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  1. Exogenous HGF Bypasses the Effects of ErbB Inhibition on Tumor Cell Viability in Medulloblastoma Cell Lines.

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    Walderik W Zomerman

    Full Text Available Recent clinical trials investigating receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK inhibitors showed a limited clinical response in medulloblastoma. The present study investigated the role of micro-environmental growth factors expressed in the brain, such as HGF and EGF, in relation to the effects of hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET and epidermal growth factor receptor family (ErbB1-4 inhibition in medulloblastoma cell lines. Medulloblastoma cell lines were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors crizotinib or canertinib, targeting MET and ErbB1-4, respectively. Upon treatment, cells were stimulated with VEGF-A, PDGF-AB, HGF, FGF-2 or EGF. Subsequently, we measured cell viability and expression levels of growth factors and downstream signaling proteins. Addition of HGF or EGF phosphorylated MET or EGFR, respectively, and demonstrated phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2 as well as increased tumor cell viability. Crizotinib and canertinib both inhibited cell viability and phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2. Specifically targeting MET using shRNA's resulted in decreased cell viability. Interestingly, addition of HGF to canertinib significantly enhanced cell viability as well as phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2. The HGF-induced bypass of canertinib was reversed by addition of crizotinib. HGF protein was hardly released by medulloblastoma cells itself. Addition of canertinib did not affect RTK cell surface or growth factor expression levels. This manuscript points to the bypassing capacity of exogenous HGF in medulloblastoma cell lines. It might be of great interest to anticipate on these results in developing novel clinical trials with a combination of MET and EGFR inhibitors in medulloblastoma.

  2. Apigenin inhibits HGF-promoted invasive growth and metastasis involving blocking PI3K/Akt pathway and β4 integrin function in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

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    Lee, W.-J.; Chen, W.-K.; Wang, C.-J.; Lin, W.-L.; Tseng, T.-H.

    2008-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, Met, known to control invasive growth program have recently been shown to play crucial roles in the survival of breast cancer patients. The diet-derived flavonoids have been reported to possess anti-invasion properties; however, knowledge on the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms in suppressing HGF/Met-mediated tumor invasion and metastasis is poorly understood. In our preliminary study, we use HGF as an invasive inducer to investigate the effect of flavonoids including apigenin, naringenin, genistein and kaempferol on HGF-dependent invasive growth of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Results show that apigenin presents the most potent anti-migration and anti-invasion properties by Boyden chamber assay. Furthermore, apigenin represses the HGF-induced cell motility and scattering and inhibits the HGF-promoted cell migration and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of apigenin on HGF-induced signaling activation involving invasive growth was evaluated by immunoblotting analysis, it shows that apigenin blocks the HGF-induced Akt phosphorylation but not Met, ERK, and JNK phosphorylation. In addition to MDA-MB-231 cells, apigenin exhibits inhibitory effect on HGF-induced Akt phosphorylation in hepatoma SK-Hep1 cells and lung carcinoma A549 cells. By indirect immunofluorescence microscopy assay, apigenin inhibits the HGF-induced clustering of β4 integrin at actin-rich adhesive site and lamellipodia through PI3K-dependent manner. Treatment of apigenin inhibited HGF-stimulated integrin β4 function including cell-matrix adhesion and cell-endothelial cells adhesion in MDA-MB-231 cells. By Akt-siRNA transfection analysis, it confirmed that apigenin inhibited HGF-promoted invasive growth involving blocking PI3K/Akt pathway. Finally, we evaluated the effect of apigenin on HGF-promoted metastasis by lung colonization of tumor cells in nude mice and organ metastasis of tumor cells in chick embryo. By

  3. HGF and c-Met Interaction Promotes Migration in Human Chondrosarcoma Cells

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    Tsou, Hsi-Kai; Chen, Hsien-Te; Hung, Ya-Huey; Chang, Chia-Hao; Li, Te-Mao; Fong, Yi-Chin; Tang, Chih-Hsin

    2013-01-01

    Chondrosarcoma is a type of highly malignant tumor with a potent capacity for local invasion and causing distant metastasis. Chondrosarcoma shows a predilection for metastasis to the lungs. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been demonstrated to stimulate cancer proliferation, migration, and metastasis. However, the effect of HGF on migration activity of human chondrosarcoma cells is not well known. Here, we found that human chondrosarcoma tissues demonstrated significant expression of HGF, which was higher than that in normal cartilage. We also found that HGF increased the migration and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in human chondrosarcoma cells. c-Met inhibitor and siRNA reduced HGF-increased cell migration and MMP-2 expression. HGF treatment resulted in activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/PKCδ/NF-κB pathway, and HGF-induced expression of MMP-2 and cell migration was inhibited by specific inhibitors or siRNA-knockdown of PI3K, Akt, PKCδ, and NF-κB cascades. Taken together, our results indicated that HGF enhances migration of chondrosarcoma cells by increasing MMP-2 expression through the c-Met receptor/PI3K/Akt/PKCδ/NF-κB signal transduction pathway. PMID:23320110

  4. HGF and c-Met interaction promotes migration in human chondrosarcoma cells.

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    Hsi-Kai Tsou

    Full Text Available Chondrosarcoma is a type of highly malignant tumor with a potent capacity for local invasion and causing distant metastasis. Chondrosarcoma shows a predilection for metastasis to the lungs. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF has been demonstrated to stimulate cancer proliferation, migration, and metastasis. However, the effect of HGF on migration activity of human chondrosarcoma cells is not well known. Here, we found that human chondrosarcoma tissues demonstrated significant expression of HGF, which was higher than that in normal cartilage. We also found that HGF increased the migration and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2 in human chondrosarcoma cells. c-Met inhibitor and siRNA reduced HGF-increased cell migration and MMP-2 expression. HGF treatment resulted in activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K/Akt/PKCδ/NF-κB pathway, and HGF-induced expression of MMP-2 and cell migration was inhibited by specific inhibitors or siRNA-knockdown of PI3K, Akt, PKCδ, and NF-κB cascades. Taken together, our results indicated that HGF enhances migration of chondrosarcoma cells by increasing MMP-2 expression through the c-Met receptor/PI3K/Akt/PKCδ/NF-κB signal transduction pathway.

  5. Characterization of HGF/Met Signaling in Cell Lines Derived From Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder

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    Lee, Young H. [Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States); Apolo, Andrea B. [Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States); Agarwal, Piyush K.; Bottaro, Donald P., E-mail: dbottaro@helix.nih.gov [Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States)

    2014-11-25

    There is mounting evidence of oncogenic hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/Met signaling in urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder. The effects of three kinase inhibitors, cabozantinib, crizotinib and EMD1214063, on HGF-driven signaling and cell growth, invasion and tumorigenicity were analyzed in cultured UC cell lines. SW780 xenograft growth in SCID and human HGF knock-in SCID (hHGF/SCID) mice treated with cabozantinib or vehicle, as well as tumor levels of Met and pMet, were also determined. Met content was robust in most UC-derived cell lines. Basal pMet content and effector activation state in quiescent cells were low, but significantly enhanced by added HGF, as were cell invasion, proliferation and anchorage independent growth. These HGF-driven effects were reversed by Met inhibitor treatment. Tumor xenograft growth was significantly higher in hHGF/SCID mice vs. SCID mice and significantly inhibited by cabozantinib, as was tumor phospho-Met content. These studies indicate the prevalence and functionality of the HGF/Met signaling pathway in UC cells, suggest that paracrine HGF may contribute to UC tumor growth and progression, and that support further preclinical investigation of Met inhibitors for the treatment of UC is warranted.

  6. Curcumin inhibited HGF-induced EMT and angiogenesis through regulating c-Met dependent PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in lung cancer

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    Demin Jiao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT and angiogenesis have emerged as two pivotal events in cancer progression. Curcumin has been extensively studied in preclinical models and clinical trials of cancer prevention due to its favorable toxicity profile. However, the possible involvement of curcumin in the EMT and angiogenesis in lung cancer remains unclear. This study found that curcumin inhibited hepatocyte growth factor (HGF-induced migration and EMT-related morphological changes in A549 and PC-9 cells. Moreover, pretreatment with curcumin blocked HGF-induced c-Met phosphorylation and downstream activation of Akt, mTOR, and S6. These effects mimicked that of c-Met inhibitor SU11274 or PI3 kinase inhibitor LY294002 or mTOR inhibitor rapamycin treatment. c-Met gene overexpression analysis further demonstrated that curcumin suppressed lung cancer cell EMT by inhibiting c-Met/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs, we found that curcumin also significantly inhibited PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and induced apoptosis and reduced migration and tube formation of HGF-treated HUVEC. Finally, in the experimental mouse model, we showed that curcumin inhibited HGF-stimulated tumor growth and induced an increase in E-cadherin expression and a decrease in vimentin, CD34, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF expression. Collectively, these findings indicated that curcumin could inhibit HGF-promoted EMT and angiogenesis by targeting c-Met and blocking PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways.

  7. The TAM-family receptor Mer mediates production of HGF through the RhoA-dependent pathway in response to apoptotic cells.

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    Park, Hyun-Jung; Baen, Ji-Yeon; Lee, Ye-Ji; Choi, Youn-Hee; Kang, Jihee Lee

    2012-08-01

    The TAM receptor protein tyrosine kinases Tyro3, Axl, and Mer play important roles in macrophage function. We investigated the roles of the TAM receptors in mediating the induction of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) during the interaction of macrophages with apoptotic cells. Mer-specific neutralizing antibody, small interfering RNA (siRNA), and a recombinant Mer protein (Mer/Fc) inhibited HGF mRNA and protein expression, as well as activation of RhoA, Akt, and specific mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases in response to apoptotic cells. Inhibition of Axl or Tyro3 with specific antibodies, siRNA, or Fc-fusion proteins did not prevent apoptotic cell-induced HGF mRNA and protein expression and did not inhibit activation of the postreceptor signaling molecules RhoA and certain MAP kinases, including extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase. However, Axl- and Tyro3-specific blockers did inhibit the activation of Akt and p38 MAP kinase in response to apoptotic cells. In addition, none of the TAM receptors mediated the effects of apoptotic cells on transforming growth factor-β or epidermal growth factor mRNA expression. However, they were involved in the induction of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression. Our data provide evidence that when macrophages interact with apoptotic cells, only Mer of the TAM-family receptors is responsible for mediating transcriptional HGF production through a RhoA-dependent pathway.

  8. Pyridine-pyrimidine amides that prevent HGF-induced epithelial scattering by two distinct mechanisms.

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    Siddiqui-Jain, Adam; Hoj, Jacob P; Hargiss, J Blade; Hoj, Taylor H; Payne, Carter J; Ritchie, Collin A; Herron, Steven R; Quinn, Colette; Schuler, Jeffrey T; Hansen, Marc D H

    2017-09-01

    Stimulation of cultured epithelial cells with scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) results in individual cells detaching and assuming a migratory and invasive phenotype. Epithelial scattering recapitulates cancer progression and studies have implicated HGF signaling as a driver of cancer metastasis. Inhibitors of HGF signaling have been proposed to act as anti-cancer agents. We previously screened a small molecule library for compounds that block HGF-induced epithelial scattering. Most hits identified in this screen exhibit anti-mitotic properties. Here we assess the biological mechanism of a compound that blocks HGF-induced scattering with limited anti-mitotic activity. Analogs of this compound have one of two distinct activities: inhibiting either cell migration or cell proliferation with cell cycle arrest in G2/M. Each activity bears unique structure-activity relationships. The mechanism of action of anti-mitotic compounds is by inhibition of microtubule polymerization; these compounds entropically and enthalpically bind tubulin in the colchicine binding site, generating a conformational change in the tubulin dimer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. HGF potentiates extracellular matrix-driven migration of human myoblasts: involvement of matrix metalloproteinases and MAPK/ERK pathway.

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    González, Mariela Natacha; de Mello, Wallace; Butler-Browne, Gillian S; Silva-Barbosa, Suse Dayse; Mouly, Vincent; Savino, Wilson; Riederer, Ingo

    2017-10-10

    The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is required for the activation of muscle progenitor cells called satellite cells (SC), plays a role in the migration of proliferating SC (myoblasts), and is present as a soluble factor during muscle regeneration, along with extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules. In this study, we aimed at determining whether HGF is able to interact with ECM proteins, particularly laminin 111 and fibronectin, and to modulate human myoblast migration. We evaluated the expression of the HGF-receptor c-Met, laminin, and fibronectin receptors by immunoblotting, flow cytometry, or immunofluorescence and used Transwell assays to analyze myoblast migration on laminin 111 and fibronectin in the absence or presence of HGF. Zymography was used to check whether HGF could modulate the production of matrix metalloproteinases by human myoblasts, and the activation of MAPK/ERK pathways was evaluated by immunoblotting. We demonstrated that human myoblasts express c-Met, together with laminin and fibronectin receptors. We observed that human laminin 111 and fibronectin have a chemotactic effect on myoblast migration, and this was synergistically increased when low doses of HGF were added. We detected an increase in MMP-2 activity in myoblasts treated with HGF. Conversely, MMP-2 inhibition decreased the HGF-associated stimulation of cell migration triggered by laminin or fibronectin. HGF treatment also induced in human myoblasts activation of MAPK/ERK pathways, whose specific inhibition decreased the HGF-associated stimulus of cell migration triggered by laminin 111 or fibronectin. We demonstrate that HGF induces ERK phosphorylation and MMP production, thus stimulating human myoblast migration on ECM molecules. Conceptually, these data state that the mechanisms involved in the migration of human myoblasts comprise both soluble and insoluble moieties. This should be taken into account to optimize the design of therapeutic cell transplantation strategies by improving

  10. HGF mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of PRP on injured tendons.

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    Jianying Zhang

    Full Text Available Platelet-rich plasma (PRP containing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF and other growth factors are widely used in orthopaedic/sports medicine to repair injured tendons. While PRP treatment is reported to decrease pain in patients with tendon injury, the mechanism of this effect is not clear. Tendon pain is often associated with tendon inflammation, and HGF is known to protect tissues from inflammatory damages. Therefore, we hypothesized that HGF in PRP causes the anti-inflammatory effects. To test this hypothesis, we performed in vitro experiments on rabbit tendon cells and in vivo experiments on a mouse Achilles tendon injury model. We found that addition of PRP or HGF decreased gene expression of COX-1, COX-2, and mPGES-1, induced by the treatment of tendon cells in vitro with IL-1β. Further, the treatment of tendon cell cultures with HGF antibodies reduced the suppressive effects of PRP or HGF on IL-1β-induced COX-1, COX-2, and mPGES-1 gene expressions. Treatment with PRP or HGF almost completely blocked the cellular production of PGE2 and the expression of COX proteins. Finally, injection of PRP or HGF into wounded mouse Achilles tendons in vivo decreased PGE2 production in the tendinous tissues. Injection of platelet-poor plasma (PPP however, did not reduce PGE2 levels in the wounded tendons, but the injection of HGF antibody inhibited the effects of PRP and HGF. Further, injection of PRP or HGF also decreased COX-1 and COX-2 proteins. These results indicate that PRP exerts anti-inflammatory effects on injured tendons through HGF. This study provides basic scientific evidence to support the use of PRP to treat injured tendons because PRP can reduce inflammation and thereby reduce the associated pain caused by high levels of PGE2.

  11. HGF Mediates the Anti-inflammatory Effects of PRP on Injured Tendons

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    Zhang, Jianying; Middleton, Kellie K.; Fu, Freddie H.; Im, Hee-Jeong; Wang, James H-C.

    2013-01-01

    Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) containing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and other growth factors are widely used in orthopaedic/sports medicine to repair injured tendons. While PRP treatment is reported to decrease pain in patients with tendon injury, the mechanism of this effect is not clear. Tendon pain is often associated with tendon inflammation, and HGF is known to protect tissues from inflammatory damages. Therefore, we hypothesized that HGF in PRP causes the anti-inflammatory effects. To test this hypothesis, we performed in vitro experiments on rabbit tendon cells and in vivo experiments on a mouse Achilles tendon injury model. We found that addition of PRP or HGF decreased gene expression of COX-1, COX-2, and mPGES-1, induced by the treatment of tendon cells in vitro with IL-1β. Further, the treatment of tendon cell cultures with HGF antibodies reduced the suppressive effects of PRP or HGF on IL-1β-induced COX-1, COX-2, and mPGES-1 gene expressions. Treatment with PRP or HGF almost completely blocked the cellular production of PGE2 and the expression of COX proteins. Finally, injection of PRP or HGF into wounded mouse Achilles tendons in vivo decreased PGE2 production in the tendinous tissues. Injection of platelet-poor plasma (PPP) however, did not reduce PGE2 levels in the wounded tendons, but the injection of HGF antibody inhibited the effects of PRP and HGF. Further, injection of PRP or HGF also decreased COX-1 and COX-2 proteins. These results indicate that PRP exerts anti-inflammatory effects on injured tendons through HGF. This study provides basic scientific evidence to support the use of PRP to treat injured tendons because PRP can reduce inflammation and thereby reduce the associated pain caused by high levels of PGE2. PMID:23840657

  12. Cooperative interaction of MUC1 with the HGF/c-Met pathway during hepatocarcinogenesis.

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    Bozkaya, Giray; Korhan, Peyda; Cokaklı, Murat; Erdal, Esra; Sağol, Ozgül; Karademir, Sedat; Korch, Christopher; Atabey, Neşe

    2012-09-11

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) induced c-Met activation is known as the main stimulus for hepatocyte proliferation and is essential for liver development and regeneration. Activation of HGF/c-Met signaling has been correlated with aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MUC1 is a transmembrane mucin, whose over-expression is reported in most cancers. Many of the oncogenic effects of MUC1 are believed to occur through the interaction of MUC1 with signaling molecules. To clarify the role of MUC1 in HGF/c-Met signaling, we determined whether MUC1 and c-Met interact cooperatively and what their role(s) is in hepatocarcinogenesis. MUC1 and c-Met over-expression levels were determined in highly motile and invasive, mesenchymal-like HCC cell lines, and in serial sections of cirrhotic and HCC tissues, and these levels were compared to those in normal liver tissues. Co-expression of both c-Met and MUC1 was found to be associated with the differentiation status of HCC. We further demonstrated an interaction between c-Met and MUC1 in HCC cells. HGF-induced c-Met phosphorylation decreased this interaction, and down-regulated MUC1 expression. Inhibition of c-Met activation restored HGF-mediated MUC1 down-regulation, and decreased the migratory and invasive abilities of HCC cells via inhibition of β-catenin activation and c-Myc expression. In contrast, siRNA silencing of MUC1 increased HGF-induced c-Met activation and HGF-induced cell motility and invasion. These findings indicate that the crosstalk between MUC1 and c-Met in HCC could provide an advantage for invasion to HCC cells through the β-catenin/c-Myc pathway. Thus, MUC1 and c-Met could serve as potential therapeutic targets in HCC.

  13. Cooperative interaction of MUC1 with the HGF/c-Met pathway during hepatocarcinogenesis

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    Bozkaya Giray

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF induced c-Met activation is known as the main stimulus for hepatocyte proliferation and is essential for liver development and regeneration. Activation of HGF/c-Met signaling has been correlated with aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. MUC1 is a transmembrane mucin, whose over-expression is reported in most cancers. Many of the oncogenic effects of MUC1 are believed to occur through the interaction of MUC1 with signaling molecules. To clarify the role of MUC1 in HGF/c-Met signaling, we determined whether MUC1 and c-Met interact cooperatively and what their role(s is in hepatocarcinogenesis. Results MUC1 and c-Met over-expression levels were determined in highly motile and invasive, mesenchymal-like HCC cell lines, and in serial sections of cirrhotic and HCC tissues, and these levels were compared to those in normal liver tissues. Co-expression of both c-Met and MUC1 was found to be associated with the differentiation status of HCC. We further demonstrated an interaction between c-Met and MUC1 in HCC cells. HGF-induced c-Met phosphorylation decreased this interaction, and down-regulated MUC1 expression. Inhibition of c-Met activation restored HGF-mediated MUC1 down-regulation, and decreased the migratory and invasive abilities of HCC cells via inhibition of β-catenin activation and c-Myc expression. In contrast, siRNA silencing of MUC1 increased HGF-induced c-Met activation and HGF-induced cell motility and invasion. Conclusions These findings indicate that the crosstalk between MUC1 and c-Met in HCC could provide an advantage for invasion to HCC cells through the β-catenin/c-Myc pathway. Thus, MUC1 and c-Met could serve as potential therapeutic targets in HCC.

  14. In Vivo Real-Time Imaging of Exogenous HGF-Triggered Cell Migration in Rat Intact Soleus Muscles

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    Ishido, Minenori; Kasuga, Norikatsu

    2012-01-01

    The transplantation of myogenic cells is a potentially effective therapy for muscular dystrophy. However, this therapy has achieved little success because the diffusion of transplanted myogenic cells is limited. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the primary triggers to induce myogenic cell migration in vitro. However, to our knowledge, whether exogenous HGF can trigger the migration of myogenic cells (i.e. satellite cells) in intact skeletal muscles in vivo has not been reported. We previously reported a novel in vivo real-time imaging method in rat skeletal muscles. Therefore, the present study examined the relationship between exogenous HGF treatment and cell migration in rat intact soleus muscles using this imaging method. As a result, it was indicated that the cell migration velocity was enhanced in response to increasing exogenous HGF concentration in skeletal muscles. Furthermore, the expression of MyoD was induced in satellite cells in response to HGF treatment. We first demonstrated in vivo real-time imaging of cell migration triggered by exogenous HGF in intact soleus muscles. The experimental method used in the present study will be a useful tool to understand further the regulatory mechanism of HGF-induced satellite cell migration in skeletal muscles in vivo

  15. A novel rabbit anti-hepatocyte growth factor monoclonal neutralizing antibody inhibits tumor growth in prostate cancer cells and mouse xenografts

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    Yu, Yanlan; Chen, Yicheng; Ding, Guoqing; Wang, Mingchao; Wu, Haiyang; Xu, Liwei; Rui, Xuefang; Zhang, Zhigen

    2015-01-01

    The hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met are correlated with castration-resistance in prostate cancer. Although HGF has been considered as an attractive target for therapeutic antibodies, the lack of cross-reactivity of monoclonal antibodies with human/mouse HGFs is a major obstacle in preclinical developments. We generated a panel of anti-HGF RabMAbs either blocking HGF/c-Met interaction or inhibiting c-Met phosphorylation. We selected one RabMAb with mouse cross-reactivity and demonstrated that it blocked HGF-stimulated downstream activation in PC-3 and DU145 cells. Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibited not only the growth of PC-3 cells but also HGF-dependent proliferation in HUVECs. We further demonstrated the efficacy and potency of the anti-HGF RabMAb in tumor xenograft mice models. Through these in vitro and in vivo experiments, we explored a novel therapeutic antibody for advanced prostate cancer. - Highlights: • HGF is an attractive target for castration-refractory prostate cancer. • We generated and characterized a panel of anti-HGF rabbit monoclonal antibodies. • More than half of these anti-HGF RabMAbs was cross-reactive with mouse HGF. • Anti-HGF RabMAb blocks HGF-stimulated phosphorylation and cell growth in vitro. • Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in xenograft mice

  16. A novel rabbit anti-hepatocyte growth factor monoclonal neutralizing antibody inhibits tumor growth in prostate cancer cells and mouse xenografts

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    Yu, Yanlan; Chen, Yicheng; Ding, Guoqing; Wang, Mingchao; Wu, Haiyang; Xu, Liwei; Rui, Xuefang; Zhang, Zhigen, E-mail: srrshurology@163.com

    2015-08-14

    The hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met are correlated with castration-resistance in prostate cancer. Although HGF has been considered as an attractive target for therapeutic antibodies, the lack of cross-reactivity of monoclonal antibodies with human/mouse HGFs is a major obstacle in preclinical developments. We generated a panel of anti-HGF RabMAbs either blocking HGF/c-Met interaction or inhibiting c-Met phosphorylation. We selected one RabMAb with mouse cross-reactivity and demonstrated that it blocked HGF-stimulated downstream activation in PC-3 and DU145 cells. Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibited not only the growth of PC-3 cells but also HGF-dependent proliferation in HUVECs. We further demonstrated the efficacy and potency of the anti-HGF RabMAb in tumor xenograft mice models. Through these in vitro and in vivo experiments, we explored a novel therapeutic antibody for advanced prostate cancer. - Highlights: • HGF is an attractive target for castration-refractory prostate cancer. • We generated and characterized a panel of anti-HGF rabbit monoclonal antibodies. • More than half of these anti-HGF RabMAbs was cross-reactive with mouse HGF. • Anti-HGF RabMAb blocks HGF-stimulated phosphorylation and cell growth in vitro. • Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in xenograft mice.

  17. Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Instruct Monocytes Towards an IL10-producing Phenotype by Secreting IL6 and HGF.

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    Deng, Yinan; Zhang, Yingcai; Ye, Linsen; Zhang, Tong; Cheng, Jintao; Chen, Guihua; Zhang, Qi; Yang, Yang

    2016-12-05

    Human UC-MSCs are regarded as an attractive alternative to BM-MSCs for clinical applications due to their easy preparation, higher proliferation and lower immunogenicity. However, the mechanisms underlying immune suppression by UC-MSCs are still unclear. We studied the mechanism of inhibition by UC-MSCs during the differentiation of monocytes into DCs and focused on the specific source and the role of the involved cytokines. We found that UC-MSCs suppressed monocyte differentiation into DCs and instructed monocytes towards other cell types, with clear decreases in the expression of co-stimulatory molecules, in the secretion of inflammatory factors and in allostimulatory capacity. IL6, HGF and IL10 might be involved in this process because they were detected at higher levels in a coculture system. UC-MSCs produce IL-6 and HGF, and neutralization of IL-6 and HGF reversed the suppressive effect of UC-MSCs. IL10 was not produced by UC-MSCs but was exclusively produced by monocytes after exposure to UC-MSCs, IL-6 or HGF. In summary, we found that the UC-MSC-mediated inhibitory effect was dependent on IL6 and HGF secreted by UC-MSCs and that this effect induced monocyte-derived cells to produce IL10, which might indirectly strengthen the suppressive effect of UC-MSCs.

  18. Regulation of HGF and SDF-1 expression by oral fibroblasts--implications for invasion of oral cancer.

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    Daly, Aisling J; McIlreavey, Leanne; Irwin, Chris R

    2008-07-01

    Invasion and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is dependent on signals received from stromal fibroblasts present in the surrounding connective tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation of expression of two important signaling molecules--HGF and SDF-1--by both stromal fibroblasts and their 'activated' form, myofibroblasts, and to determine the role of these two factors in stimulating OSCC cell invasion in vitro. Fibroblasts and myofibroblasts produced similar levels of HGF and SDF-1. IL-1alpha and OSCC cell conditioned medium both stimulated HGF and SDF-1 expression, while TGF-beta(1) inhibited production of each factor. Myofibroblast-derived conditioned medium stimulated OSCC cell invasion through matrigel. Blocking antibodies to both HGF and SDF-1 reduced the level of invasion. In fibroblast-free organotypic raft cultures, addition of HGF and SDF-1 stimulated OSCC cell invasion into the underlying collagen gel, although the pattern of invasion differed from that induced by fibroblasts. Fibroblast-derived HGF and SDF-1 appear to play central roles in the reciprocal interactions between OSCC cells and underlying stromal fibroblasts leading to the local invasion of oral cancer.

  19. Signal transduction and downregulation of C-MET in HGF stimulated low and highly metastatic human osteosarcoma cells

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    Husmann, Knut, E-mail: khusmann@research.balgrist.ch [Laboratory for Orthopedic Research, Department of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Ducommun, Pascal [Laboratory for Orthopedic Research, Department of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Division of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Sabile, Adam A.; Pedersen, Else-Marie; Born, Walter; Fuchs, Bruno [Laboratory for Orthopedic Research, Department of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland)

    2015-09-04

    The poor outcome of osteosarcoma (OS), particularly in patients with metastatic disease and a five-year survival rate of only 20%, asks for more effective therapeutic strategies targeting malignancy-promoting mechanisms. Dysregulation of C-MET, its ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the fusion oncogene product TPR-MET, first identified in human MNNG-HOS OS cells, have been described as cancer-causing factors in human cancers. Here, the expression of these molecules at the mRNA and the protein level and of HGF-stimulated signaling and downregulation of C-MET was compared in the parental low metastatic HOS and MG63 cell lines and the respective highly metastatic MNNG-HOS and 143B and the MG63-M6 and MG63-M8 sublines. Interestingly, expression of TPR-MET was only observed in MNNG-HOS cells. HGF stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 in all cell lines investigated, but phospho-Stat3 remained at basal levels. Downregulation of HGF-stimulated Akt and Erk1/2 phosphorylation was much faster in the HGF expressing MG63-M8 cells than in HOS cells. Degradation of HGF-activated C-MET occurred predominantly through the proteasomal and to a lesser extent the lysosomal pathway in the cell lines investigated. Thus, HGF-stimulated Akt and Erk1/2 signaling as well as proteasomal degradation of HGF activated C-MET are potential therapeutic targets in OS. - Highlights: • Expression of TPR-MET was only observed in MNNG-HOS cells. • HGF stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 but not of Stat3 in osteosarcoma cell lines. • Degradation of HGF-activated C-MET occurred predominantly through the proteasomal pathway.

  20. The HGF Receptor c-Met Is Overexpressed in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

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    Luis J. Herrera

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF receptor, Met, has established oncogenic properties; however, its expression and function in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA remain poorly understood. We aimed to determine the expression and potential alterations in Met expression in EA. Met expression was investigated in surgical specimens of EA, Barrett's esophagus (BE, and normal esophagus (NE using immunohistochemistry (IHC and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Met expression, phosphorylation, and the effect of COX-2 inhibition on expression were examined in EA cell lines. IHC demonstrated intense Met immunoreactivity in all (100% EA and dysplastic BE specimens. In contrast, minimal immunostaining was observed in BE without dysplasia or NE specimens. Met mRNA and protein levels were increased in three EA cell lines, and Met protein was phosphorylated in the absence of serum. Sequence analysis found the kinase domain of c-met to be wild type in all three EA cell lines. HGF mRNA expression was identified in two EA cell lines. In COX-2-overexpressing cells, COX-2 inhibition decreased Met expression. Met is consistently overexpressed in EA surgical specimens and in three EA cell lines. Met dysregulation occurs early in Barrett's dysplasia to adenocarcinoma sequence. Future study of Met inhibition as a potential biologic therapy for EA is warranted.

  1. Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Instruct Monocytes Towards an IL10-producing Phenotype by Secreting IL6 and HGF

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yinan; Zhang, Yingcai; Ye, Linsen; Zhang, Tong; Cheng, Jintao; Chen, Guihua; Zhang, Qi; Yang, Yang

    2016-01-01

    Human UC-MSCs are regarded as an attractive alternative to BM-MSCs for clinical applications due to their easy preparation, higher proliferation and lower immunogenicity. However, the mechanisms underlying immune suppression by UC-MSCs are still unclear. We studied the mechanism of inhibition by UC-MSCs during the differentiation of monocytes into DCs and focused on the specific source and the role of the involved cytokines. We found that UC-MSCs suppressed monocyte differentiation into DCs and instructed monocytes towards other cell types, with clear decreases in the expression of co-stimulatory molecules, in the secretion of inflammatory factors and in allostimulatory capacity. IL6, HGF and IL10 might be involved in this process because they were detected at higher levels in a coculture system. UC-MSCs produce IL-6 and HGF, and neutralization of IL-6 and HGF reversed the suppressive effect of UC-MSCs. IL10 was not produced by UC-MSCs but was exclusively produced by monocytes after exposure to UC-MSCs, IL-6 or HGF. In summary, we found that the UC-MSC-mediated inhibitory effect was dependent on IL6 and HGF secreted by UC-MSCs and that this effect induced monocyte-derived cells to produce IL10, which might indirectly strengthen the suppressive effect of UC-MSCs. PMID:27917866

  2. Role of Sphingosine Kinase 1 and S1P Transporter Spns2 in HGF-mediated Lamellipodia Formation in Lung Endothelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Panfeng; Ebenezer, David L; Berdyshev, Evgeny V; Bronova, Irina A; Shaaya, Mark; Harijith, Anantha; Natarajan, Viswanathan

    2016-12-30

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling via c-Met is known to promote endothelial cell motility and angiogenesis. We have previously reported that HGF stimulates lamellipodia formation and motility of human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs) via PI3K/Akt signal transduction and reactive oxygen species generation. Here, we report a role for HGF-induced intracellular sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) generation catalyzed by sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1), S1P transporter, spinster homolog 2 (Spns2), and S1P receptor, S1P 1 , in lamellipodia formation and perhaps motility of HLMVECs. HGF stimulated SphK1 phosphorylation and enhanced intracellular S1P levels in HLMVECs, which was blocked by inhibition of SphK1. HGF enhanced co-localization of SphK1/p-SphK1 with actin/cortactin in lamellipodia and down-regulation or inhibition of SphK1 attenuated HGF-induced lamellipodia formation in HLMVECs. In addition, down-regulation of Spns2 also suppressed HGF-induced lamellipodia formation, suggesting a key role for inside-out S1P signaling. The HGF-mediated phosphorylation of SphK1 and its localization in lamellipodia was dependent on c-Met and ERK1/2 signaling, but not the PI3K/Akt pathway; however, blocking PI3K/Akt signaling attenuated HGF-mediated phosphorylation of Spns2. Down-regulation of S1P 1 , but not S1P 2 or S1P 3 , with specific siRNA attenuated HGF-induced lamellipodia formation. Further, HGF enhanced association of Spns2 with S1P 1 that was blocked by inhibiting SphK1 activity with PF-543. Moreover, HGF-induced migration of HLMVECs was attenuated by down-regulation of Spns2 . Taken together, these results suggest that HGF/c-Met-mediated lamellipodia formation, and perhaps motility is dependent on intracellular generation of S1P via activation and localization of SphK1 to cell periphery and Spns2-mediated extracellular transportation of S1P and its inside-out signaling via S1P 1 . © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  3. Blood vessel endothelium-directed tumor cell streaming in breast tumors requires the HGF/C-Met signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, E; Xue, A; Wang, Y; Rougerie, P; Sharma, V P; Eddy, R; Cox, D; Condeelis, J

    2017-05-11

    During metastasis to distant sites, tumor cells migrate to blood vessels. In vivo, breast tumor cells utilize a specialized mode of migration known as streaming, where a linear assembly of tumor cells migrate directionally towards blood vessels on fibronectin-collagen I-containing extracellular matrix (ECM) fibers in response to chemotactic signals. We have successfully reconstructed tumor cell streaming in vitro by co-plating tumors cells, macrophages and endothelial cells on 2.5 μm thick ECM-coated micro-patterned substrates. We found that tumor cells and macrophages, when plated together on the micro-patterned substrates, do not demonstrate sustained directional migration in only one direction (sustained directionality) but show random bi-directional walking. Sustained directionality of tumor cells as seen in vivo was established in vitro when beads coated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells were placed at one end of the micro-patterned 'ECM fibers' within the assay. We demonstrated that these endothelial cells supply the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) required for the chemotactic gradient responsible for sustained directionality. Using this in vitro reconstituted streaming system, we found that directional streaming is dependent on, and most effectively blocked, by inhibiting the HGF/C-Met signaling pathway between endothelial cells and tumor cells. Key observations made with the in vitro reconstituted system implicating C-Met signaling were confirmed in vivo in mammary tumors using the in vivo invasion assay and intravital multiphoton imaging of tumor cell streaming. These results establish HGF/C-Met as a central organizing signal in blood vessel-directed tumor cell migration in vivo and highlight a promising role for C-Met inhibitors in blocking tumor cell streaming and metastasis in vivo, and for use in human trials.

  4. hHGF overexpression in myoblast sheets enhances their angiogenic potential in rat chronic heart failure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antti Siltanen

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available After severe myocardial infarction (MI, heart failure results from ischemia, fibrosis, and remodeling. A promising therapy to enhance cardiac function and induce therapeutic angiogenesis via a paracrine mechanism in MI is myoblast sheet transplantation. We hypothesized that in a rat model of MI-induced chronic heart failure, this therapy could be further improved by overexpression of the antiapoptotic, antifibrotic, and proangiogenic hepatocyte growth factor (HGF in the myoblast sheets. We studied the ability of wild type (L6-WT and human HGF-expressing (L6-HGF L6 myoblast sheet-derived paracrine factors to stimulate cardiomyocyte, endothelial cell, or smooth muscle cell migration in culture. Further, we studied the autocrine effect of hHGF-expression on myoblast gene expression profiles by use of microarray analysis. We induced MI in Wistar rats by left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD ligation and allowed heart failure to develop for 4 weeks. Thereafter, we administered L6-WT (n = 15 or L6-HGF (n = 16 myoblast sheet therapy. Control rats (n = 13 underwent LAD ligation and rethoracotomy without therapy, and five rats underwent a sham operation in both surgeries. We evaluated cardiac function with echocardiography at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy, and analyzed cardiac angiogenesis and left ventricular architecture from histological sections at 4 weeks. Paracrine mediators from L6-HGF myoblast sheets effectively induced migration of cardiac endothelial and smooth muscle cells but not cardiomyocytes. Microarray data revealed that hHGF-expression modulated myoblast gene expression. In vivo, L6-HGF sheet therapy effectively stimulated angiogenesis in the infarcted and non-infarcted areas. Both L6-WT and L6-HGF therapies enhanced cardiac function and inhibited remodeling in a similar fashion. In conclusion, L6-HGF therapy effectively induced angiogenesis in the chronically failing heart. Cardiac function, however, was not further

  5. PHA665752, a small-molecule inhibitor of c-Met, inhibits hepatocyte growth factor-stimulated migration and proliferation of c-Met-positive neuroblastoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crosswell, Hal E; Dasgupta, Anindya; Alvarado, Carlos S; Watt, Tanya; Christensen, James G; De, Pradip; Durden, Donald L; Findley, Harry W

    2009-01-01

    c-Met is a tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), and both c-Met and its ligand are expressed in a variety of tissues. C-Met/HGF/SF signaling is essential for normal embryogenesis, organogenesis, and tissue regeneration. Abnormal c-Met/HGF/SF signaling has been demonstrated in different tumors and linked to aggressive and metastatic tumor phenotypes. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated inhibition of c-Met/HGF/SF signaling by the small-molecule inhibitor PHA665752. This study investigated c-Met and HGF expression in two neuroblastoma (NBL) cell lines and tumor tissue from patients with NBL, as well as the effects of PHA665752 on growth and motility of NBL cell lines. The effect of the tumor suppressor protein PTEN on migration and proliferation of tumor cells treated with PHA665752 was also evaluated. Expression of c-Met and HGF in NBL cell lines SH-EP and SH-SY5Y and primary tumor tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR. The effect of PHA665752 on c-Met/HGF signaling involved in NBL cell proliferation and migration was evaluated in c-Met-positive cells and c-Met-transfected cells. The transwell chemotaxis assay and the MTT assay were used to measure migration and proliferation/cell-survival of tumor cells, respectively. The PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone was used to assess the effect of PTEN on PHA665752-induced inhibition of NBL cell proliferation/cell-survival and migration High c-Met expression was detected in SH-EP cells and primary tumors from patients with advanced-stage disease. C-Met/HGF signaling induced both migration and proliferation of SH-EP cells. Migration and proliferation/cell-survival were inhibited by PHA665752 in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that induced overexpression of PTEN following treatment with rosiglitazone significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect of PHA665752 on NBL-cell migration and proliferation. c-Met is highly expressed in most tumors from

  6. IL-6 modulates hepatocyte proliferation via induction of HGF/p21cip1: Regulation by SOCS3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Rui; Jaruga, Barbara; Kulkarni, Shailin; Sun Haoyu; Gao Bin

    2005-01-01

    The precise role of IL-6 in liver regeneration and hepatocyte proliferation is controversial and the role of SOCS3 in liver regeneration remains unknown. Here we show that in vitro treatment with IL-6 inhibited primary mouse hepatocyte proliferation. IL-6 induced p21 cip1 protein expression in primary mouse hepatocytes. Disruption of the p21 cip1 gene abolished the inhibitory effect of IL-6 on cell proliferation. Co-culture with nonparenchymal liver cells diminished IL-6 inhibition of hepatocyte proliferation, which was likely due to IL-6 stimulation of nonparenchymal cells to produce HGF. Finally, IL-6 induced higher levels of p21 cip1 protein expression and a slightly stronger inhibition of cell proliferation in SOCS3 +/- mouse hepatocytes compared to wild-type hepatocytes, while liver regeneration was enhanced and prolonged in SOCS3 +/- mice. Our findings suggest that IL-6 directly inhibits hepatocyte proliferation via a p21 cip1 -dependent mechanism and indirectly enhances hepatocyte proliferation via stimulating nonparenchymal cells to produce HGF. SOCS3 negatively regulates liver regeneration

  7. Multiple regulatory mechanisms of hepatocyte growth factor expression in malignant cells with a short poly(dA) sequence in the HGF gene promoter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Kazuko; Takeda, Masayuki; Okamoto, Isamu; Nakagawa, Kazuhiko; Nishio, Kazuto

    2015-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) expression is a poor prognostic factor in various types of cancer. Expression levels of HGF have been reported to be regulated by shorter poly(dA) sequences in the promoter region. In the present study, the poly(dA) mononucleotide tract in various types of human cancer cell lines was examined and compared with the HGF expression levels in those cells. Short deoxyadenosine repeat sequences were detected in five of the 55 cell lines used in the present study. The H69, IM95, CCK-81, Sui73 and H28 cells exhibited a truncated poly(dA) sequence in which the number of poly(dA) repeats was reduced by ≥5 bp. Two of the cell lines exhibited high HGF expression, determined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The CCK-81, Sui73 and H28 cells with shorter poly(dA) sequences exhibited low HGF expression. The cause of the suppression of HGF expression in the CCK-81, Sui73 and H28 cells was clarified by two approaches, suppression by methylation and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the HGF gene. Exposure to 5-Aza-dC, an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase 1, induced an increased expression of HGF in the CCK-81 cells, but not in the other cells. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs72525097 in intron 1 was detected in the Sui73 and H28 cells. Taken together, it was found that the defect of poly(dA) in the HGF promoter was present in various types of cancer, including lung, stomach, colorectal, pancreas and mesothelioma. The present study proposes the negative regulation mechanisms by methylation and SNP in intron 1 of HGF for HGF expression in cancer cells with short poly(dA).

  8. Aptamers Binding to c-Met Inhibiting Tumor Cell Migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Birgit Piater

    Full Text Available The human receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met plays an important role in the control of critical cellular processes. Since c-Met is frequently over expressed or deregulated in human malignancies, blocking its activation is of special interest for therapy. In normal conditions, the c-Met receptor is activated by its bivalent ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF. Also bivalent antibodies can activate the receptor by cross linking, limiting therapeutic applications. We report the generation of the RNA aptamer CLN64 containing 2'-fluoro pyrimidine modifications by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX. CLN64 and a previously described single-stranded DNA (ssDNA aptamer CLN3 exhibited high specificities and affinities to recombinant and cellular expressed c-Met. Both aptamers effectively inhibited HGF-dependent c-Met activation, signaling and cell migration. We showed that these aptamers did not induce c-Met activation, revealing an advantage over bivalent therapeutic molecules. Both aptamers were shown to bind overlapping epitopes but only CLN3 competed with HGF binding to cMet. In addition to their therapeutic and diagnostic potential, CLN3 and CLN64 aptamers exhibit valuable tools to further understand the structural and functional basis for c-Met activation or inhibition by synthetic ligands and their interplay with HGF binding.

  9. Exogenous HGF Bypasses the Effects of ErbB Inhibition on Tumor Cell Viability in Medulloblastoma Cell Lines

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zomerman, Waldrik W; Plasschaert, Sabine L. A.; Diks, Sander H.; Lourens, Harm-Jan; Meeuwsen-de Boer, Tiny; Hoving, Eelco W.; den Dunnen, Wilfred F. A.; de Bont, Eveline S. J. M.

    2015-01-01

    Recent clinical trials investigating receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors showed a limited clinical response in medulloblastoma. The present study investigated the role of micro-environmental growth factors expressed in the brain, such as HGF and EGF, in relation to the effects of hepatocyte

  10. Hepatic Stellate Cell Coculture Enables Sorafenib Resistance in Huh7 Cells through HGF/c-Met/Akt and Jak2/Stat3 Pathways

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weibo Chen

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Tumor microenvironment confers drug resistance to kinase inhibitors by increasing RKT ligand levels that result in the activation of cell-survival signaling including PI3K and MAPK signals. We assessed whether HSC-LX2 coculture conferred sorafenib resistance in Huh7 and revealed the mechanism underlying the drug resistance. Experimental Design. The effect of LX2 on sorafenib resistance was determined by coculture system with Huh7 cells. The rescue function of LX2 supernatants was assessed by MTT assay and fluorescence microscopy. The underlying mechanism was tested by administration of pathway inhibitors and manifested by Western blotting. Results. LX2 coculture significantly induced sorafenib resistance in Huh7 by activating p-Akt that led to reactivation of p-ERK. LX2 secreted HGF into the culture medium that triggered drug resistance, and exogenous HGF could also induce sorafenib resistance. The inhibition of p-Akt blocked sorafenib resistance caused by LX2 coculture. Increased phosphorylation of Jak2 and Stat3 was also detected in LX2 cocultured Huh7 cells. The Jak inhibitor tofacitinib reversed sorafenib resistance by blocking Jak2 and Stat3 activation. The combined administration of sorafenib and p-Stat3 inhibitor S3I-201 augmented induced apoptosis even in the presence of sorafenib resistance. Conclusions. HSC-LX2 coculture induced sorafenib resistance in Huh7 through multiple pathways: HGF/c-Met/Akt pathway and Jak2/Stat3 pathway. A combined administration of sorafenib and S3I-201 was able to augment sorafenib-induced apoptosis even in the presence of LX2 coculture.

  11. Regulation of HGF and c-MET Interaction in Normal Ovary and Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Youngjoo; Godwin, Andrew K

    2017-04-01

    Binding of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to the c-MET receptor has mitogenic, motogenic, and morphogenic effects on cells. The versatile biological effects of HGF and c-MET interactions make them important contributors to the development of malignant tumors. We and others have demonstrated a therapeutic value in targeting the interaction of c-MET and HGF in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, both HGF and c-MET are expressed in the normal ovary as well. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences in mechanisms that control HGF signaling activation and its functional role in the normal ovary and EOC. In the normal ovary, HGF signaling may be under hormonal regulation. During ovulation, HGF-converting proteases are secreted and the subsequent activation of HGF signaling enhances the proliferation of ovarian surface epithelium in order to replenish the area damaged due to expulsion of the ovum. In contrast, EOC cells that exhibit epithelial characteristics constitutively express both c-MET and HGF-converting proteases such as urokinase-type plasminogen activator. In EOC, mechanisms to control the activation of HGF signaling are absent since HGF is provided locally from the tissue microenvironment as well as remotely throughout the body. Potential incessant HGF signaling in EOC may lead to an increase in proliferation, invasion through the stroma, and migration to other tissues of cancer cells. Therefore, targeting the interaction of c-MET and HGF would be beneficial in treating EOC.

  12. ARF1 and ARF6 regulate recycling of GRASP/Tamalin and the Rac1-GEF Dock180 during HGF-induced Rac1 activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koubek, Emily J; Santy, Lorraine C

    2018-05-04

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent signaling factor that acts on epithelial cells, causing them to dissociate and scatter. This migration is coordinated by a number of small GTPases, such as ARF6 and Rac1. Active ARF6 is required for HGF-stimulated migration and intracellular levels of ARF6-GTP and Rac1-GTP increase following HGF treatment. During migration, cross talk between ARF6 and Rac1 occurs through formation of a multi-protein complex containing the ARF-GEF cytohesin-2, the scaffolding protein GRASP/Tamalin, and the Rac1-GEF Dock180. Previously, the role of ARF6 in this process was unclear. We have now found that ARF6 and ARF1 regulate trafficking of GRASP and Dock180 to the plasma membrane following HGF treatment. Trafficking of GRASP and Dock180 is impaired by blocking ARF6-mediated recycling pathways and is required for HGF-stimulated Rac1 activation. Finally, HGF treatment stimulates association of GRASP and Dock180. Inhibition of ARF6 trafficking pathways traps GRASP and Dock180 as a complex in the cell.

  13. Activation of PI3K-Akt-GSK3β pathway mediates hepatocyte growth factor inhibition of RANTES expression in renal tubular epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gong Rujun; Rifai, Abdalla; Dworkin, Lance D.

    2005-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was recently reported to ameliorate renal inflammation in a rat model of chronic renal failure. HGF exerted its action through suppression of RANTES expression in renal tubules. In the present study, we utilized an in vitro model of human kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells (HKC) to elucidate the mechanisms of RANTES suppression by HGF. HGF significantly suppressed basal and TNF-α-induced mRNA and protein expression of RANTES in a time and dose dependent fashion. HGF elicited PI3K-Akt activation and inhibited GSK3, a downstream transducer of PI3K-Akt, by inhibitory phosphorylation at Ser-9. When the PI3K-Akt pathway was blocked by wortmannin, HGF inhibition of RANTES was abrogated, demonstrating that the PI3K-Akt pathway is necessary for HGF action. In addition, specific inhibition of GSK3 activity by lithium ion suppressed basal and TNF-α-induced RANTES expression, reminiscent of the action of HGF. To further investigate the role of GSK3 in modulating RANTES expression, we examined the effect of forced expression of wild type GSK3β or an uninhibitable mutant GSK3β, in which the regulatory Ser-9 residue is changed to alanine (S9A-GSK3β) in HKC. Overexpression of wild type GSK3β did not alter the inhibitory action of HGF on RANTES. In contrast, expression of S9A-GSK3β abolished HGF inhibition of basal and TNF-α stimulated RANTES expression. These findings suggest that PI3K-Akt activation and subsequent inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3β are required for HGF-induced suppression of RANTES in HKC

  14. Adipocytes enhance murine pancreatic cancer growth via a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-mediated mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziegler, Kathryn M; Considine, Robert V; True, Eben; Swartz-Basile, Deborah A; Pitt, Henry A; Zyromski, Nicholas J

    2016-04-01

    Obesity accelerates the development and progression of pancreatic cancer, though the mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Adipocytes are biologically active, producing factors such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) that may influence tumor progression. We therefore sought to test the hypothesis that adipocyte-secreted factors including HGF accelerate pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. Murine pancreatic cancer cells (Pan02 and TGP-47) were grown in a) conditioned medium (CM) from murine F442A preadipocytes, b) HGF-knockdown preadipocyte CM, c) recombinant murine HGF at increasing doses, and d) CM plus HGF-receptor (c-met) inhibitor. Cell proliferation was measured using the MTT assay. ANOVA and t-test were applied; p TGP-47 cell proliferation relative to control (59 ± 12% and 34 ± 12%, p TGP-47 cells remained unchanged. Recombinant HGF dose-dependently increased Pan02, but not TGP-47, proliferation (p TGP-47 cells. These experiments demonstrate that adipocyte-derived factors accelerate murine pancreatic cancer proliferation. In the case of Pan02 cells, HGF is responsible, in part, for this proliferation. Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. HGF and BFGF Secretion by Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Improves Ovarian Function During Natural Aging via Activation of the SIRT1/FOXO1 Signaling Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Chenyue; Zou, Qinyan; Wang, Fuxin; Wu, Huihua; Wang, Wei; Li, Hong; Huang, Boxian

    2018-01-01

    Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) are a potential therapeutic option for clinical applications because of their ability to produce cytokines and their capacity for trilineage differentiation. To date, few researchers have investigated the effects of hADSCs on natural ovarian aging (NOA). An NOA mouse model and human ovarian granule cells (hGCs) collected from individuals with NOA were prepared to assess the therapeutic effects and illuminate the mechanism of hADSCs in curing NOA. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the serum levels of sex hormones and antioxidative enzymes. The proliferation rate and marker expression level of hGCs were measured by flow cytometry (FACS). Cytokines were measured by a protein antibody array methodology. Western blot assays were used to determine the protein expression levels of SIRT1 and FOXO1. Our results showed that hADSCs displayed therapeutic activity against ovarian function in an NOA mouse model, increasing the proliferation rate and marker expression level of hGCs. Furthermore, the yields of hADSC-secreted HGF and bFGF were higher than those of other growth factors. FACS showed that combination treatment with the growth factors HGF and bFGF more strongly promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in hGCs than HGF or bFGF treatment alone. FACS and ELISA revealed that the combination treatment with both growth factors inhibited oxidative stress more forcefully than treatments with only one of these growth factors. In addition, protein assays demonstrated that combination treatment with both growth factors suppressed oxidative stress by up-regulating the expression of SIRT1 and FOXO1. These findings demonstrate for the first time the molecular cascade and related cell biology events involved in the mechanism by which HGF and bFGF derived from hADSCs improved ovarian function during natural aging via reduction of oxidative stress by activating the SIRT1/FOXO1 signaling pathway. © 2018 The Author

  16. Combined administration of mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing IGF-1 and HGF enhances neovascularization but moderately improves cardiac regeneration in a porcine model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez-Mauricio, Guadalupe; Moscoso, Isabel; Martín-Cancho, María-Fernanda; Crisóstomo, Verónica; Prat-Vidal, Cristina; Báez-Díaz, Claudia; Sánchez-Margallo, Francisco M; Bernad, Antonio

    2016-07-16

    Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are among the most promising growth factors for promoting cardiorepair. Here, we evaluated the combination of cell- and gene-based therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) genetically modified to overexpress IGF-1 or HGF to treat acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a porcine model. Pig MSC from adipose tissue (paMSC) were genetically modified for evaluation of different therapeutic strategies to improve AMI treatment. Three groups of infarcted Large White pigs were compared (I, control, non-transplanted; II, transplanted with paMSC-GFP (green fluorescent protein); III, transplanted with paMSC-IGF-1/HGF). Cardiac function was evaluated non-invasively using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for 1 month. After euthanasia and sampling of the animal, infarcted areas were studied by histology and immunohistochemistry. Intramyocardial transplant in a porcine infarct model demonstrated the safety of paMSC in short-term treatments. Treatment with paMSC-IGF-1/HGF (1:1) compared with the other groups showed a clear reduction in inflammation in some sections analyzed and promoted angiogenic processes in ischemic tissue. Although cardiac function parameters were not significantly improved, cell retention and IGF-1 overexpression was confirmed within the myocardium. The simultaneous administration of IGF-1- and HGF-overexpressing paMSC appears not to promote a synergistic effect or effective repair. The combined enhancement of neovascularization and fibrosis in paMSC-IGF-1/HGF-treated animals nonetheless suggests that sustained exposure to high IGF-1 + HGF levels promotes beneficial as well as deleterious effects that do not improve overall cardiac regeneration.

  17. The motogenic and mitogenic responses to HGF are amplified by the Shc adaptor protein

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pelicci, G; Giordano, S; Zhen, Z

    1995-01-01

    The receptor of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Scatter Factor (HGF) is a tyrosine kinase which regulates cell motility and growth. After ligand-induced tyrosine phosphorylation, the HGF receptor associates with the Shc adaptor, via the SH2 domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of the HGF receptor indicates...

  18. HGF is released from buccal fibroblasts after smokeless tobacco stimulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dabelsteen, S; Christensen, S; Gron, B

    2005-01-01

    on exposure time and on concentration of the tobacco extract. High concentration increased production of HGF 4-fold. KGF production was doubled when high concentration of tobacco was used, low concentration did not stimulate cells. GM-CSF production was low in both stimulated and non-stimulated cells......To investigate the effect of smokeless tobacco (ST) on (1) HGF, KGF and GM-CSF expression by buccal fibroblasts and (2) on keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation. Buccal fibroblasts were stimulated with different concentrations of ST extracts in a double dilution from 0.50% w/v to 0.03% w....... Keratinocytes and fibroblasts showed no increase in proliferation after stimulation with increased concentrations of ST. The results suggest that HGF and KGF may play an important role as a paracrine growth factor in epithelial hyperplasia in ST lesions....

  19. The Mechanism of Gefitinib Resistance Induced by Hepatocyte Growth Factor 
in Sensitive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells in Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xianglan XUAN

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective Previous studies have reported that Met might be related to gefitinib resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. The present study aims to explore the mechanism of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF-induced gefitinib resistance in different gene types of sensitive NSCLC in vitro. Methods The PC-9 and H292 cell lines were chosen and induced by HGF. The cell survival was measured using MTT assay, the cell cycle distribution was measured using PI assay, and cell apoptosis with an Annexin V-PE assay, respectively. The c-Met and p-Met protein expression was determined via Western blot analysis. Results Gefitinib inhibited the growth of PC-9 and H292 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The concentration-survival curves of both cell lines shifted to the right when induced with HGF. HGF did not affect PC-9 and H292 cell proliferation. The cell also had a higher cell survival rate when treated with HGF and gefitinib compared with that under gefitinib alone (P<0.05. The apoptotic rate and cell cycle progression showed no significant difference between the HG and G group (P>0.05. HGF stimulated Met phosphorylation in the PC-9 and H292 cells. Gefitinib inhibited the HGF-induced Met phosphorylation in PC-9 cells, but not in H292 cells. Conclusion HGF induces gefitinib resistance in PC-9 and H292 cells. HGF-induced Met phosphorylation may be an important mechanism of gefitinib resistance in sensitive NSCLC.

  20. Targeting the MET oncogene by concomitant inhibition of receptor and ligand via an antibody-"decoy" strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basilico, Cristina; Modica, Chiara; Maione, Federica; Vigna, Elisa; Comoglio, Paolo M

    2018-04-25

    MET, a master gene sustaining "invasive growth," is a relevant target for cancer precision therapy. In the vast majority of tumors, wild-type MET behaves as a "stress-response" gene and relies on the ligand (HGF) to sustain cell "scattering," invasive growth and apoptosis protection (oncogene "expedience"). In this context, concomitant targeting of MET and HGF could be crucial to reach effective inhibition. To test this hypothesis, we combined an anti-MET antibody (MvDN30) inducing "shedding" (i.e., removal of MET from the cell surface), with a "decoy" (i.e., the soluble extracellular domain of the MET receptor) endowed with HGF-sequestering ability. To avoid antibody/decoy interaction-and subsequent neutralization-we identified a single aminoacid in the extracellular domain of MET-lysine 842-that is critical for MvDN30 binding and engineered the corresponding recombinant decoyMET (K842E). DecoyMET K842E retains the ability to bind HGF with high affinity and inhibits HGF-induced MET phosphorylation. In HGF-dependent cellular models, MvDN30 antibody and decoyMET K842E used in combination cooperate in restraining invasive growth, and synergize in blocking cancer cell "scattering." The antibody and the decoy unbridle apoptosis of colon cancer stem cells grown in vitro as spheroids. In a preclinical model, built by orthotopic transplantation of a human pancreatic carcinoma in SCID mice engineered to express human HGF, concomitant treatment with antibody and decoy significantly reduces metastatic spread. The data reported indicate that vertical targeting of the MET/HGF axis results in powerful inhibition of ligand-dependent MET activation, providing proof of concept in favor of combined target therapy of MET "expedience." © 2018 UICC.

  1. MiR-375 inhibits the hepatocyte growth factor-elicited migration of mesenchymal stem cells by downregulating Akt signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Lihong; Wang, Xianyao; Kang, Naixin; Xu, Jianwei; Dai, Nan; Xu, Xiaojing; Zhang, Huanxiang

    2018-04-01

    The migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is critical for their use in cell-based therapies. Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs are important regulators of MSC migration. Here, we report that the expression of miR-375 was downregulated in MSCs treated with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which strongly stimulates the migration of these cells. Overexpression of miR-375 decreased the transfilter migration and the migration velocity of MSCs triggered by HGF. In our efforts to determine the mechanism by which miR-375 affects MSC migration, we found that miR-375 significantly inhibited the activation of Akt by downregulating its phosphorylation at T308 and S473, but had no effect on the activity of mitogen-activated protein kinases. Further, we showed that 3'phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1), an upstream kinase necessary for full activation of Akt, was negatively regulated by miR-375 at the protein level. Moreover, miR-375 suppressed the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin, two important regulators of focal adhesion (FA) assembly and turnover, and decreased the number of FAs at cell periphery. Taken together, our results demonstrate that miR-375 inhibits HGF-elicited migration of MSCs through downregulating the expression of PDK1 and suppressing the activation of Akt, as well as influencing the tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin and FA periphery distribution.

  2. Expression and migratory analysis of 5 human uveal melanoma cell lines for CXCL12, CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Cesare Sebastian

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to characterize the presence and roles of CXCL12, CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF in five human uveal melanoma cell lines, using different methods, in order to ascertain their significance in this disease. Methods Five human uveal melanoma cell lines (92.1, SP6.5, MKT-BR, OCM-1, and UW-1 of known proliferative, invasive, and metastatic potential were used in this experiment. A migration assay was used in order to assess the responsiveness of each cell line towards the four chosen chemotactic factors. Immunohistochemistry was then performed for all five cell lines (cytospins using antibodies directed toward CXCL1, CXCL8 and their receptors CXCR2 and CXCR1 respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR was then performed on all five cell lines in order to establish the presence of these four chemotactic factors. Results All five human uveal melanoma cell lines migrated towards the four chosen chemotactic factors at a level greater than that of the negative control. Chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL8 resulted in the greatest number of migrating cells in all five of our cell lines. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of CXCL1, CXCL8, and their receptors CXCR2 and CXCR1 in all five of the cell lines. Quantitative real-time PCR results established expression of CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF in all 5 cell lines tested. CXCL1 and CXCL8 are highly expressed in SP6.5 and UW-1. None of the five cell lines expressed any detectable levels of CXCL12. Conclusion The migratory ability of the 5 human uveal melanoma cell lines was positively influenced by the four chemotactic factors tested, namely CXCL12, CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF. Self-expression of chemotactic factors CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF may indicate an autocrine system, which perhaps contributes to the cells' metastatic ability in vivo.

  3. The Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF/Met Axis: A Neglected Target in the Treatment of Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marjorie Boissinot

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Met is the receptor of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, a cytoprotective cytokine. Disturbing the equilibrium between Met and its ligand may lead to inappropriate cell survival, accumulation of genetic abnormalities and eventually, malignancy. Abnormal activation of the HGF/Met axis is established in solid tumours and in chronic haematological malignancies, including myeloma, acute myeloid leukaemia, chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML, and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs. The molecular mechanisms potentially responsible for the abnormal activation of HGF/Met pathways are described and discussed. Importantly, inCML and in MPNs, the production of HGF is independent of Bcr-Abl and JAK2V617F, the main molecular markers of these diseases. In vitro studies showed that blocking HGF/Met function with neutralizing antibodies or Met inhibitors significantly impairs the growth of JAK2V617F-mutated cells. With personalised medicine and curative treatment in view, blocking activation of HGF/Met could be a useful addition in the treatment of CML and MPNs for those patients with high HGF/MET expression not controlled by current treatments (Bcr-Abl inhibitors in CML; phlebotomy, hydroxurea, JAK inhibitors in MPNs.

  4. The Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)/Met Axis: A Neglected Target in the Treatment of Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boissinot, Marjorie [Translational Neuro-Oncology Group, Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Level 5 Wellcome Trust Brenner Building, St James’s Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF (United Kingdom); Vilaine, Mathias [Institute of Research on Cancer and Aging (IRCAN), CNRS-Inserm-UNS UMR 7284, U 1081, Centre A. Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, Nice 06189 (France); Hermouet, Sylvie, E-mail: sylvie.hermouet@univ-nantes.fr [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU), Place Alexis Ricordeau, Nantes 44093 (France); Inserm UMR892, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie Nantes-Angers, Institut de Recherche en Santé, Université de Nantes, 8 quai Moncousu, Nantes cedex 44007 (France)

    2014-08-12

    Met is the receptor of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a cytoprotective cytokine. Disturbing the equilibrium between Met and its ligand may lead to inappropriate cell survival, accumulation of genetic abnormalities and eventually, malignancy. Abnormal activation of the HGF/Met axis is established in solid tumours and in chronic haematological malignancies, including myeloma, acute myeloid leukaemia, chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML), and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The molecular mechanisms potentially responsible for the abnormal activation of HGF/Met pathways are described and discussed. Importantly, inCML and in MPNs, the production of HGF is independent of Bcr-Abl and JAK2V617F, the main molecular markers of these diseases. In vitro studies showed that blocking HGF/Met function with neutralizing antibodies or Met inhibitors significantly impairs the growth of JAK2V617F-mutated cells. With personalised medicine and curative treatment in view, blocking activation of HGF/Met could be a useful addition in the treatment of CML and MPNs for those patients with high HGF/MET expression not controlled by current treatments (Bcr-Abl inhibitors in CML; phlebotomy, hydroxurea, JAK inhibitors in MPNs)

  5. Negative control of the HGF/c-MET pathway by TGF-β: a new look at the regulation of stemness in glioblastoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papa, Eleanna; Weller, Michael; Weiss, Tobias; Ventura, Elisa; Burghardt, Isabel; Szabó, Emese

    2017-12-13

    Multiple target inhibition has gained considerable interest in combating drug resistance in glioblastoma, however, understanding the molecular mechanisms of crosstalk between signaling pathways and predicting responses of cancer cells to targeted interventions has remained challenging. Despite the significant role attributed to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-MET signaling in glioblastoma pathogenesis, their functional interactions have not been well characterized. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches to stimulate or antagonize the TGF-β pathway in human glioma-initiating cells (GIC), we observed that TGF-β exerts an inhibitory effect on c-MET phosphorylation. Inhibition of either mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) signaling pathway attenuated this effect. A comparison of c-MET-driven and c-MET independent GIC models revealed that TGF-β inhibits stemness in GIC at least in part via its negative regulation of c-MET activity, suggesting that stem cell (SC) maintenance may be controlled by the balance between these two oncogenic pathways. Importantly, immunohistochemical analyses of human glioblastoma and ex vivo single-cell gene expression profiling of TGF-β and HGF confirm the negative interaction between both pathways. These novel insights into the crosstalk of two major pathogenic pathways in glioblastoma may explain some of the disappointing results when targeting either pathway alone in human glioblastoma patients and inform on potential future designs on targeted pharmacological or genetic intervention.

  6. The (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer films for gene-eluting stent coating: Gene-protecting, anticoagulation, antibacterial properties, and in vivo antirestenosis evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Hao; Ren, Ke-feng; Zhang, He; Wang, Jin-lei; Wang, Bai-liang; Ji, Jian

    2015-02-01

    Vascular gene-eluting stents (GES) is a promising strategy for treatment of cardiovascular disease. Very recently, we have proved that the (protamine sulfate/plasmid DNA encoding hepatocyte growth factor) (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer can serve as a powerful tool for enhancing competitiveness of endothelial cell over smooth muscle cell, which opens perspectives for the regulation of intercellular competitiveness in the field of interventional therapy. However, before the gene multilayer films could be used in vascular stents for real clinical application, the preservation of gene bioactivity during the industrial sterilization and the hemocompatibility of film should be taken into account. Actually, both are long been ignored issues in the field of gene coating for GES. In this study, we demonstrate that the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer film exhibits the good gene-protecting abilities, which is confirmed by using the industrial sterilizations (gamma irradiation and ethylene oxide) and a routine storage condition (dry state at 4°C for 30 days). Furthermore, hemocompatible measurements (such as platelet adhesion and whole blood coagulation) and antibacterial assays (bacteria adhesion and growth inhibition) indicate the good anticoagulation and antibacterial properties of the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer film. The in vivo preliminary data of angiography and histological analysis suggest that the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer coated stent can reduce the in-stent restenosis. This work reveals that the (PrS/HGF-pDNA) multilayer film could be a promising candidate as coating for GES, which is of great potential in future clinic application. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Activated HGF-c-Met Axis in Head and Neck Cancer

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    Levi Arnold

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC is a highly morbid disease. Recent developments including Food and Drug Administration (FDA approved molecular targeted agent’s pembrolizumab and cetuximab show promise but did not improve the five-year survival which is currently less than 40%. The hepatocyte growth factor receptor; also known as mesenchymal–epithelial transition factor (c-Met and its ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF are overexpressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC; and regulates tumor progression and response to therapy. The c-Met pathway has been shown to regulate many cellular processes such as cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis. The c-Met pathway is involved in cross-talk, activation, and perpetuation of other signaling pathways, curbing the cogency of a blockade molecule on a single pathway. The receptor and its ligand act on several downstream effectors including phospholipase C gamma (PLCγ, cellular Src kinase (c-Src, phosphotidylinsitol-3-OH kinase (PI3K alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt, mitogen activate protein kinase (MAPK, and wingless-related integration site (Wnt pathways. They are also known to cross-talk with other receptors; namely epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR and specifically contribute to treatment resistance. Clinical trials targeting the c-Met axis in HNSCC have been undertaken because of significant preclinical work demonstrating a relationship between HGF/c-Met signaling and cancer cell survival. Here we focus on HGF/c-Met impact on cellular signaling in HNSCC to potentiate tumor growth and disrupt therapeutic efficacy. Herein we summarize the current understanding of HGF/c-Met signaling and its effects on HNSCC. The intertwining of c-Met signaling with other signaling pathways provides opportunities for more robust and specific therapies, leading to better clinical outcomes.

  8. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) modulates wound healing through regulation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Serrano, Isabel; Diez-Marques, Maria L.; Rodriguez-Puyol, Manuel [Department of Physiology, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Instituto Reina Sofia de Investigacion Nefrologica (Spain); Herrero-Fresneda, Inmaculada [Nephrology Unit, IDIBELL, Hospital de Bellvitge, Barcelona (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Garcia del Moral, Raimundo [Department of Pathology, University of Granada (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Dedhar, Shoukat [Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Ruiz-Torres, Maria P., E-mail: mpiedad.ruiz@uah.es [Department of Physiology, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Instituto Reina Sofia de Investigacion Nefrologica (Spain); Rodriguez-Puyol, Diego [Nephrology Unit, Hospital Universitario Principe de Asturias, Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Instituto Reina Sofia de Investigacion Nefrologica (Spain)

    2012-11-15

    Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is an intracellular effector of cell-matrix interactions and regulates many cellular processes, including growth, proliferation, survival, differentiation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis. The present work analyzes the role of ILK in wound healing in adult animals using a conditional knock-out of the ILK gene generated with the tamoxifen-inducible Cre-lox system (CRE-LOX mice). Results show that ILK deficiency leads to retarded wound closure in skin. Intracellular mechanisms involved in this process were analyzed in cultured mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) isolated from CRE-LOX mice and revealed that wounding promotes rapid activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and ILK. Knockdown of ILK resulted in a retarded wound closure due to a decrease in cellular proliferation and loss of HGF protein expression during the healing process, in vitro and in vivo. Alterations in cell proliferation and wound closure in ILK-deficient MEF or mice could be rescued by exogenous administration of human HGF. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that the activation of PI3K and ILK after skin wounding are critical for HGF-dependent tissue repair and wound healing. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ILK deletion results in decreased HGF expression and delayed scratch wound repair. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PI3K/ILK/AKT pathway signals through HGF to regulate wound healing. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An ILK-dependent increase in HGF expression is responsible for wound healing in vivo. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ILK-KO mice are used to confirm the requirement for ILK function in wound healing. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Human HGF treatment restores delayed wound closure in vitro and in vivo.

  9. Decreased Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) and Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) in Individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russo, Anthony J; Pietsch, Stefanie C

    2013-01-01

    There is support for the role of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the etiology of mood disorders. Recent research has shown that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) modulates GABAergic inhibition and seizure susceptibility. This study was designed to determine and correlate plasma levels of HGF and GABA as well as symptom severity in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Plasma from 15 individuals with OCD (9 males, 6 females;, mean age 38.7 years) and 17 neurotypical controls (10 males, 7 females; mean age 35.2 years) was assessed for HGF, GABA, urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) concentration using enzyme-linked immunosorbest assays ELISAs. Symptom severity was assessed in these OCD individuals and compared with HGF and GABA concentrations. In this preliminary study, individuals with OCD had significantly decreased HGF levels, decreased plasma levels of GABA and decreased uPA. We found that both uPA and uPAR levels correlate with HGF. Both low uPA and low uPAR levels correlate with high symptom severity in individuals with OCD. Low GABA levels in OCD individuals also correlate with high symptom severity. These results demonstrate a preliminary association between HGF, GABA, uPA levels, and OCD and suggest that plasma GABA and uPA levels are related to symptom severity in individuals with OCD.

  10. The potential roles of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF-MET pathway inhibitors in cancer treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parikh RA

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Rahul A Parikh,1 Peng Wang,2 Jan H Beumer,3 Edward Chu,1 Leonard J Appleman11Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Cancer Therapeutics Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center, Lexington, KY, USA; 3University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Cancer Therapeutics Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USAAbstract: MET is located on chromosome 7q31 and is a proto-oncogene that encodes for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF receptor, a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK family. HGF, also known as scatter factor (SF, is the only known ligand for MET. MET is a master regulator of cell growth and division (mitogenesis, mobility (motogenesis, and differentiation (morphogenesis; it plays an important role in normal development and tissue regeneration. The HGF-MET axis is frequently dysregulated in cancer by MET gene amplification, translocation, and mutation, or by MET or HGF protein overexpression. MET dysregulation is associated with an increased propensity for metastatic disease and poor overall prognosis across multiple tumor types. Targeting the dysregulated HGF-MET pathway is an area of active research; a number of monoclonal antibodies to HGF and MET, as well as small molecule inhibitors of MET, are under development. This review summarizes the key biological features of the HGF-MET axis, its dysregulation in cancer, and the therapeutic agents targeting the HGF-MET axis, which are in development.Keywords: MET inhibitor, HGF inhibitor, cancer

  11. Clinical significance of estimation of changes in serum SF, VEGF and HGF levels and after transfusion of red blood cells in patients with chronic nephritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mu Peidong; He Haoming

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To observe the changes of serum SF, VEGF and HGF levels and after transfusion of red blood cells (RBC) in patients with chronic nephritis. Methods: Serum SF (with RIA) and serum VEGF, HGF (with ELISA) levels were measured in 30 patients with chronic nephritis both before and after a course of transfusion of RBC and 35 controls. Results: Before transfusion the serum SF levels in the patients were significantly lower than those in controls (P 0.05). Conclusion: Determination of serum SF, VEGF and HGF levels were clinically useful for the progress, prognosis and judgement of chronic nephritis. (authors)

  12. Clinical and prognostic value of the C-Met/HGF signaling pathway in cervical cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boromand, Nadia; Hasanzadeh, Malihe; ShahidSales, Soodabeh; Farazestanian, Marjaneh; Gharib, Masoumeh; Fiuji, Hamid; Behboodi, Negin; Ghobadi, Niloofar; Hassanian, Seyed Mahdi; Ferns, Gordon A; Avan, Amir

    2018-06-01

    Aberrant activation of the HGF/c-Met signalling pathway is reported to be associated with cell proliferation, progression, and metastasis features of several tumor types, including cervical cancer, suggesting that it may be of potential value as a novel therapeutic target. Furthermore, HPV-positive patients had a higher serum level of HGF or c-Met protein, compared with HPV-negative patients. c-Met or HGF overexpression in lesions of cervical cancer is reported to be related to a poorer prognosis, and hence this may be of value as a prognostic and predictive biomarker. Several approaches have been developed for targeting HGF and/or c-Met. One of these is crizotinib (a dual c-Met/ALK inhibitor). This has been approved by FDA for the treatment of lung-cancer. Further investigations are required to evaluate and optimize the use of c-Met inhibitors in cervical cancer or parallel targeting signalling pathway associated/activated via MET/HGF pathway. The main aim of current review was to give an overview of the potential of the c-Met/HGF pathway as a prognostic, or predictive biomarker in cervical cancer. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Enhanced antioxidant capacity of dental pulp-derived iPSC-differentiated hepatocytes and liver regeneration by injectable HGF-releasing hydrogel in fulminant hepatic failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Chih-Hung; Wu, Wai-Wah; Li, Hsin-Yang; Chien, Yueh; Sun, Cho-Chin; Peng, Chi-Hsien; Lin, Alex Tong-Long; Huang, Chi-Shuan; Lai, Ying-Hsiu; Chiou, Shih-Hwa; Hung, Shuen-Iu; Chang, Yuh-Lih; Lan, Yuan-Tzu; Liu, Dean-Mo; Chien, Chian-Shiu; Huo, Teh-Ia; Lee, Shou-Dong; Wang, Chien-Ying

    2015-01-01

    Acute hepatic failure (AHF) is a severe liver injury leading to sustained damage and complications. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) may be an alternative option for the treatment of AHF. In this study, we reprogrammed human dental pulp-derived fibroblasts into iPSCs, which exhibited pluripotency and the capacity to differentiate into tridermal lineages, including hepatocyte-like cells (iPSC-Heps). These iPSC-Heps resembled human embryonic stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells in gene signature and hepatic markers/functions. To improve iPSC-Heps engraftment, we next developed an injectable carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan hydrogel (CHC) with sustained hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) release (HGF-CHC) and investigated the hepatoprotective activity of HGF-CHC-delivered iPSC-Heps in vitro and in an immunocompromised AHF mouse model induced by thioacetamide (TAA). Intrahepatic delivery of HGF-CHC-iPSC-Heps reduced the TAA-induced hepatic necrotic area and rescued liver function and recipient viability. Compared with PBS-delivered iPSC-Heps, the HGF-CHC-delivered iPSC-Heps exhibited higher antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities that reduced hepatic necrotic area. Importantly, these HGF-CHC-mediated responses could be abolished by administering anti-HGF neutralizing antibodies. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that HGF mediated the enhancement of iPSC-Hep antioxidant/antiapoptotic capacities and hepatoprotection and that HGF-CHC is as an excellent vehicle for iPSC-Hep engraftment in iPSC-based therapy against AHF.

  14. Oral fibroblasts produce more HGF and KGF than skin fibroblasts in response to co-culture with keratinocytes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grøn, Birgitte; Stoltze, Kaj; Andersson, Anders

    2002-01-01

    The production of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) in subepithelial fibroblasts from buccal mucosa, periodontal ligament, and skin was determined after co-culture with keratinocytes. The purpose was to detect differences between the fibroblast subpopulations...... days by ELISA. When cultured on polystyrene, the constitutive level of KGF and HGF in periodontal fibroblasts was higher than the level in buccal and skin fibroblasts. In the presence of keratinocytes, all three types of fibroblasts in general increased their HGF and KGF production 2-3 times. When...... cells were maintained in collagen, the level of HGF and KGF was decreased mainly in skin cultures. However, in oral fibroblasts, induction after stimulation was at a similar level in collagen compared to on polystyrene. Skin fibroblasts maintained in collagen produced almost no HGF whether...

  15. The regulatory role of heparin on c-Met signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    İşcan, Evin; Güneş, Aysim; Korhan, Peyda; Yılmaz, Yeliz; Erdal, Esra; Atabey, Neşe

    2017-06-01

    The role of heparin as an anticoagulant is well defined; however, its role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression is not clear yet. Some studies have shown that anticoagulant treatment in cancer patients improve overall survival, however, recent clinical trials have not shown a survival benefit in cancer patients receiving heparin treatment. In our previous studies we have shown the inhibitory effects of heparin on Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)-induced invasion and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. In this study, we showed the differential effects of heparin on the behaviors of HCC cells based on the presence or absence of HGF. In the absence of HGF, heparin activated HGF/c-Met signaling and promoted motility and invasion in HCC cells. Heparin treatment led to c-Met receptor dimerization and activated c-Met signaling in an HGF independent manner. Heparin-induced c-Met activation increased migration and invasion through ERK1/2, early growth response factor 1 (EGR1) and Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP) axis. Interestingly, heparin modestly decreased the proliferation of HCC cells by inhibiting activatory phosphorylation of Akt. The inhibition of c-Met signaling reversed heparin-induced increase in motility and invasion and, proliferation inhibition. Our study provides a new perspective into the role of heparin on c-Met signaling in HCC.

  16. The HGF strategy project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knebel, J.U.; Fellmoser, F.; Lefhalm, C.; Mack, K.; Pettan, C.; Piecha, H.; Konys, J.; Adelhelm, C.; Glasbrenner, H.; Muscher, H.; Novotny, J.; Voss, Z.; Wedemeyer, O.; Mueller, G.; Heinzel, A.; Schumacher, G.; Huber, R.; Zimmermann, F.; Groetzbach, G.; Dorr, B.; Carteciano, L.N.

    2000-01-01

    Within the Hermann von Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren (HGF) an HGF-Strategy Fund Project entitled 'Innovative Technologies to Reduce Radiotoxicity' is funded since October 1999. The objectives of this HGF-Strategy Fund Project is the development of new methods and technologies to design and manufacture thin-walled and highly thermally-loaded surfaces which are cooled by a corrosive heavy liquid metal (lead-bismuth eutectic). The result of this project will be the basic scientific-technical tool which allows the conception and the design of a European Demonstrator of an ADS system (cf. 32.23.05). The work performed at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe is embedded in a broad European research and development programme on ADS systems. The project is divided in three sub-projects: Sub-Project 1: Thermalhydraulic Investigations, Sub-Project 2: Material Specific Investigations, Sub-Project 3: Oxygen Control System. This progress report gives a general description of the project and its envisaged objectives. As a selection of the results achieved, first, FLUTAN calculations for the COULI beam window design and, second, the oxygen control system for the KArlsruhe Lead LAboratory KALLA are described in detail. Finally, the design and status of KALLA is given. (orig.)

  17. Quantitative analysis of HGF and EGF-dependent phosphotyrosine signaling networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hammond, Dean E; Hyde, Russell; Kratchmarova, Irina

    2010-01-01

    549 lung adenocarcinoma cells with EGF or HGF. In total, we obtained quantitative information for 274 proteins, which respond to either or both stimuli by >1.5 fold changes in enrichment, following immuno-precipitation with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies. The data reveal a high degree of overlap...

  18. Microfluidic wound-healing assay to assess the regenerative effect of HGF on wounded alveolar epithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felder, Marcel; Sallin, Pauline; Barbe, Laurent; Haenni, Beat; Gazdhar, Amiq; Geiser, Thomas; Guenat, Olivier

    2012-02-07

    We present a microfluidic epithelial wound-healing assay that allows characterization of the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on the regeneration of alveolar epithelium using a flow-focusing technique to create a regular wound in the epithelial monolayer. The phenotype of the epithelial cell was characterized using immunostaining for tight junction (TJ) proteins and transmission electron micrographs (TEMs) of cells cultured in the microfluidic system, a technique that is reported here for the first time. We demonstrate that alveolar epithelial cells cultured in a microfluidic environment preserve their phenotype before and after wounding. In addition, we report a wound-healing benefit induced by addition of HGF to the cell culture medium (19.2 vs. 13.5 μm h(-1) healing rate).

  19. Disentangling the Complexity of HGF Signaling by Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Modeling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorenza A D'Alessandro

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Signaling pathways are characterized by crosstalk, feedback and feedforward mechanisms giving rise to highly complex and cell-context specific signaling networks. Dissecting the underlying relations is crucial to predict the impact of targeted perturbations. However, a major challenge in identifying cell-context specific signaling networks is the enormous number of potentially possible interactions. Here, we report a novel hybrid mathematical modeling strategy to systematically unravel hepatocyte growth factor (HGF stimulated phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK signaling, which critically contribute to liver regeneration. By combining time-resolved quantitative experimental data generated in primary mouse hepatocytes with interaction graph and ordinary differential equation modeling, we identify and experimentally validate a network structure that represents the experimental data best and indicates specific crosstalk mechanisms. Whereas the identified network is robust against single perturbations, combinatorial inhibition strategies are predicted that result in strong reduction of Akt and ERK activation. Thus, by capitalizing on the advantages of the two modeling approaches, we reduce the high combinatorial complexity and identify cell-context specific signaling networks.

  20. Enhanced cell survival and paracrine effects of mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing hepatocyte growth factor promote cardioprotection in myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Liyan; Liu, Xiaolin; Zhang, Yuelin; Liang, Xiaoting; Ding, Yue; Xu, Yan; Fang, Zhen; Zhang, Fengxiang

    2016-01-01

    Poor cell survival post transplantation compromises the therapeutic benefits of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in myocardial infarction (MI). Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an important cytokine for angiogenesis, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis. This study aimed to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of MSCs overexpressing HGF in a mouse model of MI. The apoptosis of umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) and HGF-UC-MSCs under normoxic and hypoxic conditions was detected. The conditioned medium (CdM) of UC-MSCs and HGF-UC-MSCs under a hypoxic condition was harvested and its protective effect on neonatal cardiomyocytes (NCMs) exposed to a hypoxic challenge was examined. UC-MSCs and HGF-UC-MSCs were transplanted into the peri-infarct region in mice following MI and heart function assessed 4 weeks post transplantation. The apoptosis of HGF-UC-MSCs under hypoxic conditions was markedly decreased compared with that of UC-MSCs. NCMs treated with HGF-UC-MSC hypoxic CdM (HGF-UC-MSCs-hy-CdM) exhibited less cell apoptosis in response to hypoxic challenge than those treated with UC-MSC hypoxic CdM (UC-MSCs-hy-CdM). HGF-UC-MSCs-hy-CdM released the inhibited p-Akt and lowered the enhanced ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 induced by hypoxia in the NCMs. HGF-UC-MSCs-hy-CdM expressed higher levels of HGF, EGF, bFGF and VEGF than UC-MSCs-hy-CdM. Transplantation of HGF-UC-MSCs or UC-MSCs greatly improved heart function in the mouse model of MI. Compared with UC-MSCs, transplantation of HGF-UC-MSCs was associated with less cardiomyocyte apoptosis, enhanced angiogenesis and increased proliferation of cardiomyocytes. This study may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for MSC-based therapy in cardiovascular disease.

  1. Enhanced cell survival and paracrine effects of mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing hepatocyte growth factor promote cardioprotection in myocardial infarction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Liyan; Liu, Xiaolin [Section of Pacing and Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing (China); Zhang, Yuelin [Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Liang, Xiaoting; Ding, Yue [Pudong District Clinical Translational Medical Research Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai (China); Xu, Yan; Fang, Zhen [Section of Pacing and Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing (China); Zhang, Fengxiang, E-mail: njzfx6@njmu.edu.cn [Section of Pacing and Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing (China)

    2016-05-15

    Poor cell survival post transplantation compromises the therapeutic benefits of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in myocardial infarction (MI). Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an important cytokine for angiogenesis, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis. This study aimed to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of MSCs overexpressing HGF in a mouse model of MI. The apoptosis of umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) and HGF-UC-MSCs under normoxic and hypoxic conditions was detected. The conditioned medium (CdM) of UC-MSCs and HGF-UC-MSCs under a hypoxic condition was harvested and its protective effect on neonatal cardiomyocytes (NCMs) exposed to a hypoxic challenge was examined. UC-MSCs and HGF-UC-MSCs were transplanted into the peri-infarct region in mice following MI and heart function assessed 4 weeks post transplantation. The apoptosis of HGF-UC-MSCs under hypoxic conditions was markedly decreased compared with that of UC-MSCs. NCMs treated with HGF-UC-MSC hypoxic CdM (HGF-UC-MSCs-hy-CdM) exhibited less cell apoptosis in response to hypoxic challenge than those treated with UC-MSC hypoxic CdM (UC-MSCs-hy-CdM). HGF-UC-MSCs-hy-CdM released the inhibited p-Akt and lowered the enhanced ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 induced by hypoxia in the NCMs. HGF-UC-MSCs-hy-CdM expressed higher levels of HGF, EGF, bFGF and VEGF than UC-MSCs-hy-CdM. Transplantation of HGF-UC-MSCs or UC-MSCs greatly improved heart function in the mouse model of MI. Compared with UC-MSCs, transplantation of HGF-UC-MSCs was associated with less cardiomyocyte apoptosis, enhanced angiogenesis and increased proliferation of cardiomyocytes. This study may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for MSC-based therapy in cardiovascular disease.

  2. LPA, HGF, and EGF utilize distinct combinations of signaling pathways to promote migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harrison, Susan MW; Knifley, Teresa; Chen, Min; O’Connor, Kathleen L

    2013-01-01

    Various pathways impinge on the actin-myosin pathway to facilitate cell migration and invasion including members of the Rho family of small GTPases and MAPK. However, the signaling components that are considered important for these processes vary substantially within the literature with certain pathways being favored. These distinctions in signaling pathways utilized are often attributed to differences in cell type or physiological conditions; however, these attributes have not been systematically assessed. To address this question, we analyzed the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cell line in response to various stimuli including lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) and determined the involvement of select signaling pathways that impact myosin light chain phosphorylation. LPA, a potent stimulator of the Rho-ROCK pathway, surprisingly did not require the Rho-ROCK pathway to stimulate migration but instead utilized Rac and MAPK. In contrast, LPA-stimulated invasion required Rho, Rac, and MAPK. Of these three major pathways, EGF-stimulated MDA-MB-231 migration and invasion required Rho; however, Rac was essential only for invasion and MAPK was dispensable for migration. HGF signaling, interestingly, utilized the same pathways for migration and invasion, requiring Rho but not Rac signaling. Notably, the dependency of HGF-stimulated migration and invasion as well as EGF-stimulated invasion on MAPK was subject to the inhibitors used. As expected, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), a convergence point for MAPK and Rho family GTPase signaling, was required for all six conditions. These observations suggest that, while multiple signaling pathways contribute to cancer cell motility, not all pathways operate under all conditions. Thus, our study highlights the plasticity of cancer cells to adapt to multiple migratory cues

  3. Matriptase is required for the active form of hepatocyte growth factor induced Met, focal adhesion kinase and protein kinase B activation on neural stem/progenitor cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jung-Da; Lee, Sheau-Ling

    2014-07-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a chemoattractant and inducer for neural stem/progenitor (NS/P) cell migration. Although the type II transmembrane serine protease, matriptase (MTP) is an activator of the latent HGF, MTP is indispensable on NS/P cell motility induced by the active form of HGF. This suggests that MTP's action on NS/P cell motility involves mechanisms other than proteolytic activation of HGF. In the present study, we investigate the role of MTP in HGF-stimulated signaling events. Using specific inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt) or focal adhesion kinase (FAK), we demonstrated that in NS/P cells HGF-activated c-Met induces PI3k-Akt signaling which then leads to FAK activation. This signaling pathway ultimately induces MMP2 expression and NS/P cell motility. Knocking down of MTP in NS/P cells with specific siRNA impaired HGF-stimulation of c-Met, Akt and FAK activation, blocked HGF-induced production of MMP2 and inhibited HGF-stimulated NS/P cell motility. MTP-knockdown NS/P cells cultured in the presence of recombinant protein of MTP protease domain or transfected with the full-length wild-type but not the protease-defected MTP restored HGF-responsive events in NS/P cells. In addition to functioning as HGF activator, our data revealed novel function of MTP on HGF-stimulated c-Met signaling activation. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Hepatocyte growth factor protects human endothelial cells against advanced glycation end products-induced apoposis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Yijun; Wang Jiahe; Zhang Jin

    2006-01-01

    Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) form by a non-enzymatic reaction between reducing sugars and biological proteins, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this study, we assessed AGEs effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) growth, proliferation and apoptosis. Additionally, we investigated whether hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), an anti-apoptotic factor for endothelial cells, prevents AGEs-induced apoptosis of HUVECs. HUVECs were treated with AGEs in the presence or absence of HGF. Treatment of HUVECs with AGEs changed cell morphology, decreased cell viability, and induced DNA fragmentation, leading to apoptosis. Apoptosis was induced by AGEs in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. AGEs markedly elevated Bax and decreased NF-κB, but not Bcl-2 expression. Additionally, AGEs significantly inhibited cell growth through a pro-apoptotic action involving caspase-3 and -9 activations in HUVECs. Most importantly, pretreatment with HGF protected against AGEs-induced cytotoxicity in the endothelial cells. HGF significantly promoted the expression of Bcl-2 and NF-κB, while decreasing the activities of caspase-3 and -9 without affecting Bax level. Our data suggest that AGEs induce apoptosis in endothelial cells. HGF effectively attenuate AGEs-induced endothelial cell apoptosis. These findings provide new perspectives in the role of HGF in cardiovascular disease

  5. Gram-scale production of plasmid pUDK-HGF with current good manufacturing practices for gene therapy of critical limb ischemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, ChunSheng; Cheng, XiaoChen; Lu, YuXin; Wu, ZuZe; Zhang, QingLin

    2016-11-16

    The demand of a plasmid encoding human hepatocyte growth factor gene (pUDK-HGF) in large quantities at high purity and concentration has increased for gene therapy of critical limb ischemia (CLI) in clinical trials. In this article, we produced pUDK-HGF in compliance with current good manufacturing practices at gram scale. The process included a 50-L batch fermentation, continuous alkaline lysis, and integrated three-step chromatography on Sepharose 6 Fast Flow, PlasmidSelect Xtra, and Source 15Q. The production process has been scaled up to yield 4.24 ± 0.41 g of pharmaceutical pUDK-HGF from 1.0 kg bacterial cell paste and the overall yield reached range from 58.37 to 66.70%. The final pUDK-HGF product exhibited high purity with supercoiled percentage of > 95.8% and undetectable residual RNA, contaminated protein, and bacterial endotoxin. The phase I clinical study indicates that intramuscular injection of pUDK-HGF is safe, well tolerated, and may provide symptomatic relief to CLI patients. These results show that our manufacturing process of pUDK-HGF is efficient in producing pharmaceutical-grade plasmid DNA and is safe for clinical applications.

