Cancer is the given name for a group of more than 100 diseases account for 13% of deaths worldwide and 15.1% in Brazil, with estimates of increased mortality. These data show the deficiency of more effective anticancer agents, leading to increased life expectancy or cure. In this context, nature is an alternative to the problem, for harboring a huge biodiversity and Brazil stands out for having the highest diversity of plant species in the world, but little explored as their biological characteristics. The genus Mentha has its very widespread species in the country, with many evidenced therapeutic activities, among them the potential anticancer action of essential oil (EO) demonstrated in two species (Mentha piperita e Mentha spicata). However, this study aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of the essential oil of Mentha x villosa Hudson (OEMV) in vitro and in vivo, and its toxicity in vivo. For this, the EO was extracted from the leaves of Mentha x villosa, 12 of its constituents have been identified and their main constituent, the monoterpene rotundifolone was isolated. The in vitro cytotoxicity of OEMV rotundifolone and 3 were evaluated against tumor cell lines: ovarian adenocarcinoma (OVACAR-8), colon carcinoma (HCT-116) and glioblastoma (SF295) by the MTT assay. The OEMV showed cytotoxic activity in all cell lines tested, with IC50 ranging from 0.57 to 1.02 ìg/mL. However, rotundifolone did not show cytotoxicity at the tested concentrations, suggesting that the activity of the oil is not mediated by its major constituent. Considering this result, we evaluated the antitumor activity of OEMV in vivo using mice transplanted with sarcoma 180. In this study, it was showed antitumor activity in OEMV treatments performed by intraperitoneal (32.02 and 42.81% with 50 and 100 mg/kg/day, respectively) and orally (34.27 and 43.22% with 100 and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively), probably due to synergy among its constituents. No change was observed in the toxicological parameters evaluated in animals treated with OEMV: variation in body mass, organ weights (liver, spleen and kidney), blood biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, urea and creatinine) and ulcerative lesion index (this later only in the groups treated orally). Since the results demonstrated that OEMV has antitumor activity with low toxicity, it was proposed to evaluate the benefit of the association between OEMV (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, 10 mg/kg/day) reference known antineoplasic and toxicity. The association promoted tumor growth inhibition of 50.3% and 65.2% at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg/day, respectively. The highest dose of OEMV in combination showed the same statistical difference that the level of inhibition of 5-FU at the highest dose (25 mg/kg/day). The toxicological parameters, variation of body mass and biochemical parameters (AST and ALT) showed alterations similar as the positive control. The organ weight alterations did not occur, a result that demonstrates an evident benefit of the combination compared to the group treated with 5-FU alone. The last toxicological endpoints evaluated were hematological parameters where both groups showed changes associated with differential count (lymphocytosis and neutropenia) and reduction in total leukocytes; positive factor in this result is that the reduction was not as intense as the one displayed by the control 5-FU furthermore possibly resulting in a decreased susceptibility to infection. The association promoted tumor growth inhibition 50.3% and 65.2% at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg/day, respectively. The highest dose of OEMV in combination showed the same statistical difference that the level of inhibition of 5-FU dose (25 mg/kg/day) the toxicological parameters, variation of body mass and biochemical analysis (AST and