Pinpointing differences in cisplatin-induced apoptosis in adherent and non-adherent cancer cells

In Vitro Characterization of a Threonine-Ligated Molybdenyl-Sulfide Cluster as a Putative Cyanide Poisoning Antidote; Intracellular Distribution, Effects on Organic Osmolyte Homeostasis, and Induction of Cell Death

Binuclear molybdenum sulfur complexes are effective for the catalytic conversion of cyanide into thiocyanate. The complexes themselves exhibit low toxicity and high aqueous solubility, which render them suitable as antidotes for cyanide poisoning. The binuclear molybdenum sulfur complex [(thr)Mo2O2(μ-S)2(S2)]- (thr - threonine) was subjected to biological studies to evaluate its cellular accumulation and mechanism of action. The cellular uptake and intracellular distribution in human alveolar (A549) cells, quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and cell fractionation methods, revealed the presence of the compound in cytosol, nucleus, and mitochondria. The complex exhibited limited binding to DNA, and using the expression of specific protein markers for cell fate indicated no effect on the expression of stress-sensitive channel components involved in cell volume regulation, weak inhibition of cell proliferation, no increase in apoptosis, and even a reduction in autophagy. The complex is anionic, and the sodium complex had higher solubility compared to the potassium. As the molybdenum complex possibly enters the mitochondria, it is considered as a promising remedy to limit mitochondrial cyanide poisoning following, e.g., smoke inhalation injuries.

Facilitating the Cellular Accumulation of Pt-Based Chemotherapeutic Drugs

Cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin are Pt-based drugs used in the chemotherapeutic eradication of cancer cells. Although most cancer patient cells initially respond well to the treatment, the clinical effectiveness declines over time as the cancer cells develop resistance to the drugs. The Pt-based drugs are accumulated via membrane-bound transporters, translocated to the nucleus, where they trigger various intracellular cell death programs through DNA interaction. Here we illustrate how resistance to Pt-based drugs, acquired through limitation in the activity/subcellular localization of canonical drug transporters, might be circumvented by the facilitated uptake of Pt-based drug complexes via nanocarriers/endocytosis or lipophilic drugs by diffusion.

miR-3156-3p is downregulated in HPV-positive cervical cancer and performs as a tumor-suppressive miRNA

Background

Cervical cancer (CC) is the second most common cancer in females in developing countries. The two viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 mediate the oncogenic activities of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), and HR-HPV, especially HPV16 or/and HPV18 (HPV16/18) play critical roles in CC through different pathways. microRNAs (miRNAs) may be associated with CC pathogenesis. Researches have indicated that human papillomavirus (HPV) may regulate cellular miRNA expression through viral E6 and E7. Herein, the purposes of this study were to identify the relationship between HPV infection and aberrantly expressed miRNAs and to investigate their pathogenic roles in CC.

Methods

miRNA expression was assessed using a microRNAs microarray in HPV16 E6- and E7-integrated HPV-negative HT-3 cell lines and mock vector-transfected HT-3 cells. The microarray results were validated, and the expression of miR-3156-3p was identified in HPV-positive and -negative CC cell lines as well as primary CC and normal cervical epithelium tissues using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), flow cytometry, transwell analysis, tube formation, and Western blotting were used to identify the functional role of miR-3156-3p in CaSki, SiHa, and HeLa cell lines.

Results

Six underexpressed microRNAs (miR-3156-3p, 6779-3p, 4779-3p, 6841-3p, 454-5p and 656-5p) were consistently identified in HPV16 E6- and E7-integrated HT-3 cells. Further investigation confirmed a significant decrease of miR-3156-3p in HPV16/18 positive CC lesions. CCK8, flow cytometry, transwell analysis, tube formation assays, and Western blotting of the CC cell lines with miR-3156-3p over/under-expression in vitro showed that miR-3156-3p was involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, neovascularization, and SLC6A6 regulation.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that miR-3156-3p plays a suppressor-miRNA role in CC and that its expression is associated with HR-HPV infection.

