Expression patterns of antioxidant genes in human SH-SY5Y cells after treatment with methadone

D,L-Methadone enhances the cytotoxic activity of standard chemotherapeutic agents on pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma

Purpose

In advanced tumor stages, pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) shows an intrinsic resistance to standard chemotherapy, which is associated with a dismal prognosis. Alternative therapeutic approaches and optimization of already existent treatment protocols are urgently needed in these conditions. The µ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) agonist, D,L-methadone is frequently used for analgesia in oncological patients. Recent evidence has shown that D,L-methadone in combination with chemotherapeutic agents may enhance their cytotoxic effect against cancer cells. There are no related data in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).

Methods

Antitumor effects of combined D,L-methadone and doxorubicin, carboplatin, and vincristine on RMS cell lines RD and RH30 were analyzed using following outcome data: expression of the OPRM1 receptor (Western blot), cell growth inhibition (MTT assay), cell migration (wound-healing assay), apoptosis induction (caspase-3/7 assay), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (flow cytometry).

Results

In both cell lines, OPRM1 expression was significantly increased after combined treatment of D,L-methadone with all three cytotoxic drugs tested, which resulted in suppression of tumor cell growth and increase of apoptosis rates. These effects were mediated by increased ROS production and up-regulation of caspase-3/7 activity. Doxorubicin combined with D,L-methadone significantly reduced cell migration in both cell lines. Carboplatin or vincristine in combination with D,L-methadone had only an impact on cell migration in RH30 cells.

Conclusions

This new therapeutic approach in RMS provides strong antitumor effects in vitro. The combination of standard chemotherapy and D,L-methadone requires further investigation. Especially advanced tumors with a limited effectiveness of conventional treatment regimens seem a potential target of this approach.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00432-022-03945-y.

Morphine treatment is associated with diminished telomere length together with down-regulated TERT and TERF2 mRNA levels

BACKGROUND

Drug dependence promotes accelerated aging and higher mortality compare with the general population. Telomere length is a biomarker of determination of cellular aging. Telomere attrition has been reported in heroin dependent patients. To investigate whether telomere length is affected by morphine or not, the expressions of hTERT and TERF2 in morphine treated human SH-SY5Y cells were determined and compared with untreated cells.

METHODS

The SH-SY5Y cells were treated with 1 and 5 μM concentrations of morphine for different exposure times (1d, 2d, 3d, 7d and 60 days). The mRNA levels of hTERT and TERF2 were determined using quantitative real-time RCR. The relative telomere length was measured as the ratio of telomere/36B4.

RESULTS

The hTERT and TERF2 mRNA levels were down regulated in morphine treated cells as a function of exposure duration. These alterations were reversible if morphine was removed from the culture medium. No reduction in the relative expression of hTERT and TERF2 in the cells exposed to N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) plus morphine was observed. In the SH-SY5Y cells treated by 5 μM morphine for 60 consecutive days, the hTERT and TERF2 mRNA levels and relative telomere lengths remarkably decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

Reversible alteration of mRNA levels by removing morphine from culture medium, and effect of NAC in co-treatment of morphine plus NAC, emphasize the role of reactive oxygen species in down-regulation of the expression of hTERT and TERF2 by morphine. Telomere attrition in morphine treated cells is a consequence of down-regulation of the expression of hTERT and TERF2.

Novel Insight into Utilization of Flavonoid Glycosides and Biological Properties of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Flower Byproducts

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) byproducts are considered as a cheap source of bioactive polyphenolics endowed with potential antioxidant effects. The saffron biowaste is utilized for extraction of flavonoid glycosides and their potential biological properties. The total amount of polyphenolics and polysaccharides was found to be higher in the tepal than in the stamen. The bioactive compounds quercetin-3-O-sophoroside (Q-3-sop) and kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside (K-3-sop) were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The antioxidant effects were studied using 2,2 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC); Q-3-sop showed stronger antioxidant effects compared to K-3-sop, crocin-I, and crocin-II. Furthermore, Q-3-sop also inhibited cell apoptosis caused by H₂O₂ by reducing the levels of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In terms of cytogenetic effects, Q-3-sop revealed no cytogenic effects on onion root meristem cells but chromosomal aberration was observed at the highest dose (200 ppm). Thus, saffron byproducts and its flavonoids could be utilized as natural antioxidant agents with no cytogenetic effects.

