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Li Z, Mo RL, Gong JF, Han L, Wang WF, Huang DK, Xu JG, Sun YJ, Chen S, Han GC, Sun DQ. Dihydrotanshinone I inhibits gallbladder cancer growth by targeting the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway and Nrf2 phosphorylation. Phytomedicine 2024; 129:155661. [PMID: 38677269 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer (GBC) poses a significant risk to human health. Its development is influenced by numerous factors, particularly the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells. This homeostasis is crucial for tumor cell survival, and abnormal regulation of ROS is associated with the occurrence and progression of many cancers. Dihydrotanshinone I (DHT I), a biologically effective ingredient isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, has exhibited cytotoxic properties against various tumor cells by inducing apoptosis. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which dht I exerts its cytotoxic effects remain unclear. PURPOSE To explore the anti-tumor impact of dht I on GBC and elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms. METHODS The proliferation of GBC cells, NOZ and SGC-996, was assessed using various assays, including CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay and EdU staining. We also examined cell apoptosis, cell cycle progression, ROS levels, and alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential to delve into the intricate molecular mechanism. Quantitative PCR (qPCR), immunofluorescence staining, and Western blotting were performed to evaluate target gene expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. The correlation between nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) were examined using co-immunoprecipitation. Finally, the in vivo effect of dht I was investigated using a xenograft model of gallbladder cancer in mice. RESULTS Our research findings indicated that dht I exerted cytotoxic effects on GBC cells, including inhibiting proliferation, disrupting mitochondrial membrane potential, inducing oxidative stress and apoptosis. Our in vivo studies substantiated the inhibition of dht I on tumor growth in xenograft nude mice. Mechanistically, dht I primarily targeted Nrf2 by promoting Keap1 mediated Nrf2 degradation and inhibiting protein kinase C (PKC) induced Nrf2 phosphorylation. This leads to the suppression of Nrf2 nuclear translocation and reduction of its target gene expression. Moreover, Nrf2 overexpression effectively counteracted the anti-tumor effects of dht I, while Nrf2 knockdown significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect of dht I on GBC. Meanwhile, PKC inhibitors and nuclear import inhibitors increased the sensitivity of GBC cells to dht I treatment. Conversely, Nrf2 activators, proteasome inhibitors, antioxidants and PKC activators all antagonized dht I induced apoptosis and ROS generation in NOZ and SGC-996 cells. CONCLUSION Our findings indicated that dht I inhibited the growth of GBC cells by regulating the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway and Nrf2 phosphorylation. These insights provide a strong rationale for further investigation of dht I as a potential therapeutic agent for GBC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Anhui Provincial Corps Hospital, Hefei 230041, China; Research Technology Center, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230038, China
| | - Rong-Liang Mo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jun-Feng Gong
- Department of General Surgery, The Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Anhui Provincial Corps Hospital, Hefei 230041, China
| | - Lin Han
- Department of General Surgery, The Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Anhui Provincial Corps Hospital, Hefei 230041, China
| | - Wen-Fei Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Anhui Provincial Corps Hospital, Hefei 230041, China
| | - Da-Ke Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jie-Gou Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yan-Jun Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Anhui Provincial Corps Hospital, Hefei 230041, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- Research Technology Center, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230038, China
| | - Gen-Cheng Han
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Deng-Qun Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Anhui Provincial Corps Hospital, Hefei 230041, China.
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Zakeri S, Rahimi Z, Rezvani N, Vaisi-Raygani A, Alibakhshi R, Zakeri S, Yari K. The influence of Nrf2 gene promoter methylation on gene expression and oxidative stress parameters in preeclampsia. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:64. [PMID: 38419047 PMCID: PMC10903067 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01791-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious medical condition that usually causes high blood pressure and affects multiple organs. Considering the adverse effect of oxidative stress on the process of PE in pregnant women and regarding the role of the Nrf2 gene in placental oxidative pathways, this study was conducted to investigate the DNA methylation status of Nrf2 in PE and healthy pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present case-control study consisted of 70 PE and 70 healthy pregnant women. Blood and placenta samples were taken from all subjects, and the percentage of the Nrf2 gene methylation in the samples was assessed by the Methyl Light PCR method. Also, the Nrf2 gene expression was evaluated by real-time PCR. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidative status (TOS) were measured by the colorimetric method. RESULTS In PE women, there was a significant increase in blood pressure, term of pregnancy, and BMI. In addition, there were enhanced Nrf2 DNA methylation percentage in placenta tissue and increased TOS levels in placenta tissue and blood compared to healthy pregnant women (P < 0.05). Also, in the PE group, there was a significant decrease in Nrf2 gene expression and TAC level in placenta tissue compared to the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The Nrf2 gene undergoes epigenetic modifications of DNA hypermethylation in the PE placenta. Decreased expression of this gene and the changes in the level of oxidative parameters (TAC, TOS) confirm it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Zakeri
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Daneshgah Avenue, Kermanshah, P.O.Box: 67148-69914, Iran
| | - Zohreh Rahimi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Daneshgah Avenue, Kermanshah, P.O.Box: 67148-69914, Iran.
