Gecko proteins induce the apoptosis of bladder cancer 5637 cells by inhibiting Akt and activating the intrinsic caspase cascade

Unveiling potent bioactive compounds and anti-angiogenic pathways in Gekko swinhonis Guenther for gastric cancer therapy

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Gekko swinhonis Guenther, commonly referred to as Gecko in the following text, belongs to the genus Gekko within the family Gekko. Its dried whole body is a widely utilized traditional Chinese medicine, demonstrating significant efficacy in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies, particularly gastric cancer (GC). Nevertheless, the composition of the gecko is complex, necessitating further research into its active ingredients for the treatment of GC.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Isolation and characterization of the most active components in Gecko based on their anti-GC mechanisms of vascular endothelial cell inhibition and anti-neovascularization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We utilized the enzymatic hydrolysate of Geckos to investigate its effectiveness and underlying mechanisms. Initially, we assessed its efficacy in ectopic and in-situ GC tumor-bearing mouse models. Subsequently, we evaluated the effectiveness of peptides, aliphatics, and small molecules derived from Gecko using CCK-8 and 3D tumor spheroid assays. The activities of peptides S1-S4 were further examined through these experiments. Finally, we screened, synthesized, and investigated five potential peptides for their pharmacodynamics in the CCK-8 assay and in the in-situ GC model mice.

RESULTS

The Gecko can inhibit the formation of blood vessels in the tumor microenvironment, providing a localized treatment for GC. The peptide components significantly inhibit vascular endothelial cells and impede the formation of new blood vessels, with the S2 peptide sections (0.3 KD - 3 KD) demonstrating the most potent inhibitory activity against angiogenesis. One of the active peptides effectively suppresses the growth of in-situ GC in nude mice through angiogenesis inhibition and also modulates immunity, all while exhibiting excellent biosafety.

CONCLUSIONS

We have achieved a significant breakthrough in the local treatment of GC using Gecko. Through pharmacodynamic experiments and a systematic process of isolation and identification, we identified the most effective anti-GC ingredients of Gecko, based on their mechanisms of inhibiting vascular endothelial cells and promoting anti-angiogenesis. Furthermore, we synthesized a lead peptide that demonstrates promising therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Scorpiones, Scolopendra and Gekko Inhibit Lung Cancer Growth and Metastasis by Ameliorating Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment via PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1α Signaling Pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether Buthus martensii karsch (Scorpiones), Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L. Koch (Scolopendra) and Gekko gecko Linnaeus (Gekko) could ameliorate the hypoxic tumor microenvironment and inhibit lung cancer growth and metastasis by regulating phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1α) signaling pathway.

METHODS

Male C57BL/6J mice were inoculated with luciferase labeled LL/2-luc-M38 cell suspension to develop lung cancer models, with rapamycin and cyclophosphamide as positive controls. Carboxy methyl cellulose solutions of Scorpiones, Scolopendra and Gekko were administered intragastrically as 0.33, 0.33, and 0.83 g/kg, respectively once daily for 21 days. Fluorescent expression were detected every 7 days after inoculation, and tumor growth curves were plotted. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine CD31 and HIF-1α expressions in tumor tissue and microvessel density (MVD) was analyzed. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1α signaling pathway-related proteins. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect serum basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in mice.

RESULTS

Scorpiones, Scolopendra and Gekko prolonged the survival time and inhibited lung cancer metastasis and expression of HIF-1α (all P<0.01). Moreover, Scorpiones, Scolopendra and Gekko inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, they also decreased the expression of CD31, MVD, bFGF, TGF-β1 and VEGF compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Scorpiones, Scolopendra and Gekko all showed beneficial effects on lung cancer by ameliorating the hypoxic tumor microenvironment via PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1α signaling pathway.

