Dione-thiophene conjugate inhibits proliferation and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through calcium binding protein-P down-regulation

Bismuth(III)chloride catalyzed one-pot synthesis of thioenol ethers from 1,3-dicabonyls/2-oxindoles under ultrasonic irradiation

An efficient one-pot, three-component strategy has been devised for the facile construction of thioenol ethers related to biologically potent scaffolds. This method employs β-ketoesters or 1,3-diones or 2-oxindole, N,N-dimethylformamide dimethylacetal (DMF-DMA), and thiols under BiCl3-catalyzed, ultrasound-assisted conditions. This methodology's key features include readily accessible building blocks, a cost-effective and environmentally friendly catalytic system, solvent-free reaction conditions, shorter reaction times, broad substrate scope, and good isolated yields.

Improved cell proliferation and testosterone secretion following exposure of TM3 Leydig cells to three-dimensional scaffold and light emitting diode

Green LED and three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds have recently received extensive attentions due to their impact on cell proliferation and differentiation. Melatonin, a circadian rhythm-regulating hormone, is involved in some physiological phenomena including testosterone biosynthesis. Lower testosterone biosynthesis results in some disorders such as puberty retarding, andropause, and muscle weakness. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the proliferation of Leydig cells and their testosterone-related Gene expression and secretion under the influence of 3D scaffold, green light and melatonin. The experimental groups of TM3 cells embedded in the 3D scaffold, were exposed to green light, melatonin, both and all three factors. Expression of cell cycle genes including PCNA, CYCLIND1, CDC2 and CDKN1B, and testosterone related genes; GATA4 and RORα were also examined. 3D scaffold enhanced Leydig cells proliferation, and testosterone-related genes expression. While melatonin decreased cell proliferation and testosterone-related genes expression. Green light did not significantly change the results but slightly decreased cell proliferation and testosterone synthesis. The combination of green light with melatonin significantly reduced the proliferation rate of TM3 cells and the expression of steroidogenic genes, while the combination of green light with scaffold improved the results. In general, the use of scaffolding enhances proliferation and testosterone-related genes expression of TM3 Leydig cells. Also, application of green light and scaffolding reduces the deleterious effects of melatonin on these cells.

Galectin‑3 facilitates the proliferation and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via activation of the ERK1/2 and Akt signaling pathways, and is positively correlated with the inflammatory state of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial carcinoma originating from the nasopharyngeal mucosal tissue and is highly prevalent in southeast Asia. Galectin‑3 (gal‑3) serves crucial roles in many cancers but its role in NPC remains to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of gal‑3 in NPC. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA were used to determine the expression level of gal‑3 in patients with NPC or chronic rhinitis (CR). Gal‑3 short hairpin (sh)RNA was established to knockdown gal‑3 in 5‑8F and 6‑10B cells, allowing for the evaluation of the roles of gal‑3 in proliferation, migration and apoptosis in NPC cell lines. Immunohistochemistry staining of IL‑6 and IL‑8 was applied to access the inflammatory state of tumor tissues, and the correlation between the inflammatory state and gal‑3 was analyzed. The results demonstrated that gal‑3 was upregulated in patients with NPC compared with patients with CR. Knockdown of gal‑3 inhibited proliferation and migration in 5‑8F and 6‑10B cells, as well as promoted apoptosis in these cells. The expression levels of MMP‑9 and IL‑8 were also decreased in 5‑8F and 6‑10B cells after transfection with gal‑3 shRNA. A positive correlation was identified between the expression level of gal‑3 and the inflammatory state of NPC. The phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and Akt were downregulated after knockdown of gal‑3 in 5‑8F and 6‑10B cells. In conclusion, the expression level of gal‑3 was upregulated in patients with NPC and was positively correlated with the inflammatory state of NPC. The results suggested that gal‑3 promoted the proliferation and migration of 5‑8F and 6‑10B cells, while inhibiting the apoptosis of these cells. Moreover, activation of ERK1/2 and Akt may be the underlying mechanism of the effects of gal‑3 on NPC.

Discovery of novel small molecule inhibitors of S100P with in vitro anti-metastatic effects on pancreatic cancer cells

S100P, a calcium-binding protein, is known to advance tumor progression and metastasis in pancreatic and several other cancers. Herein is described the in silico identification of a putative binding pocket of S100P to identify, synthesize and evaluate novel small molecules with the potential to selectively bind S100P and inhibit its activation of cell survival and metastatic pathways. The virtual screening of a drug-like database against the S100P model led to the identification of over 100 clusters of diverse scaffolds. A representative test set identified a number of structurally unrelated hits that inhibit S100P-RAGE interaction, measured by ELISA, and reduce in vitro cell invasion selectively in S100P-expressing pancreatic cancer cells at 10 μM. This study establishes a proof of concept in the potential for rational design of small molecule S100P inhibitors for drug candidate development.

Contribution of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Promoter Genotypes to Nasopharyngeal Cancer Susceptibility and Metastasis in Taiwan

BACKGROUND/AIM

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) is up-regulated in many cancers. However, the association of MMP2 genotype to nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) susceptibility in Taiwan remains elusive.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, the role of MMP2 promoter C-1306T (rs243865) and C-735T (rs2285053) genotypes were investigated among 208 NPC patients and 416 healthy controls, and their role in NPC staging and TNM classifications were examined.

RESULTS

There was no differential distribution as for the genotypic or allelic frequencies at MMP2 promoter C-1306T or C-735T between the control and case groups. Noticeably, those with MMP2 C-1306T CT+TT genotypes had a lower metastatic risk than those with CC (p=0.0295). As for staging, T and N classifications, there was no differential distribution in C-1306T genotypes (p>0.05). Also, there was no differential distribution of C-735T genotypes according to different behavioral/clinicopathological characteristics.

CONCLUSION

CT and TT genotypes at MMP2 C-1306T were associated with a significantly decreased risk of NPC metastasis.