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Nayebali Rezvani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Daneshgah Avenue, Kermanshah, P.O.Box: 67148-69914, Iran
| | - Asad Vaisi-Raygani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Daneshgah Avenue, Kermanshah, P.O.Box: 67148-69914, Iran
| | - Reza Alibakhshi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Daneshgah Avenue, Kermanshah, P.O.Box: 67148-69914, Iran
| | - Sahel Zakeri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Kheirolah Yari
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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García-Avalos EM, Gómez-Oliván LM, Hernández-Navarro MD, Saleem MH, Juan-Reyes NS, Elizalde-Velázquez GA, Rosales-Pérez KE. Dietary solutions for aluminum embryotoxicity: A study in Danio rerio using spirulina and okra-spirulina diets. Sci Total Environ 2024; 910:168510. [PMID: 37977388 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Aluminum (Al) is a versatile element commonly employed in various industries and water treatment processes. However, its presence in aquatic ecosystems can elicit adverse effects on organisms, particularly the Danio rerio fish species. Aluminum exposure has been associated with a spectrum of issues, ranging from oxidative stress to behavioral anomalies, reproductive disruptions, and morphological alterations in these organisms. This research aimed to assess the impact of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) on D. rerio embryos and explore strategies to mitigate its effects. Three dietary groups (commercial, okra-spirulina, and spirulina) were studied, focusing on embryonic development, oxidative damage, and gene expression changes. The study revealed that diets enriched with spirulina and okra-spirulina effectively reduced aluminum-induced embryotoxicity, oxidative stress, and gene expression alterations, surpassing the commercial diet. However, all AlCl3-exposed groups experienced adverse effects on embryonic development, including hatching anomalies, structural deformities, and cardiac delays. The okra-spirulina group showed milder toxic responses. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of spirulina and okra-spirulina diets in mitigating aluminum-triggered oxidative stress and apoptosis in D. rerio. It underscores the need for future research on embryonic development and carries significant implications for environmental conservation and the well-being of aquatic organisms in aluminum-contaminated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Mariana García-Avalos
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - María Dolores Hernández-Navarro
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Muhammad Hamzah Saleem
- Office of Academic Research, Office of VP for Research & Graduate Studies, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
| | - Nely San Juan-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Axel Elizalde-Velázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Karina Elisa Rosales-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
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Dindi UMR, Al-Ghamdi S, Alrudian NA, Dayel SB, Abuderman AA, Saad Alqahtani M, Bahakim NO, Ramesh T, Vilwanathan R. Ameliorative inhibition of sirtuin 6 by imidazole derivative triggers oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis associated with Nrf2/Keap1 signaling in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1335305. [PMID: 38235110 PMCID: PMC10791838 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1335305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Redox homeostasis is the vital regulatory system with respect to antioxidative response and detoxification. The imbalance of redox homeostasis causes oxidative stress. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2, also called Nfe2l2)/Kelchlike ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) signaling is the major regulator of redox homeostasis. Nrf2/Keap1 signaling is reported to be involved in cancer cell growth and survival. A high level of Nrf2 in cancers is associated with poor prognosis, resistance to therapeutics, and rapid proliferation, framing Nrf2 as an interesting target in cancer biology. Sirtuins (SIRT1-7) are class III histone deacetylases with NAD + dependent deacetylase activity that have a remarkable impact on antioxidant and redox signaling (ARS) linked with Nrf2 deacetylation thereby increasing its transcription by epigenetic modifications which has been identified as a crucial event in cancer progression under the influence of oxidative stress in various transformed cells. SIRT6 plays an important role in the cytoprotective effect of multiple diseases, including cancer. This study aimed to inhibit SIRT6 using an imidazole derivative, Ethyl 2-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-1-H-Imidazole-4-yl] acetate, to assess its impact on Nrf2/Keap1 signaling in A549 and NCI-H460 cell lines. Method: Half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Ethyl 2-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-1-H-Imidazole-4-yl] acetate was fixed by cell viability assay. The changes in the gene expression of important regulators involved in this study were examined using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and protein expression changes were confirmed by Western blotting. The changes in the antioxidant molecules are determined by biochemical assays. Further, morphological studies were performed to observe the generation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis. Results: We inhibited SIRT6 using Ethyl 2-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-1-H-Imidazole-4-yl] acetate and demonstrated that SIRT6 inhibition impacts the modulation of antioxidant and redox signaling. The level of antioxidant enzymes and percentage of reactive oxygen species scavenging activity were depleted. The morphological studies showed ROS generation, mitochondrial damage, nuclear damage, and apoptosis. The molecular examination of apoptotic factors confirmed apoptotic cell death. Further, molecular studies confirmed the changes in Nrf2 and Keap1 expression during SIRT6 inhibition. Conclusion: The overall study suggests that SIRT6 inhibition by imidazole derivative disrupts Nrf2/Keap1 signaling leading to oxidative stress and apoptosis induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uma Maheswara Rao Dindi
