Mechanism Of All-trans Retinoic Acid Research Articles

Retinoic Acid Improves Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction by Inhibiting PI3K/AKT/YAP-Mediated Ferroptosis in Diabetes Mellitus.

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is the initial factor involved in cardiovascular injury in patients with diabetes. Retinoic acid is involved in improving vascular complications in patients with diabetes, but its protective mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect and mechanism of All-Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) on endothelial dysfunction induced by diabetes. In the present study, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and high glucose (HG)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were observed, and the effects of ATRA on HG-induced endothelial dysfunction and ferroptosis were evaluated. ATRA treatment improved impaired vasorelaxation in diabetic aortas in an endothelium-dependent manner, and this effect was accompanied by an increase in the NO concentration and eNOS expression. Ferroptosis, characterized by lipid peroxidation and iron overload induced by HG, was improved by ATRA administration, and a ferroptosis inhibitor (ferrostatin-1, Fer-1) improved endothelial function to a similar extent as ATRA. In addition, the inactivation of phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinases B (AKT) and Yes-Associated Protein (YAP) nuclear localization induced by HG were reversed by ATRA administration. Vascular ring relaxation experiments showed that PI3K/AKT activation and YAP inhibition had similar effects on ferroptosis and endothelial function. However, the vasodilative effect of retinoic acid was affected by PI3K/AKT inhibition, and the inhibitory effects of ATRA on ferroptosis and the improvement of endothelial function were dependent on the retinoic acid receptor. ATRA could improve vascular endothelial dysfunction by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/YAP-mediated ferroptosis induced by HG, which provides a new idea for the treatment of vascular lesions in diabetes.

All-trans Retinoic Acid combined with oxaliplatin suppressed proliferation of chemo-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest

IntroductionTo investigate the effects and mechanisms of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) with and without oxaliplatin (OXA) on chemotherapy-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.Material and methodsOXA-resistant cell lines (CSQT-2-R and Hep3b-R) and subcutaneous xenograft model were used in this study. MTT assay, flow cytometry, crystal violet assay, transwell assay and western-blotting were conducted to evaluate the effects of co-treatment with ATRA and OXA on OXA-resistant HCC in vivo and in vitro. The differences between two groups were analyzed using ANOVA. All statistical tests in the study were two-sided, and statistical significance was set at P<0.05.ResultsWe established two oxaliplatin-Resistant HCC cell lines (CSQT-2-R and Hep3b-R). The drug resistance ability can be increased up to 100% than their parental cells(CSQT-2 and Hep3b) in certain concentration of OXA. ATRA alone could not inhibited the viability of CSQT-2-R and Hep3b-R, but it can enhance the ability of OXA on apoptosis than OXA alone (75% vs 35%, p<0.05), which may be related to decreased p-AKT expression. Moreover, the co-treatment of two drugs arrest the cell cycle of OXA-resistant cell at G2/M phase by up-regulating CylinB1 protein.ConclusionsATRA combined with OXA can elicit cell cycle arrest of CSQT-2-R and Hep3b-R at G2/M phase, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of resistant HCC cell, which provides a new treatment for chemotherapy-resistant HCC.

All-Trans Retinoic Acid Prevented Vein Grafts Stenosis by Inhibiting Rb-E2F Mediated Cell Cycle Progression and KLF5-RARα Interaction in Human Vein Smooth Muscle Cells.

Vein graft failure (VGF) is an important limitation for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Inhibition of the excessive proliferation and migration of venous smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is an effective strategy to alleviate VGF during the CABG perioperative period. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role and potential mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on preventing vein grafts stenosis. The autogenous vein grafts model was established in the right jugular artery of rabbits. Immunohistochemistry staining and western blot assays were used to detected the protein expression, while real-time PCR assay was applied for mRNAs expression detection. The interaction between proteins was identified by co-immunoprecipitation assay. The Cell Counting Kit-8 and wound-healing assays were used to investigate the role of ATRA on human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells (HUVSMCs) function. Cell cycle progression was identified by flow cytometry assay. Vein graft stenosis and SMCs hyperproliferation were confirmed in vein grafts by histological and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry assays. Treatment of ATRA (10mg/kg/day) significantly mitigated the stenosis extent of vein grafts, demonstrated by the decreased thickness of intima-media, and decreased Ki-67 expression. ATRA could repress the PDGF-bb-induced excessive proliferation and migration of HUVSMCs, which was mediated by Rb-E2F dependent cell cycle inhibition. Meanwhile, ATRA could reduce the interaction between KLF5 and RARα, thereby inhibiting the function of cis-elements of KLF5. KLF5-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression activation could be significantly inhibited by ATRA. These results suggested that ATRA treatment may represent an effective prevention and therapy avenue for VGF.

