Proteomic study of amyloid beta (25-35) peptide exposure to neuronal cells: Impact on APE1/Ref-1's protein-protein interaction

Design, synthesis, in silico and biological evaluation of new indole based oxadiazole derivatives targeting estrogen receptor alpha

A series of new indole-oxadiazole derivatives was designed and synthesized to develop potential anti-breast cancer agents. The compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 1.78 to 19.74 μM against ER-positive human breast cancer (BC) cell lines T-47D and MCF-7. Among them, compounds (5a, 5c, 5e-5h, 5j-5o) displayed superior activity against ER-α dominant (ratio of ER-α/ER-β is 9/1) T-47D cells compared to the standard drug bazedoxifene (IC50 = 12.78 ± 0.92 μM). Compounds 5c and 5o exhibited remarkable anti-proliferative activity with IC50 values of 3.24 ± 0.46 and 1.72 ± 1.67 μM against T-47D cells, respectively. Further, compound 5o manifested 1589-fold higher ER-α binding affinity (213.4 pM) relative to bazedoxifene (339.2 nM) in a competitive ER-α binding assay, while compound 5c showed a binding affinity of 446.6 nM. The Western blot analysis proved that both compounds influenced the ER-α protein's expression, impeding its subsequent transactivation and signalling pathway within T-47D cells. Additionally, a molecular docking study suggests that compounds 5c and 5o bind in such a fashion that induces conformational changes in the protein, culminating in their antagonistic effect. Also, pharmacokinetic profiles showed that all compounds have drug-like properties. Further, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) analysis confirmed the stability, conformational behaviour, reactivity, and biological feasibility of compounds 5c and 5o. In conclusion, based on our findings, compounds 5c and 5o, which exhibit significant ER-α antagonistic activity, can act as potential lead compounds for developing anti-breast cancer agents.

Design, synthesis, in vitro and in silico evaluation of indole-based tetrazole derivatives as putative anti-breast cancer agents

A series of new indole-tetrazole derivatives were designed and synthesized to develop potential anti-breast cancer agents. The compounds exhibited in vitro anti-proliferative activity against ER-α positive T-47D (IC50 = 3.82-24.43 μM), MCF-7 (IC50 = 3.08-22.65 μM), and ER-α negative MDA-MB-231 (IC50 = 7.69-19.4 μM) human breast cancer cell lines. Compounds 5d and 5f displayed significant anti-proliferative activity compared to bazedoxifene (IC50 = 14.23 ± 0.68 μM), with IC50 values of 10.00 ± 0.59 and 3.83 ± 0.74 μM, respectively, against the ER-α dominant T-47D cell line. Also, both compounds showed non-significant cytotoxicity against normal cells HEK-293. Further, the ER-α binding affinity of 5d and 5f was assessed through a fluorescence polarization-based competitive binding assay, where 5d and 5f have shown significant binding with IC50 = 5.826 and 110.6 nM, respectively, as compared to the standard drug bazedoxifene (IC50 = 339.2 nM). Western blot analysis confirmed that compound 5d reduced ER-α protein expression in T-47D cells, hindering its transactivation and signalling pathways. Additionally, a molecular docking study suggests that compounds 5d and 5f bind in such a fashion that induces conformational changes in the protein, culminating in their antagonistic effect. Pharmacokinetic profiles showed that the compounds possessed drug-like properties. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulation studies establish the dynamic stability and conformational behaviour of the ER-α protein and ligand complex of both compounds. Additionally, 5d and 5f ensure biological feasibility as per their DFT analysis through HOMO-LUMO energy gap analysis. In conclusion, compounds 5d and 5f, exhibiting significant ER-α antagonistic activity, can act as potential lead compounds for anti-breast cancer therapies.

Role of Cytoskeletal Elements in Regulation of Synaptic Functions: Implications Toward Alzheimer's Disease and Phytochemicals-Based Interventions

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a multifactorial disease, is characterized by the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. AD is triggered via several factors like alteration in cytoskeletal proteins, a mutation in presenilin 1 (PSEN1), presenilin 2 (PSEN2), amyloid precursor protein (APP), and post-translational modifications (PTMs) in the cytoskeletal elements. Owing to the major structural and functional role of cytoskeletal elements, like the organization of axon initial segmentation, dendritic spines, synaptic regulation, and delivery of cargo at the synapse; modulation of these elements plays an important role in AD pathogenesis; like Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that stabilizes the microtubules, and it also causes inhibition of nucleo-cytoplasmic transportation by disrupting the integrity of nuclear pore complex. One of the major cytoskeletal elements, actin and its dynamics, regulate the dendritic spine structure and functions; impairments have been documented towards learning and memory defects. The second major constituent of these cytoskeletal elements, microtubules, are necessary for the delivery of the cargo, like ion channels and receptors at the synaptic membranes, whereas actin-binding protein, i.e., Cofilin's activation form rod-like structures, is involved in the formation of paired helical filaments (PHFs) observed in AD. Also, the glial cells rely on their cytoskeleton to maintain synaptic functionality. Thus, making cytoskeletal elements and their regulation in synaptic structure and function as an important aspect to be focused for better management and targeting AD pathology. This review advocates exploring phytochemicals and Ayurvedic plant extracts against AD by elucidating their neuroprotective mechanisms involving cytoskeletal modulation and enhancing synaptic plasticity. However, challenges include their limited bioavailability due to the poor solubility and the limited potential to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), emphasizing the need for targeted strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy.

α1-Adrenoceptor agonist methoxamine inhibits base excision repair via inhibition of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1)

Methoxamine (Mox) is a well-known α1-adrenoceptor agonist, clinically used as a longer-acting analogue of epinephrine. 1R,2S-Mox (NRL001) has been also undergoing clinical testing to increase the canal resting pressure in patients with bowel incontinence. Here we show, that Mox hydrochloride acts as an inhibitor of base excision repair (BER). The effect is mediated by the inhibition of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease APE1. We link this observation to our previous report showing the biologically relevant effect of Mox on BER - prevention of converting oxidative DNA base damage to double-stranded breaks. We demonstrate that its effect is weaker, but still significant when compared to a known BER inhibitor methoxyamine (MX). We further determined Mox's relative IC ₅₀ at 19 mmol L^-1, demonstrating a significant effect of Mox on APE1 activity in clinically relevant concentrations.

