Apoptosis In Colon Cancer Cells Research Articles

Effects of aspirin on colon cancer using quantitative proteomic analysis

BackgroundColon cancer is one of the most prevalent digestive cancers worldwide. Results of epidemiological, experimental, and clinical studies suggest that aspirin inhibits the development of colon cancer. This study aimed to systematically elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which aspirin prevents colon carcinogenesis. MethodsWe determined the global protein expression profiles of colorectal cancer and aspirin-treated cells using quantitative proteomic analysis. We analyzed the proteomic results using bioinformatics (including differential proteins, protein annotation, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes [KEGG] pathways, and protein–protein interaction [PPI] network). The viability of the colon cancer cell line and HT29 ​cells treated with aspirin was determined using the cell counting kit-8 assay. The differentially expressed proteins, such as p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), were quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting. We measured cell cycle distribution and apoptosis in HT29 ​cells exposed to aspirin using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). ResultsWe found that 552 proteins were significantly dysregulated, of which 208 and 334 were upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in colon cancer cells exposed to 10 ​mmol/L of aspirin (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.269 to -0.106, P ​< ​0.05). Further gene enrichment analysis revealed that cell cycle-related proteins, such as p53 and CDK1, were significantly differentially expressed. Proteomic analysis showed that after 24 ​h of aspirin exposure, the level of p53 increased by 2.52-fold and CDK1 was downregulated to half that of the controls in HT29 ​cells (95% CI: -0.619 to -0.364, P ​< ​0.05). Real-time PCR and Western blotting results showed that p53 was upregulated (95%CI: -3.088 to -1.912, P ​< ​0.001) and CDK1 was significantly downregulated after aspirin exposure in colon cancer cells (95% CI: 0.576 to 1.045, P ​< ​0.05). We observed that aspirin promoted G1/S cell cycle arrest in HT29 ​cells. We confirmed that aspirin induces apoptosis in human HT29 colon cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner. ConclusionsThese results indicate that aspirin induces G1 arrest and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells via the p53–CDK1 pathway. Aspirin may be a promising drug candidate for colon cancer prevention.

The Expression of miR-34c-5p Induces G0/G1 Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in SW480 Colon Cancer Cell.

Expression of the miR-34 family, including miR-34a/b/c, has been reported to inhibit the progression of several cancer types by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. We attempted to investigate the effect of SW480 cell transfection with miR-34c-5p mimics on cell proliferation. To do this, SW480 colon cancer cell line was transfected with miR-34c-5p mimics, scramble sequence, and the vehicle in PBS mock, and then cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. The population of cells in cell cycle phases, ROS generation, and apoptosis rate were evaluated by flow cytometry. Additionally, we determined the relative expression of apoptotic genes through real-time PCR technique. We observed a reduced proliferation rate in cells transfected with miR-34c-5p compared to the control group (P <0.05). We also found that miR-34c-5p caused a significant increase in apoptosis rate (P < 0.001) and cell cycle arrest in the G0 and G1 phases (P < 0.05). Moreover, a significant increase was reported in the expression of pro-apoptotic genes, including BAK (P < 0.001), BAX and BAD (P < 0.0001), and Caspase 7/9 (P < 0.0001). However, no remarkable difference was seen in the expression of MCL1, BCL2, and CASPASE 3 genes. Our conclusion is that overexpression of miR-34c-5p could be considered a promising approach for colorectal cancer treatment.

A Deadly Liaison between Oxidative Injury and p53 Drives Methyl-Gallate-Induced Autophagy and Apoptosis in HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells.

Methyl gallate (MG), which is a gallotannin widely found in plants, is a polyphenol used in traditional Chinese phytotherapy to alleviate several cancer symptoms. Our studies provided evidence that MG is capable of reducing the viability of HCT116 colon cancer cells, while it was found to be ineffective on differentiated Caco-2 cells, which is a model of polarized colon cells. In the first phase of treatment, MG promoted both early ROS generation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, sustained by elevated PERK, Grp78 and CHOP expression levels, as well as an upregulation in intracellular calcium content. Such events were accompanied by an autophagic process (16-24 h), where prolonging the time (48 h) of MG exposure led to cellular homeostasis collapse and apoptotic cell death with DNA fragmentation and p53 and γH2Ax activation. Our data demonstrated that a crucial role in the MG-induced mechanism is played by p53. Its level, which increased precociously (4 h) in MG-treated cells, was tightly intertwined with oxidative injury. Indeed, the addition of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is a ROS scavenger, counteracted the p53 increase, as well as the MG effect on cell viability. Moreover, MG promoted p53 accumulation into the nucleus and its inhibition by pifithrin-α (PFT-α), which is a negative modulator of p53 transcriptional activity, enhanced autophagy, increased the LC3-II level and inhibited apoptotic cell death. These findings provide new clues to the potential action of MG as a possible anti-tumor phytomolecule for colon cancer treatment.

