NQO1 induction mediated by photodynamic therapy synergizes with β-Lapachone-halogenated derivative against melanoma

Increasing the polarity of β-lapachone does not affect its binding capacity with bovine plasma protein

Despite ortho-quinones showing several biological and pharmacological activities, there is still a lack of biophysical characterization of their interaction with albumin - the main carrier of different endogenous and exogenous compounds in the bloodstream. Thus, the interactive profile between bovine serum albumin (BSA) with β-lapachone (1) and its corresponding synthetic 3-sulfonic acid (2, under physiological pH in the sulphonate form) was performed. There is one main binding site of albumin for both β-lapachones (n ≈ 1) and a static fluorescence quenching mechanism was proposed. The Stern-Volmer constant (KSV) values are 104 M-1, indicating a moderate binding affinity. The enthalpy (-3.41 ± 0.45 and - 8.47 ± 0.37 kJ mol-1, for BSA:1 and BSA:2, respectively) and the corresponding entropy (0.0707 ± 0.0015 and 0.0542 ± 0.0012 kJ mol-1 K-1) values indicate an enthalpically and entropically binding driven. Hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding are the main binding forces. The differences in the polarity of 1 and 2 did not change significantly the affinity to albumin. In addition, the 1,2-naphthoquinones showed a similar binding trend compared with 1,4-naphthoquinones.

β-lapachone protects against doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity through modulation of NAD+ /SIRT-1/FXR/p-AMPK/NF-kB and Nrf2 signaling axis

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used antineoplastic drug, but its clinical use is limited by significant toxicities, such as hepatotoxicity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of β-lapachone (β-LAP), a natural quinone-containing compound, in a mouse model of DOX-induced hepatotoxicity. β-LAP was orally administered at 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg for 4 days, and a single dose of DOX (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally on the second day. Histopathological changes, liver function markers, antioxidant and inflammatory markers were assessed. β-LAP ameliorated liver injury and liver function markers evoked by DOX. β-LAP also downregulated the mRNA expression of nuclear factor-kB-corresponding genes including interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Moreover, β-LAP increased the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 target genes heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1, along with antioxidant enzymes including reduced glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase with simultaneous reduction in the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde. Meanwhile, it recovered NAD+ /NADH ratios and subsequently elevated the protein levels of sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), and phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK). Collectively, these findings suggest a protective role of β-LAP against DOX-induced hepatotoxicity by partly regulating the NAD+ /SIRT-1/FXR/p-AMPK axis.

Targeting calcium regulators as therapy for heart failure: focus on the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase pump

Impaired myocardial Ca2+ cycling is a critical contributor to the development of heart failure (HF), causing changes in the contractile function and structure remodeling of the heart. Within cardiomyocytes, the regulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ storage and release is largely dependent on Ca2+ handling proteins, such as the SR Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2a) pump. During the relaxation phase of the cardiac cycle (diastole), SERCA2a plays a critical role in transporting cytosolic Ca2+ back to the SR, which helps to restore both cytosolic Ca2+ levels to their resting state and SR Ca2+ content for the next contraction. However, decreased SERCA2a expression and/or pump activity are key features in HF. As a result, there is a growing interest in developing therapeutic approaches to target SERCA2a. This review provides an overview of the regulatory mechanisms of the SERCA2a pump and explores potential strategies for SERCA2a-targeted therapy, which are being investigated in both preclinical and clinical studies.

UBIAD1 and CoQ10 protect melanoma cells from lipid peroxidation-mediated cell death

Cutaneous melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer, although it accounts for a minority of all skin cancers. Oxidative stress is involved in all stages of melanomagenesis and cutaneous melanoma can sustain a much higher load of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) than normal tissues. Melanoma cells exploit specific antioxidant machinery to support redox homeostasis. The enzyme UBIA prenyltransferase domain-containing protein 1 (UBIAD1) is responsible for the biosynthesis of non-mitochondrial CoQ10 and plays an important role as antioxidant enzyme. Whether UBIAD1 is involved in melanoma progression has not been addressed, yet. Here, we provide evidence that UBIAD1 expression is associated with poor overall survival (OS) in human melanoma patients. Furthermore, UBIAD1 and CoQ10 levels are upregulated in melanoma cells with respect to melanocytes. We show that UBIAD1 and plasma membrane CoQ10 sustain melanoma cell survival and proliferation by preventing lipid peroxidation and cell death. Additionally, we show that the NAD(P)H Quinone Dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), responsible for the 2-electron reduction of CoQ10 on plasma membranes, acts downstream of UBIAD1 to support melanoma survival. By showing that the CoQ10-producing enzyme UBIAD1 counteracts oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation events in cutaneous melanoma, this work may open to new therapeutic investigations based on UBIAD1/CoQ10 loss to cure melanoma.

