Percentage Of Annexin V-positive Cells Research Articles

Revealing New Prospects: Antipsychotic Drugs Exert Anti-Tumor Effects against Gastric Cancer through Inducing Apoptosis.

Globally, Gastric Cancer (GC) ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. GC is a multifaceted malignancy with diverse etiologies; however, understanding the shared molecular mechanisms can aid in discovering novel targeted therapies for GC. This study has employed a drug repositioning approach to explore new drug candidates for treating GC. The human GC cell lines AGS, MKN-45, and KATO-III were treated with different concentrations of dopamine, cabergoline, thioridazine, and entacapone to determine effective doses and IC50 values. In vitro, cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines was screened based on dose/time using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) in each group. The percentage of apoptotic cells was evaluated using Annexin V/PI staining. Dopamine, cabergoline, thioridazine, and entacapone elicited cytotoxic effects on AGS and KATO-III cells in a dose-dependent manner and elevated the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells, suggesting the occurrence of apoptosis. The expression of Bcl-2 and PCNA was significantly decreased, whereas the expression of Bax was considerably increased in the AGS and KATO-III cells compared to that in the blank group (p < 0.05); however, no similar effect was observed in MKN-45 cells. Through in vitro experiments, this study provides evidence that the antipsychotic drugs cabergoline, dopamine, thioridazine, and entacapone can inhibit gastric cancer growth in AGS and KATO-III cells. These findings suggest that these drugs could be repurposed as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of gastric cancer.

The kava chalcone flavokawain B exerts inhibitory activity and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibition in malignant B-cell lymphoma.

B-cell lymphoma, which originates from B cells at diverse differentiation stages, is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma with tremendous treatment challenges and unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. Flavokawain B (FKB), a naturally occurring chalcone extracted from kava, possesses promising anticancer properties. However, evidence on the effects of FKB on hematological malignancies, particularly lymphomas, remains scarce. This study aimed to investigate the antilymphoma effect of FKB and its underlying mechanisms. Proliferation assays, flow cytometry, and western blotting were employed to determine whether and how FKB affected B-cell lymphoma cell lines in vitro. Xenograft mouse models were established to evaluate the antilymphoma efficacy of FKB in vivo. FKB reduced the viability of a panel of B-cell lymphoma cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mitochondrial apoptosis was markedly induced by FKB, as evidenced by an increased percentage of annexin V-positive cells, a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP. Moreover, FKB inhibited BCL-XL expression and synergized with the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-199. Mechanistically, FKB treatment decreased the phosphorylation of Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), and ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6). Pharmacological blockage of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, or GSK3β potentiated the activity of FKB, indicating the involvement of the PI3K/Akt cascade in FKB-mediated inhibitory effects. In mouse xenograft models, the intraperitoneal administration of FKB significantly decreased lymphoma growth, accompanied by diminished mitosis and Ki-67 staining of tumor tissues. Our data demonstrate the robust therapeutic potential of FKB in the treatment of B-cell lymphoma.

Pro-Apoptotic Activity of MCL-1 Inhibitor in Trametinib-Resistant Melanoma Cells Depends on Their Phenotypes and Is Modulated by Reversible Alterations Induced by Trametinib Withdrawal.

Although BRAFV600/MEK inhibitors improved the treatment of melanoma patients, resistance is acquired almost inevitably. Trametinib withdrawal/rechallenge and MCL-1 inhibition in trametinib-resistance models displaying distinct p-ERK1/2 levels were investigated. Trametinib withdrawal/rechallenge caused reversible changes in ERK1/2 activity impacting the balance between pro-survival and pro-apoptotic proteins. Reversible alterations were found in MCL-1 levels and MCL-1 inhibitors, BIM and NOXA. Taking advantage of melanoma cell dependency on MCL-1 for survival, we used S63845. While it was designed to inhibit MCL-1 activity, we showed that it also significantly reduced NOXA levels. S63845-induced apoptosis was detected as the enhancement of Annexin V-positivity, caspase-3/7 activation and histone H2AX phosphorylation. Percentages of Annexin V-positive cells were increased most efficiently in trametinib-resistant melanoma cells displaying the p-ERK1/2low/MCL-1low/BIMhigh/NOXAlow phenotype with EC50 values at concentrations as low as 0.1 μM. Higher ERK1/2 activity associated with increased MCL-1 level and reduced BIM level limited pro-apoptotic activity of S63845 further influenced by a NOXA level. Our study supports the notion that the efficiency of an agent designed to target a single protein can largely depend on the phenotype of cancer cells. Thus, it is important to define appropriate phenotype determinants to stratify the patients for the novel therapy.

