Association of the ERK1/2 and p38 kinase pathways with nitric oxide-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in colon cancer cells

To investigate the mechanism by which nitric oxide (NO) induces cell death in colon cancer cells, we compared two types of colon cancer cells with different p53 status: HCT116 (p53 wild-type) cells and SW620 (p53-deficient) cells. We found that S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), the NO donor, induced apoptosis in both types of colon cancer cells. However, SW620 cells were much more susceptible than HCT116 cells to apoptotic death by NO. We investigated the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and p38 kinase on NO-induced apoptosis in both types of colon cancer cells. GSNO treatment effectively stimulated activation of the ERK1/2 and p38 kinase in both types of cells. In HCT116 cells, pretreatment with PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK1/2, or SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 kinase, had no marked effect on GSNO-induced apoptosis. However, in SW620 cells, SB203580 significantly reduced the NO-induced apoptosis, whereas PD098059 increases NO-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, we found evidence of cell cycle arrest of the G₀/G₁ phase in SW620 cells but not in HCT116 cells. Inhibition of ERK1/2 with PD098059, or of p38 kinase with SB203580, reduced the GSNO-induced cell cycle arrest of the G₀/G₁ phase in SW620 cells. We therefore conclude that NO-induced apoptosis in colon cancer cells is mediated by a p53-independent mechanism and that the pathways of ERK1/2 and p38 kinase are important in NO-induced apoptosis and in the cell cycle arrest of the G₀/G₁ phase.     

A New Isoquinolinium Derivative, Cadein1, Preferentially Induces Apoptosis in p53-defective Cancer Cells with Functional Mismatch Repair via a p38-dependent Pathway

We screened a protoberberine backbone derivative library for compounds with anti-proliferative effects on p53-defective cancer cells. A compound identified from this small molecule library, cadein1 (cancer-selective death inducer 1), an isoquinolinium derivative, effectively leads to a G₂/M delay and caspase-dependent apoptosis in various carcinoma cells with non- functional p53. The ability of cadein1 to induce apoptosis in p53-defective colon cancer cells was tightly linked to the presence of a functional DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system, which is an important determinant in chemosensitivity. Cadein1 was very effective in MMR⁺/p53⁻ cells, whereas it was not effective in p53⁺ cells regardless of the MMR status. Consistently, when the function of MMR was blocked with short hairpin RNA in SW620 (MMR⁺/p53⁻) cells, cadein1 was no longer effective in inducing apoptosis. Besides, the inhibition of p53 increased the pro-apoptotic effect of cadein1 in HEK293 (MMR⁺/p53⁺) cells, whereas it did not affect the response to cadein1 in RKO (MMR⁻/p53⁺) cells. The apoptotic effects of cadein1 depended on the activation of p38 but not on the activation of Chk2 or other stress-activated kinases in p53-defective cells. Taken together, our results show that cadein1 may have a potential to be an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agent that is preferentially effective on p53-mutant colon cancer cells with functional MMR.     

Selective estrogen-induced apoptosis in breast cancer

Antihormone therapy remains the gold standard of care in the treatment of estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer. However, development of acquired long term antihormone resistance exposes a vulnerability to estrogen that induces apoptosis. Laboratory and clinical studies indicate that successful therapy with estrogens is dependent on the duration of estrogen withdrawal and menopausal status of a woman. Interrogation of estradiol (E₂) induced apoptosis using molecular studies indicate treatment of long term estrogen deprived MCF-7 breast cancer cells with estrogen causes an endoplasmic reticulum stress response that induces an unfolded protein response signal to inhibit protein translation. E₂ binds to the ER and mediates apoptosis through the classical genomic pathway. Furthermore, the induction of apoptosis by estrogens is dependent on the conformation of the estrogen–ER complex. In this review, we explore the mechanism and the processes involved in the paradox of estrogen induced apoptosis and the new selectivity of estrogen action on different cell populations that is correctly been deciphered for clinical practice.     