  6. Anomalous inhibition of c-Met by the kinesin inhibitor aurintricarboxylic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milanovic, Mina; Radtke, Simone; Peel, Nick; Howell, Michael; Carrière, Virginie; Joffre, Carine; Kermorgant, Stéphanie; Parker, Peter J

    2012-03-01

    c-Met [the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor] is a receptor tyrosine kinase playing a role in various biological events. Overexpression of the receptor has been observed in a number of cancers, correlating with increased metastatic tendency and poor prognosis. Additionally, activating mutations in c-Met kinase domain have been reported in a subset of familial cancers causing resistance to treatment. Receptor trafficking, relying on the integrity of the microtubule network, plays an important role in activation of downstream targets and initiation of signalling events. Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) is a triphenylmethane derivative that has been reported to inhibit microtubule motor proteins kinesins. Additional reported properties of this inhibitor include inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases, nucleases and members of the Jak family. Here we demonstrate that ATA prevents HGF-induced c-Met phosphorylation, internalisation, subsequent receptor trafficking and degradation. In addition, ATA prevented HGF-induced downstream signalling which also affected cellular function, as assayed by collective cell migration of A549 cells. Surprisingly, the inhibitory effect of ATA on HGF-induced phosphorylation and signalling in vivo was associated with an increase in basal c-Met kinase activity in vitro. It is concluded that the inhibitory effects of ATA on c-Met in vivo is an allosteric effect mediated through the kinase domain of the receptor. As the currently tested adenosine triphosphate competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) may lead to tumor resistance (McDermott U, et al., Cancer Res 2010;70:1625-34), our findings suggest that novel anti-c-Met therapies could be developed in the future for cancer treatment. Copyright © 2011 UICC.

  7. Intra-myocardial injection of both growth factors and heart derived Sca-1+/CD31- cells attenuates post-MI LV remodeling more than does cell transplantation alone: neither intervention enhances functionally significant cardiomyocyte regeneration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaohong Wang

    Full Text Available Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1 and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF are two potent cell survival and regenerative factors in response to myocardial injury (MI. We hypothesized that simultaneous delivery of IGF+HGF combined with Sca-1+/CD31- cells would improve the outcome of transplantation therapy in response to the altered hostile microenvironment post MI. One million adenovirus nuclear LacZ-labeled Sca-1+/CD31- cells were injected into the peri-infarction area after left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD ligation in mice. Recombinant mouse IGF-1+HGF was added to the cell suspension prior to the injection. The left ventricular (LV function was assessed by echocardiography 4 weeks after the transplantation. The cell engraftment, differentiation and cardiomyocyte regeneration were evaluated by histological analysis. Sca-1+/CD31- cells formed viable grafts and improved LV ejection fraction (EF (Control, 54.5+/-2.4; MI, 17.6+/-3.1; Cell, 28.2+/-4.2, n = 9, P<0.01. IGF+HGF significantly enhanced the benefits of cell transplantation as evidenced by increased EF (38.8+/-2.2; n = 9, P<0.01 and attenuated adverse structural remodeling. Furthermore, IGF+HGF supplementation increased the cell engraftment rate, promoted the transplanted cell survival, enhanced angiogenesis, and minimally stimulated endogenous cardiomyocyte regeneration in vivo. The in vitro experiments showed that IGF+HGF treatment stimulated Sca-1+/CD31- cell proliferation and inhibited serum free medium induced apoptosis. Supperarray profiling of Sca-1+/CD31- cells revealed that Sca-1+/CD31- cells highly expressed various trophic factor mRNAs and IGF+HGF treatment altered the mRNAs expression patterns of these cells. These data indicate that IGF-1+HGF could serve as an adjuvant to cell transplantation for myocardial repair by stimulating donor cell and endogenous cardiac stem cell survival, regeneration and promoting angiogenesis.

  8. The HGF/c-MET Axis as a Critical Driver of Resistance to Androgen Suppression in Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    signaling inhibition in AR-positive CRPC models increased MET expression and resulted in susceptibility to ligand (HGF) activation. Likewise, our work...positive CRPC models , as detailed in the initial proposal, we found that combined MET inhibition and enzalutamide (AR antagonist) treatment was more...wide analyses, we will be able to better test the study hypothesis with increased patient accrual. Figure: Waterfall plots showing association

  9. Interaction of integrin β4 with S1P receptors in S1P- and HGF-induced endothelial barrier enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Xiuqin; Epshtein, Yulia; Chen, Weiguo; Zhou, Tingting; Xie, Lishi; Garcia, Joe G N; Jacobson, Jeffrey R

    2014-06-01

    We previously reported sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) augment endothelial cell (EC) barrier function and attenuate murine acute lung inury (ALI). While the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood, S1P and HGF both transactivate the S1P receptor, S1PR1 and integrin β4 (ITGB4) at membrane caveolin-enriched microdomains (CEMs). In the current study, we investigated the roles of S1PR2 and S1PR3 in S1P/HGF-mediated EC signaling and their associations with ITGB4. Our studies confirmed ITGB4 and S1PR2/3 are recruited to CEMs in human lung EC in response to either S1P (1 µM, 5 min) or HGF (25 ng/ml, 5 min). Co-immunoprecipitation experiments identified an S1P/HGF-mediated interaction of ITGB4 with both S1PR2 and S1PR3. We then employed an in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) to confirm a direct ITGB4-S1PR3 association induced by S1P/HGF although a direct association was not detectable between S1PR2 and ITGB4. S1PR1 knockdown (siRNA), however, abrogated S1P/HGF-induced ITGB4-S1PR2 associations while there was no effect on ITGB4-S1PR3 associations. Moreover, PLA confirmed a direct association between S1PR1 and S1PR2 induced by S1P and HGF. Finally, silencing of S1PR2 significantly attenuated S1P/HGF-induced EC barrier enhancement as measured by transendothelial resistance while silencing of S1PR3 significantly augmented S1P/HGF-induced barrier enhancement. These results confirm an important role for S1PR2 and S1PR3 in S1P/HGF-mediated EC barrier responses that are associated with their complex formation with ITGB4. Our findings elucidate novel mechanisms of EC barrier regulation that may ultimately lead to new therapeutic targets for disorders characterized by increased vascular permeability including ALI. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Epimorphin Functions as a Key Morphoregulator for Mammary Epithelial Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hirai, H.; Lochter, A.; Galosy, S.; Koshida, S.; Niwa, S.; Bissell, M.J.

    1997-10-13

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and EGF have been reported to promote branching morphogenesis of mammary epithelial cells. We now show that it is epimorphin that is primarily responsible for this phenomenon. In vivo, epimorphin was detected in the stromal compartment but not in lumenal epithelial cells of the mammary gland; in culture, however, a subpopulation of mammary epithelial cells produced significant amounts of epimorphin. When epimorphin-expressing epithelial cell clones were cultured in collagen gels they displayed branching morphogenesis in the presence of HGF, EGF, keratinocyte growth factor, or fibroblast growth factor, a process that was inhibited by anti-epimorphin but not anti-HGF antibodies. The branch length, however, was roughly proportional to the ability of the factors to induce growth. Accordingly, epimorphin-negative epithelial cells simply grew in a cluster in response to the growth factors and failed to branch. When recombinant epimorphin was added to these collagen gels, epimorphin-negative cells underwent branching morphogenesis. The mode of action of epimorphin on morphogenesis of the gland, however, was dependent on how it was presented to the mammary cells. If epimorphin was overexpressed in epimorphin-negative epithelial cells under regulation of an inducible promoter or was allowed to coat the surface of each epithelial cell in a nonpolar fashion, the cells formed globular, alveoli-like structures with a large central lumen instead of branching ducts. This process was enhanced also by addition of HGF, EGF, or other growth factors and was inhibited by epimorphin antibodies. These results suggest that epimorphin is the primary morphogen in the mammary gland but that growth factors are necessary to achieve the appropriate cell numbers for the resulting morphogenesis to be visualized.

  11. BAG-1 enhances cell-cell adhesion, reduces proliferation and induces chaperone-independent suppression of hepatocyte growth factor-induced epidermal keratinocyte migration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hinitt, C.A.M.; Wood, J.; Lee, S.S.; Williams, A.C.; Howarth, J.L.; Glover, C.P.; Uney, J.B.; Hague, A.

    2010-01-01

    Cell motility is important in maintaining tissue homeostasis, facilitating epithelial wound repair and in tumour formation and progression. The aim of this study was to determine whether BAG-1 isoforms regulate epidermal cell migration in in vitro models of wound healing. In the human epidermal cell line HaCaT, endogenous BAG-1 is primarily nuclear and increases with confluence. Both transient and stable p36-Bag-1 overexpression resulted in increased cellular cohesion. Stable transfection of either of the three human BAG-1 isoforms p36-Bag-1 (BAG-1S), p46-Bag-1 (BAG-1M) and p50-Bag-1 (BAG-1L) inhibited growth and wound closure in serum-containing medium. However, in response to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in serum-free medium, BAG-1S/M reduced communal motility and colony scattering, but BAG-1L did not. In the presence of HGF, p36-Bag-1 transfectants retained proliferative response to HGF with no change in ERK1/2 activation. However, the cells retained E-cadherin localisation at cell-cell junctions and exhibited pronounced cortical actin. Point mutations in the BAG domain showed that BAG-1 inhibition of motility is independent of its function as a chaperone regulator. These findings are the first to suggest that BAG-1 plays a role in regulating cell-cell adhesion and suggest an important function in epidermal cohesion.

  12. Met-Independent Hepatocyte Growth Factor-mediated regulation of cell adhesion in human prostate cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davis Rodney

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prostate cancer cells communicate reciprocally with the stromal cells surrounding them, inside the prostate, and after metastasis, within the bone. Each tissue secretes factors for interpretation by the other. One stromally-derived factor, Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF, was found twenty years ago to regulate invasion and growth of carcinoma cells. Working with the LNCaP prostate cancer progression model, we found that these cells could respond to HGF stimulation, even in the absence of Met, the only known HGF receptor. The new HGF binding partner we find on the cell surface may help to clarify conflicts in the past literature about Met expression and HGF response in cancer cells. Methods We searched for Met or any HGF binding partner on the cells of the PC3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell models, using HGF immobilized on agarose beads. By using mass spectrometry analyses and sequencing we have identified nucleolin protein as a novel HGF binding partner. Antibodies against nucleolin (or HGF were able to ameliorate the stimulatory effects of HGF on met-negative prostate cancer cells. Western blots, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess nucleolin levels during prostate cancer progression in both LNCaP and PC3 models. Results We have identified HGF as a major signaling component of prostate stromal-conditioned media (SCM and have implicated the protein nucleolin in HGF signal reception by the LNCaP model prostate cancer cells. Antibodies that silence either HGF (in SCM or nucleolin (on the cell surfaces eliminate the adhesion-stimulatory effects of the SCM. Likewise, addition of purified HGF to control media mimics the action of SCM. C4-2, an LNCaP lineage-derived, androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell line, responds to HGF in a concentration-dependent manner by increasing its adhesion and reducing its migration on laminin substratum. These HGF effects are not due to shifts in the expression levels of

  13. Met-Independent Hepatocyte Growth Factor-mediated regulation of cell adhesion in human prostate cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tate, Amanda; Isotani, Shuji; Bradley, Michael J; Sikes, Robert A; Davis, Rodney; Chung, Leland WK; Edlund, Magnus

    2006-01-01

    Prostate cancer cells communicate reciprocally with the stromal cells surrounding them, inside the prostate, and after metastasis, within the bone. Each tissue secretes factors for interpretation by the other. One stromally-derived factor, Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), was found twenty years ago to regulate invasion and growth of carcinoma cells. Working with the LNCaP prostate cancer progression model, we found that these cells could respond to HGF stimulation, even in the absence of Met, the only known HGF receptor. The new HGF binding partner we find on the cell surface may help to clarify conflicts in the past literature about Met expression and HGF response in cancer cells. We searched for Met or any HGF binding partner on the cells of the PC3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell models, using HGF immobilized on agarose beads. By using mass spectrometry analyses and sequencing we have identified nucleolin protein as a novel HGF binding partner. Antibodies against nucleolin (or HGF) were able to ameliorate the stimulatory effects of HGF on met-negative prostate cancer cells. Western blots, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess nucleolin levels during prostate cancer progression in both LNCaP and PC3 models. We have identified HGF as a major signaling component of prostate stromal-conditioned media (SCM) and have implicated the protein nucleolin in HGF signal reception by the LNCaP model prostate cancer cells. Antibodies that silence either HGF (in SCM) or nucleolin (on the cell surfaces) eliminate the adhesion-stimulatory effects of the SCM. Likewise, addition of purified HGF to control media mimics the action of SCM. C4-2, an LNCaP lineage-derived, androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell line, responds to HGF in a concentration-dependent manner by increasing its adhesion and reducing its migration on laminin substratum. These HGF effects are not due to shifts in the expression levels of laminin-binding integrins, nor can they be linked to

  14. Role of HLA-G1 in trophoblast cell proliferation, adhesion and invasion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, Feng; Zhao, Hongxi; Wang, Li; Guo, Xinyu; Wang, Xiaohong; Yin, Guowu; Hu, Yunsheng; Li, Yi; Yao, Yuanqing

    2015-01-01

    Trophoblast cells are important in embryo implantation and fetomaternal tolerance. HLA-G is specifically expressed at the maternal–fetal interface and is a regulator in pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to detect the effect of HLA-G1 on trophoblast cell proliferation, adhesion, and invasion. Human trophoblast cell lines (JAR and HTR-8/SVneo cells) were infected with HLA-G1-expressing lentivirus. After infection, HLA-G1 expression of the cells was detected by western blotting. Cell proliferation was detected by the BrdU assay. The cell cycle and apoptosis of JAR and HTR-8/SVneo cells was measured by flow cytometry (FCM). The invasion of the cells under different conditions was detected by the transwell invasion chamber assay. HLA-G1 didn't show any significant influence on the proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, and invasion of trophocytes in normal culture conditions. However, HLA-G1 inhibited JAR and HTR-8/SVneo cells invasion induced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) under normal oxygen conditions. In conditions of hypoxia, HLA-G1 couldn't inhibit the induction of cell invasion by HGF. HLA-G1 is not an independent factor for regulating the trophocytes. It may play an indirect role in embryo implantation and formation of the placenta. - Highlights: • HLA-G1 could not influence trophocytes under normal conditions. • HLA-G1 inhibited cell invasion induced by HGF under normal oxygen condition. • HLA-G1 could not influence cell invasion under hypoxia conditions

  15. Role of HLA-G1 in trophoblast cell proliferation, adhesion and invasion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Feng, E-mail: jiangfeng1161@163.com [Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi' an 710038 (China); Zhao, Hongxi [Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi' an 710038 (China); Wang, Li [Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100853 (China); Guo, Xinyu [Assisted Reproductive Center, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou 510010 (China); Wang, Xiaohong; Yin, Guowu [Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi' an 710038 (China); Hu, Yunsheng [Department of Orthopedics, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710038 (China); Li, Yi [Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi' an 710038 (China); Yao, Yuanqing, E-mail: yuanqingyaoxa@163.com [Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100853 (China)

    2015-02-27

    Trophoblast cells are important in embryo implantation and fetomaternal tolerance. HLA-G is specifically expressed at the maternal–fetal interface and is a regulator in pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to detect the effect of HLA-G1 on trophoblast cell proliferation, adhesion, and invasion. Human trophoblast cell lines (JAR and HTR-8/SVneo cells) were infected with HLA-G1-expressing lentivirus. After infection, HLA-G1 expression of the cells was detected by western blotting. Cell proliferation was detected by the BrdU assay. The cell cycle and apoptosis of JAR and HTR-8/SVneo cells was measured by flow cytometry (FCM). The invasion of the cells under different conditions was detected by the transwell invasion chamber assay. HLA-G1 didn't show any significant influence on the proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, and invasion of trophocytes in normal culture conditions. However, HLA-G1 inhibited JAR and HTR-8/SVneo cells invasion induced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) under normal oxygen conditions. In conditions of hypoxia, HLA-G1 couldn't inhibit the induction of cell invasion by HGF. HLA-G1 is not an independent factor for regulating the trophocytes. It may play an indirect role in embryo implantation and formation of the placenta. - Highlights: • HLA-G1 could not influence trophocytes under normal conditions. • HLA-G1 inhibited cell invasion induced by HGF under normal oxygen condition. • HLA-G1 could not influence cell invasion under hypoxia conditions.

  16. Intra-myocardial injection of both growth factors and heart derived Sca-1+/CD31- cells attenuates post-MI LV remodeling more than does cell transplantation alone: neither intervention enhances functionally significant cardiomyocyte regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaohong; Li, Qinglu; Hu, Qingsong; Suntharalingam, Piradeep; From, Arthur H L; Zhang, Jianyi

    2014-01-01

    Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are two potent cell survival and regenerative factors in response to myocardial injury (MI). We hypothesized that simultaneous delivery of IGF+HGF combined with Sca-1+/CD31- cells would improve the outcome of transplantation therapy in response to the altered hostile microenvironment post MI. One million adenovirus nuclear LacZ-labeled Sca-1+/CD31- cells were injected into the peri-infarction area after left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation in mice. Recombinant mouse IGF-1+HGF was added to the cell suspension prior to the injection. The left ventricular (LV) function was assessed by echocardiography 4 weeks after the transplantation. The cell engraftment, differentiation and cardiomyocyte regeneration were evaluated by histological analysis. Sca-1+/CD31- cells formed viable grafts and improved LV ejection fraction (EF) (Control, 54.5+/-2.4; MI, 17.6+/-3.1; Cell, 28.2+/-4.2, n = 9, Pcell transplantation as evidenced by increased EF (38.8+/-2.2; n = 9, Pcell engraftment rate, promoted the transplanted cell survival, enhanced angiogenesis, and minimally stimulated endogenous cardiomyocyte regeneration in vivo. The in vitro experiments showed that IGF+HGF treatment stimulated Sca-1+/CD31- cell proliferation and inhibited serum free medium induced apoptosis. Supperarray profiling of Sca-1+/CD31- cells revealed that Sca-1+/CD31- cells highly expressed various trophic factor mRNAs and IGF+HGF treatment altered the mRNAs expression patterns of these cells. These data indicate that IGF-1+HGF could serve as an adjuvant to cell transplantation for myocardial repair by stimulating donor cell and endogenous cardiac stem cell survival, regeneration and promoting angiogenesis.

  17. Anti-c-MET Nanobody - a new potential drug in multiple myeloma treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slørdahl, Tobias Schmidt; Denayer, Tinneke; Moen, Siv Helen; Standal, Therese; Børset, Magne; Ververken, Cedric; Rø, Torstein Baade

    2013-11-01

    c-MET is the tyrosine kinase receptor of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). HGF-c-MET signaling is involved in many human malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM). Recently, multiple agents have been developed directed to interfere at different levels in HGF-c-MET signaling pathway. Nanobodies are therapeutic proteins based on the smallest functional fragments of heavy-chain-only antibodies. In this study, we wanted to determine the anticancer effect of a novel anti-c-MET Nanobody in MM. We examined the effects of an anti-c-MET Nanobody on thymidine incorporation, migration, adhesion of MM cells, and osteoblastogenesis in vitro. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of the Nanobody on HGF-dependent c-MET signaling by Western blotting. We show that the anti-c-MET Nanobody effectively inhibited thymidine incorporation of ANBL-6 MM cells via inhibition of an HGF autocrine growth loop and thymidine incorporation in INA-6 MM cells induced by exogenous HGF. HGF-induced migration and adhesion of INA-6 were completely and specifically blocked by the Nanobody. Furthermore, the Nanobody abolished the inhibiting effect of HGF on bone morphogenetic protein-2-induced alkaline phosphatase activity and the mineralization of human mesenchymal stem cells. Finally, we show that the Nanobody reduced phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in c-MET, MAPK, and Akt. We also compared the Nanobody with anti-c-MET monoclonal antibodies and revealed the similar or better effect. The anti-c-MET Nanobody inhibited MM cell migration, thymidine incorporation, and adhesion, and blocked the HGF-mediated inhibition of osteoblastogenesis. The anti-c-MET Nanobody might represent a novel therapeutic agent in the treatment of MM and other cancers driven by HGF-c-MET signaling. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cells bind fibroblasts via ICAM-1 and this is increased by tumour necrosis factor-α.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manu S David

    Full Text Available We recently reported exchange of membrane and cytoplasmic markers between SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cells and human gingival fibroblasts (h-GF without comparable exchange of nuclear markers, while similar h-GF exchange was seen for melanoma and ovarian carcinoma cells. This process of "cellular sipping" changes phenotype such that cells sharing markers of both SAOS-2 and h-GF have morphology intermediate to that of either cell population cultured alone, evidencing increased tumour cell diversity without genetic change. TNF-α increases cellular sipping between h-GF and SAOS-2, and we here study binding of SAOS-2 to TNF-α treated h-GF to determine if increased cellular sipping can be accounted for by cytokine stimulated SAOS-2 binding. More SAOS-2 bound h-GF pe-seeded wells than culture plastic alone (p<0.001, and this was increased by h-GF pre-treatment with TNF-α (p<0.001. TNF-α stimulated binding was dose dependent and maximal at 1.16 nM (p<0.05 with no activity below 0.006 nM. SAOS-2 binding to h-GF was independent of serum, while the lipopolysaccharide antagonist Polymyxin B did not affect results, and TNF-α activity was lost on boiling. h-GF binding of SAOS-2 started to increase after 30min TNF-α stimulation and was maximal by 1.5 hr pre-treatment (p<0.001. h-GF retained maximal binding up to 6 hrs after TNF-α stimulation, but this was lost by 18 hrs (p<0.001. FACS analysis demonstrated increased ICAM-1 consistent with the time course of SAOS-2 binding, while antibody against ICAM-1 inhibited SAOS-2 adhesion (p<0.04. Pre-treating SAOS-2 with TNF-α reduced h-GF binding to background levels (p<0.003, and this opposite effect to h-GF cytokine stimulation suggests that the history of cytokine exposure of malignant cells migrating across different microenvironments can influence subsequent interactions with fibroblasts. Since cytokine stimulated binding was comparable in magnitude to earlier reported TNF-α stimulated cellular sipping, we

  19. Decreased Serum Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder Normalizes after Zinc and Anti-oxidant Therapy

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    A.J. Russo

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim To assess serum HGF concentration in individuals with bipolar disorder and investigate the efficacy of zinc therapy on these levels. Subjects and Methods Serum from 35 individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 19 age and gender similar controls were tested for HGF concentration using ELISAs, and copper and zinc plasma levels using inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Results HGF serum levels of individuals with bipolar disorder were significantly lower than age and gender similar controls ( P = 0.0021. HGF serum concentration was significantly lower in Bipolar patients pre-therapy ( P = 0.0009 and HGF levels normalized post-therapy. Zinc levels in these same individuals also normalized ( P = 0.0046 and patient's perceived severity of Bipolar symptoms significantly decreased after therapy ( P = 0.0003. We also found a significant direct correlation between Zinc and HGF serum concentration in the bipolar patients ( P = 0.04. Discussion These results suggest an association between low HGF levels and bipolar disorder and also demonstrate that zinc therapy may be associated with the normalization of HGF levels and decrease in severity of disease.

  20. Olive phenolics as c-Met inhibitors: (--Oleocanthal attenuates cell proliferation, invasiveness, and tumor growth in breast cancer models.

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    Mohamed R Akl

    Full Text Available Dysregulation of the Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF/c-Met signaling axis upregulates diverse tumor cell functions, including cell proliferation, survival, scattering and motility, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. (--Oleocanthal is a naturally occurring secoiridoid from extra-virgin olive oil, which showed antiproliferative and antimigratory activity against different cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to characterize the intracellular mechanisms involved in mediating the anticancer effects of (--oleocanthal treatment and the potential involvement of c-Met receptor signaling components in breast cancer. Results showed that (--oleocanthal inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and BT-474 while similar treatment doses were found to have no effect on normal human MCF10A cell growth. In addition, (--oleocanthal treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of HGF-induced cell migration, invasion and G1/S cell cycle progression in breast cancer cell lines. Moreover, (--oleocanthal treatment effects were found to be mediated via inhibition of HGF-induced c-Met activation and its downstream mitogenic signaling pathways. This growth inhibitory effect is associated with blockade of EMT and reduction in cellular motility. Further results from in vivo studies showed that (--oleocanthal treatment suppressed tumor cell growth in an orthotopic model of breast cancer in athymic nude mice. Collectively, the findings of this study suggest that (--oleocanthal is a promising dietary supplement lead with potential for therapeutic use to control malignancies with aberrant c-Met activity.

  1. HGF/SF increases number of skin melanocytes but does not alter quality or quantity of follicular melanogenesis.

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    Agnieszka Wolnicka-Glubisz

    Full Text Available Melanins are an important factor determining the vulnerability of mammalian skin to UV radiation and thus to UV-induced skin cancers. Transgenic mice overexpressing hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF have extra-follicular dermal melanocytes, notably in the papillary upper dermis, and are susceptible to UV-induced melanoma. Pigmented HGF/SF neonatal mice are more susceptible than albino HGF/SF animals to UVA -induced melanoma, indicating an involvement of melanin in melanoma formation. This raises the question of the effect of transgenic HGF/SF on melanization. We developed a methodology to accurately quantitate both the production of melanin and the efficiency of melanogenesis in normal, and HGF/SF transgenic mice in vivo. Skin and hair shafts of 5 day old and adult (3 week old C57BL/6-HGF/SF and corresponding C57BL/6 wild type mice were investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR to quantitate melanin, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM for the presence of melanosomes, and by standard histology and by Western blotting and zymography to determine the expression and activity of melanogenesis-related proteins. Eumelanin but no phaeomelanin was detected in transgenic C57BL/6-HGF and C57BL/6 wild type mice. Transgenic HGF/SF overexpression did not change the type of melanin produced in the skin or hair, did not affect the terminal content of melanin production in standard samples of hair and did not influence hair cycle/morphogenesis-related changes in skin thickness. No melanocytes were found in the epidermis and no melanosomes were found in epidermal keratinocytes. HGF/SF transgenic mice thus lack the epidermal melanin UV-protection found in constitutively dark human skin. We conclude that melanocytes in the HGF/SF transgenic mouse, particularly in the papillary dermis, are vulnerable to UVA which interacts with eumelanin but not phaeomelanin to induce melanoma.

  2. The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor gene inhibits hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor-induced invasion and branching morphogenesis in renal carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koochekpour, S; Jeffers, M; Wang, P H; Gong, C; Taylor, G A; Roessler, L M; Stearman, R; Vasselli, J R; Stetler-Stevenson, W G; Kaelin, W G; Linehan, W M; Klausner, R D; Gnarra, J R; Vande Woude, G F

    1999-09-01

    Loss of function in the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene occurs in familial and most sporadic renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). VHL has been linked to the regulation of cell cycle cessation (G(0)) and to control of expression of various mRNAs such as for vascular endothelial growth factor. RCC cells express the Met receptor tyrosine kinase, and Met mediates invasion and branching morphogenesis in many cell types in response to hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF). We examined the HGF/SF responsiveness of RCC cells containing endogenous mutated (mut) forms of the VHL protein (VHL-negative RCC) with that of isogenic cells expressing exogenous wild-type (wt) VHL (VHL-positive RCC). We found that VHL-negative 786-0 and UOK-101 RCC cells were highly invasive through growth factor-reduced (GFR) Matrigel-coated filters and exhibited an extensive branching morphogenesis phenotype in response to HGF/SF in the three-dimensional (3D) GFR Matrigel cultures. In contrast, the phenotypes of A498 VHL-negative RCC cells were weaker, and isogenic RCC cells ectopically expressing wt VHL did not respond at all. We found that all VHL-negative RCC cells expressed reduced levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) relative to the wt VHL-positive cells, implicating VHL in the regulation of this molecule. However, consistent with the more invasive phenotype of the 786-0 and UOK-101 VHL-negative RCC cells, the levels of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were reduced and levels of the matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 were elevated compared to the noninvasive VHL-positive RCC cells. Moreover, recombinant TIMPs completely blocked HGF/SF-mediated branching morphogenesis, while neutralizing antibodies to the TIMPs stimulated HGF/SF-mediated invasion in vitro. Thus, the loss of the VHL tumor suppressor gene is central to changes that control tissue invasiveness, and a more invasive phenotype requires additional genetic changes seen in some but not all RCC lines. These

  3. Microfluidic wound-healing assay to assess the regenerative effect of HGF on wounded alveolar epithelium.

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    Felder Marcel; Sallin Pauline; Barbe Laurent; Haenni Beat; Gazdhar Amiq; Geiser Thomas; Guenat Olivier

    2012-01-01

    We present a microfluidic epithelial wound healing assay that allows characterization of the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on the regeneration of alveolar epithelium using a flow focusing technique to create a regular wound in the epithelial monolayer. The phenotype of the epithelial cell was characterized using immunostaining for tight junction (TJ) proteins and transmission electron micrographs (TEMs) of cells cultured in the microfluidic system a technique that is reported here ...

  4. Tenuifolide B from Cinnamomum tenuifolium Stem Selectively Inhibits Proliferation of Oral Cancer Cells via Apoptosis, ROS Generation, Mitochondrial Depolarization, and DNA Damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chung-Yi; Yen, Ching-Yu; Wang, Hui-Ru; Yang, Hui-Ping; Tang, Jen-Yang; Huang, Hurng-Wern; Hsu, Shih-Hsien; Chang, Hsueh-Wei

    2016-11-05

    The development of drugs that selectively kill oral cancer cells but are less harmful to normal cells still provide several challenges. In this study, the antioral cancer effects of tenuifolide B (TFB), extracted from the stem of the plant Cinnamomum tenuifolium are evaluated in terms of their effects on cancer cell viability, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. Cell viability of oral cancer cells (Ca9-22 and CAL 27) was found to be significantly inhibited by TFB in a dose-responsive manner in terms of ATP assay, yielding IC 50 = 4.67 and 7.05 μM (24 h), but are less lethal to normal oral cells (HGF-1). Dose-responsive increases in subG1 populations as well as the intensities of flow cytometry-based annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) analysis and pancaspase activity suggested that apoptosis was inducible by TFB in these two types of oral cancer cells. Pretreatment with the apoptosis inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK) reduced the annexin V intensity of these two TFB-treated oral cancer cells, suggesting that TFB induced apoptosis-mediated cell death to oral cancer cells. Cleaved-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and cleaved-caspases 3, 8, and 9 were upregulated in these two TFB-treated oral cancer cells over time but less harmful for normal oral HGF-1 cells. Dose-responsive and time-dependent increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreases in mitochondrial membrane potential (MitoMP) in these two TFB-treated oral cancer cells suggest that TFB may generate oxidative stress as measured by flow cytometry. N -acetylcysteine (NAC) pretreatment reduced the TFB-induced ROS generation and further validated that ROS was relevant to TFB-induced cell death. Both flow cytometry and Western blotting demonstrated that the DNA double strand marker γH2AX dose-responsively increased in TFB-treated Ca9-22 cells and time-dependently increased in two TFB-treated oral cancer cells. Taken together, we infer that TFB can selectively inhibit cell proliferation of

  5. Expression of p53/HGF/c-met/STAT3 signal in fetuses with neural tube defects.

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    Trovato, Maria; D'Armiento, Maria; Lavra, Luca; Ulivieri, Alessandra; Dominici, Roberto; Vitarelli, Enrica; Grosso, Maddalena; Vecchione, Raffaella; Barresi, Gaetano; Sciacchitano, Salvatore

    2007-02-01

    Neural tube defects (NTD) are morphogenetic alterations due to a defective closure of neural tube. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-met system plays a role in morphogenesis of nervous system, lung, and kidney. HGF/c-met morphogenetic effects are mediated by signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)3 and both HGF and c-met genes are regulated from p53. The aim of our study was to analyze mRNA and protein expressions of p53, HGF, c-met, and STAT3 in fetuses with NTD. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, we analyzed neural tissues from four NTD fetuses and the corresponding non-malformed lungs, kidneys and placentas. We found a reduced mRNA expression of HGF/c-met/STAT3 pathway, in the malformed nervous systems and placentas. The reduced expression of this pathway correlated with the absence of p53 in all these samples. On the contrary, detectable expression levels of p53, HGF, c-met, and STAT3 were observed in non-malformed lungs and kidneys obtained from the same fetuses. Comparable results were obtained by immunohistochemistry, with the exception of p53, which was undetected in all fetal tissues. In conclusion, in NTD fetuses, both the defective neural tube tissue and the placenta have a reduction in all components of the p53/HGF/c-met/STAT3 cascade. This raises the possibility of using the suppression of these genes for early diagnosis of NTD especially on chorionic villus sampling.

  6. Caspase-8 regulates the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moen, Siv H; Westhrin, Marita; Zahoor, Muhammad; Nørgaard, Nikolai N; Hella, Hanne; Størdal, Berit; Sundan, Anders; Nilsen, Nadra J; Sponaas, Anne-Marit; Standal, Therese

    2016-09-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells, also called mesenchymal stromal cells, MSCs, have great potential in stem cell therapy partly due to their immunosuppressive properties. How these cells respond to chronic inflammatory stimuli is therefore of importance. Toll-like receptors (TLR)s are innate immune receptors that mediate inflammatory signals in response to infection, stress, and damage. Caspase-8 is involved in activation of NF-kB downstream of TLRs in immune cells. Here we investigated the role of caspase-8 in regulating TLR-induced cytokine production from human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBMSCs). Cytokine expression in hBMCs in response to poly(I:C) and LPS was evaluated by PCR, multiplex cytokine assay, and ELISA. TLR3, TRIF, and caspase-8 were silenced using siRNA. Caspase-8 was also inhibited using a caspase-8 inhibitor, z-IEDT. We found that TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) and TLR4 agonist LPS induced secretion of several pro-inflammatory cytokines in a TLR-dependent manner which required the TLR signaling adaptor molecule TRIF. Further, poly(I:C) reduced the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines HGF and TGFβ whereas LPS reduced HGF expression only. Notably, caspase-8 was involved in the induction of IL- IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL10, and in the inhibition of HGF and TGFβ. Caspase-8 appears to modulate hBMSCs into gaining a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Therefore, inhibiting caspase-8 in hBMSCs might promote an immunosuppressive phenotype which could be useful in clinical applications to treat inflammatory disorders.

  7. Caspase‐8 regulates the expression of pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines in human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moen, Siv H.; Westhrin, Marita; Zahoor, Muhammad; Nørgaard, Nikolai N.; Hella, Hanne; Størdal, Berit; Sundan, Anders; Nilsen, Nadra J.; Sponaas, Anne‐Marit

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Introduction Mesenchymal stem cells, also called mesenchymal stromal cells, MSCs, have great potential in stem cell therapy partly due to their immunosuppressive properties. How these cells respond to chronic inflammatory stimuli is therefore of importance. Toll‐like receptors (TLR)s are innate immune receptors that mediate inflammatory signals in response to infection, stress, and damage. Caspase‐8 is involved in activation of NF‐kB downstream of TLRs in immune cells. Here we investigated the role of caspase‐8 in regulating TLR‐induced cytokine production from human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBMSCs). Methods Cytokine expression in hBMCs in response to poly(I:C) and LPS was evaluated by PCR, multiplex cytokine assay, and ELISA. TLR3, TRIF, and caspase‐8 were silenced using siRNA. Caspase‐8 was also inhibited using a caspase‐8 inhibitor, z‐IEDT. Results We found that TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) and TLR4 agonist LPS induced secretion of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines in a TLR‐dependent manner which required the TLR signaling adaptor molecule TRIF. Further, poly(I:C) reduced the expression of anti‐inflammatory cytokines HGF and TGFβ whereas LPS reduced HGF expression only. Notably, caspase‐8 was involved in the induction of IL‐ IL‐1β, IL‐6, CXCL10, and in the inhibition of HGF and TGFβ. Conclusion Caspase‐8 appears to modulate hBMSCs into gaining a pro‐inflammatory phenotype. Therefore, inhibiting caspase‐8 in hBMSCs might promote an immunosuppressive phenotype which could be useful in clinical applications to treat inflammatory disorders. PMID:27621815

  8. Hepatocyte growth factor/c-MET axis-mediated tropism of cord blood-derived unrestricted somatic stem cells for neuronal injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trapp, Thorsten; Kögler, Gesine; El-Khattouti, Abdelouahid; Sorg, Rüdiger V; Besselmann, Michael; Föcking, Melanie; Bührle, Christian P; Trompeter, Ingo; Fischer, Johannes C; Wernet, Peter

    2008-11-21

    An under-agarose chemotaxis assay was used to investigate whether unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC) that were recently characterized in human cord blood are attracted by neuronal injury in vitro. USSC migrated toward extracts of post-ischemic brain tissue of mice in which stroke had been induced. Moreover, apoptotic neurons secrete factors that strongly attracted USSC, whereas necrotic and healthy neurons did not. Investigating the expression of growth factors and chemokines in lesioned brain tissue and neurons and of their respective receptors in USSC revealed expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in post-ischemic brain and in apoptotic but not in necrotic neurons and of the HGF receptor c-MET in USSC. Neuronal lesion-triggered migration was observed in vitro and in vivo only when c-MET was expressed at a high level in USSC. Neutralization of the bioactivity of HGF with an antibody inhibited migration of USSC toward neuronal injury. This, together with the finding that human recombinant HGF attracts USSC, document that HGF signaling is necessary for the tropism of USSC for neuronal injury. Our data demonstrate that USSC have the capacity to migrate toward apoptotic neurons and injured brain. Together with their neural differentiation potential, this suggests a neuroregenerative potential of USSC. Moreover, we provide evidence for a hitherto unrecognized pivotal role of the HGF/c-MET axis in guiding stem cells toward brain injury, which may partly account for the capability of HGF to improve function in the diseased central nervous system.

  9. The c-Met Inhibitor MSC2156119J Effectively Inhibits Tumor Growth in Liver Cancer Models

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    Bladt, Friedhelm, E-mail: Friedhelm.Bladt@merckgroup.com; Friese-Hamim, Manja; Ihling, Christian; Wilm, Claudia; Blaukat, Andree [EMD Serono, and Merck Serono Research and Development, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt 64293 (Germany)

    2014-08-19

    The mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-Met) is a receptor tyrosine kinase with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) as its only high-affinity ligand. Aberrant activation of c-Met is associated with many human malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the in vivo antitumor and antimetastatic efficacy of the c-Met inhibitor MSC2156119J (EMD 1214063) in patient-derived tumor explants. BALB/c nude mice were inoculated with MHCC97H cells or with tumor fragments of 10 patient-derived primary liver cancer explants selected according to c-Met/HGF expression levels. MSC2156119J (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg) and sorafenib (50 mg/kg) were administered orally as single-agent treatment or in combination, with vehicle as control. Tumor response, metastases formation, and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels were measured. MSC2156119J inhibited tumor growth and induced complete regression in mice bearing subcutaneous and orthotopic MHCC97H tumors. AFP levels were undetectable after 5 weeks of MSC2156119J treatment, and the number of metastatic lung foci was reduced. Primary liver explant models with strong c-Met/HGF activation showed increased responsiveness to MSC2156119J, with MSC2156119J showing similar or superior activity to sorafenib. Tumors characterized by low c-Met expression were less sensitive to MSC2156119J. MSC2156119J was better tolerated than sorafenib, and combination therapy did not improve efficacy. These findings indicate that selective c-Met/HGF inhibition with MSC2156119J is associated with marked regression of c-Met high-expressing tumors, supporting its clinical development as an antitumor treatment for HCC patients with active c-Met signaling.

  10. Effects of HGF gene polymorphisms and protein expression on transhepatic arterial chemotherapeutic embolism efficacy and prognosis in patients with primary liver cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen HY

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Hai-Yong Chen,1,2 Yao-Min Chen,3 Jian Wu,1,2 Fu-Chun Yang,1,2 Zhen Lv,1,2 Yi-Gang Qian,1,2 Shu-Sen Zheng1,2 1Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, 2Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, 3Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China Objective: To investigate the correlations of two hepatocyte growth factor (HGF gene polymorphisms (rs5745652 and rs2074725 and their protein expression levels with the efficacy of transhepatic arterial chemotherapeutic embolism (TACE and prognosis in patients with primary liver cancer (PLC. Methods: From March 2011 to June 2012, 109 PLC patients (the case group who chose TACE as primary treatment and 80 healthy people (the control group who had undergone physical examination in The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University were selected during the same period. Gene polymorphisms of HGF rs5745652 and HGF rs2074725 were detected. Serum HGF level, treating efficacy, survival quality, and 3-year survival rate for PLC patients who received TACE were observed. Results: There were significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of HGF rs5745652 and HGF rs2074725, between the case and control groups (all P<0.05. Compared with CT+TT genotype of HGF rs5745652, patients carrying CC genotype had lower serum HGF levels, higher efficacy, better survival quality, and prolonged 3-year survival rate (all P<0.05. In rs2074725, patients carrying CA+AA genotype had lower serum HGF levels, higher efficacy, better survival quality, and prolonged 3-year survival rate compared with patients carrying rs2074725 CC genotype (all P<0.05. Gene polymorphisms of HGF rs5745652 and HGF rs2074725, tumor size, and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage were independent prognostic factors for PLC (P<0.05. Conclusion: Our

  11. c-Met in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: an independent prognostic factor and potential therapeutic target.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozawa, Yohei; Nakamura, Yasuhiro; Fujishima, Fumiyoshi; Felizola, Saulo J A; Takeda, Kenichiro; Okamoto, Hiroshi; Ito, Ken; Ishida, Hirotaka; Konno, Takuro; Kamei, Takashi; Miyata, Go; Ohuchi, Noriaki; Sasano, Hironobu

    2015-06-03

    c-Met is widely known as a poor prognostic factor in various human malignancies. Previous studies have suggested the involvement of c-Met and/or its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but the correlation between c-Met status and clinical outcome remains unclear. Furthermore, the identification of a novel molecular therapeutic target might potentially help improve the clinical outcome of ESCC patients. The expression of c-Met and HGF was immunohistochemically assessed in 104 surgically obtained tissue specimens. The correlation between c-Met/HGF expression and patients' clinicopathological features, including survival, was evaluated. We also investigated changes in cell functions and protein expression of c-Met and its downstream signaling pathway components under treatments with HGF and/or c-Met inhibitor in ESCC cell lines. Elevated expression of c-Met was significantly correlated with tumor depth and pathological stage. Patients with high c-Met expression had significantly worse survival. In addition, multivariate analysis identified the high expression of c-Met as an independent prognostic factor. Treatment with c-Met inhibitor under HGF stimulation significantly inhibited the invasive capacity of an ESCC cell line with elevated c-Met mRNA expression. Moreover, c-Met and its downstream signaling inactivation was also detected after treatment with c-Met inhibitor. The results of our study identified c-Met expression as an independent prognostic factor in ESCC patients and demonstrated that c-Met could be a potential molecular therapeutic target for the treatment of ESCC with elevated c-Met expression.

  12. Effect of hepatocyte growth factor on radiation response of HeLa, V79, CHO and primary cultured parenchymal hepatocyte in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamazaki, Hideya; Inoue, Takehiro; Nose, Takayuki; Murayama, Shigeyuki; Teshima, Teruki; Ozeki, Syuji; Koizumi, Masahiko; Inoue, Toshihiko.

    1996-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multipotent cytokine enhancing regeneration of injured organs as liver, kidney and lung after injury. HGF enhances proliferation of various type of cells, inhibits proliferation of carcinoma cells, enhances motility of epithelial cells. We examined three cell lines (CHO, HeLa, V79) and primary cultured normal rat parenchymal hepatocytes to determine the effect of HGF on radiation response. HGF diminished survival of CHO and V79 cells determined by colony formation assay, whereas no significant change of survival was found in HeLa cells. No synergistic changes of survival were found when these three cell lines were irradiated with the addition of HGF. Thus, HGF did not enhance the radiation effect. We also analyzed the impact of irradiation with HGF on primary cultured normal rat parenchymal hepatocytes. At first, the release of glutamic-oxaloacetic amino-transaminase (GOT) in the supernatant was estimated. Irradiation (40 Gy) with or without HGF did not change GOT release in acute phase by 4 days after irradiation compared with the unirradiated control. Second, the DNA synthesis of rat parenchymal hepatocytes was analyzed using radioactive iodine-labeled deoxyuridine incorporation. HGF counteracted the suppression of DNA synthesis induced by irradiation. Thus, HGF may act as a mitogen even for irradiation-damaged normal cells. (author)

  13. c-Met in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: an independent prognostic factor and potential therapeutic target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozawa, Yohei; Nakamura, Yasuhiro; Fujishima, Fumiyoshi; Felizola, Saulo JA; Takeda, Kenichiro; Okamoto, Hiroshi; Ito, Ken; Ishida, Hirotaka; Konno, Takuro; Kamei, Takashi; Miyata, Go; Ohuchi, Noriaki; Sasano, Hironobu

    2015-01-01

    c-Met is widely known as a poor prognostic factor in various human malignancies. Previous studies have suggested the involvement of c-Met and/or its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but the correlation between c-Met status and clinical outcome remains unclear. Furthermore, the identification of a novel molecular therapeutic target might potentially help improve the clinical outcome of ESCC patients. The expression of c-Met and HGF was immunohistochemically assessed in 104 surgically obtained tissue specimens. The correlation between c-Met/HGF expression and patients’ clinicopathological features, including survival, was evaluated. We also investigated changes in cell functions and protein expression of c-Met and its downstream signaling pathway components under treatments with HGF and/or c-Met inhibitor in ESCC cell lines. Elevated expression of c-Met was significantly correlated with tumor depth and pathological stage. Patients with high c-Met expression had significantly worse survival. In addition, multivariate analysis identified the high expression of c-Met as an independent prognostic factor. Treatment with c-Met inhibitor under HGF stimulation significantly inhibited the invasive capacity of an ESCC cell line with elevated c-Met mRNA expression. Moreover, c-Met and its downstream signaling inactivation was also detected after treatment with c-Met inhibitor. The results of our study identified c-Met expression as an independent prognostic factor in ESCC patients and demonstrated that c-Met could be a potential molecular therapeutic target for the treatment of ESCC with elevated c-Met expression. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1450-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

  14. Dasatinib Modulates Invasive and Migratory Properties of Canine Osteosarcoma and has Therapeutic Potential in Affected Dogs

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    Kevin Marley

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: This investigation sought to elucidate the relationship between hepatocyte growth factor (HGF–induced metastatic behavior and the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs crizotinib and dasatinib in canine osteosarcoma (OS. Preliminary evidence of an apparent clinical benefit from adjuvant therapy with dasatinib in four dogs is described. METHODS: The inhibitors were assessed for their ability to block phosphorylation of MET; reduce HGF-induced production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP; and prevent invasion, migration, and cell viability in canine OS cell lines. Oral dasatinib (0.75 mg/kg was tested as an adjuvant therapy in four dogs with OS. RESULTS: Constitutive phosphorylation of MET was detected in two cell lines, and this was unaffected by 20-nM incubation with either dasatinib or crizotinib. Incubation of cell lines with HGF (MET ligand increased cell migration and invasion in both cell lines and increased MMP-9 activity in one. Dasatinib suppressed OS cell viability and HGF-induced invasion and migration, whereas crizotinib reduced migration and MMP-9 production but did not inhibit invasion or viability. CONCLUSIONS: Invasion, migration, and viability of canine OS cell lines are increased by exogenous HGF. HGF induces secretion of different forms of MMP in different cell lines. The HGF-driven increase in viability and metastatic behaviors we observed are more uniformly inhibited by dasatinib. These observations suggest a potential clinical benefit of adjuvant dasatinib treatment for dogs with OS.

  15. Hepatocyte growth factor secreted by ovarian cancer cells stimulates peritoneal implantation via the mesothelial-mesenchymal transition of the peritoneum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Michihiko; Ono, Yoshihiro J; Kanemura, Masanori; Tanaka, Tomohito; Hayashi, Masami; Terai, Yoshito; Ohmichi, Masahide

    2015-11-01

    A current working model for the metastatic process of ovarian carcinoma suggests that cancer cells are shed from the ovarian tumor into the peritoneal cavity and attach to the layer of mesothelial cells that line the inner surface of the peritoneum, and several studies suggest that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays an important role in the dissemination of ovarian cancer. Our objectives were to evaluate the HGF expression of ovarian cancer using clinical data and assess the effect of HGF secreted from human ovarian cancer cells to human mesothelial cells. HGF expression was immunohistochemically evaluated in 165 epithelial ovarian cancer patients arranged as tissue microarrays. HGF expression in four ovarian cancer cell lines was evaluated by using semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The effect of ovarian cancer cell derived HGF to the human mesothelial cells was assessed by using morphologic analysis, Western blotting and cell invasion assay. The effect of HGF on ovarian cancer metastasis was assessed by using in vivo experimental model. The clinical data showed a significantly high correlation between the HGF expression and the cancer stage. The in vivo and in vitro experimental models revealed that HGF secreted by ovarian cancer cells induces the mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stimulates the invasion of mesothelial cells. Furthermore, manipulating the HGF activity affected the degree of dissemination and ascite formation. We demonstrated that HGF secreted by ovarian cancer cells plays an important role in cancer peritoneal implantation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Hepatocyte growth factor in renal failure: promise and reality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, G A; Hoeflich, A; Jehle, P M

    2000-04-01

    Can science discover some secrets of Greek mythology? In the case of Prometheus, we can now suppose that his amazing hepatic regeneration was caused by a peptide growth factor called hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Increasing evidence indicates that HGF acts as a multifunctional cytokine on different cell types. This review addresses the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the pleiotropic effects of HGF. HGF binds with high affinity to its specific tyrosine kinase receptor c-met, thereby stimulating not only cell proliferation and differentiation, but also cell migration and tumorigenesis. The three fundamental principles of medicine-prevention, diagnosis, and therapy-may be benefited by the rational use of HGF. In renal tubular cells, HGF induces mitogenic and morphogenetic responses. In animal models of toxic or ischemic acute renal failure, HGF acts in a renotropic and nephroprotective manner. HGF expression is rapidly up-regulated in the remnant kidney of nephrectomized rats, inducing compensatory growth. In a mouse model of chronic renal disease, HGF inhibits the progression of tubulointerstitial fibrosis and kidney dysfunction. Increased HGF mRNA transcripts were detected in mesenchymal and tubular epithelial cells of rejecting kidney. In transplanted patients, elevated HGF levels may indicate renal rejection. When HGF is considered as a therapeutic agent in human medicine, for example, to stimulate kidney regeneration after acute injury, strategies need to be developed to stimulate cell regeneration and differentiation without an induction of tumorigenesis.

  17. Effects of hepatocyte growth factor on glutathione synthesis, growth, and apoptosis is cell density-dependent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Heping; Magilnick, Nathaniel; Xia Meng; Lu, Shelly C.

    2008-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent hepatocyte mitogen that exerts opposing effects depending on cell density. Glutathione (GSH) is the main non-protein thiol in mammalian cells that modulates growth and apoptosis. We previously showed that GSH level is inversely related to cell density of hepatocytes and is positively related to growth. Our current work examined whether HGF can modulate GSH synthesis in a cell density-dependent manner and how GSH in turn influence HGF's effects. We found HGF treatment of H4IIE cells increased cell GSH levels only under subconfluent density. The increase in cell GSH under low density was due to increased transcription of GSH synthetic enzymes. This correlated with increased protein levels and nuclear binding activities of c-Jun, c-Fos, p65, p50, Nrf1 and Nrf2 to the promoter region of these genes. HGF acts as a mitogen in H4IIE cells under low cell density and protects against tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-induced apoptosis by limiting JNK activation. However, HGF is pro-apoptotic under high cell density and exacerbates TNFα-induced apoptosis by potentiating JNK activation. The increase in cell GSH under low cell density allows HGF to exert its full mitogenic effect but is not necessary for its anti-apoptotic effect

  18. Novel MET/TIE2/VEGFR2 inhibitor altiratinib inhibits tumor growth and invasiveness in bevacizumab-resistant glioblastoma mouse models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piao, Yuji; Park, Soon Young; Henry, Verlene; Smith, Bryan D.; Tiao, Ningyi; Flynn, Daniel L.

    2016-01-01

    Background Glioblastoma highly expresses the proto-oncogene MET in the setting of resistance to bevacizumab. MET engagement by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) results in receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation mediating tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Evasive revascularization and the recruitment of TIE2-expressing macrophages (TEMs) are also triggered by anti-VEGF therapy. Methods We investigated the activity of altiratinib (a novel balanced inhibitor of MET/TIE2/VEGFR2) against human glioblastoma stem cell lines in vitro and in vivo using xenograft mouse models. The biological activity of altiratinib was assessed in vitro by testing the expression of HGF-stimulated MET phosphorylation as well as cell viability after altiratinib treatment. Tumor volume, stem cell and mesenchymal marker levels, microvessel density, and TIE2-expressing monocyte infiltration were evaluated in vivo following treatment with a control, bevacizumab alone, bevacizumab combined with altiratinib, or altiratinib alone. Results In vitro, HGF-stimulated MET phosphorylation was completely suppressed by altiratinib in GSC17 and GSC267, and altiratinib markedly inhibited cell viability in several glioblastoma stem cell lines. More importantly, in multiple xenograft mouse models, altiratinib combined with bevacizumab dramatically reduced tumor volume, invasiveness, mesenchymal marker expression, microvessel density, and TIE2-expressing monocyte infiltration compared with bevacizumab alone. Furthermore, in the GSC17 xenograft model, altiratinib combined with bevacizumab significantly prolonged survival compared with bevacizumab alone. Conclusions Together, these data suggest that altiratinib may suppress tumor growth, invasiveness, angiogenesis, and myeloid cell infiltration in glioblastoma. Thus, altiratinib administered alone or in combination with bevacizumab may overcome resistance to bevacizumab and prolong survival in patients with glioblastoma. PMID:26965451

  19. Hepatocyte Growth Factor Gene-Modified Mesenchymal Stem Cells Augment Sinonasal Wound Healing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing; Zheng, Chun-Quan; Li, Yong; Yang, Chen; Lin, Hai; Duan, Hong-Gang

    2015-08-01

    This study was designed to investigate the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) transgenic mesenchymal stem cells (HGF-MSCs) on wound healing in the sinonasal mucosa and nasal epithelial cells (NECs). We also sought to determine whether HGF-MSCs and MSCs can migrate into the injured mucosa and differentiate into ciliated cells. Human HGF-overexpressing umbilical cord MSCs (hHGF-UCMSCs) were established, and upregulation of hHGF expression was confirmed by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). To investigate the paracrine effect of human MSCs (hMSCs) on nasal epithelial repair, hMSC- and HGF-MSC-conditioned media (CM) were used in NEC proliferation assays and in an in vitro scratch-wound repair model. The in vivo sinonasal wound-healing model was established, and all enrolled rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups: the GFP-MSC group, the HGF-MSC group, the Ad-HGF group, and the surgery control group. The average decreased diameter was recorded, and the medial wall of the maxillary sinus was removed for histological analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Collagen deposition in the wound tissue was detected via Masson trichrome (M&T) staining. The distribution of MSCs and HGF-MSCs was observed by immunofluorescence. MSCs improved nasal wound healing both in vivo and in vitro. HGF overexpression in MSCs augmented the curative effects. Reduced collagen deposition and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) expression were detected in the HGF-MSC group compared with the MSC-, Ad-HGF-, and phosphate-buffered saline-treated groups based on M&T staining and ELISA. The enhanced therapeutic effects of HGF-MSCs were accompanied by decreased level of the fibrogenic cytokine TGF-β1. In addition, both HGF-MSCs and MSCs can migrate to the injured mucosa and epithelial layer.

  20. Comparative cytotoxicity of periodontal bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevens, R.H.; Hammond, B.F.

    1988-01-01

    The direct cytotoxicity of sonic extracts (SE) from nine periodontal bacteria for human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) was compared. Equivalent dosages (in terms of protein concentration) of SE were used to challenge HGF cultures. The cytotoxic potential of each SE was assessed by its ability to (1) inhibit HGF proliferation, as measured by direct cell counts; (2) inhibit 3H-thymidine incorporation in HGF cultures; or (3) cause morphological alterations of the cells in challenged cultures. The highest concentration (500 micrograms SE protein/ml) of any of the SEs used to challenge the cells was found to be markedly inhibitory to the HGFs by all three of the criteria of cytotoxicity. At the lowest dosage tested (50 micrograms SE protein/ml); only SE from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides gingivalis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum caused a significant effect (greater than 90% inhibition or overt morphological abnormalities) in the HGFs as determined by any of the criteria employed. SE from Capnocytophaga sputigena, Eikenella corrodens, or Wolinella recta also inhibited cell proliferation and thymidine incorporation at this dosage; however, the degree of inhibition (5-50%) was consistently, clearly less than that of the first group of three organisms named above. The SE of the three other organisms tested (Actinomyces odontolyticus, Bacteroides intermedius, and Streptococcus sanguis) had little or no effect (0-10% inhibition) at this concentration. The data suggest that the outcome of the interaction between bacterial components and normal resident cells of the periodontium is, at least in part, a function of the bacterial species

  1. The value of gated myocardial perfusion imaging for the evaluation of early treatment effectiveness of ischemic heart disease using Ad-HGF myocardial injection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Jianlin; Cheng Xu; Li Jianhua; Xu Zhaoqiang; Li Dianfu; Yuan Biao; Zhang Yourong; Cao Kejiang; Huang Jun

    2008-01-01

    Objective: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has multipotent actions mediated by c- Mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (Met) receptor. Preclinical studies in animal models of myocardial ischemia demonstrated that treatment with HGF could benefit myocardial perfusion, cardiac remodeling, angiogenesis and myocardial function. This study used gated 99 Tc m -methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) myocardial perfusion imaging (G-MPI) to assess the early treatment effectiveness of adenovirus HGF (Ad-HGF) directly administered in ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients. Methods: Eighteen patients with IHD were divided into 3 groups receiving low dose [5 x 10 8 plaque forming unit (PFU)/site], medium (1.5 x 10 9 PFU/site) and high dose (5 x l0 9 PFU/site) of Ad-HGF. And the Ad-HGF was injected at 10 sites in each patient. Rest G-MPI was performed before and after treatment for myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function measurement. Stata 7.0 was used to analyse the data. Results: (1) After Ad-HGF, myocardial perfusion was improved in 3/6, 5/6 and 6/6 patients in low, medium and high dosage groups. The dosage of AD-HGF was closely correlated with the improvement of myocardial perfusion (χ 2 =4.34, P<0.05). (2) Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly increased [(50.1 ± 6.4)% vs (58.7 ± 5.6)%, t=6.1, P<0.01], end-diastolic volume [EDV, (137.7 ± 33.2) ml vs (123.7 ± 32.7) ml] and end-systolic volume [ESV, (70.2 ± 22.4) ml vs (51.9 ± 14.9) ml] were significantly reduced. (3) The LVEFs were increased in all groups, and the LVEF improvement in the high dosage group [(8.6 ± 5.9)%] was significantly greater than the other two groups [(4.3 ± l.2)%, (6.8 ± 5.7)%]. The difference of post-treatment improvement on LVEF between the low and medium dosage groups was not significant. The dosage of Ad-HGF was closely correlated with the improvement of LVEF (r=0.67, P< 0.01). Conclusion: G-MPI is a reliable method for evaluating the early effectiveness of

  2. Increased Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR Associated with Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF and Symptom Severity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony J. Russo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background One in 88 children in the US is thought to have one of the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs. ASDs are characterized by social impairments and communication problems. Growth factors and their receptors may play a role in the etiology of ASDs. Research has shown that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR activation is associated with nerve cell development and repair. This study was designed to measure plasma levels of EGFR in autistic children and correlate these levels with its ligand, epidermal growth factor, other related putative biomarkers such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, the ligand for MET (MNNG HOS transforming gene receptor, as well as the symptom severity of 19 different behavioral symptoms. Subjects and Methods Plasma EGFR concentration was measured in 33 autistic children and 34 age- and gender-similar neurotypical controls, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma EGFR levels were compared to putative biomarkers known to be associated with EGFR and MET and severity levels of 19 autism-related symptoms. Results We found plasma EGFR levels significantly higher in autistic children, when compared to neurotypical controls. EGFR levels correlated with HGF and high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1 levels, but not other tested putative biomarkers, and EGFR levels correlated significantly with severity of expressive language, conversational language, focus/attention, hyperactivity, eye contact, and sound sensitivity deficiencies. Conclusions These results suggest a relationship between increased plasma EGFR levels and designated symptom severity in autistic children. A strong correlation between plasma EGFR and HGF and HMGB1 suggests that increased EGFR levels may be associated with the HGF/Met signaling pathway, as well as inflammation.

  3. Hepatocyte growth factor, a determinant of airspace homeostasis in the murine lung.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Calvi

    Full Text Available The alveolar compartment, the fundamental gas exchange unit in the lung, is critical for tissue oxygenation and viability. We explored hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, a pleiotrophic cytokine that promotes epithelial proliferation, morphogenesis, migration, and resistance to apoptosis, as a candidate mediator of alveolar formation and regeneration. Mice deficient in the expression of the HGF receptor Met in lung epithelial cells demonstrated impaired airspace formation marked by a reduction in alveolar epithelial cell abundance and survival, truncation of the pulmonary vascular bed, and enhanced oxidative stress. Administration of recombinant HGF to tight-skin mice, an established genetic emphysema model, attenuated airspace enlargement and reduced oxidative stress. Repair in the TSK/+ mouse was punctuated by enhanced akt and stat3 activation. HGF treatment of an alveolar epithelial cell line not only induced proliferation and scattering of the cells but also conferred protection against staurosporine-induced apoptosis, properties critical for alveolar septation. HGF promoted cell survival was attenuated by akt inhibition. Primary alveolar epithelial cells treated with HGF showed improved survival and enhanced antioxidant production. In conclusion, using both loss-of-function and gain-of-function maneuvers, we show that HGF signaling is necessary for alveolar homeostasis in the developing lung and that augmentation of HGF signaling can improve airspace morphology in murine emphysema. Our studies converge on prosurvival signaling and antioxidant protection as critical pathways in HGF-mediated airspace maintenance or repair. These findings support the exploration of HGF signaling enhancement for diseases of the airspace.

  4. Hepatocyte growth factor enhances death receptor-induced apoptosis by up-regulating DR5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Yang; Fan, Xing; Goodwin, C Rory; Laterra, John; Xia, Shuli

    2008-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-MET are commonly expressed in malignant gliomas and embryonic neuroectodermal tumors including medulloblastoma and appear to play an important role in the growth and dissemination of these malignancies. Dependent on cell context and the involvement of specific downstream effectors, both pro- and anti-apoptotic effects of HGF have been reported. Human medulloblastoma cells were treated with HGF for 24–72 hours followed by death receptor ligand TRAIL (Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) for 24 hours. Cell death was measured by MTT and Annexin-V/PI flow cytometric analysis. Changes in expression levels of targets of interest were measured by Northern blot analysis, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, Western blot analysis as well as immunoprecipitation. In this study, we show that HGF promotes medulloblastoma cell death induced by TRAIL. TRAIL alone triggered apoptosis in DAOY cells and death was enhanced by pre-treating the cells with HGF for 24–72 h prior to the addition of TRAIL. HGF (100 ng/ml) enhanced TRAIL (10 ng/ml) induced cell death by 36% (P < 0.001). No cell death was associated with HGF alone. Treating cells with PHA-665752, a specific c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, significantly abrogated the enhancement of TRAIL-induced cell death by HGF, indicating that its death promoting effect requires activation of its canonical receptor tyrosine kinase. Cell death induced by TRAIL+HGF was predominately apoptotic involving both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways as evidenced by the increased activation of caspase-3, 8, 9. Promotion of apoptosis by HGF occurred via the increased expression of the death receptor DR5 and enhanced formation of death-inducing signal complexes (DISC). Taken together, these and previous findings indicate that HGF:c-Met pathway either promotes or inhibits medulloblastoma cell death via pathway and context specific mechanisms

  5. The effect of hepatocyte growth factor on secretory functions in human eosinophils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamauchi, Yumiko; Ueki, Shigeharu; Konno, Yasunori; Ito, Wataru; Takeda, Masahide; Nakamura, Yuka; Nishikawa, Junko; Moritoki, Yuki; Omokawa, Ayumi; Saga, Tomoo; Hirokawa, Makoto

    2016-12-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), originally identified as a potent mitogen for mature hepatocytes, is now recognized as a humoral mediator in inflammatory and immune responses. Previous studies indicated that HGF negatively regulated allergic airway inflammation. In view of eosinophils playing a role in the pathogenesis of asthma, especially in airway remodeling as a rich source of pro-fibrogenic mediators, the effects of HGF on the different types of eosinophil secretory functions were examined in this study. We found that HGF significantly inhibited IL-5-induced secretion of TGF-β and VEGF from human eosinophils. The inhibitory effect is not associated with TGF-β transcription; rather, it is associated with ultrastructural granule emptying and loss of intracellular TGF-β contents, indicating HGF inhibits the process of piecemeal degranulation. The effect of HGF on extracellular trap cell death (ETosis) that mediates cytolytic degranulation was also investigated; however, immobilized IgG- or phorbol myristate acetate-induced ETosis was only minimally attenuated by HGF. These results reveal the effect of HGF on the distinct pathways of eosinophil secretory functions and also provide novel insights into the role of HGF in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Myocardial perfusion imaging, coronary angiography and histological examination in experimental treatment of Ad-HGF for myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jianhua; Feng Jianlin; Cheng Xu; Li Dianfu; Zhang Youfu

    2007-01-01

    Objective: Gene therapy has drawn a great attention. A swine model of adenovirus hepatocyte growth factor(Ad-HGF) treated myocardial infarction(MI) was utilized, with the effect being assessed by rest myocardial perfusion imaging, coronary angiography and histological examination. Methods: Three groups of MI swine treated with Ad-HGF at low dose [n=5, Ad-HGF 10 8 plague forming unit (PFU)/ site], medium dose(n=5, 4 x 10 8 PFU/site), and high dose (n=5, 5 x 10 9 PFU/site), a control group treated with normal saline(NS, n=5) and a blank control group (n=5) underwent rest myocardial perfusion imaging and coronary angiography before and after treatment. The imaging results were analyzed along with histological findings in each group. Results: The state of myocardial perfusion and Rentrop scores remained unchanged in the blank control and NS groups after treatment. Whereas there was a significant improvement in the two variables in all three groups treated with Ad-HGF. The scores of left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) before and after treated were 7.8 ± 1.3 and 16.4 ± 1.1 (low-dose), 8.2 ± 1.6 and 17.6 ± 0.9 (medium-dose), 8.4 ± 1.5 and 19.0 ± 0.7 (high-dose), respectively. No significant differences were noted among the 3 groups. The number of vessels of NS group was markedly less than that of other groups. Conclusion: Myocardial perfusion imaging seems to be more accurate than coronary angiography and histological examination in evaluating the effects of Ad-HGF on myocardial infarction. (authors)

  7. Hepatocyte growth factor is constitutively produced by donor-derived bone marrow cells and promotes regeneration of pancreatic β-cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izumida, Yoshihiko; Aoki, Takeshi; Yasuda, Daisuke; Koizumi, Tomotake; Suganuma, Chisaki; Saito, Koji; Murai, Noriyuki; Shimizu, Yoshinori; Hayashi, Ken; Odaira, Masanori; Kusano, Tomokazu; Kushima, Miki; Kusano, Mitsuo

    2005-01-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated that the transplantation of bone marrow cells following diabetes induced by streptozotocin can support the recovery of pancreatic β-cell mass and a partial reversal of hyperglycemia. To address this issue, we examined whether the c-Met/hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling pathway was involved in the recovery of β-cell injury after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). In this model, donor-derived bone marrow cells were positive for HGF immunoreactivity in the recipient spleen, liver, lung, and pancreas as well as in the host hepatocytes. Indeed, plasma HGF levels were maintained at a high value. The frequency of c-Met expression and its proliferative activity and differentiative response in the pancreatic ductal cells in the BMT group were greater than those in the PBS-treated group, resulting in an elevated number of endogenous insulin-producing cells. The induction of the c-Met/HGF signaling pathway following BMT promotes pancreatic regeneration in diabetic rats

  8. Hepatic stellate cells secreted hepatocyte growth factor contributes to the chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guofeng Yu

    Full Text Available As the main source of extracellular matrix proteins in tumor stroma, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs have a great impact on biological behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. In the present study, we have investigated a mechanism whereby HSCs modulate the chemoresistance of hepatoma cells. We used human HSC line lx-2 and chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin to investigate their effects on human HCC cell line Hep3B. The results showed that cisplatin resistance in Hep3B cells was enhanced with LX-2 CM (cultured medium exposure in vitro as well as co-injection with LX-2 cells in null mice. Meanwhile, in presence of LX-2 CM, Hep3B cells underwent epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT and upregulation of cancer stem cell (CSC -like properties. Besides, LX-2 cells synthesized and secreted hepatic growth factor (HGF into the CM. HGF receptor tyrosine kinase mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (Met was activated in Hep3B cells after LX-2 CM exposure. The HGF level of LX-2 CM could be effectively reduced by using HGF neutralizing antibody. Furthermore, depletion of HGF in LX-2 CM abolished its effects on activation of Met as well as promotion of the EMT, CSC-like features and cisplatin resistance in Hep3B cells. Collectively, secreting HGF into tumor milieu, HSCs may decrease hepatoma cells sensitization to chemotherapeutic agents by promoting EMT and CSC-like features via HGF/Met signaling.

  9. Targeting the vascular and perivascular niches as a regenerative therapy for lung and liver fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Zhongwei; Ye, Tinghong; Sun, Yue; Ji, Gaili; Shido, Koji; Chen, Yutian; Luo, Lin; Na, Feifei; Li, Xiaoyan; Huang, Zhen; Ko, Jane L; Mittal, Vivek; Qiao, Lina; Chen, Chong; Martinez, Fernando J; Rafii, Shahin; Ding, Bi-Sen

    2017-08-30

    The regenerative capacity of lung and liver is sometimes impaired by chronic or overwhelming injury. Orthotopic transplantation of parenchymal stem cells to damaged organs might reinstate their self-repair ability. However, parenchymal cell engraftment is frequently hampered by the microenvironment in diseased recipient organs. We show that targeting both the vascular niche and perivascular fibroblasts establishes "hospitable soil" to foster the incorporation of "seed," in this case, the engraftment of parenchymal cells in injured organs. Specifically, ectopic induction of endothelial cell (EC)-expressed paracrine/angiocrine hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and inhibition of perivascular NOX4 [NADPH (reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) oxidase 4] synergistically enabled reconstitution of mouse and human parenchymal cells in damaged organs. Reciprocally, genetic knockout of Hgf in mouse ECs ( Hgf iΔEC/iΔEC ) aberrantly up-regulated perivascular NOX4 during liver and lung regeneration. Dysregulated HGF and NOX4 pathways subverted the function of vascular and perivascular cells from an epithelially inductive niche to a microenvironment that inhibited parenchymal reconstitution. Perivascular NOX4 induction in Hgf iΔEC/iΔEC mice recapitulated the phenotype of human and mouse liver and lung fibrosis. Consequently, EC-directed HGF and NOX4 inhibitor GKT137831 stimulated regenerative integration of mouse and human parenchymal cells in chronically injured lung and liver. Our data suggest that targeting dysfunctional perivascular and vascular cells in diseased organs can bypass fibrosis and enable reparative cell engraftment to reinstate lung and liver regeneration. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  10. Met inactivation by S-allylcysteine suppresses the migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal cancer cells induced by hepatocyte growth factor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, O Yeon; Hwang, Hye Sook; Lee, Bok Soon; Oh, Young Taek; Kim, Chul Ho; Chun, Mi Son [Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-12-15

    Past studies have reported that S-allylcysteine (SAC) inhibits the migration and invasion of cancer cells through the restoration of E-cadherin, the reduction of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and Slug protein expression, and inhibition of the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, evidence is emerging that shows that ROS induced by radiation could increase Met activation. Following on these reports of SAC and Met, we investigated whether SAC could suppress Met activation. Wound healing, invasion, 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT), soft agar colony forming, western blotting, and gelatin zymography assays were performed in the human nasopharyngeal cancer cell lines HNE1 and HONE1 treated with SAC (0, 10, 20, or 40 mM) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). This study showed that SAC could suppress the migration and invasion of HNE1 and HONE1 cell lines by inhibiting p-Met. An increase of migration and invasion induced by HGF and its decrease in a dose dependent manner by SAC in wound healing and invasion assays was observed. The reduction of p-Met by SAC was positively correlated with p-focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) and p-extracellular related kinase (p-ERK in both cell lines). SAC reduced Slug, MMP2, and MMP9 involved in migration and invasion with the inhibition of Met-FAK signaling. These results suggest that SAC inhibited not only Met activation but also the downstream FAK, Slug, and MMP expression. Finally, SAC may be a potent anticancer compound for nasopharyngeal cancer treated with radiotherapy.

  11. The EGFR/ErbB3 Pathway Acts as a Compensatory Survival Mechanism upon c-Met Inhibition in Human c-Met+ Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven N Steinway

    Full Text Available c-Met, a high-affinity receptor for Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF, plays a critical role in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC patients with activated HGF/c-Met signaling have a significantly worse prognosis. Targeted therapies using c-Met tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for HCC, although receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition in other cancers has demonstrated early success. Unfortunately, therapeutic effect is frequently not durable due to acquired resistance.We utilized the human MHCC97-H c-Met positive (c-Met+ HCC cell line to explore the compensatory survival mechanisms that are acquired after c-Met inhibition. MHCC97-H cells with stable c-Met knockdown (MHCC97-H c-Met KD cells were generated using a c-Met shRNA vector with puromycin selection and stably transfected scrambled shRNA as a control. Gene expression profiling was conducted, and protein expression was analyzed to characterize MHCC97-H cells after blockade of the c-Met oncogene. A high-throughput siRNA screen was performed to find putative compensatory survival proteins, which could drive HCC growth in the absence of c-Met. Findings from this screen were validated through subsequent analyses.We have previously demonstrated that treatment of MHCC97-H cells with a c-Met inhibitor, PHA665752, results in stasis of tumor growth in vivo. MHCC97-H c-Met KD cells demonstrate slower growth kinetics, similar to c-Met inhibitor treated tumors. Using gene expression profiling and siRNA screening against 873 kinases and phosphatases, we identified ErbB3 and TGF-α as compensatory survival factors that are upregulated after c-Met inhibition. Suppressing these factors in c-Met KD MHCC97-H cells suppresses tumor growth in vitro. In addition, we found that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway serves as a negative feedback signal responsible for the ErbB3 upregulation after c-Met inhibition. Furthermore, in vitro studies demonstrate that

  12. Receptor ligand-triggered resistance to alectinib and its circumvention by Hsp90 inhibition in EML4-ALK lung cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanimoto, Azusa; Yamada, Tadaaki; Nanjo, Shigeki; Takeuchi, Shinji; Ebi, Hiromichi; Kita, Kenji; Matsumoto, Kunio; Yano, Seiji

    2014-07-15

    Alectinib is a new generation ALK inhibitor with activity against the gatekeeper L1196M mutation that showed remarkable activity in a phase I/II study with echinoderm microtubule associated protein-like 4 (EML4)--anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, alectinib resistance may eventually develop. Here, we found that EGFR ligands and HGF, a ligand of the MET receptor, activate EGFR and MET, respectively, as alternative pathways, and thereby induce resistance to alectinib. Additionally, the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor suppressed protein expression of ALK, MET, EGFR, and AKT, and thereby induced apoptosis in EML4-ALK NSCLC cells, even in the presence of EGFR ligands or HGF. These results suggest that Hsp90 inhibitors may overcome ligand-triggered resistance to new generation ALK inhibitors and may result in more successful treatment of NSCLC patients with EML4-ALK.

  13. SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cells bind fibroblasts via ICAM-1 and this is increased by tumour necrosis factor-α.

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Manu S; Kelly, Elizabeth; Cheung, Ivan; Xaymardan, Munira; Moore, Malcolm A S; Zoellner, Hans

    2014-01-01

    We recently reported exchange of membrane and cytoplasmic markers between SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cells and human gingival fibroblasts (h-GF) without comparable exchange of nuclear markers, while similar h-GF exchange was seen for melanoma and ovarian carcinoma cells. This process of "cellular sipping" changes phenotype such that cells sharing markers of both SAOS-2 and h-GF have morphology intermediate to that of either cell population cultured alone, evidencing increased tumour cell diversity without genetic change. TNF-α increases cellular sipping between h-GF and SAOS-2, and we here study binding of SAOS-2 to TNF-α treated h-GF to determine if increased cellular sipping can be accounted for by cytokine stimulated SAOS-2 binding. More SAOS-2 bound h-GF pe-seeded wells than culture plastic alone (pcells migrating across different microenvironments can influence subsequent interactions with fibroblasts. Since cytokine stimulated binding was comparable in magnitude to earlier reported TNF-α stimulated cellular sipping, we conclude that TNF-α stimulated cellular sipping likely reflects increased SAOS-2 binding as opposed to enhanced exchange mechanisms.

  14. Endothelial induced EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sigurdsson, Valgardur; Hilmarsdottir, Bylgja; Sigmundsdottir, Hekla

    2011-01-01

    endothelial cells might play a role in EMT. Using a 3D culture model we demonstrate that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in D492 an immortalized breast epithelial cell line with stem cell properties. Endothelial induced mesenchymal-like cells (D492M) derived from D492, show reduced expression...... of keratins, a switch from E-Cadherin (E-Cad) to N-Cadherin (N-Cad) and enhanced migration. Acquisition of cancer stem cell associated characteristics like increased CD44(high)/CD24(low) ratio, resistance to apoptosis and anchorage independent growth was also seen in D492M cells. Endothelial induced EMT in D......492 was partially blocked by inhibition of HGF signaling. Basal-like breast cancer, a vascular rich cancer with stem cell properties and adverse prognosis has been linked with EMT. We immunostained several basal-like breast cancer samples for endothelial and EMT markers. Cancer cells close...

  15. Semi-synthesis of a HGF/SF kringle one (K1) domain scaffold generates a potent in vivo MET receptor agonist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonneau, Claire; Bérénice Leclercq; Mougel, Alexandra; Adriaenssens, Eric; Paquet, Charlotte; Raibaut, Laurent; Ollivier, Nathalie; Drobecq, Hervé; Marcoux, Julien; Cianférani, Sarah; Tulasne, David; de Jonge, Hugo; Melnyk, Oleg; Vicogne, Jérôme

    2015-03-01

    The development of MET receptor agonists is an important goal in regenerative medicine, but is limited by the complexity and incomplete understanding of its interaction with HGF/SF (Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scatter Factor). NK1 is a natural occurring agonist comprising the N-terminal (N) and the first kringle (K1) domains of HGF/SF. In the presence of heparin, NK1 can self-associate into a "head to tail" dimer which is considered as the minimal structural module able to trigger MET dimerization and activation whereas isolated K1 and N domains showed a weak or a complete lack of agonistic activity respectively. Starting from these structural and biological observations, we investigated whether it was possible to recapitulate the biological properties of NK1 using a new molecular architecture of isolated N or K1 domains. Therefore, we engineered multivalent N or K1 scaffolds by combining synthetic and homogeneous site-specifically biotinylated N and K1 domains (NB and K1B) and streptavidin (S). NB alone or in complex failed to activate MET signaling and to trigger cellular phenotypes. Importantly and to the contrary of K1B alone, the semi-synthetic K1B/S complex mimicked NK1 MET agonist activity in cell scattering, morphogenesis and survival phenotypic assays. Impressively, K1B/S complex stimulated in vivo angiogenesis and, when injected in mice, protected the liver against fulminant hepatitis in a MET dependent manner whereas NK1 and HGF were substantially less potent. These data reveal that without N domain, proper multimerization of K1 domain is a promising strategy for the rational design of powerful MET agonists.

  16. Cytokines, hepatic cell profiling and cell interactions during bone marrow cell therapy for liver fibrosis in cholestatic mice.

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    Daphne Pinheiro

    Full Text Available Bone marrow cells (BMC migrate to the injured liver after transplantation, contributing to regeneration through multiple pathways, but mechanisms involved are unclear. This work aimed to study BMC migration, characterize cytokine profile, cell populations and proliferation in mice with liver fibrosis transplanted with GFP+ BMC. Confocal microscopy analysis showed GFP+ BMC near regions expressing HGF and SDF-1 in the fibrotic liver. Impaired liver cell proliferation in fibrotic groups was restored after BMC transplantation. Regarding total cell populations, there was a significant reduction in CD68+ cells and increased Ly6G+ cells in transplanted fibrotic group. BMC contributed to the total populations of CD144, CD11b and Ly6G cells in the fibrotic liver, related to an increment of anti-fibrotic cytokines (IL-10, IL-13, IFN-γ and HGF and reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-17A and IL-6. Therefore, HGF and SDF-1 may represent important chemoattractants for transplanted BMC in the injured liver, where these cells can give rise to populations of extrahepatic macrophages, neutrophils and endothelial progenitor cells that can interact synergistically with other liver cells towards the modulation of an anti-fibrotic cytokine profile promoting the onset of liver regeneration.

  17. Quantitative imaging of epithelial cell scattering identifies specific inhibitors of cell motility and cell-cell dissociation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Loerke, D.; le Duc, Q.; Blonk, I.; Kerstens, A.; Spanjaard, E.; Machacek, M.; Danuser, G.; de Rooij, J.

    2012-01-01

    The scattering of cultured epithelial cells in response to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a model system that recapitulates key features of metastatic cell behavior in vitro, including disruption of cell-cell adhesions and induction of cell migration. We have developed image analysis tools that

  18. SNP analyses of growth factor genes EGF, TGFβ-1, and HGF reveal haplotypic association of EGF with autism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toyoda, Takao; Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Yamada, Kazuo; Thanseem, Ismail; Anitha, Ayyappan; Suda, Shiro; Tsujii, Masatsugu; Iwayama, Yoshimi; Hattori, Eiji; Toyota, Tomoko; Miyachi, Taishi; Iwata, Yasuhide; Suzuki, Katsuaki; Matsuzaki, Hideo; Kawai, Masayoshi; Sekine, Yoshimoto; Tsuchiya, Kenji; Sugihara, Gen-ichi; Ouchi, Yasuomi; Sugiyama, Toshiro; Takei, Nori; Yoshikawa, Takeo; Mori, Norio

    2007-01-01

    Autism is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed in early childhood. Growth factors have been found to play a key role in the cellular differentiation and proliferation of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is detected in several regions of the developing and adult brain, where, it enhances the differentiation, maturation, and survival of a variety of neurons. Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) isoforms play an important role in neuronal survival, and the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to exhibit neurotrophic activity. We examined the association of EGF, TGFβ1, and HGF genes with autism, in a trio association study, using DNA samples from families recruited to the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange; 252 trios with a male offspring scored for autism were selected for the study. Transmission disequilibrium test revealed significant haplotypic association of EGF with autism. No significant SNP or haplotypic associations were observed for TGFβ1 or HGF. Given the role of EGF in brain and neuronal development, we suggest a possible role of EGF in the pathogenesis of autism

  19. Hepatocyte growth factor promotes long-term survival and axonal regeneration of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury: comparison with CNTF and BDNF.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Wai-Kai; Cheung, Anny Wan-Suen; Yu, Sau-Wai; Sha, Ou; Cho, Eric Yu Pang

    2014-10-01

    Different trophic factors are known to promote retinal ganglion cell survival and regeneration, but each had their own limitations. We report that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) confers distinct advantages in supporting ganglion cell survival and axonal regeneration, when compared to two well-established trophic factors ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Ganglion cells in adult hamster were injured by cutting the optic nerve. HGF, CNTF, or BDNF was injected at different dosages intravitreally after injury. Ganglion cell survival was quantified at 7, 14, or 28 days postinjury. Peripheral nerve (PN) grafting to the cut optic nerve of the growth factor-injected eye was performed either immediately after injury or delayed until 7 days post-injury. Expression of heat-shock protein 27 and changes in microglia numbers were quantified in different growth factor groups. The cellular distribution of c-Met in the retina was examined by anti-c-Met immunostaining. Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) was equally potent as BDNF in promoting short-term survival (up to 14 days post-injury) and also supported survival at 28 days post-injury when ganglion cells treated by CNTF or BDNF failed to be sustained. When grafting was performed without delay, HGF stimulated twice the number of axons to regenerate compared with control but was less potent than CNTF. However, in PN grafting delayed for 7 days after optic nerve injury, HGF maintained a better propensity of ganglion cells to regenerate than CNTF. Unlike CNTF, HGF application did not increase HSP27 expression in ganglion cells. Microglia proliferation was prolonged in HGF-treated retinas compared with CNTF or BDNF. C-Met was localized to both ganglion cells and Muller cells, suggesting HGF could be neuroprotective via interacting with both neurons and glia. Compared with CNTF or BDNF, HGF is advantageous in sustaining long-term ganglion cell survival and their propensity to respond to

  20. Transmigration of neural stem cells across the blood brain barrier induced by glioma cells.

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    Mónica Díaz-Coránguez

    Full Text Available Transit of human neural stem cells, ReNcell CX, through the blood brain barrier (BBB was evaluated in an in vitro model of BBB and in nude mice. The BBB model was based on rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (RBMECs cultured on Millicell inserts bathed from the basolateral side with conditioned media (CM from astrocytes or glioma C6 cells. Glioma C6 CM induced a significant transendothelial migration of ReNcells CX in comparison to astrocyte CM. The presence in glioma C6 CM of high amounts of HGF, VEGF, zonulin and PGE2, together with the low abundance of EGF, promoted ReNcells CX transmigration. In contrast cytokines IFN-α, TNF-α, IL-12p70, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10, as well as metalloproteinases -2 and -9 were present in equal amounts in glioma C6 and astrocyte CMs. ReNcells expressed the tight junction proteins occludin and claudins 1, 3 and 4, and the cell adhesion molecule CRTAM, while RBMECs expressed occludin, claudins 1 and 5 and CRTAM. Competing CRTAM mediated adhesion with soluble CRTAM, inhibited ReNcells CX transmigration, and at the sites of transmigration, the expression of occludin and claudin-5 diminished in RBMECs. In nude mice we found that ReNcells CX injected into systemic circulation passed the BBB and reached intracranial gliomas, which overexpressed HGF, VEGF and zonulin/prehaptoglobin 2.

  1. Transmigration of neural stem cells across the blood brain barrier induced by glioma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díaz-Coránguez, Mónica; Segovia, José; López-Ornelas, Adolfo; Puerta-Guardo, Henry; Ludert, Juan; Chávez, Bibiana; Meraz-Cruz, Noemi; González-Mariscal, Lorenza

    2013-01-01

    Transit of human neural stem cells, ReNcell CX, through the blood brain barrier (BBB) was evaluated in an in vitro model of BBB and in nude mice. The BBB model was based on rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (RBMECs) cultured on Millicell inserts bathed from the basolateral side with conditioned media (CM) from astrocytes or glioma C6 cells. Glioma C6 CM induced a significant transendothelial migration of ReNcells CX in comparison to astrocyte CM. The presence in glioma C6 CM of high amounts of HGF, VEGF, zonulin and PGE2, together with the low abundance of EGF, promoted ReNcells CX transmigration. In contrast cytokines IFN-α, TNF-α, IL-12p70, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10, as well as metalloproteinases -2 and -9 were present in equal amounts in glioma C6 and astrocyte CMs. ReNcells expressed the tight junction proteins occludin and claudins 1, 3 and 4, and the cell adhesion molecule CRTAM, while RBMECs expressed occludin, claudins 1 and 5 and CRTAM. Competing CRTAM mediated adhesion with soluble CRTAM, inhibited ReNcells CX transmigration, and at the sites of transmigration, the expression of occludin and claudin-5 diminished in RBMECs. In nude mice we found that ReNcells CX injected into systemic circulation passed the BBB and reached intracranial gliomas, which overexpressed HGF, VEGF and zonulin/prehaptoglobin 2.

  2. Tivantinib (ARQ-197) exhibits anti-tumor activity with down-regulation of FAK in oral squamous cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xi, Wei-Hong; Yang, Li-Yun; Cao, Zhong-Yi; Qian, Yong

    2015-01-01

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the 5 years survival rate of the patients is about 60% in the USA, due to acquired chemotherapeutic resistance and metastasis of the disease. In this study, we found that tivantinib, a selective MET inhibitor, suppresses OCSS cell proliferation and colony formation, however, anti-tumor activities induced by tivantinib are independent of the inhibition of MET signaling pathway. In addition, tivantinib cause G2/M cell cycle arrest and caspases-dependent apoptosis in OSCC cell lines. We also found that tivantinib dose-dependently suppressed the activation and expression of FAK. In all, these data suggested that tivantinib may be developed as a chemotherapeutic agent to effectively treat certain cancers including OSCC. - Highlights: • Tivantinib suppresses OSCC cell growth independent of the inhibition of HGF/MET signaling pathway. • Tivantinib blocks cell cycle and induces caspases-mediated apoptosis. • Tivantinib elicits its anti-tumor activity with the inhibition of FAK signaling pathway

  3. Tivantinib (ARQ-197) exhibits anti-tumor activity with down-regulation of FAK in oral squamous cell carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xi, Wei-Hong [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006 (China); Yang, Li-Yun [Department of Blood Transfusion, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006 (China); Cao, Zhong-Yi, E-mail: m18070383032@163.com [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006 (China); Qian, Yong, E-mail: yfykqkqy@163.com [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006 (China)

    2015-02-20

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the 5 years survival rate of the patients is about 60% in the USA, due to acquired chemotherapeutic resistance and metastasis of the disease. In this study, we found that tivantinib, a selective MET inhibitor, suppresses OCSS cell proliferation and colony formation, however, anti-tumor activities induced by tivantinib are independent of the inhibition of MET signaling pathway. In addition, tivantinib cause G2/M cell cycle arrest and caspases-dependent apoptosis in OSCC cell lines. We also found that tivantinib dose-dependently suppressed the activation and expression of FAK. In all, these data suggested that tivantinib may be developed as a chemotherapeutic agent to effectively treat certain cancers including OSCC. - Highlights: • Tivantinib suppresses OSCC cell growth independent of the inhibition of HGF/MET signaling pathway. • Tivantinib blocks cell cycle and induces caspases-mediated apoptosis. • Tivantinib elicits its anti-tumor activity with the inhibition of FAK signaling pathway.

