microRNA-451对人结肠癌细胞SW620裸鼠皮下种植瘤生长的抑制作用及机制探讨

目的 探讨microRNA-451(miR-451)对人结肠癌细胞系SW620裸鼠皮下种植瘤生长的影响,并探讨其可能机制.方法 18只裸鼠随机分为3组,实验组(SW-620-451组)、阴性对照组(SW-620-NC)、空白对照组(SW-620组),每组6只,分别皮下接种转染miRNA-451 agomir的SW620细胞、转染了阴性片段agomir Negative Control(NC)的SW620细胞和不经处理的结肠癌SW620细胞,并每周两次于瘤体内分别注射miRNA-451 agomir、miRNA-451 agomir NC片段及生理盐水.比较各组裸鼠皮下形成瘤体的大小并计算抑瘤率,接种四周后处死裸鼠取组织,用免疫组化法和Western-blot法定性定量分析和比较肿瘤相关基因c-myc的表达.结果 各组裸鼠皮下接种肿瘤细胞6天后均有瘤体形成,成瘤率100％,实验组(SW-620-451组)瘤体生长速度明显低于其他两组(p＜0.05);时间终点为第30天时,实验组(SW-620-451组)裸鼠皮下种植瘤的体积为(0.95±0.13)cm3,阴性对照组(SW-620-NC组)为(2.25±0.50) cm3,空白对照组(SW-620组)为(2.46±0.59)cm3;实验组(SW-620-451组)瘤体体积显著小于其他两组体积(p＜0.05);实验组(SW-620-451组)瘤体质量为(1.15±0.13)g,明显低于SW-620-NC组(2.59±0.46)g及SW-620组(2.76±0.44)g(p ＜0.05).实验组种植瘤中c-myc的表达量较另外两组下降(p＜0.05).结论 转染miR-451后可以抑制结肠癌细胞SW620裸鼠皮下移植瘤的生长,其机制可能与下调c-myc表达有关.     

结肠腺癌中结肠癌干细胞的分离、鉴定

目的从人结肠腺癌组织中分离、鉴定结肠癌干细胞,并初步观察其生物学特性。方法利用新鲜结肠腺癌组织,无血清悬浮成球培养,流式细胞检测ESA、CD44表达情况,体外观察其诱导分化及CK20、Muc表达情况,Balb／C小鼠移植观察其成瘤情况。结果从人原代结肠腺癌中分离、纯化EpCAM^high CD44^＋结肠癌干细胞,结肠癌原代细胞中EpCAM^highCD44^＋细胞比例为1．7％～38％（平均5．4％）。单克隆形成实验证实结肠癌组织中存在肿瘤干细胞。其比例为（2．07±0．11）％,分离获得的EpCAM^highCD44^＋细胞能在无血清培养基中“成球”,在血清诱导下能贴壁分化;将EpCAM^highCD44^＋细胞移植在Balb／C裸鼠体内,表现出很强的致瘤性,移植瘤中EpCAM^highCD44^＋细胞比例为3．6％～43．2％（平均15．2％）,所有的移植瘤经组织学测定,均形成腺管样结构,表达结肠特异性分化标志物CK-20、中性上皮粘蛋白（neutral epithelial mucins,Muc）。结论人结肠腺癌组织中存在EpCAM^highCD44^＋细胞群,具有和普通干细胞相类似的无限增殖、自我更新和分化能力。     

