Effects of cycloSal-D4TMP Derivatives in H9 Cells with Induced AZT Resistance Phenotype

Abstract

Cytotoxic and antiretroviral activity of cycloSal-d4TMP derivatives were tested in a new AZT-resistant H9 cell subline (H9^rAZT²⁵⁰). The results showed, that cycloSal-d4TMP derivatives overcame resistance of HIV-1 to d4T in H9^rAZT²⁵⁰ cells, which exert decreased thymidine kinase (TK) gene expression.     

Zidovudine (AZT) resistance in H9 cells due to decreased TK expression is associated with hypermethylation of TK gene

AZT resistant human T-lymphoid H9 cells, deficient in TK gene expression, re-expressed TK mRNA and regained the ability to metabolize AZT by exposure to the demethylation agent azacytidine (AzaCd). Cytotoxic and anti-HIV-1 effects of AZT were increased in H9 AZT resistant cells treated with AzaCd when compared to untreated cells. This leads to the assumption that drug induced DNA hypermethylation was involved in the TK gene-silencing mechanism. Our results suggest approaches using modulation of gene methylation for increasing antiviral efficiency of drugs.     

New lipophilic derivatives of AZT and d4T 5'-phosphonates

5'-Aminocarbonylphosphonyl and aminocarbonylmethylphosphonyl diesters of AZT and d4T were synthesized as potential anti-HIV agents.     

Conjugates of betulin derivatives with AZT as potent anti-HIV agents

Fourteen novel conjugates of 3,28-di-O-acylbetulins with AZT were prepared as anti-HIV agents, based on our previously reported potent anti-HIV triterpene leads, including 3-O-acyl and 3,28-di-O-acylbetulins. Nine of the conjugates (49–53, 55, 56, 59, and 60) exhibited potent anti-HIV activity at the submicromolar level, with EC₅₀ values ranging from 0.040 to 0.098 μM in HIV-1_NL4-3 infected MT-4 cells. These compounds were equipotent or more potent than 3-O-(3′,3′-dimethylsuccinyl)betulinic acid (2), which is currently in Phase IIb anti-AIDS clinical trial.     

Effects of resveratrol on H2O2‐induced apoptosis and expression of SIRTs in H9c2 cells

Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in fruits, has been demonstrated to activate Sir2. Though many studies have demonstrated that resveratrol can activate SIRT1, whether it has effect on other sirtuins (SIRT2–7) are unknown. The present study shows that exposure of H9c2 cells to 50 µM H₂O₂ for 6 h caused a significant increase in apoptosis, as evaluated by TUNEL and flow cytometry (FCM), but pretreatment of resveratrol (20 µM) eliminated H₂O₂‐induced apoptosis. Resveratrol also prevented H₂O₂‐induced caspase‐3 activation. Exposure of cells to resveratrol caused rapid activation of SIRT1,3,4,7. Sirtuin inhibitor, nicotinamide (20 mM) attenuated resveratrol's inhibitory effect on cell apoptosis and caspase‐3 activity. These results suggest that resveratrol protects cardiomyocytes from H₂O₂‐induced apoptosis by activating SIRT1,3,4,7. J. Cell. Biochem. 107: 741–747, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Assay for determination of daunorubicin in cancer cells with multidrug resistance phenotype

A sensitive assay for direct determination of intracellular level of daunorubicin (DRN) in resistant leukemia cells with overexpressed P-glycoprotein has been developed. This assay is based on a rapid separation of cells from media and fast cut-off of DRN transportation by centrifugation of cells through a layer of silicone oil. Cell pellets were extracted using 1% (v/v) formic acid in 50% (v/v) ethanol in water. The cell extracts were subsequently analysed by liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled a low-energy collision tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source (ESI-CID-MS/MS) operated in the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Calibration curve was linear from 0.4 to 250nM with correlation coefficient (r2) better than 0.998. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 0.4 nM. The assay has been successfully applied to a determination of intracellular content of daunorubicin in sensitive K562 and resistant K562/Dox and K562/HHT300 cells.     

Binding to human serum albumin of zidovudine (AZT) and novel AZT derivatives. Experimental and theoretical analyses

This work presents the binding of AZT and nine novel AZT derivatives to human serum albumin (HSA), both defatted (HSA(D)) and complexed with fatty acids (HSA(FA)). The bound fractions and binding site were determined by applying an ultrafiltration procedure, with an increased affinity for the majority of these derivatives to HSA(D) being found with respect to that of AZT, while only one derivative exhibited an increased affinity for HSA(FA). By means of computational methods, we observed that specific electrostatic interactions are responsible for the increased affinity for HSA(D), while the presence of fatty acids complexed to HSA caused an intense electrostatic repulsion with negatively charged ligands located in Sudlow site I, thus diminishing their bound fractions. A strong relationship between the calculated energetic components and the observed experimental affinity was identified.     