Dual targeting of wild-type p53 and gut microbiota by Magnolol represses key metabolic process and kills CRC cells.

Cancer cells consume considerable glucose quantities and majorly employ glycolysis for ATP generation. This metabolic signature (the Warburg effect) allows cancer cells to channel glucose to biosynthesis to support and maintain their dramatic growth along with proliferation. Currently, our understanding of the metabolic and mechanistic implications of the Warburg effect along with its relationship with biosynthesis remains unclear. Herein, we illustrate that the tumor repressor p53 mediate Magnolol (MAG) triggers colon cancer cell apoptosis. And MAG regulates the glycolytic and oxidative phosphorylation steps through transcriptional modulation of its downstream genes TP53-induced glycolysis modulator and biosynthesis of cytochrome c oxidase, attenuating cell proliferation and tumor growth in vivo and in vitro. Meanwhile, we show that MAG cooperates with its own intestinal microflora characteristic metabolites to repress tumors, especially remarkably declined kynurenine (Kyn)/tryptophan (Trp) ratio. Besides, strong relationships of MAG influenced genes, microbiota, as well as metabolites, were explored. Therefore, we established that p53-microbiota-metabolites function as a mechanism, which enable therapy approaches against metabolism-implicated colorectal cancer, in particular MAG as a prospective candidate for treating colorectal cancer.

Effects of SPARC and Possible Receptors on Colon Cancer Cell Line

Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the apoptotic/cytotoxic effects of exogenous SPARC on colon cancer cell line HT-29, then to investigate the function of stabilin-1 and integrin αvβ3, which are possible receptors for SPARC in colon cancer cells and to determine the quantitation of their receptor numbers.&#x0D; Methods: Appropriate doses of exogenous SPARC and it’s inhibitor, cilengitide added to HT-29 cell line were determined by xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analysis system, SPARC-mediated caspase 3 expressions were measured. Using the RT-PCR system, gene expression levels of SPARC, stabilin-1 and integrin αvβ3 receptors (silenced/nonsilenced with cilengitide) were detected then the numbers of receptors per cell were quantitated by flow cytometry.&#x0D; Results: IC50 value of SPARC was determined as 4.57 μg/mL and IC50 value of cilengitide was determined as 50 nM. 5 μg/mL exogenous SPARC caused increased apoptosis in the HT-29 line. Significant increase in gene expression of integrin αvβ3 receptor was observed in the group incubated with 5 μg/mL SPARC, contrarily, the addition of cilengitide decreased gene expressions. The integrin αvβ3 receptor numbers&#x0D; increased approximately 2-fold with SPARC compared to the control. No significant changes were observed in the gene expression and receptor numbers of stabilin-1.&#x0D; Conclusion: Exogenous SPARC was shown to reduce proliferation and induce apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Integrin αvβ3 is thought to be the possible receptor mediating SPARC in colon cancer cells. Quantification of surface receptors per cell, which we think we have done first, can be considered as a marker in the follow-up of anticancer treatments.

Dexmedetomidine promotes autophagy and apoptosis of colon cancer cells by activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathway

Dexmedetomidine promotes autophagy and apoptosis of colon cancer cells by activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathway

Expression of MiR-20a-5p and its target gene in colon cancer and its effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells.

