A549 Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma Research Articles

Abstract 1098: Structure-activity relationship of pentacyclic triterpenes against chemoresistance and metastasis on non-small lung adenocarcinoma cells

Abstract Lung cancer is the second most common and leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, 85% of these cases being non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Although chemotherapy is the first-line treatment for lung cancer, its effectiveness is hampered by the dose-limiting toxic effects, chemoresistance, and metastatic process. Recently, plant-derived cyclic triterpenoids (eg, cholesterol-structure like compounds) have shown a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities, especially their potential against different cancer cells. Herein, we investigated the structure-activity relationship of several pentacyclic triterpenes: oleanolic acid (OleA), ursolic acid (UrA), betulinic acid (BeA), Asiatic acid (AsA), betulin (BeN), lupeol (Lupe), diosgenin (Dio), stigmasterol (Stg) and β-sitosterol (β-Sito) on NSCLC A549 cells. From our studies, the IC50 for OleA, UrA, BeA, AsA, BeN, Lupe, Dio were in the low µM range (from 10-75 µM) after 24h of incubation. β-Sito and Stg did not show any significant cytotoxic pattern in this µM range. In addition, BeA showed the highest cytotoxic pattern in these cells. We performed metabolic activity assays to determine the mechanism of action of these triterpenes. Mitochondrial membrane and caspases activity assays showed that all the cytotoxic triterpenes induced activation of caspase-3 and decline in the mitochondrial potential, except BeA and AsA. Our results also show that all the cytotoxic triterpenes disrupt cell membrane, except for OleA. However, there is no reactive oxygen species production for all of them. Gene expression assays of chemoresistance- and metastasis-related genes (EGFR, VEGF, MMP9, Pgp, TP53, NDRG1, CHD4) using qPCR demonstrated the downregulation of all of these genes after the incubation with the cytotoxic triterpenes. These results demonstrated that even slight structural changes in these triterpenes could influence the cytotoxic and metabolic pathways responses. This study opens promising perspectives for further research on the role of phytochemical triterpenes, which ultimately will contribute to a more rational application in lung cancer therapy. Citation Format: Yamixa Delgado, Daraishka Perez, Grace Torres. Structure-activity relationship of pentacyclic triterpenes against chemoresistance and metastasis on non-small lung adenocarcinoma cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1098.

U2AF1 mutation connects DNA damage to the alternative splicing of RAD51 in lung adenocarcinomas.

The recurrent mutation (S34F) in splicing factor U2AF1 is frequently observed in lung adenocarcinoma, but its function remains largely unknown. To determine the mechanistic basis and consequences of U2AF1 mutations, we established non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cell lines with exogenous expression of wildtype (U2AF1-WT) or mutant (U2AF1-S34F). Splicing analysis revealed that U2AF1-S34F mainly caused aberrant exon usage and affected splicing of numerous DNA damage repair genes. Compared to A549 cells expressing U2AF1-WT, cells expressing U2AF1-S34F showed enhanced DNA damage and cell death in response to ATR inhibitors (ATRi). Mechanistically, U2AF1-S34F induced mis-splicing and downregulation of a key homologous recombination protein RAD51. Overexpression of RAD51 could largely rescue the defective DNA damage response in cells expressing U2AF1-S34F. Moreover, A549 cells expressing U2AF1-S34F, but not U2AF1-WT, were highly sensitive to treatment even with low dose of RAD51 inhibitor on ATRi-induced DNA damage. Our results suggest that U2AF1-S34F causes mis-splicing of DNA damage repair factors in lung cancer and sensitizes cells to RAD51 inhibition.

Evodiamine suppresses the progression of non-small cell lung carcinoma via endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis pathway in vivo and in vitro.