Cellular uptake of metallated cobalamins

Cellular uptake of vitamin B12-cisplatin conjugates was estimated via detection of their metal constituents (Co, Pt, and Re) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Vitamin B12 (cyano-cob(iii)alamin) and aquo-cob(iii)alamin [Cbl-OH2](+), which differ in the β-axial ligands (CN(-) and H2O, respectively), were included as control samples. The results indicated that B12 derivatives delivered cisplatin to both cellular cytosol and nuclei with an efficiency of one third compared to the uptake of free cisplatin cis-[Pt(II)Cl2(NH3)2]. In addition, uptake of charged B12 derivatives including [Cbl-OH2](+), [{Co}-CN-{cis-PtCl(NH3)2}](+), [{Re}-{Co}-CN-{cis-PtCl(NH3)2}](+), and [{Co}-CN-{trans-Pt(Cyt)(NH3)2}](2+) (Cyt = cytarabin) was high compared to neutral B12, which implied the existence of an additional internalization pathway for charged B12 vitamin analogs. The affinities of the charged B12 derivatives to the B12 transporters HC, IF and TC were similar to that of native vitamin B12.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of large cyanobacterial strain set using selected human and murine in vitro cell models

The production of cytotoxic molecules interfering with mammalian cells is extensively reported in cyanobacteria. These compounds may have a use in pharmacological applications; however, their potential toxicity needs to be considered. We performed cytotoxicity tests of crude cyanobacterial extracts in six cell models in order to address the frequency of cyanobacterial cytotoxicity to human cells and the level of specificity to a particular cell line. A set of more than 100 cyanobacterial crude extracts isolated from soil habitats (mainly genera Nostoc and Tolypothrix) was tested by MTT test for in vitro toxicity on the hepatic and non-hepatic human cell lines HepG2 and HeLa, and three cell systems of rodent origin: Yac-1, Sp-2 and Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts. Furthermore, a subset of the extracts was assessed for cytotoxicity against primary cultures of human hepatocytes as a model for evaluating potential hepatotoxicity. Roughly one third of cyanobacterial extracts caused cytotoxic effects (i.e. viability<75%) on human cell lines. Despite the sensitivity differences, high correlation coefficients among the inhibition values were obtained for particular cell systems. This suggests a prevailing general cytotoxic effect of extracts and their constituents. The non-transformed immortalized fibroblasts (Balb/c 3T3) and hepatic cancer line HepG2 exhibited good correlations with primary cultures of human hepatocytes. The presence of cytotoxic fractions in strongly cytotoxic extracts was confirmed by an activity-guided HPLC fractionation, and it was demonstrated that cyanobacterial cytotoxicity is caused by a mixture of components with similar hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties. The data presented here could be used in further research into in vitro testing based on human models for the toxicological monitoring of complex cyanobacterial samples.

Role of volume-regulated and calcium-activated anion channels in cell volume homeostasis, cancer and drug resistance

Volume-regulated channels for anions (VRAC) / organic osmolytes (VSOAC) play essential roles in cell volume regulation and other cellular functions, e.g. proliferation, cell migration and apoptosis. LRRC8A, which belongs to the leucine rich-repeat containing protein family, was recently shown to be an essential component of both VRAC and VSOAC. Reduced VRAC and VSOAC activities are seen in drug resistant cancer cells. ANO1 is a calcium-activated chloride channel expressed on the plasma membrane of e.g., secretory epithelia. ANO1 is amplified and highly expressed in a large number of carcinomas. The gene, encoding for ANO1, maps to a region on chromosome 11 (11q13) that is frequently amplified in cancer cells. Knockdown of ANO1 impairs cell proliferation and cell migration in several cancer cells. Below we summarize the basic biophysical properties of VRAC, VSOAC and ANO1 and their most important cellular functions as well as their role in cancer and drug resistance.

Regulation of p53 in NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts following hyperosmotic stress

The aim of this project was to analyze the regulation of p53 expression in NIH3T3 fibroblasts under the influence of increasing hyperosmotic stress. Expression of p53 showed a biphasic response pattern in NIH3T3 cells under increasing osmotic stress (337 mOsm to 737 mOsm) with a maximum at 587 mOsm. Under isotonic conditions p53 expression increased after addition of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 indicating that cellular p53 levels in unperturbed cells is kept low by proteasomal degradation. However, under hypertonic conditions p53 synthesis as well as p53 degradation were significantly reduced and it is demonstrated that the increase in p53 expression observed when tonicity is increased from 337 to 587 mOsm reflects that degradation is more inhibited than synthesis, whereas the decrease in p53 expression at higher tonicities reflects that synthesis is more inhibited than degradation. The activity of the p53 regulating proteins p38 MAP kinase and the ubiquitin ligase MDM2 were studied as a function of increasing osmolarity. MDM2 protein expression was unchanged at all osmolarities, whereas MDM2 phosphorylation (Ser¹⁶⁶) increased at osmolarities up to 537 mOsm and remained constant at higher osmolarities. Phosphorylation of p38 increased at osmolarities up to 687 mOsm which correlated with an increased phosphorylation of p53 (Ser¹⁵) and the decreased p53 degradation. Caspase-3 activity increased gradually with hypertonicity and at 737 mOsm both Caspase-3 activity and annexin V binding are high even though p53 expression and activity are low, indicating that initiation of apoptosis under severe hypertonic conditions is not strictly controlled by p53.

