Project description:Mice in which the genes encoding the parathyroid hormone (PTH)-related peptide (PTHrP) or the PTH/PTHrP receptor have been ablated by homologous recombination show skeletal dysplasia due to accelerated endochondral bone formation, and die at birth or in utero, respectively. Skeletal abnormalities due to decelerated chondrocyte maturation are observed in transgenic mice where PTHrP expression is targeted to the growth plate, and in patients with Jansen metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, a rare genetic disorder caused by constitutively active PTH/PTHrP receptors. These and other findings thus indicate that PTHrP and its receptor are essential for chondrocyte differentiation. To further explore the role of the PTH/PTHrP receptor in this process, we generated transgenic mice in which expression of a constitutively active receptor, HKrk-H223R, was targeted to the growth plate by the rat alpha1 (II) collagen promoter. Two major goals were pursued: (i) to investigate how constitutively active PTH/PTHrP receptors affect the program of chondrocyte maturation; and (ii) to determine whether expression of the mutant receptor would correct the severe growth plate abnormalities of PTHrP-ablated mice (PTHrP-/-). The targeted expression of constitutively active PTH/PTHrP receptors led to delayed mineralization, decelerated conversion of proliferative chondrocytes into hypertrophic cells in skeletal segments that are formed by the endochondral process, and prolonged presence of hypertrophic chondrocytes with delay of vascular invasion. Furthermore, it corrected at birth the growth plate abnormalities of PTHrP-/- mice and allowed their prolonged survival. "Rescued" animals lacked tooth eruption and showed premature epiphyseal closure, indicating that both processes involve PTHrP. These findings suggest that rescued PTHrP-/- mice may gain considerable importance for studying the diverse, possibly tissue-specific role(s) of PTHrP in postnatal development.
Project description:BackgroundParathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) overexpression and poor patient outcome have been reported for many human tumors, but no studies are available in laryngeal cancer. Therefore, we studied the expression of PTHrP and its receptor, parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor type 1 (PTH1R), in primary locally advanced laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LALSCC) also in relation to the clinical outcome of patients.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective exploratory study, using immunohistochemistry, on PTHrP, PTH1R and HER1 expressions in LALSCC of 66 patients treated with bio-radiotherapy with cetuximab.ResultsThe expressions of PTHrP and PTH1R in LALSCC were associated with the degree of tumor differentiation (p = 0.01 and 0.04, respectively). Poorly differentiated tumors, with worse prognosis, expressed PTHrP at nuclear level and were PTH1R negative. PTHrP and PTH1R were expressed at cytoplasmic level in normal larynx epithelium and more differentiated laryngeal cancer cells, suggesting an autocrine/paracrine role of PTHrP in squamous cell differentiation of well differentiated tumors with good prognosis. Eighty-one percent HER1 positive tumors expressed PTHrP (p < 0.0001), mainly at nuclear level, consistent with the known up-regulation of PTHrP gene by HER1 signaling. In multivariable analyses, patients with PTHrP positive tumors had a higher relative risk of relapse (HR = 5.49; CI 95% = 1.62-22.24; p = 0.006) and survival (HR = 8.21; CI 95% = 1.19-105.00; p = 0.031) while those with PTH1R positive tumors showed a lower relative risk of relapse (HR = 0.18; CI 95% = 0.04-0.62; p = 0.002) and survival (HR = 0.18; CI 95% = 0.04-0.91; p = 0.029).ConclusionsIn LALSCC nuclear PTHrP and absence of PTH1R expressions could be useful in predicting response and/or resistance to cetuximab in combined therapies, contributing to an aggressive behavior of tumor cells downstream to HER1.