BackgroundEvodiamine (EVO) is one of the major components isolated from Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.). Recent studies have shown that EVO has an anti-cancer effect. However, the pharmacological mechanism by which EVO impacts cancer is still poorly understood.ObjectivesThis study focused on asking the anti-cancer effect of EVO in human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), and in particular to investigate whether EVO acts via modulating the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-mediated apoptosis pathway.Materials and MethodsA Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumor-bearing mouse model was treated with low-dose EVO (5 mg/kg) and high-dose EVO (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for 14 d. The effects of EVO on tumor growth, apoptosis, and ERS were assessed. In addition, NSCLC A549 and LLC cells were treated with EVO in vitro. The effects of EVO on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and ERS were investigated. Finally, 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), an ERS inhibitor, was used to validate whether EVO induced apoptosis of NSCLC cells by modulating ERS.ResultsEVO treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth in LLC tumor-bearing mice. H&E staining indicated that EVO treatment reduced the number of tumor cells and the nucleo-plasmic ratio. Immunostaining showed that EVO treatment significantly decreased the expression of Ki-67. TUNEL staining revealed that EVO induced apoptosis in the tumor. Likewise, EVO treatment up-regulated the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins and increased activation of the ERS pathway in the tumor. Additionally, EVO inhibited cell proliferation and increased cell apoptotic rates in A549 and LLC cells. EVO also increased the expression levels of genes and proteins associated with ERS-mediated apoptosis pathway in vitro. The effects of EVO on apoptosis were abolished by 4-PBA treatment.ConclusionsOur study demonstrated that EVO suppresses the progression of NSCLC by modulating the ERS-mediated apoptosis pathway.

Effects of Methadone on the Toll-like Receptor 4 Expression in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma A549 Cell Line Using In-silico and In vitro Techniques.

In this study, the effects of methadone and naloxone on the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene have been evaluated in human non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cell line migration using in-silico and in vitro techniques. Lung cancer A549 cell cultures were stimulated for 24 h with methadone (5, 10, and 20 μM) and naloxone (20 and 40 μM) concentrations. The level of TLR4 expression was determined by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Migration of the A549 cells was investigated after a 4-h incubation period with methadone using the Boyden Chamber assay. Migration rate of the A549 cells treated with 5 (P < 0.05) and 20 (P < 0.01) μM methadone was, respectively, increased and decreased with 20 μM naloxone (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the TLR4 expression was enhanced with 5 (P < 0.05) and 20 (P < 0.01) μM methadone and decreased with 20 (P < 0.05) and 40 μM naloxone (P < 0.01). In addition, in silico docking analysis revealed docking of methadone to MD-2 and TLR4. According to the present DATA, methadone affects the TLR4 expression. It may however cause adverse consequences by increasing the TLR4 expression. Therefore, the useful analgesic properties of methadone should be separated from the unwanted TLR4-mediated side effects.

The Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Urea from Substituted Phenethylamine and the Investigation of its Antibacterial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Properties

There are numerous derivatives having urea scaffold in the literature, and these have many biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial. Therefore, it aimed to synthesize urea derivatives containing substituted phenethylamine rings and investigate their biological properties such as anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. The antibacterial activity was carried out against four different bacterial strains (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) by disc diffusion test. The synthesized compound was analyzed for their in vitro anticancer activity on SH-SY5Y (human neuroblastoma), HeLa (human cervical cancer), and A549 (non-small cell lung carcinoma) cell lines by using MTT, and LDH assays. The compound was inactive against all tested bacterial strains. The anticancer activity studies revealed that the unsymmetrical urea compound had remarkable activity against the tested cell lines, especially against the HeLa cell line with 50,61 µg/ml IC50 value. The compound was also analyzed for its antioxidant capacity by DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC methods. According to the results, the compound showed good to moderate activity against standard antioxidants. Therefore, this compound may be considered an anticancer and antioxidant agent in treating cancer and other related diseases.

Dual targeting of MEK and PI3K effectively controls the proliferation of human EGFR-TKI resistant non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines with different genetic backgrounds

BackgroundMolecular targeted therapy for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is restricted due to resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This study evaluated the effects of dual targeting of MEK and PI3K in human EGFR-TKI resistant NSCLC cell lines.MethodsEGFR-TKI resistant NSCLC cell lines H1975, H460, and A549, with different mutation and amplification status in EGFR, K-RAS, PIK3CA, and MET genes, were treated with a MEK162 (MEK inhibitor) and BKM120 (PI3K inhibitor) combination or a BIBW2992 (EGFR inhibitor) and ARQ197 (MET inhibitor) combination and assayed for cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle distribution.ResultsDual targeting of MEK and PI3K efficiently inhibited the cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and the G0/G1 cell cycle, and decreased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, AKT, S6, and 4E-BP1. H460 cells with K-RAS and PIK3CA mutation were most sensitive to MEK162 and BKM120 combinations. H1975 cells with EGFR and PIK3CA mutation and MET amplification were sensitive to BIBW2992 and ARQ197 combinations.ConclusionDual targeting regulated the proliferation of EGFR-TKI-resistant NSCLC cells, especially mutants in K-RAS and PIK3CA that are promising for EGFR-TKI-resistant NSCLC therapeutics.