ALT) showed alterations similar to the positive control. / O cancer e o nome dado a um conjunto de mais de 100 doencas, responsaveis por 13% das mortes no mundo e 15,1% no Brasil, com estimativas de mortalidade crescente. Esses dados refletem a carencia por agentes antineoplasicos mais efetivos, que levem ao aumento da expectativa de vida ou a cura. Nesse contexto, a natureza e uma alternativa para o problema, por abrigar uma gigantesca biodiversidade e o Brasil se destaca, por possuir a maior diversidade de especies de plantas do mundo, mas pouco exploradas quanto suas caracteristicas biologicas. O genero Mentha tem suas especies bem difundidas no pais, com diversas atividades terapeuticas comprovadas, dentre elas o potencial acao anticancer do oleo essencial (OE) comprovadas em duas especies (Mentha piperita e Mentha spicata). Portanto, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a atividade antitumoral do oleo essencial da Mentha x villosa Hudson (OEMV) in vitro e in vivo, e sua toxicidade in vivo. Para isso, o OE foi extraido a partir das folhas da Mentha x villosa, onde 12 dos seus constituintes foram identificados e isolado seu constituinte majoritario, a rotundifolona . A citotoxicidade in vitro do OEMV e da rotundifolona foi avaliada frente a 3 linhagens de celulas tumorais: adenocarcinoma ovariano (OVACAR-8), carcinoma de colon (HCT-116) e glioblastoma (SF295) atraves do ensaio do MTT. O OEMV apresentou atividade citotoxica em todas as linhagens de celulas testadas, com CI50 variando entre 0,57 e 1,02 Êg/mL. Porem, a rotundifolona nao demonstrou atividade citotoxica nas concentracoes testadas, sugerindo que a atividade do oleo nao e mediada por seu constituinte majoritario. Diante desse resultado, foi avaliada a atividade antitumoral do OEMV in vivo utilizando camundongos transplantados com sarcoma 180. Neste ensaio, o OEMV apresentou atividade antitumoral nos tratamentos realizados pela via intraperitoneal (32,02 e 42,81% com 50 e 100 mg/kg/dia, respectivamente) e pela via oral (34,27 e 43,22% com 100 e 200 mg/kg/dia, respectivamente), por provavel sinergismo entre seus constituintes. Nao foi observada nenhuma alteracao nos parametros toxicologicos avaliados em animais tratados com o OEMV: variacao de massa corporea, massa dos orgaos (figado, baco e rins), analises bioquimicas (AST, ALT, ureia e creatinina) e indice de lesao ulcerativa (este ultimo apenas nos grupos tratados por via oral). Como os resultados demonstraram que o OEMV possui atividade antitumoral, com baixa toxicidade, foi proposto avaliar o beneficio da associacao, via i.p, entre o OEMV (50 e 100 mg/kg/dia) e o 5-Fluorouracil em menor dose (5-FU, 10 mg/kg/dia), antineoplasico de referencia e conhecida toxicidade. A associacao promoveu a inibicao do crescimento tumoral de 50,3% e 65,2% nas doses de 50 e 100 mg/kg/dia, respectivamente. A maior dose do OEMV em associacao demonstrou a mesma diferenca estatistica que o indice de inibicao do 5-FU na maior dose (25 mg/kg/dia). Os parametros toxicologicos, variacao de massa corporea e analise bioquimica (AST e ALT) apresentaram alteracoes semelhantes as do controle positivo. Na massa dos orgaos nao ocorreu alteracao, resultado que demonstra um evidente beneficio da associacao quando comparada ao grupo tratado com 5-FU isolado. O ultimo parametro toxicologico avaliado foram as analises hematologicas onde ambos os grupos associados demonstraram alteracoes na contagem diferencial e reducao na contagem de leucocitos totais; o fator positivo nesse resultado e que a reducao nao foi tao intensa quanto a apresentada pelo controle positivo 5-FU, provocando possivelmente, uma menor susceptibilidade a infeccoes. Diante dos resultados, podemos afirmar que o OEMV tem atividade antitumoral in vitro e in vivo com baixa toxicidade, e que a associacao entre 5-FU e o OEMV potencializa a atividade antitumoral do antineoplasico, diminuindo alguns dos seus efeitos toxicos.

