Survivin as a preferential target for cancer therapy. Int J Mol Sci. 2014;15:2494-2516. [PMID: 24531137 DOI: 10.3390/ijms15022494]

Canonical DDR activation by EMT inducing agent 5-Fluorouracil is modulated by a cannabinoid based combinatorial approach via inducing autophagy and suppression of vimentin expression

Anastasis cascade including induction of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), DNA repair, and stimulation of pro-survival mediators collectively exaggerate therapy resistance in cancer prognosis. The extensive implications of DNA-damaging agents are clinically proven futile for the rapid development of disease recurrence during treatment regime. Herein we report a glycosidic derivative of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-9-OG) abrogates sub-toxic doses of 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) induced EMT in colon cancer cells nullifying DNA repairing mechanism. Our in vitro and in vivo data strongly proclaims that THC-9-OG could not only abrogate 5FU mediated background EMT activation through stalling matrix degradation as well as murine 4T1 lung metastasis but also vigorously diminished Rad-51 repairing mediator along with stimulation of γ-H2AX foci formation. The combinatorial treatment (5FU + THC-9-OG) in Apc knockout colorectal carcinoma model conferred remission of the crypt progenitor phenotype which was prominently identified in 5FU treatment. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that 5FU plus THC-9-OG significantly attenuated major EMT inducer Vimentin via extensive ROS generation along with autophagy induction via LC3B I-II conversion and p62 degradation in a p-ATM dependent manner. Additionally, Cannabinoid receptor CB1 was responsible for abrogation of Vimentin since we found increase in the expression of γH2AX and decrease in vimentin expression in CB1 agonist (ACEA) plus 5FU treated cells. Nutshell, our results unveil a new direction of Cannabinoid based combinatorial approach to control background EMT along with robust enhancing of DNA damage potential of sub-toxic concentration of 5FU resulting immense inhibition of distant metastasis coupled with triggering cell death in vitro and in vivo.

Functional Significance of miR-4693-5p in Targeting HIF1α and Its Link to Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation and destruction with an unknown origin. Our study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism behind HIF1α overexpression in RA. Dysregulated miRNA expressions are known to influence gene behavior, thereby enhancing cell proliferation, inflammation, and resistance to apoptosis, contributing to RA development. Our earlier finding indicated that exogenous miRNA similar to miR-4693-5p may modulate RA-related targets. However, the specific role of miR-4693-5p and its targets in RA remain unexplored. In this study, we found that miR-4693-5p was significantly reduced in PBMCs of RA patients, with evidence suggesting it targets the 3' UTR of HIF1α, thereby potentially contributing to its overexpression in RA. In vitro overexpression of miR-4693-5p leads to the knockdown of HIF1α, resulting in inhibited expression of Survivin to disrupt apoptosis resistance, inflammation suppression, and a reduction in the total cellular ROS response in SW982 and RAFLS cells. The results were validated using the CIA Rat model. In conclusion, this study provides a crucial foundation for understanding the functional role of miR-4693-5p. These findings improve our understanding and provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying RA pathogenesis.

Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz against Human Gastric Cancer

Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (AMK) is a traditional herbal medicine used for thousands of years in East Asia to improve a variety of illnesses and conditions, including cancers. This study explored the effect of AMK extract on apoptosis and tumor-grafted mice using AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. We investigated the compounds, target genes, and associated diseases of AMK using the Traditional Chinese Medical Systems Pharmacy (TCMSP) database platform. Cell viability assay, cell cycle and mitochondrial depolarization analysis, caspase activity assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, and wound healing and spheroid formation assay were used to investigate the anti-cancer effects of AMK extract on AGS cells. Also, in vivo studies were conducted using subcutaneous xenografts. AMK extract reduced the viability of AGS cells and increased the sub-G1 cell fraction and the mitochondrial membrane potential. Also, AMK extract increased the production of ROS. AMK extract induced the increased caspase activities and modulated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). In addition, AMK extract effectively inhibited AGS cell migration and led to a notable reduction in the growth of AGS spheroids. Moreover, AMK extract hindered the growth of AGS xenograft tumors in NSG mice. Our results suggest that AMK has anti-cancer effects by promoting cell cycle arrest and inhibiting the proliferation of AGS cancer cells and a xenograft model through apoptosis. This study could provide a novel approach to treat gastric cancer.

The analysis of Survivin promoter (-31G/C) gene variation in oral squamous cell carcinoma risk and prognosis

BACKGROUND/AIM

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malign tumor that associated with smoking and alcohol consumption, eating habits, environmental factors, and genetic susceptibility of the individuals. The Survivin gene, also known as BIRC5, plays important roles in the regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis. The aim of the present study is to investigate Survivin -31G/C polymorphism in OSCC development and prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 61 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 133 healthy individuals were genotyped by using the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP) to evaluate the role of the Survivin gene promoter region (-31) variation.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution of Survivin promoter -31 polymorphism genotype and allele frequencies between the cases and controls but we analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of patients and noticed a significant correlation between the C allele and advanced tumor stage in the patients (p = 0.022).

CONCLUSION

The Survivin (-31) gene polymorphism might be associated with advanced tumor stage in oral squamous cell carcinoma but further studies in a larger population are needed most effective evaluation of the Survivin (-31) gene variation in the OSCC risk and prognosis.

In vitro anti-cancer activity of a polyherbal preparation, VEDICINALS®9, against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells

PURPOSE

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the availability of several treatment options, the five-year survival rate of NSCLC is extremely low (<20%). This underlines the necessity of more effective therapeutic alternatives. In this context, plant-derived extracts and bioactive molecules extracted from plants, known collectively as phytoceuticals, represent an extremely variegated source of bioactive compounds with potent anticancer potential. In the present study, we tested the in vitro anticancer activity of a polyherbal preparation, VEDICINALS®9, containing nine different bioactive principles extracted by medicinal plants.

METHODS

The anticancer activity of VEDICINALS®9 was investigated by measuring its impact on A549 human NSCLC cell proliferation (MTT assay and trypan blue staining), migration (wound healing assay and transwell chamber assay) and by measuring the impact on the expression of cancer-related proteins (Human XL Oncology Protein Array).

RESULTS

We show that VEDICINALS®9 at a concentration of 0.2% v/v has potent anticancer effect, significantly inhibiting A549 cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, this was achieved by downregulating the expression of proteins involved in cancer cell proliferation (Axl, FGF basic, enolase 2, progranulin, survivin) and migration (Dkk-1, cathepsins B and D, BCL-x, amphiregulin, CapG, u-plasminogen activator). Furthermore, treatment with VEDICINALS®9 resulted in increased expression of the oncosuppressor protein p53 and of the angiogenesis inhibitor endostatin.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our results provide proof of principle of the potent anticancer activity of the polyherbal preparation VEDICINALS®9, highlighting its enormous potential as an alternative or adjuvant therapy for lung cancer.

