Intrinsic resistance to apoptosis of colon epithelial cells is a potential determining factor in the susceptibility of the A/J mouse strain to dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumorigenesis

Crosstalk between non-coding RNAs and programmed cell death in colorectal cancer: implications for targeted therapy

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Its progression is influenced by complex interactions involving genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been identified as key regulators of gene expression, affecting diverse biological processes, notably programmed cell death (PCD).

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to explore the relationship between ncRNAs and PCD in CRC, focusing on how ncRNAs influence cancer cell survival, proliferation, and treatment resistance.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature analysis was conducted to examine recent findings on the role of ncRNAs in modulating various PCD mechanisms, including apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, and their impact on CRC development and therapeutic response.

RESULTS

ncRNAs were found to significantly regulate PCD pathways, impacting tumor growth, metastasis, and treatment sensitivity in CRC. Their influence on these pathways highlights the potential of ncRNAs as biomarkers for early CRC detection and as targets for innovative therapeutic interventions.

CONCLUSION

Understanding the involvement of ncRNAs in PCD regulation offers new insights into CRC biology. The targeted modulation of ncRNA-PCD interactions presents promising avenues for personalized cancer treatment, which may improve patient outcomes by enhancing therapeutic effectiveness and reducing resistance.

Targeting PARP-1 with metronomic therapy modulates MDSC suppressive function and enhances anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in colon cancer

Background

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (eg, olaparib) are effective against BRCA-mutated cancers at/near maximum tolerated doses by trapping PARP-1 on damaged chromatin, benefitting only small patient proportions. The benefits of targeting non-DNA repair aspects of PARP with metronomic doses remain unexplored.

Methods

Colon epithelial cells or mouse or human bone marrow (BM)-derived-myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) were stimulated to assess the effect of partial PARP-1 inhibition on inflammatory gene expression or immune suppression. Mice treated with azoxymethane/four dextran-sulfate-sodium cycles or APC^Min/+ mice bred into PARP-1^+/− or treated with olaparib were used to examine the role of PARP-1 in colitis-induced or spontaneous colon cancer, respectively. Syngeneic MC-38 cell-based (microsatellite instability, MSI^high) or CT-26 cell-based (microsatellite stable, MSS) tumor models were used to assess the effects of PARP inhibition on host responses and synergy with anti-Programmed cell Death protein (PD)-1 immunotherapy.

Results

Partial PARP-1 inhibition, via gene heterozygosity or a moderate dose of olaparib, protected against colitis-mediated/APC^Min-mediated intestinal tumorigenesis and APC^Min-associated cachexia, while extensive inhibition, via gene knockout or a high dose of olaparib, was ineffective or aggravating. A sub-IC50-olaparib dose or PARP-1 heterozygosity was sufficient to block tumorigenesis in a syngeneic colon cancer model by modulating the suppressive function, but not intratumoral migration or differentiation, of MDSCs, with concomitant increases in intratumoral T cell function and cytotoxicity, as assessed by granzyme-B/interferon-γ levels. Adoptive transfer of WT-BM-MDSCs abolished the protective effects of PARP-1 heterozygosity. The mechanism of MDSC modulation involved a reduction in arginase-1/inducible nitric oxide synthase/cyclo-oxygenase-2, but independent of PARP-1 trapping on chromatin. Although a high-concentration olaparib or the high-trapping PARP inhibitor, talazoparib, activated stimulator of interferon gene (STING) in BRCA-proficient cells and induced DNA damage, sub-IC50 concentrations of either drug failed to induce activation of the dsDNA break sensor. STING expression appeared dispensable for MDSC suppressive function and was not strictly required for olaparib-mediated effects. Ironically, STING activation blocked human and mouse MDSC function with no additive effects with olaparib. A metronomic dose of olaparib was highly synergistic with anti-PD-1-based immunotherapy, leading to eradication of MSI^high or reduction of MSS tumors in mice.

Conclusions

These results support a paradigm-shifting concept that expands the utility of PARP inhibitor and encourage testing metronomic dosing of PARP inhibitor to enhance the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapies in cancer.

