Inhibitory effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on rat hepatocyte proliferation induced by 2/3 partial hepatectomy

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor: From Homeostasis to Tumor Progression

Transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) has emerged as one of the main regulators involved both in different homeostatic cell functions and tumor progression. Being a member of the family of basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcriptional regulators, this intracellular receptor has become a key member in differentiation, pluripotency, chromatin dynamics and cell reprogramming processes, with plenty of new targets identified in the last decade. Besides this role in tissue homeostasis, one enthralling feature of AHR is its capacity of acting as an oncogene or tumor suppressor depending on the specific organ, tissue and cell type. Together with its well-known modulation of cell adhesion and migration in a cell-type specific manner in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), this duality has also contributed to the arise of its clinical interest, highlighting a new potential as therapeutic tool, diagnosis and prognosis marker. Therefore, a deregulation of AHR-controlled pathways may have a causal role in contributing to physiological and homeostatic failures, tumor progression and dissemination. With that firmly in mind, this review will address the remarkable capability of AHR to exert a different function influenced by the phenotype of the target cell and its potential consequences.

Environmental exposure as a risk-modifying factor in liver diseases: Knowns and unknowns

Liver diseases are considered to predominantly possess an inherited or xenobiotic etiology. However, inheritance drives the ability to appropriately adapt to environmental stressors, and disease is the culmination of a maladaptive response. Thus “pure” genetic and “pure” xenobiotic liver diseases are modified by each other and other factors, identified or unknown. The purpose of this review is to highlight the knowledgebase of environmental exposure as a potential risk modifying agent for the development of liver disease by other causes. This exercise is not to argue that all liver diseases have an environmental component, but to challenge the assumption that the current state of our knowledge is sufficient in all cases to conclusively dismiss this as a possibility. This review also discusses key new tools and approaches that will likely be critical to address this question in the future. Taken together, identifying the key gaps in our understanding is critical for the field to move forward, or at the very least to “know what we don't know.”

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a potential tumour suppressor in pituitary adenomas

Pituitary adenomas (PA) represent the largest group of intracranial neoplasms and yet the molecular mechanisms driving this disease remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to use a high-throughput screening method to identify molecular pathways that may be playing a significant and consistent role in PA. RNA profiling using microarrays on eight local PAs identified the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signalling pathway as a key canonical pathway downregulated in all PA types. This was confirmed by real-time PCR in 31 tumours. The AHR has been shown to regulate cell cycle progression in various cell types; however, its role in pituitary tissue has never been investigated. In order to validate the role of AHR in PA behaviour, further functional studies were undertaken. Over-expression of AHR in GH3 cells revealed a tumour suppressor potential independent of exogenous ligand activation by benzo α-pyrene (BαP). Cell cycle analysis and quantitative PCR of cell cycle regulator genes revealed that both unstimulated and BαP-stimulated AHR reduced E2F-driven transcription and altered expression of cell cycle regulator genes, thus increasing the percentage of cells in G₀/G₁ phase and slowing the proliferation rate of GH3 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation confirmed the interaction between AHR and retinoblastoma (Rb1) protein supporting this as a functional mechanism for the observed reduction. Endogenous Ahr reduction using silencing RNA confirmed the tumour suppressive function of the Ahr. These data support a mechanistic pathway for the putative tumour suppressive role of AHR specifically in PA, possibly through its role as a cell cycle co-regulator, even in the absence of exogenous ligands.

The Complex Biology of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor and Its Role in the Pituitary Gland

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor best known for its ability to mediate the effects of environmental toxins such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD or dioxin), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) through the initiation of transcription of a number of metabolically active enzymes. Therefore, the AHR has been studied mostly in the context of xenobiotic signaling. However, several studies have shown that the AHR is constitutively active and plays an important role in general cell physiology, independently of its activity as a xenobiotic receptor and in the absence of exogenous ligands. Within the pituitary, activation of the AHR by environmental toxins has been implicated in disruption of gonadal development and fertility. Studies carried out predominantly in mouse models have revealed the detrimental influence of several environmental toxins on specific cell lineages of the pituitary tissue mediated by activation of AHR and its downstream effectors. Activation of AHR during fetal development adversely affected pituitary development while adult models exposed to AHR ligands demonstrated varying degrees of pituitary dysfunction. Such dysfunction may arise as a result of direct effects on pituitary cells or indirect effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This review offers in-depth analysis of all aspects of AHR biology, with a particular focus on its role and activity within the adenohypophysis and specifically in pituitary tumorigenesis. A novel mechanism by which the AHR may play a direct role in pituitary cell proliferation and tumor formation is postulated. This review therefore attempts to cover all aspects of the AHR's role in the pituitary tissue, from fetal development to adult physiology and the pathophysiology underlying endocrine disruption and pituitary tumorigenesis.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) increases necroinflammation and hepatic stellate cell activation but does not exacerbate experimental liver fibrosis in mice

