Activity In A549 Cells Research Articles

Effects of Nano-SiO2 combining with cold on cytotoxicity and secretion of inflammatory factors in A549 cells

Objective: To investigate the effects of nano-SiO2 and cold on the cytotoxicity and secretion of inflammatory factors in human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line A549. Methods: A549 was used as experimental subject, a single factor multilevel experiment was designed, A549 cells were exposed to 10, 50, 100, 200 μg/ml nano-SiO2 particles and/or cultured at 31℃, 33℃, 35℃ for 48 h. After that, cell morphology was observed and relative cell survival rate was detected. According to the results of single factor analysis and based on the selection of nano-SiO2 dose and temperature that significantly reduced the relative survival rate of A549 cells, the experiment was designed according to 2×2 factor analysis , they were divided into 4 groups: control group(37℃), Nano-SiO2 exposure group, low temperature exposure group, Nano-SiO2 and low temperature composite group. After exposure for 48 h, the supernatant of cell culture medium was collected for detecting the LDH activity by colorimetric method and the levels of cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were determined by ELISA. The mRNA levels of cellular IL-6 and IL-8 were detected by qRT-PCR. Results: The activities of A549 cells in 100 μg/ml Nano-SiO2 group and 31℃ low temperature group were decreased significantly. Under the combined conditions, the activity of A549 cells was most inhibited (P＜0.01), and the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-8 and mRNA were significantly increased (P＜0.01). Conclusion: 100 μg/ml Nano-SiO2 combined with 31℃ cold exposure can synergistically reduce the activity of A549 cells and increase the expression level of inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-8 .

Structure-aided optimization of 3-O-β-chacotriosyl epiursolic acid derivatives as novel H5N1 virus entry inhibitors

It is urgent to develop new antiviral agents due to the continuous emergence of drug-resistant strains of influenza virus. Our earlier studies have identified that certain pentacyclic triterpene saponins with 3-O-β-chacotriosyl residue are novel H5N1 virus entry inhibitors. In the present study, a series of C-28 modified 3-O-β-chacotriosyl epiursolic acid derivatives via conjugation with different kinds of sides were synthesized, of which anti-H5N1 activities in A549 cells were evaluated in vitro. Among them, 10 exhibited strongest anti-H5N1 potency at the low-micromole level without cytotoxicity, surpassing the potency of ribavirin. Further mechanism studies of the lead compound 10 based on HI, SPR and molecular modeling revealed that these new 3-epiursolic acid saponins could bind tightly to the viral envelope HA protein, thus blocking the invasion of H5N1 viruses into host cells.

Design, Synthesis, Molecular Docking, and Anticancer Evaluation of Pyrazole Linked Pyrazoline Derivatives with Carbothioamide Tail as EGFR Kinase Inhibitors.

The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (known as EGFR) induces cell differentiation and proliferation upon activation through the binding of its ligands. Since EGFR is thought to be involved in the development of cancer, the identification of new target inhibitors is the most viable approach, which recently gained momentum as a potential anticancer therapy. To assess various pyrazole linked pyrazoline derivatives with carbothioamide for EGFR kinase inhibitory as well as anti-proliferative activity against human cancer cell lines viz. A549 (non-small cell lung tumor), MCF-7 (breast cancer cell line), SiHa (cancerous tissues of the cervix uteri), and HCT-116 (colon cancer cell line). In vitro EGFR kinase assay, in vitro MTT assay, Lactate dehydrogenase release, nuclear staining (DAPI), and flow cytometry cell analysis. Compounds 6h and 6j inhibited EGFR kinase at concentrations of 1.66μM and 1.9μM, respectively. Furthermore, compounds 6h and 6j showed the most potent anti-proliferative results against the A549 KRAS mutation cell line (IC50 = 9.3 & 10.2μM). Through DAPI staining and phase contrast microscopy, it was established that compounds 6h and 6j also induced apoptotic activity in A549 cells. This activity was further confirmed by FACS using Annexin-V-FITC and Propidium Iodide (PI) labeling. Molecular docking studies performed on 6h and 6j suggested that the compounds can bind to the hinge region of ATP binding site of EGFR tyrosine kinase in a similar pose as that of the standard drug gefitinib. The potential anticancer activity of compounds 6h and 6j was confirmed and need further exploration in cancer cell lines of different tissue origin and signaling pathways, as well as in animal models of cancer development.