环磷酰胺抑瘤作用及含药血清对肿瘤细胞凋亡水平的影响

目的:采用小鼠腋下接种瘤株的方法,建立肝癌荷瘤小鼠动物模型;利用血清药理学的方法,观察环磷酰胺(CTX)舍药血清体外的抑制肿瘤细胞生长及调亡作用的研究.方法 :小鼠肝癌细胞混悬液用生理盐水按1:1进行稀释制成含瘤腹水混悬液,在给药前24 h,每只小鼠腋窝皮下接种0.2 ml.CTX对小鼠肝癌抑瘤实验连续给药10 d,测定肿瘤作用端粒酶活性与细胞凋亡表达.结果:(1)CTX能够明显抑制肝癌肿瘤的生长(P＜0.01);(2)30%、20%和10%含药血清高中低剂量含药血清对HepG2肿瘤细胞具有明显的抑瘤作用,Hochest染色肿瘤细胞出现凋亡形态;而流式细胞仪检测可见含药血清高中低剂量的促肿瘤凋亡率,明显高于正常血清组.CTX能够明显升高肝癌荷瘤小鼠体内bc1-2的水平(P＜0.01);(3)CTX能够明显促进肝癌细胞的凋亡.结论 :CTX具有抑制小鼠肝癌的作用;能够明显促进肝癌细胞的凋亡;CTX的抑瘤作用可能与升高动物体内的bcl-2水平及促进癌细胞的凋亡有关,从而表现抗肿瘤的作用.     

The nuclear γ-H2AX apoptotic ring: implications for cancers and autoimmune diseases

Apoptosis is a fundamental process for metazoan development. It is also relevant to the pathophysiology of immune diseases and cancers and to the outcome of cancer chemotherapies, as well as being a target for cancer therapies. Apoptosis involves intrinsic pathways typically initiated by DNA damaging agents and engaging mitochondria, and extrinsic pathways typically initiated by “death receptors” and their ligands TRAIL and TNF at the cell surface. Recently, we discovered the apoptotic ring, which microscopically looks like a nuclear annular staining early in apoptosis. This ring is, in three-dimensional space, a thick intranuclear shell consisting of epigenetic modifications including histone H2AX and DNA damage response (DDR) proteins. It excludes the DNA repair factors usually associated with γ-H2AX in the DDR nuclear foci. Here, we summarize our knowledge of the apoptotic ring, and discuss its biological and pathophysiological relevance, as well as its value as a potential pharmacodynamic biomarker for anticancer therapies.     

金丝桃素抑制慢性病毒性心肌炎小鼠心肌细胞凋亡及Fas／FasL蛋白表达

目的观察金丝桃素对慢性病毒性心肌炎（VMC）小鼠心肌细胞凋亡及Fas／FasL蛋白表达的影响。方法Balb／C小鼠多次接种心肌柯萨奇段病毒复制慢性VMC模型,首次感染病毒45天后将存活小鼠分为模型组、金丝桃素组及氯沙坦组,同时设正常对照组．分别给予相应药物干预30天,采用原位末端标记法检测心肌细胞凋亡及免疫组化方法检测Fas／FasL蛋白表达。结果模型组心肌细胞凋亡率较正常组显著增加（P〈0．05）,金丝桃素组和氯沙坦组凋亡率较模型组显著降低（P〈0．05）。模型组Fas／FasL蛋白表达较正常组显著增多（P〈0．01）,金丝桃素组和氯沙坦组较模型组显著降低（P〈0．01）。结论金丝桃素保护心肌细胞与抑制VMC心肌细胞的凋亡．下调Fas／FasL蛋白表达有关。     

darbufelone对胃癌SGC-7901细胞裸鼠移植瘤血管生成的影响

目的观察环氧合酶-2／5-脂氧合酶双重抑制剂darbufelone对人胃癌皮下移植瘤血管生成的影响,并初步探讨其机制。方法建立裸鼠实体瘤模型,随机分为darbufelone组和对照组,darbufelone及生理盐水分别连续灌服4周。测量肿瘤质量、体积,计算抑瘤率;免疫组化检测CD34并计算微血管密度;RT—PCR法及Western blot法分析移植瘤组织中MMP-9、VEGF的表达。结果darbufelone可明显抑制裸鼠移植瘤的生长,质量抑瘤率为58．42％,体积抑瘤率为67．13％。darbufelone组的微血管密度（MVD）（15．36±0．30）明显低于对照组（29．47±0．63）（P〈0．05）;darbufelone组肿瘤组织中VEGF及MMP-9在基因水平及蛋白水平的表达（P〈0．05）。结论darbufelone能有效抑制裸鼠移植瘤的生长,减少移植瘤组织中VEGF及MMP-9的表达,抑制肿瘤的微血管生成,具有抗血管生成的作用。     

