RRR-α-Tocopherol succinate down-regulates oncogenic Ras signaling

Gut microbiota in colorectal cancer: From pathogenesis to clinic

Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer, with a significant burden on healthcare and social systems. Its incidence is constantly rising, due to the spread of unhealthy lifestyle, i.e. Western diet. Increasing evidence suggests that westernization-driven microbiome alterations may play a critical role in colorectal tumorigenesis. The current screening strategies for this neoplasm, mainly fecal immunochemical tests, are burdened by unsatisfactory accuracy. Novel, non-invasive biomarkers are rising as the new frontier of colorectal cancer screening, and the microbiome-based ones are showing positive and optimistic results. This Review describes our current knowledge on the role of gut microbiota in colorectal cancer, from its pathogenetic action to its clinical potential as diagnostic biomarker.

How vitamin E and its derivatives regulate tumour cells via the MAPK signalling pathway?'

In tumour cells, vitamin E and its derivatives play a critical role in the regulation of multiple signalling pathways through their oxidative and nonoxidative functions. To date, there are 8 known natural vitamin E forms and many kinds of derivatives, among which VES and α-TEA have excellent anticancer activities. The MAPK pathway consists of a complex cascade of proteins that control the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of tumour cells. The MAPK pathway includes four subfamilies, ERK1/2, JNK1/2, p38 MAPK, and ERK5. Most of the proteins in these subfamilies interact with each other in a complex manner. The anticancer function of vitamin E and its derivatives is closely related to the MAPK cascade. Studies have shown that in tumour cells, α-T/γ-T/γ-T3/δ-T3/VES/α-TEA regulated ERK1/2, prevent tumorigenesis, inhibit tumour cell growth and metastasis and induce cell differentiation, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest; γ-T3/δ-T3/VES/α-TEA regulates JNK1/2, induce apoptosis, reduce ceramide synthesis and inhibit proliferation; and γ-T3/δ-T3/VES regulate p38 MAPK and induce apoptosis. This paper reviews the role of vitamin E and its derivatives in the MAPK cascade, and tumour cells are used as a model in an attempt to explore the mechanism of their interactions.

Vitamin E succinate with multiple functions: A versatile agent in nanomedicine-based cancer therapy and its delivery strategies

Vitamin E succinate (VES), a succinic acid ester of vitamin E, is one of the most effective anticancer compounds of the vitamin E family. VES can inhibit tumor growth by multiple pathways mainly involve tumor proliferation inhibition, apoptosis induction, and metastasis prevention. More importantly, the mitochondrial targeting and damaging property of VES endows it with great potential in exhibiting synergetic effect with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs and overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR). Given the lipophilicity of VES that hinders its bioavailability and therapeutic activity, nanotechnology with multiple advantages has been widely explored to deliver VES and opened up new avenues for its in vivo application. This review aims to introduce the anticancer mechanisms of VES and summarize its delivery strategies using nano-drug delivery systems. Specifically, VES-based combination therapy for synergetic anticancer effect, MDR-reversal, and oral chemotherapy improvement are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and perspectives are discussed.

Dietary Factors Modulating Colorectal Carcinogenesis

The development of colorectal cancer, responsible for 9% of cancer-related deaths, is favored by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The modification of diet and lifestyle may modify the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and prevent neoplasia in up to 50% of cases. The Western diet, characterized by a high intake of fat, red meat and processed meat has emerged as an important contributor. Conversely, a high intake of dietary fiber partially counteracts the unfavorable effects of meat through multiple mechanisms, including reduced intestinal transit time and dilution of carcinogenic compounds. Providing antioxidants (e.g., vitamins C and E) and leading to increased intraluminal production of protective fermentation products, like butyrate, represent other beneficial and useful effects of a fiber-rich diet. Protective effects on the risk of developing colorectal cancer have been also advocated for some specific micronutrients like vitamin D, selenium, and calcium. Diet-induced modifications of the gut microbiota modulate colonic epithelial cell homeostasis and carcinogenesis. This can have, under different conditions, opposite effects on the risk of CRC, through the production of mutagenic and carcinogenic agents or, conversely, of protective compounds. The aim of this review is to summarize the most recent evidence on the role of diet as a potential risk factor for the development of colorectal malignancies, as well as providing possible prevention dietary strategies.