  4. Met tyrosine kinase inhibitor, PF-2341066, suppresses growth and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao Y

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Yuanyuan Zhao,1,* Jing Zhang,2,* Ying Tian,1,* Cong Xue,1 Zhihuang Hu,1 Li Zhang1,3 1Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 2Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guang Zhou Traditional Chinese Medicine University, 3National Anti-Cancer Drug Research Centre, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: We explored the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF/Met signaling pathway on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC cells in vitro and in vivo, and investigated the ability of Met tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI to block HGF-induced biological signaling.Experimental design: Met TKI inhibitor PF-2341066 alone, or in combination with cisplatin, was investigated for its ability to block HGF-induced signaling and biological effects in vitro and in vivo. HGF/Met expression and activation of signaling in NPC cells were detected by using Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Biological evaluation, including wound healing, cell proliferation, and invasion of NPC cells, was also examined, and the correlation between HGF/Met expression of primary and metastatic tumor in NPC patients and clinical prognosis were also analyzed.Results: Met TKI inhibitor, PF-2341066, inhibited growth of NPC cells in vivo with half maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.79±0.21 µmol/L, and suppressed invasion and migration of NPC cells; also, the inhibition of PF-2341066 was synergized with cisplatin treatment. Compared with the control group, Met TKI inhibited metastasis of transplanted NPC in nude mice (the number of live metastases [mean ± SD]: 5.8±2.2 versus 11.8±2.2, P=0.03; the number of lung metastases: 2.3±1.5 versus

  5. SNP analyses of growth factor genes EGF, TGF{beta}-1, and HGF reveal haplotypic association of EGF with autism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Toyoda, Takao; Thanseem, Ismail; Kawai, Masayoshi; Sekine, Yoshimoto [Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192 (Japan); Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Anitha, Ayyappan; Suda, Shiro [Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192 (Japan); Yamada, Kazuo [Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama (Japan); Tsujii, Masatsugu [Faculty of Sociology, Chukyo University, Toyota, Aichi (Japan); [The Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu (Japan); Iwayama, Yoshimi; Hattori, Eiji; Toyota, Tomoko; Yoshikawa, Takeo [Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama (Japan); Miyachi, Taishi; Tsuchiya, Kenji; Sugihara, Gen-ichi; Matsuzaki, Hideo [The Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu (Japan); Iwata, Yasuhide; Suzuki, Katsuaki [Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192 (Japan); Mori, Norio [Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192 (Japan); [The Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University (Japan); Ouchi, Yasuomi [The Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu (Japan); [The Positron Medical Center, Hamamatsu Medical Center, Hamamatsu (Japan); Sugiyama, Toshiro [Aichi Children' s Health and Medical Center, Obu, Aichi (Japan); Takei, Nori [The Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu (Japan)

    2007-09-07

    Autism is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed in early childhood. Growth factors have been found to play a key role in the cellular differentiation and proliferation of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is detected in several regions of the developing and adult brain, where, it enhances the differentiation, maturation, and survival of a variety of neurons. Transforming growth factor-{beta} (TGF{beta}) isoforms play an important role in neuronal survival, and the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to exhibit neurotrophic activity. We examined the association of EGF, TGF{beta}1, and HGF genes with autism, in a trio association study, using DNA samples from families recruited to the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange; 252 trios with a male offspring scored for autism were selected for the study. Transmission disequilibrium test revealed significant haplotypic association of EGF with autism. No significant SNP or haplotypic associations were observed for TGF{beta}1 or HGF. Given the role of EGF in brain and neuronal development, we suggest a possible role of EGF in the pathogenesis of autism.

  6. Expanded adipose-derived stem cells suppress mixed lymphocyte reaction by secretion of prostaglandin E2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Lei; Yin, Shuo; Liu, Wei; Li, Ningli; Zhang, Wenjie; Cao, Yilin

    2007-06-01

    Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in adult tissue are known to be less immunogenic and immunosuppressive. Previous study showed that primary cultures of human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) shared their immunomodulatory properties with other MSCs. However, whether passaged human ADSCs can retain their immunomodulatory effect after in vitro expansion remains unknown. In addition, the mechanism of ADSC-mediated immunomodulatory effect remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate these issues by using passaged human ADSCs as an in vitro study model. Flow cytometry showed that passaged ADSCs expressed human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I but not class II molecules, which could be induced to express to a high level with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment. The study found that passaged ADSCs could not elicit lymphocyte proliferation after co-culturing with them, even after IFN-gamma treatment. In addition, either IFN-gamma-treated or non-treated ADSCs could inhibit phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation. Moreover, passaged ADSCs could serve as the third-party cells to inhibited two-way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Further study using a transwell system also showed that this type of immunosuppressive effect was not cell-cell contact dependent. In defining possible soluble factors, we found that passaged ADSCs significantly increased their secretion of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), but not transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), when they were co-cultured with MLR. Furthermore, the result demonstrated that only PGE2 production inhibitor indomethacine, but not TGF-beta- and HGF-neutralizing antibodies, could significantly counteract ADSC-mediated suppression on allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation. These results indicated that in vitro expanded ADSCs retain low immunogenicity and immunosuppressive effect, and PGE2 might be the major soluble factor involved in the in vitro inhibition of

  7. Sublethal irradiation promotes invasiveness of neuroblastoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schweigerer, Lothar; Rave-Fraenk, Margret; Schmidberger, Heinz; Hecht, Monica

    2005-01-01

    Neuroblastoma is the most frequent extracranial solid tumour of childhood. Despite multiple clinical efforts, clinical outcome has remained poor. Neuroblastoma is considered to be radiosensitive, but some clinical studies including the German trial NB90 failed to show a clinical benefit of radiation therapy. The mechanisms underlying this apparent discrepancy are still unclear. We have therefore investigated the effects of radiation on neuroblastoma cell behaviour in vitro. We show that sublethal doses of irradiation up-regulated the expression of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-Met in some neuroblastoma cell lines. The increase in HGF/c-Met expression was correlated with enhanced invasiveness and activation of proteases degrading the extracellular matrix. Thus, irradiation at sublethal doses may promote the metastatic dissemination of neuroblastoma cells through activating the HGF/c-Met pathway and triggering matrix degradation

  8. Hepatocyte growth factor limits autoimmune neuroinflammation via glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper expression in dendritic cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benkhoucha, Mahdia; Molnarfi, Nicolas; Dunand-Sauthier, Isabelle; Merkler, Doron; Schneiter, Gregory; Bruscoli, Stefano; Riccardi, Carlo; Tabata, Yasuhiko; Funakoshi, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Toshikazu; Reith, Walter; Santiago-Raber, Marie-Laure; Lalive, Patrice H

    2014-09-15

    Autoimmune neuroinflammation, including multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a prototype for T cell-mediated autoimmunity, is believed to result from immune tolerance dysfunction leading to demyelination and substantial neurodegeneration. We previously showed that CNS-restricted expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a potent neuroprotective factor, reduced CNS inflammation and clinical deficits associated with EAE. In this study, we demonstrate that systemic HGF treatment ameliorates EAE through the development of tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs) with high expression levels of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ), a transcriptional repressor of gene expression and a key endogenous regulator of the inflammatory response. RNA interference-directed neutralization of GILZ expression by DCs suppressed the induction of tolerance caused by HGF. Finally, adoptive transfer of HGF-treated DCs from wild-type but not GILZ gene-deficient mice potently mediated functional recovery in recipient mice with established EAE through effective modulation of autoaggressive T cell responses. Altogether, these results show that by inducing GILZ in DCs, HGF reproduces the mechanism of immune regulation induced by potent immunomodulatory factors such as IL-10, TGF-β1, and glucocorticoids and therefore that HGF therapy may have potential in the treatment of autoimmune dysfunctions. Copyright © 2014 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  9. Hepatocyte growth factor gene-modified adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate radiation induced liver damage in a rat model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiamin Zhang

    Full Text Available Liver damage caused by radiotherapy is associated with a high mortality rate, but no established treatment exists. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs are capable of migration to injured tissue sites, where they aid in the repair of the damage. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF is critical for damage repair due to its anti-apoptotic, anti-fibrotic and cell regeneration-promoting effects. This study was performed to investigate the therapeutic effects of HGF-overexpressing ADSCs on radiation-induced liver damage (RILD. ADSCs were infected with a lentivirus encoding HGF and HGF-shRNA. Sprague-Dawley (SD rats received 60Gy of irradiation to induce liver injury and were immediately given either saline, ADSCs, ADSCs + HGF or ADSCs + shHGF. Two days after irradiation, a significant reduction in apoptosis was observed in the HGF-overexpressing ADSC group compared with the RILD group, as assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL staining. Scanning electron microscopy showed chromatin condensation after irradiation, which was ameliorated in the group that received ADSCs and was reversed in the group that received HGF-overexpressing ADSCs. HGF-overexpressing ADSCs ameliorated radiation- induced liver fibrosis through down regulation of α-SMA and fibronectin. Hepatocyte regeneration was significantly improved in rats treated with ADSCs compared with rats from the RILD group, as assessed by Ki-67 immunohistochemistry. Rats that received HGF-overexpressing ADSCs showed an even greater level of hepatocyte regeneration. HGF-overexpressing ADSCs completely blocked the radiation-induced increase in the enzymes ALT and AST. The effect of mitigating RILD was compromised in the ADSC + shHGF group compared with the ADSC group. Altogether, these results suggest that HGF-overexpressing ADSCs can significantly improve RILD in a rat model, which may serve as a valuable therapeutic alternative.

  10. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1 activity correlates with immune system abnormalities in multiple myeloma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bonanno Giuseppina

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple myeloma (MM is a plasma cell malignancy with a multifaceted immune dysfunction. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1 degrades tryptophan into kynurenine (KYN, which inhibits effector T cells and promote regulatory T-cell (Treg differentiation. It is presently unknown whether MM cells express IDO1 and whether IDO1 activity correlates with immune system impairment. Methods We investigated IDO1 expression in 25 consecutive patients with symptomatic MM and in 7 patients with either monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS; n=3 or smoldering MM (SMM; n=4. IDO1-driven tryptophan breakdown was correlated with the release of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF and with the frequency of Treg cells and NY-ESO-1-specific CD8+ T cells. Results KYN was increased in 75% of patients with symptomatic MM and correlated with the expansion of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg cells and the contraction of NY-ESO-1-specific CD8+ T cells. In vitro, primary MM cells promoted the differentiation of allogeneic CD4+ T cells into bona fide CD4+CD25hiFoxP3hi Treg cells and suppressed IFN-γ/IL-2 secretion, while preserving IL-4 and IL-10 production. Both Treg expansion and inhibition of Th1 differentiation by MM cells were reverted, at least in part, by d,l-1-methyl-tryptophan, a chemical inhibitor of IDO. Notably, HGF levels were higher within the BM microenvironment of patients with IDO+ myeloma disease compared with patients having IDO- MM. Mechanistically, the antagonism of MET receptor for HGF with SU11274, a MET inhibitor, prevented HGF-induced AKT phosphorylation in MM cells and translated into reduced IDO protein levels and functional activity. Conclusions These data suggest that IDO1 expression may contribute to immune suppression in patients with MM and possibly other HGF-producing cancers.

  11. Inhibition of autophagy induced by proteasome inhibition increases cell death in human SHG-44 glioma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ge, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Ji-Zhou; Wang, Xiao-Fei; Meng, Fan-Kai; Li, Wen-Chen; Luan, Yong-Xin; Ling, Feng; Luo, Yi-Nan

    2009-07-01

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and lysosome-dependent macroautophagy (autophagy) are two major intracellular pathways for protein degradation. Recent studies suggest that proteasome inhibitors may reduce tumor growth and activate autophagy. Due to the dual roles of autophagy in tumor cell survival and death, the effect of autophagy on the destiny of glioma cells remains unclear. In this study, we sought to investigate whether inhibition of the proteasome can induce autophagy and the effects of autophagy on the fate of human SHG-44 glioma cells. The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 was used to induce autophagy in SHG-44 glioma cells, and the effect of autophagy on the survival of SHG-44 glioma cells was investigated using an autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of autophagy related proteins was determined by Western blot. MG-132 inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell death and cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M phase, and activated autophagy in SHG-44 glioma cells. The expression of autophagy-related Beclin-1 and LC3-I was significantly up-regulated and part of LC3-I was converted into LC3-II. However, when SHG-44 glioma cells were co-treated with MG-132 and 3-MA, the cells became less viable, but cell death and cell numbers at G(2)/M phase increased. Moreover, the accumulation of acidic vesicular organelles was decreased, the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3 was significantly down-regulated and the conversion of LC3-II from LC3-I was also inhibited. Inhibition of the proteasome can induce autophagy in human SHG-44 glioma cells, and inhibition of autophagy increases cell death. This discovery may shed new light on the effect of autophagy on modulating the fate of SHG-44 glioma cells.Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2009) 30: 1046-1052; doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.71.

  12. Distinct Effects of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Adipocytes on Normal and Cancer Cell Hierarchy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anjanappa, Manjushree; Burnett, Riesa; Zieger, Michael A; Merfeld-Clauss, Stephanie; Wooden, William; March, Keith; Tholpady, Sunil; Nakshatri, Harikrishna

    2016-07-01

    Adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) have received considerable attention in oncology because of the known direct link between obesity and cancer as well as the use of ASCs in reconstructive surgery after tumor ablation. Previous studies have documented how cancer cells commandeer ASCs to support their survival by altering extracellular matrix composition and stiffness, migration, and metastasis. This study focused on delineating the effects of ASCs and adipocytes on the self-renewal of stem/progenitor cells and hierarchy of breast epithelial cells. The immortalized breast epithelial cell line MCF10A, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) cell lines MCF10DCIS.com and SUM225, and MCF10A-overexpressing SRC oncogene were examined using a mammosphere assay and flow cytometry for the effects of ASCs on their self-renewal and stem-luminal progenitor-differentiated cell surface marker profiles. Interestingly, ASCs promoted the self-renewal of all cell types except SUM225. ASC coculture or treatment with ASC conditioned media altered the number of CD49f(high)/EpCAM(low) basal/stem-like and CD49f(medium)/EpCAM(medium) luminal progenitor cells. Among multiple factors secreted by ASCs, IFNγ and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) displayed unique actions on epithelial cell hierarchy. IFNγ increased stem/progenitor-like cells while simultaneously reducing the size of mammospheres, whereas HGF increased the size of mammospheres with an accompanying increase in luminal progenitor cells. ASCs expressed higher levels of HGF, whereas adipocytes expressed higher levels of IFNγ. As luminal progenitor cells are believed to be prone for transformation, IFNγ and HGF expression status of ASCs may influence susceptibility for developing breast cancer as well as on outcomes of autologous fat transplantation on residual/dormant tumor cells. This study suggests that the ratio of ASCs to adipocytes influences cancer cell hierarchy, which may impact incidence and progression. Mol Cancer Res; 14(7); 660

  13. Estradiol-mediated hepatocyte growth factor is involved in the implantation of endometriotic cells via the mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the peritoneum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, Yoshihiro J; Hayashi, Masami; Tanabe, Akiko; Hayashi, Atsushi; Kanemura, Masanori; Terai, Yoshito; Ohmichi, Masahide

    2015-06-01

    The pathogenesis of endometriosis, a chronic painful gynecological disease characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue located outside of the uterus and often adhering to the peritoneum, is known to be estrogen dependent. However, the precise pathophysiology of endometriosis remains elusive. Recent studies indicate that the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human endometrial cells is important for the progression of endometriosis, and another previous study has implicated hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in endometriosis progression. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of estradiol in the regulation of HGF production and progression of peritoneal endometriosis, focusing on the interactions between the peritoneum and endometriotic cells. Consequently, estradiol was found to promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration of immortalized human endometrial epithelial cells (hEECs) via HGF upregulation, and the estradiol-induced direct binding of estrogen receptor-α to the HGF promoter was confirmed on a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Estradiol also induced the EMT in hEECs by promoting HGF production. Furthermore, human mesothelial cells underwent the mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT) during culture with estradiol-stimulated hEEC conditioned medium. Importantly, estradiol itself did not induce the MMT, and the estradiol-stimulated hEEC-conditioned medium in the presence of HGF antibodies reversed the MMT process. These results, which were obtained using immortalized hEECs, indicate that estradiol-induced HGF production may play a crucial role in the peritoneal implantation of human endometriotic cells by exerting proliferative and invasive effects via the EMT in hEECs and promoting the MMT in mesothelial cells. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  14. Effect of radiation dosage changes on the cell viability and the apoptosis induction on normal and tumorigenic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, In Woo; Choi, Soon Chul; Lee, Sam Sun; Heo, Min Suk

    1999-01-01

    The study was aimed to detect the differences in the cell viability and the apoptosis induction after irradiation on normal and tumorigenic cells. The study, that was generated for two human normal cells (RHEK, HGF-1) and two human tumor cells (KB, HT-1080), was tested using MTT assay at 1 day and 3 day after irradiation and TUNEL assay under confocal laser scanning microscope at 1 day after irradiation. Single irradiation of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 Gy were applied to the cells. The two fractions of 1, 2, 4, and 8 Gy were separated with a 4 hour time interval. The irradiation was done with 5.38 Gy/min dose rate using Cs-137 irradiator at room temperature. 1. In 3-day group, the cell viability of HGF-1 cell was significantly decreased at 2, 4 and 8 Gy irradiation, the cell viability of KB cell was significantly decreased at 8 Gy irradiation and the cell viability of HT-1080 cell was significantly decreased at 4 and 8 Gy irradiation. 2. There was significant difference between RHEK and KB cell line in the cell viability of 3-day group at 8 Gy irradiation. There was significant difference between RHEK and HGF-1 cell line in the cell viability of 3-day group at 4 and 8 Gy irradiation. 3. There was a significantly decreased cell viability in 3-day group than those in 1-day group at 2, 4 and 8 Gy on HGF-1 cell, at 4 and 8 Gy on HT-1080 cell, at 8 Gy on KB cell.4. We could detect DNA fragmented cells only on KB cell. Number of apoptotic cells of KB cell was significantly increased at 4 and 8 Gy irradiation. However, there was no correlation between cell viability and apoptosis.5. On all 4 cell lines, there were no differences between single and split irradiation method in cell viability and apoptosis.

  15. Lung fibroblasts accelerate wound closure in human alveolar epithelial cells through hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Yoko; Correll, Kelly; Schiel, John A; Finigan, Jay H; Prekeris, Rytis; Mason, Robert J

    2014-07-01

    There are 190,600 cases of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) each year in the United States, and the incidence and mortality of ALI/ARDS increase dramatically with age. Patients with ALI/ARDS have alveolar epithelial injury, which may be worsened by high-pressure mechanical ventilation. Alveolar type II (ATII) cells are the progenitor cells for the alveolar epithelium and are required to reestablish the alveolar epithelium during the recovery process from ALI/ARDS. Lung fibroblasts (FBs) migrate and proliferate early after lung injury and likely are an important source of growth factors for epithelial repair. However, how lung FBs affect epithelial wound healing in the human adult lung has not been investigated in detail. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is known to be released mainly from FBs and to stimulate both migration and proliferation of primary rat ATII cells. HGF is also increased in lung tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and serum in patients with ALI/ARDS. Therefore, we hypothesized that HGF secreted by FBs would enhance wound closure in alveolar epithelial cells (AECs). Wound closure was measured using a scratch wound-healing assay in primary human AEC monolayers and in a coculture system with FBs. We found that wound closure was accelerated by FBs mainly through HGF/c-Met signaling. HGF also restored impaired wound healing in AECs from the elderly subjects and after exposure to cyclic stretch. We conclude that HGF is the critical factor released from FBs to close wounds in human AEC monolayers and suggest that HGF is a potential strategy for hastening alveolar repair in patients with ALI/ARDS. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

  16. Paeoniflorin inhibits cell growth and induces cell cycle arrest through inhibition of FoxM1 in colorectal cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yue, Meng; Li, Shiquan; Yan, Guoqiang; Li, Chenyao; Kang, Zhenhua

    2018-01-01

    Paeoniflorin (PF) exhibits tumor suppressive functions in a variety of human cancers. However, the function of PF and molecular mechanism in colorectal cancer are elusive. In the present study, we investigated whether PF could exert its antiproliferative activity, anti-migration, and anti-invasive function in colorectal cancer cells. We found that PF inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis and blocked cell cycle progression in the G0/G1 phase in colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, we found that PF suppressed cell migration and invasion in colorectal cancer cells. FoxM1 has been reported to play an important oncogenic role in human cancers. We also determine whether PF inhibited the expression of FoxM1, leading to its anti-cancer activity. We found that PF treatment in colorectal cancer cells resulted in down-regulation of FoxM1. The rescue experiments showed that overexpression of FoxM1 abrogated the tumor suppressive function induced by PF treatment. Notably, depletion of FoxM1 promoted the anti-tumor activity of PF in colorectal cancer cells. Therefore, inhibition of FoxM1 could participate in the anti-tumor activity of PF in colorectal cancer cells.

  17. Glyphosate and AMPA inhibit cancer cell growth through inhibiting intracellular glycine synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qingli; Lambrechts, Mark J; Zhang, Qiuyang; Liu, Sen; Ge, Dongxia; Yin, Rutie; Xi, Mingrong; You, Zongbing

    2013-01-01

    Glycine is a nonessential amino acid that is reversibly converted from serine intracellularly by serine hydroxymethyltransferase. Glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), are analogs to glycine, thus they may inhibit serine hydroxymethyltransferase to decrease intracellular glycine synthesis. In this study, we found that glyphosate and AMPA inhibited cell growth in eight human cancer cell lines but not in two immortalized human normal prostatic epithelial cell lines. AMPA arrested C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cells in the G1/G0 phase and inhibited entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. AMPA also promoted apoptosis in C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cell lines. AMPA upregulated p53 and p21 protein levels as well as procaspase 9 protein levels in C4-2B cells, whereas it downregulated cyclin D3 protein levels. AMPA also activated caspase 3 and induced cleavage of poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase. This study provides the first evidence that glyphosate and AMPA can inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of cancer cells but not normal cells, suggesting that they have potentials to be developed into a new anticancer therapy.

  18. 7-Piperazinethylchrysin inhibits melanoma cell proliferation by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In B16F10 and A375 cells, treatment with PEC caused the inhibition ... Conclusion: PEC inhibited melanoma cell proliferation, apparently by blocking the cell cycle at G0/G1 .... all statistical analyses. .... Financial support from the Department of.

  19. HGF-transgenic MSCs can improve the effects of tissue self-repair in a rabbit model of traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qian Wen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH is generally characterized as an irreversible disease and tends to cause permanent disability. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms of ONFH and developing effective therapeutic methods is critical for slowing the progress of the disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, an experimental rabbit model of early stage traumatic ONFH was established, validated, and used for an evaluation of therapy. Computed tomography (CT and magnetic resonance (MR imaging confirmed that this model represents clinical Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO phase I or II ONFH, which was also confirmed by the presence of significant tissue damage in osseous tissue and vasculature. Pathological examination detected obvious self-repair of bone tissue up to 2 weeks after trauma, as indicated by revascularization (marked by CD105 and expression of collagen type I (Col I, osteocalcin, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Transplantation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF-transgenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs 1 week after trauma promoted recovery from ONFH, as evidenced by a reversed pattern of Col I expression compared with animals receiving no therapeutic treatment, as well as increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results indicate that the transplantation of HGF-transgenic MSCs is a promising method for the treatment for ONFH and suggest that appropriate interference therapy during the tissue self-repair stage contributes to the positive outcomes. This study also provides a model for the further study of the ONFH etiology and therapeutic interventions.

  20. Hepatocyte growth factor enhances the inflammation-alleviating effect of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in a bronchiolitis obliterans model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xiao-Pei; Han, Dong-Mei; Zhao, Li; Guo, Zi-Kuan; Xiao, Feng-Jun; Zhang, Yi-Kun; Zhang, Xiao-Yan; Wang, Li-Sheng; Wang, Heng-Xiang; Wang, Hua

    2016-03-01

    Specific and effective therapy for prevention or reversal of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene modified mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) on BO. A mouse model of experimental BO was established by subcutaneously transplanting the tracheas from C57BL/6 mice into Balb/C recipients, which were then administered saline, Ad-HGF-modified human umbilical cord-MSCs (MSCs-HGF) or Ad-Null-modified MSCs (MSCs-Null). The therapeutic effects of MSCs-Null and MSCs-HGF were evaluated by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for lymphocyte immunophenotype of spleen, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) for cytokine expression, and histopathological analysis for the transplanted trachea. The histopathologic recovery of allograft tracheas was improved significantly after MSCs-Null and MSCs-HGF treatment and the beneficial effects were particularly observed in MSCs-HGF-treated mice. Furthermore, the allo-transplantation-induced immunophenotype disorders of the spleen, including regulatory T (Treg), T helper (Th)1, Th2 and Th17, were attenuated in both cell-treated groups. MSCs-HGF treatment reduced expression and secretion of inflammation cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. It also decreased the expression level of the profibrosis factor transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. Treatment of BO with HGF gene modified MSCs results in reduction of local inflammation and promotion in recovery of allograft trachea histopathology. These findings might provide an effective therapeutic strategy for BO. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. PDGFBB promotes PDGFRα-positive cell migration into artificial bone in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Shigeyuki; Iwasaki, Ryotaro; Kawana, Hiromasa; Miyauchi, Yoshiteru; Hoshi, Hiroko; Miyamoto, Hiroya; Mori, Tomoaki; Kanagawa, Hiroya; Katsuyama, Eri; Fujie, Atsuhiro; Hao, Wu

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We examined effects of PDGFBB in PDGFRα positive cell migration in artificial bones. ► PDGFBB was not expressed in osteoblastic cells but was expressed in peripheral blood cells. ► PDGFBB promoted PDGFRα positive cell migration into artificial bones but not osteoblast proliferation. ► PDGFBB did not inhibit osteoblastogenesis. -- Abstract: Bone defects caused by traumatic bone loss or tumor dissection are now treated with auto- or allo-bone graft, and also occasionally by artificial bone transplantation, particularly in the case of large bone defects. However, artificial bones often exhibit poor affinity to host bones followed by bony union failure. Thus therapies combining artificial bones with growth factors have been sought. Here we report that platelet derived growth factor bb (PDGFBB) promotes a significant increase in migration of PDGF receptor α (PDGFRα)-positive mesenchymal stem cells/pre-osteoblastic cells into artificial bone in vivo. Growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) reportedly inhibit osteoblast differentiation; however, PDGFBB did not exhibit such inhibitory effects and in fact stimulated osteoblast differentiation in vitro, suggesting that combining artificial bones with PDGFBB treatment could promote host cell migration into artificial bones without inhibiting osteoblastogenesis.

  2. Cetuximab-Induced MET Activation Acts as a Novel Resistance Mechanism in Colon Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Na Song

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Aberrant MET expression and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF signaling are implicated in promoting resistance to targeted agents; however, the induced MET activation by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR inhibitors mediating resistance to targeted therapy remains elusive. In this study, we identified that cetuximab-induced MET activation contributed to cetuximab resistance in Caco-2 colon cancer cells. MET inhibition or knockdown sensitized Caco-2 cells to cetuximab-mediated growth inhibition. Additionally, SRC activation promoted cetuximab resistance by interacting with MET. Pretreatment with SRC inhibitors abolished cetuximab-mediated MET activation and rendered Caco-2 cells sensitive to cetuximab. Notably, cetuximab induced MET/SRC/EGFR complex formation. MET inhibitor or SRC inhibitor suppressed phosphorylation of MET and SRC in the complex, and MET inhibitor singly led to disruption of complex formation. These results implicate alternative targeting of MET or SRC as rational strategies for reversing cetuximab resistance in colon cancer.

  3. Irradiation effect on the apoptosis induction in the human cancer cell lines and the gingival fibroblast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Mu Soon; Lee, Sam Sun; Choi, Soon Chul; Park, Tae Won; You, Dong Soo

    1998-01-01

    The radiation-induced apoptosis was studied for two human cancer cell lines (KB cells, RPMI 2650 cells) and the human gingival fibroblast cell line (HGF-1 cells). The single irradiation of 2, 10, 20 Gy was done with 241.5 cGy/min dose rate using the 137 Cs MK cell irradiator. The cell were stained with propidium iodide and examined under the fluoro-microscope and assayed with the flow cytometry a day after irradiation. Also, the LDH assay was done to determine the amount of necrotic cells. The obtained results were as follows : 1. On the fluoro-microscope, many fragmented nuclei were detected in the KB, RPMI 2650, and HGF-1 cells after irradiation. 2. On the DNA content histogram obtained from the flow cytometry, the percentages of the pre-G1 peak of the control and 2, 10 and 20 Gy irradiation group were 4.5, 55.0, 52.3, and 66.6% on KB cells, 2.7, 3.3, 31.8, and 32.6% on RPMI 2650 cells and 2.8, 21.8, 30.4, and 40.2% on HGF-1 cells respectively. 3. The number of G1-stage cells was abruptly decreased after 2 Gy irradiation on KB cells and 10 Gy irradiation on RPMI 2650 cells, But there was a slight decrease without regard to irradiation dose on HGF-1 cells. 4. There was no significantly different absorbance in extracellular LDH assay along the experimental cell lines

  4. Cell surface glycan alterations in epithelial mesenchymal transition process of Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shan Li

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Due to recurrence and metastasis, the mortality of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is high. It is well known that the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT and glycan of cell surface glycoproteins play pivotal roles in tumor metastasis. The goal of this study was to identify HCC metastasis related differential glycan pattern and their enzymatic basis using a HGF induced EMT model. METHODOLOGY: HGF was used to induce HCC EMT model. Lectin microarray was used to detect the expression of cell surface glycan and the difference was validated by lectin blot and fluorescence cell lectin-immunochemistry. The mRNA expression levels of glycotransferases were determined by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: After HGF treatment, the Huh7 cell lost epithelial characteristics and obtained mesenchymal markers. These changes demonstrated that HGF could induce a typical cell model of EMT. Lectin microarray analysis identified a decreased affinity in seven lectins ACL, BPL, JAC, MPL, PHA-E, SNA, and SBA to the glycan of cell surface glycoproteins. This implied that glycan containing T/Tn-antigen, NA2 and bisecting GlcNAc, Siaα2-6Gal/GalNAc, terminal α or βGalNAc structures were reduced. The binding ability of thirteen lectins, AAL, LCA, LTL, ConA, NML, NPL, DBA, HAL, PTL II, WFL, ECL, GSL II and PHA-L to glycan were elevated, and a definite indication that glycan containing terminal αFuc and ± Sia-Le, core fucose, α-man, gal-β(α GalNAc, β1,6 GlcNAc branching and tetraantennary complex oligosaccharides structures were increased. These results were further validated by lectin blot and fluorescence cell lectin-immunochemistry. Furthermore, the mRNA expression level of Mgat3 decreased while that of Mgat5, FucT8 and β3GalT5 increased. Therefore, cell surface glycan alterations in the EMT process may coincide with the expression of glycosyltransferase. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study systematically clarify the alterations of cell surface

  5. PDGFBB promotes PDGFR{alpha}-positive cell migration into artificial bone in vivo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshida, Shigeyuki [Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Center for Human Metabolomic Systems Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Iwasaki, Ryotaro; Kawana, Hiromasa [Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Miyauchi, Yoshiteru [Center for Human Metabolomic Systems Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Department of Integrated Bone Metabolism and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Hoshi, Hiroko; Miyamoto, Hiroya; Mori, Tomoaki [Center for Human Metabolomic Systems Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Kanagawa, Hiroya [Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Katsuyama, Eri; Fujie, Atsuhiro [Center for Human Metabolomic Systems Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Hao, Wu [Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); and others

    2012-05-18

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examined effects of PDGFBB in PDGFR{alpha} positive cell migration in artificial bones. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PDGFBB was not expressed in osteoblastic cells but was expressed in peripheral blood cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PDGFBB promoted PDGFR{alpha} positive cell migration into artificial bones but not osteoblast proliferation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PDGFBB did not inhibit osteoblastogenesis. -- Abstract: Bone defects caused by traumatic bone loss or tumor dissection are now treated with auto- or allo-bone graft, and also occasionally by artificial bone transplantation, particularly in the case of large bone defects. However, artificial bones often exhibit poor affinity to host bones followed by bony union failure. Thus therapies combining artificial bones with growth factors have been sought. Here we report that platelet derived growth factor bb (PDGFBB) promotes a significant increase in migration of PDGF receptor {alpha} (PDGFR{alpha})-positive mesenchymal stem cells/pre-osteoblastic cells into artificial bone in vivo. Growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF{beta}) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) reportedly inhibit osteoblast differentiation; however, PDGFBB did not exhibit such inhibitory effects and in fact stimulated osteoblast differentiation in vitro, suggesting that combining artificial bones with PDGFBB treatment could promote host cell migration into artificial bones without inhibiting osteoblastogenesis.

  6. Adenovirus-mediated transfer of hepatocyte growth factor gene to human dental pulp stem cells under good manufacturing practice improves their potential for periodontal regeneration in swine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yu; Liu, Zhenhai; Xie, Yilin; Hu, Jingchao; Wang, Hua; Fan, Zhipeng; Zhang, Chunmei; Wang, Jingsong; Wu, Chu-Tse; Wang, Songlin

    2015-12-15

    Periodontitis is one of the most widespread infectious diseases in humans. We previously promoted significant periodontal tissue regeneration in swine models with the transplantation of autologous periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and PDLSC sheet. We also promoted periodontal tissue regeneration in a rat model with a local injection of allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the roles of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in periodontal tissue regeneration in swine. In the present study, we transferred an adenovirus that carried HGF gene into human DPSCs (HGF-hDPSCs) under good manufacturing practice (GMP) conditions. These cells were then transplanted into a swine model for periodontal regeneration. Twenty miniature pigs were used to generate periodontitis with bone defect of 5 mm in width, 7 mm in length, and 3 mm in depth. After 12 weeks, clinical, radiological, quantitative and histological assessment of regenerated periodontal tissues was performed to compare periodontal regeneration in swine treated with cell implantation. Our study showed that injecting HGF-hDPSCs into this large animal model could significantly improve periodontal bone regeneration and soft tissue healing. A hDPSC or HGF-hDPSC sheet showed superior periodontal tissue regeneration compared to the injection of dissociated cells. However, the sheets required surgical placement; thus, they were suitable for surgically-managed periodontitis treatments. The adenovirus-mediated transfer of the HGF gene markedly decreased hDPSC apoptosis in a hypoxic environment or in serum-free medium, and it increased blood vessel regeneration. This study indicated that HGF-hDPSCs produced under GMP conditions significantly improved periodontal bone regeneration in swine; thus, this method represents a potential clinical application for periodontal regeneration.

  7. Opposite cytokine synthesis by fibroblasts in contact co-culture with osteosarcoma cells compared with transwell co-cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Manu S; Kelly, Elizabeth; Zoellner, Hans

    2013-04-01

    We recently reported exchange of membrane and cytoplasm during contact co-culture between human Gingival Fibroblasts (h-GF) and SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cells, a process we termed 'cellular sipping' to reflect the manner in which cells become morphologically diverse through uptake of material from the opposing cell type, independent of genetic change. Cellular sipping is increased by Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), and we here show for the first time altered cytokine synthesis in contact co-culture supporting cellular sipping compared with co-culture where h-GF and SAOS-2 were separated in transwells. SAOS-2 had often undetectably low cytokine levels, while Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) and Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) were secreted primarily by TNF-α stimulated h-GF and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) was prominent in h-GF lysates (p cultures permitting cellular sipping had lower IL-6, G-CSF and GM-CSF levels, as well as higher lysate FGF levels compared with TNF-α treated h-GF alone (p cultures in transwells, with increased IL-6, G-CSF and GM-CSF levels (p cultures where cellular sipping occurs, potentially contributing to tumor inflammatory responses. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Oncostatin M promotes STAT3 activation, VEGF production, and invasion in osteosarcoma cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fossey, Stacey L; Bear, Misty D; Kisseberth, William C; Pennell, Michael; London, Cheryl A

    2011-01-01

    We have previously demonstrated that both canine and human OSA cell lines, as well as 8 fresh canine OSA tumor samples, exhibit constitutive phosphorylation of STAT3, and that this correlates with enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2). While multiple signal transduction pathways can result in phosphorylation of STAT3, stimulation of the cytokine receptor gp130 through either IL-6 or Oncostatin M (OSM) is the most common mechanism through which STAT3 is activated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of IL-6 and OSM stimulation on both canine and human OSA cell lines to begin to determine the role of these cytokines in the biology of OSA. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to interrogate the consequences of OSM and IL-6 stimulation of OSA cell lines. OSA cells were stimulated with OSM and/or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the effects on MMP2 activity (gel zymography), proliferation (CyQUANT), invasion (Matrigel transwell assay), and VEGF production (Western blotting, ELISA) were assessed. The small molecule STAT3 inhibitor LLL3 was used to investigate the impact of STAT3 inhibition following OSM stimulation of OSA cells. Our data demonstrate that the OSM receptor (OSMR), but not IL-6 or its receptor, is expressed by all human and canine OSA cell lines and canine OSA tumor samples; additionally, OSM expression was noted in all tumor samples. Treatment of OSA cell lines with OSM induced phosphorylation of STAT3, Src, and JAK2. OSM stimulation also resulted in a dose dependent increase in MMP2 activity and VEGF expression that was markedly reduced following treatment with the small molecule STAT3 inhibitor LLL3. Lastly, OSM stimulation of OSA cell lines enhanced invasion through Matrigel, particularly in the presence of rhHGF. In contrast, both OSM and HGF stimulation of OSA cell lines did not alter their proliferative capacity. These data indicate OSM stimulation of human and canine OSA cells induces STAT3 activation, thereby

  9. Oncostatin M promotes STAT3 activation, VEGF production, and invasion in osteosarcoma cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kisseberth William C

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We have previously demonstrated that both canine and human OSA cell lines, as well as 8 fresh canine OSA tumor samples, exhibit constitutive phosphorylation of STAT3, and that this correlates with enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2. While multiple signal transduction pathways can result in phosphorylation of STAT3, stimulation of the cytokine receptor gp130 through either IL-6 or Oncostatin M (OSM is the most common mechanism through which STAT3 is activated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of IL-6 and OSM stimulation on both canine and human OSA cell lines to begin to determine the role of these cytokines in the biology of OSA. Methods RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to interrogate the consequences of OSM and IL-6 stimulation of OSA cell lines. OSA cells were stimulated with OSM and/or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF and the effects on MMP2 activity (gel zymography, proliferation (CyQUANT, invasion (Matrigel transwell assay, and VEGF production (Western blotting, ELISA were assessed. The small molecule STAT3 inhibitor LLL3 was used to investigate the impact of STAT3 inhibition following OSM stimulation of OSA cells. Results Our data demonstrate that the OSM receptor (OSMR, but not IL-6 or its receptor, is expressed by all human and canine OSA cell lines and canine OSA tumor samples; additionally, OSM expression was noted in all tumor samples. Treatment of OSA cell lines with OSM induced phosphorylation of STAT3, Src, and JAK2. OSM stimulation also resulted in a dose dependent increase in MMP2 activity and VEGF expression that was markedly reduced following treatment with the small molecule STAT3 inhibitor LLL3. Lastly, OSM stimulation of OSA cell lines enhanced invasion through Matrigel, particularly in the presence of rhHGF. In contrast, both OSM and HGF stimulation of OSA cell lines did not alter their proliferative capacity. Conclusions These data indicate OSM stimulation of

  10. c-MET receptor tyrosine kinase as a molecular target in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granito, Alessandro; Guidetti, Elena; Gramantieri, Laura

    2015-01-01

    c-MET is the membrane receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), also known as scatter factor or tumor cytotoxic factor, a mitogenic growth factor for hepatocytes. HGF is mainly produced by cells of mesenchymal origin and it mainly acts on neighboring epidermal and endothelial cells, regulating epithelial growth and morphogenesis. HGF/MET signaling has been identified among the drivers of tumorigenesis in human cancers. As such, c-MET is a recognized druggable target, and against it, targeted agents are currently under clinical investigation. c-MET overexpression is a common event in a wide range of human malignancies, including gastric, lung, breast, ovary, colon, kidney, thyroid, and liver carcinomas. Despite c-MET overexpression being reported by a large majority of studies, no evidence for a c-MET oncogenic addiction exists in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In particular, c-MET amplification is a rare event, accounting for 4%-5% of cases while no mutation has been identified in c-MET oncogene in HCC. Thus, the selection of patient subgroups more likely to benefit from c-MET inhibition is challenging. Notwithstanding, c-MET overexpression was reported to be associated with increased metastatic potential and poor prognosis in patients with HCC, providing a rationale for its therapeutic inhibition. Here we summarize the role of activated HGF/MET signaling in HCC, its prognostic relevance, and the implications for therapeutic approaches in HCC.

  11. Hili Inhibits HIV Replication in Activated T Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterlin, B Matija; Liu, Pingyang; Wang, Xiaoyun; Cary, Daniele; Shao, Wei; Leoz, Marie; Hong, Tian; Pan, Tao; Fujinaga, Koh

    2017-06-01

    P-element-induced wimpy-like (Piwil) proteins restrict the replication of mobile genetic elements in the germ line. They are also expressed in many transformed cell lines. In this study, we discovered that the human Piwil 2 (Hili) protein can also inhibit HIV replication, especially in activated CD4 + T cells that are the preferred target cells for this virus in the infected host. Although resting cells did not express Hili, its expression was rapidly induced following T cell activation. In these cells and transformed cell lines, depletion of Hili increased levels of viral proteins and new viral particles. Further studies revealed that Hili binds to tRNA. Some of the tRNAs represent rare tRNA species, whose codons are overrepresented in the viral genome. Targeting tRNA Arg (UCU) with an antisense oligonucleotide replicated effects of Hili and also inhibited HIV replication. Finally, Hili also inhibited the retrotransposition of the endogenous intracysternal A particle (IAP) by a similar mechanism. Thus, Hili joins a list of host proteins that inhibit the replication of HIV and other mobile genetic elements. IMPORTANCE Piwil proteins inhibit the movement of mobile genetic elements in the germ line. In their absence, sperm does not form and male mice are sterile. This inhibition is thought to occur via small Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). However, in some species and in human somatic cells, Piwil proteins bind primarily to tRNA. In this report, we demonstrate that human Piwil proteins, especially Hili, not only bind to select tRNA species, including rare tRNAs, but also inhibit HIV replication. Importantly, T cell activation induces the expression of Hili in CD4 + T cells. Since Hili also inhibited the movement of an endogenous retrovirus (IAP), our finding shed new light on this intracellular resistance to exogenous and endogenous retroviruses as well as other mobile genetic elements. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  12. An antitubulin agent BCFMT inhibits proliferation of cancer cells and induces cell death by inhibiting microtubule dynamics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ankit Rai

    Full Text Available Using cell based screening assay, we identified a novel anti-tubulin agent (Z-5-((5-(4-bromo-3-chlorophenylfuran-2-ylmethylene-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one (BCFMT that inhibited proliferation of human cervical carcinoma (HeLa (IC(50, 7.2 ± 1.8 µM, human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7 (IC(50, 10.0 ± 0.5 µM, highly metastatic breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB-231 (IC(50, 6.0 ± 1 µM, cisplatin-resistant human ovarian carcinoma (A2780-cis (IC(50, 5.8 ± 0.3 µM and multi-drug resistant mouse mammary tumor (EMT6/AR1 (IC(50, 6.5 ± 1 µM cells. Using several complimentary strategies, BCFMT was found to inhibit cancer cell proliferation at G2/M phase of the cell cycle apparently by targeting microtubules. In addition, BCFMT strongly suppressed the dynamics of individual microtubules in live MCF-7 cells. At its half maximal proliferation inhibitory concentration (10 µM, BCFMT reduced the rates of growing and shortening phases of microtubules in MCF-7 cells by 37 and 40%, respectively. Further, it increased the time microtubules spent in the pause (neither growing nor shortening detectably state by 135% and reduced the dynamicity (dimer exchange per unit time of microtubules by 70%. In vitro, BCFMT bound to tubulin with a dissociation constant of 8.3 ± 1.8 µM, inhibited tubulin assembly and suppressed GTPase activity of microtubules. BCFMT competitively inhibited the binding of BODIPY FL-vinblastine to tubulin with an inhibitory concentration (K(i of 5.2 ± 1.5 µM suggesting that it binds to tubulin at the vinblastine site. In cultured cells, BCFMT-treatment depolymerized interphase microtubules, perturbed the spindle organization and accumulated checkpoint proteins (BubR1 and Mad2 at the kinetochores. BCFMT-treated MCF-7 cells showed enhanced nuclear accumulation of p53 and its downstream p21, which consequently activated apoptosis in these cells. The results suggested that BCFMT inhibits proliferation of several types of cancer cells including drug

  13. Quantitative measurement of changes in adhesion force involving focal adhesion kinase during cell attachment, spread, and migration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, C.-C.; Su, H.-W.; Lee, C.-C.; Tang, M.-J.; Su, F.-C.

    2005-01-01

    Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a critical protein for the regulation of integrin-mediated cellular functions and it can enhance cell motility in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) induction. We utilized optical trapping and cytodetachment techniques to measure the adhesion force between pico-Newton and nano-Newton (nN) for quantitatively investigating the effects of FAK on adhesion force during initial binding (5 s), beginning of spreading (30 min), spreadout (12 h), and migration (induced by HGF) in MDCK cells with overexpressed FAK (FAK-WT), FAK-related non-kinase (FRNK), as well as normal control cells. Optical tweezers was used to measure the initial binding force between a trapped cell and glass coverslide or between a trapped bead and a seeded cell. In cytodetachment, the commercial atomic force microscope probe with an appropriate spring constant was used as a cyto-detacher to evaluate the change of adhesion force between different FAK expression levels of cells in spreading, spreadout, and migrating status. The results demonstrated that FAK-WT significantly increased the adhesion forces as compared to FRNK cells throughout all the different stages of cell adhesion. For cells in HGF-induced migration, the adhesion force decreased to almost the same level (∼600 nN) regardless of FAK levels indicating that FAK facilitates cells to undergo migration by reducing the adhesion force. Our results suggest FAK plays a role of enhancing cell adhesive ability in the binding and spreading, but an appropriate level of adhesion force is required for HGF-induced cell migration

  14. Glyphosate and AMPA inhibit cancer cell growth through inhibiting intracellular glycine synthesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Q

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Qingli Li,1,2 Mark J Lambrechts,1 Qiuyang Zhang,1 Sen Liu,1 Dongxia Ge,1 Rutie Yin,2 Mingrong Xi,2 Zongbing You1 1Departments of Structural and Cellular Biology and Orthopaedic Surgery, Tulane Cancer Center and Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, Tulane Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, and Tulane Center for Aging, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Glycine is a nonessential amino acid that is reversibly converted from serine intracellularly by serine hydroxymethyltransferase. Glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA, are analogs to glycine, thus they may inhibit serine hydroxymethyltransferase to decrease intracellular glycine synthesis. In this study, we found that glyphosate and AMPA inhibited cell growth in eight human cancer cell lines but not in two immortalized human normal prostatic epithelial cell lines. AMPA arrested C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cells in the G1/G0 phase and inhibited entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. AMPA also promoted apoptosis in C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cell lines. AMPA upregulated p53 and p21 protein levels as well as procaspase 9 protein levels in C4-2B cells, whereas it downregulated cyclin D3 protein levels. AMPA also activated caspase 3 and induced cleavage of poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose polymerase. This study provides the first evidence that glyphosate and AMPA can inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of cancer cells but not normal cells, suggesting that they have potentials to be developed into a new anticancer therapy. Keywords: serine hydroxymethyltransferase, prostate cancer, apoptosis

  15. Effect of periodontal dressings on human gingiva fibroblasts in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eber, R.M.; Shuler, C.F.; Buchanan, W.; Beck, F.M.; Horton, J.E.

    1989-01-01

    In vitro cytotoxicity studies of periodontal dressings have not generally produced a result consistent with in vivo observations. These prior in vitro studies have not used human intraoral cell lines. We tested the effects of two eugenol containing and two non-eugenol periodontal dressings on cultured human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) (ATCC No. 1292). Replicate HGF cultures grown in microtiter plates were exposed to stock, 1:4 and 1:16 dilutions of extracts made from each of the four periodontal dressings. The HGF cultures were pulse labelled with tritiated thymidine (3HTdR) after 24, 48, and 72 hours. Incorporations of the labelled thymidine were measured using liquid scintillation counting and expressed as counts per minute. The results showed that undiluted extracts from all four periodontal dressings totally inhibited 3HTdR uptake (P less than 0.05). The 1:4 dilution of eugenol dressings inhibited 3HTdR uptake significantly more than non-eugenol dressings (P less than 0.05). Interestingly, at 72 hours the 1:16 dilution of the non-eugenol dressings caused significantly increased 3HTdR uptake which was not observed with the eugenol dressings. The present results suggest that the use of a human fibroblastic cell line for testing the effects of periodontal dressings may provide information about the relative biological effects of these dressings. Using this cell line, we have found that eugenol dressings inhibit fibroblast proliferation to a greater extent than non-eugenol dressings

  16. Magic-factor 1, a partial agonist of Met, induces muscle hypertrophy by protecting myogenic progenitors from apoptosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Cassano

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF is a pleiotropic cytokine of mesenchymal origin that mediates a characteristic array of biological activities including cell proliferation, survival, motility and morphogenesis. Its high affinity receptor, the tyrosine kinase Met, is expressed by a wide range of tissues and can be activated by either paracrine or autocrine stimulation. Adult myogenic precursor cells, the so called satellite cells, express both HGF and Met. Following muscle injury, autocrine HGF-Met stimulation plays a key role in promoting activation and early division of satellite cells, but is shut off in a second phase to allow myogenic differentiation. In culture, HGF stimulation promotes proliferation of muscle precursors thereby inhibiting their differentiation.Magic-Factor 1 (Met-Activating Genetically Improved Chimeric Factor-1 or Magic-F1 is an HGF-derived, engineered protein that contains two Met-binding domains repeated in tandem. It has a reduced affinity for Met and, in contrast to HGF it elicits activation of the AKT but not the ERK signaling pathway. As a result, Magic-F1 is not mitogenic but conserves the ability to promote cell survival. Here we show that Magic-F1 protects myogenic precursors against apoptosis, thus increasing their fusion ability and enhancing muscular differentiation. Electrotransfer of Magic-F1 gene into adult mice promoted muscular hypertrophy and decreased myocyte apoptosis. Magic-F1 transgenic mice displayed constitutive muscular hypertrophy, improved running performance and accelerated muscle regeneration following injury. Crossing of Magic-F1 transgenic mice with alpha-sarcoglycan knock-out mice -a mouse model of muscular dystrophy- or adenovirus-mediated Magic-F1 gene delivery resulted in amelioration of the dystrophic phenotype as measured by both anatomical/histological analysis and functional tests.Because of these features Magic-F1 represents a novel molecular tool to counteract muscle wasting in major

  17. Screening of pharmacologically active small molecule compounds identifies antifungal agents against Candida biofilms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takao eWatamoto

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Candida species have emerged as important and common opportunistic human pathogens, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The current antifungal therapies either have toxic side effects or are insufficiently effect. The aim of this study is develop new small-molecule antifungal compounds by library screening methods using C. albicans, and to evaluate their antifungal effects on Candida biofilms and cytotoxic effects on human cells. Wild-type C. albicans strain SC5314 was used in library screening. To identify antifungal compounds, we screened a small-molecule library of 1,280 pharmacologically active compounds (LOPAC1280TM using an antifungal susceptibility test (AST. To investigate the antifungal effects of the hit compounds, ASTs were conducted using Candida strains in various growth modes, including biofilms. We tested the cytotoxicity of the hit compounds using human gingival fibroblast (hGF cells to evaluate their clinical safety. Only 35 compounds were identified by screening, which inhibited the metabolic activity of C. albicans by >50%. Of these, 26 compounds had fungistatic effects and 9 compounds had fungicidal effects on C. albicans. Five compounds, BAY11-7082, BAY11-7085, sanguinarine chloride hydrate, ellipticine and CV-3988, had strong fungicidal effects and could inhibit the metabolic activity of Candida biofilms. However, BAY11-7082, BAY11-7085, sanguinarine chloride hydrate and ellipticine were cytotoxic to hGF cells at low concentrations. CV-3988 showed no cytotoxicity at a fungicidal concentration.Four of the compounds identified, BAY11-7082, BAY11-7085, sanguinarine chloride hydrate and ellipticine, had toxic effects on Candida strains and hGF cells. In contrast, CV-3988 had fungicidal effects on Candida strains, but low cytotoxic effects on hGF cells. Therefore, this screening reveals agent, CV-3988 that was previously unknown to be antifungal agent, which could be a novel therapies for superficial mucosal

  18. Inhibition of HSV cell-to-cell spread by lactoferrin and lactoferricin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenssen, Håvard; Sandvik, Kjersti; Andersen, Jeanette H; Hancock, Robert E W; Gutteberg, Tore J

    2008-09-01

    The milk protein lactoferrin (Lf) has multiple functions, including immune stimulation and antiviral activity towards herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2); antiviral activity has also been reported for the N-terminal pepsin-derived fragment lactoferricin (Lfcin). The anti-HSV mode of action of Lf and Lfcin is assumed to involve, in part, their interaction with the cell surface glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate, thereby blocking of viral entry. In this study we investigated the ability of human and bovine Lf and Lfcin to inhibit viral cell-to-cell spread as well as the involvement of cell surface glycosaminoglycans during viral cell-to-cell spread. Lf and Lfcin from both human and bovine origin, inhibited cell-to-cell spread of both HSV-1 and HSV-2. Inhibition of cell-to-cell spread by bovine Lfcin involved cell surface chondroitin sulfate. Based on transmission electron microscopy studies, human Lfcin, like bovine Lfcin, was randomly distributed intracellularly, thus differences in their antiviral activity could not be explained by differences in their distribution. In contrast, the cellular localization of iron-saturated (holo)-Lf appeared to differ from that of apo-Lf, indicating that holo- and apo-Lf may exhibit different antiviral mechanisms.

  19. Sodium arsenite-induced inhibition of cell proliferation is related to inhibition of IL-2 mRNA expression in mouse activated T cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Conde, Patricia; Acosta-Saavedra, Leonor C.; Calderon-Aranda, Emma S. [Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados, CINVESTAV, Seccion Toxicologia, P.O. Box 14-740, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Goytia-Acevedo, Raquel C. [Universidad Juarez del Estado de Durango, Facultad de Medicina, Gomez Palacio, Durango (Mexico)

    2007-04-15

    A proposed mechanism for the As-induced inhibition of cell proliferation is the inhibition of IL-2 secretion. However, the effects of arsenite on IL-2 mRNA expression or on the ERK pathway in activated-T cells have not yet been described. We examined the effect of arsenite on IL-2 mRNA expression, cell activation and proliferation in PHA-stimulated murine lymphocytes. Arsenite (1 and 10 {mu}M) decreased IL-2 mRNA expression, IL-2 secretion and cell proliferation. Arsenite (10 {mu}M) strongly inhibited ERK-phosphorylation. However, the partial inhibition (50%) of IL-2 mRNA produced by 1 {mu}M, consistent with the effects on IL-2 secretion and cell proliferation, could not be explained by the inhibition of ERK-phosphorylation, which was not affected at this concentration. The inhibition of IL-2 mRNA expression caused by 1 {mu}M could be associated to effects on pathways located downstream or parallel to ERK. Arsenite also decreased early activation (surface CD69{sup +} expression) in both CD4{sup +} and CD8{sup +}, and decreased total CD8{sup +} count without significantly affecting CD4{sup +}, supporting that the cellular immune response mediated by cytotoxic T cells is an arsenic target. Thus, our results suggest that arsenite decreases IL-2 mRNA levels and T-cell activation and proliferation. However, further studies on the effects of arsenite on IL-2 gene transcription and IL-2 mRNA stability are needed. (orig.)

  20. Antibiotic drug tigecycline inhibited cell proliferation and induced autophagy in gastric cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Chunling; Yang, Liqun; Jiang, Xiaolan; Xu, Chuan; Wang, Mei; Wang, Qinrui; Zhou, Zhansong; Xiang, Zhonghuai; Cui, Hongjuan

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Tigecycline inhibited cell growth and proliferation in human gastric cancer cells. • Tigecycline induced autophagy not apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells. • AMPK/mTOR/p70S6K pathway was activated after tigecycline treatment. • Tigecycline inhibited tumor growth in xenograft model of human gastric cancer cells. - Abstract: Tigecycline acts as a glycylcycline class bacteriostatic agent, and actively resists a series of bacteria, specifically drug fast bacteria. However, accumulating evidence showed that tetracycline and their derivatives such as doxycycline and minocycline have anti-cancer properties, which are out of their broader antimicrobial activity. We found that tigecycline dramatically inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation and provided an evidence that tigecycline induced autophagy but not apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells. Further experiments demonstrated that AMPK pathway was activated accompanied with the suppression of its downstream targets including mTOR and p70S6K, and ultimately induced cell autophagy and inhibited cell growth. So our data suggested that tigecycline might act as a candidate agent for pre-clinical evaluation in treatment of patients suffering from gastric cancer

  1. Antibiotic drug tigecycline inhibited cell proliferation and induced autophagy in gastric cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tang, Chunling; Yang, Liqun; Jiang, Xiaolan [State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716 (China); Xu, Chuan [Division of Scientific Research and Training, General Hospital of PLA Chengdu Military Area Command, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083 (China); Wang, Mei; Wang, Qinrui [State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716 (China); Zhou, Zhansong, E-mail: zhouzhans@sina.com [Institute of Urinary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038 (China); Xiang, Zhonghuai [State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716 (China); Cui, Hongjuan, E-mail: hcui@swu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716 (China)

    2014-03-28

    Highlights: • Tigecycline inhibited cell growth and proliferation in human gastric cancer cells. • Tigecycline induced autophagy not apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells. • AMPK/mTOR/p70S6K pathway was activated after tigecycline treatment. • Tigecycline inhibited tumor growth in xenograft model of human gastric cancer cells. - Abstract: Tigecycline acts as a glycylcycline class bacteriostatic agent, and actively resists a series of bacteria, specifically drug fast bacteria. However, accumulating evidence showed that tetracycline and their derivatives such as doxycycline and minocycline have anti-cancer properties, which are out of their broader antimicrobial activity. We found that tigecycline dramatically inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation and provided an evidence that tigecycline induced autophagy but not apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells. Further experiments demonstrated that AMPK pathway was activated accompanied with the suppression of its downstream targets including mTOR and p70S6K, and ultimately induced cell autophagy and inhibited cell growth. So our data suggested that tigecycline might act as a candidate agent for pre-clinical evaluation in treatment of patients suffering from gastric cancer.

  2. The role of growth factors in maintenance of stemness in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eom, Young Woo; Oh, Ji-Eun [Cell Therapy and Tissue Engineering Center, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jong In [Department of Hematology-Oncology, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Baik, Soon Koo [Cell Therapy and Tissue Engineering Center, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Department of Internal Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Rhee, Ki-Jong [Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Ha Cheol; Kim, Yong Man [Pharmicell Co., Ltd., Sungnam (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Chan Mug [Department of Basic Science, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Kong, Jee Hyun [Department of Hematology-Oncology, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyun Soo, E-mail: khsmd@pharmicell.com [Pharmicell Co., Ltd., Sungnam (Korea, Republic of); Shim, Kwang Yong, E-mail: kyshim@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Hematology-Oncology, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei Univ., Wonju (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-02-28

    Highlights: • Expression of FGF-2, FGF-4, EGF, and HGF decreased during long-term culture of BMSCs. • Loss of growth factors induced autophagy, senescence and decrease of stemness. • FGF-2 increased proliferation potential via AKT and ERK activation in BMSCs. • FGF-2 suppressed LC3-II expression and down-regulated senescence of BMSCs. • HGF was important in maintenance of the differentiation potential of BMSCs. - Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an active topic of research in regenerative medicine due to their ability to secrete a variety of growth factors and cytokines that promote healing of damaged tissues and organs. In addition, these secreted growth factors and cytokines have been shown to exert an autocrine effect by regulating MSC proliferation and differentiation. We found that expression of EGF, FGF-4 and HGF were down-regulated during serial passage of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Proliferation and differentiation potentials of BMSCs treated with these growth factors for 2 months were evaluated and compared to BMSCs treated with FGF-2, which increased proliferation of BMSCs. FGF-2 and -4 increased proliferation potentials at high levels, about 76- and 26-fold, respectively, for 2 months, while EGF and HGF increased proliferation of BMSCs by less than 2.8-fold. Interestingly, differentiation potential, especially adipogenesis, was maintained only by HGF treatment. Treatment with FGF-2 rapidly induced activation of AKT and later induced ERK activation. The basal level of phosphorylated ERK increased during serial passage of BMSCs treated with FGF-2. The expression of LC3-II, an autophagy marker, was gradually increased and the population of senescent cells was increased dramatically at passage 7 in non-treated controls. But FGF-2 and FGF-4 suppressed LC3-II expression and down-regulated senescent cells during long-term (i.e. 2 month) cultures. Taken together, depletion of growth factors during serial passage

  3. The role of growth factors in maintenance of stemness in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eom, Young Woo; Oh, Ji-Eun; Lee, Jong In; Baik, Soon Koo; Rhee, Ki-Jong; Shin, Ha Cheol; Kim, Yong Man; Ahn, Chan Mug; Kong, Jee Hyun; Kim, Hyun Soo; Shim, Kwang Yong

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Expression of FGF-2, FGF-4, EGF, and HGF decreased during long-term culture of BMSCs. • Loss of growth factors induced autophagy, senescence and decrease of stemness. • FGF-2 increased proliferation potential via AKT and ERK activation in BMSCs. • FGF-2 suppressed LC3-II expression and down-regulated senescence of BMSCs. • HGF was important in maintenance of the differentiation potential of BMSCs. - Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an active topic of research in regenerative medicine due to their ability to secrete a variety of growth factors and cytokines that promote healing of damaged tissues and organs. In addition, these secreted growth factors and cytokines have been shown to exert an autocrine effect by regulating MSC proliferation and differentiation. We found that expression of EGF, FGF-4 and HGF were down-regulated during serial passage of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Proliferation and differentiation potentials of BMSCs treated with these growth factors for 2 months were evaluated and compared to BMSCs treated with FGF-2, which increased proliferation of BMSCs. FGF-2 and -4 increased proliferation potentials at high levels, about 76- and 26-fold, respectively, for 2 months, while EGF and HGF increased proliferation of BMSCs by less than 2.8-fold. Interestingly, differentiation potential, especially adipogenesis, was maintained only by HGF treatment. Treatment with FGF-2 rapidly induced activation of AKT and later induced ERK activation. The basal level of phosphorylated ERK increased during serial passage of BMSCs treated with FGF-2. The expression of LC3-II, an autophagy marker, was gradually increased and the population of senescent cells was increased dramatically at passage 7 in non-treated controls. But FGF-2 and FGF-4 suppressed LC3-II expression and down-regulated senescent cells during long-term (i.e. 2 month) cultures. Taken together, depletion of growth factors during serial passage

  4. Inhibiting prenylation augments chemotherapy efficacy in renal cell carcinoma through dual inhibition on mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jiangrong; Yang, Xiaoyu; Peng, Xiaochun; Huang, Wei

    2017-11-18

    Prenylation is a posttranslational lipid modification required for the proper functions of a number of proteins involved in cell regulation. Here, we show that prenylation inhibition is important for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) growth, survival and response to chemotherapy, and its underlying mechanism may be contributed to mitochondrial dysfunction. We first demonstrated that a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor pitavastatin inhibited mevalonate pathway and thereby prenylation in RCC cells. In addition, pitavastatin is effective in inhibiting growth and inducing apoptosis in a panel of RCC cell lines. Combination of pitavastatin and paclitaxel is significantly more effective than pitavastatin or paclitaxel alone as shown by both in vitro cell culture system and in vivo RCC xenograft model. Importantly, pitavastatin treatment inhibits mitochondrial respiration via suppressing mitochondrial complex I and II enzyme activities. Interestingly, different from mitochondrial inhibitor phenformin that inhibits mitochondrial respiration but activates glycolytic rate in RCC cells, pitavastatin significantly decreases glycolytic rate. The dual inhibitory action of pitavastatin on mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis results in remarkable energy depletion and oxidative stress in RCC cells. In addition, inhibition of prenylation by depleting Isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase (Icmt) also mimics the inhibitory effects of pitavastatin in RCC cells. Our work demonstrates the previously unappreciated association between prenylation inhibition and energy metabolism in RCC, which can be therapeutically exploited, likely in tumors that largely rely on energy metabolism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Wnt Signaling in Renal Cell Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qi Xu

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Renal cell carcinoma (RCC accounts for 90% of all kidney cancers. Due to poor diagnosis, high resistance to the systemic therapies and the fact that most RCC cases occur sporadically, current research switched its focus on studying the molecular mechanisms underlying RCC. The aim is the discovery of new effective and less toxic anti-cancer drugs and novel diagnostic markers. Besides the PI3K/Akt/mTOR, HGF/Met and VHL/hypoxia cellular signaling pathways, the involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in RCC is commonly studied. Wnt signaling and its targeted genes are known to actively participate in different biological processes during embryonic development and renal cancer. Recently, studies have shown that targeting this pathway by alternating/inhibiting its intracellular signal transduction can reduce cancer cells viability and inhibit their growth. The targets and drugs identified show promising potential to serve as novel RCC therapeutics and prognostic markers. This review aims to summarize the current status quo regarding recent research on RCC focusing on the involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and how its understanding could facilitate the identification of potential therapeutic targets, new drugs and diagnostic biomarkers.

  6. [Cloning and characterization of genes differentially expressed in human dental pulp cells and gingival fibroblasts].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhong-dong; Wu, Ji-nan; Zhou, Lin; Ling, Jun-qi; Guo, Xi-min; Xiao, Ming-zhen; Zhu, Feng; Pu, Qin; Chai, Yu-bo; Zhao, Zhong-liang

    2007-02-01

    To study the biological properties of human dental pulp cells (HDPC) by cloning and analysis of genes differentially expressed in HDPC in comparison with human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). HDPC and HGF were cultured and identified by immunocytochemistry. HPDC and HGF subtractive cDNA library was established by PCR-based modified subtractive hybridization, genes differentially expressed by HPDC were cloned, sequenced and compared to find homogeneous sequence in GenBank by BLAST. Cloning and sequencing analysis indicate 12 genes differentially expressed were obtained, in which two were unknown genes. Among the 10 known genes, 4 were related to signal transduction, 2 were related to trans-membrane transportation (both cell membrane and nuclear membrane), and 2 were related to RNA splicing mechanisms. The biological properties of HPDC are determined by the differential expression of some genes and the growth and differentiation of HPDC are associated to the dynamic protein synthesis and secretion activities of the cell.

  7. Automated image-based assay for evaluation of HIV neutralization and cell-to-cell fusion inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheik-Khalil, Enas; Bray, Mark-Anthony; Özkaya Şahin, Gülsen; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Jansson, Marianne; Carpenter, Anne E; Fenyö, Eva Maria

    2014-08-30

    Standardized techniques to detect HIV-neutralizing antibody responses are of great importance in the search for an HIV vaccine. Here, we present a high-throughput, high-content automated plaque reduction (APR) assay based on automated microscopy and image analysis that allows evaluation of neutralization and inhibition of cell-cell fusion within the same assay. Neutralization of virus particles is measured as a reduction in the number of fluorescent plaques, and inhibition of cell-cell fusion as a reduction in plaque area. We found neutralization strength to be a significant factor in the ability of virus to form syncytia. Further, we introduce the inhibitory concentration of plaque area reduction (ICpar) as an additional measure of antiviral activity, i.e. fusion inhibition. We present an automated image based high-throughput, high-content HIV plaque reduction assay. This allows, for the first time, simultaneous evaluation of neutralization and inhibition of cell-cell fusion within the same assay, by quantifying the reduction in number of plaques and mean plaque area, respectively. Inhibition of cell-to-cell fusion requires higher quantities of inhibitory reagent than inhibition of virus neutralization.

  8. Summer Research Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Zarana

    2011-01-01

    selected various concentrations from 0-100 ng/mL of HGF and MSP-1 in our assays. Since the HGF and MSP-1 pathways have proliferative roles in epithelial cells, we conducted the MTT proliferation assay to see if either drug enhances or inhibits cell proliferation over time. Also, a MTT cytotoxicity assay was necessary to observe whether the drugs are protecting the cells from radiation and if a trend is occurring depending upon the amount of dose added. In addition, a wound healing assay was done since both drugs have been to known to promote cell motility. Since cell damage occurs when radiation is added, apoptosis and micronuclei assays are vital to see if HGF and MSP-1 increase or decrease cell death and damage in normal and pre-cancerous cells and by how much based on the radiation dosage. Overall, we used the MTT, wound healing, apoptosis and micronuclei assays to investigate the effects ofHGF and MSP-1 on irradiated esophageal epithelial cells.

  9. Influence of CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials on cell viability, migration ability and adenylate kinase release of human gingival fibroblasts and oral keratinocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabst, A M; Walter, C; Grassmann, L; Weyhrauch, M; Brüllmann, D D; Ziebart, T; Scheller, H; Lehmann, K M

    2014-05-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of four CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials on cell viability, migration ability and adenylate kinase (ADK) release of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and oral keratinocytes (HOK). HGF and HOK were cultured on disc-shaped CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials (e.max CAD LT, e.max CAD HT, Empress CAD and Mark II) and on discs made of tissue culture polystyrene surface (TCPS) serving as control. Cell viability was analyzed by using an MTT assay, and migration ability was investigated by a scratch assay. A ToxiLight assay has been performed to analyze the effect of all-ceramic materials on ADK release and cell apoptosis. At MTT assay for HGF, no significant decrease of cell viability could be detected at all points of measurement (p each > 0.05), while HOK demonstrated a significant decrease in cell viability especially on Empress CAD and Mark II at each point of measurement (p each materials at all points of measurement (between -36 % and -71 %; p each ceramic materials could be investigated. This study disclosed significant differences in cell viability and migration ability of HGF and HOK on CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials. CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials can influence oral cell lines responsible for soft tissue creation which may affect the esthetic outcome.

  10. Thrombomodulin inhibits the activation of eosinophils and mast cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roeen, Ziaurahman; Toda, Masaaki; D'Alessandro-Gabazza, Corina N; Onishi, Masahiro; Kobayashi, Tetsu; Yasuma, Taro; Urawa, Masahito; Taguchi, Osamu; Gabazza, Esteban C

    2015-01-01

    Eosinophils and mast cells play critical roles in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. Activation of both cells leads to the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in the airway of asthmatic patients. Recently, we have shown that inhaled thrombomodulin inhibits allergic bronchial asthma in a mouse model. In the present study, we hypothesize that thrombomodulin can inhibit the activation of eosinophils and mast cells. The effect of thrombomodulin on the activation and release of inflammatory mediators from eosinophils and mast cells was evaluated. Thrombomodulin inhibited the eotaxin-induced chemotaxis, upregulation of CD11b and degranulation of eosinophils. Treatment with thrombomodulin also significantly suppressed the degranulation and synthesis of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in eosinophils and mast cells. Mice treated with a low-dose of inhaled thrombomodulin have decreased number of eosinophils and activated mast cells and Th2 cytokines in the lungs compared to untreated mice. The results of this study suggest that thrombomodulin may modulate allergic responses by inhibiting the activation of both eosinophils and mast cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Inhibition of PTP1B disrupts cell-cell adhesion and induces anoikis in breast epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilmarsdottir, Bylgja; Briem, Eirikur; Halldorsson, Skarphedinn; Kricker, Jennifer; Ingthorsson, Sævar; Gustafsdottir, Sigrun; Mælandsmo, Gunhild M; Magnusson, Magnus K; Gudjonsson, Thorarinn

    2017-05-11

    Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a well-known inhibitor of insulin signaling pathways and inhibitors against PTP1B are being developed as promising drug candidates for treatment of obesity. PTP1B has also been linked to breast cancer both as a tumor suppressor and as an oncogene. Furthermore, PTP1B has been shown to be a regulator of cell adhesion and migration in normal and cancer cells. In this study, we analyzed the PTP1B expression in normal breast tissue, primary breast cells and the breast epithelial cell line D492. In normal breast tissue and primary breast cells, PTP1B is widely expressed in both epithelial and stromal cells, with highest expression in myoepithelial cells and fibroblasts. PTP1B is widely expressed in branching structures generated by D492 when cultured in 3D reconstituted basement membrane (3D rBM). Inhibition of PTP1B in D492 and another mammary epithelial cell line HMLE resulted in reduced cell proliferation and induction of anoikis. These changes were seen when cells were cultured both in monolayer and in 3D rBM. PTP1B inhibition affected cell attachment, expression of cell adhesion proteins and actin polymerization. Moreover, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) sensitized cells to PTP1B inhibition. A mesenchymal sublines of D492 and HMLE (D492M and HMLEmes) were more sensitive to PTP1B inhibition than D492 and HMLE. Reversion of D492M to an epithelial state using miR-200c-141 restored resistance to detachment induced by PTP1B inhibition. In conclusion, we have shown that PTP1B is widely expressed in the human breast gland with highest expression in myoepithelial cells and fibroblasts. Inhibition of PTP1B in D492 and HMLE affects cell-cell adhesion and induces anoikis-like effects. Finally, cells with an EMT phenotype are more sensitive to PTP1B inhibitors making PTP1B a potential candidate for further studies as a target for drug development in cancer involving the EMT phenotype.

  12. Recovery from inhibition of transcription in γ-irradiated Euglena cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsushimoto, G.; Kikuchi, T.; Ishida, M.R.

    1982-01-01

    Transcriptional activity was inhibited with low doses of γ-irradiation which did not cause the death of cells, but induced the delay of cell division in the unicellular alga Euglena. The incorporation of [ 14 C]uracil into cells was inhibited to about 50% of non-irradiated cells immediately after 3 krad irradiation. The suppressed transcriptional activity was gradually recovered after irradiation. At about 12 h post-irradiation, the rate of incorporation of [ 14 C]uracil recovered to that of non-irradiated cells. The synthesis of ribosomal RNA was inhibited immediately after 3 krad irradiation, but it recovered within 12 h after irradiation. The synthesis of cytosol ribosomal RNA precursor was more strongly inhibited than that of other cytosol ribosomal RNAs. The synthesis of cytoplasmic organelle ribosomal RNA was also inhibited and recovered after 3 krad irradiation. (Auth.)

  13. Inhibition of host cell protein synthesis by UV-inactivated poliovirus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Helentjaris, T.; Ehrenfeld, E.

    1977-01-01

    The ability of poliovirus that was irradiated with UV light at energies up to 2,160 ergs/mm 2 to subsequently inhibit host cell protein synthesis was measured. The inactivation of the host cell shutoff function followed one-hit kinetics. Increasing irradiation did not affect the rate of inhibition until the multiplicity of infection after irradiation was reduced to approximately 1 PFU/cell. At higher functional multiplicities, the rate was unchanged, but an increasing lag before the onset of inhibition was observed with increasing irradiation. The energy levels required to inactivate virus-induced inhibition of host cell protein synthesis suggest that damage to virus RNA rather than to virus capsid proteins is responsible for the loss of function. When the inactivation of host cell shutoff was compared with the inactivation of other viral functions by UV irradiation, it correlated exactly with the loss of infectivity but not with other viral functions measured. Guanidine treatment, which prevents detectable viral RNA and protein synthesis, completely inhibited host cell shutoff by low multiplicities of unirradiated virus infection but not higher multiplicities. When a high multiplicity of virus was first reduced to a low titer by irradiation, host cell shutoff was still evident in the presence of guanidine. The results demonstrate that the complete inhibition of host cell protein synthesis can be accomplished by one infectious viral genome per cell

  14. Regulation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by Spred2 and correlative studies on its mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Xiao-Ni; Liu, Xiao-Yun; Yang, Yue-Feng; Xiao, Feng-Jun; Li, Qing-Fang; Yan, Jun; Zhang, Qun-Wei; Wang, Li-Sheng; Li, Xue-Yan; Wang, Hua

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Hepatocellular carcinoma is inhibited by Spred2 through as yet unclear mechanisms. → We studied the overexpression of Spred2 in cell line and murine tumor models of HCC. → Spred2 inhibited cell proliferation and migration via attenuating ERK signaling. → Spred2 overexpression induced apoptosis via caspase-3 and downregulated Mcl-1. → A Spred2 knockdown markedly induced tumor growth in vivo. -- Abstract: Members of the Spred gene family are negative regulators of the Ras/Raf-1/ERK pathway, which has been associated with several features of the tumor malignancy. However, the effect of Spred genes on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uninvestigated. In the present work, we analyzed the in vitro and in vivo effects of Spred2 expression on the hepatic carcinoma cell line, SMMC-7721. In addition to attenuated ERK activation, which inhibited the proliferation and migration of unstimulated and HGF-stimulated SMMC-7721 cells. Adenovirus-mediated Spred2 overexpression induced the activation of caspase-3 and apoptosis, as well as reduced the expression level of Mcl-1. Most importantly, the knockdown of Spred2 markedly enhanced tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, these results suggest that Spred2 could qualify as a potential therapeutic target in HCC.

  15. MiRNA-486 regulates angiogenic activity and survival of mesenchymal stem cells under hypoxia through modulating Akt signal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Xue-Feng [High Altitude Medicine of Ministry of Chinese Education and Research Center for High Altitude Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810001 (China); Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850 (China); Department of Respiration, Qinghai Provincial People' s Hospital, Xining (China); Wang, Hua; Xiao, Feng-Jun [Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850 (China); Yin, Yue [Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850 (China); Department of Hematology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing (China); Xu, Qin-Qin [High Altitude Medicine of Ministry of Chinese Education and Research Center for High Altitude Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810001 (China); Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850 (China); Ge, Ri-Li, E-mail: geriligao@hotmail.com [High Altitude Medicine of Ministry of Chinese Education and Research Center for High Altitude Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810001 (China); Wang, Li-Sheng, E-mail: wangls@bmi.ac.cn [Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850 (China)

    2016-02-12

    MicroRNA-486 (miR-486) was first identified from human fetal liver cDNA library and validated as a regulator of hematopoiesis. Its roles in regulating the biological function of bone marrow-derived mesnechymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) under hypoxia have not been explored yet. In this study, we demonstrated that exposure to hypoxia upregulates miR-486 expression in BM-MSCs. Lentivirus-mediated overexpression of miR-486 resulted in increase of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in both mRNA and protein levels. MiR-486 expression also promotes proliferation and reduces apoptosis of BM-MSCs. Whereas MiR-486 knockdown downregulated the secretion of HGF and VEGF and induced apoptosis of BM-MSCs. Furthermore, PTEN-PI3K/AKT signaling was validated to be involved in changes of BM-MSC biological functions regulated by miR-486. These results suggested that MiR-486 mediated the hypoxia-induced angiogenic activity and promoted the proliferation and survival of BM-MSCs through regulating PTEN-PI3K/AKT signaling. These findings might provide a novel understanding of effective therapeutic strategy for hypoxic-ischemic diseases. - Highlights: • miR-486 is a hypoxia-induced miRNA. • miR-486 regulates the secretion of HGF and VEGF, promotes proliferation, and inhibits apoptosis of BM-MSCs. • miR-486 enhances PI3K/AKT activity signaling by targeting PTEN molecule.

  16. [4-t-butylphenyl]-N-(4-imidazol-1-yl phenyl)sulfonamide (ISCK03) inhibits SCF/c-kit signaling in 501mel human melanoma cells and abolishes melanin production in mice and brownish guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Na, Yong Joo; Baek, Heung Su; Ahn, Soo Mi; Shin, Hyun Jung; Chang, Ih-Seop; Hwang, Jae Sung

    2007-09-01

    It is well known that c-kit is related to pigmentation as well as to the oncology target protein. The objective of this study was to discover a skin-whitening agent that regulates c-kit activity. We have developed a high-throughput screening system using recombinant human c-kit protein. Approximately 10,000 synthetic compounds were screened for their effect on c-kit activity. Phenyl-imidazole sulfonamide derivatives showed inhibitory activity on c-kit phosphorylation in vitro. The effects of one derivative, [4-t-butylphenyl]-N-(4-imidazol-1-yl phenyl)sulfonamide (ISCK03), on stem-cell factor (SCF)/c-kit cellular signaling in 501mel human melanoma cells were examined further. Pretreatment of 501mel cells with ISCK03 inhibited SCF-induced c-kit phosphorylation dose dependently. ISCK03 also inhibited p44/42 ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, which is known to be involved in SCF/c-kit downstream signaling. However ISCK03 did not inhibit hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced phosphorylation of p44/42 ERK proteins. To determine the in vivo potency of ISCK03, it was orally administered to depilated C57BL/6 mice. Interestingly, oral administration of ISCK03 induced the dose-dependent depigmentation of newly regrown hair, and this was reversed with cessation of ISCK03 treatment. Finally, to investigate whether the inhibitory effect of ISCK03 on SCF/c-kit signaling abolished UV-induced pigmentation, ISCK03 was applied to UV-induced pigmented spots on brownish guinea pig skin. The topical application of ISCK03 promoted the depigmentation of UV-induced hyperpigmented spots. Fontana-Masson staining analysis showed epidermal melanin was diminished in spots treated with ISCK03. These results indicate that phenyl-imidazole sulfonamide derivatives are potent c-kit inhibitors and might be used as skin-whitening agents.

  17. Menadione inhibits MIBG uptake in two neuroendocrine cell lines

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cornelissen, J.; Tytgat, G. A.; van den Brug, M.; van Kuilenburg, A. B.; Voûte, P. A.; van Gennip, A. H.

    1997-01-01

    In this paper we report on our studies of the effect of menadione on the uptake of MIBG in the neuroendocrine cell lines PC12 and SK-N-SH. Menadione inhibits the uptake of MIBG in both cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of MIBG uptake is most pronounced in the PC12 cell line.

  18. Inhibition of oxidative stress-elicited AKT activation facilitates PPARγ agonist-mediated inhibition of stem cell character and tumor growth of liver cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lanlan Liu

    Full Text Available Emerging evidence suggests that tumor-initiating cells (TICs are the most malignant cell subpopulation in tumors because of their resistance to chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Targeting TICs may be a key innovation for cancer treatment. In this study, we found that PPARγ agonists inhibited the cancer stem cell-like phenotype and attenuated tumor growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS initiated by NOX2 upregulation were partially responsible for the inhibitory effects mediated by PPARγ agonists. However, PPARγ agonist-mediated ROS production significantly activated AKT, which in turn promoted TIC survival by limiting ROS generation. Inhibition of AKT, by either pharmacological inhibitors or AKT siRNA, significantly enhanced PPARγ agonist-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation and stem cell-like properties in HCC cells. Importantly, in nude mice inoculated with HCC Huh7 cells, we demonstrated a synergistic inhibitory effect of the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone and the AKT inhibitor triciribine on tumor growth. In conclusion, we observed a negative feedback loop between oxidative stress and AKT hyperactivation in PPARγ agonist-mediated suppressive effects on HCCs. Combinatory application of an AKT inhibitor and a PPARγ agonist may provide a new strategy for inhibition of stem cell-like properties in HCCs and treatment of liver cancer.

  19. Caffeine inhibits cell proliferation by G0/G1 phase arrest in JB6 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Takashi; He, Zhiwei; Ma, Wei-Ya; Schmid, Patricia C; Bode, Ann M; Yang, Chung S; Dong, Zigang

    2004-05-01

    Caffeine is a major biologically active constituent in coffee and tea. Because caffeine has been reported to inhibit carcinogenesis in UVB-exposed mice, the cancer-preventing effect of caffeine has attracted considerable attention. In the present study, the effect of caffeine in quiescent (G0 phase) cells was investigated. Pretreatment with caffeine suppressed cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner 36 h after addition of fetal bovine serum as a cell growth stimulator. Analysis by flow cytometry showed that caffeine suppressed cell cycle progression at the G0/G1 phase, i.e., 18 h after addition of fetal bovine serum, the percentages of cells in G0/G1 phase in 1 mM caffeine-treated cells and in caffeine-untreated cells were 61.7 and 29.0, respectively. The percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase at 0 h was 75.5. Caffeine inhibited phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein at Ser780 and Ser807/Ser811, the sites where retinoblastoma protein has been reported to be phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4). Furthermore, caffeine inhibited the activation of the cyclin D1-cdk4 complex in a dose-dependent manner. However this compound did not directly inhibit the activity of this complex. In addition, caffeine did not affect p16INK4 or p27Kip1 protein levels, but inhibited the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta. Our results showed that caffeine suppressed the progression of quiescent cells into the cell cycle. The inhibitory mechanism may be due to the inhibition of cell growth signal-induced activation of cdk4, which may be involved in the inhibition of carcinogenesis in vivo.

  20. Inhibition of GRP78 abrogates radioresistance in oropharyngeal carcinoma cells after EGFR inhibition by cetuximab.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaonan Sun

    Full Text Available The EGFR-specific mAb cetuximab is one of the most effective treatments for oropharyngeal carcinoma, while patient responses to EGFR inhibitors given alone are modest. Combination treatment with radiation can improve the efficacy of treatment through increasing radiosensitivity, while resistance to radiation after administration of cetuximab limits its efficiency. Radiation and drugs can damage the endoplasmic reticulum (ER homeostatic state and result in ER stress (ERS, subsequently causing resistance to radiation and drugs. Whether the ERS pathway is involved in radioresistance after administration of cetuximab has not been reported. Herein, we show that cetuximab could increase the radiosensitivity of FaDu cells but not Detroit562 cells. In addition, cetuximab inhibited the radiation-induced activation of the ERS signalling pathway IRE1α/ATF6-GRP78 in FaDu cells, while this effect was absent in Detroit562 cells. Silencing GRP78 increased the radiosensitivity of oropharyngeal carcinoma cells and inhibited radiation-induced DNA double-strand-break (DSB repair and autophagy. More interestingly, silencing GRP78 abrogated resistance to cetuximab and radiation in Detroit562 cells and had a synergistic effect with cetuximab in increasing the radiosensitivity of FaDu cells. Immunohistochemistry showed that overexpression of both GRP78 and EGFR was associated with a poor prognosis in oropharyngeal carcinoma patients (P<0.05. Overall, the results of this study show that radioresistance after EGFR inhibition by cetuximab is mediated by the ERS signalling pathway IRE1α/ATF6-GRP78. This suppression was consequently unable to inhibit radiation-induced DSB repair and autophagy in oropharyngeal carcinoma cells, which conferred resistance to radiotherapy and cetuximab. These results suggest that the cooperative effects of radiotherapy and cetuximab could be further improved by inhibiting GRP78 in non-responsive oropharyngeal carcinoma patients.

  1. Sulforaphane inhibits osteoclast differentiation by suppressing the cell-cell fusion molecules DC-STAMP and OC-STAMP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takagi, Tomohiro; Inoue, Hirofumi; Takahashi, Nobuyuki; Katsumata-Tsuboi, Rie; Uehara, Mariko

    2017-01-01

    Sulforaphane (SFN), a kind of isothiocyanate, is derived from broccoli sprouts. It has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidation activity. The molecular function of SFN in the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation is not well-documented. In this study, we assessed the effect of SFN on osteoclast differentiation in vitro. SFN inhibited osteoclast differentiation in both bone marrow cells and RAW264.7 cells. Key molecules involved in the inhibitory effects of SFN on osteoclast differentiation were determined using a microarray analysis, which showed that SFN inhibits osteoclast-associated genes, such as osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR), nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic-1, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, and cathepsin K. Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of the cell-cell fusion molecules dendritic cell specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP) and osteoclast stimulatory transmembrane protein (OC-STAMP) were strongly suppressed in cells treated with SFN. Furthermore, SFN increased the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), a regulator of macrophage and osteoclast cell fusion. Thus, our data suggested that SFN significantly inhibits the cell-cell fusion molecules DC-STAMP and OC-STAMP by inducing the phosphorylation of STAT1 (Tyr701), which might be regulated by interactions with OSCAR. - Highlights: • Sulforaphane inhibited osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast cell-fusion. • Sulforaphane suppressed not only NFATc1, but also cell-cell fusion molecules, DC-STAMP and OC-STAMP. • Sulforaphane decreased multinucleated osteoclasts, whereas increased mono-nucleated osteoclasts. • Sulforaphane inhibits the cell-cell fusion by inducing the phosphorylation of STAT1 (Tyr701).

  2. IL-15 inhibits pre-B cell proliferation by selectively expanding Mac-1+B220+ NK cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakajima, Shinsuke; Hida, Shigeaki; Taki, Shinsuke

    2008-01-01

    Natural killer (NK) cells are the cells critical for inhibition of repopulation of allogenic bone marrow cells. However, it is not well known if NK cells affect autologous lymphopoiesis. Here, we observed that NK cells could inhibit pre-B cell proliferation in vitro driven by interleukin (IL)-7 in a manner dependent on IL-15. Interestingly, the great majority of expanding NK cells were Mac-1 + B220 + , a recently identified potent interferon (IFN)-γ producer. Indeed, IFN-γ was produced in those cultures, and pre-B cells lacking IFN-γ receptors, but not those lacking type I IFN receptors, were resistant to such an inhibition. Furthermore, even NK cells from mice lacking β2-microglobulin, which were known to be functionally dampened, inhibited pre-B cell proliferation as well. Thus, activated NK cells, which were expanded selectively by IL-15, could potentially regulate B lymphopoiesis through IFN-γ beyond the selection imposed upon self-recognition

  3. Atorvastatin inhibits insulin synthesis by inhibiting the Ras/Raf/ERK/CREB pathway in INS-1 cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Hongxi; Li, Yu; Sun, Bei; Hou, Ningning; Yang, Juhong; Zheng, Miaoyan; Xu, Jie; Wang, Jingyu; Zhang, Yi; Zeng, Xianwei; Shan, Chunyan; Chang, Bai; Chen, Liming; Chang, Baocheng

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Backround: Type 2 diabetes has become a global epidemic disease. Atorvastatin has become a cornerstone in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. However, increasing evidence showed that statins can dose-dependently increase the risk of diabetes mellitus. The mechanism is not clear. Objective: The Ras complex pathway (Ras/Raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase [ERK]/cAMP response element-binding protein [CREB]) is the major pathway that regulates the gene transcription. Except for the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis by inhibiting the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-COA) reductase, statins can also downregulate the phosphorylation of a series of downstream substrates including the key proteins of the Ras complex pathway, therefore may inhibit the insulin syntheses in pancreatic beta cells. In our study, we investigated the inhibitory effect and the underlying mechanism of atorvastatin on insulin synthesis in rat islets. Methods: Islets were isolated from Wistar rats and cultured in Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI)-1640 medium. The insulin content in the medium was measured by radioimmunoassay before and after the treatment of 50 μM atorvastatin. Effect of atorvastatin on the expression of insulin message Ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in pancreatic islet beta cells was also detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting was used to explore the possible role of the Ras complex pathway (Ras/Raf/ERK/CREB) in atorvastatin-inhibited insulin synthesis. The effects of atorvastatin on the binding of nuclear transcription factor p-CREB with CRE in INS-1 cells were examined via chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Results: Compared with the control group, the insulin level decreased by 27.1% at 24 hours after atorvastatin treatment. Atorvastatin inhibited insulin synthesis by decreasing insulin mRNA expression of pancreatic islet beta cells. The activities of Ras, Raf-1, and p-CREB in the Ras complex

  4. Phenotypic differences between oral and skin fibroblasts in wound contraction and growth factor expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shannon, Diane B; McKeown, Scott T W; Lundy, Fionnuala T; Irwin, Chris R

    2006-01-01

    Wounds of the oral mucosa heal in an accelerated fashion with reduced scarring compared with cutaneous wounds. The differences in healing outcome between oral mucosa and skin could be because of phenotypic differences between the respective fibroblast populations. This study compared paired mucosal and dermal fibroblasts in terms of collagen gel contraction, alpha-smooth muscle actin expression (alpha-SMA), and production of the epithelial growth factors: keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF). The effects of transforming growth factor -beta1 and -beta3 on each parameter were also determined. Gel contraction in floating collagen lattices was determined over a 7-day period. alpha-SMA expression by fibroblasts was determined by Western blotting. KGF and HGF expression were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Oral fibroblasts induced accelerated collagen gel contraction, yet surprisingly expressed lower levels of alpha-SMA. Oral cells also produced significantly greater levels of both KGF and HGF than their dermal counterparts. Transforming growth factor-beta1 and -beta3, over the concentration range of 0.1-10 ng/mL, had similar effects on cell function, stimulating both gel contraction and alpha-SMA production, but inhibiting KGF and HGF production by both cell types. These data indicate phenotypic differences between oral and dermal fibroblasts that may well contribute to the differences in healing outcome between these two tissues.