Characterisation of mesenchymal stem cells conditioned media obtained at different conditioning times: their effect on glial cells in in vitro scratch model

In this study, the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells conditioned media (BMMSC-CM) obtained by conditioning for 24(CM24), 48(CM48) and 72(CM72) hours was characterised. In vitro, the impact of BMMSC-CM on the astrocyte migratory response and oligodendrocyte density was evaluated using the scratch model. The proteomic profiles of individual secretomes were analysed by mass spectrometry and the concentrations of four selected neurotrophins (BDNF, NGF, GDNF and VEGF) were determined by ELISA. Our results revealed an increased number of proteins at CM72, many of which are involved in neuroregenerative processes. ELISA documented a gradual increase in the concentration of two neurotrophins (NGF, VEGF), peaking at CM72. In vitro, the different effect of individual BMMSC-CM on astrocyte migration response and oligodendrocyte density was observed, most pronounced with CM72. The outcomes demonstrate that the prolonged conditioning results in increased release of detectable proteins, neurotrophic factors concentration and stronger effect on reparative processes in neural cell cultures.

Neuron-targeted Knockout of APE1 Forces Premature Cognitive Impairment and Synaptic Dysfunction in Adult Mice

Adaptable and consistent neural function relies at least in part on the ongoing repair of oxidative damage that can accumulate in the brain over a lifespan. To determine whether forebrain neuron-targeted knockout of AP endonuclease 1 (APE1), a critical enzyme in the base excision DNA repair pathway, contributes to neuronal impairments, we generated APE1 conditional knockout mice under the control of the CamKIIα promotor (APE1 cKO). Spatial learning and memory were tested using the Morris water maze. Synaptic markers, including synapsin, vGLUT, GABA1, and GAD were immunostained and quantified. Dendritic morphology and number were characterized using Golgi staining. Long-term potentiation (LTP) was measured in slices from the 6-month-old brain. APE1 cKO mice did not significantly differ from WT mice in the learning phase of the Morris water maze, but performed significantly worse during the memory phase of the Morris water maze. vGLUT, GABA1, and GAD immunostaining was significantly decreased in APE1 cKO mice without concomitant changes in the number of synapsin-positive structures, suggesting that neural networks may be impaired but not at the level of total presynaptic structures. Dendrites were reduced both in number and length of spines in APE1 cKO mice. APE1 cKO brain slices exhibited decreased LTP induction compared to WT brain slices. Together, these data indicate that the conditional loss of APE1 in forebrain neurons leads to a phenotype consistent with expedited brain aging.

Potential Role of APEX1 During Ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is a recently discovered category of programmed cell death. It is much different from other types of cell death such as apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy. The main pathological feature of ferroptosis is the accumulation of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. The typical changes in the morphological features of ferroptosis include cell volume shrinkage and increased mitochondrial membrane area. The mechanisms of ferroptosis may be mainly related to lipid peroxidation accumulation, imbalance in amino acid antioxidant system, and disturbance of iron metabolism. Besides, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and p53 pathway have been demonstrated to be involved in ferroptosis. At present, the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis pathway are still unmapped. In this review, an outlook has been put forward about the crucial role of apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APEX1) in the regulation of ferroptosis. APEX1 plays an important role in the regulation of intracellular redox balance and can be used as a potential inhibitor of ferroptotic cell death. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the mRNA level of APEX1 is decreased in cases of ferroptosis triggered by erastin. Besides, it was found that there was a significant correlation between APEX1 and genes in the ferroptosis pathway. We have discussed the possibility to employ APEX1 inducers or inhibitors in the regulation of ferroptosis as a new strategy for the treatment of various human diseases.

Methods to Assess Oxidative DNA Base Damage Repair of Apurinic/Apyrimidinic (AP) Sites Using Radioactive and Nonradioactive Oligonucleotide-Based Assays

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction results in oxidative stress leading to genomic instability via the generation of small base lesions in the genome, and this unrepaired DNA base damage leads to various cellular consequences. The oxidative stress-mediated DNA base damage is involved in various human disorders like cancer, cardiovascular, ocular, and neurodegenerative diseases. Base excision repair (BER) pathway, one of the DNA repair pathways, is majorly involved in the repair of oxidative DNA base lesions, which utilizes a different set of enzymes, including endonuclease viz Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1). APE1 is a well-known multifunctional enzyme with DNA repair, REDOX regulatory, and protein-protein interaction/cross-talk functions associated with the cell survival mechanisms. APE1 acts as an important player in both normal and cancerous cell survival; thus, evaluating its endonuclease activity in the biological samples provide useful readout of the DNA repair capacity/ability, which can be used to tune for the development of therapeutic candidates via either stimulating or blocking its DNA repair function in normal vs. cancer cells, respectively. This chapter enlists two methods used for the determination of APE1's endonuclease activity by oligonucleotide-based radioactive P³²-labeled and nonradioactive fluorescence dyes using the cell extracts and recombinant APE1 protein.

The effect of the use of copper carbonate and copper nanoparticles in the diet of rats on the level of β-amyloid and acetylcholinesterase in selected organs

BACKGROUND

Copper has an important role in nervous system function, as a cofactor of many enzymes and in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. Both the dose and the chemical form of copper can determine the impact of this element on metabolism, the neurological system and the immune system.

AIMS

The aim of the study was to determine whether and in what form the addition of copper changes the level of amyloid beta and acetylcholinesterase level in selected rat tissues.

METHODS

Thirty, healthy, male, albino Wistar rats aged 7 weeks were randomly divided into 3 groups. Three experimental treatments were used to evaluate the effects of different levels and sources of Cu (6.5 mg kg of diet) in the diet: Cu₀ - rats fed a diet without Cu supplementation; Cu_salt - rats fed a diet with CuCO₃ (6.5 mg kg of diet) during two months of feeding; Cu_NPs - rats fed a diet with Cu nanoparticles (6.5 mg kg of diet) during two months of feeding. In blood serum and tissue homogenates there rated the indicators proving the potential neurodegenerative effect and epigenetic DNA damage induced by chemical form of copper or lack of additional copper supplementation in diet were determined. There were analysed: level of acetylcholinesterase, β-amyloid, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1, apyrimidinic endonuclease, thymidine glycosidase, alkylpurine-DNA-N-glycosylase and glycosylated acetylcholinesterase.

RESULTS

Irrespective of the form of copper added, it was found to increase acetylcholinesterase level in the brain, spleen and liver, as well as in the blood plasma of the rats. Copper in the form of CuCO₃ was found to increase acetylcholinesterase level in the kidneys. The addition of both forms of copper caused a marked increase in the plasma concentration of β-amyloid in comparison with the diet with no added Cu. The addition of both forms of copper caused a marked increase in the plasma concentration of β-amyloid in comparison with the diet with no added Cu.

CONCLUSIONS

A lack of added Cu in the diet of rats reduces the concentration of amyloid-β in the blood, whereas administration of copper, in the form of either CuNPs or CuCO₃, increases the level of this peptide in the blood. The use of copper in the form of CuNPs in the diet of rats does not increase the level of β-amyloid more than the use of the carbonate form of this element. The use of CuNPs or CuCO₃ in the diet of rats increases acetylcholinesterase level in the brain, spleen, liver, and blood. CuNPs in the diet of rats were not found to increase acetylcholinesterase level to a greater extent than Cu⁺² carbonate.