Tocopheryl Succinate-Induced Structural Changes in DPPC Liposomes: DSC and ANS Fluorescence Studies

Recent studies show that alpha-tocopheryl succinate (TS) exhibits selective toxicity against cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of TS's presence on the physico-chemical and structural properties of DPPC liposomes using fluorescence parameters (intensity, lifetime, and position of emission maximum) of 1-anilino-8-naphtalene sulphonate (ANS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and zeta potential methods. Increasing the TS presence in the DPPC gel phase produced ANS fluorescence enhancement with a hypsochromic shift of the maximum. The zeta potential measurements show an increase in the negative surface charge and confirmed that this process is connected with the hydrophobic properties of dye, which becomes located deeper into the interphase region with a progressing membrane disorder. Temperature dependence studies showed that an increase in temperature increases the ANS fluorescence and shifts the ANS maximum emission from 464 to 475 nm indicating a shift from hydrophobic to a more aqueous environment. In the liquid crystalline phase, the quenching of ANS fluorescence occurs due to the increased accessibility of water to the ANS located in the glycerol region. The DSC results revealed that increasing the presence of TS led to the formation of multicomponent DSC traces, indicating the formation of intermediate structures during melting. The present results confirmed that TS embedded into the DPPC membrane led to its disruption due to destabilisation of its structure, which confirmed the measured biophysical parameters of the membrane.

Dietary components that counteract the increased risk of colorectal cancer related to red meat consumption

Western-style diets are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). In particular, a strong correlation has been documented between CRC and the consumption of large amounts of red meat, especially processed red meat. Compared with white meat, red meat contains high levels of haem iron, a molecule that can exert a variety of genotoxic and other adverse effects on the colonic epithelium. According to current international guidelines, the reduction of red meat intake combined with the consumption of food containing antioxidant and chemoprotective substances may significantly reduce the risk of developing CRC. The dietary strategies that can help to contrast the harmful effects of haem iron are reported and discussed in this review.

α-Tocopheryl Succinate Affects Malignant Cell Viability, Proliferation, and Differentiation

The widespread occurrence of malignant tumors motivates great attention to finding and investigating effective new antitumor preparations. Such preparations include compounds of the vitamin E family. Among them, α-tocopheryl succinate (vitamin E succinate (VES)) has the most pronounced antitumor properties. In this review, various targets and mechanisms of the antitumor effect of vitamin E succinate are characterized. It has been shown that VES has multiple intracellular targets and effects, and as a result VES is able to induce apoptosis in tumor cells, inhibit their proliferation, induce differentiation, prevent metastasizing, and inhibit angiogenesis. However, VES has minimal effects on normal cells and tissues. Due to the variety of targets and selectivity of action, VES is a promising agent against malignant neoplasms. More detailed studies in this area can contribute to development of effective and safe chemotherapeutic preparations.

Molecular and Biochemical Analysis of the Estrogenic and Proliferative Properties of Vitamin E Compounds

