1-benzyl-2-phenylbenzimidazole (BPB), a benzimidazole derivative, induces cell apoptosis in human chondrosarcoma through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways

CXCL1 promotes cell migration in hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the miR-30b-5p/ICAM-1 axis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly lethal cancer with a growing global incidence and is often associated with poor prognosis due to its tendency to metastasize. Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) 1 is a transmembrane protein found in various cancer cells and is associated with the spread of cancer and poor prognosis. Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) is a chemokine that significantly affects the cell motility of various cancers. However, the role of CXCL1 in ICAM-1 expression and in metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma remains unclear. We determined that CXCL1 expression is positively and significantly associated with advanced-stage tumors in the HCC tissue array. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed worse overall survival rates in the high CXCL1 expression group, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for cancer progression and stimulating hepatocellular carcinoma cells with CXCL1 enhanced migration abilities by upregulating ICAM-1 expression. CXCL1 was shown to enhance ICAM-1-dependent cell motility by inhibiting miR-30b-5p. This study provides novel evidence that CXCL1 could serve as a therapeutic target for metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cyasterone has a protective effect on steroid-induced Osteonecrosis of the femoral head

CONTEXT

Cyasterone alleviated the apoptosis of BMSCs induced by Dexamethasone via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In addition, Cyasterone had a protective effect on SIONFH model rats by reducing the percentage of empty bone lacunae.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of Cyasterone on apoptosis of rat BMSCs and its function on the SIONFH rat model.

METHODS

Rat BMSCs were cultured and divided into Control, DXM and Cyasterone (DXM+Cyasterone) groups. The apoptosis of each group was detected by flow cytometry, the expressions of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were detected by immunofluorescence staining, and the mRNA and protein expressions of AKT, BAX, P53, P85, Bcl-2 and Cytochrome C were detected by qPCR and WB. In animal experiments, the femoral head of rats were subjected to HE staining and Micro-CT to observe the necrosis and repair conditions.

RESULTS

The apoptosis rate of DXM and Cyasterone groups increased compared with Control group, and the apoptosis rate of Cyasterone group decreased compared with DXM group. Compared with DXM group, the mRNA expression of BAX, P53, P85 and Cytochrome C in Cyasterone group were increased, while the protein expression of AKT and Bcl-2 decreased. The histopathological and morphological analysis showed that Cyasterone promoted the trabecular bone structure in rat, which evenly benefit for the repair of SIONFH.

CONCLUSION

Cyasterone can reduce the apoptosis of rat BMSCs induced by Dexamethasone, and help promoting the bone repair in SIONFH rats.

IOX-1 suppresses metastasis of osteosarcoma by upregulating histone H3 lysine trimethylation

New therapeutic approaches are needed for metastatic osteosarcoma (OS), as survival rates remain low despite surgery and chemotherapy. Epigenetic changes, such as histone H3 methylation, play key roles in many cancers including OS, although the underlying mechanisms are not clear. In this study, human OS tissue and OS cell lines displayed lower levels of histone H3 lysine trimethylation compared with normal bone tissue and osteoblast cells. Treating OS cells with the histone lysine demethylase inhibitor 5-carboxy-8-hydroxyquinoline (IOX-1) dose-dependently increased histone H3 methylation and inhibited cellular migratory and invasive capabilities, suppressed matrix metalloproteinase expression, reversed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by increasing levels of epithelial markers E-cadherin and ZO-1 and decreasing the expression of mesenchymal markers N-cadherin, vimentin, and TWIST, and also reduced stemness properties. An analysis of cultivated MG63 cisplatin-resistant (MG63-CR) cells revealed lower histone H3 lysine trimethylation levels compared with levels in MG63 cells. Exposing MG63-CR cells to IOX-1 increased histone H3 trimethylation and ATP-binding cassette transporter expression, potentially sensitizing MG63-CR cells to cisplatin. In conclusion, our study suggests that histone H3 lysine trimethylation is associated with metastatic OS and that IOX-1 or other epigenetic modulators present promising strategies to inhibit metastatic OS progression.

The Protective Effect of Luteolin in Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

Glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (GIONFH) is a frequently occurring type of nontraumatic osteonecrosis. A failure of the timely treatment can eventually result in the collapse of the subchondral bone structure. Luteolin (Lut), a compound extracted from Rhizoma Drynariae, is reported to possess multiple pharmacological properties including anticancer, antioxidant, antiapoptosis, and antiinflammatory properties. However, whether Lut has a protective effect on the development of GIONFH remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Lut on Dexamethasone (Dex)-induced STAT1/caspase3 pathway in vitro and evaluated GIONFH model in vivo. In vitro, Lut inhibited the upregulation of Dex-induced phospho-STAT1, cleaved caspase9, and cleaved caspase3. In addition, Lut inhibited Dex-induced expression of Bax and cytochrome c and increased the expression of B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2). In vivo, Lut decreased the proportion of empty lacunae in rats with GIONFH. Taken together, these findings indicate that Lut may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of GIONFH. Further, this effect might be achieved by suppressing mitochondrial apoptosis of osteoblasts via inhibition of STAT1 activity.

