Involvement of intracellular Ca2+ in the regulation of bovine leukemia virus expression

The calcium ionophore A23187, which was used to increase the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), was analyzed for effects on bovine leukemia virus (BLV) expression in two BLV infected cell lines. To clarify the role of intracellular free calcium in this response, [Ca2+]i was measured during ionophore treatment with the fluorescent calcium indicator Fura-2. Elevation of intracellular calcium under these conditions caused an enhancement of BLV gp51 and p24 synthesis as well as an activation of the BLV long terminal repeat (LTR) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was observed that elevated levels of intracellular calcium following A23187 stimulation lead to activation of NF-kappaB. Based on inhibitor studies, we hypothesize that the effect of A23187 on BLV expression appears to be mediated by PKC.     

Nitric oxide disrupts H2O2-dependent activation of nuclear factor kappa B. Role in sensitization of human tumor cells to tumor necrosis factor-alpha -induced cytotoxicity

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) exerts its effect by two distinct signaling pathways. It can trigger cytotoxicity in sensitive target cells. TNF-alpha can also promote nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity and regulate the expression of genes that interfere with apoptosis and thus conferring resistance to several apoptotic stimuli. We have observed that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) sensitizes human ovarian carcinoma cell lines to TNF-alpha-mediated apoptosis and further, IFN-gamma induces the expression of the inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) and the generation of nitric oxide (NO). This study examines the role of NO in the sensitization of the ovarian carcinoma cell line AD10 to TNF-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity. Treatment of AD10 cells with the NOS inhibitor l-NMA blocked the IFN-gamma-dependent sensitization whereas NO donors (S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine) sensitized these cells to TNF-alpha cytotoxicity. Analysis of the activation status of NF-kappaB upon treatment with NO donors confirmed the inhibitory role of NO on both the NF-kappaB DNA-binding property and its activation. Moreover, the inhibition of NF-kappaB nuclear translocation by NO donors directly correlated with the intracellular concentration of H(2)O(2) and was reversed by the addition of exogenous H(2)O(2). These findings show that NO might interfere with TNF-alpha-dependent NF-kappaB activation by interacting with O(2) and reducing the generation of H(2)O(2), a potent NF-kappaB activator. Therefore, NO-mediated disruption of NF-kappaB activation results in the removal of anti-apoptotic/resistance signals and sensitizes tumor cells to cytotoxic cytokines like TNF-alpha.     

Hydrogen peroxide and tumour necrosis factor-alpha induce NF-kappaB-DNA binding in primary human T lymphocytes in addition to T cell lines.

Reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs), such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), have been implicated as second messengers in the activation of NF-kappaB by a variety of stimuli, including tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of ROIs on NF-kappaB activation in primary human CD3+ T lymphocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). For comparison purposes, Jurkat T cells (subclones JR and JE6.1) were also investigated. Cells were incubated in the presence of either H2O2 or TNF-alpha and nuclear proteins were extracted. NF-kappaB binding was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). The concentration of H2O2 required to activate NF-kappaB in human primary CD3+ T lymphocytes was as low as 1 microM. In contrast, much higher concentrations of H2O2 were required to activate NF-kappaB in PBMCs and in the JR subclone of Jurkat T cells. H2O2-induced NF-kappaB activation was not observed in the JE6.1 subclone of Jurkat T cells. NF-kappaB was activated by TNF-alpha in all four cell types tested. In PBMCs and Jurkat T cells (subclones JR and JE6.1), this activation could be inhibited by pre-treatment with the antioxidants, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Our results support a role for ROIs in NF-kappaB-DNA binding in human primary T lymphocytes.     

NF-kappaB inducers upregulate cFLIP, a cycloheximide-sensitive inhibitor of death receptor signaling

The caspase 8 homologue FLICE-inhibitory protein (cFLIP) is a potent negative regulator of death receptor-induced apoptosis. We found that cFLIP can be upregulated in some cell lines under critical involvement of the NF-kappaB pathway, but NF-kappaB activation was clearly not sufficient for cFLIP induction in all cell lines. Treatment of SV80 cells with the proteasome inhibitor N-benzoyloxycarbonyl (Z)-Leu-Leu-leucinal (MG-132) or geldanamycin, a drug interfering with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced NF-kappaB activation, inhibited TNF-induced upregulation of cFLIP. Overexpression of a nondegradable IkappaBalpha mutant (IkappaBalpha-SR) or lack of IkappaB kinase gamma expression completely prevented phorbol myristate acetate-induced upregulation of cFLIP mRNA in Jurkat cells. These data point to an important role for NF-kappaB in the regulation of the cFLIP gene. SV80 cells normally show resistance to TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and TNF, as apoptosis can be induced only in the presence of low concentrations of cycloheximide (CHX). However, overexpression of IkappaBalpha-SR rendered SV80 cells sensitive to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in the absence of CHX, and cFLIP expression was able to reverse the proapoptotic effect of NF-kappaB inhibition. Western blot analysis further revealed that cFLIP, but not TRAF1, A20, and cIAP2, expression levels rapidly decrease upon CHX treatment. In conclusion, these data suggest a key role for cFLIP in the antiapoptotic response of NF-kappaB activation.     