Abstract. We investigated the expression of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-20a-5p and its target gene, breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 like (BRMS1L), in colon cancer tissues and their effects on the proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells. The dual luciferase assay was used to detect the targeted regulation of miR-20a-5p on BRMS1L. The expression levels of miR-20a-5p and BRMS1L in colon cancer tissues and cells were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). MiR-20a-5p mimic and mimic negative control (NC) were transfected into the colon cancer cell line SW480 by the liposome transient transfection method. The MTT assay, monoclonal formation of cancer cells, and flow cytometry were used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis. The expres-sion level of miR-20a-5p in colon cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues, and the expression level of BRMS1L was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissues. The expression level of miR-20a-5p was significantly correlated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, lymph node metastasis, in-vasion depth, and differentiation degree. The higher the expression level of miR-20a-5p, the more advanced the TNM stage and invasion depth, and the easier it is for lymph nodes to metastasize (p&lt;0.05). Compared with the control and the miR-NC groups, the miR-20a-5p group’s cell proliferation ability, expression of CyclinD1 and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were significantly increased, while apoptosis ability and caspase-3 protein expression were significantly decreased (p&lt;0.05). The expression of miR-20a-5p in colon cancer tissues and cells in-creased. Overexpression of miR-20a-5p could promote the proliferation of colon cancer cells and inhibit their apoptosis.

FOSL1 transcriptionally regulates PHLDA2 to promote 5-FU resistance in colon cancer cells.

Tumor drug resistance is a leading cause of tumor treatment failure. To date, the association between FOS-Like antigen-1 (FOSL1) and chemotherapy sensitivity in colon cancer is unclear. The present study investigated the molecular mechanism of FOSL1 regulating 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance in colon cancer. FOSL1 expression in colon cancer was analyzed by bioinformatics methods, and its downstream regulatory factors were predicted. Pearson correlation analyzed the expression of FOSL1 and downstream regulatory gene. Meanwhile, the expression of FOSL1 and its downstream factor Pleckstrin Homology-Like Domain Family A Member 2 (PHLDA2) in colon cancer cell lines was measured by qRT-PCR and western blot. The regulatory relationship between FOSL1 and PHLDA2 was verified by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay. The effects of the FOSL1/PHLDA2 axis on the resistance in colon cancer cells to 5-FU were analyzed by cell experiments. FOSL1 expression was evidently up-regulated in colon cancer and 5-FU resistant cells. FOSL1 was positively correlated with PHLDA2 in colon cancer. In vitro cell assays showed that low expression of FOSL1 significantly enhanced 5-FU sensitivity in colon cancer cells, significantly suppressed the proliferation of cancer cells, and induced apoptosis. Overexpression of FOSL1 presented the opposite regulatory trend. Mechanistically, FOSL1 activated PHLDA2 and up-regulated its expression. Moreover, by activating glycolysis, PHLDA2 promoted 5-Fu resistance and cell proliferation, and reduced cell apoptosis in colon cancer. Down-regulated FOSL1 expression could enhance the 5-FU sensitivity of colon cancer cells, and FOSL1/PHLDA2 axis may be an effective target for overcoming chemotherapy resistance in colon cancer.

Effect of the β-glucan from Lentinus edodes on colitis-associated colorectal cancer and gut microbiota

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world, and therapies with safety are in great need. In this study, the β-glucan isolated from Lentinus edodes was successfully fractionated into three fractions with different weight-average molecular weight (Mw) by ultrasonic degradation and used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. In our findings, the β-glucan was successfully degraded with the Mw decreased from 2.56 × 106 Da to 1.41 × 106 Da, exhibiting the triple helix structure without conformation disruption. The in vitro results indicate that β-glucan fractions inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation, induced colon cancer cell apoptosis, and reduced inflammation. The in vivo results based on Azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) mouse model demonstrate that the lower-molecular weight β-glucan fraction showed stronger anti-inflammatory and anti-colon cancer activities by reconstructing intestinal mucosal barrier, increasing short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content, regulating metabolism of gut microbiota, and rebuilding the gut microbiota structure with the increased Bacteroides and the decreased Proteobacteria at the phylum level, as well as with the decreased Helicobacter and the increased Muribaculum at the genus level. These findings provide scientific basis for using the β-glucan to regulate gut microbiota as an alternative strategy in the clinical treatment of colon cancer.

DEPDC1B is involved in the proliferation, metastasis, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of colon cancer cells by regulating NUP37.