PD-l1 conjugated all-trans retinoic acid nanoparticles for targeted treatment of oral dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives The present study conjugated all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) with poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG) nanocarriers, and combined with anti–programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody to achieve targeted therapy for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral dysplasia. Study Design The molecular mechanism of ATRA and PD-L1 was studied by using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), flow cytometry, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. The effect of ATRA on OSCC and oral dysplasia cell proliferation inhibition, apoptosis induction, and PD-L1 downregulation was significantly enhanced after signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling blockade. PD-L1 was highly expressed in patients with oral leukoplakia and OSCC compared with normal controls. By the measurement of dynamic light scattering, the average particle size and zeta potential of ATRA–PLGA–PEG and ATRA–PLGA-PEG–PD-L1 was 97 nm and –3.6 mV, 105 nm and –5.7 mV, respectively. The release of ATRA in nanoparticles reached 55% within 36 hours. The maximum encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of ATRA into the nanoparticles reached 76.29% and 12.18%, respectively. The PEG-PLGA nanocarrier had almost no cytotoxicity, and the nanomedicine significantly inhibited cell proliferation of DOK and CAL27 cells on the in vitro cytotoxicity test. After 1 hour of incubation, the Nile red group showed few fluorescence intensity, whereas the 2 nanoparticle groups were readily detectable under confocal microscopy. Moreover, nanoparticles enhanced anticancer activity and reduced side effects compared with free ATRA in C3 H tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, ATRA–PLGA-PEG–PD-L1 nanoparticles could target the tumor more effectively compared with the control group, as shown by whole-animal fluorescence imaging. Multicolor immunohistochemistry revealed effective regulation of expression of the related proteins after nanoparticle treatment. Results The mechanism of ATRA and PD-L1 downregulation was closely associated with STAT3 signaling inhibition in both OSCC and oral dysplasia. PD-L1, which was highly expressed in human oral leukoplakia and OSCC tissues, proved to be a specific target site for cancer therapy. The ATRA–PLGA-PEG–PD-L1 nanoparticles had lower toxicity and higher biocompatibility and targeted the tumor more specifically compare with free ATRA, both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions These findings suggested that ATRA induced antitumor effects via STAT3 signaling inhibition in oral dysplasia and OSCC. The use of ATRA–PLGA-PEG–PD-L1 nanomedicine was an effective and nontoxic targeted therapy for oral dysplasia and OSCC, both in vitro and in vivo.

ATRA Could Correct the Defective S1P-Mediated Cytoskeletal Reorganization in Proplatelet Formation of ITP