Biodegradable nanoparticulate co-delivery of flavonoid and doxorubicin: Mechanistic exploration and evaluation of anticancer effect in vitro and in vivo

The proposed study involves delivering drug/bioactive using a single nanoplatform based on poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) for better efficacy, synergistic effect, and reduced toxicity. PLGA was conjugated to doxorubicin (D1), and this conjugate was used for encapsulation of naringenin (D2) to develop naringenin loaded PLGA-doxorubicin nanoparticles (PDNG). The PDNG NPs were 165.4 ± 4.27 nm in size, having 0.112 ± 0.035 PDI, with -10.1 ± 2.74 zeta potential. The surface morphology was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The in vitro studies revealed that PDNG NPs exhibited selective anticancer potential in breast cancer cells, and induced apoptosis with S-phase inhibition via an increase in intrinsic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and altering the mitochondrial potential. The results also signified the efficient uptake of nanoparticles encapsulated drugs by cells besides elevating the caspase level suggesting programmed cell death induction upon treatment. In vivo studies results revealed better half-life (27.35 ± 1.58 and 11.98 ± 1.21 h for doxorubicin and naringenin) with higher plasma drug concentration. In vivo biodistribution study was also in accordance with the in vitro studies and in line with the in vivo pharmacokinetic. In vivo tumor regression assay portrayed that the formulation PDNG halts the tumor growth and lessen the tumor volume with the stable bodyweight of the mice. Conclusively, the dual delivery approach was beneficial and highly effective against tumor-induced mice.

Coping with RNA damage with a focus on APE1, a BER enzyme at the crossroad between DNA damage repair and RNA processing/decay

Interest in RNA damage as a novel threat associated with several human pathologies is rapidly increasing. Knowledge on damaged RNA recognition, repair, processing and decay is still scanty. Interestingly, in the last few years, more and more evidence put a bridge between DNA damage repair enzymes and the RNA world. The Apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APE1) was firstly identified as a crucial enzyme of the base excision repair (BER) pathway preserving genome stability toward non-distorting DNA lesion-induced damages. Later, an unsuspected role of APE1 in controlling gene expression was discovered and its pivotal involvement in several human pathologies, ranging from tumor progression to neurodegenerative diseases, has emerged. Recent novel findings indicate a role of APE1 in RNA metabolism, particularly in processing activities of damaged (abasic and oxidized) RNA and in the regulation of oncogenic microRNAs (miRNAs). Even though the role of miRNAs in human pathologies is well-known, the mechanisms underlying their quality control are still totally unexplored. A detailed knowledge of damaged RNA decay processes in human cells is crucial in order to understand the molecular processes involved in multiple pathologies. This cutting-edge perspective article will highlight these emerging aspects of damaged RNA processing and decay, focusing the attention on the involvement of APE1 in RNA world.

Doxorubicin and Crocin Co-delivery by Polymeric Nanoparticles for Enhanced Anticancer Potential In Vitro and In Vivo

Development of a biodegradable nanoplatform poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) for co-delivery of two drugs is hugely imperative and beneficial in anticancer therapeutics. In this study, co-delivery of a natural phytoconstituent, crocin (carotenoid), and a commonly prescribed drug, doxorubicin, was attempted using a nanoparticulate platform in the form of PLGA nanoparticles. Doxorubicin was chemically conjugated, while crocin was encapsulated physically in prepared PLGA nanoparticles (PDCR NPs). Prepared NPs were well-characterized for size, ζ, and surface morphology. PDCR NPs were of 174.2 ± 1.57 nm in size. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images revealed the spherical shape and smooth surface morphology of the nanoparticles, respectively. The entrapment efficiency and drug loading were found to be 58.95 ± 2.58 and 13.89 ± 1.09%, respectively. The drug release pattern of PDCR NPs showed a sustained and controlled release pattern throughout 48 h in PBS buffer pH 7.4 and acetate buffer pH 6.5. PDCR NPs were significantly less hemolytic than doxorubicin (p < 0.0001). Investigational formulation selectively produced cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells via decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and altering the mitochondrial potential that led to apoptosis with cell-cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Prepared NPs were able to upregulate the caspase levels as well as efficient uptake by cells in a time-dependent manner. In vivo plasma drug profile studies in healthy rats revealed prolonged persistence of crocin and doxorubicin in systemic circulation. Additionally, the PDCR NPs portrayed reduced tumor volume as compared to control groups in the tumor-induced animal studies, which were favorable. Conclusively, the co-delivery of natural anticancer bioactive crocin along with doxorubicin in PDCR NPs provides a possible controlled-release nanoplatform for efficient drug delivery in vitro and in vivo.

Priming alleviates high temperature induced oxidative DNA damage and repair using Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (Ape1L) homologue in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Crop plants require an optimum range of temperature for normal growth and development however high temperature can adversely affect the plants, induce oxidative stress and disintegrate biomolecules especially DNA and proteins. In wheat, high temperature stress (35-40 °C) during ripening stage hampers the yield tremendously. In this study, we assessed high temperature (HT) induced oxidative stress, subsequent DNA damage and role of priming in stress tolerance by analyzing DNA repair enzyme Triticum aestivum AP endonuclease (TaApe1L). Sixteen days old seedlings of wheat varieties PBW 550 and PBW 343 were primed with mild drought and exposed to HT (38 °C) for 2, 4, and 6 h. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was used as oxidative stress marker and quantified on regular time intervals. DNA damage was analyzed by DNA laddering and TaApe1L gene expression was analyzed using RT PCR and western blotting. Phylogenetic analysis of Ape1 revealed presence of some key amino acids that are evolutionary conserved. A significant increase in H₂O₂ content was observed after 6 h of exposure especially in PBW 343. Similarly, the DNA damage was also increased with HT exposure especially in PBW 343. The TaApe1L mRNA expression increased after priming in both the varieties after 4 h. But APE1 protein expression was higher in PBW 343, which can be correlated with DNA damage and repair. Lastly, it can be concluded that there is varietal difference in the HT sensitivity but 6 h exposure was detrimental to both the varieties. Also, drought priming improved HT tolerance by over expressing APE1.

