5-Aza-2<-deoxycytidine induces hepatoma cell apoptosis via enhancing methionine adenosyltransferase 1A expression and inducing S-adenosylmethionine production

Identification of organic pollutants and heavy metals in natural rubber wastewater and evaluation its phytotoxicity and cytogenotoxicity

The natural rubber industry consumes large volumes of water and annually releases wastewater with rich organic and inorganic loads. This wastewater is allowed for soil irrigation in developing countries. However, the pollutant composition in wastewater and its environmental effects remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to assess the wastewater's physicochemical parameters, toxic organic pollutants, heavy metals, and phytotoxic and cytogenotoxic. The result revealed that values of comprehensive wastewater parameters were recorded as chemical oxygen demand (187432.1 mg/L), pH (4.23), total nitrogen (1157.1 mg/L), ammonia nitrogen (1113.0 mg/L), total phosphorus (1181.2 mg/L), Zn (593.3 mg/L), Cr (0.6127 mg/L), and Ni (0.2986 mg/L). The organic compounds detected by LC-MS were salbostatin, sirolimus, Gibberellin A34-catabolite, 1-(sn-glycero-3-phospho)-1D-myo-inositol, and methyldiphenylsilane. The toxicity of the identified toxic chemicals and heavy metals was confirmed by onion and mung bean phytotoxicity characterization tests. The wastewater affected the germination of mung bean seeds, reduced or inhibited the growth of onions, and induced various chromosomal aberrations in root apical meristems. Our study shows that the treatment of natural rubber wastewater needs to be improved, and the feasibility of irrigating soil with wastewater needs to be reconsidered.

Keep a watchful eye on methionine adenosyltransferases, novel therapeutic opportunities for hepatobiliary and pancreatic tumours

Methionine adenosyltransferases (MATs) synthesize S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) from methionine, which provides methyl groups for DNA, RNA, protein, and lipid methylation. MATs play a critical role in cellular processes, including growth, proliferation, and differentiation, and have been implicated in tumour development and progression. The expression of MATs is altered in hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HBP) cancers, which serves as a rare biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of HBP cancers. Independent of SAM depletion in cells, MATs are often dysregulated at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels. Dysregulation of MATs is involved in carcinogenesis, chemotherapy resistance, T cell exhaustion, activation of tumour-associated macrophages, cancer stemness, and activation of tumourigenic pathways. Targeting MATs both directly and indirectly is a potential therapeutic strategy. This review summarizes the dysregulations of MATs, their proposed mechanism, diagnostic and prognostic roles, and potential therapeutic effects in context of HBP cancers.

Effect of 5-Aza-2'-Deoxycytidine in Comparison to Valproic Acid and Trichostatin A on Histone Deacetylase 1, DNA Methyltransferase 1, and CIP/KIP Family (p21, p27, and p57) Genes Expression, Cell Growth Inhibition, and Apoptosis Induction in Colon Cancer SW480 Cell Line

BACKGROUND

Cancer initiation and progression depends on genetic and epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. Hypermethylation and deacetylation of the CIP/KIP family (p21, p27, and p57) lead to tumorigenesis. Our previous study indicated that DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors can inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) in comparison to valproic acid (VPA) and trichostatin A (TSA) on HDAC1, DNMT1, and CIP/KIP family (p21, p27, and p57) genes expression, cell growth inhibition, and apoptosis induction in colon cancer SW480 cell line.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The effect of the compounds on the cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The expression of HDAC1, DNMT1, and CIP/KIP family (p21, p27, and p57) genes was evaluated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For the detection of cell apoptosis, apoptotic cells were examined by the Annexin V-FITC/PI detection kit.

RESULTS

The results of MTT assay indicated that 5-Aza-CdR, VPA, and TSA significantly inhibited cell growth (P < 0.002, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). The results of real-time RT-PCR demonstrated that all compounds significantly down-regulated DNMT1 and HDAC1, and up-regulated p21, p27, and p57 genes expression. The result of flow cytometry assay revealed that all agents induced apoptosis significantly.

CONCLUSION

5-Aza-CdR, VPA, and TSA can significantly downregulate DNMT1 and HDAC1 and up-regulate p21, p27, and p57 genes expression through which enhance cell apoptosis and cell growth inhibition in colon cancer.

Metabolic Characterization of the Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

High-resolution metabolomics has created opportunity to integrate nutrition and metabolism into genetic studies to improve understanding of the diverse radiation of primate species. At present, however, there is very little information to help guide experimental design for study of wild populations. In a previous non-targeted metabolomics study of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), Rhesus macaques, humans, and four non-primate mammalian species, we found that essential amino acids (AA) and other central metabolites had interspecies variation similar to intraspecies variation while non-essential AA, environmental chemicals and catabolic waste products had greater interspecies variation. The present study was designed to test whether 55 plasma metabolites, including both nutritionally essential and non-essential metabolites and catabolic products, differ in concentration in common marmosets and humans. Significant differences were present for more than half of the metabolites analyzed and included AA, vitamins and central lipid metabolites, as well as for catabolic products of AA, nucleotides, energy metabolism and heme. Three environmental chemicals were present at low nanomolar concentrations but did not differ between species. Sex and age differences in marmosets were present for AA and nucleotide metabolism and warrant additional study. Overall, the results suggest that quantitative, targeted metabolomics can provide a useful complement to non-targeted metabolomics for studies of diet and environment interactions in primate evolution.