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sameer Al-Ghamdi
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naif Abdurhman Alrudian
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salman Bin Dayel
- Dermatology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulwahab Ali Abuderman
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Saad Alqahtani
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nasraddin Othman Bahakim
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thiyagarajan Ramesh
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ravikumar Vilwanathan
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
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Fantone S, Piani F, Olivieri F, Rippo MR, Sirico A, Di Simone N, Marzioni D, Tossetta G. Role of SLC7A11/xCT in Ovarian Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:587. [PMID: 38203758 PMCID: PMC10779187 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is one of the most dangerous gynecologic cancers worldwide and has a high fatality rate due to diagnosis at an advanced stage of the disease as well as a high recurrence rate due to the occurrence of chemotherapy resistance. In fact, chemoresistance weakens the therapeutic effects, worsening the outcome of this pathology. Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11 (SLC7A11, also known as xCT) is the functional subunit of the Xc- system, an anionic L-cystine/L-glutamate antiporter expressed on the cell surface. SLC7A11 expression is significantly upregulated in several types of cancers in which it can inhibit ferroptosis and favor cancer cell proliferation, invasion and chemoresistance. SLC7A11 expression is also increased in ovarian cancer tissues, suggesting a possible role of this protein as a therapeutic target. In this review, we provide an overview of the current literature regarding the role of SLC7A11 in ovarian cancer to provide new insights on SLC7A11 modulation and evaluate the potential role of SLC7A11 as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Fantone
- Scientific Direction, IRCCS INRCA, 60124 Ancona, Italy; (S.F.); (F.O.)
| | - Federica Piani
- Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk Research Center, Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Fabiola Olivieri
- Scientific Direction, IRCCS INRCA, 60124 Ancona, Italy; (S.F.); (F.O.)
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, DISCLIMO, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Maria Rita Rippo
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, DISCLIMO, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Angelo Sirico
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Sant’Anna e San Sebastiano Hospital, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
| | - Nicoletta Di Simone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, 20072 Milan, Italy;
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Rozzano, Italy
| | - Daniela Marzioni
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Tossetta
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy;
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Bossio S, Perri A, Gallo R, De Bartolo A, Rago V, La Russa D, Di Dio M, La Vignera S, Calogero AE, Vitale G, Aversa A. Alpha-Lipoic Acid Reduces Cell Growth, Inhibits Autophagy, and Counteracts Prostate Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion: Evidence from In Vitro Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17111. [PMID: 38069431 PMCID: PMC10707055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a natural antioxidant dithiol compound, exerting antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects in various cancer cell lines. In our study, we demonstrated that ALA reduces the cell growth of prostate cancer cells LNCaP and DU-145. Western blot results revealed that in both cancer cells, ALA, by upregulating pmTOR expression, reduced the protein content of two autophagy initiation markers, Beclin-1 and MAPLC3. Concomitantly, MTT assays showed that chloroquine (CQ) exposure, a well-known autophagy inhibitor, reduced cells' viability. This was more evident for treatment using the combination ALA + CQ, suggesting that ALA can reduce cells' viability by inhibiting autophagy. In addition, in DU-145 cells we observed that ALA affected the oxidative/redox balance system by deregulating the KEAP1/Nrf2/p62 signaling pathway. ALA decreased ROS production, SOD1 and GSTP1 protein expression, and significantly reduced the cytosolic and nuclear content of the transcription factor Nrf2, concomitantly downregulating p62, suggesting that ALA disrupted p62-Nrf2 feedback loop. Conversely, in LNCaP cells, ALA exposure upregulated both SOD1 and p62 protein expression, but did not affect the KEAP1/Nrf2/p62 signaling pathway. In addition, wound-healing, Western blot, and immunofluorescence assays evidenced that ALA significantly reduced the motility of LNCaP and DU-145 cells and downregulated the protein expression of TGFβ1 and vimentin and the deposition of fibronectin. Finally, a soft agar assay revealed that ALA decreased the colony formation of both the prostate cancer cells by affecting the anchorage independent growth. Collectively, our in vitro evidence demonstrated that in prostate cancer cells, ALA reduces cell growth and counteracts both migration and invasion. Further studies are needed in order to achieve a better understanding of the underlined molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Bossio
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Anna Perri
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Raffaella Gallo
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Anna De Bartolo
- Cellular and Molecular Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy;
| | - Vittoria Rago
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy;
| | - Daniele La Russa
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy;
| | - Michele Di Dio
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Annunziata Hospital, 87100 Cosenza, Italy;
