A novel arylbenzofuran induces cervical cancer cell apoptosis and G1/S arrest through ERK-mediated Cdk2/cyclin-A signaling pathway

Prepubertal exposure to copper oxide nanoparticles induces Leydig cell injury with steroidogenesis disorders in mouse testes

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) are metallic multifunctional nanoparticles with good conductive, catalytic and antibacterial characteristics that have shown to cause reproductive dysfunction. However, the toxic effect and potential mechanisms of prepubertal exposure to CuONPs on male testicular development have not been clarified. In this study, healthy male C57BL/6 mice received 0, 10, and 25 mg/kg/d CuONPs by oral gavage for 2 weeks (postnatal day 22-35). The testicular weight was decreased, testicular histology was disturbed and the number of Leydig cells was reduced in all CuONPs-exposure groups. Transcriptome profiling suggested steroidogenesis was impaired after exposure to CuONPs. The steroidogenesis-related genes mRNA expression level, concentration of serum steroids hormones and the HSD17B3-, STAR- and CYP11A1-positive Leydig cell numbers were dramatically reduced. In vitro, we exposed TM3 Leydig cells to CuONPs. Bioinformatic analysis, flow cytometry analysis and western blotting analysis confirmed that CuONPs can dramatically reduce Leydig cells viability, enhance apoptosis, trigger cell cycle arrest and reduce cell testosterone levels. U0126 (ERK1/2 inhibitor) significantly reversed TM3 Leydig cells injury and testosterone level decrease induced by CuONPs. These outcomes indicate that CuONPs exposure activates the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, which further promotes apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in TM3 Leydig cells, and ultimately leads to Leydig cells injury and steroidogenesis disorders.

Prognostic Value and Immune Infiltration of HPV-Related Genes in the Immune Microenvironment of Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Endocervical Adenocarcinoma

Mounting evidence has highlighted the immune environment as a critical feature in the development of cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC). However, the relationship between the clinical characteristics of the immune environment and CESC remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to further characterize the relationship between the tumor and immune microenvironment and the clinical features of CESC using a variety of bioinformatic methods. Expression profiles (303 CESCs and three control samples) and relevant clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We divided CESC cases into different subtypes and performed a differential gene expression analysis. In addition, gene ontology (GO) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to identify potential molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, data from 115 CESC patients from East Hospital were used to help identify the relationship between the protein expressions of key genes and disease-free survival using tissue microarray technology. Cases of CESC (n = 303) were divided into five subtypes (C1-C5) based on their expression profiles. A total of 69 cross-validated differentially expressed immune-related genes were identified. Subtype C4 demonstrated a downregulation of the immune profile, lower tumor immune/stroma scores, and worse prognosis. In contrast, the C1 subtype showed an upregulation of the immune profile, higher tumor immune/stroma scores, and better prognosis. A GO analysis suggested that changes in CESC were primarily enriched nuclear division, chromatin binding, and condensed chromosomes. In addition, GSEA demonstrated that cellular senescence, the p53 signaling pathway, and viral carcinogenesis are critical features of CESC. Moreover, high FOXO3 and low IGF-1 protein expression were closely correlated with decreased clinical prognosis. In summary, our findings provide novel insight into the relationship between the immune microenvironment and CESC. As such, our results may provide guidance for developing potential immunotherapeutic targets and biomarkers for CESC.

Citrullus colocynthis-Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antiproliferative Action against Breast Cancer Cells and Bactericidal Roles against Human Pathogens

