Inhibition of angiogenic differentiation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by diallyl disulfide (DADS)

Angiogenesis is a crucial step in the growth and metastasis of cancers. The activation of endothelial cells and their further behaviour are very critical during angiogenesis. We analyzed the effect of diallyl disulfide (DADS) on angiogenesis in in vitro models using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). DADS significantly inhibited endothelial cell migration, invasion and tube formation. (3)H-thymidine proliferation assay clearly showed the inhibitory effect of DADS on the proliferation of HUVECs in vitro. The role of metalloproteinases has been shown to be important in angiogenesis; therefore, zymography was performed to determine whether DADS affected protease activity. Gelatin zymographic analysis showed the inhibitory effect of DADS on the activation of matrix metalloproteinases-MMP-2 and MMP-9. These findings suggest that DADS acts as an angiogenesis inhibitor by inhibiting the activation of matrix metalloproteinases during endothelial morphogenesis.     

In vivo treatment by diallyl disulfide increases histone acetylation in rat colonocytes

Diallyl disulfide (DADS) is an organosulfur compound from garlic which exhibits various anticarcinogenic properties including inhibition of tumor cell proliferation. DADS antiproliferative effects were previously associated with an increase in histone acetylation in two human tumor colon cell lines, suggesting that DADS-induced histone hyperacetylation could be one of the mechanisms involved in its protective properties on colon carcinogenesis. The effects of DADS on histone H4 and H3 acetylation levels were investigated in vivo in colonocytes isolated from non-tumoral rat. Administrated by intracaecal perfusion or gavage, DADS increases histone H4 and H3 acetylation in colonocytes. Moreover, data generated using cDNA expression arrays suggest that DADS could modulate the expression of a subset of genes. These results suggest the involvement of histone acetylation in modulation of gene expression by DADS in normal rat colonocytes, which might play a role in its biological effects as well as in its anticarcinogenic properties in vivo.     

The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production on diallyl disulfide (DADS) induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human A549 lung carcinoma cells

Diallyl disulfide (DADS), an oil soluble constituent of garlic (Allium sativum), has been reported to cause antimutagentic and anticarcinogenic effects in vitro and in vivo by modulating phases I and II enzyme activities. In recent years, several studies suggested that the chemopreventive effects of DADS can also be attributed to induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in cancer cells. In the present study, we reported that DADS-induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M and apoptosis in human A549 lung cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Additionally, a significant increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was induced in A549 cells less than 0.5 h after DADS treatment, indicating that ROS may be an early event in DADS-modulated apoptosis. Treatment of A549 cells with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) completely abrogated DADS-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The result indicated that oxidative stress modulates cell proliferation and cell death induced by DADS.     

Antiproliferative effect of diallyl disulfide (DADS) on prostate cancer cell line LNCaP

Garlic has been used throughout the world to treat coughs, toothache, earache, dandruff, hypertension, hysteria, diarrhoea, dysentery, diptheria, vaginitis and many other conditions. Garlic contains a complex mixture of oil and water-soluble organosulfur compounds. Diallyl disulfide (DADS), an oil-soluble constituent of garlic seems to be effective in reducing tumour cells originating from colon, lung and skin. Hence our present study focuses on the dose-dependent effect of DADS on an androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line. Various concentrations of DADS ranging from 25 to 100 microM were given to LNCaP cells and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) prostatic acid phosphatase (PAcP) and the level of prostate specific antigen were studied. DADS reduced the secretory activity of LNCaP cells with the gradual increase in dosage. DADS was found to act as a good antiproliferative agent, which was confirmed by proliferation assay. DADS also induced apoptosis and nuclear segmentation in the higher doses.     

桦木酸对人胃癌MGC-803细胞增殖的影响

目的:探究不同浓度桦木酸对人胃癌MGC-803细胞增殖的影响.方法:将人胃癌MGC-803细胞分成4组,每组设置3个复孔,对照组细胞为加入浓度为0 μg/ml的桦木酸实验组细胞分别加入终浓度为10、20、30 μg/ml的桦木酸,各组细胞在含5％的CO2培养箱中孵育48 h后,使用吉姆萨染色法和台盼蓝拒染法检测桦木酸对...     

