The heavy chain of murine ferritin, an iron storage molecule with ferroxidase activity, was developed as a novel endogenous reporter for the detection of gene expression by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Expression of both enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and influenza hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged ferritin were tightly coregulated by tetracycline (TET), using a bidirectional expression vector. C6 cells stably expressing a TET-EGFP-HA-ferritin construct enabled the dynamic detection of TET-regulated gene expression by MRI, followed by independent validation using fluorescence microscopy and histology. MR relaxation rates were significantly elevated both in vitro and in vivo on TET withdrawal, and were consistent with induced expression of ferritin and increase in intracellular iron content. Hence, overexpression of ferritin was sufficient to trigger cellular response, augmenting iron uptake to a degree detectable by MRI. Application of this novel MR reporter gene that generates significant contrast in the absence of exogenously administered substrates opens new possibilities for noninvasive molecular imaging of gene expression by MRI.

Summar yThe goal of this work was to determine the molecular basis for the induction of tumour vascularization and progression by injury. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies demonstrated that administration of wound fluid derived from cutaneous injuries in pigs reduced the lag for vascularization and initiation of growth of C6 glioma spheroids, implanted in nude mice, and accelerated tumour doubling time. The former effect can be attributed to the angiogenic capacity of wound fluid as detected in vivo by MRI, and in vitro in promoting endothelial cell proliferation. The latter effect, namely the induced rate of tumour growth, is consistent with the angiogenic activity of wound fluid as well as with the finding that wound fluid was directly mitogenic to the tumour cells, and accelerated growth of C6 glioma in spheroid culture. Of the multiple growth factors present in wound fluid, two key factors, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), were identified as the dominant mitogens for C6 glioma, and inhibition of their activity using specific neutralizing antibodies suppressed the mitogenic effect of wound fluid on DNA synthesis in C6 glioma. This study suggests that the stimulatory effect of injury on tumour progression can possibly be attenuated by therapeutic targeting directed against a limited number of specific growth factors.

We show here that elevated levels of gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone), as found in menopause or after ovariectomy, promote growth of human ovarian carcinoma by induction of tumor angiogenesis. Human epithelial ovarian cancer tumors progressed faster in ovariectomized mice. This induced growth could be attributed to the elevated levels of gonadotropins associated with loss of ovarian function because direct administration of gonadotropins also was effective in promoting tumor progression in vivo. On the other hand, gonadotropins had no direct effect on the proliferation of human ovarian cancer cells in vitro. Using MRI, we demonstrated that ovariectomy significantly (P < 0.02) induces neovascularization of human ovarian carcinoma spheroids implanted in nude mice. Moreover, conditioned medium of gonadotropin-treated human ovarian carcinoma cells showed increased mitogenic activity to bovine endothelial cells, and this activity could be blocked by neutralizing antibodies against luteinizing hormone and against vascular endothelial growth factor. Accordingly, gonadotropin stimulation resulted in a dose-dependentinduced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in monolayer culture as well as in the outer proliferating cells of human ovarian cancer spheroids. These results demonstrate the significance of the elevated levels of gonadotropins, as found in menopause and in all ovarian cancer patients, on the progression of ovarian cancer and could explain the protective effect of estrogen replacement therapy. Based on these results, we suggest that hormonal therapy aimed at lowering the circulating levels of gonadotropins may possibly prolong remission in ovarian cancer by extending tumor dormancy.

Medium type, its water status and the relative humidity in the culture vessel modified carnation leaf development in vitro. Carnation shoot apices cultured on liquid or on 0.8% agar solidified media developed into plantlets having succulent and translucent leaves which are not transplantable to non-aseptic conditions. Increasing the agar and/or sucrose concentration in the medium as well as decreasing the relative humidity in the culture vessel by a desiccant promoted glaucous leaf production. Increased water status (4 I-I2O and relative humidity) increased shoot proliferation and translucency of leaves. Decreased water status reduced shoot proliferation but induced the formation of glaucous leaves. The culture of apices for 5-6 days on liquid medium prior to their subculture to 1.5% agar medium improved shoot proliferation and normal leaf development. An agar slant prevented the submergence of apices in water accumulating on the medium and thus reduced leaf translucency. Survival was further increased by the transfer of plantlets in uncapped culture vessels to a desiccator for 1 2 weeks prior to transplanting to soil.

MLS ovarian epithelial carcinoma multicellular spheroids xenografted subcutaneously in CD-1 nude mice displayed growth delay, or dormancy, of up to 52 days. In the study reported here, implanted MLS spheroids were used for testing the role of angiogenesis and vascular maturation in triggering the initiation of tumor progression. The kinetics and impact of neovascular maturation and functionality, in dormancy, and growth of MLS spheroid xenografts were studied noninvasively by BOLD contrast MRI. MR data were supported by histologic staining for biotinylated albumin as a blood pool marker and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) as marker for perivascular mural cells. Although the tumor periphery showed higher levels of total and mature vasculature than normal skin, the fraction of mature out of the total vessels as detected by MRI vascular maturation index (VMI MRI ) was significantly lower in the tumor both before and after tumor exit from dormancy. The neovasculature induced by the implanted spheroid was unstable and showed cycles of vessel growth and regression. Surprisingly, this instability was not restricted to the immature vessels, but rather included also regression of mature vessels. During dormancy, neovasculature was predominantly peripheral with no infiltration into the implanted spheroid. Infiltration of alpha-SMA positive stroma cells into the spheroid was associated with functional vascularization and tumor growth. Thus, stroma infiltration and vascular maturation are an important checkpoint linking the angiogenic switch with initiation of tumor progression.