The pro- or anti-apoptotic function of NF-kappaB is determined by the nature of the apoptotic stimulus

PTPRO inhibits LPS-induced apoptosis in alveolar epithelial cells

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its severe manifestation, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), represent critical clinical syndromes with multifactorial origins, notably stemming from sepsis within intensive care units (ICUs). Despite their high mortality rates, no selective cure is available beside ventilation support. Apoptosis plays a complex and pivotal role in the pathophysiology of acute lung injury. Excessive apoptosis of alveolar epithelial and microvascular endothelial cells can lead to disruption of lung epithelial barrier integrity, impairing the body's ability to exchange blood and gas. At the same time, apoptosis of damaged or dysfunctional cells, including endothelial and epithelial cells, can help maintain tissue integrity and accelerate recovery from organ pro-inflammatory stress. The balance between pro-survival and pro-apoptotic signals in lung injury determines patient outcomes, making the modulation of apoptosis an area of intense research in the quest for more effective therapies. Here we found that protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (PTPRO), a poorly understood receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase, is consistently upregulated in multiple tissue types of mice under septic conditions and in the lung alveolar epithelial cells. PTPRO reduction by its selective short-interfering RNA (siRNA) leads to excessive apoptosis in lung alveolar epithelial cells without affecting cell proliferation. Consistently PTPRO overexpression by a DNA construct attenuates apoptotic signaling induced by LPS. These effects of PTPTO on cellular apoptosis are dependent on an ErbB2/PI3K/Akt/NFκB signaling pathway. Here we revealed a novel regulatory pathway of cellular apoptosis by PTPRO in lung alveolar epithelial cells during sepsis.

Hypoxia in the Blue Mussel Mytilus chilensis Induces a Transcriptome Shift Associated with Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Metabolism, and Immune Response

The increase in hypoxia events, a result of climate change in coastal and fjord ecosystems, impacts the health and survival of mussels. These organisms deploy physiological and molecular responses as an adaptive mechanism to maintain cellular homeostasis under environmental stress. However, the specific effects of hypoxia on mussels of socioeconomic interest, such as Mytilus chilensis, are unknown. Using RNA-seq, we investigated the transcriptomic profiles of the gills, digestive gland, and adductor muscle of M. chilensis under hypoxia (10 days at 2 mg L-1) and reoxygenation (10 days at 6 mg L-1). There were 15,056 differentially expressed transcripts identified in gills, 11,864 in the digestive gland, and 9862 in the adductor muscle. The response varied among tissues, showing chromosomal changes in Chr1, Chr9, and Chr10 during hypoxia. Hypoxia regulated signaling genes in the Toll-like, mTOR, citrate cycle, and apoptosis pathways in gills, indicating metabolic and immunological alterations. These changes suggest that hypoxia induced a metabolic shift in mussels, reducing reliance on aerobic respiration and increasing reliance on anaerobic metabolism. Furthermore, hypoxia appeared to suppress the immune response, potentially increasing disease susceptibility, with negative implications for the mussel culture industry and natural bed populations. This study provides pivotal insights into metabolic and immunological adaptations to hypoxia in M. chilensis, offering candidate genes for adaptive traits.

Eugenol as a potential adjuvant therapy for gingival squamous cell carcinoma

Adoption of plant-derived compounds for the management of oral cancer is encouraged by the scientific community due to emerging chemoresistance and conventional treatments adverse effects. Considering that very few studies investigated eugenol clinical relevance for gingival carcinoma, we ought to explore its selectivity and performance according to aggressiveness level. For this purpose, non-oncogenic human oral epithelial cells (GMSM-K) were used together with the Tongue (SCC-9) and Gingival (Ca9-22) squamous cell carcinoma lines to assess key tumorigenesis processes. Overall, eugenol inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation while inducing cytotoxicity in cancer cells as compared to normal counterparts. The recorded effect was greater in gingival carcinoma and appears to be mediated through apoptosis induction and promotion of p21/p27/cyclin D1 modulation and subsequent Ca9-22 cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, in a p53-independent manner. At these levels, distinct genetic profiles were uncovered for both cell lines by QPCR array. Moreover, it seems that our active component limited Ca9-22 and SCC-9 cell migration respectively through MMP1/3 downregulation and stimulation of inactive MMPs complex formation. Finally, Ca9-22 behaviour appears to be mainly modulated by the P38/STAT5/NFkB pathways. In summary, we can disclose that eugenol is cancer selective and that its mediated anti-cancer mechanisms vary according to the cell line with gingival squamous cell carcinoma being more sensitive to this phytotherapy agent.

8-Hydroxydaidzein Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits AML-Associated Gene Expression in U-937 Cells: Potential Phytochemical for AML Treatment

BACKGROUND

8-hydroxydaidzein (8-OHD) is a compound derived from daidzein, known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties in K562 human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells. However, its effects on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells have not been fully understood.

METHOD

To investigate its potential anti-AML mechanism, we employed an integrated in vitro-in silico approach.

RESULTS

Our findings demonstrate that 8-OHD suppresses the expression of CDK6 and CCND2 proteins and induces cell apoptosis in U-937 cells by activating Caspase-7 and cleaving PARP-1. Microarray analysis revealed that 8-OHD downregulates differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with rRNA processing and ribosome biogenesis pathways. Moreover, AML-target genes, including CCND2, MYC, NPM1, FLT3, and TERT, were downregulated by 8-OHD. Additionally, molecular docking software predicted that 8-OHD has the potential to interact with CDK6, FLT3, and TERT proteins, thereby reducing their activity and inhibiting cell proliferation. Notably, we discovered a synergic pharmacological interaction between 8-OHD and cytarabine (Ara-C).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this study provides insights into the therapeutic applications of 8-OHD in treating AML and elucidates its underlying mechanisms of action.

Peste des petits ruminants virus non-structural V and C proteins interact with the NF-κB p65 subunit and modulate pro-inflammatory cytokine gene induction

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is known to induce transient immunosuppression in infected small ruminants by modulating several cellular pathways involved in the antiviral immune response. Our study shows that the PPRV-coded non-structural proteins C and V can interact with the cellular NF-κB p65 subunit. The PPRV-C protein interacts with the transactivation domain (TAD) while PPRV-V interacts with the Rel homology domain (RHD) of the NF-κB p65 subunit. Both viral proteins can suppress the NF-κB transcriptional activity and NF-κB-mediated transcription of cellular genes. PPRV-V protein expression can significantly inhibit the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 upon TNF-α stimulation, whereas PPRV-C does not affect it. The NF-κB-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression is significantly downregulated in cells expressing PPRV-C or PPRV-V protein. Our study provides evidence suggesting a role of PPRV non-structural proteins V and C in the modulation of NF-κB signalling through interaction with the NF-κB p65 subunit.

Essential Amino Acids-Rich Diet Increases Cardiomyocytes Protection in Doxorubicin-Treated Mice

BACKGROUND

Doxorubicin (Doxo) is a widely prescribed drug against many malignant cancers. Unfortunately, its utility is limited by its toxicity, in particular a progressive induction of congestive heart failure. Doxo acts primarily as a mitochondrial toxin, with consequent increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and attendant oxidative stress, which drives cardiac dysfunction and cell death. A diet containing a special mixture of all essential amino acids (EAAs) has been shown to increase mitochondriogenesis, and reduce oxidative stress both in skeletal muscle and heart. So, we hypothesized that such a diet could play a favorable role in preventing Doxo-induced cardiomyocyte damage.

METHODS

Using transmission electron microscopy, we evaluated cells' morphology and mitochondria parameters in adult mice. In addition, by immunohistochemistry, we evaluated the expression of pro-survival marker Klotho, as well as markers of necroptosis (RIP1/3), inflammation (TNFα, IL1, NFkB), and defense against oxidative stress (SOD1, glutathione peroxidase, citrate synthase).