In vitro characterization of a novel C,N-cyclometalated benzimidazole Ru(II) arene complex: stability, intracellular distribution and binding, effects on organic osmolyte homeostasis and induction of apoptosis

In the present work a novel C,N-cyclometalated benzimidazole Ru(ii) arene complex (GY34) was characterized by applying an alternative, diverse approach considering both chemical and biological aspects. RP-HPLC-ICP-MS and RP-HPLC-ESI-MS analysis proved that GY34 in both RPMI-1640 cell medium and ammonium acetate buffer was transformed into several subspecies and the importance of evaluating and controlling analyte stability throughout experiments was demonstrated. Applying a novel cell fractionation protocol GY34 was found to target cell nuclei and mitochondria in Ehrlich Lettré Ascites (ELA) cells, with the intracellular distribution depending on GY34 concentration in the cell medium during incubation. In ELA cells 96 ± 0.2% of cytosolic GY34 was bound to high-molecular species. Furthermore, using the tracer technique GY34 was found to reduce uptake and increase release of the organic osmolyte taurine in ELA cells, with innate resistance to Cisplatin and in A2780 human ovarian cancer cells, with acquired resistance to Cisplatin. Importantly, FACS analysis revealed that GY34 induced apoptosis in ELA cells. The present data suggest the potential of GY34 in overcoming Cisplatin resistance. The methodology applied can be used as a general protocol and an additional tool in the initial evaluation of novel metal-based drugs.

Physiological role of taurine--from organism to organelle

Taurine is often referred to as a semi-essential amino acid as newborn mammals have a limited ability to synthesize taurine and have to rely on dietary supply. Taurine is not thought to be incorporated into proteins as no aminoacyl tRNA synthetase has yet been identified and is not oxidized in mammalian cells. However, taurine contributes significantly to the cellular pool of organic osmolytes and has accordingly been acknowledged for its role in cell volume restoration following osmotic perturbation. This review describes taurine homeostasis in cells and organelles with emphasis on taurine biophysics/membrane dynamics, regulation of transport proteins involved in active taurine uptake and passive taurine release as well as physiological processes, for example, development, lung function, mitochondrial function, antioxidative defence and apoptosis which seem to be affected by a shift in the expression of the taurine transporters and/or the cellular taurine content.

Acquired cisplatin resistance in human ovarian A2780 cancer cells correlates with shift in taurine homeostasis and ability to volume regulate

Cisplatin resistance is a major challenge in the treatment of cancer and develops through reduced drug accumulation and an increased ability to avoid drug-induced cell damage, cell shrinkage, and hence initiation of apoptosis. Uptake and release of the semiessential amino acid taurine contribute to cell volume homeostasis, and taurine has been reported to have antiapoptotic effects. Here we find that volume-sensitive taurine release in cisplatin-sensitive [wild-type (WT)] human ovarian cancer A2780 cells is reduced in the presence of the phospholipase A2 inhibitor bromenol lactone, the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) inhibitor ETH 615-139, and the cysteine leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1) antagonist zafirlukast and impaired by the anion channel blocker DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate). Comparing WT and cisplatin-resistant (RES) A2780 cells we also find that evasion of cisplatin-induced cell death in RES A2780 cells correlates with an increased accumulation of taurine, due to an increased taurine uptake and a concomitant impairment of the volume-sensitive taurine release pathway, as well an inability to reduce cell volume after osmotic cell swelling. Downregulation of volume-sensitive taurine release in RES A2780 cells correlates with reduced expression of the leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 8A (LRRC8A). Furthermore, acute (18 h) exposure to cisplatin (5-10 μM) increases taurine release and LRRC8A expression in WT A2780 cells whereas cisplatin has no effect on LRRC8A expression in RES A2780 cells. It is suggested that shift in LRRC8A activity can be used as biomarker for apoptotic progress and acquirement of drug resistance.

