Apoptosis and disease

Unlocking the Potential of Disulfidptosis: Nanotechnology-Driven Strategies for Advanced Cancer Therapy

Tumor tissues exhibit elevated oxidative stress, with the cystine-glutamate transporter xCT solute carrier family 7 member 11 (xCT/SLC7A11) protecting cancer cells from oxidative damage by facilitating cystine uptake for glutathione synthesis. Disulfidptosis, a newly identified form of programmed cell death (PCD), occurs in cells with high xCT/SLC7A11 expression under glucose-deprived conditions. Distinct from other PCD pathways, disulfidptosis is characterized by aberrant disulfide bond formation and cellular dysfunction, ultimately resulting in cancer cell death. This novel mechanism offers remarkable therapeutic potential by targeting the inherent oxidative stress vulnerabilities of rapidly growing cancer cells. Advances in nanotechnology enable the development of nanomaterials capable of inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, disrupting disulfide bonds. In addition, they are capable to deliver therapeutic agents directly to tumors, thereby improving therapeutic precision and minimizing off-target effects. Moreover, combining disulfidptosis with ROS-induced immunogenic cell death can remodel the tumor microenvironment and enhance anti-tumor immunity. This review explores the mechanisms underlying disulfidptosis, its therapeutic potential in cancer treatment, and the synergistic role of nanotechnology in amplifying its effects. Selective induction of disulfidptosis using nanomaterials represents a promising strategy for achieving more effective, selective, and less toxic cancer therapies.

Vital Characteristics Cellular Neural Network (VCeNN) for Melanoma Lesion Segmentation: A Biologically Inspired Deep Learning Approach

Cutaneous melanoma is a highly lethal form of cancer. Developing a medical image segmentation model capable of accurately delineating melanoma lesions with high robustness and generalization presents a formidable challenge. This study draws inspiration from cellular functional characteristics and natural selection, proposing a novel medical segmentation model named the vital characteristics cellular neural network. This model incorporates vital characteristics observed in multicellular organisms, including memory, adaptation, apoptosis, and division. Memory module enables the network to rapidly adapt to input data during the early stages of training, accelerating model convergence. Adaptation module allows neurons to select the appropriate activation function based on varying environmental conditions. Apoptosis module reduces the risk of overfitting by pruning neurons with low activation values. Division module enhances the network's learning capacity by duplicating neurons with high activation values. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the efficacy of this model in enhancing the performance of neural networks for medical image segmentation. The proposed method achieves outstanding results across numerous publicly available datasets, indicating its potential to contribute significantly to the field of medical image analysis and facilitating accurate and efficient segmentation of medical imagery. The proposed method achieves outstanding results across numerous publicly available datasets, with an F1 score of 0.901, Intersection over Union of 0.841, and Dice coefficient of 0.913, indicating its potential to contribute significantly to the field of medical image analysis and facilitating accurate and efficient segmentation of medical imagery.

Anticancer Nanoparticle Carriers of the Proapoptotic Protein Cytochrome c

This review discusses the literature data on the synthesis, physicochemical properties, and cytotoxicity of composite nanoparticles bearing the mitochondrial protein cytochrome c (cytC), which can act as a proapoptotic mediator in addition to its main function as an electron carrier in the electron transport chain. The introduction of exogenous cytC via absorption of carrier particles, the phagocytosis of colloid particles of submicrometric size, or the receptor-mediated endocytosis of nanoparticles in cancer cells, initiates the process of apoptosis-a multistage cascade of biochemical reactions leading to complete destruction of the cells. CytC-carrier composite particles have the potential for use in the treatment of neoplasms with superficial localization: skin, mouth, stomach, colon, etc. This approach can solve the two main problems of anticancer therapy: selectivity and non-toxicity. Selectivity is based on the incapability of the normal cell to absorb (nano)particles, except for the cells of the immune system. The use of cytC as a protein that normally functions in mitochondria is harmless for the macroorganism. In this review, the factors limiting cytotoxicity and the ways to increase it are discussed from the point of view of the physicochemical properties of the cytC-carrier particles. The different techniques used for the preparation of cytC-bearing colloids and nanoparticles are discussed. Articles reporting the achievement of high cytotoxicity with each of the techniques are critically analyzed.

NUC7738 Induces Apoptosis Through Modulating Stability of P53 in Esophageal Cancer Cells

Esophageal cancer is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. NUC7738, a cordycepin derivative, has shown promise in overcoming the limited in vivo efficacy of its parent compound. This study compares the anticancer effects of NUC7738 and cordycepin in esophageal cancer and explores the molecular mechanisms of NUC7738 action. In vitro, NUC7738 and cordycepin were tested on normal (Het1A) and esophageal cancer cell lines (ECA109, KYSE510) using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays. Apoptosis was confirmed by inhibitors and flow cytometry. Western blot was performed to detect apoptosis-related protein. KEGG analysis identified potential downstream signaling pathways, while qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence staining were applied to assess p53 expression and stability. In vivo, ECA109 cells were xenografted into nude mice, and tumor tissues were analyzed for p53 expression using Immunohistochemical staining. Finally, CCK-8, colony formation, and subcutaneous tumor xenograft assays in nude mice were employed to assess the synergistic effects of NUC7738 and cisplatin. The results revealed that NUC7738, although less effective than cordycepin in vitro, demonstrated superior anticancer activity in vivo. NUC7738 induced apoptosis by stabilizing p53 via ubiquitination, inhibiting tumor growth. Additionally, NUC7738 combined with cisplatin showed enhanced anticancer effects both in vitro and in vivo. These findings highlight greater potential of NUC7738 for clinical application, particularly in improving p53 stability and augmenting chemotherapeutic efficacy.

Recent research progress on microRNAs from mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes for tumor therapy: A review

ABSTRACT

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a class of protocells that can differentiate into various cell types and have robust replication and renewal capabilities. MSCs secrete various nutritional factors to regulate the microenvironment of tumor tissues. The mechanism by which they inhibit or promote tumor growth may be closely related to MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo). However, the role of MSC-Exo vesicles in tumors remains controversial. This review discusses the potential applications of microRNAs in exosomes derived from MSCs in treating tumors.

Advances in the application of logic gates in nanozymes

Nanozymes are a class of nanomaterials with biocatalytic function and enzyme-like activity, whose advantages include high stability, low cost, and mass production. They can catalyze the substrates of natural enzymes based on specific nanostructures and serve as substitutes for natural enzymes. Their applied research involves a wide range of fields such as biomedicine, environmental governance, agriculture, and food. Molecular logic gates are a new cross-disciplinary discipline, which can simulate the function of silicon circuits on a molecular scale, perform single or multiple input logic operations, and generate logic outputs. A molecular logic gate is a binary operation that converts an input signal into an output signal according to the rules of Boolean logic, generating two signals, a high level, and a low level. The high and low levels represent the "true" and "false" values of the logic gates, and their outputs correspond to "l" and "0" of the molecular logic gates, respectively. The combination of nanozymes and logic gates is a novel and attractive research direction, and the cross-application of the two brings new opportunities and ideas for various fields, such as the construction of efficient biocomputers, intelligent drug delivery systems, and the precise diagnosis of diseases. This review describes the application of logic gates based on nanozymes, which is expected to provide a certain theoretical foundation for researchers' subsequent studies.

