2) increased bladder pressures. Intravenous DFL23448 at 10 mg/kg, but not 1 mg/kg DFL23448 or vehicle, increased micturition intervals, micturition volumes, and bladder capacity. During bladder overactivity by intravesical PGE(2), micturition intervals, micturition volumes, and bladder capacity decreased in vehicle- and 1 mg/kg DFL23448-treated rats, but not in 10 mg/kg DFL23448-treated rats. Bladder pressures increased less in rats treated with DFL23448 10 mg/kg than in vehicle-or 1 mg/kg DFL23448-treated rats. DFL23448 (10 mg/kg i.v.), but not vehicle, prevented cold stress-induced bladder overactivity. Our results support a role for bladder TRPM8-mediated signals in experimental bladder overactivity.
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| 5. |
- Mistretta, Francesco A, et al.
(författare)
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DFL23448, a novel TRPM8-selective ion channel antagonist, modifies bladder function and reduces bladder overactivity in awake rats.
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. - : American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). - 1521-0103. ; 356:1, s. 200-211
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The transient receptor potential (TRP) melastin 8 ion channel (TRPM8) is implicated in bladder sensing but limited information on TRPM8 antagonists in bladder overactivity (BO) is available. This study characterizes a new TRPM8-selective antagonist (DFL23448) and evaluates it in cold-induced behavioral tests and on bladder function and experimental BO in vivo in rats. DFL23448 displayed IC50 values of 10 and 21nM in hTRPM8 HEK-293 cells activated by Cooling Agent 10 or cold, but had limited activity (IC50 > 10μM) at TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPV4, or at various G-protein-coupled receptors. In rats, DFL23448 had a half-life of 37 minutes (intravenous; i.v.) or 4.9 hours (oral). DLF23448 (10mg/kg, i.v) reduced icilin-induced wet-dog shakes in rats. Intravesical (i.ves.) DFL23448 (10mg/L) but not vehicle increased micturition intervals (MI), micturition volumes (MV) and bladder capacity (BC). During BO by i.ves. PGE2, vehicle controls exhibited reductions of MI, MV and BC by 37-39%, whereas the same parameters only decreased by 12-15% (p<0.05-0.01 vs. vehicle) in DFL23448-treated rats. In vehicle-treated rats but not in DFL23448-treated rats, i.ves. PGE2 increased bladder pressures. Intravenous DFL23448 at 10mg/kg, but not 1mg/kg DFL23448 or vehicle, increased MI, MV, and BC. During BO by i.ves. PGE2, MI, MV, and BC decreased in vehicle- and in DFL23448 1mg/kg-treated rats, but not in DFL23448 10mg/kg-treated rats. Bladder pressures increased less in rats treated with DFL23448 10mg/kg than in vehicle- or DFL23448 1mg/kg- treated rats. DFL23448 (10mg/kg, i.v.), but not vehicle, prevented cold-stress BO. Our results support a role for bladder TRPM8-mediated signals in experimental BO.
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