Reptiles as Promising Sources of Medicinal Natural Products for Cancer Therapeutic Drugs

Natural products have historically played an important role as a source of therapeutic drugs for various diseases, and the development of medicinal natural products is still a field with high potential. Although diverse drugs have been developed for incurable diseases for several decades, discovering safe and efficient anticancer drugs remains a formidable challenge. Reptiles, as one source of Asian traditional medicines, are known to possess anticancer properties and have been used for a long time without a clarified scientific background. Recently, it has been reported that extracts, crude peptides, sera, and venom isolated from reptiles could effectively inhibit the survival and proliferation of various cancer cells. In this article, we summarize recent studies applying ingredients derived from reptiles in cancer therapy and discuss the difficulties and prospective development of natural product research.

Purification of Gekko Small Peptide Fraction and Its Effect of Inducing Apoptosis of EC 9706 Esophageal Cancer Cells by Inhibiting PI3K/Akt/GLUT1 Signaling Pathway

This study aimed to isolate and purify a cytotoxic extraction from Gekko japonicus, identify its components and determine its cytotoxic activity in vitro. We isolated and identified the most potent cytotoxic Gekko small peptide LH-20-15. The identification and analysis of peptide sequences of LH-20-15 were performed by de novo peptide sequencing, and two new peptides were found. LH-20-15 significantly inhibited the proliferation of human esophageal squamous carcinoma EC 9706 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, LH-20-15 induced apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells by activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Further research showed that LH-20-15 inhibited the PI3 K/Akt/GLUT1 signaling pathway. In conclusion, LH-20-15 from Gekko japonicus is a peptide mixture and may inhibit EC 9706 cell proliferation and induce apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. It also regulates glucose metabolism by targeting the PI3 K/Akt/GLUT1 signaling pathway. These small peptides could be new sources of natural cytotoxic ingredients against esophageal cancer with potential drug values.

Sodium citrate inhibits the proliferation of human gastric adenocarcinoma epithelia cells

The objective of the present study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of sodium citrate on human gastric adenocarcinoma epithelia AGS cells. Numerous cytotoxicity-associated sodium citrate-induced effects were assessed, including cell viability and proliferation, cytokine expression and caspase activity. In vitro studies demonstrated that incubation with sodium citrate (>3.125 mM) inhibited AGS cell viability and proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Incubation with sodium citrate for 24 h revealed that the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor increased with an increasing of dose of sodium citrate, whereas the IL-6 levels exhibited only a slight alteration. In addition, increases in caspase-3 and -9 activities were associated with increased duration of treatment and dosage of sodium citrate. Collectively, the results of the present study demonstrated that treatment with sodium citrate at higher concentrations or for longer durations exerts a cytotoxic effect on AGS cells via the induction of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway and the alteration in the levels of certain cytokines.

Targeting the WEE1 kinase as a molecular targeted therapy for gastric cancer

Wee1 is a member of the Serine/Threonine protein kinase family and is a key regulator of cell cycle progression. It has been known that WEE1 is highly expressed and has oncogenic functions in various cancers, but it is not yet studied in gastric cancers. In this study, we investigated the oncogenic role and therapeutic potency of targeting WEE1 in gastric cancer. At first, higher expression levels of WEE1 with lower survival probability were determined in stage 4 gastric cancer patients or male patients with accompanied lymph node metastasis. To determine the function of WEE1 in gastric cancer cells, we determined that WEE1 ablation decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion, while overexpression of WEE1 increased these effects in gastric cancer cells. We also validated the clinical application of WEE1 targeting by a small molecule, AZD1775 (MK-1775), which is a WEE1 specific inhibitor undergoing clinical trials. AZD1775 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in gastric cancer cells, which was more effective in WEE1 high-expressing gastric cancer cells. Moreover, we performed combination treatments with AZD1775 and anti-cancer agents, 5- fluorouracil or Paclitaxel in gastric cancer cells and in gastric cancer orthotopic-transplanted mice to maximize the therapeutic effect and safety of AZD1775. The combination treatments dramatically inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and tumor burdens in stomach orthotopic-transplanted mice. Taken together, we propose that WEE1 is over-expressed and could enhance gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. Therefore, we suggest that WEE1 is a potent target for gastric cancer therapy.