Synthesis and insight into the structure-activity relationships of 2-phenylbenzimidazoles as prospective anticancer agents

In order to explore and develop new anticancer agents, three series of 2-phenylbenzimidazoles, 15-46, were condensed under simple and mild conditions using sodium metabisulfite as an oxidation agent and another series, 47-55, were obtained via a reduction reaction using sodium borohydride. All the compounds synthesized were evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activities against three human cancer cell lines. The novel compound 38 was found to be the most potent multi cancer inhibitor against A549, MDA-MB-231, and PC3 cell lines (IC50 values 4.47, 4.68 and 5.50 μg mL-1, respectively). In addition, compound 40 exhibited the best IC50 value of 3.55 μg mL-1 against the MDA-MB-231 cell line. The results demonstrated that introducing a new substituent to compounds 37-55 could improve their antiproliferative activities.

Artocarpin induces cell apoptosis in human osteosarcoma cells through endoplasmic reticulum stress and reactive oxygen species

Osteosarcoma is a malignant primary bone tumor that responds poorly to both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, because of side effects and drug resistance in chemotherapy and the insufficiency of an effective adjuvant therapy for osteosarcoma, it is necessary to research novel treatments. This study was the first to investigate the anticancer effects of the flavonoid derivative artocarpin in osteosarcoma. Artocarpin induced cell apoptosis in three human osteosarcoma cell lines-U2OS, MG63, and HOS. Artocarpin was also associated with increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial dysfunction was followed by the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and accompanied by decreased antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and increased proapoptotic protein Bak and Bax. Artocarpin triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as indicated by changes in cytosol calcium levels and increased glucose-regulated protein 78 and 94 expressions, and also increased calpains expression and activity. Animal studies revealed a dramatic 40% reduction in tumor volume after 18 days of treatment. This study demonstrated a novel anticancer activity of artocarpin against human osteosarcoma cells and in murine tumor models. In summary, artocarpin significantly induced cell apoptosis through ROS, ER stress, mitochondria, and the caspase pathway, and may thus be a novel anticancer treatment for osteosarcoma.

Geniposide Suppresses Interleukin-1β-Induced Inflammation and Apoptosis in Rat Chondrocytes via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease that is principally characterized by progressive joint dysfunction and cartilage degradation. Inflammation and apoptosis play critical roles in the progression of OA. Geniposide (GPO), one of the principal components of the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and other pharmacological effects. In this study, we performed in vitro experiments on rat chondrocytes to examine the therapeutic effects of GPO on OA and investigated its effects in vivo in a rat model of OA induced by medial meniscal tear (MMT). The results suggest that GPO can inhibit the expression of INOS, COX-2, and MMP-13 in vitro, and promote the expression of collagen II in rat chondrocytes stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β). In addition, we also found that GPO can inhibit the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Cyto-c, and C-caspase3 and increase the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. These changes may be related to GPO-induced inhibition of the IL-1β-induced activation of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. In vivo, we also found that GPO can limit the development of OA in a rat model. Taken together, the above results indicate that GPO has potential therapeutic value for treating OA.

Anticancer activities of a benzimidazole compound through sirtuin inhibition in colorectal cancer

Aim: This study aims to investigate the mode of action of a novel sirtuin inhibitor (BZD9L1) and its associated molecular pathways in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Materials & methods: BZD9L1 was tested against metastatic CRC cell lines to evaluate cytotoxicity, cell cycle and apoptosis, senescence, apoptosis related genes and protein expressions, as well as effect against major cancer signaling pathways. Results & conclusion: BZD9L1 reduced the viability, cell migration and colony forming ability of both HCT 116 and HT-29 metastatic CRC cell lines through apoptosis. BZD9L1 regulated major cancer pathways differently in CRC with different mutation profiles. BZD9L1 exhibited anticancer activities as a cytotoxic drug in CRC and as a promising therapeutic strategy in CRC treatment.

Crude extract of Rheum palmatum L. Induces cell cycle arrest S phase and apoptosis through mitochondrial-dependent pathways in U-2 OS human osteosarcoma cells

Cancer is the second cause of death in children. Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy of solid bone cancer primarily affecting adolescents and young adults. In the Chinese population, the crude extract of Rheum palmatum L. (CERP) has been used for treating different diseases, including SARS, rheumatoid arthritis, coxsackievirus B3, and human colon cancer cell, pancreatic cancer. There are no reports on CERP and human osteosarcoma cells. The present study examined effects of CERP on cytotoxicity including cell cycle distribution and cell death (apoptosis) in U-2 OS human osteosarcoma cells. CERP significantly induced S phase arrest in U-2 OS cells in a dose-dependent. CERP produced DNA damage and DNA condensation. Other effects of CERP were stimulation of ROS and Ca(2+) , mitochondria impairment, and activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9. CERP increased the levels of Bax, Bak, Bad, cyclin B, Fas, PARP, GRP78, GADD153, AIF, Endo G, Calpain-2, p21, and p27, but decreased the levels of Bcl-2, BCL-X, XIAP, Akt, CDC25A, CDK2, Cyclin A, and Cyclin E of U-2 OS cells. It was also observed that CERP promoted the expression of AIF, Endo G, GADD153, and cytochrome c. These results indicate that CERP has anticancer effects in vitro and provide the foundation for in vivo studies of animal models of osteosarcoma. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 957-969, 2016.

