Neuroprotective Effects of Licochalcone D in Oxidative-Stress-Induced Primitive Neural Stem Cells from Parkinson's Disease Patient-Derived iPSCs

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Although the etiology of PD is still unclear, the death of dopaminergic neurons during PD progression was revealed to be associated with abnormal aggregation of α-synuclein, elevation of oxidative stress, dysfunction of mitochondrial functions, and increased neuroinflammation. In this study, the effects of Licochalcone D (LCD) on MG132-induced neurotoxicity in primitive neural stem cells (pNSCs) derived from reprogrammed iPSCs were investigated. A cell viability assay showed that LCD had anti-apoptotic properties in MG132-induced oxidative-stressed pNSCs. It was confirmed that apoptosis was reduced in pNSCs treated with LCD through 7-AAD/Annexin Ⅴ staining and cleaved caspase3. These effects of LCD were mediated through an interaction with JunD and through the EGFR/AKT and JNK signaling pathways. These findings suggest that LCD could be a potential antioxidant reagent for preventing disease-related pathological phenotypes of PD.

Acceleration of Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition (MET) during Direct Reprogramming Using Natural Compounds

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from somatic cells using Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM). Small molecules can enhance reprogramming. Licochalcone D (LCD), a flavonoid compound present mainly in the roots of Glycyrrhiza inflata, acts on known signaling pathways involved in transcriptional activity and signal transduction, including the PGC1-α and MAPK families. In this study, we demonstrated that LCD improved reprogramming efficiency. LCD-treated iPSCs (LCD-iPSCs) expressed pluripotency-related genes Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, and Prdm14. Moreover, LCD-iPSCs differentiated into all three germ layers in vitro and formed chimeras. The mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) is critical for somatic cell reprogramming. We found that the expression levels of mesenchymal genes (Snail2 and Twist) decreased and those of epithelial genes (DSP, Cldn3, Crb3, and Ocln) dramatically increased in OR-MEF (OG2^+/+/ROSA26^+/+) cells treated with LCD for 3 days, indicating that MET effectively occurred in LCD-treated OR-MEF cells. Thus, LCD enhanced the generation of iPSCs from somatic cells by promoting MET at the early stages of reprogramming.

Deoxypodophyllotoxin Induces ROS-Mediated Apoptosis by Modulating the PI3K/AKT and p38 MAPK-Dependent Signaling in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT), a naturally occurring flavonolignan, possesses several pharmacological properties, including anticancer property. However, the mechanisms underlying DPT mode of action in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of DPT on OSCC and the underlying mechanisms. Results of the MTT assay revealed that DPT significantly reduced the cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that DPT induces apoptosis in OSCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, DPT enhanced the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) in OSCC cells. Mechanistically, DPT induced apoptosis in OSCC cells by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway while activating the p38 MAPK signaling to regulate the expression of apoptotic proteins. Treatment with SC79, an AKT activator, reversed the effects of DPT on AKT signaling in OSCC cells. Taken together, these results provide the basis for the use of DPT in combination with conventional chemotherapy for the treatment of oral cancer.

Increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: a longitudinal follow-up study using a national health screening cohort

BACKGROUND

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases and is characterized by sinonasal inflammation that lasts longer than 12 weeks. Whether the effect of chronic inflammation caused by CRS on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is similar to its effect on other inflammatory disorders has not been thoroughly evaluated. We aimed to demonstrate whether CRS patients have a higher prevalence of CVDs, including stroke and ischemic heart disease (IHD).

METHODOLOGY

We compared the prevalence of various comorbidities between CRS and control participants through a case-control cohort study from 2002 to 2015 that included 514,866 participants. CRS (n=6,552) and control (n=26,208) participants who were over 40 years old were selected by matching age, sex, income, and area of residence at a 1:4 ratio.

RESULTS

A stratified Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to assess the hazard ratio (HR) of CRS for stroke and IHD. The HRs for stroke and IHD were significantly increased in CRS patients compared to controls after adjusting for obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores. The HR of stroke was significantly higher in the absence of nasal polyps than in the presence of nasal polyps. The HR of IHD was significantly increased in the CRS group regardless of the presence of nasal polyps.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that CRS participants had a significantly higher prevalence of stroke and IHD.