Neospora caninum protein disulfide isomerase is involved in tachyzoite-host cell interaction

We have previously shown that treatment of Neospora caninum tachyzoites with the aspartyl protease inhibitor pepstatin A reduces host cell invasion [Naguleswaran, A., Muller, N., Hemphill, A., 2003. Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii: a novel adhesion/invasion assay reveals distinct differences in tachyzoite-host cell interactions. Exp. Parasitol. 104, 149-158]. Pepstatin A-affinity-chromatography led to the isolation of a major band of approximately 52 kDa which was identified as a homologue of a previously described Toxoplasma gondii putative protein disulfide isomerase (TgPDI) through tandem mass spectrometry. A BLAST search against N. caninum expressed sequence tags (ESTs) on the ApiDots server using TgPDI cDNA as query sequence revealed a 2251 bp PDI-like consensus (NcPDI), which shows 94% identity to the T. gondii homologue. In N. caninum tachyzoites, NcPDI was found mainly in the soluble hydrophilic fraction. Immunofluorescence showed that expression of NcPDI was dramatically down-regulated in the bradyzoite stage, and immunogold-EM on tachyzoites localised the protein to the cytoplasm, mostly in close vicinity to the nuclear membrane, to the micronemes, and to the parasite cell surface. However, NcPDI was absent in rhoptries and dense granules. Preincubation of tachyzoites with the sulfhydryl blocker 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (pCMBA), and with the PDI inhibitor bacitracin reduced adhesion of parasites to host cells. In addition, incubation of N. caninum tachyzoites with affinity-purified anti-NcPDI antibodies reduced host cell adhesion. PDIs catalyse the formation, reduction or isomerisation of disulfide bonds. Many major components of the adhesion and invasion machinery of apicomplexan parasites are cysteine-rich and dependent on correct folding via disulfide bond formation. Thus, our data points towards an important role for surface-associated NcPDI in Neospora-host cell interaction.     

组蛋白乙酰化在二烯丙基二硫诱导MGC803细胞分化中的作用

探讨二烯丙基二硫(DADS)诱导人胃癌MGC803细胞分化过程中组蛋白乙酰化状态的改变情况。运用形态学方法及成瘤实验观察DADS诱导MGC803细胞分化,应用Western印迹观察DADS诱导MGC803细胞分化与其调控细胞组蛋白乙酰化水平和相关p21WAF1的关系。形态学观察结果显示,30mg/LDADS处理MGC803细胞24h后,细胞异型性明显减少,且经裸鼠成瘤实验证实,处理后的细胞均未在裸鼠体内形成肿瘤;Western印迹显示,30mg/LDADS处理细胞12h后,其组蛋白H3乙酰化程度明显升高,与未处理组比较增加了38%(P<0.05);H4乙酰化程度无明显改变。用15、30、60mg/LDADS处理细胞12、24h后,p21WAF1均较对照组升高,以30mg/LDADS处理24h升高最显著。研究结果表明,DADS可诱导MGC803细胞分化,其作用可能与增加核组蛋白乙酰化水平及p21WAF1表达有关。     

RNA干扰Chk1/2调控二烯丙基二硫诱导的G2/M期阻滞作用及相关周期蛋白表达

在细胞周期检测点信号传导通路中,Chkl和Chk2起着重要作用,主要参与G2/M期细胞周期检测点信号传导.首先采用RNAi技术在BGC823细胞中将Chk1、Chk2基因沉默,Chk1、Chk2 siRNA转染BGC823细胞后24h加入15mg/L二烯丙基二硫(diallyl disulfide,DADS),接着通过Real-timePCR、Western blot分析Chk1、Chk2基因在转染前后的表达差异,然后运用流式细胞术和Western blot分析Chk1、Chk2基因沉默后对DADS诱导的细胞周期G2/M期阻滞作用及相关周期蛋白CDC25C和cyclinB1表达的影响.实验结果表明,与未转染对照组相比,转染Chk1、Chk2siRNA后BGC823细胞中Chk1、Chk2表达明显被抑制,二者的mRNA表达分别下降84.7%和69.0%,蛋白质水平分别下降73.4%和78.5%.流式细胞术分析结果发现,ChklsiRNA转染的BGC823细胞在15mg/LDADS处理24h后,G2/M期比例由单纯DADS处理组的58.1%降至10.4%(P<0.05).但Chk2 siRNA转染后加入15mg/...     