Traceable Nanocluster-Prodrug Conjugate for Chemo-photodynamic Combinatorial Therapy of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

In cancer treatment, image-guided combinatorial therapy is usually a more promising approach than conventional therapy because it may overcome the drawbacks of conventional cancer treatment, such as tumor recurrence and multidrug resistance. To achieve a high therapeutic effect in image-guided combinatorial therapy, the therapeutic material should be traceable, biocompatible, and yet highly effective in eradicating tumors. For this purpose, we developed a traceable nanocarrier consisting of atomically precise gold nanoclusters (Au NCs, Au22(SG)18, abbreviated as Au22 NCs, where SG stands for glutathione) and a biopolymer (i.e., chitosan). This traceable nanocarrier (Chito-Au22) was then combined with dual prodrugs (i.e., chemotherapeutic platinum (Pt(IV)) prodrug and photodynamic aminolevulinic acid (ALA) prodrug) through a bioconjugation method. It was found that the final nanocomposite (abbreviated as Pt(IV)-ALA-Chito-Au22) has a pH-responsive drug release behavior, and the cumulative drug release can exceed 50% within 12 h at an acidic pH of 5.0. After 15 min of white light irradiation, the nanocomposite showed a synergistic killing effect on the A549 non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line. The Pt(IV)-ALA-Chito-Au22 nanocomposite also showed a high cellular uptake capacity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capability, resulting in a significant killing effect on three-dimensional (3D) multicellular A549 spheroids. In the presence of light, the volume of the multicellular spheroids treated by our nanocomposites was reduced more than two times compared with those treated by a single prodrug/component. The nanocomposite also showed good cell viability on normal lung cell lines. The multifunctional nanocomposites developed in this study have broad prospects in both therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Discovery of Survivin Inhibitors Part 1: Screening the Harbor Branch Pure Compound Library.

Survivin is a 16.5 KDa protein whose functions include promoting cellular mitosis, angiogenesis, and senescence as well as inhibiting apoptosis. Higher survivin expression is found in cancer tissues than normal tissues, and this expression correlates with disease progression and aggressiveness. Survivin has been validated as a clinical target for cancer. Small molecules are important antagonists of survivin levels in cancer cells. A structurally diverse library of genetically encoded small molecules (natural products) derived from marine plants, invertebrates, and microbes was screened for their ability to reduce expression levels of survivin in the DLD-1 colon adenocarcinoma and the A549 nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cell lines. This led to the identification of this novel activity for the known compounds eryloside E, ilicicolin H, tanzawaic acid A, and p-hydroxyphenopyrrozin. Both eryloside E and ilicicolin H showed the ability to reduce survivin expression in the low micromolar range against both cell lines.

Targeting NF-κB mediated cell signaling pathway and inflammatory mediators by 1,2-diazole in A549 cells in vitro

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of 1,2-diazole (pyrazole) as an anti-cancer drug on human non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells. We attempt to examine the expression level of pro-inflammatory proteins such as TNF-α, NF-κB-p65, MMP-2 and E-Cadherin which are commonly associated with an inflammatory response in epithelial cells and apoptosis in A549 cells. The LPS-induced cytokines and inflammatory mediators include TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS and COX-2 levels in A549 cells and the effect of pyrazole was studied. The present study reveals that, pyrazole inhibits A549 cells by suppressing TNF-α induced MMP-2 expression, thereby inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF-κB-p65. Pyrazole significantly up-regulate the E-cadherin level and down-regulated MMP-2 expression that could probably preventing A549 cancer cells to invade. The study further substantiated the anti-cancer property of pyrazole by regulating the above mentioned level of LPS-induced cytokines and inflammatory mediators. The observations of the present study open a possibility for the development of an effective therapeutic agent that targets inflammatory and signaling pathway mediators to challenge human non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Development of 3-methyl/3-(morpholinomethyl)benzofuran derivatives as novel antitumor agents towards non-small cell lung cancer cells

