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Wu LW, Zhang JK, Rao M, Zhang ZY, Zhu HJ, Zhang C. Harmine suppresses the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells and sensitizes pancreatic cancer to gemcitabine treatment. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:4585-4593. [PMID: 31354292 PMCID: PMC6580126 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s205097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Pancreatic carcinoma is one of the most deadliest types of cancer, and relatively insensitive to the currently available chemotherapy. Thus, the discovery of novel therapeutic agents to prolong the survival times of patients with pancreatic cancer is urgently required. Methods Cell proliferation was assessed using the sulforhodamine B and cell clone formation assay, apoptosis was analyzed through Annexin V/PI staining, analysis of cell cycle distribution was determined by PI staining, and the expression of proteins was detected via Western blotting. Results Our data showed that harmine exerted an anti-proliferative effect and cell cycle arrest at G2/M in pancreatic cancer cells. Meanwhile, harmine plus gemcitabine showed strong synergy in inhibiting the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, harmine induced apoptosis and enhanced the gemcitabine-induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. The AKT/mTOR pathway is involved in mechanisms of gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer cells, our data demonstrated that harmine plus gemcitabine significantly suppressed the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Conclusion Harmine may be a potential candidate for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Morever, the combination of harmine with gemcitabine appears to be an attractive option for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Wen Wu
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Kang Zhang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingjun Rao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Zuo-Yan Zhang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua-Jian Zhu
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Chong Zhang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, People's Republic of China
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Chen X, Cheng F, Liu Y, Zhang L, Song L, Cai X, You T, Fan X, Wang D, Gong A, Zhu H. Toll-like receptor 2 and Toll-like receptor 4 exhibit distinct regulation of cancer cell stemness mediated by cell death-induced high-mobility group box 1. EBioMedicine 2019; 40:135-150. [PMID: 30679086 PMCID: PMC6413584 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a common extracellular damage associated molecular pattern molecule, is overexpressed in several solid tumors including pancreatic carcinoma. We previously observed that radiotherapy induced dying cells secrete HMGB1 and accelerate pancreatic carcinoma progression through an unclear mechanism. METHODS Using the Millicell system as an in vitro co-culture model, we performed quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, western blot and sphere forming ability analyses to access the effect of dying-cell-derived HMGB1 on CD133+ cancer cell stemness in vitro and in vivo. Interactions between HMGB1 and Toll-like receptor 2(TLR2)/TLR4 were studied by co- immunoprecipitation. Western blot and short-hairpin RNA-based knockdown assays were conducted to detect HMGB1 and TLR2/TLR4 signaling activity. FINDINGS Radiation-associated, dying-cell-derived HMGB1 maintained stemness and contributed to CD133+ cancer stem cell self-renewal in vitro and in vivo. In overexpressing and silencing experiments, we demonstrated that the process was activated by TLR2 receptor, whereas TLR4 antagonized HMGB1-TLR2 signaling. Wnt/β-catenin signaling supported the HMGB1-TLR2 mediated stemness of CD133+ cancer cells. INTERPRETATION Our results show how irradiation-induced cell death might enhance the stemness of resident cancer cells, and indicate HMGB1-TLR2 signaling as a potential therapeutic target for preventing pancreatic cancer recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuelian Chen
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Fang Cheng
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), SYSU, 510006, China
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University and Turku Centre for Biotechnology, Turku FI-20520, Finland
| | - Yanfang Liu
- Department of Central Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Zhenjiang, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Lirong Zhang
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Lian Song
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Xiaojie Cai
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Tao You
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Xin Fan
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Dongqing Wang
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Aihua Gong
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Haitao Zhu
- Central laboratory of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
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