Absence of p53-dependent apoptosis leads to UV radiation hypersensitivity,enhanced immunosuppression and cellular senescence

Genotoxic stress triggers the p53 tumor suppressor network to activate cellular responses that lead to cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, apoptosis or senescence. This network functions mainly through transactivation of different downstream targets, including cell cycle inhibitor p21, which is required for short-term cell cycle arrest or long-term cellular senescence, or proapoptotic genes such as p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) and Noxa. However, the mechanism that switches from cell cycle arrest to apoptosis is still unknown. In this study, we found that mice harboring a hypomorphic mutant p53, R172P, a mutation that abrogates p53-mediated apoptosis while keeping cell cycle control mostly intact, are more susceptible to ultraviolet-B (UVB)-induced skin damage, inflammation, and immunosuppression than wild-type mice. p53^R172P embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) are hypersensitive to UVB and prematurely senesce after UVB exposure, in stark contrast to wild-type MEFs, which undergo apoptosis. However, these mutant cells are able to repair UV-induced DNA lesions, indicating that the UV hypersensitive phenotype results from the subsequent damage response. Mutant MEFs show an induction of p53 and p21 after UVR, while wild-type MEFs additionally induce PUMA and Noxa. Importantly, p53^R172P MEFs failed to downregulate anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, which has been shown to play an important role in p53-dependent apoptosis. Taken together, these data demonstrate that in the absence of p53-mediated apoptosis, cells undergo cellular senescence to prevent genomic instability. Our results also indicate that p53-dependent apoptosis may play an active role in balancing cellular growth.     

Actovegin protects human neuroblastoma cells SK-N-SH from apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide through the PI3K and p38 MAPK signaling pathways

Neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with an increased production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which is an inducer of apoptosis in various cell types including CNS. Previously it was shown that actovegin (deproteinized calf blood hemodialysate) reduces neuronal apoptosis, but the mechanism of its protective action is still poorly understood. The effect of actovegin on the apoptosis of SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells was studied in the present work. The role of different intracellular signaling pathways involving mitogen-activated protein kinases was analyzed using selective inhibitors. Our data show that the signaling pathways involving p38 MAPK and PI3K play the key role in the protective effect of actovegin against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in SK-N-SH cells.     

Absence of p53-dependent apoptosis leads to UV radiation hypersensitivity,enhanced immunosuppression and cellular senescence

Genotoxic stress triggers the p53 tumor suppressor network to activate cellular responses that lead to cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, apoptosis or senescence. This network functions mainly through transactivation of different downstream targets, including cell cycle inhibitor p21, which is required for short-term cell cycle arrest or long-term cellular senescence, or proapoptotic genes such as p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) and Noxa. However, the mechanism that switches from cell cycle arrest to apoptosis is still unknown. In this study, we found that mice harboring a hypomorphic mutant p53, R172P, a mutation that abrogates p53-mediated apoptosis while keeping cell cycle control mostly intact, are more susceptible to ultraviolet-B (UVB)-induced skin damage, inflammation and immunosuppression than wild-type mice. p53^R172P embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) are hypersensitive to UVB and prematurely senesce after UVB exposure, in stark contrast to wild-type MEFs, which undergo apoptosis. However, these mutant cells are able to repair UV-induced DNA lesions, indicating that the UV-hypersensitive phenotype results from the subsequent damage response. Mutant MEFs show an induction of p53 and p21 after UVR, while wild-type MEFs additionally induce PUMA and Noxa. Importantly, p53^R172P MEFs failed to downregulate anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, which has been shown to play an important role in p53-dependent apoptosis. Taken together, these data demonstrate that in the absence of p53-mediated apoptosis, cells undergo cellular senescence to prevent genomic instability. Our results also indicate that p53-dependent apoptosis may play an active role in balancing cellular growth.Key words: UVB irradiation, p53, DNA damage, DNA damage responses, apoptosis, senescence     

DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitor Zebularine Inhibits Human Hepatic Carcinoma Cells Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers worldwide. During tumorigenesis, tumor suppressor and cancer-related genes are commonly silenced by aberrant DNA methylation in their promoter regions. Zebularine (1-(β-_D-ribofuranosyl)-1,2-dihydropyrimidin-2-one) acts as an inhibitor of DNA methylation and exhibits chemical stability and minimal cytotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we explore the effect and possible mechanism of action of zebularine on hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. We demonstrate that zebularine exhibits antitumor activity on HepG2 cells by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis, however, it has little effect on DNA methylation in HepG2 cells. On the other hand, zebularine treatment downregulated CDK2 and the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (Rb), and upregulated p21^WAF/CIP1 and p53. We also found that zebularine treatment upregulated the phosphorylation of p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). These results suggest that the p44/42 MAPK pathway plays a role in zebularine-induced cell-cycle arrest by regulating the activity of p21^WAF/CIP1 and Rb. Furthermore, although the proapoptotic protein Bax levels were not affected, the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 level was downregulated with zebularine treatment. In addition, the data in the present study indicate that inhibition of the double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is involved in inducing apoptosis with zebularine. These results suggest a novel mechanism of zebularine-induced cell growth arrest and apoptosis via a DNA methylation-independent pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Resveratrol inhibits the hydrogen dioxide-induced apoptosis via Sirt 1 activation in osteoblast cells

Sirt 1 plays a critical role in stress responses. We determined the deregulation of Sirt 1 activity, p53 acetylation, Bcl-2 expression, and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in mouse osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells which were exposed to H₂O₂. And then we investigated the protective role of Sirt 1 activator, Resveratrol (RSV), against the H₂O₂-induced apoptosis. Results demonstrated that Sirt 1 and Bcl-2 were inhibited, whereas p53 acetylation, Bax, and caspase 9 were promoted by H₂O₂, as was aggravated by the Sirt 1 inhibitor, EX-527. Instead, RSV inhibited the H₂O₂-induced both p53 acetylation and the caspase 9 activation, whereas ameliorated the H₂O₂-induced Bcl-2 inhibition and apoptosis. In conclusion, Sirt 1 was downregulated during the H₂O₂-induced apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 cells. And the chemical activation of Sirt 1 inhibited the H₂O₂-induced apoptosis via the downregulation of p53 acetylation. Our results suggest that Sirt 1 upregulation appears to be an important strategy to inhibit the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.     

Distinct apoptotic phenotypes induced by radiation and ceramide in both p53-wild-type and p53-mutated lymphoblastoid cells

The tumour suppressor gene p53 and the intracellular signalling molecule ceramide have both been shown to play crucial roles in the induction of apoptosis by ionising radiation. In this study we examined whether p53 and ceramide are involved in independent signal pathways, inducing different types of apoptosis. TK6 (p53^wt/wt) and WTK1 (p53^mut/mut) lymphoblastoid cells were treated with ionising radiation or N-acetyl-d-sphingosine (C₂-ceramide). Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy studies were performed to characterise the time kinetics and morphological features of induced apoptosis. Ceramide- and radiation-induced apoptotic cells display characteristic differences in morphology and DNA staining and ceramide-induced apoptosis is expressed much faster than radiation-induced apoptosis. Radiation-induced apoptosis is p53-dependent and ceramide-induced apoptosis is p53-independent. The p53 pathway and the ceramide pathway are two independent signal pathways leading to distinct types of apoptosis. Since p53 is very often dysfunctional in tumour cells, modifying the ceramide pathway is a promising strategy to increase tumour sensitivity to radiation and other anticancer agents. Received: 19 April 2001 / Accepted: 15 October 2001     

The p53-p21WAF1 checkpoint pathway plays a protective role in preventing DNA rereplication induced by abrogation of FOXF1 function

