A New Indole Derivative Decreased SALL4 Gene Expression in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Cell Line (NB4)

SALL4 Oncogenic Function in Cancers: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Relevance

SALL4, a member of the SALL family, is an embryonic stem cell regulator involved in self-renewal and pluripotency. Recently, SALL4 overexpression was found in malignant cancers, including lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, osteosarcoma, acute myeloid leukemia, ovarian cancer, and glioma. This review updates recent advances of our knowledge of the biology of SALL4 with a focus on its mechanisms and regulatory functions in tumors and human hematopoiesis. SALL4 overexpression promotes proliferation, development, invasion, and migration in cancers through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/AKT, and Notch signaling pathways; expression of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation genes; and inhibition of the expression of the Bcl-2 family, caspase-related proteins, and death receptors. Additionally, SALL4 regulates tumor progression correlated with the immune microenvironment involved in the TNF family and gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, consequently affecting hematopoiesis. Therefore, SALL4 plays a critical oncogenic role in gene transcription and tumor growth. However, there are still some scientific hypotheses to be tested regarding whether SALL4 is a therapeutic target, such as different tumor microenvironments and drug resistance. Thus, an in-depth understanding and study of the functions and mechanisms of SALL4 in cancer may help develop novel strategies for cancer therapy.

Knockdown of SALL4 inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human lung cancer cells in vivo and in vitro

Background

This study aimed to investigate the SALL4 expression in lung cancer, determine if SALL4 regulates the biological functions of lung cancer cells at the cellular level, and clarify the possible mechanisms involved.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the SALL4 expression messenger RNA (mRNA) in 62 cases of lung cancer tissue microarray. The correlation of SALL4 with the clinical pathological parameters and overall life cycle of patients and the impact of disease-free life cycle was analyzed. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were used to detect the SALL4 expression in lung cancer cell lines and nude mouse models. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, colony-forming assay, and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of interference with SALL4 expression on lung cancer cell proliferation and transplant tumor models; the effect of interference with SALL4 expression on the growth of transplanted tumors in vivo was also examined.

Results

SALL4 was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues and cell lines and was closely related to the patient's TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. Compared to patients with a high SALL4 expression, those with a lower SALL4 expression had a longer overall and disease-free survival. The expression of SALL4 is an independent risk factor for the prognosis of lung cancer patients. Interference with SALL4 expression can significantly inhibit cell proliferation and clonal formation. Interfering with the expression of SALL4 can arrest the cells in the G0/G1 phase by inhibiting the expression of the cell cycle-related proteins, cyclin B, cyclin E, and cyclin D1. Furthermore, wound-healing and Transwell assays showed that interference with SALL4 expression could significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of lung cancer cells, while experiments in nude mice showed that interference with SALL4 expression could significantly inhibit the size and weight of transplanted tumors.

Conclusions

SALL4 was highly expressed in lung cancer cell lines. Interference with the expression of SALL4 can effectively inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells, promote cell cycle arrest, and play the function of tumor suppressor genes. SALL4 may be a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.

Evaluating of Induction of Apoptosis by Cornus mass L. Extract in the Gastric Carcinoma Cell Line (AGS)

Aim and objectives: Natural products and derivatives of medicinal vegetation can play an important role to the cure tumor. The Present study was focused to determine the effect of Cornus mass L. extract on the induction of apoptosis in AGS gastric carcinoma cell line in compared to L929 cells. Methods: In this experimental study, AGS and L929 cells were cultured and treated with different concentrations (0–10 mg/ml) of Cornus mass L. extract for 48 and 72 hours. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. The optical density of the colored solution was quantified at 570 nm wavelengths by an ELISA Reader. Making use of the apoptosis detection kit of Annexin V-FITC, PI and double staining with Annexin V-FITC were carried out for flow cytometry investigations. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. Variations with a P-value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: shows a noticeable deviation among various concentrations of extract when cells were treated for 48, 72 h declined cell viability in AGS cell line in comparison L929 cell lines in a dose and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). This extract also displayed approximately several-fold increased anti-cancer potency in AGS compared to L929 cells. The IC50 value in AGS cells (evaluated after 48,72h) of the extract against AGS cells was 5/44, 2/44 mg/ml (p≤0.05). The analysis results of flow cytometry indicated that apoptosis was induced by the extract in AGS cells treated, compared with L929 cells. Conclusion: Each of our results implicates the reality that Cornus mass L. extract acts as a novel, potent inhibitor of cancer proliferation in in vitro. This may result in developing a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of indole-sensitive cancers.

Effect of a Copper (II) Complex on The Induction of Apoptosis in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Objectives:

In the present study, we aimed to identify the anti-proliferative potential of [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex [L = 2-(((5-chloro-2-oxyphenyl)imino)methyl)phenolato) and 2imi = 2-methyl imidazole] against HepG2 cells as an in vitro model of human hepatocellular carcinoma and normal mouse fibroblast L929 cells.