The differentiation of human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line MGc80-3 induced by dibutyryl cAMP in vitro

For providing some experimental basis in establishing malignant phenotypic reversed indexes of gastric carcinoma cells, human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line MGc-80-3 was induced by dBcAMP in vitro to appraise the effect of gastric carcinoma cell differentiation by chemical inducers. Under light microscope, MGc 80-3 cells, after treated with 1 mM dBcAMP, tended to be flat and disperse, and their volume gradually enlarged, with their nucleus relatively smaller and their shape rather regular. Morphological changes, became like normal differentiated epithelial cells, were observed. The cells attached firmly, grew slowly, their growth curve showed inhibitory rate amounted to 52.87%, and cellular division exponent displayed their peak value 1.5 times less than that of MGc 80-3 cells. It was clear that dBcAMP could effectively inhibit the multiplication activity of MGc-80-3 cells. In the cells after dBcAMP treatment, remarkable changes of cell surface charges was indicated by cell electrophoresis, the ratio dropped to 3.043 from 3.988, and their retardant ratio reached up to 31.2%. cAMP content in cells after this treatment, detected by cAMP and cGMP radioimmunoassay, was enhanced by 2.42 times; and cAMP/cGMP ratio, by 1.73 times. Thus, cAMP level within MGc 80-3 cells was raised obviously by dBcAMP. Heterotransplantation experiments showed that tumoriferous rate of MGc 80-3 cells (transplanted subcutaneously to BABL/c mice) amounted to 100%, and that of the cells after this treatment was only 5.6%. Their tumorigenic ability was extremely reduced. These results fully confirmed that dBcAMP was able to change MGc 80-3 cell's malignant phenotypic characteristics and produce a reversed alteration; thus, it has a remarkable inductive effect in differentiating gastric carcinoma cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Identification of cancer stem cells in vincristine preconditioned SGC7901 gastric cancer cell line

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor initiating cells, are a subpopulation of cancer cells with self-renewal and differentiation properties. However, there has been no direct observation of the properties of gastric CSCs in vitro. Here we describe a vincristine (VCR)-preconditioning approach to obtain cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) from the gastric cancer cell line SGC7901. The CSLCs displayed mesenchymal characteristics, including the up-regulated mesenchymal markers Snail, Twist, and vimentin, and the down-regulated epithelial marker E-cadherin. Using a Matrigel-based differentiation assay, CSLCs formed 2D tube-like and 3D complex lumen-like structures, which resembled differentiated gastric crypts. The characteristic of cellular differentiation was also found by transmission electron microscopy and up-regulation of gastrointestinal genes CDX2 and SOX2. We further showed that CSLCs could self-renew through significant asymmetric division compared with parent cells by tracing PKH-26, BrdU, and EDU label-retaining cells. In addition, these CSLCs also increased expression of CD44, CD90, and CXCR4 at the mRNA level, which was identified as novel targets. Furthermore, drug sensitivity assays and xenograft experiments demonstrated that the cells developed multi-drug resistance (MDR) and significant tumorigenicity in vivo. In summary, gastric CSCs were identified from VCR-preconditioned SGC7901 cell line, characterized by high tumorigenicity and the capacity for self-renewal and differentiation.     