Introduction Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is now emerging as a vital lipid mediator. Activation of sphingosine kinase (SphK) produces intracellular S1P, which in turn can be secreted out of the cell and act extracellularly by binding to S1P receptors (S1PR). Recent studies suggest that the "inside-out" signaling by S1P in megakaryocytes (MKs) plays a critical role in proplatelet formation (PPF) (Blood, 2013; J EXP MED, 2012). PPF requires a profound reorganization of the MK actin and tubulin cytoskeleton. Rho GTPases which can be activated by S1P, including Rac1 and Cdc42, have been shown to be master regulators of cytoskeletal rearrangements. The pathogenesis mechanisms of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) are not entirely understood. Our previous data indicated that impaired PPF contributed to the development of thrombocytopenia in ITP. To further explore the underlying mechanism of impaired PPF in ITP, we found that S1P-mediated microtubule reorganization is defective in PPF of ITP. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), which has demonstrated to be a promising option for ITP patients in our previous study (Lancet Haematology, 2017), could correct the altered microtubule reorganization and promote PPF. Methods Thirty consecutive patients with primary ITP and 20 healthy donors were enrolled in our study. MKs were isolated from bone marrow samples, and they were collected again after ITP patients received ATRA therapy. MK mRNA sequencing by microarray was used to assess the difference of gene expression between ITP and controls. Microtubule regrowth assay was performed to observe microtubule dynamic behavior. In this assay nocodazole was first used to induce complete depolymerization of microtubule network, followed by drug washout to allow microtubule regrowth over time. ATRA was added to the culture medium of MKs to determine the mechanism of ATRA in correcting impaired PPF. Additionally, ITP mice model was established to observe the therapeutic effects of ATRA in PPF. Pf4-Cre/loxP system was used to specifically knock down gene of MKs. Results S1P concentration in bone marrow from ITP patients was lower compared to healthy donors. MKs mRNA sequencing demonstrated that S1P synthetase SphK2 and S1P receptor S1PR1 gene were downregulated while S1P lyase (SPL) gene was upregulated in ITP patients, which caused abnormal S1P signaling. Furthermore, we observed that PPF capacity of MKs in patients with ITP was reduced. Pharmacological disruption of S1PR1 blocked PPF, exogenous S1P corrected impaired PPF. Collectively, deregulation of S1P signaling was associated with impaired PPF in ITP. To verify the downstream role of S1P in regulating PPF, the Rho GTPases detection of MKs revealed a decrease in Cdc42 and Rac1 levels from ITP patients. Immunofluorescence of the differentiated MKs showed that the expression and distribution of β1 tubulin were abnormal from ITP patients. Early PPs from MKs of healthy donors displayed a well-organized tubulin bundles resembling bunches of grapes. In contrast, in MKs from ITP patients, tubulin was disorganized in thick bundles. In addition, TEM analysis of the MKs showed an irregular distribution of granules, tortuous membranes and impaired proplatelet structure. In microtubule regrowth assay, MKs from ITP patients had significantly lower microtubule regrowth at 10 min post-nocodazole washout compared with controls. Together, microtubule alteration resulted in impaired PPF in ITP. We tested whether S1P pathway were required for microtubule reorganization, both SphK2-/- and S1PR1-/- mice displayed significantly reduced S1P, Cdc42 and Rac1, altered microtubule architecture and defective PPF. Taken together, abnormal S1P pathway accounted for impaired microtubule reorganization in ITP. Next, we explored the effect of ATRA on microtubules reorganization in ITP patients, our data showed that in vitro treatment with ATRA restored microtubules structure by upregulating S1P and activating Rho GTPases. In vivo studies showed that ARTA could rescue the impaired PPF in both patients and mice model with ITP. Conclusions The MKs of ITP patients displayed defective cytoskeletal reorganization regulated by S1P pathway. ATRA restored cytoskeletal structure and corrected impaired PPF by upregulating S1P and activating Rho GTPases. It sheds light on a novel mechanism of ITP pathogenesis and provides a basis for the therapeutic potential of ARTA in ITP patients. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

TRIB3 Stabilizes High TWIST1 Expression to Promote Rapid APL Progression and ATRA Resistance.

The resistance to differentiation therapy and early death caused by fatal bleeding endangers the health of a significant proportion of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) resistance and uncover new potential therapeutic strategies to block the rapid progression of early death. The important role of TWIST1 in APL leukemogenesis was first determined by gain- and loss-of-function assays. We then performed in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the interaction of TWIST1 and TRIB3 and develop a potential peptide-initiated therapeutic opportunity to protect against early death and induction therapy resistance in patients with APL. We found that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-inducing transcription factor TWIST1 is highly expressed in APL cells and is critical for leukemic cell survival. TWIST1 and TRIB3 were highly coexpressed in APL cells compared with other subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia cells. We subsequently demonstrated that TRIB3 could bind to the WR domain of TWIST1 and contribute to its stabilization by inhibiting its ubiquitination. TRIB3 depletion promoting TWIST1 degradation reverses resistance to induction therapy and improves sensitivity to ATRA. On the basis of a detailed functional screen of synthetic peptides, we discovered a peptide analogous to the TWIST1 WR domain that specifically represses APL cell survival by disrupting the TRIB3/TWIST1 interaction. Our data not only define the essential role of TWIST1 as an EMT-TF in patients with APL but also suggest that disrupting the TRIB3/TWIST1 interaction reverses induction therapy resistance and blocks rapid progression of APL early death.See related commentary by Peeke and Gritsman, p. 6018.

