Telmisartan induces apoptosis and regulates Bcl-2 in human renal cancer cells

Repurposing drugs targeting metabolic diseases for cancer therapeutics

Hurdles in the identification of new drugs for cancer treatment have made drug repurposing an increasingly appealing alternative. The approach involves the use of old drugs for new therapeutic purposes. It is cost-effective and facilitates rapid clinical translation. Given that cancer is also considered a metabolic disease, drugs for metabolic disorders are being actively repurposed for cancer therapeutics. In this review, we discuss the repurposing of such drugs approved for two major metabolic diseases, diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD), which have shown potential as anti-cancer treatment. We also highlight the current understanding of the cancer signaling pathways that these drugs target.

Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Associated with a Decreased Risk of Lung Cancer: An Updated Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

There have been disputes in the association between angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and the incidence of lung cancer. Our meta-analysis reevaluated this problem from the perspectives of race, age, drug type, comparison objects and smoking.

METHOD

We used the following databases to carry out our literature search: Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Ovid (From 1 January 2020 to 28 November 2021). The correlation between ARBs and the incidence rate of lung cancer was calculated by risk ratios (RRs). Confidence intervals were selected with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

A total of 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 18 retrospective studies and 3 case-control studies were found to satisfy the inclusion criteria. The use of ARB drugs reduced the incidence of lung cancer. The pooled results of 10 retrospective studies revealed a decreased lung cancer incidence in patients treated with ARBs, especially in patients using Valsartan. A significantly lower lung cancer incidence was found in the ARB drugs than in calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs). Lung cancer occurrence was lower in Asian-based studies, especially in Mongolian-dominated and Caucasian-dominated patient populations. No significant decrease in lung cancer occurrence was found in RCTs or in patients receiving telmisartan, losartan, candesartan, irbesartan, or other placebo or in American and European-dominated patient populations.

CONCLUSION

Compared with ACEIs and CCBs, ARBs significantly reduce the risk of lung cancer, especially in Asian and Mongolian populations. Valsartan has the best effect in reducing the risk of lung cancer in ARB drugs.

MDACT: A New Principle of Adjunctive Cancer Treatment Using Combinations of Multiple Repurposed Drugs, with an Example Regimen

In part one of this two-part paper, we present eight principles that we believe must be considered for more effective treatment of the currently incurable cancers. These are addressed by multidrug adjunctive cancer treatment (MDACT), which uses multiple repurposed non-oncology drugs, not primarily to kill malignant cells, but rather to reduce the malignant cells' growth drives. Previous multidrug regimens have used MDACT principles, e.g., the CUSP9v3 glioblastoma treatment. MDACT is an amalgam of (1) the principle that to be effective in stopping a chain of events leading to an undesired outcome, one must break more than one link; (2) the principle of Palmer et al. of achieving fractional cancer cell killing via multiple drugs with independent mechanisms of action; (3) the principle of shaping versus decisive operations, both being required for successful cancer treatment; (4) an idea adapted from Chow et al., of using multiple cytotoxic medicines at low doses; (5) the idea behind CUSP9v3, using many non-oncology CNS-penetrant drugs from general medical practice, repurposed to block tumor survival paths; (6) the concept from chess that every move creates weaknesses and strengths; (7) the principle of mass-by adding force to a given effort, the chances of achieving the goal increase; and (8) the principle of blocking parallel signaling pathways. Part two gives an example MDACT regimen, gMDACT, which uses six repurposed drugs-celecoxib, dapsone, disulfiram, itraconazole, pyrimethamine, and telmisartan-to interfere with growth-driving elements common to cholangiocarcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, glioblastoma, and non-small-cell lung cancer. gMDACT is another example of-not a replacement for-previous multidrug regimens already in clinical use, such as CUSP9v3. MDACT regimens are designed as adjuvants to be used with cytotoxic drugs.