Ginsenoside Ro suppresses interleukin-1β-induced apoptosis and inflammation in rat chondrocytes by inhibiting NF-κB

This study investigated effects of Ginsenoside Ro (Ro) on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced apoptosis and inflammation in rat chondrocytes. The rat chondrocytes were co-treated with IL-1β (10 ng·kg(-1)) and Ro (50, 100 and 200 μmol·L(-1)) for 48 h. Chondrocytes viability was detected by the MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI dual staining assay. Caspase 3 activity was measured by using caspase 3 colorimetric assay kit. Apoptosis related proteins Bax, Bad, Bcl-xL, PCNA, p53 and phospho-p53, along with inflammation related protein MMP 3, MMP 9 and COX-2, and the expression of phospho-NF-κB p65 were assayed by western blotting analyses. Ro could improve IL-1β-induced chondrocytes viability. Ro could suppress IL-1β-induced apoptosis by inhibiting levels of Bax and Bad, decreasing p53 phosphorylation and promoting the expression of Bcl-xL and PCNA. Ro inhibited caspase 3 activity. IL-1β-induced inflammation and matrix degration were also alleviated by Ro with down-regulating the expression of MMP 3, MMP 9 and COX-2. Moreover, Ro inhibited NF-κB p65 phosphorylation induced by IL-1β. In conclusion, these results suggested Ro exerted anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation in IL-1β-induced rat chondrocytes, which might be related to NF-κB signal pathway. Therefore, we propose that Ro might be a potential novel drug for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Hyperthermia induces apoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum and reactive oxygen species in human osteosarcoma cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a relatively rare form of cancer, but OS is the most commonly diagnosed bone cancer in children and adolescents. Chemotherapy has side effects and induces drug resistance in OS. Since an effective adjuvant therapy was insufficient for treating OS, researching novel and adequate remedies is critical. Hyperthermia can induce cell death in various cancer cells, and thus, in this study, we investigated the anticancer method of hyperthermia in human OS (U-2 OS) cells. Treatment at 43 °C for 60 min induced apoptosis in human OS cell lines, but not in primary bone cells. Furthermore, hyperthermia was associated with increases of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase-3 activation in U-2 OS cells. Mitochondrial dysfunction was followed by the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria, and was accompanied by decreased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and increased pro-apoptotic proteins Bak and Bax. Hyperthermia triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which was characterized by changes in cytosolic calcium levels, as well as increased calpain expression and activity. In addition, cells treated with calcium chelator (BAPTA-AM) blocked hyperthermia-induced cell apoptosis in U-2 OS cells. In conclusion, hyperthermia induced cell apoptosis substantially via the ROS, ER stress, mitochondria, and caspase pathways. Thus, hyperthermia may be a novel anticancer method for treating OS.

Benzimidazole derivative, BMT-1, induces apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells via a mitochondrial-mediated pathway involving H+/K+-ATPase inhibition

2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazol-3-ol (BMT-1), a bicyclic compound, belongs to the benzimidazole group and consists of the fusion of benzene and imidazole. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of BMT-1 on the proliferation of multiple myeloma (MM) cells and identify whether BMT-1 induces apoptosis in MM cells. Our results showed a dose- and time-dependent decrease in the proliferation of MM cells treated with BMT-1. Further studies revealed that the antiproliferative effects of BMT-1 were caused by induction of apoptosis with activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in MM cells. In addition, BMT-1 induced the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential resulting in the activation of caspase-8 and -9. Furthermore, the MM cells treated with BMT-1 showed a more acidic intracellular pH (pHi) as indicated by a lower FL1/FL2 ratio caused by inhibition of H+/K+-ATPase. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that a decrease in pHi, caused by H+/K+-ATPase inhibition induced by BMT-1, triggered the dysfunction of the mitochondria resulting in the apoptosis of MM cells. Therefore, BMT-1 may be used as a lead compound for the design and development of new agents with which to treat MM and other forms of cancer.

Transforming growth factor alpha promotes osteosarcoma metastasis by ICAM-1 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy of bone and is characterized by a high malignant and metastatic potential. Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) is classified as the EGF (epidermal growth factor)-like family, which is involved in cancer cellular activities such as proliferation, motility, migration, adhesion and invasion abilities. However, the effect of TGF-α on human osteosarcoma is largely unknown. We found that TGF-α increased the cell migration and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in human osteosarcoma cells. Transfection of cells with ICAM-1 siRNA reduced TGF-α-mediated cell migration. We also found that the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/NF-κB pathway was activated after TGF-α treatment, and TGF-α-induced expression of ICAM-1 and cell migration was inhibited by the specific inhibitors and siRNAs of PI3K, Akt, and NF-κB cascades. In addition, knockdown of TGF-α expression markedly decreased cell metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate that TGF-α/EGFR interaction elicits PI3K and Akt activation, which in turn activates NF-κB, resulting in the expression of ICAM-1 and contributing the migration of human osteosarcoma cells.