Global Proteomic Analysis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells via Connective Tissue Growth Factor Treatment under Chemically Defined Feeder-Free Culture Conditions

Stem cells can be applied usefully in basic research and clinical field due to their differentiation and self-renewal capacity. The aim of this study was to establish an effective novel therapeutic cellular source and create its molecular expression profile map to elucidate the possible therapeutic mechanism and signaling pathway. We successfully obtained a mesenchymal stem cell population from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) cultured on chemically defined feeder-free conditions and treated with connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and performed the expressive proteomic approach to elucidate the molecular basis. We further selected 12 differentially expressed proteins in CTGF-induced hESC-derived mesenchymal stem cells (C-hESC-MSCs), which were found to be involved in the metabolic process, immune response, cell signaling, and cell proliferation, as compared to bone marrow derived-MSCs(BM-MSCs). Moreover, these up-regulated proteins were potentially related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These results suggest that C-hESC-MSCs are a highly proliferative cell population, which can interact with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway; thus, due to the upregulated cell survival ability or downregulated apoptosis effects of C-hESC-MSCs, these can be used as an unlimited cellular source in the cell therapy field for a higher therapeutic potential. Overall, the study provided valuable insights into the molecular functioning of hESC derivatives as a valuable cellular source.

Licochalcone H Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Skin Cancer Cells by Modulating JAK2/STAT3 Signaling

Licochalcone H (LCH) is a phenolic compound synthetically derived from licochalcone C (LCC) that exerts anticancer activity. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of LCH in human skin cancer A375 and A431 cells. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) cell viability assay was used to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of LCH. Cell cycle distribution and the induction of apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blotting assays were performed to detect the levels of proteins involved in cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. LCH inhibited the growth of cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. The annexin V/propidium iodide double staining assay revealed that LCH induced apoptosis, and the LCH-induced apoptosis was accompanied by cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Western blot analysis showed that the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 was decreased by treatment with LCH. The inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway by pharmacological inhibitors against JAK2/STAT3 (cryptotanshinone (CTS) and S3I-201) simulated the antiproliferative effect of LCH suggesting that LCH induced apoptosis by modulating JAK2/STAT3 signaling.

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Primitive Neural Stem Cells from LRRK2 G2019S-Associated Parkinson's Disease Patient-Derived iPSCs

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease, causing movement defects. The incidence of PD is constantly increasing and this disease is still incurable. Thus, understanding PD pathophysiology would be pivotal for the development of PD therapy, and various PD models have thus been already developed. Through recent advances in reprogramming techniques, a primitive neural stem cell (pNSC) derived from PD patient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could be potentially used as a reproducible and reliable experimental system to analyze the effect of the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 G2019S mutation (LK2GS) in neural cells. Here, we investigated the advantages of such a model system through quantitative proteomic analysis of pNSCs from normal control iPSCs and familial PD patient iPSCs harboring LK2GS. We confirmed that the expression of molecules known to be involved in PD pathogenesis, such as oxidative stress-, cell adhesion-, and cytoskeleton-related proteins, were altered in the LK2GS pNSC. In addition, we showed that down-regulation of Ku80, which was found in the proteomic analysis with LK2GS pNSCs, resulted in apoptosis induced by DNA damage response. Taken together, we suggest that pNSCs from PD iPSCs could provide a reliable and useful model system to study PD. Moreover, the highly expandable pNSC is suitable for multi-omics approaches to understand PD pathologies and discover therapeutic targets for PD.

Does serum vitamin D level affect the association between cardiovascular health and cognition? Results of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center (CMERC) study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Few studies have assessed the role of vitamin D in the association between cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function. Here, the aim was to investigate the association between cardiovascular health (CVH) and cognitive function according to vitamin D level in a middle-aged Korean population.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 840 men and 1811 women (mean age 57.2 years) from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center study baseline enrolment (2013-2018). Life's Simple 7 tools from the American Heart Association were used to assess CVH. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Estimation for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), and the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was measured.

RESULTS

In the adjusted generalized linear regression models, no significant association between a high Life's Simple 7 score (4-7 metric at optimal level) and MMSE-DS score (β = 0.01, P = 0.93) was found. Amongst men with a high vitamin D level, the high Life's Simple 7 score group showed a significantly higher MMSE-DS score (β = 0.48, P = 0.03). However, amongst men in the low vitamin D group, the association was opposite with no statistical significance (β = -0.23, P = 0.08). In women, the results were similar, but both strata according to vitamin D level showed no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that vitamin D is an effect modifier in the association between CVH and cognition, especially in men.