RESULTS

Diets with excess essential amino acids (EAAs) increased the expression of Klotho and enhanced anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory responses, thereby promoting cell survival.

CONCLUSION

Our results further extend the current knowledge about the cardioprotective role of EAAs and provide a novel theoretical basis for their preemptive administration to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to alleviate the development and severity of Doxo-induced cardiomyopathy.

Protein kinase double-stranded RNA-dependent (PKR) in antiviral defence in fish and mammals

The interferon-inducible double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is one of the key antiviral arms of the innate immune system. Upon binding of viral double stranded RNA, a viral Pattern Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP), PKR gets activated and phosphorylates the eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) resulting in a protein shut-down that limits viral replication. Since its discovery in the mid-seventies, PKR has been shown to be involved in multiple important cellular processes including apoptosis, proinflammatory and innate immune responses. Viral subversion mechanisms of PKR underline its importance in the antiviral response of the host. PKR activation pathways and its mechanisms of action were previously identified and characterised mostly in mammalian models. However, fish Pkr and fish-specific paralogue Z-DNA-dependent protein kinase (Pkz) also play key role in antiviral defence. This review gives an update on the current knowledge on fish Pkr/Pkz, their conditions of activation and their implication in the immune responses to viruses, in comparison to their mammalian counterparts.

Molecular mechanisms of microRNAs in glioblastoma pathogenesis

Glioblastoma (GBM) is human's most prevalent and severe brain cancer. Epigenetic regulators, micro(mi)RNAs, significantly impact cellular health and disease because of their wide range of targets and functions. The "epigenetic symphony" in which miRNAs perform is responsible for orchestrating the transcription of genetic information. The discovery of regulatory miRNA activities in GBM biology has shown that various miRNAs play a vital role in disease onset and development. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the current state-of-the-art and latest findings regarding the interactions between miRNAs and molecular mechanisms commonly associated with GBM pathogenesis. Moreover, by literature review and reconstruction of the GBM gene regulatory network, we uncovered the connection between miRNAs and critical signaling pathways such as cell proliferation, invasion, and cell death, which provides promising hints for identifying potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of GBM. In addition, the role of miRNAs in GBM patient survival was investigated. The present review, which contains new analyses of the previous literature, may lead to new avenues to explore in the future for the development of multitargeted miRNA-based therapies for GBM.

Preventive and therapeutic effects of an exopolysaccharide produced by Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus on alcoholic gastric ulcers

Crude exopolysaccharides produced by Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus SHA113 were previously found to exhibit anti-alcoholic gastric ulcer activity in mice, but their major active fraction, structural characteristics, and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, LRSE1 was identified as the active exopolysaccharide fraction produced by L. rhamnosus SHA113 responsible for the above effects. Purified LRSE1 had a molecular weight of 4.9 × 10⁴ Da and was comprised of L-fucose, D-mannose, D-glucuronic acid, d-glucose, D-galactose, and L-arabinose in the molar ratio of 2.4:6.5:1.2:1.00:0.3:0.6, respectively. The oral administration of LRSE1 resulted in a significant protective and therapeutic effect on alcoholic gastric ulcers in mice. These effects were identified to involve a reduction in reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, and the inflammatory response, increases in antioxidant enzyme activities, and increases in the phylum Firmicutes and decreases in the genera Enterococcus, Enterobacter, and Bacteroides in the gastric mucosa of mice. In vitro experiments showed that the administration of LRSE1 both inhibited apoptosis in GEC-1 cells via the TRPV1-P65-Bcl-2 pathway and inhibited the inflammatory response in RAW264.7 cells via the TRPV1-PI3K pathway. For the first time, we have identified the active exopolysaccharide fraction produced by Lacticaseibacillus that protects against alcoholic gastric ulcers and determined that its effect involves TRPV1-mediated pathways.

Effects of Antioxidant Combinations on the Renal Toxicity Induced Rats by Gold Nanoparticles

This study investigated some possible mechanisms underlying the nephrotoxic effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in rats and compared the protective effects of selected known antioxidants-namely, melanin, quercetin (QUR), and α-lipoic acid (α-LA). Rats were divided into five treatment groups (eight rats per group): control, AuNPs (50 nm), AuNPs + melanin (100 mg/kg), AuNPs + QUR (200 mg/kg), and AuNPs + α-LA (200 mg/kg). All treatments were administered i.p., daily, for 30 days. AuNPs promoted renal glomerular and tubular damage and impaired kidney function, as indicated by the higher serum levels of creatinine (Cr), urinary flow, and urea and albumin/Cr ratio. They also induced oxidative stress by promoting mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mtPTP) opening, the expression of NOX4, increasing levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and suppressing glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). In addition, AuNPs induced renal inflammation and apoptosis, as evidenced by the increase in the total mRNA and the cytoplasmic and nuclear levels of NF-κB, mRNA levels of Bax and caspase-3, and levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Treatment with melanin, QUR, and α-lipoic acid (α-LA) prevented the majority of these renal damage effects of AuNPs and improved kidney structure and function, with QUR being the most powerful. In conclusion, in rats, AuNPs impair kidney function by provoking oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis by suppressing antioxidants, promoting mitochondrial uncoupling, activating NF-κB, and upregulating NOX4. However, QUR remains the most powerful drug to alleviate this toxicity by reversing all of these mechanisms.

Kigelia africana inhibits proliferation and induces cell death in stage 4 Neuroblastoma cell lines

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common solid pediatric tumors and especially high-risk NBs still account for about 12-15% of cancer related deaths in children. Kigelia africana (KA) is a plant used in traditional African medicine which has already shown its anti-cancer potential in several in vitro and in vivo studies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of KA fruit extract on stage 4 high-risk NB cells. Therefore, NB cell lines with and without MYCN amplification and non-neoplastic cells were treated with KA fruit extract at different concentrations. The effect of KA on cell viability and apoptosis rate were assessed by bioluminescence-/fluorescence-based assays. Several proteins involved in survival, tumor growth, inflammation and metastasis were detected via western blot and immunofluorescence. Secreted cytokines were detected via ELISA. Phytochemical composition of the extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Our group demonstrates a dose- and time-dependent selective cytotoxic effect of KA fruit extract on NB, especially in MYCN non-amplified tumor cells, by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cell death. Western blot and immunofluorescence results demonstrate a regulation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), disialoganglioside GD2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in KA-treated tumor cells. Our results evidence striking anti-cancer properties of KA fruit and pave the way for further surveys on the therapeutic properties and mechanisms of action in NB.

The matricellular protein CCN5 induces apoptosis in myofibroblasts through SMAD7-mediated inhibition of NFκB

We previously showed that the matricellular protein CCN5 reverses established cardiac fibrosis (CF) through inducing apoptosis in myofibroblasts (MyoFBs) but not in cardiomyocytes or fibroblasts (FBs). In this study, we set out to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying CCN5-mediated selective apoptosis of MyoFBs. We first observed that the apoptotic protein p53 and the anti-apoptotic protein NFκB are simultaneously induced in MyoFBs. When the expression level of p53 was suppressed using a siRNA, CCN5 did not induce apoptosis in MyoFBs. By contrast, when NFκB signaling was inhibited using IKK VII, an IκB inhibitor, MyoFBs underwent apoptosis even in the absence of CCN5. SMAD7 is one of the downstream targets of CCN5 and it was previously shown to potentiate apoptosis in epithelial cells through inhibition of NFκB. In accordance with these reports, when the expression of SMAD7 was suppressed using a siRNA, NFκB signaling was enhanced, and CCN5 did not induce apoptosis. Lastly, we used a luciferase reporter construct to show that CCN5 positively regulated SMAD7 expression at the transcriptional level. Collectively, our data suggest that a delicate balance between the two mutually antagonistic proteins p53 and NFκB is maintained for MyoFBs to survive, and CCN5 tips the balance in favor of the apoptotic protein p53. This study provides insight into the anti-fibrotic activity of CCN5 during the regression of CF.