A promising future of metal-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in medicinal chemistry: The emerging bioorganometallic antitumor agents

Metal complexes based on N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have emerged as promising broad-spectrum antitumor agents in bioorganometallic medicinal chemistry. In recent decades, studies on cytotoxic metal-NHC complexes have yielded numerous compounds exhibiting superior cytotoxicity compared to cisplatin. Although the molecular mechanisms of these anticancer complexes are not fully understood, some potential targets and modes of action have been identified. However, a comprehensive review of their biological mechanisms is currently absent. In general, apoptosis caused by metal-NHCs is common in tumor cells. They can cause a series of changes after entering cells, such as mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) variation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, cytochrome c (cyt c) release, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, lysosome damage, and caspase activation, ultimately leading to apoptosis. Therefore, a detailed understanding of the influence of metal-NHCs on cancer cell apoptosis is crucial. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of recent advances in metal-NHC complexes that trigger apoptotic cell death via different apoptosis-related targets or signaling pathways, including B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2 family), p53, cyt c, ER stress, lysosome damage, thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) inhibition, and so forth. We also discuss the challenges, limitations, and future directions of metal-NHC complexes to elucidate their emerging application in medicinal chemistry.

Gga-miR-200a-3p suppresses avian reovirus-induced apoptosis and viral replication via targeting GRB2

Avian reovirus (ARV) is a significant pathogen that causes various clinical diseases in chickens, including viral arthritis, chronic respiratory diseases, retarded growth, and malabsorption syndrome. These conditions result in substantial economic losses for the global poultry industry. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a type of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post transcriptionally by silencing or degrading their RNA targets, play crucial roles in response to pathogenic infections. In this study, transfection of DF-1 cells with gga-miR-200a-3p, an upregulated miRNA observed in ARV-infected cells, significantly suppressed ARV-induced apoptosis by directly targeting GRB2 and impeded ARV replication. Conversely, knockdown of endogenous gga-miR-200a-3p in DF-1 cells using a specific miRNA inhibitor enhanced ARV-induced apoptosis and promoted GRB2 expression, thereby facilitating viral growth within cells. Consistently, inhibition of GRB2 activity through siRNA-mediated knockdown reduced viral titers. Therefore, gga-miR-200a-3p plays a vital antiviral role in the host response to ARV infection by suppressing apoptosis via direct targeting of GRB2 protein. This information enhances our understanding of the mechanisms by which host cells combat against ARV infection through self-encoded small RNA molecules and expands our knowledge regarding the involvement of microRNAs in the host response to pathogenic infections.

Selected Functions and Disorders of Mitochondrial Metabolism under Lead Exposure

Mitochondria play a fundamental role in the energy metabolism of eukaryotic cells. Numerous studies indicate lead (Pb) as a widely occurring environmental factor capable of disrupting oxidative metabolism by modulating the mitochondrial processes. The multitude of known molecular targets of Pb and its strong affinity for biochemical pathways involving divalent metals suggest that it may pose a health threat at any given dose. Changes in the bioenergetics of cells exposed to Pb have been repeatedly demonstrated in research, primarily showing a reduced ability to synthesize ATP. In addition, lead interferes with mitochondrial-mediated processes essential for maintaining homeostasis, such as apoptosis, mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, and the inflammatory response. This article describes selected aspects of mitochondrial metabolism in relation to potential mechanisms of energy metabolism disorders induced by Pb.

Intermolecular Electrostatic Interactions in Cytochrome c Protein Monolayer on Montmorillonite Alumosilicate Surface: A Positive Cooperative Effect

Montmorillonite (MM) crystal nanoplates acquire anticancer properties when coated with the mitochondrial protein cytochrome c (cytC) due to the cancer cells' capability to phagocytize cytC-MM colloid particles. The introduced exogenous cytC initiates apoptosis: an irreversible cascade of biochemical reactions leading to cell death. In the present research, we investigate the organization of the cytC layer on the MM surface by employing physicochemical and computer methods-microelectrophoresis, static, and electric light scattering-to study cytC adsorption on the MM surface, and protein electrostatics and docking to calculate the local electric potential and Gibbs free energy of interacting protein globules. The found protein concentration dependence of the adsorbed cytC quantity is nonlinear, manifesting a positive cooperative effect that emerges when the adsorbed cytC globules occupy more than one-third of the MM surface. Computer analysis reveals that the cooperative effect is caused by the formation of protein associates in which the cytC globules are oriented with oppositely charged surfaces. The formation of dimers and trimers is accompanied by a strong reduction in the electrostatic component of the Gibbs free energy of protein association, while the van der Waals component plays a secondary role.

Emerging roles of circular RNAs in regulating the hallmarks of thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is a prevalent endocrine malignancy with increasing incidence in recent years. Although most thyroid cancers grow slowly, they can become refractory, leading to a high mortality rate once they exhibit recurrence, metastasis, resistance to radioiodine therapy, or a lack of differentiation. However, the mechanisms underlying these malignant characteristics remain unclear. Circular RNAs, a type of closed-loop non-coding RNAs, play multiple roles in cancer. Several studies have demonstrated that circular RNAs significantly influence the development of thyroid cancers. In this review, we summarize the circular RNAs identified in thyroid cancers over the past decade according to the hallmarks of cancer. We found that eight of the 14 hallmarks of thyroid cancers are regulated by circular RNAs, whereas the other six have not been reported to be correlated with circular RNAs. This review is expected to help us better understand the roles of circular RNAs in thyroid cancers and accelerate research on the mechanisms and cure strategies for thyroid cancers.

The advancement of polysaccharides in disease modulation: Multifaceted regulation of programmed cell death

Programmed cell death (PCD), also known as regulatory cell death (RCD), is a process that occurs in all organisms and is closely linked to both normal physiological processes and disease states. Various signaling pathways, such as TP53, KRAS, NOTCH, hypoxia, and metabolic reprogramming, have been found to regulate RCD. Polysaccharides, which are essential natural products, have been the subject of extensive research in the fields of food, nutrition, and medicine due to their wide range of pharmacological effects. Studies have shown that polysaccharides have biological activities and the potential to target signal transduction pathways for the treatment of diseases. This paper provides a review of the mechanisms through which polysaccharides exert their therapeutic effects at different levels and explores the relationship between different types of RCD and human diseases. The aim of this review is to provide a theoretical basis for the further clinical use and application of polysaccharide bioactivities.