Neuroprotective Effects of Cryptotanshinone in a Direct Reprogramming Model of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a well-known age-related neurodegenerative disease. Considering the vital importance of disease modeling based on reprogramming technology, we adopted direct reprogramming to human-induced neuronal progenitor cells (hiNPCs) for in vitro assessment of potential therapeutics. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of cryptotanshinone (CTN), which has been reported to have antioxidant properties, through PD patient-derived hiNPCs (PD-iNPCs) model with induced oxidative stress and cell death by the proteasome inhibitor MG132. A cytotoxicity assay showed that CTN possesses anti-apoptotic properties in PD-hiNPCs. CTN treatment significantly reduced cellular apoptosis through mitochondrial restoration, such as the reduction in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and increments of mitochondrial membrane potential. These effects of CTN are mediated via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway in PD-hiNPCs. Consequently, CTN could be a potential antioxidant reagent for preventing disease-related pathological phenotypes of PD.

Mental health states and influencing factors of risky and problem drinking in South Korean female adolescents

OBJECTIVES

Alcohol is one of the most used and abused psychoactive substances by adolescents. We investigated influencing factors of risky and problem drinking in Korean female adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

The study design used is a cross-sectional modeling.

METHODS

We used data from the 13th Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) conducted in 2017. KYRBS data were obtained from a stratified, multistage, clustered sample. Risky drinking was binge drinking and problem drinking was drinking with several conflicts association with alcohol consumption.

RESULTS

Among 62,276 participants, the rates of current, risky, and problem drinking among all participants were 16.1%, 8.3%, and 6.1%, respectively. Although all of these rates were higher in males, risky and problem drinking rates among current female drinkers were higher than those of males (55.4 vs 48.5%, 38.9 vs 37.2%, respectively). Problem drinking was most strongly associated with risky drinking (adjusted odds ratio: 17.53 [95% confidence interval: 14.63-21.00]), similarly, risky drinking was most strongly associated with problem drinking in female current drinkers (17.76 [14.84-21.27]). Current smoking was the second strongest risk factor for risky and problem drinking in females (5.22 [3.92-6.95] and 2.93 [2.21-3.89], respectively).

CONCLUSION

Many female adolescents in Korea drink alcohol in an unhealthy manner. The female risky and problem drinking rates among current drinkers were higher than those of males. Risky drinking and problem drinking was most significant influencing factor among females, reciprocally. Public education on abstinence in female adolescents is warranted.

Iroquois Homeobox Protein 2 Identified as a Potential Biomarker for Parkinson's Disease

The diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) is initiated after the occurrence of motor symptoms, such as resting tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia. According to previous reports, non-motor symptoms, notably gastrointestinal dysfunction, could potentially be early biomarkers in PD patients as such symptoms occur earlier than motor symptoms. However, connecting PD to the intestine is methodologically challenging. Thus, we generated in vitro human intestinal organoids from PD patients and ex vivo mouse small intestinal organoids from aged transgenic mice. Both intestinal organoids (IOs) contained the human LRRK2 G2019S mutation, which is the most frequent genetic cause of familial and sporadic PD. By conducting comprehensive genomic comparisons with these two types of IOs, we determined that a particular gene, namely, Iroquois homeobox protein 2 (IRX2), showed PD-related expression patterns not only in human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived neuroectodermal spheres but also in human PSC-derived neuronal cells containing dopaminergic neurons. We expected that our approach of using various cell types presented a novel technical method for studying the effects of multi-organs in PD pathophysiology as well as for the development of diagnostic markers for PD.

Direct Reprogramming to Human Induced Neuronal Progenitors from Fibroblasts of Familial and Sporadic Parkinson's Disease Patients

In Parkinson's disease (PD) research, human neuroblastoma and immortalized neural cell lines have been widely used as in vitro models. The advancement in the field of reprogramming technology has provided tools for generating patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) as well as human induced neuronal progenitor cells (hiNPCs). These cells have revolutionized the field of disease modeling, especially in neural diseases. Although the direct reprogramming to hiNPCs has several advantages over differentiation after hiPSC reprogramming, such as the time required and the simple procedure, relatively few studies have utilized hiNPCs. Here, we optimized the protocol for hiNPC reprogramming using pluripotency factors and Sendai virus. In addition, we generated hiNPCs of two healthy donors, a sporadic PD patient, and a familial patient with the LRRK2 G2019S mutation (L2GS). The four hiNPC cell lines are highly proliferative, expressed NPC markers, maintained the normal karyotype, and have the differentiation potential of dopaminergic neurons. Importantly, the patient hiNPCs show different apoptotic marker expression. Thus, these hiNPCs, in addition to hiPSCs, are a favorable option to study PD pathology.