Platycodin D induces proliferation inhibition and mitochondrial apoptosis in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have unsatisfactory outcomes, especially when relapse occurs after initial chemotherapy. Platycodin D (PD), a triterpenoid saponin isolated from the root of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC., has demonstrated potent anticancer activities. However, information regarding the effect of PD on malignant lymphoma remains unavailable. In the present study, we showed that PD dose dependently inhibited the viability of a serial of established DLBCL cell lines representing different molecular subtypes, and their sensitivities to PD were comparable. Mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent intrinsic apoptosis were induced by PD, as indicated by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the increase in the percentage of Annexin Ⅴ-positive cells. Mechanistically, PD treatment downregulated the expression levels of antiapoptotic proteins including MCL-1, BCL-2, and BCL-XL, whereas the expression level of proapoptotic protein BAK was upregulated, followed by the cleavage of the DNA repair enzyme PARP. Moreover, PD synergistically enhanced the cytotoxicity of BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax. In a SUDHL-4-derived xenograft mouse model, the PD administration significantly constrained the tumor growth without obvious side effects. Therefore, our results provide new insights into the role of PD in lymphoma therapy.

MS-5, a Naphthalene Derivative, Induces Apoptosis in Human Pancreatic Cancer BxPC-3 Cells by Modulating Reactive Oxygen Species.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most fatal cancers with a poor prognosis. Standard chemotherapies have proven largely ineffective because of their toxicity and the development of resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapies. In this study, we investigated the antitumor activity of MS-5, a naphthalene derivative, on BxPC-3, a human pancreatic cancer cell line. We observed that MS-5 was cytotoxic to BxPC-3 cells, as well as inhibited the growth of cells in a concentration- and time- dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the percentage of annexin V-positive cells increased after MS-5 treatment. We also observed cleavage of caspases and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and downregulation of Bcl-xL protein. Flow cytometry analysis of intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial superoxide suggested that MS-5 induced the generation of mitochondrial superoxide while lowering the overall intracellular ROS levels. Thus, MS-5 may be potential candidate for pancreatic cancer treatment.

C/EBPα-p30 Confers AML Cell Susceptibility to the Terminal Unfolded Protein Response and Resistance to Venetoclax By Activating DDIT3 Transcription

Introduction: CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) is one of the most essential lineage-specific transcription factors involved in myeloid differentiation and includes two isoforms of protein: full-length C/EBPα-p42 and truncated C/EBPα-p30. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with CEBPA biallelic (CEBPAbi) mutation or single mutation in the bZIP region is associated with a favorable prognosis, but the mechanisms are still unclear. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a conserved adaptive signal transduction pathway triggered by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. UPR first strives to restore protein homeostasis and maintain cell survival through a pro-survival arm called adaptive UPR. However, in the setting of irremediable ER stress, the UPR transforms into pro-apoptotic terminal UPR signaling that promotes cell apoptosis. DNA damage-inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3) is a key transcription factor responsible for terminal UPR under severe ER stress. Here, we hypothesize that C/EBPα two isoforms regulate DDIT3 transcription, resulting in easier elimination of AML cells with CEBPA mutations and dysregulation by terminal UPR. Methods: Human AML cell lines and mouse 32Dcl3 were transduced with recombinant lentiviruses to knockdown CEBPA expression or over-express of C/EBPα two isoforms. RT-qPCR was used to detected the mRNA levels and western immunoblotting was used to determine the protein levels. The cell apoptosis rates were determined as the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells by flow cytometry. We performed CFU assays to confirm the declined granulocytic differentiation of 32Dcl3 cells with Cebpa knockdown. To identify potential C/EBPα-binding DNA sequences in the genome, we performed ChIP-seq. Luciferase reporter analysis was used to confirm the transcriptional regulation ability of C/EBPα two isoforms and independent ChIP-qPCR of candidate sequences were performed to further verify the transcription factor binding sites of C/EBPα. Finally, we generated a xenograft model with NCG mice to determine the potential application value of our findings. Results: Firstly, we found a negative correlation between CEBPA expression and DDIT3 levels in AML cell lines and primary de novo AML patients. After knockdown of CEBPA in THP-1 cells, which has high endogenous C/EBPα expression, DDIT3 expression was upregulated, and an increased apoptotic rate of AML cells was induced by ER stress. Cebpa knockdown also induced easier elimination of mouse myeloid progenitor cells 32Dcl3 due to upregulation of Ddit3, so as to avoid leukemogenesis since their differentiation was blocked. After the overexpression of C/EBPα-p42 and C/EBPα-p30 in NB4 cells, which have relatively low levels of endogenous C/EBPα isoforms, we found that C/EBPα-p30 activated DDIT3 expression to increase the sensitivity of AML cells to tunicamycin. However, C/EBPα-p42 had the opposite effect to C/EBPα-p30. Through luciferase reporter analysis, we confirmed that C/EBPα-p30 and C/EBPα-p42 directly regulate the transcription of DDIT3 in a contrasting manner, indicating that the two isoforms maintain protein homeostasis corporately. ChIP-seq and ChIP-qPCR revealed that C/EBPα-p30 has a special binding site in DDIT3 gene promoter with stronger affinity than C/EBPα-p42 (hg38, Chr12:57520654-57521026). Given that the BCL2 family proteins are major targets of DDIT3, we further observed that a low p42/p30 ratio was related to reduced BCL2 levels-a major target of DDIT3, increased MCL1 levels, and resistance of AML cells to venetocalx. Finally, in vitro and in vivo we found that tunicamycin and sorafenib could synergistically reverse venetoclax resistance in AML cells by activating the terminal UPR and inhibiting MCL1. Conclusions: Collectively, our results identified a critical regulation of C/EBPα two isoforms on the transcription of DDIT3 in AML cells as well as normal myeloid progenitor cells and confirmed the importance of this regulation in leukemia surveillance and elimination of AML cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that patients with AML having a low C/EBPα p42/p30 ratio and CEBPAbi mutation may not benefit from monotherapy with BCL2 inhibitors. This can be resolved by a combination of ER stress inducers or MCL1 inhibitors, including tunicamycin and sorafenib, which may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for AML patients with CEBPA mutations and dysregulation. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