A novel Fas ligand plays an important role in cell apoptosis of Crassostrea hongkongensis: molecular cloning, expression profiles and functional identification of ChFasL

Background

Apoptosis regulates normal development, homeostasis, immune tolerance and response to environmental stress by eliminating unwanted or diseased cells, and plays a key role in non-specific immunity of invertebrates. The exogenous pathway mediated by death receptors and death ligands is a very important pathway for cell apoptosis. Death ligands are mainly members of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family, of which FasL is an important member. The deep involvement of FasL in vertebrates cell apoptosis and immunity has been reported many times, but there is limited research on the FasL gene in shellfish, and its functional importance in oyster cell apoptosis and immunity remains unclear.

Methods

The full length of ChFasL was identified and cloned based on the genome of Crassostrea hongkongensis. Quantitative PCR was used to detect the relative expression of ChFasL in different developmental stages and tissues, as well as the changes of relative expression in hemocytes after bacterial infection. The expression position of ChFasL in HEK293T cells was also located by subcellular localization, and the effect of increased recombinant protein content on the activity of reporter genes p53 and p21 was studied by dual-fluorescence reporter gene. Finally, the changes of apoptosis rate in hemocytes after ChFasL silencing was identified by RNA interference technology.

Results

We identified a novel FasL gene from C. hongkongensis and named it ChFasL. We found that ChFasL has potential N-linked glycosylation site, a transmembrane domain and a TNF region, which was a typical characteristics of TNF family. ChFasL was expressed in all developmental stages of larvae and in all tissues of oysters. After stimulation by V. alginolyticus or S. haemolyticus, its relative expression in hemocytes increased significantly, suggesting that ChFasL was deeply engaged in the immune response process of C. hongkongensis to external microbial stimulation. The results of subcellular localization showed that ChFasL was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of HEK293T cells. With the overexpression of the recombinant protein pcDNA3 1- ChFasL, the activity of p53 and p21 significantly increased, showing a positive regulatory effect. Moreover, after dsRNA successfully reduced the relative expression of ChFasL, the apoptosis rate of hemocytes was significantly lower than that the dsGFP group.

Conclusion

These results comprehensively confirmed the important role of ChFasL in the apoptosis process of C. hongkongensis, which provided the basis and premise for the in-depth understanding of the immune function of apoptosis in molluscs, and also contributed to the research on the pathogenic death mechanism and disease resistance breeding of marine bivalves.

Polydatin: Pharmacological Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, Biological Activities, and Health Benefits

Polydatin is a natural potent stilbenoid polyphenol and a resveratrol derivative with improved bioavailability. Polydatin possesses potential biological activities predominantly through the modulation of pivotal signaling pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Various imperative biological activities have been suggested for polydatin towards promising therapeutic effects, including anticancer, cardioprotective, anti-diabetic, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-microbial, as well as health-promoting roles on the renal system, the respiratory system, rheumatoid diseases, the skeletal system, and women's health. In the present study, the therapeutic targets, biological activities, pharmacological mechanisms, and health benefits of polydatin are reviewed to provide new insights to researchers. The need to develop further clinical trials and novel delivery systems of polydatin is also considered to reveal new insights to researchers.

Pan-cancer analysis of a novel indicator of necroptosis with its application in human cancer

As a type of programmed cell death, necroptosis is thought to play a dual role in tumorigenesis. However, a comprehensive assessment of necroptosis-related regulators across human cancers has not been reported. Therefore, in this study, we established a quantitative index to evaluate the necroptosis rate and determine its correlations with clinical prognosis, signaling pathways and molecular features, immune cell infiltration and regulation, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy sensitivity across cancers. Our results indicated that the necroptosis score can act as a favorable or risky prognostic factor in various cancer types. A gene set variation analysis suggested that necroptosis is significantly associated with immune- and inflammation-related signaling pathways, cell growth and apoptosis, and energy metabolism. Furthermore, necroptosis can affect the tumor microenvironment and immunity regulation, and the effect of necroptosis on immunity is different in different tumor types. There is crosstalk between components of necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis and autophagy pathways in multiple types of cancers. Finally, the necroptosis rate can be an indicator of immunotherapy effectiveness in multiple cancers and can affect the chemotherapy sensitivity of cancer cells. Our study presents a characterization of necroptosis across human cancers, highlights the potential necroptotic effects on immune regulation, and provides new insights into the development of individualized tumor treatments and clinical applications of immunotherapy.

Involvement of m6A regulatory factor IGF2BP1 in malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial Beas-2B cells induced by tobacco carcinogen NNK

Nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a Group 1 human carcinogen, as classified by the International Agency for Research of Cancer (IARC), and plays a significant role in lung carcinogenesis. However, its carcinogenic mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we performed colony formation assays, soft-agar assays, and tumor growth in nude mice to show that 100 mg/L NNK facilitates the malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial Beas-2B cells. Transcriptome sequencing showed that insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), a post-transcriptional regulator, was differentially expressed in NNK-induced malignant transformed Beas-2B cells (2B-NNK cells). Small interfering RNA (SiRNA) was used to downregulate the expression of the IGF2BP1 gene. The reduction in protein expression, cell proliferation rate, and colony-forming ability and the increase in the apoptosis rate of Beas-2B cells transfected with the SiRNA indicated a role for IGF2BP1 in NNK-induced malignant transformation. IGF2BP1 is an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulatory factor, but it is not known whether its association with m6A mediates the malignant transformation of cells. Therefore, we measured the overall levels of m6A in Beas-2B cells. We found that the overall m6A level was lower in 2B-NNK cells, and knocking down IGF2BP1, the overall level of m6A was restored. Hence, we concluded that IGF2BP1 is involved in the NNK-induced malignant transformation of Beas-2B cells, possibly via m6A modification. This study therefore contributes novel insights into the environmental pathogenesis of lung cancer and the gene regulatory mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis.

New insights into the interplay between long non-coding RNAs and RNA-binding proteins in cancer

With the development of proteomics and epigenetics, a large number of RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) have been discovered in recent years, and the interaction between long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and RBPs has also received increasing attention. It is extremely important to conduct in‐depth research on the lncRNA‐RBP interaction network, especially in the context of its role in the occurrence and development of cancer. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that lncRNA‐RBP interactions play a vital role in cancer progression; therefore, targeting these interactions could provide new insights for cancer drug discovery. In this review, we discussed how lncRNAs can interact with RBPs to regulate their localization, modification, stability, and activity and discussed the effects of RBPs on the stability, transport, transcription, and localization of lncRNAs. Moreover, we explored the regulation and influence of these interactions on lncRNAs, RBPs, and downstream pathways that are related to cancer development, such as N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification of lncRNAs. In addition, we discussed how the lncRNA‐RBP interaction network regulates cancer cell phenotypes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, drug resistance, immunity, tumor environment, and metabolism. Furthermore, we summarized the therapeutic strategies that target the lncRNA‐RBP interaction network. Although these treatments are still in the experimental stage and various theories and processes are still being studied, we believe that these strategies may provide new ideas for cancer treatment.