  5. D-Glucosamine inhibits proliferation of human cancer cells through inhibition of p70S6K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Hyun-Ji; Lee, Jason S.; Song, Dae-Kyu; Shin, Dong-Hoon; Jang, Byeong-Churl; Suh, Seong-Il; Park, Jong-Wook; Suh, Min-Ho; Baek, Won-Ki

    2007-01-01

    Although D-glucosamine has been reported as an inhibitor of tumor growth both in vivo and in vitro, the mechanism for the anticancer effect of D-glucosamine is still unclear. Since there are several reports suggesting D-glucosamine inhibits protein synthesis, we examined whether D-glucosamine affects p70S6 K activity, an important signaling molecule involved in protein translation. In the present study, we found D-glucosamine inhibited the activity of p70S6K and the proliferation of DU145 prostate cancer cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. D-Glucosamine decreased phosphorylation of p70S6K, and its downstream substrates RPS6, and eIF-4B, but not mTOR and 4EBP1 in DU145 cells, suggesting that D-glucosamine induced inhibition of p70S6K is not through the inhibition of mTOR. In addition, D-glucosamine enhanced the growth inhibitory effects of rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR. These findings suggest that D-glucosamine can inhibit growth of cancer cells through dephosphorylation of p70S6K

  6. CD83 Antibody Inhibits Human B Cell Responses to Antigen as well as Dendritic Cell-Mediated CD4 T Cell Responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kuan Y; Baron, Rebecca; Seldon, Therese A; Jones, Martina L; Rice, Alison M; Munster, David J

    2018-05-15

    Anti-CD83 Ab capable of Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity can deplete activated CD83 + human dendritic cells, thereby inhibiting CD4 T cell-mediated acute graft-versus-host disease. As CD83 is also expressed on the surface of activated B lymphocytes, we hypothesized that anti-CD83 would also inhibit B cell responses to stimulation. We found that anti-CD83 inhibited total IgM and IgG production in vitro by allostimulated human PBMC. Also, Ag-specific Ab responses to immunization of SCID mice xenografted with human PBMC were inhibited by anti-CD83 treatment. This inhibition occurred without depletion of all human B cells because anti-CD83 lysed activated CD83 + B cells by Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and spared resting (CD83 - ) B cells. In cultured human PBMC, anti-CD83 inhibited tetanus toxoid-stimulated B cell proliferation and concomitant dendritic cell-mediated CD4 T cell proliferation and expression of IFN-γ and IL-17A, with minimal losses of B cells (80% of B cells but had no effect on CD4 T cell proliferation and cytokine expression. By virtue of the ability of anti-CD83 to selectively deplete activated, but not resting, B cells and dendritic cells, with the latter reducing CD4 T cell responses, anti-CD83 may be clinically useful in autoimmunity and transplantation. Advantages might include inhibited expansion of autoantigen- or alloantigen-specific B cells and CD4 T cells, thus preventing further production of pathogenic Abs and inflammatory cytokines while preserving protective memory and regulatory cells. Copyright © 2018 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  7. Lutein Inhibits the Migration of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells via Cytosolic and Mitochondrial Akt Pathways (Lutein Inhibits RPE Cells Migration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Chieh Su

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available During the course of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE cells will de-differentiate, proliferate, and migrate onto the surfaces of the sensory retina. Several studies have shown that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF can induce migration of RPE cells via an Akt-related pathway. In this study, the effect of lutein on PDGF-BB-induced RPE cells migration was examined using transwell migration assays and Western blot analyses. We found that both phosphorylation of Akt and mitochondrial translocation of Akt in RPE cells induced by PDGF-BB stimulation were suppressed by lutein. Furthermore, the increased migration observed in RPE cells with overexpressed mitochondrial Akt could also be suppressed by lutein. Our results demonstrate that lutein can inhibit PDGF-BB induced RPE cells migration through the inhibition of both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Akt activation.

  8. A novel small molecular STAT3 inhibitor, LY5, inhibits cell viability, cell migration, and angiogenesis in medulloblastoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Hui; Bid, Hemant Kumar; Jou, David; Wu, Xiaojuan; Yu, Wenying; Li, Chenglong; Houghton, Peter J; Lin, Jiayuh

    2015-02-06

    Signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling is persistently activated and could contribute to tumorigenesis of medulloblastoma. Numerous studies have demonstrated that inhibition of the persistent STAT3 signaling pathway results in decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis in human cancer cells, indicating that STAT3 is a viable molecular target for cancer therapy. In this study, we investigated a novel non-peptide, cell-permeable small molecule, named LY5, to target STAT3 in medulloblastoma cells. LY5 inhibited persistent STAT3 phosphorylation and induced apoptosis in human medulloblastoma cell lines expressing constitutive STAT3 phosphorylation. The inhibition of STAT3 signaling by LY5 was confirmed by down-regulating the expression of the downstream targets of STAT3, including cyclin D1, bcl-XL, survivin, and micro-RNA-21. LY5 also inhibited the induction of STAT3 phosphorylation by interleukin-6 (IL-6), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-2, and leukemia inhibitory factor in medulloblastoma cells, but did not inhibit STAT1 and STAT5 phosphorylation stimulated by interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and EGF, respectively. In addition, LY5 blocked the STAT3 nuclear localization induced by IL-6, but did not block STAT1 and STAT5 nuclear translocation mediated by IFN-γ and EGF, respectively. A combination of LY5 with cisplatin or x-ray radiation also showed more potent effects than single treatment alone in the inhibition of cell viability in human medulloblastoma cells. Furthermore, LY5 demonstrated a potent inhibitory activity on cell migration and angiogenesis. Taken together, these findings indicate LY5 inhibits persistent and inducible STAT3 phosphorylation and suggest that LY5 is a promising therapeutic drug candidate for medulloblastoma by inhibiting persistent STAT3 signaling. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  9. MET Signaling Mediates Intestinal Crypt-Villus Development, Regeneration, and Adenoma Formation and Is Promoted by Stem Cell CD44 Isoforms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joosten, Sander P J; Zeilstra, Jurrit; van Andel, Harmen; Mijnals, R Clinton; Zaunbrecher, Joost; Duivenvoorden, Annet A M; van de Wetering, Marc; Clevers, Hans; Spaargaren, Marcel; Pals, Steven T

    2017-10-01

    Resistance of metastatic human colorectal cancer cells to drugs that block epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor signaling could be caused by aberrant activity of other receptor tyrosine kinases, activating overlapping signaling pathways. One of these receptor tyrosine kinases could be MET, the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). We investigated how MET signaling, and its interaction with CD44 (a putative MET coreceptor regulated by Wnt signaling and highly expressed by intestinal stem cells [ISCs] and adenomas) affects intestinal homeostasis, regeneration, and adenoma formation in mini-gut organoids and mice. We established organoid cultures from ISCs stimulated with HGF or EGF and assessed intestinal differentiation by immunohistochemistry. Mice with total epithelial disruption of MET (Ah Cre /Met fl/fl /LacZ) or ISC-specific disruption of MET (Lgr5 Creert2 /Met fl/fl /LacZ) and control mice (Ah Cre /Met +/+ /LacZ, Lgr5 Creert2 /Met +/+ /LacZ) were exposed to 10 Gy total body irradiation; intestinal tissues were collected, and homeostasis and regeneration were assessed by immunohistochemistry. We investigated adenoma organoid expansion stimulated by HGF or EGF using adenomas derived from Lgr5 Creert2 /Met fl/fl /Apc fl/fl and Lgr5 Creert2 /Met +/+ /Apc fl/fl mice. The same mice were evaluated for adenoma prevalence and size. We also quantified adenomas in Ah Cre /Met fl/fl /Apc fl/+ mice compared with Ah Cre /Met +/+ /Apc fl/+ control mice. We studied expansion of organoids generated from crypts and adenomas, stimulated by HGF or EGF, that were derived from mice expressing different CD44 splice variants (Cd44 +/+ , Cd44 -/- , Cd44 s/s , or Cd44 v4-10/v4-10 mice). Crypts incubated with EGF or HGF expanded into self-organizing mini-guts with similar levels of efficacy and contained all differentiated cell lineages. MET-deficient mice did not have defects in intestinal homeostasis. Total body irradiation reduced numbers of proliferating crypts in Ah Cre

  10. Fluoxetine regulates cell growth inhibition of interferon-α.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yu-Min; Yu, Bu-Chin; Chiu, Wen-Tai; Sun, Hung-Yu; Chien, Yu-Chieh; Su, Hui-Chen; Yen, Shu-Yang; Lai, Hsin-Wen; Bai, Chyi-Huey; Young, Kung-Chia; Tsao, Chiung-Wen

    2016-10-01

    Fluoxetine, a well-known anti-depression agent, may act as a chemosensitizer to assist and promote cancer therapy. However, how fluoxetine regulates cellular signaling to enhance cellular responses against tumor cell growth remains unclear. In the present study, addition of fluoxetine promoted growth inhibition of interferon-alpha (IFN-α) in human bladder carcinoma cells but not in normal uroepithelial cells through lessening the IFN-α-induced apoptosis but switching to cause G1 arrest, and maintaining the IFN-α-mediated reduction in G2/M phase. Activations and signal transducer and transactivator (STAT)-1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) were involved in this process. Chemical inhibitions of STAT-1 or PPAR-α partially rescued bladder carcinoma cells from IFN-α-mediated growth inhibition via blockades of G1 arrest, cyclin D1 reduction, p53 downregulation and p27 upregulation in the presence of fluoxetine. However, the functions of both proteins were not involved in the control of fluoxetine over apoptosis and maintained the declined G2/M phase of IFN-α. These results indicated that activation of PPAR-α and STAT-1 participated, at least in part, in growth inhibition of IFN-α in the presence of fluoxetine.

  11. Exosomes serve as nanoparticles to suppress tumor growth and angiogenesis in gastric cancer by delivering hepatocyte growth factor siRNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haiyang; Wang, Yi; Bai, Ming; Wang, Junyi; Zhu, Kegan; Liu, Rui; Ge, Shaohua; Li, JiaLu; Ning, Tao; Deng, Ting; Fan, Qian; Li, Hongli; Sun, Wu; Ying, Guoguang; Ba, Yi

    2018-03-01

    Exosomes derived from cells have been found to mediate signal transduction between cells and to act as efficient carriers to deliver drugs and small RNA. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is known to promote the growth of both cancer cells and vascular cells, and the HGF-cMET pathway is a potential clinical target. Here, we characterized the inhibitory effect of HGF siRNA on tumor growth and angiogenesis in gastric cancer. In addition, we showed that HGF siRNA packed in exosomes can be transported into cancer cells, where it dramatically downregulates HGF expression. A cell co-culture model was used to show that exosomes loaded with HGF siRNA suppress proliferation and migration of both cancer cells and vascular cells. Moreover, exosomes were able to transfer HGF siRNA in vivo, decreasing the growth rates of tumors and blood vessels. The results of our study demonstrate that exosomes have potential for use in targeted cancer therapy by delivering siRNA. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  12. Ginkgo Biloba Extract Kaempferol Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuqing; Chen, Aaron Y.; Li, Min; Chen, Changyi; Yao, Qizhi

    2010-01-01

    Background Kaempferol is one of the most important constituents in ginkgo flavonoids. Recent studies indicate kaempferol may have anti-tumor activities. The objective in this study was to determine the effect and mechanisms of kaempferol on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. Materials and Methods Pancreatic cancer cell lines MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1 were treated with Kampferol, and the inhibitory effects of kaempferol on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation were examined by direct cell counting, 3H-thymidine incorporation and MTS assay. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from cells was determined as an index of cytotoxicity. Apoptosis was analyzed by TUNEL assay. Results Upon the treatment with 70 μM kaempferol for 4 days, MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by 79% and 45.7% as determined by direct cell counting and MTS assay, respectively, compared with control cells (Pkaempferol significantly inhibited Panc-1 cell proliferation. Kaempferol treatment also significantly reduced 3H-thymidine incorporation in both MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1 cells. Combination treatment of low concentrations of kaempferol and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) showed an additive effect on the inhibition of MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation. Furthermore, kaempferol had a significantly less cytotoxicity than 5-FU in normal human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells (P=0.029). In both MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1 cells, apoptotic cell population was increased when treated with kaempferol in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusions Ginkgo biloba extract kaempferol effectively inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and induces cancer cell apoptosis, which may sensitize pancreatic tumor cells to chemotherapy. Kaempferol may have clinical applications as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. PMID:18570926

  13. Magnolol Inhibits the Growth of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer via Inhibiting Microtubule Polymerization

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    Jia Shen

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: The tubulin/microtubule system, which is an integral component of the cytoskeleton, plays an essential role in mitosis. Targeting mitotic progression by disturbing microtubule dynamics is a rational strategy for cancer treatment. Methods: Microtubule polymerization assay was performed to examine the effect of Magnolol (a novel natural phenolic compound isolated from Magnolia obovata on cellular microtubule polymerization in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC cells. Cell cycle analysis, mitotic index assay, cell proliferation assay, colony formation assay, western blotting analysis of cell cycle regulators, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, and live/dead viability staining were carried out to investigate the Magnolol’s inhibitory effect on proliferation and viability of NSCLS cells in vitro. Xenograft model of human A549 NSCLC tumor was used to determine the Magnolol’s efficacy in vivo. Results: Magnolol treatment effectively inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation of NSCLC cells. Further study proved that Magnolol induced the mitotic phase arrest and inhibited G2/M progression in a dose-dependent manner, which were mechanistically associated with expression alteration of a series of cell cycle regulators. Furthermore, Magnolol treatment disrupted the cellular microtubule organization via inhibiting the polymerization of microtubule. We also found treatment with NSCLC cells with Magnolol resulted in apoptosis activation through a p53-independent pathway, and autophgy induction via down-regulation of the Akt/mTOR pathway. Finally, Magnolol treatment significantly suppressed the NSCLC tumor growth in mouse xenograft model in vivo. Conclusion: These findings identify Magnolol as a promising candidate with anti-microtubule polymerization activity for NSCLC treatment.

  14. Nesfatin-1 inhibits ovarian epithelial carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Yang; Pang, Xiaoyan; Dong, Mei; Wen, Fang; Zhang, Yi

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Nesfatin-1 inhibits the proliferation and growth of HO-8910 cells by G1 phase arrest. •Nesfatin-1 enhances HO-8910 cell apoptosis. •Nesfatin-1 inhibits HO-8910 cell proliferation via mTOR and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. •The first report of nesfatin-1-mediated proliferation in ovarian epithelial carcinoma. -- Abstract: Nesfatin-1, an 82-amino-acid peptide derived from a 396-amino-acid precursor protein nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2), was originally identified in hypothalamic nuclei involved in the regulation of food intake. It was recently reported that nesfatin-1 is a novel depot specific adipokine preferentially produced by subcutaneous tissue, with obesity- and food deprivation-regulated expression. Although a relation between ovarian cancer mortality and obesity has been previously established, a role of nesfatin-1 in ovarian epithelial carcinoma remains unknown. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of nesfatin-1 on ovary carcinoma cells proliferation. We found that nesfatin-1 inhibits the proliferation and growth of HO-8910 cells by G1 phase arrest, this inhibition could be abolished by nesfatin-1 neutralizing antibody. Nesfatin-1 enhances HO-8910 cell apoptosis, activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway block the effects of nesfatin-1-induced apoptosis, therefore reverses the inhibition of HO-8910 cell proliferation by nesfatin-1. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that nesfatin-1 can inhibit the proliferation in human ovarian epithelial carcinoma cell line HO-8910 cells through inducing apoptosis via mTOR and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. This study provides a novel regulatory signaling pathway of nesfatin-1-regulated ovarian epithelial carcinoma growth and may contribute to ovarian cancer prevention and therapy, especially in obese patients

  15. Nesfatin-1 inhibits ovarian epithelial carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Yang; Pang, Xiaoyan; Dong, Mei; Wen, Fang, E-mail: wenfang64@hotmail.com; Zhang, Yi, E-mail: syzi960@yahoo.com

    2013-11-01

    Highlights: •Nesfatin-1 inhibits the proliferation and growth of HO-8910 cells by G1 phase arrest. •Nesfatin-1 enhances HO-8910 cell apoptosis. •Nesfatin-1 inhibits HO-8910 cell proliferation via mTOR and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. •The first report of nesfatin-1-mediated proliferation in ovarian epithelial carcinoma. -- Abstract: Nesfatin-1, an 82-amino-acid peptide derived from a 396-amino-acid precursor protein nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2), was originally identified in hypothalamic nuclei involved in the regulation of food intake. It was recently reported that nesfatin-1 is a novel depot specific adipokine preferentially produced by subcutaneous tissue, with obesity- and food deprivation-regulated expression. Although a relation between ovarian cancer mortality and obesity has been previously established, a role of nesfatin-1 in ovarian epithelial carcinoma remains unknown. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of nesfatin-1 on ovary carcinoma cells proliferation. We found that nesfatin-1 inhibits the proliferation and growth of HO-8910 cells by G1 phase arrest, this inhibition could be abolished by nesfatin-1 neutralizing antibody. Nesfatin-1 enhances HO-8910 cell apoptosis, activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway block the effects of nesfatin-1-induced apoptosis, therefore reverses the inhibition of HO-8910 cell proliferation by nesfatin-1. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that nesfatin-1 can inhibit the proliferation in human ovarian epithelial carcinoma cell line HO-8910 cells through inducing apoptosis via mTOR and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. This study provides a novel regulatory signaling pathway of nesfatin-1-regulated ovarian epithelial carcinoma growth and may contribute to ovarian cancer prevention and therapy, especially in obese patients.

  16. Prolyl oligopeptidase inhibition-induced growth arrest of human gastric cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, Kanayo [Laboratory of Cell Biology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094 (Japan); Sakaguchi, Minoru, E-mail: sakaguti@gly.oups.ac.jp [Laboratory of Cell Biology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094 (Japan); Tanaka, Satoshi [Laboratory of Cell Biology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094 (Japan); Yoshimoto, Tadashi [Department of Life Science, Setsunan University, 17-8 Ikeda-Nakamachi, Neyagawa, Osaka 572-8508 (Japan); Takaoka, Masanori [Laboratory of Cell Biology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094 (Japan)

    2014-01-03

    Highlights: •We examined the effects of prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) inhibition on p53 null gastric cancer cell growth. •POP inhibition-induced cell growth suppression was associated with an increase in a quiescent G{sub 0} state. •POP might regulate the exit from and/or reentry into the cell cycle. -- Abstract: Prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) is a serine endopeptidase that hydrolyzes post-proline peptide bonds in peptides that are <30 amino acids in length. We recently reported that POP inhibition suppressed the growth of human neuroblastoma cells. The growth suppression was associated with pronounced G{sub 0}/G{sub 1} cell cycle arrest and increased levels of the CDK inhibitor p27{sup kip1} and the tumor suppressor p53. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of POP inhibition-induced cell growth arrest using a human gastric cancer cell line, KATO III cells, which had a p53 gene deletion. POP specific inhibitors, 3-((4-[2-(E)-styrylphenoxy]butanoyl)-L-4-hydroxyprolyl)-thiazolidine (SUAM-14746) and benzyloxycarbonyl-thioprolyl-thioprolinal, or RNAi-mediated POP knockdown inhibited the growth of KATO III cells irrespective of their p53 status. SUAM-14746-induced growth inhibition was associated with G{sub 0}/G{sub 1} cell cycle phase arrest and increased levels of p27{sup kip1} in the nuclei and the pRb2/p130 protein expression. Moreover, SUAM-14746-mediated cell cycle arrest of KATO III cells was associated with an increase in the quiescent G{sub 0} state, defined by low level staining for the proliferation marker, Ki-67. These results indicate that POP may be a positive regulator of cell cycle progression by regulating the exit from and/or reentry into the cell cycle by KATO III cells.

  17. Thymoquinone suppresses metastasis of melanoma cells by inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmad, Israr; Muneer, Kashiff M.; Tamimi, Iman A.; Chang, Michelle E.; Ata, Muhammad O. [Department of Dermatology and Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL (United States); Yusuf, Nabiha, E-mail: nabiha@uab.edu [Department of Dermatology and Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL (United States); Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL (United States); Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL (United States)

    2013-07-01

    The inflammasome is a multi-protein complex which when activated regulates caspase-1 activation and IL-1β and IL-18 secretion. The NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) inflammasome is constitutively assembled and activated in human melanoma cells. We have examined the inhibitory effect of thymoquinone (2-isopropyl-5-methylbenzo-1,4-quinone), a major ingredient of black seed obtained from the plant Nigella sativa on metastatic human (A375) and mouse (B16F10) melanoma cell lines. We have assessed whether thymoquinone inhibits metastasis of melanoma cells by targeting NLRP3 subunit of inflammasomes. Using an in vitro cell migration assay, we found that thymoquinone inhibited the migration of both human and mouse melanoma cells. The inhibitory effect of thymoquinone on metastasis was also observed in vivo in B16F10 mouse melanoma model. The inhibition of migration of melanoma cells by thymoquinone was accompanied by a decrease in expression of NLRP3 inflammasome resulting in decrease in proteolytic cleavage of caspase-1. Inactivation of caspase-1 by thymoquinone resulted in inhibition of IL-1β and IL-18. Treatment of mouse melanoma cells with thymoquinone also inhibited NF-κB activity. Furthermore, inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by thymoquinone resulted in partial inactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Thus, thymoquinone exerts its inhibitory effect on migration of human and mouse melanoma cells by inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome. Thus, our results indicate that thymoquinone can be a potential immunotherapeutic agent not only as an adjuvant therapy for melanoma, but also, in the control and prevention of metastatic melanoma. - Highlights: • Thymoquinone causes inhibition of migration of melanoma cells. • Thymoquinone causes inhibition of metastasis in vivo. • Thymoquinone causes inhibition of migration by activation of NLRP3 inflammasome.

  18. Expression levels of novel cytokine IL-32 in periodontitis and its role in the suppression of IL-8 production by human gingival fibroblasts stimulated with Porphyromonas gingivalis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuhisa Ouhara

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Background:IL-32 was recently found to be elevated in the tissue of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by polymicrobial infections that result in soft tissue destruction and alveolar bone loss. Although IL-32 is also thought to be associated with periodontal disease, its expression and possible role in periodontal tissue remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the expression patterns of IL-32 in healthy and periodontally diseased gingival tissue. The expression of IL-32 in cultured human gingival fibroblasts (HGF as well as effects of autocrine IL-32 on IL-8 production from HGF were also examined.Methods:Periodontal tissue was collected from both healthy volunteers and periodontitis patients, and immunofluorescent staining was performed in order to determine the production of IL-32. Using real-time PCR and ELISA, mRNA expression and protein production of IL-32 in HGF, stimulated by Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg, were also investigated.Results:Contrary to our expectation, the production of IL-32 in the periodontitis patients was significantly lower than in the healthy volunteers. According to immunofluorescent microscopy, positive staining for IL-32 was detected in prickle and basal cell layers in the epithelium as well as fibroblastic cells in connective tissue. Addition of fixed Pg in vitro was found to suppress the otherwise constitutive expression of IL-32 mRNA and protein in HGF. However, recombinant IL-32 in vitro inhibited the expression of IL-8 mRNA by HGF stimulated with Pg. Interestingly, anti-IL-32 neutralizing antibody upregulated the IL-8 mRNA expression in non-stimulated HGF, indicating that constitutive expression of IL-32 in HGF suppressed IL-8 mRNA expression in the absence of bacterial stimulation.Conclusion:These results indicate that IL-32 is constitutively produced by HGF which can be suppressed by Pg and may play a role in the downregulation

  19. Sites of inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport in macrophage-injured neoplastic cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granger, D L; Lehninger, A L

    1982-11-01

    Previous work has shown that injury of neoplastic cells by cytotoxic macrophages (CM) in cell culture is accompanied by inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. We have investigated the nature of this inhibition by studying mitochondrial respiration in CM-injured leukemia L1210 cells permeabilized with digitonin. CM-induced injury affects the mitochondrial respiratory chain proper. Complex I (NADH-coenzyme Q reductase) and complex II (succinate-coenzyme Q reductase) are markedly inhibited. In addition a minor inhibition of cytochrome oxidase was found. Electron transport from alpha-glycerophosphate through the respiratory chain to oxygen is unaffected and permeabilized CM-injured L1210 cells oxidizing this substrate exhibit acceptor control. However, glycerophosphate shuttle activity was found not to occur within CM-injured or uninjured L1210 cells in culture hence, alpha-glycerophosphate is apparently unavailable for mitochondrial oxidation in the intact cell. It is concluded that the failure of respiration of intact neoplastic cells injured by CM is caused by the nearly complete inhibition of complexes I and II of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The time courses of CM-induced electron transport inhibition and arrest of L1210 cell division are examined and the possible relationship between these phenomena is discussed.

  20. Barium inhibits arsenic-mediated apoptotic cell death in human squamous cell carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yajima, Ichiro; Uemura, Noriyuki; Nizam, Saika; Khalequzzaman, Md; Thang, Nguyen D; Kumasaka, Mayuko Y; Akhand, Anwarul A; Shekhar, Hossain U; Nakajima, Tamie; Kato, Masashi

    2012-06-01

    Our fieldwork showed more than 1 μM (145.1 μg/L) barium in about 3 μM (210.7 μg/L) arsenic-polluted drinking well water (n = 72) in cancer-prone areas in Bangladesh, while the mean concentrations of nine other elements in the water were less than 3 μg/L. The types of cancer include squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). We hypothesized that barium modulates arsenic-mediated biological effects, and we examined the effect of barium (1 μM) on arsenic (3 μM)-mediated apoptotic cell death of human HSC-5 and A431 SCC cells in vitro. Arsenic promoted SCC apoptosis with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and JNK1/2 and caspase-3 activation (apoptotic pathway). In contrast, arsenic also inhibited SCC apoptosis with increased NF-κB activity and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) expression level and decreased JNK activity (antiapoptotic pathway). These results suggest that arsenic bidirectionally promotes apoptotic and antiapoptotic pathways in SCC cells. Interestingly, barium in the presence of arsenic increased NF-κB activity and XIAP expression and decreased JNK activity without affecting ROS production, resulting in the inhibition of the arsenic-mediated apoptotic pathway. Since the anticancer effect of arsenic is mainly dependent on cancer apoptosis, barium-mediated inhibition of arsenic-induced apoptosis may promote progression of SCC in patients in Bangladesh who keep drinking barium and arsenic-polluted water after the development of cancer. Thus, we newly showed that barium in the presence of arsenic might inhibit arsenic-mediated cancer apoptosis with the modulation of the balance between arsenic-mediated promotive and suppressive apoptotic pathways.

  1. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Regulate Tumor-Initiating Cell Plasticity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma through c-Met/FRA1/HEY1 Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunice Yuen Ting Lau

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Like normal stem cells, tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs are regulated extrinsically within the tumor microenvironment. Because HCC develops primarily in the context of cirrhosis, in which there is an enrichment of activated fibroblasts, we hypothesized that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs would regulate liver T-ICs. We found that the presence of α-SMA(+ CAFs correlates with poor clinical outcome. CAF-derived HGF regulates liver T-ICs via activation of FRA1 in an Erk1,2-dependent manner. Further functional analysis identifies HEY1 as a direct downstream effector of FRA1. Using the STAM NASH-HCC mouse model, we find that HGF-induced FRA1 activation is associated with the fibrosis-dependent development of HCC. Thus, targeting the CAF-derived, HGF-mediated c-Met/FRA1/HEY1 cascade may be a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC.

  2. Glucocorticoids inhibit the proliferation of IL-2-dependent T cell clones

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fresno, M.; Redondo, J.M.; Lopez-Rivas, A.

    1986-01-01

    It has been shown that glucocorticoids inhibit mitogen or antigen-induced lymphocyte proliferation by decreasing the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2). They have studied the effect of dexamethasone (Dx) on the proliferation of IL-2-dependent T cell clones. They have found that preincubation of these clones with Dx inhibits ( 3 H) thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (ID 50 % 5 x 10 -10 M). The inhibition of DNA synthesis by Dx was dependent on the concentration of IL-2. High concentration of IL-2 reversed completely this inhibition. The action of Dx seems to be mediated through the induction of a protein since the simultaneous presence of cycloheximide and Dx prevented the inhibitory effect of the latter. Moreover, dialyzed conditioned medium of Dx treated cells inhibited DNA synthesis by T cell clones. The biochemical characterization of this protein is in progress

  3. Pumpkin seed extract: Cell growth inhibition of hyperplastic and cancer cells, independent of steroid hormone receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medjakovic, Svjetlana; Hobiger, Stefanie; Ardjomand-Woelkart, Karin; Bucar, Franz; Jungbauer, Alois

    2016-04-01

    Pumpkin seeds have been known in folk medicine as remedy for kidney, bladder and prostate disorders since centuries. Nevertheless, pumpkin research provides insufficient data to back up traditional beliefs of ethnomedical practice. The bioactivity of a hydro-ethanolic extract of pumpkin seeds from the Styrian pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo L. subsp. pepo var. styriaca, was investigated. As pumpkin seed extracts are standardized to cucurbitin, this compound was also tested. Transactivational activity was evaluated for human androgen receptor, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor with in vitro yeast assays. Cell viability tests with prostate cancer cells, breast cancer cells, colorectal adenocarcinoma cells and a hyperplastic cell line from benign prostate hyperplasia tissue were performed. As model for non-hyperplastic cells, effects on cell viability were tested with a human dermal fibroblast cell line (HDF-5). No transactivational activity was found for human androgen receptor, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, for both, extract and cucurbitin. A cell growth inhibition of ~40-50% was observed for all cell lines, with the exception of HDF-5, which showed with ~20% much lower cell growth inhibition. Given the receptor status of some cell lines, a steroid-hormone receptor independent growth inhibiting effect can be assumed. The cell growth inhibition for fast growing cells together with the cell growth inhibition of prostate-, breast- and colon cancer cells corroborates the ethnomedical use of pumpkin seeds for a treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia. Moreover, due to the lack of androgenic activity, pumpkin seed applications can be regarded as safe for the prostate. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Metformin inhibits cell cycle progression of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruno, Silvia; Ledda, Bernardetta; Tenca, Claudya; Ravera, Silvia; Orengo, Anna Maria; Mazzarello, Andrea Nicola; Pesenti, Elisa; Casciaro, Salvatore; Racchi, Omar; Ghiotto, Fabio; Marini, Cecilia; Sambuceti, Gianmario; DeCensi, Andrea; Fais, Franco

    2015-09-08

    B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was believed to result from clonal accumulation of resting apoptosis-resistant malignant B lymphocytes. However, it became increasingly clear that CLL cells undergo, during their life, iterative cycles of re-activation and subsequent clonal expansion. Drugs interfering with CLL cell cycle entry would be greatly beneficial in the treatment of this disease. 1, 1-Dimethylbiguanide hydrochloride (metformin), the most widely prescribed oral hypoglycemic agent, inexpensive and well tolerated, has recently received increased attention for its potential antitumor activity. We wondered whether metformin has apoptotic and anti-proliferative activity on leukemic cells derived from CLL patients. Metformin was administered in vitro either to quiescent cells or during CLL cell activation stimuli, provided by classical co-culturing with CD40L-expressing fibroblasts. At doses that were totally ineffective on normal lymphocytes, metformin induced apoptosis of quiescent CLL cells and inhibition of cell cycle entry when CLL were stimulated by CD40-CD40L ligation. This cytostatic effect was accompanied by decreased expression of survival- and proliferation-associated proteins, inhibition of signaling pathways involved in CLL disease progression and decreased intracellular glucose available for glycolysis. In drug combination experiments, metformin lowered the apoptotic threshold and potentiated the cytotoxic effects of classical and novel antitumor molecules. Our results indicate that, while CLL cells after stimulation are in the process of building their full survival and cycling armamentarium, the presence of metformin affects this process.

  5. Inhibition of brain tumor cell proliferation by alternating electric fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Hyesun; Oh, Seung-ick; Hong, Sunghoi; Sung, Jiwon; Jeong, Seonghoon; Yoon, Myonggeun; Koh, Eui Kwan

    2014-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate the mechanism by which electric fields affect cell function, and to determine the optimal conditions for electric field inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. Low-intensity (<2 V/cm) and intermediate-frequency (100–300 kHz) alternating electric fields were applied to glioblastoma cell lines. These electric fields inhibited cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest and abnormal mitosis due to the malformation of microtubules. These effects were significantly dependent on the intensity and frequency of applied electric fields

  6. Inhibition of brain tumor cell proliferation by alternating electric fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Hyesun; Oh, Seung-ick; Hong, Sunghoi, E-mail: shong21@korea.ac.kr, E-mail: radioyoon@korea.ac.kr [School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, Korea University, Seoul 136-703 (Korea, Republic of); Sung, Jiwon; Jeong, Seonghoon; Yoon, Myonggeun, E-mail: shong21@korea.ac.kr, E-mail: radioyoon@korea.ac.kr [Department of Bio-convergence Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-703 (Korea, Republic of); Koh, Eui Kwan [Seoul Center, Korea Basic Science Institute, Seoul 136-713 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-11-17

    This study was designed to investigate the mechanism by which electric fields affect cell function, and to determine the optimal conditions for electric field inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. Low-intensity (<2 V/cm) and intermediate-frequency (100–300 kHz) alternating electric fields were applied to glioblastoma cell lines. These electric fields inhibited cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest and abnormal mitosis due to the malformation of microtubules. These effects were significantly dependent on the intensity and frequency of applied electric fields.

  7. Chronic inhibition of tumor cell-derived VEGF enhances the malignant phenotype of colorectal cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamagishi, Naoko; Teshima-Kondo, Shigetada; Masuda, Kiyoshi; Nishida, Kensei; Kuwano, Yuki; Dang, Duyen T; Dang, Long H; Nikawa, Takeshi; Rokutan, Kazuhito

    2013-01-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor-a (VEGF)-targeted therapies have become an important treatment for a number of human malignancies. The VEGF inhibitors are actually effective in several types of cancers, however, the benefits are transiently, and the vast majority of patients who initially respond to the therapies will develop resistance. One of possible mechanisms for the acquired resistance may be the direct effect(s) of VEGF inhibitors on tumor cells expressing VEGF receptors (VEGFR). Thus, we investigated here the direct effect of chronic VEGF inhibition on phenotype changes in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. To chronically inhibit cancer cell-derived VEGF, human CRC cell lines (HCT116 and RKO) were chronically exposed (2 months) to an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody (mAb) or were disrupted the Vegf gene (VEGF-KO). Effects of VEGF family members were blocked by treatment with a VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI). Hypoxia-induced apoptosis under VEGF inhibited conditions was measured by TUNEL assay. Spheroid formation ability was assessed using a 3-D spheroid cell culture system. Chronic inhibition of secreted/extracellular VEGF by an anti-VEGF mAb redundantly increased VEGF family member (PlGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2), induced a resistance to hypoxia-induced apoptosis, and increased spheroid formation ability. This apoptotic resistance was partially abrogated by a VEGFR-TKI, which blocked the compensate pathway consisted of VEGF family members, or by knockdown of Vegf mRNA, which inhibited intracellular function(s) of all Vegf gene products. Interestingly, chronic and complete depletion of all Vegf gene products by Vegf gene knockout further augmented these phenotypes in the compensate pathway-independent manner. These accelerated phenotypes were significantly suppressed by knockdown of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α that was up-regulated in the VEGF-KO cell lines. Our findings suggest that chronic inhibition of tumor cell-derived VEGF

  8. CXCL10 can inhibit endothelial cell proliferation independently of CXCR3.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriele S V Campanella

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available CXCL10 (or Interferon-inducible protein of 10 kDa, IP-10 is an interferon-inducible chemokine with potent chemotactic activity on activated effector T cells and other leukocytes expressing its high affinity G protein-coupled receptor CXCR3. CXCL10 is also active on other cell types, including endothelial cells and fibroblasts. The mechanisms through which CXCL10 mediates its effects on non-leukocytes is not fully understood. In this study, we focus on the anti-proliferative effect of CXCL10 on endothelial cells, and demonstrate that CXCL10 can inhibit endothelial cell proliferation in vitro independently of CXCR3. Four main findings support this conclusion. First, primary mouse endothelial cells isolated from CXCR3-deficient mice were inhibited by CXCL10 as efficiently as wildtype endothelial cells. We also note that the proposed alternative splice form CXCR3-B, which is thought to mediate CXCL10's angiostatic activity, does not exist in mice based on published mouse CXCR3 genomic sequences as an in-frame stop codon would terminate the proposed CXCR3-B splice variant in mice. Second, we demonstrate that human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human lung microvascular endothelial cells that were inhibited by CXL10 did not express CXCR3 by FACS analysis. Third, two different neutralizing CXCR3 antibodies did not inhibit the anti-proliferative effect of CXCL10. Finally, fourth, utilizing a panel of CXCL10 mutants, we show that the ability to inhibit endothelial cell proliferation correlates with CXCL10's glycosaminoglycan binding affinity and not with its CXCR3 binding and signaling. Thus, using a very defined system, we show that CXCL10 can inhibit endothelial cell proliferation through a CXCR3-independent mechanism.

  9. Cigarette Smoking Impairs Adipose Stromal Cell Vasculogenic Activity and Abrogates Potency to Ameliorate Ischemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barwinska, Daria; Traktuev, Dmitry O; Merfeld-Clauss, Stephanie; Cook, Todd G; Lu, Hongyan; Petrache, Irina; March, Keith L

    2018-06-01

    Cigarette smoking (CS) adversely affects the physiologic function of endothelial progenitor, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. However, the effect of CS on the ability of adipose stem/stromal cells (ASC) to promote vasculogenesis and rescue perfusion in the context of ischemia is unknown. To evaluate this, ASC from nonsmokers (nCS-ASC) and smokers (CS-ASC), and their activity to promote perfusion in hindlimb ischemia models, as well as endothelial cell (EC) survival and vascular morphogenesis in vitro were assessed. While nCS-ASC improved perfusion in ischemic limbs, CS-ASC completely lost this therapeutic effect. In vitro vasculogenesis assays revealed that human CS-ASC and ASC from CS-exposed mice showed compromised support of EC morphogenesis into vascular tubes, and the CS-ASC secretome was less potent in supporting EC survival/proliferation. Comparative secretome analysis revealed that CS-ASC produced lower amounts of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and stromal cell-derived growth factor 1 (SDF-1). Conversely, CS-ASC secreted the angiostatic/pro-inflammatory factor Activin A, which was not detected in nCS-ASC conditioned media (CM). Furthermore, higher Activin A levels were measured in EC/CS-ASC cocultures than in EC/nCS-ASC cocultures. CS-ASC also responded to inflammatory cytokines with 5.2-fold increase in Activin A secretion, whereas nCS-ASC showed minimal Activin A induction. Supplementation of EC/CS-ASC cocultures with nCS-ASC CM or with recombinant vascular endothelial growth factor, HGF, or SDF-1 did not rescue vasculogenesis, whereas inhibition of Activin A expression or activity improved network formation up to the level found in EC/nCS-ASC cocultures. In conclusion, ASC of CS individuals manifest compromised in vitro vasculogenic activity as well as in vivo therapeutic activity. Stem Cells 2018;36:856-867. © 2018 AlphaMed Press.

  10. WEHI-3 cells inhibit adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lai, Jing [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Liu, Gexiu [Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Yan, Guoyao [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); He, Dongmei [Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Zhou, Ying [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Chen, Shengting, E-mail: shengtingchen@sina.cn [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China)

    2015-06-26

    By investigating the anti-adipogenic effects of WEHI-3 cells – a murine acute myelomonocytic leukemia cell line – we sought to improve the efficiency of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Analysis of Oil Red O staining and the expression of adipogenic genes, including PPARγ, C/EBPα, FAS and LPL, indicated that WEHI-3 cells significantly inhibited 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocyte cells from differentiating into adipocytes. In vivo, fat vacuoles in mice injected with WEHI-3 cells were also remarkably reduced in the murine bone marrow pimelosis model. Moreover, the key gene in the Rho signaling pathway, ROCKII, and the key gene in the Wnt signaling pathway, β-catenin, were both upregulated compared with the control group. siRNA-mediated knockdown of ROCKII and β-catenin reversed these WEHI-3-mediated anti-adipogenic effects. Taken together, these data suggest that WEHI-3 cells exert anti-adipogenic effects and that both ROCKII and β-catenin are involved in this process. - Highlights: • WEHI-3, an acute myelomonocytic leukemia cell line, inhibited 3T3-L1 preadipocyte from differentiating into adipocyte. • WEHI-3 cells can arrest 3T3-L1 cells in G0/G1 phase by secreting soluble factors and thus inhibit their proliferation. • WEHI-3 cells reduced bone marrow pimelosis in the murine model. • Both ROCKII and β-catenin were involved in the WEHI-3-mediated anti-adipogenic effects.

  11. Time-lapse cinematography of the capillary tube cell migration inhibition test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bray, M A

    1980-01-01

    The kinetics of human and guinea pig cell migration inhibition have been studied using time-lapse cinematography of cells migrating from capillary tubes. Guinea pig and human cells exhibit markedly different kinetics in the absence of inhibitors. Specific antigen causes a dose-related inhibition of migration for up to 60 h using guinea pig cells and a peak of inhibition after 18 h using the human leucocyte system. The timing of measurement of maximum activity more critical for the latter test. The kinetics of lymphokine generation have been examined and the migration inhibitory activity of the plant mitogen (PHA), a Kurloff cell product and a continuous cell line supernatant have been compared with the inhibitory profiles of lymphokine preparations and specific antigen.

  12. Agnus castus extracts inhibit prolactin secretion of rat pituitary cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sliutz, G; Speiser, P; Schultz, A M; Spona, J; Zeillinger, R

    1993-05-01

    In our studies on prolactin inhibition by plant extracts we focused on the effects of extracts of Vitex agnus castus and its preparations on rat pituitary cells under basal and stimulated conditions in primary cell culture. Both extracts from Vitex agnus castus as well as synthetic dopamine agonists (Lisuride) significantly inhibit basal as well as TRH-stimulated prolactin secretion of rat pituitary cells in vitro and as a consequence inhibition of prolactin secretion could be blocked by adding a dopamine receptor blocker. Therefore because of its dopaminergic effect Agnus castus could be considered as an efficient alternative phytotherapeutic drug in the treatment of slight hyperprolactinaemia.

  13. Sickle erythrocytes inhibit human endothelial cell DNA synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weinstein, R.; Zhou, M.A.; Bartlett-Pandite, A.; Wenc, K.

    1990-01-01

    Patients with sickle cell anemia experience severe vascular occlusive phenomena including acute pain crisis and cerebral infarction. Obstruction occurs at both the microvascular and the arterial level, and the clinical presentation of vascular events is heterogeneous, suggesting a complex etiology. Interaction between sickle erythrocytes and the endothelium may contribute to vascular occlusion due to alteration of endothelial function. To investigate this hypothesis, human vascular endothelial cells were overlaid with sickle or normal erythrocytes and stimulated to synthesize DNA. The erythrocytes were sedimented onto replicate monolayers by centrifugation for 10 minutes at 17 g to insure contact with the endothelial cells. Incorporation of 3H-thymidine into endothelial cell DNA was markedly inhibited during contact with sickle erythrocytes. This inhibitory effect was enhanced more than twofold when autologous sickle plasma was present during endothelial cell labeling. Normal erythrocytes, with or without autologous plasma, had a modest effect on endothelial cell DNA synthesis. When sickle erythrocytes in autologous sickle plasma were applied to endothelial monolayers for 1 minute, 10 minutes, or 1 hour and then removed, subsequent DNA synthesis by the endothelial cells was inhibited by 30% to 40%. Although adherence of sickle erythrocytes to the endothelial monolayers was observed under these experimental conditions, the effect of sickle erythrocytes on endothelial DNA synthesis occurred in the absence of significant adherence. Hence, human endothelial cell DNA synthesis is partially inhibited by contact with sickle erythrocytes. The inhibitory effect of sickle erythrocytes occurs during a brief (1 minute) contact with the endothelial monolayers, and persists for at least 6 hours of 3H-thymidine labeling

  14. Quercetin inhibits adipogenesis of muscle progenitor cells in vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomoko Funakoshi

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Muscle satellite cells are committed myogenic progenitors capable of contributing to myogenesis to maintain adult muscle mass and function. Several experiments have demonstrated that muscle satellite cells can differentiate into adipocytes in vitro, supporting the mesenchymal differentiation potential of these cells. Moreover, muscle satellite cells may be a source of ectopic muscle adipocytes, explaining the lipid accumulation often observed in aged skeletal muscle (sarcopenia and in muscles of patients` with diabetes. Quercetin, a polyphenol, is one of the most abundant flavonoids distributed in edible plants, such as onions and apples, and possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we examined whether quercetin inhibited the adipogenesis of muscle satellite cells in vitro with primary cells from rat limbs by culture in the presence of quercetin under adipogenic conditions. Morphological observations, Oil Red-O staining results, triglyceride content analysis, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that quercetin was capable of inhibiting the adipogenic induction of muscle satellite cells into adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner by suppressing the transcript levels of adipogenic markers, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and fatty acid binding protein 4. Our results suggested that quercetin inhibited the adipogenesis of muscle satellite cells in vitro by suppressing the transcription of adipogenic markers. Keywords: Quercetin, Muscle satellite cell, Differentiation, Intramuscular lipid

  15. Anandamide inhibits adhesion and migration of breast cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grimaldi, Claudia; Pisanti, Simona; Laezza, Chiara; Malfitano, Anna Maria; Santoro, Antonietta; Vitale, Mario; Caruso, Maria Gabriella; Notarnicola, Maria; Iacuzzo, Irma; Portella, Giuseppe; Di Marzo, Vincenzo; Bifulco, Maurizio

    2006-01-01

    The endocannabinoid system regulates cell proliferation in human breast cancer cells. We reasoned that stimulation of cannabinoid CB 1 receptors could induce a non-invasive phenotype in breast mtastatic cells. In a model of metastatic spreading in vivo, the metabolically stable anandamide analogue, 2-methyl-2'-F-anandamide (Met-F-AEA), significantly reduced the number and dimension of metastatic nodes, this effect being antagonized by the selective CB 1 antagonist SR141716A. In MDA-MB-231 cells, a highly invasive human breast cancer cell line, and in TSA-E1 cells, a murine breast cancer cell line, Met-F-AEA inhibited adhesion and migration on type IV collagen in vitro without modifying integrin expression: both these effects were antagonized by SR141716A. In order to understand the molecular mechanism involved in these processes, we analyzed the phosphorylation of FAK and Src, two tyrosine kinases involved in migration and adhesion. In Met-F-AEA-treated cells, we observed a decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of both FAK and Src, this effect being attenuated by SR141716A. We propose that CB 1 receptor agonists inhibit tumor cell invasion and metastasis by modulating FAK phosphorylation, and that CB 1 receptor activation might represent a novel therapeutic strategy to slow down the growth of breast carcinoma and to inhibit its metastatic diffusion in vivo

  16. Protein thiophosphorylation associated with secretory inhibition in permeabilized chromaffin cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brooks, J.C.; Brooks, M.

    1985-01-01

    Permeabilized cells treated with the adenosine triphosphate analog, ( 35 S)adenosine-5'-0-3(3-thiotriphosphate) ((γ- 35 S)ATP), showed thiophosphorylation of a small number of cellular proteins. A 54 kilodalton (kDa) protein was heavily thiophosphorylated in unstimulated control cells and a 43 kilodalton protein was more heavily thiophosphorylated in calcium stimulated cells. Intact cells incorporated 35 S into a series of higher molecular weight proteins. Stimulation of prelabelled, permeabilized cells resulted in a loss of 35 S from the cells over a 20 min period. Treatment of permeabilized cells with ATPγS inhibited secretion and 35 S incorporation into the cells. Pretreatment with ATPγS resulted in subsequent inhibition of both secretion and the ability of the cells to incorporate 35 S from (γ- 35 S)ATP. These results indicate that the sites normally available for phosphorylation were inactivated by thiophosphorylation and were unavailable to participate in the secretory process. The inhibition of secretion associated with thiophosphorylation of these proteins suggests that they may play a role in the control of secretion by chromaffin cells. 15 references, 1 figure, 3 tables

  17. Treatment of chronic hepatic cirrhosis with autologous bone marrow stem cells transplantation in rabbits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Yinghe; Xu Ke; Zhang Xitong; Han Jinling; Ding Guomin; Gao Jue

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of treatment for rabbit model with hepatic cirrhosis by transplantation of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells via the hepatic artery and evaluate the effect of hepatocyte growth-promoting factors (pHGF) in the treatment of stem cells transplantation to liver cirrhosis. To provide empirical study foundation for future clinical application. Methods: Chronic hepatic cirrhosis models of rabbits were developed by subcutaneous injection with 50% CCl 4 0.2 ml/kg. Twenty-five model rabbits were randomly divided into three experimental groups, stem cells transplant group (10), stem cells transplant + pHGF group (10) and control group (5). Autologous bone marrow was harvested from fibia of each rabbit, and stem cells were disassociated using density gradient centrifugation and transplanted into liver via the hepatic artery under fluoroscopic guidance. In the stem cells transplant + pHGF group, the hepatocyte growth-promoting factor was given via intravenous injection with 2 mg/kg every other day for 20 days. Liver function tests were monitored at 4, 8,12 weeks intervals and histopathologic examinations were performed at 12 weeks following transplantation. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance Results: Following transplantation of stern cells, the liver function of rabbits improved gradually. Twelve weeks after transplantation, the activity of ALT and AST decreased from (73.0±10.6) U/L and (152.4± 22.8) U/L to (48.0±1.0) U/L and (86.7±2.1) U/L respectively; and the level of ALB and PTA increased from (27.5±1.8) g/L and 28.3% to (33.2±0.5) g/L and 44.1% respectively. The changes did not have statistically significant difference when compared to the control group (P>0.05). However, in the stem cellstransplant + pHGF group, the activity of ALT and AST decreased to (43.3±0.6) U/L and (78.7±4.0) U/L respectively and the level of ALB and PTA increased to (35.7±0.4) g/L and 50.5% respectively. The difference was

  18. Inhibition of PTP1B disrupts cell–cell adhesion and induces anoikis in breast epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilmarsdottir, Bylgja; Briem, Eirikur; Halldorsson, Skarphedinn; Kricker, Jennifer; Ingthorsson, Sævar; Gustafsdottir, Sigrun; Mælandsmo, Gunhild M; Magnusson, Magnus K; Gudjonsson, Thorarinn

    2017-01-01

    Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a well-known inhibitor of insulin signaling pathways and inhibitors against PTP1B are being developed as promising drug candidates for treatment of obesity. PTP1B has also been linked to breast cancer both as a tumor suppressor and as an oncogene. Furthermore, PTP1B has been shown to be a regulator of cell adhesion and migration in normal and cancer cells. In this study, we analyzed the PTP1B expression in normal breast tissue, primary breast cells and the breast epithelial cell line D492. In normal breast tissue and primary breast cells, PTP1B is widely expressed in both epithelial and stromal cells, with highest expression in myoepithelial cells and fibroblasts. PTP1B is widely expressed in branching structures generated by D492 when cultured in 3D reconstituted basement membrane (3D rBM). Inhibition of PTP1B in D492 and another mammary epithelial cell line HMLE resulted in reduced cell proliferation and induction of anoikis. These changes were seen when cells were cultured both in monolayer and in 3D rBM. PTP1B inhibition affected cell attachment, expression of cell adhesion proteins and actin polymerization. Moreover, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) sensitized cells to PTP1B inhibition. A mesenchymal sublines of D492 and HMLE (D492M and HMLEmes) were more sensitive to PTP1B inhibition than D492 and HMLE. Reversion of D492M to an epithelial state using miR-200c-141 restored resistance to detachment induced by PTP1B inhibition. In conclusion, we have shown that PTP1B is widely expressed in the human breast gland with highest expression in myoepithelial cells and fibroblasts. Inhibition of PTP1B in D492 and HMLE affects cell–cell adhesion and induces anoikis-like effects. Finally, cells with an EMT phenotype are more sensitive to PTP1B inhibitors making PTP1B a potential candidate for further studies as a target for drug development in cancer involving the EMT phenotype. PMID:28492548

  19. An investigation into the stability of commercial versus MG63-derived hepatocyte growth factor under flow cultivation conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meneghello, Giulia; Storm, Michael P; Chaudhuri, Julian B; De Bank, Paul A; Ellis, Marianne J

    2015-03-01

    The scale-up of tissue engineering cell culture must ensure that conditions are maintained while also being cost effective. Here we analyse the stability of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to investigate whether concentrations change under dynamic conditions, and compare commercial recombinant human HGF as an additive in 'standard medium', to HGF secreted by the osteosarcoma cell line MG63 as a 'preconditioned medium'. After 3 h under flow conditions, HGF in the standard medium degraded to 40% of its original concentration but HGF in the preconditioned medium remained at 100%. The concentration of secreted HGF was 10 times greater than the working concentration of commercially-available HGF. Thus HGF within this medium has increased stability; MG63-derived HGF should therefore be investigated as a cost-effective alternative to current lyophilised powders for use in in vitro models. Furthermore, we recommend that those intending to use HGF (or other growth factors) should consider similar stability testing before embarking on experiments with media flow.

  20. Canine tracheal epithelial cells are more sensitive than rat tracheal epithelial cells to transforming growth factor beta induced growth inhibition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hubbs, A.F.; Hahn, F.F.; Kelly, G.; Thomassen, D.G.

    1988-01-01

    Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) markedly inhibited growth of canine tracheal epithelial (CTE) cells. Reduced responsiveness to TGFβ-induced growth inhibition accompanied neoplastic progression of these cells from primary to transformed to neoplastic. This was similar to the relationship between neoplastic progression and increased resistance to TGFβ-induced growth inhibition seen for rat tracheal epithelial (RTE) cells. The canine cells were more sensitive than rat cells to TGFβ-induced growth inhibition at all stages in the neoplastic process. (author)

  1. Inhibition of Cell Survival by Curcumin Is Associated with Downregulation of Cell Division Cycle 20 (Cdc20) in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yu; Xue, Ying-Bo; Li, Hang; Qiu, Dong; Wang, Zhi-Wei; Tan, Shi-Sheng

    2017-02-04

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human tumors in the United States. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the Curcuma longa plant, has been reported to exert its antitumor activity in pancreatic cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms of curcumin-mediated tumor suppressive function have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we explore whether curcumin exhibits its anti-cancer function through inhibition of oncoprotein cell division cycle 20 (Cdc20) in pancreatic cancer cells. We found that curcumin inhibited cell growth, enhanced apoptosis, induced cell cycle arrest and retarded cell invasion in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, we observed that curcumin significantly inhibited the expression of Cdc20 in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that overexpression of Cdc20 enhanced cell proliferation and invasion, and abrogated the cytotoxic effects induced by curcumin in pancreatic cancer cells. Consistently, downregulation of Cdc20 promoted curcumin-mediated anti-tumor activity. Therefore, our findings indicated that inhibition of Cdc20 by curcumin could be useful for the treatment of pancreatic cancer patients.

  2. Dasatinib inhibits both osteoclast activation and prostate cancer PC-3-cell-induced osteoclast formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araujo, John C; Poblenz, Ann; Corn, Paul; Parikh, Nila U; Starbuck, Michael W; Thompson, Jerry T; Lee, Francis; Logothetis, Christopher J; Darnay, Bryant G

    2009-11-01

    Therapies to target prostate cancer bone metastases have only limited effects. New treatments are focused on the interaction between cancer cells, bone marrow cells and the bone matrix. Osteoclasts play an important role in the development of bone tumors caused by prostate cancer. Since Src kinase has been shown to be necessary for osteoclast function, we hypothesized that dasatinib, a Src family kinase inhibitor, would reduce osteoclast activity and prostate cancer (PC-3) cell-induced osteoclast formation. Dasatinib inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation of bone marrow-derived monocytes with an EC(50) of 7.5 nM. PC-3 cells, a human prostate cancer cell line, were able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells, a murine monocytic cell line, into osteoclasts, and dasatinib inhibited this differentiation. In addition, conditioned medium from PC-3 cell cultures was able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells into osteoclasts and this too, was inhibited by dasatinib. Even the lowest concentration of dasatinib, 1.25 nmol, inhibited osteoclast differentiation by 29%. Moreover, dasatinib inhibited osteoclast activity by 58% as measured by collagen 1 release. We performed in vitro experiments utilizing the Src family kinase inhibitor dasatinib to target osteoclast activation as a means of inhibiting prostate cancer bone metastases. Dasatinib inhibits osteoclast differentiation of mouse primary bone marrow-derived monocytes and PC-3 cell-induced osteoclast differentiation. Dasatinib also inhibits osteoclast degradation activity. Inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and activity may be an effective targeted therapy in patients with prostate cancer bone metastases.

  3. Inhibition of glycolysis by misonidazole in hypoxic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ling, L.; Sutherland, R.

    1984-01-01

    Inhibition of glycolysis has been postulated to be a mechanism of misonidazole (MISO) toxicity in hypoxic cells. To investigate the effect of MISO on glycolysis, glucose transport and its consumption and lactate formation were measured. Exponential EMT6 cells (10/sup 6/ cells/ml) were made hypoxix by continuous gassing in 3% CO/sub 2/ in N/sub 2/. They were then treated with 5mM MISO for various times, then washed and analysed for their rates of anaerobic glycolysis. Glucose and lactate content were determined enzymatically. The rates of both glucose consumption and lactate formation decreased after 30 min hypoxic incubation with MISO. After 90 min, the rates were not measurable even though the cells still excluded Trypan Blue. There was, however, a parallel decrease in plating efficiency. These data suggest that the inhibition of glycolysis is an important mechanism of hypoxic toxicity of MISO. To locate the site of inhibition, studies were initiated to look at glucose transport by following the uptake of /sup 14/-C-3-0-methyl-glucose, a nonmetabolised glucose analog. Results obtained so far indicate that up to 90 min of hypoxic incubation with MISO, there was no change in the kinetics of the uptake of his analog. Therefore, the results showed that in hypoxic cells treated with MISO, the glucose transport system was unaffected. However, there was a rapid decrease in anaerobic glycolysis

  4. Indirubin inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis in tumor-derived endothelial cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Z

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Zhuohong Li, Chaofu Zhu, Baiping An, Yu Chen, Xiuyun He, Lin Qian, Lan Lan, Shijie Li Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most predominant malignancies with high fatality rate and its incidence is rising at an alarming rate because of its resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. Indirubin is the major active anti-tumor ingredient of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The present study aimed to analyze the effects of indirubin on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of tumor-derived endothelial cells (Td-EC. Methods: Td-EC were derived from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC by treating HUVEC with the conditioned medium of human liver cancer cell line HepG2. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis were assessed by MTT, wound healing, in vitro cell invasion, and in vitro tube formation assay. Results: Td-EC were successfully obtained from HUVEC cultured with 50% culture supernatant from serum-starved HepG2 cells. Indirubin significantly inhibited Td-EC proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Indirubin also inhibited Td-EC migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. However, indirubin’s effects were weaker on HUVEC than Td-EC. Conclusion: Indirubin significantly inhibited Td-EC proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Keywords: indirubin, Td-EC, proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis

  5. Bevacizumab inhibits proliferation of choroidal endothelial cells by regulation of the cell cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rusovici, Raluca; Patel, Chirag J; Chalam, Kakarla V

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate cell cycle changes in choroidal endothelial cells treated with varying doses of bevacizumab in the presence of a range of concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Bevacizumab, a drug widely used in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, neutralizes all isoforms of VEGF. However, the effect of intravitreal administration of bevacizumab on the choroidal endothelial cell cycle has not been established. Monkey choroidal endothelial (RF/6A) cells were treated with VEGF 50 ng/mL and escalating doses of bevacizumab 0.1-2 mg/mL for 72 hours. Cell cycle changes in response to bevacizumab were analyzed by flow cytometry and propidium iodide staining. Cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Morphological changes were recorded by bright field cell microscopy. Bevacizumab inhibited proliferation of choroidal endothelial cells by stabilization of the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase. Cell cycle analysis of VEGF-enriched choroidal endothelial cells revealed a predominant increase in the G2/M population (21.84%, P, 0.01) and a decrease in the G0/G1 phase population (55.08%, P, 0.01). Addition of escalating doses of bevacizumab stabilized VEGF-enriched cells in the G0/G1 phase (55.08%, 54.49%, 56.3%, and 64% [P, 0.01]) and arrested proliferation by inhibiting the G2/M phase (21.84%, 21.46%, 20.59%, 20.94%, and 16.1% [P, 0.01]). The increase in G0/G1 subpopulation in VEGF-enriched and bevacizumab-treated cells compared with VEGF-enriched cells alone was dose-dependent. Bevacizumab arrests proliferation of VEGF-enriched choroidal endothelial cells by stabilizing the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase and inhibiting the G2/M phase in a dose-dependent fashion.

  6. Sprouty regulates cell migration by inhibiting the activation of Rac1 GTPase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poppleton, Helen M.; Edwin, Francis; Jaggar, Laura; Ray, Ramesh; Johnson, Leonard R.; Patel, Tarun B.

    2004-01-01

    Sprouty (SPRY) protein negatively modulates fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor actions. We showed that human SPRY2 inhibits cell growth and migration in response to serum and several growth factors. Using rat intestinal epithelial (IEC-6) cells, we investigated the involvement of the Rho family of GTPases, RhoA, Rac1, and cdc42 in SPRY2-mediated inhibition of cell migration and proliferation. The ability of TAT-tagged SPRY2 to inhibit proliferation and migration of IEC-6 cells transfected with constitutively active mutants of RhoA(G14V), Rac1(G12V), and cdc42 (F28L) was determined. Constitutively active RhoA(G14V), Rac1(G12V), or cdc42(F28L) did not protect cells from the anti-proliferative actions of TAT-SPRY2. The ability of TAT-hSPRY2 to inhibit migration was not altered by of RhoA(G14V) and cdc42(F28L). However, Rac1(G12V) obliterated the ability of SPRY2 to inhibit cell autonomous or serum-induced migration. Also, the activation of endogenous Rac1 was attenuated by TAT-SPRY2. Thus, SPRY2 mediates its anti-migratory actions by inhibiting Rac1 activation

  7. Inhibition of fatty acid metabolism reduces human myeloma cells proliferation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Manuel Tirado-Vélez

    Full Text Available Multiple myeloma is a haematological malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of plasma cells. It has been proposed that targeting cancer cell metabolism would provide a new selective anticancer therapeutic strategy. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of β-oxidation and de novo fatty acid synthesis would reduce cell proliferation in human myeloma cells. We evaluated the effect of etomoxir and orlistat on fatty acid metabolism, glucose metabolism, cell cycle distribution, proliferation, cell death and expression of G1/S phase regulatory proteins in myeloma cells. Etomoxir and orlistat inhibited β-oxidation and de novo fatty acid synthesis respectively in myeloma cells, without altering significantly glucose metabolism. These effects were associated with reduced cell viability and cell cycle arrest in G0/G1. Specifically, etomoxir and orlistat reduced by 40-70% myeloma cells proliferation. The combination of etomoxir and orlistat resulted in an additive inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Orlistat induced apoptosis and sensitized RPMI-8226 cells to apoptosis induction by bortezomib, whereas apoptosis was not altered by etomoxir. Finally, the inhibitory effect of both drugs on cell proliferation was associated with reduced p21 protein levels and phosphorylation levels of retinoblastoma protein. In conclusion, inhibition of fatty acid metabolism represents a potential therapeutic approach to treat human multiple myeloma.

  8. Platelets Inhibit Migration of Canine Osteosarcoma Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulla, S C; Badial, P R; Silva, R C; Lunsford, K; Bulla, C

    2017-01-01

    The interaction between platelets and tumour cells is important for tumour growth and metastasis. Thrombocytopenia or antiplatelet treatment negatively impact on cancer metastasis, demonstrating potentially important roles for platelets in tumour progression. To our knowledge, there is no information regarding the role of platelets in cancer progression in dogs. This study was designed to test whether canine platelets affected the migratory behaviour of three canine osteosarcoma cell lines and to give insights of molecular mechanisms. Intact platelets, platelet lysate and platelet releasate inhibited the migration of canine osteosarcoma cell lines. Addition of blood leucocytes to the platelet samples did not alter the inhibitory effect on migration. Platelet treatment also significantly downregulated the transcriptional levels of SNAI2 and TWIST1 genes. The interaction between canine platelets or molecules released during platelet activation and these tumour cell lines inhibits their migration, which suggests that canine platelets might antagonize metastasis of canine osteosarcoma. This effect is probably due to, at least in part, downregulation of genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Hepatocyte growth factor signaling in intrapancreatic ductal cells drives pancreatic morphogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan M Anderson

    Full Text Available In a forward genetic screen for regulators of pancreas development in zebrafish, we identified donut(s908 , a mutant which exhibits failed outgrowth of the exocrine pancreas. The s908 mutation leads to a leucine to arginine substitution in the ectodomain of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF tyrosine kinase receptor, Met. This missense mutation impedes the proteolytic maturation of the receptor, its trafficking to the plasma membrane, and diminishes the phospho-activation of its kinase domain. Interestingly, during pancreatogenesis, met and its hgf ligands are expressed in pancreatic epithelia and mesenchyme, respectively. Although Met signaling elicits mitogenic and migratory responses in varied contexts, normal proliferation rates in donut mutant pancreata together with dysmorphic, mislocalized ductal cells suggest that met primarily functions motogenically in pancreatic tail formation. Treatment with PI3K and STAT3 inhibitors, but not with MAPK inhibitors, phenocopies the donut pancreatic defect, further indicating that Met signals through migratory pathways during pancreas development. Chimera analyses showed that Met-deficient cells were excluded from the duct, but not acinar, compartment in the pancreatic tail. Conversely, wild-type intrapancreatic duct and "tip cells" at the leading edge of the growing pancreas rescued the donut phenotype. Altogether, these results reveal a novel and essential role for HGF signaling in the intrapancreatic ducts during exocrine morphogenesis.

  10. Ultrastructural evaluation of gingival connective tissue in hereditary gingival fibromatosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pêgo, Sabina Pena B; de Faria, Paulo Rogério; Santos, Luis Antônio N; Coletta, Ricardo D; de Aquino, Sibele Nascimento; Martelli-Júnior, Hercílio

    2016-07-01

    To describe the ultrastructural features of hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) in affected family members and compare microscopic findings with normal gingival (NG) tissue. Gingival tissue samples from nine patients with HGF from five unrelated families were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Nine NG tissue samples were used for comparison. Areas containing collagen fibrils forming loops and folds were observed in both groups, whereas oxytalan fibers were frequently identified in the HGF group. The diameter of collagen fibrils and the interfibrillar space among them were more uniform in the NG group than in the HGF group. Fibroblasts were the most common cells found in both the HGF and NG groups and exhibited enlarged, rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria with well-preserved crests, conspicuous nucleoli, and euchromatic chromatin. Other cells, such as mast cells, plasma cells, and macrophages, were also observed. HGF tissues had ultrastructural characteristics that were very similar to those of NG tissues. Oxytalan fibers were observed more frequently in the HGF samples than in the NG samples. Other studies of HGF in patients from different families should be performed to better understand the pathogenesis of this hereditary condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Curcumin inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma SCC-9 cells proliferation by regulating miR-9 expression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Can [Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China); Wang, Lili; Zhu, Lifang [Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China); Zhang, Chenping, E-mail: zhang_cping@163.com [Department of Head and Neck Tumors, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital Affiliated Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011 (China); Zhou, Jianhua [Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China)

    2014-11-28

    Highlights: • miR-9 expression level was significantly decreased in OSCC tissues. • Curcumin significantly inhibited SCC-9 cells proliferation. • miR-9 mediates the inhibition of SCC-9 proliferation by curcumin. • Curcumin suppresses Wnt/β-catenin signaling in SCC-9 cells. • miR-9 mediates the suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by curcumin. - Abstract: Curcumin, a phytochemical derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has shown anticancer effects against a variety of tumors. In the present study, we investigated the effects of curcumin on the miR-9 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and explored the potential relationships between miR-9 and Wnt/β-catenin pathway in curcumin-mediated OSCC inhibition in vitro. As the results shown, the expression levels of miR-9 were significantly lower in clinical OSCC specimens than those in the adjacent non-tumor tissues. Furthermore, our results indicated that curcumin inhibited OSCC cells (SCC-9 cells) proliferation through up-regulating miR-9 expression, and suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling by increasing the expression levels of the GSK-3β, phosphorylated GSK-3β and β-catenin, and decreasing the cyclin D1 level. Additionally, the up-regulation of miR-9 by curcumin in SCC-9 cells was significantly inhibited by delivering anti-miR-9 but not control oligonucleotides. Downregulation of miR-9 by anti-miR-9 not only attenuated the growth-suppressive effects of curcumin on SCC-9 cells, but also re-activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling that was inhibited by curcumin. Therefore, our findings would provide a new insight into the use of curcumin against OSCC in future.

  12. Curcumin inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma SCC-9 cells proliferation by regulating miR-9 expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao, Can; Wang, Lili; Zhu, Lifang; Zhang, Chenping; Zhou, Jianhua

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • miR-9 expression level was significantly decreased in OSCC tissues. • Curcumin significantly inhibited SCC-9 cells proliferation. • miR-9 mediates the inhibition of SCC-9 proliferation by curcumin. • Curcumin suppresses Wnt/β-catenin signaling in SCC-9 cells. • miR-9 mediates the suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by curcumin. - Abstract: Curcumin, a phytochemical derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has shown anticancer effects against a variety of tumors. In the present study, we investigated the effects of curcumin on the miR-9 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and explored the potential relationships between miR-9 and Wnt/β-catenin pathway in curcumin-mediated OSCC inhibition in vitro. As the results shown, the expression levels of miR-9 were significantly lower in clinical OSCC specimens than those in the adjacent non-tumor tissues. Furthermore, our results indicated that curcumin inhibited OSCC cells (SCC-9 cells) proliferation through up-regulating miR-9 expression, and suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling by increasing the expression levels of the GSK-3β, phosphorylated GSK-3β and β-catenin, and decreasing the cyclin D1 level. Additionally, the up-regulation of miR-9 by curcumin in SCC-9 cells was significantly inhibited by delivering anti-miR-9 but not control oligonucleotides. Downregulation of miR-9 by anti-miR-9 not only attenuated the growth-suppressive effects of curcumin on SCC-9 cells, but also re-activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling that was inhibited by curcumin. Therefore, our findings would provide a new insight into the use of curcumin against OSCC in future

  13. Curcumin Inhibits Growth of Human NCI-H292 Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells by Increasing FOXA2 Expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lingling Tang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC is a common histological lung cancer subtype, but unlike lung adenocarcinoma, limited therapeutic options are available for treatment. Curcumin, a natural compound, may have anticancer effects in various cancer cells, but how it may be used to treat LSCC has not been well studied. Here, we applied curcumin to a human NCI-H292 LSCC cell line to test anticancer effects and explored underlying potential mechanisms of action. Curcumin treatment inhibited NCI-H292 cell growth and increased FOXA2 expression in a time-dependent manner. FOXA2 expression was decreased in LSCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues and knockdown of FOXA2 increased NCI-H292 cells proliferation. Inhibition of cell proliferation by curcumin was attenuated by FOXA2 knockdown. Moreover inhibition of STAT3 pathways by curcumin increased FOXA2 expression in NCI-H292 cells whereas a STAT3 activator (IL-6 significantly inhibited curcumin-induced FOXA2 expression. Also, SOCS1 and SOCS3, negative regulators of STAT3 activity, were upregulated by curcumin treatment. Thus, curcumin inhibited human NCI-H292 cells growth by increasing FOXA2 expression via regulation of STAT3 signaling pathways.

  14. Dasatinib inhibits both osteoclast activation and prostate cancer PC-3 cell-induced osteoclast formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araujo, John C.; Poblenz, Ann; Corn, Paul G.; Parikh, Nila U.; Starbuck, Michael W.; Thompson, Jerry T.; Lee, Francis; Logothetis, Christopher J.; Darnay, Bryant G.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Therapies to target prostate cancer bone metastases have only limited effects. New treatments are focused on the interaction between cancer cells, bone marrow cells and the bone matrix. Osteoclasts play an important role in the development of bone tumors caused by prostate cancer. Since Src kinase has been shown to be necessary for osteoclast function, we hypothesized that dasatinib, a Src family kinase inhibitor, would reduce osteoclast activity and prostate cancer (PC-3) cell-induced osteoclast formation. Results Dasatinib inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation of bone marrow-derived monocytes with an EC50 of 7.5 nM. PC-3 cells, a human prostate cancer cell line, were able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells, a murine monocytic cell line, into osteoclasts and dasatinib inhibited this differentiation. In addition, conditioned medium from PC-3 cell cultures was able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells into osteoclasts and this too, was inhibited by dasatinib. Even the lowest concentration of dasatinib, 1.25 nmol, inhibited osteoclast differentiation by 29%. Moreover, dasatinib inhibited osteoclast activity by 58% as measured by collagen 1 release. Experimental design We performed in vitro experiments utilizing the Src family kinase inhibitor dasatinib to target osteoclast activation as a means of inhibiting prostate cancer bone metastases. Conclusion Dasatinib inhibits osteoclast differentiation of mouse primary bone marrow-derived monocytes and PC-3 cell-induced osteoclast differentiation. Dasatinib also inhibits osteoclast degradation activity. Inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and activity may be an effective targeted therapy in patients with prostate cancer bone metastases. PMID:19855158

  15. Stable SET knockdown in breast cell carcinoma inhibits cell migration and invasion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Jie [Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou (China); Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen (China); Yang, Xi-fei [Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen (China); Ren, Xiao-hu [Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou (China); Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen (China); Meng, Xiao-jing [Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou (China); Huang, Hai-yan [Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen (China); Zhao, Qiong-hui [Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Shenzhen (China); Yuan, Jian-hui; Hong, Wen-xu; Xia, Bo; Huang, Xin-feng; Zhou, Li [Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen (China); Liu, Jian-jun, E-mail: bio-research@hotmail.com [Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen (China); Zou, Fei, E-mail: zoufei616@163.com [Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou (China)

    2014-10-10

    Highlights: • We employed RNA interference to knockdown SET expression in breast cancer cells. • Knockdown of SET expression inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion. • Knockdown of SET expression increases the activity and expression of PP2A. • Knockdown of SET expression decreases the expression of MMP-9. - Abstract: Breast cancer is the most malignant tumor for women, however, the mechanisms underlying this devastating disease remain unclear. SET is an endogenous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and involved in many physiological and pathological processes. SET could promote the occurrence of tumor through inhibiting PP2A. In this study, we explore the role of SET in the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 and ZR-75-30. The stable suppression of SET expression through lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) was shown to inhibit the growth, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Knockdown of SET increases the activity and expression of PP2Ac and decrease the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). These data demonstrate that SET may be involved in the pathogenic processes of breast cancer, indicating that SET can serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer.

  16. Stable SET knockdown in breast cell carcinoma inhibits cell migration and invasion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jie; Yang, Xi-fei; Ren, Xiao-hu; Meng, Xiao-jing; Huang, Hai-yan; Zhao, Qiong-hui; Yuan, Jian-hui; Hong, Wen-xu; Xia, Bo; Huang, Xin-feng; Zhou, Li; Liu, Jian-jun; Zou, Fei

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We employed RNA interference to knockdown SET expression in breast cancer cells. • Knockdown of SET expression inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion. • Knockdown of SET expression increases the activity and expression of PP2A. • Knockdown of SET expression decreases the expression of MMP-9. - Abstract: Breast cancer is the most malignant tumor for women, however, the mechanisms underlying this devastating disease remain unclear. SET is an endogenous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and involved in many physiological and pathological processes. SET could promote the occurrence of tumor through inhibiting PP2A. In this study, we explore the role of SET in the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 and ZR-75-30. The stable suppression of SET expression through lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) was shown to inhibit the growth, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Knockdown of SET increases the activity and expression of PP2Ac and decrease the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). These data demonstrate that SET may be involved in the pathogenic processes of breast cancer, indicating that SET can serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer

  17. Marked stimulation of growth and motility of human keratinocytes by hepatocyte growth factor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, K.; Hashimoto, K.; Yoshikawa, K.; Nakamura, T.

    1991-01-01

    Effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on normal human epidermal keratinocytes cultured under conditions of low Ca2+ (0.1 mM, growth-promoting condition) and physiological Ca2+ (1.8 mM, differentiation-promoting condition) was investigated. In low Ca2+, HGF markedly enhanced the migration of keratinocytes while it suppressed cell growth and DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, HGF enhanced the migration, cell growth, and DNA synthesis of keratinocytes cultured under conditions of physiological Ca2+. The maximal stimulation of DNA synthesis (2.4-fold stimulation) in physiological Ca2+ was seen at 2.5-5 ng/ml HGF and the stimulatory effect of HGF was suppressed by transforming growth factor-beta 1. Analysis of the HGF receptor using 125I-HGF as a ligand showed that human keratinocytes expressed a single class of specific, saturable receptor for HGF in both low and physiological Ca2+ conditions, exhibiting a Kd = 17.3 pM and approximately 690 binding sites/cell under physiological Ca2+. Thus, HGF is a potent factor which enhances growth and migration of normal human keratinocytes under conditions of physiological Ca2+. HGF may play an important role in epidermal tissue repair as it enhances both the migration and growth of keratinocytes

  18. Cellulose synthesis inhibition, cell expansion, and patterns of cell wall deposition in Nitella internodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richmond, P.A.; Metraux, J.P.

    1984-01-01

    The authors have investigated the pattern of wall deposition and maturation and correlated it with cell expansion and cellulose biosynthesis. The herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB) was found to be a potent inhibitor of cellulose synthesis, but not of cell expansion in Nitella internodal cells. Although cellulose synthesis is inhibited during DCB treatment, matrix substances continue to be synthesized and deposited. The inhibition of cellulose microfibril deposition can be demonstrated by various techniques. These results demonstrate that matrix deposition is by apposition, not by intussusception, and that the previously deposited wall moves progressively outward while stretching and thinning as a result of cell expansion

  19. Cell Cycle Inhibition To Treat Sleeping Sickness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Conrad L. Epting

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available African trypanosomiasis is caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. During infection, this pathogen divides rapidly to high density in the bloodstream of its mammalian host in a manner similar to that of leukemia. Like all eukaryotes, T. brucei has a cell cycle involving the de novo synthesis of DNA regulated by ribonucleotide reductase (RNR, which catalyzes the conversion of ribonucleotides into their deoxy form. As an essential enzyme for the cell cycle, RNR is a common target for cancer chemotherapy. We hypothesized that inhibition of RNR by genetic or pharmacological means would impair parasite growth in vitro and prolong the survival of infected animals. Our results demonstrate that RNR inhibition is highly effective in suppressing parasite growth both in vitro and in vivo. These results support drug discovery efforts targeting the cell cycle, not only for African trypanosomiasis but possibly also for other infections by eukaryotic pathogens.

  20. c-MET receptor tyrosine kinase as a molecular target in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Granito A

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Alessandro Granito,1 Elena Guidetti,1 Laura Gramantieri2,3 1Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; 2Dipartimento dell'Apparato Digerente, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; 3Centro di Ricerca Biomedica Applicata (CRBA, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico S Orsola-Malpighi e Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy Abstract: c-MET is the membrane receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, also known as scatter factor or tumor cytotoxic factor, a mitogenic growth factor for hepatocytes. HGF is mainly produced by cells of mesenchymal origin and it mainly acts on neighboring epidermal and endothelial cells, regulating epithelial growth and morphogenesis. HGF/MET signaling has been identified among the drivers of tumorigenesis in human cancers. As such, c-MET is a recognized druggable target, and against it, targeted agents are currently under clinical investigation. c-MET overexpression is a common event in a wide range of human malignancies, including gastric, lung, breast, ovary, colon, kidney, thyroid, and liver carcinomas. Despite c-MET overexpression being reported by a large majority of studies, no evidence for a c-MET oncogenic addiction exists in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. In particular, c-MET amplification is a rare event, accounting for 4%–5% of cases while no mutation has been identified in c-MET oncogene in HCC. Thus, the selection of patient subgroups more likely to benefit from c-MET inhibition is challenging. Notwithstanding, c-MET overexpression was reported to be associated with increased metastatic potential and poor prognosis in patients with HCC, providing a rationale for its therapeutic inhibition. Here we summarize the role of activated HGF/MET signaling in HCC, its prognostic relevance, and the implications for therapeutic approaches in HCC. Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, c-MET, clinical trials

  1. [Inhibition effects of black rice pericarp extracts on cell proliferation of PC-3 cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Weiwei; Yu, Xudong; Ren, Guofeng

    2013-05-01

    To observe the inhibitive effects of black rice pericarp extracts on cell proliferation of human prostate cancer cell PC-3 and to explore its effecting mechanism. The black rice pericarp extract was used to treat the PC-3 cells. The inhibitory effect of black rice pericarp extract on cells proliferation of PC-3 was tested by MTT method. Cell apoptosis rates and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometric assay (FCM). Western blot was used to study the protein expression levels of p38, p-p38, JNK, p-JNK. A dose-dependent and time-dependent proliferation inhibition of black rice pericarp extract was demonstrated in PC-3. The most prominent experiment condition was inhibitory concentration with 300microg/ml and treated for 72 h. The experiment result of flow cytometry analysis demonstrates that the apoptosis rate of PC-3 cells increased along with the increasing of black rice pericarp extract concentration, and a G1-S cell cycle arrest was induced in a dose-dependent manner. After PC-3 cell was treated with black rice pericarp extract for 72 h, the expressions of p-p38, p-JNK protein increased. Black rice pericarp extract could inhibit proliferation, change the cell cycle distributions and induce apoptosis in human prostatic cancer cell PC-3. Its inhibitory effect may be through promoting activation of the JNK, p38 signaling pathway. These results suggest that black rice pericarp extract maybe has an inhibitory effect on prostatic cancer.

  2. Raman spectrum reveals Mesenchymal stem cells inhibiting HL60 cells growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Xin; Fang, Shaoyin; Zhang, Daosen; Zhang, Qinnan; Lu, Xiaoxu; Tian, Jindong; Fan, Jinping; Zhong, Liyun

    2017-04-01

    Though some research results reveals that Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the ability of inhibiting tumor cells proliferation, it remains controversial about the precise interaction mechanism during MSCs and tumor cells co-culture. In this study, combing Raman spectroscopic data and principle component analysis (PCA), the biochemical changes of MSCs or Human promyelocytic leukemia (HL60) cells during their co-culture were presented. The obtained results showed that some main Raman peaks of HL60 assigned to nucleic acids or proteins were greatly higher in intensity in the late stage of co-culture than those in the early stage of co-culture while they were still lower relative to the control group, implicating that the effect of MSCs inhibiting HL60 proliferation appeared in the early stage but gradually lost the inhibiting ability in the late stage of co-culture. Moreover, some other peaks of HL60 assigned to proteins were decreased in intensity in the early stage of co-culture relative to the control group but rebounded to the level similar to the control group in the late stage, showing that the content and structure changes of these proteins might be generated in the early stage but returned to the original state in the late stage of co-culture. As a result, in the early stage of MSCs-HL60 co-culture, along with the level of Akt phosphorylation of HL60 was lowered relative to its control group, the proliferation rate of HL60 cells was decreased. And in the late stage of co-culture, along with the level of Akt phosphorylation was rebounded, the reverse transfer of Raman peaks within 875-880 cm- 1 appeared, thus MSCs lost the ability to inhibit HL60 growth and HL60 proliferation was increased. In addition, it was observed that the peak at 811 cm- 1, which is a marker of RNA, was higher in intensity in the late stage than that in the control group, indicating that MSCs might be differentiated into myofibroblast-like MSCs. In addition, PCA results also exhibited

  3. Arecoline inhibits endothelial cell growth and migration and the attachment to mononuclear cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuei-Kuen Tseng

    2014-09-01

    Conclusion: Arecoline impaired vascular endothelial cells by inhibiting their growth and migration and their adhesion to U937 mononuclear cells. These results reveal that arecoline may contribute to the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases by affecting endothelial cell function in BQ chewers.

  4. Luteolin inhibits Cr(VI)-induced malignant cell transformation of human lung epithelial cells by targeting ROS mediated multiple cell signaling pathways

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pratheeshkumar, Poyil; Son, Young-Ok; Divya, Sasidharan Padmaja; Roy, Ram Vinod; Hitron, John Andrew; Wang, Lei [Center for Research on Environmental Disease, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Kim, Donghern; Dai, Jin [Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Asha, Padmaja [National Centre for Aquatic Animal Health, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin (India); Zhang, Zhuo [Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Wang, Yitao [State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau (China); Shi, Xianglin, E-mail: xshi5@email.uky.edu [Center for Research on Environmental Disease, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States)

    2014-12-01

    Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a well-known human carcinogen associated with the incidence of lung cancer. Inhibition of metal induced carcinogenesis by a dietary antioxidant is a novel approach. Luteolin, a natural dietary flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables, possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. We found that short term exposure of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) to Cr(VI) (5 μM) showed a drastic increase in ROS generation, NADPH oxidase (NOX) activation, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione depletion, which were significantly inhibited by the treatment with luteolin in a dose dependent manner. Treatment with luteolin decreased AP-1, HIF-1α, COX-2, and iNOS promoter activity induced by Cr(VI) in BEAS-2B cells. In addition, luteolin protected BEAS-2B cells from malignant transformation induced by chronic Cr(VI) exposure. Moreover, luteolin also inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and VEGF in chronic Cr(VI) exposed BEAS-2B cells. Western blot analysis showed that luteolin inhibited multiple gene products linked to survival (Akt, Fak, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL), inflammation (MAPK, NF-κB, COX-2, STAT-3, iNOS, TNF-α) and angiogenesis (HIF-1α, VEGF, MMP-9) in chronic Cr(VI) exposed BEAS-2B cells. Nude mice injected with BEAS-2B cells chronically exposed to Cr(VI) in the presence of luteolin showed reduced tumor incidence compared to Cr(VI) alone treated group. Overexpression of catalase (CAT) or SOD2, eliminated Cr(VI)-induced malignant transformation. Overall, our results indicate that luteolin protects BEAS-2B cells from Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis by scavenging ROS and modulating multiple cell signaling mechanisms that are linked to ROS. Luteolin, therefore, serves as a potential chemopreventive agent against Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis. - Highlights: • Luteolin inhibited Cr(VI)-induced oxidative stress. • Luteolin inhibited chronic Cr(VI)-induced malignant transformation.

  5. Luteolin inhibits Cr(VI)-induced malignant cell transformation of human lung epithelial cells by targeting ROS mediated multiple cell signaling pathways

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pratheeshkumar, Poyil; Son, Young-Ok; Divya, Sasidharan Padmaja; Roy, Ram Vinod; Hitron, John Andrew; Wang, Lei; Kim, Donghern; Dai, Jin; Asha, Padmaja; Zhang, Zhuo; Wang, Yitao; Shi, Xianglin

    2014-01-01

    Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a well-known human carcinogen associated with the incidence of lung cancer. Inhibition of metal induced carcinogenesis by a dietary antioxidant is a novel approach. Luteolin, a natural dietary flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables, possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. We found that short term exposure of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) to Cr(VI) (5 μM) showed a drastic increase in ROS generation, NADPH oxidase (NOX) activation, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione depletion, which were significantly inhibited by the treatment with luteolin in a dose dependent manner. Treatment with luteolin decreased AP-1, HIF-1α, COX-2, and iNOS promoter activity induced by Cr(VI) in BEAS-2B cells. In addition, luteolin protected BEAS-2B cells from malignant transformation induced by chronic Cr(VI) exposure. Moreover, luteolin also inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and VEGF in chronic Cr(VI) exposed BEAS-2B cells. Western blot analysis showed that luteolin inhibited multiple gene products linked to survival (Akt, Fak, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL), inflammation (MAPK, NF-κB, COX-2, STAT-3, iNOS, TNF-α) and angiogenesis (HIF-1α, VEGF, MMP-9) in chronic Cr(VI) exposed BEAS-2B cells. Nude mice injected with BEAS-2B cells chronically exposed to Cr(VI) in the presence of luteolin showed reduced tumor incidence compared to Cr(VI) alone treated group. Overexpression of catalase (CAT) or SOD2, eliminated Cr(VI)-induced malignant transformation. Overall, our results indicate that luteolin protects BEAS-2B cells from Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis by scavenging ROS and modulating multiple cell signaling mechanisms that are linked to ROS. Luteolin, therefore, serves as a potential chemopreventive agent against Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis. - Highlights: • Luteolin inhibited Cr(VI)-induced oxidative stress. • Luteolin inhibited chronic Cr(VI)-induced malignant transformation.

  6. Cardiac glycosides induce cell death in human cells by inhibiting general protein synthesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Perne

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Cardiac glycosides are Na(+/K(+-pump inhibitors widely used to treat heart failure. They are also highly cytotoxic, and studies have suggested specific anti-tumor activity leading to current clinical trials in cancer patients. However, a definitive demonstration of this putative anti-cancer activity and the underlying molecular mechanism has remained elusive.Using an unbiased transcriptomics approach, we found that cardiac glycosides inhibit general protein synthesis. Protein synthesis inhibition and cytotoxicity were not specific for cancer cells as they were observed in both primary and cancer cell lines. These effects were dependent on the Na(+/K(+-pump as they were rescued by expression of a cardiac glycoside-resistant Na(+/K(+-pump. Unlike human cells, rodent cells are largely resistant to cardiac glycosides in vitro and mice were found to tolerate extremely high levels.The physiological difference between human and mouse explains the previously observed sensitivity of human cancer cells in mouse xenograft experiments. Thus, published mouse xenograft models used to support anti-tumor activity for these drugs require reevaluation. Our finding that cardiac glycosides inhibit protein synthesis provides a mechanism for the cytotoxicity of CGs and raises concerns about ongoing clinical trials to test CGs as anti-cancer agents in humans.

  7. Elaeocarpusin Inhibits Mast Cell-Mediated Allergic Inflammation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Jong Kim

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Mast cells are major effector cells for allergic responses that act by releasing inflammatory mediators, such as histamine and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Accordingly, different strategies have been pursued to develop anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory candidates by regulating the function of mast cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of elaeocarpusin (EL on mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation. We isolated EL from Elaeocarpus sylvestris L. (Elaeocarpaceae, which is known to possess anti-inflammatory properties. For this study, various sources of mast cells and mouse anaphylaxis models were used. EL suppressed the induction of markers for mast cell degranulation, such as histamine and β-hexosaminidase, by reducing intracellular calcium levels. Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-4, was significantly decreased in activated mast cells by EL. This inhibitory effect was related to inhibition of the phosphorylation of Fyn, Lyn, Syk, and Akt, and the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB. To confirm the effect of EL in vivo, immunoglobulin E-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA and ovalbumin-induced active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA models were induced. EL reduced the PCA reaction in a dose dependent manner. In addition, EL attenuated ASA reactions such as hypothemia, histamine release, and IgE production. Our results suggest that EL is a potential therapeutic candidate for allergic inflammatory diseases that acts via the inhibition of mast cell degranulation and expression of proinflammatory cytokines.

  8. E-cadherin homophilic ligation inhibits cell growth and epidermal growth factor receptor signaling independently of other cell interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Perrais, Michaël; Chen, Xiao; Perez-Moreno, Mirna

    2007-01-01

    growth inhibitory signals. To address this question, we have selectively formed E-cadherin homophilic bonds at the cell surface of isolated epithelial cells by using functionally active recombinant E-cadherin protein attached to microspheres. We find that E-cadherin ligation alone reduces the frequency...... of cells entering the S phase, demonstrating that E-cadherin ligation directly transduces growth inhibitory signals. E-cadherin binding to beta-catenin is required for cell growth inhibition, but beta-catenin/T-cell factor transcriptional activity is not involved in growth inhibition resulting from...... homophilic binding. Neither E-cadherin binding to p120-catenin nor beta-catenin binding to alpha-catenin, and thereby the actin cytoskeleton, is required for growth inhibition. E-cadherin ligation also inhibits epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor-mediated growth signaling by a beta...

