i(3)so3-galactosylceramide and Glioma

As a glycosphingolipid that can bind to several extracellular matrix proteins, sulfatide has the potential to become an effective targeting agent for tumors overexpressing tenasin-C in their microenvironment. To overcome the dose-limiting toxicity of doxorubicin (DOX), a sulfatide-containing nanoliposome (SCN) encapsulation approach was employed to improve treatment efficacy and reduce side effects of free DOX. This study analysed in vitro characteristics of sulfatide-containing nanoliposomal DOX (SCN-DOX) and assessed its cytotoxicity in vitro, as well as biodistribution, therapeutic efficacy, and systemic toxicity in a human glioblastoma U-118MG xenograft model. SCN-DOX was shown to achieve highest drug to lipid ratio (0.5∶1) and a remarkable in vitro stability. Moreover, DOX encapsulated in SCN was shown to be delivered into the nuclei and displayed prolonged retention over free DOX in U-118MG cells. This simple two-lipid SCN-DOX nanodrug has favourable pharmacokinetic attributes in terms of prolonged circulation time, reduced volume of distribution and enhanced bioavailability in healthy rats. As a result of the improved biodistribution, an enhanced treatment efficacy of SCN-DOX was found in glioma-bearing mice compared to the free drug. Finally, a reduction in the accumulation of DOX in the drug's principal toxicity organs achieved by SCN-DOX led to the diminished systemic toxicity as evident from the plasma biochemical analyses. Thus, SCN has the potential to be an effective and safer nano-carrier for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to tumors with elevated expression of tenascin-C in their microenvironment.

Topics: Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Disease Models, Animal; Doxorubicin; Female; Glioma; Humans; Kinetics; Liposomes; Male; MCF-7 Cells; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microscopy, Confocal; Nanoparticles; Particle Size; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sulfoglycosphingolipids; Tissue Distribution; Transplantation, Heterologous

We report changes in gene and polar lipid expression induced by adenovirus-delivered wild-type (wt) p53 gene and chemotherapy of U87 MG glioblastoma cells, a treatment known to trigger apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Sulfatides (sulfonated glycolipids) were most highly modulated by wild-type p53 treatment; however, no changes were observed in expression levels of mRNA for genes involved in sulfatide metabolism, indicating post-transcriptional control of sulfatide synthesis. Modulation of the aglycones of GD1 and GM1b was observed in wild-type p53-treated cells. The treatment also leads to an increase in phospholipids such as phosphatidyl inositols, phosphatidyl serines, phosphatidyl glycerols, and phosphatidyl ethanolamines, especially hydroxylated phospholipids. These dramatic changes in the composition of cellular glycolipids in response to p53 gene expression and cytotoxic chemotherapy treatment indicate the large role that they play in cell signaling. The use of the human glioma cell line U87 appears to be an excellent model system both in tissue culture and in intracranial murine xenograft models to further characterize the role of sulfatides in modulating glioma responsivity to therapeutic agents.

Topics: Animals; Camptothecin; Cell Line, Tumor; Gangliosides; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genes, Neoplasm; Glioma; Glycomics; Humans; Irinotecan; Lipids; Mice; Phosphatidylglycerols; Sulfoglycosphingolipids; Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53

Tenascin-C is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, whose expression is highly restricted in normal adult tissues, but markedly up-regulated in a range of tumors, and therefore serves as a potential receptor for targeted anticancer drug or gene delivery. We describe here a liposomal carrier system in which the targeting ligand is sulfatide. Experiments with tenascin-C-expressing glioma cells demonstrated that binding of liposomes to the extracellular matrix relied essentially on the sulfatide-tenascin-C interaction. Following binding to the extracellular matrix, the sulfatide-containing liposomes were internalized via both caveolae/lipid raft- and clathrin-dependent pathways, which would ensure direct cytoplasmic release of the cargoes carried in the liposomes. Such natural lipid-guided intracellular delivery targeting at the extracellular matrix glycoproteins of tumor cells thus opens a new direction for development of more effective anticancer chemotherapeutics in future.

Topics: 2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin; Antibodies; beta-Cyclodextrins; Calcitriol; Clathrin; Endocytosis; Extracellular Matrix; Glioma; Humans; Liposomes; Protein Binding; RNA, Small Interfering; Sphingosine; Sucrose; Sulfoglycosphingolipids; Tenascin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Type C Phospholipases

We described here a liposomal carrier system in which the targeting ligand was sulfatide, a glycosphingolipid known to bind several extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins whose expression was highly up-regulated in many tumors. In vitro experiments with human glioma cell lines demonstrated that robust intracellular uptake of the liposomes depended specifically on the presence of sulfatide as the key liposomal component. Significant amount of the liposomes remained largely intact in the cytoplasm for hours following their internalization. When anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated in such liposomes, most of the drug was preferably delivered into the cell nuclei to exert its cytotoxicity. Use of this drug delivery system to deliver DOX for treatment of tumor-bearing nude mice displayed much improved therapeutic effects over the free drug or the drug carried by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted liposomes. Our results demonstrate a close link between effective intracellular uptake of the drug delivery system and its therapeutic outcome. Moreover, the sulfatide-containing liposomes (SCL) may represent an interesting ligand-targeted drug carrier for a wide spectrum of cancers in which sulfatide-binding ECM glycoproteins are expressed.

