Lanthanum chloride suppresses oxysterol-induced ECV-304 cell apoptosis via inhibition of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration elevation, oxidative stress, and activation of ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways

Cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol Induces Multiple Cell Death in A549 Cells via ER Stress and Autophagy Activation

Cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol (CT) and its analogues are abundant in natural sources and are reported to demonstrate cytotoxicity toward different kinds of tumor cells without a deep probe into their mechanism of action. CT is also one of the major metabolic oxysterols of cholesterol in mammals and is found to accumulate in various diseases. An extensive exploration of the biological roles of CT over the past few decades has established its identity as an apoptosis inducer. In this study, the effects of CT on A549 cell death were investigated through cell viability assays. RNA-sequencing analysis and western blot of CT-treated A549 cells revealed the role of CT in inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and enhancing autophagy flux, suggesting a putative mechanism of CT-induced cell-death activation involving reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated ER stress and autophagy. It is reported for the first time that the upregulation of autophagy induced by CT can serve as a cellular cytotoxicity response in accelerating CT-induced cell death in A549 cells. This research provides evidence for the effect of CT as an oxysterol in cell response to oxidative damage and allows for a deep understanding of cholesterol in its response in an oxidative stress environment that commonly occurs in the progression of various diseases.

Impact of Oxysterols in Age-Related Disorders and Strategies to Alleviate Adverse Effects

Oxysterols or cholesterol oxidation products are a class of molecules with the sterol moiety, derived from oxidative reaction of cholesterol through enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes. They are widely reported in animal-origin foods and prove significant involvement in the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis, lipid transport, cellular signaling, and other physiological processes. Reports of oxysterol-mediated cytotoxicity are in abundance and thus consequently implicated in several age-related and lifestyle disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, bone disorders, pancreatic disorders, age-related macular degeneration, cataract, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and some types of cancers. In this chapter, we attempt to review a selection of physiologically relevant oxysterols, with a focus on their formation, properties, and roles in health and disease, while also delving into the potential of natural and synthetic molecules along with bacterial enzymes for mitigating oxysterol-mediated cell damage.

Oxysterols and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal contribute to atherosclerotic plaque destabilization

A growing bulk of evidence suggests that cholesterol oxidation products, known as oxysterols, and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), the major proatherogenic components of oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxLDLs), significantly contribute to atherosclerotic plaque progression and destabilization, with eventual plaque rupture. These oxidized lipids are involved in various key steps of this complex process, mainly thanks to their ability to induce inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the effects induced by these compounds on vascular cells, after their accumulation in the arterial wall and in the atherosclerotic plaque.

Taxifolin reduces the cholesterol oxidation product-induced neuronal apoptosis by suppressing the Akt and NF-κB activation-mediated cell death

The taxifolin effect on the cholesterol oxidation product-induced neuronal apoptosis was investigated using differentiated PC12 cells and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. 7-ketocholesterol induced phosphorylation of Akt, and increase in the levels of cytosolic and nuclear NF-κB p65, cytosolic NF-κB p50 and cytosolic phosphorylated-IκB-α in PC12 cells. The cholesterol oxidation products also induced a decrease in the levels of Bid and Bcl-2, increase in the levels of p53 and Bax, loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, release of cytochrome c, activation of caspases (-8, -9 and -3), production of reactive oxygen species, depletion of GSH and cell death in both cell lines. Taxifolin, N-acetylcysteine, trolox, Akt inhibitor and Bay11-7085 attenuated the cholesterol oxidation product-induced changes in the apoptosis-related protein levels, activation of the Akt and NF-κB, reactive oxygen species production, GSH depletion and cell death. These results show that taxifolin may reduce the cholesterol oxidation product-induced neuronal apoptosis by suppressing the Akt and NF-κB activation-mediated cell death. The suppressive effect appears to be attributed to the inhibition of reactive oxygen species production and GSH depletion.

Apocynin attenuates cholesterol oxidation product-induced programmed cell death by suppressing NF-κB-mediated cell death process in differentiated PC12 cells

Cholesterol oxidation products are suggested to be involved in neuronal degeneration. Apocynin has demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. We assessed the effect of apocynin on the cholesterol oxidation product-induced programmed cell death in neuronal cells using differentiated PC12 cells in relation to NF-κB-mediated cell death process. 7-Ketocholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol decreased the levels of Bid and Bcl-2, increased the levels of Bax and p53, and induced loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, release of cytochrome c and activation of caspases (-8, -9 and -3). 7-Ketocholesterol caused an increase in the levels of cytosolic and nuclear NF-κB p65, cytosolic NF-κB p50 and cytosolic phospho-IκB-α, which was inhibited by the addition of 0.5 μM Bay11-7085 (an inhibitor of NF-κB activation). Apocynin attenuated the cholesterol oxidation product-induced changes in the programmed cell death-related protein levels, NF-κB activation, production of reactive oxygen species, and depletion of GSH. The results show that apocynin appears to attenuate the cholesterol oxidation product-induced programmed cell death in PC12 cells by suppressing the activation of the mitochondrial pathway and the caspase-8- and Bid-dependent pathways that are mediated by NF-κB activation. The preventive effect appears to be associated with the inhibitory effect on the production of reactive oxygen species and depletion of GSH.