Association Between GSTP1 Ile105Val Genetic Polymorphism and Dependency to Heroin and Opium

Relationship between glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1, OMIM: 134660) variants and the risk of drug dependency is unknown. Chronic use of illegal drugs leads to oxidative stress, which can be alleviated by cellular detoxification mechanisms. There are several polymorphisms in the GSTP1, including Ile105Val (rs1695). This polymorphism leads to an Ile105Val amino acid change and may alter the GSTP1 enzyme activity. There is no study on the association between this polymorphism and risks of heroin (HD) or opium (OD) dependency. This paper consists of two case-control studies. The first study consisted of 442 HD subjects and 794 healthy controls. The second study consisted of 143 cases with OD and 565 healthy blood donors as controls. Genotyping were carried out using PCR based method. The Ile/Val (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.65-1.07, P = 0.165) and Val/Val (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.56-1.36, P = 0.879) genotypes did not show significant association with the risk of HD. Neither the Ile/Val (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.49-1.06, P = 0.103) nor the Val/Val (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.29-1.30, P = 0.209) was associated with the risk of OD. The GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism was not associated with the risk of dependency to opium and heroin.

Electromagnetic Field Could Protect SH-SY5Y Cells Against Cisplatin Cytotoxicity, But Not MCF-7 Cells

Cisplatin [cis-dichlorodiammine platinum (II), CDDP], morphine (Mor), and electromagnetic field (EMF) induced oxidative stress. In this study, we tried to increase the cytotoxicity of CDDP in combination with Mor and/or EMF in MCF-7 and SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, we evaluate the expression levels of 11 antioxidant genes in both cell lines. We designed four treatments: CDDP alone, "CDDP+Mor," "CDDP+EMF," and "CDDP+Mor+EMF." Serial dilutions of CDDP, Mor (5.0 μM), and EMF (50 Hz, 0.50 mT, "15 min field-on/15 min field-off") were used for estimation of relative IC₅₀ values. The mRNA expression levels of antioxidant genes were determined by real-time PCR. The IC₅₀ value of CDDP in "CDDP+Mor+EMF" treatment was significantly higher than CDDP alone and "CDDP+Mor" treatments in both cell lines. Whereas the expression levels of antioxidant genes in the four treatments showed similar patterns in MCF-7 cells, in SH-SY5Y cells, most of the antioxidant genes showed an upregulation with "CDDP+EMF" and "CDDP+Mor+EMF" treatments. Moreover, significant differences in the number of upregulated genes were observed between different treatments in SH-SY5Y cells. The molecular mechanism of CDDP-reduced cytotoxicity in our designed combinations is probably different in MCF-7 and SH-SY5Y cells. CDDP in combination with EMF could protect SH-SY5Y cells from the cytotoxicity, whereas it has no significant change in MCF-7 cells.

A 50-bp Ins/Del polymorphism at the promoter region of the superoxide dismutase-1 and bipolar disorder type 1

Bipolar disorder type 1 (BPD) is a chronic psychiatric illness and is associated with oxidative stress. Superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1; OMIM: 147450) metabolizes highly reactive and more dangerous superoxide radicals into less reactive molecules. A functional 50-bp insertion/deletion (Ins/Del) polymorphism in the promoter region of the gene has been reported. The primary aim of the current case-control study was to explore whether the SOD1 Ins/Del polymorphism associated with the risk of BPD. A secondary aim was to investigate the association between the study polymorphism and age of onset of BPD. The present case-control study was performed in Shiraz (southern Iran) on 228 BPD and 224 healthy blood donor controls. The genotypes of the SOD1 Ins/Del polymorphism were determined by polymerase chain reaction. There was no significant association between the genotypes of Ins/Del polymorphism and the risk of BPD. Using Cox proportional hazards regression model, after adjustment for family history of BPD, revealed a significant association between the SOD1 Ins/Del polymorphism and age of onset. The age of onset was significantly lower for the Del/Del genotype than the 'Ins/Ins + Ins/Del' genotypes (hazard ratio = 2.33, 95%CI: 1.08-5.02, p = .030). Our present findings revealed that although the SOD1 Ins/Del polymorphism was not associated with the risk of BPD, it was significantly associated with age of onset of BPD.

Influence of a 50bp Ins/Del polymorphism at promoter of the superoxide dismutase-1 on gene expression and risk of heroin dependency

OBJECTIVE

Superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1, OMIM: 147450) is one of the major antioxidant enzymes, which plays a vital role in clearance of reactive oxygen species. A genetic polymorphism of 50 bp insertion/deletion (Ins/Del) in the promoter region of the SOD1 was reported. The aims of the present study are to evaluate the influence of this polymorphism on the SOD1 mRNA levels in human peripheral blood cells and its association with risk of heroin dependency.

