Melanoma cells can enter the process of senescence, but whether they express a secretory phenotype, as reported for other cells, is undetermined. This is of paramount importance, because this secretome can alter the tumor microenvironment and the response to chemotherapeutic drugs. More generally, the molecular events involved in formation of the senescent-associated secretome have yet to be determined. We reveal here that melanoma cells experiencing senescence in response to diverse stimuli, including anti-melanoma drugs, produce an inflammatory secretory profile, where the chemokine ligand-2 (CCL2) acts as a critical effector. Thus, we reveal how senescence induction might be involved in therapeutic failure in melanoma. We further provide a molecular relationship between senescence induction and secretome formation by revealing that the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling cascade, activated during senescence, drives the formation of a secretome endowed with protumoral and prometastatic properties. Our findings also point to the existence of the PARP-1 and NF-κB-associated secretome, termed the PNAS, in nonmelanoma cells. Most importantly, inhibition of PARP-1 or NF-κB prevents the proinvasive properties of the secretome. Collectively, identification of the PARP-1/NF-κB axis in secretome formation opens new avenues for therapeutic intervention against cancers.

Background: A subset of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have an increased number of mast cells (MCs) in the colonic mucosa. Psychological factors are believed to contribute to the course of IBS. Aims: To examine associations between fatigue, depression and MCs of the colonic mucosa in IBS. Methods: Colonic biopsies were taken from 50 Rome II IBS patients, 21 healthy controls and 11 depressed/fatigued patients without IBS. The cellularity of the lamina propria was determined as the number of inflammatory cells per high power field (hpf) through a 400× microscope. The Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) and the short form Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) evaluated the severity of fatigue and depression. Results: IBS patients had a significant increase in the cellularity of the lamina propria compared with controls or with depressed patients (mean (SD) 94.5 (48–110) vs 68 (58–82) and 78 (87–90) cells per hpf, p = 0.005 and p = 0.05, respectively), in particular of MCs (9.3 (5.6–11.7) vs 4.0 (2.7–6.8) and 4.3 (2.8–7.8) cells per hpf, p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). Both the FIS and BDI scores were significantly higher in IBS or in depressed patients than in controls (p<0.001). In IBS, the FIS score correlated significantly with the cellularity of the lamina propria (r = 0.51, p<0.0001) and MCs (r = 0.64, p<0.0001). In IBS, the BDI score correlated significantly with MCs (r = 0.29, p = 0.03). Conclusions: Elevated MCs counts are a key feature of the low-grade inflammatory infiltrate in the caecal mucosa of IBS. Fatigue and depression are associated with mucosal cell counts, in particular MCs, suggesting that psychological factors are associated with the low-grade inflammatory infiltrate in IBS.

EnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli(EHEC) infections are associated with the modification of tight-junction permeability and synthesis of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). In a previous study, it was demonstrated that EHEC-induced IL-8 secretion is due to the involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), AP-1, and NF-κB pathways. In this study, we investigated the effect of the yeastSaccharomyces boulardiion EHEC infection in T84 cells. For this purpose, cells were (i) incubated with bacteria and yeast at the same time or (ii) incubated overnight with yeast cells that were maintained during infection or eliminated by several washes before infection. Coincubation is sufficient to maintain the transmonolayer electrical resistance (TER) of EHEC-infected cells, whereas the preincubation of cells with the yeast without elimination of the yeast during infection is necessary to significantly decrease IL-8 secretion. We thus analyzed the mechanisms ofS. boulardiiaction. We showed thatS. boulardiihas no effect on EHEC growth or on EHEC adhesion. Kinetics studies revealed that EHEC-induced myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation precedes the decrease of TER. ML-7, an MLC kinase inhibitor, abolishes the EHEC-induced MLC phosphorylation and decrease of TER. Studies show thatS. boulardiialso abolishes EHEC-induced MLC phosphorylation. We demonstrated that the preincubation of cells withS. boulardiiwithout washes before EHEC infection inhibits NF-κB DNA binding activity, phosphorylation and degradation of IκB-α, and activation of the three members of a MAPK group (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2, p38, and c-jun N-terminal kinase). These findings demonstrate thatS. boulardiiexerts a preventive effect on EHEC infection by (i) interfering with one of the transduction pathways implicated in the control of tight-junction structure and (ii) decreasing IL-8 proinflammatory secretion via inhibition of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in infected T84 cells.

Background & Aims: Saccharomyces boulardii is a nonpathogenic yeast used for treatment of diarrhea. We used a mice model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to analyze the effects of S boulardii on inflammation. Methods: Lymphocyte-transferred SCID mice, displaying IBD, were fed daily with S boulardii. Weight loss and inflammatory status of the colon were monitored. Nuclear factor-κB activity was assessed in the colon. The CD4⁺ T-cell production of interferon (IFN) γ was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and a comprehensive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis for both colon and mesenteric lymph nodes was performed. Finally, we analyzed cell migration mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. Results: S boulardii treatment inhibits IBD. S boulardii induces an accumulation of IFN-γ-producing T-helper 1 cells within the mesenteric lymph nodes correlated with a diminution of CD4⁺ T-cell number and IFN-γ production by CD4+ T cells within the colon. The influence of S boulardii treatment on cell accumulation in mesenteric lymph nodes was also observed in normal BALB/c mice and involves modifications of lymph node endothelial cell adhesiveness by a yeast secretion product. Conclusions: S boulardii has a unique action on inflammation by a specific alteration of the migratory behavior of T cells, which accumulate in mesenteric lymph nodes. Therefore, S boulardii treatment limits the infiltration of T-helper 1 cells in the inflammed colon and the amplification of inflammation induced by proinflammatory cytokines production. These results suggest that S boulardii administration may have a beneficial effect in the treatment of IBD.