Combination treatment of Src inhibitor Saracatinib with GMI, a Ganoderma microsporum immunomodulatory protein, induce synthetic lethality via autophagy and apoptosis in lung cancer cells.

Saracatinib is an oral Src-kinase inhibitor and has been studied in preclinical models and clinical trials of cancer therapy. GMI, a fungal immunomodulatory protein from Ganoderma microsporum, possesses antitumor capacity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of combination treatment with saracatinib and GMI on parental and pemetrexed-resistant lung cancer cells. Cotreatment with saracatinib and GMI induced synergistic and additive cytotoxic effect in A549 and A400 cells by annexin V/propidium iodide assay and combination index. Using western blot assay, saracatinib, and GMI combined treatment synergistically induced caspase-7 activation in A549 cells. Different from A549 cells, saracatinib and GMI cotreatment markedly increased LC3B-II in A400 cells. ATG5 silencing abolished the caspase-7 activation and reduced cell death in A549 cells after cotreatment. This is the first study to provide a novel strategy of treating lung cancer with or without drug resistance via combination treatment with GMI and saracatinib.

Palbociclib treatment alters nucleotide biosynthesis and glutamine dependency in A549 cells

BackgroundAberrant activity of cell cycle proteins is one of the key somatic events in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pathogenesis. In most NSCLC cases, the retinoblastoma protein tumor suppressor (RB) becomes inactivated via constitutive phosphorylation by cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation. Palbociclib, a small molecule inhibitor of CDK4/6, has shown anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo, with recent studies demonstrating a functional role for palbociclib in reprogramming cellular metabolism. While palbociclib has shown efficacy in preclinical models of NSCLC, the metabolic consequences of CDK4/6 inhibition in this context are largely unknown.MethodsIn our study, we used a combination of stable isotope resolved metabolomics using [U-13C]-glucose and multiple in vitro metabolic assays, to interrogate the metabolic perturbations induced by palbociclib in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Specifically, we assessed changes in glycolytic activity, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), and glutamine utilization. We performed these studies following palbociclib treatment with simultaneous silencing of RB1 to define the pRB-dependent changes in metabolism.ResultsOur studies revealed palbociclib does not affect glycolytic activity in A549 cells but decreases glucose metabolism through the PPP. This is in part via reducing activity of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the rate limiting enzyme in the PPP. Additionally, palbociclib enhances glutaminolysis to maintain mitochondrial respiration and sensitizes A549 cells to the glutaminase inhibitor, CB-839. Notably, the effects of palbociclib on both the PPP and glutamine utilization occur in an RB-dependent manner.ConclusionsTogether, our data define the metabolic impact of palbociclib treatment in A549 cells and may support the targeting CDK4/6 inhibition in combination with glutaminase inhibitors in NSCLC patients with RB-proficient tumors.

LncRNA MEG3 inhibits non-small cell lung cancer via interaction with DKC1 protein.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MEG3 is a key biomarker and therapeutic target in lung cancer; however, its underlying molecular mechanism in lung cancer progression remains unclear. The present study demonstrated a novel regulatory axis in lung cancer, lncRNA MEG3/dyskeratosis congenita 1 (DKC1), and further investigated the effects and molecular mechanism of lncRNA MEG3/DKC1 in lung cancer. RT-qPCR and western blot analysis were performed to determine gene and protein expression levels. The RNA immunoprecipitation assay was performed to verify binding between lncRNA MEG3 and DKC1. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to assess cell apoptosis, while the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to determine cell viability. Transwell and wound healing assays were performed to assess cell invasion and migration, respectively. Telomerase activity was measured using the quantitative TeloTAGGG Telomerase PCR-ELISA kit. The results demonstrated that lncRNA MEG3 was downregulated, while its binding protein, DKC1, was upregulated in lung cancer cells. Furthermore, lncRNA MEG3 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and telomerase activity in A549 cells by downregulating DKC1. lncRNA MEG3 inhibited non-small cell lung cancer progression by inhibiting telomere function, cell proliferation, telomerase activity, cell migration and invasion via regulation of the DKC1 protein expression. LncRNA MEG3/DKC1 was identified as a novel dual-directional regulatory axis in the present study, acting as a promising target for the treatment of lung cancer.