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a persistent environmental contaminant and high-affinity ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Increasing evidence indicates that AhR signaling contributes to wound healing, which involves the coordinated deposition and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. In the liver, wound healing is attributed to the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which mediate fibrogenesis through the production of soluble mediators and collagen type I. We recently reported that TCDD treatment increases the activation of human HSCs in vitro. The goal of this study was to determine how TCDD impacts HSC activation in vivo using a mouse model of experimental liver fibrosis. To elicit fibrosis, C57BL6/male mice were treated twice weekly for 8weeks with 0.5ml/kg carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄). TCDD (20μg/kg) or peanut oil (vehicle) was administered once a week during the last 2weeks. Results indicate that TCDD increased liver-body-weight ratios, serum alanine aminotransferase activity, and hepatic necroinflammation in CCl₄-treated mice. Likewise, TCDD treatment increased mRNA expression of HSC activation and fibrogenesis genes, namely α-smooth muscle actin, desmin, delta-like homolog-1, TGF-β1, and collagen type I. However, TCDD treatment did not exacerbate fibrosis, nor did it increase the collagen content of the liver. Instead, TCDD increased hepatic collagenase activity and increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 and the matrix regulatory proteins, TIMP-1 and PAI-1. These results support the conclusion that TCDD increases CCl₄-induced liver damage and exacerbates HSC activation, yet collagen deposition and the development of fibrosis may be limited by TCDD-mediated changes in extracellular matrix remodeling.

Novel roles for AhR and ARNT in the regulation of alcohol dehydrogenases in human hepatic cells

The mechanisms by which pollutants participate in the development of diverse pathologies are not completely understood. The pollutant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) activates the AhR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) signaling pathway. We previously showed that TCDD (25 nM, 30 h) decreased the expression of several alcohol metabolism enzymes (cytochrome P450 2E1, alcohol dehydrogenases ADH1, 4 and 6) in differentiated human hepatic cells (HepaRG). Here, we show that, as rapidly as 8 h after treatment (25 nM TCDD) ADH expression decreased 40 % (p < 0.05). ADH1 and 4 protein levels decreased 40 and 27 %, respectively (p < 0.05), after 72 h (25 nM TCDD). The protein half-lives were not modified by TCDD which suggests transcriptional regulation of expression. The AhR antagonist CH-223191 or AhR siRNA reduced the inhibitory effect of 25 nM TCDD on ADH1A, 4 and 6 expression 50-100 % (p < 0.05). The genomic pathway (via the AhR/ARNT complex) and not the non-genomic pathway involving c-SRC mediated these effects. Other AhR ligands (3-methylcholanthrene and PCB 126) decreased ADH1B, 4 and 6 mRNAs by more than 78 and 55 %, respectively (p < 0.01). TCDD also regulated the expression of ADH4 in the HepG2 human hepatic cell line, in primary human hepatocytes and in C57BL/6J mouse liver. In conclusion, activation of the AhR/ARNT signaling pathway by AhR ligands represents a novel mechanism for regulating the expression of ADHs. These effects may be implicated in the toxicity of AhR ligands as well as in the alteration of ethanol or retinol metabolism and may be associated further with higher risk of liver diseases or/and alcohol abuse disorders.

Recent advances in 2D and 3D in vitro systems using primary hepatocytes, alternative hepatocyte sources and non-parenchymal liver cells and their use in investigating mechanisms of hepatotoxicity, cell signaling and ADME

This review encompasses the most important advances in liver functions and hepatotoxicity and analyzes which mechanisms can be studied in vitro. In a complex architecture of nested, zonated lobules, the liver consists of approximately 80 % hepatocytes and 20 % non-parenchymal cells, the latter being involved in a secondary phase that may dramatically aggravate the initial damage. Hepatotoxicity, as well as hepatic metabolism, is controlled by a set of nuclear receptors (including PXR, CAR, HNF-4α, FXR, LXR, SHP, VDR and PPAR) and signaling pathways. When isolating liver cells, some pathways are activated, e.g., the RAS/MEK/ERK pathway, whereas others are silenced (e.g. HNF-4α), resulting in up- and downregulation of hundreds of genes. An understanding of these changes is crucial for a correct interpretation of in vitro data. The possibilities and limitations of the most useful liver in vitro systems are summarized, including three-dimensional culture techniques, co-cultures with non-parenchymal cells, hepatospheres, precision cut liver slices and the isolated perfused liver. Also discussed is how closely hepatoma, stem cell and iPS cell-derived hepatocyte-like-cells resemble real hepatocytes. Finally, a summary is given of the state of the art of liver in vitro and mathematical modeling systems that are currently used in the pharmaceutical industry with an emphasis on drug metabolism, prediction of clearance, drug interaction, transporter studies and hepatotoxicity. One key message is that despite our enthusiasm for in vitro systems, we must never lose sight of the in vivo situation. Although hepatocytes have been isolated for decades, the hunt for relevant alternative systems has only just begun.