Human serum albumin binding of novel antiretroviral nucleoside derivatives of AZT.

The binding of novel nucleoside derivatives (2-7) to the Human Serum Albumin (HSA) was studied using zidovudine (AZT), as standard compound. The applicability of two different techniques to separate unbound drug from drug-protein complex was analyzed: the gel filtration and ultrafiltration methods. Ultrafiltration was found to be an adequate procedure for the separation of unbounded drug from the drug-protein complex. Incubation temperature ranging from 0 to 37 degrees C did not modify considerably the bound fractions. The same effects were observed as HSA concentration was modified. Binding assays of studied compounds to purified 1% (w/v) HSA at 0 degrees C, indicate that bound fraction of 2-7 ranges from 13 to 47%, exhibiting a higher affinity to HSA than AZT (12%), which would introduce some interesting improvements in their pharmacokinetic properties. In addition, by means of displacement studies using HSA site specific drugs such as diazepam and salicylate, it was determined that AZT binds to site I of the HSA molecule, by a mainly entropy driven process (DeltaS = 10.834 cal/mol degrees K), being these observations extensive to 2-7. Some structural basis to explain enhanced affinity of these novel derivatives was also established.     

Anti-HIV activity of novel phosphonate derivatives of AZT, d4T, and ddA

Anti-HIV activity and cytotoxicity were tested for novel phosphonate derivatives of AZT, d4T and ddA. For d4T phosphonate derivatives the most active was 2',3'-Dideoxy-2',3'-didehydrothymidine 5'-isopropylphosphite and among the AZT phosphonate derivatives highest activity was shown by 2',3'-Dideoxy-3'-azidothymidine 5'-cyclohexylphosphite.     

高糖通过诱导自噬障碍促进心肌细胞H9c2凋亡

目的探讨自噬对高糖（HG）诱导的心肌细胞H9c2凋亡的影响。 方法MTT法检测H9c2细胞活力;hoechst33258染色法检测凋亡细胞;Western Blot检测H9c2细胞促凋亡蛋白Bax和自噬相关蛋白（Beclin-1和P62）的表达。各组的OD值和蛋白条带灰度值均采用析因设计的方差分析,各组间差异用单因素ANOVA分析。 结果HG能诱导H9c2细胞活力降低：12、24、48 mmol/L的HG细胞活力分别为Control组（100%）的[（79.5±2.23）%]（t = 3.143,P = 0.043）、[（54.6±3.08）%]（t = 12.425,P = 0.000）和[（37.2±2.59）%]（t = 13.761,P = 0.000）;与Control组（100%）比较,甘露醇等渗对照组的细胞活力值为[（101.0±1.27）%]（t = 0.012,P = 0.094）。HG诱导H9c2细胞hoechst33258阳性细胞增加,且能诱导促凋亡蛋白Bax表达增加：与Control组比较,12、24、48 mmol/L的HG处理组凋亡蛋白Bax/β-actin灰度值分别为（1.29±0.25,t = 2.32,P = 0.045）、（1.42±0.23,t = 10.247,P = 0.000）和（1.81±0.29,t = 16.324,P = 0.000）。HG诱导自噬障碍：与Control组比较,自噬相关蛋白Beclin-1/β-actin灰度值分别为（0.82±0.16,t = 4.243,P = 0.032）、（0.78±0.19,t = 11.341,P = 0.000）和（0.62±0.11,t = 13.455,P = 0.000）,P62蛋白/β-actin蛋白灰度值分别为（1.29±0.25,t = 4.442,P = 0.014）、（1.42±0.23,t = 13.341,P = 0.000）和（1.81±0.29,t = 15.851,P = 0.000）。自噬诱导剂雷帕霉素可逆转HG诱导的hoechst33258阳性细胞增加,且逆转HG诱导的Bax表达升高：与control组比较,HG组、HG和雷帕霉素共处理组、雷帕霉素组的Bax/β-actin灰度值分别为（1.51±0.31,t = 14.342,P = 0.000）、（1.42±0.23,t = 9.621,P = 0.004）和（1.81±0.12,t = 0.172,P = 0.124）。 结论HG可促进心肌细胞H9c2凋亡,且能诱导自噬障碍,自噬诱导剂的运用逆转了HG对H9c2细胞的凋亡作用,表明自噬障碍是HG诱导H9c2细胞凋亡的重要机制。     

Multidrug resistance and behavioural phenotype of cancer cells

Resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy is a major obstacle preventing successful treatment of cancer, allowing dissemination of tumour metastases, and may be viewed as the ultimate cause of death in the majority of patients with a malignant disease. Although cytotoxic chemotherapy is classically employed to produce maximal killing of malignant cells, the therapeutic doses of individual drugs required to achieve this objective are, in general, highly toxic to non-neoplastic host tissues. However, there are several different aspects of cancer cell biology, distinct from their susceptibility to cytotoxicity, that might be exploited in order to alter the behavioral phenotypes of malignant neoplasms. Such features include regulation of cell proliferation, tumorigenicity and metastatic potential Non-cytotoxic modulation of malignant cells may provide an alternative, and more effective, method of controlling the aggressive behaviour of cancer cells while exhibiting less iatrogenic morbidity and mortality than the therapeutic regimens presently employed.     