Telmisartan anti‐cancer activities mechanism through targeting N‐cadherin by mimicking ADH‐1 function

This study aimed to investigate if Telmisartan as a novel N‐cadherin antagonist, can overcome cell migration of cancer cells. We investigated the mechanism and influence of Docetaxel and Telmisartan (as an analogous to ADH‐1, which is a well‐known N‐cadherin antagonist) on cancer cells. The effect of ADH‐1 and Telmisartan on cell attachment in PC3, DU145, MDA‐MB‐468 cell lines using recombinant human N‐cadherin was studied. Cell viability assay was performed to examine the anti‐proliferative effects of Telmisartan, ADH‐1 and Docetaxel. Migration was examined via wound healing assay, and apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. The expression of AKT‐1 as a downstream gene of N‐cadherin signalling pathway was assayed by real‐time PCR. Treatment of PC3, MDA‐MB‐468 and DU145 cells with Telmisartan (0.1 µM) and ADH‐1 (40 µM) resulted in 50%, 58% and approximately 20% reduction in cell attachment to N‐cadherin coated plate respectively. It shows reduction of cell attachment in PC3 and MDA‐MB‐468 cell lines appeared to be more sensitive than that of DU145 cells to the Telmisartan and ADH‐1 treatments. Telmisartan (0.1 µM) and Docetaxel (0.01 nM) significantly reduced cell migration in PC3 and MDA‐MB‐468 cell lines compared with the control group. Using Real‐time PCR, we found that Telmisartan, Docetaxel and ADH‐1 had significant influence on the AKT‐1 mRNA level. The results of the current study for the first time suggest that, Telmisartan, exerts anti‐proliferation and anti‐migration effects by targeting antagonistically N‐cadherin. Also, these data suggest that Telmisartan as a less expensive alternative to ADH‐1 could potentiate Docetaxel anticancer effects.

Telmisartan-Induced Cytotoxicity via G2/M Phase Arrest in Renal Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer. Given that stage IV RCC is intractable, there is a need for a novel treatment strategy. We investigated the antitumor effects of telmisartan (TEL) and their underlying mechanisms in RCC, including their impact on apoptosis, Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways, and the cell cycle using two human RCC cell lines: 786-O and Caki-2. Cell viability was detected via fluorescence-based assays. Cells were stained with Hoechst 33342 to observe chromatin condensation, and Western blotting was performed to analyze protein expression. The cell cycle was assessed using flow cytometry. Invasion and migration assays were performed using 24-well chambers. TEL induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner and increased the percentage of cells with high chromatin condensation and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in both cell lines. TEL-induced cell death was attenuated by neither peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ nor -δ inhibitors. Although TEL elevated c-Jun N-terminal kinase levels and p38 phosphorylation rates in Caki-2 cells, as well as extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation rates in 786-O cells, their inhibitors did not suppress TEL-induced cell death. TEL decreased Akt phosphorylation in 786-O cells and mTOR phosphorylation in both cell lines, increased the population of cells in the G₂/M phase, and altered G₂/M-related proteins in both cell lines. TEL moderately suppressed cell invasion and migration in 786-O and Caki-2 cells, respectively, and increased cell invasion in Caki-2 cells, suggesting a potential therapeutic role of TEL in RCC.

Evidence of Omics, Immune Infiltration, and Pharmacogenomic for SENP1 in the Pan-Cancer Cohort

Sentrin specific-protease 1 (SENP1) is a protein involved in deSUMOylation that is almost overexpressed in cancer. SENP1 has a determinative role in the activation of transcription programs in the innate immune responses and the development B of and C lymphocytes. We found, SENP1 possibly plays a critical role in immune infiltration and acts as an expression marker in PAAD, ESCA, and THYM. CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and macrophages were more key-related immune cells, indicating that SENP1 might be introduced as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. We further showed that dysregulation of SENP1 is powerfully associated with decreased patient survival and clinical stage. Total SENP1 protein also increases in cancer. SENP1 is also controlled by transcription factors (TFs) CREB1, KDM5A, REST, and YY1 that regulates apoptosis, cell cycle, cell proliferation, invasion, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. These TFs were in a positive correlation with SENP1. MiR-138-5p, miR-129-1-3p, and miR-129-2-3p also inhibit tumorigenesis through targeting of SENP1. The SENP1 expression level positively correlated with the expression levels of UBN1, SP3, SAP130, NUP98, NUP153 in 32 tumor types. SENP1 and correlated and binding genes: SAP130, NUP98, and NUP153 activated cell cycle. Consistent with this finding, drug analysis was indicated SENP1 is sensitive to cell cycle, apoptosis, and RTK signaling regulators. In the end, SENP1 and its expression-correlated and functional binding genes were enriched in cell cycle, apoptosis, cellular response to DNA damage stimulus. We found that the cell cycle is the main way for tumorigenesis by SENP1. SENP1 attenuates the effect of inhibitory drugs on the cell cycle. We also introduced effective FDA-Approved drugs that can inhibit SENP1. Therefore in the treatments in which these drugs are used, SENP1 inhibition is a suitable approach. This study supplies a wide analysis of the SENP1 across The Cancer Genome Atlas (CGA) cancer types. These results suggest the potential roles of SENP1 as a biomarker for cancer. Since these drugs and the drugs that cause to resistance are applied to cancer treatment, then these two class drugs can use to inhibition of SENP1.

