Polyphyllin VII Induces an Autophagic Cell Death by Activation of the JNK Pathway and Inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway in HepG2 Cells

Polyphyllin VII (PP7), a pennogenyl saponin isolated from Rhizoma Paridis, exhibited strong anticancer activities in various cancer types. Previous studies found that PP7 induced apoptotic cell death in human hepatoblastoma cancer (HepG2) cells. In the present study, we investigated whether PP7 could induce autophagy and its role in PP7-induced cell death, and elucidated its mechanisms. PP7 induced a robust autophagy in HepG2 cells as demonstrated by the conversion of LC3B-I to LC3B-II, degradation of P62, formation of punctate LC3-positive structures, and autophagic vacuoles tested by western blot analysis or InCell 2000 confocal microscope. Inhibition of autophagy by treating cells with autophagy inhibitor (chloroquine) abolished the cell death caused by PP7, indicating that PP7 induced an autophagic cell death in HepG2 cells. C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was activated after treatment with PP7 and pretreatment with SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, reversed PP7-induced autophagy and cell death, suggesting that JNK plays a critical role in autophagy caused by PP7. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that PP7 increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and Bcl-2, and inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT and mTOR, suggesting their roles in the PP7-induced autophagy. This is the first report that PP7 induces an autophagic cell death in HepG2 cells via inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and activation of JNK pathway, which induces phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and dissociation of Beclin-1 from Beclin-1/Bcl-2 complex, leading to induction of autophagy.     

Eupatorin-Induced Cell Death in Human Leukemia Cells Is Dependent on Caspases and Activates the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway

Eupatorin is a naturally occurring flavone that inhibits cell proliferation in human tumor cells. Here we demonstrate that eupatorin arrests cells at the G₂-M phase of the cell cycle and induces apoptotic cell death involving activation of multiple caspases, mitochondrial release of cytochrome c and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage in human leukemia cells. This flavonoid induced the phosphorylation of members of the mitogen-activated protein kinases and cell death was attenuated by inhibition of c-jun N-terminal kinases/stress activated protein kinases. Eupatorin-induced cell death is mediated by both the extrinsic and the intrinsic apoptotic pathways and through a mechanism dependent on reactive oxygen species generation.     

Inhibition of Autophagic Flux by Salinomycin Results in Anti-Cancer Effect in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Salinomycin raised hope to be effective in anti-cancer therapies due to its capability to overcome apoptosis-resistance in several types of cancer cells. Recently, its effectiveness against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells both in vitro and in vivo was demonstrated. However, the mechanism of action remained unclear. Latest studies implicated interference with the degradation pathway of autophagy. This study aimed to determine the impact of Salinomycin on HCC-autophagy and whether primary human hepatocytes (PHH) likewise are affected. Following exposure of HCC cell lines HepG2 and Huh7 to varying concentrations of Salinomycin (0–10 µM), comprehensive analysis of autophagic activity using western-blotting and flow-cytometry was performed. Drug effects were analyzed in the settings of autophagy stimulation by starvation or PP242-treatment and correlated with cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis induction, mitochondrial mass accumulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Impact on apoptosis induction and cell function of PHH was analyzed.Constitutive and stimulated autophagic activities both were effectively suppressed in HCC by Salinomycin. This inhibition was associated with dysfunctional mitochondria accumulation, increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation and cell viability. Effects of Salinomycin were dose and time dependent and could readily be replicated by pharmacological and genetic inhibition of HCC-autophagy alone. Salinomycin exposure to PHH resulted in transient impairment of synthesis function and cell viability without apoptosis induction. In conclusion, our data suggest that Salinomycin suppresses late stages of HCC-autophagy, leading to impaired recycling and accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria with increased ROS-production all of which are associated with induction of apoptosis.     

Xylazine Activates Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway in the Central Nervous System of Rats

Xylazine is a potent analgesic extensively used in veterinary and animal experimentation. Evidence exists that the analgesic effect can be inhibited using adenosine 5’-monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitors. Considering this idea, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the AMPK signaling pathway is involved in the central analgesic mechanism of xylazine in the rat. Xylazine was administrated via the intraperitoneal route. Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed and the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, thalamus and brainstem were collected for determination of liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and AMPKα mRNA expression using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and phosphorylated LKB1 and AMPKα levels using western blot. The results of our study showed that compared with the control group, xylazine induced significant increases in AMPK activity in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and cerebellum after rats received xylazine (P < 0.01). Increased AMPK activities were accompanied with increased phosphorylation levels of LKB1 in corresponding regions of rats. The protein levels of phosphorylated LKB1 and AMPKα in these regions returned or tended to return to control group levels. However, in the brainstem, phosphorylated LKB1 and AMPKα protein levels were decreased by xylazine compared with the control (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our data indicates that xylazine alters the activities of LKB1 and AMPK in the central nervous system of rats, which suggests that xylazine affects the regulatory signaling pathway of the analgesic mechanism in the rat brain.     