MicroRNAs as the pivotal regulators of cisplatin resistance in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive bone tumor that originates from mesenchymal cells. It is considered as the eighth most frequent childhood cancer that mainly affects the tibia and femur among the teenagers and young adults. OS can be usually diagnosed by a combination of MRI and surgical biopsy. The intra-arterial cisplatin (CDDP) and Adriamycin is one of the methods of choices for the OS treatment. CDDP induces tumor cell death by disturbing the DNA replication. Although, CDDP has a critical role in improving the clinical complication in OS patients, a high ratio of CDDP resistance is observed among these patients. Prolonged CDDP administrations have also serious side effects in normal tissues and organs. Therefore, the molecular mechanisms of CDDP resistance should be clarified to define the novel therapeutic modalities in OS. Multidrug resistance (MDR) can be caused by various cellular and molecular processes such as drug efflux, detoxification, and signaling pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the key regulators of CDDP response by the post transcriptional regulation of target genes involved in MDR. In the present review we have discussed all of the miRNAs associated with CDDP response in OS cells. It was observed that the majority of reported miRNAs increased CDDP sensitivity in OS cells through the regulation of signaling pathways, apoptosis, transporters, and autophagy. This review highlights the miRNAs as reliable non-invasive markers for the prediction of CDDP response in OS patients.

The emerging role of miRNAs in Merkel cell carcinoma pathogenesis: Signaling pathway crosstalk

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon invasive form of skin cancer that typically manifests as a nodule on the face, head, or neck that is flesh-colored or bluish-red in appearance. Rapid growth and metastasis are hallmarks of MCC. MCC has the second-greatest mortality rate among skin cancers after melanoma. Despite the recent cascade of molecular investigations, no universal molecular signature has been identified as responsible for MCC's pathogenesis. The microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Variations in the expression of these short, non-coding RNAs have been associated with various malignancies, including MCC. Although the incidence of MCC is very low, a significant amount of study has focused on the interaction of miRNAs in MCC. As such, the current survey is a speedy intensive route revealing the potential involvement of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of MCC beyond their association with survival in MCC.

Potentiating Tweezer Affinity to a Protein Interface with Sequence-Defined Macromolecules on Nanoparticles

Survivin, a well-known member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is upregulated in many cancer cells, which is associated with resistance to chemotherapy. To circumvent this, inhibitors are currently being developed to interfere with the nuclear export of survivin by targeting its protein-protein interaction (PPI) with the export receptor CRM1. Here, we combine for the first time a supramolecular tweezer motif, sequence-defined macromolecular scaffolds, and ultrasmall Au nanoparticles (us-AuNPs) to tailor a high avidity inhibitor targeting the survivin-CRM1 interaction. A series of biophysical and biochemical experiments, including surface plasmon resonance measurements and their multivalent evaluation by EVILFIT, reveal that for divalent macromolecular constructs with increasing linker distance, the longest linkers show superior affinity, slower dissociation, as well as more efficient PPI inhibition. As a drawback, these macromolecular tweezer conjugates do not enter cells, a critical feature for potential applications. The problem is solved by immobilizing the tweezer conjugates onto us-AuNPs, which enables efficient transport into HeLa cells. On the nanoparticles, the tweezer valency rises from 2 to 16 and produces a 100-fold avidity increase. The hierarchical combination of different scaffolds and controlled multivalent presentation of supramolecular binders was the key to the development of highly efficient survivin-CRM1 competitors. This concept may also be useful for other PPIs.

Prostate Cancer and microRNAs: New insights into Apoptosis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is known as one of the most prevalent malignancies globally and is not yet curable owing to its progressive nature. It has been well documented that Genetic and epigenetic alterations maintain mandatory roles in PCa development. Apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, has been shown to be involved in a number of physiological processes. Apoptosis disruption is considered as one of the main mechanism involved in lots of pathological conditions, especially malignancy. There is ample of evidence in support of the fact that microRNAs (miRNAs) have crucial roles in several cellular biological processes, including apoptosis. Escaping from apoptosis is a common event in malignancy progression. Emerging evidence revealed miRNAs capabilities to act as apoptotic or anti-apoptotic factors by altering the expression levels of tumor inhibitor or oncogene genes. In the present narrative review, we described in detail how apoptosis dysfunction could be involved in PCa processes and additionally, the mechanisms behind miRNAs affect the apoptosis pathways in PCa. Identifying the mechanisms behind the effects of miRNAs and their targets on apoptosis can provide scientists new targets for PCa treatment.

[6]-Gingerol induces Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis in Bladder Cancer cells via MAPK and ROS Signaling

The anti-cancer effects of [6]-gingerol ([6]-GIN), the main active polyphenol of ginger (Zingiber officinale), were investigated in the human bladder cancer cell line 5637. [6]-GIN inhibited cell proliferation, increased sub‑G1 phase ratios, and depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential. [6]-GIN-induced cell death was associated with the downregulation of B‑cell lymphoma 2 (BCL‑2) and survivin and the upregulation of Bcl‑2‑associated X protein (Bax). [6]-GIN activated caspase‑3 and caspase-9 and regulated the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Further, [6]-GIN also increased the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and TG100-115 or tranilast increased [6]-GIN‑induced cell death. These results suggest that [6]-GIN induced apoptosis in the bladder cancer cell line 5637 and therefore has the potential to be used in the development of new drugs for bladder cancer treatment.

Tumor relevant protein functional interactions identified using bipartite graph analyses

An increased surge of -omics data for the diseases such as cancer allows for deriving insights into the affiliated protein interactions. We used bipartite network principles to build protein functional associations of the differentially regulated genes in 18 cancer types. This approach allowed us to combine expression data to functional associations in many cancers simultaneously. Further, graph centrality measures suggested the importance of upregulated genes such as BIRC5, UBE2C, BUB1B, KIF20A and PTH1R in cancer. Pathway analysis of the high centrality network nodes suggested the importance of the upregulation of cell cycle and replication associated proteins in cancer. Some of the downregulated high centrality proteins include actins, myosins and ATPase subunits. Among the transcription factors, mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCMs) and E2F family proteins appeared prominently in regulating many differentially regulated genes. The projected unipartite networks of the up and downregulated genes were comprised of 37,411 and 41,756 interactions, respectively. The conclusions obtained by collating these interactions revealed pan-cancer as well as subtype specific protein complexes and clusters. Therefore, we demonstrate that incorporating expression data from multiple cancers into bipartite graphs validates existing cancer associated mechanisms as well as directs to novel interactions and pathways.