Dietary chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris) supplementation effectively improves body color, alleviates muscle inflammation and inhibits apoptosis in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Muscle quality, antioxidant status, and inflammatory and apoptotic molecule expression were investigated in juvenile largemouth bass fed five levels of Chlorella for 60 days. The results showed that muscle quality can be improved by increasing the muscle crude protein content, muscle and skin brightness value (L*), redness value (a*) and yellowness value (b*) in Chlorella-supplemented diets without affecting the growth and muscle fiber development of fish. Chlorella supplementation did not cause oxidative stress in muscle, but optimal Chlorella administration alleviated the muscle inflammatory response by downregulating the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)-mediated proinflammatory factors such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 8 (IL-8). Moreover, anti-apoptotic effects were induced by upregulation of anti-apoptotic genes, such as b cell lymphoma-2 (bcl-2) and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (mcl-1), and downregulation of pro-apoptotic genes, including bcl2-associated x (bax) and caspase3. In conclusion, Chlorella improved muscle quality, alleviated muscle inflammation and resisted muscle apoptosis.

Multimolecular characteristics of cell-death related hub genes in human cancers: a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis

Failure of the normal process of cell death pathways contributes to the defection of immune systems and the occurrence of cancers. The key genes, the multimolecular mechanisms, and the immune functions of these genes in pan-cancers remain unclear. Using online databases of The Cancer Genome Atlas, GEPIA2, TISIDB, HPA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, PrognoScan, cBioPortal, GSCALite, TIMER, and Sangerbox, we identified the key genes from the six primary cell death-related pathways and performed a comprehensive analysis to investigate the multimolecular characteristics and immunological functions of the hub genes in 33 human cancers. We identified five hub genes in the six primary cell death-related pathways (JUN, NFKB1, CASP3, PARP1, and TP53). We found that CASP3, PARP1, and TP53 were overexpressed in 28, 23, and 27 cancers. The expression of the five genes was associated with the development and prognosis of many cancers. Particularly, JUN, NFKB1, CASP3, and TP53 have prognostic values in Brain Lower Grade Glioma (LGG), while PARP1 and CASP3 could predict the survival outcomes in Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). In addition, an extensive association between five genes' expression, DNA methylation, and tumor-immune system interactions was noticed. The five cell death-related hub genes could function as potential biomarkers for various cancers, particularly LGG and ACC. The immunological function analysis of the five genes also proposes new targets for developing immunosuppressants and improving the immunotherapy efficacy of cancers. However, further extensive clinical and experimental research are required to validate their clinical values.

Arctigenin inhibits apoptosis, extracellular matrix degradation, and inflammation in human nucleus pulposus cells by up-regulating miR-483-3p

BACKGROUND

Arctigenin (ATG) is the active ingredient of the Chinese herbal medicine Arctium lappa, with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Excessive inflammation and cell apoptosis are important causes of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Hence, this study probed into the possible role of ATG in IDD.

METHODS

Interleukin (IL)-1β (10 ng/ml) was adopted to induce human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs) as a cell model for IDD. The effects of different concentrations of ATG (0, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 μmol/L) on the viability of HNPCs and effects of ATG (10, 50 μmol/L) on the viability of IL-1β-induced HNPCs were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). After IL-1β-induced HNPCs were transfected with miR-483-3p inhibitor and/or treated with ATG, cell viability and apoptosis were determined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry; the expressions of miR-483-3p, extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes, and inflammation-related genes were measured by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and expressions of ECM/apoptosis/NF-κB pathway-related proteins were quantified by Western blot.

RESULTS

ATG had no significant effect on the viability of HNPCs but could promote the viability of IL-1β-induced HNPCs. ATG inhibited apoptosis, ECM degradation, inflammation, and activation of NF-κB pathway in HNPCs induced by IL-1β, but promoted the expression of miR-483-3p. MiR-483-3p inhibitor reversed the above-mentioned regulatory effects of ATG.

CONCLUSION

Arctigenin suppresses apoptosis, ECM degradation, inflammation, and NF-κB pathway activation in HNPCs by up-regulating miR-483-3p.

In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Two Ferrocene-Containing Camphor Sulfonamides as Promising Agents against Lung Cancer Cells

The successful design of antitumour drugs often combines in one molecule different biologically active subunits that can affect various regulatory pathways in the cell and thus achieve higher efficacy. Two ferrocene derivatives, DK-164 and CC-78, with different residues were tested for cytotoxic potential on non-small lung cancer cell lines, A549 and H1299, and non-cancerous MRC5. DK-164 demonstrated remarkable selectivity toward cancer cells and more pronounced cytotoxicity against A549. The cytotoxicity of CC-78 toward H1299 was even higher than that of the well-established anticancer drugs cisplatin and tamoxifen, but it did not reveal any noticeable selective effect. DK-164 showed predominantly pro-apoptotic activity in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells, while CC-78 caused accidental cell death with features characteristic of necrosis. The level of induced autophagy was similar for both substances in cancer cells. DK-164 treatment of A549, H1299, and MRC5 cells for 48 h significantly increased the fluorescence signal of the NFkB (nuclear factor ‘kappa-light-chain-enhancer’ of activated B-cells) protein in the nucleus in all three cell lines, while CC-78 did not provoke NFkB translocation in any of the tested cell lines. Both compounds caused a significant transfer of the p53 protein in the nucleus of A549 cells but not in non-cancerous MRC5 cells. In A549, DK-164 generated oxidative stress close to the positive control after 48 h, while CC-78 had a moderate effect on the cellular redox status. In the non-cancerous cells, MRC5, both compounds produced ROS similar to the positive control for the same incubation period. The different results related to the cytotoxic potential of DK-164 and CC-78 associated with the examined cellular mechanisms induced in lung cancer cells might be used to conclude the specific functions of the various functional groups in the ferrocene compounds, which can offer new perspectives for the design of antitumour drugs.

Biogenic silver/silver chloride nanoparticles inhibit human cancer cells proliferation in vitro and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells growth in vivo

Silver/silver chloride nanoparticles (Ag/AgCl-NPs) were synthesized for the first time from the herbal Geodorum densiflorum rhizome extracts and characterized by different techniques. The surface plasmon resonance peak at 455 nm was observed in the UV–Visible spectrum, the average particle size of 25 nm was determined by SEM, XRD reflection peaks (28.00°, 32.42°, 38.28°, 46.38°, 54.94°, 57.60°, 64.64°, and 67.48°) indicated the presence of Ag-NPs and AgCl-NPs, heat stability was confirmed by TGA and FTIR analysis indicated the presence of alcohol/phenol, alkanes, primary amines, nitro compounds, alkyl chloride functional groups. The synthesized Ag/AgCl-NPs, previously synthesized Kaempferia rotunda and Zizyphus mauritiana mediated Ag/AgCl-NPs separately inhibited the proliferation of BxPC-3 cells with the IC₅₀ values of 7.8, 17.1, and 20.1 µg/ml, respectively. In the case of MCF-7 cells, the IC₅₀ values of G. densiflorum- Ag/AgCl-NPs and K. rotunda-Ag/AgCl-NPs were 21.5 and 23.5 µg/ml, respectively. Whereas the IC₅₀ of G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs was 28.0 µg/ml against glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). Induction of apoptosis in GSCs, BxPC-3 and MCF-7 cells was noted followed by NPs treatment. In GSCs, the expression level of NFκB, TNFα, p21, and TLR9 genes were upregulated after treatment with G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs while in the MCF-7 cells, the expression of p53, FAS, Caspase-8 and -9, NFκB, MAPK, JNK and p21 genes were increased. G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs inhibited 60% and 95% of EAC cells growth at the doses of 2 and 4 mg/Kg/day after intraperitoneal treatment with five consequent days, respectively. A remarkable improvement of hematological parameters with the decreased average tumor weight and increase of 75% life span of G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs treated mice were observed. Altogether, this study reported for the first time in vitro anticancer activity of biogenic G. densiflorum-Ag/AgCl-NPs against GSC cells along with MCF-7 and BxPC-3 cells and in vivo anticancer properties against EAC cells.