  9. Effect of Lactobacillus reuteri on Cell Viability and PGE2 Production in Human Gingival Fibroblasts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    A Castiblanco, Gina; Yucel-Lindberg, Tulay; Roos, Stefan; Twetman, Svante

    2017-09-01

    Emerging evidence suggests that probiotic therapy can play a role in the prevention and management of oral inflammatory diseases through immunomodulation and down-regulation of the inflammatory cascade. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the viability of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and its production of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), when exposed to supernatants of two mixed Lactobacillus reuteri strains (ATCC PTA 5289 and DSM 17938). The experiments were conducted in the presence and absence of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. L. reuteri strains were grown and the bacterial supernatant was collected. The cell-free supernatant was diluted to concentrations equivalent to the ones produced by 0.5 to 5.0 × 10 7  CFU/mL bacteria. Cell viability was assessed with the MTT colorimetric assay and the amount of PGE 2 in the cell culture medium was determined using the monoclonal enzyme immune assay kits. Our findings showed that none of the L. reuteri supernatants were cytotoxic or affected the viability of HGF. The most concentrated bacterial supernatant stimulated the production of PGE 2 by the gingival cells in a significant way in the presence of IL-1β (p reuteri might play a role in the resolution of inflammation in HGF. Thus, our findings justify further investigations on the influence of probiotic bacteria on gingival inflammatory reactions.

  10. Sema4D, the ligand for Plexin B1, suppresses c-Met activation and migration and promotes melanocyte survival and growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soong, Joanne; Chen, Yulin; Shustef, Elina M; Scott, Glynis A

    2012-04-01

    Semaphorins are secreted and membrane-bound proteins involved in neural pathfinding, organogenesis, and tumor progression, through Plexin and neuropilin receptors. We recently reported that Plexin B1, the Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) receptor, is a tumor-suppressor protein for melanoma, which functions, in part, through inhibition of the oncogenic c-Met tyrosine kinase receptor. In this report, we show that Sema4D is a protective paracrine factor for normal human melanocyte survival in response to UV irradiation, and that it stimulates proliferation and regulates the activity of the c-Met receptor. c-Met receptor signaling stimulates melanocyte migration, partly through downregulation of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin. Sema4D suppressed activation of c-Met in response to its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and partially blocked the suppressive effects of HGF on E-cadherin expression in melanocytes and HGF-dependent migration. These data demonstrate a role for Plexin B1 in maintenance of melanocyte survival and proliferation in the skin, and suggest that Sema4D and Plexin B1 act cooperatively with HGF and c-Met to regulate c-Met-dependent effects in human melanocytes. Because our data show that Plexin B1 is profoundly downregulated by UVB in melanocytes, loss of Plexin B1 may accentuate HGF-dependent effects on melanocytes, including melanocyte migration.

  11. Inhibition of thromboxane synthase induces lung cancer cell death via increasing the nuclear p27

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leung, Kin Chung; Hsin, Michael K.Y.; Chan, Joey S.Y.; Yip, Johnson H.Y.; Li, Mingyue; Leung, Billy C.S. [Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories (Hong Kong); Mok, Tony S.K. [Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories (Hong Kong); Warner, Timothy D. [The William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London (United Kingdom); Underwood, Malcolm J. [Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories (Hong Kong); Chen, George G., E-mail: gchen@cuhk.edu.hk [Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories (Hong Kong)

    2009-10-15

    The role of thromboxane in lung carcinogenesis is not clearly known, though thromboxane B2 (TXB{sub 2}) level is increased and antagonists of thromboxane receptors or TXA2 can induce apoptosis of lung cancer cells. p27, an atypical tumor suppressor, is normally sequestered in the nucleus. The increased nuclear p27 may result in apoptosis of tumor cells. We hypothesize that the inhibition of thromboxane synthase (TXS) induces the death of lung cancer cells and that such inhibition is associated with the nuclear p27 level. Our experiment showed that the inhibition of TXS significantly induced the death or apoptosis in lung cancer cells. The activity of TXS was increased in lung cancer. The nuclear p27 was remarkably reduced in lung cancer tissues. The inhibition of TXS caused the cell death and apoptosis of lung cancer cells, likely via the elevation of the nuclear p27 since the TXS inhibition promoted the nuclear p27 level and the inhibition of p27 by its siRNA recovered the cell death induced by TXS inhibition. Collectively, lung cancer cells produce high levels of TXB{sub 2} but their nuclear p27 is markedly reduced. The inhibition of TXS results in the p27-related induction of cell death in lung cancer cells.

  12. Inhibition of thromboxane synthase induces lung cancer cell death via increasing the nuclear p27

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leung, Kin Chung; Hsin, Michael K.Y.; Chan, Joey S.Y.; Yip, Johnson H.Y.; Li, Mingyue; Leung, Billy C.S.; Mok, Tony S.K.; Warner, Timothy D.; Underwood, Malcolm J.; Chen, George G.

    2009-01-01

    The role of thromboxane in lung carcinogenesis is not clearly known, though thromboxane B2 (TXB 2 ) level is increased and antagonists of thromboxane receptors or TXA2 can induce apoptosis of lung cancer cells. p27, an atypical tumor suppressor, is normally sequestered in the nucleus. The increased nuclear p27 may result in apoptosis of tumor cells. We hypothesize that the inhibition of thromboxane synthase (TXS) induces the death of lung cancer cells and that such inhibition is associated with the nuclear p27 level. Our experiment showed that the inhibition of TXS significantly induced the death or apoptosis in lung cancer cells. The activity of TXS was increased in lung cancer. The nuclear p27 was remarkably reduced in lung cancer tissues. The inhibition of TXS caused the cell death and apoptosis of lung cancer cells, likely via the elevation of the nuclear p27 since the TXS inhibition promoted the nuclear p27 level and the inhibition of p27 by its siRNA recovered the cell death induced by TXS inhibition. Collectively, lung cancer cells produce high levels of TXB 2 but their nuclear p27 is markedly reduced. The inhibition of TXS results in the p27-related induction of cell death in lung cancer cells.

  13. Mitochondria-targeted vitamin E analogs inhibit breast cancer cell energy metabolism and promote cell death

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, Gang; Zielonka, Jacek; McAllister, Donna M; Mackinnon, A Craig Jr; Joseph, Joy; Dwinell, Michael B; Kalyanaraman, Balaraman

    2013-01-01

    Recent research has revealed that targeting mitochondrial bioenergetic metabolism is a promising chemotherapeutic strategy. Key to successful implementation of this chemotherapeutic strategy is the use of new and improved mitochondria-targeted cationic agents that selectively inhibit energy metabolism in breast cancer cells, while exerting little or no long-term cytotoxic effect in normal cells. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity and alterations in bioenergetic metabolism induced by mitochondria-targeted vitamin E analog (Mito-chromanol, Mito-ChM) and its acetylated ester analog (Mito-ChMAc). Assays of cell death, colony formation, mitochondrial bioenergetic function, intracellular ATP levels, intracellular and tissue concentrations of tested compounds, and in vivo tumor growth were performed. Both Mito-ChM and Mito-ChMAc selectively depleted intracellular ATP and caused prolonged inhibition of ATP-linked oxygen consumption rate in breast cancer cells, but not in non-cancerous cells. These effects were significantly augmented by inhibition of glycolysis. Mito-ChM and Mito-ChMAc exhibited anti-proliferative effects and cytotoxicity in several breast cancer cells with different genetic background. Furthermore, Mito-ChM selectively accumulated in tumor tissue and inhibited tumor growth in a xenograft model of human breast cancer. We conclude that mitochondria-targeted small molecular weight chromanols exhibit selective anti-proliferative effects and cytotoxicity in multiple breast cancer cells, and that esterification of the hydroxyl group in mito-chromanols is not a critical requirement for its anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effect

  14. Murraya koenigii leaf extract inhibits proteasome activity and induces cell death in breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noolu, Bindu; Ajumeera, Rajanna; Chauhan, Anitha; Nagalla, Balakrishna; Manchala, Raghunath; Ismail, Ayesha

    2013-01-09

    Inhibition of the proteolytic activity of 26S proteasome, the protein-degrading machine, is now considered a novel and promising approach for cancer therapy. Interestingly, proteasome inhibitors have been demonstrated to selectively kill cancer cells and also enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, polyphenols/flavonoids have been reported to inhibit proteasome activity. Murraya koenigii Spreng, a medicinally important herb of Indian origin, has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Here we show that Murraya koenigii leaves (curry leaves), a rich source of polyphenols, inhibit the proteolytic activity of the cancer cell proteasome, and cause cell death. Hydro-methanolic extract of curry leaves (CLE) was prepared and its total phenolic content [TPC] determined by, the Folin-Ciocalteau's method. Two human breast carcinoma cell lines: MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and a normal human lung fibroblast cell line, WI-38 were used for the studies. Cytotoxicity of the CLE was assessed by the MTT assay. We studied the effect of CLE on growth kinetics using colony formation assay. Growth arrest was assessed by cell cycle analysis and apoptosis by Annexin-V binding using flow cytometry. Inhibition of the endogenous 26S proteasome was studied in intact cells and cell extracts using substrates specific to 20S proteasomal enzymes. CLE decreased cell viability and altered the growth kinetics in both the breast cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. It showed a significant arrest of cells in the S phase albeit in cancer cells only. Annexin V binding data suggests that cell death was via the apoptotic pathway in both the cancer cell lines. CLE treatment significantly decreased the activity of the 26S proteasome in the cancer but not normal cells. Our study suggests M. koenigii leaves to be a potent source of proteasome inhibitors that lead to cancer cell death. Therefore, identification of active component(s) from the leaf

  15. Anticancer Potential of Aqueous Ethanol Seed Extract of Ziziphus mauritiana against Cancer Cell Lines and Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tulika Mishra

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Ziziphus mauritiana (Lamk. is a fruit tree that has folkloric implications against many ailments and diseases. In the present study, anticancer potential of seed extract of Ziziphus mauritiana in vitro against different cell lines (HL-60, Molt-4, HeLa, and normal cell line HGF by MTT assay as well as in vivo against Ehrich ascites carcinoma bearing Swiss albino mice was investigated. The extract was found to markedly inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 cells. Annexin and PI binding of treated HL-60 cells indicated apoptosis induction by extract in a dose-dependent manner. The cell cycle analysis revealed a prominent increase in sub Go population at concentration of 20 μg/ml and above. Agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed DNA fragmentation in HL-60 cells after 3 h incubation with extract. The extract also exhibited potent anticancer potential in vivo. Treatment of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma bearing Swiss albino mice with varied doses (100–800 mg/kg b.wt. of plant extract significantly reduced tumor volume and viable tumor cell count and improved haemoglobin content, RBC count, mean survival time, tumor inhibition, and percentage life span. The enhanced antioxidant status in extract-treated animals was evident from decline in levels of lipid peroxidation and increased levels of glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase.

  16. Inhibition of HSP27 alone or in combination with pAKT inhibition as therapeutic approaches to target SPARC-induced glioma cell survival

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schultz Chad R

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The current treatment regimen for glioma patients is surgery, followed by radiation therapy plus temozolomide (TMZ, followed by 6 months of adjuvant TMZ. Despite this aggressive treatment regimen, the overall survival of all surgically treated GBM patients remains dismal, and additional or different therapies are required. Depending on the cancer type, SPARC has been proposed both as a therapeutic target and as a therapeutic agent. In glioma, SPARC promotes invasion via upregulation of the p38 MAPK/MAPKAPK2/HSP27 signaling pathway, and promotes tumor cell survival by upregulating pAKT. As HSP27 and AKT interact to regulate the activity of each other, we determined whether inhibition of HSP27 was better than targeting SPARC as a therapeutic approach to inhibit both SPARC-induced glioma cell invasion and survival. Results Our studies found the following. 1 SPARC increases the expression of tumor cell pro-survival and pro-death protein signaling in balance, and, as a net result, tumor cell survival remains unchanged. 2 Suppressing SPARC increases tumor cell survival, indicating it is not a good therapeutic target. 3 Suppressing HSP27 decreases tumor cell survival in all gliomas, but is more effective in SPARC-expressing tumor cells due to the removal of HSP27 inhibition of SPARC-induced pro-apoptotic signaling. 4 Suppressing total AKT1/2 paradoxically enhanced tumor cell survival, indicating that AKT1 or 2 are poor therapeutic targets. 5 However, inhibiting pAKT suppresses tumor cell survival. 6 Inhibiting both HSP27 and pAKT synergistically decreases tumor cell survival. 7 There appears to be a complex feedback system between SPARC, HSP27, and AKT. 8 This interaction is likely influenced by PTEN status. With respect to chemosensitization, we found the following. 1 SPARC enhances pro-apoptotic signaling in cells exposed to TMZ. 2 Despite this enhanced signaling, SPARC protects cells against TMZ. 3 This protection can be reduced

  17. A Novel High Content Imaging-Based Screen Identifies the Anti-Helminthic Niclosamide as an Inhibitor of Lysosome Anterograde Trafficking and Prostate Cancer Cell Invasion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena L Circu

    Full Text Available Lysosome trafficking plays a significant role in tumor invasion, a key event for the development of metastasis. Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that the anterograde (outward movement of lysosomes to the cell surface in response to certain tumor microenvironment stimulus, such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF or acidic extracellular pH (pHe, increases cathepsin B secretion and tumor cell invasion. Anterograde lysosome trafficking depends on sodium-proton exchanger activity and can be reversed by blocking these ion pumps with Troglitazone or EIPA. Since these drugs cannot be advanced into the clinic due to toxicity, we have designed a high-content assay to discover drugs that block peripheral lysosome trafficking with the goal of identifying novel drugs that inhibit tumor cell invasion. An automated high-content imaging system (Cellomics was used to measure the position of lysosomes relative to the nucleus. Among a total of 2210 repurposed and natural product drugs screened, 18 "hits" were identified. One of the compounds identified as an anterograde lysosome trafficking inhibitor was niclosamide, a marketed human anti-helminthic drug. Further studies revealed that niclosamide blocked acidic pHe, HGF, and epidermal growth factor (EGF-induced anterograde lysosome redistribution, protease secretion, motility, and invasion of DU145 castrate resistant prostate cancer cells at clinically relevant concentrations. In an effort to identify the mechanism by which niclosamide prevented anterograde lysosome movement, we found that this drug exhibited no significant effect on the level of ATP, microtubules or actin filaments, and had minimal effect on the PI3K and MAPK pathways. Niclosamide collapsed intralysosomal pH without disruption of the lysosome membrane, while bafilomycin, an agent that impairs lysosome acidification, was also found to induce JLA in our model. Taken together, these data suggest that niclosamide promotes

  18. Rapamycin inhibits poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in intact cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fahrer, Joerg; Wagner, Silvia; Buerkle, Alexander; Koenigsrainer, Alfred

    2009-01-01

    Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive drug, which inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase activity inducing changes in cell proliferation. Synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) is an immediate cellular response to genotoxic stress catalyzed mostly by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1), which is also controlled by signaling pathways. Therefore, we investigated whether rapamycin affects PAR production. Strikingly, rapamycin inhibited PAR synthesis in living fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner as monitored by immunofluorescence. PARP-1 activity was then assayed in vitro, revealing that down-regulation of cellular PAR production by rapamycin was apparently not due to competitive PARP-1 inhibition. Further studies showed that rapamycin did not influence the cellular NAD pool and the activation of PARP-1 in extracts of pretreated fibroblasts. Collectively, our data suggest that inhibition of cellular PAR synthesis by rapamycin is mediated by formation of a detergent-sensitive complex in living cells, and that rapamycin may have a potential as therapeutic PARP inhibitor.

  19. Rapamycin inhibits poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in intact cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fahrer, Joerg, E-mail: joerg.fahrer@uni-ulm.de [Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz (Germany); Wagner, Silvia [Clinic of General, Visceral- and Transplantation Surgery, ZMF, University Hospital Tuebingen (Germany); Buerkle, Alexander [Molecular Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz (Germany); Koenigsrainer, Alfred [Clinic of General, Visceral- and Transplantation Surgery, ZMF, University Hospital Tuebingen (Germany)

    2009-08-14

    Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive drug, which inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase activity inducing changes in cell proliferation. Synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) is an immediate cellular response to genotoxic stress catalyzed mostly by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1), which is also controlled by signaling pathways. Therefore, we investigated whether rapamycin affects PAR production. Strikingly, rapamycin inhibited PAR synthesis in living fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner as monitored by immunofluorescence. PARP-1 activity was then assayed in vitro, revealing that down-regulation of cellular PAR production by rapamycin was apparently not due to competitive PARP-1 inhibition. Further studies showed that rapamycin did not influence the cellular NAD pool and the activation of PARP-1 in extracts of pretreated fibroblasts. Collectively, our data suggest that inhibition of cellular PAR synthesis by rapamycin is mediated by formation of a detergent-sensitive complex in living cells, and that rapamycin may have a potential as therapeutic PARP inhibitor.

  20. Cell-cycle inhibition by Helicobacter pylori L-asparaginase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Scotti

    Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori is a major human pathogen causing chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. One of the mechanisms whereby it induces damage depends on its interference with proliferation of host tissues. We here describe the discovery of a novel bacterial factor able to inhibit the cell-cycle of exposed cells, both of gastric and non-gastric origin. An integrated approach was adopted to isolate and characterise the molecule from the bacterial culture filtrate produced in a protein-free medium: size-exclusion chromatography, non-reducing gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, mutant analysis, recombinant protein expression and enzymatic assays. L-asparaginase was identified as the factor responsible for cell-cycle inhibition of fibroblasts and gastric cell lines. Its effect on cell-cycle was confirmed by inhibitors, a knockout strain and the action of recombinant L-asparaginase on cell lines. Interference with cell-cycle in vitro depended on cell genotype and was related to the expression levels of the concurrent enzyme asparagine synthetase. Bacterial subcellular distribution of L-asparaginase was also analysed along with its immunogenicity. H. pylori L-asparaginase is a novel antigen that functions as a cell-cycle inhibitor of fibroblasts and gastric cell lines. We give evidence supporting a role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-related diseases and discuss its potential diagnostic application.

  1. Human mesenchymal stem cells inhibit osteoclastogenesis through osteoprotegerin production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oshita, Koichi; Yamaoka, Kunihiro; Udagawa, Nobuyuki; Fukuyo, Shunsuke; Sonomoto, Koshiro; Maeshima, Keisuke; Kurihara, Ryuji; Nakano, Kazuhisa; Saito, Kazuyoshi; Okada, Yosuke; Chiba, Kenji; Tanaka, Yoshiya

    2011-06-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed to be a useful tool for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), not only because of their multipotency but also because of their immunosuppressive effect on lymphocytes, dendritic cells, and other proinflammatory cells. Since bone destruction caused by activated osteoclasts occurs in RA, we undertook the present study to investigate the effect of MSCs on osteoclast function and differentiation in order to evaluate their potential use in RA therapy. Human MSCs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured under cell-cell contact-free conditions with osteoclast induction medium. Differentiation into osteoclast-like cells was determined by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining and expression of osteoclast differentiation markers. The number of osteoclast-like cells was decreased and expression of cathepsin K and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NF-ATc1) was down-regulated by the addition of either MSCs or a conditioned medium obtained from MSCs. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) was constitutively produced by MSCs and inhibited osteoclastogenesis. However, osteoclast differentiation was not fully recovered upon treatment with either anti-OPG antibody or OPG small interfering RNA, suggesting that OPG had only a partial role in the inhibitory effect of MSCs. Moreover, bone-resorbing activity of osteoclast-like cells was partially recovered by addition of anti-OPG antibody into the conditioned medium. The present results indicate that human MSCs constitutively produce OPG, resulting in inhibition of osteoclastogenesis and expression of NF-ATc1 and cathepsin K in the absence of cell-cell contact. Therefore, we conclude that human MSCs exert a suppressive effect on osteoclastogenesis, which may be beneficial in inhibition of joint damage in RA. Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology.

  2. Infantile hemangioma-derived stem cells and endothelial cells are inhibited by class 3 semaphorins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakayama, Hironao; Huang, Lan; Kelly, Ryan P.; Oudenaarden, Clara R.L.; Dagher, Adelle; Hofmann, Nicole A.; Moses, Marsha A.; Bischoff, Joyce; Klagsbrun, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Class 3 semaphorins were discovered as a family of axon guidance molecules, but are now known to be involved in diverse biologic processes. In this study, we investigated the anti-angiogenic potential of SEMA3E and SEMA3F (SEMA3E&F) in infantile hemangioma (IH). IH is a common vascular tumor that involves both vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Our lab has identified and isolated hemangioma stem cells (HemSC), glucose transporter 1 positive (GLUT1 + ) endothelial cells (designated as GLUT1 sel cells) based on anti-GLUT1 magnetic beads selection and GLUT1-negative endothelial cells (named HemEC). We have shown that these types of cells play important roles in hemangiogenesis. We report here that SEMA3E inhibited HemEC migration and proliferation while SEMA3F was able to suppress the migration and proliferation in all three types of cells. Confocal microscopy showed that stress fibers in HemEC were reduced by SEMA3E&F and that stress fibers in HemSC were decreased by SEMA3F, which led to cytoskeletal collapse and loss of cell motility in both cell types. Additionally, SEMA3E&F were able to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced sprouts in all three types of cells. Further, SEMA3E&F reduced the level of p-VEGFR2 and its downstream p-ERK in HemEC. These results demonstrate that SEMA3E&F inhibit IH cell proliferation and suppress the angiogenic activities of migration and sprout formation. SEMA3E&F may have therapeutic potential to treat or prevent growth of highly proliferative IH. - Highlights: • SEMA3E&F reduce actin stress fibers and induce cytoskeletal collapse in HemEC. • SEMA3E&F inhibit angiogenic activities of HemEC. • SEMA3E&F can interrupt the VEGF-A-VEGFR2-ERK signaling pathway in HemEC. • Plexin D1 and NRP2 are induced during HemSC/GLUT1 sel -to-EC differentiation

  3. Infantile hemangioma-derived stem cells and endothelial cells are inhibited by class 3 semaphorins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakayama, Hironao [Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Department of Surgery, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Division of Cell Growth and Tumor Regulation, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime 791-0295 (Japan); Huang, Lan [Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Department of Surgery, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Kelly, Ryan P.; Oudenaarden, Clara R.L. [Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Dagher, Adelle; Hofmann, Nicole A.; Moses, Marsha A. [Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Department of Surgery, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Bischoff, Joyce, E-mail: joyce.bischoff@childrens.harvard.edu [Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Department of Surgery, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Klagsbrun, Michael, E-mail: michael.klagsbrun@childrens.harvard.edu [Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Department of Surgery, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States); Department of Pathology, Boston Children' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 (United States)

    2015-08-14

    Class 3 semaphorins were discovered as a family of axon guidance molecules, but are now known to be involved in diverse biologic processes. In this study, we investigated the anti-angiogenic potential of SEMA3E and SEMA3F (SEMA3E&F) in infantile hemangioma (IH). IH is a common vascular tumor that involves both vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Our lab has identified and isolated hemangioma stem cells (HemSC), glucose transporter 1 positive (GLUT1{sup +}) endothelial cells (designated as GLUT1{sup sel} cells) based on anti-GLUT1 magnetic beads selection and GLUT1-negative endothelial cells (named HemEC). We have shown that these types of cells play important roles in hemangiogenesis. We report here that SEMA3E inhibited HemEC migration and proliferation while SEMA3F was able to suppress the migration and proliferation in all three types of cells. Confocal microscopy showed that stress fibers in HemEC were reduced by SEMA3E&F and that stress fibers in HemSC were decreased by SEMA3F, which led to cytoskeletal collapse and loss of cell motility in both cell types. Additionally, SEMA3E&F were able to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced sprouts in all three types of cells. Further, SEMA3E&F reduced the level of p-VEGFR2 and its downstream p-ERK in HemEC. These results demonstrate that SEMA3E&F inhibit IH cell proliferation and suppress the angiogenic activities of migration and sprout formation. SEMA3E&F may have therapeutic potential to treat or prevent growth of highly proliferative IH. - Highlights: • SEMA3E&F reduce actin stress fibers and induce cytoskeletal collapse in HemEC. • SEMA3E&F inhibit angiogenic activities of HemEC. • SEMA3E&F can interrupt the VEGF-A-VEGFR2-ERK signaling pathway in HemEC. • Plexin D1 and NRP2 are induced during HemSC/GLUT1{sup sel}-to-EC differentiation.

  4. Differential Reponses of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells to mTOR Inhibition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aimin Yang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Abnormal activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR signaling pathway has been observed in a variety of human cancers. Therefore, targeting of the mTOR pathway is an attractive strategy for cancer treatment and several mTOR inhibitors, including AZD8055 (AZD, a novel dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor, are currently in clinical trials. Although bone marrow (BM suppression is one of the primary side effects of anticancer drugs, it is not known if pharmacological inhibition of dual mTORC1/2 affects BM hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs function and plasticity. Here we report that dual inhibition of mTORC1/2 by AZD or its analogue (KU-63794 depletes mouse BM Lin−Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells in cultures via the induction of apoptotic cell death. Subsequent colony-forming unit (CFU assays revealed that inhibition of mTORC1/2 suppresses the clonogenic function of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs in a dose-dependent manner. Surprisingly, we found that dual inhibition of mTORC1/2 markedly inhibits the growth of day-14 cobblestone area-forming cells (CAFCs but enhances the generation of day-35 CAFCs. Given the fact that day-14 and day-35 CAFCs are functional surrogates of HPCs and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs, respectively, these results suggest that dual inhibition of mTORC1/2 may have distinct effects on HPCs versus HSCs.

  5. CML/CD36 accelerates atherosclerotic progression via inhibiting foam cell migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Suining; Li, Lihua; Yan, Jinchuan; Ye, Fei; Shao, Chen; Sun, Zhen; Bao, Zhengyang; Dai, Zhiyin; Zhu, Jie; Jing, Lele; Wang, Zhongqun

    2018-01-01

    Among the various complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis causes the highest disability and morbidity. A multitude of macrophage-derived foam cells are retained in atherosclerotic plaques resulting not only from recruitment of monocytes into lesions but also from a reduced rate of macrophage migration from lesions. Nε-carboxymethyl-Lysine (CML), an advanced glycation end product, is responsible for most complications of diabetes. This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of CML/CD36 accelerating atherosclerotic progression via inhibiting foam cell migration. In vivo study and in vitro study were performed. For the in vivo investigation, CML/CD36 accelerated atherosclerotic progression via promoting the accumulation of macrophage-derived foam cells in aorta and inhibited macrophage-derived foam cells in aorta migrating to the para-aorta lymph node of diabetic apoE -/- mice. For the in vitro investigation, CML/CD36 inhibited RAW264.7-derived foam cell migration through NOX-derived ROS, FAK phosphorylation, Arp2/3 complex activation and F-actin polymerization. Thus, we concluded that CML/CD36 inhibited foam cells of plaque migrating to para-aorta lymph nodes, accelerating atherosclerotic progression. The corresponding mechanism may be via free cholesterol, ROS generation, p-FAK, Arp2/3, F-actin polymerization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Slow and sustained nitric oxide releasing compounds inhibit multipotent vascular stem cell proliferation and differentiation without causing cell death

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Curtis, Brandon M.; Leix, Kyle Alexander; Ji, Yajing; Glaves, Richard Samuel Elliot; Ash, David E.; Mohanty, Dillip K.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Multipotent vascular stem cells (MVSCs) proliferate and differentiate. • Nitric oxide inhibits proliferation of MVSCs. • Nitric oxide inhibits MVSC differentiation to mesenchymal-like stem cells (MSCs). • Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) neither de-differentiate nor proliferate. - Abstract: Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cerebral and myocardial infarction. It is believed that neointimal growth common in the later stages of atherosclerosis is a result of vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) de-differentiation in response to endothelial injury. However, the claims of the SMC de-differentiation theory have not been substantiated by monitoring the fate of mature SMCs in response to such injuries. A recent study suggests that atherosclerosis is a consequence of multipotent vascular stem cell (MVSC) differentiation. Nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known mediator against atherosclerosis, in part because of its inhibitory effect on SMC proliferation. Using three different NO-donors, we have investigated the effects of NO on MVSC proliferation. Results indicate that NO inhibits MVSC proliferation in a concentration dependent manner. A slow and sustained delivery of NO proved to inhibit proliferation without causing cell death. On the other hand, larger, single-burst NO concentrations, inhibits proliferation, with concurrent significant cell death. Furthermore, our results indicate that endogenously produced NO inhibits MVSC differentiation to mesenchymal-like stem cells (MSCs) and subsequently to SMC as well

  7. Slow and sustained nitric oxide releasing compounds inhibit multipotent vascular stem cell proliferation and differentiation without causing cell death

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Curtis, Brandon M.; Leix, Kyle Alexander [Department of Chemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Ji, Yajing [Department of Biomedical Science and Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Glaves, Richard Samuel Elliot [Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Ash, David E. [Department of Chemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Mohanty, Dillip K., E-mail: Mohan1dk@cmich.edu [Department of Chemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States)

    2014-07-18

    Highlights: • Multipotent vascular stem cells (MVSCs) proliferate and differentiate. • Nitric oxide inhibits proliferation of MVSCs. • Nitric oxide inhibits MVSC differentiation to mesenchymal-like stem cells (MSCs). • Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) neither de-differentiate nor proliferate. - Abstract: Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cerebral and myocardial infarction. It is believed that neointimal growth common in the later stages of atherosclerosis is a result of vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) de-differentiation in response to endothelial injury. However, the claims of the SMC de-differentiation theory have not been substantiated by monitoring the fate of mature SMCs in response to such injuries. A recent study suggests that atherosclerosis is a consequence of multipotent vascular stem cell (MVSC) differentiation. Nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known mediator against atherosclerosis, in part because of its inhibitory effect on SMC proliferation. Using three different NO-donors, we have investigated the effects of NO on MVSC proliferation. Results indicate that NO inhibits MVSC proliferation in a concentration dependent manner. A slow and sustained delivery of NO proved to inhibit proliferation without causing cell death. On the other hand, larger, single-burst NO concentrations, inhibits proliferation, with concurrent significant cell death. Furthermore, our results indicate that endogenously produced NO inhibits MVSC differentiation to mesenchymal-like stem cells (MSCs) and subsequently to SMC as well.

  8. ATF3 inhibits PPARγ-stimulated transactivation in adipocyte cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jang, Min-Kyung; Jung, Myeong Ho, E-mail: jung0603@pusan.ac.kr

    2015-01-02

    Highlights: • ATF3 inhibits PPARγ-stimulated transcriptional activation. • ATF3 interacts with PPARγ. • ATF3 suppresses p300-mediated transcriptional coactivation. • ATF3 decreases the binding of PPARγ and recruitment of p300 to PPRE. - Abstract: Previously, we reported that activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) downregulates peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPARγ) gene expression and inhibits adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. Here, we investigated another role of ATF3 on the regulation of PPARγ activity. ATF3 inhibited PPARγ-stimulated transactivation of PPARγ responsive element (PPRE)-containing reporter or GAL4/PPARγ chimeric reporter. Thus, ATF3 effectively repressed rosiglitazone-stimulated expression of adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aP2), PPARγ target gene, in 3T3-L1 cells. Coimmunoprecipitation and GST pulldown assay demonstrated that ATF3 interacted with PPARγ. Accordingly, ATF3 prevented PPARγ from binding to PPRE on the aP2 promoter. Furthermore, ATF3 suppressed p300-mediated transcriptional coactivation of PPRE-containing reporter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that overexpression of ATF3 blocked both binding of PPARγ and recruitment of p300 to PPRE on aP2 promoter induced by rosiglitazone treatment in 3T3-L1 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that ATF3 interacts with PPARγ and represses PPARγ-mediated transactivation through suppression of p300-stimulated coactivation in 3T3-L1 cells, which may play a role in inhibition of adipocyte differentiation.

  9. PI3K inhibition enhances doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in sarcoma cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana Marklein

    Full Text Available We searched for a drug capable of sensitization of sarcoma cells to doxorubicin (DOX. We report that the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PI103 enhances the efficacy of DOX in several sarcoma cell lines and interacts with DOX in the induction of apoptosis. PI103 decreased the expression of MDR1 and MRP1, which resulted in DOX accumulation. However, the enhancement of DOX-induced apoptosis was unrelated to DOX accumulation. Neither did it involve inhibition of mTOR. Instead, the combination treatment of DOX plus PI103 activated Bax, the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, and caspase 3. Caspase 3 activation was also observed in xenografts of sarcoma cells in nude mice upon combination of DOX with the specific PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941. Although the increase in apoptosis did not further impact on tumor growth when compared to the efficient growth inhibition by GDC-0941 alone, these findings suggest that inhibition of PI3K may improve DOX-induced proapoptotic effects in sarcoma. Taken together with similar recent studies of neuroblastoma- and glioblastoma-derived cells, PI3K inhibition seems to be a more general option to sensitize tumor cells to anthracyclines.

  10. Progesterone dose-dependently modulates hepatocyte growth factor production in 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Tomoki; Yamaji, Daisuke; Kamikawa, Akihiro; Abd Eldaim, Mabrouk Attia; Okamatsu-Ogura, Yuko; Terao, Akira; Saito, Masayuki; Kimura, Kazuhiro

    2017-08-30

    It is well documented that estrogen is predominant inducer of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in a variety of cell types. However, the effect of progesterone (P) remains to be elusive. Thus, in the present study, we examined the effect of P and combined effect of P and 17β-estradiol (E2) on HGF expression and production in 3T3-L1 fibroblastic preadipocytes and mature adipocytes, as a model of stromal cells. Northern blot analysis showed that hgf mRNA expressed in preadipocytes was notably higher than that of mature adipocytes, and increased by treatment of preadipocytes with E2 or 10 nM P, but not with 1,000 nM P. The E2-induced hgf mRNA expression was enhanced by 10 nM P, but suppressed by 1,000 nM P. Western blot analysis revealed that biological active forms of HGF protein was found in the preadipocyte culture medium, while the lesser amount of HGF precursor protein was detected in the mature adipocyte culture medium. The amounts of HGF were changed dependently on the hgf mRNA expression levels. These results indicate that HGF production is intricately regulated by E2 and P at the transcriptional levels in 3T3-L1 cells, and may explain the changes in the HGF production during the mammary gland development, especially decrease in HGF expression during pregnancy when P concentration is high.

  11. Ethanol inhibits B16-BL6 melanoma metastasis and cell phenotypes associated with metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kushiro, Kyoko; Núñez, Nomelí P

    2012-01-01

    Every year, approximately 68,000 new cases of malignant melanoma are diagnosed in the US. Ethanol consumption inhibits metastasis of melanoma in mice, but the mechanism is not well understood. C57BL/6J ob/+ mice, given either water or 20% ethanol, were injected intravenously with B16-BL6 melanoma cells to determine pulmonary metastasis. The effects of ethanol on cell phenotypes and markers of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition were determined in cell culture. In mice, ethanol consumption inhibited experimental pulmonary metastasis. This inhibition was associated with decreased body weight, and levels of systemic leptin, and insulin. In cell culture, ethanol inhibited B16-BL6 cell motility, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth. Additionally, ethanol reduced Snai1 expression and increased E-cadherin expression. Lastly, ethanol increased the expression of Kiss1 metastasis-suppressor and the metastasis suppressor Nm23/nucleoside diphosphate kinase. In both animal and in cell culture conditions, ethanol inhibited the metastatic ability of B16-BL6 melanoma cells.

  12. Differences in antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inhibition in HCC cells with versus without HBV expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, Yun; Zhou, Lin; Xie, Haiyang; Wang, Weilin; Zheng, Shusen

    2015-01-01

    Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays an important role in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inactivation could inhibit the tumor growth of HCC. In this study, differential antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inhibition was observed with HBV-related HCC cells being more resistant than non-HBV-related HCC cells. Resistance of HBV-related HCC cells to STAT3 inhibition was positively correlated to the expression of HBV. Enhanced ERK activation after STAT3 blockade was detected in HBV-related HCC cells but not in non-HBV-related HCC cells. Combined ERK and STAT3 inhibition eliminates the discrepancy between the two types of HCC cells. Moderate reduced HBV expression was found after STAT3 inhibition. These findings disclose a discrepancy in cellular response to STAT3 inhibition between non-HBV-related and HBV-related HCC cells and underscore the complexity of antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inactivation in HBV-related HCC cells. - Highlights: • HBV endows HCC cells with resistance to STAT3 inactivation on proliferation. • Abnormal ERK activation after STAT3 inhibition in HBV-related HCC cells. • Combined ERK and STAT3 inhibition eliminates the discrepancy. • STAT3 inhibition moderately reduces HBV expression

  13. Differences in antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inhibition in HCC cells with versus without HBV expression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hong, Yun; Zhou, Lin; Xie, Haiyang; Wang, Weilin [Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Qingchun Road 79, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003 (China); Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation of Ministry of Public Health, Qingchun Road 79, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003 (China); Zheng, Shusen, E-mail: shusenzheng@zju.edu.cn [Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Qingchun Road 79, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003 (China); Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation of Ministry of Public Health, Qingchun Road 79, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003 (China)

    2015-06-05

    Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays an important role in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inactivation could inhibit the tumor growth of HCC. In this study, differential antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inhibition was observed with HBV-related HCC cells being more resistant than non-HBV-related HCC cells. Resistance of HBV-related HCC cells to STAT3 inhibition was positively correlated to the expression of HBV. Enhanced ERK activation after STAT3 blockade was detected in HBV-related HCC cells but not in non-HBV-related HCC cells. Combined ERK and STAT3 inhibition eliminates the discrepancy between the two types of HCC cells. Moderate reduced HBV expression was found after STAT3 inhibition. These findings disclose a discrepancy in cellular response to STAT3 inhibition between non-HBV-related and HBV-related HCC cells and underscore the complexity of antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inactivation in HBV-related HCC cells. - Highlights: • HBV endows HCC cells with resistance to STAT3 inactivation on proliferation. • Abnormal ERK activation after STAT3 inhibition in HBV-related HCC cells. • Combined ERK and STAT3 inhibition eliminates the discrepancy. • STAT3 inhibition moderately reduces HBV expression.

  14. Piperlongumine inhibits LMP1/MYC-dependent mouse B-lymphoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Seong-Su; Tompkins, Van S.; Son, Dong-Ju; Kamberos, Natalie L.; Stunz, Laura L.; Halwani, Ahmad; Bishop, Gail A.; Janz, Siegfried

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Mouse model of human Burkitt lymphoma revealed cancer inhibition by PL. •Treatment with PL led to apoptosis of malignant but not normal B cells. •PL inhibited LMP1–NF-κB–Myc-dependent target genes including p21-encoding Cdkn1a. •PL holds promise for new interventions approaches to hematologic malignancies. -- Abstract: Piperlongumine (PL), isolated from the fruit of Long pepper, Piper longum, is a cancer-inhibiting compound that selectively kills tumor cells while sparing their normal counterparts. Here we evaluated the efficacy with which PL suppresses malignant B cells derived from a newly developed, double-transgenic mouse model of human endemic Burkitt lymphoma (BL), designated mCD40-LMP1/iMyc Eμ . PL inhibited tumor cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner and induced apoptosis of neoplastic but not normal B cells. Treatment with PL resulted in downregulation of EBV-encoded LMP1, cellular Myc, constitutive NF-κB activity, and a host of LMP1-Myc-NF-κB-regulated target genes including Aurka, Bcat1, Bub1b, Ccnb1, Chek1, Fancd2, Tfrc and Xrcc6. Of note, p21 Cip1 -encoding Cdkn1a was suppressed independent of changes in Trp53 mRNA levels and p53 DNA-binding activity. Considering the central role of the LMP1–NF-κB–Myc axis in B-lineage neoplasia, these findings further our understanding of the mechanisms by which PL inhibits B-lymphoma and provide a preclinical rationale for the inclusion of PL in new interventions in blood cancers

  15. Piperlongumine inhibits LMP1/MYC-dependent mouse B-lymphoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Seong-Su; Tompkins, Van S. [Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States); Son, Dong-Ju [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States); Kamberos, Natalie L. [Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States); Stunz, Laura L. [Deparment of Microbiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States); Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States); Iowa City VAMC, Iowa City, IA (United States); Halwani, Ahmad [Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States); Bishop, Gail A. [Deparment of Microbiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States); Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States); Iowa City VAMC, Iowa City, IA (United States); Janz, Siegfried, E-mail: siegfried-janz@uiowa.edu [Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA (United States)

    2013-07-12

    Highlights: •Mouse model of human Burkitt lymphoma revealed cancer inhibition by PL. •Treatment with PL led to apoptosis of malignant but not normal B cells. •PL inhibited LMP1–NF-κB–Myc-dependent target genes including p21-encoding Cdkn1a. •PL holds promise for new interventions approaches to hematologic malignancies. -- Abstract: Piperlongumine (PL), isolated from the fruit of Long pepper, Piper longum, is a cancer-inhibiting compound that selectively kills tumor cells while sparing their normal counterparts. Here we evaluated the efficacy with which PL suppresses malignant B cells derived from a newly developed, double-transgenic mouse model of human endemic Burkitt lymphoma (BL), designated mCD40-LMP1/iMyc{sup Eμ}. PL inhibited tumor cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner and induced apoptosis of neoplastic but not normal B cells. Treatment with PL resulted in downregulation of EBV-encoded LMP1, cellular Myc, constitutive NF-κB activity, and a host of LMP1-Myc-NF-κB-regulated target genes including Aurka, Bcat1, Bub1b, Ccnb1, Chek1, Fancd2, Tfrc and Xrcc6. Of note, p21{sup Cip1}-encoding Cdkn1a was suppressed independent of changes in Trp53 mRNA levels and p53 DNA-binding activity. Considering the central role of the LMP1–NF-κB–Myc axis in B-lineage neoplasia, these findings further our understanding of the mechanisms by which PL inhibits B-lymphoma and provide a preclinical rationale for the inclusion of PL in new interventions in blood cancers.

  16. Vitisin A inhibits adipocyte differentiation through cell cycle arrest in 3T3-L1 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Soon-hee; Park, Hee-Sook; Lee, Myoung-su; Cho, Yong-Jin; Kim, Young-Sup; Hwang, Jin-Taek; Sung, Mi Jeong; Kim, Myung Sunny; Kwon, Dae Young

    2008-01-01

    Inhibition of adipocyte differentiation is one approach among the anti-obesity strategies. This study demonstrates that vitisin A, a resveratrol tetramer, inhibits adipocyte differentiation most effectively of 18 stilbenes tested. Fat accumulation and PPARγ expression were decreased by vitisin A in a dose-dependent manner. Vitisin A significantly inhibited preadipocyte proliferation and consequent differentiation within the first 2 days of treatment, indicating that the anti-adipogenic effect of vitisin A was derived from anti-proliferation. Based on cell cycle analysis, vitisin A blocked the cell cycle at the G1-S phase transition, causing cells to remain in the preadipocyte state. Vitisin A increased p21 expression, while the Rb phosphorylation level was reduced. Therefore, vitisin A seems to induce G1 arrest through p21- and consequent Rb-dependent suppression of transcription. On the other hand, ERK and Akt signaling pathways were not involved in the anti-mitotic regulation by vitisin A. Taken together, these results suggest that vitisin A inhibits adipocyte differentiation through preadipocyte cell cycle arrest

  17. MicroRNA-144 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    MiR-144 was shown to besignificantly down-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Subsequently, overexpression of miR-144 was transfectedinto HCC cell lines so as to investigate its biological function, including MTT, colony formation, and transwell assays.Gain of function assay revealed miR-144 remarkably inhibited ...

  18. Lycopene inhibits the cell proliferation and invasion of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Min; Wu, Qundan; Zhang, Min; Huang, Jinbei

    2016-10-01

    Lycopene has been shown to be associated with anticancer effects in numerous tumor types. However, the underlying mechanisms of lycopene in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain to be determined. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of lycopene overload and the cytotoxic effects of lycopene on HNSCC cells, and to determine the possible mechanisms involved. Treatment with lycopene at a dose of >10 µM for >24 h inhibited the growth of FaDu and Cal27 cells in a time‑ and dose‑dependent manner. The clearest increase in growth inhibition was due to the apoptotic population being significantly increased. The invasion abilities decreased with 25 µM lycopene exerting significant inhibitory effects (Plycopene induced the upregulation of the pro‑apoptotic protein, B‑cell lymphoma‑associated X protein, and therefore, resulted in the inhibition of the protein kinase B and mitogen‑activated protein kinase signaling pathway. These data provided insights into the antitumor activity of lycopene in HNSCC cells.

  19. ROS accumulation and IGF-IR inhibition contribute to fenofibrate/PPARα -mediated inhibition of Glioma cell motility in vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Del Valle Luis

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Glioblastomas are characterized by rapid cell growth, aggressive CNS infiltration, and are resistant to all known anticancer regimens. Recent studies indicate that fibrates and statins possess anticancer potential. Fenofibrate is a potent agonist of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα that can switch energy metabolism from glycolysis to fatty acid β-oxidation, and has low systemic toxicity. Fenofibrate also attenuates IGF-I-mediated cellular responses, which could be relevant in the process of glioblastoma cell dispersal. Methods The effects of fenofibrate on Glioma cell motility, IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR signaling, PPARα activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS metabolism, mitochondrial potential, and ATP production were analyzed in human glioma cell lines. Results Fenofibrate treatment attenuated IGF-I signaling responses and repressed cell motility of LN-229 and T98G Glioma cell lines. In the absence of fenofibrate, specific inhibition of the IGF-IR had only modest effects on Glioma cell motility. Further experiments revealed that PPARα-dependent accumulation of ROS is a strong contributing factor in Glioma cell lines responses to fenofibrate. The ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC, restored cell motility, improved mitochondrial potential, and increased ATP levels in fenofibrate treated Glioma cell lines. Conclusions Our results indicate that although fenofibrate-mediated inhibition of the IGF-IR may not be sufficient in counteracting Glioma cell dispersal, PPARα-dependent metabolic switch and the resulting ROS accumulation strongly contribute to the inhibition of these devastating brain tumor cells.

  20. Lactadherin inhibits secretory phospholipase A2 activity on pre-apoptotic leukemia cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steffen Nyegaard

    Full Text Available Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2 is a critical component of insect and snake venoms and is secreted by mammalian leukocytes during inflammation. Elevated secretory PLA2 concentrations are associated with autoimmune diseases and septic shock. Many sPLA2's do not bind to plasma membranes of quiescent cells but bind and digest phospholipids on the membranes of stimulated or apoptotic cells. The capacity of these phospholipases to digest membranes of stimulated or apoptotic cells correlates to the exposure of phosphatidylserine. In the present study, the ability of the phosphatidyl-L-serine-binding protein, lactadherin to inhibit phospholipase enzyme activity has been assessed. Inhibition of human secretory phospholipase A2-V on phospholipid vesicles exceeded 90%, whereas inhibition of Naja mossambica sPLA2 plateaued at 50-60%. Lactadherin inhibited 45% of activity of Naja mossambica sPLA2 and >70% of human secretory phospholipase A2-V on the membranes of human NB4 leukemia cells treated with calcium ionophore A23187. The data indicate that lactadherin may decrease inflammation by inhibiting sPLA2.

  1. Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS) Augments IFN-gamma Mediated Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cell Growth

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Gupta, Vandana

    2004-01-01

    Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS), a member of the TGFB family regulates growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in many cell types In the male embryo, MIS causes regression of the Mullerian duct...

  2. Capsaicin Inhibits Multiple Bladder Cancer Cell Phenotypes by Inhibiting Tumor-Associated NADH Oxidase (tNOX and Sirtuin1 (SIRT1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Hung Lin

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Bladder cancer is one of the most frequent cancers among males, and its poor survival rate reflects problems with aggressiveness and chemo-resistance. Recent interest has focused on the use of chemopreventatives (nontoxic natural agents that may suppress cancer progression to induce targeted apoptosis for cancer therapy. Capsaicin, which has anti-cancer properties, is one such agent. It is known to preferentially inhibit a tumor-associated NADH oxidase (tNOX that is preferentially expressed in cancer/transformed cells. Here, we set out to elucidate the correlation between tNOX expression and the inhibitory effects of capsaicin in human bladder cancer cells. We showed that capsaicin downregulates tNOX expression and decreases bladder cancer cell growth by enhancing apoptosis. Moreover, capsaicin was found to reduce the expression levels of several proteins involved in cell cycle progression, in association with increases in the cell doubling time and enhanced cell cycle arrest. Capsaicin was also shown to inhibit the activation of ERK, thereby reducing the phosphorylation of paxillin and FAK, which leads to decreased cell migration. Finally, our results indicate that RNA interference-mediated tNOX depletion enhances spontaneous apoptosis, prolongs cell cycle progression, and reduces cell migration and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. We also observed a downregulation of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1 in these tNOX-knockdown cells, a deacetylase that is important in multiple cellular functions. Taken together, our results indicate that capsaicin inhibits the growth of bladder cancer cells by inhibiting tNOX and SIRT1 and thereby reducing proliferation, attenuating migration, and prolonging cell cycle progression.

  3. Baicalein inhibits the migration and invasive properties of human hepatoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiu, Yung-Wei; Lin, Tseng-Hsi; Huang, Wen-Shih; Teng, Chun-Yuh; Liou, Yi-Sheng; Kuo, Wu-Hsien; Lin, Wea-Lung; Huang, Hai-I; Tung, Jai-Nien; Huang, Chih-Yang; Liu, Jer-Yuh; Wang, Wen-Hung; Hwang, Jin-Ming

    2011-01-01

    Flavonoids have been demonstrated to exert health benefits in humans. We investigated whether the flavonoid baicalein would inhibit the adhesion, migration, invasion, and growth of human hepatoma cell lines, and we also investigated its mechanism of action. The separate effects of baicalein and baicalin on the viability of HA22T/VGH and SK-Hep1 cells were investigated for 24 h. To evaluate their invasive properties, cells were incubated on matrigel-coated transwell membranes in the presence or absence of baicalein. We examined the effect of baicalein on the adhesion of cells, on the activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), protein kinase C (PKC), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and on tumor growth in vivo. We observed that baicalein suppresses hepatoma cell growth by 55%, baicalein-treated cells showed lower levels of migration than untreated cells, and cell invasion was significantly reduced to 28%. Incubation of hepatoma cells with baicalein also significantly inhibited cell adhesion to matrigel, collagen I, and gelatin-coated substrate. Baicalein also decreased the gelatinolytic activities of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2, MMP-9, and uPA, decreased p50 and p65 nuclear translocation, and decreased phosphorylated I-kappa-B (IKB)-β. In addition, baicalein reduced the phosphorylation levels of PKCα and p38 proteins, which regulate invasion in poorly differentiated hepatoma cells. Finally, when SK-Hep1 cells were grown as xenografts in nude mice, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of baicalein induced a significant dose-dependent decrease in tumor growth. These results demonstrate the anticancer properties of baicalein, which include the inhibition of adhesion, invasion, migration, and proliferation of human hepatoma cells in vivo. - Highlight: → Baicalein inhibits several essential steps in the onset of metastasis.

  4. Caspase-dependent inhibition of store-operated Ca2+ entry into apoptosis-committed Jurkat cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onopiuk, Marta; Wierzbicka, Katarzyna; Brutkowski, Wojciech; Szczepanowska, Joanna; Zablocki, Krzysztof

    2010-01-01

    Activation of T-cells triggers store-operated Ca 2+ entry, which begins a signaling cascade leading to induction of appropriate gene expression and eventually lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation. The simultaneous enhancement of Fas ligand gene expression in activated cells allows the immune response to be limited by committing the activated cells to apoptosis. In apoptotic cells the store-operated calcium entry is significantly inhibited. It has been documented that moderate activation of Fas receptor may cause reversible inhibition of store-operated channels by ceramide released from hydrolyzed sphingomyelin. Here we show that activation of Fas receptor in T-cells results in caspase-dependent decrease of cellular STIM1 and Orai1 protein content. This effect may be responsible for the substantial inhibition of Ca 2+ entry into Jurkat cells undergoing apoptosis. In turn, this inhibition might prevent overloading of cells with calcium and protect them against necrosis. -- Research highlights: → Fas activation reduces STIM1 and Orai1 protein content in caspase dependent manner. → Fas activation partially reduces mitochondrial potential in caspase dependent manner. → Fas stimulation inhibits of store-operated Ca 2+ entry in caspase dependent manner. → Inhibition of Ca 2+ entry in apoptotic cells may protect them from secondary necrosis.

  5. Inhibition of autophagy induced by TSA sensitizes colon cancer cell to radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Gang; Wang, Yan; Pang, Xueli; Zhang, Bo

    2014-02-01

    Radiotherapy is one of the main treatments for clinical cancer therapy. However, its application was limited due to lack of radiosensitivity in some cancers. Trichostatin A (TSA) is a classic histone deacetylases inhibitor (HDACi) that specifically inhibits the biochemical functions of HDAC and is demonstrated to be an active anticancer drug. However, whether it could sensitize colon cancer to radiation is not clear. Our results showed that TSA enhanced the radiosensitivity of colon cancer cells as determined by CCK-8 and clonogenic survival assay. Moreover, apoptotic cell death induced by radiation was enhanced by TSA treatment. Additionally, TSA also induced autophagic response in colon cancer cells, while autophagy inhibition led to cell apoptosis and enhanced the radiosensitivity of colon cancer cells. Our data suggested that inhibition of cytoprotective autophagy sensitizes cancer cell to radiation, which might be further investigated for clinical cancer radiotherapy.

  6. Murraya koenigii leaf extract inhibits proteasome activity and induces cell death in breast cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noolu Bindu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inhibition of the proteolytic activity of 26S proteasome, the protein-degrading machine, is now considered a novel and promising approach for cancer therapy. Interestingly, proteasome inhibitors have been demonstrated to selectively kill cancer cells and also enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, polyphenols/flavonoids have been reported to inhibit proteasome activity. Murraya koenigii Spreng, a medicinally important herb of Indian origin, has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Here we show that Murraya koenigii leaves (curry leaves, a rich source of polyphenols, inhibit the proteolytic activity of the cancer cell proteasome, and cause cell death. Methods Hydro-methanolic extract of curry leaves (CLE was prepared and its total phenolic content [TPC] determined by, the Folin-Ciocalteau’s method. Two human breast carcinoma cell lines: MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and a normal human lung fibroblast cell line, WI-38 were used for the studies. Cytotoxicity of the CLE was assessed by the MTT assay. We studied the effect of CLE on growth kinetics using colony formation assay. Growth arrest was assessed by cell cycle analysis and apoptosis by Annexin-V binding using flow cytometry. Inhibition of the endogenous 26S proteasome was studied in intact cells and cell extracts using substrates specific to 20S proteasomal enzymes. Results CLE decreased cell viability and altered the growth kinetics in both the breast cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. It showed a significant arrest of cells in the S phase albeit in cancer cells only. Annexin V binding data suggests that cell death was via the apoptotic pathway in both the cancer cell lines. CLE treatment significantly decreased the activity of the 26S proteasome in the cancer but not normal cells. Conclusions Our study suggests M. koenigii leaves to be a potent source of proteasome inhibitors that lead to cancer cell death

  7. Vitisin B, a resveratrol tetramer, inhibits migration through inhibition of PDGF signaling and enhancement of cell adhesiveness in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ong, Eng-Thaim; Hwang, Tsong-Long; Huang, Yu-Ling; Lin, Chwan-Fwu; Wu, Wen-Bin

    2011-01-01

    Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play an important role in normal vessel formation and in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Grape plants contain resveratrol monomer and oligomers and drinking of wine made from grape has been linked to 'French Paradox'. In this study we evaluated the effect of vitisin B, a resveratrol tetramer, on VSMC behaviors. Vitisin B inhibited basal and PDGF-induced VSMC migration. Strikingly, it did not inhibit VSMC proliferation but inversely enhanced cell cycle progression and proliferation. Among the tested resveratrol oligomers, vitisin B showed an excellent inhibitory activity and selectivity on PDGF signaling. The anti-migratory effect by vitisin B was due to direct inhibition on PDGF signaling but was independent of interference with PDGF binding to VSMCs. Moreover, the enhanced VSMC adhesiveness to matrix contributed to the anti-migratory effect by vitisin B. Fluorescence microscopy revealed an enhanced reorganization of actin cytoskeleton and redistribution of activated focal adhesion proteins from cytosol to the peripheral edge of the cell membrane. This was confirmed by the observation that enhanced adhesiveness was repressed by the Src inhibitor. Finally, among the effects elicited by vitisin B, only the inhibitory effect toward basal migration was partially through estrogen receptor activation. We have demonstrated here that a resveratrol tetramer exhibited dual but opposite actions on VSMCs, one is to inhibit VSMC migration and the other is to promote VSMC proliferation. The anti-migratory effect was through a potent inhibition on PDGF signaling and novel enhancement on cell adhesion. - Highlights: → Several resveratrol oligomers from grape plants are examined on VSMC behaviors. → Tetraoligomer vitisin B shows excellent inhibitory activity and selectivity. → It exerts dual but opposing actions: anti-migratory and pro-proliferative effects. → The anti-migratory effect results from anti

  8. The Cell Adhesion Molecule Necl-4/CADM4 Serves as a Novel Regulator for Contact Inhibition of Cell Movement and Proliferation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shota Yamana

    Full Text Available Contact inhibition of cell movement and proliferation is critical for proper organogenesis and tissue remodeling. We show here a novel regulatory mechanism for this contact inhibition using cultured vascular endothelial cells. When the cells were confluently cultured, Necl-4 was up-regulated and localized at cell-cell contact sites where it cis-interacted with the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF receptor. This interaction inhibited the tyrosine-phosphorylation of the VEGF receptor through protein-tyrosine phosphatase, non-receptor type 13 (PTPN13, eventually reducing cell movement and proliferation. When the cells were sparsely cultured, Necl-4 was down-regulated but accumulated at leading edges where it inhibited the activation of Rho-associated protein kinase through PTPN13, eventually facilitating the VEGF-induced activation of Rac1 and enhancing cell movement. Necl-4 further facilitated the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, eventually enhancing cell proliferation. Thus, Necl-4 serves as a novel regulator for contact inhibition of cell movement and proliferation cooperatively with the VEGF receptor and PTPN13.

  9. mTOR inhibition sensitizes human hepatocellular carcinoma cells to resminostat

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peng, Xingang, E-mail: pengxinggang26@sina.com [Department of Emergency General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao (China); Zhang, Donghui, E-mail: zhangdonghuiyx@sina.com [Department of Infectious Disease, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi (China); Li, Zhengling, E-mail: lizhenglingzz@sina.com [Department of Nursing, Tengzhou Central People’s Hospital, Tengzhou (China); Fu, Meili, E-mail: fumeilidrlinyi@tom.com [Department of Infectious Disease, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi (China); Liu, Haiyan, E-mail: liuhaiyanlinyi5@sina.com [Department of Nursing, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi (China)

    2016-09-02

    Histone deacetylases (HDACs) hyper-activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often associated with patients’ poor prognosis. Our previous study has shown that resminostat, a novel HDAC inhibitor (HDACi), activated mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP)-dependent apoptosis pathway in HCC cells. Here we explored the potential resminostat resistance factor by focusing on mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). We showed that AZD-2014, a novel mTOR kinase inhibitor, potentiated resminostat-induced cytotoxicity and proliferation inhibition in HCC cells. Molecularly, AZD-2014 enhanced resminostat-induced mPTP apoptosis pathway activation in HCC cells. Inhibition of this apoptosis pathway, by the caspase-9 specific inhibitor Ac-LEHD-CHO, the mPTP blockers (sanglifehrin A/cyclosporine A), or by shRNA-mediated knockdown of mPTP component cyclophilin-D (Cyp-D), significantly attenuated resminostat plus AZD-2014-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HCC cells. Significantly, mTOR shRNA knockdown or kinase-dead mutation (Asp-2338-Ala) also sensitized HCC cells to resminostat, causing profound cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction. Together, these results suggest that mTOR could be a primary resistance factor of resminostat. Targeted inhibition of mTOR may thus significantly sensitize HCC cells to resminostat. - Highlights: • AZD-2014 potentiates resminostat’s cytotoxicity against HCC cells. • AZD-2014 facilitates resminostat-induced HCC cell apoptosis. • AZD-2014 augments resminostat-induced mitochondrial apoptosis pathway activation. • mTOR shRNA or kinase-dead mutation significantly sensitizes HCC cells to resminostat.

  10. Troglitazone inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells with t(14;18).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takenokuchi, M; Saigo, K; Nakamachi, Y; Kawano, S; Hashimoto, M; Fujioka, T; Koizumi, T; Tatsumi, E; Kumagai, S

    2006-01-01

    Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been detected in several human leukemia cells. Recent studies reported that PPARgamma ligands inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in both normal and malignant B-lineage cells. We investigated the expression of PPARgamma and the effects of PPARgamma ligands on UTree-O2, Bay91 and 380, three B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) cell lines with t(14;18), which show a poor prognosis, accompanying c-myc abnormality. Western blot analysis identified expression of PPARgamma protein and real-time PCR that of PPARgamma mRNA on the three cell lines. Troglitazone (TGZ), a synthetic PPARgamma ligand, inhibited cell growth in these cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with G(1) cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. We also found this effect PPARgamma independent since PPARgamma antagonists failed to reverse this effect. We assessed the expression of c-myc, an apoptosis-regulatory gene, since c-myc abnormality was detected in most B-ALL cells with t(14;18). TGZ was found to dose-dependently downregulate the expression of c-myc mRNA and c-myc protein in the three cell lines. These results suggest that TGZ inhibits cell growth via induction of G(1) cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in these cell lines and that TGZ-induced apoptosis, at least in part, may be related to the downregulation of c-myc expression. Moreover, the downregulation of c-myc expression by TGZ may depend on a PPARgamma-independent mechanism. Further studies indicate that PPARgamma ligands may serve as a therapeutic agent in B-ALL with t(14;18).

  11. Chromatin remodeling agent trichostatin A: a key-factor in the hepatic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells derived of adult bone marrow

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinken Mathieu

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The capability of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC derived of adult bone marrow to undergo in vitro hepatic differentiation was investigated. Results Exposure of hMSC to a cocktail of hepatogenic factors [(fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, insulin-transferrin-sodium-selenite (ITS and dexamethasone] failed to induce hepatic differentiation. Sequential exposure to these factors (FGF-4, followed by HGF, followed by HGF+ITS+dexamethasone, however, resembling the order of secretion during liver embryogenesis, induced both glycogen-storage and cytokeratin (CK18 expression. Additional exposure of the cells to trichostatin A (TSA considerably improved endodermal differentiation, as evidenced by acquisition of an epithelial morphology, chronological expression of hepatic proteins, including hepatocyte-nuclear factor (HNF-3β, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP, CK18, albumin (ALB, HNF1α, multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP2 and CCAAT-enhancer binding protein (C/EBPα, and functional maturation, i.e. upregulated ALB secretion, urea production and inducible cytochrome P450 (CYP-dependent activity. Conclusion hMSC are able to undergo mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition. TSA is hereby essential to promote differentiation of hMSC towards functional hepatocyte-like cells.

  12. Huaier Extract Induces Autophagic Cell Death by Inhibiting the mTOR/S6K Pathway in Breast Cancer Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaolong Wang

    Full Text Available Huaier extract is attracting increased attention due to its biological activities, including antitumor, anti-parasite and immunomodulatory effects. Here, we investigated the role of autophagy in Huaier-induced cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and MCF7 breast cancer cells. Huaier treatment inhibited cell viability in all three cell lines and induced various large membranous vacuoles in the cytoplasm. In addition, electron microscopy, MDC staining, accumulated expression of autophagy markers and flow cytometry revealed that Huaier extract triggered autophagy. Inhibition of autophagy attenuated Huaier-induced cell death. Furthermore, Huaier extract inhibited the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR/S6K pathway in breast cancer cells. After implanting MDA-MB-231 cells subcutaneously into the right flank of BALB/c nu/nu mice, Huaier extract induced autophagy and effectively inhibited xenograft tumor growth. This study is the first to show that Huaier-induced cytotoxicity is partially mediated through autophagic cell death in breast cancer cells through suppression of the mTOR/S6K pathway.

  13. Substrate-mediated delivery of gene complex nanoparticles via polydopamine coating for enhancing competitiveness of endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bo-Chao; Chang, Hao; Ren, Ke-Feng; Ji, Jian

    2016-11-01

    Substrate-mediated delivery of functional plasmid DNA (pDNA) has been proven to be a promising strategy to promote competitiveness of endothelial cells (ECs) over smooth muscle cells (SMCs), which is beneficial to inducing fast endothelialization of implanted vascular devices. Thus, it is of great importance to develop universal approaches with simplicity and easiness to immobilize DNA complex nanoparticles on substrates. In this study, the bioinspired polydopamine (PDA) coating was employed in immobilization of DNA complex nanoparticles, which were composed of protamine (PrS) and plasmid DNA encoding with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF-pDNA) gene. We demonstrated that the DNA complex nanoparticles can be successfully immobilized onto the PDA surface. Consequently, the HGF expression of both ECs and SMCs were significantly improved when they cultured on the DNA complex nanoparticles-immobilized substrates. Furthermore, EC proliferation was specifically promoted due to bioactivity of HGF, leading to an enhancement of EC competitiveness over SMCs. Our findings demonstrated the substrate-mediated functional gene nanoparticle delivery through PDA coating as a simple and efficient approach. It may hold great potential in the field of interventional cardiovascular implants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. TLR4 plays a crucial role in MSC-induced inhibition of NK cell function

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu, Ying [No. 307 Hospital of the Chinese People' s Liberation Army, Beijing (China); Liu, Jin; Liu, Yang; Qin, Yaru [Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing (China); Luo, Qun [No. 307 Hospital of the Chinese People' s Liberation Army, Beijing (China); Wang, Quanli, E-mail: 13691110351@163.com [No. 307 Hospital of the Chinese People' s Liberation Army, Beijing (China); Duan, Haifeng, E-mail: duanhf0720@163.com [Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing (China)

    2015-08-21

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are a kind of stromal cell within the tumor microenvironment. In our research, MSC derived from acute myeloid leukemia patients' bone marrow (AML-MSC) and lung cancer tissues (LC-MSC) as well as normal bone marrow-derived MSC (BM-MSC) cultured in conditioned medium of HeLa cells were found to have higher expressions of Toll-like receptor (TLR4) mRNA compared with BM-MSC. The sorted TLR4-positive MSC (TLR4+ MSC) differed in cytokine (interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) secretion from those of unsorted MSC. MSC was reported to inhibit natural killer (NK) cell proliferation and function. In this research, we confirmed that TLR4+ MSC aggravate this suppression. Furthermore, when TLR4 in the sorted cells were stimulated by LPS or following blocked by antibody, the suppression on NK cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were more intensive or recovered respectively. Compared to unsorted MSC, NKG2D receptor expression on NK cells were also inhibited by TLR4+ MSC. These findings suggest that activation of TLR4 pathway is important for TLR4+ MSC and MSC to obstruct anti-tumor immunity by inhibiting NK cell function, which may provide a potential stroma-targeted tumor therapy. - Highlights: • TLR4+ MSC inhibit NK cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro. • TLR4+ MSC inhibit NKG2D expression on NK cells and NK cell cytotoxicity. • The distinguished cytokine expression of TLR4+ MSC may contribute to the inhibition on NK cell function.

  15. 1,8-cineole inhibits both proliferation and elongation of BY-2 cultured tobacco cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshimura, Hiroko; Sawai, Yu; Tamotsu, Satoshi; Sakai, Atsushi

    2011-03-01

    Volatile monoterpenes such as 1,8-cineole inhibit the growth of Brassica campestris seedlings in a dose-dependent manner, and the growth-inhibitory effects are more severe for roots than hypocotyls. The preferential inhibition of root growth may be explained if the compounds inhibit cell proliferation more severely than cell elongation because root growth requires both elongation and proliferation of the constituent cells, whereas hypocotyl growth depends exclusively on elongation of existing cells. In order to examine this possibility, BY-2 suspension-cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells were treated with 1,8-cineole, and the inhibitory effects on cell proliferation and on cell elongation were assessed quantitatively. Treatment with 1,8-cineole lowered both the mitotic index and elongation of the cells in a dose-dependent manner, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for cell elongation was lower than that for cell proliferation. Moreover, 1,8-cineole also inhibited starch synthesis, with IC₅₀ lower than that for cell proliferation. Thus, the inhibitory effects of 1,8-cineole were not specific to cell proliferation; rather, 1,8-cineole seemed inhibitory to a variety of physiological activities when it was in direct contact with target cells. Based on these results, possible mechanisms for the mode of action of 1,8-cineole and for its preferential inhibition on root growth are discussed.

  16. Induction of cell-cell fusion by ectromelia virus is not inhibited by its fusion inhibitory complex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fuchs Pinhas

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Ectromelia virus, a member of the Orthopox genus, is the causative agent of the highly infectious mousepox disease. Previous studies have shown that different poxviruses induce cell-cell fusion which is manifested by the formation of multinucleated-giant cells (polykaryocytes. This phenomenon has been widely studied with vaccinia virus in conditions which require artificial acidification of the medium. Results We show that Ectromelia virus induces cell-cell fusion under neutral pH conditions and requires the presence of a sufficient amount of viral particles on the plasma membrane of infected cells. This could be achieved by infection with a replicating virus and its propagation in infected cells (fusion "from within" or by infection with a high amount of virus particles per cell (fusion "from without". Inhibition of virus maturation or inhibition of virus transport on microtubules towards the plasma membrane resulted in a complete inhibition of syncytia formation. We show that in contrast to vaccinia virus, Ectromelia virus induces cell-cell fusion irrespectively of its hemagglutination properties and cell-surface expression of the orthologs of the fusion inhibitory complex, A56 and K2. Additionally, cell-cell fusion was also detected in mice lungs following lethal respiratory infection. Conclusion Ectromelia virus induces spontaneous cell-cell fusion in-vitro and in-vivo although expressing an A56/K2 fusion inhibitory complex. This syncytia formation property cannot be attributed to the 37 amino acid deletion in ECTV A56.

  17. miR-613 inhibits proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cell via VEGFA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Junzhao; Yuan, Peng; Mao, Qixin [Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan (China); Lu, Peng [Gastrointestinal Surgery Department, People' s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Henan (China); Xie, Tian; Yang, Hanzhao [Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan (China); Wang, Chengzheng, E-mail: wangchengzheng@126.com [Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan (China)

    2016-09-09

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of many types of cancers by negatively regulating gene expression at posttranscriptional level. However, the role of microRNAs in breast cancer, has remained elusive. Here, we identified that miR-613 inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation by negatively regulates its target gene VEGFA. In breast cancer cell lines, CCK-8 proliferation assay indicated that the cell proliferation was inhibited by miR-613, while miR-613 inhibitor significantly promoted the cell proliferation. Transwell assay showed that miR-613 mimics significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, whereas miR-613 inhibitors significantly increased cell migration and invasion. Luciferase assays confirmed that miR-613 directly bound to the 3′ untranslated region of VEGFA, and western blotting showed that miR-613 suppressed the expression of VEGFA at the protein levels. This study indicated that miR-613 negatively regulates VEGFA and inhibits proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cell lines. Thus, miR-613 may represent a potential therapeutic molecule for breast cancer intervention.

  18. Arsenic trioxide inhibits cell proliferation and human papillomavirus oncogene expression in cervical cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Hongtao; Gao, Peng; Zheng, Jie

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • As 2 O 3 inhibits growth of cervical cancer cells and expression of HPV oncogenes in these cells. • HPV-negative cervical cancer cells are more sensitive to As 2 O 3 than HPV-positive cervical cancer cells. • HPV-18 positive cervical cancer cells are more sensitive to As 2 O 3 than HPV-16 positive cancer cells. • Down-regulation of HPV oncogenes by As 2 O 3 is partially due to the diminished AP-1 binding. - Abstract: Arsenic trioxide (As 2 O 3 ) has shown therapeutic effects in some leukemias and solid cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms of its anticancer efficacy have not been clearly elucidated, particularly in solid cancers. Our previous data showed that As 2 O 3 induced apoptosis of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 DNA-immortalized human cervical epithelial cells and cervical cancer cells and inhibited the expression of HPV oncogenes in these cells. In the present study, we systemically examined the effects of As 2 O 3 on five human cervical cancer cell lines and explored the possible molecular mechanisms. MTT assay showed that HPV-negative C33A cells were more sensitive to growth inhibition induced by As 2 O 3 than HPV-positive cervical cancer cells, and HPV 18-positive HeLa and C4-I cells were more sensitive to As 2 O 3 than HPV 16-positive CaSki and SiHa cells. After As 2 O 3 treatment, both mRNA and protein levels of HPV E6 and E7 obviously decreased in all HPV positive cell lines. In contrast, p53 and Rb protein levels increased in all tested cell lines. Transcription factor AP-1 protein expression decreased significantly in HeLa, CaSki and C33A cells with ELISA method. These results suggest that As 2 O 3 is a potential anticancer drug for cervical cancer

  19. Arsenic trioxide inhibits cell proliferation and human papillomavirus oncogene expression in cervical cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Hongtao [Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Gao, Peng [Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States); Zheng, Jie, E-mail: jiezheng54@126.com [Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009 (China)

    2014-09-05

    Highlights: • As{sub 2}O{sub 3} inhibits growth of cervical cancer cells and expression of HPV oncogenes in these cells. • HPV-negative cervical cancer cells are more sensitive to As{sub 2}O{sub 3} than HPV-positive cervical cancer cells. • HPV-18 positive cervical cancer cells are more sensitive to As{sub 2}O{sub 3} than HPV-16 positive cancer cells. • Down-regulation of HPV oncogenes by As{sub 2}O{sub 3} is partially due to the diminished AP-1 binding. - Abstract: Arsenic trioxide (As{sub 2}O{sub 3}) has shown therapeutic effects in some leukemias and solid cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms of its anticancer efficacy have not been clearly elucidated, particularly in solid cancers. Our previous data showed that As{sub 2}O{sub 3} induced apoptosis of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 DNA-immortalized human cervical epithelial cells and cervical cancer cells and inhibited the expression of HPV oncogenes in these cells. In the present study, we systemically examined the effects of As{sub 2}O{sub 3} on five human cervical cancer cell lines and explored the possible molecular mechanisms. MTT assay showed that HPV-negative C33A cells were more sensitive to growth inhibition induced by As{sub 2}O{sub 3} than HPV-positive cervical cancer cells, and HPV 18-positive HeLa and C4-I cells were more sensitive to As{sub 2}O{sub 3} than HPV 16-positive CaSki and SiHa cells. After As{sub 2}O{sub 3} treatment, both mRNA and protein levels of HPV E6 and E7 obviously decreased in all HPV positive cell lines. In contrast, p53 and Rb protein levels increased in all tested cell lines. Transcription factor AP-1 protein expression decreased significantly in HeLa, CaSki and C33A cells with ELISA method. These results suggest that As{sub 2}O{sub 3} is a potential anticancer drug for cervical cancer.

  20. BET bromodomain inhibition promotes neurogenesis while inhibiting gliogenesis in neural progenitor cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingjun Li

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Neural stem cells and progenitor cells (NPCs are increasingly appreciated to hold great promise for regenerative medicine to treat CNS injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. However, evidence for effective stimulation of neuronal production from endogenous or transplanted NPCs for neuron replacement with small molecules remains limited. To identify novel chemical entities/targets for neurogenesis, we had established a NPC phenotypic screen assay and validated it using known small-molecule neurogenesis inducers. Through screening small molecule libraries with annotated targets, we identified BET bromodomain inhibition as a novel mechanism for enhancing neurogenesis. BET bromodomain proteins, Brd2, Brd3, and Brd4 were found to be downregulated in NPCs upon differentiation, while their levels remain unaltered in proliferating NPCs. Consistent with the pharmacological study using bromodomain selective inhibitor (+-JQ-1, knockdown of each BET protein resulted in an increase in the number of neurons with simultaneous reduction in both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Gene expression profiling analysis demonstrated that BET bromodomain inhibition induced a broad but specific transcription program enhancing directed differentiation of NPCs into neurons while suppressing cell cycle progression and gliogenesis. Together, these results highlight a crucial role of BET proteins as epigenetic regulators in NPC development and suggest a therapeutic potential of BET inhibitors in treating brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.

  1. Serum-Free Media and the Immunoregulatory Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Vivo and In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mei Wu

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Mesenchymal stem cells are capable of self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. They are used extensively to treat several diseases. Traditionally, mesenchymal stem cells are cultured in serum-containing media, typically supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS. However, the variability of FBS is likely to skew experimental results. Although serum-free media used to expand mesenchymal stem cells has facilitated remarkable achievements, immunomodulation of these cells in under serum-free conditions is poorly understood. We hypothesized that mesenchymal stem cells expanded in serum-free media will retain powerful immunoregulatory functions in vitro and in vivo. Design and Methods: Immunosuppressive activity and the immunomodulatory cytokines produced by mesenchymal stem cells in serum-free media were characterized in vitro. Immunomodulation by serum-free mesenchymal stem cell expansion in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension was explored in vivo. Results: Similar to cells in serum-containing media, mesenchymal stem cells expanded in serum-free media inhibited proliferation and apoptosis of CD4+T cells. They also exhibited strong immunosuppressive activities and secreted high levels of immunomodulatory cytokines such as PGE2, IDO1, COX2, IL-6, and IL-1β, but not HGF. On the other hand, growth of mesenchymal stem cells in serum-free media attenuated pulmonary vascular remodeling and inhibited mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-18. Conclusions: Mesenchymal stem cells in serum-free media maintained powerful immunomodulatory function in vitro and in vivo; serum-free media may replace serum-containing media for basic research and clinical applications.

  2. Inhibition by anandamide of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced cell death in PC12 cells.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Mnich, Katarzyna

    2010-01-01

    6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is a selective neurotoxin that is widely used to investigate cell death and protective strategies in models of Parkinson\\'s disease. Here, we investigated the effects of the endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide, on 6-OHDA-induced toxicity in rat adrenal phaeochromocytoma PC12 cells. Morphological analysis and caspase-3 activity assay revealed that anandamide inhibited 6-OHDA-induced apoptosis. The protection was not affected by antagonists of either cannabinoid receptors (CB(1) or CB(2)) or the vanilloid receptor TRPV1. Anandamide-dependent protection was reduced by pretreatment with LY294002 (inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, PI3K) and unaffected by U0126 (inhibitor of extracellularly-regulated kinase). Interestingly, phosphorylation of c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in cells exposed to 6-OHDA was strongly reduced by anandamide pre-treatment. Furthermore, 6-OHDA induced c-Jun activation and increased Bim expression, both of which were inhibited by anandamide. Together, these data demonstrate antiapoptotic effects of anandamide and also suggest a role for activation of PI3K and inhibition of JNK signalling in anandamide-mediated protection against 6-OHDA.

  3. Fatty acid synthase inhibition in human breast cancer cells leads to malonyl-CoA-induced inhibition of fatty acid oxidation and cytotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thupari, J N; Pinn, M L; Kuhajda, F P

    2001-07-13

    Inhibition of fatty acid synthase (FAS) induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo without toxicity to proliferating normal cells. We have previously shown that FAS inhibition causes a rapid increase in malonyl-CoA levels identifying malonyl-CoA as a potential trigger of apoptosis. In this study we further investigated the role of malonyl-CoA during FAS inhibition. We have found that: [i] inhibition of FAS with cerulenin causes carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) inhibition and fatty acid oxidation inhibition in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells likely mediated by elevation of malonyl-CoA; [ii] cerulenin cytotoxicity is due to the nonphysiological state of increased malonyl-CoA, decreased fatty acid oxidation, and decreased fatty acid synthesis; and [iii] the cytotoxic effect of cerulenin can be mimicked by simultaneous inhibition of CPT-1, with etomoxir, and fatty acid synthesis with TOFA, an acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) inhibitor. This study identifies CPT-1 and ACC as two new potential targets for cancer chemotherapy. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  4. Advanced Glycation End Products Inhibit the Proliferation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells by Inhibiting Cathepsin D

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan Li

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available We aimed to investigate the effect of advanced glycation end products (AGEs on the proliferation and migration ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs. Cell proliferation was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT assay, real-time cell analyzer and 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU staining. Cell migration was detected by wound-healing and transwell assay. AGEs significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HUVECs in a time-and dose-dependent way. Western blotting revealed that AGEs dramatically increased the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3 II/I and p62. Immunofluorescence of p62 and acridine orange staining revealed that AGEs significantly increased the expression of p62 and the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles, respectively. Chloroquine (CQ could further promote the expression of LC3 II/I and p62, increase the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles and promote cell injury induced by AGEs. In addition, AGEs reduced cathepsin D (CTSD expression in a time-dependent way. Overexpression of wild-type CTSD significantly decreased the ratio of LC 3 II/I as well as p62 accumulation induced by AGEs, but overexpression of catalytically inactive mutant CTSD had no such effects. Only overexpression of wild-type CTSD could restore the proliferation of HUVECs inhibited by AGEs. However, overexpression of both wild-type CTSD and catalytically inactive mutant CTSD could promote the migration of HUVECs inhibited by AGEs. Collectively, our study found that AGEs inhibited the proliferation and migration in HUVECs and promoted autophagic flux, which in turn played a protective role against AGEs-induced cell injury. CTSD, in need of its catalytic activity, may promote proliferation in AGEs-treated HUVECs independent of the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Meanwhile, CTSD could improve the migration of AGEs-treated HUVECs regardless of its enzymatic activity.

  5. Advanced Glycation End Products Inhibit the Proliferation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells by Inhibiting Cathepsin D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuan; Chang, Ye; Ye, Ning; Dai, Dongxue; Chen, Yintao; Zhang, Naijin; Sun, Guozhe; Sun, Yingxian

    2017-02-17

    We aimed to investigate the effect of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on the proliferation and migration ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Cell proliferation was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, real-time cell analyzer and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining. Cell migration was detected by wound-healing and transwell assay. AGEs significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HUVECs in a time-and dose-dependent way. Western blotting revealed that AGEs dramatically increased the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) II/I and p62. Immunofluorescence of p62 and acridine orange staining revealed that AGEs significantly increased the expression of p62 and the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles, respectively. Chloroquine (CQ) could further promote the expression of LC3 II/I and p62, increase the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles and promote cell injury induced by AGEs. In addition, AGEs reduced cathepsin D (CTSD) expression in a time-dependent way. Overexpression of wild-type CTSD significantly decreased the ratio of LC 3 II/I as well as p62 accumulation induced by AGEs, but overexpression of catalytically inactive mutant CTSD had no such effects. Only overexpression of wild-type CTSD could restore the proliferation of HUVECs inhibited by AGEs. However, overexpression of both wild-type CTSD and catalytically inactive mutant CTSD could promote the migration of HUVECs inhibited by AGEs. Collectively, our study found that AGEs inhibited the proliferation and migration in HUVECs and promoted autophagic flux, which in turn played a protective role against AGEs-induced cell injury. CTSD, in need of its catalytic activity, may promote proliferation in AGEs-treated HUVECs independent of the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Meanwhile, CTSD could improve the migration of AGEs-treated HUVECs regardless of its enzymatic activity.

  6. The inhibition of repair in UV irradiated human cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Collins, A.R.S.; Schor, S.L.; Johnson, R.T.

    1977-01-01

    Three different assay procedures are used to determine the effects of hydroxyurea on excision repair in UV-irradiated HeLa cells. At the cytological level, incubation of UV-irradiated metaphase cells with hydroxyurea caused chromosome decondensation. Using a modified alkaline sucrose gradient sedimentation technique involving minimal lysis before centrifugation, a marked retardation was found in the sedimentation of DNA from UV-irradiated cells incubated for a short period with hydroxyurea. The effect of hydroxyurea on the incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine by UV-irradiated G1 cells was found to depend on the concentration of thymidine present in the medium. The results point to an inhibition of repair DNA synthesis by hydroxyurea (or deoxyadenosine), at the level of the supply of DNA precursors, i.e. in the same way that these agents inhibit semiconservative DNA synthesis. In the presence of these inhibitors, single-strand gaps accumulate in the DNA

  7. Human retinal pigment epithelial cells inhibit proliferation and IL2R expression of activated T cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaestel, Charlotte G; Jørgensen, Annette; Nielsen, Mette

    2002-01-01

    -Thymidine incorporation assay, respectively. T cells and RPE cells were cultured directly together or in a transwell system for determination of the effect of cell contact. The importance of cell surface molecules was examined by application of a panel of blocking antibodies (CD2, CD18, CD40, CD40L, CD54, CD58......) in addition to use of TCR negative T cell lines. The expression of IL2R-alpha -beta and -gamma chains of activated T cells was analysed by flow cytometry after incubation of T cells alone or with RPE cells. Human RPE cells were found to inhibit the proliferation of activated T cells by a cell contact......-beta and -gamma chain expression within 24 hr after removal from the coculture. It is concluded that the cultured human adult and foetal RPE cells inhibit the proliferation of activated T cells by a process that does not involve apoptosis. It depends on cell contact but the involved surface molecules were...

  8. XIAP antagonist embelin inhibited proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cody J Wehrkamp

    Full Text Available Cholangiocarcinoma cells are dependent on antiapoptotic signaling for survival and resistance to death stimuli. Recent mechanistic studies have revealed that increased cellular expression of the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP impairs TRAIL- and chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity, promoting survival of cholangiocarcinoma cells. This study was undertaken to determine if pharmacologic antagonism of XIAP protein was sufficient to sensitize cholangiocarcinoma cells to cell death. We employed malignant cholangiocarcinoma cell lines and used embelin to antagonize XIAP protein. Embelin treatment resulted in decreased XIAP protein levels by 8 hours of treatment with maximal effect at 16 hours in KMCH and Mz-ChA-1 cells. Assessment of nuclear morphology demonstrated a concentration-dependent increase in nuclear staining. Interestingly, embelin induced nuclear morphology changes as a single agent, independent of the addition of TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL. However, caspase activity assays revealed that increasing embelin concentrations resulted in slight inhibition of caspase activity, not activation. In addition, the use of a pan-caspase inhibitor did not prevent nuclear morphology changes. Finally, embelin treatment of cholangiocarcinoma cells did not induce DNA fragmentation or PARP cleavage. Apoptosis does not appear to contribute to the effects of embelin on cholangiocarcinoma cells. Instead, embelin caused inhibition of cell proliferation and cell cycle analysis indicated that embelin increased the number of cells in S and G2/M phase. Our results demonstrate that embelin decreased proliferation in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. Embelin treatment resulted in decreased XIAP protein expression, but did not induce or enhance apoptosis. Thus, in cholangiocarcinoma cells the mechanism of action of embelin may not be dependent on apoptosis.

  9. ITE inhibits growth of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Ling-Pin; Li, Yan; Zou, Qing-Yun; Zhou, Chi; Lei, Wei; Zheng, Jing; Huang, Shi-An

    2017-10-01

    Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a deadly disorder is associated with excessive growth of human pulmonary artery endothelial (HPAECs) and smooth muscle (HPASMCs) cells. Current therapies primarily aim at promoting vasodilation, which only ameliorates clinical symptoms without a cure. 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE) is an endogenous aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand, and mediates many cellular function including cell growth. However, the roles of ITE in human lung endothelial cells remain elusive. Herein, we tested a hypothesis that ITE inhibits growth of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells via AhR. Immunohistochemistry was performed to localize AhR expression in human lung tissues. The crystal violet method and MTT assay were used to determine ITE's effects on growth of HPAECs. The AhR activation in HPAECs was confirmed using Western blotting and RT-qPCR. The role of AhR in ITE-affected proliferation of HPAECs was assessed using siRNA knockdown method followed by the crystal violet method. Immunohistochemistry revealed that AhR was present in human lung tissues, primarily in endothelial and smooth muscle cells of pulmonary veins and arteries, as well as in bronchial and alveolar sac epithelia. We also found that ITE dose- and time-dependently inhibited proliferation of HPAECs with a maximum inhibition of 83% at 20 µM after 6 days of treatment. ITE rapidly decreased AhR protein levels, while it increased mRNA levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP), family 1, member A1 (CYP1A1) and B1 (CYP1B1), indicating activation of the AhR/CYP1A1 and AhR/CYP1B1 pathways in HPAECs. The AhR siRNA significantly suppressed AhR protein expression, whereas it did not significantly alter ITE-inhibited growth of HPAECs. ITE suppresses growth of HPAECs independent of AhR, suggesting that ITE may play an important role in preventing excessive growth of lung endothelial cells.

  10. Triptolide inhibits TGF-β1-induced cell proliferation in rat airway smooth muscle cells by suppressing Smad signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Ming; Lv, Zhiqiang; Huang, Linjie [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Institute for Respiratory disease of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510120 (China); Zhang, Wei [Department of Geratology, the Second People' s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518000 (China); Lin, Xiaoling; Shi, Jianting; Zhang, Wei; Liang, Ruiyun [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Institute for Respiratory disease of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510120 (China); Jiang, Shanping, E-mail: shanpingjiang@126.com [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Institute for Respiratory disease of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510120 (China)

    2015-02-15

    Background: We have reported that triptolide can inhibit airway remodeling in a murine model of asthma via TGF-β1/Smad signaling. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of triptolide on airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) proliferation and the possible mechanism. Methods: Rat airway smooth muscle cells were cultured and made synchronized, then pretreated with different concentration of triptolide before stimulated by TGF-β1. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to study the influence of triptolide on cell cycle and apoptosis. Signal proteins (Smad2, Smad3 and Smad7) were detected by western blotting analysis. Results: Triptolide significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced ASMC proliferation (P<0.05). The cell cycle was blocked at G1/S-interphase by triptolide dose dependently. No pro-apoptotic effects were detected under the concentration of triptolide we used. Western blotting analysis showed TGF-β1 induced Smad2 and Smad3 phosphorylation was inhibited by triptolide pretreatment, and the level of Smad7 was increased by triptolide pretreatment. Conclusions: Triptolide may function as an inhibitor of asthma airway remodeling by suppressing ASMCs proliferation via negative regulation of Smad signaling pathway. - Highlights: • In this study, rat airway smooth muscle cells were cultured and made synchronized. • Triptolide inhibited TGF-β1-induced airway smooth muscle cells proliferation. • Triptolide inhibited ASMCs proliferation via negative regulation of Smad signaling pathway.

  11. Hepatocyte Growth Factor from a Clinical Perspective: A Pancreatic Cancer Challenge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizwani, Wasia; Allen, Amanda E.; Trevino, Jose G.