Localization of Hyaluronectin in Oligodendroglial Cells

Astroglia and oligodendroglia in primary cell cultures were identified by immunohistochemical staining with antiglial fibrillary acidic protein and anticerebroside antisera, respectively. The antiserum to hyaluronectin (HN) was utilized to show that this hyaluronic acid-binding glycoprotein was localized in the oligodendroglial cels. This is consistent with the recent finding that HN is localized in the node of Ranvier. Astroglia did not react with antihyaluronectin.     

结晶型硫化镍通过自噬途径诱导16HBE细胞恶性转化癌变

镍化合物广泛存在于人类职业环境中,是人类发生肺癌的主要危险因素。我们前期研究已证实金属毒物结晶型硫化镍(NiS)的暴露是发生肺癌的重要病因,但具体的致癌机制仍未明了。本研究利用前期建立的结晶型 NiS 恶性转化人支气管上皮细胞的细胞模型,首次采用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜成像技术,在无损伤状态下,实时观测恶性转化细胞(16HBE-T)和正常细胞(16HBE-N)中自噬体标记蛋白 GFP-LC3 的荧光强度及定位,并利用 Western Blotting 技术检测细胞内自噬信号通路关键效应分子的表达。共聚焦实验结果表明:16HBE-T 细胞与 16HBE-N 细胞相比,GFP-LC3 蛋白的点状聚集明显减少,经测量只有 16HBE-N 细胞的 1/3 左右,表明自噬水平下降;Western Blotting 检测发现:mTOR 激酶活性上升,Beclin 1 表达下降。上述结果证明,结晶型 NiS可通过多个自噬途径参与诱导 16HBE 细胞恶性转化的癌变过程,将为预防和治疗肺癌提供重要信息。     

Neuraminidase Activities in Oligodendroglial Cells of the Rat Brain

Neuraminidase activities in oligodendroglial cells were characterized using rats of different ages. Rat oligodendroglial cells had intrinsic neuraminidase activities directed toward GM3 and N-acetylneuramin(2-3)lactitol (NL). Developmental profiles of the neuraminidase activities toward the two substrates in oligodendroglial cells were different from each other. The neuraminidase activity toward GM3 increased rapidly with the onset of active myelination and, after 26 days of development, reached the adult level which was about 18 times higher than that in myelin. At the adult age, oligodendroglial cells had the highest neuraminidase activity toward GM3 among the individual brain cell types examined. The activity of NL-neuraminidase showed a less remarkable developmental profile, with a peak value at 26 days. The UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase activity in oligodendroglial cells increased during the period of active myelination and, afterward, returned to the basal level. The enrichment and unique developmental profile in oligodendroglial cells of the neuraminidase activity toward GM3 suggest that this enzyme may play an important role in the formation and maintenance of the myelin sheath.     

靶向Wnt信号的溶瘤腺病毒抑制肝癌干细胞研究

肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)是全球第五大癌症并成为癌症死亡的主要原因,传统治疗早期肝癌取得了一定的进展,但是癌症的复发、转移和耐药仍未得到根本解决,这些现象可通过癌症干细胞理论(cancer stem cell,CSC)进行解释.本研究通过悬浮富集培养的方法,获得了MHCC-97H细胞的三维立体球细胞(sphere cell),并检测其干细胞特性,通过删除5型腺病毒的E1A CR2区域24 bp碱基,并用Wnt活性转录元件TCF/TEF调控E1A基因表达,同时插入抗癌基因TSLC1,得到了双靶向溶瘤腺病毒Ad.wnt-E1A(△24 bp)-TSLC1,通过MTT、结晶紫染色实验、Hoechst、细胞划痕、蛋白质印迹技术、Transwell及免疫荧光技术检测重组病毒对肝癌类干细胞的EMT(epithelial-mesenchymal transition)转化、杀伤、凋亡以及迁移的作用.结果表明,悬浮富集培养的MHCC-97H sphere细胞具有自我更新、分化能力、静息性以及耐药性,高表达肝癌干细胞表面标志物(如CD133等),重组病毒处理后表现出明显的杀伤效果及抑制细胞迁移与侵袭的特性,靶向抑制MHCC-97H sphere细胞能力更强(P0.001),且重组病毒能有效诱导肝癌类干细胞通过caspase途径发生凋亡.因此,重组病毒Ad.wnt-E1A(△24 bp)-TSLC1有可能成为靶向肝癌干细胞的治疗药物,具有一定的临床应用前景.     