Curcumin, a potential initiator of apoptosis via direct interactions with Bcl-xL and Bid

Apoptosis is a naturally occurring process during the growth and development of multicellular organisms and is increasingly active during times of cellular stress such as in response to intracellular DNA damage when removal of the host cell is paramount to prevent cancer. Unfortunately, once formed, cancer cells become impervious to apoptosis, creating a desperate need to identify an approach to induce apoptosis in these cells. An attractive option is to focus efforts on developing and locating compounds which activate apoptosis using natural compounds. Curcumin is a natural component in turmeric and is well-known for its pharmacological effects in preventing and combating many ailments and has been shown to decrease the rapid proliferation of a wide variety of tumor cells. However, to date, the apoptotic intermediates and interactions through which curcumin exerts its cytotoxic effects are unknown. Motivated by reports linking the intracellular modulation of the concentrations of Bid and Bcl-xL, following curcumin administration to cancer cells, we set out to probe for potential intermolecular interactions of these proteins with curcumin. Using several biophysical techniques, most notably, fluorescence, circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we reveal binding interactions of curcumin with both Bcl-xLΔC and full-length Bid (Bid-FL) and prove that this binding is hydrophobically driven and localized to well-known functional regions of each protein. Specifically, our NMR studies show that while Bid-FL interacts with curcumin through its hydrophobic and pore forming helices (α6-α7), Bcl-xLΔC interacts with curcumin via its BH3 binding pocket (α2-α3-α4-α5), a critical region for mediating apoptosis.

Synthesis and antitumor potential of new arylidene ursolic acid derivatives via caspase-8 activation

Continuing our studies on NO-donating ursolic acid-benzylidene derivatives as potential antitumor agents, we designed and synthesized a series of new arylidene derivatives containing NO-donating ursolic acid and aromatic heterocyclic units. Compounds 5c and 6c showed a significant broad-spectrum antitumor activity. Compound 5c exhibited nearly three- to nine-fold higher cytotoxicity as compared with the parent drug in A549, MCF-7, HepG-2, HT-29, and HeLa cells, and it was also found to be the most potent apoptosis inducer of MCF-7 cells. More importantly, compound 5c arrested the MCF-7 cell cycle in the G1 phase, which was associated with caspase activation and a decrease of the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. Meanwhile, compound 5c caused changes in morphological features, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and accumulation of reactive oxygen species. A docking study revealed that the nitroxyethyl moiety of compound 5c may form hydrogen bonds with caspase-8 amino acid residues (SER256 and HIS255). Together, these data suggest that NO-donating ursolic acid-arylidene derivatives are potent apoptosis inducers in tumor cells.

Advances in Research on the Toxicological Effects of Selenium

Selenium is a trace element necessary for the growth of organisms. Moreover, selenium supplementation can improve the immunity and fertility of the body, as well as its ability to resist oxidation, tumors, heavy metals, and pathogenic microorganisms. However, owing to the duality of selenium, excessive selenium supplementation can cause certain toxic effects on the growth and development of the body and may even result in death in severe cases. At present, increasing attention is being paid to the development and utilization of selenium as a micronutrient, but its potential toxicity tends to be neglected. This study systematically reviews recent research on the toxicological effects of selenium, aiming to provide theoretical references for selenium toxicology-related research and theoretical support for the development of selenium-containing drugs, selenium-enriched dietary supplements, and selenium-enriched foods.

Shikonin inhibits proliferation of melanoma cells by MAPK pathway-mediated induction of apoptosis

Shikonin, a natural product isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, exhibits pharmacological effects against inflammation, ulcers, infections, and tumors. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of shikonin on the human melanoma cell line, A375SM, and in an in vivo mouse xenograft model. We examined the anticancer effects of shikonin by in vitro experiments (MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) stain, annexin V/ propidium iodide (PI) stain, and protein analysis of apoptosis and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways). Further, the anticancer effect in vivo was confirmed through a xenograft model. Our results showed that shikonin inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, shikonin significantly increased nucleus and chromatin condensation and early/late apoptosis. Shikonin also increased the pro-apoptotic proteins and decreased the anti-apoptotic proteins. Additionally, shikonin was overexpressed in MAPK pathways. Investigation of the effects of shikonin in a mouse xenograft model not only showed decreased A375SM tumor volume but also increased apoptosis as determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Furthermore, pathologic changes were not observed in the liver and kidney of mice. Collectively, the study indicated that shikonin inhibited the proliferation of the human melanoma cells by inducing apoptosis, mediated by MAPK pathway and that it is a potential candidate for an anticancer drug against melanoma cancer.

Coffee Intake Interacted with the Bcl-2 rs1944420, rs7236090, and rs2849382 Haplotype to Influence Breast Cancer Risk in Middle-Aged Women

We hypothesized that the haplotype of Bcl-2 genetic variants increases breast cancer risk and interacts with lifestyles in Korean women. We identified single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) of Bcl-2 associated with breast cancer risk after adjusting for covariates in 390 breast cancer patients and 36,726 women without any cancer that participated in the Korean Genomic Epidemiology Study (KoGES). An allelic genetic model showed that three SNPs (rs1944420, rs7236090, and rs2849382) in the Bcl-2 gene were significantly associated with breast cancer (ORs = 1.28, 0.84, and 0.79, respectively). The participants with the minor allele of the haplotype with three SNPs had 1.65-fold higher breast cancer risk than those with the major allele, after adjusting for covariates. Serum C-reactive protein concentration had a positive association with breast cancer risk. A significant interaction was also observed between the minor allele of the Bcl-2 haplotype and coffee intake (P = 0.03). A low coffee intake in women with the minor allele presented a higher breast cancer risk than a low coffee intake in those with the major allele. In conclusion, the risk of breast cancer risk was higher in post-menopausal women with the minor allele of the Bcl-2 haplotype, and consuming more than 1 cup of coffee per day reduced the risk. The results of this study could be applied to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Potential pathways of zinc deficiency-promoted tumorigenesis

Zinc (Zn) is the second most abundant necessary trace element in the human body. It is reported that zinc deficiency (ZD) promotes many types of cancer progression through multiple signal pathways. It is well known that oxidative stress, DNA damage, DNA repair, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, metabolic alterations, microRNAs abnormal expression, and inflammation level are closely related to cancer development. Cumulative evidence suggests that ZD influences these biological functions. This review explores the latest advances in understanding the role of ZD in tumorigenesis. Fully comprehending the potential mechanisms of ZD-induced tumors may provide novel clues for prevention and clinical treatment of cancers.