Study of the effects and mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid on leukemic cell line U937 cells with NPM1 mutation

目的探讨全反式维甲酸（ATRA）对NPM1突变的白血病细胞系U937细胞的作用及其机制。方法转染NPM1突变型（A型）质粒至U937细胞系构建稳定克隆A1和A2，利用Western blot法和荧光共聚焦技术鉴定细胞。MTT法检测细胞增殖活性，流式细胞术检测细胞周期和细胞凋亡，显微镜下计数检测集落形成能力，Western blot法检测细胞增殖相关信号通路蛋白表达。结果①NPM1突变型U937细胞A1和A2经ATRA处理后，细胞增殖活性分别为对照组（未经ATRA处理组）水平的52.6%和35.8%，差异均有统计学意义（t=3.649，P=0.010；t=4.906，P=0.002）。②突变型细胞A1和A2的G0/G1期比例经ATRA处理后较对照组分别增加20.1%和35.8%，差异均有统计学意义（t=4.544，P=0.010；t=15.850，P<0.001）。③U937细胞经ATRA处理后集落生长受抑制，其中空载体组集落数目下降了32.7%，野生型组下降了57.9%，突变型组（A1）下降了90.9%，差异均有统计学意义（t=8.507，P=0.010；t=22.090，P<0.001；t=90.200，P<0.001）。④突变型U937细胞经ATRA处理后p-ERK水平明显降低。⑤突变型U937细胞接受化疗药物联合ATRA处理后细胞凋亡率明显高于化疗药物单药处理组，在化疗药物处理后添加ATRA能导致更多的细胞凋亡。结论ATRA能够抑制NPM1突变的U937细胞增殖和克隆形成，将细胞阻滞于G0/G1期，显著降低其ERK磷酸化水平。在NPM1突变的U937细胞中，当ATRA在化疗药物处理后添加能够与化疗药物发挥更强的协同杀伤效果。

Mechanism of All-trans Retinoic Acid Inhibiting Vasculogenic Mimicry Formation in Glioma Cell Line U87

Mechanism of All-trans Retinoic Acid Inhibiting Vasculogenic Mimicry Formation in Glioma Cell Line U87

Poisoning the Devil

Our sight was caught by the subject line of an email we received on March 12, 2016: “American Society of Hematology (ASH) Ernest Beutler Lecture and Prize.” It came from Charles Abrams, President of the ASH Society, congratulating Zhu Chen for being the recipient of the 2016 Ernest Beutler Lecture and Prize together with our close collaborator Hugues de The for their contributions to finding a cure for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). More than a decade ago, Beutler, ex-president of ASH and a respectable pioneer in hematology, had visited our institute and was very encouraging and supportive of our work.

All-Trans Retinoic Acid Attenuates Hypoxia-Induced Injury in NRK52E Cells via Inhibiting NF-κB/VEGF and TGF-β2/VEGF Pathway

Background/Aims: Hypoxia has recently been proposed as one of the most important factors in progressive renal injury. Hypoxia-induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression may play a critical role in maintaining peritubular capillary endothelium in renal disease. This study was designed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on hypoxia-induced injury in NRK52E cells. Methods: For mimicking hypoxia, cells were treated with 100 µM of cobalt chloride (CoCl2). The cell viability, expression of VEGF, p65, transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) and serine carboxypeptidase 1 (Scpep1), and nuclear factor of kappaB (NF-κB) activities after ATRA treatment were determined by MTT, western blot and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis was performed to demonstrate whether Scpep1 interacted with TGF-β2. Results: It was found that CoCl2 triggered hypoxia injury and significantly reduced cell viability. ATRA pretreatment increased the cell survival rate. Under hypoxic conditions, the expression of VEGF, p65 and TGF-β2 increased. Addition of ATRA significantly attenuated the expression of VEGF, p65 and TGF-β2. There was a corresponding variation of NF-κB/DNA binding activities. In addition, ATRA stimulated Scpep1 expression under normoxic and hypoxia condition. Furthermore, TGF-β2 interacted with Scpep1. Conclusions: This study indicated that ATRA may attenuate hypoxia-induced injury in NRK52E cells via inhibiting NF-κB/VEGF and TGF-β2/VEGF pathway.