Topics: Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Nucleus; Cell Survival; Cytosol; Doxorubicin; Drug Carriers; Drug Delivery Systems; Glioma; Humans; Liposomes; Mice; Mice, Nude; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Neoplasm Transplantation; Sulfoglycosphingolipids; Survival; Transplantation, Heterologous

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection in the human brain leads to characteristic neuropathological changes, which may result indirectly from interactions of the envelope glycoprotein gp120 with neurons and/or glial cells. We therefore investigated the binding of recombinant gp120 (rgp120) to human neural cells and its effect on intracellular signalling. Here we present evidence that rgp120, besides binding to galactocerebroside or galactosyl-sulfatide, specifically binds to a protein receptor of a relative molecular mass of approximately 180,000 Da (180 kDa) present on the CD4-negative glioma cells D-54, but not on Molt4 T lymphocytes. Binding of rgp120 to this receptor rapidly induced a tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity leading to tyrosine phosphorylation of 130- and 115-kDa proteins. The concentration of intracellular calcium was not affected by rgp120 in these cells. Our data suggest a novel signal transducing HIV-1 gp120 receptor on CD4-negative glial cells, which may contribute to the neuropathological changes observed in HIV-1-infected brains.

Topics: Brain; Calcium; CD4 Antigens; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cell Communication; Cell Membrane; Cross-Linking Reagents; Enzyme Activation; Galactosylceramides; Glioma; HIV Envelope Protein gp120; Humans; Phosphorylation; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Recombinant Proteins; Signal Transduction; Sulfoglycosphingolipids; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Malignant transformation is characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of cells. And changes in the composition of glycolipids, cell surface component which may be involved in regulation of cell growth, were often observed in the malignant transformation. In this study, cholesterol, lipid-bound phosphorus, cerebroside, sulfatide and ganglioside were quantitated in the tissue of 20 human malignant brain tumors (malignant glioma, 8; low grade glioma, 4; metastatic tumor, 7; malignant meningioma, 1). As compared with normal brain, all tumor tissue contained lower cholesterol, sialic acid, cerebroside and sulfatide. Metastatic brain tumor or glioma showed characteristic patterns in the content of ganglioside, cerebroside and sulfatide respectively. The ganglioside patterns of metastatic tumor or glioma contained a greater proportion of structurally simpler gangliosides than normal brain. And in metastatic tumor, GM3 was a major ganglioside. On the contrary, glioma had increased proportion of GM3 and GD3 gangliosides. High grade glioma such as Grade 3-4 contained higher proportion of GM3 and GD3, whereas low grade glioma (Grade 1-2) contained less proportion of GM3 and GD3.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Cerebrosides; Cholesterol; Gangliosides; Glioblastoma; Glioma; Humans; Lipids; Sulfoglycosphingolipids

In order to utilize liposomes for the treatment of brain tumors, we examined the interaction between the cells and the liposomes prepared from phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and sulfatide (molar ratio, 7:2:1), which were able to deliver the encapsulated materials into the brain through the blood-brain barrier. With a variety of human cell lines, the incorporation of the liposomes and the release of the liposomal contents into cells were studied by spectrofluorometry and flow cytometry by use of encapsulated 6-carboxy-fluorescein. It was found that the amounts of liposomes incorporated into cells were dependent on the dose of liposomes and type of cells. At the same concentration of liposomes, the highest incorporation was found for glioma cells, which was further confirmed by electron microscopy with ferritin-containing liposomes. These results indicate that the liposomes composed of sulfatide, phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol have a high affinity for human glioma cells and should be useful for the chemotherapy of glioma when antitumor drugs are encapsulated into them.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Brain Neoplasms; Glioma; Humans; Liposomes; Sulfoglycosphingolipids; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The effect of cerebroside sulfate, phosphatidylserine, and other phospholipids on opiate receptor function in neuroblastoma N18TG2 cells was studied by incorporation of lipids into the membrane bilayer of viable cells. A concentration- and time-dependent incorporation of sulfatide by N18TG2 cells was observed. The incorporated lipid was not metabolized during the incubation period of up to 48 hr at 37 degrees. Optimal conditions for lipid incorporation were determined to be 4 days after the cell seeding and in 1% fetal calf serum. The incorporated lipid was established to be associated with the plasma membrane fraction of the crude cell homogenate. Furthermore, increases in Vmax but not Km values of the adenylate cyclase for Mg2+, ATP, and prostaglandin E1 were observed in neuroblastoma N18TG2 cells exposed to cerebroside sulfate for 4--6 hr. The incorporation of cerebroside sulfate or phosphatidylserine by N18TG2 cells did not increase the number of opiate binding sites in this cell line as determined by [3H]naloxone, [3H]etorphine, or 3H-labeled D-Ala2-Met5-enkephalinamide binding. Although there was an increase in the affinity of [3H]naloxone binding, linear correlation between the amount of cerebroside sulfate incorporated and the quantity of binding increase was not observed. However, augmentation of both the potencies and the efficacies (maximal inhibitory level) of morphine and enkephalin to regulate adenylate cyclase activity was observed after sulfatide incorporation. At the maximal concentration of cerebroside sulfate used (67 microM) the opiate receptor activity in N18TG2 cells approached that of NG108-15 cells. Identical treatment of N18TG2 cells with cerebroside or psychosine sulfate did not produce any potentiation of the opiate inhibition of adenylate cyclase. Of all of the phospholipids tested--phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylcholine--only phosphatidylcholine produced a potentiation of the opiate effect. Both synthetic dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine or brain phosphatidylcholine could elicit the potentiation.