METHODS

The present study consisted of 47 healthy students of Shiraz University (south-west Iran) for investigating the association between the Ins/Del polymorphism on expression level of SOD1, also a total of 442 heroin dependent and 799 healthy controls were included in a case-control study investigating the association between the study polymorphism and risk of dependency to heroin. The quantitative SOD1 mRNA expression levels were investigated using quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the study genotypes (t = 5.17; df = 45; P < 0.001). The Del allele of the study polymorphism decreased approximately 33% of the SOD1 mRNA levels of the gene in the heterozygote individuals. Statistical analysis indicating that in both genders, neither the Ins/Del nor the Del/Del genotypes was associated with the risk of heroin addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study indicating that although the Ins/Del polymorphism of SOD1 is associated with the SOD1 expression levels, this polymorphism is not associated with the risk of dependency to heroin.

Short-term Exposure to 50-Hz Electromagnetic Field and Alterations in NQO1 and NQO2 Expression in MCF-7 Cells

AIM:

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) have some genotoxic effects and it may alter the mRNA levels of antioxidant genes. The NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) and NQO2 are ubiquitously expressed. Considering that there is no published data on the effect(s) of ELF-EMF (50-Hz) exposure and expression levels of NQO1 and NQO2 in the human MCF-7 cells, the present study was carried out.

METHODS:

The ELF-EMF (0.25 and 0.50 mT) exposure patterns were: 5 min field-on/5 min filed-off, 15 min field-on/15 min field-off, and 30 min field-on continuously. In all exposure conditions, total exposure time were 30 minutes. The RNA extraction was done at two times; immediately post exposure and two hours post exposure. The effect of ELF-EMF on gene expression was assessed by real-time PCR.

RESULTS:

The NQO1 mRNA level (at 0h) decreased in the cells exposed to 5 min field-on/5 min filed-off condition at 0.25 mT EMF when compared with the unexposed cells. The NQO2 mRNA level (at 0h and 2h) increased in the cells exposed to 5 min field-on/5 min filed-off condition at 0.50 mT EMF when compared with the unexposed cells.

CONCLUSIONS:

Alterations in the NQO1 and NQO2 mRNA levels seem at the “5 min field-on/5 min field-off” condition.

Influence of A-21T and C-262T genetic polymorphisms at the promoter region of the catalase (CAT) on gene expression

OBJECTIVE

Catalase (CAT, OMIM: 115500) is one of the major antioxidant enzymes, which plays an important role in the clearance of reactive oxygen species. Three genetic polymorphisms of A-21T (rs7943316), C-262T (rs1001179), and C-844T (rs769214) in the promoter region of the CAT have been reported. It has been suggested that these polymorphisms may alter the recognition sites of transcriptional factors, therefore it might be concluded that these polymorphisms may alter the expression levels of the gene. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the associations between these genetic variations and the CAT mRNA levels in human peripheral blood cells.

METHODS

The present study consisted of 47 healthy students of Shiraz University (south-west Iran). Genotypes of the CAT polymorphisms were determined by PCR based method. The quantitative CAT mRNA expression levels were investigated using quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS

Analysis of variance revealed significant differences between the study genotypes (For A-21T polymorphism: F = 7.45; df = 2, 44; P = 0.002; For C-262T polymorphism: F = 15.17; df = 2, 44; P < 0.001). The studied polymorphisms showed linkage disequilibrium (D' = 1.0, r 2 = 0.1813, χ 2 = 17.03, P < 0.0001). The mRNA levels of CAT in the AC/TT, TC/TC, TC/TT, and TC/TC diplotypes significantly were higher than the mRNA levels in AC/AC diplotype. There was a significant difference between the study genotypes (F = 9.24; df = 5, 41; P < 0.001). The TC/TC and TT/TT diplotypes showed about 2 and 4 folds CAT mRNA levels compared with the AC/AC diplotype.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings indicated that these polymorphisms were significantly associated with the gene expression.

Expression Levels of Some Detoxification Genes in Liver and Testis of Rats Exposed to a Single Dose of Methyl-Tertiary Butyl Ether

AIM

Methyl-tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a well-known gasoline oxygenate compound, is still used in several countries. Several studies investigated the effects of MTBE on the activity of phase II metabolism enzymes. There is no published data on the effect(s) of short-term exposure to MTBE on mRNA levels of antioxidant genes. Therefore, the present study was carried out.

METHODS

A total of 15 adults male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five equal experimental groups. They received a single dose of 0, 400, 800 and 1600 mg/Kg MTBE in peanut oil by gavages. The final group received no MTBE and peanut oil. After 24 hr animals were slaughtered then livers and testis were removed to extract the total RNA. Real-time PCR was done to detect the gene expressions of glutathione S-transferase family (Gstt1, Gstm1, and Gstp1).

RESULTS

The mRNAs levels of the examined genes neither in liver nor in testis showed a significant difference between the exposed groups and control rats.

CONCLUSIONS

The present data revealed that exposure to a single dose of MTBE has no significant effect on the mRNA levels of the Gstt1, Gstm1, and Gstp1 genes.