Isoliquiritigenin Nanosuspension Enhances Cytostatic Effects in A549 Lung Cancer Cells.

Isoliquiritigenin, a flavonoid extracted from licorice root, has been shown to be active against most cancer cells; however, its antitumor activity is limited by its poor water solubility. The aim of this study was to develop a stable isoliquiritigenin nanosuspension for enhanced solubility and to evaluate its in vitro cytostatic activity in A549 cells. The nanosuspension of isoliquiritigenin was prepared through wet media milling with HPC SSL (hydroxypropyl cellulose-SSL) and PVP K30 (polyinylpyrrolidone-K30) as stabilizers, and the samples were then characterized according to particle size, zeta-potential, SEM (scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), XRPD (X-ray powder diffraction), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and in vitro release. The isoliquiritigenin nanosuspension prepared with HPC SSL and PVP K30 had particle sizes of 238.1 ± 4.9 nm and 354.1 ± 9.1 nm, respectively. Both nanosuspensions showed a surface charge of approximately - 20 mV and a lamelliform or ellipse shape. The dissolution of isoliquiritigenin from the 2 nanosuspensions was markedly higher than that of free isoliquiritigenin. In vitro studies on A549 cells indicated that the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake significantly improved after treatment with both nanosuspensions in comparison to the isoliquiritigenin solution. Furthermore, cell apoptosis analysis showed a 7.5 - 10-fold increase in the apoptosis rate induced by both nanosuspensions compared with pure drug. However, the cytotoxicity of pure drug and nanosuspension on normal cells (HELF) was lower, which indicated both isoliquiritigenin nanosuspensions have low toxicity to normal cells. Therefore, the isoliquiritigenin nanosuspension prepared with HPC SSL and PVP K30 as stabilizers may be a promising approach to improve the solubility and cytostatic activity of isoliquiritigenin.

Can marine-derived fungus Neosartorya siamensis KUFA 0017 extract and its secondary metabolites enhance antitumor activity of doxorubicin? An in vitro survey unveils interactions against lung cancer cells.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is one of the most successful anticancer drugs in use. However, chemoresistance is one of the main limitations that patients face. Therefore, development of new strategies to improve the efficacy of Dox is needed. Marine-derived fungi are especially promising sources of new anticancer compounds. In this work, antitumor activity of crude ethyl extract of the cultures of the marine-derived fungus Neosartorya siamensis KUFA 0017 (NS), combined with Dox, was evaluated in six cancer cell lines. To evaluate possible mechanisms involved in the eventual improvement of Dox's cytotoxicity by NS extract, effects on DNA damage, cell death, ultrastructural modifications, and intracellular accumulation of Dox were assessed. The NS extract demonstrated a significant enhancement of Dox's cytotoxic activity in A549 cells, inducing DNA damage, cell death, and intracellular accumulation of Dox. Additionally, the cytotoxic effect of eight compounds, isolated from this extract, that is, 2,4-dihydroxy-3-methylacetophenone-(C1), nortryptoquivaline-(C2), chevalone C-(C3), tryptoquivaline H-(C4), fiscalin A-(C5), epi-fiscalin-C (C6), epi-neofiscalin A-(C7), and epi-fiscalin A-(C8), alone and combined with Dox was also evaluated in lung cancer cells. The cytotoxic effect of Dox was potentiated by all the isolated compounds (except C1) in A549 cells. Therefore, we concluded that NS extract potentiated cytotoxicity by inhibiting cell proliferation, increasing intracellular accumulation of Dox, and inducing cell death (possibly by an autophagic process). The isolated compounds also enhanced the activity of Dox, supporting the potential of this sort of combination. These data call for further studies to characterize drug interactions and underlying mechanisms.

