Interaction of Topotecan,DNA Topoisomerase I Inhibitor,with Double-Stranded Polydeoxyribonucleotides. 5. Topotecan is Capable of Producing Single- and Double-Strand Breaks in Circular Supercoiled DNA in the Absence of the Enzyme

A study was made of the temperature, concentration, and time dependences for the emergence of breaks in the sugar-phosphate backbone of a circular supercoiled DNA (scDNA) in the presence of a campto-thecin derivative topotecan (TPT) and in the absence of DNA topoisomerase I (topo I). The experiments were carried out in low ionic strength solutions (10 mM sodium cacodylate) at neutral pH (6.8). The incubation time necessary for the appearance of double-strand breaks in scDNA in the presence of TPT correlated with the time of formation of strong TPT–DNA complex. This is the first demonstration that molecules of the camptothecin family can cause double-strand breaks in scDNA in the absence of the enzyme. A model is suggested for the complex composed of two crossed DNA duplexes bound through a bridge of two dimers of the TPT lactone form. According to this model, two carbonyl groups of D rings of different TPT dimers form hydrogen bonds with 2-amino groups of guanines located in the neighboring base pairs of different strands of one DNA duplex. At the same time, two other carbonyl groups of D rings of TPT dimers form hydrogen bonds with 2-amino groups of guanines 5 bp apart in one and the same strand of the second DNA duplex.     

植物源物质诱导的斜纹夜蛾细胞凋亡

为了研究植物源物质对斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura离体培养细胞系SL-1的凋亡诱导作用,采用倒置相差显微镜观察了印楝素、喜树碱等9种物质各自对SL-1凋亡小体的浓度效应及时序性。结果表明：印楝素0.1～5.0 μg/mL和喜树碱0.5～20.0 μmol/L处理SL-1,24～48 h后均产生大量典型的凋亡小体;茶皂素、蓖麻碱、黄樟油、丹皮酚、烟碱、苦参碱和博落回碱0.1～20.0 μg/mL处理SL-1后,整个观察期72 h内均无明显凋亡小体出现,凋亡诱导作用不明显。印楝素0.75 μg/mL诱导SL-1 细胞凋亡,从凋亡小体判断,处理后0～36 h属细胞凋亡早期,36～60 h属细胞凋亡中期,60 h后为细胞凋亡晚期。喜树碱 5.0 μmol/L诱导SL-1细胞凋亡,处理后0～24 h属细胞凋亡前期,24～54 h属细胞凋亡中期,54 h后进入细胞凋亡晚期。初步认为印楝素和喜树碱对SL-1有凋亡诱导作用,并具有一定的浓度依赖性和时序性。     

印楝素对SL-1的细胞凋亡诱导作用

本文以喜树碱(camptothecin)作对比,以二甲基亚砜(DMSO)作对照,系统研究了印楝素（azadirachtin）对斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura离体细胞系(SL-1)的凋亡诱导作用。印楝素0.75 μg/mL处理后SL-1细胞后12～72 h,倒置显微镜观察可见大量细胞皱缩,体积变小,胞膜气泡化,与邻周细胞脱落,胞浆浓缩,胞膜突起,细胞器密集,核染色质浓缩并凝聚在核膜周边,出现大量凋亡小体;AO染色荧光显微镜观察可见细胞核内致密明亮黄绿色荧光和亮绿色或橘黄色的凋亡小体;透射电镜观察可见细胞皱缩、微绒毛消失、染色质浓缩和边缘化、核膜皱缩界限模糊、部分线粒体嵴结构消失和数量明显增加的吞噬泡等细胞凋亡典型形态学特征;TUNEL实验可见大量被标记为小圆形或环形黄绿色或绿色荧光的阳性凋亡细胞。流式细胞仪测定表明,印楝素0.75 μg/mL处理后48 h凋亡率最高达11.45%,比对照提高381.3倍;而喜树碱以1.72 μg/mL处理亦对SL-1具有相似的诱导作用,处理后36 h凋亡率最高达到17.42%。扫描电镜观察表明,印楝素和喜树碱处理后,SL-1细胞表面没有形成明显的“孔"、“洞"、“门"之类的结构破坏。推测印楝素与喜树碱对SL-1的凋亡信号转导方式和途径不同,导致细胞凋亡时序性不同。     

Effect of sugar concentration on camptothecin production in cell suspension cultures ofCamptotheca acuminata

Studies for the effects of sugar concentration on camptothecin production in suspension cultures ofCamptotheca acuminata were made with different concentrations of sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Sucrose among tested carbon sources increased the camptothecin production. The highest camptothecin, 29×10⁴ mg/L, was obtained at 6% of sucrose that was 11 times higher than that at 2% of sucrose. Kinetics of camptothecin production with 6% of sucrose showed the camptothecin production was increased up to 3 days and then decreased after 6 days from inoculation. The highest camptothecin was obtained on the third day from inoculation.     