The Curcumin Analogue, MS13 (1,5-Bis(4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenyl)-1,4-pentadiene-3-one), Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Primary and Metastatic Human Colon Cancer Cells

The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa) on colon cancer have been well documented but specific structural modifications of curcumin have been shown to possess greater growth-suppressive potential on colon cancer than curcumin. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the anti-cancer properties of curcumin analogue-MS13, a diarylpentanoid on the cytotoxicity, anti-proliferative and apoptotic activity of primary (SW480) and metastatic (SW620) human colon cancer cells. A cell viability assay showed that MS13 has greater cytotoxicity effect on SW480 (EC₅₀: 7.5 ± 2.8 µM) and SW620 (EC₅₀: 5.7 ± 2.4 µM) compared to curcumin (SW480, EC₅₀: 30.6 ± 1.4 µM) and SW620, EC₅₀: 26.8 ± 2.1 µM). Treatment with MS13 at two different doses 1X EC₅₀ and 2X EC₅₀ suppressed the colon cancer cells growth with lower cytotoxicity against normal cells. A greater anti-proliferative effect was also observed in MS13 treated colon cancer cells compared to curcumin at 48 and 72 h. Subsequent analysis on the induction of apoptosis showed that MS13 treated cells exhibited morphological features associated with apoptosis. The findings are also consistent with cellular apoptotic activities shown by increased caspase-3 activity and decreased Bcl-2 protein level in both colon cancer cell lines. In conclusion, MS13 able to suppress colon cancer cell growth by inhibiting cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in primary and metastatic human colon cancer cells.

Mechanism of Apoptosis Induced by Curcumin in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the top three cancer with higher incident and mortality rate worldwide. It is estimated that about over than 1.1 million of death and 2.2 million new cases by the year 2030. The current treatment modalities with the usage of chemo drugs such as FOLFOX and FOLFIRI, surgery and radiotherapy, which are usually accompanied with major side effects, are rarely cured along with poor survival rate and at higher recurrence outcome. This trigger the needs of exploring new natural compounds with anti-cancer properties which possess fewer side effects. Curcumin, a common spice used in ancient medicine was found to induce apoptosis by targeting various molecules and signaling pathways involved in CRC. Disruption of the homeostatic balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis could be one of the promoting factors in colorectal cancer progression. In this review, we describe the current knowledge of apoptosis regulation by curcumin in CRC with regard to molecular targets and associated signaling pathways.

ApoE deficiency promotes colon inflammation and enhances inflammatory potential oxidized-LDL and TNF-α in colon epithelial cells

Although deficiency in Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is linked to many diseases, its effect on colon homoeostasis remains unknown. ApoE appears to control inflammation by regulating nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). The present study was designed to examine whether ApoE deficiency affects factors of colon integrity in vivo and given the likelihood that ApoE deficiency increases oxidized lipids and TNF-α, the present study also examined whether such deficiency enhances the inflammatory potential of oxidized-LDL (oxLDL) and TNF-α in colon epithelial cells (CECs), in vitro. Here we show that ApoE deficiency is associated with chronic inflammation systemically and in colonic tissues as assessed by TNF-α levels. Increased colon TNF-α mRNA coincided with a substantial increase in cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. ApoE deficiency enhanced the potential of oxLDL and TNF-α to induce COX-2 expression as well as several other inflammatory factors in primary CECs. Interestingly, oxLDL enhanced TGF-β expression only in ApoE^−/−, but not in wild-type, epithelial cells. ApoE deficiency appears to promote COX-2 expression enhancement through a mechanism that involves persistent NF-κB nuclear localization and PI3 and p38 MAP kinases but independently of Src. In mice, ApoE deficiency promoted a moderate increase in crypt length, which was associated with opposing effects of an increase in cell proliferation and apoptosis at the bottom and top of the crypt respectively. Our results support the notion that ApoE plays a central role in colon homoeostasis and that ApoE deficiency may constitute a risk factor for colon pathologies.

ICAD deficiency in human colon cancer and predisposition to colon tumorigenesis: linkage to apoptosis resistance and genomic instability

We previously showed that DNA fragmentation factor, which comprises a caspase-3-activated DNase (CAD) and its inhibitor (ICAD), may influence the rate of cell death by generating PARP-1-activating DNA breaks. Here we tested the hypothesis that ICAD-deficient colon epithelial cells exhibiting resistance to death stimuli may accumulate additional genetic modifications, leading to a tumorigenic phenotype. We show that ICAD deficiency may be associated with colon malignancy in humans. Indeed, an examination of ICAD expression using immunohistochemistry in an array of both colon cancer and normal tissues revealed that ICAD expression levels were severely compromised in the cancerous tissues. Upon DNA damage caused by a low dose of irradiation, ICAD cells acquire a tumorigenic phenotype. Colon epithelial cells derived from ICAD mice showed a significant resistance to death induced by the colon carcinogen dimethylhydrazine in vitro and in mice. Such resistance was associated with a decrease in PARP-1 activation. In an animal model of dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumorigenesis, ICAD^−/− mice developed significantly higher numbers of tumors with markedly larger sizes than the wild-type counterparts. Interestingly, the phenotype of the ICAD^−/− mice was not associated with a significant increase in the precancerous aberrant crypt foci suggesting a potential link to tumor progression rather than initiation. More importantly, ICAD deficiency was associated with severe genomic instability as assessed by array comparative genomic hybridization. Such genomic instability consisted most prominently of amplifications but with sizable deletions as compared to the wild-type counterparts affecting several cancer-related genes including RAF-1, GSN, LMO3, and Fzd6 independently of p53. Altogether, our results present a viable case for the involvement of ICAD deficiency in colon carcinogenesis and show that apoptosis and genomic instability may comprise the means by which such deficiency may contribute to the process of increasing susceptibility to carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis.