A quantitative study of NF-kappaB activation by H2O2: relevance in inflammation and synergy with TNF-alpha

Although the germicide role of H(2)O(2) released during inflammation is well established, a hypothetical regulatory function, either promoting or inhibiting inflammation, is still controversial. In particular, after 15 years of highly contradictory results it remains uncertain whether H(2)O(2) by itself activates NF-kappaB or if it stimulates or inhibits the activation of NF-kappaB by proinflammatory mediators. We investigated the role of H(2)O(2) in NF-kappaB activation using, for the first time, a calibrated and controlled method of H(2)O(2) delivery--the steady-state titration--in which cells are exposed to constant, low, and known concentrations of H(2)O(2). This technique contrasts with previously applied techniques, which disrupt cellular redox homeostasis and/or introduce uncertainties in the actual H(2)O(2) concentration to which cells are exposed. In both MCF-7 and HeLa cells, H(2)O(2) at extracellular concentrations up to 25 microM did not induce significantly per se NF-kappaB translocation to the nucleus, but it stimulated the translocation induced by TNF-alpha. For higher H(2)O(2) doses this stimulatory role shifts to an inhibition, which may explain published contradictory results. The stimulatory role was confirmed by the observation that 12.5 microM H(2)O(2), a concentration found during inflammation, increased the expression of several proinflammatory NF-kappaB-dependent genes induced by TNF-alpha (e.g., IL-8, MCP-1, TLR2, and TNF-alpha). The same low H(2)O(2) concentration also induced the anti-inflammatory gene coding for heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and IL-6. We propose that H(2)O(2) has a fine-tuning regulatory role, comprising both a proinflammatory control loop that increases pathogen removal and an anti-inflammatory control loop, which avoids an exacerbated harmful inflammatory response.     

Aspirin prevents apoptosis and NF-kappaB activation induced by H2O2 in hela cells

The classical pathway of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation by several inducers mainly involves the phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha by a signalsome complex composed of IkappaBalpha kinases (IKKalpha and IKKbeta). However, in some cell types hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been shown to activate an alternative pathway that does not involve the classical signalsome activation process. In this study, we demonstrate that H2O2 induced NF-kappaB activation in HeLa cells through phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaB proteins as shown by immunblot analysis. Our studies reveal that a commonly used non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug, acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) prevents H2O2-induced NF-kappaB activation in a dose-dependent manner through inhibition of phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta. Differential staining and DNA fragmentation analysis also show that aspirin preloading of HeLa cells also prevents H2O2-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner with maximum efficiency at 10 mM concentration. Additionally, aspirin effectively prevents caspase-3 and caspase-9 (cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteases) activation by H2O2. These results suggest that NF-kappaB activation is involved in H2O2-induced apoptosis and aspirin may inhibit both processes simultaneously.     

Thalidomide suppresses NF-kappa B activation induced by TNF and H2O2, but not that activated by ceramide, lipopolysaccharides, or phorbol ester

Thalidomide ([+]-alpha-phthalimidoglutarimide), a psychoactive drug that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, and immunosuppressive properties through a mechanism that is not fully established. Due to the central role of NF-kappaB in these responses, we postulated that thalidomide mediates its effects through suppression of NF-kappaB activation. We investigated the effects of thalidomide on NF-kappaB activation induced by various inflammatory agents in Jurkat cells. The treatment of these cells with thalidomide suppressed TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation, with optimum effect occurring at 50 microg/ml thalidomide. These effects were not restricted to T cells, as other hematopoietic and epithelial cell types were also inhibited. Thalidomide suppressed H(2)O(2)-induced NF-kappaB activation but had no effect on NF-kappaB activation induced by PMA, LPS, okadaic acid, or ceramide, suggesting selectivity in suppression of NF-kappaB. The suppression of TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation by thalidomide correlated with partial inhibition of TNF-induced degradation of an inhibitory subunit of NF-kappaB (IkappaBalpha), abrogation of IkappaBalpha kinase activation, and inhibition of NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene expression. Thalidomide abolished the NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene expression activated by overexpression of TNFR1, TNFR-associated factor-2, and NF-kappaB-inducing kinase, but not that activated by the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB. Overall, our results clearly demonstrate that thalidomide suppresses NF-kappaB activation specifically induced by TNF and H(2)O(2) and that this may contribute to its role in suppression of proliferation, inflammation, angiogenesis, and the immune system.     