The present study investigated the biomedical potential of eco-friendly Citrullus colocynthis-mediated silver nanoparticles (Cc-AgNPs). The antibacterial efficacy of Cc-AgNPs was evaluated against two multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antiproliferative and antilipidemic performance of the prepared particles was determined against the MCF7 cell line, a breast cancer cell line. The in vitro antibacterial assay revealed that Cc-AgNPs induced dose-dependent bactericidal activity, as a considerable increase in the zone of inhibition (ZOI) was noted at higher concentrations. Reduced proliferation, migration, spheroid size, and colony formation exhibited the substantial antiproliferative potential of Cc-AgNPs against MCF7 cells. Significant alterations in the expression of cell surface markers, apoptosis, and cell proliferation genes further confirmed the antiproliferative impact of Cc-AgNPs. Moreover, Cc-AgNPs exhibited antilipidemic activity by reducing cellular cholesterol and triglyceride levels and regulating key genes involved in lipogenesis. In conclusion, these results propose that Cc-AgNPs can be employed as a potent tool for future antibacterial and anticancer applications.

Identification and validation of real hub genes in hepatocellular carcinoma based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common liver malignancies in the world. With highly invasive biological characteristics and a lack of obvious clinical manifestations, hepatocellular Carcinoma usually has a poor prognosis and ranks fourth in cancer mortality. The etiology and exact molecular mechanism of primary hepatocellular carcinoma are still unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This work aims to help identify biomarkers of early HCC diagnosis or prognosis based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA).

METHODS

Expression data and clinical information of HTSEQ-Counts were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and Gene Expression map GSE121248 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). By differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and Weighted Gene co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) searched for modules in the two databases that had the same effect on the biological characteristics of HCC, and extracted the module genes with the highest positive correlation with HCC from two databases, and finally obtained overlapping genes. Then, we performed functional enrichment analysis on the overlapping genes to understand their potential biological functions. The top ten hub genes were screened according to MCC through the String database and Cytoscape software and then subjected to survival analysis.

RESULTS

High expression of CDK1, CCNA2, CDC20, KIF11, DLGAP5, KIF20A, ASPM, CEP55, and TPX2 was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) of HCC patients. The DFS curve was plotted using the online website GEPIA2. Finally, based on the enrichment of these genes in the KEGG pathway, real hub genes were screened out, which were CDK1, CCNA2, and CDC20 respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

High expression of these three genes was negatively correlated with survival time in HCC, and the expression of CDK1, CCNA2, and CDC20 were significantly higher in tumor tissues of HCC patients than in normal liver tissues as verified again by the HPA database. All in all, this provides a new feasible target for early and accurate diagnosis of HCC, clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

DNA binding protein CgIkaros-like regulates the proliferation of agranulocytes and granulocytes in oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

DNA-binding protein Ikaros is a major determinant of haematopoietic lineage, especially in the development, differentiation and proliferation of lymphocytes. In the present study, a Ikaros homologue (designed as CgIkaros-like) was identified and characterized as a vital determinant in the proliferation of haemocytes during haematopoiesis of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. The complete coding sequence of CgIkaros-like was of 1329 bp encoding a predicted polypeptide of 442 amino acids with four ZnF regions, locating at the C-terminus and N-terminus respectively. The highest expression level of CgIkaros-like mRNA was found in gills, followed by haemocytes and gonad. The mRNA transcripts of CgIkaros-like could be detected in all the haemocytes with higher abundance in semi-granulocytes and agranulocytes. CgIkaros-like protein was localized in both of cytoplasm and nucleus with higher abundance in nucleus of oyster haemocytes. The mRNA and protein expression levels of agranulocyte marker CgCD9, granulocyte marker CgAATase, cell cycle related gene CgCDK2, Notch receptor CgNotch and Notch target gene CgHes1 all increased significantly (p < 0.05) after CgIkaros-like was interfered by siRNAs, which were about 27.33-, 2.63-, 24.34-, 4.45- and 6.08-fold of that in the siRNA-NC control group, respectively. While the transcripts of CgGATA3 and CgRunx did not change significantly after CgIkaros-like was interfered. These results demonstrated that CgIkaros-like functioned as a transcription factor combined with Notch pathway to mediate CgCDK2 and regulate the proliferation of oyster haemocytes.