Review on NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1) pathway

NQO1 is an enzyme present in humans which is encoded by NQO1 gene. It is a protective antioxidant agent, versatile cytoprotective agent and regulates the oxidative stresses of chromatin binding proteins for DNA damage in cancer cells. The oxidization of cellular pyridine nucleotides causes structural alterations to NQO1 and changes in its capacity to binding of proteins. A strategy based on NQO1 to have protective effect against cancer was developed by organic components to enhance NQO1 expression. The quinone derivative compounds like mitomycin C, RH1, E09 (Apaziquone) and β-lapachone causes cell death by NQO1 reduction of two electrons. It was also known to be overexpressed in various tumor cells of breast, lung, cervix, pancreas and colon when it was compared with normal cells in humans. The mechanism of NQO1 by the reduction of FAD by NADPH to form FADH2 is by two ways to inhibit cancer cell development such as suppression of carcinogenic metabolic activation and prevention of carcinogen formation. The NQO1 exhibit suppression of chemical-mediated carcinogenesis by various properties of NQO1 which includes, detoxification of quinone scavenger of superoxide anion radical, antioxidant enzyme, protein stabilizer. This review outlines the NQO1 structure, mechanism of action to inhibit the cancer cell, functions of NQO1 against oxidative stress, drugs acting on NQO1 pathways, clinical significance.

Roles of NAD(P)H:quinone Oxidoreductase 1 in Diverse Diseases

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) is an antioxidant flavoprotein that catalyzes the reduction of highly reactive quinone metabolites by employing NAD(P)H as an electron donor. There are two NQO enzymes—NQO1 and NQO2—in mammalian systems. In particular, NQO1 exerts many biological activities, including antioxidant activities, anti-inflammatory effects, and interactions with tumor suppressors. Moreover, several recent studies have revealed the promising roles of NQO1 in protecting against cardiovascular damage and related diseases, such as dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. In this review, we discuss recent developments in the molecular regulation and biochemical properties of NQO1, and describe the potential beneficial roles of NQO1 in diseases associated with oxidative stress.

PCNA inhibition enhances the cytotoxicity of β-lapachone in NQO1-Positive cancer cells by augmentation of oxidative stress-induced DNA damage

β-Lapachone is a classic quinone-containing antitumor NQO1-bioactivatable drug that directly kills NQO1-overexpressing cancer cells. However, the clinical applications of β-lapachone are primarily limited by its high toxicity and modest lethality. To overcome this side effect and expand the therapeutic utility of β-lapachone, we demonstrate the effects of a novel combination therapy including β-lapachone and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) inhibitor T2 amino alcohol (T2AA) on various NQO1⁺ cancer cells. PCNA has DNA clamp processivity activity mediated by encircling double-stranded DNA to recruit proteins involved in DNA replication and DNA repair. In this study, we found that compared to monotherapy, a nontoxic dose of the T2AA synergized with a sublethal dose of β-lapachone in an NQO1-dependent manner and that combination therapy prevented DNA repair, increased double-strand break (DSB) formation and promoted programmed necrosis and G1 phase cell cycle arrest. We further determined that combination therapy enhanced antitumor efficacy and prolonged survival in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) xenografts model. Our findings show novel evidence for a new therapeutic approach that combines of β-lapachone treatment with PCNA inhibition that is highly effective in treating NQO1⁺ solid tumor cells.