Nuclear Her2 contributes to paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer cells

Translocation of full-length Her2 receptor into nucleus was reported by some studies. Here, we tested whether nuclear Her2 contributes to paclitaxel resistance in Her2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Breast cancer cell was transfected with plasmids containing cDNA of wild-type Her2 or mutant-type Her2 lacking the nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequence which is required for Her2 nuclear transport. Cell resistance to paclitaxel was analyzed. Paclitaxel-resistant breast cancer cell was also developed and nuclear Her2 expression was tested. Then, correlation between nuclear Her2 and resistance to paclitaxel were analyzed. Expression of importin β1 was decreased to downregulate nuclear Her2 level and cell resistance to paclitaxel was tested. We found that Her2 overexpression increases Her2 nuclear expression and cells resistance to paclitaxel in MCF-7 cells. In the paclitaxel resistant cell (SK-BR-3/R), nuclear Her2 expression is upregulated compared with parental SK-BR-3 cells. Increased expression of nuclear Her2 after short-time (48 h) treatment of paclitaxel was also observed in SK-BR-3 cells. Further downregulation of Her2 nuclear expression through blocking expression of importin β1 sensitizes the cells to paclitaxel. The analysis showed that the Her2 nuclear expression increases the survivin expression which leads to resistance to paclitaxel. Her2 nuclear expression decreases paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. However, co-immunoprecipitation was applied, and the physical interaction of nuclear Her2 and survivin was not detected. We show for the first time that nuclear Her2 contributes to paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer cells which suggests that nuclear Her2 as a potential target to sensitize breast cancers to paclitaxel treatment.

Arsenic trioxide-induced cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest are potentiated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in human leukemia K562 cells

The interaction between 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin [1,25(OH)2D3] and vitamin D receptor (VDR) plays a critical role in regulating cell proliferation and programmed cell death. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 in combination with arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) on the proliferation and cell cycle of a K562 leukemia cell line. K562 cells were treated with 100 nM 1,25(OH)2D3, 2.5 µM As₂O₃, and 100 nM 1,25(OH)2D3 combined with 2.5 µM As₂O₃. Cell proliferation was evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt/phenazine ethosulfate method. Cell cycle progression and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The expression levels of genes associated with the cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting analyses. The present findings indicated that combined treatment of 1,25(OH)2D3 and As₂O₃ led to a significant increase in cytotoxicity, apoptotic cell death and G₁ cell cycle arrest when compared to those treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 or As₂O₃ alone. The downregulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and decreased survivin expression may be involved in combined treatment-mediated apoptosis. G₀/G₁ cell cycle arrest induced by combined treatment was associated with the activation of p21 and p27. In addition, the increased expression of VDR was found to participate in the anticancer effect of combination treatment. The data suggested that the combination of 1, 25-(OH)₂D₃ and As₂O₃ had clear synergistic effects on the inhibition of K562 cell proliferation, which could provide a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

Tumor hypoxia: The major culprit behind cisplatin resistance in cancer patients

Cisplatin is the most commonly used first-line drug for cancer treatment. However, many patients develop resistance to cisplatin therapy which ultimately results in therapy failure and increased mortality. A growing body of evidence shows that the hypoxic microenvironment is the prime factor underlying tumor insensitivity to cisplatin treatment. Since tumors in the majority of cancer patients are under hypoxic stress (low oxygen supply), it becomes necessary to understand the pathobiology behind hypoxia-induced cisplatin resistance in cancer cells. Here, we discuss the molecular events that render hypoxic tumors insensitive to cisplatin therapy. Furthermore, various drugs and tumor oxygenation techniques have been developed to circumvent cisplatin resistance in hypoxic tumors. However, their pharmaceutical applications are limited due to failures in clinical investigations and a lack of preclinical studies in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. This review addresses these challenges and provides new directions for the strategic deployment of cisplatin sensitizers in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment.

Foeniculum vulgare seed extract exerts anti-cancer effects on hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. The prognosis of HCC is very poor due to the absence of symptoms and a lack of effective treatments. Studies have shown that various Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) extracts exhibit anti-cancer effects on malignant tumors such as skin cancer and prostate cancer. However, the anti-tumor activity of Foeniculum vulgare and its underlying molecular mechanisms towards HCC are unknown. Here, we provide fundamental evidence to show that the 75% ethanol extract of Foeniculum vulgare seeds (FVE) reduced cell viability, induced apoptosis, and effectively inhibited cell migration in HCC cells in vitro. HCC xenograft studies in nude mice showed that FVE significantly inhibited HCC growth in vivo. Mechanistic analyses showed that FVE reduced survivin protein levels and triggered mitochondrial toxicity, subsequently inducing caspase-3 activation and apoptosis. Survivin inhibition effectively sensitized HCC cells to FVE-induced apoptosis. Moreover, FVE did not induce a decrease in survivin or apoptotic toxicity in normal liver cells. Collectively, in vivo and in vitro results suggest that FVE exerts inhibitory effects in HCC by targeting the oncoprotein survivin, suggesting FVE may be a potential anti-cancer agent that may benefit patients with HCC.

Computational Analysis of Drug Resistance Network in Lung Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is a significant health problem and accounts for one-third of the deaths worldwide. A great majority of these deaths are caused by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Chemotherapy is the leading treatment method for NSCLC, but resistance to chemotherapeutics is an important limiting factor that reduces the treatment success of patients with NSCLC.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, the relationship between differentially expressed genes affecting the survival of the patients, according to the bioinformatics analyses, and the mechanism of drug resistance is investigated for non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma patients.

METHODS

Five hundred thirteen patient samples were compared with fifty-nine control samples. The employed dataset was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The information on how the drug activity altered against the expressional diversification of the genes was extracted from the NCI-60 database. Four hundred thirty-three drugs with known mechanism of action (MoA) were analyzed. Diversifications of the activity of these drugs related to genes were considered based on nine lung cancer cell lines virtually. The analyses were performed using R programming language, GDCRNATools, rcellminer, and Cytoscape.

RESULTS

This work analyzed the common signaling pathways and expressional alterations of the proteins in these pathways associated with survival and drug resistance in lung adenocarcinoma. Deduced computational data demonstrated that proteins of EGFR, JNK/MAPK, NF-κB, PI3K /AKT/mTOR, JAK/STAT, and Wnt signaling pathways were associated with molecular mechanism of resistance to anticancer drugs in NSCLC cells.

CONCLUSION

To understand the relationships between resistance to anticancer drugs and EGFR, JNK/MAPK, NF-κB, PI3K /AKT/mTOR, JAK/STAT, and Wnt signaling pathways is an important approach to design effective therapeutics for individuals with NSCLC adenocarcinoma.

Polycationic cyclodextrin nanoparticles induce apoptosis and affect antitumoral activity in HepG2 cell line: An evaluation at the molecular level

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly metastatic primary liver cancer generating molecular alterations that end up escaping the apoptotic machinery and conferring multidrug resistance. Targeted medicines with increased and selective cytotoxicity and minimal drug resistance are essential for the treatment of HCC. In this study, a self-assembled polycationic (PC) amphiphilic β-cyclodextrin (βCDC6) nanoparticle formulation was characterized and its efficacy over HCC cell line HepG2 was evaluated in terms of cytotoxicity, apoptotic potential, chemosensitivity and mitochondrial balance utilizing biochemical, gene expression and proteomic approaches without encapsulating an anti-neoplastic agent. Blank PC βCDC6 exerted an anti-proliferative effect on 3D multicellular HepG2 spheroid tumors. These nanoparticles were able to trigger apoptosis proved by caspase 3/7 activity, gene expression and flow cytometry studies. The subjection of PC restored the chemosensitivity of HepG2 cells by suppressing the function of p-glycoprotein. The proteomic studies with Q-TOF LC/MS revealed 73 proteins that are aberrantly encoded after cells were treated with the blank PC. Metabolomic analysis further confirmed the shift in certain biological pathways. Thus, we confirmed that the hepatocellular carcinoma-targeting βCDC6 PC nanoparticles induce apoptosis, lower the rate of cell proliferation, hinder multidrug resistance and they are convenient carriers for eventual therapeutic administrations in HCC patients.