mTOR ensures increased release and reduced uptake of the organic osmolyte taurine under hypoosmotic conditions in mouse fibroblasts

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that modulates translation in response to growth factors and alterations in nutrient availability following hypoxia and DNA damage. Here we demonstrate that mTOR activity in Ehrlich Lettré ascites (ELA) cells is transiently increased within minutes following osmotic cell swelling and that inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphatase (PTEN) counteracts the upstream phosphatidylinositol kinase and potentiates mTOR activity. PTEN inhibition concomitantly potentiates swelling-induced taurine release via the volume-sensitive transporter for organic osmolytes and anion channels (VSOAC) and enhances swelling-induced inhibition of taurine uptake via the taurine-specific transporter (TauT). Chronic osmotic stress, i.e., exposure to hypotonic or hypertonic media for 24 h, reduces and increases mTOR activity in ELA cells, respectively. Using rapamycin, we demonstrate that mTOR inhibition is accompanied by reduction in TauT activity and increase in VSOAC activity in cells expressing high (NIH3T3 fibroblasts) or low (ELA) amounts of mTOR protein. The effect of mTOR inhibition on TauT activity reflects reduced TauT mRNA, TauT protein abundance, and an overall reduction in protein synthesis, whereas the effect on VSOAC is mimicked by catalase inhibition and correlates with reduced catalase mRNA abundance. Hence, mTOR activity favors loss of taurine following hypoosmotic cell swelling, i.e., release via VSOAC and uptake via TauT during acute hypotonic exposure is potentiated and reduced, respectively, by phosphorylation involving mTOR and/or the kinases upstream to mTOR. Decrease in TauT activity during chronic hypotonic exposure, on the other hand, involves reduction in expression/activity of TauT and enzymes in antioxidative defense.

Role of SLC6A6 in promoting the survival and multidrug resistance of colorectal cancer

The treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) might be improved by the identification of a signalling pathway that could be targeted with novel therapeutics. The results of this study indicate that the taurine transporter SLC6A6 is highly expressed in CRC cells compared with normal colonocytes. SLC6A6 knockdown (KD) attenuated cell survival and was accompanied by enhanced drug sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), doxycycline (DOX) and SN-38. Both the population frequency of the side population (SP) cells and their cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties (such as tumour initiation, differentiation and chemoresistance) were abrogated by SLC6A6-KD. Conversely, SLC6A6 overexpression increased cell survival and the proportion of SP cells, enhancing multidrug resistance (MDR). Additionally, SLC6A6-siRNA treatment enhanced the cytotoxic effects of all 3 drugs, whereas the efficacy of ABCG2-siRNA treatment was limited to its 2 substrate drugs, DOX and SN-38. This study indicates that SLC6A6 plays an important role in the maintenance of CSC characteristics, thus promoting cell survival signalling and chemoresistance. Therefore, SLC6A6 inhibition may be a promising therapeutic strategy for refractory CRC.

Ion channels and transporters in the development of drug resistance in cancer cells

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) to chemotherapy is the major challenge in the treatment of cancer. MDR can develop by numerous mechanisms including decreased drug uptake, increased drug efflux and the failure to undergo drug-induced apoptosis. Evasion of drug-induced apoptosis through modulation of ion transporters is the main focus of this paper and we demonstrate how pro-apoptotic ion channels are downregulated, while anti-apoptotic ion transporters are upregulated in MDR. We also discuss whether upregulation of ion transport proteins that are important for proliferation contribute to MDR. Finally, we discuss the possibility that the development of MDR involves sequential and localized upregulation of ion channels involved in proliferation and migration and a concomitant global and persistent downregulation of ion channels involved in apoptosis.

Anoctamin 6 differs from VRAC and VSOAC but is involved in apoptosis and supports volume regulation in the presence of Ca2+

Anoctamin 6 (ANO6), also known as TMEM16F, has been shown to be a calcium-activated anion channel with delayed calcium activation. The cellular function of ANO6 is under debate, and different groups have come to different conclusions about ANO6's physiological role. Although it is now quite well established that ANO6 is distinct from the volume-regulated anion channel, it is still unclear whether ANO6 or other anoctamins can be activated by cell swelling. In this study, we suggest that ANO1, ANO6, and ANO10 do not contribute to the volume-activated current in ANO-overexpressing HEK293 cells. Furthermore, knock-down of ANO6 in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (EATC) and Ehrlich-Lettre ascites (ELA) did not decrease but instead significantly increased swelling-activated membrane currents. Knock-down of ANO6 in EATC did not reduce regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in the absence of extracellular calcium, whereas it significantly reduced RVD in the presence of calcium. Interestingly, we found that knock-down of ANO6 in ELA cells resulted in a decrease in cisplatin-induced caspase-3 activity, confirming earlier findings that ANO6 is involved in apoptosis. Finally, knock-down of ANO1 and ANO6 did not affect the volume-sensitive release of taurine in ELA cells. Thus, our data provide evidence that ANO6 cannot be activated directly by cell swelling unless Ca(2+) is present. We also conclude that ANO6 carries a current during RVD, provided extracellular calcium is present. Thus, swelling activation of ANO6 requires the presence of free calcium.