Host-microbial interactions and regulation of intestinal epithelial barrier function: From physiology to pathology

The gastrointestinal tract is the largest reservoir of commensal bacteria in the human body, providing nutrients and space for the survival of microbes while concurrently operating mucosal barriers to confine the microbial population. The epithelial cells linked by tight junctions not only physically separate the microbiota from the lamina propria, but also secrete proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species in response to pathogen invasion and metabolic stress and serve as a sentinel to the underlying immune cells. Accumulating evidence indicates that commensal bacteria are involved in various physiological functions in the gut and microbial imbalances (dysbiosis) may cause pathology. Commensal bacteria are involved in the regulation of intestinal epithelial cell turnover, promotion of epithelial restitution and reorganization of tight junctions, all of which are pivotal for fortifying barrier function. Recent studies indicate that aberrant bacterial lipopolysaccharide-mediated signaling in gut mucosa may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis. Our perception of enteric commensals has now changed from one of opportunistic pathogens to active participants in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. This review attempts to explain the dynamic interaction between the intestinal epithelium and commensal bacteria in disease and health status.

Endothelial dysfunction in the apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse: insights into the influence of diet, gender and aging

Since the early 1990s, several strains of genetically modified mice have been developed as models for experimental atherosclerosis. Among the available models, the apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE⁻/⁻) mouse is of particular relevance because of its propensity to spontaneously develop hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerotic lesions that are similar to those found in humans, even when the mice are fed a chow diet. The main purpose of this review is to highlight the key achievements that have contributed to elucidating the mechanisms pertaining to vascular dysfunction in the apoE⁻/⁻ mouse. First, we summarize lipoproteins and atherosclerosis phenotypes in the apoE⁻/⁻ mouse, and then we briefly discuss controversial evidence relative to the influence of gender on the development of atherosclerosis in this murine model. Second, we discuss the main mechanisms underlying the endothelial dysfunction of conducting vessels and resistance vessels and examine how this vascular defect can be influenced by diet, aging and gender in the apoE⁻/⁻ mouse.

Prevention of colon carcinogenesis by apple juice in vivo: impact of juice constituents and obesity

It is estimated that 75-85% of all chronic diseases are linked to lifestyle-related and environmental factors. The development of colon cancer is positively associated with obesity and inversely associated with the intake of dietary fibre, fruit and vegetable. Apple juice is the most widely consumed fruit beverage in Germany. It contains a specific spectrum of polyphenols and other components that may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Epidemiologic studies suggest an inverse correlation between apple consumption and colon cancer risk, although the mechanisms for these observations are not clear. The present review summarizes the preventive potential of apple juices and different apple constituents on biomarkers related to colon carcinogenesis with special focus on the in vivo evidence and the cancer promoting condition of obesity. However, under the cancer promoting condition of obesity, apple juice did not show cancer-preventive bioactivity. In our experiments a cancer-preventive bioactivity of apple juice is lacking in rats under the cancer-promoting condition of obesity. To further investigate, whether this lack of efficacy observed in obese rats might be representative for obese individuals human intervention studies on high risk groups such as obese or diabetic individuals are of interest and will be conducted.

High-fat diet induces lung remodeling in ApoE-deficient mice: an association with an increase in circulatory and lung inflammatory factors

Hypercholesterolemia is increasingly considered the basis for not only cardiovascular pathologies but also several complications affecting other organs such as lungs. In this study, we examined the effect of hypercholesterolemia on lung integrity using a mouse model (ApoE(-/-)) of high-fat (HF) diet-induced atherosclerosis. A 12-week HF diet regimen induced systemic production of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, GMC-SF, RANTES, IL-1alpha, IL-2 and IL-12 with TNF-alpha as the predominant cytokine in ApoE(-/-) mice. Concomitantly, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and MIP-1alpha were detected in brochoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids of these mice, coinciding with lung inflammation consisting primarily of monocytes/macrophages. Such lung inflammation correlated with marked collagen deposition and an increase in matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity in ApoE(-/-)mice without mucus production. Although TGF-beta1 was undetectable in the BAL fluid of ApoE(-/-) mice on HF diet, it showed a much wider tissue distribution compared with that of control animals. Direct exposure of smooth muscle cells to oxidized-LDL, in vitro, induced a time-dependent expression of TNF-alpha. Direct intratracheal TNF-alpha-administration induced a lung inflammation pattern in wild-type mice that was strikingly similar to that induced by HF diet in ApoE(-/-) mice. TNF-alpha administration induced expression of several factors known to be critically involved in lung remodeling, such as MCP-1, IL-1beta, TGF-beta1, adhesion molecules, collagen type-I and TNF-alpha itself in the lungs of treated mice. These results suggest that hypercholesterolemia may promote chronic inflammatory conditions in lungs that are conducive to lung remodeling potentially through TNF-alpha-mediated processes.