As one of the most lethal malignancies, lung cancer is considered to account for approximately one-fifth of all malignant tumours-related deaths worldwide. This study reports the synthesis and in vitro biological assessment of two sets of 3-methylbenzofurans (4a–d, 6a–c, 8a–c and 11) and 3-(morpholinomethyl)benzofurans (15a–c, 16a–b, 17a–b and 18) as potential anticancer agents towards non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 and NCI-H23 cell lines, with VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity. The target benzofuran-based derivatives efficiently inhibited the growth of both A549 and NCI-H23 cell lines with IC50 spanning in ranges 1.48–47.02 and 0.49–68.9 µM, respectively. The three most active benzofurans (4b, 15a and 16a) were further investigated for their effects on the cell cycle progression and apoptosis in A549 (for 4b) and NCI-H23 (for 15a and 16a) cell lines. Furthermore, benzofurans 4b, 15a and 16a displayed good VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity with IC50 equal 77.97, 132.5 and 45.4 nM, respectively.

Insight into the potential antineoplastic mechanism of phycocyanin in non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells based on micro-RNA sequencing

• Phycocyanin exerts anticancer functions through miRNAs participating. • Expressions of multiple miRNAs were altered by phycocyanin in NSCLC cells. • A “targets interaction” network was established in phycocyanin regulating process. • miR-1249-5p, miR-1231, miR-547-5p, and miR-93-5p may played key roles. • Targeting key miRNAs regulated by phycocyanin contributes to treatment of NSCLC. Phycocyanin is a type of marine functional food additive, exerting good antitumor property. However, its antineoplastic mechanism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. In this work, a high-throughput micro-RNA sequencing was employed to analyze key miRNAs regulated by phycocyanin in A549 cells for the first time. Results showed that a total of 61 miRNAs were differentially expressed between control and phycocyanin-treated cells, including 18 up-regulated and 43 down-regulated miRNAs. Subsequently, 483 validated target genes were predicted. Strikingly, protein–protein interaction analysis showed that target genes like EGFR, CDK2, POLR2E, TP53, and MED28 occupied high degrees in networks, which were predicted regulated by miR-1249-5p, miR-1231, miR-547-5p, and miR-93-5p. Furthermore, qRT-PCR showed strong consistent expression trends of differential miRNAs with miRNA-seq results. Consequently, this study significantly advances our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of phycocyanin, especially with regard to miRNAs, and also lays a theoretical foundation for the treatment of NSCLC.

Combination Therapy with Cinnamaldehyde and Hyperthermia Induces Apoptosis of A549 Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cells via Regulation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Family.

Lung cancer is the largest cause of cancer-induced deaths. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most frequently observed subtype of lung cancer. Although recent studies have provided many therapeutic options, there is still a need for effective and safe treatments. This paper reports the combined effects of cinnamaldehyde (CNM), a flavonoid from cinnamon, together with hyperthermia, a therapeutic option for cancer treatment, on the A549 NSCLC cell line. A hyperthermia treatment of 43 °C potentiated the cytotoxicity of CNM in A549 cells. This was attributed to an increase in the apoptosis markers and suppression of the survival/protective factors, as confirmed by Western blot assays. Flow cytometry supported this result because the apoptotic profile, cell health profile, and cell cycle profile were regulated by CNM and hyperthermia combination therapy. The changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and its downstream target pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), were evaluated. The CNM and hyperthermia combination increased the generation of ROS and MAPK phosphorylation. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS inhibitor, abolished the apoptotic events caused by CNM and hyperthermia co-treatment, suggesting that the cytotoxic effect was dependent of ROS signaling. Therefore, we suggest CNM and hyperthermia combination as an effective therapeutic option for the NSCLC treatment.