Akt regulates neurite growth by phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of radixin proteasomal degradation

Neurite growth is controlled by a complex molecular signaling network that regulates filamentous actin (F-actin) dynamics at the growth cone. The evolutionarily conserved ezrin, radixin, and moesin family of proteins tether F-actin to the cell membrane when phosphorylated at a conserved threonine residue and modulate neurite outgrowth. Here we show that Akt binds to and phosphorylates a threonine 573 residue on radixin. Akt-mediated phosphorylation protects radixin from ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation, thereby enhancing radixin protein stability, which permits proper neurite outgrowth and growth cone formation. Conversely, the inhibition of Akt kinase or disruption of Akt-dependent phosphorylation reduces the binding affinity of radixin to F-actin as well as lowers radixin protein levels, resulting in decreased neurite outgrowth and growth cone formation. Our findings suggest that Akt signaling regulates neurite outgrowth by stabilizing radixin interactions with F-actin, thus facilitating local F-actin dynamics.

The prognostic role of epigenetic dysregulation in bladder cancer: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Despite adequate treatment and follow-up, around one fifth of patients with localized bladder cancer will present with disease progression. Adequate prognostic biomarkers are lacking to define patients who are at risk. Mutations in chromatin remodeling genes are more frequently found in bladder cancer than in any other solid tumor. However, the prognostic relevance of epigenetic dysregulation has not been established and may offer an opportunity for biomarker discovery.

METHODS

Looking for prognostic epigenetic factors, we performed a comprehensive PubMed search using keywords such as "bladder cancer", "chromatin remodeling", "gene methylation" and "epigenetics". We only included studies reporting on the association of epigenetic markers with prognostic outcomes such as recurrence, progression or survival.

RESULTS

Of 1113 results, 87 studies met the inclusion criteria, which represented a total of 85 epigenetic markers with potential prognostic relevance. No prospective studies were identified. Seventy-three percent (64/87) of the studies involved mixed cohorts of muscle invasive and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Promoter methylation of genes with putative prognostic value affected cellular processes such as cell cycle, apoptosis, cell-adhesion or migration, as well as critical pathways such as MAP-kinase or Wnt. Alteration of chromatin regulatory elements suggest a prognostic relevance alterations leading to a predominantly silenced chromatin state.

CONCLUSIONS

The prognostic impact of epigenetic alterations in bladder cancer is still unclear. Prospective evaluation of methylation marks and chromatin remodeling gene alterations using consistent methods and criteria is warranted.

Protective effect of casuarinin against glutamate-induced apoptosis in HT22 cells through inhibition of oxidative stress-mediated MAPK phosphorylation

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and is involved in oxidative stress during neurodegeneration. In the present study, casuarinin prevented glutamate-induced HT22 murine hippocampal neuronal cell death by inhibiting intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Moreover, casuarinin reduced chromatin condensation and annexin-V-positive cell production induced by glutamate. We also confirmed the underlying protective mechanism of casuarinin against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Glutamate markedly increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK)-1/2 and p38, which are crucial in oxidative stress-mediated neuronal cell death. Conversely, treatment with casuarinin diminished the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and P38. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that casuarinin, obtained from natural products, acts as potent neuroprotective agent by suppressing glutamate-mediated apoptosis through the inhibition of ROS production and activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Thus, casuarinin can be a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Java brucea and Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of cholesterol granuloma in the suprasellar and sellar regions: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

A cholesterol granuloma (CG) is usually found in the middle ear, papilla, orbits, petrous apex, and choroid plexus, but is highly uncommon in the skull. In spite of benign clinicopathological lesions, bone erosion can be seen occasionally in the patient with CG. The optimal treatment strategy is radical surgery, but complete excision is usually impossible due to anatomical restrictions and a risk of injury to the key structures located nearby. Here, we report a patient with CGs in the suprasellar and sellar regions who was successfully treated with Java brucea and Chinese herbal medicine.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 31-year-old man presenting with progressive decreased vision in both eyes was analyzed.

DIAGNOSES

A skull magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed a low-density tumor in the uprasellar and sellar regions and histopathological examination revealed a CG.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient was referred the surgery and radiotherapy. In the meantime, brucea soft capsules and herbal medicine combined were administered to him.