精胺氧化酶抑制剂SI-4650抑制人恶性黑素瘤A375细胞增殖的分子机制研究

Objective To evaluate the effect of spermine oxidase (SMO) inhibitor SI-4650 on the proliferation of a human malignant melanoma cell line A375, and to explore its molecular mechanism. Methods Some cultured A375 cells were divided into 6 groups to be treated with SI-4650 at concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 μmol/L respectively for 24, 48 and 72 hours, and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was performed to evaluate changes in cellular proliferative activity. According to the cellular proliferative activity, 3 concentrations (0, 40, 80 μmol/L) were screened out. Some A375 cells were divided into 3 groups to be treated with 0 (control group) , 40 and 80 μmol/L SI-4650 for 48 hours. Chemiluminescence assay was conducted to detect the SMO activity in A375 cells, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis to determine the polyamine content in A375 cells, flow cytometry to analyze the cell cycle and detect the apoptosis, and Western blot analysis to determine the protein expression of apoptotic marker proteins Bax and c-PARP, inhibitor of apoptosis protein Bcl-2, and autophagy marker proteins Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ. Statistical analysis was carried out by using one-way analysis of variance for comparison of means among several groups, and by using Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) -q test for multiple comparisons. Results MTT assay showed that there was a significant difference in the proliferative activity of A375 cells after the treatment with different concentrations of SI-4650 for different durations (F = 977.23, 5.16 respectively, both P < 0.001) . Significant differences were observed in the SMO activity in A375 cells (F = 242.58, P < 0.001) , spermine and the total polyamine content (F = 338.02, 2 931.07 respectively, both P < 0.001) , proportion of S-phase cells (F = 31.66, P < 0.001) , proportion of apoptotic cells (F = 100.68, P < 0.001) , expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bax, c-PARP and Bcl-2 (F = 35.51, 730.11, 27.54 respectively, all P < 0.001) , and expression of autophagy marker proteins Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ (F = 35.87, 425.04 respectively, P < 0.001) among the control group, 40- and 80-μmol/L SI-4650 groups. Compared with the control group, the 40- and 80-μmol/L SI-4650 groups showed significantly lower SMO activity (luminous intensity: 61 432.85 ± 2 620.92, 43 337.35 ± 1 221.25 respectively, both P < 0.05) , lower spermine (1.97 ± 0.007, 1.88 ± 0.006 respectively, both P < 0.05) and total polyamine content (3.18 ± 0.03, 2.81 ± 0.01 respectively, both P < 0.05) , higher proportions of S-phase cells (27.61% ± 2.05%, 31.58% ± 1.45% respectively, both P < 0.05) and apoptotic cells (27.61% ± 2.05%, 31.58% ± 1.45% respectively, both P < 0.05) , higher expression of apoptotic marker proteins Bax (0.83 ± 0.12, 1.18 ± 0.16 respectively, both P < 0.05) and c-PARP (0.32 ± 0.002, 0.79 ± 0.035 respectively, both P < 0.05) and autophagy marker proteins Beclin-1 (1.00 ± 0.007, 1.14 ± 0.003 respectively, both P < 0.05) and LC3-Ⅱ (0.31 ± 0.001, 0.98 ± 0.003 respectively, both P < 0.05) , and lower expression of inhibitor of apoptosis protein Bcl-2 (0.65 ± 0.09, 0.12 ± 0.002 respectively, both P < 0.05) . Conclusion SI-4650 can inhibit the proliferation of A375 cells, likely by interfering with polyamine metabolism and inducing cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy. Key words: Melanoma; Spermine; Spermidine; Cell proliferation; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Cell line, tumor; Spermine oxidase inhibitor

Impact and mechanism of PMs-3 to epithelial mesenchymal transformation of non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549

Objective To explore Impact and mechanism of PMs-3 to epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line A549. Methods Nanocomposite structure synthetized by our team was utilized on human NSCLC cell line A549 and human normal pulmonary epithelial cell line BEAS-2B with concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 nmol/L for 48 h. Methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay was employed to detect the effect of PMs-3 on A549 cells. Wound assay and Transwell chamber assay were used to test the migration and invasion of PMs-3 on A549 cells. EMT related genes were detected with real time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting. Results Results of MTT assay detected that PMs-3 could inhibit activity of A549 cells significantly, and inhibition rate was (3.203±1.222)% (0 nmol/L), (11.958±4.000)% (20 nmol/L), (25.348±7.710)% (40 nmol/L), (34.775±9.155)% (60 nmol/L), (41.163±10.988)% (80 nmol/L), (50.430±9.743)% (100 nmol/L), (51.895±6.161)% (120 nmol/L), which showed a dose-dependent manner (F=35.451, P 0.05). Conclusion PMs-3 could inhibit NSCLC cells via regulating EMT. Key words: Non-small cell lung cancer; PMs-3; Epithelial mesenchymal transformation; Drug treatment