Apoptosis and colorectal cancer: implications for therapy

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by the partial suppression of apoptosis, which in turn gives tumours a selective advantage for survival and can cause current chemotherapy approaches to be ineffective. Recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of apoptosis in colorectal carcinogenesis has provided potential new targets for therapy. Here, we review recent studies of the regulation of apoptosis and its role in CRC initiation and progression, and we discuss the relationship between chemoresistance and the suppression of apoptosis. Recent progress in targeting apoptotic pathways and their regulators provide strategies for the exploration of novel therapies for CRC.

Thieno[2,3-c]isoquinolin-5-one, a potent poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, promotes atherosclerotic plaque regression in high-fat diet-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mice: effects on inflammatory markers and lipid content

We recently showed that poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is activated within atherosclerotic plaques in an animal model of atherosclerosis. Pharmacological inhibition of PARP or reduced expression in heterozygous animals interferes with atherogenesis and may promote factors of plaque stability, possibly reflecting changes in inflammatory and cellular factors consistent with plaque stability. The current study addresses the hypothesis that pharmacological inhibition of PARP promotes atherosclerotic plaque regression. Using a high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis apolipoprotein E(-/-) mouse model, we demonstrate that administration of the potent PARP inhibitor, thieno[2,3-c]isoquinolin-5-one (TIQ-A), when combined with a regular diet regimen during treatment, induced regression of established plaques. Plaque regression was associated with a reduction in total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins. Furthermore, plaques of TIQ-A-treated mice were highly enriched with collagen and smooth muscle cells, displayed thick fibrous caps, and exhibited a marked reduction in CD68-positive macrophage recruitment and associated foam cell presence. These changes correlated with a significant decrease in expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, potentially as a result of a robust reduction in tumor necrosis factor expression. The PARP inhibitor appeared to affect cholesterol metabolism by affecting acyl-coenzymeA/cholesterol acyltransferase-1 expression but exerted no effect on cholesterol influx or efflux as assessed by an examination of the ATP-binding cassette transporter-1 and the scavenger receptor-A expression levels in the different experimental groups. In accordance, PARP inhibition may prove beneficial not only in preventing atherogenesis but also in promoting regression of preexisting plaques.

Nuclear translocation of p65 NF-kappaB is sufficient for VCAM-1, but not ICAM-1, expression in TNF-stimulated smooth muscle cells: Differential requirement for PARP-1 expression and interaction

Although nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and subsequent binding to promoters of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 have been shown to be decisive for their expression, a number of discrepancies in the expression patterns of these adhesion molecules have been reported in both cell culture systems and disease settings, including atherosclerosis, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. Here we show that while p65 NF-kappaB nuclear translocation in TNF-treated smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was sufficient for the expression of VCAM-1, expression of ICAM-1 showed a critical requirement for PARP-1. I-kappaBalpha phosphorylation and subsequent degradation were virtually identical in both TNF-treated wild-type and PARP-1-/- SMCs. VCAM-1 expression in TNF-treated PARP-1-/- SMCs was completely inhibited by the NF-kappaB inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, confirming that VCAM-1 expression was indeed NF-kappaB-dependent. The expression of both VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 was associated with a transient interaction between PARP-1 and p65 NF-kappaB when examined in the fibroblastic cell line, COS-7, and in the airway epithelial cell line, A549. Such interactions were confirmed using florescence resonance energy transfer analysis. Protein acetylation activity, mediated by p300/CBP, was required for both VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression in TNF-treated SMCs; however, the interaction of PARP-1 with p300/CBP was dispensable for VCAM-1 expression. These findings indicate that p65 NF-kappaB nuclear translocation may be sufficient for certain genes (e.g., VCAM-1) while insufficient for others (e.g., ICAM-1), thus providing a novel insight into the role of NF-kappaB in driving target gene expression. Furthermore, the data suggest a differential requirement for PARP-1 expression in inflammatory processes.