We previously identified FOXF1 as a potential tumor suppressor gene with an essential role in preventing DNA rereplication to maintain genomic stability, which is frequently inactivated in breast cancer through the epigenetic mechanism. Here we further addressed the role of the p53-p21^WAF1 checkpoint pathway in DNA rereplication induced by silencing of FOXF1. Knockdown of FOXF1 by small interference RNA (siRNA) rendered colorectal p53-null and p21^WAF1-null HCT116 cancer cells more susceptible to rereplication and apoptosis than the wild-type parental cells. In parental HCT116 cells with a functional p53 checkpoint, the p53-p21^WAF1 checkpoint pathway was activated upon FOXF1 knockdown, which was concurrent with suppression of the CDK2-Rb cascade and induction of G₁ arrest. In contrast, these events were not observed in FOXF1-depleted HCT116-p53−/− and HCT116-p21−/− cells, indicating that the p53-dependent checkpoint function is vital for inhibiting CDK2 to induce G₁ arrest and protect cells from rereplication. The pharmacologic inhibitor (caffeine) of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR) protein kinases abolished activation of the p53-p21^WAF1 pathway upon FOXF1 knockdown, suggesting that suppression of FOXF1 function triggered the ATM/ATR-mediated DNA damage response. Cosilencing of p53 by siRNA synergistically enhanced the effect of FOXF1 depletion on the stimulation of DNA rereplication and apoptosis in wild-type HCT116. Finally, we show that FOXF1 expression is predominantly silenced in breast and colorectal cancer cell lines with inactive p53. Our study demonstrated that the p53-p21^WAF1 checkpoint pathway is an intrinsically protective mechanism to prevent DNA rereplication induced by silencing of FOXF1.     

Nitric oxide effect on coloncyte metabolism: Co-action of sulfides and peroxide

Luminal levels of nitric oxide/nitrite are high in colitis. Whether nitric oxide is injurious or protective to human colonocytes is unknown and the role of nitric oxide in the genesis of colitis unclear. The aims were to establish whether nitric oxide was injurious to oxidation of substrates (n-butyrate and D-glucose) in isolated human and rat colonocytes both alone and in the presence of hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen peroxide, agents implicated in cell damage of colitis. Nitric oxide generation from S-nitrosoglutathione was measured by nitrite appearance. Colonocytes were isolated and incubated with [1-¹⁴C] butyrate or [6-¹⁴C] glucose and 2.6 M nitric oxide, 1.5 mM sodium hydrogen sulfide or 2.5 mM hydrogen peroxide. Acyl-CoA esters were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, ¹⁴CO₂ radiochemically and lactate/ketones by enzymic methods. Results indicate that nitric oxide very significantly (p < .001) reduced acyl-CoA formation but did not impair ¹⁴CO₂ generation. Peroxide and sulfide with nitric oxide resulted in significant reduction (p < 0.01) of substrate oxidation to CO₂. Sulfide significantly stimulated release of nitric oxide from S-nitrosoglutathione. The principal conclusion is that nitric oxide diminishes CoA metabolism in colonocytes. CoA depletion has been observed in chronic human colitis for which a biochemical explanation has been lacking. For acute injurious action in human colonocytes nitric oxide requires co-action of peroxide and sulfide to impair oxidation of substrates in cells. From current observations treatment of colitis should aim to reduce simultaneously nitric oxide, peroxide and sulfide generation in the colon.     

