慢病毒介导的c-Myc启动子结合蛋白1过表达对结肠癌HCT116细胞增殖与凋亡的影响及其机制研究

目的探讨慢病毒介导的c-Myc启动子结合蛋白1(MBP-1)过表达对结肠癌HCT116细胞增殖和凋亡的影响及其机制。方法将体外培养的HCT116细胞分为以下3组:空白对照组,细胞未做任何处理;空载感染组,空载体对照慢病毒(LV-GFP)感染HCT116细胞;MBP-1过表达慢病毒组(MBP-1组),MBP-1过表达的重组慢病毒(LV-MBP-1-GFP)感染HCT116细胞。RT-PCR检测各组细胞中MBP-1 mRNA的表达,CCK-8实验检测细胞的增殖能力,流式细胞仪检测细胞的周期变化,Western blot检测细胞中MBP-1、NF-κB p65、c-Myc、CyclinD1及细胞凋亡相关蛋白Bcl-2、Bax、cleaved caspase-3的表达。三组间比较采用单因素方差分析,方差齐性采用F检验,若方差齐则组间比较采用LSD检验,若方差不齐则组间比较采用Dunnett检验。结果与空载感染组比较,MBP-1组在MBP-1 mRNA(1.02±0.15比4.56±1.03)、蛋白表达水平(0.18±0.01比0.72±0.10)、S期百分比[(39.12±2.18)﹪比(45.64±3.21)﹪]、G2/M期的百分比[(14.81±1.02)﹪比(23.16±2.12)﹪]、细胞中Bax蛋白(0.55±0.10比0.76±0.11)、cleaved caspase-3蛋白(0.45±0.08比0.81±0.11)表达水平均升高,差异具有统计学意义(P均<0.001),而细胞48 h OD值(0.58±0.08比0.43±0.03)、72 h OD值(1.10±0.13比0.52±0.09)、细胞G0/G1期的百分比[(46.06±1.89)﹪比(31.36±2.02)﹪]、细胞中Bcl-2蛋白(0.52±0.10比0.23±0.02)、NF-κB p65蛋白(0.61±0.13比0.16±0.03)、c-Myc蛋白(0.79±0.15比0.43±0.05)、CyclinD1蛋白(0.62±0.09比0.32±0.01)的表达水平均降低,差异具有统计学意义(P均<0.001);空白对照组和空载感染组之间各指标差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论MBP-1过表达可抑制HCT116细胞增殖及诱导细胞周期阻滞于S期,其作用机制可能与抑制NF-κB信号通路活化有关。     

Lamin B2 promotes the progression of triple negative breast cancer via mediating cell proliferation and apoptosis

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a more common type of breast cancer with high distant metastasis and poor prognosis. The potential role of lamins in cancer progression has been widely revealed. However, the function of lamin B2 (LMNB2) in TNBC progression is still unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of LMNB2 in TNBC. The cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed to examine LMNB2 expression levels. LMNB2 short hairpin RNA plasmid or lentivirus was used to deplete the expression of LMNB2 in human TNBC cell lines including MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231. Alterations in cell proliferation and apoptosis in vitro and the nude mouse tumorigenicity assay in vivo were subsequently analyzed. The human TNBC tissues shown high expression of LMNB2 according to the bioinformation analysis and IHC assays. LMNB2 expression was correlated with the clinical pathological features of TNBC patients, including pTNM stage and lymph node metastasis. Through in vitro and in vivo assays, we confirmed LMNB2 depletion suppressed the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of TNBC cells, and inhibited tumor growth of TNBC cells in mice, with the decrease in Ki67 expression or the increase in caspase-3 expression. In conclusion, LMNB2 may promote TNBC progression and could serve as a potential therapeutic target for TNBC treatment.     

Long non-coding RNA LINC00488 facilitates thyroid cancer cell progression through miR-376a-3p/PON2