Up-regulation of the Cbl family of ubiquitin ligases is involved in ATRA and bufalin-induced cell adhesion but not cell differentiation

The Casitas B-lineage Lymphoma (Cbl) family of ubiquitin ligases is multifunctional proteins that play important roles in different cell signaling pathways. It has been reported that c-Cbl and Cbl-b mRNAs are up-regulated during TPA-induced U937 and HL-60 cell differentiation. But the mechanism of the up-regulation and the roles of the Cbl family of ubiquitin ligases still remain unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that bufalin enhanced all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induced differentiation of HL-60 cells, accompanied by up-regulation of the Cbl family of ubiquitin ligases. CsA, an inhibitor of calcium mobilization, reversed this up-regulation. Pretreatment with CsA and PS-341 did not affect the expression of CD11b, but suppressed the percentage of adherent cells. Lipid raft localization of Cbl-b enhanced cell adhesion, while C-terminal deletion partially suppressed the effect. Moreover, the expression of the adhesion-related kinases Pyk2 and Paxillin was up-regulated in parallel with the increase of Cbl proteins. These results suggested that up-regulation of c-Cbl and Cbl-b was involved in the regulation of ATRA and bufalin-induced HL-60 cell adhesion rather than cell differentiation, which might be mediated by lipid raft localization, ubiquitin ligase activity and C-terminal structure of Cbl proteins. Meanwhile, up-regulation of proline-rich tyrosine kinase (Pyk2) and Paxillin might also be implicated in this regulation.     

Effects of Gekko sulfated polysaccharide on the proliferation and differentiation of hepatic cancer cell line

Gekko swinhonis Gūenther has been used as an anti-cancer drug in traditional Chinese medicine. Gekko sulfated polysaccharide (Gepsin) was investigated for its activity in hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatocarcinoma cell line (Bel-7402) and liver cell line (L-02) were exposed to Gepsin (100 microg/ml and 10 microg/ml). Gepsin did not suppress the proliferation and viability of normal liver L-02 cells, but strongly inhibited the proliferation of hepatocarcinoma Bel-7402 cells. Gepsin did not induce the apoptosis of Bel-7402 cells, but blocked cells in G2/M phase. Treated with Gepsin, Bel-7402 cells showed ultrastructural features of differentiation. AFP secretion decreased while ALB secretion increased markedly on Gepsin-treated cells. The data show that Gepsin suppressed the proliferation and induced differentiation of hepatocarcinoma, but the toxicity to normal liver cells was negligible.     

RPE-secreted factors: influence differentiation in human retinal cell line in dose- and density-dependent manner

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play an important role in normal functioning of retina and photoreceptors, and some retinal degenerations arise due to malfunctioning RPE. Retinal pigment epithelium transplantation is being explored as a strategy to rescue degenerating photoreceptors in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Additionally, RPE-secreted factors could rescue degenerating photoreceptors by prolonging survival or by their ability to differentiate and give rise to photoreceptors by transdifferentiation. In this study, we have explored what role cell density could play in differentiation induced in a human retinal progenitor cell line, in response to RPE-secreted growth factors. Retinal progenitors plated at low (1 × 10⁴ cells/cm²), medium (2–4 × 10⁴ cells/cm²), and high (1 × 10⁵ cells/cm²) cell density were exposed to various dilutions of RPE-conditioned medium (secreted factors) under conditions of defined medium culture. Progenitor cell differentiation was monitored phenotypically (morphological, biochemical analysis, and immunophenotyping, and western blot analysis were performed). Our data show that differentiation in response to RPE-secreted factors is modulated by cell density and dilutions of conditioned medium. We conclude that before embarking on RPE transplantation as a modality for treatment of RP and AMD, one will have to determine the role that cell density and inhibitory and stimulatory neurotrophins secreted by RPE could play in the efficacy of survival of transplants. We report that RPE-conditioned medium enhances neuronal phenotype (photoreceptors, bipolars) at the lowest cell density in the absence of cell–cell contact. Eighty percent to 90% of progenitor cells differentiate into photoreceptors and bipolars at 50% concentration of conditioned medium, while exposure to 100% conditioned medium might increase multipolar neurons (ganglionic and amacrine phenotypes) to a small degree. However, no clear-cut pattern of differentiation in response to RPE-secreted factors is noted at higher cell densities.     