| | - Sandro La Vignera
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (S.L.V.); (A.E.C.)
| | - Aldo E. Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (S.L.V.); (A.E.C.)
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy;
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Aversa
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.B.); (A.P.)
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Tie W, Ge F. Lymphoid-specific helicase inhibits cervical cancer cells ferroptosis by promoting Nrf2 expression. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16451. [PMID: 38047020 PMCID: PMC10691353 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. The underlying mechanisms of its progression are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of lymphoid-specific helicase (HELLS) in cervical cancer. Methods We measured HELLS expression in cervical cancer and assessed its function using gain- and loss-of-function experiments. Cell viability was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8 ) assay, and cell proliferation was analyzed using colony formation and EdU assays. Results We found that HELLS was significantly increased in cervical cancer and that its overexpression promoted cell viability (P < 0.01) and colony formation (P < 0.001). In contrast, si-HELLS suppressed these effects. Moreover, HELLS overexpression inhibited cell death induced by the ferroptosis inducer erastin (P < 0.01). Mechanistically, we found that HELLS promoted cervical cancer proliferation by regulating nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated ferroptosis. Conclusion Our data suggest that HELLS promotes cervical cancer proliferation by inhibiting Nrf2 expression. Therefore, HELLS knockdown may be an effective treatment for cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Tie
- Department of Gynecology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fenfen Ge
- Department of Gynecology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
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Tarek H, Cho SS, Hossain MS, Yoo JC. Attenuation of Oxidative Damage via Upregulating Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway by Protease SH21 with Exerting Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Properties In Vitro. Cells 2023; 12:2190. [PMID: 37681922 PMCID: PMC10486937 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative damage and inflammation are among the very significant aspects interrelated with cancer and other degenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the biological activities of a 25 kDa protease (SH21) that was purified from Bacillus siamensis. SH21 exhibited very powerful antioxidant and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation inhibition activity in a dose-dependent approach. The mRNA and protein levels of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx-1) were enhanced in the SH21-treated sample. SH21 also increased the transcriptional and translational activities of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) with the subsequent development of detoxifying enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). In addition, SH21 showed potential anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) and proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. At concentrations of 60, 80, and 100 μg/mL, SH21 potentially suppressed nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cytokine gene expressions. Furthermore, SH21 significantly released lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme in cancer cell supernatant in a concentration-dependent manner and showed strong activity against three tested cancer cell lines, including HL-60, A549, and Hela. Our results suggest that SH21 has effective antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects and could be an excellent therapeutic agent against inflammation-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Tarek
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seung Sik Cho
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Biomedicine, Health & Life Convergence Sciences, BK21 Four, Biomedical and Healthcare Research Institute, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Republic of Korea
| | - Md. Selim Hossain
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jin Cheol Yoo
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea;
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Xu C, Wang M, Zandieh Doulabi B, Sun Y, Liu Y. Paradox: Curcumin, a Natural Antioxidant, Suppresses Osteosarcoma Cells via Excessive Reactive Oxygen Species. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11975. [PMID: 37569346 PMCID: PMC10418684 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241511975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive tumor with a rare incidence. Extended surgical resections are the prevalent treatment for OS, which may cause critical-size bone defects. These bone defects lead to dysfunction, weakening the post-surgical quality of patients' life. Hence, an ideal therapeutic agent for OS should simultaneously possess anti-cancer and bone repair capacities. Curcumin (CUR) has been reported in OS therapy and bone regeneration. However, it is not clear how CUR suppresses OS development. Conventionally, CUR is considered a natural antioxidant in line with its capacity to promote the nuclear translocation of a nuclear transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NRF2). After nuclear translocation, NRF2 can activate the transcription of some antioxidases, thereby circumventing excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are deleterious to cells. Intriguingly, this research demonstrated that, in vitro, 10 and 20 μM CUR increased the intracellular ROS in MG-63 cells, damaged cells' DNA, and finally caused apoptosis of MG-63 cells, although increased NRF2 protein level and the expression of NRF2-regulated antioxidase genes were identified in those two groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yuelian Liu
- Department of Oral Cell Biology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Amsterdam, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.X.); (M.W.); (B.Z.D.); (Y.S.)