Nuclear Factor-κB Activation as a Pathological Mechanism of Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall with lipid-laden lesions, involving a complex interaction between multiple different cell types and cytokine networks. Inflammatory responses mark all stages of atherogenesis: from lipid accumulation in the intima to plaque formation and eventual rupture. One of the most important regulators of inflammation is the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), which is activated through the canonical and noncanonical pathways in response to various stimuli. NF-κB has long been regarded as a proatherogenic factor, because it is implicated in multiple pathological processes during atherogenesis, including foam cell formation, vascular inflammation, proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, arterial calcification, and plaque progression. In contrast, inhibition of NF-κB signaling has been shown to protect against atherosclerosis. This chapter aims to discuss recent progress on the roles of NF-κB in lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis and also to highlight its potential therapeutic benefits.

Quercetin-3-O-(2″-galloyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside attenuates cholesterol oxidation product-induced apoptosis by suppressing NF-κB-mediated cell death process in differentiated PC12 cells

Cholesterol oxidation products are suggested to be involved in neuronal cell degeneration. We examined the preventive effect of quercetin-3-O-(2″-galloyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (QGR), a quercetin derivative, on the cholesterol oxidation product-induced neuronal cell death using differentiated PC12 cells in relation to nuclear factor (NF)-κB-mediated apoptotic process. 7-Ketocholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol induced a decrease in the levels of BH3 interacting-domain death agonist (Bid) and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), increase in the levels of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and p53, loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, cytochrome c release, activation of caspases, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). 7-Ketocholesterol induced increase in cytosolic and nuclear NF-κB p65, nuclear phospho-NF-κB p65, cytosolic NF-κB p50, and cytosolic phospho-IκB-α levels. The addition of QGR, N-acetyl cysteine, or Bay 11-7085 attenuated the cholesterol oxidation product-induced changes in the apoptosis-related protein levels, activation of NF-κB, formation of reactive oxygen species, depletion of glutathione (GSH), nuclear damage, and cell death. The results show that QGR may attenuate the cholesterol oxidation product-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells by suppressing the activation of the mitochondrial pathway and the caspase-8- and Bid-dependent pathways that is mediated by NF-κB activation. The preventive effect appears to be associated with the inhibitory effect on the formation of reactive oxygen species and depletion of GSH.

Effects of switching from calcium carbonate to lanthanum carbonate on bone mineral metabolism in hemodialysis patients

Phosphate binders are useful for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study was performed to examine the effects of switching from calcium carbonate (CC) to lanthanum carbonate (LC) on bone mineral metabolism and inflammatory markers in HD patients. We conducted 29 stable HD patients receiving CC, which was replaced by LC and followed-up for 12 weeks. Patients underwent determinants of blood chemistries such as serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D status, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA levels in whole blood cells were evaluated by real-time PCR just before and after the treatment with LC. Corrected Ca [corrected] levels were significantly reduced, but serum phosphorus levels (P levels) were unchanged after LC treatment. Switching to LC increased whole-PTH, osteocalcin, 1,25(OH)(2) D(3) levels and 1,25(OH)(2) D(3)/25(OH)D(3) ratio. 1,25(OH)(2) D(3)/25(OH)D(3) ratio was negatively correlated with HD duration. Furthermore, whole blood cell IL-6 mRNA levels were significantly reduced by LC treatment. We provided that the switching from CC to LC improved Ca overload and ameliorated vitamin D and inflammatory status in HD patients. These observations suggest that LC may play a protective role for the progression of atherosclerosis and vascular calcification in these patients.

Oxysterols and their cellular effectors

Oxysterols are oxidized 27-carbon cholesterol derivatives or by-products of cholesterol biosynthesis, with a spectrum of biologic activities. Several oxysterols have cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activities, the ability to interfere with the lateral domain organization, and packing of membrane lipids. These properties may account for their suggested roles in the pathology of diseases such as atherosclerosis, age-onset macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. Oxysterols also have the capacity to induce inflammatory responses and play roles in cell differentiation processes. The functions of oxysterols as intermediates in the synthesis of bile acids and steroid hormones, and as readily transportable forms of sterol, are well established. Furthermore, their actions as endogenous regulators of gene expression in lipid metabolism via liver X receptors and the Insig (insulin-induced gene) proteins have been investigated in detail. The cytoplasmic oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) homologues form a group of oxysterol/cholesterol sensors that has recently attracted a lot of attention. However, their mode of action is, as yet, poorly understood. Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptors (ROR) α and γ, and Epstein-Barr virus induced gene 2 (EBI2) have been identified as novel oxysterol receptors, revealing new physiologic oxysterol effector mechanisms in development, metabolism, and immunity, and evoking enhanced interest in these compounds in the field of biomedicine.