Ghrelin ameliorates A549 cell apoptosis caused by paraquat via p38-MAPK regulated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway

Paraquat has relatively strong detrimental effects on humans and animals and can cause acute lung injury with high mortality. Ghrelin is a brain-gut peptide which plays important roles in regulating various physiological processes. This study investigated whether ghrelin could inhibit paraquat-induced lung injuries and attempted to elucidate the possible molecular mechanisms. A549 cells were preincubated with different concentrations of ghrelin and then treated with 200 μM of PQ for 24 h. Then cell survival, apoptosis, cellular oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation of A549 cells were detected after different treatments. Subsequently, we analyzed the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and measured caspase-3 activation in A549 cells. In addition, we investigated the activation of the MAPKs pathway and the function of p38-MAPK within mitochondrial apoptosis. Our study indicated that ghrelin administration improved cell viability and reduced apoptosis of PQ-treated A549 cells dose-dependently. Ghrelin treatment reduced the elevation of ROS and MDA, while improved GSH content in A549 cells after paraquat exposure. Moreover, we found that ghrelin dose-dependently increased ΔΨm and decreased caspase-3 activity. The phosphorylated p38 MAPK and JNK levels elevated following PQ exposure, while the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK decreased following ghrelin pretreatment. p38 MAPK siRNA or SB203580 pretreatment ameliorated PQ-caused cell injury and apoptosis related signals, however, the intracellular ROS production was not affected. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), a classic antioxidant pretreatment decreased the phosphorylated p38 MAPK level and intracellular ROS production, alleviated cell injury, and inhibited apoptosis. The results showed that p38-MAPK pathway plays an important role in PQ-caused alveolar epithelial cell insult, and ghrelin might attenuate PQ-induced cell injury by inhibiting ROS-induced p38-MAPK modulated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Effect of downregulation of microRNA-373 expression on cell cycle and apoptosis of a cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cell line A431

Objective To evaluate the effect of downregulation of microRNA (miR) -373 expression on cell cycle and apoptosis of a cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) cell line A431. Methods A431 cells at exponential growth phase were classified into 3 groups: miR-373 inhibitor group and negative control group transfected with miR-373 inhibitor and negative control miRNA respectively, and untreated group receiving no treatment. At 48 hours after the transfection, real-time PCR was performed to determine the expression of miR-373 in the above 3 groups, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay to evaluate the effect of downregulated expression of miR-373 on the proliferation of A431 cells, flow cytometry to investigate the distribution of cell cycle and changes in apoptosis of A431 cells in different treatment groups, and colorimetric analysis to detect the changes in caspase-3 activity in different treatment groups. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS 17.0 software by using two-sample t test for the comparison between two groups, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the comparison among 3 groups, and least significant difference (LSD) -t test for multiple comparisons. Results The expression of miR-373 was significantly lower in the miR-373 inhibitor group (0.120 ± 0.036) than in the untreated group (1.002 ± 0.022) and negative control group (1.037 ± 0.028, LSD-t=36.21, 34.83, respectively, both P < 0.001) . At 48, 72 and 96 hours, the miR-373 inhibitor group showed significantly decreased proliferative activity of A375 cells compared with the untreated group and negative control group (F=10.805, 13.720 and 30.907 respectively, P=0.038, 0.010 and 0.001 respectively) . The proportion of A375 cells in G0/G1 phase was significantly higher in the miR-373 inhibitor group (64.69% ± 1.18%) than in the untreated group (52.74% ± 0.66%, t=15.51, P < 0.001) and negative control group (53.80% ± 0.80%, t=13.24, P < 0.001) . The proportion of total apoptotic cells and activity of caspase-3 in the miR-373 inhibitor group were 22.69% ± 1.24% and 1.238 ± 0.057 respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the untreated group (9.62% ± 1.14%, 0.413 ± 0.028 respectively, both P < 0.001) and negative control group (9.66% ± 0.97%, 0.437 ± 0.036 respectively, both P < 0.001) . Conclusion MiR-373 may play an important role in the regulation of cell cycle and induction of apoptosis of the CSCC cell line A431. Key words: Neoplasms, squamous cell; MicroRNAs; Cell cycle; Apoptosis; Caspase 3; microRNA-373

Diplatinum(II) Catecholate of Photoactive Boron-Dipyrromethene for Lysosome-Targeted Photodynamic Therapy in Red Light.