OUTCOMES

The related clinical symptoms and signs resolved significantly after several months, as his therapy progressed. The patient showed no sign of recurrence during the treatment period. Furthermore, he was still alive and disease-free at 37 months of follow-up visit.

LESSONS

Overall, brucea soft capsules and a Chinese herbal formula treatment combined could be beneficial in improving the patient's quality of life with CG in the skull.

Loss of phospholipase D2 impairs VEGF-induced angiogenesis

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key mediator of angiogenesis and critical for normal embryonic development and repair of pathophysiological conditions in adults. Although phospholipase D (PLD) activity has been implicated in angiogenic processes, its role in VEGF signaling during angiogenesis in mammals is unclear. Here, we found that silencing of PLD2 by siRNA blocked VEGF-mediated signaling in immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cells (iHUVECs). Also, VEGF-induced endothelial cell survival, proliferation, migration, and tube formation were inhibited by PLD2 silencing. Furthermore, while Pld2-knockout mice exhibited normal development, loss of PLD2 inhibited VEGF-mediated ex vivo angiogenesis. These findings suggest that PLD2 functions as a key mediator in the VEGF-mediated angiogenic functions of endothelial cells. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(3): 191-196]

Spot the difference: Solving the puzzle of hidden pictures in the lizard genome for identification of regeneration factors

All living things share some common life processes, such as growth and reproduction, and have the ability to respond to their environment. However, each type of organism has its own specialized way of managing biological events. Genetic sequences determine phenotypic and physiological traits. Based on genetic information, comparative genomics has been used to delineate the differences and similarities between various genomes, and significant progress has been made in understanding regenerative biology by comparing the genomes of a variety of lower animal models of regeneration, such as planaria, zebra fish, and newts. However, the genome of lizards has been relatively ignored until recently, even though lizards have been studied as an excellent amniote model of tissue regeneration. Very recently, whole genome sequences of lizards have been uncovered, and several attempts have been made to find regeneration factors based on genetic information. In this article, recent advances in comparative analysis of the lizard genome are introduced, and their biological implications and putative applications for regenerative medicine and stem cell biology are discussed. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(5): 249-254]

Akt1-Inhibitor of DNA binding2 is essential for growth cone formation and axon growth and promotes central nervous system axon regeneration

Mechanistic studies of axon growth during development are beneficial to the search for neuron-intrinsic regulators of axon regeneration. Here, we discovered that, in the developing neuron from rat, Akt signaling regulates axon growth and growth cone formation through phosphorylation of serine 14 (S14) on Inhibitor of DNA binding 2 (Id2). This enhances Id2 protein stability by means of escape from proteasomal degradation, and steers its localization to the growth cone, where Id2 interacts with radixin that is critical for growth cone formation. Knockdown of Id2, or abrogation of Id2 phosphorylation at S14, greatly impairs axon growth and the architecture of growth cone. Intriguingly, reinstatement of Akt/Id2 signaling after injury in mouse hippocampal slices redeemed growth promoting ability, leading to obvious axon regeneration. Our results suggest that Akt/Id2 signaling is a key module for growth cone formation and axon growth, and its augmentation plays a potential role in CNS axonal regeneration.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20799.001

Ablation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) induces cellular senescence in gastric cancer through a galectin-3 dependent mechanism

The human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT) gene encodes a rate-limiting catalytic subunit of telomerase that maintains genomic integrity. Suppression of hTERT expression could induce cellular senescence and is considered a potent approach for gastric cancer therapy. However, control of hTERT expression and function remains poorly understood in gastric cancer. In this study, we demonstrated that high expression levels of hTERT in malignant tissues are correlated with poor survival probability in gastric cancer patients. Knockdown of hTERT expression retarded cell proliferation and cellular senescence, which was confirmed by increased protein expression levels of p21cip1 and p27kip1, and decreased phosphorylation of Rb. In contrast, overexpression of hTERT increased cell proliferation and decreased cellular senescence. Remarkably, the down-regulation of hTERT expression was detected in lgals3-/- mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). Knockdown of galectin-3 decreased the expression of hTERT in gastric cancer cells. Galectin-3 ablation-induced cellular senescence was rescued by concomitant overexpression of hTERT. hTERT ablation-induced cellular senescence and p21cip1 and p27kip1 expression was rescued by concomitant overexpression of galectin-3. The size of tumor burdens was increased in hTERT-overexpressed gastric cancer cells xenografted mice, whereas it was repressed by concomitant depletion of galectin-3. Additionally, we determined that the N-terminal domain of galectin-3 directly interacted with hTERT. The telomeric activity of hTERT was also decreased by galectin-3 ablation. Taken together, ablation of hTERT induces cellular senescence and inhibits the growth of gastric cancer cells, suggesting that it could be a potent target in gastric cancer therapy. We also propose that galectin-3 is an important regulator of hTERT expression and telomeric activity in gastric tumorigenesis.