Control of host PTMs by intracellular bacteria: An opportunity toward novel anti-infective agents

Intracellular bacteria have developed a multitude of mechanisms to influence the post-translational modifications (PTMs) of host proteins to pathogen advantages. The recent explosion of insights into the diversity and sophistication of host PTMs and their manipulation by infectious agents challenges us to formulate a comprehensive vision of this complex and dynamic facet of the host-pathogen interaction landscape. As new discoveries continue to shed light on the central roles of PTMs in infectious diseases, technological advances foster our capacity to detect old and new PTMs and investigate their control and impact during pathogenesis, opening new possibilities for chemical intervention and infection treatment. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of these pathogenic mechanisms and offer perspectives on how these insights may contribute to the development of a new class of therapeutics that are urgently needed to face rising antibiotic resistances.

Anticancer and antibacterial potentials induced post short-term exposure to electromagnetic field and silver nanoparticles and related pathological and genetic alterations: in vitro study

BACKGROUND

Resistance to antibiotics and anticancer therapy is a serious global health threat particularly in immunosuppressed cancer patients. Current study aimed to estimate the antibacterial and anticancer potentials of short-term exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) either in sole or combined form.

METHODS

Antibacterial activity was evaluated via determination of the bacterial viable count reduction percentage following exposure, whereas their ability to induce apoptosis in breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line was detected using annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and cell cycle analysis. Also, oxidative stress potential and molecular profile were investigated.

RESULTS

ELF-EMF and AgNPs significantly (p < 0.01) reduced K. pneumonia viable count of compared to that of S. aureus in a time dependent manner till reaching 100% inhibition when ELF-EMF was applied in combination to 10 µM/ml AgNPs for 2 h. Apoptosis induction was obvious following exposure to either ELF-EMF or AgNPs, however their apoptotic potential was intensified when applied in combination recording significantly (p < 0.001) induced apoptosis as indicated by elevated level of MCF-7 cells in the Pre G1 phase compared to control. S phase arrest and accumulation of cells in G2/M phase was observed following exposure to AgNPs and EMF, respectively. Up-regulation in the expression level of p53, iNOS and NF-kB genes as well as down-regulation of Bcl-2 and miRNA-125b genes were detected post treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The antibacterial and anticancer potentials of these agents might be related to their ability to induce oxidative stress, suggesting their potentials as novel candidates for controlling infections and triggering cancer cells towards self-destruction.

Paternal effect does not affect in vitro embryo morphokinetics but modulates molecular profile

The use of different sires influences in vitro embryo production (IVP) outcome. Paternal effects are observed from the first cleavages until after embryonic genome activation (EGA). Little is known about the mechanisms that promote in vitro fertility differences, even less about the consequences on embryo development. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the paternal effect at fertilization, embryo developmental kinetics, gene expression and quality from high and low in vitro fertility bulls. A retrospective analysis for bull selection was performed using the In vitro Brazil company database from 2012 to 2015. The dataset was edited employing cleavage and blastocyst rates ranking a total of 140 bulls. Subsequently, the dataset was restricted by embryo development rate (blastocyst/cleaved rate) and ten bulls were selected as high (HF; n = 5) and low (LF; n = 5) in vitro fertility groups. IVP embryos derived from high and low fertility bulls were classified according to their stage of development (2 cells, 3-4 cells, 6 cells, 8-16 cells), at 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 hpi, respectively, to evaluate embryo kinetics. Pronuclei formation (24 hpi), cleavage rate (Day 3), development rate, and blastocyst morphology (Grade I and II - Day 7) were also assessed, as well as the abundance of 96 transcripts at 8-16 cell stage and blastocysts. There was no difference in early embryo kinetics (P > 0.05), and cleavage rate (HF = 86.7%; LF = 84.9%; P = 0.25). Nevertheless, the fertilization rate was higher on HF (72%) than LF (62%) and the polyspermy rate was lower on HF compared to LF (HF:16.2% LF:29.2%). As expected, blastocyst rate (HF = 29.4%; LF = 16.0%; P < 0.0001) and development rate (HF = 33.9% LF = 18.9%; P < 0.0001) were higher in HF than LF. At the 8-16 cell stage, 22 transcripts were differentially represented (P ≤ 0.05) between the two groups. Only PGK1 and TFAM levels were higher in HF while transcripts related to stress (6/22, ∼27%), cell proliferation (6/22, ∼27%), lipid metabolism genes (5/22, ∼23%), and other cellular functions (5/22, ∼23%) were higher on LF embryos. Blastocysts had 9 differentially represented transcripts (P ≤ 0.05); being only ACSL3 and ELOV1 higher in the HF group. Lipid metabolism genes (3/9, 33%) and other cellular functions (6/9, 67%) were higher in the LF group. In conclusion, the timing of the first cleavages is not affected by in vitro bull fertility. However, low in vitro fertility bulls presented higher polyspermy rates and produced 8-16 cells embryos with higher levels of transcripts related to apoptosis and cell damage pathways compared to high in vitro fertility ones. Evidence such as polyspermy and increase in apoptotic and oxidative stress genes at the EGA stage suggest that embryo development is impaired in the LF group leading to the reduction of blastocyst rate.

Asparagus racemosus and Geodorum densiflorum lectins induce apoptosis in cancer cells by altering proteins and genes expression

A lectin (designated as ARL) was purified first time from the Asparagus racemosus root with the molecular weight of 14.0 kDa containing about 4.8% carbohydrate. ARL showed hemagglutination activity in both mice and human erythrocytes that were inhibited by three complex sugars among the 26 sugars tested. ARL was thermostable that mostly preserved activity at its optimum pH 8.0. Around 48% and 52.5% human colorectal cancer (HCT-116) cells growth was inhibited by 160 μg/ml of ARL and 256 μg/ml of previously purified Geodorum densiflorum rhizome lectin (GDL). Induction of apoptosis in HCT-116 cells was confirmed by Hoechst 33342 staining, caspase inhibitors, but ROS generation was only observed for ARL. The expression level of BAX and p53 genes increased with a decrease of PARP gene expression for both lectins. The expression of FAS and FADD were increased with the decrease of WNT after treatment with GDL. ARL inhibited 68% and 26% of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell growth in vivo in mice after treating with 3.0 and 1.5 mg/kg/day doses for five consecutive days. ARL increased the expression level of NFκB and arrested S cell cycle phase in EAC cells, in contrast, G₂/M phase was arrested by ARL and GDL in HCT-116.

Immunosuppressive network promotes immunosenescence associated with aging and chronic inflammatory conditions

The functional competence of the immune system gradually declines with aging, a process called immunosenescence. The age-related remodelling of the immune system affects both adaptive and innate immunity. In particular, a chronic low-grade inflammation, termed inflammaging, is associated with the aging process. Immunosenescence not only is present in inflammaging state, but it also occurs in several pathological conditions in conjunction with chronic inflammation. It is known that persistent inflammation stimulates a counteracting compensatory immunosuppression intended to protect host tissues. Inflammatory mediators enhance myelopoiesis and induce the generation of immature myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) which in mutual cooperation stimulates the immunosuppressive network. Immunosuppressive cells, especially MDSCs, regulatory T cells (Treg), and M2 macrophages produce immunosuppressive factors, e.g., TGF-β, IL-10, ROS, arginase-1 (ARG1), and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which suppress the functions of CD4/CD8T and B cells as well as macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and dendritic cells. The immunosuppressive armament (i) inhibits the development and proliferation of immune cells, (ii) decreases the cytotoxic activity of CD8T and NK cells, (iii) prevents antigen presentation and antibody production, and (iv) suppresses responsiveness to inflammatory mediators. These phenotypes are the hallmarks of immunosenescence. Immunosuppressive factors are able to control the chromatin landscape, and thus, it seems that the immunosenescence state is epigenetically regulated.