The binuclear platinum(II) boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) complex [{Pt(dach)}2(μ-Dcrb)] (DP), where dach is 1,2-diaminocyclohexane and H4Dcrb is a morpholine-conjugated BODIPY-linked dicatechol bridging ligand, was prepared for lysosome organelle targeting and near-IR (NIR) light (600-720 nm) induced photocytotoxic activity. The platinum complex [Pt(dach)(cat)] (CP), where H2cat is catechol, was synthesized and used as a control complex without bearing the BODIPY unit. The complex DP displayed a band at 660 nm (ε = 2.1 × 104 M-1 cm-1) in the red region of the UV-visible spectrum recorded in 10% dimethyl sulfoxide/Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMSO/DMEM, pH 7.2). The complex DP and the BODIPY ligand displayed emission in 10% DMSO-DMEM (pH 7.2) giving an λem value of 668 nm (λex = 650 nm) with a ΦF value of 0.02 for DP and 0.16 for H4Dcrb (ΦF, fluorescence quantum yield). Titration experiments using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) indicated that the complex DP and H4Dcrb on irradiation with near-IR light of 600-720 nm generated singlet oxygen (1O2) as the ROS (reactive oxygen species). The complex DP showed significant lysosomal localization and remarkable apoptotic photodynamic therapy (PDT) effects, giving half-maximal inhibitory concentration values (IC50) within 0.6-3.4 μM in HeLa cervical cancer, A549 lung cancer, and MDA-MB231 multidrug resistant cancer cells, while being essentially nontoxic in the dark and in the HPL1D immortalized lung epithelial normal cells. The acridine orange assay using A549 cells showed lysosomal membrane permeabilization by the complex DP under near-IR light (600-720 nm). This complex on near-IR light (600-720 nm) activation in A549 cells induced apoptotic cell death, as observed from an Annexin-V FITC assay.

Design, synthesis of 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives and their anticancer activity via targeting telomeric DNA G-quadruplex

In our work, 19 novel 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives (11a-d, 12a-d, 13a-d, 14a-c, 15c, 16a-c) bearing a 1,3-disubstituted pyrazol/thioxothiazolidinone or thioxothiazolidinone-oxadiazole moieties were designed, synthesized, preliminarily explored for their antitumor activities and in vitro mechanism. All compounds showed different values of antiproliferative activity against A549, AGS, HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines through CCK-8. Especially, the compound 14c exhibited the strongest activity and best selectivity against A549 cells with an IC50 1.13 μM and an SI value of 7.01 relative to MRC-5 cells, which was better than cisplatin (SI = 1.80) as a positive control. Experimental results at extracellular level demonstrated that compounds 14a-c could strongly interact with the G-quadruplex(es) formed in a 26 nt telomeric G-rich DNA, in particular, the 14c exhibits quite strong binding affinity with an association equilibrium constant (KA) of 7.04(±0.16) × 107 M−1 and more than 1000-fold specificity to G4-DNA over ds-DNA and Mut-DNA at the compound/G4-DNA ratio of 1:1. Further trap assay ascertained that compounds 14a-c owned strong inhibitory ability of telomerase activity in A549 cells, suggesting that these compounds have great possibility to target telomeric G-quadruplexes and consequently indirectly inhibit the telomerase activity. In addition, it is worthy of note that the remarkable inhibitory effects of 14a-c on the mobility of tested cancer cells were observed by wound healing assays. Furthermore, molecular docking and UV–Vis spectral results unclose the rationale for the interaction of compounds with such G-quadruplex(es). These results indicate that the growth and metastasis inhibition of cancer cells mediated by these 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives possibly result from their interaction with telomeric G-quadruplexes, suggesting that 4,5-diazafluorene derivatives, especially 14c, possess potential as anticancer drugs.