Organophosphate-pesticides induced survival mechanisms and APE1-mediated Nrf2 regulation in non-small-cell lung cancer cells

Epidemiological and molecular studies have indicated that environmental exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OPPs) is associated with increased cancer risk; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms still need to be explained. Increasing cancer incidence is linked to OPPs-induced oxidative stress (OS). Our study evaluates monocrotophos (MCP) and chlorpyrifos (CP)-induced OS responses and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) role in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Our prior study has implicated OPPs-induced base excision repair (BER)-pathway dysregulation and APE1-mediated regulation of transcription factor (TF) c-jun in A549 cells. We further investigated the effects of MCP and CP on apoptosis, proliferation, and APE1's redox-regulation of nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2). Data demonstrates that MCP and CP at subtoxic concentrations induced reactive oxygen species generation and oxidative DNA base damage 8-oxo-dG lesions in NCI-H1299 cells. CP moderately upregulated the apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) in A549 cells, however, it did not trigger other pro-apoptotic factors viz. caspase-9 and caspase-3, suggesting early caspase-independent apoptosis. However, dose-dependent AIF-downregulation was observed for MCP treatment. Furthermore, CP and MCP treatments upregulated proliferating cell nuclear antigen levels. Immunofluorescent confocal imaging showed the colocalization of APE1 with Nrf2 in 10 µM CP- and MCP-treated NCI-H1299 cells. Immunoprecipitation confirmed that APE1 and Nrf2 physically interacted, indicating the role of APE1-mediated Nrf2 activation following OPPs treatment. This study suggests that low concentration MCP and CP exposure generates OS along with DNA damage, and modulates apoptosis, and APE1-mediated Nrf2 activation, which might be considered as the possible mechanism promoting lung cancer cell survival, suggesting that APE1 may have the potential to become a therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Oxidative stress stimulates invasive potential in rat C6 and human U-87 MG glioblastoma cells via activation and cross-talk between PKM2, ENPP2 and APE1 enzymes

Maintaining genomic integrity is essential for cell survival and viability. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction results in oxidative stress leading to the genomic instability via generation of small base lesions in DNA and these unrepaired DNA damages lead to various cellular consequences including cancer. Recent data support the concept "oxidative stress is an indispensable participant in fostering proliferation, survival, and migration" in various cancer cell types including glioblastoma cells. In this study we demonstrate that treatment of non-cytotoxic doses of oxidants such as amyloid beta [Aβ(25-35)] peptide, glucose oxidase (GO), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 24 h and 48 h time points found to increase the expression level and activity of a multifunctional enzyme Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE1), a key enzyme of base excision repair (BER) pathway which takes care of base damages; and also resulted in modulation in the expression levels of downstream BER-pathway enzymes viz. PARP-1, XRCC1, DNA polβ, and ligase IIIα was observed upon oxidative stress in C6 and U-87 MG cells. Oxidants treatment to the C6 and U-87 MG cells also resulted in an elevation in the intracellular expression of glycolytic pathway enzyme Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) and the metastasis inducer protein Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2 (ENPP2) as analyzed using Western blotting and Immunofluorescence microscopic studies. Our study also reports that oxidative stress induced for 24 h and 48 h in C6 and U-87 MG cells resulted in extracellular secretion of APE1 and ENPP2 as analyzed using Western blotting in conditioned media. However, the biological significance of extracellular secreted APE1 remains elusive. Oxidative stress also elevated the ENPP2's LysoPLD activity in conditioned media of C6 and U-87 MG cells. Our results also demonstrate that oxidative stress affects the expression level and localization of APE1, PKM2, and ENPP2 in C6 and U-87 MG cells. As evidenced by the colocalization pattern at 24 h and 48 h time points, it can be attributed that oxidative stress mediates crosstalk between APE1, PKM2, and ENPP2. In addition, when C6 and U-87 MG cells were treated with lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a bioactive lipid that negatively regulates ENPP2's LysoPLD activity at 10 μM concentration, demonstrated strong migratory potential in C6 and U-87 MG cells, and also induced migration upon oxidative stress. Altogether, the findings demonstrate the potential of C6 and U-87 MG cells to utilize three proteins viz. APE1, PKM2, and ENPP2 towards migration and survival of gliomas. Thus the knowledge on oxidative stress induced APE1's interaction with PKM2 and ENPP2 opens a new channel for the therapeutic target(s) for gliomas.

A Combination of Resveratrol and Curcumin is Effective Against Aluminum Chloride-Induced Neuroinflammation in Rats

BACKGROUND

Experimental studies have demonstrated that aluminum is an environmental toxin that induces neuroinflammation and the development of Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE

In this report, we investigated the beneficial effect of a combination of resveratrol and curcumin to reduce aluminum-induced neuroinflammation.

METHOD

We employed both an in vivo model of aluminum-induced neuroinflammation and an in vitro aluminum stimulated cultured PC-12 cells. Neuroinflammation in rats was assessed by measuring the expression of β-secretase, amyloid-β protein precursor, and γ-subunits (PS-1 and PS-2), along with the inflammatory COX-2, Il-1β, Il-1α, and TNF-α. Furthermore, we measured the expression profiles of neuro-protective Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) protein and let-7c microRNA. In parallel, PC-12 cells were treated with 0.5 mM aluminum to induce a neuroinflammation-like state. In addition, curcumin effect, as a selective COX-2 expression inhibitor, was detected in a time course manner.

RESULTS

An overall significant attenuation of the inflammatory markers, as well as a decrease in the amyloidogenic mediators, was observed in resveratrol-curcumin treated rats. The therapeutic effect was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopic analysis of the brain cortexes. APE1 was significantly induced by resveratrol-curcumin combination. Both in vivo and in vitro studies indicated that Let-7c expression is significantly reduced after aluminum stimulation, an effect that was partially suppressed by co-addition of either resveratrol or curcumin and totally restored to the normal level by their combination.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study clearly indicates the synergistic and therapeutic effect of a  resveratrol-curcumin combination. We also show that both compounds exert beneficial effect either cooperatively or through differential molecular mechanisms in counteracting aluminum-induced neuroinflammation.