Hyperhomocysteinemia Induced by Methionine Excess Is Effectively Suppressed by Betaine in Geese

The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of excess Methionine (Met) on the growth performance, serum homocysteine levels, apoptotic rates, and Bax and Bcl-2 protein levels in geese and to study the role of Bet (betaine) in relieving excess Met-induced hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy). In this study, 150 healthy male 14-day-old Yangzhou geese of similar body weight were randomly distributed into three groups with five replicates per treatment and 10 geese per replicate: the control group (fed a control diet), the Met toxicity group (fed the control diet +1% Met), and the Bet detoxification group (fed the control diet +1% Met +0.2% Bet). At 28, 49, and 70 d of age, the geese in the Met toxicity group had significantly lower body weights than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The serum homocysteine levels in geese at 70 d of age in the detoxification group were significantly lower than those in the Met toxicity group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control, Met significantly increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis rates, while Bet reduced them. In conclusion, our results suggest that excess methionine reduces body weight induced by myocardial apoptosis, and Bet can be used to effectively lower plasma homocysteine levels.

Morphological and functional alterations of the prostate tissue during clinical progression in hormonally-naïve, hormonally-treated and castration-resistant patients with metastatic prostate cancer

Since commony used tools in oncological practice for the diagnosis of castration-resistent prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma are based on clinical criteria, such as castrate testosterone level, continuous rise in serum prostate-specific antigen, progression of preexisting disease or appearance of new metastases, it is important to identify reliable histopathological markers for the identification of this disease. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the association between results from histological analysis, ultrastructural analysis and apoptosis in the prostate of patients with metastatic acinar prostatic adenocarcinoma (mPC). Patients were treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), abiraterone acetate (Abi) therapy or received no treatment. Prostate tissue samples were divided into four groups as follows: i) Group 1, tissues from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (adenocarcinoma negative); ii) group 2, tissues from patients with metastatic hormone naïve prostate cancer; iii) group 3, tissues from patients with mPC treated with ADT; and iv) group 4, tissues from patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with ADT and Abi. Immunohistochemical, terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) and ultrastructural assays using light, fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy, respectively, were used to analyze prostate tissue samples. The results demonstrated that ADT and Abi therapy caused histological and ultrastructural changes in prostate tissues. In groups 3 and 4, benign and malignant tissues were affected by the hormonal therapy. Histologically, the malignant epithelium after ADT therapy in groups 3 and 4 presented with a loss of glandular architecture, nuclear and nucleolar shrinkage, chromatin condensation and cytoplasmic clearing. At the ultrastructural level, compact hypertrophic and hyperchromatic nuclei with numerous invaginations were observed in groups 2, 3 and 4. In addition, the incidence of abnormal mitochondria in malignant cells of these groups was high. Group 4 was characterized by the presence of malignant mesenchyme-like cells in the prostatic stroma, arranged in small groups surrounded by collagen fibrils. Furthermore, the cytoplasm of these cells contained filaments. A decrease in the number of apoptotic cells using TUNEL assays in the examined samples was observed with increasing disease progression. The findings from the present study suggest that the duration of treatment with ADT and progression of the disease were associated with apoptosis dysregulation.

Heat shock transcription factor 2 inhibits intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway in ulcerative colitis

UC is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colonic mucosa and lacks effective treatments because of unclear pathogenesis. Excessive apoptosis of IECs damages the intestinal epithelial barrier and is involved in the progression of UC, but the mechanism is unknown. HSPs are important in maintaining homeostasis and regulate apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. In our previous studies, HSF2, an important regulator of HSPs, was highly expressed in UC patients and negatively correlated with inflammation in mice and IECs. Therefore, we hypothesized that HSF2 may protect against intestinal mucositis by regulating the apoptosis of IECs. In this study, a DSS-induced colitis model of hsf2^-/- mice was used to explore the relationship between HSF2 and apoptosis in IECs for the first time. The expression of HSF2 increased in the WT + DSS group compared with that in the WT + H₂O group. Moreover, the extent of apoptosis was more severe in the KO + DSS group than in the WT + DSS group. The results showed that HSF2 was negatively correlated with apoptosis in vivo. The expression of HSF2 in Caco-2 cells was changed by lentiviral transfection, and the expression of Bax, cytoplasmic Cyto-C, Cleaved Caspase-9 and Cleaved Caspase-3 were negatively correlated with the different levels of HSF2. These results suggest that HSF2 negatively regulates apoptosis of IECs through the mitochondrial pathway. This may be one of the potential mechanisms to explain the protective role of HSF2 in UC.

Characterization and functional analysis of a caspase 3 gene: Evidence that ChCas 3 participates in the regulation of apoptosis in Crassostrea hongkongensis

Caspase 3 plays an important role in apoptotic pathways and contributes to maintaining the homeostasis of the immune system in organisms. The structure, functions, and characteristics of caspase 3 have been extensively investigated in many species, but the research is scarce when it comes to bivalves, particularly oysters. In this study, we identified and cloned a previously unknown caspase 3 gene, named ChCas 3, in C. hongkongensis. The full-length cDNA of ChCas 3 was 1562 bp and included a 175 bp 5'-untranslated region (UTR), a 141 bp 3'-UTR and a 1245 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encoded a polypeptide of 415 amino acids. Similar to caspase 3 in other species, ChCas 3 has a pro-domain, a conserved cysteine active site, a large p20 subunit and a small p10 subunit. Our findings demonstrated the expression of ChCas 3 in all the eight tissues via tissue-specific expression assays with the highest expression in haemocytes. ChCas 3 was confirmed to be expressed throughout the larval development stages, and fluorescence from pEGFP-N1-ChCas 3 was found to be distributed throughout the entire HEK293T cell. In addition, the relative expression of ChCas 3 significantly enhanced in hemocytes post bacterial stimulation, and overexpression of ChCas 3 led to upregulation of the transcriptional activity of NF-κB and p53 reporter genes in HEK293T cells, which indicated that it was involved in innate immune responses. Finally, the apoptosis rate of the haemocytes declined considerably compared with that of the control group after the expression of ChCas 3 was successfully silenced by dsRNA, corroborating its sentinel role in apoptosis. This study provides comprehensive underpinning evidences, affirming caspase 3 crucial role against bacterial infection and apoptosis in C. hongkongensis.