Low-dose all-trans retinoic acid enhances cytotoxicity of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil on CD44(+) cancer stem cells.

Cis-diamminedichloridoplatinum(II)(CDDP)-based combination chemotherapy is frequently used in gastrointestinal cancer. The synergistic mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination remains unclear. Despite their potent antitumor properties, resistance to CDDP and 5-FU develops frequently in tumors. To clarify this mechanism, we determined the sensitivity to each drug and their combination in two gastrointestinal cancer stem cells (CSCs) subpopulation. Here, we report the identification and separation of CD44(+) cells from human gastric carcinoma (AGS) and human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (KYSE-30) cancer cell lines by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS). We allowed the CD44(±) cells to grow 6 days at a subtoxic concentration of ATRA and then treated with different concentration of CDDP and 5-FU for 24h. The cytotoxicity was examined by cell proliferation MTT assay. Additionally, AO/EB staining was used for detection of apoptotic cells. In order to determine whether the growth inhibition was also associated with changes in cell cycle distribution, cell cycle analysis was performed using flow cytometry. Low concentration of ATRA (1μM, 6days) followed by 5-FU and CDDP was found to be more effective than either drugs alone, thus resulting in synergistic cytotoxicity in Kyse-30 and AGSCD44(±) cells. Furthermore, there was an indication that the combination of ATRA with 5FU and CDDP caused an increase in cell cycle arrest in G2/M and G0/G1. We conclude that low concentration of ATRA enhances the cytotoxicity of CDDP and 5FU by facilitating apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in gastrointestinal CSCs and provide a rational basis for the design of novel, well-tolerated CDDP- and 5FU-based chemotherapy in human gastrointestinal carcinoma.

All-trans retinoic acid suppresses topoisomerase IIα through the proteasomal pathway.

Topoisomerase IIα is a nuclear enzyme that alters DNA topology. It is a well-known anticancer target and related to cell differentiation status. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), an important active metabolite of vitamin A, is a promising anticancer agent in numerous malignancies. However, there are little data on the effect of retinoids on topoisomerase IIα regulation. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between ATRA and topoisomerase IIα, and the potential mechanisms of ATRA on topoisomerase IIα regulation. In several human carcinoma cell lines, ATRA was shown to suppress topoisomerase IIα protein, but not mRNA expression. ATRA induced the degradation of topoisomerase IIα through the proteasome pathway, but not the lysosome pathway. Ubiquitination was involved in this degradation. Western blot and immunocytochemistry proved that ATRA-induced topoisomerase IIα repression occurred only in the cell nuclei. ATRA not only influenced the cycle procession but also reduced the expression of cyclin D1. Cyclin D1, which is involved in cell differentiation, was regulated by topoisomerase IIα. Similar to cyclin D1, knockdown of topoisomerase IIα resulted in the increased differentiation of the cells, which was in contrast to the overexpression of topoisomerase IIα in the cells. Taken together, these data suggested that ATRA could target topoisomerase IIα and exert potential beneficial effects on cell differentiation.

The synergistic antitumor effects of all-trans retinoic acid and C-phycocyanin on the lung cancer A549 cells in vitro and in vivo

The anticancer effects and mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), C-phycocyanin (C-PC) or ATRA+C-PC on the growth of A549 cells were studied in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The effects of C-PC and ATRA on the growth of A549 cells were determined. The expression of CDK-4 and caspase-3, and the cellular apoptosis levels were detected. The tumor model was established by subcutaneous injection of A549 cells to the left axilla of the NU/NU mice. The weights of tumor and the spleen were tested. The viabilities of T-cells and spleen cells, TNF levels, the expression of Bcl-2 protein and Cyclin D1 gene were examined. Results showed both C-PC and ATRA could inhibit the growth of tumor cells in vivo and in vitro. ATRA+C-PC cooperatively showed a higher antitumor activity. The dosage of ATRA was reduced when it was administered with C-PC together, and the toxicity was reduced as well. ATRA+C-PC could decrease CDK-4 but increase caspase-3 protein expression level and induce cell apoptosis. ATRA alone could lower the activities of T lymphocytes and spleen weights, but the combination with C-PC could effectively promote viability of T cells and spleen. C-PC+ATRA could up-regulate TNF, and down-regulate Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 gene. The combination might inhibit tumor growth by inhibiting the progress of cell cycle, inducing cell apoptosis and enhancing the body immunity.

Mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid for inhibiting liver injury

Mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid for inhibiting liver injury

All‐Trans‐Retinoic Acid Ameliorates the Inflammation by Inducing Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 and Interleukin 10 in Mouse Epididymitis

Epididymitis, one of the most common urological diseases, can lead to the destruction of the epididymal duct and cause transient or permanent sterility. The aim of this study was to investigate the functions and related mechanisms of all trans retinoic acid (atRA) in alleviating the acute inflammation of epididymitis. The mouse model of the epididymitis was induced by injecting Escherichia coli into the cauda epididymis. atRA was administrated for five consecutive days through intraperitoneal injection. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot. In addition, cultured primary mouse epididymal epithelial cells were treated with different concentrations of atRA and RAR antagonists to identify whether the effect of atRA was mediated through RAR. Our results demonstrate that atRA ameliorates the inflammation in mouse epididymitis by decreasing the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing the expression of anti-inflammatory factors including TGF-β1 and IL-10. Our results show that the upregulating effect of atRA on TGF-β1 was mediated by RARα, and the enhancing effect of atRA on IL-10 expression was mediated via RARβ. These new results suggest that atRA is involved in regulating the inflammatory response of epididymis.

Inhibition of all‐Trans‐retinoic acid‐induced proteasome activation potentiates the differentiating effect of retinoid in acute myeloid leukemia cells

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is nowadays considered to be the sole efficient agent for differentiation-based therapy in leukemia; however, the mechanisms of ATRA's biological effects remain largely unknown. Here we first reported that ATRA-induced myeloid leukemia differentiation was accompanied with the increased level of ubiquitin-protein conjugates and the upregulation of proteasome activity. To explore the functional role of the activated proteasome in retinoic acid (RA) signaling, the effects of proteasome inhibitors on RA-induced cell differentiation were determined. Our results demonstrated that inhibition of ATRA-elevated proteasome activity obviously promoted the myeloid maturation program triggered by ATRA, suggesting that the overactivated proteasome is not beneficial for ATRA's effects. Further studies demonstrated that the synergistic differentiating effects of ATRA and proteasome inhibitors might be associated with the protection of retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) from degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP). Moreover, the accumulated RARα was able to enhance the transcription of its target gene, which might also contribute to the enhanced differentiation of leukemia cells. Together, by linking the UPP to ATRA-dependent signaling, our data provide a novel insight into studying the mechanisms of ATRA-elicited cellular effects and imply the possibility of combination of ATRA and proteasome inhibitors in leukemia therapy.

Retinoic Acid Enhances Natriuretic Peptide Receptor‐A gene Transcription: Role of Additive Effect of Retinoic Acid Receptor‐α and Ets‐1

Activation of guanylyl cyclase/natriuretic peptide receptor‐A (GC‐A/NPRA) by cardiac hormones atrial and brain natriuretic peptides produces the second messenger cGMP, which activates downstream signaling and biological effects of NPRA including vasorelaxation, anti‐mitogenic, and anti‐hypertrophic effects. The objective of the present study was to gain insight into the signaling mechanism of all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in the regulation of Npr1 gene (coding for GC‐A/NPRA) transcription in cultured mouse mesangial cells. Cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and ITS (insulin,transferrin, and sodium selenite) and were transiently transfected using Lipofectamine. The results showed that ATRA significantly increased Npr1 mRNA, NPRA protein expression, and intracellular accumulation of cGMP in a dose‐dependent manner. ATRA caused a 7‐fold increase in luciferase activity from the region −365 to +55 base pairs of the Npr1 promoter. ATRA‐dependent Npr1 gene transcription was effectively inhibited by Ro 41‐5253, a specific antagonist for RARα. ATRA enhanced in vivo binding of Ets‐1 to Npr1 promoter as confirmed by ChIP assay. Moreover, sequential ChIP assay showed simultaneous presence of RARα and Ets‐1 in the Npr1 promoter containing Ets‐1 binding sites. Collectively, our results show that retinoic acid induces Npr1 gene transcription and expression via RARα and Ets‐1 transcription factors. The findings of the present studies will have important implications in prevention of high blood pressure and cardiac remodeling.