It has been reported that DEP domain protein 1B (DEPDC1B) serves several roles in the occurrence and development of various types of cancer. Nevertheless, the effect of DEPDC1B on colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as its particular underlying molecular mechanism remain to be elucidated. In the present study, the mRNA and protein expression levels of DEPDC1B and nucleoporin 37 (NUP37) in CRC cell lines were assessed by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. Cell Counting Kit‑8 and 5‑Ethynyl‑2'‑deoxyuridine assays were carried out to determine cell proliferation. In addition, the migration and invasion abilities of cells were evaluated using wound healing and Transwell assays. The changes in cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were assessed by flow cytometry and western blotting. Bioinformatics analysis and co‑immunoprecipitation assays were performed to predict and verify, respectively, the binding capacity of DEPDC1B on NUP37. The expression levels of Ki‑67 were detected by immunohistochemical assay. Finally, the activation of phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling was measured using western blotting. The results showed that DEPDC1B and NUP37 were upregulated in CRC cell lines. DEPDC1B and NUP37 silencing both inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion capabilities of CRC cells and promoted cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, NUP37 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of DEPDC1B silencing on the behavior of CRC cells. Animal experiments demonstrated that DEPDC1B knockdown inhibited the growth of CRC invivo by targeting NUP37. In addition, DEPDC1B knockdown inhibited the expression levels of the PI3K/AKT signaling‑related proteins in CRC cells and tissues by also binding to NUP37. Overall, the current study suggested that DEPDC1B silencing could alleviate the progression of CRC via targeting NUP37.

Curcumin inhibits colon cancer malignant progression and promotes T cell killing by regulating miR-206 expression.

Colon cancer is a great threat to human health. Curcumin, as a traditional Chinese medicine extract with anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects, can affect the development of diverse human diseases including cancer. The aim of this research was to probe the mechanism by which curcumin regulates colon cancer progression. Colon cancer cells were processed with graded concentrations of curcumin. The proliferation and apoptosis of the treated cells were determined by MTT, colony formation assay and flow cytometry. Expression of signaling pathway-related proteins and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) was measured by western blotting. The effect of curcumin on tumor cell growth was verified through T cell-mediated killing and ELISA assays. The relationship between target gene expression and the survival rate of colon cancer patients was analyzed by a survival curve. Curcumin treatment restrained proliferation and accelerated apoptosis of colon cancer cells. It elevated miR-206 expression, which in turn affected colon cancer cell function. miR-206 enhanced colon cancer cell apoptosis and inhibited PD-L1 expression; thus, curcumin enhanced the killing effect of T cells on tumor cells by suppressing PD-L1 through inhibiting the JAK/STAT3 pathway. Patients with high expression of miR-206 had better survival rates than those with low expression. Curcumin can regulate miR-206 expression and inhibit the malignant behavior of colon cancer cells and enhance T cell killing through the JAK/STAT3 pathway.

Newly synthesised Schiff base metal complexes, characterisation, and contribution as enhancers of colon cancer cell apoptosis by overexpression of P53 protein

Fluoroquinolones emerged as one of potent therapeutic agents, targeting DNA‐signalling pathways. Thus, efforts were spent to create novel quinolones for optimizing their antimicrobial and anticancer properties. Therefore, the new compoundN,N′‐phenylene (bis1‐cyclopropyl‐7‐(4‐ethylpiperazin‐1‐yl)‐6‐fluoro‐1,4‐dihydroquinoline‐3‐carboxylic acid) (H2Enro‐o‐phdn) in addition to its related chelates‐contained metals were synthesised and described by spectroscopic, physical methods and thermal analyses. The reaction between H2Enro‐o‐phdn and trivalent La(III), Y(III), and Fe(III) and tetravalent Zr(IV) chloride with molar ratio 1:1 (M:H2Enro‐o‐phdn) yielded the production of chelates. The infrared results elucidate the binding mode of H2Enro‐o‐phdn by means of azomethine nitrogen and carboxylato oxygen atoms as tetradentate. The thermal analyses assured the proposed formula as well as existence of coordinated and latticed H2O molecules. Kinetic parameters for investigated metal complexes were quantified utilisation Horowitz–Metzger in addition to Coats–Redfern methods. Regarding antibacterial efficacy, Y(III) and Fe(III) complexes showed a robust inhibitory activity towards negative‐gram stained (Escherichia coliandSalmonella typhi) and positive‐Gram stained (Staphylococcus aureusand “spore‐forming”Bacillus cereus) strains. Then, we further tested the cytotoxicity of the complexes against the survival of colon‐cancer cells line (CT26). In this regard, in the descending order, Fe(III) &gt; Zr(IV) &gt; La(III) complexes possessed a powerful antitumour activity with IC50values 6.38, 5.36, and 4.03 μM, respectively, compared with the anticancer drug‐reference cisplatin (16.77 μM). To understand the precise mechanism behind the tumour cell death, Western‐blotting analysis was conducted, to monitor the changes in levels of pro‐apoptotic “P53” protein after drug‐treatment. Results indicated that H2Enro‐o‐phdn with higher covalency metals, like La(III) and Zr(IV) complexes, had the highest upregulation of P53 expression in a threefold to fourfold compared cisplatin, paving the way for a novel P53‐based colon‐cancer therapies.

