Cell proliferation

Sinomenine Inhibits the Growth of Ovarian Cancer Cells Through the Suppression of Mitosis by Down-Regulating the Expression and the Activity of CDK1

Introduction

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecological cancers worldwide. While, therapies against ovarian cancer have not been completely effective, sinomenine has been proved to have anti-tumor activity in various cancer cells. However, study of its anti-ovarian cancer effect is still rare, and the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. Therefore, we aim to explore the mechanism of sinomenine anti-ovarian cancer.

Materials and Methods

The effect of anti-ovarian cancer HeyA8 cells was analyzed by CCK8 and colony formation assay. The mechanism of sinomenine anti-ovarian cancer was explored via high throughput RNA-seq, and then the target mRNA and protein expression were verified by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

Results

We found that the proliferation and clone formation ability of ovarian cancer HeyA8 cells were markedly reduced by 1.56 mM sinomenine. The transcriptome analysis showed that 2679 genes were differentially expressed after sinomenine treatment in HeyA8 cells, including 1323 down-regulated genes and 1356 up-regulated genes. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that differential expression genes (DEGs) between the groups of sinomenine and DMSO-treated HeyA8 cells were mainly involved in the process of the cell cycle, such as kinetochore organization, chromosome segregation, and DNA replication. Strikingly, the top 18 ranked degree genes in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were mainly involved in the process of mitosis, such as sister chromatid segregation, condensed chromosome, and microtubule cytoskeleton organization. Moreover, real-time PCR results showed consistent expression trends of DEGs with transcriptome analysis. The results of Western blot showed the expression level of CDK1, which was the highest degree gene in PPI and the main regulator controlling the process of mitosis, and the levels of phosphorylated P-CDK (Thr161) and P-Histone H3 (Ser10) were decreased after being treated with sinomenine.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that sinomenine inhibited the proliferation of HeyA8 cells through suppressing mitosis by down-regulating the expression and the activity of CDK1. The study may provide a preliminary research basis for the application of sinomenine in anti-ovarian cancer.

Sinomenine hydrochloride inhibits cell survival in human hepatoma Huh7 cells

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of sinomenine hydrochloride (SIN) on cell survival/proliferation in the human hepatoma cell line Huh7, as well as determine the underlying mechanisms. Three different doses of SIN, 140, 280 and 560 µM, were tested. Cellular apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to determine protein levels of the apoptosis-associated regulators, cleaved caspase 3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (Bax), Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer (Bak) and Bcl-extra large (Bcl-xl), as well as the cell cycle-related regulators, p21 and p27. It was observed that the three doses of SIN were able to suppress Huh7 cell survival/proliferation, and efficiently induce cellular apoptosis as well as multiphase cell cycle arrest. Mechanistically, SIN treatment upregulated the levels of the pro-apoptotic regulators, cleaved caspase 3 and Bax, and downregulated the level of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xl. Additionally, SIN treatment also increased the protein levels of p21 and p27, as two regulators functioning to slow cell cycle progression. Taken together, the present studied indicated SIN to be a promising compound for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, based on its apparent effect in modulating cell apoptosis and the cell cycle in Huh7 cells in vitro.

Salivary apoptotic cells in oral (pre-) cancer as a potential diagnostic means

Background

Apoptosis is a genetically programmed form of cell death which is indispensable for development and homeostasis of multi-cellular organism.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to find out the salivary apoptotic cells in oral precancerous and cancerous patients and furthermore to observe the potential diagnostic value of salivary apoptotic cells in detection of oral pre-cancer and cancer.

Material and Methods

Unsimulated saliva was collected from a group of 103 subjects diagnosed with oral (pre-)cancer and a control group of 30 healthy age- and gender-matched individuals. The test group diagnosed with (pre-)cancer was further subdivided in 4 lesion groups oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oral lichen planus lesions (n=26), oral leukoplakia (n=25), oral sub-mucous fibrosis (n=24) Apoptotic cells were morphologically studied using fluorescence microscopy (TUNEL technique).

Results

While the morphology of apoptotic cells in oral pre-cancer and cancer are morphological similar to the typical epithelial cells of oral cavity mucosa, the number of apoptotic cells was significantly less in OSCC as compared to precancerous and normal healthy tissues.

Conclusions

It could therefore be concluded that salivary apoptotic epithelial cells might be used in early detection and diagnosis of oral pre-cancer and cancer.

Key words:Saliva, apoptotic, apoptosis, lichen planus, oral cancer.

Immunohistochemical expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in oral squamous cell carcinoma in relation to proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis

OBJECTIVES

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is by far the most common malignant neoplasm of the oral cavity. A number of etiologic factors have been implicated in its development. During the past few decades, a particular focus has been placed on the investigation of valid biomarkers predictive of cancer behavior and cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck Squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).The present study was designed to investigate the expression of epidermal growth factor in these tumors in relation to proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in 40 retrospective OSCC specimens and its correlation with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), antiapoptotic antibody (P53), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and D2-40 monoclonal antibodies (Mab), in relation to the clinicopathological parameters.