Phytochemical Ginkgolide B Attenuates Amyloid-β1-42 Induced Oxidative Damage and Altered Cellular Responses in Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells

Oxidative stress is an upsurge in reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), which aggravates damage to cellular components viz. lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids resulting in impaired cellular functions and neurological pathologies including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present study, we have examined amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced oxidative stress responses, a major cause for AD, in the undifferentiated and differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Aβ1-42-induced oxidative damage was evaluated on lipids by lipid peroxidation; proteins by protein carbonyls; antioxidant status by SOD and GSH enzyme activities; and DNA and RNA damage levels by evaluating the number of AP sites and 8-OHG base damages produced. In addition, the neuro-protective role of the phytochemical ginkgolide B (GB) in countering Aβ1-42-induced oxidative stress was assessed. We report that the differentiated cells are highly vulnerable to Aβ1-42-induced oxidative stress events as exerted by the deposition of Aβ in AD. Results of the current study suggest that the pre-treatment of GB, followed by Aβ1-42 treatment for 24 h, displayed neuro-protective potential, which countered Aβ1-42-induced oxidative stress responses in both undifferentiated and differentiated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells by: 1) hampering production of ROS and RNS; 2) reducing lipid peroxidation; 3) decreasing protein carbonyl content; 4) restoring antioxidant activities of SOD and GSH enzymes; and 5) maintaining genome integrity by reducing the oxidative DNA and RNA base damages. In conclusion, Aβ1-42 induces oxidative damage to the cellular biomolecules, which are associated with AD pathology, and are protected by the pre-treatment of GB against Aβ-toxicity. Taken together, this study advocates for phytochemical-based therapeutic interventions against AD.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel indole-benzimidazole hybrids targeting estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α)

In the course of efforts to develop novel selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), indole-benzimidazole hybrids were designed and synthesised by fusing the indole nucleus with benzimidazole. All the compounds were first inspected for anti-proliferative activity using ER-α responsive T47D breast cancer cell lines and ER-α binding assay. From this study, two representative bromo substituted compounds 5f and 8f were found to be most active and thus were escalated for gene expression studies for targeting ER-α. Cell imaging experiment clearly suggest that compounds were able to cross cell membrane and accumulate thus causing cytotoxicity. RT-PCR and Western blotting experiments further supported that both compounds altered the expression of mRNA and receptor protein of ER-α, thereby preventing the further transactivation and signalling pathway in T47D cells lines. Structural investigation from induced fit simulation study suggest that compound 5f and 8f bind in antagonistic conformation similar to bazedoxifene by extensive hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals forces. All these results strongly indicate that compound 5f and 8f represents a novel potent ER-α antagonist properties and will proved promising in the discovery of SERM for the management of breast cancer.

Ape1 protects against MPP+-induced neurotoxicity through ERK1/2 signaling in PC12 cells

Oxidative stress, induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS), is an apoptosis activator. Oxidative stress causes dopaminergic neuron loss and plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). A recent study showed that apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (Ape1) decreases cytotoxicity and promotes neuron survival under oxidative stress. Furthermore, it has been proven that Ape1 is involved in the pathogenesis of PD. However, little is known about the contribution of Ape1 toward the development of PD. Thus, the present study was designed to define a critical pathway by which Ape1 mediates neurotoxicity in a model of PD. The results show that Ape1 was upregulated in MPP-treated PC12 cells. Ape1 overexpression significantly increased cell viability and inhibited apoptosis compared with MPP treatment, whereas Ape1 knockdown showed the opposite effect. Ape1 overexpression markedly suppressed ROS levels, whereas Ape1 knockdown significantly elevated ROS levels. Furthermore, Ape1 overexpression markedly upregulated the p-ERK1/2 protein expression level and inhibited ERK1/2 signaling. The ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 significantly decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis and the ROS level compared with the Ape1 overexpression group. Taken together, these results suggest that Ape1 protects against neuron death by activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel indole-xanthendione hybrids as selective estrogen receptor modulators

Ground breaking clinical therapeutic advances in the treatment of breast cancer (BC) is the introduction of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). We have expeditiously designed and synthesized indole-xanthendione hybrids by coalescing the indole nucleus with xanthendione. All the compounds were first screened for anti-proliferative activity, cytotoxicity and ER-α binding affinity by utilizing ER-α dominant T47D BC cell lines, PBMCs and ER-α competitor assay kit. From this study, two representative compounds 6e and 6f showing most promising activity were advanced for gene expression studies for targeting ER-α. Cell imaging experiment undoubtedly indicate that both the compounds were able to cross cellular bio membrane and accumulate thus instigating cytotoxicity. RT-PCR and Western blotting experiments further strengthened that both compounds altered the expression of mRNA and receptor protein of ER-α, thereby forestalling downstream transactivation and signalling pathway in T47D cells line. Structural investigation from induced fit simulation study suggest that indole moiety of the compounds 6e and 6f helps in the anchoring of the xanthendione moiety in the hydrophobic region of the cavity thus enabling the compound to bind in antagonistic conformation similar to bazedoxifene by extensive hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals forces. All these finding collectively imply that compound 6e and 6f represents a novel potent ER-α antagonist and in the development of SERMs for the management of BC.

Curcumin revitalizes Amyloid beta (25-35)-induced and organophosphate pesticides pestered neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y and IMR-32 cells via activation of APE1 and Nrf2

Amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide deposition is the primary cause of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Several reports point towards the role of pesticides in the AD pathogenesis, especially organophosphate pesticides (OPPs). Monocrotophos (MCP) and Chlorpyrifos (CP) are the most widely used OPPs. In this study, the role of MCP and CP in augmenting the Aβ-induced oxidative stress associated with the neurodegeneration in AD has been assessed in human neuroblastoma IMR-32 and SH-SY5Y cell lines. From the cell survival assay, it was observed that MCP and CP reduced cell survival both dose- and time-dependently. Nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) based assay for determination of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) demonstrated that Aβ(25-35), MCP or CP produce significant oxidative stress alone or synergistically in IMR-32 and SH-SY5Y cells, while pretreatment of curcumin reduced ROS levels significantly in all treatment combinations. In this study, we also demonstrate that treatment of Aβ(25-35) and MCP upregulated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS/NOS2) whereas, no change was observed in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS/NOS1), but down-regulation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) level was observed. While curcumin pretreatment resulted in upregulation of iNOS and Nrf2 proteins. Also, the expression of key DNA repair enzymes APE1, DNA polymerase beta (Pol β), and PARP1 were found to be downregulated upon treatment with MCP, Aβ(25-35) and their combinations at 24 h and 48 h time points. In this study, pretreatment of curcumin to the SH-SY5Y cells enhanced the expression of DNA repair enzymes APE1, pol β, and PARP1 enzymes to counter the oxidative DNA base damage via base excision repair (BER) pathway, and also activated the antioxidant element (ARE) via Nrf2 upregulation. Furthermore, the immunofluorescent confocal imaging studies in SH-SY5Y and IMR-32 cells treated with Aβ(25-35) and MCP-mediated oxidative stress and their combinations at different time periods suggesting for cross-talk between the two proteins APE1 and Nrf2. The APE1's association with Nrf2 might be associated with the redox function of APE1 that might be directly regulating the ARE-mediated neuronal survival mechanisms.