Abstract 2872: Mechanism of anti-proliferative and anti-invasive actions of ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids in human hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells

Hypopharyngeal carcinoma is one of head and neck cancers. According to the latest statistics from the United States National Cancer Institute, it is estimated that about 17,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pharyngeal cancer in 2017. Although ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-PUFAs) have anti-tumorigenic properties in the several cancers, the anti-cancer effect of ω3-PUFAs on hypopharyngeal carcinoma has been not known yet. In this study, we report inhibitory mechanisms of ω3-PUFAs on cell growth and invasion in hypopharyngeal carcinoma. DHA and EPA inhibited the cell growth of FaDu and SNU1041 in a dose- and time-dependent manner; in contrast, arachidonic acid, a ω6-PUFA, had no significant effect. In flow cytometry analysis, subG1 population increased in DHA-treated FaDu and SNU1041. Moreover, apoptotic cell death was confirmed by TUNEL assay, and the induction of cleaved PARP and caspase-3. Furthermore, treatment of hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells with DHA resulted in a significant increase in autophagic activity, as revealed by increased LC3-II levels, GFP-LC3 puncta, and autophagic flux activation. EGF-induced phosphorylation of EGFR, which is frequently overexpressed in hypopharyngeal carcinoma, was also suppressed after DHA pretreatment, and levels of p-Akt (p- Aktthr308 and AktSer473), which is a downstream signal, was also inhibited in the FaDu and SNU1041 cells. The invasiveness of cells was significantly inhibited by DHA treatment in vitro transwell assay as well. The MMP-2 and MMP-9 promoter activities were inhibited after DHA treatment. Cox-2 and VEGF promoter activities were also suppressed by DHA. Furthermore, DHA decreased the levels of reporter activity of NF-κB, which is transcription factor that regulates MMPs, Cox-2 and VEGF expression. Fat1-stably expressing FaDu cells (fFaDu-sc) was established (fFaDu-sc express a Caenorhabditis elegans ω3-desaturase converting ω6- to ω3-PUFAs endogenously), and the proliferation of fFaDu-sc was more attenuated than that of cells expressing control vectors (fFaDu-cc). Moreover, fFaDu-sc showed reduction of cell invasion compared with fFaDu-cc. in transwell chamber. The MMPs promoter activities were also suppressed in fFaDu-sc. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that ω3-PUFAs may inhibit invasion as well as cell growth through suppression of p-EGFR and MMPs expression in hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells, indicating that the utilization of ω3-PUFAs may represent a potential effective therapy for the chemoprevention and treatment of human hypopharyngeal carcinoma. [This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (NRF-2015R1D1A1A01056887) and by the framework of international cooperation program managed by National Research Foundation of Korea (2015K2A2A6002008)].

Citation Format: Seung-Hyeon Han, Soyeon Shin, Young-Joo Jeon, Jun-Young Heo, Gi-Ryang Kweon, Seung-Kiel Park, Jong-Il Park, Kyu Lim. Mechanism of anti-proliferative and anti-invasive actions of ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids in human hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2872.

Abstract 2324: Docosahexaenoic acid-induced Nrf2 may be correlated with cell death by amplification of oxidative stress via induction of klf9 in cervical cancer cells

NF-E2-related transcription factor-2 (Nrf2) is a key transcriptional factor regulating antioxidant gene expression and protection from oxidant damage. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as one of ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids has anticancer action through several mechanisms. Here we report that DHA-induced Nrf2 is related to cell death, not survival in HeLa cell. We confirmed DHA-induced apoptotic cell death using PARP cleavage, Anexin V staing, and TUNEL positive staining assay. DHA-triggering ROS production increased the level Nrf2 and decreased keap1 in dose- and time-dependent manner. Increased Nrf2 by DHA was partially Keap1 dependent. DHA activated Nrf2 signaling by increasing its translation and the Nrf2 was translocated from cytosol to nucleus. Upregulation of DHA-mediated Nrf2 was also confirmed by increase of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. DHA-induced Nrf2 increased the level of Kruppel-like factor 9 (klf9) and then decreased thioredoxin reductase 2 (Txnrd2) in dose- and time-dependent manner. These results suggest that DHA-induced ROS increases Nrf2 and the Nrf2 is related to cell death by increase of klf9 and decrease of Txnrd2 in HeLa cells. Thus, utilization of ω3-PUFAs may represent a promising therapeutic approach for chemoprevention and treatment of human cervical cancer [This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (NRF-2015R1D1A1A01056887) and by the framework of international cooperation program managed by National Research Foundation of Korea (2015K2A2A6002008)]