Amyloid precursor protein is involved in staurosporine induced glial differentiation of neural progenitor cells

Staurosporine (STS) has been reported as not only a pro-apoptotic agent, but also a terminal differentiation inducer in several neuroblastoma cell lines. Here, we report involvement of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in a STS induced astrocytic differentiation of human neural progenitor cells (NT-2/D1). We found that STS-treated NT-2/D1 cells expressed astrocyte-specific glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), aspartate transporter, and glutamate transporter-1 with a distinctive astrocytic morphology. STS treatment increased GFAP promoter activity and increased expression and secretion of APP in NT-2/D1 cell culture. Overexpressed APP enhanced GFAP promoter activity and expression of GFAP, while gene silencing of APP by RNA interference decreased GFAP expression. These results indicate involvement of APP in STS induced astrocytic differentiation of NT-2/D1 cells. Furthermore, suppression of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which is known to regulate APP expression by a MEK1 inhibitor, PD098059, reduced both APP and GFAP expression in STS treated NT-2/D1 cells. Thus, STS may induce astrocytic differentiation of NT-2/D1 by increasing APP levels associate with activation of ERK pathway.     

Apoptosis induced by progesterone in human ovarian cancer cell line SNU-840

Progesterone has been used as an ingredient of anticancer drug for patients with ovarian carcinoma. However, the mechanism of anticancer effects by progesterone has not been understood. In this study, the effects of progesterone on ovarian cancer cells, SNU-840, were investigated. After the incubation with progesterone, the viability of the cells was evaluated by MTT assay. As a result, 45% of the cells were viable after 48 h of incubation with 100 microM progesterone. In addition, [(3)H]thymidine incorporation assay showed that the proliferation of the cells was completely inhibited by progesterone after 48 h of incubation at 100 microM concentration. Colorimetric TUNEL assay revealed the fragmentation of the chromosomal DNA, suggesting that the process of the cell death was apoptosis. The level of the p53 mRNA was determined by northern blotting assay, since many apoptosis processes are mediated by up-regulation of the p53 expression. The level of the p53 mRNA reached its maximum at 12 h and decreased after 24 h of incubation with progesterone. In conclusion, progesterone inhibits the proliferation and elicits apoptosis of SNU-840 cells. Also, it up-regulates the p53 mRNA transiently.     

Silencing of Bcl-XL expression in human MGC-803 gastric cancer cells by siRNA

To investigate the inhibitory effect of the Bcl-XL small interfering RNA （siRNA） on Bcl-XL gene expression in the human gastric cancer cell line MGC-803, green fluorescent protein （GFP） siRNA was constructed and transfected into MGC-803 cells, together with GFP expression vector pTrace SV40.GFP expression levels were observed using fluorescence microscopy. Bcl-XL siRNA and negative siRNA were then constructed and stably transfected into MGC-803 cells. RT-PCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of Bcl-XL. Spontaneous apoptosis was detected by acridine orange （AO） and flow cytometry. Results were as follows： （1） 48 h after GFP expression vector and GFP siRNA co-transfection,the expression level of GFP in the GFP siRNA group was much lower than the negative siRNA group,according to fluorescence microscopy results. The mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-XL in Bcl-XL siRNA stable transfectants were reduced to almost background level compared with negative siRNA transfectants or untreated cells. （2） Changes in nucleus morphology was observed by AO staining nucleic and flow cytometry analysis, which showed that stable Bcl-XL siRNA transfectants have an increased spontaneous apoptosis （21.17%± 1.26% vs. 1.19%±0.18% and 1.56%±0.15% respectively, P〈0.05 vs. negative siRNA or untreated control）, siRNA targeting GFP or Bcl-XL genes can specifically suppress GFP or Bcl-XL expression in MGC-803 cells, and Bcl-XL siRNA can increase spontaneous apoptosis. Bcl-XL siRNA may be a beneficial agent against human gastric adenocarcinoma.