An in vitro study ascertaining the role of H2O2 and glucose oxidase in modulation of antioxidant potential and cancer cell survival mechanisms in glioblastoma U-87 MG cells

Glial cells protect themselves from the elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) via developing unusual mechanisms to maintain the genomic stability, and reprogramming of the cellular antioxidant system to cope with the adverse effects. In the present study non-cytotoxic dose of oxidants, H₂O₂ (100 μM) and GO (10 μU/ml) was used to induce moderate oxidative stress via generating ROS in human glioblastoma cell line U-87 MG cells, which showed a marked increase in the antioxidant capacity as studied by measuring the modulation in expression levels and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD1 and SOD2) and catalase (CAT) enzymes, and the GSH content. However, pretreatment (3 h) of Curcumin and Quercetin (10 μM) followed by the treatment of oxidants enhanced the cell survival, and the levels/activities of the antioxidants studied. Oxidative stress also resulted in an increase in the nitrite levels in the culture supernatants, and further analysis by immunocytochemistry showed an increase in iNOS expression. In addition, phytochemical pretreatment decreased the nitrite level in the culture supernatants of oxidatively stressed U-87 MG cells. Elevated ROS also increased the expression of COX-2 and APE1 enzymes and pretreatment of Curcumin and Quercetin decreased COX-2 expression and increased APE1 expression in the oxidatively stressed U-87 MG cells. The immunocytochemistry also indicates for APE1 enhanced stress-dependent subcellular localization to the nuclear compartment, which advocates for enhanced DNA repair and redox functions of APE1 towards survival of U-87 MG cells. It can be concluded that intracellular oxidants activate the key enzymes involved in antioxidant mechanisms, NO-dependent survival mechanisms, and also in the DNA repair pathways for glial cell survival in oxidative-stress micro-environment.

APE1 modulates cellular responses to organophosphate pesticide-induced oxidative damage in non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells

Monocrotophos (MCP) and chlorpyrifos (CP) are widely used organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), speculated to be linked with human pathologies including cancer. Owing to the fact that lung cells are most vulnerable to the environmental toxins, the development and progression of lung cancer can be caused by the exposure of OPPs. The present study investigates the oxidative DNA damage response evoked by MCP and CP in human non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells. A549 cells were exposed to MCP and CP; cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were measured to select the non-toxic dose. In order to establish whether MCP and CP can initiate the DNA repair and cell survival signalling pathways in A549 cells, qRT-PCR and Western blotting techniques were used to investigate the mRNA and protein expression levels of DNA base excision repair (BER)-pathway enzymes and transcription factors (TFs) involved in cell survival mechanisms. A significant increase in cell viability and ROS generation was observed when exposed to low and moderate doses of MCP and CP at different time points (24, 48 and 72 h) studied. A549 cells displayed a dose-dependent accumulation of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites after 24 h exposure to MCP advocating for the activation of AP endonuclease-mediated DNA BER-pathway. Cellular responses to MCP- and CP-induced oxidative stress resulted in an imbalance in the mRNA and protein expression of BER-pathway enzymes, viz. PARP1, OGG1, APE1, XRCC1, DNA pol β and DNA ligase III α at different time points. The treatment of OPPs resulted in the upregulation of TFs, viz. Nrf2, c-jun, phospho-c-jun and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Immunofluorescent confocal imaging of A549 cells indicated that MCP and CP induces the translocation of APE1 within the cytoplasm at an early 6 h time point, whereas it promotes nuclear localization after 24 h of treatment, which suggests that APE1 subcellular distribution is dynamically regulated in response to OPP-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, nuclear colocalization of APE1 and the TF c-jun was observed in response to the treatment of CP and MCP for different time points in A549 cells. Therefore, in this study we demonstrate that MCP- and CP-induced oxidative stress alters APE1-dependent BER-pathway and also mediates cell survival signalling mechanisms via APE1 regulation, thereby promoting lung cancer cell survival and proliferation.

The Emerging Role of GLP-1 Receptors in DNA Repair: Implications in Neurological Disorders

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is originally found as a metabolic hormone (incretin) that is able to regulate blood-glucose levels via promoting synthesis and secretion of insulin. GLP-1 and many analogues are approved for treatment of type II diabetes. Accumulating results imply that GLP-1 performs multiple functions in various tissues and organs beyond regulation of blood-glucose. The neuroprotective function of GLP-1 has been extensively explored during the past two decades. Three of our previous studies have shown that apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) is the only protein of the base excision repair (BER) pathway able to be regulated by oxidative stress or exogenous stimulations in rat primary cortical neurons. In this article, we review the role of APE1 in neurodegenerative diseases and its relationship to neuroprotective mechanisms of the activated GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in neurodegenerative disorders. The purpose of this article is to provide new insight, from the aspect of DNA damage and repair, for studying potential treatments in neurodegenerative diseases.

The anti-inflammatory role of extranuclear apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox effector factor-1 in reactive astrocytes

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), a ubiquitous multipurpose protein, is also known as redox effector factor-1 (Ref-1). It is involved in DNA repair and redox signaling and, in turn, oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration. Although previous studies have demonstrated that APE1/Ref-1 functions as a negative regulator of inflammatory response via several mechanisms in neuronal cells, little is known about the roles of APE1/Ref-1 in glial cells. In this study, we found that cytoplasmic APE1/Ref-1 expression was upregulated in reactive astrocytes of the kainic acid- or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injected hippocampus. Analysis of the inflammatory response induced by extranuclear APE1/Ref-1 (ΔNLS-Ref-1) in cultured primary astrocytes revealed that it markedly suppressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion induced by LPS to a similar extent as did wild type APE1/Ref-1 (WT-Ref-1), supporting the concept an anti-inflammatory role of extranuclear APE1/Ref-1 in astrocytes. Additionally, overexpression of WT- and ΔNLS-Ref-1 suppressed the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), although it effectively enhanced activator protein 1 (AP-1) activity. The blunting effect of APE1/Ref-1 on LPS-induced NF-κB activation was not mediated by IκB kinase (IKK) activity. Instead, APE1/Ref-1 inhibited p300-mediated acetylation of p65 by suppressing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels following LPS treatment. Taken together, our results showed that altered expression and/or subcellular distribution of APE1/Ref-1 in activated astrocytes regulated the neuroinflammatory response to excitotoxin and endotoxin insults used in model of neurodegenerative brain diseases.

Tropomyosins in the healthy and diseased nervous system

Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is dependent on a plethora of actin-associated proteins in all eukaryotic cells. The family of tropomyosins plays a key role in controlling the function of several of these actin-associated proteins and their access to actin filaments. In order to understand the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in highly dynamic subcellular compartments of neurons such as growth cones of developing neurons and the synaptic compartment of mature neurons, it is pivotal to decipher the functional role of tropomyosins in the nervous system. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding and recent findings on the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton by tropomyosins and potential implication that this has for the dysregulation of the actin cytoskeleton in neurological diseases.