Abstract 519: Exploring the potential of human nanobodies against thymidine kinase 1 for the targeting of lung cancer cells

Abstract Single domain antibodies or nanobodies (Nbs) have positively proved effective for the targeting of multiple tumor targets. This study describes the isolation of human Nbs against the tumor proliferation biomarker thymidine kinase 1 (TK1). The anti-TK1 Nbs were used to target membrane associated TK1 in the non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines NCI-H460 and A549 cells. TK1 is a pyrimidine salvage enzyme that is upregulated in malignant tissues. Recently, we have reported the presence of a TK1 form that is associated to the cell membrane in breast, lung and colon tumors as well as leukemia. Our findings suggest that targeting of TK1 in proliferating cancer cells may be an alternative approach for the treatment of cancer. Using phage display technology, we isolated a total of 237 nanobodies from the Daniel Christ DAb library. After 2-4 rounds of selection the affinity of the nanobodies to TK1 was tested with monoclonal phage ELISA using human recombinant TK1. Ten of the most sensitive anti-TK1 Nbs were then selected and evaluated with dose response curves as possible candidates for preclinical testing. The dose response curves showed R squares values ranging from 0.9738-0.9980 fitting a sigmoidal curve. Thus, indicating a strong antibody dose response relationship specific for TK1. In addition, the specificity of the TK1 antibodies was tested by screening against unrelated proteins and cell lysate from an siRNA TK1 knockdown using monoclonal phage ELISA. Nanobodies showed negligible binding when screened against TK1 non related proteins. Validation of the anti-TK1 Nbs with TK1 siRNA knockdown showed a significant reduction on the Nbs binding compared to wild type. The sensitivity of the anti-TK1 Nbs to detect TK1 was within the nanomolar range (between 100-20 ng/ml) and had thermostable standing temperatures between 50-75 °C. The anti-TK1 Nbs were used to detect membrane associated TK1 in the non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines NCI-H460 and A549. The phage nanobodies showed binding capacity to TK1 on cancer cells with 30- 60% of positive cells for NCI-H460 and 25 to 40% for A549 cells. Human Nbs represent a valuable resource for the detection and the targeting of TK1 in proliferating tumor cells. Further work is required to enable the exploration of the therapeutic uses of anti-TK1 Nb-based therapies and their incorporation to cell adoptive therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapies. Citation Format: Edwin J. Velazquez, Jordan D. Cress, Kathryn R. Smith, David M. Bellini, Jonathan R. Skidmore, Zachary D. Ewell, Richard A. Robison, Kim L. O'Neill. Exploring the potential of human nanobodies against thymidine kinase 1 for the targeting of lung cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 519.

Effect of miR-375 on non-small cell lung carcinoma invasion, migration, and proliferation through the CIP2A pathway

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to study the effect of miR-375 on non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) invasion, migration, and proliferation through the CIP2A pathway. Methods We constructed a stable over-expressing cell line with lentivirus as the experimental group (Lv-miR-375) and transfected the empty vector as the negative control group (Lv-NC). The expression level of miR-375 was detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR).Western blots were used to detect the expression levels of cancerous inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A), MYC, protein kinase B (AKT) and p-AKT in Lv-NC- and Lv-miR-375-transfected cells. Transwell assays were conducted to detect the cell invasion and metastasis ability, and the cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) was used to detect cell proliferation. Results qRT-PCR showed that miR-375 was overexpressed in NSCLC. Compared to the Lv-NC-transfected cells, the western blot results showed that CIP2A, MYC and p-AKT were highly expressed in Lv-miR-375-transfected cells. Transwell assays showed that the invasion and migration ability of Lv-miR-375-transfected A549 cells was significantly higher than that of Lv-NC-transfected cells. CCK8 experiments showed that compared to Lv-NC-transfected cells, the cell proliferation ability of the Lv-miR-375-transfected cells increased. Conclusion MiR-375 could promote the invasion, migration, and proliferation of NSCLC A549 cells via the CIP2A pathway. MiR-375 is expected to become a new target for the treatment of NSCLC, and may become an important biomarker for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of the disease.