Tumor-targeted induction of intrinsic apoptosis in colon cancer cells by Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains.

Colorectal cancer is one of the widespread and lethal types of malignancies. Recently, antineoplastic attributes of probiotics have attracted lots of attention. Here, we investigated anti-proliferative potential of the non-pathogenic strains Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 14,917 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469 on human colorectal adenocarcinoma-originated Caco-2 cells. Caco-2 and HUVEC control cells were treated with ethyl acetate extracts of the two Lactobacillus strains to assess cell viability by MTT assay. Annexin/PI staining flow cytometry, and caspase-3, -8 and - 9 activity assays were performed to determine the type of cell death induced in extract-treated cells. Expression levels of apoptosis-related genes were evaluated by RT-PCR. Extracts from both L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus specifically targeted the Caco-2 cells and not HUVEC controls, and significantly affected the viability of the colon cancer cell line in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This effect was shown to occur through activation of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, as indicated by the increased caspase-3 and - 9 activities. While there are limited and conflicting data about the mechanisms underlying the specific antineoplastic attributes of Lactobacillus strains, we clarified the overall induced mechanism. The Lactobacillus extracts specifically down-regulated the expression of the anti-apoptotic bcl-2 and bcl-xl, and simultaneously up-regulated the pro-apoptotic bak, bad, and bax genes in treated Caco-2 cells. Ethyl acetate extracts of L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus strains could be considered as targeted anti-cancer treatments specifically inducing the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in colorectal tumor cells.

Combined Treatment of Cancer Cells Using Allyl Palladium Complexes Bearing Purine-Based NHC Ligands and Molecules Targeting MicroRNAs miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p: Synergistic Effects on Apoptosis.

Combined treatments employing lower concentrations of different drugs are used and studied to develop new and more effective anticancer therapeutic approaches. The combination therapy could be of great interest in the controlling of cancer. Regarding this, our research group has recently shown that peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that target miR-221 are very effective and functional in inducing apoptosis of many tumor cells, including glioblastoma and colon cancer cells. Moreover, in a recent paper, we described a series of new palladium allyl complexes showing a strong antiproliferative activity on different tumor cell lines. The present study was aimed to analyze and validate the biological effects of the most active compounds tested, in combination with antagomiRNA molecules targeting two miRNAs, miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p. The obtained results show that a "combination therapy", produced by combining the antagomiRNAs targeting miR-221-3p, miR-222-3p and the palladium allyl complex 4d, is very effective in inducing apoptosis, supporting the concept that the combination treatment of cancer cells with antagomiRNAs targeting a specific upregulated oncomiRNAs (in this study miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p) and metal-based compounds represents a promising therapeutic strategy to increase the efficacy of the antitumor protocol, reducing side effects at the same time.

The Effect of Silencing the Genes Responsible for the Level of Sphingosine-1-phosphate on the Apoptosis of Colon Cancer Cells.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramides (Cer) are engaged in key events of signal transduction, but their involvement in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer is not conclusive. The aim of our study was to investigate how the modulation of sphingolipid metabolism through the silencing of the genes involved in the formation (SPHK1) and degradation (SGPL1) of sphingosine-1-phosphate would affect the sphingolipid profile and apoptosis of HCT-116 human colorectal cancer cells. Silencing of SPHK1 expression decreased S1P content in HCT-116 cells, which was accompanied by an elevation in sphingosine, C18:0-Cer, and C18:1-Cer, increase in the expression and activation of Caspase-3 and -9, and augmentation of apoptosis. Interestingly, silencing of SGLP1 expression increased cellular content of both the S1P and Cer (C16:0-; C18:0-; C18:1-; C20:0-; and C22:0-Cer), yet inhibited activation of Caspase-3 and upregulated protein expression of Cathepsin-D. The above findings suggest that modulation of the S1P level and S1P/Cer ratio regulates both cellular apoptosis and CRC metastasis through Cathepsin-D modulation. The cellular ratio of S1P/Cer seems to be a crucial component of the above mechanism.