<p>U disertaciji je ostvarena sineza amida i oksazolina žučnih kiselina, kao i njihovih alkil i alkilidenskih derivata polazeći od holne kiseline. Ipitano je pona&scaron;anje različitih okso derivata žučnih kiselina u uslovima Grignard-ove i Wittig-ove reakcije. Ispitana je biolo&scaron;ka aktivnost odabranih sintetizovanih jedinjenja</p> / <p>Synhesis of bile acid amide and oxazoline derivatives, and their alkyl and alkylidene derivatives was accomplished starting from cholic acid. Also, chemical behavior of different bile acid oxo derivatives in Grignard and Wittig reaction was investigated. Biological activity&nbsp; of selected synthesized compounds was evaluated.</p>

This PhD thesis provides a commented set of four publications. These publications are focused on capillary electrophoresis, liquid chromatography, and UV/Vis spectrometry used to study complexes of rhenium with aromatic ligands. The methods of mass spectrometry with soft ionization techniques, 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance, and infrared spectrometry were used for structural characterization of the individual complexes. The complexes were synthetized in reactions of the rhenium precursor tetrabutylammonium tetrachlorooxorhenate with the corresponding ligand under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In the course of the research, it was revealed that the prepared complexes (with Re in the oxidation number +V and +VI) are unstable and their oxidation numbers change to another more stable form (Re+VII ). Sub-projects which were successfully implemented during the research were as follows:  Design and successful realization of the process of synthesis of selected rhenium complexes with aromatic ligands 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene, and 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene in reactions with and without air access, and their structural characterization by ESI-MS, APPI- MS, LDI-MS, ESI-MS/MS, NMR, and IR.  ESI-MS SRM and UV/Vis time studies of the behaviour of primary rhenium complexes...

Les lymphocytes T (LT) CD8 sont un sous-type de cellules immunitaires qui participent à l’élimination des certains agents infectieux et de cellules tumorales. La capacité de réponse des LT CD8 est dépendante de leur état de différenciation. Lors d’une réponse immunitaire, les LT CD8 spécifiques à l’agent infectieux sont activés, se différencient et prolifèrent en LT effecteurs (LTE) qui participent à l’élimination de l’agent pathogène. Les LTE peuvent être distingués en effecteurs de courte durée de vie (SLEC), terminalement différenciés et éliminés par apoptose après l’infection, et en précurseurs des cellules mémoires (MPEC) qui survivent et génèrent les LT mémoires (LTM). Par contre, lors d’une infection chronique ou d’une réponse antitumorale, la persistance antigénique et inflammatoire induisent l’épuisement des LT CD8, soit un état de différenciation caractérisé par des fonctions effectrices et prolifératives diminuées ainsi qu’une forte expression de récepteurs inhibiteurs (RI). Afin d’améliorer les thérapies vaccinales, les traitements antitumoraux et les thérapies lors des infections chroniques, il est important de mieux comprendre la différenciation des LT CD8. Nous avons étudié le rôle de NR4A3 dans la différenciation des LT CD8 chez la souris. NR4A3 est un récepteur nucléaire et un facteur de transcription (FT) dont l’expression est rapidement induite par une stimulation antigénique, mais dont le rôle dans les LT CD8 n’a pas été encore déterminé. Nous avons émis l’hypothèse que l’expression de NR4A3 dans ces cellules suite à une stimulation antigénique contrôle leur différenciation. Premièrement nous avons étudié le rôle du NR4A3 dans la différenciation des LT CD8 lors d’une infection aiguë et avons déterminé que la délétion de NR4A3 dans les LT CD8 augmente la différenciation MPEC, la génération des LTM et la production de cytokines. La régulation de la différenciation des LT CD8 par NR4A3 est transcriptionnelle et, lors des premiers jours postinfection, sa délétion induit un programme transcriptionnel associé avec la différenciation des LTM. De plus, dès les premières heures postactivation, la délétion de NR4A3 favorise l’induction d’un état de chromatine plus ouvert avec une prédiction d’activité augmentée des FT bZIP. Deuxièmement, nous avons étudié le rôle de NR4A3 lors d’une réponse immunitaire antitumorale au cours d’une thérapie cellulaire adoptive (ACT) sous traitement d’anti-PD-L1 (ligand d’un RI) où la meilleure fonctionnalité et persistance des LT CD8 NR4A3 déficients ont été mises à l’épreuve. Ainsi, l’ACT avec des LT CD8 NR4A3 déficients augmente la survie de souris porteuses de tumeurs et les lymphocytes T infiltrants les tumeurs (TIL) NR4A3 déficients sont moins terminalement épuisés et présentent des plus