Differentiation of Human SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells by All-TransRetinoic Acid Activates the Interleukin-18 System

The clinical prognosis of children with high-stage neuroblastoma is still poor. Therapeutic approaches include surgery and cellular differentiation by retinoic acid, but also experimental interleukin-based immune modulation. However, the molecular mechanisms of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cells are incompletely understood. Herein, we examined the effect of ATRA on the activity of the interleukin-18 (IL-18) system in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. It is shown that SH-SY5Y cells express IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) and the secreted antagonist IL-18-binding protein (IL-18BP), but no IL-18. SH-SY5Y cells are highly sensitive to ATRA treatment and react by cellular differentiation from a neuroblastic toward a more neuronal phenotype. This was associated with induction of IL-18 and reduction of IL-18BP expression, while IL-18R expression remained stable. Thereby, we identified the IL-18 system as a novel target of ATRA in neuroblastoma cells that might contribute to the therapeutic properties of retinoids in treatment of neuroblastoma.

Identification of the B-Raf/Mek/Erk MAP kinase pathway as a target for all-trans retinoic acid during skin cancer promotion

BackgroundRetinoids have been studied extensively for their potential as therapeutic and chemopreventive agents for a variety of cancers, including nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Despite their use for many years, the mechanism of action of retinoids in the prevention of NMSC is still unclear. In this study we have attempted to understand the chemopreventive mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a primary biologically active retinoid, in order to more efficiently utilize retinoids in the clinic.ResultsWe have used the 2-stage dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) mouse skin carcinogenesis model to investigate the chemopreventive effects of ATRA. We have compared the gene expression profiles of control skin to skin subjected to the 2-stage protocol, with or without ATRA, using Affymetrix 430 2.0 DNA microarrays. Approximately 49% of the genes showing altered expression with TPA treatment are conversely affected when ATRA is co-administered. The activity of these genes, which we refer to as 'counter-regulated', may contribute to chemoprevention by ATRA. The counter-regulated genes have been clustered into functional categories and bioinformatic analysis has identified the B-Raf/Mek/Erk branch of the MAP kinase pathway as one containing several genes whose upregulation by TPA is blocked by ATRA. We also show that ATRA blocks signaling through this pathway, as revealed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Finally, we found that blocking the B-Raf/Mek/Erk pathway with a pharmacological inhibitor, Sorafenib (BAY43-9006), induces squamous differentiation of existing skin SCCs formed in the 2-stage model.ConclusionThese results indicate that ATRA targets the B-Raf/Mek/Erk signaling pathway in the 2-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model and this activity coincides with its chemopreventive action. This demonstrates the potential for targeting the B-Raf/Mek/Erk pathway for chemoprevention and therapy of skin SCC in humans. In addition our DNA microarray results provide the first expression signature for the chemopreventive effect of ATRA in a mouse skin cancer model. This is a potential source for novel targets for ATRA and other chemopreventive and therapeutic agents that can eventually be tested in the clinic.

Depigmenting Mechanisms of All-Trans Retinoic Acid and Retinol on B16 Melanoma Cells

We assessed the effects of ATRA and retinol on melanogenesis in murine B16 melanoma cells. In the present study, ATRA and retinol inhibited melanin synthesis in melanoma cells stimulated by alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) or 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). To elucidate the target points of ATRA and retinol on melanogenesis, we performed western blotting for melanogenic proteins, such as tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2. ATRA inhibited the expression of tyrosinase and TRP-1, and retinol inhibited the expression of tyrosinase, in a dose-dependent manner. Neither ATRA nor retinol inhibited TRP-2 expression. There were no differences in melanogenic protein expression between the two stimulants tested, alpha-MSH and IBMX. Therefore, the depigmenting effect of ATRA and retinol might be due to inhibition of the signaling pathway between cAMP and tyrosinase transcription bound to tyrosinase expression. These results indicate that ATRA and retinol are candidate anti-melanogenic agents that they might be effective in hyperpigmentation disorders.