Role of Bcl-xL/Beclin-1 in synergistic apoptotic effects of secretory TRAIL-armed adenovirus in combination with mitomycin C and hyperthermia on colon cancer cells. Apoptosis. 2014;19:1603-1615. [PMID: 25156145 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-014-1028-6]

Hyperthermia Treatment as a Promising Anti-Cancer Strategy: Therapeutic Targets, Perspective Mechanisms and Synergistic Combinations in Experimental Approaches

Despite recent developments in diagnosis and treatment options, cancer remains one of the most critical threats to health. Several anti-cancer therapies have been identified, but further research is needed to provide more treatment options that are safe and effective for cancer. Hyperthermia (HT) is a promising treatment strategy for cancer because of its safety and cost-effectiveness. This review summarizes studies on the anti-cancer effects of HT and the detailed mechanisms. In addition, combination therapies with anti-cancer drugs or natural products that can effectively overcome the limitations of HT are reviewed because HT may trigger protective events, such as an increase of heat shock proteins (HSPs). In the 115 reports included, the mechanisms related to apoptosis, cell cycle, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA damage, transcription factors and HSPs were considered important. This review shows that HT is an effective inducer of apoptosis. Moreover, the limitations of HT may be overcome using combined therapy with anti-cancer drugs or natural products. Therefore, appropriate combinations of such agents with HT will exert maximal effects to treat cancer.

Developing TRAIL/TRAIL death receptor-based cancer therapies

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF superfamily that can initiate the apoptosis pathway by binding to its associated death receptors DR4 and DR5. The activation of the TRAIL pathway in inducing tumor-selective apoptosis leads to the development of TRAIL-based cancer therapies, which include recombinant forms of TRAIL, TRAIL receptor agonists, and other therapeutic agents. Importantly, TRAIL, DR4, and DR5 can all be induced by synthetic and natural agents that activate the TRAIL apoptosis pathway in cancer cells. Thus, understanding the regulation of the TRAIL apoptosis pathway can aid in the development of TRAIL-based therapies for the treatment of human cancer.

NanoTRAIL-Oncology: A Strategic Approach in Cancer Research and Therapy

TRAIL is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily that can largely trigger apoptosis in a wide variety of cancer cells, but not in normal cells. However, insufficient exposure to cancer tissues or cells and drug resistance has severely impeded the clinical application of TRAIL. Recently, nanobiotechnology has brought about a revolution in advanced drug delivery for enhanced anticancer therapy using TRAIL. With the help of materials science, immunology, genetic engineering, and protein engineering, substantial progress is made by expressing fusion proteins with TRAIL, engineering TRAIL on biological membranes, and loading TRAIL into functional nanocarriers or conjugating it onto their surfaces. Thus, the nanoparticle-based TRAIL (nanoTRAIL) opens up intriguing opportunities for efficient and safe bioapplications. In this review, the mechanisms of action and biological function of TRAIL, as well as the current status of TRAIL treatment, are comprehensively discussed. The application of functional nanotechnology combined with TRAIL in cancer therapy is also discussed.

Hyperthermia exposure induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation in HCT116 cells by upregulating miR-34a and causing transcriptional activation of p53

Hyperthermia, as an anticancer therapeutic strategy, presents notable advantages in conjunction with irradiation and/or chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer by promoting apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation. A number of studies have documented that hyperthermia inhibits cancer progression through transcriptional activation of p53, which promotes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of hyperthermia-regulated apoptosis and proliferation dependent on p53 remain largely unknown. To investigate the effects and molecular mechanism of hyperthermia on the apoptosis and proliferation of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) HCT116 cells, the present study assessed cell apoptosis and proliferation following exposure to hyperthermia (42°C for 2–4 h). The results indicated that, compared with the control group at 0 h, hyperthermia exposure for 2 and 4 h induced the apoptosis of HCT116 cells (P<0.05), inhibited cell proliferation by causing cell cycle arrest at G1/G0 phase (P<0.05), and significantly increased microRNA (miR)-34a expression (P<0.05), but not miR-34b, miR-34c, miR-215 and miR-504 expression. The transcriptional activity of p53 on its consensus sequence and downstream target genes, namely p21, B cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein, mouse double minute 2 homolog, p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis and growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible 45α, was subsequently detected. The data indicated significantly higher transcriptional activity of p53 following hyperthermia exposure for 2 and 4 h (P<0.05), and these observations were similar to the effects of transfection with miR-34a mimics in HCT116 cells. Furthermore, transfection with miR-34a antagomiR supressed hyperthermia-induced apoptosis and promoted cell cycle progression following hyperthermia exposure when compared with transfection controls (P<0.05). Collectively, these findings indicate that miR-34a may serve an important role in hyperthermia-regulated apoptosis and proliferation in HCT116 cells by influencing the transcriptional activity of p53.