Tocols are vitamin E compounds that include tocopherols (TPs) and tocotrienols (TTs). These lipophilic compounds are phenolic antioxidants and are reportedly able to modulate estrogen receptor β (ERβ). We investigated the molecular determinants that control their estrogenicity and effects on the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Docking experiments highlighted the importance of the tocol phenolic groups for their interaction with the ERs. Binding experiments confirmed that they directly interact with both ERα and ERβ with their isoforms showing potencies in the following order: δ-tocols > γ-tocols > α-tocols. We also found that tocols activated the transcription of an estrogen-responsive reporter gene that had been stably transfected into cells expressing either ERα or ERβ. The role of the phenolic group in tocol-ER interaction was further established using δ-tocopherylquinone, the oxidized form of δ-TP, which had no ER affinity and did not induce ER-dependent transcriptional modulation. Tocol activity also required the AF1 transactivation domain of ER. We found that both δ-TP and δ-TT stimulated the expression of endogenous ER-dependent genes. However, whereas δ-TP induced the proliferation of ER-positive breast cancer cells but not ER-negative breast cancer cells, δ-TT inhibited the proliferation of both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells. These effects of δ-TT were found to act through the down regulation of HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity, establishing that ERs are not involved in this effect. Altogether, these data show that the reduced form of δ-TP has estrogenic properties which are lost when it is oxidized, highlighting the importance of the redox status in its estrogenicity. Moreover, we have shown that δ-TT has antiproliferative effects on breast cancer cells independently of their ER status through the inhibition of HMGR. These data clearly show that TPs can be discriminated from TTs according to their structure.

Anticancer drugs targeting the mitochondrial electron transport chain

SIGNIFICANCE

Mitochondria are emerging as highly intriguing organelles showing promise but that are yet to be fully exploited as targets for anticancer drugs.

RECENT ADVANCES

A group of compounds that induce mitochondrial destabilization, thereby affecting the physiology of cancer cells, has been defined and termed 'mitocans.' Based on their mode of action of targeting in and around mitochondria, we have placed these agents into several groups including hexokinase inhibitors, compounds targeting Bcl-2 family proteins, thiol redox inhibitors, VDAC/ANT targeting drugs, electron transport chain-targeting drugs, lipophilic cations targeting the inner membrane, agents affecting the tricarboxylic acid cycle, drugs targeting mtDNA, and agents targeting other presently unknown sites.

CRITICAL ISSUES

Mitocans have a potential to prove highly efficient in suppressing various malignant diseases in a selective manner. They include compounds that are currently in clinical trial and offer substantial promise to become clinically applied drugs. Here we update and redefine the individual classes of mitocans, providing examples of the various members of these groups with a particular focus on agents targeting the electron transport chain, and indicate their potential application in clinical practice.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Even though reactive oxygen species induction is important for the anticancer activity of many mitocans, the precise sequence of events preceding and following this pivotal event are not yet fully clarified, and warrant further investigation. This is imperative for effective deployment of these compounds in the clinic.

Troglitazone suppresses c-Myc levels in human prostate cancer cells via a PPARγ-independent mechanism

Troglitazone is a ligand for the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) that decreases growth of human prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. However, the mechanism by which troglitazone reduces prostate cancer cell growth is not fully understood. To understand the signaling pathways involved in troglitazone-induced decreases in prostate cancer growth, we examined the effect of troglitazone on androgen-independent C4-2 human prostate cancer cells. Initial experiments revealed troglitazone inhibited C4-2 cell proliferation by arresting cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase of the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. Since the proto-oncogene product c-Myc regulates both apoptosis and cell cycle progression, we next examined whether troglitazone altered expression of c-Myc. Troglitazone decreased c-Myc protein levels as well as expression of downstream targets of c-Myc in a dose-dependent manner. In C4-2 cells, troglitazone-induced decreases in c-Myc protein involve proteasome-mediated degradation of c-Myc protein as well as reductions in c-Myc mRNA levels. It appears that troglitazone stimulates degradation of c-Myc by increasing c-Myc phosphorylation, for the level of phosphorylated c-Myc was elevated in prostate cancer cells exposed to troglitazone. While troglitazone dramatically decreased the amount of c-Myc within C4-2 cells, the PPARγ ligands ciglitazone, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone did not reduce c-Myc protein levels. Furthermore the down-regulation of c-Myc by troglitazone was not blocked by the PPARγ antagonist GW9662 and siRNA-mediated decreases in PPARγ protein. Thus, our data suggest that troglitazone reduces c-Myc protein independently of PPARγ.