The Use of Antihypertensive Drugs as Coadjuvant Therapy in Cancer

Cancer is a complex group of diseases that constitute the second largest cause of mortality worldwide. The development of new drugs for treating this disease is a long and costly process, from the discovery of the molecule through testing in phase III clinical trials, a process during which most candidate molecules fail. The use of drugs currently employed for the management of other diseases (drug repurposing) represents an alternative for developing new medical treatments. Repurposing existing drugs is, in principle, cheaper and faster than developing new drugs. Antihypertensive drugs, primarily belonging to the pharmacological categories of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptors, direct aldosterone antagonists, β-blockers and calcium channel blockers, are commonly prescribed and have well-known safety profiles. Additionally, some of these drugs have exhibited pharmacological properties useful for the treatment of cancer, rendering them candidates for drug repurposing. In this review, we examine the preclinical and clinical evidence for utilizing antihypertensive agents in the treatment of cancer.

IL13Rα2 Is Involved in the Progress of Renal Cell Carcinoma through the JAK2/FOXO3 Pathway

Previously, we reported a close relationship between type II IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 complex and poor outcomes in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In this study, we investigated the clinicopathologically significant oncogenic role of IL13Rα2, a kind of the independent receptor for IL13, in 229 RCC patients. The high expression of IL13Rα2 was closely related to relapse-free survival in specific cancers in univariate and multivariate analysis. Then, the oncogenic role of IL13Rα2 was evaluated by performing in vitro assays for cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in A498, ACHN, Caki1, and Caki2, four kinds of RCC cells after transfection of siRNA against IL13Rα2. Cell proliferation was suppressed, and apoptosis was induced in A498, ACHN, Caki1, and Caki2 cells by knockdown of IL13Rα2. Interestingly, the knockdown of IL13Rα2 decreased the phosphorylation of JAK2 and increased the expression of FOXO3. Furthermore, the knockdown of IL13Rα2 reduced the protein interaction among IL13Rα2, phosphorylated JAK2, and FOXO3. Since phosphorylation of JAK2 was regulated by IL13Rα2, we tried to screen a novel JAK2 inhibitor from the FDA-approved drug library and selected telmisartan, a clinically used medicine against hypertension, as one of the strongest candidates. Telmisartan treatment decreased the cell proliferation rate and increased apoptosis in A498, ACHN, Caki1, and Caki2 cells. Mechanistically, telmisartan treatment decreased the phosphorylation of JAK2 and increased the expression of FOXO3. Taken together, these results suggest that IL13Rα2 regulates the progression of RCC via the JAK2/FOXO3-signaling path pathway, which might be targeted as the novel therapeutic option for RCC patients.

Improvement of the Anticancer Activities of Telmisartan by Zn(II) Complexation and Mechanisms of Action

To improve the anticancer activity of telmisartan, its structure has been modified by Zn(II) complexation giving [Zn(Telm)₂(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O (ZnTelm). The cytotoxic effect was measured on the human lung cancer cells (A549) and on the lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5). The complex markedly improved anticancer activity (IC₅₀ 75 μM) of telmisartan (IC₅₀ 125 μM) or ZnSO₄ (IC₅₀ 225 μM) and did not show toxicity on non-cancer cells, inducing oxidative stress with cellular ROS generation and GSH/GSSG decrease. Apoptosis was the dominant form of cell death for the complex. The Bax/Bcl-XL ratio was significantly increased as well as caspase-3 activation. Both the complex and the ligand bind to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and can be stored and transported by the protein but the interaction with the complex is greater. Telmisartan binds BSA by hydrophobic interactions while the interaction of ZnTelm occurs through van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding. Therefore, it can be shown that the coordination complex ZnTelm improved the anticancer activity of the antihypertensive drug telmisartan (IC₅₀ 75 μM and 125 μM, respectively) and the interaction with BSA. Graphical Abstract Improvement of the anticancer activities of telmisartan by Zn(II) complexation and mechanisms of action. Intrinsic apoptotic pathway: induction ofoxidative stress and regulation of proteins related to apoptosis. The complex interacted with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and can be stored and transported by the protein.