Fluvastatin protects myocardial cells in mice with acute myocardial infarction through inhibiting RhoA/ROCK pathway

Protective effect of fluvastatin (Flu) on myocardial cells in mice with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the mechanism were explored. Forty C57B/L6 mice in similar physiological status were selected and randomly divided into sham operation (Sham) group (n=10), AMI group (n=10), Flu group (n=10) and Flu + Angiotensin II (Ang II) (Ang II) group (n=10). The pathological changes in heart tissues were detected via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and apoptosis of myocardial cells was detected via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Moreover, the expression levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined using relevant kits, and the expression levels of Ras homolog gene family (Rho)-associated coiled-coil protein kinase 1 (ROCK1), ROCK2, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the infarction region were determined using Western blotting. The infarction area in mice in Flu group was significantly smaller than that in AMI group. In AMI group, the level of MDA in the serum and infarction tissues was remarkably higher than that in Sham group (P<0.05), while that of SOD significantly declined (P<0.05). The level of MDA in Flu group was obviously lower than that in AMI group (P<0.05). The expression levels of Bax, NF-κB, ROCK1 and ROCK2 were obviously higher in AMI group than those in Sham group, while they were obviously lower in Flu group than those in AMI group (P<0.05). After the Rho member A (RhoA)/ROCK pathway agonist Ang II was added, the mitigation effect of Flu on myocardial apoptosis in the infarction region in AMI mice was evidently weakened. Flu mitigates AMI-induced myocardial apoptosis in mice, and the possible mechanism is that the inflammatory and oxidative stress responses activated and mediated by RhoA/ROCK are effectively inhibited.

Dual-Responsive DNA Nanodevice for the Available Imaging of an Apoptotic Signaling Pathway in Situ

Fluorescence imaging tools enable the in situ visualization of those molecules involved in various cell signaling pathways, but directly describing these pathways instead of the separate mediators in situ is much more meaningful and still full of challenges. In this work, a dual-responsive DNA nanodevice that allows the available imaging of an apoptotic signaling pathway in living cells has been developed. The nanodevice is constructed through assembling an elaborately designed Y-shaped DNA (Y-DNA) layer on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Only if an apoptotic signaling pathway involving the manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) mRNA and downstream cytochrome c (Cyt c) is presented to serve as the input, the nanodevice can perform an "AND" logic gate operation, disassembling the Y-DNA from the AuNP surface and thereafter outputting a fluorescence signal. In comparison with the fluorescence imaging methods that target individual specific molecules, our strategy allows direct profiling of a specific signaling pathway by connected characterization of two correlative targets. The programmable feature of this strategy also shows the potential for the profiling of other signaling pathways. The concept of studying the line connecting two points will contribute to the systematic interrogation on the signaling networks in situ as the networks are composed of lines instead of individual points.

Synthesis and DNase I inhibitory properties of new benzocyclobutane-2,5-diones

Aim: Eight new benzocyclobutane-2,5-diones (1a–1h) were synthesized, and their inhibitory properties against bovine pancreatic DNase I were examined in vitro. Methods & results: Compounds 1a–1h were synthesized using photocycloaddition of duroquinone with various phenyl-substituted ethylenes in the presence of 18W compact fluorescent lamp (visible light). Two compounds, 1,3,4,6-tetramethyl-7-phenylbicyclo[4.2.0]oct-3-ene-2,5-dione (1a) and 1,3,4,6-tetramethyl-7-p-tolylbicyclo[4.2.0]oct-3-ene-2,5-dione (1b) inhibited DNase I in a noncompetitive manner with IC50 values below 150 μM and showed to be more potent DNase I inhibitors than crystal violet, used as a positive control. In order to analyze potential binding sites for the studied compounds with DNase I, molecular docking study was performed. Conclusion: The studied benzocyclobutane-2,5-diones offer a good starting point for a design of new DNase I inhibitors.

The effect of rutin on cisplatin-induced oxidative cardiac damage in rats

Objective:

Cisplatin is an anticancer drug used for treating childhood solid tumors. Symptoms related to cisplatin-induced cardiovascular adverse effects may be mild or severe. Rutin (vitamin P1) has many properties, including as antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiulcer, and tissue renewal properties. Therefore, we aimed to biochemically, histopathologically, and immunohistochemically demonstrate the effect of rutin on cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

Methods:

The rats included in our study were divided into four groups: Healthy group (HE), 5-mg/kg cisplatin group (CP), 50 mg/kg rutin+5-mg/kg cisplatin (CR-50), 100-mg/kg rutin+5-mg/kg cisplatin (CR-100) group.

Results:

CP group administered cisplatin had significantly increased blood, serum, and cardiac tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), troponin I, creatine kinase (CK), and CK-MB levels compared to the HE group, whereas there was a significant decrease in the total glutathione (tGSH) levels. Rutin was observed to prevent the increase in MDA, IL-1β, TNF-α, troponin I, CK, and CK-MB levels as well as prevent the decrease in tGSH levels more significantly when administered at a 100-mg/kg dose than at a 50-mg/kg dose. Histopathologically, cardiac necrosis, dilated/congested blood vessels, hemorrhage, polymorphonuclear leukocyte, edema, and cells with pyknotic nuclei were observed in the CP group. Rutin was shown to prevent cisplatin-induced cardiac damage more effectively when used at a100-mg/kg dose than at a 50-mg/kg dose.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that rutin is useful for preventing cisplatin-related cardiovascular damage

Seneca Valley Virus 2C and 3Cpro Induce Apoptosis via Mitochondrion-Mediated Intrinsic Pathway

Seneca Valley virus (SVV) is the only member of the genus Senecavirus of the Picornaviridae family. SVV can selectively infect and lyse tumor cells with neuroendocrine features and is used as an oncolytic virus for treating small-cell lung cancers. However, the detailed mechanism underlying SVV-mediated destruction of tumor cells remains unclear. In this study, we found that SVV can increase the proportion of apoptotic 293T cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SVV-induced apoptosis was initiated via extrinsic and intrinsic pathways through activation of caspase-3, the activity of which could be attenuated by a pan-caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK). We confirmed that SVV 2C and 3C^pro play critical roles in SVV-induced apoptosis. The SVV 2C protein was located solely in the mitochondria and activated caspase-3 to induce apoptosis. SVV 3C^pro induced apoptosis through its protease activity, which was accompanied by release of cytochrome C into the cytoplasm, but did not directly cleave PARP1.