Regional specific activations of ERK1/2 and CDK5 differently regulate astroglial responses to ER stress in the rat hippocampus following status epilepticus

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) triggers the regional specific astroglial responses to status epilepticus (SE, a prolonged seizure activity). However, the epiphenomena/downstream effecters for ER stress and the mechanism of ER stress signaling in astroglial apoptosis have not been fully understood. In the present study, tunicamycin-induced ER stress resulted in reactive astrogliosis-like events showing astroglial hypertrophy with the elevated extracellular signal-activated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) phosphorylations in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus. However, tunicamycin increased CDK5, but not ERK1/2, phosphorylation in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. Roscovitine (a CDK5 inhibitor) suppressed the effect of tunicamycin in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus and the CA1 region, while U0126 (an ERK1/2 inhibitor) reversed it in the CA1 region. Salubrinal (an ER stress inhibitor) abrogated activations of ERK1/2 and CDK5, and attenuated reactive astrogliosis in the CA1 region and astroglial apoptosis in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus following status epilepticus (SE, a prolonged seizure activity). These findings indicate that ER stress may induce reactive astrogliosis via ERK1/2-mediated CDK5 activation in the CA1 region. In the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, however, ER stress may participate in astroglial apoptosis through ERK1/2-independent CDK5 activation following SE.

Notoginsenoside R1 induces DNA damage via PHF6 protein to inhibit cervical carcinoma cell proliferation

Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1), a monomer of Traditional Chinese medicine, is from the Panax notoginsenoside complex, and has been reported to inhibit the proliferation of various types of cancer. However the mechanism underlying NGR1-mediated inhibition of cervical carcinoma cell proliferation remains unclear. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of NGR1 on cervical carcinoma cell lines (CaSki and HeLa cells) in vitro. The Cell Counting Kit-8 and soft agar cell colony formation assay results revealed that NGR1 suppressed the viability and the number colonies of CaSki and HeLa cells, respectively. Furthermore, the DAPI staining, flow cytometry and western blotting results revealed that NGR1 induced cervical carcinoma cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in the S phase, upregulation of cyclin A2 and CDK2 expression levels, and downregulation of cyclin D1 expression levels. To further investigate the mechanisms of NGR1, DNA-damage-related proteins, including H2A.X variant histone (H2AX), ATR serine/threonine kinase (ATR) and p53, and the nucleolus protein, plant homeodomain finger protein 6 (PHF6) were analyzed. The results indicated that NGR1 triggered the phosphorylation of H2AX and ATR in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and downregulated the expression level of PHF6 and upregulated the expression level of p53 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In conclusion, the findings of the present indicated that NGR1 may inhibit the viability of cervical carcinoma cells and induce cell apoptosis via DNA damage, which may be activated by the downregulation of PHF6 expression levels, and the subsequent triggering of the phosphorylation of H2AX and ATR. In addition, NGR1 may exert an ability to arrest cervical carcinoma cells in the S phase and upregulate the expression levels of cyclin A2 and CDK2. Therefore, NGR1 may serve as a novel chemotherapeutic agent for cervical carcinoma.

Depletion of SNRNP200 inhibits the osteo-/dentinogenic differentiation and cell proliferation potential of stem cells from the apical papilla

BACKGROUND

Tissue regeneration mediated by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is deemed a desirable way to repair teeth and craniomaxillofacial tissue defects. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms about cell proliferation and committed differentiation of MSCs remain obscure. Previous researches have proved that lysine demethylase 2A (KDM2A) performed significant function in the regulation of MSC proliferation and differentiation. SNRNP200, as a co-binding factor of KDM2A, its potential effect in regulating MSCs' function is still unclear. Therefore, stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs) were used to investigate the function of SNRNP200 in this research.

METHODS

The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, Alizarin Red staining, and osteogenesis-related gene expressions were used to examine osteo-/dentinogenic differentiation potential. Carboxyfluorescein diacetate, succinimidyl ester (CFSE) and cell cycle analysis were applied to detect the cell proliferation. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the expressions of cell cycle-related proteins.