Discovery of Survivin Inhibitors Part 1: Screening the Harbor Branch Pure Compound Library

Survivin is a 16.5 KDa protein whose functions include promoting cellular mitosis, angiogenesis, and senescence as well as inhibiting apoptosis. Higher survivin expression is found in cancer tissues than normal tissues, and this expression correlates with disease progression and aggressiveness. Survivin has been validated as a clinical target for cancer. Small molecules are important antagonists of survivin levels in cancer cells. A structurally diverse library of genetically encoded small molecules (natural products) derived from marine plants, invertebrates, and microbes was screened for their ability to reduce expression levels of survivin in the DLD-1 colon adenocarcinoma and the A549 nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cell lines. This led to the identification of this novel activity for the known compounds eryloside E, ilicicolin H, tanzawaic acid A, and p-hydroxyphenopyrrozin. Both eryloside E and ilicicolin H showed the ability to reduce survivin expression in the low micromolar range against both cell lines.

Integration of EMT and cellular survival instincts in reprogramming of programmed cell death to anastasis

Apoptosis is a tightly controlled, coordinated cellular event responsible for inducing programmed cell death to rid the body of defective or unfit cells. Inhibition of apoptosis is, therefore, an essential process for cancer cells to harness. Genomic variants in apoptotic-controlling genes are highly prevalent in cancer and have been identified to induce pro-proliferation and pro-survival pathways, rendering cancer cells resistant to apoptosis. Traditional understanding of apoptosis defines it as an irreversible process; however, growing evidence suggests that apoptosis is a reversible process from which cells can escape, even after the activation of its most committed stages. The mechanism invoked to reverse apoptosis has been termed anastasis and poses challenges for the development and utilization of chemotherapeutic agents. Anastasis has also been identified as a mechanism by which cells can recover from apoptotic lesions and revert back to its previous functioning state. In this review, we intend to focus the attention of the reader on the comprehensive role of survival, metastasis, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), as well as DNA damage repair mechanisms in promoting anastasis. Additionally, we will emphasize the mechanistic consequences of anastasis on drug resistance and recent rational therapeutic approaches designed to combat this resistance.

Survivin Expression in Metastatic and Nonmetastatic Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Comparative Study

Aim:

Survivin is a multifunctional protein chiefly involved in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Increased expression of survivin in tumors and fetal tissue determines its antiapoptotic activity. The aim of the study is to identify the immunoexpression of survivin in metastatic and nonmetastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and also to evaluate and compare the expression of survivin in metastatic and nonmetastatic OSCC of buccal mucosa.

Materials and Methods:

In total, 40 histopathologically proven cases of OSCC, including 20 metastatic and 20 nonmetastatic cases, are selected. Among the 20 metastatic and nonmetastatic cases, 10 well-differentiated and 10 moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma cases were included and were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for survivin expression. The results were analyzed by SPSS version 11.5 using chi-square test.

Results:

The expression of survivin in metastatic and nonmetastatic tumors is 15%–70% and 15%–60%, respectively. When comparing the cases of moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in metastatic and nonmetastatic tumors, 70% cases show moderate staining intensity.

Conclusion:

The survivin expression was comparatively high in metastatic OSCC. Also based on the aforementioned results, survivin expression was high in increasing grades of OSCC.

In silico and in vitro studies on the anti-cancer activity of andrographolide targeting survivin in human breast cancer stem cells

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) express high levels of the anti-apoptotic protein, survivin. This study aimed to discover a natural active compound with anti-cancer properties that targeted survivin in human breast cancer stem cells. From the seven examined compounds, andrographolide was selected as a lead compound through in silico molecular docking with survivin, caspase-9, and caspase-3. We found that the affinity between andrographolide and survivin is higher than that with caspase-9 and caspase-3. Human CD24-/CD44+ BCSCs were treated with andrographolide in vitro for 24 hours. The cytotoxic effect of andrographolide on BCSCs was compared to that on human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The expression of survivin, caspase-9, and caspase-3 mRNA was analyzed using qRT-PCR, while Thr34-phosphorylated survivin and total survivin levels were determined using ELISA and Immunoblotting assay. Annexin-V/PI flow cytometry assays were performed to evaluate the apoptotic activity of andrographolide. Our results demonstrate that the CC50 of andrographolide in BCSCs was 0.32mM, whereas there was no cytotoxic effect in MSCs. Moreover, andrographolide decreased survivin and Thr34-phosphorylated survivin, thus inhibiting survivin activation and increasing survivin mRNA in BCSCs. The apoptotic activity of andrographolide was revealed by the increase of caspase-3 mRNA and protein, as well as the increase in both the early and late phases of apoptosis. In conclusion, andrographolide can be considered an anti-cancer compound that targets BCSCs due to its molecular interactions with survivin, caspase-9, and caspase-3, which induce apoptosis. We suggest that the binding of andrographolide to survivin is a critical aspect of the effect of andrographolide.

Knockdown of LINC02471 Inhibits Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Cell Invasion and Metastasis by Targeting miR-375

Background

LncRNAs play important roles in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). LINC02471 has been reported to be related to PTC prognosis. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of LINC02471 on human PTC cells.

Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to examine LINC02471 expression in PTC tissues and cells and miR-375 expression in PTC cells. SiLINC02471, miR-375 mimic and miR-375 inhibitor were used for cell transfection. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were detected by performing Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), clone formation assay, flow cytometry, scratch assay, and transwell assay. Western blot was carried out to detect protein levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Snail. The target gene for LINC02471 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Results

LINC02471 was highly expressed in PTC tissues and cells. After silencing LINC02471, cell proliferation, migration and invasion were reduced, but cell apoptosis was increased. SiLINC02471 increased the expressions of E-cadherin and miR-375, and inhibited the expressions of N-Cadherin and Snail. LINC02471 directly targeted miR-375 in PTC cells. Overexpression of miR-375 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion of PTC cells and reduced the expressions of N-Cadherin and Snail but promoted the cell apoptosis and increased E-cadherin expression, while miR-375 inhibitor produced opposite effects to overexpressed miR-375. After inhibiting miR-375 expression, siLINC02471 reversed the effect of miR-375 inhibitor.

Conclusion

LINC02471 could promote the development of PTC. Knocking down LINC02471 could inhibit invasion and metastasis and promote PTC cell apoptosis through directly targeting miR-375.

Suppression of Rotenone-Treated Human Breast Cancer Stem Cell Survival Using Survivin Inhibitor YM155 is Associated to Oxidative Stress Modulation

Background:

Despite recent progress in molecular-targeted therapies, breast cancer remains the primary leading cause of cancer related death among women worldwide. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are believed to be responsible for therapy resistance and cancer recurrence. We recently demonstrated that human BCSCs (CD24-/CD44+) could survive better than their counterpart non-BCSCs (CD24-/CD44-) when treated with rotenone, possibly due to lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, high expression of antioxidant manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), and anti-apoptotic survivin. The aim of this study was to verify the role of survivin on human BCSCs survival under oxidative stress modulation by suppressing its expression using YM155, a survivin inhibitor.