Proanthocyanidins Alleviates AflatoxinB₁-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis through Mitochondrial Pathway in the Bursa of Fabricius of Broilers

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is a serious threat to the poultry industry. Proanthocyanidins (PCs) demonstrates a broad range of biological, pharmacological, therapeutic, and chemoprotective properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effects of PCs against AFB₁-induced histopathology, oxidative stress, and apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in the bursa of Fabricius (BF) of broilers. One hundred forty-four one-day old Cobb chicks were randomly assigned into four treatment groups of six replicates (6 birds each replicate) for 28 days. Groups were fed on the following four diets; (1) Basal diet without addition of PCs or AFB₁ (Control); (2) basal diet supplemented with 1 mg/kg AFB₁ from contaminated corn (AFB₁); (3) basal diet supplemented with 250 mg/kg PCs (PCs); and (4) basal diet supplemented with 1 mg/kg AFB₁ + 250 mg/kg PCs (AFB₁+ PCs). The present study results showed that antioxidant enzymes activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in AFB₁ treated group were (p < 0.05) decreased, whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were significantly increased in comparison with the control group. Furthermore, we found that dietary PCs treatment ameliorated AFB₁-induced oxidative stress in the BF through inhibiting the accumulation of MDA content and enhancing the antioxidant enzymes activities (T-SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and GST). Similarly, PCs markedly enhanced messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of antioxidant genes (SOD, CAT, GPx1, and GST) in comparison with AFB₁ group. Moreover, histological results showed that PCs alleviated AFB₁-induced apoptotic cells in the BF of broilers. In addition, both mRNA and protein expression results manifested that mitochondrial-apoptosis-associated genes (Bax, caspase-9, caspase-3, and p53 and cytochrome c) showed up-regulation, while (Bcl-2) showed down-regulation in AFB₁ fed group. The supplementation of PCs to AFB₁ diet significantly reversed the mRNA and protein expression of these apoptosis-associated genes, as compared to the AFB₁ group. Our results demonstrated that PCs ameliorated AFB₁-induced oxidative stress by modulating the antioxidant defense system and apoptosis in the BF through mitochondrial pathway in broilers.

Effects of 60Co-γ radiation on testis physiological aspects of Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus)

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), is one of the notorious pests causing substantial loses to many cruciferous vegetables across the nations. Sterile insect technique (SIT) is considered as an effective bio-control agent for controlling numerous lepidopteran pests. We searched the deformity spermatozoon and sperm bundles of diamondback moth. In our research, 200 Gy and 400 Gy ⁶⁰Co-γ radiation doesn't alter the number of apyrene and eupyrene sperm bundles in testis. However, the ratio of abnormal eupyrene sperm bundles was increasing with radiation dosage. The malformation of mitochondrial derivatives is characterized by "V" shape with 400 Gy. Also, the results showed that the expression of caspase-3 with 200 Gy was down-regulated, but was obviously up-regulated after 400 Gy radiation. Thus the present research investigation highlights that the ⁶⁰Co-γ radiation treatments alters the physiological development of diamondback moth testis.

A new version of the ANDSystem tool for automatic extraction of knowledge from scientific publications with expanded functionality for reconstruction of associative gene networks by considering tissue-specific gene expression

BACKGROUND

Consideration of tissue-specific gene expression in reconstruction and analysis of molecular genetic networks is necessary for a proper description of the processes occurring in a specified tissue. Currently, there are a number of computer systems that allow the user to reconstruct molecular-genetic networks using the data automatically extracted from the texts of scientific publications. Examples of such systems are STRING, Pathway Commons, MetaCore and Ingenuity. The MetaCore and Ingenuity systems permit taking into account tissue-specific gene expression during the reconstruction of gene networks. Previously, we developed the ANDSystem tool, which also provides an automated extraction of knowledge from scientific texts and allows the reconstruction of gene networks. The main difference between our system and other tools is in the different types of interactions between objects, which makes the ANDSystem complementary to existing well-known systems. However, previous versions of the ANDSystem did not contain any information on tissue-specific expression.

RESULTS

A new version of the ANDSystem has been developed. It offers the reconstruction of associative gene networks while taking into account the tissue-specific gene expression. The ANDSystem knowledge base features information on tissue-specific expression for 272 tissues. The system allows the reconstruction of combined gene networks, as well as performing the filtering of genes from such networks using the information on their tissue-specific expression. As an example of the application of such filtering, the gene network of the extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway was analyzed. It was shown that considering different tissues can lead to changes in gene network structure, including changes in such indicators as betweenness centrality of vertices, clustering coefficient, network centralization, network density, etc. CONCLUSIONS: The consideration of tissue specificity can play an important role in the analysis of gene networks, in particular solving the problem of finding the most significant central genes. Thus, the new version of ANDSystem can be employed for a wide range of tasks related to biomedical studies of individual tissues. It is available at http://www-bionet.sscc.ru/and/cell /.

Apoptosis and apoptotic body: disease message and therapeutic target potentials

Apoptosis is widely known as programmed cell death eliciting no inflammatory responses. The intricacy of apoptosis has been a focus of an array of researches, accumulating a wealth of knowledge which led to not only a better understanding of the fundamental process, but also potent therapies of diseases. The classic intrinsic and extrinsic signaling pathways of apoptosis, along with regulatory factors have been well delineated. Drugs and therapeutic measures designed based on current understanding of apoptosis have long been employed. Small-molecule apoptosis inducers have been clinically used for eliminating morbid cells and therefore treating diseases, such as cancer. Biologics with improved apoptotic efficacy and selectivity, such as recombinant proteins and antibodies, are being extensively researched and some have been approved by the FDA. Apoptosis also produces membrane-bound vesicles derived from disassembly of apoptotic cells, now known as apoptotic bodies (ApoBDs). These little sealed sacs containing information as well as substances from dying cells were previously regarded as garbage bags until they were discovered to be capable of delivering useful materials to healthy recipient cells (e.g., autoantigens). In this review, current understandings and knowledge of apoptosis were summarized and discussed with a focus on apoptosis-related therapeutic applications and ApoBDs.

Induction of apoptosis by essential oil from P. missionis in skin epidermoid cancer cells

BACKGROUND

The genus Pamburus (Rutaceae) comprises the only species, Pamburus missionis (Wight) Swingle. Pamburus missionis is traditionally used in the treatment of swellings, chronic rheumatism, paralysis and puerperal diseases.

PURPOSE

The present study investigates the cancer chemotherapeutic potential of essential oil (EO) from P. missionis.

METHODS

EO was isolated by steam distillation and chemical composition was determined by GC-MS. Cell viability was used to detect cytotoxic activity. Mechanism of cell death was studied using Annexin V-FITC/PI binding, cell cycle analysis, measurement of MMP and ROS generation by flow cytometry. Expression of apoptosis related proteins was investigated by western blot.

RESULTS

GC-MS analysis of the essential oil revealed the presence of 51 components. The major components were β-Caryophyllene, 4(14),11-Eudesmadiene, Aromadendrene oxide-(2) and Phytol. EO inhibited the growth and colony formation ability of A431 and HaCaT cells. EO treatment induced nuclear condensation and loss of membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, increase in sub-G1 DNA content and increase in intracellular ROS level. Inhibition of intracellular ROS by ascorbic acid and N-acetyl cysteine treatment blocked EO induced apoptosis, revealing that apoptotic activity was by ROS accumulation. EO induced apoptosis was found to be due to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, release of cytochrome c and activation of caspases (cleaved form of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9) and by PARP cleavage.

CONCLUSION

The present study revealed cancer chemotherapeutic potential of EO from P. missionis. EO induces cell death through intrinsic (mitochondrial) and extrinsic apoptotic pathway in A431 and HaCaT cells. These results suggest that EO could be used as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of skin epidermoid cancer.