Ellagitannins from Punica granatum leaves suppress microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 expression and induce lung cancer cells to undergo apoptosis.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which is a potent pro-inflammatory lipid mediator, is biosynthesized from arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal PGE synthase-1 (mPGES-1). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used clinically as COX inhibitors, but they have gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side-effects. Thus, the terminal enzyme mPGES-1 holds promise as the next therapeutic target. In this study, we found that the ellagitannins granatin A and granatin B isolated from pomegranate leaves, and geraniin, which is their structural analog, selectively suppressed mPGES-1 expression without affecting COX-2 in non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells. The ellagitannins also down-regulated tumor necrosis factor α, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and anti-apoptotic factor B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma 2, and induced A549 cells to undergo apoptosis. These findings indicate that the ellagitannins have anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects, due to their specific suppression of mPGES-1.Abbreviations: Bcl-2: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma 2; COX: cyclooxygenase; CRE: cAMP response element; DHHDP: dehydrohexahydroxydiphenoyl; Et2O: diethyl ether; EtOAc: ethyl acetate; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; iNOS: inducible nitric oxide synthase; mPGES-1: microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1; n-BuOH: water-saturated n-butanol; NSAIDs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; NF-κB: nuclear factor-κB; PG: prostaglandin; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; TUNEL: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling.

Radiosensitizing effects of Cyclocaryapaliurus polysaccharide on hypoxic A549 and H520 human non-small cell lung carcinoma cells.

Cyclocarya paliurus (CP) polysaccharide (CPP) is a chemical component contained in CP, which has been reported to possess significant hypoglycemic activity. The present study aimed to investigate the radiosensitizing effect and underlying mechanisms of CPP on hypoxic A549 and H520 human non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. Cell viability, apoptosis and proliferation were determined using Cell Counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry and colony formation assay, respectively. mRNA and protein expression levels were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. The results suggested that CPP markedly inhibited the viability of hypoxic A549 and H520 cells. In response to combined treatment with CPP and radiation, hypoxic A549 and H520 cells exhibited enhanced apoptosis; in addition, cell proliferation was suppressed and the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, survivin and cleaved caspase-3 were modified. Furthermore, CPP in combination with radiation affected the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/Akt/phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. These findings indicated that CPP may enhance the radiosensitivity of hypoxic A549 and H520 cells; this effect may be associated with inhibition of the mTOR/Akt/PI3K pathway. The potential radiosensitizing effects of CPP on hypoxic A549 and H520 cells suggested that CPP may be an effective target for treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Gamma Sensitizes Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma to Gamma Irradiation Induced Apoptosis.

The nuclear receptors known as peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARG) are lipid-activated transcription factors that have emerged as key regulators of inflammation. PPARG ligands have been shown to have an anti-proliferative effect on a variety of cancers. These ligands can induce apoptosis via TP53 (Tumor protein p53) or ERK1/2 (Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2) (EPHB2) pathways. However, the exact mechanism is not known. PPAR, a type II nuclear hormone receptor deserves attention as a selective target for radiotherapy. Our study examines the potential of selective agonism of PPARG for radiation therapy in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). We found that the overexpression of PPARG protein as well as its induction using the agonist, rosiglitazone was able to stimulate radiation-induced cell death in otherwise radio resistant NSCLC A549 cell line. This cell death was apoptotic and was found to be BAX (BCL2 associated X) mediated. The treatment also inhibited radiation-induced AKT (Protein Kinase B) phosphorylation. Interestingly, the ionising radiation (IR) induced apoptosis was found to be inversely related to TP53 levels. A relatively significant increase in the levels of radiation induced apoptosis was observed in H1299 cells (TP53 null) under PPARG overexpression condition further supporting the inverse relationship between apoptosis and TP53 levels. The combination of PPARG agonist and radiation was able to induce apoptosis at a radiation dose at which A549 and H1299 are radioresistant, thus confirming the potential of the combinatorial strategy. Taken together, PPARG agonism was found to invigorate the radiosensitising effect and hence its use in combination with radiotherapy is expected to enhance sensitivity in otherwise resistant cancer types.

Silencing of heat shock protein 27 increases the radiosensitivity of non‑small cell lung carcinoma cells.