RESULTS

Depletion of SNRNP200 caused an obvious decrease of ALP activity, mineralization formation and the expressions of osteo-/dentinogenic genes including RUNX2, DSPP, DMP1 and BSP. Meanwhile, CFSE and cell cycle assays revealed that knock-down of SNRNP200 inhibited the cell proliferation and blocked cell cycle at the G2/M and S phase in SCAPs. In addition, it was found that depletion of SNRNP200 up-regulated p21 and p53, and down-regulated the CDK1, CyclinB, CyclinE and CDK2.

CONCLUSIONS

Depletion of SNRNP200 repressed osteo-/dentinogenic differentiation potentials and restrained cell proliferation through blocking cell cycle progression at the G2/M and S phase, further revealing that SNRNP200 has crucial effects on preserving the proliferation and differentiation potentials of dental tissue-derived MSCs.

DUSP3 maintains genomic stability and cell proliferation by modulating NER pathway and cell cycle regulatory proteins

The DUSP3 phosphatase regulates cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis and senescence of different cell types, lately shown as a mediator of DNA repair processes. This work evaluated the impact of DUSP3 loss of function (lof) on DNA repair-proficient fibroblasts (MRC-5), NER-deficient cell lines (XPA and XPC) and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS)-deficient cells (XPV), after UV-radiation stress. The levels of DNA strand breaks, CPDs and 6-4-PPs have accumulated over time in all cells under DUSP3 lof, with a significant increase in NER-deficient lines. The inefficient repair of these lesions increased sub-G1 population of XPA and XPC cells 24 hours after UV treatment, notably marked by DUSP3 lof, which is associated with a reduced cell population in G1, S and G2/M phases. It was also detected an increase in S and G2/M populations of XPV and MRC-5 cells after UV-radiation exposure, which was slightly attenuated by DUSP3 lof due to a discrete increase in sub-G1 cells. The cell cycle progression was accompanied by changes in the levels of the main Cyclins (A1, B1, D1 or E1), CDKs (1, 2, 4 or 6), and the p21 ^Cip1 inhibitor, in a DUSP3-dependent manner. DUSP3 lof affected the proliferation of MRC-5 and XPA cells, with marked worsening of the XP phenotype after UV radiation. This work highlights the roles of DUSP3 in DNA repair fitness and in the fine control of regulatory proteins of cell cycle, essential mechanisms to maintenance of genomic stability.

miR-4651 inhibits cell proliferation of gingival mesenchymal stem cells by inhibiting HMGA2 under nifedipine treatment

Drug-induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO) is recognized as a side effect of nifedipine (NIF); however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we found that overexpressed miR-4651 inhibits cell proliferation and induces G0/G1-phase arrest in gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) with or without NIF treatment. Furthermore, sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS) analysis, bioinformatics analysis, and dual-luciferase report assay results confirmed that high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) is the downstream target gene of miR-4651. Overexpression of HMGA2 enhanced GMSC proliferation and accelerated the cell cycle with or without NIF treatment. The present study demonstrates that miR-4651 inhibits the proliferation of GMSCs and arrests the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase by upregulating cyclin D and CDK2 while downregulating cyclin E through inhibition of HMGA2 under NIF stimulation. These findings reveal a novel mechanism regulating DIGO progression and suggest the potential of miR-4651 and HMGA2 as therapeutic targets.