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and incidence rates are rising. Both detection and treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited, providing a less than 5% five-year survival advantage. The need for new biomarkers for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer demands the efficient translation of bench knowledge to provide clinical benefit. One source of therapeutic resistance is the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by desmoplasia and hypoxia making it less conducive to current therapies. A major factor regulating desmoplasia and subsequently promoting chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), the sole ligand for c-MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition), an epithelial tyrosine kinase receptor. Binding of HGF to c-MET leads to receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation resulting in the activation of multiple cellular processes that support cancer progression. Inhibiting activation of c-MET in cancer cells, in combination with other approaches for reducing desmoplasia in the tumor microenvironment, might significantly improve the success of chemotherapy. Therefore, HGF makes a potent novel target for developing therapeutic strategies in combination with existing drugs for treating pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of HGF and its promising potential as a chemotherapeutic target for pancreatic cancer

  12. Hepatocyte Growth Factor from a Clinical Perspective: A Pancreatic Cancer Challenge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rizwani, Wasia [Department of Biochemistry, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007 (India); Allen, Amanda E.; Trevino, Jose G., E-mail: Jose.Trevino@surgery.ufl.edu [Department of Surgery, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Rm 6175, P.O. Box 100109, Gainesville, FL 32610 (United States)

    2015-09-03

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and incidence rates are rising. Both detection and treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited, providing a less than 5% five-year survival advantage. The need for new biomarkers for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer demands the efficient translation of bench knowledge to provide clinical benefit. One source of therapeutic resistance is the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by desmoplasia and hypoxia making it less conducive to current therapies. A major factor regulating desmoplasia and subsequently promoting chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), the sole ligand for c-MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition), an epithelial tyrosine kinase receptor. Binding of HGF to c-MET leads to receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation resulting in the activation of multiple cellular processes that support cancer progression. Inhibiting activation of c-MET in cancer cells, in combination with other approaches for reducing desmoplasia in the tumor microenvironment, might significantly improve the success of chemotherapy. Therefore, HGF makes a potent novel target for developing therapeutic strategies in combination with existing drugs for treating pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of HGF and its promising potential as a chemotherapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

  13. Hepatocyte Growth Factor from a Clinical Perspective: A Pancreatic Cancer Challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wasia Rizwani

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and incidence rates are rising. Both detection and treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited, providing a less than 5% five-year survival advantage. The need for new biomarkers for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer demands the efficient translation of bench knowledge to provide clinical benefit. One source of therapeutic resistance is the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by desmoplasia and hypoxia making it less conducive to current therapies. A major factor regulating desmoplasia and subsequently promoting chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, the sole ligand for c-MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition, an epithelial tyrosine kinase receptor. Binding of HGF to c-MET leads to receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation resulting in the activation of multiple cellular processes that support cancer progression. Inhibiting activation of c-MET in cancer cells, in combination with other approaches for reducing desmoplasia in the tumor microenvironment, might significantly improve the success of chemotherapy. Therefore, HGF makes a potent novel target for developing therapeutic strategies in combination with existing drugs for treating pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of HGF and its promising potential as a chemotherapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

  14. Mitochondrial thiol modification by a targeted electrophile inhibits metabolism in breast adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting enzyme activity and protein levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Ryan Smith

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Many cancer cells follow an aberrant metabolic program to maintain energy for rapid cell proliferation. Metabolic reprogramming often involves the upregulation of glutaminolysis to generate reducing equivalents for the electron transport chain and amino acids for protein synthesis. Critical enzymes involved in metabolism possess a reactive thiolate group, which can be modified by certain oxidants. In the current study, we show that modification of mitochondrial protein thiols by a model compound, iodobutyl triphenylphosphonium (IBTP, decreased mitochondrial metabolism and ATP in MDA-MB 231 (MB231 breast adenocarcinoma cells up to 6 days after an initial 24 h treatment. Mitochondrial thiol modification also depressed oxygen consumption rates (OCR in a dose-dependent manner to a greater extent than a non-thiol modifying analog, suggesting that thiol reactivity is an important factor in the inhibition of cancer cell metabolism. In non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells, IBTP also decreased OCR; however the extracellular acidification rate was significantly increased at all but the highest concentration (10 µM of IBTP indicating that thiol modification can have significantly different effects on bioenergetics in tumorigenic versus non-tumorigenic cells. ATP and other adenonucleotide levels were also decreased by thiol modification up to 6 days post-treatment, indicating a decreased overall energetic state in MB231 cells. Cellular proliferation of MB231 cells was also inhibited up to 6 days post-treatment with little change to cell viability. Targeted metabolomic analyses revealed that thiol modification caused depletion of both Krebs cycle and glutaminolysis intermediates. Further experiments revealed that the activity of the Krebs cycle enzyme, aconitase, was attenuated in response to thiol modification. Additionally, the inhibition of glutaminolysis corresponded to decreased glutaminase C (GAC protein levels, although other protein levels were

  15. Tissue-Specific Gain of RTK Signalling Uncovers Selective Cell Vulnerability during Embryogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yannan Fan

    Full Text Available The successive events that cells experience throughout development shape their intrinsic capacity to respond and integrate RTK inputs. Cellular responses to RTKs rely on different mechanisms of regulation that establish proper levels of RTK activation, define duration of RTK action, and exert quantitative/qualitative signalling outcomes. The extent to which cells are competent to deal with fluctuations in RTK signalling is incompletely understood. Here, we employ a genetic system to enhance RTK signalling in a tissue-specific manner. The chosen RTK is the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF receptor Met, an appropriate model due to its pleiotropic requirement in distinct developmental events. Ubiquitously enhanced Met in Cre/loxP-based Rosa26(stopMet knock-in context (Del-R26(Met reveals that most tissues are capable of buffering enhanced Met-RTK signalling thus avoiding perturbation of developmental programs. Nevertheless, this ubiquitous increase of Met does compromise selected programs such as myoblast migration. Using cell-type specific Cre drivers, we genetically showed that altered myoblast migration results from ectopic Met expression in limb mesenchyme rather than in migrating myoblasts themselves. qRT-PCR analyses show that ectopic Met in limbs causes molecular changes such as downregulation in the expression levels of Notum and Syndecan4, two known regulators of morphogen gradients. Molecular and functional studies revealed that ectopic Met expression in limb mesenchyme does not alter HGF expression patterns and levels, but impairs HGF bioavailability. Together, our findings show that myoblasts, in which Met is endogenously expressed, are capable of buffering increased RTK levels, and identify mesenchymal cells as a cell type vulnerable to ectopic Met-RTK signalling. These results illustrate that embryonic cells are sensitive to alterations in the spatial distribution of RTK action, yet resilient to fluctuations in signalling levels of an

  16. Endothelial induced EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valgardur Sigurdsson

    Full Text Available Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT is a critical event in cancer progression and is closely linked to the breast epithelial cancer stem cell phenotype. Given the close interaction between the vascular endothelium and cancer cells, especially at the invasive front, we asked whether endothelial cells might play a role in EMT. Using a 3D culture model we demonstrate that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in D492 an immortalized breast epithelial cell line with stem cell properties. Endothelial induced mesenchymal-like cells (D492M derived from D492, show reduced expression of keratins, a switch from E-Cadherin (E-Cad to N-Cadherin (N-Cad and enhanced migration. Acquisition of cancer stem cell associated characteristics like increased CD44(high/CD24(low ratio, resistance to apoptosis and anchorage independent growth was also seen in D492M cells. Endothelial induced EMT in D492 was partially blocked by inhibition of HGF signaling. Basal-like breast cancer, a vascular rich cancer with stem cell properties and adverse prognosis has been linked with EMT. We immunostained several basal-like breast cancer samples for endothelial and EMT markers. Cancer cells close to the vascular rich areas show no or decreased expression of E-Cad and increased N-Cad expression suggesting EMT. Collectively, we have shown in a 3D culture model that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate that basal-like breast cancer contains cells with an EMT phenotype, most prominently close to vascular rich areas of these tumors. We conclude that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT and may play a role in progression of basal-like breast cancer.

  17. Endothelial induced EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurdsson, Valgardur; Hilmarsdottir, Bylgja; Sigmundsdottir, Hekla; Fridriksdottir, Agla J R; Ringnér, Markus; Villadsen, Rene; Borg, Ake; Agnarsson, Bjarni A; Petersen, Ole William; Magnusson, Magnus K; Gudjonsson, Thorarinn

    2011-01-01

    Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical event in cancer progression and is closely linked to the breast epithelial cancer stem cell phenotype. Given the close interaction between the vascular endothelium and cancer cells, especially at the invasive front, we asked whether endothelial cells might play a role in EMT. Using a 3D culture model we demonstrate that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in D492 an immortalized breast epithelial cell line with stem cell properties. Endothelial induced mesenchymal-like cells (D492M) derived from D492, show reduced expression of keratins, a switch from E-Cadherin (E-Cad) to N-Cadherin (N-Cad) and enhanced migration. Acquisition of cancer stem cell associated characteristics like increased CD44(high)/CD24(low) ratio, resistance to apoptosis and anchorage independent growth was also seen in D492M cells. Endothelial induced EMT in D492 was partially blocked by inhibition of HGF signaling. Basal-like breast cancer, a vascular rich cancer with stem cell properties and adverse prognosis has been linked with EMT. We immunostained several basal-like breast cancer samples for endothelial and EMT markers. Cancer cells close to the vascular rich areas show no or decreased expression of E-Cad and increased N-Cad expression suggesting EMT. Collectively, we have shown in a 3D culture model that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate that basal-like breast cancer contains cells with an EMT phenotype, most prominently close to vascular rich areas of these tumors. We conclude that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT and may play a role in progression of basal-like breast cancer.

  18. Paracrine action of HO-1-modified mesenchymal stem cells mediates cardiac protection and functional improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Bin; Ren, Xiaofeng; Lin, Guosheng; Zhu, Chengang; Chen, Honglei; Yin, Jiechao; Jiang, Hong; Yang, Bo; Ding, Danhua

    2008-10-01

    The aim has been to determine whether the supernatants of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transfected with adenovirus carrying human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) gene protect cardiomyocytes from ischemic injury. We have found that hHO-1 infected MSCs (hHO-1-MSCs) increased expression of hHO-1 protein. Apoptosis of cultured hHO-1-MSCs exposed to hypoxia was suppressed. Several cytokines, including HGF, bFGF, TGF-beta, VEGF and IL-1beta, were produced by hHO-1-MSCs, some being significantly enhanced under hypoxia stimulation. Meanwhile, those cytokines reduced caspase-3 level and activity in cultured adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (ARVCs) exposed to hypoxia. Supernatants obtained from hHO-1-MSCs improved left ventricular function, limited myocardial infarct size, increased microvessel density, and inhibited apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in rat myocardial infarction. It can be concluded hHO-1-modified MSCs prevent myocardial cell injury via secretion of paracrine-acting mediators.

  19. The histone deacetylase inhibitor butyrate inhibits melanoma cell invasion of Matrigel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuwajima, Akiko; Iwashita, Jun; Murata, Jun; Abe, Tatsuya

    2007-01-01

    Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have anticancer effects. Their effects on expression of cell adhesion molecules might be related to their effects on tumor cell invasion. Murine B16-BL6 cells were treated with the HDAC inhibitors, butyrate or trichostatin A. Melanoma cell invasion of the artificial basement membrane, Matrigel, was examined by Transwell chamber assay. Butyrate as well as trichostatin A inhibited the cell growth mainly by arresting the cell cycle. The cell invasion of Matrigel was inhibited by butyrate and trichostatin A. The butyrate treatment increased the cell-cell aggregation, although neither E-cadherin nor N-cadherin mRNA were up-regulated. Both mRNA expression and protein levels of the immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecules, Mel-CAM and L1-CAM, were increased in the butyrate-treated cells. The HDAC inhibitor butyrate blocked the B16-BL6 melanoma cell invasion of Matrigel, although it increased the expression of Mel-CAM and L1-CAM which are important to the metastatic potential.

  20. Modulation of hepatocyte growth factor gene expression by estrogen in mouse ovary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Y; Lin, L; Zarnegar, R

    1994-09-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is expressed in a variety of tissues and cell types under normal conditions and in response to various stimuli such as tissue injury. In the present study, we demonstrate that the transcription of the HGF gene is stimulated by estrogen in mouse ovary. A single injection of 17 beta-estradiol results in a dramatic and transient elevation of the levels of mouse HGF mRNA. Sequence analysis has found that two putative estrogen responsive elements (ERE) reside at -872 in the 5'-flanking region and at +511 in the first intron, respectively, of the mouse HGF gene. To test whether these ERE elements are responsible for estrogen induction of HGF gene expression, chimeric plasmids containing variable regions of the 5'-flanking sequence of HGF gene and the coding region for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene were transiently transfected into both human endometrial carcinoma RL 95-2 cells and mouse fibroblast NIH 3T3 cells to assess hormone responsiveness. Transfection results indicate that the ERE elements of the mouse HGF gene can confer estrogen action to either homologous or heterologous promoters. Nuclear protein extracts either from RL95-2 cells transfected with the estrogen receptor expression vector or from mouse liver bound in vitro to ERE elements specifically, as shown by band shift assay. Therefore, our results demonstrate that the HGF gene is transcriptionally regulated by estrogen in mouse ovary; and such regulation is mediated via a direct interaction of the estrogen receptor complex with cis-acting ERE elements identified in the mouse HGF gene.

  1. Polydatin inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in laryngeal cancer and HeLa cells via suppression of the PDGF/AKT signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Haixia; Shi, Baoyuan; Li, Yanyun; Yin, Fengfang

    2017-07-01

    Polydatin (PD), a stilbene compound extracted from Polygonum cuspidatum, is suggested to possess anti-cancer activities, including inhibition of cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and induction of apoptosis. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)/AKT signaling pathway plays complex roles in tumor suppression. However, the effect of PD on the PDGF/AKT signaling pathway in laryngeal cancer and HeLa cells has not been explored. MTT assay and flow cytometry showed that PD inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in Hep-2 and AMC-HN-8 cells. Western blot analysis indicated that PD inhibited the expression levels of PDGF-B and phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) in both cells. Treatment of PDGF-B siRNA or PDGFR inhibitor found that after the PDGF signaling was inactivated, p-AKT expression was significantly decreased in Hep-2 cells. Tumor xenograft experiment in nude mice indicated PD significantly inhibited the growth of Hep-2 cells in vivo. In conclusion, PD inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in laryngeal cancer and HeLa cells via inactivation of the PDGF/AKT signaling pathway. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Cyperus scariosus Chloroform Fraction Inhibits T cell Responses in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erah

    CSC did not significantly (p < 0.01) suppress Th2 (IL-4) system. Conclusion: The findings from this investigation reveal that C. scariosus causes immunosuppression by inhibiting Th1 cytokines. Keywords: Cyperus scariosus; Immunosuppression; Humoral antibody titre; Cell-mediated immune response; CD 4+ T- helper cells ...

  3. Melatonin inhibits proliferation and invasion via repression of miRNA-155 in glioma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Junyi; Lu, Zhongsheng; Ji, Chenghong; Chen, Yuchao; Liu, Yuzhao; Lei, Zhe; Wang, Longqiang; Zhang, Hong-Tao; Li, Xiangdong

    2017-09-01

    Melatonin, an indolamine mostly synthesized in the pineal gland, exerts the anti-cancer effect by various mechanisms in glioma cells. Our previous study showed that miR-155 promoted glioma cell proliferation and invasion. However, the question of whether melatonin may inhibit glioma by regulating miRNAs has not yet been addressed. In this study, we found that melatonin (100μM, 1μM and 1nM) significantly inhibited the expression of miR-155 in human glioma cell lines U87, U373 and U251. Especially, the lowest expression of miR-155 was detected in 1μM melatonin-treated glioma cells. Melatonin (1μM) inhibits cell proliferation of U87 by promoting cell apoptosis. Nevertheless, melatonin had no effect on cell cycle distribution of U87 cells. Moreover, U87 cells treated with 1μM melatonin presented significantly lower migration and invasion ability when compared with control cells. Importantly, melatonin inhibited c-MYB expression, and c-MYB knockdown reduced miR-155 expression and migration and invasion in U87 cells. Taken together, for the first time, our findings show that melatonin inhibits miR-155 expression and thereby represses glioma cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and suggest that melatonin may downregulate the expression of miR-155 via repression of c-MYB. This will provide a theoretical basis for revealing the anti-glioma mechanisms of melatonin. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  4. MECHANISM OF ACTION OF ANTIBIOTICS WHICH INHIBIT SYNTHESIS OF BACTERIAL CELL WALL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Indira Mujezinović

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial cell possess a cell wall, which is a main difference from mammalian cells. Its basic function is to provide the strength of bacteria, keeps its shape and provides an unusually high internal osmotic pressure. Synthesis of (construction of bacterial cell wall occurs in at least three phases. All of these three phases can be influence by a variety of antibiotics in way to inhibit its synthesis. The most important drugs that act in this manner are ß-lactam antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins, cephamycins and other ß-lactams. They interfere with the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan. After attachment to penicillin binding proteins (PBP on bacteria, they inhibit the transpeptidation enzyme that cross-links the peptide chain attached to the backbone of the peptidoglycan. The final bactericidal event is the inactivation of an inhibitor of autolytic enzymes in the cell wall, wich leads to lysis of the bacteria. Vancomycin inhibits the release of the building block unit from the carrier, thus preventing its addition to the growing end of the peptidoglycan. Cycloserine, which is a structural analogue of D-alanine, prevents the addition of the two terminal alanine residue to the initial tripeptide side-chain on N-acetylmuramic acid by competitive inhibition. Bacitracin interferes with the regeneration of the lipid carrier by blocking its dephosphorylation. Key words: bacterial cell wall, paptidoglycan, antibiotics, ß-lactams

  5. BET bromodomain inhibition rescues erythropoietin differentiation of human erythroleukemia cell line UT7

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goupille, Olivier; Penglong, Tipparat; Lefèvre, Carine; Granger, Marine; Kadri, Zahra; Fucharoen, Suthat; Maouche-Chrétien, Leila; Leboulch, Philippe; Chrétien, Stany

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► UT7 erythroleukemia cells are known to be refractory to differentiate. ► Brief JQ1 treatment initiates the first steps of erythroid differentiation program. ► Engaged UT7 cells then maturate in the presence of erythropoietin. ► Sustained JQ1 treatment inhibits both proliferation and erythroid differentiation. -- Abstract: Malignant transformation is a multistep process requiring oncogenic activation, promoting cellular proliferation, frequently coupled to inhibition of terminal differentiation. Consequently, forcing the reengagement of terminal differentiation of transformed cells coupled or not with an inhibition of their proliferation is a putative therapeutic approach to counteracting tumorigenicity. UT7 is a human leukemic cell line able to grow in the presence of IL3, GM-CSF and Epo. This cell line has been widely used to study Epo-R/Epo signaling pathways but is a poor model for erythroid differentiation. We used the BET bromodomain inhibition drug JQ1 to target gene expression, including that of c-Myc. We have shown that only 2 days of JQ1 treatment was required to transitory inhibit Epo-induced UT7 proliferation and to restore terminal erythroid differentiation. This study highlights the importance of a cellular erythroid cycle break mediated by c-Myc inhibition before initiation of the erythropoiesis program and describes a new model for BET bromodomain inhibitor drug application.

  6. BET bromodomain inhibition rescues erythropoietin differentiation of human erythroleukemia cell line UT7

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goupille, Olivier [CEA, Institute of Emerging Diseases and Innovative Therapies, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); UMR INSERM U.962, University Paris XI, CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); Penglong, Tipparat [CEA, Institute of Emerging Diseases and Innovative Therapies, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); UMR INSERM U.962, University Paris XI, CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); Thalassemia Research Center and Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University (Thailand); Lefevre, Carine; Granger, Marine; Kadri, Zahra [CEA, Institute of Emerging Diseases and Innovative Therapies, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); UMR INSERM U.962, University Paris XI, CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); Fucharoen, Suthat [Thalassemia Research Center and Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University (Thailand); Maouche-Chretien, Leila [CEA, Institute of Emerging Diseases and Innovative Therapies, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); UMR INSERM U.962, University Paris XI, CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); Leboulch, Philippe [CEA, Institute of Emerging Diseases and Innovative Therapies, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); UMR INSERM U.962, University Paris XI, CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women' s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Chretien, Stany, E-mail: stany.chretien@cea.fr [CEA, Institute of Emerging Diseases and Innovative Therapies, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); UMR INSERM U.962, University Paris XI, CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France)

    2012-12-07

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer UT7 erythroleukemia cells are known to be refractory to differentiate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Brief JQ1 treatment initiates the first steps of erythroid differentiation program. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Engaged UT7 cells then maturate in the presence of erythropoietin. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sustained JQ1 treatment inhibits both proliferation and erythroid differentiation. -- Abstract: Malignant transformation is a multistep process requiring oncogenic activation, promoting cellular proliferation, frequently coupled to inhibition of terminal differentiation. Consequently, forcing the reengagement of terminal differentiation of transformed cells coupled or not with an inhibition of their proliferation is a putative therapeutic approach to counteracting tumorigenicity. UT7 is a human leukemic cell line able to grow in the presence of IL3, GM-CSF and Epo. This cell line has been widely used to study Epo-R/Epo signaling pathways but is a poor model for erythroid differentiation. We used the BET bromodomain inhibition drug JQ1 to target gene expression, including that of c-Myc. We have shown that only 2 days of JQ1 treatment was required to transitory inhibit Epo-induced UT7 proliferation and to restore terminal erythroid differentiation. This study highlights the importance of a cellular erythroid cycle break mediated by c-Myc inhibition before initiation of the erythropoiesis program and describes a new model for BET bromodomain inhibitor drug application.

  7. Inhibition of Autophagy Potentiates Atorvastatin-Induced Apoptotic Cell Death in Human Bladder Cancer Cells in Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Minyong; Jeong, Chang Wook; Ku, Ja Hyeon; Kwak, Cheol; Kim, Hyeon Hoe

    2014-01-01

    Statins are cholesterol reduction agents that exhibit anti-cancer activity in several human cancers. Because autophagy is a crucial survival mechanism for cancer cells under stress conditions, cooperative inhibition of autophagy acts synergistically with other anti-cancer drugs. Thus, this study investigates whether combined treatment of atorvastatin and autophagy inhibitors results in enhancing the cytotoxic effects of atorvastatin, upon human bladder cancer cells, T24 and J82, in vitro. To measure cell viability, we performed the EZ-Cytox cell viability assay. We examined apoptosis by flow cytometry using annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI and western blot using procaspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) antibodies. To examine autophagy activation, we evaluated the co-localization of LC3 and LysoTracker by immunocytochemistry, as well as the expression of LC3 and p62/sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1) by western blot. In addition, we assessed the survival and proliferation of T24 and J82 cells by a clonogenic assay. We found that atorvastatin reduced the cell viability of T24 and J82 cells via apoptotic cell death and induced autophagy activation, shown by the co-localization of LC3 and LysoTracker. Moreover, pharmacologic inhibition of autophagy significantly enhanced atorvastatin-induced apoptosis in T24 and J82 cells. In sum, inhibition of autophagy potentiates atorvastatin-induced apoptotic cell death in human bladder cancer cells in vitro, providing a potential therapeutic approach to treat bladder cancer. PMID:24815071

  8. c-Met Overexpression Contributes to the Acquired Apoptotic Resistance of Nonadherent Ovarian Cancer Cells through a Cross Talk Mediated by Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maggie K.S. Tang

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer mainly because of widespread peritoneal dissemination and malignant ascites. Key to this is the capacity of tumor cells to escape suspension-induced apoptosis (anoikis, which also underlies their resistance to chemotherapy. Here, we used a nonadherent cell culture model to investigate the molecular mechanisms of apoptotic resistance of ovarian cancer cells that may mimic the chemoresistance found in solid tumors. We found that ovarian cancer cells acquired a remarkable resistance to anoikis and apoptosis induced by exposure to clinically relevant doses of two front-line chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin and paclitaxel when grown in three-dimensional than monolayer cultures. Inhibition of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF receptor c-Met, which is frequently overexpressed in ovarian cancer, by a specific inhibitor or small interfering RNA blocked the acquired anoikis resistance and restored chemosensitivity in three-dimensional not in two-dimensional cultures. These effects were found to be dependent on both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K/Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2 signaling pathways. Inhibitors of PI3K/Akt abrogated ERK1/2 activation and its associated anoikis resistance in response to HGF, suggesting a signaling relay between these two pathways. Furthermore, we identified a central role of Ras as a mechanism of this cross talk. Interestingly, Ras did not lie upstream of PI3K/Akt, whereas PI3K/Akt signaling to ERK1/2 involved Ras. These findings shed new light on the apoptotic resistance mechanism of nonadherent ovarian cancer ascites cells and may have important clinical implications.

  9. Dehydroeffusol effectively inhibits human gastric cancer cell-mediated vasculogenic mimicry with low toxicity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Wenming; Meng, Mei; Zhang, Bin; Du, Longsheng; Pan, Yanyan; Yang, Ping; Gu, Zhenlun; Zhou, Quansheng, E-mail: quanshengzhou@yahoo.com; Cao, Zhifei, E-mail: hunancao@163.com

    2015-09-01

    Accumulated data has shown that various vasculogenic tumor cells, including gastric cancer cells, are able to directly form tumor blood vessels via vasculogenic mimicry, supplying oxygen and nutrients to tumors, and facilitating progression and metastasis of malignant tumors. Therefore, tumor vasculogenic mimicry is a rational target for developing novel anticancer therapeutics. However, effective antitumor vasculogenic mimicry-targeting drugs are not clinically available. In this study, we purified 2,7-dihydroxyl-1-methyl-5-vinyl-phenanthrene, termed dehydroeffusol, from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Juncus effusus L., and found that dehydroeffusol effectively inhibited gastric cancer cell-mediated vasculogenic mimicry in vitro and in vivo with very low toxicity. Dehydroeffusol significantly suppressed gastric cancer cell adhesion, migration, and invasion. Molecular mechanistic studies revealed that dehydroeffusol markedly inhibited the expression of a vasculogenic mimicry master gene VE-cadherin and reduced adherent protein exposure on the cell surface by inhibiting gene promoter activity. In addition, dehydroeffusol significantly decreased the expression of a key vasculogenic gene matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) in gastric cancer cells, and diminished MMP2 protease activity. Together, our results showed that dehydroeffusol effectively inhibited gastric cancer cell-mediated vasculogenic mimicry with very low toxicity, suggesting that dehydroeffusol is a potential drug candidate for anti-gastric cancer neovascularization and anti-gastric cancer therapy. - Highlights: • Dehydroeffusol markedly inhibits gastric cancer cell-mediated vasculogenic mimicry. • Dehydroeffusol suppresses the expression of vasculogenic mimicry key gene VE-cadherin. • Dehydroeffusol decreases the MMP2 expression and activity in gastric cancer cells. • Dehydroeffusol is a potential anti-cancer drug candidate with very low toxicity.

  10. CNPY2 inhibits MYLIP-mediated AR protein degradation in prostate cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Saya; Ueno, Akihisa; Ueda, Takashi; Nakagawa, Hideo; Taniguchi, Hidefumi; Kayukawa, Naruhiro; Fujihara-Iwata, Atsuko; Hongo, Fumiya; Okihara, Koji; Ukimura, Osamu

    2018-04-03

    The androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that promotes prostate cancer (PC) cell growth through control of target gene expression. This report suggests that Canopy FGF signaling regulator 2 (CNPY2) controls AR protein levels in PC cells. We found that AR was ubiquitinated by an E3 ubiquitin ligase, myosin regulatory light chain interacting protein (MYLIP) and then degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. CNPY2 decreased the ubiquitination activity of MYLIP by inhibition of interaction between MYLIP and UBE2D1, an E2 ubiquitin ligase. CNPY2 up-regulated gene expression of AR target genes such as KLK3 gene which encodes the prostate specific antigen (PSA) and promoted cell growth of PC cells. The cell growth inhibition by CNPY2 knockdown was rescued by AR overexpression. Furthermore, positive correlation of expression levels between CNPY2 and AR/AR target genes was observed in tissue samples from human prostate cancer patients. Together, these results suggested that CNPY2 promoted cell growth of PC cells by inhibition of AR protein degradation through MYLIP-mediated AR ubiquitination.

  11. Phytochemicals radiosensitize cancer cells by inhibiting DNA repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Rana P.

    2017-01-01

    Solid tumors are mostly treated with radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is toxic to normal tissues and also promote the invasiveness and radioresistance in cancer cells. The resistance against radiotherapy and adverse effects to normal cells reduce the overall therapeutic effects of the treatment. Radiosensitizing agents usually show limited success during clinical trials. Therefore, the search and development of new radiosensitizers showing selective response to only cancer cells is desirable. We analyzed the radiosensitizing effects including cell death effect of silibinin, a phytochemical on prostate cancer cells. Silibinin enhanced gamma radiation (2.5-10 Gy) induced inhibition in colony formation selectively in prostate cancer cells. In cell cycle progression, G2/M phase is the most sensitive phase for radiation-induced damage which was delayed by the compound treatment in radiation exposed cells. The lower concentrations of silibinin substantially enhanced radiation-induced apoptosis. A prolonged reactive oxygen species production was also observed in these treatments EGFR signaling pathway can contribute to radiation-induced pro-survival mechanisms and to the therapeutic resistance. Agent treatment reduced the IR-induced EGFR phosphorylation and consequently reversed the resistance mediating mechanisms within the cancer cell. Thus, inhibiting DNA repair in cancer cells would enhance therapeutic response of radiation in cancer cells. Silibinin affected the localization of EGFR and DNA-dependent protein kinase, the DNA-PK is known to be an important mediator of DSB repair in human cells, and showed increased number of pH2AX (ser139) foci, and thus indicating lower DNA repair in these cancer cells. This was also confirmed in the tumor xenograft study. Our findings suggest that a combination of silibinin with radiation could be an effective treatment of radioresistant human prostate cancer and warrants further investigation. (author)

  12. Invariant NKT cells regulate experimental autoimmune uveitis through inhibition of Th17 differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Keunhee; Byoun, Ok-Jin; Ham, Don-Il; Kim, Yon Su; Lee, Dong-Sup

    2011-02-01

    Although NKT cells have been implicated in diverse immunomodulatory responses, the effector mechanisms underlying the NKT cell-mediated regulation of pathogenic T helper cells are not well understood. Here, we show that invariant NKT cells inhibited the differentiation of CD4(+) T cells into Th17 cells both in vitro and in vivo. The number of IL-17-producing CD4(+) T cells was reduced following co-culture with purified NK1.1(+) TCR(+) cells from WT, but not from CD1d(-/-) or Jα18(-/-) , mice. Co-cultured NKT cells from either cytokine-deficient (IL-4(-/-) , IL-10(-/-) , or IFN-γ(-/-) ) or WT mice efficiently inhibited Th17 differentiation. The contact-dependent mechanisms of NKT cell-mediated regulation of Th17 differentiation were confirmed using transwell co-culture experiments. On the contrary, the suppression of Th1 differentiation was dependent on IL-4 derived from the NKT cells. The in vivo regulatory capacity of NKT cells on Th17 cells was confirmed using an experimental autoimmune uveitis model induced with human IRBP(1-20) (IRBP, interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein) peptide. NKT cell-deficient mice (CD1d(-/-) or Jα18(-/-) ) demonstrated an increased disease severity, which was reversed by the transfer of WT or cytokine-deficient (IL-4(-/-) , IL-10(-/-) , or IFN-γ(-/-) ) NKT cells. Our results indicate that invariant NKT cells inhibited autoimmune uveitis predominantly through the cytokine-independent inhibition of Th17 differentiation. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Mesenchymal stem cells inhibit lymphocyte proliferation by mitogens and alloantigens by different mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rasmusson, Ida; Ringden, Olle; Sundberg, Berit; Le Blanc, Katarina

    2005-01-01

    Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immuno-modulatory properties. They inhibit T-cell proliferation to mitogens and alloantigens in vitro and prolong skin graft survival in vivo. We found that MSCs inhibited the proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), suggesting that MSCs exert an inhibitory effect downstream of the receptor level. We analyzed cytokine profiles of PBLs co-cultured with MSCs. MSCs increased interleukin (IL)-2 and soluble IL-2 receptor in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLCs), while IL-2 and IL-2R decreased in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated PBL cultures. MSCs inhibited IL-2 induced proliferation, without absorbing IL-2. IL-10 levels increased in MLCs co-cultured with 10% MSCs, while the levels were not affected in PHA cultures. In MLCs inhibited by MSCs, antibodies against IL-10 further suppressed proliferation but had no effect in PHA cultures. Addition of indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin-synthesis, restored part of the inhibition by MSCs in PHA cultures. However, indomethacin did not affect MSC-induced inhibition in MLCs. To conclude, our data indicate that MSC-induced suppression is a complex mechanism affecting IL-2 and IL-10 signaling and may function differently, depending on T-cell stimuli. Prostaglandins are important in the inhibition by MSCs when the T cells were activated by PHA, but not alloantigens

  14. Mullerian Inhibiting Substances (MIS) Augments IFN-gamma Mediated Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cell Growth

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Gupta, Vandana

    2006-01-01

    MIS is a member of the TGF family. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that MIS and IFN-gamma might be more effective in the inhibition of breast cancer cell growth than either agent alone...

  15. Neuroglobin Overexpression Inhibits AMPK Signaling and Promotes Cell Anabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Bin; Li, Wenjun; Mao, XiaoOu; Winters, Ali; Ryou, Myoung-Gwi; Liu, Ran; Greenberg, David A; Wang, Ning; Jin, Kunlin; Yang, Shao-Hua

    2016-03-01

    Neuroglobin (Ngb) is a recently discovered globin with preferential localization to neurons. Growing evidence indicates that Ngb has distinct physiological functions separate from the oxygen storage and transport roles of other globins, such as hemoglobin and myoglobin. We found increased ATP production and decreased glycolysis in Ngb-overexpressing immortalized murine hippocampal cell line (HT-22), in parallel with inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling and activation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). In addition, lipid and glycogen content was increased in Ngb-overexpressing HT-22 cells. AMPK signaling was also inhibited in the brain and heart from Ngb-overexpressing transgenic mice. Although Ngb overexpression did not change glycogen content in whole brain, glycogen synthase was activated in cortical neurons of Ngb-overexpressing mouse brain and Ngb overexpression primary neurons. Moreover, lipid and glycogen content was increased in hearts derived from Ngb-overexpressing mice. These findings suggest that Ngb functions as a metabolic regulator and enhances cellular anabolism through the inhibition of AMPK signaling.

  16. Roxithromycin inhibits VEGF-induced human airway smooth muscle cell proliferation: Opportunities for the treatment of asthma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pei, Qing-Mei; Jiang, Ping; Yang, Min; Qian, Xue-Jiao; Liu, Jiang-Bo; Kim, Sung-Ho

    2016-01-01

    Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by reversible airway obstruction with persistent airway inflammation and airway remodelling, which is associated with increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass. Roxithromycin (RXM) has been widely used in asthma treatment; however, its mechanism of action is poorly understood. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in inflammatory and airway blood vessel remodelling in patients with asthma, and shown to promote ASM cell proliferation. Here, we investigated the effect of RXM on VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation and attempted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action. We tested the effect of RXM on proliferation and cell cycle progression, as well as on the expression of phospho-VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), phospho-Akt, and caveolin-1 in VEGF-stimulated ASM cells. RXM inhibited VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest. Additionally, VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation was suppressed by inhibiting the activity of ERK1/2, but not that of Akt. Furthermore, RXM treatment inhibits VEGF-induced activation of VEGFR2 and ERK and downregulation of caveolin-1 in a dose-dependent manner. RXM also inhibited TGF-β-induced VEGF secretion by ASM cells and BEAS-2B cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that RXM inhibits VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation by suppression of VEGFR2 and ERK1/2 activation and caveolin-1 down-regulation, which may be involved in airway remodelling. Further elucidation of the mechanisms underlying these observations should enable the development of treatments for smooth muscle hyperplasia-associated diseases of the airway such as asthma. - Highlights: • RXM inhibited VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest. • VEGF-induced cell proliferation was suppressed by inhibiting the activity of ERK1/2. • RXM inhibits activation of VEGFR2 and ERK and downregulation

  17. Roxithromycin inhibits VEGF-induced human airway smooth muscle cell proliferation: Opportunities for the treatment of asthma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pei, Qing-Mei, E-mail: 34713316@qq.com [Department of Radiology, Tianjin Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin (China); Jiang, Ping, E-mail: jiangping@163.com [Department of Respiration, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin (China); Yang, Min, E-mail: YangMin@163.com [Department of Respiration, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin (China); Qian, Xue-Jiao, E-mail: qianxuejiao@163.com [Department of Respiration, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin (China); Liu, Jiang-Bo, E-mail: LJB1984@163.com [Department of Respiration, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin (China); Kim, Sung-Ho, E-mail: chenghao0726@hotmail.com [Department of Respiration, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin (China)

    2016-10-01

    Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by reversible airway obstruction with persistent airway inflammation and airway remodelling, which is associated with increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass. Roxithromycin (RXM) has been widely used in asthma treatment; however, its mechanism of action is poorly understood. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in inflammatory and airway blood vessel remodelling in patients with asthma, and shown to promote ASM cell proliferation. Here, we investigated the effect of RXM on VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation and attempted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action. We tested the effect of RXM on proliferation and cell cycle progression, as well as on the expression of phospho-VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), phospho-Akt, and caveolin-1 in VEGF-stimulated ASM cells. RXM inhibited VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest. Additionally, VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation was suppressed by inhibiting the activity of ERK1/2, but not that of Akt. Furthermore, RXM treatment inhibits VEGF-induced activation of VEGFR2 and ERK and downregulation of caveolin-1 in a dose-dependent manner. RXM also inhibited TGF-β-induced VEGF secretion by ASM cells and BEAS-2B cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that RXM inhibits VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation by suppression of VEGFR2 and ERK1/2 activation and caveolin-1 down-regulation, which may be involved in airway remodelling. Further elucidation of the mechanisms underlying these observations should enable the development of treatments for smooth muscle hyperplasia-associated diseases of the airway such as asthma. - Highlights: • RXM inhibited VEGF-induced ASM cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest. • VEGF-induced cell proliferation was suppressed by inhibiting the activity of ERK1/2. • RXM inhibits activation of VEGFR2 and ERK and downregulation

  18. Naked gene therapy of hepatocyte growth factor for dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanbe, Takamasa; Murai, Rie; Mukoyama, Tomoyuki; Murawaki, Yoshiyuki; Hashiguchi, Ko-ichi; Yoshida, Yoko; Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki; Kurimasa, Akihiro; Harada, Ken-ichi; Yashima, Kazuo; Nishimuki, Eiji; Shabana, Noriko; Kishimoto, Yukihiro; Kojyo, Haruhiko; Miura, Kunihiko; Murawaki, Yoshikazu; Kawasaki, Hironaka; Shiota, Goshi

    2006-01-01

    Ulcerative colitis (UC) is progressive and relapsing disease. To explore the therapeutic effects of naked gene therapy of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on UC, the SRα promoter driving HGF gene was intrarectally administered to the mice in which colitis was induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Expression of the transgene was seen in surface epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae. The HGF-treated mice showed reduced colonic mucosal damage and increased body weights, compared with control mice (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The HGF-treated mice displayed increased number of PCNA-positive cells and decreased number of apoptotic cells than in control mice (P < 0.01, each). Phosphorylated AKT was dramatically increased after HGF gene administration, however, phosphorylated ERK1/2 was not altered. Microarray analysis revealed that HGF induced expression of proliferation- and apoptosis-associated genes. These data suggest that naked HGF gene delivery causes therapeutic effects through regulation of many downstream genes

  19. Characterization of goat inner cell mass derived cells in double kinase inhibition condition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Qiang; Xi, Qihui; Liu, Xiaokun; Meng, Kai; Zhao, Xiaoe; Ma, Baohua

    2017-01-01

    The identification of small molecular inhibitors, which were reported to promote the derivation of mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), provides a potential strategy for the derivation of domesticated ungulate ESCs. In present study, goat inner cell mass (ICM) derived cells in the double inhibition (2i) condition, in which, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAP2K) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) were inhibited by PD0325901 and BIO respectively, were characterized. The results showed that goat ICM derived cells in 2i medium adding leukaemia inhibitor factor (LIF) possessed a mouse ES-like morphology. But these cells had much compromised proliferation capacity, resulting in difficulty in expansion. In 2i alone medium, goat ICM derived cells possessed primate ES-like morphology. These cells expressed pluripotent markers and could differentiate into derivatives of three germ layers in vitro. However, these cells could not be proliferated in long-term (persisted for 15 passages) because of spontaneously neural differentiation. Additionally, goat ICM derived cells could be inducing differentiated into neural lineage in vitro. Although goat ESCs could not be established in PD0325901 and BIO alone medium, this derivation condition provides a useful research system to find signaling molecular those regulate early embryonic development and pluripotency in goat. - Highlights: • Goat inner cell mass derived cells possessed finite pluripotency in 2i condition. • These cells could not be proliferated in long-term in 2i condition. • These cells could spontaneously and inductively differentiate into neural lineage.

  20. Inhibition of p38 MAPK enhances ABT-737-induced cell death in melanoma cell lines: novel regulation of PUMA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keuling, Angela M; Andrew, Susan E; Tron, Victor A

    2010-06-01

    The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is constitutively activated in the majority of melanomas, promoting cell survival, proliferation and migration. In addition, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins Mcl-1, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 are frequently overexpressed, contributing to melanoma's well-documented chemoresistance. Recently, it was reported that the combination of MAPK pathway inhibition by specific MEK inhibitors and Bcl-2 family inhibition by BH3-mimetic ABT-737 synergistically induces apoptotic cell death in melanoma cell lines. Here we provide the first evidence that inhibition of another key MAPK, p38, synergistically induces apoptosis in melanoma cells in combination with ABT-737. We also provide novel mechanistic data demonstrating that inhibition of p38 increases expression of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein PUMA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PUMA can be cleaved by a caspase-dependent mechanism during apoptosis and identify what appears to be the PUMA cleavage product. Thus, our findings suggest that the combination of ABT-737 and inhibition of p38 is a promising, new treatment strategy that acts through a novel PUMA-dependent mechanism.

  1. Inhibition of human lung cancer cell proliferation and survival by wine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Compounds of plant origin and food components have attracted scientific attention for use as agents for cancer prevention and treatment. Wine contains polyphenols that were shown to have anti-cancer and other health benefits. The survival pathways of Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), and the tumor suppressor p53 are key modulators of cancer cell growth and survival. In this study, we examined the effects of wine on proliferation and survival of human Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and its effects on signaling events. Methods Human NSCLC adenocarcinoma A549 and H1299 cells were used. Cell proliferation was assessed by thymidine incorporation. Clonogenic assays were used to assess cell survival. Immunoblotting was used to examine total and phosphorylated levels of Akt, Erk and p53. Results In A549 cells red wine inhibited cell proliferation and reduced clonogenic survival at doses as low as 0.02%. Red wine significantly reduced basal and EGF-stimulated Akt and Erk phosphorylation while it increased the levels of total and phosphorylated p53 (Ser15). Control experiments indicated that the anti-proliferative effects of wine were not mediated by the associated contents of ethanol or the polyphenol resveratrol and were independent of glucose transport into cancer cells. White wine also inhibited clonogenic survival, albeit at a higher doses (0.5-2%), and reduced Akt phosphorylation. The effects of both red and white wine on Akt phosphorylation were also verified in H1299 cells. Conclusions Red wine inhibits proliferation of lung cancer cells and blocks clonogenic survival at low concentrations. This is associated with inhibition of basal and EGF-stimulated Akt and Erk signals and enhancement of total and phosphorylated levels of p53. White wine mediates similar effects albeit at higher concentrations. Our data suggest that wine may have considerable anti-tumour and chemoprevention properties in lung cancer and deserves further

  2. [RITA combined with temozolomide inhibits the proliferation of human glioblastoma U87 cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xiao-Yan; Feng, Xiao-Li; Song, Xin-Pei; Zeng, Huan-Chao; Cao, Zhong-Xu; Xiao, Wei-Wei; Zhang, Bao; Wu, Qing-Hua

    2016-10-20

    To observe the effect of RITA, a small molecule that targets p53, combined with temozolomide (TMZ) on proliferation, colony formation and apoptosis of human glioblastoma U87 cells and explore the underlying mechanism. Cultured U87 cells were treated with RITA (1, 5, 10, 20 µmol/L), TMZ, or RITA+TMZ (half dose) for 24, 48 or 72 h. MTS assay were used to detect the cell proliferation, and the cell proliferation rate and inhibitory rate were calculated. The effect of combined treatments was evaluated by the q value. The expressions of p53, p21 and other apoptosis-associated genes were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting; cell apoptosis was assayed using flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double staining; colony formation of the cells was detected with crystal violet staining. MTS assay showed that RITA at the 4 doses more potently inhibited U87 cell viability than TMZ at 72 h (P=0.000) with inhibitory rates of 25.94%-41.38% and 3.84%-8.20%, respectively. RITA combined with TMZ caused a more significant inhibition of U87 cells (29.21%-52.11%) than RITA (PRITA+TMZ for 48 h resulted in q values exceeding 1.2 and showed an obvious synergistic effect of the drugs. Both RITA and TMZ, especially the latter, significantly increased the expressions of p53, p21, puma, and other apoptosis-associated genes to accelerate apoptosis and inhibit the growth and colony formation of U87 cells, and the effect was more obvious with a combined treatment. RITA inhibits the growth of human glioblastoma cells and enhance their sensitivity to TMZ by up-regulating p53 expression, and when combined, RITA and TMZ show a synergistic effect to cause a stronger cell inhibition.

  3. Downregulation of Akt1 Inhibits Anchorage-Independent Cell Growth and Induces Apoptosis in Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuesong Liu

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The serine/threonine kinases, Akti/PKBα, Akt2/PKBβ, and Akt3/PKBγ, play a critical role in preventing cancer cells from undergoing apoptosis. However, the function of individual Akt isoforms in the tumorigenicity of cancer cells is still not well defined. In the current study, we used an AM antisense oligonucleotide (AS to specifically downregulate Akti protein in both cancer and normal cells. Our data indicate that AM AS treatment inhibits the ability of MiaPaCa-2, H460, HCT-15, and HT1080 cells to grow in soft agar. The treatment also induces apoptosis in these cancer cells as demonstrated by FRCS analysis and a caspase activity assay. Conversely, Akti AS treatment has little effect on the cell growth and survival of normal human cells including normal human fibroblast (NHF, fibroblast from muscle (FBM, and mammary gland epithelial 184135 cells. In addition, AM AS specifically sensitizes cancer cells to typical chemotherapeutic agents. Thus, Akti is indispensable for maintaining the tumorigenicity of cancer cells. Inhibition of AM may provide a powerful sensitization agent for chemotherapy specifically in cancer cells.

  4. PARP activity and inhibition in fetal and adult oligodendrocyte precursor cells: Effect on cell survival and differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldassarro, Vito A; Marchesini, Alessandra; Giardino, Luciana; Calzà, Laura

    2017-07-01

    Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family members are ubiquitously expressed and play a key role in cellular processes, including DNA repair and cell death/survival balance. Accordingly, PARP inhibition is an emerging pharmacological strategy for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Consistent evidences support the critical involvement of PARP family members in cell differentiation and phenotype maturation. In this study we used an oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) enriched system derived from fetal and adult brain to investigate the role of PARP in OPCs proliferation, survival, and differentiation. The PARP inhibitors PJ34, TIQ-A and Olaparib were used as pharmacological tools. The main results of the study are: (i) PARP mRNA expression and PARP activity are much higher in fetal than in adult-derived OPCs; (ii) the culture treatment with PARP inhibitors is cytotoxic for OPCs derived from fetal, but not from adult, brain; (iii) PARP inhibition reduces cell number, according to the inhibitory potency of the compounds; (iv) PARP inhibition effect on fetal OPCs is a slow process; (v) PARP inhibition impairs OPCs maturation into myelinating OL in fetal, but not in adult cultures, according to the inhibitory potency of the compounds. These results have implications for PARP-inhibition therapies for diseases and lesions of the central nervous system, in particular for neonatal hypoxic/ischemic encephalopathy. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Glycolysis inhibition inactivates ABC transporters to restore drug sensitivity in malignant cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayako Nakano

    Full Text Available Cancer cells eventually acquire drug resistance largely via the aberrant expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC transporters, ATP-dependent efflux pumps. Because cancer cells produce ATP mostly through glycolysis, in the present study we explored the effects of inhibiting glycolysis on the ABC transporter function and drug sensitivity of malignant cells. Inhibition of glycolysis by 3-bromopyruvate (3BrPA suppressed ATP production in malignant cells, and restored the retention of daunorubicin or mitoxantrone in ABC transporter-expressing, RPMI8226 (ABCG2, KG-1 (ABCB1 and HepG2 cells (ABCB1 and ABCG2. Interestingly, although side population (SP cells isolated from RPMI8226 cells exhibited higher levels of glycolysis with an increased expression of genes involved in the glycolytic pathway, 3BrPA abolished Hoechst 33342 exclusion in SP cells. 3BrPA also disrupted clonogenic capacity in malignant cell lines including RPMI8226, KG-1, and HepG2. Furthermore, 3BrPA restored cytotoxic effects of daunorubicin and doxorubicin on KG-1 and RPMI8226 cells, and markedly suppressed subcutaneous tumor growth in combination with doxorubicin in RPMI8226-implanted mice. These results collectively suggest that the inhibition of glycolysis is able to overcome drug resistance in ABC transporter-expressing malignant cells through the inactivation of ABC transporters and impairment of SP cells with enhanced glycolysis as well as clonogenic cells.

  6. Semicarbazone EGA Inhibits Uptake of Diphtheria Toxin into Human Cells and Protects Cells from Intoxication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonie Schnell

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Diphtheria toxin is a single-chain protein toxin that invades human cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis. In acidic endosomes, its translocation domain inserts into endosomal membranes and facilitates the transport of the catalytic domain (DTA from endosomal lumen into the host cell cytosol. Here, DTA ADP-ribosylates elongation factor 2 inhibits protein synthesis and leads to cell death. The compound 4-bromobenzaldehyde N-(2,6-dimethylphenylsemicarbazone (EGA has been previously shown to protect cells from various bacterial protein toxins which deliver their enzymatic subunits from acidic endosomes to the cytosol, including Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin and the binary clostridial actin ADP-ribosylating toxins C2, iota and Clostridium difficile binary toxin (CDT. Here, we demonstrate that EGA also protects human cells from diphtheria toxin by inhibiting the pH-dependent translocation of DTA across cell membranes. The results suggest that EGA might serve for treatment and/or prevention of the severe disease diphtheria.

  7. Exposure to a specific time-varying electromagnetic field inhibits cell proliferation via cAMP and ERK signaling in cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckner, Carly A; Buckner, Alison L; Koren, Stan A; Persinger, Michael A; Lafrenie, Robert M

    2018-04-01

    Exposure to specific electromagnetic field (EMF) patterns can affect a variety of biological systems. We have shown that exposure to Thomas-EMF, a low-intensity, frequency-modulated (25-6 Hz) EMF pattern, inhibited growth and altered cell signaling in malignant cells. Exposure to Thomas-EMF for 1 h/day inhibited the growth of malignant cells including B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, BT-20, and MCF-7 human breast cancer and HeLa cervical cancer cells but did not affect non-malignant cells. The Thomas-EMF-dependent changes in cell proliferation were mediated by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. Exposure of malignant cells to Thomas-EMF transiently changed the level of cellular cAMP and promoted ERK phosphorylation. Pharmacologic inhibitors (SQ22536) and activators (forskolin) of cAMP production both blocked the ability of Thomas-EMF to inhibit cell proliferation, and an inhibitor of the MAP kinase pathway (PD98059) was able to partially block Thomas-EMF-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. Genetic modulation of protein kinase A (PKA) in B16-BL6 cells also altered the effect of Thomas-EMF on cell proliferation. Cells transfected with the constitutively active form of PKA (PKA-CA), which interfered with ERK phosphorylation, also interfered with the Thomas-EMF effect on cell proliferation. The non-malignant cells did not show any EMF-dependent changes in cAMP levels, ERK phosphorylation, or cell growth. These data indicate that exposure to the specific Thomas-EMF pattern can inhibit the growth of malignant cells in a manner dependent on contributions from the cAMP and MAP kinase pathways. Bioelectromagnetics. 39;217-230, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Comparison of the effect of activated or non-activated PRP in various concentrations on osteoblast and fibroblast cell line proliferation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vahabi, Surena; Yadegari, Zahra; Mohammad-Rahimi, Hossein

    2017-09-01

    Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains growth factors which positively affect cell proliferation, cell differentiation, chemotaxis and intracellular matrix synthesis. All these processes are involved in wound healing and tissue regeneration; thus, PRP as a source of growth factors can be used in periodontal regenerative therapies. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of various concentrations of activated and non-activated PRP on proliferation of osteoblasts and fibroblasts in vitro. PRP was obtained from three healthy volunteers. 75, 50, 25, and 10% concentrations of f PRP were prepared by dilution in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. In activated PRP groups, PRP concentrations were activated by adding calcium gluconate. Human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cell line and MG-63 (osteosarcoma) human osteoblast-like cell line were used in the study. The MTT proliferation assay was used to assess the effect of different types of PRP concentrates on proliferation of HGF and MG-63 cells, in 24, 48 and 72 h. After 24, 48, and 72 h, the proliferation rate of both cell lines was higher in the positive control group, except in 72 h in HGF cell lines, that 10% non-activated PRP group and 10 and 25% activated PRP groups has higher proliferation rate than the positive control group, which it was not significant. Proliferation rate in cells with 10% activated PRP was highest among samples containing PRP. The current study failed to show the significant effect of activated or non-activated PRP on proliferation of HGFs or MG-63 osteoblast-like cells. However, our results showed that activated PRP had a greater effect than non-activated PRP.

  9. Cell motility dynamics: a novel segmentation algorithm to quantify multi-cellular bright field microscopy images.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Assaf Zaritsky

    Full Text Available Confocal microscopy analysis of fluorescence and morphology is becoming the standard tool in cell biology and molecular imaging. Accurate quantification algorithms are required to enhance the understanding of different biological phenomena. We present a novel approach based on image-segmentation of multi-cellular regions in bright field images demonstrating enhanced quantitative analyses and better understanding of cell motility. We present MultiCellSeg, a segmentation algorithm to separate between multi-cellular and background regions for bright field images, which is based on classification of local patches within an image: a cascade of Support Vector Machines (SVMs is applied using basic image features. Post processing includes additional classification and graph-cut segmentation to reclassify erroneous regions and refine the segmentation. This approach leads to a parameter-free and robust algorithm. Comparison to an alternative algorithm on wound healing assay images demonstrates its superiority. The proposed approach was used to evaluate common cell migration models such as wound healing and scatter assay. It was applied to quantify the acceleration effect of Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF on healing rate in a time lapse confocal microscopy wound healing assay and demonstrated that the healing rate is linear in both treated and untreated cells, and that HGF/SF accelerates the healing rate by approximately two-fold. A novel fully automated, accurate, zero-parameters method to classify and score scatter-assay images was developed and demonstrated that multi-cellular texture is an excellent descriptor to measure HGF/SF-induced cell scattering. We show that exploitation of textural information from differential interference contrast (DIC images on the multi-cellular level can prove beneficial for the analyses of wound healing and scatter assays. The proposed approach is generic and can be used alone or alongside traditional

  10. Cell motility dynamics: a novel segmentation algorithm to quantify multi-cellular bright field microscopy images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaritsky, Assaf; Natan, Sari; Horev, Judith; Hecht, Inbal; Wolf, Lior; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Tsarfaty, Ilan

    2011-01-01

    Confocal microscopy analysis of fluorescence and morphology is becoming the standard tool in cell biology and molecular imaging. Accurate quantification algorithms are required to enhance the understanding of different biological phenomena. We present a novel approach based on image-segmentation of multi-cellular regions in bright field images demonstrating enhanced quantitative analyses and better understanding of cell motility. We present MultiCellSeg, a segmentation algorithm to separate between multi-cellular and background regions for bright field images, which is based on classification of local patches within an image: a cascade of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) is applied using basic image features. Post processing includes additional classification and graph-cut segmentation to reclassify erroneous regions and refine the segmentation. This approach leads to a parameter-free and robust algorithm. Comparison to an alternative algorithm on wound healing assay images demonstrates its superiority. The proposed approach was used to evaluate common cell migration models such as wound healing and scatter assay. It was applied to quantify the acceleration effect of Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) on healing rate in a time lapse confocal microscopy wound healing assay and demonstrated that the healing rate is linear in both treated and untreated cells, and that HGF/SF accelerates the healing rate by approximately two-fold. A novel fully automated, accurate, zero-parameters method to classify and score scatter-assay images was developed and demonstrated that multi-cellular texture is an excellent descriptor to measure HGF/SF-induced cell scattering. We show that exploitation of textural information from differential interference contrast (DIC) images on the multi-cellular level can prove beneficial for the analyses of wound healing and scatter assays. The proposed approach is generic and can be used alone or alongside traditional fluorescence single-cell

  11. NAC selectively inhibit cancer telomerase activity: A higher redox homeostasis threshold exists in cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pengying Li

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Telomerase activity controls telomere length, and this plays an important role in stem cells, aging and tumors. Antioxidant was shown to protect telomerase activity in normal cells but inhibit that in cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism is elusive. Here we found that 7721 hepatoma cells held a higher redox homeostasis threshold than L02 normal liver cells which caused 7721 cells to have a higher demand for ROS; MnSOD over-expression in 7721 decreased endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS and inhibited telomerase activity; Akt phosphorylation inhibitor and NAC both inhibited 7721 telomerase activity. The over-elimination of ROS by NAC resulted in the inhibition of Akt pathway. Our results suggest that ROS is involved in the regulation of cancer telomerase activity through Akt pathway. The different intracellular redox homeostasis and antioxidant system in normal cells and tumor cells may be the cause of the opposite effect on telomerase activity in response to NAC treatment. Our results provide a theoretical base of using antioxidants selectively inhibit cancer telomerase activity. Findings of the present study may provide insights into novel approaches for cancer treatment.

  12. Andrographolide inhibits multiple myeloma cells by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Hui; Wang, Jianrong

    2016-02-01

    Andrographolide is an active component from the extract of Andrographis paniculata [(Burm.f) Nees], a medicinal plant from the Acanthaceae family. Pharmacological studies have revealed that andrographolide possesses anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, immune regulatory and hepatoprotective properties, and is efficacious in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, while exhibiting low toxicity and low cost. The present study aimed to determine the inhibitory effects of andrographolide on the growth of multiple myeloma (MM) cells and its possible impact on the Toll-like receptor (TLR)4/nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway. Cell proliferation was detected using an MTT assay, cellular apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry, and caspase-9/3 activation were assessed using colorimetric assay kits. Furthermore, TLR4 and NF-κB protein expression was determined by western blot analysis. The results revealed that andrographolide reduced the proliferation, while increasing cellular apoptosis and caspase-9/3 activation of MM cells, in addition to downregulating the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB protein. Of note, TLR4- or NF-κB-targeting small-interfering (si)RNA enhanced the andrographolide-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis of MM cells. The results of the present study therefore suggested that andrographolide inhibited multiple myeloma cells via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

  13. Cholesterol inhibits entotic cell-in-cell formation and actomyosin contraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruan, Banzhan; Zhang, Bo; Chen, Ang; Yuan, Long; Liang, Jianqing; Wang, Manna; Zhang, Zhengrong; Fan, Jie; Yu, Xiaochen; Zhang, Xin; Niu, Zubiao; Zheng, You; Gu, Songzhi; Liu, Xiaoqing; Du, Hongli; Wang, Jufang; Hu, Xianwen; Gao, Lihua; Chen, Zhaolie; Huang, Hongyan; Wang, Xiaoning; Sun, Qiang

    2018-01-01

    Cell-in-cell structure is prevalent in human cancer, and associated with several specific pathophysiological phenomena. Although cell membrane adhesion molecules were found critical for cell-in-cell formation, the roles of other membrane components, such as lipids, remain to be explored. In this study, we attempted to investigate the effects of cholesterol and phospholipids on the formation of cell-in-cell structures by utilizing liposome as a vector. We found that Lipofectamine-2000, the reagent commonly used for routine transfection, could significantly reduce entotic cell-in-cell formation in a cell-specific manner, which is correlated with suppressed actomyosin contraction as indicated by reduced β-actin expression and myosin light chain phosphorylation. The influence on cell-in-cell formation was likely dictated by specific liposome components as some liposomes affected cell-in-cell formation while some others didn't. Screening on a limited number of lipids, the major components of liposome, identified phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), stearamide (SA), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and cholesterol (CHOL) as the inhibitors of cell-in-cell formation. Importantly, cholesterol treatment significantly inhibited myosin light chain phosphorylation, which resembles the effect of Lipofectamine-2000, suggesting cholesterol might be partially responsible for liposomes' effects on cell-in-cell formation. Together, our findings supporting a role of membrane lipids and cholesterol in cell-in-cell formation probably via regulating actomyosin contraction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Nelfinavir augments proteasome inhibition by bortezomib in myeloma cells and overcomes bortezomib and carfilzomib resistance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraus, M; Bader, J; Overkleeft, H; Driessen, C

    2013-01-01

    HIV protease inhibitors (HIV-PI) are oral drugs for HIV treatment. HIV-PI have antitumor activity via induction of ER-stress, inhibition of phospho-AKT (p-AKT) and the proteasome, suggesting antimyeloma activity. We characterize the effects of all approved HIV-PI on myeloma cells. HIV-PI were compared regarding cytotoxicity, proteasome activity, ER-stress induction and AKT phosphorylation using myeloma cells in vitro. Nelfinavir is the HIV-PI with highest cytotoxic activity against primary myeloma cells and with an IC 50 near therapeutic drug blood levels (8–14 μM), irrespective of bortezomib sensitivity. Only nelfinavir inhibited intracellular proteasome activity in situ at drug concentrations <40 μℳ. Ritonavir, saquinavir and lopinavir inhibited p-AKT comparable to nelfinavir, and showed similar synergistic cytotoxicity with bortezomib against bortezomib-sensitive cells. Nelfinavir had superior synergistic activity with bortezomib/carfilzomib in particular against bortezomib/carfilzomib-resistant myeloma cells. It inhibited not only the proteasomal β1/β5 active sites, similar to bortezomib/carfilzomib, but in addition the β2 proteasome activity not targeted by bortezomib/carfilzomib. Additional inhibition of β2 proteasome activity is known to sensitize cells for bortezomib and carfilzomib. Nelfinavir has unique proteasome inhibiting activity in particular on the bortezomib/carfilzomib-insensitive tryptic (β2) proteasome activity in intact myeloma cells, and is active against bortezomib/carfilzomib-resistant myeloma cells in vitro

  15. Notch inhibition counteracts Paneth cell death in absence of caspase-8.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, M K; Kaemmerer, E; Schneider, U; Schiffer, M; Klaus, C; Hennings, J; Clahsen, T; Ackerstaff, T; Niggemann, M; Schippers, A; Longerich, T; Sellge, G; Trautwein, C; Wagner, N; Liedtke, C; Gassler, N

    2018-05-16

    Opposing activities of Notch and Wnt signaling regulate mucosal barrier homeostasis and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells. Specifically, Wnt activity is essential for differentiation of secretory cells including Wnt3-producing Paneth cells, whereas Notch signaling strongly promotes generation of absorptive cells. Loss of caspase-8 in intestinal epithelium (casp8 ∆int ) is associated with fulminant epithelial necroptosis, severe Paneth cell death, secondary intestinal inflammation, and an increase in Notch activity. Here, we found that pharmacological Notch inhibition with dibenzazepine (DBZ) is able to essentially rescue the loss of Paneth cells, deescalate the inflammatory phenotype, and reduce intestinal permeability in casp8 ∆int mice. The secretory cell metaplasia in DBZ-treated casp8 ∆int animals is proliferative, indicating for Notch activities partially insensitive to gamma-secretase inhibition in a casp8 ∆int background. Our data suggest that casp8 acts in the intestinal Notch network.

  16. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibition suppresses cell growth and enhances radiation sensitivity in medulloblastoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harris, Peter S; Foreman, Nicholas K; Vibhakar, Rajeev; Venkataraman, Sujatha; Alimova, Irina; Birks, Diane K; Donson, Andrew M; Knipstein, Jeffrey; Dubuc, Adrian; Taylor, Michael D; Handler, Michael H

    2012-01-01

    Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children and remains a therapeutic challenge due to its significant therapy-related morbidity. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is highly expressed in many cancers and regulates critical steps in mitotic progression. Recent studies suggest that targeting PLK1 with small molecule inhibitors is a promising approach to tumor therapy. We examined the expression of PLK1 mRNA in medulloblastoma tumor samples using microarray analysis. The impact of PLK1 on cell proliferation was evaluated by depleting expression with RNA interference (RNAi) or by inhibiting function with the small molecule inhibitor BI 2536. Colony formation studies were performed to examine the impact of BI 2536 on medulloblastoma cell radiosensitivity. In addition, the impact of depleting PLK1 mRNA on tumor-initiating cells was evaluated using tumor sphere assays. Analysis of gene expression in two independent cohorts revealed that PLK1 mRNA is overexpressed in some, but not all, medulloblastoma patient samples when compared to normal cerebellum. Inhibition of PLK1 by RNAi significantly decreased medulloblastoma cell proliferation and clonogenic potential and increased cell apoptosis. Similarly, a low nanomolar concentration of BI 2536, a small molecule inhibitor of PLK1, potently inhibited cell growth, strongly suppressed the colony-forming ability, and increased cellular apoptosis of medulloblastoma cells. Furthermore, BI 2536 pretreatment sensitized medulloblastoma cells to ionizing radiation. Inhibition of PLK1 impaired tumor sphere formation of medulloblastoma cells and decreased the expression of SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX2) mRNA in tumor spheres indicating a possible role in targeting tumor inititiating cells. Our data suggest that targeting PLK1 with small molecule inhibitors, in combination with radiation therapy, is a novel strategy in the treatment of medulloblastoma that warrants further investigation

  17. Selected Phytochemicals and Culinary Plant Extracts Inhibit Fructose Uptake in Caco-2 Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yurim; Lim, Yeni; Kwon, Oran

    2015-09-18

    This study compared the ability of nine culinary plant extracts containing a wide array of phytochemicals to inhibit fructose uptake and then explored the involvement of intestinal fructose transporters and phytochemicals for selected samples. The chemical signature was characterized by high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Inhibition of [(14)C]-fructose uptake was tested by using human intestinal Caco-2 cells. Then, the relative contribution of the two apical-facing intestinal fructose transporters, GLUT2 and GLUT5, and the signature components for fructose uptake inhibition was confirmed in naive, phloretin-treated and forskolin-treated Caco-2 cells. HPLC/MS analysis of the chemical signature revealed that guava leaf contained quercetin and catechin, and turmeric contained curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and dimethoxycurcumin. Similar inhibition of fructose uptake (by ~50%) was observed with guava leaf and turmeric in Caco-2 cells, but with a higher contribution of GLUT2 for turmeric and that of GLUT5 for guava leaf. The data suggested that, in turmeric, demethoxycurcumin specifically contributed to GLUT2-mediated fructose uptake inhibition, and curcumin did the same to GLUT5-mediated fructose uptake inhibition, but GLUT2 inhibition was more potent. By contrast, in guava leaf, catechin specifically contributed to GLUT5-mediated fructose uptake inhibition, and quercetin affected both GLUT5- and GLUT2-mediated fructose uptake inhibition, resulting in the higher contribution of GLUT5. These results suggest that demethoxycurcumin is an important contributor to GLUT2-mediated fructose uptake inhibition for turmeric extract, and catechin is the same to GLUT5-mediated fructose uptake inhibition for guava leaf extract. Quercetin, curcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin contributed to both GLUT5- and GLUT2-mediated fructose uptake inhibition, but the contribution to GLUT5 inhibition was higher than the contribution to GLUT2 inhibition.

  18. Mechanisms involved in growth inhibition induced by clofibrate in hepatoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muzio, Giuliana; Maggiora, Marina; Trombetta, Antonella; Martinasso, Germana; Reffo, Patrizia; Colombatto, Sebastiano; Canuto, Rosa Angela

    2003-01-01

    Low concentrations of some peroxisome proliferators have been found to decrease apoptosis in rat liver cells, whereas higher but pharmacological concentrations have been found to inhibit cell proliferation or to induce apoptosis in human and rat hepatoma cells. The highly deviated JM2 rat hepatoma cell line was used to examine the mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Clofibrate chiefly inhibited cell proliferation in these cells. Parallel to the decrease in cell proliferation there was an increase of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) gamma and of protein phosphatase 2A, whose importance was confirmed, respectively, by using antisense oliginucleotides (AS-ODN) or okadaic acid. The increase of protein phosphatase 2A induced by PPARgamma caused a decrease of MAPK, an intracellular signaling transduction pathway, as shown by evaluation of Erk1,2 and c-myc. In light of these results, clofibrate, like conventional synthetic ligands of PPARgamma, may be regarded as a possible prototype anti-tumour drug

  19. Transient inhibition of cell proliferation does not compromise self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Ruoxing [Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive 5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 (United States); Guo, Yan-Lin, E-mail: yanlin.guo@usm.edu [Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive 5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 (United States)

    2012-10-01

    Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have unlimited capacity for self-renewal and can differentiate into various cell types when induced. They also have an unusual cell cycle control mechanism driven by constitutively active cyclin dependent kinases (Cdks). In mouse ESCs (mESCs). It is proposed that the rapid cell proliferation could be a necessary part of mechanisms that maintain mESC self-renewal and pluripotency, but this hypothesis is not in line with the finding in human ESCs (hESCs) that the length of the cell cycle is similar to differentiated cells. Therefore, whether rapid cell proliferation is essential for the maintenance of mESC state remains unclear. We provide insight into this uncertainty through chemical intervention of mESC cell cycle. We report here that inhibition of Cdks with olomoucine II can dramatically slow down cell proliferation of mESCs with concurrent down-regulation of cyclin A, B and E, and the activation of the Rb pathway. However, mESCs display can recover upon the removal of olomoucine II and are able to resume normal cell proliferation without losing self-renewal and pluripotency, as demonstrated by the expression of ESC markers, colony formation, embryoid body formation, and induced differentiation. We provide a mechanistic explanation for these observations by demonstrating that Oct4 and Nanog, two major transcription factors that play critical roles in the maintenance of ESC properties, are up-regulated via de novo protein synthesis when the cells are exposed to olomoucine II. Together, our data suggest that short-term inhibition of cell proliferation does not compromise the basic properties of mESCs. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of Cdks slows down mESCs proliferation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer mESCs display remarkable recovery capacity from short-term cell cycle interruption. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Short-term cell cycle interruption does not compromise mESC self-renewal. Black

  20. Transient inhibition of cell proliferation does not compromise self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Ruoxing; Guo, Yan-Lin

    2012-01-01

    Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have unlimited capacity for self-renewal and can differentiate into various cell types when induced. They also have an unusual cell cycle control mechanism driven by constitutively active cyclin dependent kinases (Cdks). In mouse ESCs (mESCs). It is proposed that the rapid cell proliferation could be a necessary part of mechanisms that maintain mESC self-renewal and pluripotency, but this hypothesis is not in line with the finding in human ESCs (hESCs) that the length of the cell cycle is similar to differentiated cells. Therefore, whether rapid cell proliferation is essential for the maintenance of mESC state remains unclear. We provide insight into this uncertainty through chemical intervention of mESC cell cycle. We report here that inhibition of Cdks with olomoucine II can dramatically slow down cell proliferation of mESCs with concurrent down-regulation of cyclin A, B and E, and the activation of the Rb pathway. However, mESCs display can recover upon the removal of olomoucine II and are able to resume normal cell proliferation without losing self-renewal and pluripotency, as demonstrated by the expression of ESC markers, colony formation, embryoid body formation, and induced differentiation. We provide a mechanistic explanation for these observations by demonstrating that Oct4 and Nanog, two major transcription factors that play critical roles in the maintenance of ESC properties, are up-regulated via de novo protein synthesis when the cells are exposed to olomoucine II. Together, our data suggest that short-term inhibition of cell proliferation does not compromise the basic properties of mESCs. -- Highlights: ► Inhibition of Cdks slows down mESCs proliferation. ► mESCs display remarkable recovery capacity from short-term cell cycle interruption. ► Short-term cell cycle interruption does not compromise mESC self-renewal. ► Oct4 and Nanog are up-regulated via de novo synthesis by cell cycle interruption.

  1. Kaempferol inhibits cell proliferation and glycolysis in esophagus squamous cell carcinoma via targeting EGFR signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Shihua; Wang, Xiaowei; Li, Chunguang; Zhao, Tiejun; Jin, Hai; Fang, Wentao

    2016-08-01

    Antitumor activity of kaempferol has been studied in various tumor types, but its potency in esophagus squamous cell carcinoma is rarely known. Here, we reported the activity of kaempferol against esophagus squamous cell carcinoma as well as its antitumor mechanisms. Results of cell proliferation and colony formation assay showed that kaempferol substantially inhibited tumor cell proliferation and clone formation in vitro. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that tumor cells were induced G0/G1 phase arrest after kaempferol treatment, and the expression of protein involved in cell cycle regulation was dramatically changed. Except the potency on cell proliferation, we also discovered that kaempferol had a significant inhibitory effect against tumor glycolysis. With the downregulation of hexokinase-2, glucose uptake and lactate production in tumor cells were dramatically declined. Mechanism studies revealed kaempferol had a direct effect on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activity, and along with the inhibition of EGFR, its downstream signaling pathways were also markedly suppressed. Further investigations found that exogenous overexpression of EGFR in tumor cells substantially attenuated glycolysis suppression induced by kaempferol, which implied that EGFR also played an important role in kaempferol-mediated glycolysis inhibition. Finally, the antitumor activity of kaempferol was validated in xenograft model and kaempferol prominently restrained tumor growth in vivo. Meanwhile, dramatic decrease of EGFR activity and hexokinase-2 expression were observed in kaempferol-treated tumor tissue, which confirmed these findings in vitro. Briefly, these studies suggested that kaempferol, or its analogues, may serve as effective candidates for esophagus squamous cell carcinoma management.

  2. Age-related differences in signaling efficiency of human lens cells underpin differential wound healing response rates following cataract surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawes, Lucy Jean; Duncan, George; Wormstone, Ian Michael

    2013-01-14

    Cataract surgery is blighted by posterior capsule opacification (PCO), which is more severe and frequent in the young than the elderly (>60 years). Our aim was to understand the biological basis for these age-related differences in PCO/wound healing rates. Human capsular bags were prepared by cataract surgery on donor lenses (young [60 years] groups) and maintained in serum-free Eagle's minimum essential medium. Cell growth was determined using the MTS assay. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels were determined using ELISA. Protein synthesis rates were elucidated by 35S-methionine incorporation. U0126, SB203580, and SP600125 were used to disrupt ERK-, p38-, and JNK-mediated signaling, respectively. Level of total and phospho-ERK, -c-jun, -P38, and -JNK plus cytokines were detected using a BIOPLEX array system. Following a 2-day culture period, significant decreases in IL-1β and IL-6, and increases in IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, and VEGF in the >60 years group were observed compared with their younger counterparts. Capsular bags (cells and capsule) from aged donors contained greater than or equal levels of HGF and FGF than younger counterparts and had greater rates of protein synthesis. Inhibition of ERK, p38, and JNK signaling significantly suppressed cell coverage on the posterior capsule. pERK, p-c-jun, p-p38, and pJNK were consistently lower in aged cell populations; total signaling protein expression was unaffected by age. Serum stimulation increased pERK, p-c-jun, and pJNK levels in cells of all ages; p-p38 was significantly increased in the >60 years group only. Ligand availability to cells is not a limiting factor as we age, but the ability to convert this resource into signaling activity is. We therefore propose that overall signaling efficiency is reduced as a function of age, which consequently limits wound-healing response rates after injury.

  3. Tumour tissue microenvironment can inhibit dendritic cell maturation in colorectal cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Michielsen, Adriana J

    2011-01-01

    Inflammatory mediators in the tumour microenvironment promote tumour growth, vascular development and enable evasion of anti-tumour immune responses, by disabling infiltrating dendritic cells. However, the constituents of the tumour microenvironment that directly influence dendritic cell maturation and function are not well characterised. Our aim was to identify tumour-associated inflammatory mediators which influence the function of dendritic cells. Tumour conditioned media obtained from cultured colorectal tumour explant tissue contained high levels of the chemokines CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL5 in addition to VEGF. Pre-treatment of monocyte derived dendritic cells with this tumour conditioned media inhibited the up-regulation of CD86, CD83, CD54 and HLA-DR in response to LPS, enhancing IL-10 while reducing IL-12p70 secretion. We examined if specific individual components of the tumour conditioned media (CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL5) could modulate dendritic cell maturation or cytokine secretion in response to LPS. VEGF was also assessed as it has a suppressive effect on dendritic cell maturation. Pre-treatment of immature dendritic cells with VEGF inhibited LPS induced upregulation of CD80 and CD54, while CXCL1 inhibited HLA-DR. Interestingly, treatment of dendritic cells with CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL5 or VEGF significantly suppressed their ability to secrete IL-12p70 in response to LPS. In addition, dendritic cells treated with a combination of CXCL1 and VEGF secreted less IL-12p70 in response to LPS compared to pre-treatment with either cytokine alone. In conclusion, tumour conditioned media strongly influences dendritic cell maturation and function.

  4. Albendazole inhibits HIF-1α-dependent glycolysis and VEGF expression in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Fang; Du, Jin; Wang, Jianjun

    2017-04-01

    Albendazole (ABZ) has an anti-tumor ability and inhibits HIF-1α activity. HIF-1α is associated with glycolysis and vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) expression, which plays an important role in cancer progression. These clues indicate that ABZ exerts an anti-cancer effect by regulating glycolysis and VEGF expression. The aim of this study is to clarify the effects of ABZ on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. The expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF were detected using western blot analysis, and the effect of ABZ on glycolysis was evaluated by measuring the relative activities of hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and detecting the production of lactate in A549 and H1299 cells. The results showed that ABZ decreased the expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF and suppressed glycolysis in under hypoxia, but not normoxic condition. Inhibiting HIF-1α also suppressed glycolysis and VEGF expression. Additionally, ABZ inhibited the volume and weight, decreased the relative activities of HK, PK, and LDH, and reduced the levels of HIF-1α and VEGF of A549 xenografts in mouse models. In conclusion, ABZ inhibited growth of NSCLC cells by suppressing HIF-1α-dependent glycolysis and VEGF expression.

  5. Piroxicam inhibits Masitinib-induced cyclooxygenase 2 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rathore, Kusum; Alexander, Mary; Cekanova, Maria

    2014-08-01

    Development and characterization of animal models for human cancers is important for the improvement of diagnosis and therapy. The oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) of domestic animals resembles human OSCC in many aspects; thus, cell lines derived from OSCC of cats and dogs are a valuable model for human OSCC. We characterized 1 feline OSCC (FeOSCC-Sidney) and 1 canine OSCC (K9OSCC-Abby) cell line and compared their characteristics with human OSCC cell line hSCC-25. We calculated the doubling time of the new OSCC cell lines and evaluated the expression profiles of cancer-related markers and cell-cycle proteins such as c-kit, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, COX-2, and p27 by immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis. We evaluated the effects of novel receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (Masitinib, AB1010) and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug piroxicam on the previously mentioned OSCC cells. Interestingly, AB1010 increased expression levels of COX-2 in all tested OSCCs. Cotreatment of piroxicam with Masitinib significantly inhibited cell proliferation of OSCC as compared to either drug alone through the c-kit and AKT signaling pathways. Piroxicam inhibited Masitinib-induced COX-2 expression in all tested OSCCs. Therefore, targeting these two signaling pathways simultaneously was more efficient for inhibition of OSCCs across these species. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Lansoprazole induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells through inhibition of intracellular proton extrusion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Shangrong; Wang, Yifan; Li, Shu Jie, E-mail: shujieli@nankai.edu.cn

    2014-06-13

    Highlights: • Lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in breast cancer cells. • LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion. • LPZ induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and ROS accumulation. - Abstract: The increased glycolysis and proton secretion in tumors is proposed to contribute to the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells during the process of tumorigenesis and metastasis. Here, treatment of human breast cancer cells with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In the implantation of the MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice, administration of LPZ significantly inhibits tumorigenesis and induces large-scale apopotosis of tumor cells. LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion, induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in breast cancer cells. The ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a specific pharmacological inhibitor of NADPH oxidases (NOX), significantly abolish LPZ-induced ROS accumulation in breast cancer cells. Our results suggested that LPZ may be used as a new therapeutic drug for breast tumor.

  7. Lansoprazole induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells through inhibition of intracellular proton extrusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Shangrong; Wang, Yifan; Li, Shu Jie

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in breast cancer cells. • LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion. • LPZ induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and ROS accumulation. - Abstract: The increased glycolysis and proton secretion in tumors is proposed to contribute to the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells during the process of tumorigenesis and metastasis. Here, treatment of human breast cancer cells with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In the implantation of the MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice, administration of LPZ significantly inhibits tumorigenesis and induces large-scale apopotosis of tumor cells. LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion, induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in breast cancer cells. The ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a specific pharmacological inhibitor of NADPH oxidases (NOX), significantly abolish LPZ-induced ROS accumulation in breast cancer cells. Our results suggested that LPZ may be used as a new therapeutic drug for breast tumor

  8. 3-Bromopyruvate inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in CD133+ population in human glioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Dong-Qiang; Tan, Xiao-Yu; Zhang, Bao-Wei; Wu, Tao; Liu, Ping; Sun, Shao-Jun; Cao, Yin-Guang

    2016-03-01

    The study was aimed to investigate the role of 3-bromopyruvate in inhibition of CD133+ U87 human glioma cell population growth. The results demonstrated that 3-bromopyruvate inhibited the viability of both CD133+ and parental cells derived from U87 human glioma cell line. However, the 3-bromopyruvate-induced inhibition in viability was more prominent in CD133+ cells at 10 μM concentration after 48 h. Treatment of CD133+ cells with 3-bromopyruvate caused reduction in cell population and cell size, membrane bubbling, and degradation of cell membranes. Hoechst 33258 staining showed condensation of chromatin material and fragmentation of DNA in treated CD133+ cells after 48 h. 3-Bromopyruvate inhibited the migration rate of CD133+ cells significantly compared to the parental cells. Flow cytometry revealed that exposure of CD133+ cells to 3-bromopyruvate increased the cell population in S phase from 24.5 to 37.9 % with increase in time from 12 to 48 h. In addition, 3-bromopyruvate significantly enhanced the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase 3 in CD133+ cells compared to the parental cells. Therefore, 3-bromopyruvate is a potent chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of glioma by targeting stem cells selectively.

  9. Retinoic acid and cAMP inhibit rat hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and enhance cell differentiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ionta, M. [Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas MG (Brazil); Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo SP (Brazil); Rosa, M.C.; Almeida, R.B.; Freitas, V.M.; Rezende-Teixeira, P.; Machado-Santelli, G.M. [Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo SP (Brazil)

    2012-05-25

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third highest cause of cancer death worldwide. In general, the disease is diagnosed at an advanced stage when potentially curative therapies are no longer feasible. For this reason, it is very important to develop new therapeutic approaches. Retinoic acid (RA) is a natural derivative of vitamin A that regulates important biological processes including cell proliferation and differentiation. In vitro studies have shown that RA is effective in inhibiting growth of HCC cells; however, responsiveness to treatment varies among different HCC cell lines. The objective of the present study was to determine if the combined use of RA (0.1 µM) and cAMP (1 mM), an important second messenger, improves the responsiveness of HCC cells to RA treatment. We evaluated the proliferative behavior of an HCC cell line (HTC) and the expression profile of genes related to cancer signaling pathway (ERK and GSK-3β) and liver differentiation [E-cadherin, connexin 26 (Cx26), and connexin 32 (Cx32)]. RA and cAMP were effective in inhibiting the proliferation of HTC cells independently of combined use. However, when a mixture of RA and cAMP was used, the signals concerning the degree of cell differentiation were increased. As demonstrated by Western blot, the treatment increased E-cadherin, Cx26, Cx32 and Ser9-GSK-3β (inactive form) expression while the expression of Cx43, Tyr216-GSK-3β (active form) and phosphorylated ERK decreased. Furthermore, telomerase activity was inhibited along treatment. Taken together, the results showed that the combined use of RA and cAMP is more effective in inducing differentiation of HTC cells.

  10. Chloroquine inhibits accessory cell presentation of soluble natural and synthetic protein antigens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buus, S; Werdelin, O

    1984-01-01

    We have studied the in vitro effect of the lysosomotrophic agent, chloroquine, on the presentation of soluble protein antigens by guinea pig accessory cells. Chloroquine inhibited the capacity of antigen-pulsed accessory cells to stimulate proliferation in appropriately primed T cells. The effect...... was time- and dose-dependent. A brief treatment solely of the accessory cells with the drug compromised their ability to stimulate primed T cells in a subsequent culture provided the accessory cells were treated with chloroquine before their exposure to the antigen. These results suggest that chloroquine...... acts on an early event in the antigen handling by accessory cells. Chloroquine is a well known inhibitor of lysosomal proteolysis, and it is likely that its effect on antigen presentation is caused by an inhibition of antigen degradation....

  11. Exercise-induced muscle-derived cytokines inhibit mammary cancer cell growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hojman, Pernille; Dethlefsen, Christine; Brandt, Claus; Hansen, Jakob; Pedersen, Line; Pedersen, Bente Klarlund

    2011-09-01

    Regular physical activity protects against the development of breast and colon cancer, since it reduces the risk of developing these by 25-30%. During exercise, humoral factors are released from the working muscles for endocrinal signaling to other organs. We hypothesized that these myokines mediate some of the inhibitory effects of exercise on mammary cancer cell proliferation. Serum and muscles were collected from mice after an exercise bout. Incubation with exercise-conditioned serum inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation by 52% and increased caspase activity by 54%. A similar increase in caspase activity was found after incubation of MCF-7 cells with conditioned media from electrically stimulated myotubes. PCR array analysis (CAPM-0838E; SABiosciences) revealed that seven genes were upregulated in the muscles after exercise, and of these oncostatin M (OSM) proved to inhibit MCF-7 proliferation by 42%, increase caspase activity by 46%, and induce apoptosis. Blocking OSM signaling with anti-OSM antibodies reduced the induction of caspase activity by 51%. To verify that OSM was a myokine, we showed that it was significantly upregulated in serum and in three muscles, tibialis cranialis, gastronemius, and soleus, after an exercise bout. In contrast, OSM expression remained unchanged in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, liver, and spleen (mononuclear cells). We conclude that postexercise serum inhibits mammary cancer cell proliferation and induces apoptosis of these cells. We suggest that one or more myokines secreted from working muscles may be mediating this effect and that OSM is a possible candidate. These findings emphasize that role of physical activity in cancer treatment, showing a direct link between exercise-induced humoral factors and decreased tumor cell growth.

  12. Quercetin-induced downregulation of phospholipase D1 inhibits proliferation and invasion in U87 glioma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Mi Hee [Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, 30 Jangjeon dong, Geumjeong gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Min, Do Sik, E-mail: minds@pusan.ac.kr [Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, 30 Jangjeon dong, Geumjeong gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-09-09

    Highlights: {yields} Quercetin, a bioactive flavonoid, suppresses expression and enzymatic activity of phospholipase D1. {yields} Quercetin abolishes NFkB-induced phospholipase D1 expression via inhibition of NFkB transactivation. {yields} Quercetin-induced suppression of phospholipase D1 inhibits invasion and proliferation of human glioma cells. -- Abstract: Phospholipase D (PLD) has been recognized as a regulator of cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, but little is known about the molecules regulating PLD expression. Thus, the identification of small molecules inhibiting PLD expression would be an important advance in PLD-mediated physiology. Quercetin, a ubiquitous bioactive flavonoid, is known to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. In the present study, we examined the effect of quercetin on the expression of PLD in U87 glioma cells. Quercetin significantly suppressed the expression of PLD1 at the transcriptional level. Moreover, quercetin abolished the protein expression of PLD1 in a time and dose-dependent manner, as well as inhibited PLD activity. Quercetin suppressed NF{kappa}B-induced PLD1 expression via inhibition of NFkB transactivation. Furthermore, quercetin inhibited activation and invasion of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), a key modulator of glioma cell invasion, induced by phosphatidic acid (PA), a product of PLD activity. Taken together these data demonstrate that quercetin abolishes PLD1 expression and subsequently inhibits invasion and proliferation of glioma cells.

  13. A Vitex agnus-castus extract inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in prostate epithelial cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisskopf, M; Schaffner, W; Jundt, G; Sulser, T; Wyler, S; Tullberg-Reinert, H

    2005-10-01

    Extracts of Vitex agnus-castus fruits (VACF) are described to have beneficial effects on disorders related to hyperprolactinemia (cycle disorders, premenstrual syndrome). A VACF extract has recently been shown to exhibit antitumor activities in different human cancer cell lines. In the present study, we explored the antiproliferative effects of a VACF extract with a particular focus on apoptosis-inducing and potential cytotoxic effects. Three different human prostate epithelial cell lines (BPH-1, LNCaP, PC-3) representing different disease stages and androgen responsiveness were chosen. The action of VACF on cell viability was assessed using the WST-8-tetrazolium assay. Cell proliferation in cells receiving VACF alone or in combination with a pan-caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-fmk) was quantified using a Crystal Violet assay. Flow cytometric cell cycle analysis and measurement of DNA fragmentation using an ELISA method were used for studying the induction of apoptosis. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was determined as a marker of cytotoxicity. The extract inhibited proliferation of all three cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner with IC (50) values below 10 microg/mL after treatment for 48 h. Cell cycle analysis and DNA fragmentation assays suggest that part of the cells were undergoing apoptosis. The VACF-induced decrease in cell number was partially inhibited by Z-VAD-fmk, indicating a caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death. However, the concentration-dependent LDH activity of VACF treated cells indicated cytotoxic effects as well. These data suggest that VACF contains components that inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in human prostate epithelial cell lines. The extract may be useful for the prevention and/or treatment not only of benign prostatic hyperplasia but also of human prostate cancer.

  14. H32, a non-quinone sulfone analog of vitamin K3, inhibits human hepatoma cell growth by inhibiting Cdc25 and activating ERK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kar, Siddhartha; Wang, Meifang; Ham, Seung Wook; Carr, Brian I

    2006-10-01

    We previously synthesized a K-vitamin derivative, Cpd 5, which was a potent growth inhibitor of human tumor cells, including Hep3B hepatoma cells. However, being a quinone compound, Cpd 5 has the potential for generating toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). We therefore synthesized a nonquinone sulfone derivative, H32, which has a sufone group substituting the quinone. The IC50 of H32 for Hep3B cells was found to be 2.5 microM, which was 2.5 and 3.2 times more potent than Cpd 5 and vitamin K3 respectively. It induced apoptosis in Hep3B cells but did not generate ROS when compared to Cpd 5. Interestingly, under similar culture conditions, normal rat hepatocytes were 14-fold more and 7-fold more resistant to the growth inhibitory effects of H32 than Hep3B and PLC/PRF5 cells respectively. H32 preferentially inhibited the activities of the cell cycle controlling Cdc25A phosphatase likely by binding to its catalytic cysteine. As a consequence, it induced inhibitory tyrosine phosphorylation of the Cdc25 substrate kinases Cdk2 and Cdk4 in Hep3B cells and the cells undergo an arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. H32 also induced persistent phosphorylation of the MAPK protein ERK1/2, but marginal JNK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation. The ERK inhibitor U0126, added at least 30 min prior to H32, antagonized the growth inhibition induced by H32. However, the JNK and p38 inhibitors, JNKI-II and SB203580, were not able to antagonize H32 induced growth inhibition. Thus, H32 differentially inhibited growth of normal and liver tumor cells by preferentially inhibiting the actions of Cdc25 phosphatases and inducing persistent ERK phosphorylation.

  15. STAT6 Mediates Interleukin-4 Growth Inhibition in Human Breast Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer L. Gooch

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available In addition to acting as a hematopoietic growth factor, interleukin-4 (IL-4 inhibits growth of some transformed cells in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we show that insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1, IRS-2, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6 are phosphorylated following IL-4 treatment in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. STAT6 DNA binding is enhanced by IL-4 treatment. STAT6 activation occurs even after IRS-1 depletion, suggesting the two pathways are independent. To examine the role of STAT6 in IL-4-mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis, a fulllength STAT6 cDNA was transfected into MCF-7 cells. Transient overexpression of STAT6 resulted in both cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of the protein, increased DNA binding in response to IL-4, and increased transactivation of an IL-4 responsive promoter. In STAT6-transfected cells, basal proliferation was reduced whereas apoptosis was increased. Finally, stable expression of STAT6 resulted in reduced foci formation compared to vector-transfected cells alone. These results suggest STAT6 is required for IL-4mediated growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in human breast cancer cells.

  16. Chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester induces cell cycle arrest by the inhibition of nuclear translocation of β-catenin in HCT116 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Kyung-Mi [Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yun, Ji Ho [Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Dong Hwa [Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Andong National University, Andong 760-749 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Young Gyun [Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Son, Kun Ho [Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Andong National University, Andong 760-749 (Korea, Republic of); Nho, Chu Won, E-mail: cwnho@kist.re.kr [Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yeong Shik, E-mail: kims@snu.ac.kr [Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-04-17

    We demonstrate that chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester (CME), a triterpenoid saponin from the root of Achyranthes japonica, has an anticancer activity. We investigate its molecular mechanism in depth in HCT116 cells. CME reduces the amount of β-catenin in nucleus and inhibits the binding of β-catenin to specific DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) in target gene promoters. Thus, CME appears to decrease the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins such as Cyclin D1, as a representative target for β-catenin, as well as CDK2 and CDK4. As a result of the decrease of the cell cycle regulatory proteins, CME inhibits cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Therefore, we suggest that CME as a novel Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor can be a putative agent for the treatment of colorectal cancers. - Highlights: • CME inhibits cell proliferation in HCT116 cells. • CME increases cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis. • CME attenuates cyclin D1 and regulates cell cycle regulatory proteins. • CME inhibits β-catenin translocation to nucleus.