A Novel Cytotoxic Steroidal Saponin from the Roots of Asparagus cochinchinensis

A new steroidal saponin, 26-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-furost-5-ene-3β,22α,26-triol 3-O-(1−4)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1−2)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1−4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside [asparacochioside A (1)] was isolated from a hot water extract of the roots of Asparagus cochinchinensis, together with the known steroidal saponins protodioscin (2), methyl protodioscin (3), aspacochioside A (4), aspacochioside C (5), 15−hydroxypseudoprotodioscin (6), and chamaedroside E (7). The structure of the new compound 1 was determined by interpretation of its spectroscopic data (1D- and 2D-NMR and HR−Q−TOF−MS) and sugar analysis. The isolated compounds 1−7 were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780 and SKOV3). Asparacochioside A (1) exhibited a significant cytotoxicity against both A2780 and SKOV3 cells with IC50 values of 5.25 ± 2.2 and 46.82 ± 9.43 μM, respectively. Furthermore, asparacochioside A (1) significantly increased the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells (apoptotic cells), suggesting that asparacochioside A induces ovarian cancer cell death via apoptosis.

Targeting of Marcks By MiR-34a Overcomes Drug Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by abnormal proliferation of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. Current therapies, such as the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BTZ), have improved the outcome of patients. Nevertheless MM remains an incurable disease with a high rate of relapse and development of drug resistance. So far, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying drug resistance of MM are not fully elucidated. Our previous study showed the overexpression of MARCKS (Myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate) protein in MM cells played an important role in drug resistance. However; the mechanism (s) underlying MARCKS overexpression and its association with drug resistance in MM have not been elucidated.In the current study, to investigate whether miRNAs play a role in aberrant upregulation of MARCKS in drug resistance, several miRNA-target prediction algorithms were exploited to generate a selective miRNA library for subsequent screening. Among 52 miRNA candidates that target MARCKS, the expression level of several miRNAs with higher score was assessed in drug resistant cell lines (8226-R5 and MM1.R) in comparison to the parental cells (8226 and MM1.S). We observed that miR-34a expression was most significantly downregulated in 8226-R5 and MM1.R cell lines relative to their parental lines, 8226 and MM1S. We also identified a negative correlation between MARCKS and miR-34a expression levels in 6 primary patient samples and two healthy donor samples. Next, to confirm direct targeting of MARCKS by miR-34a, two MM resistant cell lines (8226-R5 and MM1R) were transduced with lentiviral vectors harboring miR-34a precursor gene or scramble control and mRNA and protein level of MARCKS were assessed in miR-34a overexpressing cell lines in comparison to scramble control. Overexpression of miR-34a reduced MARCKS expression level in both mRNA and protein levels. In addition, the luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate MARCKS as a direct target of miR-34a. To this end, the 3' UTR sequence of human MARCKS was cloned into the luciferase-expressing vector pEZX-MT01 to the downstream of the firefly luciferase gene. Co-transfection of MARCKS-UTR or negative control luciferase reporter vectors together with miR-34a expressing or control vector showed that miR-34a overexpression significantly reduced the luciferase activity, indicating that miR-34a can directly target the MARCKS 3′ UTR.To examine the functional effect of miR-34a on cell proliferation and apoptosis in MM cells, the miR-34a overexpressing or scramble control cell lines were treated with BTZ. Overexpression of miR-34a in drug resistant cell lines re-sensitized them to BTZ. Furthermore, FACS analysis revealed that overexpression of miR-34a could induce apoptosis in drug resistant MM cell lines as indicated by an increase in the percentage of annexin-V positive cells compared to the control, suggesting that downregulation of miR-34a is associated with acquired BTZ-resistance in MM.To further elucidate the interaction of miR-34a and MARCKS, we knocked down MARCKS expression by transfecting shMARCKS lentiviral vector into 8226-R5 and MM1.R resistant cell lines and examined the miR-34a level in MARCKS-knockdown cells. We found that miR-34a is also regulated by MARCKS as silencing of MARCKS could restore the miR-34a expression level in MM resistant cell lines. In compatible with miR-34a overexpression experiments, following the knockdown of MARCKS, both cell lines had significantly lower viability after treatment with BTZ, in comparison to negative controls. We also showed that knockdown of MARCKS by shMARCKS silencing or suppression of MARCKS by miR-34a overexpression increased the mRNA and protein levels of some pro-apoptotic genes including PUMA which may be involved in induction of apoptosis in drug resistant MM cells.In conclusion, our data indicate that miR-34a is downregulated in drug resistant MM cell lines and primary MM cells, which contributes to the drug resistance of MM through upregulation of MARCKS. Moreover, regulatory interaction between miR-34a and MARCKS provides the rationale that restoration of miR-34a may serve as a promising therapeutic approach by targeting MARCKS in patients with refractory/relapsed MM. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Antioxidant mechanism of gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline in inhibiting MPP~+-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells

Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis is the most frequently used herbal pair in the treatment of Parkinson's disease(PD). Gastrodin and isorhynchophylline are important components of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis herb pair with anti-Parkinson mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium(MPP~+)-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells and their antioxidant mechanism. The leakage of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) from cells to media was analyzed by spectrophotometry. Apoptotic cells were labeled with Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC) and propidium iodide(PI) and analyzed by flow cytometry. The cell cycle was analyzed using propidium iodide(PI) staining. Lipid peroxidation(LPO) level was analyzed by spectrophotometry. The mRNA expression of caspase-3 was examined by Real-time RT-PCR. The protein expressions of heme oxygenase 1(HO-1) and NADPH: quinoneoxidore-ductase 1(NQO-1) were determined by Western blot. Gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline reduced the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells and cell cycle arrest in MPP~+-induced PC12 cells. Gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline down-regulated the mRNA expression of caspase-3, up-regulated the protein expressions of HO-1 and NQO-1, and reduced LPO content in MPP~+-induced PC12 cells. PD98059, LY294002 or LiCl could partially reverse these changes pretreated with gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline, suggesting that gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline inhibited MPP~+-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells and oxidative stress through ERK1/2 and PI3 K/GSK-3β signal pathways. Our experiments showed that gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline could down-re-gulate the mRNA expression of caspase-3 and up-regulate the protein expressions of HO-1 and NQO-1, so as to reduce oxidative stress and inhibit apoptosis.

Vitexin restores pancreatic β-cell function and insulin signaling through Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling pathways

Chronic hyperglycemia induces pancreatic β-cell dysfunction through several cell signaling pathways. The β-cell loss by apoptosis appears to play a crucial role in the onset and progression of diabetes. This study was aimed to investigate the role of vitexin against high glucose-induced β-cells apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms involved therein. INS-1 cells were pretreated with vitexin (20 and 40 μM) followed by high glucose (33 mM) exposure and the cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT. The effect of vitexin on nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and NF-kB signaling molecules have been studied. Vitexin-mediated stimulation of Nrf2 was assessed. Vitexin protected the cells against high glucose toxicity in a concentration-dependent manner. Vitexin improved insulin signaling as analyzed by the levels of functional proteins in the insulin pathways, viz., insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and IRS-2, glucose transporter −2, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Vitexin improved the high glucose-induced nuclear transcription factor system by suppressing Rel A, Rel B, P50/p105, and IκB expression resulting in decreased cell apoptosis, further confirmed by the reduction in the percentage of Annexin-V positive cells. Our data suggest that vitexin improves insulin secretion by activating key proteins, including NF-κB and Nrf2 in β-cells regulating apoptosis.

Overexpression of Mir-21-5p Induces Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest By Down-Regulating SKP2 and Overcomes Bortezomib Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