Retracted] FAM172A modulates apoptosis and proliferation of colon cancer cells via STAT1 binding to its promoter.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that lanes 1‑3 of the EMSA results shown in Fig.6 on p.1278 were strikingly similar to data that had already appeared in a different form in the following publication by different authors at different research institutes: QiuK, Li Z, Chen J, Wu S, Zhu X, GaoS, GaoJ, Ren G and Zhou X: EIN3 and ORE1 accelerate degreening during ethylene‑mediated leaf senescence by directly activating chlorophyll catabolic genes in Arabidopsis. PLoS Genet11: e1005399, 2015. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published prior to its submission to Oncology Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. After having been in contact with the authors, they accepted the decision to retract the paper. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Oncology Reports 35: 1273‑1280, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/or.2015.4485.

Abstract 1424: Selective blockade of neuropeptide Y receptor 1 induces cell cycle arrest and promotes apoptosis in colon cancer cells

Abstract Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. The balance between cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis, which maintains intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis, is disturbed in CRC. Furthermore, deregulation of the apoptotic pathway contributes to therapeutic resistance. Therefore, determination of the mechanisms employed by CRC cells to evade apoptosis is important for development of new therapeutic strategies. Our group has recently reported that neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is a 36-amino acid neuropeptide, is associated with increased angiogenic response in colon cancer. However, the regulatory role of NPY in cellular homeostasis in CRC is largely unknown. NPY is secreted by colon cancer cells that express Y1 receptors (Y1R). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of NPY in regulation of cell growth and survival in CRC and to determine the apoptosis inducing effects of Y1R antagonist, BIBO 3304 trifluoroacetate (BIBO), in CT26 colon carcinoma cells. Methods: Correlation between NPY expression and cell cycle and apoptosis-related genes were analyzed in cBioPortal for cancer genomics with a sample number of 594 CRC patients from the cancer genome atlas database (TCGA). Based on the TCGA database, 16 apoptosis-related genes (11 proapoptotic and 5 antiapoptotic) were checked. The effect of Y1R blocker (BIBO, Bio-Techne, MN) on CT26 (ATCC) cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle progression was determined by performing in vitro cell proliferation assay and flow cytometry. Results and Conclusion: NPY expression in CRC shows a positive correlation with pro-survival/anti-apoptotic genes (BCL2, BCL2L1, BCL2L2, BCL2A1, MCL1) and negative correlation with key genes associated with the induction of cellular apoptosis (GZMB, TRIB3, TPX2, BAX, BAK1, BAD, BID, BIK, BOK, HRK) in CRC. Decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis was observed in CT26 mouse CRC cells upon inhibition of Y1R. An increased number of CT26 cells in early and mid-apoptotic phase was observed upon treatment with Y1R antagonist, BIBO, compared to untreated cells. In addition, cell cycle analysis indicated an increase in cell numbers in the G1/S cell cycle transition phase in the BIBO treated group. Our findings therefore indicate that treatment of CT26 CRC cells with Y1R blocker results in cell cycle arrest, which provides an opportunity for the cells to either undergo repair mechanisms or follow the apoptotic pathway. Blocking the actions of NPY by Y1R blockers thus may be a promising therapeutic approach in CRC patients. Citation Format: Sooraj Kakkat, Steven McClellan, Debanjan Chakroborty, Chandrani Sarkar. Selective blockade of neuropeptide Y receptor 1 induces cell cycle arrest and promotes apoptosis in colon cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1424.

Lokal anesteziklerden levobupivakain ve ropivakain kolon kanseri tedavisinde kullanılabilir mi?