RESULTS

Data revealed positive EGFR immunoreactivity in 35(87.5%) cases. There was a statistically significant correlation regarding EGFR extent score with respect to intratumoral lymphatic vessel density (ILVD) (r = 0.35) as well as EGFR intensity score with respect to ILVD and peritumoral lymphatic vessel density (PLVD) (r = 0.33, r = 0.36 respectively). EGFR expression was not correlated with the clinicopathological parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

EGFR is expressed by most of the cases. EGFR correlation with D2- 40 positive lymphatic vessels suggests a higher tendency of OSCC for lymphatic dissemination. Lack of correlation among the studied markers suggests their independent effect on tumor behavior.

C-myc and tumour suppressor gene product expression in developing and term human trophoblast

Proliferation and differentiation of villous trophoblast during placental development, from an early stage to full-term, were investigated in routinely fixed and processed tissues, by means of the immunocytochemical localization of the cell cycle-related proto-oncogene c-myc and the p53 and retinoblastoma susceptibility (Rb) tumour-suppressor gene products. The proliferative activity of the trophoblast was determined using an antibody against proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) which stains all proliferating cells in paraffin-embedded tissues. Diffuse nuclear immunoreactivity for PCNA, c-myc and Rb gene products was a consistent finding in early cytotrophoblast; c-myc product expression was also detectable in both layers of mid-gestation trophoblast. Only scattered cytotrophoblastic nuclei of early gestational placenta displayed immunostaining for p53 gene product. In full-term placenta c-myc expression was undetectable while Rb gene product and PCNA immunoreactivity declined markedly. These results indicate that the expression of the above genes is spatio-temporally regulated during placental development. A potential involvement of the oncosuppressor gene products p53 and Rb in the control of trophoblastic proliferation and of c-myc in the control of both the proliferative and differentiation pathways of trophoblastic cells is suggested.

Comparison of different monoclonal antibodies for the immunohistochemical assessment of cell proliferation in routine colorectal biopsy specimens

In a series of paraffin-embedded colorectal biopsy specimens the monoclonal antibodies 19F4 and PC10 against the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and the antibody mib1, which recognizes the Ki67 antigen in formalin-fixed material, were compared with the Ki67 method on equivalent frozen sections to assess the applicability of these 'proliferation markers'. A high correspondence was found between the localization of the mib1 and the Ki67 immunoreaction product, associated with a highly significant quantitative correlation of the two indices (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). In contrast, after formalin fixation the two PCNA antibodies additionally stained cells outside the proliferative compartment so that a reliable assessment of cell proliferation was only possible after controlled paraformaldehyde or methacarn fixation. In the routine material mib1 was superior to PC10 because of its ability to distinguish the differences in cell proliferation among normal colorectal mucosa (29.1 +/- 6.8% positive cells), adenomas (43.3 +/- 10.6%), and carcinomas (52.9 +/- 8.7%), which PC10 did not possess (normal, 41.4 +/- 5.6%; adenomas, 37.5 +/- 8.7%; carcinomas, 51.5 +/- 8.2%).

Early changes in the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) content of pulmonary endocrine cells concomitant with vascular remodeling in the hypoxic rat

Morphologic changes are reported to occur in rat lung vasculature after 3 days of hypoxia. We have previously shown that immunoreactivity for the vasodilator calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is increased in pulmonary endocrine cells by 7 days of hypoxia. Because these cells may be among the earliest mediators of the hypoxic response, we examined endocrine cell CGRP content in rat lung after 0, 2, 4, and 8 h and 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 28, and 35 days of normobaric hypoxia, using optimal and supraoptimal dilutions of CGRP antibodies to demonstrate changes in CGRP immunoreactivity. This was compared with temporal changes in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle after 1, 5, and 20 days of hypoxia exposure by evaluating vascular immunoreactivity for alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SM actin), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) beta-receptor, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Significant increases in endocrine cell CGRP immunoreactivity were found after 4 h of hypoxia, and levels increased up to 1 day, followed by a decrease (at 5 days) and then a progressive increase up to 35 days. After 1 day of hypoxia, the number of vessels displaying immunoreactivity for alpha-SM actin, PDGF beta-receptor, and PCNA were also significantly increased. Whereas PDGF beta-receptor and PCNA returned to control values by day 20, alpha-SM actin reached a plateau that persisted until 20 days. The results indicate that modulation of endocrine cell CGRP content in response to hypoxia is rapid and characterized by a significant and persistent increase, paralleled by a proliferation of vascular cells leading to vascular muscularization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)