Apoptosis in vascular pathology: present and future

Apoptosis is recognized as a programmed cell death controlled by genetic mechanisms and required for normal existence of an organism. Its main task is elimination of defective or mutant cells. The particles of dead cells are engulfed by macrophages with no development of inflammatory reaction. Apoptosis actively participates in embryogenesis, cellular homeostasis, elimination of tumor cells, and may be divided to three phases: signal, effector, and degradation. Its main components are cytoplasmic proteases caspases. Caspases exist in the cytoplasm in inactive condition in the form pf procaspases. Being activated, they break down to subunits. Proteins of Bcl-2 family are active participants of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. They influence permeability of the outer membrane of mitochondria. Disorders in the mechanisms of apoptosis underlie many diseases including ischemic lesions, autoimmune disorders, malignant neoplasms. The ability to influence survival or death of cell is known to possess enormous therapeutic potential. At present, active research is under way to study signal pathways that control cell cycle and apoptosis. The article discusses the mechanisms participating in death of vascular endothelium and smooth muscle cells, potential role of apoptosis in atherosclerosis is also described.

Comprehensive Analysis of Copy Number Variations in Kidney Cancer by Single-Cell Exome Sequencing

Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common and lethal subtype of kidney cancer. VHL and PBRM1 are the top two significantly mutated genes in ccRCC specimens, while the genetic mechanism of the VHL/PBRM1-negative ccRCC remains to be elucidated. Here we carried out a comprehensive analysis of single-cell genomic copy number variations (CNVs) in VHL/PBRM1-negative ccRCC. Genomic CNVs were identified at the single-cell level, and the tumor cells showed widespread amplification and deletion across the whole genome. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the amplified genes are significantly enriched in cancer-related signaling transduction pathways. Besides, receptor protein tyrosine kinase (RTK) genes also showed widespread copy number variations in cancer cells. Our studies indicated that the genomic CNVs in RTK genes and downstream signaling transduction pathways may be involved in VHL/PBRM1-negative ccRCC pathogenesis and progression, and highlighted the role of the comprehensive investigation of genomic CNVs at the single-cell level in both clarifying pathogenic mechanism and identifying potential therapeutic targets in cancers.

Telmisartan Influences the Antiproliferative Activity of Linoleic Acid in Human Colon Cancer Cells

Aim: Linoleic acid (LA) and telmisartan as PPARgamma agonists exhibit anticancer activity. The LA effect is observed for high non-achievable in vivo concentrations and in short treatment period, therefore we evaluate the effect of supplemental LA and pharmacological telmisartan plasma concentrations on human primary (SW480) and metastatic (SW620) colon cancer cells and immortal keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells in long-term treatment. Methods: Cell viability and proliferation were determined by TB and MTT and pro-apoptotic effect was measured by Annexin V binding assays, respectively.Results: LA decreased cancer cell viability and proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas no significant effect was found for HaCaT cells. Telmisartan (0.2 µM) suppresses antiproliferative effect of 60 µM LA on cancer cells in short-term treatment. Long-term administration of 60 µM LA reduced cancer cells viability after one week, while telmisartan delayed this effect by two weeks. Growth of all cell lines with 20 µM LA was unchanged during all treatment time. Telmisartan decreased late apoptosis of cancer and normal cells with 60 and 120 µM LA. Conclusion: The cytotoxic LA action depends not only on its concentration but also duration of treatment. Telmisartan exhibits biphasic but not synergistic effect on LA cytotoxicity in cancer cells.