NF-κB and TNF Affect the Astrocytic Differentiation from Neural Stem Cells

The NF-κB signaling pathway is crucial during development and inflammatory processes. We have previously shown that NF-κB activation induces dedifferentiation of astrocytes into neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Here, we provide evidence  that the NF-κB pathway plays also a fundamental role during the differentiation of NPCs into astrocytes. First, we show that the NF-κB pathway is essential to initiate astrocytic differentiation as its early inhibition induces NPC apoptosis and impedes their differentiation. Second, we demonstrate that persistent NF-κB activation affects NPC-derived astrocyte differentiation. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-treated NPCs show NF-κB activation, maintain their multipotential and proliferation properties, display persistent expression of immature markers and inhibit astrocyte markers. Third, we analyze the effect of  NF-κB activation on the main known astrocytic differentiation pathways, such as NOTCH and JAK-STAT. Our findings suggest that the NF-κB pathway plays a dual fundamental role during NPC differentiation into astrocytes: it promotes astrocyte specification, but its persistent activation impedes their differentiation.

Sodium orthovanadate inhibits growth of acute leukemia HL60 cells and HL60/A cells in vitro

Vanadium is an ultratrace element. The transition metal vanadium, widely exists in the environment and exhibits various biological and physiological effects in the human body, yet with no presently known specific physiological function in mammals. Sodium orthovanadate (SOV) is a kind of vanadium compound. SOV has shown promising antineoplastic activity in several human cancers. But the effects of SOV on acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) are still unknown. In the present study, for the first time, we found that SOV could inhibit proliferation, induce G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and could inhibit autophagy of acute leukemia cell lines in vitro. Thus, our findings suggest that SOV could effectively suppress the growth of acute leukemia HL60 cells and HL60/A cells through the regulations of proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and autophagy, and thus may act as a potential therapeutic agent in APL treatment.

Interleukin-1β induces pericyte apoptosis via the NF-κB pathway in diabetic retinopathy

Pericytes play a crucial role in preventing endothelial permeability by maintaining the integrity of tight junctions in endothelial cells; however, early pathological change in diabetic retinopathyis pericyte loss, which can lead to visual impairment by increasing endothelial permeability. Therefore, finding proteins and mechanisms that cause pericyte loss in diabetic retinopathy is beneficial for attenuating vision impairment. The present study focused on the effect of IL-1β on pericyte loss and endothelial permeability in diabetic retinopathy. It was demonstrated that IL-1β increased in the diabetic mouse retina and that the source of IL-1β could be endothelial cells and microglia. IL-1β induced pericyte apoptosis via NF-κB activation under high glucose conditions, but did not induce endothelial cell apoptosis. Moreover, IL-1β did not affect permeability in the endothelial cell monolayer; however, when cocultured with pericytes and endothelial cells, it increased endothelial cell permeability by reducing the amount of tight junction protein in endothelial cells. Furthermore, NF-κB inhibitor restored the altered permeability and tight junction protein expression in endothelial cells induced by IL-1β in cocultures of pericytes and endothelial cells. Collectively, IL-1β induced pericyte apoptosis via NF-κB activation under high glucose conditions, thereby increasing endothelial permeability in diabetic retinopathy. Blocking IL-1β/NF-κB signaling could be a promising therapeutic target to prevent pericyte loss in diabetic retinopathy.

Melatonin alleviates sepsis-induced heart injury through activating the Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome

Melatonin improved the outcome of septic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting NLRP3 priming induced by reactive oxygen species. To get insights into these events, we studied the melatonin/Nrf2 antioxidant pathways during sepsis in the heart of NLRP3-deficient mice. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture and melatonin was given at a dose of 30 mg/kg. Nuclear turnover of Nrf2 and p-Ser40 Nrf2 and expression of ho-1 were enhanced in nlrp3+/+ and nlrp3-/- mice during sepsis. Sepsis caused higher mitochondria impairment, apoptotic and autophagic events in nlrp3+/+ mice than in nlrp3-/- animals. These findings were accompanied by greater levels of Parkin and PINK-1, and lower Mfn2/Drp-1 ratio in nlrp3+/+ than in nlrp3-/- mice during sepsis, supporting less mitophagy in the latter. Ultrastructural analysis of myocardial tissue further confirmed these observations. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome accounted for most of the deleterious effects of sepsis, whereas the Nrf2-dependent antioxidative response activation in response to sepsis was unable to neutralize these events. In turn, melatonin further enhanced the Nrf2 response in both mice strains and reduced the NLRP3 inflammasome activation in nlrp3+/+ mice, restoring myocardial homeostasis. The data support that the anti-inflammatory efficacy of melatonin against sepsis depends, at least in part, on Nrf2 activation.

Methyl lucidone induces apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in ovarian cancer cells

Context: Methyl lucidone (ML) from the dried fruit of Lindera erythrocarpa Makino (Lauraceae) exhibits cytotoxic effects in various cancer cell lines. However, its effects on ovarian cancer cells remain unknown.Objective: This study evaluates the mechanism of ML-induced apoptosis, cell cycle distribution in ovarian cells.Materials and methods: The cytotoxic effect of ML (2.5-80 µM) on OVCAR-8 and SKOV-3 cells was evaluated by MTS assay for 24 and 48 h. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were analysed by flow cytometry. PCR, western blot analyses were performed to examine the related signalling pathways.Results: ML induced significant cellular morphological changes and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells, leading to an antiproliferative effect (IC₅₀ = 33.3-54.7 µM for OVCAR-8 and 48.8-60.7 µM for SKOV-3 cells). Treatment with ML induced cleavage of caspase-3/9 and PARP and release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Moreover, ML downregulated the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and induced cell cycle arrest in the G₂/M phase. Additionally, ML suppressed the expression of cyclin-A/B and promoted that of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. The expression of death receptors was not altered. Interestingly, ML also inhibited the activity of PI3K/Akt and NF-κB.Discussion and conclusions: ML caused G₂/M phase arrest and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells by activating intrinsic apoptotic pathways and suppressing the PI3K/Akt survival pathway. ML may be a potential anticancer agent to suppress ovarian cancer proliferation; thus, to improve the survival rate of cancer patients.

8-Hydroxydaidzein, an Isoflavone from Fermented Soybean, Induces Autophagy, Apoptosis, Differentiation, and Degradation of Oncoprotein BCR-ABL in K562 Cells

8-Hydroxydaidzein (8-OHD, 7,8,4′-trihydoxyisoflavone) is a hydroxylated derivative of daidzein isolated from fermented soybean products. The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-proliferative effects and the underlying mechanisms of 8-OHD in K562 human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells. We found that 8-OHD induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and cell cycle arrest at the S phase by upregulating p21^Cip1 and downregulating cyclin D2 (CCND2) and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) expression. 8-OHD also induced autophagy, caspase-7-dependent apoptosis, and the degradation of BCR-ABL oncoprotein. 8-OHD promoted Early Growth Response 1 (EGR1)-mediated megakaryocytic differentiation as an increased expression of marker genes, CD61 and CD42b, and the formation of multi-lobulated nuclei in enlarged K562 cells. A microarray-based transcriptome analysis revealed a total of 3174 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after 8-OHD (100 μM) treatment for 48 h. Bioinformatics analysis of DEGs showed that hemopoiesis, cell cycle regulation, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT)-mediated apoptosis/anti-apoptosis networks were significantly regulated by 8-OHD. Western blot analysis confirmed that 8-OHD significantly induced the activation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways, both of which may be responsible, at least in part, for the stimulation of apoptosis, autophagy, and differentiation in K562 cells. This is the first report on the anti-CML effects of 8-OHD and the combination of experimental and in silico analyses could provide a better understanding for the development of 8-OHD on CML therapy.