TCDD inhibits heart regeneration in adult zebrafish

Normal adult zebrafish can completely regenerate lost myocardium following partial amputation of the ventricle apex. We report that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) significantly impairs this regeneration. Adult male zebrafish were injected with vehicle (control) or TCDD (70ng/g, ip) 1 day prior to partial amputation of the ventricle apex. Gross observation and histological analysis of the amputated heart at 21 days postamputation revealed that TCDD-exposed fish had not progressed beyond the initial clot formation stage, whereas the vehicle control fish showed substantial recovery and almost complete resolution of the formed clot. In contrast, hearts that were not surgically wounded showed no signs of TCDD toxicity. Striking features in the TCDD-exposed hearts were the absence of the normal sheath of new tissue enveloping the wound and the absence of intense cell proliferation at the site of the wound. In addition, the patterns of collagen deposition at the wound site were different between the TCDD and vehicle groups. Because the receptor for TCDD is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand-activated transcriptional regulator, we examined the effects of TCDD exposure on gene expression in the ventricle using DNA microarrays. Samples were collected just prior to amputation and at 6h and 7 days postamputation. TCDD-pretreated hearts had dysregulated expression of genes involved in heart function, tissue regeneration, cell growth, and extracellular matrix. Because embryonic, but not adult, hearts are major targets for TCDD-induced cardiotoxicity, we speculate that the need for embryonic-like cells in regeneration is connected with the effects of TCDD in inhibiting the response to wounding.

Consequences of TCDD treatment on intra-hepatic lymphocytes during liver regeneration

Increasing evidence demonstrates a physiological role for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in regulating hepatocyte cell cycle progression. Previous studies have used a murine model of liver regeneration to show that exposure to the potent exogenous AhR ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), suppresses hepatocyte proliferation in vivo. Based on recent reports that natural killer (NK) cells negatively regulate liver regeneration, coupled with the well-established immunomodulatory effects of TCDD, it was hypothesized that alterations in lymphocyte activation contribute to the suppression of liver regeneration in TCDD-treated mice. To test this, mice were treated with TCDD (20 μg/kg) 1 day prior to 70% partial hepatectomy (PH), in which two-thirds of the liver was surgically resected. Lymphocytes were collected from the remnant liver and analyzed by flow cytometry. Whereas exposure to TCDD did not alter the number of NK cells or CD3(+) T-cells recovered from the regenerating liver, it reduced the percentage and number of intra-hepatic NKT cells 42 h after PH. With regard to lymphocyte activation, TCDD treatment transiently increased CD69 expression on NK and NKT cells 12 h after PH, but had no effect on intracellular levels of IFNγ in NK, NKT, or CD3(+) T-cells. To determine the relevance of NK cells to the suppression of liver regeneration by TCDD, mice were treated with anti-Asialo GM-1 (ASGM-1) antibody to deplete NK cells prior to TCDD treatment and PH, and hepatocyte proliferation was measured using bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Exposure to TCDD was found to inhibit hepatocyte proliferation in the regenerating liver of NK cell-depleted mice and control mice to the same extent. Hence, it is unlikely that enhanced numbers or increased activation of NK cells contribute to the suppression of liver regeneration in TCDD-treated mice.

Cross-species comparisons of transcriptomic alterations in human and rat primary hepatocytes exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

A toxicogenomics approach was used to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the gene expression changes in human and rat primary hepatocytes exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Hepatocytes from five individual rats and five individual humans were exposed for 24 h to 11 concentrations of TCDD ranging from 0.00001 to 100nM and a vehicle control. Gene expression changes were analyzed using whole-genome microarrays containing 13,002 orthologs. Significant changes in expression of individual orthologs at any concentration (fold change [FC] ± 1.5 and false discovery rate < 0.05) were higher in the rat (1547) compared with human hepatocytes (475). Only 158 differentially expressed orthologs were common between rats and humans. Enrichment analysis was performed on the differentially expressed orthologs in each species with 49 and 34 enriched human and rat pathways, respectively. Only 12 enriched pathways were shared between the two species. The results demonstrate significant cross-species differences in expression at both the gene and pathway level. Benchmark dose analysis of gene expression changes showed an average 18-fold cross-species difference in potency among differentially expressed orthologs with the rat more sensitive than the human. Similar cross-species differences in potency were observed for signaling pathways. Using the maximum FC in gene expression as a measure of efficacy, the human hepatocytes showed on average a 20% lower efficacy among the individual orthologs showing differential expression. The results provide evidence for divergent cross-species gene expression changes in response to TCDD and are consistent with epidemiological and clinical evidence showing humans to be less sensitive to TCDD-induced hepatotoxicity.

