Effect of silica on phospholipase D activity in rat alveolar macrophages

The effects of cigarette smoking extracts on cell cycle and tumor spread: novel evidence

Cigarette smoking is a major preventable risk factor for lung cancer, contributing to lung cancer progression and metastasis. Moreover, cigarette smoking correlates with increased metastasis frequency of pancreatic, breast and bladder cancer. The aim of this review was to examine the role of cigarette smoke extract in cell cycle and cancer progression. Clinical impact and the effects of cigarette smoke extract on carcinogenesis are discussed. 98 of the over 5000 chemicals in tobacco smoke are known carcinogens that can act on cancer genes such as K-RAS and p53. Through various mechanisms these compounds can activate molecules involved in the cell cycle, such as cyclins, and molecules involved in apoptosis and autophagy, such as Beclin-1 or LC3B. A search of the literature, including in vitro and in vivo studies, was carried out and the results summarized.

There is evidence of cancerogenic effects of cigarette smoke compounds. Cigarette smoke extract is a tobacco condensate obtained by filtration processes. Studies have shown that it can modify the cell cycle, inducing uncontrolled cell proliferation. This effect occurs through activation of genetic and epigenetic pathways and increasing the expression of proteins involved in inflammation. The pathways activated by cigarette smoke extract open up opportunities for researchers to develop new targeted therapies toward the specific molecules involved. Furthermore, the effects exerted by cigarette smoke extract on normal epithelial cells hold potential for use in the development of prevention medicine and early cancer diagnosis.

Cloning of PLD2 from baculovirus for studies in inflammatory responses

The enzyme PLD hydrolyzes phosphodiester bonds of lipids in cell membranes. Phosphatidic acid, a chief product of PLD enzymatic activity, is a pleiotropic second messenger with key roles in membrane trafficking, cell invasion, cell growth, and anti-apoptosis. We describe in the present study molecular, cellular, and physiological methods to understand the mechanism of how the PLD2 isozyme regulates the process of inflammation. We describe here (1) a method that details phospholipase D2 (PLD2) cloning in the pBac expression vector, (2) the large-scale infection of Sf21 insect cells for protein production, (3) protein purification by TALON cobalt metal affinity matrix and subsequent assessment of PLD2 protein and lipase activity, (4) application of purified PLD2 protein for the study of Rac2 GTPase biology involving GTP binding by a pull-down assay and GTP/GDP exchange activity, (5) a method of PLD2 expression that involves mammalian cells, (6) a physiological application as relates to adhesion, chemotaxis, and phagocytosis, and (7) a model that integrates the results of a PLD-GTPase interaction from the molecular to the physiological contexts.

Histamine release by hydrochloric acid is mediated via reactive oxygen species generation and phospholipase D in RBL-2H3 mast cells

In order to investigate the underlying mechanism of HCl in oesophagitis, the inflammatory response to HCl was observed in RBL-2H3 mast cells. Rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells were used to measure histamine release, arachidonic acid (AA) release, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxynitrite generation induced by HCl. Exogenous HCl increased the level of histamine release and ROS generation in a dose dependent manner, whereas it decreased the spontaneous release of [3H] AA and the spontaneous production of peroxynitrite. Mepacrine (10 microM), oleyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (10 microM) and bromoenol lactone (10 microM) did not affect both the level of histamine release and ROS generation induced by HCl. U73122 (1 microM), a specific phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor did not have any influence on level of histamine release and ROS generation. Propranolol (200 microM), a phospholipase D (PLD) inhibitor, and neomycin (1 mM), a nonspecific PLC and PLD inhibitor, significantly inhibited both histamine release and ROS generation. Diphenyleneiodonium (10 microM), a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, and tiron (5 mM), an intracellular ROS scavenger significantly inhibited the HCl-induced histamine release and ROS generation. These findings suggest that the inflammatory responses to HCl is related to histamine release and ROS generation, and that the ROS generation by HCl may be involved in histamine release via the PLD pathway in RBL-2H3 cells.