15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin-J2 reveals a new pVHL-independent, lysosomal-dependent mechanism of HIF-1α degradation

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein is degraded under normoxia by its association to von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL) and further proteasomal digestion. However, human renal cells HK-2 treated with 15-deoxy-Δ^12,14-prostaglandin-J₂ (15d-PGJ₂) accumulate HIF-1α in normoxic conditions. Thus, we aimed to investigate the mechanism involved in this accumulation. We found that 15d-PGJ₂ induced an over-accumulation of HIF-1α in RCC4 cells, which lack pVHL and in HK-2 cells treated with inhibitors of the pVHL-proteasome pathway. These results indicated that pVHL-proteasome-independent mechanisms are involved, and therefore we aimed to ascertain them. We have identified a new lysosomal-dependent mechanism of HIF-1α degradation as a target for 15d-PGJ₂ based on: (1) HIF-1α colocalized with the specific lysosomal marker Lamp-2a, (2) 15d-PGJ₂ inhibited the activity of cathepsin B, a lysosomal protease, and (3) inhibition of lysosomal activity did not result in over-accumulation of HIF-1α in 15d-PGJ₂-treated cells. Therefore, expression of HIF-1α is also modulated by lysosomal degradation.     

Targeting mitochondria by α-tocopheryl succinate overcomes hypoxia-mediated tumor cell resistance to treatment

Rapidly proliferating tumor cells easily become hypoxic. This results in acquired stability towards treatment with anticancer drugs. Here, we show that cells grown at 0.1 % oxygen are more resistant towards treatment with the conventionally used anticancer drugs doxorubicin and cisplatin. The stimulation of apoptosis, as assessed by the number of cells in the SubG1 fraction of the cell cycle, release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, activation of caspase-3, and cleavage of PARP, was markedly suppressed under low oxygen content or when hypoxia was mimicked by deferoxamine. Hypoxia or deferoxamine treatment was accompanied by stabilization of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1). The downregulation of HIF-1 using siRNA technique restored cell sensitivity to treatment under hypoxic conditions to the levels detected under normoxic conditions. In contrast to cisplatin or doxorubicin, α-tocopheryl succinate (α-TOS), a compound that targets mitochondria, stimulated cell death irrespective of the oxygen concentration. Moreover, under hypoxic condition cell death induced by α-TOS was even enhanced. Thus, α-TOS can successfully overcome resistance to treatment caused by hypoxia, which makes α-TOS an attractive candidate for antitumor therapy via mitochondrial targeting.     

Role of metallothioneins in peripheral nerve function and regeneration

The physiological role of the metallothionein (MT) family of proteins during peripheral nerve injury and regeneration was examined in Mt1+ 2 and Mt3 knockout (KO) mice. To this end, the right sciatic nerve was crushed, and the regeneration distance was evaluated by the pinch test 2-7 days postlesion (dpl) and electrophysiologically at 14 dpl. The quality of the regeneration was assessed by light microscopy and immunohistochemical methods. The results show that the regeneration distance was greater in the Mt3 KO than in the Mt1+ 2 KO mice, whereas control mice showed intermediate values. Moreover, the number of regenerating axons in the distal tibial nerve was significantly higher in Mt3KO mice than in the other two strains at 14 dpl. Immunoreactive profiles to protein gene product 9.5 were present in the epidermis and the sweat glands of the plantar skin of the hindpaw of the Mt3 KO group. The improved regeneration observed with the Mt3 KO mice was confirmed by compound nerve action potentials that were recorded from digital nerves at 14 dpl only in this group. We conclude that Mt3 normally inhibits peripheral nerve regeneration.     