Project description:Supramolecular peptide nanofiber hydrogels are emerging biomaterials for tissue engineering, but it is difficult to fabricate multi-functional systems by simply mixing several short-motif-modified supramolecular peptides because relatively abundant motifs generally hinder nanofiber cross-linking or the formation of long nanofiber. Coupling bioactive factors to the assembling backbone is an ideal strategy to design multi-functional supramolecular peptides in spite of challenging synthesis and purification. Herein, a multi-functional supramolecular peptide, P1R16, is developed by coupling a bioactive factor, parathyroid hormone related peptide 1 (PTHrP-1), to the basic supramolecular peptide RADA16-Ⅰ via solid-phase synthesis. It is found that P1R16 self-assembles into long nanofibers and co-assembles with RADA16-Ⅰ to form nanofiber hydrogels, thus coupling PTHrP-1 to hydrogel matrix. P1R16 nanofiber retains osteoinductive activity in a dose-dependent manner, and P1R16/RADA16-Ⅰ nanofiber hydrogels promote osteogenesis, angiogenesis and osteoclastogenesis in vitro and induce multi-functionalized osteoregeneration by intramembranous ossification and bone remodeling in vivo when loaded to collagen (Col) scaffolds. Abundant red blood marrow formation, ideal osteointegration and adapted degradation are observed in the 50% P1R16/Col scaffold group. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy to develop multi-functional supramolecular peptides and a new method to topically administrate parathyroid hormone or parathyroid hormone related peptides for non-healing bone defects.
Project description:The parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor (PTHR) is a G-protein-coupled receptor containing seven predicted transmembrane domains. We have isolated and characterized recombinant bacteriophage lambda EMBL3 genomic clones containing the mouse PTHR gene, including 10 kilobases of the promoter region. The gene spans > 32 kilobases and is divided into 15 exons, 8 of which contain the transmembrane domains. The PTHR exons containing the predicted membrane-spanning domains are heterogeneous in length and three of the exon-intron boundaries fall within putative transmembrane sequences, suggesting that the exons did not arise from duplication events. This arrangement is closely related to that of the growth hormone releasing factor receptor gene, particularly in the transmembrane region, providing strong evidence that the two genes evolved from a common precursor. Transcription is initiated principally at a series of sites over a 15-base-pair region. The proximal promoter region is highly (G+C)-rich and lacks an apparent TATA box or initiator element homologies but does contain CCGCCC motifs. The presumptive amino acid sequence of the encoded receptor is 99%, 91%, and 76% identical to those of the rat, human, and opossum receptors, respectively. There is no consensus polyadenylation signal in the 3' untranslated region. The poly(A) tail of the PTHR transcript begins 32 bases downstream of a 35-base-long A-rich sequence, suggesting that this region directs polyadenylylation.
Project description:The local application of drug-loaded bioactive scaffold materials is one of the important directions to solve the clinical problem of osteoporotic (OP) bone defects. This study retains the advantages of drug loading and mechanical properties of natural 3D bioactive scaffolds. The scaffolds are functionally modified through chemical and self-assembly approaches with application of polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles and parathyroid hormone-related peptide-1 (PTHrP-1) for efficient local drug loading. This study investigates the effects of the novel bioactive scaffolds on ossification, osteoclastogenesis, and macrophage polarization. This work elucidates the effects of the scaffolds in regulating osteoclastic activity and new bone formation in vitro. Further studies on the establishment and repair of OP bone defects in small animals are conducted, and the potential of natural bioactive porous scaffold materials to promote the repair of OP bone defects is initially verified. The preparation of safe and economical anti-OP bone repair material provides a theoretical basis for clinical translational applications.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Hypercalcaemia is a common paraneoplastic syndrome. In the context of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, it is occasionally caused by secretion of parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rP). CASE OUTLINES: Two patients are reported in whom persistent hypercalcaemia was traced to a large neuroendocrine pancreatic tumour hypersecreting PTH-rP. Resection of the tumour reduced serum levels of calcium and PTH-rP transiently in each case until the patient developed bulky metastatic disease. A 33-year-old woman remained hypercalcaemic after the removal of all four hyperplastic parathyroid glands had rendered circulating parathormone levels undetectable. Radical distal pancreatectomy was followed over the next 4 years by operative debulking of liver metastases, multiple hepatic artery embolisations, octreotide injections and repeated admissions for intravenous fluid and biphosphonate therapy. A 41-year-old man presented with hypercalcaemia as well as features of somatostatinoma syndrome. Symptomatic improvement after radical distal pancreatectomy was short-lived, and hepatic artery embolisation failed to control his rapidly progressive disease. DISCUSSION: Malignant hypercalcaemia associated with a neuroendocrine pancreatic tumour hypersecreting PTH-rP is difficult to treat and can be life-threatening. Aggressive surgical treatment is recommended initially, while somatostatin analogues and hepatic artery embolisation are alternative therapeutic options for metastatic disease.