Methods:

Human BCSCs (ALDH+ cells) were treated with YM155 for 24 h prior to treatment with rotenone for a further 6 h. We determined intracellular superoxide levels were determined using dihydroethidium assay, survivin and MnSOD expression using qRT-PCR, survivin protein level using ELISA, as well as cell viability using trypan blue exclusion and acridine orange/ethidium bromide apoptosis assay.

Results:

Suppression of survivin expression using YM155 could reduce the survival of rotenone-treated BCSCs, which may be associated with oxidative stress modulation, as shown by increased ROS levels and decreased MnSOD expression. We confirm that survivin is responsible for maintaining BCSCs survival under oxidative stress modulation. Furthermore, YM155 could modulate oxidative stress in BCSCs by reducing MnSOD expression and increasing ROS levels.

Conclusion:

YM155 treatment could be used to overcome BCSCs resistance to oxidative stress-based anticancer therapies.

YM155 sensitizes HeLa cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis via cFLIP and survivin downregulation

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis is a safe method for the treatment of various types of cancer. However, TRAIL therapy is less effective in certain types of cancer, including cervical cancer. To address this problem, a combinatorial approach was employed to sensitize cervical cancer at low dosages. YM155, a survivin inhibitor, was used at low dosages along with TRAIL to induce apoptosis in HeLa cells. The effects of the individual treatment with TRAIL and YM155 on apoptosis were assessed by propidium iodide assay. In addition, to validate the DNA damage exhibited by the combination treatment, the phosphorylation status of γH2A histone family member X was investigated by immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. TRAIL or YM155 alone had no significant effect on DNA damage and apoptosis. However, the TRAIL/YM155 combination triggered a synergistic pro-apoptotic stimulus in HeLa cells. The mRNA and protein levels of CASP8- and FADD-like apoptosis regulator (cFLIP), death receptor 5 (DR5) and survivin were monitored using RT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. This combinatorial approach downregulated both mRNA and protein expression levels of cFLIP and survivin. Further experimental results suggested that the combination treatment significantly reduced cell viability, invasion and migration of HeLa cells. Overall, the present findings indicated that the low dosage of YM155 sensitized HeLa cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis via a mechanism involving downregulation of cFLIP and survivin. The results indicated the importance of combination drug treatment and reveal an effective therapeutic alternative for TRAIL therapy in human cervical cancer.

Personalized and translational approach for malignant brain tumors in the era of precision medicine: the strategic contribution of an experienced neurosurgery laboratory in a modern neurosurgery and neuro-oncology department

Personalized medicine (PM) aims to optimize patient management, taking into account the individual traits of each patient. The main purpose of PM is to obtain the best response, improving health care and lowering costs. Extending traditional approaches, PM introduces novel patient-specific paradigms from diagnosis to treatment, with greater precision. In neuro-oncology, the concept of PM is well established. Indeed, every neurosurgical intervention for brain tumors has always been highly personalized. In recent years, PM has been introduced in neuro-oncology also to design and prescribe specific therapies for the patient and the patient's tumor. The huge advances in basic and translational research in the fields of genetics, molecular and cellular biology, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have led to the introduction of PM into clinical practice. The identification of a patient's individual variation map may allow to design selected therapeutic protocols that ensure successful outcomes and minimize harmful side effects. Thus, clinicians can switch from the "one-size-fits-all" approach to PM, ensuring better patient care and high safety margin. Here, we review emerging trends and the current literature about the development of PM in neuro-oncology, considering the positive impact of innovative advanced researches conducted by a neurosurgical laboratory.

Trace of survivin in cancer

Survivin is one of the most cancer-specific proteins overexpressed in almost all malignancies, but is nearly undetectable in most normal tissues in adults. Functionally, as a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family, survivin has been shown to inhibit apoptosis and increase proliferation. The antiapoptotic function of survivin seems to be related to its ability to inhibit caspases directly or indirectly. Furthermore, the role of survivin in cell cycle division control is related to its role in the chromosomal passenger complex. Consistent with its determining role in these processes, survivin plays a crucial role in cancer progression and cancer cell resistance to anticancer drugs and ionizing radiation. On the basis of these findings, recently survivin has been investigated intensively as an ideal tumor biomarker. Thus, multiple molecular approaches such as use of the RNA interfering technique, antisense oligonucleotides, ribozyme, and small molecule inhibitors have been used to downregulate survivin regulation and inhibit its biological function consequently. In this review, all these approaches are explained and other compounds that induced apoptosis in different cell lines through survivin inhibition are also reported.

Promotion of ubiquitination-dependent survivin destruction contributes to xanthohumol-mediated tumor suppression and overcomes radioresistance in human oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Overexpression of survivin plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and correlates with poor prognosis in human malignancies. Thus, survivin has been proposed as an attractive target for new anti-tumor interventions.

Methods

A natural product library was used for natural compound screening through MTS assay. The expression of survivin in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and the inhibitory effect of xanthohumol (XN) on OSCC were examined by anchorage-dependent and -independent growth assays, immunoblot, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemical staining, ubiquitination analysis, co-immunoprecipitation assay, CRISPR-Cas9-based gene knockout, and xenograft experiment.

Results

Survivin is highly expressed in OSCC patient-derived tissues and cell lines. Knockout of survivin reduced the tumorigenic properties of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. With a natural compound screening, we identified that xanthohumol inhibited OSCC cells by reducing survivin protein level and activating mitochondrial apoptotic signaling. Xanthohumol inhibited the Akt-Wee1-CDK1 signaling, which in turn decreased survivin phosphorylation on Thr34, and facilitated E3 ligase Fbxl7-mediated survivin ubiquitination and degradation. Xanthohumol alone or in combination with radiation overcame radioresistance in OSCC xenograft tumors.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that targeting survivin for degradation might a promising strategy for OSCC treatment.

4t-CHQ a Spiro-Quinazolinone Benzenesulfonamide Derivative Induces G0/G1 Cell Cycle arrest and Triggers Apoptosis Through Down-Regulation of Survivin and Bcl2 in the Leukemia Stem-Like KG1-a Cells

OBJECTIVE

Many experiments have revealed the anti-tumor activity of spiro-quinazolinone derivatives on different cell types. Exposing KG1-a cells to N-(4- tert- butyl- 4'- oxo- 1'H- spiro [cyclohexane- 1, 2'- quinazoline]- 3'(4'H)- yl)- 4- methyl benzenesulfonamide (4t-CHQ), as an active sub-component of spiroquinazolinone benzenesulfonamides, the experiment investigated the possible mechanisms that manifest the role of 4t-CHQ in leukemic KG1-a progenitor cells. Mechanistically, the inhibitory effects of 4t-CHQ on KG1-a cells emerge from its modulating function on the expression of Bax/Bcl2 and survinin proteins.