Degradation of the mitochondrial complex I assembly factor TMEM126B under chronic hypoxia

Cell stress such as hypoxia elicits adaptive responses, also on the level of mitochondria, and in part is mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1α. Adaptation of mitochondria towards acute hypoxic conditions is reasonably well understood, while regulatory mechanisms, especially of respiratory chain assembly factors, under chronic hypoxia remains elusive. One of these assembly factors is transmembrane protein 126B (TMEM126B). This protein is part of the mitochondrial complex I assembly machinery. We identified changes in complex I abundance under chronic hypoxia, in association with impaired substrate-specific mitochondrial respiration. Complexome profiling of isolated mitochondria of the human leukemia monocytic cell line THP-1 revealed HIF-1α-dependent deficits in complex I assembly and mitochondrial complex I assembly complex (MCIA) abundance. Of all mitochondrial MCIA members, we proved a selective HIF-1-dependent decrease of TMEM126B under chronic hypoxia. Mechanistically, HIF-1α induces the E3-ubiquitin ligase F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 1A (β-TrCP1), which in turn facilitates the proteolytic degradation of TMEM126B. Attenuating a functional complex I assembly appears critical for cellular adaptation towards chronic hypoxia and is linked to destruction of the mitochondrial assembly factor TMEM126B.     

Synthetic alpha-synuclein fibrils cause mitochondrial impairment and selective dopamine neurodegeneration in part via iNOS-mediated nitric oxide production

Intracellular accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) are hallmarks of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Exogenous addition of preformed α-syn fibrils (PFFs) into primary hippocampal neurons induced α-syn aggregation and accumulation. Likewise, intrastriatal inoculation of PFFs into mice and non-human primates generates Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites associated with PD-like neurodegeneration. Herein, we investigate the putative effects of synthetic human PFFs on cultured rat ventral midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. A time- and dose-dependent accumulation of α-syn was observed following PFFs exposure that also underwent phosphorylation at serine 129. PFFs treatment decreased the expression levels of synaptic proteins, caused alterations in axonal transport-related proteins, and increased H2AX Ser139 phosphorylation. Mitochondrial impairment (including modulation of mitochondrial dynamics-associated protein content), enhanced oxidative stress, and an inflammatory response were also detected in our experimental paradigm. In attempt to unravel a potential molecular mechanism of PFFs neurotoxicity, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase was blocked; a significant decline in protein nitration levels and protection against PFFs-induced DA neuron death were observed. Combined exposure to PFFs and rotenone resulted in an additive toxicity. Strikingly, many of the harmful effects found were more prominent in DA rather than non-DA neurons, suggestive of higher susceptibility to degenerate. These findings provide new insights into the role of α-syn in the pathogenesis of PD and could represent a novel and valuable model to study DA-related neurodegeneration.     

BH3-only proteins in tumorigenesis and malignant melanoma

BH3-only proteins are a subset of the Bcl-2 family of apoptotic regulators. BH3-only proteins function as ‘damage sensors’ in the cell; they are activated in response to cellular stress or DNA damage, whereupon they initiate apoptosis. Apoptosis is the primary mechanism by which the body rids itself of genetically defective cells and is critical for preventing the accumulation of cells with tumorigenic potential. Therefore, dysregulation of BH3-only proteins may promote tumorigenesis. Furthermore, functional apoptosis pathways are required for the success of most cancer treatments, including chemotherapy. Resistance to chemotherapy, as seen with malignant melanoma, often reflects an inability of tumor cells to undergo apoptosis. By deciphering the roles of BH3-only proteins in tumorigenesis, we may learn how to manipulate cell death pathways to overcome apoptotic resistance. This review summarizes the current knowledge of BH3-only proteins and how they contribute to tumorigenesis, with particular attention given to studies involving melanoma. Received: 12 August 2006; received after revision: 2 October 2006; accepted 13 November 2006