Danggui Buxue Decoction Sensitizes the Response of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer to Gemcitabine via Regulating Deoxycytidine Kinase and P-glycoprotein.

This study aimed to investigate whether the anti-tumor effect of gemcitabine (GEM) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment was affected by Danggui Buxue decoction (DBD), and explore the potential mechanisms. The combined use of GEM and DBD showed an enhanced tumor growth inhibition effect in a murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) model. LC-MS/MS results showed that the pharmacokinetic behaviors of a GEM active metabolite, gemcitabine triphosphate (dFdCTP), were found to be altered remarkably in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of DBD co-administration rats. In addition, after co-administration of DBD with GEM, Western Blot and qPCR results confirmed that the expression of deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) in tumor tissues of LLC-bearing mice were markedly increased. DBD co-administration also reversed the upregulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in tumor tissues induced by GEM. Moreover, DBD could notably up-regulate the IL-12p70 and GM-CSF expression in mice serum, suggesting potential immunomodulatory activities in tumor-bearing mice. Meanwhile, DBD inhibited the P-gp efflux activity in A549 cells. Therefore, the regulation of dCK and P-gp played important roles in the alternation of GEM pharmacokinetics and the enhancement of the anti-tumor effect of GEM. DBD being a potential dCK promoter could work as an adjuvant agent to boost the anticancer effect of GEM.

MicroRNA-130b functions as an oncomiRNA in non-small cell lung cancer by targeting tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although many molecular-targeted drugs for NSCLC have been developed in recent years, the 5-year survival rate of patients with NSCLC remains low. Therefore, an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the biology of NSCLC is essential for developing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of NSCLC. In this study, we examined the role of miR-130b in NSCLC. Our results showed that high expression of miR-130b in clinical specimens was significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with NSCLC. Moreover, miR-130b expression was significantly increased in NSCLC clinical specimens from patients with vascular and lymphatic invasion. Consistent with this, overexpression of miR-130b promoted invasion and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity in A549 cells. Argonaute2 immunoprecipitation and gene array analysis identified tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) as a target of miR-130b. Invasion activity promoted by miR-130b was attenuated by TIMP-2 overexpression in A549 cells. Furthermore, TIMP-2 concentrations in serum were inversely correlated with relative miR-130b expression in tumor tissues from the same patients with NSCLC. Overall, miR-130b was found to act as an oncomiR, promoting metastasis by downregulating TIMP-2 and invasion activities in NSCLC cells.

Discovery of tropinone-thiazole derivatives as potent caspase 3/7 activators, and noncompetitive tyrosinase inhibitors with high antiproliferative activity: Rational design, one-pot tricomponent synthesis, and lipophilicity determination

We have designed novel tropinone-thiazole derivatives that showed high antiproliferative activity against a variety of cancer cell lines via caspase 3/7 activation mechanism. Among the derivatives, compounds 3b-3h were found to exhibit high activity against human leukemia (MV4-11), human lung carcinoma (A549), human breast carcinoma (MCF-7), and skin melanoma (B16–F10) cancer cell lines, with IC50 values of 5.43–11.06 μM. The lead compound 3g increases caspase 3/7 activity in A549 cells 25 times more than the control, and 2 times more than reference drug camptothecin. We have also found that tropinone-thiazole derivatives exhibit high tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The lead compounds 3g and 3h showed tyrosinase inhibition effect, with IC50 values 3.22 and 3.51 μM, respectively. These inhibitory activities are 22 times higher than the activity of kojic acid (IC50 72.27 μM) and 120 times higher than activity of ascorbic acid (IC50 386.5 μM). For compounds 3g and 3h, the experimentally determined lipophilicity correlates very well with their enzymatic activities. These data suggest that presented compounds could constitute lead anticancer drug candidates.