The potential to treat lung cancer via inhalation of repurposed drugs

Lung cancer is a highly invasive and prevalent disease with ineffective first-line treatment and remains the leading cause of cancer death in men and women. Despite the improvements in diagnosis and therapy, the prognosis and outcome of lung cancer patients is still poor. This could be associated with the lack of effective first-line oncology drugs, formation of resistant tumors and non-optimal administration route. Therefore, the repurposing of existing drugs currently used for different indications and the introduction of a different method of drug administration could be investigated as an alternative to improve lung cancer therapy. This review describes the rationale and development of repositioning of drugs for lung cancer treatment with emphasis on inhalation. The review includes the current progress of repurposing non-cancer drugs, as well as current chemotherapeutics for lung malignancies via inhalation. Several potential non-cancer drugs such as statins, itraconazole and clarithromycin, that have demonstrated preclinical anti-cancer activity, are also presented. Furthermore, the potential challenges and limitations that might hamper the clinical translation of repurposed oncology drugs are described.

miR-199b-5p serves as a tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma

MicroRNA (miR)-199b-5p has been reported to have a critical role in various types of malignancy. However, the exact function miR-199b-5p in renal cancer remains to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed to detect the expression levels of miR-199b-5p in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tissues and RCC cell lines, and investigated the effect of miR-199b-5p in vitro with Cell Counting Kit-8, MTT, scratch wound, Transwell and flow cytometric assays. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of miR-199b-5p were significantly downregulated in RCC tissues and cell lines compared with those in paired adjacent normal renal tissues and a reference cell line, respectively. Downregulation of miR-199b-5p by transfection with a synthetic inhibitor promoted cellular proliferation and migration, while reducing the apoptotic rate, indicating that miR-199b-5p may serve as a tumor suppressor in RCC. Further study is required to identify target genes of miR-199b-5p to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the role of miR-199b-5p in the occurrence and development of RCC.

microRNA‑181a‑5p functions as an oncogene in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common urinary tumors. Previous studies have demonstrated that microRNA (miR)‑181a‑5p has an important role in numerous types of cancer. However, the function of miR‑181a‑5p in RCC remains unknown. In the present study, the expression levels of miR‑181a‑5p in RCC tissues and cell lines were investigated using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) analysis. The results of the RT‑qPCR analyses suggested that the expression of miR‑181a‑5p was upregulated in RCC tissues and cells lines compared with adjacent normal renal tissues and normal renal cell lines. Furthermore, the effect of miR‑181a‑5p on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis was investigated in the present study. Overexpression of miR‑181a‑5p was revealed to suppress the apoptosis of 786‑O and ACHN cells, in addition to enhancing the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of 786‑O and ACHN cells in vitro, thus suggesting that miR‑181a‑5p may function as an oncogene in RCC. However, further studies are required to investigate the underlying mechanism of miR‑181a‑5p and its potential role as a biomarker for early detection and prognosis, in addition to as a therapeutic target in RCC.

JTC-801 exerts anti-proliferative effects in human osteosarcoma cells by inducing apoptosis

BACKGROUND

The research of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is a promising strategy for drug discovery. In cancer therapy, there is a need to discover novel agents that can inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. JTC-801 is a novel GPCR antagonist with the function of reversing pain and anxiety symptoms. This study aims to investigate the antitumor effects of JTC-801 on human osteosarcoma cells (U2OS) and elucidate the underlying mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to detect the viability of U2OS cells treated with JTC-801 in vitro. The cell apoptosis was evaluated using a flow cytometry assay with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. The inhibitory effect of JTC-801 on invasion and migration of U2OS cells were determined by the Transwell assays. Western blot assay was performed to measure the levels of proteins related to cell apoptosis and its mechanism.

RESULTS

The JTC-801 significantly decreased the viability of U2OS cells (p < .05) as a result of its anti-proliferative effect through induction of apoptosis associated with activation of BAX, Caspase-3 and down-regulating BCL-2 expression. The invasive and migratory cells were obviously reduced after JTC-801 treatment (p < .05). Further, the phosphorylated AKT, mTOR and active p70 S6 protein kinase in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were obviously lessened in the JTC-801 treated U2OS group (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

JTC-801 may exert osteosarcoma cell growth inhibition by promoting cell apoptosis, through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway participation.