Topics: Adenylyl Cyclases; Animals; Cell Line; Glioma; Kinetics; Lipid Metabolism; Mice; Naloxone; Narcotics; Neoplasms, Experimental; Neuroblastoma; Rats; Receptors, Opioid; Subcellular Fractions; Sulfoglycosphingolipids

Topics: 2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases; Animals; Cattle; Clone Cells; Enzyme Induction; Galactosylceramides; Glioma; Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; Hybrid Cells; Hydrocortisone; Myelin Basic Protein; Neuroglia; Oligodendroglia; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; Rats; Sulfoglycosphingolipids

Experimental rat neural tumors in offspring were induced transplacentally by a single injection of a chemical carcinogen, ethylnitrosourea, 20 mg/kg body weight, in the tail vein of the mother. The neutral glycosphingolipid, sulfatide, and ceramide composition of the tumors and the normal tissues from which the tumors originated is described. The content of nonhydroxy fatty acid (NFA) and hydroxy fatty acid (HFA) containing ceramide in all the neural tumors so far examined was significantly increased compared with the corresponding normal neural tissue. Some 8 to 18 mol% of total neutral glycolipids was as ceramide in neurinomas, oligodendrogliomas, and meningiomas. Lactosylceramide in normal neural tissues was about 1 mol% of the total neutral glycosphingolipids. In various neural tumors lactosylceramide increased up to 8 mol%. NFA- and HFA-containing cerebrosides constitute 94-100% of the neutral glycosphingolipids in normal neural tissues. In various neural tumors the mol percent of cerebrosides was significantly reduced. A high performance liquid chromatographic method was modified to analyze simultaneously ceramides, cerebrosides, and higher neutral glycosphingolipids.

Topics: 2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases; Animals; Astrocytoma; Brain Neoplasms; Ceramides; Ependymoma; Glioma; Glycosphingolipids; Mass Spectrometry; Neoplasms, Experimental; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms; Rats; Sulfoglycosphingolipids

Several neural cell lines were examined for their ability to synthesize sulfatide and 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase, biochemical components characteristic of myelin. The mouse glioma G26 and the rat schwannoma TRM6B actively produced sulfatide, while the rat glioma C6 was inactive, supporting the probable oligodendroglial origin of the G26. In contrast, the C6 cell line had a high level of 2'-3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase activity, while TRM6B showed 30% and the G26 75% lower activities. Thus, these two activities appear to be independently regulated.

Topics: 2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases; Animals; Astrocytoma; Cell Line; Glioma; Mice; Myelin Sheath; Neoplasms, Experimental; Neurilemmoma; Neuroblastoma; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; Rats; Sulfoglycosphingolipids

Clonal cell lines derived from both spontaneous and chemically induced rat and mouse brain tumors were screened for their ability to incorporate H232SO4 into galactosyl(3-O-sulfate)ceramide (sulfatide). High levels of 35SO4 incorporation into sulfatide were found only in two of the mouse cell lines studied (G26-20 and -24). Tumors produced by subcutaneous injection of these cell lines into C57BL/6 mice were also unique in that they contained high levels of both sulfatide and galactosylceramide. The synthesis of large amounts of sulfatide and galactosylceramide by a clonal cell line of neurological origin suggests that the original tumor was of oligodendrocyte or Schwann cell origin. In common with a large number of mouse and rat astrocyte cell strains and their derived tumors, these glial cells lacked the ability to synthesize gangliosides such as monosialotetraglycosylceramide and disialotetraglycosylceramide (as judged by analytical and [3H]GlcNH2 incorporation studies). This appears to be a unique characteristic of neuroblastoma-derived cell strains such as N18, NB2a, and NB41A.

Topics: Animals; Brain Neoplasms; Clone Cells; Glioma; Glycosphingolipids; Mice; Myelin Sheath; Neoplasms, Experimental; Sulfoglycosphingolipids