The activated aryl hydrocarbon receptor synergizes mitogen-induced murine liver hyperplasia

Mechanisms of hepatocyte proliferation triggered by tissue loss are distinguishable from those that promote proliferation in the intact liver in response to mitogens. Previous studies demonstrate that exogenous activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a soluble ligand-activated transcription factor in the basic helix-loop-helix family of proteins, suppresses compensatory liver regeneration elicited by surgical partial hepatectomy. The goal of the present study was to determine how AhR activation modulates hepatocyte cell cycle progression in the intact liver following treatment with the hepatomitogen, 1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)] benzene (TCPOBOP). Mice were pretreated with the exogenous AhR agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) 24h prior to treatment with TCPOBOP (3 mg/kg).). In contrast to the suppressive effects of AhR activation observed during compensatory regeneration, TCDD pretreatment resulted in a 30-50% increase in hepatocyte proliferation in the intact liver of TCPOBOP-treated mice. Although pretreatment with TCDD suppressed CDK2 kinase activity and increased the association of CDK2 with negative regulatory proteins p21Cip1 and p27Kip1, a corresponding increase in CDK4/cyclin D1 association and CDK4 activity which culminated in enhanced phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein, consistent with the increased proliferative response. These findings are in stark contrast to previous observations that the activated AhR can suppress hepatocyte proliferation in vivo and reveal a new complexity to AhR-mediated cell cycle control.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor functions as a tumor suppressor of liver carcinogenesis

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the biological and toxic effects of its xenobiotic ligands. Previous cell culture studies have shown that, in addition to controlling the xenobiotic detoxification response, AHR activation leads to G0-G1 arrest, diminished capacity for DNA replication, and inhibition of cell proliferation. In fact, recent work from our own and from other laboratories suggests that AHR may function as a tumor suppressor gene that becomes silenced during the process of tumor formation. To test this hypothesis and determine whether the mouse Ahr gene acts as a tumor suppressor gene in vivo, we have examined the role of Ahr ablation in liver tumorigenesis induced by the genotoxic chemical diethylnitrosamine (DEN), a hepatic carcinogen that is not an AHR ligand. In mice given a single i.p. injection of DEN, AHR antagonized liver tumor formation and growth by regulating cell proliferation, inflammatory cytokine expression, and DNA damage, parameters which were significantly elevated in the livers of control and, more so, of DEN-exposed Ahr-/- mice. Ahr-/- hepatocytes also showed significantly higher numbers of 4N cells, increased expression of proliferative markers, and repression of tumor suppressor genes. These data support the concept that in its basal state in the absence of a xenobiotic ligand, the Ahr gene functions as a tumor suppressor gene, and that its silencing may be associated with cancer progression.

Cytochrome P450 CYP1A1: wider roles in cancer progression and prevention

CYP1A1 is one of the main cytochrome P450 enzymes, examined extensively for its capacity to activate compounds with carcinogenic properties. Continuous exposure to inhalation chemicals and environmental carcinogens is thought to increase the level of CYP1A1 expression in extrahepatic tissues, through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Although the latter has long been recognized as a ligand-induced transcription factor, which is responsible for the xenobiotic activating pathway of several phase I and phase II metabolizing enzymes, recent evidence suggests that the AhR is involved in various cell signaling pathways critical to cell cycle regulation and normal homeostasis. Disregulation of these pathways is implicated in tumor progression. In addition, it is becoming increasingly evident that CYP1A1 plays an important role in the detoxication of environmental carcinogens, as well as in the metabolic activation of dietary compounds with cancer preventative activity. Ultimately the contribution of CYP1A1 to cancer progression or prevention may depend on the balance of procarcinogen activation/detoxication and dietary natural product extrahepatic metabolism.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor at the crossroads of multiple signaling pathways