Role of ion transport in control of apoptotic cell death

Cell shrinkage is a hallmark and contributes to signaling of apoptosis. Apoptotic cell shrinkage requires ion transport across the cell membrane involving K(+) channels, Cl(-) or anion channels, Na(+)/H(+) exchange, Na(+),K(+),Cl(-) cotransport, and Na(+)/K(+)ATPase. Activation of K(+) channels fosters K(+) exit with decrease of cytosolic K(+) concentration, activation of anion channels triggers exit of Cl(-), organic osmolytes, and HCO3(-). Cellular loss of K(+) and organic osmolytes as well as cytosolic acidification favor apoptosis. Ca(2+) entry through Ca(2+)-permeable cation channels may result in apoptosis by affecting mitochondrial integrity, stimulating proteinases, inducing cell shrinkage due to activation of Ca(2+)-sensitive K(+) channels, and triggering cell-membrane scrambling. Signaling involved in the modification of cell-volume regulatory ion transport during apoptosis include mitogen-activated kinases p38, JNK, ERK1/2, MEKK1, MKK4, the small G proteins Cdc42, and/or Rac and the transcription factor p53. Osmosensing involves integrin receptors, focal adhesion kinases, and tyrosine kinase receptors. Hyperosmotic shock leads to vesicular acidification followed by activation of acid sphingomyelinase, ceramide formation, release of reactive oxygen species, activation of the tyrosine kinase Yes with subsequent stimulation of CD95 trafficking to the cell membrane. Apoptosis is counteracted by mechanisms involved in regulatory volume increase (RVI), by organic osmolytes, by focal adhesion kinase, and by heat-shock proteins. Clearly, our knowledge on the interplay between cell-volume regulatory mechanisms and suicidal cell death is still far from complete and substantial additional experimental effort is needed to elucidate the role of cell-volume regulatory mechanisms in suicidal cell death.

Volume-sensitive release of organic osmolytes in the human lung epithelial cell line A549: role of the 5-lipoxygenase

Pathophysiological conditions challenge cell volume homeostasis and perturb cell volume regulatory mechanisms leading to alterations of cell metabolism, active transepithelial transport, cell migration, and death. We report that inhibition of the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) with AA861 or ETH 615-139, the cysteinyl leukotriene 1 receptor (CysLT₁) with the antiasthmatic drug Zafirlukast, or the volume-sensitive organic anion channel (VSOAC) with DIDS blocks the release of organic osmolytes (taurine, meAIB) and the concomitant cell volume restoration following hypoosmotic swelling of human type II-like lung epithelial cells (A549). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in A549 cells upon hypotonic cell swelling by a diphenylene iodonium-sensitive NADPH oxidase. The swelling-induced taurine release is suppressed by ROS scavenging (butylated hydroxytoluene, N-acetyl cysteine) and potentiated by H₂O₂. Ca²⁺ mobilization with ionomycin or ATP stimulates the swelling-induced taurine release whereas calmodulin inhibition (W7) inhibits the release. Chelation of the extracellular Ca²⁺ (EGTA) had no effect on swelling-induced taurine release but prevented ATP-induced stimulation. H₂O₂, ATP, and ionomycin were unable to stimulate the taurine release in the presence of AA861 or Zafirlukast, placing 5-LO and CysLT₁ as essential elements in the swelling-induced activation of VSOAC with ROS and Ca²⁺ as potent modulators. Inhibition of tyrosine kinases (genistein, cucurbitacin) reduces volume-sensitive taurine release, adding tyrosine kinases (Janus kinase) as regulators of VSOAC activity. Caspase-3 activity during hypoxia is unaffected by inhibition of 5-LO/CysLT₁ but reduced when swelling-induced taurine loss via VSOAC is prevented by DIDS excess extracellular taurine, indicating a beneficial role of taurine under hypoxia.