  17. Chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester induces cell cycle arrest by the inhibition of nuclear translocation of β-catenin in HCT116 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyung-Mi; Yun, Ji Ho; Lee, Dong Hwa; Park, Young Gyun; Son, Kun Ho; Nho, Chu Won; Kim, Yeong Shik

    2015-01-01

    We demonstrate that chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester (CME), a triterpenoid saponin from the root of Achyranthes japonica, has an anticancer activity. We investigate its molecular mechanism in depth in HCT116 cells. CME reduces the amount of β-catenin in nucleus and inhibits the binding of β-catenin to specific DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) in target gene promoters. Thus, CME appears to decrease the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins such as Cyclin D1, as a representative target for β-catenin, as well as CDK2 and CDK4. As a result of the decrease of the cell cycle regulatory proteins, CME inhibits cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Therefore, we suggest that CME as a novel Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor can be a putative agent for the treatment of colorectal cancers. - Highlights: • CME inhibits cell proliferation in HCT116 cells. • CME increases cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis. • CME attenuates cyclin D1 and regulates cell cycle regulatory proteins. • CME inhibits β-catenin translocation to nucleus

  18. All-trans retinoic acid inhibits craniopharyngioma cell growth: study on an explant cell model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qiang; You, Chao; Zhou, Liangxue; Sima, Xiutian; Liu, Zhiyong; Liu, Hao; Xu, Jianguo

    2013-05-01

    The ratio between FABP5 and CRABPII determines cellular response to physiological level of retinoic acid; tumor cells undergo proliferation with high level of FABP5 and apoptosis with high level of CRABPII. We intended to study FABP5 and CRABPII expression in craniopharyngiomas, to establish craniopharyngioma cell model using explants method, and to study the effect of pharmacological dose of retinoic acid on craniopharyngioma cells. Expression of FABP5 and CRABPII in craniopharyngioma tissue from 20 patients was studied using immunohistochemistry. Primary craniopharyngioma cell cultures were established using tissue explants method. Craniopharyngioma cells were treated using various concentrations of all-trans retinoic acid, and cell growth curve, apoptosis, expression of FABP5, CRABPII and NF-κB were assayed in different groups. FABP5/CRABPII ratio was significantly higher in adamatinomatous group than that in papillary group. Cell cultures were established in 19 cases (95 %). Pharmacological level retinoic acid inhibited cell growth and induced cellular apoptosis in dose dependent manner, and apoptosis rate cells treated with 30 μM retinoic acid for 24 h was 43 %. Also, retinoic acid increased CRABPII, and decreased FABP5 and NF-κB expression in craniopharyngioma cells. High FABP5/CRABPII ratio is observed in adamatinomatous craniopharyngioma. Retinoic acid at pharmacological level induced craniopharyngioma cell apoptosis via increasing FABP5/CRABPII ratio and inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway. Our study demonstrated that all-trans retinoic acid might be a candidate for craniopharyngioma adjuvant chemotherapy in future.

  19. Intramuscular injection of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells improves cardiac function in dilated cardiomyopathy rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Chenggang; Hou, Xu; Wang, Benzhen; Chi, Jingwei; Jiang, Yanjie; Zhang, Caining; Li, Zipu

    2017-01-28

    Stem cells provide a promising candidate for the treatment of the fatal pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This study aimed to investigate the effects of intramuscular injection of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) on the cardiac function of a DCM rat model. A DCM model was established by intraperitoneal injections of doxorubicin in Sprague-Dawley rats. hUCMSCs at different concentrations or cultured medium were injected via limb skeletal muscles, with blank medium injected as the control. The rats were monitored for 4 weeks, meanwhile BNP, cTNI, VEGF, HGF, GM-CSF, and LIF in the peripheral blood were examined by ELISA, and cardiac function was monitored by echocardiography (Echo-CG). Finally, the expression of IGF-1, HGF, and VEGF in the myocardium was examined by histoimmunochemistry and real-time PCR, and the ultrastructure of the myocardium was examined by electron microscopy. Injection of hUCMSCs markedly improved cardiac function in the DCM rats by significantly elevating left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS). The BNP and cTNI levels in the peripheral blood were reduced by hUCMSCs, while HGF, LIF, GM-CSF, and VEGF were increased by hUCMSCs. Expression of IGF-1, HGF, and VEGF in the myocardium from the DCM rats was significantly increased by hUCMSC injection. Furthermore, hUCMSCs protected the ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes by attenuating mitochondrial swelling and maintaining sarcolemma integrity. Intramuscular injection of UCMSCs can improve DCM-induced cardiac function impairment and protect the myocardium. These effects may be mediated by regulation of relevant cytokines in serum and the myocardium.

  20. In vitro atrazine-exposure inhibits human natural killer cell lytic granule release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rowe, Alexander M.; Brundage, Kathleen M.; Barnett, John B.

    2007-01-01

    The herbicide atrazine is a known immunotoxicant and an inhibitor of human natural killer (NK) cell lytic function. The precise changes in NK cell lytic function following atrazine exposure have not been fully elucidated. The current study identifies the point at which atrazine exerts its affect on the stepwise process of human NK cell-mediated lyses of the K562 target cell line. Using intracellular staining of human peripheral blood lymphocytes, it was determined that a 24-h in vitro exposure to atrazine did not decrease the level of NK cell lytic proteins granzyme A, granzyme B or perforin. Thus, it was hypothesized that atrazine exposure was inhibiting the ability of the NK cells to bind to the target cell and subsequently inhibit the release of lytic protein from the NK cell. To test this hypothesis, flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy were employed to analyze NK cell-target cell co-cultures following atrazine exposure. These assays demonstrated no significant decrease in the level of target cell binding. However, the levels of NK intracellular lytic protein retained and the amount of lytic protein released were assessed following a 4-h incubation with K562 target cells. The relative level of intracellular lytic protein was 25-50% higher, and the amount of lytic protein released was 55-65% less in atrazine-treated cells than vehicle-treated cells following incubation with the target cells. These results indicate that ATR exposure inhibits the ability of NK cells to lyse target cells by blocking lytic granule release without affecting the ability of the NK cell to form stable conjugates with target cells

  1. Inhibition of EGFR nuclear shuttling decreases irradiation resistance in HeLa cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Hong; Zhu, Zijie; Lu, Longtao

    2017-01-01

    Cervical cancer is a leading cause of mortality in women worldwide. The resistance to irradiation at the advanced stage is the main reason for the poor prognosis and high mortality. This work aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the radio-resistance. In this study, we determined the pEGFR-T654 and pDNA-PK-T2609 expression level changes in irradiated HeLa cells treated with T654 peptide, a nuclear localization signal (NLS) inhibitor, to inhibit EGFR nuclear transport. Cell viability, cell cycle and migratory capacity were analyzed. Xenograft animal model was used to evaluate the effect of EGFR nuclear transport inhibition on the tumor growth in vivo. The enhanced translocation of nuclear EGFR in the irradiated HeLa cells correlated with the increasing level of pEGFR-T654 and pDNA-PK-T2609. Inhibition of EGFR nuclear translocation by NLS peptide inhibitor attenuated DNA damage repair in the irradiated HeLa cells, decreased cell viability and promoted cell death through arrest at G0 phase. NLS peptide inhibitor impaired the migratory capacity of irradiated HeLa cells, and negatively affected tumorigenesis in xenograft mice. This work puts forward a potential molecular mechanism of the irradiation resistance in cervical cancer cells, providing a promising direction towards an efficient therapy of cervical cancer.

  2. Nanoparticles of Selaginella doederleinii leaf extract inhibit human lung cancer cells A549

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syaefudin; Juniarti, A.; Rosiyana, L.; Setyani, A.; Khodijah, S.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study is to evaluate cytotoxicity effect of nanoparticles of Selaginella doederleinii (S. doederleinii) leaves extract. S. doederleinii was extracted by maceration method using 70%(v/v) ethanol as solvent. Phytochemical content was analyzed qualitatively by using Harborne and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) methods. Nanoparticle extract was prepared by ionic gelation using chitosan as encapsulant agent. Anticancer activity was performed by using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results showed that S. doederleinii contains of flavonoids. Nanoparticle of S. doederleinii leaves extract greatly inhibited A549 cells growth (cancer cells), with IC50 of 3% or 1020 μg/ml. These nanoparticles extract also inhibited the growth of Chang cells (normal cells), with IC50 of 4% or 1442 μg/ml. The effective concentration of nanoparticles extract which inhibits cancer cells without harming the normal cells is 0.5% or 167 μg/ml. Further studies are needed to obtain the concentration of nanoparticles extract which can selectively suppress cancer cells.

  3. δ-Tocopherol inhibits receptor tyrosine kinase-induced AKT activation in prostate cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hong; Hong, Jungil; Yang, Chung S

    2016-11-01

    The cancer preventive activity of vitamin E is suggested by epidemiological studies and supported by animal studies with vitamin E forms, γ-tocopherol and δ-tocopherol (δ-T). Several recent large-scale cancer prevention trials with high dose of α-tocopherol, however, yielded disappointing results. Whether vitamin E prevents or promotes cancer is a serious concern. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of action of the different forms of tocopherols would enhance our understanding of this topic. In this study, we demonstrated that δ-T was the most effective tocopherol form in inhibiting prostate cancer cell growth, by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. By profiling the effects of δ-T on the cell signaling using the phospho-kinase array, we found that the most inhibited target was the phosphorylation of AKT on T308. Further study on the activation of AKT by EGFR and IGFR revealed that δ-T attenuated the EGF/IGF-induced activation of AKT (via the phosphorylation of AKT on T308 induced by the activation of PIK3). Expression of dominant active PIK3 and AKT in prostate cancer cell line DU145 in which PIK3, AKT, and PTEN are wild type caused the cells to be reflectory to the inhibition of δ-T, supporting that δ-T inhibits the PIK3-mediated activation of AKT. Our data also suggest that δ-T interferes with the EGF-induced EGFR internalization, which leads to the inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinase-dependent activation of AKT. In summary, our results revealed a novel mechanism of δ-T in inhibiting prostate cancer cell growth, supporting the cancer preventive activity δ-T. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. MS4a4B, a CD20 homologue in T cells, inhibits T cell propagation by modulation of cell cycle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Xu

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available MS4a4B, a CD20 homologue in T cells, is a novel member of the MS4A gene family in mice. The MS4A family includes CD20, FcεRIβ, HTm4 and at least 26 novel members that are characterized by their structural features: with four membrane-spanning domains, two extracellular domains and two cytoplasmic regions. CD20, FcεRIβ and HTm4 have been found to function in B cells, mast cells and hematopoietic cells respectively. However, little is known about the function of MS4a4B in T cell regulation. We demonstrate here that MS4a4B negatively regulates mouse T cell proliferation. MS4a4B is highly expressed in primary T cells, natural killer cells (NK and some T cell lines. But its expression in all malignant T cells, including thymoma and T hybridoma tested, was silenced. Interestingly, its expression was regulated during T cell activation. Viral vector-driven overexpression of MS4a4B in primary T cells and EL4 thymoma cells reduced cell proliferation. In contrast, knockdown of MS4a4B accelerated T cell proliferation. Cell cycle analysis showed that MS4a4B regulated T cell proliferation by inhibiting entry of the cells into S-G2/M phase. MS4a4B-mediated inhibition of cell cycle was correlated with upregulation of Cdk inhibitory proteins and decreased levels of Cdk2 activity, subsequently leading to inhibition of cell cycle progression. Our data indicate that MS4a4B negatively regulates T cell proliferation. MS4a4B, therefore, may serve as a modulator in the negative-feedback regulatory loop of activated T cells.

  5. MS4a4B, a CD20 homologue in T cells, inhibits T cell propagation by modulation of cell cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Hui; Yan, Yaping; Williams, Mark S; Carey, Gregory B; Yang, Jingxian; Li, Hongmei; Zhang, Guang-Xian; Rostami, Abdolmohamad

    2010-11-01

    MS4a4B, a CD20 homologue in T cells, is a novel member of the MS4A gene family in mice. The MS4A family includes CD20, FcεRIβ, HTm4 and at least 26 novel members that are characterized by their structural features: with four membrane-spanning domains, two extracellular domains and two cytoplasmic regions. CD20, FcεRIβ and HTm4 have been found to function in B cells, mast cells and hematopoietic cells respectively. However, little is known about the function of MS4a4B in T cell regulation. We demonstrate here that MS4a4B negatively regulates mouse T cell proliferation. MS4a4B is highly expressed in primary T cells, natural killer cells (NK) and some T cell lines. But its expression in all malignant T cells, including thymoma and T hybridoma tested, was silenced. Interestingly, its expression was regulated during T cell activation. Viral vector-driven overexpression of MS4a4B in primary T cells and EL4 thymoma cells reduced cell proliferation. In contrast, knockdown of MS4a4B accelerated T cell proliferation. Cell cycle analysis showed that MS4a4B regulated T cell proliferation by inhibiting entry of the cells into S-G2/M phase. MS4a4B-mediated inhibition of cell cycle was correlated with upregulation of Cdk inhibitory proteins and decreased levels of Cdk2 activity, subsequently leading to inhibition of cell cycle progression. Our data indicate that MS4a4B negatively regulates T cell proliferation. MS4a4B, therefore, may serve as a modulator in the negative-feedback regulatory loop of activated T cells.

  6. Modeling Pharmacological Inhibition of Mast Cell Degranulation as a Therapy for Insulinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Soucek

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Myc, a pleiotropic transcription factor that is deregulated and/or overexpressed in most human cancers, instructs multiple extracellular programs that are required to sustain the complex microenvironment needed for tumor maintenance, including remodeling of tumor stroma, angiogenesis, and inflammation. We previously showed in a model of pancreatic β-cell tumorigenesis that acute Myc activation in vivo triggers rapid recruitment of mast cells to the tumor site and that this is absolutely required for angiogenesis and macroscopic tumor expansion. More-over, systemic inhibition of mast cell degranulation with sodium cromoglycate induced death of tumor and endothelial cells in established tumors. Hence, mast cells are required both to establish and to maintain the tumors. Whereas this intimates that selective inhibition of mast cell function could be therapeutically efficacious, cromoglycate is not a practical drug for systemic delivery in humans, and no other systemic inhibitor of mast cell degranulation has hitherto been available. PCI-32765 is a novel inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk that blocks mast cell degranulation and is currently in clinical trial as a therapy for B-cell non–Hodgkin lymphoma. Here, we show that systemic treatment of insulinoma-bearing mice with PCI-32765 efficiently inhibits Btk, blocks mast cell degranulation, and triggers collapse of tumor vasculature and tumor regression. These data reinforce the notion that mast cell function is required for maintenance of certain tumor types and indicate that the Btk inhibitor PCI-32765 may be useful in treating such diseases.

  7. Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibition Enhances Proliferation of NKT Cells Derived from Patients with Laryngeal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klatka, Janusz; Grywalska, Ewelina; Hymos, Anna; Guz, Małgorzata; Polberg, Krzysztof; Roliński, Jacek; Stepulak, Andrzej

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze whether inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by celecoxib and the subsequent enhancement in the proliferation of natural killer T (NKT) cells could play a role in dendritic cell (DC)-based laryngeal cancer (LC) immunotherapy. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from 48 male patients diagnosed with LC and 30 control patients without cancer disease. Neoplastic cell lysate preparations were made from cancer tissues obtained after surgery and used for in vitro DCs generation. NKT cells proliferation assay was performed based on 3 H-thymidine incorporation assay. An increased proliferation of NKT cells was obtained from control patients compared to NKT cells obtained from LC patients regardless of the type of stimulation or treatment. In the patient group diagnosed with LC, COX-2 inhibition resulted in a significantly enhanced proliferation of NKT cells when stimulated with autologous DCs than NKT cells stimulated with DCs without COX-2 inhibition. These correlations were not present in the control group. Higher proliferation rate of NKT cells was also observed in non-metastatic and highly differentiated LC, which was independent of the type of stimulation or treatment. COX-2 inhibition could be regarded as immunotherapy-enhancing tool in patients with LC. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  8. Gimeracil sensitizes cells to radiation via inhibition of homologous recombination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takagi, Masaru; Sakata, Koh-ichi; Someya, Masanori; Tauchi, Hiroshi; Iijima, Kenta; Matsumoto, Yoshihisa; Torigoe, Toshihiko; Takahashi, Akari; Hareyama, Masato; Fukushima, Masakazu

    2010-01-01

    Background and purpose: 5-Chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine (Gimeracil) is a component of an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative S-1. Gimeracil is originally added to S-1 to yield prolonged 5-FU concentrations in tumor tissues by inhibiting dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, which degrades 5-FU. We found that Gimeracil by itself had the radiosensitizing effect. Methods and materials: We used various cell lines deficient in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination (HR) as well as DLD-1 and HeLa in clonogenic assay. γ-H2AX focus formation and SCneo assay was performed to examine the effects of Gimeracil on DNA double strand break (DSB) repair mechanisms. Results: Results of γ-H2AX focus assay indicated that Gimeracil inhibited DNA DSB repair. It did not sensitize cells deficient in HR but sensitized those deficient in NHEJ. In SCneo assay, Gimeracil reduced the frequency of neo-positive clones. Additionally, it sensitized the cells in S-phase more than in G0/G1. Conclusions: Gimeracil inhibits HR. Because HR plays key roles in the repair of DSBH caused by radiotherapy, Gimeracil may enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy through the suppression of HR-mediated DNA repair pathways.

  9. Inhibition of glucose turnover by 3-bromopyruvate counteracts pancreatic cancer stem cell features and sensitizes cells to gemcitabine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isayev, Orkhan; Rausch, Vanessa; Bauer, Nathalie; Liu, Li; Fan, Pei; Zhang, Yiyao; Gladkich, Jury; Nwaeburu, Clifford C; Mattern, Jürgen; Mollenhauer, Martin; Rückert, Felix; Zach, Sebastian; Haberkorn, Uwe; Gross, Wolfgang; Schönsiegel, Frank; Bazhin, Alexandr V; Herr, Ingrid

    2014-07-15

    According to the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis, the aggressive growth and early metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is due to the activity of CSCs, which are not targeted by current therapies. Otto Warburg suggested that the growth of cancer cells is driven by a high glucose metabolism. Here, we investigated whether glycolysis inhibition targets CSCs and thus may enhance therapeutic efficacy. Four established and 3 primary PDA cell lines, non-malignant cells, and 3 patient-tumor-derived CSC-enriched spheroidal cultures were analyzed by glucose turnover measurements, MTT and ATP assays, flow cytometry of ALDH1 activity and annexin positivity, colony and spheroid formation, western blotting, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, xenotransplantation, and immunohistochemistry. The effect of siRNA-mediated inhibition of LDH-A and LDH-B was also investigated. The PDA cells exhibited a high glucose metabolism, and glucose withdrawal or LDH inhibition by siRNA prevented growth and colony formation. Treatment with the anti-glycolytic agent 3-bromopyruvate almost completely blocked cell viability, self-renewal potential, NF-κB binding activity, and stem cell-related signaling and reverted gemcitabine resistance. 3-bromopyruvate was less effective in weakly malignant PDA cells and did not affect non-malignant cells, predicting minimal side effects. 3-bromopyruvate inhibited in vivo tumor engraftment and growth on chicken eggs and mice and enhanced the efficacy of gemcitabine by influencing the expression of markers of proliferation, apoptosis, self-renewal, and metastasis. Most importantly, primary CSC-enriched spheroidal cultures were eliminated by 3-bromopyruvate. These findings propose that CSCs may be specifically dependent on a high glucose turnover and suggest 3-bromopyruvate for therapeutic intervention.

  10. Fluoxetine Prevents Oligodendrocyte Cell Death by Inhibiting Microglia Activation after Spinal Cord Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jee Y.; Kang, So R.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Oligodendrocyte cell death and axon demyelination after spinal cord injury (SCI) are known to be important secondary injuries contributing to permanent neurological disability. Thus, blocking oligodendrocyte cell death should be considered for therapeutic intervention after SCI. Here, we demonstrated that fluoxetine, an antidepressant drug, alleviates oligodendrocyte cell death by inhibiting microglia activation after SCI. After injury at the T9 level with a Precision Systems and Instrumentation (Lexington, KY) device, fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) was administered once a day for the indicated time points. Immunostaining with CD11b (OX-42) antibody and quantification analysis showed that microglia activation was significantly inhibited by fluoxetine at 5 days after injury. Fluoxetine also significantly inhibited activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38-MAPK) and expression of pro-nerve growth factor (pro-NGF), which is known to mediate oligodendrocyte cell death through the p75 neurotrophin receptor after SCI. In addition, fluoxetine attenuated activation of Ras homolog gene family member A and decreased the level of phosphorylated c-Jun and, ultimately, alleviated caspase-3 activation and significantly reduced cell death of oligodendrocytes at 5 days after SCI. Further, the decrease of myelin basic protein, myelin loss, and axon loss in white matter was also significantly blocked by fluoxetine, as compared to vehicle control. These results suggest that fluoxetine inhibits oligodendrocyte cell death by inhibiting microglia activation and p38-MAPK activation, followed by pro-NGF production after SCI, and provide a potential usage of fluoxetine for a therapeutic agent after acute SCI in humans. PMID:25366938

  11. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase promotes tumor cell resistance to chemotherapeutic agents via a mechanism involving delay in cell cycle progression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDonald, Gail T.; Sullivan, Richard; Pare, Genevieve C.; Graham, Charles H.

    2010-01-01

    Approaches to overcome chemoresistance in cancer cells have involved targeting specific signaling pathways such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, a stress response pathway known to be involved in the regulation of cell survival, apoptosis and growth. The present study determined the effect of PI3K inhibition on the clonogenic survival of human cancer cells following exposure to various chemotherapeutic agents. Treatment with the PI3K inhibitors LY294002 or Compound 15e resulted in increased survival of MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells after exposure to doxorubicin, etoposide, 5-fluorouracil, and vincristine. Increased survival following PI3K inhibition was also observed in DU-145 prostate, HCT-116 colon and A-549 lung carcinoma cell lines exposed to doxorubicin. Increased cell survival mediated by LY294002 was correlated with a decrease in cell proliferation, which was linked to an increase in the proportion of cells in the G 1 phase of the cell cycle. Inhibition of PI3K signaling also resulted in higher levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 Waf1/Cip1 and p27 Kip1 ; and knockdown of p27 kip1 with siRNA attenuated resistance to doxorubicin in cells treated with LY294002. Incubation in the presence of LY294002 after exposure to doxorubicin resulted in decreased cell survival. These findings provide evidence that PI3K inhibition leads to chemoresistance in human cancer cells by causing a delay in cell cycle; however, the timing of PI3K inhibition (either before or after exposure to anti-cancer agents) may be a critical determinant of chemosensitivity.

  12. Autophagy contributes to gefitinib-induced glioma cell growth inhibition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Cheng-Yi [Department of Surgery, Fong-Yuan Hospital, Taichung 420, Taiwan (China); Graduate Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung 406, Taiwan (China); Kuan, Yu-Hsiang [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Department of Pharmacy, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Ou, Yen-Chuan; Li, Jian-Ri [Division of Urology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan (China); Wu, Chih-Cheng [Department of Anesthesiology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan (China); Department of Financial and Computational Mathematics, Providence University, Taichung 433, Taiwan (China); Pan, Pin-Ho [Department of Pediatrics, Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung 435, Taiwan (China); Chen, Wen-Ying [Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Huang, Hsuan-Yi [Department of Surgery, Fong-Yuan Hospital, Taichung 420, Taiwan (China); Chen, Chun-Jung, E-mail: cjchen@vghtc.gov.tw [Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan (China); Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Center for General Education, Tunghai University, Taichung 407, Taiwan (China); Department of Nursing, HungKuang University, Taichung 433, Taiwan (China)

    2014-09-10

    Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including gefitinib, have been evaluated in patients with malignant gliomas. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in gefitinib-mediated anticancer effects against glioma are incompletely understood. In the present study, the cytostatic potential of gefitinib was demonstrated by the inhibition of glioma cell growth, long-term clonogenic survival, and xenograft tumor growth. The cytostatic consequences were accompanied by autophagy, as evidenced by monodansylcadaverine staining of acidic vesicle formation, conversion of microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain 3-II (LC3-II), degradation of p62, punctate pattern of GFP-LC3, and conversion of GFP-LC3 to cleaved-GFP. Autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenosine and chloroquine and genetic silencing of LC3 or Beclin 1 attenuated gefitinib-induced growth inhibition. Gefitinib-induced autophagy was not accompanied by the disruption of the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling. Instead, the activation of liver kinase-B1/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling correlated well with the induction of autophagy and growth inhibition caused by gefitinib. Silencing of AMPK suppressed gefitinib-induced autophagy and growth inhibition. The crucial role of AMPK activation in inducing glioma autophagy and growth inhibition was further supported by the actions of AMP mimetic AICAR. Gefitinib was shown to be capable of reducing the proliferation of glioma cells, presumably by autophagic mechanisms involving AMPK activation. - Highlights: • Gefitinib causes cytotoxic and cytostatic effect on glioma. • Gefitinib induces autophagy. • Gefitinib causes cytostatic effect through autophagy. • Gefitinib induces autophagy involving AMPK.

  13. Autophagy contributes to gefitinib-induced glioma cell growth inhibition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Cheng-Yi; Kuan, Yu-Hsiang; Ou, Yen-Chuan; Li, Jian-Ri; Wu, Chih-Cheng; Pan, Pin-Ho; Chen, Wen-Ying; Huang, Hsuan-Yi; Chen, Chun-Jung

    2014-01-01

    Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including gefitinib, have been evaluated in patients with malignant gliomas. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in gefitinib-mediated anticancer effects against glioma are incompletely understood. In the present study, the cytostatic potential of gefitinib was demonstrated by the inhibition of glioma cell growth, long-term clonogenic survival, and xenograft tumor growth. The cytostatic consequences were accompanied by autophagy, as evidenced by monodansylcadaverine staining of acidic vesicle formation, conversion of microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain 3-II (LC3-II), degradation of p62, punctate pattern of GFP-LC3, and conversion of GFP-LC3 to cleaved-GFP. Autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenosine and chloroquine and genetic silencing of LC3 or Beclin 1 attenuated gefitinib-induced growth inhibition. Gefitinib-induced autophagy was not accompanied by the disruption of the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling. Instead, the activation of liver kinase-B1/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling correlated well with the induction of autophagy and growth inhibition caused by gefitinib. Silencing of AMPK suppressed gefitinib-induced autophagy and growth inhibition. The crucial role of AMPK activation in inducing glioma autophagy and growth inhibition was further supported by the actions of AMP mimetic AICAR. Gefitinib was shown to be capable of reducing the proliferation of glioma cells, presumably by autophagic mechanisms involving AMPK activation. - Highlights: • Gefitinib causes cytotoxic and cytostatic effect on glioma. • Gefitinib induces autophagy. • Gefitinib causes cytostatic effect through autophagy. • Gefitinib induces autophagy involving AMPK

  14. Bauhinia forficata lectin (BfL) induces cell death and inhibits integrin-mediated adhesion on MCF7 human breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Mariana C C; de Paula, Cláudia A A; Ferreira, Joana G; Paredes-Gamero, Edgar J; Vaz, Angela M S F; Sampaio, Misako U; Correia, Maria Tereza S; Oliva, Maria Luiza V

    2014-07-01

    Plant lectins have attracted great interest in cancer studies due to their antitumor activities. These proteins or glycoproteins specifically and reversibly bind to different types of carbohydrates or glycoproteins. Breast cancer, which presents altered glycosylation of cell surface glycoproteins, is one of the most frequent malignant diseases in women. In this work, we describe the effect of the lectin Bauhinia forficata lectin (BfL), which was purified from B. forficata Link subsp. forficata seeds, on the MCF7 human breast cancer cellular line, investigating the mechanisms involved in its antiproliferative activity. MCF7 cells were treated with BfL. Viability and adhesion alterations were evaluated using flow cytometry and western blotting. BfL inhibited the viability of the MCF7 cell line but was ineffective on MDA-MB-231 and MCF 10A cells. It inhibits MCF7 adhesion on laminin, collagen I and fibronectin, decreases α1, α6 and β1 integrin subunit expression, and increases α5 subunit expression. BfL triggers necrosis and secondary necrosis, with caspase-9 inhibition. It also causes deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation, which leads to cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and a decrease in the expression of the regulatory proteins pRb and p21. BfL shows selective cytotoxic effect and adhesion inhibition on MCF7 breast cancer cells. Cell death induction and inhibition of cell adhesion may contribute to understanding the action of lectins in breast cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Melatonin Cytotoxicity Is Associated to Warburg Effect Inhibition in Ewing Sarcoma Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana M Sanchez-Sanchez

    Full Text Available Melatonin kills or inhibits the proliferation of different cancer cell types, and this is associated with an increase or a decrease in reactive oxygen species, respectively. Intracellular oxidants originate mainly from oxidative metabolism, and cancer cells frequently show alterations in this metabolic pathway, such as the Warburg effect (aerobic glycolysis. Thus, we hypothesized that melatonin could also regulate differentially oxidative metabolism in cells where it is cytotoxic (Ewing sarcoma cells and in cells where it inhibits proliferation (chondrosarcoma cells. Ewing sarcoma cells but not chondrosarcoma cells showed a metabolic profile consistent with aerobic glycolysis, i.e. increased glucose uptake, LDH activity, lactate production and HIF-1α activation. Melatonin reversed Ewing sarcoma metabolic profile and this effect was associated with its cytotoxicity. The differential regulation of metabolism by melatonin could explain why the hormone is harmless for a wide spectrum of normal and only a few tumoral cells, while it kills specific tumor cell types.

  16. Targeting NCK-Mediated Endothelial Cell Front-Rear Polarity Inhibits Neovascularization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubrac, Alexandre; Genet, Gael; Ola, Roxana; Zhang, Feng; Pibouin-Fragner, Laurence; Han, Jinah; Zhang, Jiasheng; Thomas, Jean-Léon; Chedotal, Alain; Schwartz, Martin A; Eichmann, Anne

    2016-01-26

    Sprouting angiogenesis is a key process driving blood vessel growth in ischemic tissues and an important drug target in a number of diseases, including wet macular degeneration and wound healing. Endothelial cells forming the sprout must develop front-rear polarity to allow sprout extension. The adaptor proteins Nck1 and 2 are known regulators of cytoskeletal dynamics and polarity, but their function in angiogenesis is poorly understood. Here, we show that the Nck adaptors are required for endothelial cell front-rear polarity and migration downstream of the angiogenic growth factors VEGF-A and Slit2. Mice carrying inducible, endothelial-specific Nck1/2 deletions fail to develop front-rear polarized vessel sprouts and exhibit severe angiogenesis defects in the postnatal retina and during embryonic development. Inactivation of NCK1 and 2 inhibits polarity by preventing Cdc42 and Pak2 activation by VEGF-A and Slit2. Mechanistically, NCK binding to ROBO1 is required for both Slit2- and VEGF-induced front-rear polarity. Selective inhibition of polarized endothelial cell migration by targeting Nck1/2 prevents hypersprouting induced by Notch or Bmp signaling inhibition, and pathological ocular neovascularization and wound healing, as well. These data reveal a novel signal integration mechanism involving NCK1/2, ROBO1/2, and VEGFR2 that controls endothelial cell front-rear polarity during sprouting angiogenesis. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  17. Novel derivatives of aclacinomycin A block cancer cell migration through inhibition of farnesyl transferase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magi, Shigeyuki; Shitara, Tetsuo; Takemoto, Yasushi; Sawada, Masato; Kitagawa, Mitsuhiro; Tashiro, Etsu; Takahashi, Yoshikazu; Imoto, Masaya

    2013-03-01

    In the course of screening for an inhibitor of farnesyl transferase (FTase), we identified two compounds, N-benzyl-aclacinomycin A (ACM) and N-allyl-ACM, which are new derivatives of ACM. N-benzyl-ACM and N-allyl-ACM inhibited FTase activity with IC50 values of 0.86 and 2.93 μM, respectively. Not only ACM but also C-10 epimers of each ACM derivative failed to inhibit FTase. The inhibition of FTase by N-benzyl-ACM and N-allyl-ACM seems to be specific, because these two compounds did not inhibit geranylgeranyltransferase or geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) synthase up to 100 μM. In cultured A431 cells, N-benzyl-ACM and N-allyl-ACM also blocked both the membrane localization of H-Ras and activation of the H-Ras-dependent PI3K/Akt pathway. In addition, they inhibited epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced migration of A431 cells. Thus, N-benzyl-ACM and N-allyl-ACM inhibited EGF-induced migration of A431 cells by inhibiting the farnesylation of H-Ras and subsequent H-Ras-dependent activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.

  18. A small-molecule/cytokine combination enhances hematopoietic stem cell proliferation via inhibition of cell differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lan; Guan, Xin; Wang, Huihui; Shen, Bin; Zhang, Yu; Ren, Zhihua; Ma, Yupo; Ding, Xinxin; Jiang, Yongping

    2017-07-18

    Accumulated evidence supports the potent stimulating effects of multiple small molecules on the expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) which are important for the therapy of various hematological disorders. Here, we report a novel, optimized formula, named the SC cocktail, which contains a combination of three such small molecules and four cytokines. Small-molecule candidates were individually screened and then combined at their optimal concentration with the presence of cytokines to achieve maximum capacity for stimulating the human CD34 + cell expansion ex vivo. The extent of cell expansion and the immunophenotype of expanded cells were assessed through flow cytometry. The functional preservation of HSC stemness was confirmed by additional cell and molecular assays in vitro. Subsequently, the expanded cells were transplanted into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice for the assessment of human cell viability and engraftment potential in vivo. Furthermore, the expression of several genes in the cell proliferation and differentiation pathways was analyzed through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) during the process of CD34 + cell expansion. The SC cocktail supported the retention of the immunophenotype of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells remarkably well, by yielding purities of 86.6 ± 11.2% for CD34 + cells and 76.2 ± 10.5% for CD34 + CD38 - cells, respectively, for a 7-day culture. On day 7, the enhancement of expansion of CD34 + cells and CD34 + CD38 - cells reached a maxima of 28.0 ± 5.5-fold and 27.9 ± 4.3-fold, respectively. The SC cocktail-expanded CD34 + cells preserved the characteristics of HSCs by effectively inhibiting their differentiation in vitro and retained the multilineage differentiation potential in primary and secondary in vivo murine xenotransplantation trials. Further gene expression analysis suggested that the small-molecule combination strengthened the ability of the cytokines to enhance the Notch

  19. Inhibition by 2-deoxy-D-ribose of DNA synthesis and growth in Raji cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ulrich, F.

    1988-01-01

    When Raji cells were cultured for 3 days in serum-free medium, addition of 2-deoxy-D-ribose at the start of culture inhibited incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine and cell division. At deoxyribose concentrations between 1 and 5 mM, viability was 80% or greater after 3 days of culture even though 5 mM deoxyribose inhibited thymidine incorporation 95-99%. Inhibition by deoxyribose could be completely reversed if the culture medium was replaced with fresh medium up to 8 hr after the start of culture. The inhibition was specific for deoxyribose since other monosaccharides had no effect. Inhibition of DNA synthesis did not appear to be due to depletion of essential nutrients in the medium since the percentage inhibition of thymidine incorporation by cells cultured either in suboptimal serum-free media or in media supplemented with 0.025-5% human AB serum was similar. When DNA repair synthesis was measured as hydroxyurea-resistant thymidine incorporation, addition of deoxyribose to Raji cultures caused increased thymidine incorporation. These results, together with data from others,suggest that deoxyribose damages DNA

  20. Nonlethal Levels of Zeaxanthin Inhibit Cell Migration, Invasion, and Secretion of MMP-2 via NF-κB Pathway in Cultured Human Uveal Melanoma Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Chao Bi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Zeaxanthin at nonlethal dosages (3–10 μM significantly inhibited the cell migration of cultured uveal melanoma cells (C918 cell line as determined by wound healing assay and Boyden chamber assay. Matrigel invasion assay showed that cell invasion of uveal melanoma cells could be significantly inhibited by zeaxanthin. Secretion of MMP-2 by melanoma cells was significantly inhibited by zeaxanthin in a dose-dependent manner as measured by ELISA kit. Zeaxanthin also significantly inhibited the NF-κB levels in nuclear extracts of the UM cells, which is the upstream of the MMP-2 secretion. These results suggest that zeaxanthin might be a potentially therapeutic approach in the prevention of metastasis in uveal melanoma.

  1. Inhibition of STAT-3 results in radiosensitization of human squamous cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonner, James A.; Trummell, Hoa Q.; Willey, Christopher D.; Plants, Brian A.; Raisch, Kevin P.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) is a downstream component of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFr) signaling process that may facilitate the resistance of tumor cells to conventional cancer treatments. Studies were performed to determine if inhibition of this downstream protein produces radiosensitization. Methods/Results: A431 cells (human squamous cell carcinoma cells with EGFr overexpression) were found to be sensitized to radiation after treatment with STAT-3 small interfering RNA (siRNA). Therefore, a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against STAT-3 was designed and cloned into a pBABE vector system modified for shRNA expression. Following transfection, clone 2.1 was selected for further study as it showed a dramatic reduction of STAT-3 protein (and mRNA) when compared to A431 parental cells or a negative control shRNA cell line (transfected with STAT-3 shRNA with 2 base pairs mutated). A431 2.1 showed doubling times of 25-31 h as compared to 18-24 h for the parental cell line. The A431 shRNA knockdown STAT-3 cells A431 were more sensitive to radiation than A431 parental or negative STAT-3 control cells. Conclusion: A431 cells stably transfected with shRNA against STAT-3 resulted in enhanced radiosensitivity. Further work will be necessary to determine whether the inhibition of STAT-3 phosphorylation is a necessary step for the radiosensitization that is induced by the inhibition of EGFr.

  2. ERβ inhibits proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazennec, Gwendal; Bresson, Damien; Lucas, Annick; Chauveau, Corine; Vignon, Françoise

    2001-01-01

    Recent studies indicate that the expression of ERβ in breast cancer is lower than in normal breast, suggesting that ERβ could play an important role in carcinogenesis. To investigate this hypothesis, we engineered estrogen-receptor negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to reintroduce either ERα or ERβ protein with an adenoviral vector. In these cells, ERβ (as ERα) expression was monitored using RT-PCR and Western blot. ERβ protein was localized in the nucleus (immunocytochemistry) and able to transactivate estrogen-responsive reporter constructs in the presence of estradiol. ERβ and ERα induced the expression of several endogenous genes such as pS2, TGFα or the cyclin kinase inhibitor p21, but in contrast to ERα, ERβ was unable to regulate c-myc proto-oncogene expression. The pure antiestrogen ICI 164, 384 completely blocked ERα and ERβ estrogen-induced activities. ERβ inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation in a ligand-independent manner, whereas ERα inhibition of proliferation is hormone-dependent. Moreover, ERβ and ERα, decreased cell motility and invasion. Our data bring the first evidence that ERβ is an important modulator of proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells and support the hypothesis that the loss of ERβ expression could be one of the events leading to the development of breast cancer. PMID:11517191

  3. JSI-124 inhibits IgE production in an IgE B cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cui, Lulu; Bi, Jiacheng; Yan, Dehong; Ye, Xiufeng; Zheng, Mingxing; Yu, Guang; Wan, Xiaochun

    2017-01-01

    IgE is a key effector molecule in atopic diseases; however, the regulation mechanisms of IgE production in IgE B cells remain poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that JSI-124 (cucurbitacin I), a selective STAT3 inhibitor, selectively inhibits production of IgE by a human IgE B cell line, CRL-8033 cells, while does not affect the IgG production by IgG B cell lines. In the aspect of molecular mechanism, we found that Igλ, but not Ighe, gene expression was suppressed by JSI-124. The above effects of JSI-124 were not mediated by affecting cellular proliferation or apoptosis. Furthermore, multiple B cell differentiation-related genes expression was not significantly affected by JSI-124. Taken together, we demonstrate a potential strategy of therapeutically suppressing IgE production without affecting IgG production in atopic patients. - Highlights: • JSI-124 inhibits IgE production in an IgE B cell line, CRL-8033 cells. • JSI-124 does not affect IgG production by IgG B cell lines. • JSI-124 inhibits IgE production mainly by suppressing transcription of Igλ.

  4. Aloin Inhibits Interleukin (IL)-1β-Stimulated IL-8 Production in KB Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Na, Hee Sam; Song, Yu Ri; Kim, Seyeon; Heo, Jun-Young; Chung, Hae-Young; Chung, Jin

    2016-06-01

    Interleukin (IL)-1β, which is elevated in oral diseases including gingivitis, stimulates epithelial cells to produce IL-8 and perpetuate inflammatory responses. This study investigates stimulatory effects of salivary IL-1β in IL-8 production and determines if aloin inhibits IL-1β-stimulated IL-8 production in epithelial cells. Saliva was collected from volunteers to determine IL-1β and IL-8 levels. Samples from volunteers were divided into two groups: those with low and those with high IL-1β levels. KB cells were stimulated with IL-1β or saliva with or without IL-1 receptor agonist or specific mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors. IL-8 production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). MAPK protein expression involved in IL-1β-induced IL-8 secretion was detected by Western blot. KB cells were pretreated with aloin, and its effect on IL-1β-induced IL-8 production was examined by ELISA and Western blot analysis. Saliva with high IL-1β strongly stimulated IL-8 production in KB cells, and IL-1 receptor agonist significantly inhibited IL-8 production. Low IL-1β-containing saliva did not increase IL-8 production. IL-1β treatment of KB cells induced activation of MAPK signaling molecules as well as nuclear factor-kappa B. IL-1β-induced IL-8 production was decreased by p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor treatment. Aloin pretreatment inhibited IL-1β-induced IL-8 production in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited activation of the p38 and ERK signaling pathway. Finally, aloin pretreatment also inhibited saliva-induced IL-8 production. Results indicated that IL-1β in saliva stimulates epithelial cells to produce IL-8 and that aloin effectively inhibits salivary IL-1β-induced IL-8 production by mitigating the p38 and ERK pathway. Therefore, aloin may be a good candidate for modulating oral inflammatory diseases.

  5. Traditional Chinese Medicine CFF-1 induced cell growth inhibition, autophagy, and apoptosis via inhibiting EGFR-related pathways in prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zhaomeng; Zhu, Qingyi; Yin, Yingying; Kang, Dan; Cao, Runyi; Tian, Qian; Zhang, Yu; Lu, Shan; Liu, Ping

    2018-04-01

    Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a combined therapeutic result in cancer treatment by integrating holistic and local therapeutical effects, by which TCM can enhance the curative effect and reduce the side effect. In this study, we analyzed the effect of CFF-1 (alcohol extract from an anticancer compound Chinese medicine) on prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and studied in detail the mechanism of cell death induced by CFF-1 in vitro and in vivo. From our data, we found for the first time that CFF-1 obviously arrested cell cycle in G1 phase, decreased cell viability and then increased nuclear rupture in a dose-dependent manner and finally resulted in apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. In molecular level, our data showed that CFF-1 induced inhibition of EGFR auto-phosphorylation and inactivation of EGFR. Disruption of EGFR activity in turn suppressed downstream PI3K/AKT and Raf/Erk signal pathways, resulted in the decrease of p-FOXO1 (Ser256) and regulated the expression of apoptosis-related and cycle-related genes. Moreover, CFF-1 markedly induced cell autophagy through inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and then up-regulating Beclin-1 and LC-3II and down-regulating phosphorylation of p70S6K. In vivo, CFF-1-treated group exhibited a significant decrease in tumor volume compared with the negative control group in subcutaneous xenograft tumor in nude mice via inhibiting EGFR-related signal pathways. Thus, bio-functions of Chinese medicine CFF-1 in inducing PCa cell growth inhibition, autophagy, and apoptosis suggested that CFF-1 had the clinical potential to treat patients with prostate cancer. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Lysine demethylase inhibition protects pancreatic β cells from apoptosis and improves β-cell function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Backe, Marie Balslev; Andersson, Jan Legaard; Bacos, Karl

    2018-01-01

    ) protects β cells from cytokine-induced apoptosis and reduces type 1 diabetes incidence in animals. We hypothesized that also lysine demethylases (KDMs) regulate β-cell fate in response to inflammatory stress. Expression of the demethylase Kdm6B was upregulated by proinflammatory cytokines suggesting......Transcriptional changes control β-cell survival in response to inflammatory stress. Posttranslational modifications of histone and non-histone transcriptional regulators activate or repress gene transcription, but the link to cell-fate signaling is unclear. Inhibition of lysine deacetylases (KDACs...

  7. Targeting non-small cell lung cancer cells by dual inhibition of the insulin receptor and the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma E Vincent

    Full Text Available Phase III trials of the anti-insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R antibody figitumumab in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC patients have been discontinued owing to lack of survival benefit. We investigated whether inhibition of the highly homologous insulin receptor (IR in addition to the IGF1R would be more effective than inhibition of the IGF1R alone at preventing the proliferation of NSCLC cells. Signalling through IGF1R and IR in the NSCLC cell lines A549 and Hcc193 was stimulated by a combination of IGF1, IGF2 and insulin. It was inhibited by antibodies that block ligand binding, αIR3 (IGF1R and IR47-9 (IR, and by the ATP-competitive small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors AZ12253801 and NVPAWD742 which inhibit both IGF1R and IR tyrosine kinases. The effect of inhibitors was determined by an anchorage-independent proliferation assay and by analysis of Akt phosphorylation. In Hcc193 cells the reduction in cell proliferation and Akt phosphorylation due to anti-IGF1R antibody was enhanced by antibody-mediated inhibition of the IR whereas in A549 cells, with a relatively low IR:IGF1R expression ratio, it was not. In each cell line proliferation and Akt phosphorylation were more effectively inhibited by AZ12253801 and NVPAWD742 than by combined αIR3 and IR47-9. When the IGF1R alone is inhibited, unencumbered signalling through the IR can contribute to continued NSCLC cell proliferation. We conclude that small molecule inhibitors targeting both the IR and IGF1R more effectively reduce NSCLC cell proliferation in a manner independent of the IR:IGF1R expression ratio, providing a therapeutic rationale for the treatment of this disease.

  8. Catalase inhibits ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Xia; Luo, Hongmei; Vanek, Kenneth N; LaRue, Amanda C; Schulte, Bradley A; Wang, Gavin Y

    2015-06-01

    Hematologic toxicity is a major cause of mortality in radiation emergency scenarios and a primary side effect concern in patients undergoing chemo-radiotherapy. Therefore, there is a critical need for the development of novel and more effective approaches to manage this side effect. Catalase is a potent antioxidant enzyme that coverts hydrogen peroxide into hydrogen and water. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of catalase as a protectant against ionizing radiation (IR)-induced toxicity in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). The results revealed that catalase treatment markedly inhibits IR-induced apoptosis in murine hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells. Subsequent colony-forming cell and cobble-stone area-forming cell assays showed that catalase-treated HSPCs can not only survive irradiation-induced apoptosis but also have higher clonogenic capacity, compared with vehicle-treated cells. Moreover, transplantation of catalase-treated irradiated HSPCs results in high levels of multi-lineage and long-term engraftments, whereas vehicle-treated irradiated HSPCs exhibit very limited hematopoiesis reconstituting capacity. Mechanistically, catalase treatment attenuates IR-induced DNA double-strand breaks and inhibits reactive oxygen species. Unexpectedly, we found that the radioprotective effect of catalase is associated with activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway and pharmacological inhibition of STAT3 abolishes the protective activity of catalase, suggesting that catalase may protect HSPCs against IR-induced toxicity via promoting STAT3 activation. Collectively, these results demonstrate a previously unrecognized mechanism by which catalase inhibits IR-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in HSPCs.

  9. Inhibition effects of 125I-triplex forming oligonucleotide to hepatoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lv Zhongwei; Hou Min; Cai Haidong; Yuan Xueyu; Yang Yuehua; Yuan Shidong; He Junmin

    2007-01-01

    Objective: Triplex forming oligonucleotide (TFO) has been reported as a new antigene strategy. The purpose of this study was to observe the inhibition effects of 125 I-TFO on hepatoma cells and to investigate the possibility of using 125 I-TFO as an antigene radiotherapy technique for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to HBV. Methods: TFO complementary to the initiator of S gene of HBV was synthesized and labeled with 125 I. HepG2.2.15 cells, in which HBV genome was integrated, were incubated with 125 I-TFO, TFO and 125 I respectively. After incubation, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) of each group were assayed with ELISA and the survival rate of cells in each group was determined with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte-trazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. Results: 125 I-TFO showed a high stability with a radiolabeling rate of >93%. The radiochemical purity of labeled compound was 90.8%, 81.1% and 73.2% respectively after 12, 48 and 72 h at 37 degree C. The peak inhibition effect of 125 I-TFO on synthesizing HBsAg and HBeAg by HepG2.2.15 cells were found at 48 h after transfection, with significantly the highest inhibition rate of 45.2% for HBsAg and 74.5% for HBeAg expression among the three groups(P 125 I-TFO may inhibit the antigen expression of HBV and the growth of hepatocarcinoma cells, thus it may provide a new approach to develop gene-based radiotherapeutic pharmaceuticals for anti-HBV and HCC. (authors)

  10. 2-(1H-Benzimidazol-2-yl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazol-3-ol, a Benzimidazole Derivative, Inhibits T Cell Proliferation Involving H+/K+-ATPase Inhibition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Liu

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In this study, a benzimidazole derivative named BMT-1 is revealed as a potential immunomodulatory agent. BMT-1 inhibits the activity of H+/K+-ATPases from anti-CD3/CD28 activated T cells. Furthermore, inhibition the H+/K+-ATPases by use of BMT-1 should lead to intracellular acidification, inhibiting T cell proliferation. To explore this possibility, the effect of BMT-1 on intracellular pH changes was examined by using BCECF as a pH-dependent fluorescent dye. Interestingly, increases in the pHi were observed in activated T cells, and T cells treated with BMT-1 showed a more acidic intracellular pH. Finally, BMT-1 targeted the H+/K+-ATPases and inhibited the proliferative response of anti-CD3/CD28-stimulated T cells. A cell cycle analysis indicated that BMT-1 arrested the cell cycle progression of activated T cells from the G1 to the S phase without affecting CD25 expression or interleukin-2 (IL-2 production; treating IL-2-dependent PBMCs with BMT-1 also led to the inhibition of cell proliferation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that BMT-1 inhibits the proliferation of T cells by interfering with H+/K+-ATPases and down-regulating intracellular pHi. This molecule may be an interesting lead compound for the development of new immunomodulatory agents.

  11. Total glucosides of paeony inhibits Th1/Th17 cells via decreasing dendritic cells activation in rheumatoid arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Jinpiao; Xiao, Lianbo; Ouyang, Guilin; Shen, Yu; Huo, Rongfen; Zhou, Zhou; Sun, Yue; Zhu, Xianjin; Zhang, Jie; Shen, Baihua; Li, Ningli

    2012-12-01

    Total glucoside of paeony (TGP), an active compound extracted from paeony root, has been used in therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Th1 and Th17 cells are now believed to play crucial roles in the lesions of RA. However, the molecular mechanism of TGP in inhibition of Th1 and Th17 cells remains unclear. In this study, we found that TGP treatment significantly decreased percentage and number of Th1 and Th17 cells in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) mice. Consistently, treatment with TGP decreased expression of T-bet and RORγt as well as phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3. In particular, TGP treatment inhibited dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and reduced production of IL-12 and IL-6. Moreover, TGP-treatment RA patients showed shank population of matured DCs and IFN-γ-, IL-17-producing cells. Taken together, our results demonstrated that TGP inhibited maturation and activation of DCs, which led to impaired Th1 and Th17 differentiation in vivo. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Gefitinib Radiosensitizes Stem-Like Glioma Cells: Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Akt-DNA-PK Signaling, Accompanied by Inhibition of DNA Double-Strand Break Repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Khong Bee; Zhu Congju; Wong Yinling; Gao Qiuhan; Ty, Albert; Wong, Meng Cheong

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: We compared radiosensitivity of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) with matched nonstem glioma cells, and determined whether gefitinib enhanced BTSC radiosensitivity by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–Akt-DNA–dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) signaling, followed by enhanced DNA double-stand breaks (DSBs) and inhibition of DSB repair. Methods and Materials: Radiosensitivity of stem-like gliomaspheres and nonstem glioma cells (obtained at patient neurosurgical resection) were evaluated by clonogenic assays, γ-H 2 AX immunostaining and cell cycle distribution. Survival of irradiated and nonirradiated NOD-SCID mice intracranially implanted with stem-like gliomaspheres were monitored. Glioma cells treated with gefitinib, irradiation, or both were assayed for clonogenic survival, γ-H 2 AX immunostaining, DNA-PKcs expression, and phosphorylation of EGFR and Akt. Results: Stem-like gliomaspheres displayed BTSC characteristics of self-renewal; differentiation into lineages of neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes; and initiation of glioma growth in NOD-SCID mice. Irradiation dose-dependently reduced clonogenic survival, induced G 2 /M arrest and increased γ-H 2 AX immunostaining of nonstem glioma cells, but not stem-like gliomaspheres. There was no difference in survival of irradiated and nonirradiated mice implanted with stem-like gliomaspheres. The addition of gefitinib significantly inhibited clonogenic survival, increased γ-H 2 AX immunostaining, and reduced DNA-PKcs expression of irradiated stem-like gliomaspheres, without affecting irradiated-nonstem glioma cells. Gefitinib alone, and when combined with irradiation, inhibited phosphorylation of EGFR (Y1068 and Y1045) and Akt (S473) in stem-like gliomaspheres. In nonstem glioma cells, gefitinib alone inhibited EGFR Y1068 phosphorylation, with further inhibition by combined gefitinib and irradiation. Conclusions: Stem-like gliomaspheres are resistant to irradiation

  13. Gefitinib radiosensitizes stem-like glioma cells: inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor-Akt-DNA-PK signaling, accompanied by inhibition of DNA double-strand break repair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Khong Bee; Zhu, Congju; Wong, Yin Ling; Gao, Qiuhan; Ty, Albert; Wong, Meng Cheong

    2012-05-01

    We compared radiosensitivity of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) with matched nonstem glioma cells, and determined whether gefitinib enhanced BTSC radiosensitivity by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-Akt-DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) signaling, followed by enhanced DNA double-stand breaks (DSBs) and inhibition of DSB repair. Radiosensitivity of stem-like gliomaspheres and nonstem glioma cells (obtained at patient neurosurgical resection) were evaluated by clonogenic assays, γ-H(2)AX immunostaining and cell cycle distribution. Survival of irradiated and nonirradiated NOD-SCID mice intracranially implanted with stem-like gliomaspheres were monitored. Glioma cells treated with gefitinib, irradiation, or both were assayed for clonogenic survival, γ-H(2)AX immunostaining, DNA-PKcs expression, and phosphorylation of EGFR and Akt. Stem-like gliomaspheres displayed BTSC characteristics of self-renewal; differentiation into lineages of neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes; and initiation of glioma growth in NOD-SCID mice. Irradiation dose-dependently reduced clonogenic survival, induced G(2)/M arrest and increased γ-H(2)AX immunostaining of nonstem glioma cells, but not stem-like gliomaspheres. There was no difference in survival of irradiated and nonirradiated mice implanted with stem-like gliomaspheres. The addition of gefitinib significantly inhibited clonogenic survival, increased γ-H(2)AX immunostaining, and reduced DNA-PKcs expression of irradiated stem-like gliomaspheres, without affecting irradiated-nonstem glioma cells. Gefitinib alone, and when combined with irradiation, inhibited phosphorylation of EGFR (Y1068 and Y1045) and Akt (S473) in stem-like gliomaspheres. In nonstem glioma cells, gefitinib alone inhibited EGFR Y1068 phosphorylation, with further inhibition by combined gefitinib and irradiation. Stem-like gliomaspheres are resistant to irradiation-induced cytotoxicity, G(2)/M arrest, and DNA DSBs, compared with nonstem

  14. Gefitinib Radiosensitizes Stem-Like Glioma Cells: Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Akt-DNA-PK Signaling, Accompanied by Inhibition of DNA Double-Strand Break Repair

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Khong Bee, E-mail: dmskkb@nccs.com.sg [Brain Tumour Research Laboratory, Division of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore (Singapore); Zhu Congju; Wong Yinling; Gao Qiuhan; Ty, Albert; Wong, Meng Cheong [Brain Tumour Research Laboratory, Division of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore (Singapore)

    2012-05-01

    Purpose: We compared radiosensitivity of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) with matched nonstem glioma cells, and determined whether gefitinib enhanced BTSC radiosensitivity by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-Akt-DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) signaling, followed by enhanced DNA double-stand breaks (DSBs) and inhibition of DSB repair. Methods and Materials: Radiosensitivity of stem-like gliomaspheres and nonstem glioma cells (obtained at patient neurosurgical resection) were evaluated by clonogenic assays, {gamma}-H{sub 2}AX immunostaining and cell cycle distribution. Survival of irradiated and nonirradiated NOD-SCID mice intracranially implanted with stem-like gliomaspheres were monitored. Glioma cells treated with gefitinib, irradiation, or both were assayed for clonogenic survival, {gamma}-H{sub 2}AX immunostaining, DNA-PKcs expression, and phosphorylation of EGFR and Akt. Results: Stem-like gliomaspheres displayed BTSC characteristics of self-renewal; differentiation into lineages of neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes; and initiation of glioma growth in NOD-SCID mice. Irradiation dose-dependently reduced clonogenic survival, induced G{sub 2}/M arrest and increased {gamma}-H{sub 2}AX immunostaining of nonstem glioma cells, but not stem-like gliomaspheres. There was no difference in survival of irradiated and nonirradiated mice implanted with stem-like gliomaspheres. The addition of gefitinib significantly inhibited clonogenic survival, increased {gamma}-H{sub 2}AX immunostaining, and reduced DNA-PKcs expression of irradiated stem-like gliomaspheres, without affecting irradiated-nonstem glioma cells. Gefitinib alone, and when combined with irradiation, inhibited phosphorylation of EGFR (Y1068 and Y1045) and Akt (S473) in stem-like gliomaspheres. In nonstem glioma cells, gefitinib alone inhibited EGFR Y1068 phosphorylation, with further inhibition by combined gefitinib and irradiation. Conclusions: Stem-like gliomaspheres are

  15. Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis after metabolism of menadione by cultured porcine endothelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barchowsky, A.; Tabrizi, K.; Kent, R.S.; Whorton, A.R.

    1989-01-01

    We have examined the effects of menadione on porcine aortic endothelial cell prostaglandin synthesis. Addition of 1-20 microM menadione caused a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of stimulated prostaglandin synthesis with an IC50 of 5 microM at 15 min. Concentrations greater than 100 microM menadione were necessary to increase 51 Cr release from prelabeled cells. Recovery of enzyme inactivated by menadione required a 6-h incubation in 1% serum. In a microsomal preparation, menadione was shown to have no direct effect on conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. In intact cells menadione caused only a 40% inhibition of the conversion of PGH2 to prostacyclin. Enzymes involved in the incorporation and the release of arachidonic acid were not affected by menadione (20 microM, 15 min). Menadione undergoes oxidation/reduction reactions in intact cells leading to partial reduction of oxygen-forming, reactive oxygen species. In our cells menadione was found to increase KCN-resistant oxygen consumption. Further, an increased accumulation of H 2 O 2 was observed with a time course consistent with menadione-induced inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. We conclude that menadione at sublethal doses caused inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. The mechanism involves inactivation of PGH2 synthase by a reactive species resulting from metabolism of menadione by endothelial cells

  16. Baicalein mediates inhibition of migration and invasiveness of skin carcinoma through Ezrin in A431 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Bin; Li, Ji; Huang, Damao; Wang, Weiwei; Chen, Yu; Liao, Youxiang; Tang, Xiaowei; Xie, Hongfu; Tang, Faqing

    2011-01-01

    Ezrin is highly expressed in skin cancer and promotes tumor metastasis. Ezrin serves as a promising target for anti-metastasis therapy. The aim of this study is to determine if the flavonoid bacailein inhibits the metastasis of skin cancer cells through Ezrin. Cells from a cutaneous squamous carcinoma cell line, A431, were treated with baicalein at 0-60 μM to establish the non-cytotoxic concentration (NCC) range for baicalein. Following treatment with baicalein within this range, total Ezrin protein (both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms) and phosphorylated-Ezrin (phos-Ezrin) were detected by western blotting, and Ezrin RNA was detected in A431 cells using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Thereafter, the motility and invasiveness of A431 cells following baicalein treatment were determined using wound-healing and Boyden chamber invasion assays. Short-interfering RNA (si-RNA) specifically targeting Ezrin was transfected into A431 cells, and a si-RNA Ezrin-A431 cell line was established by G418 selection. This stable cell line was transiently transfected with Ezrin and mutant Ezrin plasmids, and its motilityand invasiveness was subsequently determined to clarify whether bacailein inhibits these processes through Ezrin. We determined the range of NCCs for baicalein to be 2.5-40 μM in A431 cells. Baicalein displayed a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of expressions of total Ezrin and phos-Ezrin within this range NCCs. In addition, it exerted this inhibitory effect through the reduction of Ezrin RNA transcript. Baicalein also inhibited the motility and invasiveness of A431 skin carcinoma cells within the range of NCCs, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. A431 cell motility and invasiveness were inhibited by 73% and 80% respectively when cells were treated with 20 μM baicalein. However, the motility and invasiveness of A431 cells containing the Ezrin mutant were not effectively inhibited by baicalein. Baicalein reduces the

  17. Anti-proliferative effect of metformin on a feline injection site sarcoma cell line independent of Mtor inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierro, J; Saba, C; McLean, K; Williams, R; Karpuzoglu, E; Prater, R; Hoover, K; Gogal, R

    2017-10-01

    Metformin is an oral hypoglycemic drug that has been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation via up-regulation of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), and possibly inhibition of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of metformin on a feline injection site sarcoma cell line. Cells from a feline injection site sarcoma cell line were treated with metformin at varied concentrations. A dose-dependent decrease in cell viability following metformin treatment was observed, with an IC50 of 8.0mM. Using flow cytometry, the mechanism of cell death was determined to be apoptosis or necrosis. To evaluate the role of mTOR inhibition in metformin-induced cell death, Western blot was performed. No inhibition of mTOR or phosphorylated mTOR was found. Although metformin treatment leads to apoptotic or necrotic cell death in feline injection site sarcoma cells, the mechanism does not appear to be mediated by mTOR inhibition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Characterization of a PLGA sandwiched cell/fibrin tubular construct and induction of the adipose derived stem cells into smooth muscle cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xiaohong; Maekitie, Antti A.; Paloheimo, Kaija-Stiina; Tuomi, Jukka; Paloheimo, Markku; Sui Shaochun; Zhang Qiqing

    2011-01-01

    A poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) sandwiched adipose derived stem cell (ADSC)/fibrin tubular construct, fabricated using a step-by-step mold/extraction method, was characterized in this work. The ADSCs were also induced into smooth-muscle-like cells using growth factors such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF). Compared with the non-induced cells, the proliferation ability of induced cells was much smaller. The PLGA sandwiched cell/hydrogel construct was shown to be useful for controlling the cellular microenvironment and cellular behaviors such as growth, migration, proliferation and differentiation. This strategy seems promising in tissue engineering and organ manufacturing.

  19. Characterization of a PLGA sandwiched cell/fibrin tubular construct and induction of the adipose derived stem cells into smooth muscle cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Xiaohong, E-mail: wangxiaohong@tsinghua.edu.cn [BIT Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Aalto University, P.O. Box 15500, 00076 Aalto (Finland); Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education and Center of Organ Manufacturing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Maekitie, Antti A.; Paloheimo, Kaija-Stiina; Tuomi, Jukka; Paloheimo, Markku [BIT Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Aalto University, P.O. Box 15500, 00076 Aalto (Finland); Sui Shaochun [Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education and Center of Organ Manufacturing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Zhang Qiqing [Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Material of Tianjin, Tianjin 300192 (China)

    2011-05-10

    A poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) sandwiched adipose derived stem cell (ADSC)/fibrin tubular construct, fabricated using a step-by-step mold/extraction method, was characterized in this work. The ADSCs were also induced into smooth-muscle-like cells using growth factors such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), transforming growth factor {beta}1 (TGF{beta}1), and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF). Compared with the non-induced cells, the proliferation ability of induced cells was much smaller. The PLGA sandwiched cell/hydrogel construct was shown to be useful for controlling the cellular microenvironment and cellular behaviors such as growth, migration, proliferation and differentiation. This strategy seems promising in tissue engineering and organ manufacturing.

  20. miR-141-3p inhibits human stromal (mesenchymal) stem cell proliferation and differentiation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qiu, Weimin; Kassem, Moustapha

    2014-01-01

    Wnt signaling determines human stromal (mesenchymal) stem cell (hMSC) differentiation fate into the osteoblast or adipocyte lineage. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules of 21-25 nucleotides that regulate many aspects of osteoblast biology. Thus, we examined miRNAs regulated by Wnt signaling...... in hMSC. We identified miRNA (miR)-141-3p as a Wnt target which in turn inhibited Wnt signaling. Moreover, miR-141-3p inhibited hMSC proliferation by arresting cells at the G1 phase of the cell cycle. miR-141-3p inhibited osteoblast differentiation of hMSC as evidenced by reduced alkaline phosphatase...... activity, gene expression and in vitro mineralized matrix formation. Bioinformatic studies, Western blot analysis and 3'UTR reporter assay demonstrated that cell division cycle 25A (CDC25A) is a direct target of miR-141-3p. siRNA-mediated knock-down of CDC25A inhibited hMSC proliferation and osteoblast...

  1. Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne N Shemon

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP, also PEBP1, a member of the Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein family, negatively regulates growth factor signaling by the Raf/MAP kinase pathway. Since an organic compound, locostatin, was reported to bind RKIP and inhibit cell migration by a Raf-dependent mechanism, we addressed the role of RKIP in locostatin function.We analyzed locostatin interaction with RKIP and examined the biological consequences of locostatin binding on RKIP function. NMR studies show that a locostatin precursor binds to the conserved phosphatidylethanolamine binding pocket of RKIP. However, drug binding to the pocket does not prevent RKIP association with its inhibitory target, Raf-1, nor affect RKIP phosphorylation by Protein Kinase C at a regulatory site. Similarly, exposure of wild type, RKIP-depleted HeLa cells or RKIP-deficient (RKIP(-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs to locostatin has no effect on MAP kinase activation. Locostatin treatment of wild type MEFs causes inhibition of cell migration following wounding. RKIP deficiency impairs migration further, indicating that RKIP protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration. Locostatin treatment of depleted or RKIP(-/- MEFs reveals cytoskeletal disruption and microtubule abnormalities in the spindle.These results suggest that locostatin's effects on cytoskeletal structure and migration are caused through mechanisms independent of its binding to RKIP and Raf/MAP kinase signaling. The protective effect of RKIP against drug inhibition of migration suggests a new role for RKIP in potentially sequestering toxic compounds that may have deleterious effects on cells.

  2. Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shemon, Anne N; Eves, Eva M; Clark, Matthew C; Heil, Gary; Granovsky, Alexey; Zeng, Lingchun; Imamoto, Akira; Koide, Shohei; Rosner, Marsha Rich

    2009-06-24

    Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP, also PEBP1), a member of the Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein family, negatively regulates growth factor signaling by the Raf/MAP kinase pathway. Since an organic compound, locostatin, was reported to bind RKIP and inhibit cell migration by a Raf-dependent mechanism, we addressed the role of RKIP in locostatin function. We analyzed locostatin interaction with RKIP and examined the biological consequences of locostatin binding on RKIP function. NMR studies show that a locostatin precursor binds to the conserved phosphatidylethanolamine binding pocket of RKIP. However, drug binding to the pocket does not prevent RKIP association with its inhibitory target, Raf-1, nor affect RKIP phosphorylation by Protein Kinase C at a regulatory site. Similarly, exposure of wild type, RKIP-depleted HeLa cells or RKIP-deficient (RKIP(-/-)) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to locostatin has no effect on MAP kinase activation. Locostatin treatment of wild type MEFs causes inhibition of cell migration following wounding. RKIP deficiency impairs migration further, indicating that RKIP protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration. Locostatin treatment of depleted or RKIP(-/-) MEFs reveals cytoskeletal disruption and microtubule abnormalities in the spindle. These results suggest that locostatin's effects on cytoskeletal structure and migration are caused through mechanisms independent of its binding to RKIP and Raf/MAP kinase signaling. The protective effect of RKIP against drug inhibition of migration suggests a new role for RKIP in potentially sequestering toxic compounds that may have deleterious effects on cells.

  3. Human CAR T cells with cell-intrinsic PD-1 checkpoint blockade resist tumor-mediated inhibition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherkassky, Leonid; Morello, Aurore; Villena-Vargas, Jonathan; Feng, Yang; Dimitrov, Dimiter S.; Jones, David R.; Sadelain, Michel; Adusumilli, Prasad S.

    2016-01-01

    Following immune attack, solid tumors upregulate coinhibitory ligands that bind to inhibitory receptors on T cells. This adaptive resistance compromises the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies, which redirect T cells to solid tumors. Here, we investigated whether programmed death-1–mediated (PD-1–mediated) T cell exhaustion affects mesothelin-targeted CAR T cells and explored cell-intrinsic strategies to overcome inhibition of CAR T cells. Using an orthotopic mouse model of pleural mesothelioma, we determined that relatively high doses of both CD28- and 4-1BB–based second-generation CAR T cells achieved tumor eradication. CAR-mediated CD28 and 4-1BB costimulation resulted in similar levels of T cell persistence in animals treated with low T cell doses; however, PD-1 upregulation within the tumor microenvironment inhibited T cell function. At lower doses, 4-1BB CAR T cells retained their cytotoxic and cytokine secretion functions longer than CD28 CAR T cells. The prolonged function of 4-1BB CAR T cells correlated with improved survival. PD-1/PD-1 ligand [PD-L1] pathway interference, through PD-1 antibody checkpoint blockade, cell-intrinsic PD-1 shRNA blockade, or a PD-1 dominant negative receptor, restored the effector function of CD28 CAR T cells. These findings provide mechanistic insights into human CAR T cell exhaustion in solid tumors and suggest that PD-1/PD-L1 blockade may be an effective strategy for improving the potency of CAR T cell therapies. PMID:27454297

  4. In vitro developmental toxicity test detects inhibition of stem cell differentiation by silica nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Margriet V.D.Z.; Annema, Wijtske; Salvati, Anna; Lesniak, Anna; Elsaesser, Andreas; Barnes, Clifford; McKerr, George; Howard, C. Vyvyan; Lynch, Iseult; Dawson, Kenneth A.; Piersma, Aldert H.; Jong, Wim H. de

    2009-01-01

    While research into the potential toxic properties of nanomaterials is now increasing, the area of developmental toxicity has remained relatively uninvestigated. The embryonic stem cell test is an in vitro screening assay used to investigate the embryotoxic potential of chemicals by determining their ability to inhibit differentiation of embryonic stem cells into spontaneously contracting cardiomyocytes. Four well characterized silica nanoparticles of various sizes were used to investigate whether nanomaterials are capable of inhibition of differentiation in the embryonic stem cell test. Nanoparticle size distributions and dispersion characteristics were determined before and during incubation in the stem cell culture medium by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering. Mouse embryonic stem cells were exposed to silica nanoparticles at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 μg/ml. The embryonic stem cell test detected a concentration dependent inhibition of differentiation of stem cells into contracting cardiomyocytes by two silica nanoparticles of primary size 10 (TEM 11) and 30 (TEM 34) nm while two other particles of primary size 80 (TEM 34) and 400 (TEM 248) nm had no effect up to the highest concentration tested. Inhibition of differentiation of stem cells occurred below cytotoxic concentrations, indicating a specific effect of the particles on the differentiation of the embryonic stem cells. The impaired differentiation of stem cells by such widely used particles warrants further investigation into the potential of these nanoparticles to migrate into the uterus, placenta and embryo and their possible effects on embryogenesis.

  5. Inhibition of Zoledronic Acid on Cell Proliferation and Invasion of Lung Cancer Cell Line 95D

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingming LI

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective Abnormal proliferation and metastasis is the basic characteristic of malignant tumors. The aim of this work is to explore the effects of zoledronic acid on cell proliferation and invasion in lung cancer cell line 95D. Methods The effect of zoledrnic acid (ZOL on proliferation of lung cancer cell line 95D was detected by MTT. The expression of proliferation and invasion-relation genes and proteins were detected by Western blot, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. Changes of invasion of lung cancer cell numbers were measured by polycarbonates coated with Matrigel. Results ZOL could inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cell line 95D in vitro in a time-dependant and a dose-dependant manner. With time extending after ZOL treated, the mRNA expresion of VEGF, MMP9, MMP2 and protein expression of VEGF, MMP9, ERK1/ ERK2 were decreased. The results of Tanswell invasion showed the numbers of invasive cells were significantly reduced in 95D cells treated with ZOL 4 d and 6 d later. Conclusion ZOL could inhibit cell proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cell line 95D.

  6. Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Display Impaired Function in Inhibiting Th17 Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yue Sun

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs possess multipotent and immunomodulatory properties and are suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of immune-related diseases. This study explored the function of bone marrow MSCs from rheumatoid arthritis (RA patients, focusing on immunomodulatory effects. RA MSCs showed decreased proliferative activity and aberrant migration capacity. No significant differences were observed in cytokine profiles between RA and control MSCs. The effects of RA MSCs on proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs and distribution of specific CD4+ T cell subtypes (Th17, Treg, and Tfh cells were investigated. RA MSCs appeared to be indistinguishable from controls in suppressing PBMC proliferation, decreasing the proportion of Tfh cells, and inducing the polarization of Treg cells. However, the capacity to inhibit Th17 cell polarization was impaired in RA MSCs, which was related to the low expression of CCL2 in RA MSCs after coculture with CD4+ T cells. These findings indicated that RA MSCs display defects in several important biological activities, especially the capacity to inhibit Th17 cell polarization. These functionally impaired MSCs may contribute to the development of RA disease.

  7. Pulmonary surfactant and its components inhibit secretion of phosphatidylcholine from cultured rat alveolar type II cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dobbs, L.G.; Wright, J.R.; Hawgood, S.; Gonzalez, R.; Venstrom, K.; Nellenbogen, J.

    1987-01-01

    Pulmonary surfactant is synthesized and secreted by alveolar type II cells. Radioactive phosphatidylcholine has been used as a marker for surfactant secretion. The authors report findings that suggest that surfactant inhibits secretion of 3 H-labeled phosphatidylcholine by cultured rat type II cells. The lipid components and the surfactant protein group of M/sub r/ 26,000-36,000 (SP 26-36) inhibit secretion to different extents. Surfactant lipids do not completely inhibit release; in concentrations of 100 μg/ml, lipids inhibit stimulated secretion by 40%. SP 26-36 inhibits release with an EC 50 of 0.1 μg/ml. At concentrations of 1.0 μg/ml, SP 26-36 inhibits basal secretion and reduces to basal levels secretion stimulated by terbutaline, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and the ionophore A23187. The inhibitory effect of SP 26-36 can be blocked by washing type II cells after adding SP 26-36, by heating the proteins to 100 0 C for 10 min, by adding antiserum specific to SP 26-36, or by incubating cells in the presence of 0.2 mM EGTA. SP 26-36 isolated from canine and human sources also inhibits phosphatidylcholine release from rat type II cells. Neither type I collagen nor serum apolipoprotein A-1 inhibits secretion. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that surfactant secretion is under feedback regulatory control

  8. Andrographolide Inhibits Proliferation and Metastasis of SGC7901 Gastric Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Lei; Wang, Gang; Pan, Wensheng

    2017-01-01

    To explore the mechanisms by which andrographolide inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, we employed the gastric cell line SGC7901 to investigate the anticancer effects of andrographolide. The cell survival ratio, cell migration and invasion, cell cycle, apoptosis, and matrix metalloproteinase activity were assessed. Moreover, western blotting and real-time PCR were used to examine the protein expression levels and the mRNA expression levels, respectively. The survival ratio of cells decreased with an increasing concentration of andrographolide in a dose-dependent manner. Consistent results were also obtained using an apoptosis assay, as detected by flow cytometry. The cell cycle was blocked at the G2/M2 phase by andrographolide treatment, and the proportion of cells arrested at G1/M was enhanced as the dose increased. Similarly, wound healing and Transwell assays showed reduced migration and invasion of the gastric cancer cells at various concentrations of andrographolide. Andrographolide can inhibit cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, block the cell cycle, and promote apoptosis in SGC7901 cells. The mechanisms may include upregulated expression of Timp-1/2, cyclin B1, p-Cdc2, Bax, and Bik and downregulated expression of MMP-2/9 and antiapoptosis protein Bcl-2.

  9. Andrographolide Inhibits Proliferation and Metastasis of SGC7901 Gastric Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Dai

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available To explore the mechanisms by which andrographolide inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, we employed the gastric cell line SGC7901 to investigate the anticancer effects of andrographolide. The cell survival ratio, cell migration and invasion, cell cycle, apoptosis, and matrix metalloproteinase activity were assessed. Moreover, western blotting and real-time PCR were used to examine the protein expression levels and the mRNA expression levels, respectively. The survival ratio of cells decreased with an increasing concentration of andrographolide in a dose-dependent manner. Consistent results were also obtained using an apoptosis assay, as detected by flow cytometry. The cell cycle was blocked at the G2/M2 phase by andrographolide treatment, and the proportion of cells arrested at G1/M was enhanced as the dose increased. Similarly, wound healing and Transwell assays showed reduced migration and invasion of the gastric cancer cells at various concentrations of andrographolide. Andrographolide can inhibit cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, block the cell cycle, and promote apoptosis in SGC7901 cells. The mechanisms may include upregulated expression of Timp-1/2, cyclin B1, p-Cdc2, Bax, and Bik and downregulated expression of MMP-2/9 and antiapoptosis protein Bcl-2.

  10. Inhibition of PDGFR by CP-673451 induces apoptosis and increases cisplatin cytotoxicity in NSCLC cells via inhibiting the Nrf2-mediated defense mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yang; Deng, Yanchao; Chen, Xiangcui; Zhang, Jiahao; Chen, Yueming; Li, Huachao; Wu, Qipeng; Yang, Zhicheng; Zhang, Luyong; Liu, Bing

    2018-05-29

    Platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFRs) are abundantly expressed by stromal cells in the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) microenvironment, and in a subset of cancer cells, usually with their overexpression and/or activating mutation. However, the effect of PDGFR inhibition on lung cancer cells themselves has been largely neglected. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of CP-673451, a potent and selective inhibitor of PDGFRβ, on NSCLC cell lines (A549 and H358) and the potential mechanism. The results showed that inhibition of PDGFRβ by CP-673451 induced a significant increase in cell apoptosis, accompanied by ROS accumulation. However, CP-673451 exerted less cytotoxicity in normal lung epithelial cell line BEAS-2B cells determined by MTT and apoptosis assay. Elimination of ROS by NAC reversed the CP-673451-induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, CP-673451 down-regulated the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) probably through inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway. Rescue of Nrf2 activity counteracted the effects of CP-673451 on cell apoptosis and ROS accumulation. Silencing PDGFRβ expression by PDGFRβ siRNA exerted similar effects with CP-673451 in A549 cells, and when PDGFRβ was knockdowned by PDGFRβ siRNA, CP-673451 produced no additional effects on cell viability, ROS and GSH production, Nrf2 expression as well as PI3K/Akt pathway activity. Specifically, Nrf2 plays an indispensable role in NSCLC cell sensitivity to platinum-based treatments and we found that combination of CP-673451 and cisplatin produced a synergistic anticancer effect and substantial ROS production in vitro. Therefore, these results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of inhibition of PDGFRβ against NSCLC cells and strongly suggest that CP-673451 may be a promising adjuvant chemotherapeutic drug. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. S-carboxymethylcysteine inhibits adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae to human alveolar epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumitomo, Tomoko; Nakata, Masanobu; Yamaguchi, Masaya; Terao, Yutaka; Kawabata, Shigetada

    2012-01-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major pathogen of respiratory infections that utilizes platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) for firm adherence to host cells. The mucolytic agent S-carboxymethylcysteine (S-CMC) has been shown to exert inhibitory effects against infection by several respiratory pathogens including S. pneumoniae in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, clinical studies have implicated the benefits of S-CMC in preventing exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is considered to be related to respiratory infections. In this study, to assess whether the potency of S-CMC is attributable to inhibition of pneumococcal adherence to host cells, an alveolar epithelial cell line stimulated with interleukin-1α was used as a model of inflamed epithelial cells. Despite upregulation of PAFR by inflammatory activation, treatment with S-CMC efficiently inhibited pneumococcal adherence to host epithelial cells. In order to gain insight into the inhibitory mechanism, the effects of S-CMC on PAFR expression were also investigated. Following treatment with S-CMC, PAFR expression was reduced at both mRNA and post-transcriptional levels. Interestingly, S-CMC was also effective in inhibiting pneumococcal adherence to cells transfected with PAFR small interfering RNAs. These results indicate S-CMC as a probable inhibitor targeting numerous epithelial receptors that interact with S. pneumoniae.

  12. Gallic acid inhibits gastric cancer cells metastasis and invasive growth via increased expression of RhoB, downregulation of AKT/small GTPase signals and inhibition of NF-κB activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ho, Hsieh-Hsun [Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Chang, Chi-Sen [Department of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Division of Gastroenterology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Ho, Wei-Chi [Division of Gastroenterology, Jen-Ai Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Liao, Sheng-You [Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Lin, Wea-Lung [Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Department of Pathology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Wang, Chau-Jong, E-mail: wcj@csmu.edu.tw [Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China)

    2013-01-01

    Our previous study demonstrated the therapeutic potential of gallic acid (GA) for controlling tumor metastasis through its inhibitory effect on the motility of AGS cells. A noteworthy finding in our previous experiment was increased RhoB expression in GA-treated cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of RhoB expression on the inhibitory effects of GA on AGS cells. By applying the transfection of RhoB siRNA into AGS cells and an animal model, we tested the effect of GA on inhibition of tumor growth and RhoB expression. The results confirmed that RhoB-siRNA transfection induced GA to inhibit AGS cells’ invasive growth involving blocking the AKT/small GTPase signals pathway and inhibition of NF-κB activity. Finally, we evaluated the effect of GA on AGS cell metastasis by colonization of tumor cells in nude mice. It showed GA inhibited tumor cells growth via the expression of RhoB. These data support the inhibitory effect of GA which was shown to inhibit gastric cancer cell metastasis and invasive growth via increased expression of RhoB, downregulation of AKT/small GTPase signals and inhibition of NF-κB activity. Thus, GA might be a potential agent in treating gastric cancer. Highlights: ► GA could downregulate AKT signal via increased expression of RhoB. ► GA inhibits metastasis in vitro in gastric carcinoma. ► GA inhibits tumor growth in nude mice model.

  13. Combination of aspartic acid and glutamic acid inhibits tumor cell proliferation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Yoshie; Yamamoto, Katsunori; Sato, Yoshinori; Inoue, Shinjiro; Morinaga, Tetsuo; Hirano, Eiichi

    2016-01-01

    Placental extract contains several biologically active compounds, and pharmacological induction of placental extract has therapeutic effects, such as improving liver function in patients with hepatitis or cirrhosis. Here, we searched for novel molecules with an anti-tumor activity in placental extracts. Active molecules were separated by chromatographic analysis, and their antiproliferative activities were determined by a colorimetric assay. We identified aspartic acid and glutamic acid to possess the antiproliferative activity against human hepatoma cells. Furthermore, we showed that the combination of aspartic acid and glutamic acid exhibited enhanced antiproliferative activity, and inhibited Akt phosphorylation. We also examined in vivo tumor inhibition activity using the rabbit VX2 liver tumor model. The treatment mixture (emulsion of the amino acids with Lipiodol) administered by hepatic artery injection inhibited tumor cell growth of the rabbit VX2 liver. These results suggest that the combination of aspartic acid and glutamic acid may be useful for induction of tumor cell death, and has the potential for clinical use as a cancer therapeutic agent.

  14. Implication of unfolded protein response in resveratrol-induced inhibition of K562 cell proliferation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Bao-Qin; Gao, Yan-Yan; Niu, Xiao-Fang [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001 (China); Xie, Ji-Sheng [Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities, Guangxi 533000 (China); Meng, Xin; Guan, Yifu [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001 (China); Wang, Hua-Qin, E-mail: wanghq_doctor@hotmail.com [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001 (China)

    2010-01-01

    Resveratrol (RES), a natural plant polyphenol, is an effective inducer of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a variety of carcinoma cell types. In addition, RES has been reported to inhibit tumorigenesis in several animal models suggesting that it functions as a chemopreventive and anti-tumor agent in vivo. The chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties associated with resveratrol offer promise for the design of new chemotherapeutic agents. However, the mechanisms by which RES mediates its effects are not yet fully understood. In this study, we showed that RES caused cell cycle arrest and proliferation inhibition via induction of unfolded protein response (UPR) in human leukemia K562 cell line. Treatment of K562 cells with RES induced a number of signature UPR markers, including transcriptional induction of GRP78 and CHOP, phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2{alpha} (eIF2{alpha}), ER stress-specific XBP-1 splicing, suggesting the induction of UPR by RES. RES inhibited proliferation of K562 in a concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that K562 cells were arrested in G1 phase upon RES treatment. Salubrinal, an eIF2{alpha} inhibitor, or overexpression of dominant negative mutants of PERK or eIF2{alpha}, effectively restored RES-induced cell cycle arrest, underscoring the important role of PERK/eIF2{alpha} branch of UPR in RES-induced inhibition of cell proliferation.

  15. Implication of unfolded protein response in resveratrol-induced inhibition of K562 cell proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Bao-Qin; Gao, Yan-Yan; Niu, Xiao-Fang; Xie, Ji-Sheng; Meng, Xin; Guan, Yifu; Wang, Hua-Qin

    2010-01-01

    Resveratrol (RES), a natural plant polyphenol, is an effective inducer of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a variety of carcinoma cell types. In addition, RES has been reported to inhibit tumorigenesis in several animal models suggesting that it functions as a chemopreventive and anti-tumor agent in vivo. The chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties associated with resveratrol offer promise for the design of new chemotherapeutic agents. However, the mechanisms by which RES mediates its effects are not yet fully understood. In this study, we showed that RES caused cell cycle arrest and proliferation inhibition via induction of unfolded protein response (UPR) in human leukemia K562 cell line. Treatment of K562 cells with RES induced a number of signature UPR markers, including transcriptional induction of GRP78 and CHOP, phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), ER stress-specific XBP-1 splicing, suggesting the induction of UPR by RES. RES inhibited proliferation of K562 in a concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that K562 cells were arrested in G1 phase upon RES treatment. Salubrinal, an eIF2α inhibitor, or overexpression of dominant negative mutants of PERK or eIF2α, effectively restored RES-induced cell cycle arrest, underscoring the important role of PERK/eIF2α branch of UPR in RES-induced inhibition of cell proliferation.

  16. Ibrutinib Inhibits ERBB Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and HER2-Amplified Breast Cancer Cell Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jun; Kinoshita, Taisei; Sukbuntherng, Juthamas; Chang, Betty Y; Elias, Laurence

    2016-12-01

    Ibrutinib is a potent, small-molecule Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor developed for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. Ibrutinib covalently binds to Cys481 in the ATP-binding domain of BTK. This cysteine residue is conserved among 9 other tyrosine kinases, including HER2 and EGFR, which can be targeted. Screening large panels of cell lines demonstrated that ibrutinib was growth inhibitory against some solid tumor cells, including those inhibited by other HER2/EGFR inhibitors. Among sensitive cell lines, breast cancer lines with HER2 overexpression were most potently inhibited by ibrutinib (ibrutinib coincided with downregulation of phosphorylation on HER2 and EGFR and their downstream targets, AKT and ERK. Irreversible inhibition of HER2 and EGFR in breast cancer cells was established after 30-minute incubation above 100 nmol/L or following 2-hour incubation at lower concentrations. Furthermore, ibrutinib inhibited recombinant HER2 and EGFR activity that was resistant to dialysis and rapid dilution, suggesting an irreversible interaction. The dual activity toward TEC family (BTK and ITK) and ERBB family kinases was unique to ibrutinib, as ERBB inhibitors do not inhibit or covalently bind BTK or ITK. Xenograft studies with HER2 + MDA-MB-453 and BT-474 cells in mice in conjunction with determination of pharmacokinetics demonstrated significant exposure-dependent inhibition of growth and key signaling molecules at levels that are clinically achievable. Ibrutinib's unique dual spectrum of activity against both TEC family and ERBB kinases suggests broader applications of ibrutinib in oncology. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 2835-44. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  17. 1-o-acetylbritannilactone (ABL) inhibits angiogenesis and lung cancer cell growth through regulating VEGF-Src-FAK signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhengfu, He; Hu, Zhang; Huiwen, Miao; Zhijun, Li [Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou (China); Jiaojie, Zhou [Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou (China); Xiaoyi, Yan, E-mail: xiaoyiyan163@163.com [Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou (China); Xiujun, Cai, E-mail: xiujuncaomaj@163.com [Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou (China)

    2015-08-21

    The search for safe, effective and affordable therapeutics against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other lung cancers is important. Here we explored the potential effect of 1-o-acetylbritannilactone (ABL), a novel extract from Inula britannica-F, on angiogenesis and lung cancer cell growth. We demonstrated that ABL dose-dependently inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced proliferation, migration, and capillary structure formation of cultured human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). In vivo, ABL administration suppressed VEGF-induced new vasculature formation in Matrigel plugs. For the mechanism investigations, we found that ABL largely inhibited VEGF-mediated activation of Src kinase and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in HUVECs. Furthermore, treatment of A549 NSCLC cells with ABL resulted in cell growth inhibition and Src-FAK in-activation. Significantly, administration of a single dose of ABL (12 mg/kg/day) remarkably suppressed growth of A549 xenografts in nude mice. In vivo microvessels formation and Src activation were also significantly inhibited in ABL-treated xenograft tumors. Taken together, our findings suggest that ABL suppresses angiogenesis and lung cancer cell growth possibly via regulating the VEGFR-Src-FAK signaling. - Highlights: • 1-o-acetylbritannilactone (ABL) inhibits VEGF-induced angiogenesis in vivo. • ABL inhibits VEGF-induced HUVEC migration, proliferation, capillary tube formation. • ABL inhibits VEGF-mediated activation of Src and FAK in HUVECs. • ABL inhibits growth and Src-FAK activation in A549 cells. • ABL administration inhibits A549 tumor angiogenesis and growth in nude mice.