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) has long been recognized as a ligand-activated transcription factor responsible for the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Its role in the combinatorial matrix of cell functions was established long before the first report of an AHR cDNA sequence was published. It is only recently that other functions of this protein have begun to be recognized, and it is now clear that the AHR also functions in pathways outside of its well-characterized role in xenobiotic enzyme induction. Perturbation of these pathways by xenobiotic ligands may ultimately explain much of the toxicity of these compounds. This chapter focuses on the interactions of the AHR in pathways critical to cell cycle regulation, mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, differentiation and apoptosis. Ultimately, the effect of a particular AHR ligand on the biology of the organism will depend on the milieu of critical pathways and proteins expressed in specific cells and tissues with which the AHR itself interacts.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor cross-talks with multiple signal transduction pathways

Exposure to toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons raises a number of toxic and carcinogenic responses in experimental animals and humans mediated for the most part by the aryl hydrocarbon -- or dioxin -- receptor (AHR). The AHR is a ligand-activated transcription factor whose central role in the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes has long been recognized. For quite some time now, it has become clear that the AHR also functions in pathways outside of its role in detoxification and that perturbation of these pathways by xenobiotic ligands may be an important part of the toxicity of these compounds. AHR activation by some of its ligands participates among others in pathways critical to cell cycle regulation, mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, immediate-early gene induction, cross-talk within the RB/E2F axis and mobilization of crucial calcium stores. Ultimately, the effect of a particular AHR ligand may depend as much on the adaptive interactions that it established with pathways and proteins expressed in a specific cell or tissue as on the toxic responses that it raises.

Repression of Ah receptor and induction of transforming growth factor-beta genes in DEN-induced mouse liver tumors

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the biologic and toxic effects of its xenobiotic ligands. In recent years it has become evident that in the absence of ligand the AHR promotes cell cycle progression and that its activation by high-affinity ligands results in interactions with the retinoblastoma protein (RB) that lead to perturbation of the cell cycle, G0/G1 arrest, diminished capacity for DNA replication and inhibition of cell proliferation. Hence, the AHR has diametrically opposed pro-proliferative and anti-proliferative functions that have yet to be reconciled at the molecular level. Work from our own and from other laboratories suggests that the AHR may function as a tumor suppressor gene that becomes silenced in the process of tumor formation. To develop preliminary support for a more thorough examination of this hypothesis we characterized the expression levels of various tumor suppressor genes, transforming growth factor-beta (Tgfb) genes and the Ahr gene in liver tumor samples from mice with a liver-specific RB ablation and their wild-type littermates. In tumors arising in RB-positive livers, Cdkn2d and Tgfb1 were repressed and Cdkn2c, Tgfb2, Tgfb3 and Pai1 were induced, whereas in RB-negative tumors, only Cdkn2c and Tgfb3 were induced. Ahr was significantly repressed in tumors from both sets of mice, supporting the concept that Ahr silencing may be associated with cancer progression.

Ligand-independent regulation of transforming growth factor beta1 expression and cell cycle progression by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the toxic effects of its xenobiotic ligands and acts as an environmental checkpoint during the cell cycle. We expressed stably integrated, Tet-Off-regulated AHR variants in fibroblasts from AHR-null mice to further investigate the AHR role in cell cycle regulation. Ahr+/+ fibroblasts proliferated significantly faster than Ahr-/- fibroblasts did, and exposure to a prototypical AHR ligand or deletion of the ligand-binding domain did not change their proliferation rates, indicating that the AHR function in cell cycle was ligand independent. Growth-promoting genes, such as cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase genes, were significantly down-regulated in Ahr-/- cells, whereas growth-arresting genes, such as the transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) gene, extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes, and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor genes, were up-regulated. Ahr-/- fibroblasts secreted significantly more TGF-beta1 into the culture medium than Ahr+/+ fibroblasts did, and Ahr-/- showed increased levels of activated Smad4 and TGF-beta1 mRNA. Inhibition of TGF-beta1 signaling by overexpression of Smad7 reversed the proliferative and gene expression phenotype of Ahr-/- fibroblasts. Changes in TGF-beta1 mRNA accumulation were due to stabilization resulting from decreased activity of TTP, the tristetraprolin RNA-binding protein responsible for mRNA destabilization through AU-rich motifs. These results show that the Ah receptor possesses interconnected intrinsic cellular functions, such as ECM formation, cell cycle control, and TGF-beta1 regulation, that are independent of activation by either exogenous or endogenous ligands and that may play a crucial role during tumorigenesis.