Radiotherapy is a useful treatment for malignant tumors, including lung carcinoma; however, non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is frequently insensitive to radiation. It has been reported that heat shock protein 27 (HSPB1) is a radioresistance-associated protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the present study, the role of HSPB1 in NSCLC cells induced by irradiation was investigated. The viability of cells was determined by a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The apoptotic activity, cell cycle distribution and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of cells were evaluated via flow cytometry. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses were employed to measure the expression of various genes and proteins. It was observed that knockdown of HSPB1 with small interfering RNA (si-HSPB1) markedly decreased the viability of A549 NSCLC cells and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase following exposure to 6 Gy irradiation. Furthermore, it was revealed that si-HSPB1 significantly downregulated cyclin B1 and cyclin G1 expression. Additionally, si-HSPB1 promoted apoptosis and depolarized the MMP of cells exposed to 6 Gy irradiation. The expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), mitochondrial cytochrome c (cyto c) and pro-caspase-8 were downregulated, whereas those of Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), cytosolic cyto c and cleaved-caspase-8 were upregulated. Collectively, silencing of HSPB1 increased the radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells by reducing cell viability, depolarizing the MMP, arresting the cell cycle in the G2/M phase and promoting cell apoptosis. Therefore, HSPB1 may be a novel target for increasing radiosensitivity in the treatment of NSCLC.

CIAPIN1 Targeted NHE1 and ERK1/2 to Suppress NSCLC Cells' Metastasis and Predicted Good Prognosis in NSCLC Patients Receiving Pulmonectomy.

Objective Cytokine-induced apoptosis inhibitor 1 (CIAPIN1) acts as a downstream effector of the receptor tyrosine kinase-Ras signaling pathway and has been reported as a candidate tumor suppressor gene in various cancers. Our current study was aimed at investigating the prognostic impact of CIAPIN1 on Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) patients and the effect of CIAPIN1 on NSCLC A549 cells' metastasis. Methods Western blot analysis was applied to detect CIAPIN1 expression; Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate the effect of CIAPIN1 on NSCLC patients' prognosis. Wound healing assay, Transwell chamber invasion analysis, and tumorigenicity assay in BALB/c nude mice were used to measure the metastasis potential of A549 cells. Results We found that CIAPIN1 overexpression indicated good survival duration during the follow-up period. CIAPIN1 overexpression inhibited the migration, invasion, MMPs, and EMT-associated markers in A549 cells. Further, NHE1 (Na+/H+ exchanger 1) expression and ERK1/2 phosphorylation decreased along with CIAPIN1 upregulation. Importantly, treating A549 cells with CIAPIN1 overexpression with the NHE1-specific inhibitor, Cariporide, further inhibited the metastatic capacity, MMP expression, EMT-associated markers, and phosphorylated ERK1/2. Treatment with the MEK1-specific inhibitor, PD98059, induced nearly the same suppression of CIAPIN1 overexpression-dependent metastatic capacity, MMP expression, and EMT-associated markers as was observed with Cariporide. Further, Cariporide and PD98059 exert synergistical suppression of A549 cells' metastatic capacity. Conclusion Thus, the current results implied a potential management by which CIAPIN1 upregulation may have a crucial effect on the suppression of NSCLC, indicating that overexpression of CIAPIN1 might serve as a combination with chemotherapeutical agents in NSCLC therapy.

Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen Leaf Extract Derived Silver Nanoparticles Induce Apoptosis in Human Colorectal Carcinoma Cells Without Affecting Human Lymphocytes or Erythrocytes.

Plant-derived synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has found wide biomedical applications including cancer cure. This report deals with biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (MZLAgNPs) employing leaf extracts of Manilkara zapota (L.) under optimized conditions. Characterization of MZLAgNPs using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and FESEM analyses revealed that the particles were predominantly spherical averaging 24nm in size. Their cellular effects were assessed by MTT assay, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy of cells stained with propidium iodide, acridine orange/ethidium bromide, and annexin V-FITC to visualize signs of apoptosis. Evaluation of cell proliferation by clonogenic assay, wound healing ability by scratch assay and cell cycle distribution by flow-cytometry was also carried out. Apoptosis-related gene expressions were analyzed by RTq-PCR and western blot analysis. MZLAgNPs selectively inhibited growth of colorectal carcinoma HCT116, HeLa, and non-small lung carcinoma A549 cells, dose-dependently with IC50 concentrations of 8, 16, and 29μg/mL respectively, following 72-h treatment, without affecting growth of normal human lymphocytes and erythrocytes. Apoptosis induction was observed by fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, upregulation of apoptotic-related genes - PUMA, cas-3, cas-8, cas-9, and BAX, expression of caspase 3, and occurrence of PARP cleavage were observed in MZLAgNPs/cisplatin treated cells. Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate the therapeutic potential of biogenic MZLAgNPs as an effective agent for killing colorectal carcinoma cells by apoptosis induction.