Telmisartan inhibits NSCLC A549 cell proliferation and migration by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Expression of angiotensin II (Ang II), a key biological peptide in the renin-angiotensin system, is closely associated with the occurrence and development of cancer. Ang II binds two receptor subtypes, the Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and the AT2R, to mediate a series of biological effects. Telmisartan, a specific AT1R blocker, has been reported to have potential as an anticancer drug for treating renal cancer. In the present study, whether telmisartan had an effect on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell proliferation and migration was investigated. The Cell Counting kit-8 assay revealed that telmisartan significantly inhibited the growth of the NSCLC A549 cell line in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In a transwell assay, telmisartan significantly inhibited cellular invasion and migration. Furthermore, it was determined that the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma was decreased, and that of the pro-apoptotic proteins caspase-3 and Bcl-associated X increased in the A549 cells treated with telmisartan. Additionally, levels of phosphorylated RAC serine/threonine-protein kinase (p-AKT), p-mechanistic target of rapamycin, p70-S6 kinase and cyclin D1 was decreased in the telmisartan-treated group. Therefore, the current study reveals that telmisartan-induced NSCLC apoptosis may be regulated via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway, which indicates that it may be a potential novel drug for clinical NSCLC treatment.

Telmisartan Induces Osteosarcoma Cells Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis Via Suppressing mTOR Pathway

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a commonly occurring primary malignant bone cancer with serious impact and high mortality, yet effective and safe therapy method not available. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the antitumor effect of telmisartan on human osteosarcoma cells in vitro and its underlying mechanism. The proliferation effect of osteosarcoma cell lines U2OS was examined by Cell Counting Kit-8. The invasive and migratory capabilities were determined by transwell invasion and migration assay. The percentage of apoptotic cells were detected by flow cytometric analysis and proteins related to apoptosis including Bax, Bcl-2 and Cleaved Caspase-3 were examined by western blotting. The expressions of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling relevant molecules were detected by western blot assay. Telmisartan treatment caused dose-dependent and time-dependent inhibition of proliferation and inducing anti-migration, anti-invasiveness and apoptosis of U2OS cells. The induction of apoptosis was confirmed concurring with the altered expression of proteins associated with the apoptosis. Mechanistically, telmisartan suppresses mTOR activation. Telmisartan can impede the growth, invasion, migration and induce the apoptosis of U2OS cell probably through inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway activation. Thus, telmisartan is a potential drug for the prevention and treatment of human osteosarcomal cancer.

Apoptosis in human liver carcinoma caused by gold nanoparticles in combination with carvedilol is mediated via modulation of MAPK/Akt/mTOR pathway and EGFR/FAAD proteins

In cancers, apoptosis signaling pathways and cell survival and growth pathways responsible for resistance to conventional treatments, such as Pi3K/Akt/mTOR and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) become dysregulated. Recently, alternative treatments to promote tumor cell death have become important. The present study reports on the antitumor and cytoprotective action of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and carvedilol in combination and in isolated application. Apoptosis was analyzed by FITC/propidium iodide staining flow cytometry; caspase-3, caspase-8, Bcl-2 and MAPK/ERK activity by immunofluorescence microscopy; gene expression of proteins related to cell death as Akt, mTOR, EGFR, MDR1, survivin, FADD and Apaf, by the real-time PCR; and western blot analysis for MAPK/ERK, Akt and mTOR. Oxidative stress evaluation was performed by reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Intracellular GNPs targets were identified by transmission electron microscopy. After exposure to a combination of GNPs (6.25 µg/ml) and carvedilol (3 µM), death as promoted by apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry, for expression of pro-apoptotic proteins FADD, caspase-3, caspase-8 and sub-regulation of anti-apoptotic MAPK/ERK, Akt, mTOR, EGFR and MDR1 resistance. Non-tumor cell cytoprotection with GSH elevation and MDA reduction levels was detected. GNPs were identified within the cell near to the nucleus when combined with carvedilol. The combination of GNP and carvedilol promoted downregulation of anti-apoptotic and drug resistance genes, over-regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins in tumor cells, as well as cytoprotection of non-tumor cells with reduction of apoptosis and oxidative stress.