KML001 Induces Apoptosis and Autophagic Cell Death in Prostate Cancer Cells via Oxidative Stress Pathway

We investigated the effects of KML001 (NaAsO₂, sodium metaarsenite, Kominox), an orally bioavailable arsenic compound, on the growth and death of human prostate cancer cells and its mechanism of action. Growth inhibition was assessed by cytotoxicity assays in the presence or absence of inhibitor of apoptosis, inhibitor of autophagy or antioxidant N-Acetyl-_L-cysteine to study mechanism of cell death induced by KML001 in PC3, DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines. Electron microscopy, flow cytometry and Western blotting were used to study apoptotic and autophagic mechanisms. The DU145 xenograft model was used to determine the efficacy of KML001 in vivo. KML001 decreased the viability of cells and increased the percentage of annexin V-positive cells dose-dependently in prostate cancer cells, and LNCaP cells were more sensitive to KML001 than PC3 or DU145 cells. Electron microscopy revealed typical apoptotic characters and autophagic vacuoles in cells treated with KML001. Exposure to KML001 in prostate cancer cells induced apoptosis and autophagy in a time- and dose-dependent manner. KML001 induced dose-dependent accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and scavenging the reactive oxygen species with N-Acetyl-_L-cysteine reduced LC3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. KML001 significantly inhibited tumor growth in the DU145 xenograft model. In addition, significant decrease of proliferation and significant increases of apoptosis and autophagy were observed in KML001-treated tumors than in vehicle-treated tumors. Exposure of human prostate cancer cells to KML001 induced both apoptosis and autophagic cell death via oxidative stress pathway. And KML001 had an antiproliferative effect on DU145 cells in xenograft mice.     

Pattern of Protein Synthesis in Monkey Cells Infected by Simian Virus 40

After infection of several permanent monkey cell lines by simian virus 40 (SV40), four additional protein bands can be detected by simple sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole-cell extracts. These bands appear only after the onset of viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis, and inhibitors of DNA synthesis prevent their appearance. Three of them correspond to three previously identified capsid components, VP1, VP2, and VP3. The fourth protein band, which does not correspond to a previously identified virion component, is induced by SV40 infection of CV-1 and BSC-1 cultures but not by infection of MA-134 cultures.     

Inhibition of Protein Translocation in Permeabilized Cells of Schizosaccharomyces pombe by Puromycin

To investigate protein translocation in eukaryotes, we reconstituted a protein translocation system using the permeabilized spheroplasts (P-cells) of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The precursor of a sex pheromone of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, prepro-α-factor, was translocated across the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of S. pombe posttranslationally, and glycosylated to the same extent as in the ER of S. cerevisiae. This suggested that the size of N-linked core-oligosaccharide in the ER of S. pombe is similar to that in S. cerevisiae. This translocation into the ER of S. pombe was inhibited by puromycin, but the translocation in the P-cells of S. cerevisiae was not inhibited. This difference in sensitivity to puromycin was due to the membrane but not the cytosolic fraction. Our results suggested that the translocation machinery of S. pombe was sensitive to puromycin and different from that of S. cerevisiae.     

Mia40 Protein Serves as an Electron Sink in the Mia40-Erv1 Import Pathway

A redox-regulated import pathway consisting of Mia40 and Erv1 mediates the import of cysteine-rich proteins into the mitochondrial intermembrane space. Mia40 is the oxidoreductase that inserts two disulfide bonds into the substrate simultaneously. However, Mia40 has one redox-active cysteine pair, resulting in ambiguity about how Mia40 accepts numerous electrons during substrate oxidation. In this study, we have addressed the oxidation of Tim13 in vitro and in organello. Reductants such as glutathione and ascorbate inhibited both the oxidation of the substrate Tim13 in vitro and the import of Tim13 and Cmc1 into isolated mitochondria. In addition, a ternary complex consisting of Erv1, Mia40, and substrate, linked by disulfide bonds, was not detected in vitro. Instead, Mia40 accepted six electrons from substrates, and this fully reduced Mia40 was sensitive to protease, indicative of conformational changes in the structure. Mia40 in mitochondria from the erv1–101 mutant was also trapped in a completely reduced state, demonstrating that Mia40 can accept up to six electrons as substrates are imported. Therefore, these studies support that Mia40 functions as an electron sink to facilitate the insertion of two disulfide bonds into substrates.     

Maturation of Autophagic Vacuoles in Mammalian Cells

The autophagic process was first described in mammalian cells several decades ago. After their formation as double-membraned vacuoles containing cytoplasmic material, autophagic vacuoles or autophagosomes undergo a stepwise maturation including fusion with both endosomal and lysosomal vesicles. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating these fusion steps have begun to emerge only recently. The list of newly discovered molecules that regulate the maturation of autophagosomes to degradative autolysosomes includes the AAA ATPase SKD1, the small GTP binding protein Rab7, and possibly also the Alzheimer-linked presenilin 1. This review combines previous data on the endo/lysosomal fusion steps during autophagic vacuole maturation with recent findings on the molecules regulating these fusion steps. Interestingly, autophagic vacuole maturation appears to be blocked in certain human diseases including neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis and Danon disease. This suggests that autophagy has important housekeeping or protective functions, because a block in autophagic maturation causes a disease.