Sustained aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity attenuates liver regeneration

In hepatocyte-derived cell lines, either loss of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) function or treatment with a persistent AhR agonist such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) can disrupt G1 phase cell cycle progression. The present study used liver regeneration to explore mechanistically how AhR activity modulates hepatocyte proliferation in vivo. Treatment of mice with 20 mug/kg TCDD 1 day before 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) resulted in a 50 to 75% suppression in liver regeneration. Impaired proliferation was not associated with changes in levels of interleukin-6 or tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which prime quiescent hepatocytes to enter G1 phase. In fact, administration of TCDD 12 h after PH, a period well beyond the priming phase, still induced the G1 arrest. Decreased proliferation in TCDD-treated mice correlated with reduced cyclin-dependent kinase-2 (CDK2) activity, a pivotal regulator of G1/S phase transition. In contrast to observations made in cell culture, suppressed CDK2 activity was not strictly associated with increased binding of the CDK2 inhibitors p21Cip1 or p27Kip1. However, TCDD decreased levels of cyclin E binding to CDK2, despite normal cyclin E expression. The evidence also suggests that TCDD-induced hepatic growth arrest depends upon sustained AhR activity because transient AhR activation in response to endogenous queues failed to suppress the regenerative response. These findings establish a functional role for the AhR in regulating normal cell cycle control during liver regeneration.

Impact of the arylhydrocarbon receptor on eugenol- and isoeugenol-induced cell cycle arrest in human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT)

Fragrances such as eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) and isoeugenol (2-methoxy-4-propenylphenol), naturally found in reasonable quantities in the essential oils of different spices, are not only common causes of contact dermatitis but also known for their antiproliferative actions. Previously, we found a cell cycle arrest and an arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated activation of cytochromes in immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) induced by both compounds. In the present study we investigated whether the cell cycle arrest of eugenol and isoeugenol is mediated by the AhR in HaCaT cells. Analysis of the cell cycle status by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) revealed an arrest of cells (32-34%) in the G0/G1 phase induced by both compounds. This was found in synchronized HaCaT cells, natural HaCaT, and siRNA AhR transfected HaCaT. The induced G0/G1 arrests were reduced in the presence of the highly selective AhR antagonist 3'-methoxy-4'-nitroflavone (MNF). In summary, these results, together with our previous findings that both compounds induce translocation of the AhR into the nucleus, provide good evidence that the effects of eugenol and isoeugenol in skin and keratinocytes are mediated by the AhR. Furthermore, these data suggest that the known growth suppressive effects of these compounds in some skin cells may be mediated by AhR interactions.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor, cell cycle regulation, toxicity, and tumorigenesis

Most effects of exposure to halogenated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). It has long been recognized that the AHR is a ligand-activated transcription factor that plays a central role in the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes and hence in xenobiotic detoxification. Of late, it has become evident that outside this well-characterized role, the AHR also functions as a modulator of cellular signaling pathways. In this Prospect, we discuss the involvement of the AHR in pathways critical to cell cycle regulation, mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, immediate-early gene induction, and the functions of the RB protein. Ultimately, the toxicity of AHR xenobiotic ligands may be intrinsically connected with the perturbation of these pathways and depend on the many critical signaling pathways and effectors with which the AHR itself interacts.

Multiple mechanisms are involved in Ah receptor-mediated cell cycle arrest

The liver is the only solid organ that can respond to major tissue loss or damage by regeneration to restore liver biomass. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) can disrupt the regenerative process, as evidenced by suppression of DNA synthesis in rat primary hepatocytes in culture and in vivo liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Independent observations demonstrated that AhR-mediated G(1) phase cell cycle arrest depends on an interaction with the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (pRb), but differences exist regarding proposed mechanisms of action. Two distinct models have been proposed, one supporting the AhR-pRb interaction functioning in corepression of E2F activity and the other favoring an AhR-pRb interaction participating in transcriptional coactivation of genes encoding G(1) phase regulatory proteins. In the present study, experiments in rat hepatoma cells using dominant-negative DNA-binding-defective AhR and Ah receptor nuclear translocator (Arnt) mutants provided evidence that TCDD-induced AhR-mediated G(1) arrest is only partially regulated by direct AhR transcriptional activity, suggesting that both coactivation and corepression are involved. Studies using a small interfering RNA to down-regulate Arnt protein expression revealed that TCDD-induced G(1) arrest is absolutely dependent on the Arnt protein.