The methyl-triclosan induced caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis in HepG2 cells mediated through oxidative stress

Methyl-triclosan (MTCS) is a dominant transformation product of triclosan (TCS), which has been widely used as an effective antimicrobial ingredient with increasing concentrations in the environment. MTCS shows higher persistence in environment than its parent chemical TCS. The toxic effects of MTCS and toxicological mechanism are not well understood up to now. This study investigated the cytotoxic effects of MTCS in HepG2 cells in terms of cell viability, apoptosis induction, ROS production, GSH/GSSG levels, Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (MMP) reduction, LDH release, glucose uptake and ATP production. Moreover, the related gene transcripts were measured with RT-qPCR assay. Cytotoxic experiments in HepG2 cells revealed that MTCS exposure at micromol per liter levels had toxic effects as evidenced by decreased cell survival, elevated cell apoptosis, reduced MMP and increased LDH release. These toxic effects were associated with increased ROS production and reduced GSH/GSSG ratio. Meanwhile, elevated glucose uptake and ATP production indicated that MTCS induced membrane damages resulted not from a typical mitochondrial uncoupler, but from oxidative stress. Analysis of gene transcripts showed that MTCS exposure induced mRNA expressions alterations associated with oxidative stress response, energy production, cell cycle regulation and cell apoptosis. In general, the caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis pathway might play a role in MTCS induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells.

ESRP1 Induces Cervical Cancer Cell G1-Phase Arrest Via Regulating Cyclin A2 mRNA Stability

Accumulating evidence indicates that epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) can inhibit the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), thus playing a central role in regulating the metastatic progression of tumors. However, it is still not clear whether ESRP1 directly influences the cell cycle, or what the possible underlying molecular mechanisms are. In this study, we showed that ESRP1 protein levels were significantly correlated with the Ki-67 proliferative index (r = −0.521; p < 0.01), and that ESRP1 overexpression can significantly inhibit cervical carcinoma cell proliferation and induced G1-phase arrest by downregulating cyclin A2 expression. Importantly, ESRP1 can bind to GGUGGU sequence in the 3′UTR of the cyclin A2 mRNA, and ESRP1 overexpression significantly decreases the stability of the cyclin A2 mRNA. In addition, our experimental results confirm that ESRP1 overexpression results in enhanced CDC20 expression, which is known to be responsible for cyclin A2 degradation. This study provides the first evidence that ESRP1 overexpression induces G1-phase cell cycle arrest via reducing the stability of the cyclin A2 mRNA, and inhibits cervical carcinoma cell proliferation. The findings suggest that the ESRP1/cyclin A2 regulatory axis may be essential as a regulator of cell proliferation, and may thus represent an attractive target for cervical cancer prevention and treatment.

The miR-3940-5p inhibits cell proliferation of gingival mesenchymal stem cells

OBJECTIVES

Drug-induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO) is a well-recognized side effect of nifedipine (NIF). However, the molecular mechanisms of DIGO are still unknown. Here, we explored the possible role of miR-3940-5p in DIGO using NIF-treated gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

CFSE and cell cycle assays were used to examine cell proliferation. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, Alizarin Red staining, quantitative calcium analysis, and osteogenesis-related gene expression were used to examine osteo/dentinogenic differentiation.

RESULTS

The CFSE assay showed that NIF enhanced cell proliferation, and the over-expression of miR-3940-5p inhibited the proliferation of GMSCs with or without NIF stimulation. Cell cycle assays revealed that the cell cycle was arrested at the G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, it was found that the over-expression of miR-3940-5p upregulated p15^INK4b , p18^INK4c , p19^INK4d , and Cyclin A and downregulated Cyclin E in GMSCs with or without NIF treatment. In addition, the over-expression of miR-3940-5p enhanced ALP activity and mineralization in vitro and increased the expression of the osteo/dentinogenic differentiation markers DSPP and DMP1 and the key transcription factor DLX5 in GMSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-3940-5p inhibited cell proliferation, enhanced the osteo/dentinogenic differentiation of GMSCs, and might play a role in DIGO as a potent agent in the treatment of nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth.