Ginkgolide B revamps neuroprotective role of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation against Aβ25-35 -induced neurotoxicity in human neuroblastoma cells

Accumulating evidence points to roles for oxidative stress, amyloid beta (Aβ), and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In neurons, the base excision repair pathway is the predominant DNA repair (BER) pathway for repairing oxidized base lesions. Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), a multifunctional enzyme with DNA repair and reduction-oxidation activities, has been shown to enhance neuronal survival after oxidative stress. This study seeks to determine 1) the effect of Aβ25-35 on reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS) levels, 2) the activities of respiratory complexes (I, III, and IV), 3) the role of APE1 by ectopic expression, and 4) the neuromodulatory role of ginkgolide B (GB; from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba). The pro-oxidant Aβ25-35 peptide treatment increased the levels of ROS/RNS in human neuroblastoma IMR-32 and SH-SY5Y cells, which were decreased after pretreatment with GB. Furthermore, the mitochondrial APE1 level was found to be decreased after treatment with Aβ25-35 up to 48 hr, and the level was increased significantly in cells pretreated with GB. The oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS; activities of complexes I, III, and IV) indicated that Aβ25-35 treatment decreased activities of complexes I and IV, and pretreatment with GB and ectopic APE1 expression enhanced these activities significantly compared with Aβ25-35 treatment. Our results indicate that ectopic expression of APE1 potentiates neuronal cells to overcome the oxidative damage caused by Aβ25-35 . In addition, GB has been shown to modulate the mitochondrial OXPHOS against Aβ25-35 -induced oxidative stress and also to regulate the levels of ROS/RNS in the presence of ectopic APE1. This study presents findings from a new point of view to improve therapeutic potential for AD via the synergistic neuroprotective role played by APE1 in combination with the phytochemical GB.

Caffeoylquinic acids in Centella asiatica protect against amyloid-β toxicity

The accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and is known to result in neurotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro. We previously demonstrated that treatment with the water extract of Centella asiatica (CAW) improves learning and memory deficits in Tg2576 mice, an animal model of Aβ accumulation. However the active compounds in CAW remain unknown. Here we used two in vitro models of Aβ toxicity to confirm this neuroprotective effect and identify several active constituents of the CAW extract. CAW reduced Aβ-induced cell death and attenuated Aβ-induced changes in tau expression and phosphorylation in both the MC65 and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell lines. We confirmed and quantified the presence of several mono- and dicaffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) in CAW using chromatographic separation coupled to mass spectrometry and ultraviolet spectroscopy. Multiple dicaffeoylquinic acids showed efficacy in protecting MC65 cells against Aβ-induced cytotoxicity. Isochlorogenic acid A and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid were found to be the most abundant CQAs in CAW, and the most active in protecting MC65 cells from Aβ-induced cell death. Both compounds showed neuroprotective activity in MC65 and SH-SY5Y cells at concentrations comparable to their levels in CAW. Each compound not only mitigated Aβ-induced cell death, but was able to attenuate Aβ-induced alterations in tau expression and phosphorylation in both cell lines, as seen with CAW. These data suggest that CQAs are active neuroprotective components in CAW, and therefore are important markers for future studies on CAW standardization, bioavailability, and dosing.

Valproic acid potentiates curcumin-mediated neuroprotection in lipopolysaccharide induced rats

The etiology of neuroinflammation is complex and comprises multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors during which diverse genetic and epigenetic modulations are implicated. Curcumin (Cur) and valproic acid (VPA), histone deacetylase 1 inhibitor, have neuroprotective effects. The present study was designed with an aim to investigate the ability of co-treatment of both compounds (Cur or VPA, 200 mg/kg) for 4 weeks to augment neuroprotection and enhance brain recovery from intra-peritoneal injection of (250 μg/kg) lipopolysaccharide-stimulated neuroinflammatory condition on rat brain cortex. Cortex activation and the effects of combined treatment and production of proinflammatory mediators, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), APE1, and nitric oxide/inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were investigated. Neuroinflammation development was assessed by histological analyses and by investigating associated indices [β-secretase (BACE1), amyloid protein precursor (APP), presenilin (PSEN-1), and PSEN-2)]. Furthermore we measured the expression profile of lethal-7 (let-7) miRNAs members a, b, c, e, and f in all groups, a highly abundant regulator of gene expression in the CNS. Protein and mRNA levels of neuroinflammation markers COX-2, BACE1, APP, and iNOS were also attenuated by combined therapy. On the other hand, assessment of the indicated five let-7 members, showed distinct expression profile pattern in the different groups. Let-7 a, b, and c disappeared in the induced group, an effect that was partially suppressed by co-addition of either Cur or VPA. These data suggest that the combined treatment induced significantly the expression of the five members when compared to rats treated with Cur or VPA only as well as to self-recovery group, which indicates a possible benefit from the synergistic effect of Cur-VPA combination as therapeutic agents for neuroinflammation and its associated disorders. The mechanism elucidated here highlights the particular drug-induced expression profile of let-7 family as new targets for future pharmacological development.

DNA repair and redox activities and inhibitors of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox effector factor 1 (APE1/Ref-1): a comparative analysis and their scope and limitations toward anticancer drug development

The apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox effector factor 1 (APE1/Ref-1) is a multifunctional enzyme involved in DNA repair and activation of transcription factors through its redox function. The evolutionarily conserved C- and N-termini are involved in these functions independently. It is also reported that the activity of APE1/Ref-1 abruptly increases several-fold in various human cancers. The control over the outcomes of these two functions is emerging as a new strategy to combine enhanced DNA damage and chemotherapy in order to tackle the major hurdle of increased cancer cell growth and proliferation. Studies have targeted these two domains individually for the design and development of inhibitors for APE1/Ref-1. Here, we have made, for the first time, an attempt at a comparative analysis of APE1/Ref-1 inhibitors that target both DNA repair and redox activities simultaneously. We further discuss their scope and limitations with respect to the development of potential anticancer agents.

APE1/Ref-1 as an emerging therapeutic target for various human diseases: phytochemical modulation of its functions

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) is a multifunctional enzyme involved in the base excision repair (BER) pathway, which repairs oxidative base damage caused by endogenous and exogenous agents. APE1 acts as a reductive activator of many transcription factors (TFs) and has also been named redox effector factor 1, Ref-1. For example, APE1 activates activator protein-1, nuclear factor kappa B, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, paired box gene 8, signal transducer activator of transcription 3 and p53, which are involved in apoptosis, inflammation, angiogenesis and survival pathways. APE1/Ref-1 maintains cellular homeostasis (redox) via the activation of TFs that regulate various physiological processes and that crosstalk with redox balancing agents (for example, thioredoxin, catalase and superoxide dismutase) by controlling levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The efficiency of APE1/Ref-1's function(s) depends on pairwise interaction with participant protein(s), the functions regulated by APE1/Ref-1 include the BER pathway, TFs, energy metabolism, cytoskeletal elements and stress-dependent responses. Thus, APE1/Ref-1 acts as a ‘hub-protein' that controls pathways that are important for cell survival. In this review, we will discuss APE1/Ref-1's versatile nature in various human etiologies, including neurodegeneration, cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases that have been linked with alterations in the expression, subcellular localization and activities of APE/Ref-1. APE1/Ref-1 can be targeted for therapeutic intervention using natural plant products that modulate the expression and functions of APE1/Ref-1. In addition, studies focusing on translational applications based on APE1/Ref-1-mediated therapeutic interventions are discussed.