Swelling rather than shrinkage precedes apoptosis in serum-deprived vascular smooth muscle cells

Contrasting cell volume behaviours (swelling vs. shrinkage) are considered as criteria to distinguish necrosis from apoptosis. In this study, we employed a time-lapse, dual-image surface reconstruction technique to assess the volume of single vascular smooth muscle cells transfected with E1A-adenoviral protein (E1A-VSMC) and undergoing rapid apoptosis in the absence of growth factors or in the presence of staurosporine. After 30- to 60-min lag-phase, serum-deprived E1A-VSMC volume was increased by ~40%, which preceded maximal increments of caspase-3 activity and chromatin cleavage. Swollen cells underwent rapid apoptotic collapse, documented by plasma membrane budding, and terminated in 10-15 min by the formation of numerous apoptotic bodies. Suppression of apoptosis by inhibition of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and activation of cAMP signalling with ouabain and forskolin, respectively, completely abolished the swelling of serum-deprived E1A-VSMC. In contrast to serum deprivation, apoptotic collapse of staurosporine-treated E1A-VSMC preceded attenuation of their volume by ~30%. Neither transient hyposmotic swelling nor isosmtotic shrinkage triggered apoptosis. Our results show that cell shrinkage can not be considered as ubiquitous hallmark of apoptosis. The involvement of stimulus-specific cell volume perturbations in initiation and progression of apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells should be examined further.

Ion channels involved in cell volume regulation: effects on migration, proliferation, and programmed cell death in non adherent EAT cells and adherent ELA cells

This mini review outlines studies of cell volume regulation in two closely related mammalian cell lines: nonadherent Ehrlich ascites tumour cells (EATC) and adherent Ehrlich Lettre ascites (ELA) cells. Focus is on the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) that occurs after cell swelling, the volume regulatory ion channels involved, and the mechanisms (cellular signalling pathways) that regulate these channels. Finally, I shall also briefly review current investigations in these two cell lines that focuses on how changes in cell volume can regulate cell functions such as cell migration, proliferation, and programmed cell death.

Endothelin-1 promotes osteosarcoma cell invasion and survival against cisplatin-induced apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) participates in a wide range of cancer-relevant processes including cell proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, matrix remodeling, bone deposition, and metastases. Although ET-1 reportedly promotes osteosarcoma (OS) cell invasion, suggesting an important role of ET-1 in OS metastasis, the role of ET-1 in OS remains unclear.

QUESTION/PURPOSES

We asked whether (1) ET-1 expression is associated with the malignancy of OS, (2) ET-1 enhances the cell invasion ability of OS, and (3) ET-1 promotes OS cell survival against apoptotic stress.

METHODS

We cultured primary OS specimens from 22 patients with Stages II (OS-II) and III (OS-III) in real-time quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA to compare ET-1 expression. We used Transwell(®) cell invasion assays (in triplicate) to assess the invasion ability of cells in the presence or absence of exogenous ET-1 and/or ET receptor antagonists. We compared cell apoptosis rate among the cells treated with cisplatin in the presence or absence of exogenous ET-1 and/or ET receptor antagonists. We used OS cell line MG-63 in all experiments as a reference.

RESULTS

Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA showed OS-III cells had greater ET-1 expression than OS-II cells at the mRNA and the secreted protein levels. Transwell(®) cell invasion assays showed OS-III cells had a greater migrated cell number than OS-II cells, which could be abrogated by ET(A) receptor antagonist BQ123 (100 pmol/L), but not ET(B) receptor antagonist BQ788 (1 μmol/L); exogenous ET-1 dose-dependently promoted OS cell migration, which could be inhibited by BQ123 (100 pmol/L). Cisplatin (10 nmol/L) induced less apoptosis in OS-III cells than in OS-II cells; exogenous ET-1 dose-dependently promoted OS cell survival against cisplatin-induced apoptosis; both effects were reversed by BQ123 (1 μmol/L), but not BQ788 (1 μmol/L).

CONCLUSIONS

Increased ET-1 expression appears to be associated with increased malignancy of OS. ET-1 promotes OS cell invasion and survival against cisplatin-induced apoptosis through the ET(A) receptor.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The ET-1/ET(A) pathway may represent an important target for treating OS, because blocking the ET(A) receptor with a selective antagonist can inhibit OS cell invasion and potentiate a chemotherapeutic agent's effect on OS.