Cytochrome P4501A1 promotes G1 phase cell cycle progression by controlling aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) transcription factor is increasingly recognized as functioning in cell cycle control. Several recent reports have shown that AhR activity in the absence of exogenous agonists or presence of the prototypical ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin can affect G1 phase progression in cultured cells. Serum release of serum-starved (G0) 5L rat hepatoma cells triggers transient AhR activation and P4501A1 protein expression concomitant with the G0/G1-to-S phase transition. In contrast, sustained AhR activation in response to TCDD treatment increases p27Kip1 expression in addition to P4501A1, resulting in G1 phase cell cycle arrest. Treating serum-released 5L cells with the alkyne metabolism-based P4501A1 inhibitor 1-(1-propynyl)pyrene results in prolonged AhR activation, enhanced p27Kip1 expression, and G1 phase arrest after serum release. The data are consistent with a cell cycle role for P4501A1 because they show that P4501A1 negatively regulates the duration of AhR action through the metabolic removal of the receptor agonist, thereby preventing AhR-mediated G1 phase arrest.

Influence of ursodeoxycholate-enriched diet on liver tumor growth in HBV transgenic mice

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice (official designation, Tg [Alb-1 HBV] Bri 44) invariably develop macroscopically evident tumors within the 20th month of life. Sustained proliferative activity seems to play an important role in the development of these lesions. We previously showed that ursodeoxycholate (UDC) stimulates hepatocyte proliferation in various experimental settings. Herein, we tested the assumption that biological factors able to further increase liver cell proliferation, such as UDC, could accelerate tumor development in this animal model. For this study, 22 eight-week-old male transgenic mice were divided into 2 groups; 11 animals received a standard diet, and 11 received a UDC-enriched diet. The 2 groups were further divided into 2 subgroups of 5 and 6 animals each and were sacrificed at 3 and 15 months of age, respectively. These different times were chosen to exclude diet-related toxicity (in 3-month-old mice) and evaluate tumor growth (in 15-month-old mice). In addition, hepatocyte proliferation was assessed in all animals. In 3-month-old mice receiving UDC, cholestatic and cytolytic indices as well as liver histology were comparable to those in controls. At 15 months, all UDC-treated mice showed large multinodular tumors whereas only 33% of controls developed smaller uninodular neoplasms. Hepatocyte proliferation was increased in all animals receiving UDC compared with controls. In conclusion, the increase in serum UDC (undetectable in mice fed a standard diet), in the absence of any toxic effect on the liver, suggests the involvement of this bile salt in the stimulation of hepatocyte proliferation and tumor growth.

Essential role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta activation in the induction of glutathione S-transferase by oltipraz

BACKGROUND

Cancer chemopreventive agents transcriptionally induce genes whose protein products can protect cells from chemical-induced carcinogenesis. Oltipraz, a dithiolthione, exerts chemopreventive responses through glutathione S-transferase (GST) induction. We investigated the role of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) in the induction of the GSTA2 gene (alpha class) by oltipraz and identified the enhancer element(s) responsible for GSTA2 gene expression.

METHODS

H4IIE rat hepatocyte-derived cells were treated with oltipraz, and GSTA2 expression was determined by northern and immunoblot analyses. The activation of C/EBPbeta and alpha forms and NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was assessed by immunochemical assays. C/EBPbeta-DNA binding activity was determined by subcellular fractionation and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The role of the C/EBP binding site in the induction of the GSTA2 gene was assessed by luciferase reporter-gene activity. The role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathways in C/EBP-mediated GSTA2 induction was studied by using chemical inhibitors, overexpression vectors, and dominant-negative mutants. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

Oltipraz induced GSTA2 mRNA and protein expression. In oltipraz-treated cells, C/EBPbeta translocated to the nucleus and bound to the consensus sequence of C/EBP (TTGCGCAA). Oltipraz treatment increased luciferase reporter-gene activity in H4IIE cells transfected with the C/EBP-containing regulatory region of the GSTA2 gene. Deletion of the C/EBP binding site or overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant form of C/EBP (AC/EBP) abolished the reporter gene activity. PI3-kinase, but not MAP kinases, was required for C/EBPbeta-dependent induction of GSTA2 by oltipraz.

CONCLUSIONS

Oltipraz-induced GSTA2 gene expression is dependent upon PI3-kinase-mediated nuclear translocation and binding of C/EBPbeta to the C/EBP response element in the GSTA2 gene promoter.

Role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in cell cycle regulation

Traditionally, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is considered to be a ligand-activated receptor and transcription factor responsible for the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Its role in the combinatorial matrix of cell functions was neatly established long before the first report of an AHR cDNA sequence was published. Only recently, other functions of this protein have begun to be recognized. This review addresses novel findings relating to AHR functions that have resulted from experimental approaches markedly outside traditional receptor analyses. Here we examine the aspects of AHR biology relevant to its role in cell cycle regulation, from the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases to the cross-talk between AHR and the RAS pathway and the functional significance of the interaction between AHR and the retinoblastoma protein. We have attempted to provide the reader with a balanced interpretation of the evidence, highlighting areas of consensus as well as areas still being contested.