Molecular Determinants of AHPN (CD437)-Induced Growth Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Lung Cancer Cell Lines

6-[3-(1-Adamantyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]-2-naphthalene carboxylic acid (AHPN or CD437), originally identified as a retinoic acid receptor γ-selective retinoid, was previously shown to induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the role of AHPN/CD437 and its mechanism of action in human lung cancer cell lines. Our results demonstrated that AHPN/CD437 effectively inhibited lung cancer cell growth by inducing G₀/G₁ arrest and apoptosis, a process that is accompanied by rapid induction of c-Jun, nur77, and p21^WAF1/CIP1. In addition, we found that expression of p53 and Bcl-2 was differentially regulated by AHPN/CD437 in different lung cancer cell lines and may play a role in regulating AHPN/CD437-induced apoptotic process. On constitutive expression of the c-JunAla(63,73) protein, a dominant-negative inhibitor of c-Jun, in A549 cells, nur77 expression and apoptosis induction by AHPN/CD437 were impaired, whereas p21^WAF1/CIP1 induction and G₀/G₁ arrest were not affected. Furthermore, overexpression of antisense nur77 RNA in A549 and H460 lung cancer cell lines largely inhibited AHPN/CD437-induced apoptosis. Thus, expression of c-Jun and nur77 plays a critical role in AHPN/CD437-induced apoptosis. Together, our results reveal a novel pathway for retinoid-induced apoptosis and suggest that AHPN/CD437 or analogs may have a better therapeutic efficacy against lung cancer.     

High-mobility group A1 protein inhibits p53-mediated intrinsic apoptosis by interacting with Bcl-2 at mitochondria

The high-mobility group A (HMGA) proteins are a family of non-histone chromatin factors, encoded by the HMGA1 and HMGA2 genes. Several studies demonstrate that HMGA proteins have a critical role in neoplastic transformation, and their overexpression is mainly associated with a highly malignant phenotype, also representing a poor prognostic index. Even though a cytoplasmic localization of these proteins has been previously reported in some highly malignant neoplasias, a clear role for this localization has not been defined. Here, we first confirm the localization of the HMGA1 proteins in the cytoplasm of cancer cells, and then we report a novel mechanism through which HMGA1 inhibits p53-mitochondrial apoptosis by counteracting the binding of p53 to the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2. Indeed, we demonstrate a physical and functional interaction between HMGA1 and Bcl-2 proteins. This interaction occurs at mitochondria interfering with the ability of p53 protein to bind Bcl-2, thus counteracting p53-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis. This effect is associated with the inhibition of cytochrome c release and activation of caspases. Consistent with this mechanism, a strong correlation between HMGA1 cytoplasmic localization and a more aggressive histotype of thyroid, breast and colon carcinomas has been observed. Therefore, cytoplasmic localization of HMGA1 proteins in malignant tissues is a novel mechanism of inactivation of p53 apoptotic function.     

α-lipoic acid induces apoptosis in human colon cancer cells by increasing mitochondrial respiration with a concomitant O<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>−.</Superscript>-generation

The antioxidant -lipoic acid (ALA) has been shown to affect a variety of biological processes associated with oxidative stress including cancer. We determined in HT-29 human colon cancer cells whether ALA is able to affect apoptosis, as an important parameter disregulated in tumour development. Exposure of cells to ALA or its reduced form dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) for 24 h dose dependently increased caspase-3-like activity and was associated with DNA-fragmentation. DHLA but not ALA was able to scavenge cytosolic O₂^–. in HT-29 cells whereas both compounds increased O₂^{– .}-generation inside mitochondria. Increased mitochondrial O₂^{– .}-production was preceded by an increased influx of lactate or pyruvate into mitochondria and resulted in the down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-X_L. Mitochondrial O₂^–.-generation and apoptosis induced by ALA and DHLA could be prevented by the O₂^{– .}-scavenger benzoquinone. Moreover, when the lactate/pyruvate transporter was inhibited by 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoate, ALA- and DHLA-induced mitochondrial ROS-production and apoptosis were blocked. In contrast to HT-29 cells, no apoptosis was observed in non-transformed human colonocytes in response to ALA or DHLA addition. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that ALA and DHLA can effectively induce apoptosis in human colon cancer cells by a prooxidant mechanism that is initiated by an increased uptake of oxidizable substrates into mitochondria.