Effect of dihydrotestosterone on hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis of mouse embryonic stem cells

Steroid hormones have been reported to activate various signal transducers that trigger a variety of cellular responses. Among these hormones, testosterone has been identified as an antioxidant that protects against cellular damage. Therefore, using mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells as a model system, this study evaluated the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a biologically active testosterone metabolite, on H2O2-induced apoptosis. H2O2 increased the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and DNA fragmentation but reduced the cell viability in a time-dependent manner (> or =8 h). Moreover, H2O2 decreased the level of DNA synthesis and the levels of the cell cycle regulatory proteins [cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2, and CDK 4]. These effects of H2O2 were inhibited by a pretreatment with DHT. However, a treatment with flutamide (androgen receptor inhibitor, 10(-3) M) abolished the protective effects of DHT. This result was supported by the presence of the androgen receptor in mouse ES cells. The activity of the antioxidant enzyme, catalase, was increased by the DHT treatment but not by a co-treatment with DHT and flutamide. Using CM-H(2)DCFDA (DCF-DA) for the detection of intracellular H2O2, DHT decreased the intracellular H2O2 levels but flutamide blocked this effect. H2O2 also increased the level of p38 MAPK, JNK/SAPK, and NF-kappaB phosphorylation, which were inhibited by the DHT pretreatment. Catalase inhibited the effect of H2O2 on MAPKs and NF-kappaB. However, the flutamide treatment abolished the inhibitory effects of DHT on the H2O2-induced increase in the levels of p38 MAPK, JNK/SAPK, and NF-kappaB phosphorylation. DHT inhibited the H2O2-induced increase in caspase-3 expression and decreased the level of Bcl-2 and the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein (cIAP)-2. These effects were abolished by the flutamide treatment. In conclusion, DHT prevents the H2O2-induced apoptotic cell death of mouse ES cells through the activation of catalase and the downregulation of p38 MAPK, JNK/SAPK, and NF-kappaB via the androgen receptor.     

Co-induction of cell death and survival pathways by phosphoinositide 3-kinase

A single stimulus can induce both the cell death and survival pathway, suggesting that these pathways share common upstream signaling components. In order to define these components, human U937 cells grown in 10% serum were exposed to serum-free media. This treatment resulted in apoptosis, which was found to be mediated by SAPK/JNK. It was previously reported that the serum withdrawal (SW)-induced SAPK activation is mediated by a positive mutual interaction between the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). This study shows that the ROS/PI3K interaction also induces a NF-kappaB-dependent survival pathway. Despite the role of PI3K, Akt was found to be irrelevant to the activation of SAPK and NF-kappaB. Comparative analyses of SAPK and NF-kappaB for their responses to exogenous H(2)O(2) revealed that SAPK activation requires much higher H(2)O(2) concentrations than those required for NF-kappaB activation. Moreover, high lethal concentrations of H(2)O(2) were found to activate NF-kappaB and SAPK in a PI3K-independent manner. These results suggest that ROS induce both the SAPK-dependent apoptotic and NF-kappaB-mediated survival pathways, and these inducer signals are amplified by PI3K in the SW-triggered pathway. Cell death appears to be favored as this amplification proceeds.     

Helicobacter pylori infection activates NF-kappaB signaling pathway to induce iNOS and protect human gastric epithelial cells from apoptosis

Helicobacter pylori infection induces apoptosis and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in gastric epithelial cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of NF-kappaB activation and iNOS expression on apoptosis in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. The suppression of NF-kappaB significantly increased caspase-3 activity and apoptosis in H. pylori-infected MKN-45 and Hs746T gastric epithelial cell lines as well as primary gastric epithelial cells. An NF-kappaB signaling pathway via NF-kappaB-inducing kinase and IkappaB kinase-beta activation was found to be involved in the inhibition of apoptosis in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. In gastric epithelial cells transfected with retrovirus containing IkappaBalpha superrepressor, iNOS mRNA and protein levels were reduced, indicating that H. pylori infection induced the expression of iNOS by activating NF-kappaB. Moreover, a NO donor, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (100 microM), decreased caspase-3 activity and apoptosis in NF-kappaB-suppressed cells infected with H. pylori. These results suggest that NF-kappaB activation may play a role in protecting gastric epithelial cells from H. pylori-induced apoptosis by upregulating endogenous iNOS.