Prucalopride Inhibits Proliferation of Ovarian Cancer Cells via Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K) Signaling Pathway

Prucalopride inhibits lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration through blocking of the PI3K/AKT/mTor signaling pathway

Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer incidence and mortality around the world. Prucalopride is an agonist for the 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 receptor, but it was unknown whether prucalopride could be used to treat lung cancer. To investigate the biological effects of prucalopride on proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration of lung cancer cells, and its underlying molecular mechanism in the progression of lung cancer, we performed this study. The Cell Counting Kit 8 assay was used to measure the proliferation of A549/A427 lung cancer cells treated with prucalopride. Transwell assay was applied to evaluate cell invasion and migration. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and Western blot analyses. The expression levels of related proteins in the PI3K/AKT/mTor signaling pathway were analyzed by Western blotting. Prucalopride inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of A549/A427 human lung cancer cells. It also induced autophagy and apoptosis and decreased the expression of the phosphorylated protein kinase B (AKT) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor) in these cells. This study implied an inhibitory role for prucalopride in the progression of human lung cancer.

Suppression of autophagy enhances preferential toxicity of epothilone A and epothilone B in ovarian cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Epothilones are microtubule-targeting agents that induce death in a variety of cancer cell types. Here, we focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying epothilone A (Epo A) and epothilone B (Epo B)-induced autophagy and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells, compared to the actions of the widely used clinical chemotherapy drug paclitaxel (PTX).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Autophagy was examined in two cell lines, SKOV-3 (human ovarian adenocarcinoma) and OV-90 (human ovarian papillary serous adenocarcinoma), which differ in the levels of p-glycoprotein and drug resistance, based on the LC3 ELISA assay, fluorescence detection of autophagosome formation, morphological changes evaluated via acridine orange staining, and visualization of LC3 protein using confocal microscopy. Cell viability was detected using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis was measured via the caspase-3/7 assay and immunofluorescence labeling of caspase-3. Differences in microtubule organization in epothilone-treated cells were investigated using specific antibodies against β-tubulin. All probes were analyzed both in the presence and absence of the autophagy inhibitor, bafilomycin A1 (Baf), and apoptosis inhibitor, Z-FA-FMK.

RESULTS

Epothilone and PTX treatment induced a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability, along with increased apoptosis and disruption of microtubule dynamics. Furthermore, under conditions of inhibition of autophagy with Baf, apoptosis triggered by these compounds was significantly increased.

CONCLUSION

Our collective results suggest that treatment with epothilones in combination with autophagy inhibitors present a potentially more effective chemotherapeutic approach for ovarian cancer.

Tetramethylpyrazine attenuated bupivacaine-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells through regulating apoptosis, autophagy and oxidative damage

Background: Bupivacaine (BUP) acts as a local anesthetic, which is extensively used for clinical patients but could generate neurotoxicity in neurons. Tetramethylpyrazine (TET) exhibits strong neuron protective effects against neurotoxicity. Hence, we investigate the effect of TET on BUP-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells.

Methods: CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, Western blotting was used to examine Bax, Bcl-2, active caspase 3, LC3II, Beclin 1 and p-62 protein levels in cells. Moreover, ELISA assay was used to detect the levels of total glutathione (GS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cells.

Results: In this study, we found that TET attenuated the neurotoxicity of BUP on SH-SY5Y cells. Meanwhile, TET alleviated BUP-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cell via decreasing the expressions of active caspase-3 and Bax and increasing the expression of Bcl-2. In addition, monodansylcadaverine staining assay and Western blotting results confirmed that TET induced autophagy in SH-SY5Y cells via increasing the LC3II/I and Beclin 1 levels. Furthermore, TET attenuated BUP-induced oxidative damage in SH-SY5Y cells via upregulation of the levels of total GS and SOD and downregulation of the level of MDA. Interesting, the protective effects of TET against BUP-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells were reversed by autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3MA).

Conclusion: These data indicated that TET may play a neuroprotective role via inhibiting apoptosis and inducing autophagy in SH-SY5Y cells. Therefore, TET may be a potential agent for the treatment of human neurotoxicity induced by BUP.