Choosing the right cell line for renal cell cancer research

Cell lines are still a tool of choice for many fields of biomedical research, including oncology. Although cancer is a very complex disease, many discoveries have been made using monocultures of established cell lines. Therefore, the proper use of in vitro models is crucial to enhance our understanding of cancer. Therapeutics against renal cell cancer (RCC) are also screened with the use of cell lines. Multiple RCC in vitro cultures are available, allowing in vivo heterogeneity in the laboratory, but at the same time, these can be a source of errors. In this review, we tried to sum up the data on the RCC cell lines used currently. An increasing amount of data on RCC shed new light on the molecular background of the disease; however, it revealed how much still needs to be done. As new types of RCC are being distinguished, novel cell lines and the re-exploration of old ones seems to be indispensable to create effective in vitro tools for drug screening and more.

Telmisartan prevents proliferation and promotes apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells through upregulating PPARγ and downregulating MMP‑9 expression

The mortality rate of ovarian cancer is the highest of all gynecological malignancies. Telmisartan is a commonly used clinical angiotensin receptor blocker, which has antihypertensive, anti‑inflammatory and antithrombotic effects. In the present study, it was investigated whether telmisartan could exert anticancer effects on ovarian cancer cells through upregulating peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and downregulating matrix metalloproteinase‑9 (MMP‑9) expression. A 3.3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was conducted to analyze the proliferation of HEY cells. A Caspase‑3 Activity Assay kit and an Annexin V‑fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide kit were used to analyze the apoptosis of HEY cells. In addition, a gelatin zymography assay and reverse trancription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction were included to analyze the expression of PPARγ and MMP‑9 in HEY cells. The data showed that telmisartan could significantly decrease cell viability and induce the apoptosis of HEY cells in a time‑ and dose‑dependent manner. Furthermore, telmisartan could also dose‑dependently increase the expression of PPARγ and decrease the expression of MMP‑9 in HEY cells. In addition, downregulation of the expression of PPARγ by small interfering (si)RNA could reduce the effect of telmisartan on ovarian cancer cells and increase the expression of MMP‑9. In conclusion, the results indicated that telmisartan prevents proliferation and promotes apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells by upregulating PPARγ and downregulating MMP‑9 expression.

Angiotensin receptor blockers use and the risk of lung cancer: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Several reports suggest that the use of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) is associated with lung cancer (LC) reduction. However, the results were contradictory.

METHODS

Four online databases were searched. The strength of the association between ARB and the risk of LC was measured by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). OR was analyzed by random-effects model.

RESULTS

Eight studies with 298000 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. Using of ARB was significantly associated with decreased LC risk (OR = 0.81; 95% CI 0.69-0.94; p = 0.005). In the subgroup analysis by race, Asians treated with ARB showed decreased LC risk (OR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.54-0.67; p < 0.00001). However, Caucasians treated with ARB did not show significantly decreased LC risk (OR = 0.90; 95% CI 0.79-1.02; p = 0.11). Subgroup analysis by duration of follow-up was conducted. The studies with less than 5 years showed significant result (OR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.64-0.97;p = 0.02). However, the studies with more than 5 years did not show significantly decreased LC risk (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.61-1.16; p = 0.29).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicated that ARBs may be associated with decreased risk of LC.

KRT6 interacting with notch1 contributes to progression of renal cell carcinoma, and aliskiren inhibits renal carcinoma cell lines proliferation in vitro

Notch signaling is a conserved and widely expressed signaling pathway, which mediates various physiological processes including tumorigenesis. This study aims to explore the potential role and mechanism of notch1 interacting with KRT6B in the progression of RCC. The results indicated that the mRNA and protein expression of notch1 and KRT6 were significantly increased in tumor tissues, and highly positive correlation existed between notch1 and KRT6. Moreover, the patients with high notch1 expression had a significantly poorer prognosis than those of low expression patients. In vitro, KRT6 loss-of-function could inhibit the expression of notch1 and induce renal carcinoma cell death. Eventually, we found that renin inhibitor, aliskiren, could inhibit cell proliferation and decrease the expression of notch1 and KRT6 as well as regulate apoptosis-related protein expression in 786-O and ACHN renal carcinoma cell lines. These results suggested that the upregulation of notch1 and KRT6B might be involved in the development, progression and prognosis of human RCC, and aliskiren could suppress renal carcinoma cell proliferation, at least partially, through downregulation the expression of notch1 and KRT6.