A short review on the implications of base excision repair pathway for neurons: relevance to neurodegenerative diseases

Oxidative DNA damage results from the attack by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) on human genome. This includes base modifications such as oxidized bases, abasic (AP) sites, and single-strand breaks (SSBs), all of which are repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway, one among the six known repair pathways. BER-pathway in mammalian cells involves several evolutionarily conserved proteins and is also linked to genome replication and transcription. The BER-pathway enzymes, namely, DNA glycosylases (DGs) and the end-processing proteins such as abasic endonuclease (APE1), form complexes with downstream repair enzymes via protein-protein and DNA-protein interactions. An emerging concept for BER proteins is their involvement in non-canonical functions associated to RNA metabolism, which is opening new interesting perspectives. Various mechanisms that are underlined in maintaining neuronal cell genome integrity are identified, but are inconclusive in providing protection against oxidative damage in neurodegenerative disorders, main emphasis is given towards the role played by the proteins of BER-pathway that is discussed. In addition, mechanisms of action of BER-pathway in nuclear vs. mitochondria as well as the non-canonical functions are discussed in connection to human neurodegenerative diseases.

Oxaliplatin-induced oxidative stress in nervous system-derived cellular models: could it correlate with in vivo neuropathy?

Oxaliplatin is a platinum-organic drug with antineoplastic properties used for colorectal cancer. With respect to the other platinum derivates oxaliplatin induces only a mild hematological and gastrointestinal toxicity. Its limiting side effect is its neurotoxicity, which results in a sensory neuropathy. Repeated oxaliplatin treatment in the rat led to a neuropathic pain characterized by a significant oxidative damage throughout the nervous system. The natural antioxidants silibinin and α-tocopherol reduce redox alteration and prevent pain. Starting from the "oxidative hypothesis" as a molecular basis of chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity, we decided to explore deep inside the mechanisms of oxaliplatin neurotoxicity and search for a cellular system useful for screening antioxidant compounds that can reduce oxaliplatin neurotoxicity. Focusing on various constituents of the central nervous system, we used the neuronal-derived cell line SH-SY5Y and primary cultures of rat cortical astrocytes. Oxaliplatin significantly increased superoxide anion production and induced lipid peroxidation (malonyldialdehyde levels) and protein (carbonylated proteins) and DNA oxidation (8-OH-dG levels). Silibinin and α-tocopherol (10µM) were able to reduce the oxidative damage in both cell types. These antioxidants fully protected astrocytes from the caspase 3 apoptotic signaling activation induced by oxaliplatin. The damage prevention effects of silibinin and α-tocopherol on nervous system-derived cells did not interfere with the oxaliplatin antineoplastic in vitro mechanism as evaluated on a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (HT29). Moreover, neither silibinin nor α-tocopherol modified the oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis in HT29 cells, suggesting a different antiapoptotic profile in normal vs tumoral cells for these antioxidant compounds. In conclusion, because data obtained in in vitro cellular models parallel the in vivo study we propose cell models to investigate oxaliplatin neurotoxicity and to screen possible therapeutic adjuvant agents.

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 is a key modulator of aluminum-induced neuroinflammation

Background

Chronic administration of Aluminum is proposed as an environmental factor that may affect several enzymes and other biomolecules related to neurotoxicity and Alzheimer's disease (AD). APE1 a multifunctional protein, functions in DNA repair and plays a key role in cell survival versus cell death upon stimulation with cytotoxic agent, making it an attractive emerging therapeutic target. The promising protective effect of resveratrol (resv), which is known to exert potent anti-inflammatory effects on neurotoxicity induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl₃), may be derived from its own antioxidant properties. In the present work we investigated the modulation of APE1 expression during AlCl₃-induced neuroinflammation (25 mg/Kg body weight by oral gavages) in experimental rats. We tested the hypothesis that a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenger, resveratrol at 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight, which is known to exert potent anti-inflammatory effects, would attenuate central inflammation and modulate APE1 expression in AlCl₃-fed rats. Neuroinflammation-induced genes including β-secretase (BACE), amyloid-β precursor protein (APP), presenilin 2 (PSEN-2) and sirt-2 were determined by RT-PCR. APE1 is determined at mRNA and protein levels and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL6) and iNOS by the rat brain extract were measured by RT-PCR.

Result

Our results indicate that resveratrol may attenuate AlCl₃-induced direct neuroinflammation in rats, and its mechanisms are, at least partly, due to maintaining high APE1 level. Resveratrol co-administration with aluminum chloride exerted more protective effect than pre-administration or treatment of induced rats. A significant elevation of APE1 at both mRNA and protein levels was observed in addition to a marked reduction in β-secretase and amyloid-β. We found that AlCl₃ stimulated the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS in rat brain in which NF-κB was involved. Resveratrol inhibited AlCl₃-induced expression and release of TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS in rat brain.

Conclusions

These findings establish a role for APE1 as a master regulator of AlCl₃ dependent inflammatory responses in rat brain. In addition, there was an ameliorative change with resveratrol against AlCl₃-induced neurotoxicity. These results suggest that rat brain cells produce pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to AlCl₃ in a similar pattern, and further suggest that resveratrol exerts anti-inflammatory effects in rat brain, at least partly, by inhibiting different pro-inflammatory cytokines and key signaling molecules. It might be a potential agent for treatment of neuroinflammation-related diseases, such as AD.

Base excision repair in physiology and pathology of the central nervous system

Relatively low levels of antioxidant enzymes and high oxygen metabolism result in formation of numerous oxidized DNA lesions in the tissues of the central nervous system. Accumulation of damage in the DNA, due to continuous genotoxic stress, has been linked to both aging and the development of various neurodegenerative disorders. Different DNA repair pathways have evolved to successfully act on damaged DNA and prevent genomic instability. The predominant and essential DNA repair pathway for the removal of small DNA base lesions is base excision repair (BER). In this review we will discuss the current knowledge on the involvement of BER proteins in the maintenance of genetic stability in different brain regions and how changes in the levels of these proteins contribute to aging and the onset of neurodegenerative disorders.