Objective: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) recently have been identified as influential indicators in a variety of malignancies. The aim of the present study was to identify a functional lncRNA LINC00488 and its effects on thyroid cancer in the view of cell proliferation and apoptosis.Methods: In order to evaluate the effects of LINC00488 on the cellular process of thyroid cancer, we performed a series of in vitro experiments, including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, EdU (5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine) assay, flow cytometry, transwell chamber assay, Western blot and RT-qPCR. The target gene of LINC00488 was then identified by bioinformatics analysis (DIANA and TargetScan). Finally, a series of rescue experiments was conducted to validate the effect of LINC00488 and its target genes on proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of thyroid cancer.Results: Our findings revealed that LINC00488 was highly expressed in thyroid cancer cell lines (BCPAP, BHP5-16, TPC-1 and CGTH-W3) and promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion, while inhibited the apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells (BCPAP and TPC-1). The results of bioinformatics analysis and dual luciferase reporter gene assay showed that LINC00488 could directly bind to miR-376a-3p and down-regulated the expression level of miR-376a-3p. In addition, Paraoxonase-2 (PON2) was a target gene of miR-376a-3p and negatively regulated by miR-376a-3p. Rescue experiment indicated that LINC00488 might enhance PON2 expression by sponging miR-376a-3p in thyroid cancer.Conclusion: Taken together, our study revealed that lncRNA LINC00488 acted as an oncogenic gene in the progression of thyroid cancer via regulating miR-376a-3p/PON2 axis, which indicated that LINC00488-miR-376a-3p-PON2 axis could serve as novel biomarkers or potential targets for the treatment of thyroid cancer.     

LncRNA PDCD4-AS1 alleviates triple negative breast cancer by increasing expression of IQGAP2 via miR-10b-5p

ObjectiveMounting evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is dysregulated in breast cancers. This study was designed to detect the influences and regulatory mechanism of lncRNA PDCD4-AS1 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).MethodsqRT-PCR and Western blot were utilized to investigate the expression levels of PDCD4-AS1, miR-10b-5p and IQGAP2 in TNBC tissues and cells. Online software and luciferase reporter gene system were employed to testify the interactions among these molecules. Loss and gain of function of PDCD4-AS1, miR-10b-5p or IQGAP2 were performed before MTT and colony formation assay, TUNEL staining in addition to Transwell and scratch assays were applied to measure the cell biological functions.ResultsIn this work, PDCD4-AS1 and IQGAP2 were lowly expressed while miR-10b-5p was strongly expressed in TNBC tissues and cells. PDCD4-AS1 or IQGAP2 overexpression effectively attenuated TNBC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and increased the apoptosis rate, while this effect was abandoned in response to miR-10b-5p mimics transfection. miR-10b-5p bound to IQGAP2 and acted as a downstream target of PDCD4-AS1.ConclusionOur findings identified lncRNA PDCD4-AS1 as a tumor suppressor in TNBC by regulating IQGAP2 expression via miR-10b-5p, giving a novel insight into the regulatory mechanism of PDCD4-AS1 in the pathogenesis of TNBC.     

Coenzyme Q 10 Depletion is Comparatively Less Detrimental to Human Cultured Skin Fibroblasts than Respiratory Chain Complex Deficiencies

The oxidative stress possibly resulting from an inherited respiratory chain (RC) deficiency was investigated in a series of human cultured skin fibroblasts presenting either ubiquinone depletion or isolated defect of the various RC complexes. Taken as an index for superoxide overproduction, a significant induction of superoxide dismutase activity was observed in complex V-deficient fibroblasts harboring the NARP-mutation in the ATPase 6 gene. Superoxide dismutase induction was also noticed, albeit to a lesser extent, in complex II-deficient fibroblasts with a mutation in the nuclear gene encoding the flavoprotein subunit of the succinate dehydrogenase. No sign of oxidative stress could be found in ubiquinone-depleted fibroblasts. In all cases but complex IV-defect, increased oxidative stress was associated with increased cell death. In glucose-rich medium, apoptosis appeared as the main cell death process associated with all types of RC defect. However, similar to the great variations in oxidative stress associated with the various types of RC defect, we found that apoptotic features differed noticeably between defects. No indication of increased cell death was found in ubiquinone-depleted fibroblasts.     

The Cytotoxic and Proapoptotic Activities of Hypnophilin are Associated with Calcium Signaling in UACC‐62 Cells

Hypnophilin (HNP) is a sesquiterpene that is isolated from Lentinus cf. strigosus and has cytotoxic activities. Here, we studied the calcium signaling and cytotoxic effects of HNP in UACC‐62 cells, a human skin melanoma cell line. HNP was able to increase the intracellular calcium concentration in UACC‐62 cells, which was blocked in cells stimulated in Ca²⁺‐free media. HNP treatment with BAPTA‐AM, an intracellular Ca²⁺ chelator, caused an increase in calcium signals. HNP showed cytotoxicity against UACC‐62 cells in which it induced DNA fragmentation and morphological alterations, including changes in the nuclear chromatin profile and increased cytoplasmatic vacuolization, but it had no effect on the plasma membrane integrity. These data suggest that cytotoxicity in UACC‐62 cells, after treatment with HNP, is associated with Ca²⁺ influx. Together, these findings suggest that HNP is a relevant tool for the further investigation of new anticancer approaches. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J BiochemMol Toxicol 27:479‐485, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/jbt.21507     