Comparison of hepatotoxicity and mechanisms induced by triclosan (TCS) and methyl-triclosan (MTCS) in human liver hepatocellular HepG2 cells

Triclosan (TCS) is used as an antimicrobial agent and has been widely dispersed and detected in the environment and organisms including human samples. Methyl-triclosan (MTCS) is the predominant bacterial TCS metabolite. At present, the toxicological effects and mechanism of TCS and MTCS are still not fully understood. In this study, the cytotoxic effects of TCS and MTCS in HepG2 cells were investigated in terms of cell proliferation, comet assay, cell cycle, and apoptosis. In addition, the expressions of related proteins were detected with western blotting analysis. The results showed that TCS could significantly inhibit cell proliferation, while MTCS had no obvious effect on cell growth. Both TCS and MTCS caused oxidative injury associated with HO-1 induction and increased DNA strand breaks, which consequently initiated the damage repair process via up-regulation of DNA-PKcs. In addition, TCS blocked the HepG2 cells in S and G2/M phases of cell cycle through down-regulation of cyclin A2 and CDK; while MTCS induced cell cycle arrest at the S phase through up-regulation of cyclin A2 and CDK. Furthermore, TCS activated p53 mediated apoptosis in HepG2 cells in a caspase-independent manner, while MTCS induced apoptosis was dependent on caspase. Moreover, TCS exposure exhibited more severe toxicity in HepG2 cells as compared with MTCS exposure, indicating that the replacement of the ionizable proton in TCS by the methyl group in MTCS is correlated with the cellular toxicity and the molecular mechanism.

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J promotes cell proliferation and cell cycle progression through miR-221 by targeting CDKN1B

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J), a highly oncogenic retrovirus, causes leukemia-like proliferative diseases in chickens. microRNAs post-transcriptionally suppress targets and are involved in the development of various tumors. We previously showed that miR-221 is upregulated in ALV-J-induced tumors. In this study, we analyzed the possible function of miR-221 in ALV-J tumorigenesis. The target validation system showed that CDKN1B is a target of miR-221 and is downregulated in ALV-J infection. As CDKN1B arrests the cell cycle and regulates its progression, we analyzed the proliferation of ALV-J-infected DF-1 cells. ALV-J-infection-induced DF1 cell derepression of G1/S transition and overproliferation required high miR-221 expression followed by CDKN1B downregulation. Cell cycle pathway analysis showed that ALV-J infection induced DF-1 cell overproliferation via the CDKN1B-CDK2/CDK6 pathway. Thus, miR-221 may play an important role in ALV-J-induced aggressive growth of DF-1 cells; these findings have expanded our insights into the mechanism underlying ALV-J infection and tumorigenesis.

The cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) mediates hematopoiesis through G1-to-S transition in Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), a family of cell cycle-related serine/threonine kinases, participate in various biological processes, and play crucial roles in the innate immunity. In the present study, a CDK2 (designed as EsCDK2) with a serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic domain was identified from Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). The full-length cDNA sequence of EsCDK2 was of 2405 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 909 bp. EsCDK2 shared 66%-81% sequence similarities with previously identified CDK2s. It was clustered with the CDK2 from Penaeus monodon in the invertebrate branch of the phylogenetic tree. The mRNA transcripts of EsCDK2 were highly expressed in hematopoietic tissue (HPT) and gonad, while lower in hemocytes, heart, gills, and muscle. EsCDK2 protein distributed in both cytoplasm and nucleus of HPT cells. The expression of EsCDK2 mRNA in HPT was significantly up-regulated and peaked at 3 h post stimulations with Aeromonas hydrophila (2.31-fold, p < 0.05) and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (2.02-fold, p < 0.05). After exsanguination, the total hemocyte counts (THC) decreased significantly to 0.42 × 10⁷/ml (0.39-fold, p < 0.05) at 0.5 h, then returned to a normal level at 6 h, while the mRNA expression of EsCDK2 in HPT cells was up-regulated at the early phase from 0.5 h to 6 h. After injection of EsCDK2-dsRNA, the mRNA expression level of EsCDK2 in HPT and THC both decreased to 0.53-fold (p < 0.01) and 0.78-fold (p < 0.05) at 24 h, respectively, and the percentage of new-born hemocytes in HPT also decreased significantly from 37.7% to 16.3% (0.43-fold, p < 0.01). After knocking down of EsCDK2, THC decreased dramatically at 6 h (0.65-fold, p < 0.01) post exsanguination, while returned normal at 6 h in PBS group. After interference of EsCDK2 mRNA expression, the percentage of G0-G1 phase cells significantly increased to 85.01% (1.26-fold, p < 0.01), while S phase and G2-M phase cells significantly decreased to 7.92% (0.46-fold, p < 0.01) and 7.07% (0.43-fold, p < 0.01) respectively, indicating that the cell cycle of HPT cells arrested at G1 phase. These results collectively demonstrated that EsCDK2 participated in the regeneration of hemocytes or hematopoiesis by regulating the transition from G1 to S phase in the cell cycle, and involves in the innate immune responses of E. sinensis.