Methods:

The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex on HepG2 cells and normal fibroblasts (L929) were examined by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively.

Results:

Cytotoxicity induced by [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex was time dependent. Also, there was a positive correlation between cytotoxicity and an increase in Cu complex concentration. For HepG2 cells, the cell viability percentage was 50% at 58 μg/mL after 24 h treatment, whereas in the same concentration and conditions, the viability percentage was surprisingly higher (about 100%) for L929 cells. Also, after 48 h treatment, the viability percentage of HepG2 cells at 55 μg/mL concentration was 50% in contrast with 89.3% for L929 cells in the same conditions. Flow cytometry findings suggest that [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex is capable of decreasing cancer cell viability through apoptosis and did not efficiently activate the necrosis process.

Conclusions:

Finally, we found that [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex possess the potential for development as an anti-cancer drug for human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Vanadium complex: an appropriate candidate for killing hepatocellular carcinoma cancerous cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent human malignancy which its drug resistance is increasing world-wide. This project was designed to assess the anti-cancer effects of 4-bromo-2-(((5-chloro-2-hydroxyphenyl) imino) methyl) phenol ([IV(L)] complex) on the HepG2 cell line and also L929 cells, as normal cells. HepG2 and L929 cells were cultured in RPMI culture medium and the survival rates of the cells were determined after 24 and 48 h using MTT assay to find IC50 concentration of vanadium m, [IV(L)] complex. The early apoptosis and necrosis/late apoptosis were determined by means of annexin V/PI apoptosis detection kit. The results revealed that vanadium m, [IV(L)] complex induce early apoptosis higher in HepG2 cell line than L929 cells. The rates of necrosis/late apoptosis were also induced in HepG2 cells more than L929 cells. Based on the results, vanadium m, [IV(L)] complex might be considered as a safe new drug for treatment of HCC with low side effects on control liver cells.

Nisin Induces Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis in Human Asterocytoma Cell Line (SW1088)

Background: Nisin is a member of the group of anti-microbial peptides which are considered as bacteriocins, but it possesses a vast range of activities. Astrocytoma is among the most prevalent types of brain tumor globally. Considering all facts about this peptide, the aim of the present study was the evaluation of any impact of nisin on proliferation and apoptosis of an astrocytoma cell line (SW1088). Methods: The SW1088 cell line was purchased from the Pasteur Institute of Iran and treated with various concentrations of Nisin. Nisin-induced cell toxicity and apoptosis were detected by both MTT assay and annexin V-FITC /propidium iodide (PI) staining. Result: In current study we observed that the cell death and apoptosis were significantly increased following nisin treatment, as compared to the control group. Conclusion: These results open a new window for establishment promising approaches with the concept of anti-cancer therapy by nisin in the future.

Expression of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Gene Family Members in Bladder Cancer Tissues and the 5637 Tumor Cell Line

Background: Apoptosis is suppressed in cancer tissues and tumor cell lines because anti-apoptosis genes are overexpressed. The inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) gene family contributes to control of apoptosis. The expression profile of eight genes of the IAP family in biopsies from patients with a history of bladder cancer and normal bladder tissues, as well as a bladder tumor cell line (5637), was assessed in the present study. Methods: Cancer tissue samples were obtained at surgery and the 5637 tumor cell line was cultured in RPMI1640 medium. Beyond tumor margins were selected as normal tissue. Expressional profile of interested genes was obtained by using specific primers and the real-time PCR method. Results: The results showed that expression of seven of the studied genes was up-regulated in cancer tissues and the cell line whereas BIRC4 (XIAP) was down-regulated in both. Conclusions: The results showed that these genes were expressed to a greater extent in cancer tissue and cancer cells than in normal tissues. The data suggested that over-expression of anti-apoptotic genes such as IAP family members, can trigger cells to escape from apoptosis.

SALL4 as a transcriptional and epigenetic regulator in normal and leukemic hematopoiesis

In recent years, there has been substantial progress in our knowledge of the molecular pathways by which stem cell factor SALL4 regulates the embryonic stem cell (ESC) properties, developmental events, and human cancers. This review summarizes recent advances in the biology of SALL4 with a focus on its regulatory functions in normal and leukemic hematopoiesis. In the normal hematopoietic system, expression of SALL4 is mainly enriched in the bone marrow hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSCs/HPCs), but is rapidly silenced following lineage differentiation. In hematopoietic malignancies, however, SALL4 expression is abnormally re-activated and linked with deteriorated disease status in patients. Further, SALL4 activation participates in the pathogenesis of tumor initiation and disease progression. Thus, a better understanding of SALL4's biologic functions and mechanisms will facilitate development of advanced targeted anti-leukemia approaches in future.