Effect of thidiazuron on adventitious shoot regeneration from seedling explants of Nothapodytes foetida

Summary Regeneration of adventitious shoots from the medicinal plant Nothapodytes foetida (Weight) Sleumer Syn. Mappia foetida (family Ieacinaceceae) has been achieved using different seedling explants. Direct, regeneration of shoot buds was observed in Murashige and Skoog's (MS) basal medium supplemented with various concentrations of thidiazuron. The optimum levels of thidiazuron concentrations were 0.91–4.45 μM. Leaf explants formed more shoots followed by hypocotyls or cotyledons. The shoot buds elongated and rooted on MS basal medium with N⁶-benzyladenine (0.88–2.22 μM) and indole-3-butyric acid (0.49 μM).     

Multiple shoot cultures of Ophiorrhiza rugosa var. decumbens Deb and Mondal – A viable renewable source for the continuous production of bioactive Camptotheca alkaloids apart from stems of the parent plant of Nothapodytes foetida (Wight) Sleumer

Camptotheca alkaloids were isolated from multiple shoot cultures of O. decumbens (0.056% dry weight) and stems of N. foetida. The cytotoxicity of the extracts and products were tested in a panel of five cell lines. Crude extract from O. decumbens (Cr-Od) and N. foetida (Cr-Nf) showed more potent cytotoxic activity as compared to the isolated camptothecin from O. decumbens (CPT-Od) and N. foetida (CPT-Nf). CPT isolated from shoot cultures contained biological activity suggesting the possibility of using this system of O. decumbens as a renewable source for the production of camptotheca alkaloids. 9-Methoxy camptothecin (9-mCPT), isolated from N. foetida, was a very effective cytotoxic agent as compared to Cr-Nf or CPT-Nf. The IC₅₀ of 9-mCPT was 0.84, 0.32, and 0.35 μg/ml for A549, MCF7 and Jurkat cell lines and >3 μg/ml for U937. Viability assays using MTT dye were further confirmed by assessing extent of apoptosis in these cells. These findings suggest that shoot cultures of O. decumbens offer a rich alternative plant source for the anticancer compound, CPT and 9-mCPT is a more potent compound in N. foetida as compared to CPT.     

MicroRNAs as regulators of mitochondrial function: Role in cancer suppression

Background

Mitochondria, essential to the cell homeostasis maintenance, are central to the intrinsic apoptotic pathway and their dysfunction is associated with multiple diseases. Recent research documents that microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate important signalling pathways in mitochondria, and many of these miRNAs are deregulated in various diseases including cancers.

Scope of review

In this review, we summarise the role of miRNAs in the regulation of the mitochondrial bioenergetics/function, and discuss the role of miRNAs modulating the various metabolic pathways resulting in tumour suppression and their possible therapeutic applications.

Major conclusions

MiRNAs have recently emerged as key regulators of metabolism and can affect mitochondria by modulating mitochondrial proteins coded by nuclear genes. They were also found in mitochondria. Reprogramming of the energy metabolism has been postulated as a major feature of cancer. Modulation of miRNAs levels may provide a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of mitochondria-related pathologies, including neoplastic diseases.

General significance

The elucidation of the role of miRNAs in the regulation of mitochondrial activity/bioenergetics will deepen our understanding of the molecular aspects of various aspects of cell biology associated with the genesis and progression of neoplastic diseases. Eventually, this knowledge may promote the development of innovative pharmacological interventions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Frontiers of Mitochondrial Research.     

Endophytic fungal strains of Fusarium solani, from Apodytes dimidiata E. Mey. ex Arn (Icacinaceae) produce camptothecin, 10-hydroxycamptothecin and 9-methoxycamptothecin

Camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin are two important precursors for the synthesis of the clinically useful anticancer drugs, topotecan and irinotecan. In recent years, efforts have been made to identify novel plant and endophytic fungal sources of camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin. In this study we have isolated endophytic fungi strains from Apodytes dimidiata (Icacinaceae), a medium sized tree from the Western Ghats, India. The fungi were identified as Fusarium solani using both ITS rDNA sequencing and spore morphology. Two strains, MTCC 9667 and MTCC 9668 were isolated, both of which produced camptothecin and 9-methoxycamptothecin in their mycelia; one of the strains, MTCC 9668 also produced 10-hydroxycamptothecin, though in small amounts. The yields of camptothecin in MTCC 9667 and MTCC 9668 were 37 and 53 μg/100 g, respectively, after 4 days of incubation in broth culture. The yields of 10-hydroxycamptothecin and 9-methoxycamptothecin in MTCC 9668 were 8.2 and 44.9 μg/100 g, respectively. Further research in optimizing the culture conditions of these fungal strains might permit their application for the production of camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin.     

DNA end resection by CtIP and exonuclease 1 prevents genomic instability

End resection of DNA-which is essential for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination-relies first on the partnership between MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) and CtIP, followed by a processive step involving helicases and exonucleases such as exonuclease 1 (EXO1). In this study, we show that the localization of EXO1 to DSBs depends on both CtIP and MRN. We also establish that CtIP interacts with EXO1 and restrains its exonucleolytic activity in vitro. Finally, we show that on exposure to camptothecin, depletion of EXO1 in CtIP-deficient cells increases the frequency of DNA-PK-dependent radial chromosome formation. Thus, our study identifies new functions of CtIP and EXO1 in DNA end resection and provides new information on the regulation of DSB repair pathways, which is a key factor in the maintenance of genome integrity.