fortes proportions et nombres cellulaires intra-tumoraux. Le profil transcriptomique au niveau de cellules uniques a révélé que les TIL NR4A3 déficients favorisent la génération de progéniteurs distincts et des populations fonctionnelles associées avec le traitement anti-PD-L1. En conclusion, NR4A3 est un régulateur de la fonction et la différenciation des LT CD8 dont l’activité pourrait être modulée afin d’améliorer les stratégies de vaccination ou les thérapies cellulaires. / CD8 T cells are an immune cell population involved in the clearance of different types of infections and the elimination of tumor cells. The response capacity of CD8 T cells depends on their differentiation state. During an immune response, antigen-specific CD8 T cells are activated, differentiate and proliferate into effectors that participate in elimination of the pathogen. Among the pool effectors, there are short-lived effector cells (SLEC) that are terminally differentiated and die by apoptosis after the infection clearance, and the memory precursors effector cells (MPEC) that survive to give rise to memory CD8 T cells. However, during chronic infection or an anti-tumor immune response, antigen persistence and inflammation induce CD8 T cell exhaustion, which is a differentiation state characterized by decreased effector functions and proliferative capacity and an increased expression of inhibitory receptors (IR). Thus, to be able to increase the efficiency of CD8 T cells following vaccination, in the context of antitumoral or during treatment against chronic viral infections, it is important to better understand CD8 T cell differentiation. We studied the role of NR4A3 in CD8 T cell differentiation in mice. NR4A3 in a nuclear receptor and transcription factor (TF), which expression is rapidly induced following antigenic stimulation, but the role of its induction in CD8 T cells was not yet identified. We propose that NR4A3 expression in CD8 T cells following antigenic stimulation controls their differentiation. First, we studied the role of NR4A3 in CD8 T cell differentiation during acute infection and determined that its deletion increases MPEC differentiation, memory generation, and cytokines production. NR4A3 regulates CD8 T cell differentiation at the transcriptional level, and its deletion induces a memory-related transcriptional program early during the immune response (day three post-infection). Moreover, a few hours following the CD8 T cell activation, NR4A3 deletion increased chromatin accessibility, particularly to bZIP TF. Secondly, we studied the role of NR4A3 during the antitumoral response in the context of adoptive cell therapy (ACT) and cotreatment with anti-PD-L1 (ligand of an IR), during which we tested the increased functionality and persistence of NR4A3 deficient cells. ACT with NR4A3-deficient cells increases the survival of tumor-bearing mice. In addition, NR4A3 deficiency increased the frequency of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and decreased T cell exhaustion. Single-cell transcriptional profile of TILs revealed that NR4A3 deficiency induces the generation of a transcriptionally distinct progenitor population and an increase in functional populations associated with the anti-PD-L1 treatment. To conclude, NR4A3 is a new regulator of CD8 T cell differentiation and function whose activity regulation could increase the efficiency of vaccinations and cell therapy treatments.

No / BACKGROUND: Activating mutations of FGFR3 are frequently identified in superficial urothelial carcinoma (UC) and increased expression of FGFR1 and FGFR3 are common in both superficial and invasive UC. METHODS: The effects of inhibition of receptor activity by three small molecule inhibitors (PD173074, TKI-258 and SU5402) were investigated in a panel of bladder tumour cell lines with known FGFR expression levels and FGFR3 mutation status. RESULTS: All inhibitors prevented activation of FGFR3, and inhibited downstream MAPK pathway signalling. Response was related to FGFR3 and/or FGFR1 expression levels. Cell lines with the highest levels of FGFR expression showed the greatest response and little or no effect was measured in normal human urothelial cells or in UC cell lines with activating RAS gene mutations. In sensitive cell lines, the drugs induced cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. IC(50) values for PD173074 and TKI-258 were in the nanomolar concentration range compared with micromolar concentrations for SU5402. PD173074 showed the greatest effects in vitro and in vivo significantly delayed the growth of subcutaneous bladder tumour xenografts. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that inhibition of FGFR1 and wild-type or mutant FGFR3 may represent a useful therapeutic approach in patients with both non-muscle invasive and muscle invasive UC.