High expression of SKP2 (S-Phase Kinase Associated Protein 2) is associated with tumor cell growth and drug resistance in many solid tumors and hematological malignancies. However, the role of SKP2 in drug resistance/ relapse of multiple myeloma (MM) patients has not been fully investigated. To this end, we first analyzed two publicly accessible datasets (GSE6477, GSE9782) which demonstrated that relapsed MM patients showed higher expression of SKP2 compared to newly diagnosed patients (p=0.02). Furthermore, high expression of SKP2 was correlated with shorter overall survival compared to newly diagnosed MM patients with low SKP2 expression (p=0.0002). To investigate whether miRNAs could play a role in the dysregulation of SKP2 in MM, we exploited several miRNA-target prediction algorithms (Targetscan, miRDB, microT-CDS) to generate a selective miRNA library for subsequent screening. Over all, the screening results displayed 59 miRNA candidates predicated to target SKP2, 9 miRNAs were commonly identified by all three algorithms. Among these, miR-21-5p showed the highest potential binding score for SKP2 and was found to be in an inverse correlation with SKP2 in MM patient dataset (GSE16558). To address whether miR-21-5p/SKP2 axis may play a role in drug resistance in MM, we used two drug resistant MM cell lines (RPMI-8226R5 and MM.1R) to analyze the basal expression of SKP2 and miR-21-5p compared with that in their parental lines (RPMI-8226 and MM.1S, respectively). It turned out that the resistant MM cells displayed low expression of miR-21-5p and high expression of SKP2 whereas the parental lines showed the opposite pattern. Moreover, overexpression of miR-21-5p in both MM drug resistant cell lines significantly reduced both mRNA and protein levels of SKP2 further supporting that SKP2 could be a target of miR-21-5p. SKP2 mediates the ubiquitination of cyclin kinase inhibitor p27Kip1, a central negative regulator of cell cycle. In line with this, our immunoblot analysis confirmed that high SKP2 expressing drug resistant MM cells showed a low level of p27Kip1protein and low SKP2 expressing MM parental lines showed a high level of p27kip1 protein. To investigate the functional effects of miR-21-5p overexpression, we first performed FACS to determine if this overexpression would modulate cell cycle regulation of drug resistant MM cells. miR-21-5p overexpression increased in the proportion of cells at G1/G0 phase (RPMI-8226R5: 41.6 % to 59.1%, MM.1R: 19.5 % to 39.4%), decreased in the proportion of cells in S phase (RPMI-8226R5: 30.9 % to 25.5 %, MM.1R: 44.7 % to 32.2%) and G2/M phase (RPMI-8226R5: 15.5 % to 11.5 %, MM.1R: 27.6 % to22.4% ) compared with scrambled control. At the same time, immunoblot results showed that overexpression of miR-21-5p accumulated p27Kip1 and p21 (Cip1/Waf1), and suppressed CDK6 and Cyclin E cell cycle markers. Next, we examined the effect of miR-21-5p overexpression on cell proliferation and apoptosis in MM resistant cells using both MTT cytotoxicity assay and vital exclusion staining (trypan blue). In both assays, miR-21-5p mimics-transfected MM resistant cells showed significant reduction of cell viability and increase in apoptosis in a time-dependent manner compared with scrambled-transfected cells. Overexpression of miR-21-5p upregulated apoptotic markers: cleaved PARP-1, cleaved caspase-3, PUMA and BAX and down regulated anti-apoptotic markers: BCL-2 and survivin. Subsequently, efficacy of bortezomib (BTZ) was examined on miR-21-5p overexpressed MM resistant cells which were interestingly re-sensitized to BTZ in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, our FACS experiment also confirmed that combination of BTZ and miR-21-5p mimics increased the percentage of annexin-V positive cells compared to scrambled and miR-21-5p mimics in the MM resistant cells. In conclusion, miR-21-5p is suppressed in MM resistant cells, which contributes to the drug resistance in MM through upregulation of SKP2. Overexpression of miR-21-5p induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in MM drug resistant cells by downregulating SKP2 gene expression and overcomes BTZ resistance in these cells. Our study provides a proof-of-concept that miR-21-5p could be utilized as a SKP2-targeting molecule which in combination with BTZ would be a promising therapeutic approach to overcome MM drug resistance. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Melatonin enhances hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in human dental pulp cells

Background/purposeMelatonin, at physiological concentrations, was previously found to inhibit proliferation and promote odontogenic differentiation in human dental pulp cells (hDPCs), but its effect on apoptosis is unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of melatonin on the H2O2-mediated viability reduction and apoptosis in hDPCs. Materials and methodshDPCs were treated with H2O2 (0, 250, 500, 1000 μmol/L), melatonin (0, 10−12, 10−10, 10−8 mol/L), and melatonin with H2O2 for 24 h. CCK-8 assays were performed to evaluate cell viability. Apoptosis was measured by DAPI and Annexin V/propidium iodide staining. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by CellROX® staining and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was examined by JC-1 staining. ResultsH2O2 obviously decreased the viability of hDPCs in a concentration-dependent manner and melatonin alone also reduced viability by 16–20%. Melatonin was also found to enhance H2O2-induced toxicity in a concentration-dependent manner, and the highest physiological concentration of melatonin (10−8 mol/L) had the most obvious effect (P < 0.001). Treating H2O2-exposed hDPCs with melatonin significantly increased the ratio of apoptotic cells with condensed and deformed nuclei (P < 0.001), as well as the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells (P < 0.01). Furthermore, melatonin significantly increased intracellular ROS levels and induced the loss of ΔΨm in H2O2-exposed cells (P < 0.05). ConclusionOur results indicate that melatonin, at physiological concentrations, can enhance H2O2-induced apoptosis in hDPCs and increase H2O2-mediated ROS production and ΔΨm loss. Further studies are needed to investigate whether melatonin targets the mitochondrial death pathway during the process.

Inhibition of Intracellular ROS Accumulation by Formononetin Attenuates Cisplatin-Mediated Apoptosis in LLC-PK1 Cells.

Cisplatin is a well-known anticancer drug frequently used for treating solid tumors, including ovarian, testicular, bladder, and cervical tumors. However, usage of cisplatin has been limited because of its adverse effects, particularly nephrotoxicity. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the protective effect of formononetin against cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in LLC-PK1 pig kidney epithelial cells as well as the anticancer effect of cisplatin in three different human cervical cancer cell lines, including HeLa, SiHa, and CaSKi cells. We first demonstrated that formononetin strongly prevented cisplatin-induced LLC-PK1 cell death. Although formononetin had no anticancer effect, it did not interrupt the anticancer effect of cisplatin in human cervical carcinoma cell lines. Furthermore, the treatment with formononetin reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and chromatin condensation. The percentage of Annexin V-positive cells also increased following cisplatin treatment. Finally, formononetin-inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation, cleavage of caspase-8 and caspase-3, and the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 increased with cisplatin. Taken together, these findings suggest that formononetin may be a possible option to prevent nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin during treatment for cervical cancer.