Methylprednisolone potentiates tetrandrine pharmacodynamics against human T lymphoblastoid leukemia MOLT-4 cells via regulation of NF-κB activation and cell cycle transition

Low response to glucocorticoid (GC) predicts therapeutic failure in acute T lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). The efficient and safe strategies are still required for the treatment of relapsed T-ALL. Our previous study revealed that tetrandrine induces apoptosis in human T lymphoblastoid leukemia cells possibly via activation of NF-κB. GCs are recognized as typical NF-κB inhibitors and are used for the treatment of T-ALL patients. In the present study, we examined whether methylprednisolone (MP) potentiates the cytotoxic effect of tetrandrine (TET) via NF-κB regulation by using human T lymphoblastoid leukemia MOLT-4 cells. WST-8 assay data showed that nM grade of MP increased cytotoxicity of TET against MOLT-4 cells in vitro. This effect seemed to be related to the potentiation of TET action by MP to induce apoptosis. Meanwhile, the combination also impeded the transition of cell cycle from G0/G1 phase to S phase. However, the regulation effect of this combination on cell cycle had no relationship with cyclin signaling pathway, since the drug-combination did not influence on the expression of cyclin A2/B1/D1 in MOLT-4 cells. On the other hand, the combination significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB (p < 0.01). These results suggest that nM grade of MP potentiates the cytotoxic effect of TET possibly via regulation of NF-κB activation and "G0/G1 to S" phase transition in human T lymphoblastoid leukemia MOLT-4 cells. Combination of TET and MP may provide a new therapeutic strategy for relapsed T-ALL.

Biogenic silver/silver chloride nanoparticles inhibit human glioblastoma stem cells growth in vitro and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell growth in vivo

The importance of biogenic silver/silver chloride nanoparticles has become increasing day by day. In the present study, silver/silver chloride nanoparticles (Ag/AgCl‐NPs) were synthesized from Kaempferia rotunda tuberous rhizome extract to evaluate the antiproliferative activity against human glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) in vitro and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in vivo in mice. Synthesis of nanoparticles was confirmed by colour change and UV‐visible spectrum and characterized by TEM, XRD, TGA, AFM and FTIR. K rotunda and recently synthesized Zizyphus mauritiana fruit extract‐mediated Ag/AgCl‐NPs inhibited 77.2% and 71% of GSCs growth at 32 µg/mL concentration with the IC₅₀ values of 6.8 and 10.4 µg/mL, respectively. Cell morphological studies and caspase‐3 immunofluorescence assay revealed that both biogenic nanoparticles induced apoptosis in GSCs. Expression levels of several genes were checked by real‐time PCR after treatment with K rotunda tuberous rhizome‐mediated Ag/AgCl‐NPs. PARP, EGFR, NOTCH2 and STAT3 gene expression were decreased with the increase of NFκB, TLR9, IL1, TNFα, IKK and p21 gene that would be the cause of induction of apoptosis in GSCs. The cell cycle arrest at G₂/M phase was confirmed by flow cytometric assay. Both nanoparticles were injected intraperitoneally to rapidly growing EAC cells for 5 consecutive days. Approximately, 32.3% and 55% EAC cells growth were inhibited by K rotunda tuberous rhizome‐mediated Ag/AgCl‐NPs at 6 and 12 mg/kg/day doses, respectively while only 20% cell growth inhibition was monitored at 12 mg/kg/day dose of Z mauritiana‐mediated Ag/AgCl‐NPs. From the above results, it can be concluded that presently synthesized nanoparticles would be a potent anticancer agent.

Lead and cadmium exposure induces male reproductive dysfunction by modulating the expression profiles of apoptotic and survival signal proteins in tea-garden workers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) exposure at the molecular level on the reproductive status of tea garden workers in North-East India. Using semen samples, we experimentally determined sperm analysis as well as oxidative stress parameters in all samples and evaluated the expression levels of apoptotic and cell survival proteins [p53, phospho-Akt, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB, p50 subunit) and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)]. Our data revealed significant differences in the average heavy metal concentrations and various semen analysis profile between the infertile and normal groups. Increasing Pb and Cd concentrations in semen samples of patients showed positive associations with increasing number of multiple defects in sperm and the level of seminal oxidative stress markers in the high Pb and Cd concentration groups. These groups also exhibited positive correlations between high metal concentrations and the average p53 expression levels, but negative correlations with the mean p-Akt cascade protein levels in sperm cells. In the low Pb and Cd concentrations groups, we also observed reverse mean range and correlation patterns. Therefore, our findings may suggest that graded levels of metal exposure significantly influence the relative fluctuation in the levels of p53 and Akt cascade proteins in the sperm cells of infertile subjects. Furthermore, this may be a regulating factor of sperm cell fate, in turn, determining the fertility outcome of the men working in the tea gardens.

Understanding Selenium and Glutathione as Antiviral Factors in COVID-19: Does the Viral Mpro Protease Target Host Selenoproteins and Glutathione Synthesis?

Glutathione peroxidases (GPX), a family of antioxidant selenoenzymes, functionally link selenium and glutathione, which both show correlations with clinical outcomes in COVID-19. Thus, it is highly significant that cytosolic GPX1 has been shown to interact with an inactive C145A mutant of Mpro, the main cysteine protease of SARS-CoV-2, but not with catalytically active wild-type Mpro. This seemingly anomalous result is what might be expected if GPX1 is a substrate for the active protease, leading to its fragmentation. We show that the GPX1 active site sequence is substantially similar to a known Mpro cleavage site, and is identified as a potential cysteine protease site by the Procleave algorithm. Proteolytic knockdown of GPX1 is highly consistent with previously documented effects of recombinant SARS-CoV Mpro in transfected cells, including increased reactive oxygen species and NF-κB activation. Because NF-κB in turn activates many pro-inflammatory cytokines, this mechanism could contribute to increased inflammation and cytokine storms observed in COVID-19. Using web-based protease cleavage site prediction tools, we show that Mpro may be targeting not only GPX1, but several other selenoproteins including SELENOF and thioredoxin reductase 1, as well as glutamate-cysteine ligase, the rate-limiting enzyme for glutathione synthesis. This hypothesized proteolytic knockdown of components of both the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin systems is consistent with a viral strategy to inhibit DNA synthesis, to increase the pool of ribonucleotides for RNA synthesis, thereby enhancing virion production. The resulting "collateral damage" of increased oxidative stress and inflammation would be exacerbated by dietary deficiencies of selenium and glutathione precursors.

NF-κB inhibitors in treatment and prevention of lung cancer

Intracellular signalling pathways have provided excellent resource for drug development particularly in the development of cancer therapeutics. A wide variety of malignancies common in human exhibit aberrant NF-κB constitutive expression which results in tumorigenic processes and cancer survival in a variety of solid tumour, including pancreatic cancer, lung, cervical, prostate, breast and gastric carcinoma. Numerous evidences indicate that NF-κB signalling mechanism is mainly involved in the progression of several cancers which may intensify an enhanced knowledge on its role in disease particularly lung tumorigenesis. This has led to tremendous research in designing a variety of NF-κB antagonists with enhanced clinical applications through different approaches the most common being suppression of IκB kinase (IKK) beta activity. Many NF-κB inhibitors for lung cancer are now under clinical trials. Preliminary results of clinical trials for several of these agents include small-molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. A few combinatorial treatment therapies are currently under investigation in the clinics and have shown promise, particularly NF-κB inhibition associated with lung cancer.