AQ4N (banoxantrone) is a prodrug that, under hypoxic conditions, is enzymatically converted to a cytotoxic DNA-binding agent, AQ4. Incorporation of AQ4N into conventional chemoradiation protocols therefore targets both oxygenated and hypoxic regions of tumors, and potentially will increase the effectiveness of therapy. This current pharmacodynamic and efficacy study was designed to quantify tumor exposure to AQ4 following treatment with AQ4N, and to relate exposure to outcome of treatment. A single dose of 60 mg/kg AQ4N enhanced the response of RT112 (bladder) and Calu-6 (lung) xenografts to treatment with cisplatin and radiation therapy. AQ4N was also given to separate cohorts of tumor-bearing mice 24 hours before tumor excision for subsequent analysis of metabolite levels. AQ4 was detected by high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in all treated samples of RT112 and Calu-6 tumors at mean concentrations of 0.23 and 1.07 microg/g, respectively. These concentrations are comparable with those shown to be cytotoxic in vitro. AQ4-related nuclear fluorescence was observed in all treated tumors by confocal microscopy, which correlated with the high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry data. The presence of the hypoxic marker Glut-1 was shown by immunohistochemistry in both Calu-6 tumors and RT112 tumors, and colocalization of AQ4 fluorescence and Glut-1 staining strongly suggested that AQ4N was activated in these putatively hypoxic areas. This is the first demonstration that AQ4N will increase the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in preclinical models; the intratumoral levels of AQ4 found in this study are comparable with tumor AQ4 levels found in a recent phase I clinical study, which suggests that these levels could be potentially therapeutic.

Infiltration of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment is often associated with enhanced angiogenesis and tumor progression, resulting in poor prognosis in many types of cancer. The polypeptide chemokine PK2 (Bv8, PROK2) has been shown to regulate myeloid cell mobilization from the bone marrow, leading to activation of the angiogenic process, as well as accumulation of macrophages and neutrophils in the tumor site. Neutralizing antibodies against PK2 were shown to display potent anti-tumor efficacy, illustrating the potential of PK2-antagonists as therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer. In this study we demonstrate the anti-tumor activity of a small molecule PK2 antagonist, PKRA7, in the context of glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer xenograft tumor models. For the highly vascularized glioblastoma, PKRA7 was associated with decreased blood vessel density and increased necrotic areas in the tumor mass. Consistent with the anti-angiogenic activity of PKRA7 in vivo, this compound effectively reduced PK2-induced microvascular endothelial cell branching in vitro. For the poorly vascularized pancreatic cancer, the primary anti-tumor effect of PKRA7 appears to be mediated by the blockage of myeloid cell migration/infiltration. At the molecular level, PKRA7 inhibits PK2-induced expression of certain pro-migratory chemokines and chemokine receptors in macrophages. Combining PKRA7 treatment with standard chemotherapeutic agents resulted in enhanced effects in xenograft models for both types of tumor. Taken together, our results indicate that the anti-tumor activity of PKRA7 can be mediated by two distinct mechanisms that are relevant to the pathological features of the specific type of cancer. This small molecule PK2 antagonist holds the promise to be further developed as an effective agent for combinational cancer therapy. / Dissertation