Endogenous acid ceramidase protects epithelial cells from Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced inflammation in vitro

Ceramidases are a group of enzymes that degrade pro-inflammatory ceramide by cleaving a fatty acid to form anti-inflammatory sphingosine lipid. Thus far, acid, neutral and alkaline ceramidase isozymes have been described. However, the expression patterns of ceramidase isoforms as well as their role in periodontal disease pathogenesis remain unknown. In this study, expression patterns of ceramidase isoforms were quantified by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry in gingival samples of patients with periodontitis and healthy subjects, as well as in EpiGingivalTM-3D culture and OBA-9 gingival epithelial cells both of which were stimulated with or without the presence of live Porphyromonas gingivalis (ATCC 33277 strain). A significantly lower level of acid ceramidase expression was detected in gingival tissues from periodontal patients compared to those from healthy subjects. In addition, acid-ceramidase expression in EpiGingival™ 3D culture and OBA-9 cells was suppressed by stimulation with P. gingivalis in vitro. No significant fluctuation was detected for neutral or alkaline ceramidases in either gingival samples or cell cultures. Next, to elucidate the role of acid ceramidase in P. gingivalis-induced inflammation in vitro, OBA-9 cells were transduced with adenoviral vector expressing the human acid ceramidase (Ad-ASAH1) gene or control adenoviral vector (Ad-control). In response to stimulation with P. gingivalis, ASAH1-over-expressing OBA-9 cells showed significantly lower mRNA expressions of caspase-3 as well as the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells, when compared with OBA-9 cells transduced with Ad-control vector. Furthermore, in response to stimulation with P. gingivalis, ASAH1-over-expressing OBA-9 cells produced less TNF-α, IL-6, and IL1β pro-inflammatory cytokines than observed in OBA-9 cells transduced with Ad-control vector. Collectively, our data show the novel discovery of anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of acid ceramidase in host cells exposed to periodontal bacteria, and the attenuation of the expression of host-protective acid ceramidase in periodontal lesions.

Calpain-2/p35-p25/Cdk5 pathway is involved in the neuronal apoptosis induced by polybrominated diphenyl ether-153

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been demonstrated to induce neurotoxicity in experimental rats and mice, with neuronal apoptosis as one of the major mechanisms, however, the mechanisms underlying PBDEs-induced neuronal apoptosis remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of calpain/p35-p25/Cdk5 pathway in BDE-153-induced neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus and primary neurons in rats. Results showed that compared to the controls, neuronal apoptosis was significantly increased in vivo and ex vivo, as manifested by the increased hippocampus TUNEL-positive cell rates, apoptotic neurons in Hoechst and AO/EB staining, and the increased LDH activity and percentage of Annexin V-positive cells in rat hippocampus and primary neurons. Calpain activity was significantly increased in all the BDE-153-treated groups in vivo and ex vivo when compared to non-treatment controls. In addition, we showed that calpain-2 accounted for the calpain activation instead of calpain-1, as demonstrated by the up-regulated mRNA and protein expressions in calpain-2 but not calpain-1. Activated calpain truncated p35 into p25, which resulted in the p25/Cdk5 formation and activation. Calpain inhibitor PD150606 or p25/Cdk5 inhibitor Roscovitine relieved neuronal apoptosis mainly via inhibiting the p25/Cdk5 activation. Overall, the findings suggested that calpain-2/p35-p25/Cdk5 pathway was involved in BDE-153-induced neuronal apoptosis, which provides novel insight into the mechanisms of PBDE neurotoxicity.

Arsenic Trioxide Induces Apoptosis via Specific Signaling Pathways in HT- 29 Colon Cancer Cells

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is highly effective in the treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). It is a chemotherapeutic agent that has been shown to induce apoptosis in several tumor cell lines. However, research into its effects on colon carcinoma cells is still very limited. We previously reported that ATO is cytotoxic and causes DNA damage in HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. In the present study, we further evaluated its effect on oxidative stress (OS), and examined its apoptotic mechanisms of action on HT-29 cells. OS was assessed by spectrophotometric measurements of MDA levels while cell cycle analysis was evaluated by flow cytometry to determine whether ATO induces cell cycle arrest. Its effect on early apoptosis was also evaluated by flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Fluorescence microscopy was used to detect the morphological changes, and Western blotting was carried out to determine the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. The lipid peroxidation assay revealed a dose-dependent increase in MDA production. DAPI staining showed morphological changes in the cell's nucleus due to apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis and Annexin V-FITC assay also demonstrated a dose-dependent effect of ATO in the accumulation of cells at the sub G1 phase, and the percentages of Annexin V-positive cells, respectively. Western blot data showed that ATO upregulated the expression of caspase 3, Bax, and cytochrome C, and down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2. Taken together, our findings indicate that ATO induces OS and cytotoxicity in HT-29 cells through the mitochondria mediated intrinsic pathway of apoptosis.