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10
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Shivling Mali A, Honc O, Hejnova L, Novotny J. Opioids Alleviate Oxidative Stress via the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway in LPS-Stimulated Microglia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11089. [PMID: 37446267 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioids are known to have antioxidant effects and to modulate microglial function under certain conditions. It has been previously shown that opioid ligands can effectively inhibit the release of proinflammatory cytokines when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and convert microglia to an anti-inflammatory polarization state. Here, we used C8-B4 cells, the mouse microglial cell line activated by LPS as a model to investigate the anti-inflammatory/antioxidant potential of selected opioid receptor agonists (DAMGO, DADLE, and U-50488). We found that all of these ligands could exert cytoprotective effects through the mechanism affecting LPS-induced ROS production, NADPH synthesis, and glucose uptake. Interestingly, opioids elevated the level of reduced glutathione, increased ATP content, and enhanced mitochondrial respiration in microglial cells exposed to LPS. These beneficial effects were associated with the upregulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. The present results indicate that activation of opioid signaling supports the preservation of mitochondrial function with concomitant elimination of ROS in microglia and suggest that an Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway-dependent mechanism is involved in the antioxidant efficacy of opioids. Opioid receptor agonists may therefore be considered as agents to suppress oxidative stress and inflammatory responses of microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Shivling Mali
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Honc
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Hejnova
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Novotny
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
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Lam CS, Xia YX, Chen BS, Du YX, Liu KL, Zhang HJ. Dihydro-Resveratrol Attenuates Oxidative Stress, Adipogenesis and Insulin Resistance in In Vitro Models and High-Fat Diet-Induced Mouse Model via AMPK Activation. Nutrients 2023; 15:3006. [PMID: 37447331 DOI: 10.3390/nu15133006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Management of obesity has become a prevalent strategy for preventing the diseases closely integrated with excess body weight such as diabetes over the last half century. Searching for therapeutic agents acting on oxidative stress, adipogenesis and insulin resistance is considered as an efficient approach to control obesity-related diseases. The present study was designed to examine the in vitro and in vivo effects of dihydro-resveratrol (DR2), a naturally occurring compound from Dendrobium medicinal plants, on oxidative stress aggravation, adipogenesis, lipogenesis and insulin sensitivity. We utilized an in vitro 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation model to show that DR2 could reduce pre-adipocyte maturation by activation of AMPK/SIRT1 signaling proteins to inhibit p38MAPK proteins. With the use of in vitro oxidative-stress-induced hepatocytes and myoblasts models, DR2 was also shown to be able to reduce oxidative stress aggravation through mediation of Nrf2-related antioxidative cascade, reduce intracellular lipid accumulation through phosphorylation of ACC protein, reduce lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes and promote insulin sensitivity via activation of AKT protein in the insulin-resistant HepG2 cells and C2C12 cells. The effects of DR2 on adipogenesis, lipid accumulation, insulin resistance and blood glucose clearance were further demonstrated in the high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model. Our in vitro and in vivo studies determined that DR2 could contain therapeutic potential for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Shing Lam
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yi-Xuan Xia
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bai-Sen Chen
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yin-Xiao Du
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kang-Lun Liu
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hong-Jie Zhang
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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