Regulation of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-Induced Tumor Promotion by 17β-Estradiol in Female Sprague–Dawley Rats

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent hepatocarcinogen in female but not in male rats. In an initiation-promotion model, ovariectomy inhibits TCDD-induced cell replication and reduces both TCDD-induced tumor formation and the promotion of enzyme-altered hepatocellular foci (AHF). The aim of this study was to determine the involvement of the ovarian hormone 17 beta-estradiol in the induction of cell proliferation and development of putative preneoplastic AHF following chronic exposure to TCDD. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-initiated ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were treated with TCDD for 20 or 30 weeks in the presence and absence of 17 beta-estradiol administered continuously by implanted 90-day release pellets. Following 20 weeks of treatment, cell proliferation in TCDD-treated rats was decreased regardless of ovarian hormones. Following 30 weeks of exposureTCDD, only significantly induced cell proliferation in OVX rats receiving supplemental 17 beta-estradiol. These data demonstrate that the the transitory mitoinhibition of cell replication by TCDD is not hormonally responsive, but that induction of cell replication at later time points is. TCDD exposure resulted in elevated AHF expressing gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) in intact, but not OVX rats at both time points. TCDD also induced GGT-positive AHF in 17 beta-estradiol-supplemented OVX rats. TCDD induced AHF expressing the placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (PGST) in both intact and OVX rats regardless of 17 beta-estradiol exposure, indicating that the modulating effect of 17 beta-estradiol on AHF was specific to the GGT-positive phenotype.

Maximal aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity depends on an interaction with the retinoblastoma protein

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) belongs to the basic helix-loop-helix/periodicity/AhR nuclear translocator/simple-minded (Per-Arnt-Sim) family of transcription factors that regulate critical functions during development and tissue homeostasis. Within this family, the AhR is the only member conditionally activated in response to ligand binding, typified by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). We recently demonstrated that the AhR interacts with the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). This report presents evidence that a LXCXE motif in the AhR protein confers pRb binding, which is necessary for maximal TCDD induced G(1) arrest in rat 5L hepatoma cells. The data support a mechanism whereby pRb seems to regulate G(1) cell cycle progression distinct from the direct repression of E2F-mediated transcription. Furthermore, the results indicate that the AhR-pRb interaction regulates TCDD induction of CYP1A1, suggesting that pRb may be a general AhR coactivator.

Ah receptor ligands and tumor promotion: survival of neoplastic cells

A number of agonists of the aryl hydrocarbon or dioxin receptor (AhR) are potent tumor promoters in rodent liver. The prototype compound is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Tumor promotion by TCDD is likely to be AhR-mediated. Tumor promoters may affect the rate of division, terminal differentiation or death (apoptosis) of tumor precursor cells. The present paper reviews some of the effects of TCDD on liver cell homeostasis that have been observed under diverse experimental settings and discusses some of the possible underlying mechanisms.

p27(Kip1) induction and inhibition of proliferation by the intracellular Ah receptor in developing thymus and hepatoma cells

The Ah receptor (AhR), a bHLH/PAS transcription factor, mediates dioxin toxicity in the immune system, skin, testis and liver. Toxic phenomena are associated with altered cell proliferation or differentiation, but signaling pathways of AhR in cell cycle regulation are poorly understood. Here we show that AhR induces the p27(Kip1) cyclin/cdk inhibitor by altering Kip1 transcription in a direct mode without the need for ongoing protein synthesis or cell proliferation. This is the first example of Kip1 being a direct transcriptional target of a toxic agent that affects cell proliferation. Kip1 causes dioxin-induced suppression of 5L hepatoma cell proliferation because Kip1 antisense-expressing cells are resistant to dioxins. Kip1 is also induced by dioxins in cultures of fetal thymus glands concomitant with inhibition of proliferation and severe reduction of thymocyte recovery. Kip1 expression is likely to mediate these effects as thymic glands of Kip1-deficient mice (Kip1(Delta51)) are largely, though not completely, resistant.

Murine hepatic p53, RB, and CDK inhibitory protein expression following acute 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure

This study examined the expression of murine hepatic tumor suppressor and cell cycle inhibitory proteins in response to acute 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) dosing in Balb/c mice. Elevations in expression of p53, retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, p16Ink4, p21Waf1 and p27Kip1 were observed six days after a single dose of 0.25, 0.5, 1 or 2 micrograms TCDD/kg. These data suggest that the TCDD-induced inhibition of hepatocyte proliferation in vivo could be attributed to the expression of cell cycle inhibitory proteins.