Final-2 targeted glycolysis mediated apoptosis and autophagy in human lung adenocarcinoma cells but failed to inhibit xenograft in nude mice

Natural products derived from fruits have multiple antitumor potential. However, very few have been developed for clinical therapy, due to the limited efficiency or insufficient study of their mechanism. Since lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world, there is still need to explore novel compounds but their molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, a new compound Final-2 was synthesized. Final-2 exhibited antitumor activity in A549 cells by promoting apoptosis and blocking autophagy. Moreover, Final-2 significantly induced G0/G1 cycle arrest and inhibited cell malignancy. Intracellular molecular targets investigation showed that Final-2 inhibited the Gluts, which resulted in downregulation of glucose metabolism and the oncogene c-Myc and Kras expression in vitro. However, according the autophagy inhibitor CQ and Kras inhibitors test, low concentration of Final-2 showed some controversial effects. In A549 xenograft mice model, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg of Final-2 showed no and partial tumor inhibition, respectively. Moreover, a high dose of Final-2 induced serious liver necrosis. Therefore, the results indicated that even though Final-2 was efficient in suppressing the cancer cell growth in vitro, it failed to inhibit tumors in vivo and showed significant liver toxicity, which was its limitation as a potential antitumor drug.

Assessment of Biofield Energy Treatment on Lung Health Using Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (A549)

Oxidative stress is one of the major molecular mechanism responsible for human lung diseases. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of a Consciousness Energy Healing (The Trivedi Effect®) Treated DMEM medium for its anti-oxidative potential using various parameters such as the protection against oxidative stress and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), antioxidant enzyme activity in A549 cells. The test item, DMEM was divided into two parts. One part received the Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Mahendra Kumar Trivedi and was labeled as the Biofield Energy Treated test item, while the other part did not receive any sort of treatment and is defined as the untreated DMEM group. The cell viability of the test sample using MTT assay showed 122.67% viable cells, indicating a safe and nontoxic profile of the test item. Protection against oxidative stress was significantly increased by 64.70% in the Biofield Energy Treated DMEM group compared to the untreated DMEM group. In addition, Antioxidant Enzyme (SOD) activity was significantly increased by 45.1% in the Biofield Energy Treated DMEM group compared to the untreated DMEM group. Thus, these data suggest that Biofield Energy Healing Treatment showed a significant improvement of the Antioxidant Enzyme Activity (SOD level) along with an improved protection against oxidative damage, which can be used in various human lung disorders such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), lung malignancies and parenchymal lung diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and lung granulomatous diseases.

Inhibitors of aldehyde dehydrogenases of the 1A subfamily as putative anticancer agents: Kinetic characterization and effect on human cancer cells

Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) are enzymes catalyzing the NAD(P)+-dependent oxidation of aldehydes to their corresponding carboxylic acids. High ALDH activity has been related to some important features of cancer stem cells. ALDH1A enzymes, involved in the retinoic acid signaling pathway, are promising drug targets for cancer therapy, and the design of selective ALDH1A inhibitors has a growing pharmacological interest. In the present work, two already known compounds (DEAB and WIN 18,446) and novel thiazolidinedione and pyrimido quinoline acetic acid derivatives (compounds 5a and 64, formerly described as aldo-keto reductase inhibitors) were tested as inhibitors of the ALDH1A enzymes (namely, ALDH1A1, ALDH1A2 and ALDH1A3) as a first step to develop some potential drugs for cancer therapy. The inhibitory capacity of these compounds against the ALDH1A activity was characterized in vitro by using purified recombinant proteins. The IC50 values of each compound were determined indicating that the most potent inhibitors against ALDH1A1, ALDH1A2 and ALDH1A3 were DEAB, WIN 18,446 and compound 64, respectively. Type of inhibition and Ki values were determined for DEAB against ALDH1A1 (competitive, Ki = 0.13 μM) and compound 64 against ALDH1A3 (non-competitive, Ki = 1.77 μM). The effect of these inhibitors on A549 human lung cancer cell viability was assessed, being compound 64 the only inhibitor showing an important reduction of cell survival. We also tested the effect of the ALDH substrate, retinaldehyde, which was cytotoxic above 10 μM. This toxicity was enhanced in the presence of DEAB. Both DEAB and compound 64 were able to inhibit the ALDH1A activity in A549 cells. The current work suggests that, by blocking ALDH activity, drug inactivation may be avoided. Thus these results may be relevant to design novel combination therapies to fight cancer cell chemoresistance, using both enzyme inhibitors and chemotherapeutic agents.