Selected by gene co-expression network and molecular docking analyses, ENMD-2076 is highly effective in glioblastoma-bearing rats
AGING-US
Authors: Zhong, Sheng; Bai, Yang; Wu, Bo; Ge, Junliang; Jiang, Shanshan; Li, Weihang; Wang, Xinhui; Ren, Junan; Xu, Haiyang; Chen, Yong; Zhao, Gang
Abstract
Background: Glioblastoma is the most common type of malignant brain tumor. Bioinformatics technology and structure biology were effectively and systematically used to identify specific targets in malignant tumors and screen potential drugs. Results: GBM patients have higher AURKA and KDR mRNA expression compared with normal samples. Then, we identified a small molecular compound, ENMD-2076, could effectively inhibit Aurora kinase A and VEGFR-2 (encoded by KDR) activities. ENMD-2076 is predicted without toxic properties and also has absorption and gratifying brain/blood barrier penetration ability. Further results demonstrated that ENMD-2076 could significantly inhibit GBM cell lines proliferation and vitality, it also suppressed GBM cells migration and invasion. ENMD-2076 induced glioblastoma cell cycle arrest in G2-M phase and apoptosis by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. Additionally, ENMD-2076 prolonged the median survival time of tumor-bearing rats and restrained growth rate of tumor volume in vivo. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that ENMD-2076 is a promising drug in dealing with glioblastoma and have a perspective application. Methods: We show that AURKA and KDR genes are hub driver genes in glioblastoma with bioinformatics technology including WGCNA analysis, PPI network, GO, KEGG analysis and GSEA analysis. After identifying a compound via virtual screening analysis, further experiments were carried out to examine the antiglioblastoma activities of the compound in vivo and in vitro.
Circulating endothelial and progenitor cells in age-related macular degeneration
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
Authors: Mucciolo, Dario Pasquale; Marcucci, Rossella; Sodi, Andrea; Cesari, Francesca; Murro, Vittoria; Rogolino, Angela; Rizzo, Stanislao; Giusti, Betti; Virgili, Gianni; Prisco, Domenico; Gori, Anna Maria
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate circulating endothelial and circulating progenitor cells as biomarkers in age-related macular degeneration patients (both exudative and atrophic forms) in order to establish the possible clinical implication of their assessment. Methods: We have enrolled 44 age-related macular degeneration patients: 22 patients with a recently diagnosed exudative (neovascular) form (Group A) and 22 patients with an atrophic (dry) form (Group B). The control group consisted of 22 age and sex-matched healthy subjects (Group C). The number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CD34+/KDR+, CD133+/KDR+, and CD34+/KDR+/CD133+), circulating progenitor cells (CD34+, CD133+, and CD34+/CD133+), and circulating endothelial cells were determined in the peripheral venous blood samples by flow cytometry. Neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients were evaluated at baseline and 4 weeks after a loading phase of three consequent intravitreal injections of ranibizumab. Results: Comparing age-related macular degeneration patients with the control group, endothelial progenitor cell and circulating progenitor cell levels were not significantly different, while age-related macular degeneration patients showed significantly higher levels of circulating endothelial cells (p = 0.001). Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab was associated with a significant reduction of endothelial progenitor cell levels, with no significant influence on circulating progenitor cells and circulating endothelial cells. Conclusion: We reported higher levels of circulating endothelial cells in age-related macular degeneration patients in comparison with the control group, thereby supporting the hypothesis of an involvement of endothelial dysregulation in the age-related macular degeneration and a reduction of the endothelial progenitor cell level in neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients after three intravitreal injections of ranibizumab.