  18. Inhibition effects of {sup 125}I-triplex forming oligonucleotide to hepatoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhongwei, Lv; Min, Hou; Haidong, Cai; Xueyu, Yuan; Yuehua, Yang; Shidong, Yuan [Department of Nuclear Medicine, 10th People' s Hospital, Tongji Univ., Shanghai (China); Junmin, He

    2007-08-15

    Objective: Triplex forming oligonucleotide (TFO) has been reported as a new antigene strategy. The purpose of this study was to observe the inhibition effects of {sup 125}I-TFO on hepatoma cells and to investigate the possibility of using {sup 125}I-TFO as an antigene radiotherapy technique for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to HBV. Methods: TFO complementary to the initiator of S gene of HBV was synthesized and labeled with {sup 125}I. HepG2.2.15 cells, in which HBV genome was integrated, were incubated with {sup 125}I-TFO, TFO and {sup 125}I respectively. After incubation, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) of each group were assayed with ELISA and the survival rate of cells in each group was determined with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte-trazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. Results: {sup 125}I-TFO showed a high stability with a radiolabeling rate of >93%. The radiochemical purity of labeled compound was 90.8%, 81.1% and 73.2% respectively after 12, 48 and 72 h at 37 degree C. The peak inhibition effect of {sup 125}I-TFO on synthesizing HBsAg and HBeAg by HepG2.2.15 cells were found at 48 h after transfection, with significantly the highest inhibition rate of 45.2% for HBsAg and 74.5% for HBeAg expression among the three groups(P<0.01 ). As the transfection time prolonged its inhibition effects were stronger. Conclusion: {sup 125}I-TFO may inhibit the antigen expression of HBV and the growth of hepatocarcinoma cells, thus it may provide a new approach to develop gene-based radiotherapeutic pharmaceuticals for anti-HBV and HCC. (authors)

  19. Multivalent dendrimeric compounds containing carbohydrates expressed on immune cells inhibit infection by primary isolates of HIV-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosa Borges, Andrew; Wieczorek, Lindsay; Johnson, Benitra; Benesi, Alan J.; Brown, Bruce K.; Kensinger, Richard D.; Krebs, Fred C.; Wigdahl, Brian; Blumenthal, Robert; Puri, Anu; McCutchan, Francine E.; Birx, Deborah L.; Polonis, Victoria R.; Schengrund, Cara-Lynne

    2010-01-01

    Specific glycosphingolipids (GSL), found on the surface of target immune cells, are recognized as alternate cell surface receptors by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) external envelope glycoprotein. In this study, the globotriose and 3'-sialyllactose carbohydrate head groups found on two GSL were covalently attached to a dendrimer core to produce two types of unique multivalent carbohydrates (MVC). These MVC inhibited HIV-1 infection of T cell lines and primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by T cell line-adapted viruses or primary isolates, with IC 50 s ranging from 0.1 to 7.4 μg/ml. Inhibition of Env-mediated membrane fusion by MVC was also observed using a dye-transfer assay. These carbohydrate compounds warrant further investigation as a potential new class of HIV-1 entry inhibitors. The data presented also shed light on the role of carbohydrate moieties in HIV-1 virus-host cell interactions. -- Research Highlights: →Multivalent carbohydrates (MVCs) inhibited infection of PBMCs by HIV-1. →MVCs inhibited infection by T cell line-adapted viruses. →MVCs inhibited infection by primary isolates of HIV-1. →MVCs inhibited Env-mediated membrane fusion.

  20. Simvastatin and metformin inhibit cell growth in hepatitis C virus infected cells via mTOR increasing PTEN and autophagy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José A Del Campo

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infection has been related to increased risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC while metformin (M and statins treatment seemed to protect against HCC development. In this work, we aim to identify the mechanisms by which metformin and simvastatin (S could protect from liver cancer. Huh7.5 cells were infected with HCV particles and treated with M+S. Human primary hepatocytes were treated with M+S. Treatment with both drugs inhibited Huh7.5 cell growth and HCV infection. In non-infected cells S increased translational controlled tumor protein (TCTP and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN proteins while M inhibited mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR and TCTP. Simvastatin and metformin co-administered down-regulated mTOR and TCTP, while PTEN was increased. In cells infected by HCV, mTOR, TCTP, p62 and light chain 3B II (LC3BII were increased and PTEN was decreased. S+M treatment increased PTEN, p62 and LC3BII in Huh7.5 cells. In human primary hepatocytes, metformin treatment inhibited mTOR and PTEN, but up-regulated p62, LC3BII and Caspase 3. In conclusion, simvastatin and metformin inhibited cell growth and HCV infection in vitro. In human hepatocytes, metformin increased cell-death markers. These findings suggest that M+S treatment could be useful in therapeutic prevention of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

  1. Jolkinolide B inhibits glycolysis by downregulating hexokinase 2 expression through inactivating the Akt/mTOR pathway in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Xiang; Han, Han

    2018-06-01

    Jolkinolide B (JB), a bioactive compound isolated from herbal medicine, has been found to inhibit tumor growth by altering glycolysis. However, whether glycolysis is influenced by JB in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and the mechanism remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of JB on the glycolysis in NSCLC cells and the underlying molecular mechanism. The results showed that JB treatment inhibited cell viability of A549 and H1299 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. JB reduced the glucose consumption, lactate production, and HK2 expression. The expressions of p-Akt and p-mTOR were also decreased by JB treatment. Knockdown of HK2 reduced glucose consumption and lactate production. Inhibition of the Akt/mTOR pathway decreased HK2 expression and inhibited glycolysis. In conclusion, the results indicated that JB inhibits glycolysis by down-regulating HK2 expression through inactivating the Akt/mTOR pathway in NSCLC cells, suggesting that JB might be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of NSCLC. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Attachment and growth behaviour of human gingival fibroblasts on titanium and zirconia ceramic surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pae, Ahran; Kim, Hyeong-Seob; Woo, Yi-Hyung; Lee, Heesu; Kwon, Yong-Dae

    2009-01-01

    The attachment, growth behaviour and the genetic effect of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) cultured on titanium and different zirconia surfaces were investigated. HGF cells were cultured on (1) titanium discs with a machined surface, (2) yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZP) with a smooth surface and (3) Y-TZP with 100 μm grooves. The cell proliferation activity was evaluated through a MTT assay at 24 h and 48 h, and the cell morphology was examined by SEM. The mRNA expression of integrin-β1, type I and III collagen, laminin and fibronectin in HGF were evaluated by RT-PCR after 24 h. From the MTT assay, the mean optical density values for the titanium and grooved zirconia surfaces after 48 h of HGF adhesion were greater than the values obtained for the smooth zirconia surfaces. SEM images showed that more cells were attached to the grooves, and the cells appeared to follow the direction of the grooves. The results of RT-PCR suggest that all groups showed comparable fibroblast-specific gene expression. A zirconia ceramic surface with grooves showed biological responses that were comparable to those obtained with HGF on a titanium surface.

  3. MiRNA-125a-5p inhibits glioblastoma cell proliferation and promotes cell differentiation by targeting TAZ

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Jian; Xiao, Gelei [Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); The Institute of Skull Base Surgery & Neuro-oncology at Hunan, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Peng, Gang [Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Liu, Dingyang [Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); The Institute of Skull Base Surgery & Neuro-oncology at Hunan, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Wang, Zeyou [Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Liao, Yiwei; Liu, Qing [Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); The Institute of Skull Base Surgery & Neuro-oncology at Hunan, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Wu, Minghua [The Institute of Skull Base Surgery & Neuro-oncology at Hunan, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Yuan, Xianrui, E-mail: xry69@163.com [Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); The Institute of Skull Base Surgery & Neuro-oncology at Hunan, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China)

    2015-02-06

    Highlights: • Expression of miR-125a-5p is inversely correlated with that of TAZ in glioma cells. • MiR-125a-5p represses TAZ expression in glioma cells. • MiR-125a-5p directly targets the 3′ UTR of TAZ mRNA and promotes its degradation. • MiR-125a-5p represses CTGF and survivin via TAZ, and inhibits glioma cell growth. • MiR-125a-5p inhibits the stem cell features of HFU-251 MG cells. - Abstract: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal brain tumor due to the resistance to conventional therapies, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. TAZ, an important mediator of the Hippo pathway, was found to be up-regulated in diverse cancers, including in GBM, and plays important roles in tumor initiation and progression. However, little is known about the regulation of TAZ expression in tumors. In this study, we found that miR-125a-5p is an important regulator of TAZ in glioma cells by directly targeting the TAZ 3′ UTR. MiR-125a-5p levels are inversely correlated with that of TAZ in normal astrocytes and a panel of glioma cell lines. MiR-125a-5p represses the expression of TAZ target genes, including CTGF and survivin, and inhibits cell proliferation and induces the differentiation of GBM cells; whereas over-expression of TAZ rescues the effects of miR-125a-5p. This study revealed a mechanism for TAZ deregulation in glioma cells, and also demonstrated a tumor suppressor role of miR-125a-5p in glioblastoma cells.

  4. MiRNA-125a-5p inhibits glioblastoma cell proliferation and promotes cell differentiation by targeting TAZ

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Jian; Xiao, Gelei; Peng, Gang; Liu, Dingyang; Wang, Zeyou; Liao, Yiwei; Liu, Qing; Wu, Minghua; Yuan, Xianrui

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Expression of miR-125a-5p is inversely correlated with that of TAZ in glioma cells. • MiR-125a-5p represses TAZ expression in glioma cells. • MiR-125a-5p directly targets the 3′ UTR of TAZ mRNA and promotes its degradation. • MiR-125a-5p represses CTGF and survivin via TAZ, and inhibits glioma cell growth. • MiR-125a-5p inhibits the stem cell features of HFU-251 MG cells. - Abstract: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal brain tumor due to the resistance to conventional therapies, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. TAZ, an important mediator of the Hippo pathway, was found to be up-regulated in diverse cancers, including in GBM, and plays important roles in tumor initiation and progression. However, little is known about the regulation of TAZ expression in tumors. In this study, we found that miR-125a-5p is an important regulator of TAZ in glioma cells by directly targeting the TAZ 3′ UTR. MiR-125a-5p levels are inversely correlated with that of TAZ in normal astrocytes and a panel of glioma cell lines. MiR-125a-5p represses the expression of TAZ target genes, including CTGF and survivin, and inhibits cell proliferation and induces the differentiation of GBM cells; whereas over-expression of TAZ rescues the effects of miR-125a-5p. This study revealed a mechanism for TAZ deregulation in glioma cells, and also demonstrated a tumor suppressor role of miR-125a-5p in glioblastoma cells

  5. Inhibition of human arterial smooth muscle (HASM) cell proliferation and collagen synthesis by protamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drucker, D.E.; Graham, M.F.; Diegelmann, R.F.; Greenfield, L.J.

    1986-01-01

    Atherosclerotic plaques result from vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and collagen deposition. The authors have been studying factors which modulate HASM cell proliferation and collagen synthesis. HASM cells were isolated from the media of normal human thoracic and infrarenal aortas and grown in vitro. Cell numbers were determined by direct counting and collagen synthesis was measured by incorporation of 3 H-proline into collagenase-digestible protein. In this study, protamine (200 μg/ml) was tested and found to cause a 55% reduction of HASM cell proliferation which was reversible when the cells were returned to control medium or when heparin (100 μg/ml) was added with protamine. Protamine caused a constant 33% decrease in non-collagen protein (NCP) synthesis per cell. In contrast, collagen synthesis was inhibited in dose dependent fashion (88% reduction at 200 μg/ml). Protamine blocks HASM cell proliferation and specifically inhibits collagen production. The exact mechanism of this inhibition is unclear but may be related to a transcriptional event since protamine has a high affinity for DNA

  6. Dafachronic acid inhibits C. elegans germ cell proliferation in a DAF-12-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, Madhumati; Chaudhari, Snehal N; Balachandran, Riju S; Vagasi, Alexandra S; Kipreos, Edward T

    2017-12-15

    Dafachronic acid (DA) is a bile acid-like steroid hormone that regulates dauer formation, heterochrony, and lifespan in C. elegans. Here, we describe that DA is an inhibitor of C. elegans germ stem cell proliferation in adult hermaphrodites. Using a C. elegans germ cell primary culture system, we show that DA inhibits the proliferation of germ cells in vitro. Exogenous DA reduces the frequency of large tumors in adult tumorous germline mutants and decreases the proliferation of wild-type germ stem cells in adult hermaphrodites. In contrast, DA has no appreciable effect on the proliferation of larval-stage germ cells in wild type. The inhibition of adult germ cell proliferation by DA requires its canonical receptor DAF-12. Blocking DA production by inactivating the cytochrome P450 DAF-9 increases germ cell proliferation in wild-type adult hermaphrodites and the frequency of large tumors in germline tumorous mutants, suggesting that DA inhibits the rate of germ cell proliferation under normal growth conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Inhibition of cathepsin X enzyme influences the immune response of THP-1 cells and dendritic cells infected with Helicobacter pylori

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skvarc, Miha; Stubljar, David; Kopitar, Andreja Natasa; Jeverica, Samo; Tepes, Bojan; Kos, Janko; Ihan, Alojz

    2013-01-01

    The immune response to Helicobacter pylori importantly determines the outcome of infection as well as the success of eradication therapy. We demonstrate the role of a cysteine protease cathepsin X in the immune response to H. pylori infection. We analysed how the inhibition of cathepsin X influenced the immune response in experiments when THP-1 cells or dendritic cells isolated from patients were stimulated with 48 strains of H. pylori isolated from gastric biopsy samples of patients which had problems with the eradication of bacteria. The experiments, performed with the help of a flow cytometer, showed that the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), especially TLR-4 molecules, on the membranes of THP-1 cells or dendritic cells was higher when we stimulated cells with H. pylori together with inhibitor of cathepsin X 2F12 compared to THP-1 cells or dendritic cells stimulated with H. pylori only, and also in comparison with negative control samples. We also demonstrated that when we inhibited the action of cathepsin X in THP-1 cells, the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines were lower than when THP-1 cell were stimulated with H. pylori only. We demonstrated that inhibition of cathepsin X influences the internalization of TLR-2 and TLR-4. TLR-2 and TLR-4 redistribution to intra-cytoplasmic compartments is hampered if cathepsin X is blocked. The beginning of a successful immune response against H. pylori in the case of inhibition of cathepsin X is delayed

  8. Releasing dentate nucleus cells from Purkinje cell inhibition generates output from the cerebrocerebellum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takahiro Ishikawa

    Full Text Available The cerebellum generates its vast amount of output to the cerebral cortex through the dentate nucleus (DN that is essential for precise limb movements in primates. Nuclear cells in DN generate burst activity prior to limb movement, and inactivation of DN results in cerebellar ataxia. The question is how DN cells become active under intensive inhibitory drive from Purkinje cells (PCs. There are two excitatory inputs to DN, mossy fiber and climbing fiber collaterals, but neither of them appears to have sufficient strength for generation of burst activity in DN. Therefore, we can assume two possible mechanisms: post-inhibitory rebound excitation and disinhibition. If rebound excitation works, phasic excitation of PCs and a concomitant inhibition of DN cells should precede the excitation of DN cells. On the other hand, if disinhibition plays a primary role, phasic suppression of PCs and activation of DN cells should be observed at the same timing. To examine these two hypotheses, we compared the activity patterns of PCs in the cerebrocerebellum and DN cells during step-tracking wrist movements in three Japanese monkeys. As a result, we found that the majority of wrist-movement-related PCs were suppressed prior to movement onset and the majority of wrist-movement-related DN cells showed concurrent burst activity without prior suppression. In a minority of PCs and DN cells, movement-related increases and decreases in activity, respectively, developed later. These activity patterns suggest that the initial burst activity in DN cells is generated by reduced inhibition from PCs, i.e., by disinhibition. Our results indicate that suppression of PCs, which has been considered secondary to facilitation, plays the primary role in generating outputs from DN. Our findings provide a new perspective on the mechanisms used by PCs to influence limb motor control and on the plastic changes that underlie motor learning in the cerebrocerebellum.

  9. Parafibromin inhibits cancer cell growth and causes G1 phase arrest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Chun; Kong Dong; Tan, M.-H.; Pappas, Donald L.; Wang, P.-F.; Chen, Jindong; Farber, Leslie; Zhang Nian; Koo, H.-M.; Weinreich, Michael; Williams, Bart O.; Teh, B.T.

    2006-01-01

    The HRPT2 (hereditary hyperparathyroidism type 2) tumor suppressor gene encodes a ubiquitously expressed 531 amino acid protein termed parafibromin. Inactivation of parafibromin predisposes one to the development of HPT-JT syndrome. To date, the role of parafibromin in tumorigenesis is largely unknown. Here, we report that parafibromin is a nuclear protein that possesses anti-proliferative properties. We show that overexpression of parafibromin inhibits colony formation and cellular proliferation, and induces cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Moreover, HPT-JT syndrome-derived mutations in HRPT2 behave in a dominant-negative manner by abolishing the ability of parafibromin to suppress cell proliferation. These findings suggest that parafibromin has a critical role in cell growth, and mutations in HRPT2 can directly inhibit this role

  10. TC-1 Overexpression Promotes Cell Proliferation in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer that Can Be Inhibited by PD173074

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Na; Bai, Guangzhen; Zhong, Daixing; Su, Kai; Liu, Boya; Li, Xiaofei; Wang, Yunjie; Wang, Xiaoping

    2014-01-01

    Thyroid cancer-1 (TC-1), a natively disordered protein, is widely expressed in vertebrates and overexpressed in many kinds of tumors. However, its exact role and regulation mechanism in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are still unclear. In the present study, we found that TC-1 is highly expressed in NSCLC and that its aberrant expression is strongly associated with NSCLC cell proliferation. Exogenous TC-1 overexpression promotes cell proliferation, accelerates the cell G1-to-S-phase transition, and reduces apoptosis in NSCLC. The knockdown of TC-1, however, inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation, cycle transition, and apoptosis resistance. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that PD173074, which functions as an inhibitor of the TC-1 in NSCLC, decreases the expression of TC-1 and inhibits TC-1 overexpression mediated cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Nevertheless, the inhibition function of PD173074 on NSCLC cell proliferation was eliminated in cells with TC-1 knockdown. These results suggest that PD173074 plays a significant role in TC-1 overexpression mediated NSCLC cell proliferation and may be a potential intervention target for the prevention of cell proliferation in NSCLC. PMID:24941347

  11. Zoledronic acid inhibits pulmonary metastasis dissemination in a preclinical model of Ewing’s sarcoma via inhibition of cell migration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Odri, Guillaume; Kim, Pui-Pui; Lamoureux, François; Charrier, Céline; Battaglia, Séverine; Amiaud, Jérôme; Heymann, Dominique; Gouin, François; Redini, Françoise

    2014-01-01

    Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) is the second most frequent primitive malignant bone tumor in adolescents with a very poor prognosis for high risk patients, mainly when lung metastases are detected (overall survival <15% at 5 years). Zoledronic acid (ZA) is a potent inhibitor of bone resorption which induces osteoclast apoptosis. Our previous studies showed a strong therapeutic potential of ZA as it inhibits ES cell growth in vitro and ES primary tumor growth in vivo in a mouse model developed in bone site. However, no data are available on lung metastasis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of ZA on ES cell invasion and metastatic properties. Invasion assays were performed in vitro in Boyden’s chambers covered with Matrigel. Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) activity was analyzed by zymography in ES cell culture supernatant. In vivo, a relevant model of spontaneous lung metastases which disseminate from primary ES tumor was induced by the orthotopic injection of 10 6 human ES cells in the tibia medullar cavity of nude mice. The effect of ZA (50 μg/kg, 3x/week) was studied over a 4-week period. Lung metastases were observed macroscopically at autopsy and analysed by histology. ZA induced a strong inhibition of ES cell invasion, probably due to down regulation of MMP-2 and −9 activities as analyzed by zymography. In vivo, ZA inhibits the dissemination of spontaneous lung metastases from a primary ES tumor but had no effect on the growth of established lung metastases. These results suggest that ZA could be used early in the treatment of ES to inhibit bone tumor growth but also to prevent the early metastatic events to the lungs

  12. [Tricostantin A inhibits self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells in vitro].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Li; Li, Fu-Xi; Shao, Wen-Feng; Xiong, Jing-Bo

    2013-10-01

    To investigate the effect of tricostantin A (TSA) on self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells and explore the mechanisms. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and SKBR3 were cultured in suspension and treated with different concentrations of TSA for 7 days, using 0.1% DMSO as the control. Secondary mammosphere formation efficiency and percentage of CD44(+)/CD24(-) sub-population in the primary mammospheres were used to evaluate the effects of TSA on self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells. The breast cancer stem cell surface marker CD44(+)/CD24(-) and the percentage of apoptosis in the primary mammospheres were assayed using flow cytometry. The mRNA expressions of Nanog, Sox2 and Oct4 in the primary mammospheres were assayed with quantitative PCR. TSA at both 100 and 500 nmol/L, but not at 10 nmol/L, partially inhibited the self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells from the 4 cell lines. TSA at 500 nmol/L induced cell apoptosis in the primary mammospheres. TSA down-regulated the mRNA expression of Nanog and Sox2 in the primary mammospheres. TSA can partially inhibit the self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells through a mechanism involving the down-regulation of Nanog and Sox2 expression, indicating the value of combined treatments with low-dose TSA and other anticancer drugs to achieve maximum inhibition of breast cancer stem cell self-renewal. The core transcriptional factor of embryonic stem cells Nanog and Sox2 can be potential targets of anticancer therapy.

  13. Noscapine alters microtubule dynamics in living cells and inhibits the progression of melanoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landen, Jaren W; Lang, Roland; McMahon, Steve J; Rusan, Nasser M; Yvon, Anne-Marie; Adams, Ashley W; Sorcinelli, Mia D; Campbell, Ross; Bonaccorsi, Paola; Ansel, John C; Archer, David R; Wadsworth, Patricia; Armstrong, Cheryl A; Joshi, Harish C

    2002-07-15

    Cellular microtubules, polymers of tubulin, alternate relentlessly between phases of growth and shortening. We now show that noscapine, a tubulin-binding agent, increases the time that cellular microtubules spend idle in a paused state. As a result, most mammalian cell types observed arrest in mitosis in the presence of noscapine. We demonstrate that noscapine-treated murine melanoma B16LS9 cells do not arrest in mitosis but rather become polyploid followed by cell death, whereas primary melanocytes reversibly arrest in mitosis and resume a normal cell cycle after noscapine removal. Furthermore, in a syngeneic murine model of established s.c. melanoma, noscapine treatment resulted in an 85% inhibition of tumor volume on day 17 when delivered by gavage compared with untreated animals (P inhibition was greater than that seen in vivo by paclitaxel (Taxol) alone and similar to the inhibition of tumor volume observed when noscapine was combined with paclitaxel. Importantly, noscapine also demonstrated the ability to significantly inhibit melanoma progression by 83% on day 18 when delivered in drinking water (P inhibits the progression of melanoma cells through alterations in microtubule dynamics, with no detected toxicity to the host. Consequently, noscapine could be a valuable chemotherapeutic agent, alone or in combination, for the treatment of advanced melanoma.

  14. Acrolein in cigarette smoke inhibits T-cell responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert, Cherie; McCue, Jesica; Portas, Mary; Ouyang, Yanli; Li, JiMei; Rosano, Thomas G; Lazis, Alexander; Freed, Brian M

    2005-10-01

    Cigarette smoking inhibits T-cell responses in the lungs, but the immunosuppressive compounds have not been fully identified. Cigarette smoke extracts inhibit IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha production in stimulated lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood, even when the extracts were diluted 100-fold to 1000-fold. The objective of these studies was to identify the immunosuppressive compounds found in cigarette smoke. Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy and HPLC were used to identify and quantitate volatile compounds found in cigarette smoke extracts. Bioactivity was measured by viability and production of cytokine mRNA and protein levels in treated human lymphocytes. The vapor phase of the cigarette smoke extract inhibited cytokine production, indicating that the immunosuppressive compounds were volatile. Among the volatile compounds identified in cigarette smoke extracts, only the alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes, acrolein (inhibitory concentration of 50% [IC50] = 3 micromol/L) and crotonaldehyde (IC50 = 6 micromol/L), exhibited significant inhibition of cytokine production. Although the levels of aldehydes varied 10-fold between high-tar (Camel) and ultralow-tar (Carlton) extracts, even ultralow-tar cigarettes produced sufficient levels of acrolein (34 micromol/L) to suppress cytokine production by >95%. We determined that the cigarette smoke extract inhibited transcription of cytokine genes. The inhibitory effects of acrolein could be blocked with the thiol compound N-acetylcysteine. The vapor phase from cigarette smoke extracts potently suppresses cytokine production. The compound responsible for this inhibition appears to be acrolein.

  15. BMPR2 inhibition induced apoptosis and autophagy via destabilization of XIAP in human chondrosarcoma cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, G; Guo, W; Ren, T; Lu, Q; Sun, Y; Liang, W; Ren, C; Yang, K; Sun, K

    2014-01-01

    Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are multifunctional proteins, and their receptors (BMPRs) have crucial roles in the process of signaling. However, their function in cancer is somewhat inconsistent. It has been demonstrated that more prevalent expression of bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) has been detected in dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas than conventional chondrosarcomas. Here, we find that BMPR2 inhibition induces apoptosis and autophagy of chondrosarcoma. We found that BMPR2 expression was correlated with the clinicopathological features of chondrosarcomas, and could predict the treatment outcome. Knockdown of BMPR2 by small interfering RNA results in growth inhibition in chondrosarcoma cells. Silencing BMPR2 promoted G2/M cell cycle arrest, induced chondrosarcoma cell apoptosis through caspase-3-dependent pathway via repression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and induced autophagy of chondrosarcoma cells via XIAP-Mdm2-p53 pathway. Inhibition of autophagy induced by BMPR2 small interfering RNA (siBMPR2) sensitized chondrosarcoma cells to siBMPR2-induced apoptotic cell death, suggesting that autophagy has a protective role for chondrosarcoma cells in context of siBMPR2-induced apoptotic cell death. In vivo tumorigenicity assay in mice indicated that inhibition of BMPR2 reduced tumor growth. Taken together, our results suggest that BMPR2 has a significant role in the tumorigenesis of chondrosarcoma, and could be an important prognostic marker for chondrosarcoma. BMPR2 inhibition could eventually provide a promising therapy for chondrosarcoma treatment. PMID:25501832

  16. Inhibition of IGF-1-Mediated Cellular Migration and Invasion by Migracin A in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ukaji, Tamami; Lin, Yinzhi; Banno, Kouji; Okada, Shoshiro; Umezawa, Kazuo

    2015-01-01

    Previously we isolated migracin A from a Streptomyces culture filtrate as an inhibitor of cancer cell migration. In the present research, we found that migracin A inhibited migration and invasion of ovarian clear cell carcinoma ES-2 cells. In the course of our mechanistic study, migracin A was shown to enhance vasohibin-1 expression in an angiogenesis array. We also confirmed that it increased the mRNA expression of this protein. Moreover, overexpression of vasohibin-1 lowered the migration but not the invasion of ES-2 cells. Then, we looked for another target protein employing a motility array, and found that migracin A lowered the IGF-1 expression. Knockdown of IGF-1 by siRNA decreased the migration and invasion of ES-2 cells. Migracin A also decreased Akt phosphorylation involved in the downstream signaling. Crosstalk analysis indicated that overexpression of vasohibin-1 decreased the IGF-1 expression. On the other hand, it showed no direct anticancer activity in terms of the ES-2 growth in agar. Migracin A inhibited the migration and IGF-1 expression in not only ES-2 but also another ovarian clear cell carcinoma JHOC-5 cells. In addition, it also inhibited capillary tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Since its cytotoxicity is very low, migracin A may be a candidate for an anti-metastasis agent not exhibiting prominent toxicity.

  17. Solena amplexicaulis induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and inhibits angiogenesis in hepatocarcinoma cells and HUVECs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Jie; Xu, Yuan Yuan; Jiang, He Fei; Yang, Meng; Huang, Qian Hui; Yang, Jie; Hu, Kun; Wei, Kun

    2014-01-01

    Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) Gandhi (SA) has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of dysentery, multiple abscess, gastralgia, urethritis, and eczema in the minority area of China. This study was aimed to examine the cell proliferation inhibitory activity of the SA extract (SACE) and its mechanism of action in human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) and evaluate its anti-angiogenesis activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cell line (HUVEC). SACE could inhibit the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. FCM analysis showed that SACE could induce G2/M phase arrest, cell apoptosis, the mitochondrial membrane potential loss (ΔΨm) and increase the production of intracellular ROS of HepG2 cells. After treatment with SACE, topical morphological changes of apoptotic body formation, obvious increase of apoptosis-related protein expressions, such as Bax, cytochrome c, caspase-3, PARP-1, and decrease of Bcl-2, procaspase-9 protein expressions were observed at the same time. Moreover, SACE caused the significant inhibition of endothelial cell migration and tube formation in HUVEC cells. The results suggested that SACE could act as an angiogenesis inhibitor and induce cell apoptosis via a caspase-dependent mitochondrial pathway. Therefore, SACE could be a potent candidate for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer.

  18. RNA interference targeting raptor inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, William Ka Kei; Lee, Chung Wa; Cho, Chi Hin; Chan, Francis Ka Leung; Yu, Jun; Sung, Joseph Jao Yiu

    2011-01-01

    Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is dysregulated in gastric cancer. The biologic function of mTORC1 in gastric carcinogenesis is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that disruption of mTORC1 function by RNA interference-mediated downregulation of raptor substantially inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation through induction of G 0 /G 1 -phase cell cycle arrest. The anti-proliferative effect was accompanied by concomitant downregulation of activator protein-1 and upregulation of Smad2/3 transcriptional activities. In addition, the expression of cyclin D 3 and p21 Waf1 , which stabilizes cyclin D/cdk4 complex for G 1 -S transition, was reduced by raptor knockdown. In conclusion, disruption of mTORC1 inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation through multiple pathways. This discovery may have an implication in the application of mTORC1-directed therapy for the treatment of gastric cancer.

  19. MK-2206, an AKT Inhibitor, Promotes Caspase-Independent Cell Death and Inhibits Leiomyoma Growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sefton, Elizabeth C.; Qiang, Wenan; Serna, Vanida; Kurita, Takeshi; Wei, Jian-Jun; Chakravarti, Debabrata

    2013-01-01

    Uterine leiomyomas (ULs), benign tumors of the myometrium, are the number one indication for hysterectomies in the United States due to a lack of an effective alternative therapy. ULs show activation of the pro-survival AKT pathway compared with normal myometrium; however, substantial data directly linking AKT to UL cell survival are lacking. We hypothesized that AKT promotes UL cell survival and that it is a viable target for inhibiting UL growth. We used the investigational AKT inhibitor MK-2206, currently in phase II trials, on cultured primary human UL and myometrial cells, immortalized leiomyoma cells, and in leiomyoma grafts grown under the kidney capsule in mice. MK-2206 inhibited AKT and PRAS40 phosphorylation but did not regulate serum- and glucocorticoid-induced kinase and ERK1/2, demonstrating its specificity for AKT. MK-2206 reduced UL cell viability and decreased UL tumor volumes. UL cells exhibited disruption of mitochondrial structures and underwent cell death that was independent of caspases. Additionally, mammalian target of rapamycin and p70S6K phosphorylation were reduced, indicating that mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling was compromised by AKT inhibition in UL cells. MK-2206 also induced autophagy in UL cells. Pretreatment of primary UL cells with 3-methyladenine enhanced MK-2206-mediated UL cell death, whereas knockdown of ATG5 and/or ATG7 did not significantly influence UL cell viability in the presence of MK-2206. Our data provide molecular evidence for the involvement of AKT in UL cell survival and suggest that AKT inhibition by MK-2206 may be a viable option to consider for the treatment of ULs. PMID:24002033

  20. Silencing Nrf2 impairs glioma cell proliferation via AMPK-activated mTOR inhibition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jia, Yue [Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province (China); Wang, Handong, E-mail: njhdwang@hotmail.com [Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province (China); Wang, Qiang [Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province (China); Ding, Hui [Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern Medical University (Guangzhou), 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province (China); Wu, Heming [Department of Neurosurgery, Nanjing Jingdu Hospital, No. 34, Biao 34, Yanggongjing Road, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province (China); Pan, Hao [Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province (China)

    2016-01-15

    Gliomas are the leading cause of death among adults with primary brain malignancies. Treatment for malignant gliomas remains limited, and targeted therapies have been incompletely explored. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key transcription regulator for antioxidant and detoxification enzymes, is abundantly expressed in cancer cells. In this study, the role and mechanism of Nrf2 in cancer cell proliferation was investigated in multiple glioma cell lines. We first evaluated the expression patterns of Nrf2 in four glioma cell lines and found all four cell lines expressed Nrf2, but the highest level was observed in U251 cells. We further evaluated the biological functions of Nrf2 in U251 glioma cell proliferation by specific inhibition of Nrf2 using short hairpin RNA (shRNA). We found that Nrf2 depletion inhibited glioma cell proliferation. Nrf2 depletion also decreased colony formation in U251 cells stably expressing Nrf2 shRNA compared to scrambled control shRNA. Moreover, suppression of Nrf2 expression could lead to ATP depletion (with concomitant rise in AMP/ATP ratio) and consequently to AMPK-activated mTOR inhibition. Finally, activation of adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase (AMPK) by treated with phenformin, an AMPK agonist, can mimic the inhibitory effect of Nrf2 knockdown in U251 cells. In conclusion, our findings will shed light to the role and mechanism of Nrf2 in regulating glioma proliferation via ATP-depletion-induced AMPK activation and consequent mTOR inhibition, a novel insight into our understanding the role and mechanism of Nrf2 in glioma pathoetiology. To our knowledge, this is also the first report to provide a rationale for the implication of cross-linking between Nrf2 and mTOR signaling.

  1. Sertoli cells in culture secrete paracrine factor(s) that inhibit peritubular myoid cell proliferation: identification of heparinoids as likely candidates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tung, P.S.; Fritz, I.B.

    1991-01-01

    Conditioned medium from Sertoli cells, prepared from testes of 20-day-old rats, contains component(s) that inhibit the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into DNA of peritubular myoid cells (PMC) and inhibit the proliferation of PMC. These components are trypsin-resistant, heat-stable compounds having a molecular weight less than 30,000. The active inhibitory components in Sertoli cell conditioned medium are inactivated by treatment with heparinase, but not by treatment with hyaluronidase or chondroitin sulfate lyases. Addition of heparin or heparan sulfate results in inhibition of DNA synthesis by PMC in a dose-dependent manner, whereas other glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) examined (hyaluronic acid, keratan sulfate, and chondroitin sulfate) have no detectable effects. Heparin and heparan sulfate are unique among GAGs tested in inhibiting the characteristic multilayer growth pattern of PMC following the attainment of confluence in serum-rich medium. On the basis of these and other data presented, it is concluded that heparin and other heparin-like GAGs synthesized by Sertoli cells are implicated in the modulation of growth of PMC in vitro during co-culture. It is postulated that heparin may play a similar role in maintaining the quiescent peritubular myoid cell phenotype in vivo

  2. Fatty acid synthase inhibition triggers apoptosis during S phase in human cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Weibo; Simpson, P Jeanette; McFadden, Jill M; Townsend, Craig A; Medghalchi, Susan M; Vadlamudi, Aravinda; Pinn, Michael L; Ronnett, Gabriele V; Kuhajda, Francis P

    2003-11-01

    C75, an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase (FAS), induces apoptosis in cultured human cancer cells. Its proposed mechanism of action linked high levels of malonyl-CoA after FAS inhibition to potential downstream effects including inhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) with resultant inhibition of fatty acid oxidation. Recent data has shown that C75 directly stimulates CPT-1 increasing fatty acid oxidation in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells despite inhibitory concentrations of malonyl-CoA. In light of these findings, we have studied fatty acid metabolism in MCF7 human breast cancer cells to elucidate the mechanism of action of C75. We now report that: (a) in the setting of increased fatty acid oxidation, C75 inhibits fatty acid synthesis; (b) C273, a reduced form of C75, is unable to inhibit fatty acid synthesis and is nontoxic to MCF7 cells; (c) C75 and 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA), an inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, both cause a significant reduction of fatty acid incorporation into phosphatidylcholine, the major membrane phospholipid, within 2 h; (d) pulse chase studies with [(14)C]acetate labeling of membrane lipids show that both C75 and TOFA accelerate the decay of (14)C-labeled lipid from membranes within 2 h; (e) C75 also promotes a 2-3-fold increase in oxidation of membrane lipids within 2 h; and (f) because interference with phospholipid synthesis during S phase is known to trigger apoptosis in cycling cells, we performed double-labeled terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated nick end labeling and BrdUrd analysis with both TOFA and C75. C75 triggered apoptosis during S phase, whereas TOFA did not. Moreover, application of TOFA 2 h before C75 blocked the C75 induced apoptosis, whereas etomoxir did not. Taken together these data indicate that FAS inhibition and its downstream inhibition of phospholipid production is a necessary part of the mechanism of action of C75. CPT-1 stimulation does not likely play a role in the

  3. Radiosensitization of colorectal carcinoma cell lines by histone deacetylase inhibition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flatmark, Kjersti; Nome, Ragnhild V; Folkvord, Sigurd; Bratland, Åse; Rasmussen, Heidi; Ellefsen, Mali Strand; Fodstad, Øystein; Ree, Anne Hansen

    2006-01-01

    The tumor response to preoperative radiotherapy of locally advanced rectal cancer varies greatly, warranting the use of experimental models to assay the efficacy of molecular targeting agents in rectal cancer radiosensitization. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, agents that cause hyperacetylation of histone proteins and thereby remodeling of chromatin structure, may override cell cycle checkpoint responses to DNA damage and amplify radiation-induced tumor cell death. Human colorectal carcinoma cell lines were exposed to ionizing radiation and HDAC inhibitors, and cell cycle profiles and regulatory factors, as well as clonogenicity, were analyzed. In addition to G 2 /M phase arrest following irradiation, the cell lines displayed cell cycle responses typical for either intact or defective p53 function (the presence or absence, respectively, of radiation-induced expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 and subsequent accumulation of G 1 phase cells). In contrast, histone acetylation was associated with complete depletion of the G 1 population of cells with functional p53 but accumulation of both G 1 and G 2 /M populations of cells with defective p53. The cellular phenotypes upon HDAC inhibition were consistent with the observed repression of Polo-like kinase-1, a regulatory G 2 /M phase kinase. Following pre-treatment with HDAC inhibitors currently undergoing clinical investigation, the inhibitory effect of ionizing radiation on clonogenicity was significantly amplified. In these experimental models, HDAC inhibition sensitized the tumor cells to ionizing radiation, which is in accordance with the concept of increased probability of tumor cell death when chromatin structure is modified

  4. Inhibition of cell migration by focal adhesion kinase: Time-dependent difference in integrin-induced signaling between endothelial and hepatoblastoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Hongchi; Gao, Min; Ma, Yunlong; Wang, Lijuan; Shen, Yang; Liu, Xiaoheng

    2018-05-01

    angiogenesis plays an important role in the development and progression of tumors, and it involves a series of signaling pathways contributing to the migration of endothelial cells for vascularization and to the invasion of cancer cells for secondary tumor formation. Among these pathways, the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling cascade has been implicated in a variety of human cancers in connection with cell adhesion and migration events leading to tumor angiogenesis, metastasis and invasion. Therefore, the inhibition of FAK in endothelial and/or cancer cells is a potential target for anti‑angiogenic therapy. In the present study, a small‑molecule FAK inhibitor, 1,2,4,5-benzenetetramine tetrahydrochloride (Y15), was used to study the effects of FAK inhibition on the adhesion and migration behaviors of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and human hepatoblastoma cells. Furthermore, the time-dependent differences in proteins associated with the integrin-mediated FAK/Rho GTPases signaling pathway within 2 h were examined. The results indicated that the inhibition of FAK significantly decreased the migration ability of VECs and human hepatoblastoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of FAK promoted cell detachment by decreasing the expression of focal adhesion components, and blocked cell motility by reducing the level of Rho GTPases. However, the expression of crucial proteins involved in integrin-induced signaling in two cell lines exhibited a time-dependent difference with increased duration of FAK inhibitor treatment, suggesting different mechanisms of FAK-mediated cell migration behavior. These results suggest that the mechanism underlying FAK-mediated adhesion and migration behavior differs among various cells, which is expected to provide evidence for future FAK therapy targeted against tumor angiogenesis.

  5. Inhibiting actin depolymerization enhances osteoblast differentiation and bone formation in human stromal stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Li; Shi, Kaikai; Frary, Charles

    2015-01-01

    Remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton through actin dynamics is involved in a number of biological processes, but its role in human stromal (skeletal) stem cells (hMSCs) differentiation is poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that stabilizing actin filaments by inhibiting gene...... expression of the two main actin depolymerizing factors (ADFs): Cofilin 1 (CFL1) and Destrin (DSTN) in hMSCs, enhanced cell viability and differentiation into osteoblastic cells (OB) in vitro, as well as heterotopic bone formation in vivo. Similarly, treating hMSC with Phalloidin, which is known to stabilize...... polymerized actin filaments, increased hMSCs viability and OB differentiation. Conversely, Cytocholasin D, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, reduced cell viability and inhibited OB differentiation of hMSC. At a molecular level, preventing Cofilin phosphorylation through inhibition of LIM domain kinase 1...

  6. The methoxychlor metabolite, HPTE, inhibits rat luteal cell progesterone production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akgul, Yucel; Derk, Raymond C; Meighan, Terence; Rao, K Murali Krishna; Murono, Eisuke P

    2011-07-01

    The methoxychlor metabolite, HPTE, was shown to inhibit P450-cholesterol side-chain cleavage (P450scc) activity resulting in decreased progesterone production by cultured ovarian follicular cells in previous studies. It is not known whether HPTE has any effect on progesterone formation by the corpus luteum. Exposure to 100 nM HPTE reduced progesterone production by luteal cells with progressive declines to progesterone formation and P450scc catalytic activity of hCG- or 8 Br-cAMP-stimulated luteal cells. However, HPTE did not alter mRNA and protein levels of P450scc. Compounds acting as estrogen (17 β-estradiol, bisphenol-A or octylphenol), antiestrogen (ICI) or antiandrogen (monobutyl phthalate, flutamide or M-2) added alone to luteal cells did not mimic the action of HPTE on progesterone and P450scc activity. These results suggest that HPTE directly inhibits P450scc catalytic activity resulting in reduced progesterone formation, and this action was not mediated through estrogen or androgen receptors. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. The effect of nicotine on reproduction and attachment of human gingival fibroblasts in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peacock, M E; Sutherland, D E; Schuster, G S; Brennan, W A; O'Neal, R B; Strong, S L; Van Dyke, T E

    1993-07-01

    The ability of fibroblasts to reproduce and attach to teeth is of paramount importance in re-establishing the lost connective tissue attachment after periodontal therapy. This study examined the effect of nicotine, a major component of the particulate phase of tobacco smoke, on human gingival fibroblast (HGF) reproduction and attachment to tissue culture surfaces. Pooled HGF cultures made from explants of gingival biopsies were utilized between passages 5 and 10 and plated in 96-well plates at 1.0 x 10(4) cells per well. Cell numbers were determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), which is a reflection of mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity. The concentrations of nicotine used were 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 microM, the average serum concentration for a smoker being approximately 0.1 microM. The effect of continuous nicotine exposure on HGF reproduction was determined by incubating cell cultures and media containing nicotine for up to 48 hours. Residual toxicity was determined by preincubating cells with nicotine for 1 or 6 hours. HGF suspensions and increasing concentrations of nicotine were added together to determine the effect on attachment. Results showed an enhanced effect of nicotine on HGF attachment, with increasing numbers of cells attaching with increasing nicotine concentrations, compared to the control. Low concentrations of nicotine had a stimulatory effect on cell replication, while higher concentrations of nicotine appear to have no significant effect on HGF reproduction. The responses of cells to some concentrations of nicotine may persist after its removal.

  8. Direct contact between dendritic cells and bronchial epithelial cells inhibits T cell recall responses towards mite and pollen allergen extracts in vitro

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Papazian, Dick; Wagtmann, Valery R; Hansen, Soren

    2015-01-01

    (DCs), we have investigated recall T cell responses in allergic patients sensitized to house dust mite, grass, and birch pollen. Conclusions: Using allergen extract-loaded DCs to stimulate autologous allergen-specific T cell lines, we show that AEC-imprinted DCs inhibit T cell proliferation...... production of both Th1 and Th2 cytokines upon re-challenge. The inhibitory effects of AECs' contact with DCs were absent when allergen extract-loaded DCs had only been exposed to AECs supernatants, but present after direct contact with AECs. We conclude that direct contact between DCs and AECs inhibits T...

  9. Intraglomerular inhibition maintains mitral cell response contrast across input frequencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shao, Zuoyi; Puche, Adam C; Shipley, Michael T

    2013-11-01

    Odor signals are transmitted to the olfactory bulb by olfactory nerve (ON) synapses onto mitral/tufted cells (MTCs) and external tufted cells (ETCs); ETCs provide additional feed-forward excitation to MTCs. Both are strongly regulated by intraglomerular inhibition that can last up to 1 s and, when blocked, dramatically increases ON-evoked MC spiking. Intraglomerular inhibition thus limits the magnitude and duration of MC spike responses to sensory input. In vivo, sensory input is repetitive, dictated by sniffing rates from 1 to 8 Hz, potentially summing intraglomerular inhibition. To investigate this, we recorded MTC responses to 1- to 8-Hz ON stimulation in slices. Inhibitory postsynaptic current area (charge) following each ON stimulation was unchanged from 1 to 5 Hz and modestly paired-pulse attenuated at 8 Hz, suggesting there is no summation and only limited decrement at the highest input frequencies. Next, we investigated frequency independence of intraglomerular inhibition on MC spiking. MCs respond to single ON shocks with an initial spike burst followed by reduced spiking decaying to baseline. Upon repetitive ON stimulation peak spiking is identical across input frequencies but the ratio of peak-to-minimum rate before the stimulus (max-min) diminishes from 30:1 at 1 Hz to 15:1 at 8 Hz. When intraglomerular inhibition is selectively blocked, peak spike rate is unchanged but trough spiking increases markedly decreasing max-min firing ratios from 30:1 at 1 Hz to 2:1 at 8 Hz. Together, these results suggest intraglomerular inhibition is relatively frequency independent and can "sharpen" MC responses to input across the range of frequencies. This suggests that glomerular circuits can maintain "contrast" in MC encoding during sniff-sampled inputs.

  10. Angiopoietin1 inhibits mast cell activation and protects against anaphylaxis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun-Hua Yao

    Full Text Available Since morbidity and mortality rates of anaphylaxis diseases have been increasing year by year, how to prevent and manage these diseases effectively has become an important issue. Mast cells play a central regulatory role in allergic diseases. Angiopoietin1 (Ang-1 exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting vascular permeability, leukocyte migration and cytokine production. However, Ang-1's function in mast cell activation and anaphylaxis diseases is unknown. The results of our study suggest that Ang-1 decreased lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines production of mast cells by suppressing IκB phosphorylation and NF-κB nuclear translocation. Ang-1 also strongly inhibited compound 48/80 induced and FcεRI-mediated mast cells degranulation by decreasing intracellular calcium levels in vitro. In vivo lentivirus-mediated delivery of Ang-1 in mice exhibited alleviated leakage in IgE-dependent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA. Furthermore, exogenous Ang-1 intervention treatment prevented mice from compound 48/80-induced mesentery mast cell degranulation, attenuated increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines, relieved lung injury, and improved survival in anaphylaxis shock. The results of our study reveal, for the first time, the important role of Ang-1 in the activation of mast cells, and identify a therapeutic effect of Ang-1 on anaphylaxis diseases.

  11. Inhibition of histamine and eicosanoid release from dispersed human lung cells in vitro by quinotolast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okayama, Y; Hiroi, J; Lau, L C; Church, M K

    1995-12-01

    We have examined the effects of a new anti-allergic drug, quinotolast [sodium 5-(4-oxo-1-phenoxy-4H-quinolizine-3-carboxamido) yetrazolate monohydrate], in inhibiting the release of histamine and the generation of leukotriene (LT) C4 and prostaglandin (PG) D2 from dispersed human lung cells and compared this with those of its active metabolite in the rat, hydroxy quinotolast, and reference drugs, tranilast and sodium cromoglycate (SCG). Quinotolast in the concentration range of 1-100 micrograms/ml inhibited histamine and LTC4 release in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of quinotolast on histamine release from dispersed lung cells was largely independent of the preincubation period, no tachyphylaxis being observed. Hydroxy quinotolast and tranilast showed a weak inhibition of histamine release only when the drugs were added to the cells simultaneously with anti-IgE challenge. Quinotolast, 100 micrograms/ml, and SCG, 1 mM, significantly inhibited PGD2 and LTC4 release. Quinotolast inhibited PGD2 release by 100% and LTC4 release by 54%, whereas SCG inhibited PDG2 release by 33% and LTC4 release by 100%. No cross-tachyphylaxis between quinotolast and SCG was observed. The results demonstrated that quinotolast showed a significant inhibition of inflammatory mediators from human dispersed lung cells, suggesting that quinotolast is a good candidate for a clinical anti-allergic drug.

  12. Natural killer (NK) cells inhibit systemic metastasis of glioblastoma cells and have therapeutic effects against glioblastomas in the brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Se Jeong; Kang, Won Young; Yoon, Yeup; Jin, Ju Youn; Song, Hye Jin; Her, Jung Hyun; Kang, Sang Mi; Hwang, Yu Kyeong; Kang, Kyeong Jin; Joo, Kyeung Min; Nam, Do-Hyun

    2015-12-24

    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is characterized by extensive local invasion, which is in contrast with extremely rare systemic metastasis of GBM. Molecular mechanisms inhibiting systemic metastasis of GBM would be a novel therapeutic candidate for GBM in the brain. Patient-derived GBM cells were primarily cultured from surgical samples of GBM patients and were inoculated into the brains of immune deficient BALB/c-nude or NOD-SCID IL2Rgamma(null) (NSG) mice. Human NK cells were isolated from peripheral blood mononucleated cells and expanded in vitro. Patient-derived GBM cells in the brains of NSG mice unexpectedly induced spontaneous lung metastasis although no metastasis was detected in BALB/c-nude mice. Based on the difference of the innate immunity between two mouse strains, NK cell activities of orthotopic GBM xenograft models based on BALB/c-nude mice were inhibited. NK cell inactivation induced spontaneous lung metastasis of GBM cells, which indicated that NK cells inhibit the systemic metastasis. In vitro cytotoxic activities of human NK cells against GBM cells indicated that cytotoxic activity of NK cells against GBM cells prevents systemic metastasis of GBM and that NK cells could be effective cell therapeutics against GBM. Accordingly, NK cells transplanted into orthotopic GBM xenograft models intravenously or intratumorally induced apoptosis of GBM cells in the brain and showed significant therapeutic effects. Our results suggest that innate NK immunity is responsible for rare systemic metastasis of GBM and that sufficient supplementation of NK cells could be a promising immunotherapeutic strategy for GBM in the brain.

  13. Molecular Mechanisms by Which a Fucus vesiculosus Extract Mediates Cell Cycle Inhibition and Cell Death in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulf Geisen

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancer entities, with an extremely poor 5-year survival rate. Therefore, novel therapeutic agents with specific modes of action are urgently needed. Marine organisms represent a promising source to identify new pharmacologically active substances. Secondary metabolites derived from marine algae are of particular interest. The present work describes cellular and molecular mechanisms induced by an HPLC-fractionated, hydrophilic extract derived from the Baltic brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus (Fv1. Treatment with Fv1 resulted in a strong inhibition of viability in various pancreatic cancer cell lines. This extract inhibited the cell cycle of proliferating cells due to the up-regulation of cell cycle inhibitors, shown on the mRNA (microarray data and protein level. As a result, cells were dying in a caspase-independent manner. Experiments with non-dividing cells showed that proliferation is a prerequisite for the effectiveness of Fv1. Importantly, Fv1 showed low cytotoxic activity against non-malignant resting T cells and terminally differentiated cells like erythrocytes. Interestingly, accelerated killing effects were observed in combination with inhibitors of autophagy. Our in vitro data suggest that Fv1 may represent a promising new agent that deserves further development towards clinical application.

  14. Berberine suppresses tumorigenicity and growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by inhibiting STAT3 activation induced by tumor associated fibroblasts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsang, Chi Man; Cheung, Yuk Chun; Lui, Vivian Wai-Yan; Yip, Yim Ling; Zhang, Guitao; Lin, Victor Weitao; Cheung, Kenneth Chat-Pan; Feng, Yibin; Tsao, Sai Wah

    2013-01-01

    Cortidis rhizoma (Huanglian) and its major therapeutic component, berberine, have drawn extensive attention in recent years for their anti-cancer properties. Growth inhibitory effects of berberine on multiple types of human cancer cells have been reported. Berberine inhibits invasion, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human cancer cells. The anti-inflammatory property of berberine, involving inhibition of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) activation, has also been documented. In this study, we have examined the effects of berberine on tumorigenicity and growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells and their relationship to STAT3 signaling using both in vivo and in vitro models. Berberine effectively inhibited the tumorigenicity and growth of an EBV-positive NPC cell line (C666-1) in athymic nude mice. Inhibition of tumorigenic growth of NPC cells in vivo was correlated with effective inhibition of STAT3 activation in NPC cells inside the tumor xenografts grown in nude mice. In vitro, berberine inhibited both constitutive and IL-6-induced STAT3 activation in NPC cells. Inhibition of STAT3 activation by berberine induced growth inhibition and apoptotic response in NPC cells. Tumor-associated fibroblasts were found to secret IL-6 and the conditioned medium harvested from the fibroblasts also induced STAT3 activation in NPC cells. Furthermore, STAT3 activation by conditioned medium of tumor-associated fibroblasts could be blocked by berberine or antibodies against IL-6 and IL-6R. Our observation that berberine effectively inhibited activation of STAT3 induced by tumor-associated fibroblasts suggests a role of berberine in modulating the effects of tumor stroma on the growth of NPC cells. The effective inhibition of STAT3 activation in NPC cells by berberine supports its potential use in the treatment of NPC

  15. Potential mechanisms for the inhibition of tumor cell growth by manganese superoxide dismutase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, K H; Rodriguez, A M; Carrico, P M; Melendez, J A

    2001-06-01

    Studies from many laboratories have shown that overexpression of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) inhibits the growth of numerous tumor cell types. The inhibition of tumor cell growth can be attributed to the increase in the steady-state levels of H2O2 as a result of the increased dismuting activity of MnSOD. Here we demonstrate that overexpression of MnSOD enhances the activity of the superoxide (O2*-)-sensitive enzyme aconitase, decreases the intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio, and dose-dependently inhibits pyruvate carboxylase activity. Thus, alterations in the steady-state concentrations of mitochondrial O2*- and H2O2 as a result of MnSOD overexpression can alter the metabolic capacity of the cell leading to inhibition of cell growth. Furthermore, we propose that MnSOD overexpression can modulate the activity of nitric oxide (*NO) by preventing its reaction with O2*-. This hypothesis suggests that the redox environment of the mitochondria can be altered to favor the activity of *NO rather than peroxynitrite (ONOO-) and may explain the enhanced toxicity of *NO-generating compounds toward MnSOD-overexpressing cell lines. These findings indicate that therapeutic strategies targeted at overexpressing MnSOD in tumor tissue may be more effective when used in combination with agents that deplete the oxidant-buffering and enhance the *NO-generating capacity of the tumor and host, respectively.

  16. Structurally modified curcumin analogs inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation and promote apoptosis of human renal cell carcinoma and melanoma cell lines.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew A Bill

    Full Text Available The Janus kinase-2 (Jak2-signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3 pathway is critical for promoting an oncogenic and metastatic phenotype in several types of cancer including renal cell carcinoma (RCC and melanoma. This study describes two small molecule inhibitors of the Jak2-STAT3 pathway, FLLL32 and its more soluble analog, FLLL62. These compounds are structurally distinct curcumin analogs that bind selectively to the SH2 domain of STAT3 to inhibit its phosphorylation and dimerization. We hypothesized that FLLL32 and FLLL62 would induce apoptosis in RCC and melanoma cells and display specificity for the Jak2-STAT3 pathway. FLLL32 and FLLL62 could inhibit STAT3 dimerization in vitro. These compounds reduced basal STAT3 phosphorylation (pSTAT3, and induced apoptosis in four separate human RCC cell lines and in human melanoma cell lines as determined by Annexin V/PI staining. Apoptosis was also confirmed by immunoblot analysis of caspase-3 processing and PARP cleavage. Pre-treatment of RCC and melanoma cell lines with FLLL32/62 did not inhibit IFN-γ-induced pSTAT1. In contrast to FLLL32, curcumin and FLLL62 reduced downstream STAT1-mediated gene expression of IRF1 as determined by Real Time PCR. FLLL32 and FLLL62 significantly reduced secretion of VEGF from RCC cell lines in a dose-dependent manner as determined by ELISA. Finally, each of these compounds inhibited in vitro generation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. These data support further investigation of FLLL32 and FLLL62 as lead compounds for STAT3 inhibition in RCC and melanoma.

  17. Estrogenic compounds inhibit gap junctional intercellular communication in mouse Leydig TM3 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iwase, Yumiko; Fukata, Hideki; Mori, Chisato

    2006-01-01

    Some estrogenic compounds are reported to cause testicular disorders in humans and/or experimental animals by direct action on Leydig cells. In carcinogenesis and normal development, gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) plays an essential role in maintaining homeostasis. In this study, we examine the effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES, a synthetic estrogen), 17β-estradiol (E 2 , a natural estrogen), and genistein (GEN, a phytoestrogen) on GJIC between mouse Leydig TM3 cells using Lucifer yellow microinjection. The three compounds tested produced GJIC inhibition in the TM3 cells after 24 h. Gradually, 10 μM DES began to inhibit GJIC for 24 h and this effect was observed until 72 h. On the other hand, both 20 μM E 2 and 25 μM GEN rapidly inhibited GJIC in 6 h and 2 h, respectively. The effects continued until 24 h, but weakened by 72 h. Furthermore, a combined effect at μM level between DES and E 2 on GJIC inhibition was observed, but not between GEN and E 2 . DES and E 2 showed GJIC inhibition at low dose levels (nearly physiological estrogen levels) after 72 h, but GEN did not. DES-induced GJIC inhibition at 10 pM and 10 μM was completely counteracted by ICI 182,780 (ICl), an estrogen receptor antagonist. On the other hand, the inhibitory effects on GJIC with E 2 (10 pM and 20 μM) and GEN (25 μM) were partially blocked by ICI or calphostin C, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, and were completely blocked by the combination of ICI and calphostin C. These results demonstrate that DES inhibits GJIC between Leydig cells via the estrogen receptor (ER), and that E 2 and GEN inhibit GJIC via ER and PKC. These estrogenic compounds may have different individual nongenotoxic mechanism including PKC pathway on testicular carcinogenesis or development

  18. MicroRNA-202 inhibits tumor progression by targeting LAMA1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meng, Xiangrui, E-mail: xiangruimengzz@163.com [Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 East Jianshe Road, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province (China); Chen, Xiaoqi [Department of Digestion and Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan Uninversity of TCM, 19 Renmin Road, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province (China); Lu, Peng [Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The People' s Hospital of Zhengzhou, 33 Huanghe Road, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province (China); Ma, Wang; Yue, Dongli; Song, Lijie; Fan, Qingxia [Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 East Jianshe Road, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province (China)

    2016-05-13

    Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies in the gastrointestinal tract. Emerging studies have indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are strongly implicated in the development and progression of ESCC. Here, we focused on the function and the underlying molecular mechanism of miR-202 in ESCC. The results showed that miR-202 was significantly down-regulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-202 in ECa-109 and KYSE-510 cells markedly suppressed cell proliferation and cell migration, and induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, laminin α1 (LAMA1) expression was frequently positive in ESCC tissues and inversely correlated with miR-202 expression. Then we demonstrated that miR-202 targeted 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of LAMA1 and inhibited its protein expression. Additionally, LAMA1 overexpression rescued the proliferation inhibition and cell apoptosis elevation induced by miR-202. MiR-202 also inhibited the protein expression of p-FAK and p-Akt, which were all reversed by LAMA1 overexpression. Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-202 may function as a novel tumor suppressor in ESCC by repressing cell proliferation and migration, and its biological effects may attribute the inhibition of LAMA1-mediated FAK-PI3K-Akt signaling. - Highlights: • Expression of miR-202 was decreased in ESCC tissues and cell lines. • MiR-202 overexpression inhibited ESCC cell growth and induced apoptosis. • MiR-202 directly targeted LAMA1 in ESCC. • The LAMA1-FAK-PI3K signaling mediated the suppressive role of miR-202.

  19. Natriuretic peptide receptor A inhibition suppresses gastric cancer development through reactive oxygen species-mediated G2/M cell cycle arrest and cell death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zheng; Wang, Ji-Wei; Wang, Wei-Zhi; Zhi, Xiao-Fei; Zhang, Qun; Li, Bo-Wen; Wang, Lin-Jun; Xie, Kun-Ling; Tao, Jin-Qiu; Tang, Jie; Wei, Song; Zhu, Yi; Xu, Hao; Zhang, Dian-Cai; Yang, Li; Xu, Ze-Kuan

    2016-10-01

    Natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA), the major receptor for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), has been implicated in tumorigenesis; however, the role of ANP-NPRA signaling in the development of gastric cancer remains unclear. Immunohistochemical analyses indicated that NPRA expression was positively associated with gastric tumor size and cancer stage. NPRA inhibition by shRNA induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, cell death, and autophagy in gastric cancer cells, due to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Either genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of autophagy led to caspase-dependent cell death. Therefore, autophagy induced by NPRA silencing may represent a cytoprotective mechanism. ROS accumulation activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). ROS-mediated activation of JNK inhibited cell proliferation by disturbing cell cycle and decreased cell viability. In addition, AMPK activation promoted autophagy in NPRA-downregulated cancer cells. Overall, our results indicate that the inhibition of NPRA suppresses gastric cancer development and targeting NPRA may represent a promising strategy for the treatment of gastric cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. B7-H4 Treatment of T Cells Inhibits ERK, JNK, p38, and AKT Activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojie Wang

    Full Text Available B7-H4 is a newly identified B7 homolog that plays an important role in maintaining T-cell homeostasis by inhibiting T-cell proliferation and lymphokine-secretion. In this study, we investigated the signal transduction pathways inhibited by B7-H4 engagement in mouse T cells. We found that treatment of CD3(+ T cells with a B7-H4.Ig fusion protein inhibits anti-CD3 elicited T-cell receptor (TCR/CD28 signaling events, including phosphorylation of the MAP kinases, ERK, p38, and JNK. B7-H4.Ig treatment also inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT kinase and impaired its kinase activity as assessed by the phosphorylation of its endogenous substrate GSK-3. Expression of IL-2 is also reduced by B7-H4. In contrast, the phosphorylation state of the TCR proximal tyrosine kinases ZAP70 and lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK are not affected by B7-H4 ligation. These results indicate that B7-H4 inhibits T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production through interfering with activation of ERK, JNK, and AKT, but not of ZAP70 or LCK.

  1. Retinoid inhibition of in vitro invasion of human amnion basement membrane by human tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fazely, F.

    1988-01-01

    The effects measured were the inhibition of tumor cell migration through the basement membrane (BM) and tumor cell degradative enzyme activity on 3 H-proline labeled collagenous and non collagenous components of the BM. The human lung carcinoma A549 or the human Ewing's sarcoma TC-106 cell lines treated with retinoids for two days were incubated on the BM in the absence of retinoids. A dose-dependent inhibition of cell invasion was produced by retinoids. Among the retinoids tested the most powerful was retinol acetate which inhibited invasion by 50% of A549 cells at a concentration of 0.09 μg/ml, and TC-106 cells at 0.08 μg/ml. Retinol acetate inhibited A549 and TC-106 cell growth by approximately 50% at levels almost 100-fold higher than those needed for antiinvasive activity. Retinol acetate was about 20 times more potent than retinoic acid and 30 times more than retinol palmitate. Furthermore, A549 cells treated with retinol acetate, under conditions whereby an anti-invasive state was induced,showed an increase in the number of cellular retinoic acid binding proteins (CRABP), a decrease in the activity of type IV collagenase and ectosialyltransferase, and no change in the activity of transglutaminase

  2. Retinoid inhibition of in vitro invasion of human amnion basement membrane by human tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fazely, F.; Ledinko, N.; Smith, D.J.

    1986-01-01

    The biological activity of retinoids was assayed in an in vitro quantitative assay of human tumor cell invasion using human amnion basement membrane (BM). The effects measured were the inhibition of tumor cell migration through the BM and tumor cell degradative enzyme activity on 14 C-proline labeled collagenous and noncollagenous components of the BM. The human lung carcinoma A549 or the human Ewing's sarcoma TC-106 cell lines treated with retinoids for two days were incubated on the BM in the absence of retinoids. A dose-dependent inhibition of cell invasion was produced by retinoids. Among the retinoids tested, the most powerful was retinol acetate which inhibited invasion by 50% of A549 cells at a concentration of 0.009 μg/mL, and of TC-106 cells at 0.07 μg/mL. Retinol acetate inhibited A549 and TC-106 cell growth by approximately 50% at levels over 100-fold higher than those needed for antiinvasive activity. Retinol acetate was about 20 times more potent than retinoic acid and 30 times more potent than retinol palmitate. The model system will be useful for investigating antiinvasive activity of other retinoids as well as other compounds

  3. A novel peptide sansalvamide analogue inhibits pancreatic cancer cell growth through G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ujiki, Michael B.; Milam, Ben; Ding Xianzhong; Roginsky, Alexandra B.; Salabat, M. Reza; Talamonti, Mark S.; Bell, Richard H.; Gu Wenxin; Silverman, Richard B.; Adrian, Thomas E.

    2006-01-01

    Patients with pancreatic cancer have little hope for cure because no effective therapies are available. Sansalvamide A is a cyclic depsipeptide produced by a marine fungus. We investigated the effect of a novel sansalvamide A analogue on growth, cell-cycle phases, and induction of apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. The sansalvamide analogue caused marked time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation of two human pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1 and S2-013). The analogue induced G0/G1 phase cell-cycle arrest and morphological changes suggesting induction of apoptosis. Apoptosis was confirmed by annexin V binding. This novel sansalvamide analogue inhibits growth of pancreatic cancer cells through G0/G1 arrest and induces apoptosis. Sansalvamide analogues may be valuable for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

  4. Pu-erh Tea Inhibits Tumor Cell Growth by Down-Regulating Mutant p53

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Lanjun; Jia, Shuting; Tang, Wenru; Sheng, Jun; Luo, Ying

    2011-01-01

    Pu-erh tea is a kind of fermented tea with the incorporation of microorganisms’ metabolites. Unlike green tea, the chemical characteristics and bioactivities of Pu-erh tea are still not well understood. Using water extracts of Pu-erh tea, we analyzed the tumor cell growth inhibition activities on several genetically engineered mouse tumor cell lines. We found that at the concentration that did not affect wild type mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) growth, Pu-erh tea extracts could inhibit tumor cell growth by down-regulated S phase and cause G1 or G2 arrest. Further study showed that Pu-erh tea extracts down-regulated the expression of mutant p53 in tumor cells at the protein level as well as mRNA level. The same concentration of Pu-erh tea solution did not cause p53 stabilization or activation of its downstream pathways in wild type cells. We also found that Pu-erh tea treatment could slightly down-regulate both HSP70 and HSP90 protein levels in tumor cells. These data revealed the action of Pu-erh tea on tumor cells and provided the possible mechanism for Pu-erh tea action, which explained its selectivity in inhibiting tumor cells without affecting wild type cells. Our data sheds light on the application of Pu-erh tea as an anti-tumor agent with low side effects. PMID:22174618

  5. 3,3′-Diindolylmethane, but not indole-3-carbinol, inhibits histone deacetylase activity in prostate cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beaver, Laura M.; Yu, Tian-Wei; Sokolowski, Elizabeth I.; Williams, David E.; Dashwood, Roderick H.; Ho, Emily

    2012-01-01

    Increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) are phytochemicals derived from cruciferous vegetables that have shown promise in inhibiting prostate cancer in experimental models. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition is an emerging target for cancer prevention and therapy. We sought to examine the effects of I3C and DIM on HDACs in human prostate cancer cell lines: androgen insensitive PC-3 cells and androgen sensitive LNCaP cells. I3C modestly inhibited HDAC activity in LNCaP cells by 25% but no inhibition of HDAC activity was detected in PC-3 cells. In contrast, DIM significantly inhibited HDAC activity in both cell lines by as much as 66%. Decreases in HDAC activity correlated with increased expression of p21, a known target of HDAC inhibitors. DIM treatment caused a significant decrease in the expression of HDAC2 protein in both cancer cell lines but no significant change in the protein levels of HDAC1, HDAC3, HDAC4, HDAC6 or HDAC8 was detected. Taken together, these results show that inhibition of HDAC activity by DIM may contribute to the phytochemicals' anti-proliferative effects in the prostate. The ability of DIM to target aberrant epigenetic patterns, in addition to its effects on detoxification of carcinogens, may make it an effective chemopreventive agent by targeting multiple stages of prostate carcinogenesis. -- Highlights: ► DIM inhibits HDAC activity and decreases HDAC2 expression in prostate cancer cells. ► DIM is significantly more effective than I3C at inhibiting HDAC activity. ► I3C has no effect on HDAC protein expression. ► Inhibition of HDAC activity by DIM is associated with increased p21 expression. ► HDAC inhibition may be a novel epigenetic mechanism for cancer prevention with DIM.

  6. 3,3′-Diindolylmethane, but not indole-3-carbinol, inhibits histone deacetylase activity in prostate cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beaver, Laura M., E-mail: beaverl@onid.orst.edu [Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, 307 Linus Pauling Science Center, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Oregon State University, 103 Milam Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Yu, Tian-Wei, E-mail: david.yu@oregonstate.edu [Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, 307 Linus Pauling Science Center, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Sokolowski, Elizabeth I., E-mail: sokolowe@onid.orst.edu [School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Oregon State University, 103 Milam Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Williams, David E., E-mail: david.williams@oregonstate.edu [Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, 307 Linus Pauling Science Center, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, 1007 Agriculture and Life Sciences Building, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Dashwood, Roderick H., E-mail: rod.dashwood@oregonstate.edu [Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, 307 Linus Pauling Science Center, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, 1007 Agriculture and Life Sciences Building, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Ho, Emily, E-mail: Emily.Ho@oregonstate.edu [Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, 307 Linus Pauling Science Center, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Oregon State University, 103 Milam Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States)

    2012-09-15

    Increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) are phytochemicals derived from cruciferous vegetables that have shown promise in inhibiting prostate cancer in experimental models. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition is an emerging target for cancer prevention and therapy. We sought to examine the effects of I3C and DIM on HDACs in human prostate cancer cell lines: androgen insensitive PC-3 cells and androgen sensitive LNCaP cells. I3C modestly inhibited HDAC activity in LNCaP cells by 25% but no inhibition of HDAC activity was detected in PC-3 cells. In contrast, DIM significantly inhibited HDAC activity in both cell lines by as much as 66%. Decreases in HDAC activity correlated with increased expression of p21, a known target of HDAC inhibitors. DIM treatment caused a significant decrease in the expression of HDAC2 protein in both cancer cell lines but no significant change in the protein levels of HDAC1, HDAC3, HDAC4, HDAC6 or HDAC8 was detected. Taken together, these results show that inhibition of HDAC activity by DIM may contribute to the phytochemicals' anti-proliferative effects in the prostate. The ability of DIM to target aberrant epigenetic patterns, in addition to its effects on detoxification of carcinogens, may make it an effective chemopreventive agent by targeting multiple stages of prostate carcinogenesis. -- Highlights: ► DIM inhibits HDAC activity and decreases HDAC2 expression in prostate cancer cells. ► DIM is significantly more effective than I3C at inhibiting HDAC activity. ► I3C has no effect on HDAC protein expression. ► Inhibition of HDAC activity by DIM is associated with increased p21 expression. ► HDAC inhibition may be a novel epigenetic mechanism for cancer prevention with DIM.

  7. Gigantol Inhibits Epithelial to Mesenchymal Process in Human Lung Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thitita Unahabhokha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer remains a leading public health problem as evidenced by its increasing death rate. The main cause of death in lung cancer patients is cancer metastasis. The metastatic behavior of lung cancer cells becomes enhanced when cancer cells undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT. Gigantol, a bibenzyl compound extracted from the Thai orchid, Dendrobium draconis, has been shown to have promising therapeutic potential against cancer cells, which leads to the hypothesis that gigantol may be able to inhibit the fundamental EMT process in cancer cells. This study has demonstrated for the first time that gigantol possesses the ability to suppress EMT in non-small cell lung cancer H460 cells. Western blot analysis has revealed that gigantol attenuates the activity of ATP-dependent tyrosine kinase (AKT, thereby inhibiting the expression of the major EMT transcription factor, Slug, by both decreasing its transcription and increasing its degradation. The inhibitory effects of gigantol on EMT result in a decrease in the level of migration in H460 lung cancer cells. The results of this study emphasize the potential of gigantol for further development against lung cancer metastasis.

  8. The bisphosphonate zoledronic acid effectively targets lung cancer cells by inhibition of protein prenylation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, Fan; Li, Pengcheng; Gong, Jianhua; Zhang, Jiahong; Ma, Jingping

    2015-01-01

    Aberrant activation of oncoproteins such as members of the Ras family is common in human lung cancers. The proper function of Ras largely depends on a post-translational modification termed prenylation. Bisphosphonates have been shown to inhibit prenylation in cancer cells. In this study, we show that zoledronic acid, a third generation bisphosphonate, is effective in targeting lung cancer cells. This is achieved by the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation, through suppressing the activation of downstream Ras and EGFR signalling by zoledronic acid. The combination of zoledronic acid and paclitaxel or cisplatin (commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs for lung cancer) augmented the activity of either drug alone in in vitro lung cancer cellular system and in vivo lung xenograft mouse model. Importantly, zoledronic acid inhibits protein prenylation as shown by the increased levels of unprenylated Ras and Rap1A. In addition, the effects of zoledronic acid were reversed in the presence of geranylgeraniol and farnesol, further confirming that mechanism of zoledroinc acid's action in lung cancer cells is through prenylation inhibition. Since zoledronic acid is already available for clinic use, these results suggest that it may be an effective addition to the armamentarium of drugs for the treatment of lung cancer. - Highlights: • Zoledronic acid (ZA) is effectively against lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. • ZA acts on lung cancer cells through inhibition of protein prenylation. • ZA suppresses global downstream phosphorylation of Ras signalling. • ZA enhances the effects of chemotherapeutic drugs in lung cancer cells.

  9. The bisphosphonate zoledronic acid effectively targets lung cancer cells by inhibition of protein prenylation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xie, Fan [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jingzhou Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Jingzhou (China); Li, Pengcheng [Department of Oncology, Wuhan Union Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Gong, Jianhua; Zhang, Jiahong [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jingzhou Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Jingzhou (China); Ma, Jingping, E-mail: mjpjzhospital@hotmail.com [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jingzhou Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Jingzhou (China)

    2015-11-27

    Aberrant activation of oncoproteins such as members of the Ras family is common in human lung cancers. The proper function of Ras largely depends on a post-translational modification termed prenylation. Bisphosphonates have been shown to inhibit prenylation in cancer cells. In this study, we show that zoledronic acid, a third generation bisphosphonate, is effective in targeting lung cancer cells. This is achieved by the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation, through suppressing the activation of downstream Ras and EGFR signalling by zoledronic acid. The combination of zoledronic acid and paclitaxel or cisplatin (commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs for lung cancer) augmented the activity of either drug alone in in vitro lung cancer cellular system and in vivo lung xenograft mouse model. Importantly, zoledronic acid inhibits protein prenylation as shown by the increased levels of unprenylated Ras and Rap1A. In addition, the effects of zoledronic acid were reversed in the presence of geranylgeraniol and farnesol, further confirming that mechanism of zoledroinc acid's action in lung cancer cells is through prenylation inhibition. Since zoledronic acid is already available for clinic use, these results suggest that it may be an effective addition to the armamentarium of drugs for the treatment of lung cancer. - Highlights: • Zoledronic acid (ZA) is effectively against lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. • ZA acts on lung cancer cells through inhibition of protein prenylation. • ZA suppresses global downstream phosphorylation of Ras signalling. • ZA enhances the effects of chemotherapeutic drugs in lung cancer cells.

  10. Inflammasome Inhibition Suppresses Alveolar Cell Permeability Through Retention of Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajanbabu Venugopal

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Neuregulin (NRG-1-human epidermal receptor (HER-2 signaling pathway is a key regulator of IL-1β-mediated pulmonary inflammation and epithelial permeability. The inflammasome is a newly discovered molecular platform required for caspase-1 activation and maturation of IL-1β. However, the role of the inflammasome in NRG-1-HER2 signaling-mediated alveolar cell permeability is unknown. Methods: The inflammasome was activated or inhibited in THP-1 cells; supernatants from these cells were added to A549 cells and human small airway epithelial cells (HSAEC. The protein expression of NRG-1 and phospho-HER2 (pHER2 were measured by Western blot analysis and epithelial permeability was measured using Lucifer yellow dye. Results: Results reveal that alveolar permeability in A549 cells and HSAEC is increased when treated with supernatants of inflammasome-activated THP-1 cells. Alveolar permeability is significantly suppressed when treated with supernatant of inflammasome-inhibited THP-1 cells. Inflammasome-mediated permeability is decreased when A549 cells and HSAEC are pretreated with IL-1β receptor antagonist (IL-1βRA. In addition, HER2 kinase inhibitor AG825 or NRG-1 inhibitor TAPI inhibits inflammasome-mediated permeability in A549 cells and HSAEC demonstrating critical roles of IL-1β, NRG-1, and HER2 in inflammasome-mediated alveolar permeability. Conclusion: These findings suggest that inflammasome-induced alveolar cell permeability is mediated by NRG-1/HER2 signaling through IL-1β regulation.

  11. FK866-induced NAMPT inhibition activates AMPK and downregulates mTOR signaling in hepatocarcinoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schuster, Susanne, E-mail: Susanne.Schuster@medizin.uni-leipzig.de [Center for Pediatric Research Leipzig, University Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 21, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Penke, Melanie; Gorski, Theresa [Center for Pediatric Research Leipzig, University Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 21, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Gebhardt, Rolf [Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 30, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Weiss, Thomas S. [Children' s University Hospital, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg (Germany); Kiess, Wieland; Garten, Antje [Center for Pediatric Research Leipzig, University Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 21, 04103 Leipzig (Germany)

    2015-03-06

    Background: Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the key enzyme of the NAD salvage pathway starting from nicotinamide. Cancer cells have an increased demand for NAD due to their high proliferation and DNA repair rate. Consequently, NAMPT is considered as a putative target for anti-cancer therapies. There is evidence that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) become dysregulated during the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we investigated the effects of NAMPT inhibition by its specific inhibitor FK866 on the viability of hepatocarcinoma cells and analyzed the effects of FK866 on the nutrient sensor AMPK and mTOR complex1 (mTORC1) signaling. Results: FK866 markedly decreased NAMPT activity and NAD content in hepatocarcinoma cells (Huh7 cells, Hep3B cells) and led to delayed ATP reduction which was associated with increased cell death. These effects could be abrogated by administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the enzyme product of NAMPT. Our results demonstrated a dysregulation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway in hepatocarcinoma cells compared to non-cancerous hepatocytes with a higher expression of mTOR and a lower AMPKα activation in hepatocarcinoma cells. We found that NAMPT inhibition by FK866 significantly activated AMPKα and inhibited the activation of mTOR and its downstream targets p70S6 kinase and 4E-BP1 in hepatocarcinoma cells. Non-cancerous hepatocytes were less sensitive to FK866 and did not show changes in AMPK/mTOR signaling after FK866 treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings reveal an important role of the NAMPT-mediated NAD salvage pathway in the energy homeostasis of hepatocarcinoma cells and suggest NAMPT inhibition as a potential treatment option for HCC. - Highlights: • FK866 increases cell death in p53-deficient hepatocarcinoma cells. • AMPK/mTOR signaling is dysregulated in hepatocarcinoma cells. • FK866-induced NAMPT inhibition activates AMPK

  12. FK866-induced NAMPT inhibition activates AMPK and downregulates mTOR signaling in hepatocarcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schuster, Susanne; Penke, Melanie; Gorski, Theresa; Gebhardt, Rolf; Weiss, Thomas S.; Kiess, Wieland; Garten, Antje

    2015-01-01

    Background: Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the key enzyme of the NAD salvage pathway starting from nicotinamide. Cancer cells have an increased demand for NAD due to their high proliferation and DNA repair rate. Consequently, NAMPT is considered as a putative target for anti-cancer therapies. There is evidence that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) become dysregulated during the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we investigated the effects of NAMPT inhibition by its specific inhibitor FK866 on the viability of hepatocarcinoma cells and analyzed the effects of FK866 on the nutrient sensor AMPK and mTOR complex1 (mTORC1) signaling. Results: FK866 markedly decreased NAMPT activity and NAD content in hepatocarcinoma cells (Huh7 cells, Hep3B cells) and led to delayed ATP reduction which was associated with increased cell death. These effects could be abrogated by administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the enzyme product of NAMPT. Our results demonstrated a dysregulation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway in hepatocarcinoma cells compared to non-cancerous hepatocytes with a higher expression of mTOR and a lower AMPKα activation in hepatocarcinoma cells. We found that NAMPT inhibition by FK866 significantly activated AMPKα and inhibited the activation of mTOR and its downstream targets p70S6 kinase and 4E-BP1 in hepatocarcinoma cells. Non-cancerous hepatocytes were less sensitive to FK866 and did not show changes in AMPK/mTOR signaling after FK866 treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings reveal an important role of the NAMPT-mediated NAD salvage pathway in the energy homeostasis of hepatocarcinoma cells and suggest NAMPT inhibition as a potential treatment option for HCC. - Highlights: • FK866 increases cell death in p53-deficient hepatocarcinoma cells. • AMPK/mTOR signaling is dysregulated in hepatocarcinoma cells. • FK866-induced NAMPT inhibition activates AMPK

  13. HGFA Is an Injury-Regulated Systemic Factor that Induces the Transition of Stem Cells into GAlert

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph T. Rodgers

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: The activation of quiescent stem cells into the cell cycle is a key step in initiating the process of tissue repair. We recently reported that quiescent stem cells can transition into GAlert, a cellular state in which they have an increased functional ability to activate and participate in tissue repair. However, the precise molecular signals that induce GAlert in stem cells have remained elusive. Here, we show that the injury-induced regulation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF proteolytic processing via the systemic protease, hepatocyte growth factor activator (HGFA, stimulates GAlert in skeletal muscle stem cells (MuSCs and fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs. We demonstrate that administering active HGFA to animals is sufficient to induce GAlert in stem cells throughout the body and to significantly accelerate the processes of stem cell activation and tissue repair. Our data suggest that factors that induce GAlert will have broad therapeutic applications for regenerative medicine and wound healing. : Rodgers et al. show that HGFA is a systemic protease that is activated by tissue injury and relays a signal to stem cells in non-injured tissues that induces their transition into a primed, “GAlert” state in which they possess an enhanced potential to activate and repair tissue damage. Keywords: satellite cells, muscle stem cells, fibro-adipogenic progenitors, HGFA, HGF, mTORC1, cMet, stem cell quiescence, stem cell activation, GAlert

  14. B-cell translocation gene 3 overexpression inhibits proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer SW480 cells via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, D; Qiao, L; Lu, H; Feng, Y

    2016-01-01

    Increasing evidences have shown that B-cell translocation gene 3 (BTG3) inhibits metastasis of multiple cancer cells. However, the role of BTG3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its possible mechanism have not yet been reported. In our study, we evaluated BTG3 expression in several CRC cell lines. Then, pcDNA3.1-BTG3 was transfected into SW480 cells. We found that BTG3 was upregulated in SW480 cells after overexpression plasmid transfection. BTG3 overexpression significantly inhibited cell growth and decreased PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and Ki67 levels. BTG3 overexpression markedly downregulated Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1 levels, whereas elevated p27. Overexpression of BTG3 arrested the cell cycle at G1 phase, which was abrogated by p27 silencing. Furthermore, migration, invasion and EMT of SW480 cells were significantly suppressed by BTG3 overexpression. Further investigations showed the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We then used GSK3β specific inhibitor SB-216763 to activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We found that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation reversed the effect of BTG3 overexpression on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion and EMT. In conclusion, BTG3 overexpression inhibited cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest and suppressed the metastasis of SW480 cells via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. BTG3 may be considered as a therapeutic target in CRC treatment.

  15. Inhibiting Cadmium Transport Process in Root Cells of Plants: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZHAO Yan-ling

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Cadmium(Cd is the most common element found in the heavy-metal contaminated soils in China. Roots of rice and vegetables can concentrate Cd from acid soils, and then transport Cd to above-ground parts. Cd in edible part of plants directly influences the food safety. Cellwall, plasma membrane and organells of root cells in plant can discriminate Cd from other elements. A lot of Cd can be fixed in root cells by precipitation, complexation, compartmentation, and so on, to inhibit its transport from roots to shoot and guarantee the physiological activities in above-ground parts carrying out normally. This paper summarized recent advance on inhibiting Cd transport process in subcellular fractions of root cells of plants, which is in advantage of exploring excellent germplasms and gene resources in the future.

  16. Migration of bone marrow and cord blood mesenchymal stem cells in vitro is regulated by stromal-derived factor-1-CXCR4 and hepatocyte growth factor-c-met axes and involves matrix metalloproteinases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Bo-Ra; Marquez-Curtis, Leah A; Kucia, Magda; Wysoczynski, Marcin; Turner, A Robert; Ratajczak, Janina; Ratajczak, Mariusz Z; Janowska-Wieczorek, Anna

    2006-05-01

    Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are increasingly being considered in cell-based therapeutic strategies for regeneration of various organs/tissues. However, the signals required for their homing and recruitment to injured sites are not yet fully understood. Because stromal-derived factor (SDF)-1 and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) become up-regulated during tissue/organ damage, in this study we examined whether these factors chemoattract ex vivo-expanded MSCs derived from bone marrow (BM) and umbilical cord blood (CB). Specifically, we investigated the expression by MSCs of CXCR4 and c-met, the cognate receptors of SDF-1 and HGF, and their functionality after early and late passages of MSCs. We also determined whether MSCs express matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), including membrane type 1 (MT1)-MMP, matrix-degrading enzymes that facilitate the trafficking of hematopoietic stem cells. We maintained expanded BM- or CB-derived MSCs for up to 15-18 passages with monitoring of the expression of 1) various tissue markers (cardiac and skeletal muscle, neural, liver, and endothelial cells), 2) functional CXCR4 and c-met, and 3) MMPs. We found that for up to 15-18 passages, both BM- and CB-derived MSCs 1) express mRNA for cardiac, muscle, neural, and liver markers, as well as the vascular endothelial (VE) marker VE-cadherin; 2) express CXCR4 and c-met receptors and are strongly attracted by SDF-1 and HGF gradients; 3) express MMP-2 and MT1-MMP transcripts and proteins; and 4) are chemo-invasive across the reconstituted basement membrane Matrigel. These in vitro results suggest that the SDF-1-CXCR4 and HGF-c-met axes, along with MMPs, may be involved in recruitment of expanded MSCs to damaged tissues.

  17. Mixed metal oxide nanoparticles inhibit growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis into THP-1 cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A R Jafari

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: Although Ag NPs exhibited low cytotoxicity, they were unable to inhibit Mtb growth in vitro. ZnO NPs exhibited strong anti-Mtb activity and inhibited bacterial growth, but exhibited high cytotoxicity to human macrophage cells. By mixing Ag and ZnO NPs at a ratio of 8ZnO/2Ag, we acquired a mixture that exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Mtb and no cytotoxic effects on THP-1 cells, resulting in inhibition of both in vitro and ex vivo Mtb growth [Figure 1],[Figure 2],[Figure 3], [Table 1],[Table 2],[Table 3].{Figure 1}{Figure 2}{Figure 3} {Table 1}{Table 2}{Table 3}

  18. Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells inhibit T-cell lymphoma growth in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Jin-Ok; Chae, Ji-Sang; Coh, Ye-Rin; Jung, Woo-Sung; Lee, Hee-Woo; Shin, Il-Seob; Kang, Sung-Keun; Youn, Hwa-Young

    2014-09-01

    Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are thought to be one of the most reliable stem cell sources for a variety of cell therapies. This study investigated the anti-tumor effect of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAT-MSCs) on EL4 murine T-cell lymphoma in vitro and in vivo. The growth-inhibitory effect of hAT-MSCs on EL4 tumor cells was evaluated using a WST-1 cell proliferation assay. Cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis were investigated by flow cytometry and western blot. To evaluate an anti-tumor effect of hAT-MSCs on T-cell lymphoma in vivo, CM-DiI-labeled hAT-MSCs were circumtumorally injected in tumor-bearing nude mice, and tumor size was measured. hAT-MSCs inhibited T-cell lymphoma growth by altering cell-cycle progression and inducing apoptosis in vitro. hAT-MSCs inhibited tumor growth in tumor-bearing nude mice and prolonged survival time. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that hAT-MSCs migrated to tumor sites. hAT-MSCs suppress the growth of T-cell lymphoma, suggesting a therapeutic option for T-cell lymphoma. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  19. Magnolin inhibits cell migration and invasion by targeting the ERKs/RSK2 signaling pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Cheol-Jung; Lee, Mee-Hyun; Yoo, Sun-Mi; Choi, Kyung-Il; Song, Ji-Hong; Jang, Jeong-Hoon; Oh, Sei-Ryang; Ryu, Hyung-Won; Lee, Hye-Suk; Surh, Young-Joon; Cho, Yong-Yeon

    2015-01-01

    Magnolin is a natural compound abundantly found in Magnolia flos, which has been traditionally used in oriental medicine to treat headaches, nasal congestion and anti-inflammatory reactions. Our recent results have demonstrated that magnolin targets the active pockets of ERK1 and ERK2, which are important signaling molecules in cancer cell metastasis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of magnolin on cell migration and to further explore the molecular mechanisms involved. Magnolin-mediated signaling inhibition was confirmed by Western blotting using RSK2 +/+ and RSK2 −/− MEFs, A549 and NCI-H1975 lung cancer cells, and by NF-κB and Cox-2 promoter luciferase reporter assays. Inhibition of cell migration by magnolin was examined by wound healing and/or Boyden Chamber assays using JB6 Cl41 and A549 human lung cancer cells. The molecular mechanisms involved in cell migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition were determined by zymography, Western blotting, real-time PCR and immunocytofluorescence. Magnolin inhibited NF-κB transactivation activity by suppressing the ERKs/RSK2 signaling pathway. Moreover, magnolin abrogated the increase in EGF-induced COX-2 protein levels and wound healing. In human lung cancer cells such as A549 and NCI-H1975, which harbor constitutive active Ras and EGFR mutants, respectively, magnolin suppressed wound healing and cell invasion as seen by a Boyden chamber assay. In addition, it was observed that magnolin inhibited MMP-2 and −9 gene expression and activity. The knockdown or knockout of RSK2 in A549 lung cancer cells or MEFs revealed that magnolin targeting ERKs/RSK2 signaling suppressed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by modulating EMT marker proteins such as N-cadherin, E-cadherin, Snail, Vimentin and MMPs. These results demonstrate that magnolin inhibits cell migration and invasion by targeting the ERKs/RSK2 signaling pathway. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1580-7) contains

  20. Inhibition of DNA synthesis and radiosensitization effects of thalidomide on esophageal carcinoma TE1 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Jingping; Sun Suping; Sun Zhiqiang; Sun Meiling; Liu Fenju

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To explore the radiosensitization effect of thalidomide combined with X-ray on esophageal carcinoma TE1 cells. Methods: Cell scratch assay was used to detect the inhibition ability of different concentration of Thalidomide on cell invasion and metastasis. H 3 -TdR incorporation assay was used to investigate the inhibition of DNA synthesis in TE1 cells by treated with Thalidomide singly or combination with X-rays. The colony formation assay was used to analyze the radiosensitization of Thalidomide effect on TE1 cells. Results: Thalidomide had obvious inhibition effect on TE1 cell metastasis, DNA synthesis and colony formation, which were correlated with drug concentration. The values D 0 , D q and SF 2 in TE1 cells were gradually decreased with thalidomide concentration increased. When the concentration of thalidomide was 100μg/ml, the SER D 0 and SER D 0 and SER D q were (1.4±0.2) and (1.5±0.1), respectively, While the concentration of thalidomide was 150 μg/ml, the SER D 0 and SER D q were (1.5±0.2) and (1.8±0.2), respectively. Conclusions: Thalidomide could inhibit TE1 cell invasion, metastasis, DNA synthesis, and significantly enhance the radiosensitizing effect on esophageal carcinoma TE1 cells. (authors)