Computed tomography and photoacoustic imaging guided photodynamic therapy against breast cancer based on mesoporous platinum with insitu oxygen generation ability

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been widely used in cancer treatment. However, hypoxia in most solid tumors seriously restricts the efficacy of PDT. To improve the hypoxic microenvironment, we designed a novel mesoporous platinum (mPt) nanoplatform to catalyze hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) within the tumor cells in situ without an extra enzyme. During the fabrication, the carboxy terminus of the photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) was connected to the amino terminus of the bifunctional mercaptoaminopolyglycol (SH-PEG-NH₂) by a condensation reaction, and then PEG-Ce6 was modified onto the mPt moiety via the mercapto terminal of SH-PEG-NH₂. Material, cellular and animal experiments demonstrated that Pt@PEG-Ce6 catalyzed H₂O₂ to produce oxygen (O₂) and that Ce6 transformed O₂ to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon laser irradiation. The Pt@PEG-Ce6 nanoplatform with uniform diameter presented good biocompatibility and efficient tumor accumulation. Due to the high atomic number and good near-infrared absorption for Pt, this Pt@PEG-Ce6 nanoplatform showed computed tomography (CT) and photoacoustic (PA) dual-mode imaging ability, thus providing an important tool for monitoring the tumor hypoxic microenvironment. Moreover, the Pt@PEG-Ce6 nanoplatform reduced the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and programmed death-1 (PD-1) in tumors, discussing the relationship between hypoxia, PD-1, and PDT for the first time.

Anticancer Potential of Resveratrol, β-Lapachone and Their Analogues

This review aims to explore the potential of resveratrol, a polyphenol stilbene, and beta-lapachone, a naphthoquinone, as well as their derivatives, in the development of new drug candidates for cancer. A brief history of these compounds is reviewed along with their potential effects and mechanisms of action and the most recent attempts to improve their bioavailability and potency against different types of cancer.

Fengycins From Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MEP218 Exhibit Antibacterial Activity by Producing Alterations on the Cell Surface of the Pathogens Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MEP₂18 is an autochthonous bacterial isolate with antibacterial and antifungal activities against a wide range of phytopathogenic microorganisms. Cyclic lipopeptides (CLP), particularly fengycins, produced by this bacterium; are the main antimicrobial compounds responsible for the growth inhibition of phytopathogens. In this work, the CLP fraction containing fengycins with antibacterial activity was characterized by LC-ESI-MS/MS. In addition, the antibacterial activity of these fengycins was evaluated on the pathogens Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria (Xav), a plant pathogen causing the bacterial spot disease, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01, an opportunistic human pathogen. In vitro inhibition assays showed bactericidal effects on Xav and PA01. Atomic force microscopy images revealed dramatic alterations in the bacterial surface topography in response to fengycins exposure. Cell damage was evidenced by a decrease in bacterial cell heights and the loss of intracellular content measured by potassium efflux assays. Furthermore, the viability of MRC-5 human normal lung fibroblasts was not affected by the treatment with fengycins. This study shows in vivo evidence on the less-known properties of fengycins as antibacterial molecules and leaves open the possibility of using this CLP as a novel antibiotic.

Photodynamic Modulation of Type 1 Interferon Pathway on Melanoma Cells Promotes Dendritic Cell Activation

The immune response against cancer generated by type-I-interferons (IFN-1) has recently been described. Exogenous and endogenous IFN-α/β have an important role in immune surveillance and control of tumor development. In addition, IFN-1s have recently emerged as novel DAMPs for the consecutive events connecting innate and adaptive immunity, and they also have been postulated as an essential requirement for induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD). In this context, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been previously linked to the ICD. PDT consists in the administration of a photosensitizer (PS) and its activation by irradiation of the affected area with visible light producing excitation of the PS. This leads to the local generation of harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) with limited or no systemic defects. In the current work, Me-ALA inducing PpIX (endogenous PS) was administrated to B16-OVA melanoma cells. PpIX preferentially localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Subsequent PpIX activation with visible light significantly induced oxidative ER-stress mediated-apoptotic cell death. Under these conditions, the present study was the first to report the in vitro upregulation of IFN-1 expression in response to photodynamic treatment in melanoma. This IFN-α/β transcripts upregulation was concurrent with IRF-3 phosphorylation at levels that efficiently activated STAT1 and increased ligand receptor (cGAS) and ISG (CXCL10, MX1, ISG15) expression. The IFN-1 pathway has been identified as a critical molecular pathway for the antitumor host immune response, more specifically for the dendritic cells (DCs) functions. In this sense, PDT-treated melanoma cells induced IFN-1-dependent phenotypic maturation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) by enhancing co-stimulatory signals (CD80, MHC-II) and tumor-directed chemotaxis. Collectively, our findings showed a new effect of PDT-treated cancer cells by modulating the IFN-1 pathway and its impact on the activation of DCs, emphasizing the potential relevance of PDT in adoptive immunotherapy protocols.