O efeito antiproliferativo do calcitriol foi detectado principalmente em linhagens de carcinoma mamário expostas in vitro a alta concentração hormonal (10 - 100nM), que é associado com hipercalcemia em seres humanos. Nossa hipótese era que a administração intratumoral de calcitriol permitiria maior concentração do hormônio e ativação da via genômica. Para testar esta hipótese, um modelo de enxerto tumoral que reproduz o mais próximo das características moleculares do tumor primário, foi estabelecida. As amostras de câncer de mama recolhidos foram enxertados em camundongos nude e depois da sexta semana, semana, os enxertos tumorais foram tratados semanalmente com injeções intra-tumorais de veículo (controle) ou o calcitriol 0,06 mcg (dose que pode permitir que picos séricos de calcitriol na faixa terapêutica prevista) durante seis semanas. A proliferação e apoptose do enxerto tumoral Veículo (controlo) ou o calcitriol 0,06 mcg (dose que pode permitir que o soro de pico, assim como, a expressão dos genes alvos foram avaliadas através de reações imunohistoquímica ou RT-PCR. A expressão de VDR foi detectada em todas as amostras, assim como uma tendência para maior expressão de mRNA CYP24A1 (indução 10-18 vezes) em amostras tratadas com calcitriol, indicando que a via genómica foi induzida pelo hormonio. O elevado índice proliferativo, avaliado pela expressão de Ki67, foi detectado. No entanto, não havia diferenças na expressão de marcadores de proliferação (incorporação de BrdU, Ki67 e CDKN1B expressão) nem marcadores de apoptose (caspase-3 clivada e BCL2 expressão) entre os enxertos tumorais tratados por veículo e calcitriol tratado. Além disso, não houve diferença entre os grupos detectada na expressão de mRNA do CDKN1A. Em resumo, os efeitos antitumorais não foram observados neste modelo de enxerto tumoral. A indução do gene alvo CYP24A1 pode ter em parte impedido os efeito antitumorais da vitamina D / Antiproliferative effects of calcitriol were mainly detected in breast carcinoma lineages exposed in vitro to high hormone concentrations (10-100 nM), which is associated with hypercalcemia in human beings. Our hypothesis was that intra-tumoral administration of calcitriol would allow higher issue concentration of the hormone and activation of the genomic pathway. To test this hypothesis, a tumorgraft model, that more closely reproduces the molecular characteristics of the primary tumor, was established. Freshly collected breast cancer samples were grafted in nude mice and after the 6th week, tumorgrafts were treated weekly with intra-tumoral injections of vehicle (control) or calcitriol 0.06 mcg (dose that may allow peak serum calcitriol levels in the predicted therapeutic range) for six weeks. Tumorgraft proliferation and apoptosis, as well as expression of target genes, were evaluated through immnunohistochemistry reactions or RT-PCR. VDR expression was detected in all samples as well as a trend towards higher expression of CYP24A1 mRNA (10-18 fold induction) in calcitriol treated samples, indicating that the genomic pathway was induced by the hormone. A high proliferative index, evaluated by Ki67 expression, was detected. However, there were neither differences in the expression of proliferation markers (BrdU incorporation, Ki67 and CDKN1B expression) nor in apoptosis markers (cleaved caspase 3 and BCL2 expression) between vehicle and calcitriol treated tumorgrafts. In addition, no difference between groups was detected for the expression of CDKN1A mRNA. In summary, calcitriol antitumoral effects were not observed in this tumorgraft model. Calcitriol induction of the target gene CYP24A1, might have in part, precluded vitamin D antitumoral effects

O efeito antiproliferativo do calcitriol foi detectado principalmente em linhagens de carcinoma mamário expostas in vitro a alta concentração hormonal (10 - 100nM), que é associado com hipercalcemia em seres humanos. Nossa hipótese era que a administração intratumoral de calcitriol permitiria maior concentração do hormônio e ativação da via genômica. Para testar esta hipótese, um modelo de enxerto tumoral que reproduz o mais próximo das características moleculares do tumor primário, foi estabelecida. As amostras de câncer de mama recolhidos foram enxertados em camundongos nude e depois da sexta semana, semana, os enxertos tumorais foram tratados semanalmente com injeções intra-tumorais de veículo (controle) ou o calcitriol 0,06 mcg (dose que pode permitir que picos séricos de calcitriol na faixa terapêutica prevista) durante seis semanas. A proliferação e apoptose