METHODS

Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay. The IC₅₀ value of cells was calculated to be 131.3μM, after 72h-incubation with 4t-CHQ, ranging from 10 to 150μM. Apoptotic changes were studied using Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide (AO/EB) staining. DNA fragmentation was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis method. To evaluate the percentage of apoptotic cells and cell growth dynamic apoptotic features, we performed Annexin V/PI double staining assay and cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

According to the results, apoptosis induction was initiated by 4t-CHQ in the KG1-a cells (at IC₅₀ value). Cell dynamic analysis revealed that the cell cycle at the G1 phase was arrested after treatment with 4t- CHQ. Western blotting analysis showed enhancement in the expression ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, while the expression of survinin protein decreased in a time-dependent manner in the KG1-a cells. According to the docking simulation data, the effectiveness of 4t-CHQ on KG1-a cells commenced by its reactions with the functional domain of BH3 and Bcl2 and BIR domains of survivin protein.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate a remarkable role of 4t- CHQ in arresting leukemia KG1-a stem cells both by induction of apoptosis as well as by down-regulating survivin and Bcl2 proteins.

Functional Disruption of the Cancer-Relevant Interaction between Survivin and Histone H3 with a Guanidiniocarbonyl Pyrrole Ligand

The protein Survivin is highly upregulated in most cancers and considered to be a key player in carcinogenesis. We explored a supramolecular approach to address Survivin as a drug target by inhibiting the protein-protein interaction of Survivin and its functionally relevant binding partner Histone H3. Ligand L1 is based on the guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole cation and serves as a highly specific anion binder in order to target the interaction between Survivin and Histone H3. NMR titration confirmed binding of L1 to Survivin's Histone H3 binding site. The inhibition of the Survivin-Histone H3 interaction and consequently a reduction of cancer cell proliferation were demonstrated by microscopic and cellular assays.

Evaluation of anticancer effects of a pharmaceutically viable extract of a traditional polyherbal mixture against non-small-cell lung cancer cells

OBJECTIVE

The present work tested organic solvents to prepare an extract with anticancer properties from a polyherbal mixture containing Nigella sativa (seeds), Hemidesmus indicus (roots) and Smilax glabra (rhizomes). We evaluate anticancer effects in non-small-cell lung cancer cells (NCI-H292), and discuss optimization for pharmaceutical use in the context of efficacy, yield and toxicity.

METHODS

Using different organic solvents, six extracts were prepared from the polyherbal mixture. Based on the cytotoxic effects of these extracts on NCI-H292 cells and normal lung cells (MRC-5), as evaluated by the sulphorhodamine B assay, the total ethyl acetate (T-EA) extract was selected for further analysis. The possible anticancer mechanisms were assessed by evaluating the extract's effects on apoptosis (through fluorescent microscopic analysis, DNA fragmentation analysis, caspase 3/7 assay and analysis of expression levels of apoptosis-related genes p53, Bax, survivin, Hsp70 and Hsp90), colony formation and antioxidant activity.

RESULTS

The extract had cytotoxic effects against NCI-H292 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Significant antioxidant activity and inhibition of colony formation were also observed. The expression level of caspase 3/7 significantly (P < 0.001) increased in NCI-H292 cells treated with 50 μg/mL of the extract. The same dosage led to a significant increase in expression levels of Bax and p53 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively), accompanied by a significant decrease (P < 0.0001) in survivin, Hsp70 and Hsp90.

CONCLUSION

T-EA extract of the above polyherbal mixture has cytotoxicity against NCI-H292 cells via induction of apoptosis, antioxidant effects and inhibition of colony formation.

New Aspects of Ultrasound-Mediated Targeted Delivery and Therapy for Cancer

Ultrasound-mediated targeted delivery (UMTD), a novel delivery modality of therapeutic materials based on ultrasound, shows great potential in biomedical applications. By coupling ultrasound contrast agents with therapeutic materials, UMTD combines the advantages of ultrasound imaging and carrier, which benefit deep tissue penetration and high concentration aggregation. In this paper we introduced recent advances in ultrasound contrast agents and applications in tumor therapy. Ultrasound contrast agents were categorized by their functions, mainly including thermosensitive, pH-sensitive and photosensitive ultrasound contrast agents. The various applications of UMTD in tumor treatment were summarized as follows: drug therapy, transfection of anti-oncogene, RNA interference, vaccine immunotherapy, monoclonal antibody immunotherapy, adoptive cellular immunotherapy, cytokine immunotherapy, and so on. In the end, we elaborated on the current challenges and provided perspectives of UMTD for clinical applications.

Comprehensive molecular characterization of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) for therapeutic targeting in cancer

Background

Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) are a family of antiapoptotic proteins modulating cell cycle, signal transduction and apoptosis. Dysregulated IAPs have been reported to contribute to tumor progression and chemoresistance in various cancers. However, existing studies were sporadic and only focus on one specific cancer with one particular gene in the IAPs family. A systematic investigation on the co-expression pattern, regulation frameworks on various pathways, prognostic utility on patient outcomes, and predictive value on drug sensitivity among all the IAPs across multiple tumor types was lacking.

Methods

Leveraging The Cancer Genome Atlas data with comprehensive genomic characterizations on 9714 patients across 32 tumor types and the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer data with both genomic characterizations and drug sensitivity data on > 1000 cell lines, we investigated the co-expression pattern of IAPs, their regulations of apoptosis as well as other pathways and clinical relevance of IAPs for therapeutics development.

Results

We discovered diverse expression pattern among IAPs, varied spectrum of apoptosis regulations through IAPs and extensive regulations beyond apoptosis involving immune response, cell cycle, gene expression and DNA damage repair. Importantly, IAPs were strong prognostic factors for patient survival and tumor stage in several tumor types including brain, liver, kidney, breast and lung cancer. Further, several IAPs were found to be predictive of sensitivity to BCL-2 inhibitors (BIRC3, BIRC5, BIRC6, and BIRC7) as well as RIPK1 inhibitors (BIRC3 and BIRC6).

Conclusion

Together, our work revealed the landscape of regulations, prognostic utilities and therapeutic relevance of IAPs across multiple tumor types.

Radix Sophorae Flavescentis induces apoptosis through by Caspase, MAPK Activation and ROS Signaling Pathways in 5637 Human Bladder Cancer Cells

The anti-cancer mechanisms of Radix Sophorae Flavescentis were investigated in 5637 bladder cancer cells. Radix Sophorae Flavescentis extract (RSF) (50‑400 µg/ml) inhibited the proliferation of 5637 cells and increased sub‑G1 phase ratios. RSF‑induced cell death was associated with the down-regulation of B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2) and the up-regulation of Bcl‑2 X‑associated protein (Bax). RSF also activated caspase‑3 and -9 and regulated the activations of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). In addition, RSF increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and depolarized the mitochondrial membrane potential. These findings suggest RSF induces apoptosis in 5637 bladder cancer cells and that it has potential use as a novel anti-cancer drug for bladder cancer.