Combination of bortezomib and daunorubicin in the induction of apoptosis in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Despite advances in the treatment of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), the outcome of T-ALL treatment remains unsatisfactory, therefore, more effective treatment is urgently required. The present study examined the cytotoxicities of bortezomib in combination with daunorubicin against human Jurkat and Molt-4 T-ALL cells and primary T-ALL cells. Compared with treatment alone, co-exposure of cells to bortezomib and daunorubicin resulted in a significant increase in cell death in the Jurkat cells, as evidenced by the increased percentage of Annexin V-positive cells, the formation of apoptotic bodies. In addition, the administration sequence of bortezomib and daunorubicin had an effect on cell viability. Treatment with bortezomib followed by daunorubicin treatment was more effective, compared with treatment with daunorubicin followed by bortezomib. Co-treatment with bortezomib and daunorubicin markedly enhanced the activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9, which was reversed by the pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK. In addition, cotreatment with bortezomib and daunorubicin enhanced the collapse of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and upregulated the proapoptotic protein, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-interacting mediator of cell death (Bim), but not Bcl-2 or Bcl-extra large. Consistent with this, it was demonstrated that cotreatment of bortezomib and daunorubicin efficiently induced apoptosis in primary T-ALL cells, and cell death was associated with the collapse of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and the upregulation of Bim. Taken together, these findings indicated that the combination of bortezomib and daunorubicin significantly enhanced their apoptosis-inducing effect in T-ALL cells, which may warrant further investigation in preclinical and clinical investigations.

The Novel Thiosemicarbazone Derivative Coti-2 Induces Mitochondrial Apoptosis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells Via a p53-Independent Mechanism

IntroductionTP53 mutations are rare (< 5%) in de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but if present, they are associated with a very poor prognosis (< 1% overall survival at 3 years). p53 mutations have been frequently detected in poor-prognosis patients with complex karyotype or therapy-related AML. COTI-2 is a third generation thiosemicarbazone derivative that was identified as a small molecule candidate against a diverse group of human cancer cell lines using a proprietary in silico drug screening method. COTI-2 causes cancer cell death via apoptosis. COTI-2 has been proposed to restore non-functional mutant p53 conformation to functional wild-type conformation in solid cancer cells, and it has recently entered a clinical trial in patients with advanced or recurrent gynecologic malignancies (NCT02433626). The molecular mechanisms of COTI-2 to induce apoptosis, however, remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated activity and possible modes of action of COTI-2 against AML cells, especially focusing on its p53-independent properties.METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 10 AML cell lines were exposed to COTI-2 for 72 hours and its anti-leukemia effects were determined by viable cell counts and annexin V staining. OCI-AML2, OCI-AML3, MOLM-13, MOLM-14 and MV4;11 express wild-type (WT) p53; THP-1and Kasumi-1 express mutant (MUT) p53; KG-1, U937 and HL-60 does not express p53 protein (p53 NULL). COTI-2 inhibited leukemia cell growth and increased the percentage of annexin V-positive cells, irrespective of cellular p53 status. The IC50 values (concentration at which cell growth is inhibited by 50%) for were not statistically different between p53 WT and MUT/NULL cells (10.3 ± 4.5 nM vs 20.2 ± 11.5 nM, P = 0.44). So did the ED50 values (effective concentration inducing 50% cell killing as measured by Annexin V positivity) (115.0 ± 50.9 nM vs 237.8 ± 109.9 nM, P = 0.34). We next examined the apoptotic effect on primary AML cells from patients with AML. A total of 14 samples [11 p53 WT cases and 3 p53 MUT (C135W, R248Q and C242Y) cases] were examined. COTI-2 induced apoptosis both in p53 WT (40.3 ± 6.4% compound-specific annexin V induction) and MUT samples (48.0 ± 17.7%) (P = 0.62). To elucidate the p53-independent activity of COTI-2, mRNA expression levels of TP53 (p53), CDKN1A (p21) and BBC3 (PUMA) were determined in four AML cell lines (OCI-AML3, MV4;11, HL-60 and Kasumi-1) after exposure to COTI-2. COTI-2 did not induce TP53 or its transcriptional targets CDKN1A or BBC3 in any of the cell lines. To investigate if COTI-2 activates an intrinsic pathway to induce apoptosis in AML, we used p53 NULL HL-60 cells overexpressing BCL-2 (HL-60/BCL-2), BCL-XL (HL-60/BCL-XL) and their controls (HL-60/neo). HL-60/BCL-2 and HL-60/BCL-XL respectively expressed BCL-2 and BCL-XL at greater than 4 times higher levels than HL-60/neo. Interestingly, overexpression of either BCL-2 or BCL-XL almost completely abrogated COTI-2-induced apoptosis. Similar results were obtained in OCI-AML3/BCL-2. MCL-1 overexpression only modestly inhibited COTI-2-induced apoptosis. Involvement of the extrinsic pathway was modest as JurkatI9.2 (a Jurkat clone deficient in caspase-8) and its control showed similar sensitivity to COTI-2. COTI-2 appeared to reduce MCL-1 expression levels through mTORC1 inhibition. Finally, COTI-2 strongly synergized with the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-199 to induce apoptosis in AML cells.Conclusion COTI-2 induces mitochondrial apoptosis in AML cells, irrespective of their p53 mutational status. COTI-2-induced apoptosis depends on BCL-2 and BCL-XL expression but not on MCL1 expression or p53 activation. COTI-2 has clinical potential in AML that often expresses high levels of MCL-1, especially in combination with BCL-2 inhibition. DisclosuresDanter:Critical Outcomes: Employment.