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 promotes NIH3T3 fibroblast proliferation by activating p-Akt and cell cycle progression

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) plays various roles in cell growth in different cell types. However, few studies have focused on TIMP-1's effect on fibroblast cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of TIMP-1 overexpression on NIH3T3 fibroblast proliferation and potential transduction signaling pathways involved. Overexpression of TIMP-1, by transfection of the pLenti6/V5-DESTTIMP-1 plasmid, significantly promoted NIH3T3 proliferation as determined by the BrdU array. Neither 5 nor 15 nM GM6001 (matrix metalloproteinase system inhibitor) affected NIH3T3 proliferation, but 45 nM GM6001 inhibited proliferation. TIMP-1 overexpression activated the p-Akt pathway, but not the p-ERK or p-p38 pathway. In TIMP-1-transfected cells, cyclinD1 was upregulated and p21CIP1 and p27(KIP1) were downregulated, which promoted cell entry into the S and G2/M phases. The PI3-K inhibitor LY294002 abolished the TIMP-1-induced effects. Overexpression of intracellular TIMP-1 stimulated NIH3T3 fibroblast proliferation in a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-independent manner by activating the p-Akt pathway and related cell cycle progression.

alpha-Tocopheryl phosphate--an active lipid mediator?

The vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol, alphaT) derivative, alpha-tocopheryl phosphate (alphaTP), is detectable in small amounts in plasma, tissues, and cultured cells. Studies done in vitro and in vivo suggest that alphaT can become phosphorylated and alphaTP dephosphorylated, suggesting the existence of enzyme(s) with alphaT kinase or alphaTP phosphatase activity, respectively. As a supplement in animal studies, alphaTP can reach plasma concentrations similar to alphaT and only a part is dephosphorylated; thus, alphaTP may act both as pro-vitamin E, but also as phosphorylated form of vitamin E with possibly novel regulatory activities. Many effects of alphaTP have been described: in the test tube alphaTP modulates the activity of several enzymes; in cell culture alphaTP affects proliferation, apoptosis, signal transduction, and gene expression; in animal studies alphaTP prevents atherosclerosis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and induces hippocampal long-term potentiation. At the molecular level, alphaTP may act as a cofactor for enzymes, as an active lipid mediator similar to other phosphorylated lipids, or indirectly by altering membrane characteristics such as lipid rafts, fluidity, and curvature. In this review, the molecular and cellular activities of alphaTP are examined and the possible functions of alphaTP as a natural compound, cofactor and active lipid mediator involved in signal transduction and gene expression discussed.

The CRAL/TRIO and GOLD domain protein TAP-1 regulates RAF-1 activation

The activation of the protein kinase Raf at the cell membrane is a critical step in cell signaling during development, but the mechanisms that regulate Raf activity remain incompletely defined. We previously demonstrated that the C. elegans cgr-1 gene encodes a CRAL/TRIO domain-containing protein that is a critical modulator of Ras-dependent cell fate specification during C. elegans development. Here we identify the mammalian alpha-tocopherol associated protein-1 (TAP-1) as a functional ortholog of cgr-1. TAP-1 mRNA was expressed in many tissues, and TAP-1 protein colocalized with Ras and Raf at the cell membrane. Reducing TAP-1 expression by RNA interference increased Ras/ERK signaling in multiple cell types. These functional studies demonstrate that CRAL/TRIO domain proteins play a conserved role in regulating Ras signaling. Biochemical analyses indicated that TAP-1 operates at the level of Raf, since TAP-1 function negatively regulated the amount of Raf-1 recruited to GTP-bound Ras at the cell membrane. TAP-1 plays a significant physiological role in controlling cell division, since reducing TAP-1 expression increased the oncogenic capacity of Ras transformed human cancer cell lines. These studies identify TAP-1 as a critical modulator of Ras-mediated cellular signaling.