Hydrogen sulfide alleviates uranium-induced kidney cell apoptosis mediated by ER stress via 20S proteasome involving in Akt/GSK-3β/Fyn-Nrf2 signaling

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) shows antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and cytoprotective effects in kidneys. Recently, H₂S has been reported to alleviate uranium-induced rat nephrotoxicity through oxidative stress and inflammatory response via Nrf2-NF-κB pathways. Here, the protective effect and molecular mechanism of H₂S on uranium-induced apoptosis were examined in normal rat kidney proximal cells (NRK-52^E) in vitro. The results indicate that NaHS (an H₂S donor) administration in uranium-intoxicated kidney cells ameliorated uranium-induced reactive oxygen species generation, caspase-3-dependent apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress identified through several key markers including GRP78, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and caspase-12. NaHS treatment in uranium-intoxicated kidney cells abolished the effects of uranium on Akt phosphorylation, GSK-3β activation, increased Fyn nuclear expression, and concomitantly decreased Nrf2 nuclear expression. NaHS administration in uranium-treated kidney cells resorted uranium-decreased the expression of two key subunit PSMA6 and PSMB7 in 20S proteasome. But, DRB (an Nrf2 inhibitor) administration abrogated the effects of NaHS on PSMA6 and PSMB7 expression in uranium-contaminated kidney cells. Bortezomib (a proteasome inhibitor) treatment in NaHS pulsing uranium cotreated kidney cells reversed the effects of NaHS on not only PSMA6 and PSMB7 but also GRP78 and CHOP. Taken together, all data suggest that H₂S can attenuate uranium-induced kidney cell apoptosis mediated by ER stress via 20S proteasome involving in Akt/GSK-3β/Fyn-Nrf2 signaling axis.     

Changes of PI3K/AKT/BCL2 signaling proteins in congenital Giant Nevi: melanocytes contribute to their increased survival and integrity

Abstract

Congenital Giant Nevi (CGN) are rare melanocytic lesions with the potential to regress into malignant melanoma. Simultaneous up-regulation and cooperative interactions of signaling pathways are crucial events in the pathogenesis of melanocytes. Our study aimed to identify changes in the expression and activation of proteins controlling survival and/or apoptosis of the key signaling pathways PI3K/AKT/BCL2 and Wnt/β-catenin of CGN melanocytes. We applied a model of cultured melanocytes from paired CGN and normal appearing skin, and Western blot (WB) analyzed the expression and activation profile of survival and anti-apoptotic proteins of these signaling pathways, growth pattern, cell cycle and apoptosis. WB analysis demonstrated a significant higher expression level of activated AKT and of BCL2 proteins in the CGN melanocytes compared with paired melanocytes from normal appearing skin. A relative increase in the level of GSK3 and FOXO1 proteins, down stream targets of AKT, as well as of pβ-catenin was also detected in the CGN melanocytes compared with the controls. These changes were not affected by growth of the CGN melanocytes in reduced serum (starvation). Both cell populations shared a similar growth pattern, with no significant differences in the proportion of apoptotic cells and in cell cycle fractions. These data demonstrate for the first time, changes in signaling proteins of cultured CGN melanocytes. Further, suggesting that the changes in AKT/BCL2 signaling molecules might mediate growth and anti-apoptosis processes at least in part, thus increasing the survival potential of CGN melanocytes and maintaining their integrity.     

Lipocalin-2-mediated upregulation of various antioxidants and growth factors protects bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells against unfavorable microenvironments

Despite many advantages of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that make them suitable for cell therapy purposes, their therapeutic application has been limited due to their susceptibility to several stresses (e.g., nutrient-poor environment, oxidative stress, and hypoxic and masses of cytotoxic factors) to which they are exposed during their preparation and following transplantation. Hence, reinforcing MSCs against these stresses is a challenge for both basic and clinician scientists. Recently, much attention has been directed toward equipping MSCs with cytoprotective factors to strengthen them against unfavorable microenvironments. Here, we engineered MSCs with lipocalin 2 (Lcn2), a cytoprotective factor that is naturally induced following exposure of cells to stresses imposed by the microenvironment. Lcn2 overexpression not only did not interfere with the multidifferentiation capacity of the MSCs but also granted many protective properties to them. Lcn2 potentiated MSCs to withstand oxidative, hypoxia, and serum deprivation (SD) conditions via antagonizing their induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Adhesion rate of MSCs to coated culture plates was also enhanced by Lcn2 overexpression. In addition, Lcn2 induced antioxidants and upregulated some growth factors in MSCs. Our findings suggested a new strategy for prevention of graft cell death in MSC-based cell therapy.