Abstract 212: BPM 31510 synergizes gemcitabine efficacy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma via mechanism independent of its anti-Warburg influence on metabolism

Abstract Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PanCa) is associated with poor prognosis and overall survival. Current first-line therapeutics are cytotoxic agents targeting DNA based mechanistic end-points for efficacy, their use limited by dose associated toxicity. There is a critical need for therapeutics with novel mechanisms amenable to combination with current standard-of-care chemotherapy to improve outcomes. BPM 31510 is a drug that targets cellular metabolism networks, effectuating an anti-Warburg effect in cancer. The documented high metabolic phenotype observed in PanCa provided rationale for investigation of BPM 31510 alone and in combination with gemcitabine in in vitro and in vivo PanCa models. Based on BPM 31510 EC50/EC&amp;gt;90 values for MIA-PaCa-2 and Panc-1 PanCa cell lines in vitro, the PanCa cells were significantly more sensitive to BPM 31510 compared to fibroblasts. BPM 31510 treatment in a time- and dose-dependent manner decreased the PI- and Annexin V-negative (viable) population and a concomitant increase in the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells, with PI indicative of early and late apoptosis. The anti-cancer activity of BPM 31510 was assessed in vivo using MIA-PaCa-2 tumor-bearing immune-compromised mice. Treatment with increasing doses of BPM 31510 (0.5-50 mg/kg IP, 3X/week) significantly improved survival outcomes, with the highest dose extending median survival by more than 36 days compared to saline control. Moreover, combined treatment with BPM 31510 and gemcitabine (150 mg/kg IV, 1X/week, given on cycles, 3 weeks on 1 week) resulted in further extension of median survival over either treatment alone. The mechanistic underpinnings for the enhanced efficacy of combination treatment were explored in vitro. In MIA-PaCa-2 cells, co-treatment with BPM 31510 and gemcitabine increased indices of regulated cell death higher than observed for either treatment alone. In contrast, although treatment with either BPM 31510 or gemcitabine alone increased caspase-3 activity, co-treatment did not enhance caspase-3 activation, suggesting that BPM 31510 augments gemcitabine cytotoxicity through independent mechanisms. In fact, BPM31510, and not gemcitabine, increased the mitochondrial uncoupling efficient ratio and Stateapparent in MIA-PaCa-2 cells. Nonetheless, co-treatment with BPM 31510 and gemcitabine synergistically decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in cells prior to cell death. Taken together, these data indicate that BPM 31510-driven bioenergetic alterations are separate from the effects of gemcitabine; however, their effects converge at the mitochondrion to dissipate ΔΨm and activate regulated cell death. The data suggests that combination of BPM 31510 with gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer will effectuate an efficacy response via independent mechanisms with improvement in therapeutic outcome. Citation Format: Tulin Dadali, Anne R. Diers, Rakib Ouro-Djobo, Justin Bourdelais, Ezer Benaim, Bianca Jambhekar, Tony E. Walshe, Vivek K. Vishnudas, Joaquin J. Jimenez, Rangaprasad Sarangarajan, Niven R. Narain. BPM 31510 synergizes gemcitabine efficacy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma via mechanism independent of its anti-Warburg influence on metabolism. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 212.

Inhibition of MAPK signaling pathways enhances cell death induced by 5-Aminolevulinic acid-photodynamic therapy in skin squamous carcinoma cells.

Combination of a photosensitizer, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), with photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been widely used to treat skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, a portion of SCC patients do not respond well to PDT. The molecular reason for this resistance is not clear. We hypothesize that mitogen-activated phosphorylation kinase (MAPK) plays a key role in mediating SCC resistance to PDT. To determine whether inhibition of MAPK signaling enhances the anti-tumor effect of ALA-PDT in SCC. The human squamous carcinoma cell line, SCL-1, was either untreated or treated with various combinations of ALA, PDT light source and inhibitors of MAPK signaling components. ALA-PDT treatment significantly decreased cell viability, increased the percentage of annexin-V positive cells and resulted in formation of apoptotic bodies. ALA-PDT treated cells showed increased levels of p-MEK, p-ERK1/2, p-p38, p-Elk-1, p-JNK and p-c-Jun. Addition of inhibitors for ERK1/2 (PD98059), p38 (SB203580) and JNK (SP60125) reversed the changes and led to a more dramatic decrease in SCL-1 cell viability than seen with ALA-PDT alone. Inhibition of the MAPK pathway enhances the cytotoxic effect of ALA-PDT on SCL-1.