Vitamin E analogues as a novel group of mitocans: anti-cancer agents that act by targeting mitochondria

Mitochondria have recently emerged as new and promising targets for cancer prevention and therapy. One of the reasons for this is that mitochondria are instrumental to many types of cell death and often lie downstream from the initial actions of anti-cancer drugs. Unlike the tumour suppressor gene encoding p53 that is notoriously prone to inactivating mutations but whose function is essential for induction of apoptosis by DNA-targeting agents (such as doxorubicin or 5-fluorouracil), mitochondria present targets that are not so compromised by genetic mutation and whose targeting overcomes problems with mutations of upstream targets such as p53. We have recently proposed a novel class of anti-cancer agents, mitocans that exert their anti-cancer activity by destabilising mitochondria, promoting the selective induction of apoptotic death in tumour cells. In this communication, we review recent findings on mitocans and propose a common basis for their mode of action in inducing apoptosis of cancer cells. We use as an example the analogues of vitamin E that are proving to be cancer cell-specific and may soon be developed into efficient anti-cancer drugs.

Modulation of signal transduction by vitamin E

The ability of vitamin E to modulate signal transduction and gene expression has been observed in numerous studies; however, the detailed molecular mechanisms involved are often not clear. The eight natural vitamin E analogues and synthetic derivatives affect signal transduction with different potency, possibly reflecting their different ability to interact with specific proteins. Vitamin E modulates the activity of several enzymes involved in signal transduction, such as protein kinase C, protein kinase B, protein tyrosine kinases, 5-, 12-, and 15-lipoxygenases, cyclooxygenase-2, phospholipase A2, protein phosphatase 2A, protein tyrosine phosphatase, and diacylglycerol kinase. Activation of some these enzymes after stimulation of cell surface receptors with growth factors or cytokines can be normalized by vitamin E. At the molecular level, the translocation of several of these enzymes to the plasma membrane is affected by vitamin E, suggesting that the modulation of protein-membrane interactions may be a common theme for vitamin E action. In this review the main effects of vitamin E on enzymes involved in signal transduction are summarized and the possible mechanisms leading to enzyme modulation evaluated. The elucidation of the molecular and cellular events affected by vitamin E could reveal novel strategies and molecular targets for developing similarly acting compounds.

The Roles of α‐Vitamin E and Its Analogues in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading fatal cancer in American men. Comprehensive studies from human epidemiological studies, animal tumor models, and cellular molecular levels suggested that alpha-vitamin E and its derivatives possess remarkable chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic against prostate cancer. This chapter details the facts of alpha-vitamin E and its nonantioxidant functions in prostate cancer, focuses on the biological mechanisms for the alpha-vitamin E and its ester analogue, alpha-vitamin E succinate (VES), in prevention and therapy of prostate cancer, and raises specific questions that remain for intensive investigation in the future.

Vitamin E and cancer

Perhaps not surprisingly, vitamin E which has been touted to be potentially beneficial for a variety of disorders, including cancer, heart disease, and even Alzheimer's disorder, based on its function as an antioxidant has failed to withstand the scrutiny of recent, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials, including failure to provide science-based support for vitamin E as a potent anticancer agent. Although less studied, vitamin E forms other than RRR-alpha-tocopherol or synthetic all-rac-alpha-tocopherol show promise as anticancer agents in preclinical studies. This chapter will (1) review basic information about natural and synthetic vitamin E compounds as well as vitamin E analogues, (2) summarize the current status of human intervention trials, (3) review data from preclinical cell culture and animal model studies of vitamin E compounds and novel vitamin E-based analogues in regards to future potential for cancer treatment, and (4) summarize some of the insights that have been gained into the anticancer mechanisms of action of vitamin E-based compounds which are providing interesting insights into their potent proapoptotic effects, which include restoration of apoptotic signaling pathways and blockage of prosurvival signaling events.