PERP-ing into diverse mechanisms of cancer pathogenesis: Regulation and role of the p53/p63 effector PERP

The tetraspan plasma membrane protein PERP (p53 apoptosis effector related to PMP22) is a lesser-known transcriptional target of p53 and p63. A member of the PMP22/GAS3/EMP membrane protein family, PERP was originally identified as a p53 target specifically trans-activated during apoptosis, but not during cell-cycle arrest. Several studies have since shown downregulation of PERP expression in numerous cancers, suggesting that PERP is a tumour suppressor protein. This review focusses on the important advances made in elucidating the mechanisms regulating PERP expression and its function as a tumour suppressor in diverse human cancers, including breast cancer and squamous cell carcinoma. Investigating PERP's role in clinically-aggressive uveal melanoma has revealed that PERP engages a positive-feedback loop with p53 to regulate its own expression, and that p63 is required beside p53 to achieve pro-apoptotic levels of PERP in this cancer. Furthermore, the recent discovery of the apoptosis-mediating interaction of PERP with SERCA2b at the plasma membrane-endoplasmic reticulum interface demonstrates a novel mechanism of PERP stabilisation, and how PERP can mediate Ca²⁺ signalling to facilitate apoptosis. The multi-faceted role of PERP in cancer, involving well-documented functions in mediating apoptosis and cell-cell adhesion is discussed, alongside PERP's emerging roles in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and PERP crosstalk with inflammation signalling pathways, and other signalling pathways. The potential for restoring PERP expression as a means of cancer therapy is also considered.

Effects of intermittent hypoxia on cell survival and inflammatory responses in the intertidal marine bivalves Mytilus edulis and Crassostrea gigas

Hypoxia is a major stressor in estuarine and coastal habitats, leading to adverse effects in aquatic organisms. Estuarine bivalves such as blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) can survive periodic oxygen deficiency but the molecular mechanisms that underlie cellular injury during hypoxia-reoxygenation are not well understood. We examined the molecular markers of autophagy, apoptosis and inflammation during short-term (1 day) and long-term (6 days) hypoxia and post-hypoxic recovery (1 h) in mussels and oysters by measuring the lysosomal membrane stability, activity of a key autophagic enzyme (cathepsin D) and mRNA expression of the genes involved in the cellular survival and inflammation, including caspase 2, 3 and 8, Bcl-2, BAX, TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), nuclear factor kappa B1 (NF-κB) and NF-κB activating kinases IKKα and TBK1. Crassostrea gigas exhibited higher hypoxia tolerance, as well as blunted or delayed inflammatory and apoptotic response to hypoxia and reoxygenation as shown by the later onset and/or the lack of transcriptional activation of caspases, BAX and the inflammatory effector NF-κB, compared with M. edulis Long-term hypoxia resulted in upregulation of Bcl-2 in the oysters and mussels, implying activation of anti-apoptotic mechanisms. Our findings indicate the potential importance of the cell survival pathways in hypoxia tolerance of marine bivalves, and demonstrate the utility of the molecular markers of apoptosis and autophagy for the assessment of sublethal hypoxic stress in bivalve populations.

Drosophila ELYS regulates Dorsal dynamics during development

Embryonic large molecule derived from yolk sac (ELYS) is a constituent protein of nuclear pores. It initiates assembly of nuclear pore complexes into functional nuclear pores toward the end of mitosis. Using cellular, molecular, and genetic tools, including fluorescence and Electron microscopy, quantitative PCR, and RNAi-mediated depletion, we report here that the ELYS ortholog (dElys) plays critical roles during Drosophila development. dElys localized to the nuclear rim in interphase cells, but during mitosis it was absent from kinetochores and enveloped chromatin. We observed that RNAi-mediated dElys depletion leads to aberrant development and, at the cellular level, to defects in the nuclear pore and nuclear lamina assembly. Further genetic analyses indicated that dElys depletion re-activates the Dorsal (NF-κB) pathway during late larval stages. Re-activated Dorsal caused untimely expression of the Dorsal target genes in the post-embryonic stages. We also demonstrate that activated Dorsal triggers apoptosis during later developmental stages by up-regulating the pro-apoptotic genes reaper and hid The apoptosis induced by Reaper and Hid was probably the underlying cause for developmental abnormalities observed upon dElys depletion. Moreover, we noted that dElys has conserved structural features, but contains a noncanonical AT-hook-like motif through which it strongly binds to DNA. Together, our results uncover a novel epistatic interaction that regulates Dorsal dynamics by dElys during development.

Approaches to Targeting Cancer Stem Cells in Solid Tumors

CSCs are a population of self-renewing and tumor repopulating cells that have been observed in hematologic and solid tumors and their presence contributes to the development of drug resistance. The failure to eliminate CSCs with conventional therapy is one of major obstacles in the successful treatment of cancer. Several mechanisms have been described to contribute to CSCs chemoresistance properties that include the adoption of drug-efflux pumps, drug detoxification pathways, changes in metabolism, improved DNA repair mechanisms, and deregulated survival and pro-apoptotic pathways. Thus, CSCs are therefore an attractive target to develop new anti-cancer therapies.

Ivalin Induces Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis Associated with the NF-κB Activation in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma SMMC-7721 Cells

Ivalin, a natural compound isolated from Carpesium divaricatum, showed excellent microtubule depolymerization activities among human hepatocellular carcinoma in our previous work. Here, we investigated its functions on mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells. DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining, annexin V-fluorexcein isothiocyanate (FITC) apoptosis detection, and western blotting were applied to explore the apoptotic effect of Ivalin. Next, the induction effect of Ivalin on the mitochondrial pathway was also confirmed via a series of phenomena including the damage of mitochondria membrane potential, mitochondria cytochrome c escape, cleaved caspase-3 induction, and the reactive oxygen species generation. In this connection, we understood that Ivalin induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway and the overload of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, we found that the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and subsequent p53 induction were associated with the apoptotic effect of Ivalin. These data confirmed that Ivalin might be a promising pro-apoptotic compound that can be utilized as a potential drug for clinical treatment.

Calcium Mechanisms in Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy with CAPN3 Mutations

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy recessive 1 (LGMDR1), previously known as LGMD2A, is a rare disease caused by mutations in the CAPN3 gene. It is characterized by progressive weakness of shoulder, pelvic, and proximal limb muscles that usually appears in children and young adults and results in loss of ambulation within 20 years after disease onset in most patients. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in LGMDR1 remain mostly unknown, and to date, there is no effective treatment for this disease. Here, we review clinical and experimental evidence suggesting that dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis in the skeletal muscle is a significant underlying event in this muscular dystrophy. We also review and discuss specific clinical features of LGMDR1, CAPN3 functions, novel putative targets for therapeutic strategies, and current approaches aiming to treat LGMDR1. These novel approaches may be clinically relevant not only for LGMDR1 but also for other muscular dystrophies with secondary calpainopathy or with abnormal Ca2+ homeostasis, such as LGMD2B/LGMDR2 or sporadic inclusion body myositis.

Targeting MIAT reduces apoptosis of cardiomyocytes after ischemia/reperfusion injury

This study aims to investigate the role of targeting lncRNA myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT) in protection against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury in H9c2 cells in vitro and myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in vivo by regulating expression of NF-kB and p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA). H9C2 cells were infected with lentivirus expressing the short-hairpin RNA direct against human MIAT gene (Lv-MIAT shRNA) or lentivirus expressing scrambled control (Lv-NC shRNA) or PUMA siRNA or p65 siRNA or their control siRNA respectively. Then the H9c2 cells were infected with Lv-shRNA to 2 hours of hypoxia (H) and 24 hour of reoxygenation (R). 100 ul of Lv-MIAT shRNA (1 × 10⁸ PFU) or Lv-NC shRNA was transfected into mouse hearts, then the hearts were subjected to I/R (1h/72 h). We discovered targeting MIAT remarkably enhanced H9c2 cell viability, decreased H/R-induced cell apoptosis and LDH leakage and significantly decreased I/R-induced myocardial infarct size, reduced myocardial apoptosis and enhanced the heart function. Targeting MIAT downregulated p65 nuclear translocation, NF-κB activity and anti-apoptotic protein cleaved-caspase-3, Bax, and upregulated anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 induced by H/R or I/R. Our study suggests that targeting MIAT may protect against H9c2 cardiomyoblasts H/R injury or myocardial I/R injury via inhibition of cell apoptosis, mediated by NF-κB and PUMA signal pathway.