Purpose: Colon cancer is among the most common causes of death among cancers, and in the treatment of colon cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy is applied mainly after curative surgery, to prevent recurrence and metastases after resection. In recent years, local anesthetics have received increasing attention in cancer research. This study aimed to investigate the proliferative and apoptotic effects of local anesthetics levobupivacaine and ropivacaine on SW480 colon cancer cells.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: In the study, different concentrations and durations of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine were applied to the SW480 colon cancer cell line and their effect on proliferation was determined by MTT analysis. The TUNEL method was used to determine its apoptotic activity. The results were evaluated statistically.&#x0D; Results: It was determined that levobupivacaine and ropivacaine decreased cell proliferation in SW480 colon cancer cells depending on dose and time. It was also observed to promote apoptosis in colon cancer cells.&#x0D; Conclusion: According to the study data, it was determined that levobupivacaine and ropivacaine acted cytotoxic by activating apoptosis in SW480 colon cancer cells. It is thought that these data will lead to multidisciplinary studies to elucidate the antitumor effect mechanism of local anesthetics.

Bruceine a exerts antitumor effect against colon cancer by accumulating ROS and suppressing PI3K/Akt pathway.

Bruceine A (BA), a quassic ester from bruceine javanica, regulates diverse intracellular signal transduction pathways and manifests a variety of biological activities, however, its pharmacological mechanism in treating colon cancer (CC) is unclear. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of BA on CC cells and the underlying mechanisms. The network pharmacology research indicated that Akt1 and Jun and PI3K/Akt pathways are the predominant targets and critical signaling pathways, respectively, for BA treatment of CC. Meanwhile, molecular docking results implied that BA could conjugate to pivotal proteins in the PI3K/Akt pathway. BA remarkably suppressed the proliferation of CC cells HCT116 and CT26 with 48-h IC50 of 26.12 and 229.26nM, respectively, and the expression of p-PI3K/p-Akt was restrained by BA at the molecular level as verified by Western blot assay. Further mechanistic studies revealed BA impacted cell cycle-related proteins by regulating the expression of P27 (a protein bridging the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway with cycle-related proteins), arresting the cell cycle in the G2 phase, inhibiting the proliferation of HCT116 and CT26, and facilitated the apoptosis in CC cells by activating the mitochondria-associated apoptosis protein Bax and accumulating reactive oxygen species, in addition to BA apparently inhibited the migration of CC cells. Taken together, our results demonstrated that BA might be a promising chemotherapy drug in the treatment of CC.

YWHAB knockdown inhibits cell proliferation whilst promoting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in colon cancer cells through PIK3R2.

Colon cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-associated mortality. Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein β (YWHAB) has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in human colon cancer cells following alltrans retinoic acid treatment. PI3K regulatory subunit 2 (PIK3R2) has also been identified as a gene associated with colon cancer metastasis and tumor progression. The present study aimed to determine the role of YWHAB in colon cancer in addition to its detailed reaction mechanism. The expression levels of YWHAB and PIK3 'A0* R2 before or after transfection of YWHAB interference plasmids or PIK3R2 overexpression plasmids were examined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. PI flow cytometry, Cell Counting Kit-8 and TUNEL assays were performed to measure the extent of cell cycle progression, proliferation and apoptosis. Additionally, the expression levels of G1-S cell-cycle transition regulator cyclin D1 and G1-checkpoint CDK inhibitor p21 and apoptosis marker proteins Bcl2 and Bax were assessed using western blotting. Subsequently, the Monarch Initiative database (https://monarchinitiative.org/) predicted the binding of YWHAB and PIK3R2, following which co-immunoprecipitation assay was utilized to assess their potential interaction. Furthermore, western blotting was performed to examine the expression levels of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway markers. It was revealed that YWHAB expression was upregulated in colon cancer cells compared with HIEC-6 human intestinal epithelial cells. Functionally, YWHAB depletion by transfection of YWHAB interference plasmids was demonstrated to suppress the proliferation of colon cancer cells whilst promoting cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and apoptosis, decreasing cyclin D1 and Bcl2 expression, and increasing p21 and Bax expression. Additionally, YWHAB was verified to bind to PIK3R2 and YWHAB knockdown decreased PIK3R2 expression. PIK3R2 overexpression by transfection of PIK3R2 overexpression plasmids reversed the effects of YWHAB knockdown on cell proliferation, cycle arrest, apoptosis, and apoptotic and cell cycle proteins in colon cancer cells. YWHAB knockdown reduced the levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT and PIK3R2 overexpression also reversed the effects of YWHAB knockdown on the expression of PI3K/AKT signaling markers. In conclusion, these data suggest that YWHAB can activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and participate in the malignant progression of colon cancer by targeting PIK3R2, which provides novel insights into the mechanism of colon cancer.