Oxidative stress, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride on Paramisgurnus dabryanus

This study evaluated the toxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride ([C₈mim]Cl) on Paramisgurnus dabryanus by enzyme analysis, comet assay, and apoptosis analysis. The study showed that [C₈mim]Cl had an obvious toxic effect inducing oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity to fish liver cells. [C₈mim]Cl also induced changes in the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and the glutathione content and malondialdehyde level in fish exposed at 20-80mgL^-1. With increased exposure concentration and time, the four antioxidant enzyme activities, three different comet parameters and apoptosis rates of tested cells were significantly increased, with significant differences (P<0.05 or P<0.01) observed between control group and each treatment group. This study shows that [C₈mim]Cl could be a threat to aquatic organism health when accidentally released into aquatic ecosystems.

Theaflavin-3, 3'-digallate induces apoptosis and G2 cell cycle arrest through the Akt/MDM2/p53 pathway in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer A2780/CP70 cells

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer among women worldwide. Adverse side effects and acquired resistance to conventional platinum based chemotherapy are major impediments in ovarian cancer treatment, and drive the development of more selective anticancer drugs that target cancer-specific defects. In this study, theaflavin-3, 3′-digallate (TF3), the major theaflavin monomer in black tea, exhibited a potent growth inhibitory effect on the cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer A2780/CP70 cells (IC₅₀, 23.81 μM), and was less cytotoxic to a normal ovarian IOSE-364 cells (IC₅₀, 59.58 μM) than to the cancer cells. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that TF3 induced preferential apoptosis and G2 cell cycle arrest in A2780/CP70 cells with respect to IOSE-364 cells. TF3 induced apoptosis through both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, and caused G2 cell cycle arrest via cyclin B1 in A2780/CP70 cells. The p53 protein played an important role in TF3-induced apoptosis and G2 cell cycle arrest. TF3 might upregulate the p53 expression via the Akt/MDM2 pathway. Our findings help elucidate the mechanisms by which TF3 may contribute to the prevention and treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Inhibition of Oncogenic Transcription Factor REL by the Natural Product Derivative Calafianin Monomer 101 Induces Proliferation Arrest and Apoptosis in Human B-Lymphoma Cell Lines

Increased activity of transcription factor NF-κB has been implicated in many B-cell lymphomas. We investigated effects of synthetic compound calafianin monomer (CM101) on biochemical and biological properties of NF-κB. In human 293 cells, CM101 selectively inhibited DNA binding by overexpressed NF-κB subunits REL (human c-Rel) and p65 as compared to NF-κB p50, and inhibition of REL and p65 DNA binding by CM101 required a conserved cysteine residue. CM101 also inhibited DNA binding by REL in human B-lymphoma cell lines, and the sensitivity of several B-lymphoma cell lines to CM101-induced proliferation arrest and apoptosis correlated with levels of cellular and nuclear REL. CM101 treatment induced both phosphorylation and decreased expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-XL, a REL target gene product, in sensitive B-lymphoma cell lines. Ectopic expression of Bcl-XL protected SUDHL-2 B-lymphoma cells against CM101-induced apoptosis, and overexpression of a transforming mutant of REL decreased the sensitivity of BJAB B-lymphoma cells to CM101-induced apoptosis. Lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of NF-κB signaling upstream components occurred in RAW264.7 macrophages at CM101 concentrations that blocked NF-κB DNA binding. Direct inhibitors of REL may be useful for treating B-cell lymphomas in which REL is active, and may inhibit B-lymphoma cell growth at doses that do not affect some immune-related responses in normal cells.

Influence of deep hyperthermia combined with systemic chemotherapy on overall survival of recurrent gastric cancer patients: Predictors of response to treatment

AIM: To investigate the effect of tumor deep hyperthermia combined with systemic chemotherapy on overall survival (OS) of recurrent gastric cancer patients, and to explore the predictors of response to the treatment.

METHODS: Ninety-nine patients with recurrent gastric cancer were divided into either a thermo-chemotherapy group (n = 42) or a control group (n = 57). The thermo-chemotherapy group was treated by deep tumor hyperthermia and chemotherapy, and the control group received systemic chemotherapy alone. The OS was compared for the two groups, and the predictors of response to individualized treatment was analyzed.

RESULTS: The median OS was significantly longer in the thermo-chemotherapy group than in the control group (18 mo vs 12.8 mo. (P = 0.003). In the thermo-chemotherapy group, the OS of patients with albumin (ALB) ≥ 35 g/L (19 mo) was better than that of patients with ALB < 35g/L (10 mo) ((P = 0.027); and the OS of patients with a neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) < 4.558 (33 mo) was superior than that of patients with an NLR ≥ 4.558 (10 mo) ((P = 0.007).

CONCLUSION: For recurrent gastric cancer patients, thermotherapy combined with chemotherapy may be a more effective treatment option. Patients with normal serum ALB and an NLR < 4.558 may have a better prognosis. For patients with ALB < 35 g/L and an NLR ≥ 4.558, deep tumor hyperthermia combined with systemic chemotherapy is not recommended.