PM2.5 Exposure Elicits Oxidative Stress Responses and Mitochondrial Apoptosis Pathway Activation in HaCaT Keratinocytes

Background:

PM_2.5 (aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) is a dominant and ubiquitous air pollutant that has become a global concern as PM_2.5 exposure has been linked to many adverse health effects including cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Emerging evidence supports a correlation between increased air PM_2.5 levels and skin disorders although reports on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are limited. Oxidative stress is the most common mechanism of PM_2.5-induced adverse health effects. This study aimed to investigate PM_2.5-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells.

Methods:

HaCaT cells were exposed to 0, 25, 50, 100, or 200 μg/ml PM_2.5 for 24 h. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipid peroxidation products, antioxidant activity, DNA damage, apoptotic protein expression, and cell apoptosis were measured.

Results:

PM_2.5 exposure (0-200 μg/ml) for 24 h resulted in increased ROS levels (arbitrary unit: 201.00 ± 19.28, 264.50 ± 17.91, 305.05 ± 19.57, 427.95 ± 18.32, and 436.70 ± 17.77) and malondialdehyde production (0.54 ± 0.05 nmol/mg prot, 0.61 ± 0.06 nmol/mg prot, 0.68 ± 0.05 nmol/mg prot, 0.70 ± 0.05 nmol/mg prot, and 0.76 ± 0.05 nmol/mg prot), diminished superoxide dismutase activity (6.47 ± 0.28 NU/mg prot, 5.97 ± 0.30 NU/mg prot, 5.15 ± 0.42 NU/mg prot, 4.08 ± 0.20 NU/mg prot, and 3.76 ± 0.37 NU/mg prot), and increased DNA damage and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in HaCaT cells. Moreover, cytochrome-c, caspase-3, and caspase-9 expression also increased proportionately with PM_2.5 dosing.

Conclusion:

PM_2.5 might elicit oxidative stress and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis that likely manifests as skin irritation and damage.

Signaling by cell surface death receptors: Alterations in head and neck cancer

Cell surface death receptors are members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily and mediate signals leading to the induction of apoptosis or necroptosis, as well as NF-κB-mediated cell survival. These biochemical processes play key roles in cell growth, development, tissue homeostasis, and immune responses. The downstream signaling complexes activated by different death receptors can differ significantly and are subject to multiple, distinct regulatory mechanisms. Dysregulation of signaling by the TNFR superfamily contributes to a variety of pathologic conditions, including defective immune responses and cancer. Caspase-8 signaling is important for mediating death receptor signals leading to either apoptosis or NF-κB activation. By contrast, inactivation of caspase-8 or loss of caspase-8 expression shifts death receptor signaling to the necroptosis pathway. Notably, the gene encoding caspase-8 is mutated in roughly ten percent of head and neck cancers. These findings support the hypothesis that alterations in the biochemical pathways mediated by death receptors have important consequences for the development of head and neck, and possibly other, cancers.

A combined connectivity mapping and pharmacoepidemiology approach to identify existing medications with breast cancer causing or preventing properties

PURPOSE

We applied a novel combined connectivity mapping and pharmacoepidemiological approach to identify medications that alter breast cancer risk.

METHODS

The connectivity mapping process identified 6 potentially cancer-causing (meloxicam, azithromycin, rizatriptan, citalopram, rosiglitazone, and verapamil) and 4 potentially cancer-preventing (bendroflumethiazide, sertraline, fluvastatin, and budesonide) medications that were suitable for pharmacoepidemiological investigation. Within the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we matched 45,147 breast cancer cases to 45,147 controls based on age, year, and general practice. Medication use was determined from electronic prescribing records. We used conditional logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between medication use and cancer risk after adjustment for comorbidities, lifestyle factors, deprivation, and other medication use.

RESULTS

Bendroflumethiazide was associated with increased breast cancer risk (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.15); however the connectivity mapping exercise predicted that this medication would reduce risk. There were no statistically significant associations for any of the other candidate medications, with ever use ORs ranging from 0.93 (95% CI: 0.78, 1.11) for azithromycin to 1.16 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.37) for verapamil.

CONCLUSIONS

In this instance, our combined connectivity mapping and pharmacoepidemiological approach did not identify any additional medications that were substantially associated with breast cancer risk. This could be due to limitations in the connectivity mapping, such as implausible dosage requirements, or the pharmacoepidemiology, such as residual confounding.

Acrylamide attenuated immune tissues’ function via induction of apoptosis and oxidative stress: Protection by l-carnitine

Acrylamide (ACR), with high prevalence in starchy food, has been associated with the development of several organ toxicities such as immunotoxicity. This study aimed to demonstrate the role of oxidative stress and apoptosis as the mechanisms involved in ACR-induced immunotoxicity in mice. Mice were randomly assigned to six groups and treated as follows: control (normal saline), cyclophosphamide (200 mg kg–1), ACR groups (12.5, 25 and 50mg kg–1, orally), and l-carnitine (l-CAR; 100 mg kg–1) + ACR (50 mg kg–1). After 30 days of exposure, mice were killed and immunotoxic response was evaluated via immune blood cells count and body/organ weights. Oxidative stress parameters and pathological examination were done in thymus and spleen. Also, the apoptosis was evaluated via flow cytometric by annexin V/FITC kit in the splenocytes. Our results indicated that ACR could induce immunotoxicity characterized by reduction in immune blood cells, body/organ weights, and pathological changes in spleen. The assessment of oxidative stress markers revealed increase in lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content, and depletion of glutathione level. Also, increased apoptosis was observed in splenocytes after ACR administration compared to the control group. These alterations were markedly normalized by coadministration of l-CAR (as a potent antioxidant). Taken together, the results of this study showed the potential of ACR to induce immunotoxicity through provoking oxidative stress and inducing apoptosis and the protective effect of l-CAR to attenuate this toxicity. These findings will help in elucidating the toxicity mechanism induced by ACR.

Intercellular competition and the inevitability of multicellular aging

Current theories attribute aging to a failure of selection, due to either pleiotropic constraints or declining strength of selection after the onset of reproduction. These theories implicitly leave open the possibility that if senescence-causing alleles could be identified, or if antagonistic pleiotropy could be broken, the effects of aging might be ameliorated or delayed indefinitely. These theories are built on models of selection between multicellular organisms, but a full understanding of aging also requires examining the role of somatic selection within an organism. Selection between somatic cells (i.e., intercellular competition) can delay aging by purging nonfunctioning cells. However, the fitness of a multicellular organism depends not just on how functional its individual cells are but also on how well cells work together. While intercellular competition weeds out nonfunctional cells, it may also select for cells that do not cooperate. Thus, intercellular competition creates an inescapable double bind that makes aging inevitable in multicellular organisms.