N-acetyl cysteine inhibits H2O2-mediated reduction in the mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells by down-regulating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

There are controversial findings regarding the roles of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway on bone metabolism under oxidative stress. We investigated how Nrf2/HO-1 pathway affects osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells in response to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), or both. Exposing the cells to H₂O₂ decreased the alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium accumulation, and expression of osteoblast markers, such as osteocalcin and runt-related transcription factor-2. In contrast, H₂O₂ treatment increased the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the cells. Treatment with hemin, a chemical HO-1 inducer, mimicked the inhibitory effect of H₂O₂ on osteoblast differentiation by increasing the HO-1 expression and decreasing the osteogenic marker genes. Pretreatment with NAC restored all changes induced by H₂O₂ to near normal levels in the cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that H₂O₂-mediated activation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway negatively regulates the osteoblast differentiation, which is inhibited by NAC. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(11): 636-641]

C-terminal domain of p42 Ebp1 is essential for down regulation of p85 subunit of PI3K, inhibiting tumor growth

Potential tumor suppressor p42, ErbB3-binding protein 1 (EBP1) inhibits phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity reducing the p85 regulatory subunit. In this study, we demonstrated that overexpression of p42 promoted not only a reduction of wild type of p85 subunit but also oncogenic mutant forms of p85 which were identified in human cancers. Moreover, we identified the small fragment of C-terminal domain of p42 is sufficient to exhibit tumor suppressing activity of p42-WT, revealing that this small fragment (280-394) of p42 is required for the binding of both HSP70 and CHIP for a degradation of p85. Furthermore, we showed the small fragment of p42 markedly inhibited the tumor growth in mouse xenograft models of brain and breast cancer, resembling tumor suppressing activity of p42. Through identification of the smallest fragment of p42 that is responsible for its tumor suppressor activity, our findings represent a novel approach for targeted therapy of cancers that overexpress PI3K.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylethanol alleviates early brain injury by modulating oxidative stress and Akt and nuclear factor-κB pathways in a rat model of subarachnoid hemorrhage

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylethanol (DOPET) is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound, present in olive oil and in the wastewater generated during olive oil processing. DOPET has various biological and pharmacological activities, including anticancer, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. This study was designed to determine whether DOPET alleviates early brain injury (EBI) associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) through suppression of oxidative stress and Akt and nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathways. Rats were randomly divided into the following groups: Sham group, SAH group, SAH + vehicle group and SAH + DOPET group. Mortality, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and brain water content were assessed. Oxidative stress, Akt, NF-κB p65 and caspase-3 assays were also performed. DOPET induced a reduction in brain water content, and decreased the BBB permeability of SAH model rats. Furthermore, DOPET effectively controlled oxidative stress, NF-κB p65 and caspase-3 levels, in addition to significantly increasing Akt levels in the cortex following SAH. These results provide evidence that DOPET attenuates apoptosis in a rat SAH model through modulating oxidative stress and Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Synthesis of apoptotic chalcone analogues in HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Eight chalcone analogues were prepared and evaluated for their cytotoxic effects in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Compound 5 had a potent cytotoxic effect. The percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly higher in compound 5-treated cells than in control cells. Exposure to compound 5 for 24h induced cleavage of caspase-8 and -3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Our findings suggest that compound 5 is the active chalcone analogue that contributes to cell death in HepG2 cells via the extrinsic apoptotic pathway.