H2S-releasing nanoemulsions: a new formulation to inhibit tumor cells proliferation and improve tissue repair

The improvement of solubility and/or dissolution rate of poorly soluble natural compounds is an ideal strategy to make them optimal candidates as new potential drugs. Accordingly, the allyl sulfur compounds and omega-3 fatty acids are natural hydrophobic compounds that exhibit two important combined properties: cardiovascular protection and antitumor activity. Here, we have synthesized and characterized a novel formulation of diallyl disulfide (DADS) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) as protein-nanoemulsions (BAD-NEs), using ultrasounds. BAD-NEs are stable over time at room temperature and show antioxidant and radical scavenging property. These NEs are also optimal H2S slow-release donors and show a significant anti-proliferative effect on different human cancer cell lines: MCF-7 breast cancer and HuT 78 T-cell lymphoma cells. BAD-NEs are able to regulate the ERK1/2 pathway, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. We have also investigated their effect on cell proliferation of human adult stem/progenitor cells. Interestingly, BAD-NEs are able to improve the Lin- Sca1+ human cardiac progenitor cells (hCPC) proliferation. This stem cell growth stimulation is combined with the expression and activation of proteins involved in tissue-repair, such as P-AKT, α-sma and connexin 43. Altogether, our results suggest that these antioxidant nanoemulsions might have potential application in selective cancer therapy and for promoting the muscle tissue repair.

Actein induces autophagy and apoptosis in human bladder cancer by potentiating ROS/JNK and inhibiting AKT pathways

Human bladder cancer is a common genitourinary malignant cancer worldwide. However, new therapeutic strategies are required to overcome its stagnated survival rate. Triterpene glycoside Actein (ACT), extracted from the herb black cohosh, suppresses the growth of human breast cancer cells. Our study attempted to explore the role of ACT in human bladder cancer cell growth and to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that ACT significantly impeded the bladder cancer cell proliferation via induction of G2/M cycle arrest. Additionally, ACT administration triggered autophagy and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells, proved by the autophagosome formation, LC3B-II accumulation, improved cleavage of Caspases/poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Furthermore, reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) could markedly reverse ACT-induced autophagy and apoptosis. In contrast, AKT and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were greatly de-phosphorylated by ACT, while suppressing AKT and mTOR activity could enhance the effects of ACT on apoptosis and autophagy induction. In vivo, ACT reduced the tumor growth with little toxicity. Taken together, our findings indicated that ACT suppressed cell proliferation, induced autophagy and apoptosis through promoting ROS/JNK activation, and blunting AKT pathway in human bladder cancer, which indicated that ACT might be an effective candidate against human bladder cancer in future.

Upregulation of the BDNF/TrKB pathway promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as well as the migration and invasion of cervical cancer

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has previously been demonstrated to be associated with several types of cancer. In addition, its receptor, tropomyosin related kinase B (TrkB) is involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with metastasis in cancers. Thus, The aim of the present study was to examine whether BDNF/TrKB expression is linked to a poor survival and the acquisition of the EMT phenotype in cervical cancer. We found that a high positive expression of BDNF/TrKB was associated with poor survival in cervical cancer. Our results revealed that high expression levels of BDNF/TrKB were observed in cervical cancer compared to normal cells. Importantly, we demonstrated that the silencing of TrKB suppressed the activation of EMT via the downregulation of N-cadherin, vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9, and the upregulation of E-cadherin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)2, which resulted in suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, high phosphorylation levels of ERK and Akt were observed in the cervical cancer cells, while these levels were decreased in the cells in which TrKB was knocked down. On the whole, these findings suggest that the BDNF/TrKB pathway is a promising target for the prevention of tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis and EMT in cervical cancer cells.