Functional Compartmentalization of HSP60-Survivin Interaction between Mitochondria and Cytosol in Cancer Cells

Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and survivin reside in both the cytosolic and mitochondrial compartments under physiological conditions. They can form HSP60-survivin complexes through protein–protein interactions. Their expression levels in cancer tissues are positively correlated and higher expression of either protein is associated with poor clinical prognosis. The subcellular location of HSP60-survivin complex in either the cytosol or mitochondria is cell type-dependent, while the biological significance of HSP60-survivin interaction remains elusive. Current knowledge indicates that the function of HSP60 partly rests on where HSP60-survivin interaction takes place. HSP60 has a pro-survival function when binding to survivin in the mitochondria through interacting with other factors such as CCAR2 and p53. In response to cell death signals, mitochondrial survivin functions through preventing procaspase activation. Degradation of cytosolic survivin leads to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and aberrant mitosis processes. On the other hand, HSP60 release from mitochondria to cytosol upon death stimuli might exert a pro-death function, either through stabilizing Bax, enhancing procaspase-3 activation, or increasing protein ubiquitination. Combining the knowledge of mitochondrial HSP60-survivin complex function, cytosolic survivin degradation effect, and pro-death function upon mitochondria release of HSP60, a hypothetical scenario for HSP60-survivin shuttling upon death stimuli is proposed.

Clinical Features and Expression Patterns for Burn Patients Developed Marjolin Ulcer

Marjolin’s ulcer is a type of skin cancer that generated from chronic nonhealing trauma. For years, its pathogenesis mechanisms remain unclear. Regarding this situation, the authors retrospectively analyze the patients admitted to their department from 2005 to 2019 to present several representative cases and examine the expression patterns of survivin and its role in this process. Among these patients, the latent period ranges from 2 to 25 years, with 8.43 years in average. There is no notable relationship between the latent period and age (P = .643 &gt; .05). Therefore, Marjolijn’s ulcer arises from extremities and joints more often compared with other parts (P &lt; .05). The expression ratio of survivin in Marjolin’s ulcer is significantly higher than that in skin ulcer (P &lt; 0.05). And the expression ratio of survivin in patients diagnosed with Marjolin’s ulcer is also correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P &lt; .05). Frequent follow-ups and prompt diagnosis and management are necessary as the prognosis is poor for patients with metastasis. Survivin may be a potential target for future development of target therapy in order to maximize the efficacy and improve the quality of life for patients suffering from Marjolin’s ulcer.

Fridericia platyphylla (Cham.) L.G. Lohmann root extract exerts cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on gastric tumor cells and downregulates BCL-XL, BIRC5, and MET genes

Fridericia platyphylla (Cham.) L.G. Lohmann (FP) has cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. We aimed to characterize the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of FP extract on normal (GAS) and tumor-derived (ACP02 and HepG2) cell lines. The effective concentrations (EC50s) by tetrazolium bromide assay (MTT) were 56.16, 43.68, and 42.57 µg mL−1 and 69.38, 41.73, and 52.39 µg mL−1 by neutral red assay for GAS, ACP02, and HepG2 cells, respectively. The extract decreased nuclear division indices, which was not reflected in cell proliferation curves. Flow cytometric analyses showed that even 30 µg mL−1 extract (shown to be noncytotoxic by MTT assay) increased the sub-G1 population, indicating cell death due to apoptosis and necrosis. A cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay showed that 30 µg mL−1 of the extract increased the frequency of nuclear buds in tumor cells. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed CCND1 upregulation in doxorubicin-treated GAS cells and BCL-XL, BIRC5, and MET downregulation in 5 or 30 µg mL−1 in FP extract-treated ACP02 cells. In conclusion, FP extract modulated apoptosis- and cell cycle-related genes and presented selective cytotoxicity toward tumor cells that deserves further investigation by testing other cell types. Our results demonstrated that even medicinal plants exert adverse effects depending on the extract concentrations used and tissues investigated.

Dexmedetomidine enhances hypoxia-induced cancer cell progression

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is widely used in perioperative settings for analgesia and sedation; however, little is known about its effects on the hypoxia-induced progression of tumor cells. In the present study, the effects of DEX on hypoxia-induced growth and metastasis of lung cancer cells and colorectal cancer cells was examined. A549 cells and HCT116 cells were treated with normoxia, hypoxia, co-treatment of hypoxia and DEX, and atipamezole (an α₂ adrenoceptor antagonist) for 4 h. The proliferation rate of cells was determined by MTT assays. Cell metastatic potential was evaluated by Transwell assays. Survivin and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α were detected by western blotting. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were measured using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. It was demonstrated that hypoxia treatment promoted the proliferation and may promote the metastasis of the two cancer cell lines. DEX substantially contributed to the survival and aggressiveness of the two cancer cell lines following hypoxia. Furthermore, DEX upregulated the expression of survivin, MMP-2, MMP-9 and HIF-1α in the two cancer cell lines in response to hypoxia. Finally, the effects of DEX on the hypoxia-induced growth and metastatic potential of cancer cells were reversed by atipamezole. Collectively, DEX enhances the hypoxia-induced progression of lung cancer cells and colorectal cancer cells by regulating HIF-1α signaling, which may be associated with the α₂ adrenoceptor pathway.

Surface plasmon resonance immunosensor for label-free detection of BIRC5 biomarker in spontaneously occurring canine mammary tumours

We report detection of Baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat containing-5 (BIRC5) protein biomarker in dog serum by label-free surface plasmon resonance (SPR) immunosensor. Initially, overexpression of BIRC5 in canine mammary tumour (CMT) tissues was confirmed by real-time PCR. Recombinant BIRC5 was produced and protein specific antibodies developed in guinea pig specifically reacted with native protein in immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry. SPR immunosensor was developed by fabricating anti-BIRC5 antibodies on gold sensor disc. The equilibrium dissociation constant, (K_D = k_d/k_a) was 12.1 × 10⁻¹² M; which indicates that antibodies are of high affinity with sensitivity in picomolar range. The SPR assay could detect as low as 6.25 pg/ml of BIRC5 protein in a calibration experiment (r² = 0.9964). On testing real clinical samples, 95% specificity and 73.33% sensitivity were recorded. The average amount of serum BIRC5 in dogs with CMT was 110.02 ± 9.77 pg/ml; whereas, in non-cancerous disease conditions, 44.79 ± 4.28 pg/ml and in healthy dog sera 30.28 ± 2.99 pg/ml protein was detected. The SPR immunosensor for detection of BIRC5 in dog sera is reported for the first time and this may find prognostic and diagnostic applications in management of CMT. In future, ‘on-site’ sensors can be developed using this technique for near-patient testing.