Project description:Disorders related to parathyroid hormone (PTH) resistance and PTH signaling pathway impairment are historically classified under the term of pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP). The disease was first described and named by Fuller Albright and colleagues in 1942. Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) is described as an associated clinical entity with PHP, characterized by brachydactyly, subcutaneous ossifications, round face, short stature and a stocky build. The classification of PHP is further divided into PHP-Ia, pseudo-PHP (pPHP), PHP-Ib, PHP-Ic and PHP-II according to the presence or absence of AHO, together with an in vivo response to exogenous PTH and the measurement of Gs? protein activity in peripheral erythrocyte membranes in vitro. However, PHP classification fails to differentiate all patients with different clinical and molecular findings for PHP subtypes and classification become more complicated with more recent molecular characterization and new forms having been identified. So far, new classifications have been established by the EuroPHP network to cover all disorders of the PTH receptor and its signaling pathway. Inactivating PTH/PTH-related protein signaling disorder (iPPSD) is the new name proposed for a group of these disorders and which can be further divided into subtypes - iPPSD1 to iPPSD6. These are termed, starting from PTH receptor inactivation mutation (Eiken and Blomstrand dysplasia) as iPPSD1, inactivating Gs? mutations (PHP-Ia, PHP-Ic and pPHP) as iPPSD2, loss of methylation of GNAS DMRs (PHP-Ib) as iPPSD3, PRKAR1A mutations (acrodysostosis type 1) as iPPSD4, PDE4D mutations (acrodysostosis type 2) as iPPSD5 and PDE3A mutations (autosomal dominant hypertension with brachydactyly) as iPPSD6. iPPSDx is reserved for unknown molecular defects and iPPSDn+1 for new molecular defects which are yet to be described. With these new classifications, the aim is to clarify the borders of each different subtype of disease and make the classification according to molecular pathology. The iPPSD group is designed to be expandable and new classifications will readily fit into it as necessary.
Project description:PTHrP exerts its effects by binding to its receptor, PTH1R, a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), activating the downstream cAMP signaling pathway. As an autocrine, paracrine, or intracrine factor, PTHrP has been found to stimulate cancer cell proliferation, inhibit apoptosis, and promote tumor-induced osteolysis of bone. Despite these findings, attempts to develop PTHrP and PTH1R as drug targets have not produced successful results in the clinic. Nevertheless, the efficacy of blocking PTHrP and PTH1R has been shown in various types of cancer, suggesting its potential for therapeutic applications. In light of these conflicting data, we conducted a comprehensive review of the studies of PTHrP/PTH1R in cancer progression and metastasis and highlighted the strengths and limitations of targeting PTHrP or PTH1R in cancer therapy. This review also offers our perspectives for future research in this field.
Project description:ObjectiveChondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into hyaline cartilage is complicated by terminal hypertrophic differentiation. In growth plate, parathyroid hormone-related peptide (1-34) (PTHrP) plays a crucial role in maintaining chondrocytes in their proliferation state by counteracting the hypertrophic differentiation. This study aims to test the effect of PTHrP supplementation at different time points on chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs and assess the final quality of differentiated chondrocytes.MethodsHuman periosteum and bone marrow MSCs isolated from 3 patient samples (donor unmatched) were characterized by flow cytometry and multilineage differentiation. The cells were differentiated into chondrocytes in the presence of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and the PTHrP (1-34) was added from 4th or 14th day of culture. The outcome was analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry, and gene expression.ResultsFlow cytometry and multilineage differentiation confirmed that the cells isolated from periosteum and bone marrow exhibited the phenotype of MSCs. During chondrogenic differentiation, pellets that received PTHrP from the 4th day of culture showed a significant reduction in hypertrophic markers (COL10A1 and RUNX) than the addition of PTHrP from the 14th day and TGF-β alone treated samples. Furthermore, 4th day supplementation of PTHrP significantly improved the expression of cartilage-specific markers (COL2A1, SOX9, ACAN) in both periosteum and bone marrow-derived MSCs. Histology and immunostaining with collagen type X data corroborated the gene expression outcomes.ConclusionThe outcome showed that supplementing PTHrP from the 4th day of chondrogenic differentiation produced better chondrocytes with less hypertrophic markers in both bone marrow and periosteal-derived MSCs.