The natural terthiophene α-terthienylmethanol induces S phase cell cycle arrest of human ovarian cancer cells via the generation of ROS stress

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide. Thiophenes such as terthiophene have been shown to have anti-tumor effects on several cancer cell lines, including ovarian cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanisms behind the anti-proliferative effect of thiophenes are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-proliferative effect of α-terthienylmethanol, a terthiophene isolated from Eclipta prostrata (False Daisy), on human ovarian cancer cells. We found that α-terthienylmethanol is a more potent inhibitor of cell growth than is cisplatin in human ovarian cancer cells. α-Terthienylmethanol induces cell cycle arrest in ovarian cancer cells, as shown by the accumulation of cells in S phase. In addition, α-terthienylmethanol induced a change in S phase-related proteins cyclin A, cyclin-dependent kinase 2, and cyclin D2. Knockdown of cyclin A using specific siRNAs significantly compromised α-terthienylmethanol-induced S phase arrest. We further demonstrated that α-terthienylmethanol induced an increase in intracellular ROS, and the antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine significantly reversed the S phase arrest induced by α-terthienylmethanol. Moreover, α-terthienylmethanol significantly increased the levels of p-H2AX, a DNA damage marker. These results suggest that α-terthienylmethanol inhibits the growth of human ovarian cancer cells by S phase cell cycle arrest via induction of ROS stress and DNA damage.

Global expression profile of tumor stem-like cells isolated from MMQ rat prolactinoma cell

BACKGROUND

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which have been isolated from various malignancies, were closely correlated with the occurrence, progression, metastasis and recurrence of the malignant cancer. Little is known about the tumor stem-like cells (TSLCs) isolated from benign tumors. Here we want to explore the global expression profile of RNA of tumor stem-like cells isolated from MMQ rat prolactinoma cells.

METHODS

In this study, total RNA was extracted from MMQ cells and MMQ tumor stem-like cells. RNA expression profiles were determined by Agilent Rat 8 × 60 K Microarray. Then we used the qRT-PCR to test the result of Microarray, and found VEGFA had a distinct pattern of expression in MMQ tumor stem-like cells. Then WB and ELISA were used to confirm the VEGFA protein level of tumor sphere cultured from both MMQ cell and human prolactinoma cell. Finally, CCK-8 was used to evaluate the reaction of MMQ tumor stem-like cells to small interfering RNAs intervention and bevacizumab treatment.

RESULT

The results of Microarray showed that 566 known RNA were over-expressed and 532 known RNA were low-expressed in the MMQ tumor stem-like cells. These genes were mainly involved in 15 different signaling pathways. In pathway in cancer and cell cycle, Bcl2, VEGFA, PTEN, Jun, Fos, APC2 were up-regulated and Ccna2, Cdc25a, Mcm3, Mcm6, Ccnb2, Mcm5, Cdk1, Gadd45a, Myc were down-regulated in the MMQ tumor stem-like cells. The expression of VEGFA were high in tumor spheres cultured from both MMQ cell and human prolactinomas. Down-regulation of VEGFA by small interfering RNAs partially decreased cell viability of MMQ tumor stem-like cells in vitro. Bevacizumab partially suppressed the proliferation of MMQ tumor stem-like cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings characterize the pattern of RNA expression of tumor stem-like cells isolated from MMQ cells. VEGFA may act as a potential therapeutic target for tumor stem-like cells of prolactinomas.