do enxerto tumoral Veículo (controlo) ou o calcitriol 0,06 mcg (dose que pode permitir que o soro de pico, assim como, a expressão dos genes alvos foram avaliadas através de reações imunohistoquímica ou RT-PCR. A expressão de VDR foi detectada em todas as amostras, assim como uma tendência para maior expressão de mRNA CYP24A1 (indução 10-18 vezes) em amostras tratadas com calcitriol, indicando que a via genómica foi induzida pelo hormonio. O elevado índice proliferativo, avaliado pela expressão de Ki67, foi detectado. No entanto, não havia diferenças na expressão de marcadores de proliferação (incorporação de BrdU, Ki67 e CDKN1B expressão) nem marcadores de apoptose (caspase-3 clivada e BCL2 expressão) entre os enxertos tumorais tratados por veículo e calcitriol tratado. Além disso, não houve diferença entre os grupos detectada na expressão de mRNA do CDKN1A. Em resumo, os efeitos antitumorais não foram observados neste modelo de enxerto tumoral. A indução do gene alvo CYP24A1 pode ter em parte impedido os efeito antitumorais da vitamina D / Antiproliferative effects of calcitriol were mainly detected in breast carcinoma lineages exposed in vitro to high hormone concentrations (10-100 nM), which is associated with hypercalcemia in human beings. Our hypothesis was that intra-tumoral administration of calcitriol would allow higher issue concentration of the hormone and activation of the genomic pathway. To test this hypothesis, a tumorgraft model, that more closely reproduces the molecular characteristics of the primary tumor, was established. Freshly collected breast cancer samples were grafted in nude mice and after the 6th week, tumorgrafts were treated weekly with intra-tumoral injections of vehicle (control) or calcitriol 0.06 mcg (dose that may allow peak serum calcitriol levels in the predicted therapeutic range) for six weeks. Tumorgraft proliferation and apoptosis, as well as expression of target genes, were evaluated through immnunohistochemistry reactions or RT-PCR. VDR expression was detected in all samples as well as a trend towards higher expression of CYP24A1 mRNA (10-18 fold induction) in calcitriol treated samples, indicating that the genomic pathway was induced by the hormone. A high proliferative index, evaluated by Ki67 expression, was detected. However, there were neither differences in the expression of proliferation markers (BrdU incorporation, Ki67 and CDKN1B expression) nor in apoptosis markers (cleaved caspase 3 and BCL2 expression) between vehicle and calcitriol treated tumorgrafts. In addition, no difference between groups was detected for the expression of CDKN1A mRNA. In summary, calcitriol antitumoral effects were not observed in this tumorgraft model. Calcitriol induction of the target gene CYP24A1, might have in part, precluded vitamin D antitumoral effects

Breast cancer, as the most prevalent cancer in women, is responsible for more than 15% of new cancer cases and about 6.9% of all cancer-related death in the US. A major cause of therapeutic failure in breast cancer is the development of resistance to chemotherapy, especially for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Therefore, how to overcome chemoresistance is the major challenge to improve the life expectancy of breast cancer patients. Our studies demonstrate that TNBC cells surviving the chronic treatment of chemotherapeutic drugs show significantly higher expression of the dual serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinase (DSTYK) than non-treated parental cells. In our in vitro cellular models, DSTYK knockout via the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated technique results in apoptotic cell death of chemoresistant cells upon drug treatment. Moreover, DSTYK knockout promotes chemotherapeutic drug-induced tumor cell death in an orthotopic mouse model. These findings suggest that DSTYK exerts an important and previously unknown role in promoting chemoresistance. Our studies provide fundamental insight into the role of DSTYK in chemoresistance in TNBC cells and lay the foundation for the development of new strategies targeting DSTYK for improving TNBC therapy.