LINK-A lncRNA participates in the pathogenesis of glioma by interacting with survivin

Long intergenic non-coding RNA for kinase activation (LINK-A) long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has been characterized in triple negative breast cancer, but its potential involvement in glioma has not been investigated. In the present study, serum levels of LINK-A lncRNA and survivin in patients with glioma and healthy controls were determined by RT-qPCR and ELISA, respectively. The diagnostic value of serum LINK-A lncRNA for glioma was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Potential correlations between serum levels of LINK-A lncRNA and survivin were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient. LINK-A lncRNA siRNA, LINK-A lncRNA-carrying expression vector and survivin-carrying expression vector were transfected into glioma cells, and the effects on LINK-A lncRNA expression, survivin expression and cell apoptosis were explored by RT-qPCR, western blot analysis and annexin V/propidium iodide staining. It was observed that the serum levels of LINK-A lncRNA and survivin were significantly higher in patients with glioma compared with healthy controls. Increased levels of LINK-A lncRNA distinguished glioma patients from healthy controls, based on ROC curve analysis. Serum levels of LINK-A lncRNA and survivin were positively correlated in glioma patients, but not in healthy controls. Overexpression of LINK-A lncRNA led to increased survivin protein expression, while survivin overexpression had no effect on LINK-A lncRNA expression. LINK-A lncRNA and survivin overexpression each reduced glioma cell apoptosis, but LINK-A lncRNA siRNA-mediated knockdown increased apoptosis. Survivin overexpression attenuated the inducing effects of LINK-A lncRNA knockdown on apoptosis. In conclusion, LINK-A lncRNA inhibited glioma cell apoptosis potentially by the upregulation of survivin. The present study revealed that LINK-A may serve as possible diagnostic marker for glioma.

Role of Survivin and p53 Expression in Response of Primary Culture of Ovarian Cancer Cells to Treatment With Chemotherapeutic Agents

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer is associated with a high relapse rate and is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women. The genetic profile of a tumor is responsible for deciding response to chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we investigate the relation between survivin and p53 expression and response to chemotherapeutic agents of primary cultures of ovarian cancer cells established from ascitic fluid.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Ascitic fluid and Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium was mixed in equal proportion in culture flasks and incubated to establish primary culture. The cells were treated with different combinations of carboplatin and paclitaxel with and without survivin small interfering RNA transfection. Cell survival was estimated by MTT assay. Survivin and p53 expression was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Out of 19 ascitic fluid samples, 13 primary cultures of ovarian cancer cells were established. The half maximal inhibitory concentration doses of carboplatin (≥70 μg/mL) and paclitaxel (≥18 μg/mL) were high for 10/13 and 5/13 patients, respectively. Survivin messenger RNA expression was significantly downregulated on treatment with carboplatin (100 μg/mL), paclitaxel (12.5 μg/mL), and a combination of carboplatin (50 μg/mL) and paclitaxel (6.25 μg/mL). Only paclitaxel-treated ovarian cancer cells showed decrease in expression of p53. Survivin small interfering RNA increased sensitivity of the primary cultures to chemotherapeutic agents.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study highlights the fact that establishing primary cultures from ascitic fluid may help to develop personalized treatment regime for individual patients based on their molecular profile. Our study also shows that supplementing taxols drugs with survivin inhibitors may prove to be beneficial in the treatment of ovarian cancer patients.

Survivin is a prognostic indicator in glioblastoma and may be a target of microRNA-218

Accumulating evidence has revealed that survivin expression is associated with a malignant phenotype and poor prognosis in glioma. Survivin is also a potential target of microRNA (miRNA/miR)-218. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and function of survivin in glioblastoma, and to examine the association between survivin and miR-218. For that purpose, survivin mRNA levels were analyzed in 144 frozen samples of glioblastoma using whole-genome RNA sequencing. In vitro cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis assays were performed, and survivin expression was detected by western blotting. The results revealed that the mRNA expression levels of survivin were negatively and significantly associated with overall survival in glioblastoma. Further in vitro analyses suggested that miR-218 may inhibit the expression of survivin. Expression of miR-218 in the LN229 cell line was significantly lower than that in the immortalized human gliocyte HEB cell line. miR-218 markedly inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion capacities, and decreased apoptosis. miR-218 also inhibited the expression of survivin. These results indicated that survivin may be a target of miR-218 and could serve as a predictive biomarker.

Toward early cancer detection: Focus on biosensing systems and biosensors for an anti-apoptotic protein survivin and survivin mRNA

The development of biosensors for cancer biomarkers has recently been expanding rapidly, offering promising biomedical applications of these sensors as highly sensitive, selective, and inexpensive bioanalytical tools that can provide alternative methodology to that afforded by the advanced hyphenated-instrumental techniques. In this review, we focus particularly on the detection of a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) family, protein survivin (Sur), a ubiquitous re-organizer of the cell life cycle with the ability to inhibit the apoptosis and induce an enhanced proliferation leading to the unimpeded cancer growth and metastasis. Herein, we critically evaluate the progress in the development of novel biosensing systems and biosensors for the detection of two survivin (Sur) biomarkers: the Sur protein and its messenger RNA (Sur mRNA), including immunosensors, electrochemical piezo- and impedance-sensors, electrochemi-luminescence biosensors, genosensors based on oligonucleotide molecular beacons (MBs) with fluorescent or electrochemical transduction, as well as the microfluidic and related analytical platforms based on solution chemistry. The in-situ applications of survivin biomarkers' detection technologies to equip nanocarriers of the controlled drug delivery systems with MB-based fluorescence imaging capability, apoptosis control, and mitigation of the acquired drug resistance are also presented and critically evaluated. Finally, we turn the attention to the application of biosensors for the analysis of Sur biomarkers in exosomes and circulating tumor cells for a non-invasive liquid biopsy. The prospect of a widespread screening for early cancers, based on inexpensive point-of-care testing using biosensors and multiplex biosensor arrays, as a means of reducing the high cancer fatality rate, is discussed.

Survivin Promoter Polymorphism (-31 C/G): A Genetic Risk Factor for Oral Cancer

Background: The polymorphism of survivin gene at its promoter region is one of the risk factors for OSCC . This polymorphism involves substitution of G for C (9904341), and it is present at the cell cycle dependent elements and cell cycle homology region repressor binding motif of promoter. This study aimed to find the association between survivin -31C/G polymorphism and prevalence of OSCC in a subset of Pakistani population. Methodology: This case-control study was conducted on 47 cases with and 101 healthy individuals with no family history of cancer. We used polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) protocols. Results: The most common site of oral cancer in our research was the buccal mucosa followed by tongue and the least one was the labial mucosa. The histological tumor type of all 47 cases was squamous cell type. In our research, stage II had the highest prevalence, accounting for 34% of patients, while the prevalence of stage I was 31% in the case group. The prevalence of stage III and IV was 25% and 8%, respectively. The numbers of moderately and poorly differentiated tumors were equal. We found a significant association between the CC genotype of survivin and OSCC prevalence (OR was 9.395 at 95% CI: 1.0202-86.5251, p-value= 0.04). The GG genotype also showed significant P value (OR: 0.4709 with 95% CI: 0.2323- 0.9546 at a P VALUE of 0.0367). while no significant P value was noted for CG genotype (OR: 1.4317 with 95% CI: 0.7513 -2.8658, p- value= 0.31). Conclusion: Survivin -31G/C polymorphism was strongly associated with OSCC prevalence. The C allele was more common in case group as compared to healthy individuals living in Pakistan.