ER stress response during the differentiation of H9 cells induced by retinoic acid

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs during early embryonic development. The aim of this study is to determine whether ER stress occurs during human embryonic stem cell differentiation induced by retinoic acid (RA). H9 human embryonic stem cells were subjected to RA treatment for up to 29days to induce differentiation. HEK293 cells were treated with RA as a control. The results demonstrate that several ER stress-responsive genes are differentially regulated in H9 and HEK293 cells in response to 5days of RA treatment. GRP78/Bip was upregulated in H9 cells but downregulated in HEK293 cells. eIF2α was downregulated in H9 cells but not in HEK293 cells. Phosphorylation of eIF2α was downregulated in H9 cells but upregulated in HEK293 cells. XBP-1 was downregulated immediately after RA treatment in H9 cells, but its downregulation was much slower in HEK293 cells. Additionally, two ER-resident E3 ubiquitin ligases, gp78 and Hrd1, were both upregulated in H9 cells following 5 days of exposure to RA. Moreover, the protein Bcl2 was undetectable in H9 cells and H9-derived cells but was expressed in HEK293 cells, and it expression in the two types of cells was unaltered by RA treatment. In H9 cells treated with RA for 29 days, GRP78/Bip, XBP-1 and Bcl2 were all upregulated. These results suggest that ER stress is involved in H9 cell differentiation induced by RA.     

Dual mechanisms of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine resistance in CEM T-lymphoblast leukemia cells.

The guanine nucleoside analog araG is selectively toxic to T-lymphoblasts and has recently shown promise in treatment of lymphoid malignancies of T-cell origin. The molecular mechanism of this tissue-selective cytotoxicity is, however, yet unclear. AraG is phosphorylated, and thereby pharmacologically activated, by the mitochondrial deoxguanosine kinase and the cytosolic/nuclear deoxycytidine kinase. We have recently shown that araG is predominantly incorporated into mitochondrial DNA of cancer cell lines, which suggests a role of mitochondria as its pharmacological target. In the present study, we have generated araG-resistant CEM T-lymphoblast cell lines and show that araG resistance may occur by two separate molecular mechanisms that can occur sequentially. The first mechanism is associated with a decrease of araG incorporation into mitochondrial DNA, and the second event is associated with loss of dCK activity.     

Human astrocytes can be induced to differentiate into cells with neuronal phenotype

Several recent studies have proposed that astrocytes may contribute to neurogenesis, not only as a source of trophic substances regulating it, but also as stem cells themselves. In order to better understand these mechanisms, primary astrocyte cultures were established from human fetal brain. After 3-4 weeks in culture, astrocytes (about 95% GFAP+; neurofilament, NF-; neuro-specific enolase, NSE-) were treated with a cocktail of protein kinase activators and FGF-1. After 5 h of treatment, most cells showed morphological changes that increased progressively up to 24-48 h, exhibiting a round cell body with long processes. Immunocytochemistry showed that treatment-induced NF and NSE expression in about 40% of cells. Nestin expression increased after treatment, whereas GFAP immunostaining was not significantly modified. Western blot and RT-PCR confirmed the results. No neuronal electrophysiological properties were observed after treatment, suggesting an incomplete maturation under these experimental conditions. Understanding the regenerative capability and neurogenic potential of astrocytes might be useful in devising therapeutic approaches for a variety of neurological disorders.     

Association of a DNA marker with Hessian fly resistance gene H9 in wheat

The Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)] is a major pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and genetic resistance has been used effectively over the past 30 years to protect wheat against serious damage by the fly. To-date, 25 Hessian fly resistance genes, designated H1 to H25, have been identified in wheat. With near-isogenic wheat lines differing for the presence of an individual Hessian fly resistance gene, in conjunction with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis and denaturing gradient-gel electrophoresis (DGGE), we have identified a DNA marker associated with the H9 resistance gene. The H9 gene confers resistance against biotype L of the Hessian fly, the most virulent biotype. The RAPD marker cosegregates with resistance in a segregating F₂ population, remains associated with H9 resistance in a number of different T. aestivum and T. durum L. genetic backgrounds, and is readily detected by either DGGE or DNA gel-blot hybridization.Purdue University, Agric. Exp. Stn. Journal paper No. 14440