TRIM67 promotes NF‑κB pathway and cell apoptosis in GA‑13315‑treated lung cancer cells

13‑Chlorine‑3,15‑dioxy‑gibberellic acid methyl ester (GA‑13315), a gibberellin derivative, possesses strong anti‑tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The present study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of GA‑13315‑induced apoptosis in human non‑small cell lung cancer cell lines. Lung cancer cells were treated with different doses of GA‑13315 (4, 8, 16 and 32 ng/µl) for 48 h, and a CCK8 assay was performed to measure cell viability. Alteration in gene expression was identified using RNA‑sequencing (RNA‑Seq). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to confirm the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in RNA‑Seq. Gene expression plasmids or small interfering RNA were used to overexpress or silence targeted genes, in order to investigate downstream signals. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was conducted to evaluate the binding of transcription factors to the target genes. A Student's t‑test or one‑way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's honestly significant difference post‑hoc test were performed to evaluate the significance between groups. P<0.05 was considered to indicate a statistically significant difference. GA‑13315 significantly decreased the number of viable cells and induced apoptosis among lung cancer cells (median lethal dose =12‑16 ng/µl). RNA‑Seq identified 250 significant DEGs, including 94 upregulated and 156 downregulated genes in A549 cells (P<0.05; fold change ≥1.5). Upregulation of TRIM67, NF‑κB subunit 2 (NF‑κB2) and FAS was additionally confirmed using qPCR and western blot analysis in A549 and H460 cells. Apoptosis of A549 cells was significantly decreased following knockdown of TRIM67. GA‑13315 promoted TRIM67 expression to increase FAS expression and cell apoptosis. TRIM67 promoted the processing of NF‑κB2 into its active form, p52, which then enhanced the NF‑κB pathway and GA‑13315‑induced apoptosis.

Targeting NF-κB-mediated inflammatory pathways in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC

OBJECTIVES

The majority of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with advanced stage disease, at which time chemotherapy is usually the most common treatment option. While somewhat effective, patients treated with platinum-based regimens will eventually develop resistance, with others presenting with intrinsic resistance. Multiple pathways have been implicated in chemo-resistance, however the critical underlying mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. The aim of this project was to determine the role of inflammatory mediators in cisplatin-resistance in NSCLC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Inflammatory mediator, NF-κB, and its associated pathways were investigated in an isogenic model of cisplatin-resistant NSCLC using age-matched parental (PT) and corresponding cisplatin-resistant (CisR) sublines. Pathways were assessed using mass spectrometry, western blot analysis and qRT-PCR. The cisplatin sensitizing potential of an NF-κB small molecule inhibitor, DHMEQ, was also assessed by means of viability assays and western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Proteomic analysis identified dysregulated NF-κB responsive targets in CisR cells when compared to PT cells, with increased NF-κB expression identified in four out of the five NSCLC sub-types examined (CisR versus PT). DHMEQ treatment resulted in reduced NF-κB expression in the presence of cisplatin, and re-sensitized CisR cells to the cytotoxic effects of the drug.

CONCLUSION

This study identified NF-ĸB as a potential therapeutic target in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC. Furthermore, inhibition of NF-ĸB using DHMEQ re-sensitized chemo-resistant cells to cisplatin treatment.

Hypoxia-induced RelA/p65 derepresses SLC16A3 (MCT4) by downregulating ZBTB7A

Overexpressed Solute Carrier Family 16 Member 3 (SLC16A3, also called MCT4) plays a critical role in hypoxic cancer cell growth and proliferation, by expelling glycolysis-derived lactate across the plasma membrane. However, how SLC16A3 expression is regulated, under hypoxic conditions, is poorly understood. FBI-1, encoded by ZBTB7A, is a proto-oncoprotein. Interestingly, under hypoxic conditions, expression of SLC16A3, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), increased gradually, while FBI-1 expression decreased, suggesting a negative correlation between SLC16A3/HIF-1 and FBI-1 expression. Consequently, we hypothesized that FBI-1 might regulate SLC16A3 and/or HIF-1 expression. Transient transfection and transcription assays of SLC16A3 promoter reporter fusion constructs, oligonucleotide-pulldowns, and ChIP assays, showed that HIF-1α activates SLC16A3 by binding to a hypoxia-response element (HRE), while ectopic FBI-1 potently repressed SLC16A3, by binding to both FBI-1-response elements (FREs) and HREs, during hypoxia. Further evidence for this model was downregulation of ZBTB7A, correlated with SLC16A3 upregulation, in hypoxic colon cancer cells. We also investigated how FBI-1 expression is downregulated during hypoxia. The 5'-upstream regulatory region of ZBTB7A contains two NF-κB-binding sites and two HREs. Interestingly, hypoxia activated NF-κB (RelA/p65) and also increased its nuclear translocation. NF-κB repressed ZBTB7A by binding NF-κB-binding elements, and downregulated the repressor FBI-1, thereby increasing SLC16A3 transcription. While transcriptional repression of SLC16A3 by FBI-1 inhibited lactate efflux, repression of ZBTB7A and activation of lactate efflux by NF-κB, increased colon cancer cell growth and proliferation.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Stress Responses in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients display widespread mitochondrial defects. Brain hypometabolism occurs alongside mitochondrial defects, and correlates well with cognitive decline. Numerous theories attempt to explain AD mitochondrial dysfunction. Groups propose AD mitochondrial defects stem from: (1) mitochondrial-nuclear DNA interactions/variations; (2) amyloid and neurofibrillary tangle interactions with mitochondria, and (3) mitochondrial quality control defects and oxidative damage. Cells respond to mitochondrial dysfunction through numerous retrograde responses including the Integrated Stress Response (ISR) involving eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). AD brains activate the ISR and we hypothesize mitochondrial defects may contribute to ISR activation. Here we review current recognized contributions of the mitochondria to AD, with an emphasis on their potential contribution to brain stress responses.

Autophagy and Oncosis/Necroptosis Are Enhanced in Cardiomyocytes from Heart Failure Patients

Background

Although originally described as a survival mechanism, it is unknown whether and to what extent autophagy is implicated in the terminal stages of heart failure. Here, we studied magnitude and evolution of autophagy in patients with intractable heart failure.

Material/Methods

Myocardial samples were obtained from 22 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy who were undergoing cardiac transplantation. Hearts from 11 patients who died from non-cardiac causes were used as control samples. Autophagy was evaluated by immunostaining with a monoclonal microtubule associated protein light chain 3 (LC3)-II antibody, while the relationship of autophagy with apoptosis and oncosis was assessed by double staining with TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase – mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling) assay and complement 9 (C9) immunological staining, respectively. In addition, several necroptotic markers, including RIP1 and RIP3 (receptor interacting protein kinase 1 and 3), anti-C3 (cleaved-caspase-3), and anti-NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) were assessed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Anti-LC3-II staining was detected in 8.7±1.6% of the heart failure patient heart samples and in 1.2±0.3% of control patient heart samples. Vacuole formation started at one nuclear pole, before becoming bipolar and involving the cytosol. Subsequently, the autophagic process extended also to the nuclei, which underwent a progressive vacuolization and disintegration, assuming a peculiar “strawberry like appearance”. Myocytes with extensive vacuole formation exhibited nuclear degeneration, which was associated with TUNEL, C3, C9, RIP1, and RIP3 positive staining. Conversely, myocytes with less extensive vacuole formation showed RIP1 and NF-κB positive staining, though not positivity for other cell death markers.

Conclusions

Autophagy was extensively detected in end-stage heart failure and its progression, resulted in secondary cell death, with occurrence of oncosis and necroptosis exceeding that of apoptosis. Conversely, activation of the RIP1/NF-κB pathway was associated with cell survival.