Citation Format: Kaipeng Jing, Soyeon Shin, Seung-Hyeon Han, Young-Joo Jeon, Jun-Young Heo, Gi-Ryang Kweon, Seung-Kiel Park, Jong-Il Park, Kyu Lim. Docosahexaenoic acid-induced Nrf2 may be correlated with cell death by amplification of oxidative stress via induction of klf9 in cervical cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2324.

ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids induce cell death through apoptosis and autophagy in glioblastoma cells: In vitro and in vivo

Among brain tumors, glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive type and is associated with the lowest patient survival rate. Numerous lines of evidence have established that omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-PUFAs) have potential for the prevention and therapy of several types of cancers. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an ω3-PUFA, was reported to inhibit growth and induce apoptotic and autophagic cell death in several cancer cell lines; however, its effects on GBM cells are still unknown. in the present study, we examined the cytotoxic effect of DHA on the GBM cell lines, D54MG, U87MG, U251MG and GL261. Treatment of GBM cells with DHA induced PARP cleavage, increased the population of sub-G1 cells, and increased the number of TUNEL-positive cells, which are all indicative of apoptosis. Furthermore, treatment of GBM cells with DHA resulted in a significant increase in autophagic activity, as revealed by increased LC3-II levels, GFP-LC3 puncta, and autophagic flux activation, accompanied by activation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and decreases in phosphorylated Akt (p-AktSer473) levels and mTOR activity. In vivo, endogenous expression of Caenorhabditis elegans ω3-desaturase, which converts ω6-PUFAs to ω3-PUFAs, in fat-1 transgenic mice yielded a significant decrease in tumor volume following subcutaneous injection of mouse glioma cells (GL261), when compared with wild-type mice. TUNEL-positive cell numbers and LC3-II levels were elevated in tumor tissue from the fat-1 transgenic mice compared with tumor tissue from the wild-type mice. In addition, p-Akt levels were decreased and p-AMPK levels were increased in tumor tissue from the fat-1 transgenic mice. These results indicate that ω3-PUFAs induce cell death through apoptosis and autophagy in GBM cells; thus, it may be possible to use ω3-PUFAs as chemopreventive and therapeutic agents for GBM.

Abstract 1150: Downregulation of Hedgehog signaling via Sirt6 activation is important to docosahexaenoic acid-induced cell death in human EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) induces apoptotic cell death through several mechanisms in cancer cells. Here we report that DHA-induced apoptotic cell death is related to the inhibition of Hedgehog signaling via SIRT6 activation in human PC9 and H1975 nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DHA-induced cell death was confirmed increase of the protein levels of cleaved PARP and caspase-3 Bax as well as the number of TUNEL positive cells and the Sub-G1 proportion in PC9 and H1975. DHA significantly increased the SIRT6 levels. Knockdown of SIRT6 by siRNAs inhibited apoptosis induced by DHA, while SIRT6 overexpression increased apoptotic cell death, indicating that DHA-induced SIRT6 activation results in apoptosis. In addition, SIRT6 activation by DHA treatment was associated with downregulation of Hh signaling and knockdown of SIRT6 resulted in augmentation of Hh signaling, suggesting elevation of SIRT6 levels in DHA-treated NSCLC cells leads to downregulate the Hh signaling. Smo activator SAG increased the protein levels of Hh signaling molecules by DHA, and SAG plus DHA treatment decreased cleaved PARP levels, implying that DHA-inhibited Hh signaling is related to apoptotic cell death. To unveil the effects of endogenous DHA on apoptosis via SIRT6-mediated Hh signaling downregulation, we used PC9 stable cell lines of fat-1 (ω3-desaturase) gene. The SIRT6 levels were significantly increased and Hh signaling molecules were diminished in fat-1 stable PC9 (f-PC9) cells, compared with the cells transfected with the control vector (c-PC9). Moreover, SIRT6 expression was elevated and Gli and smo levels were inhibited in tumor tissues from f-PC9 cells-injected mice, demonstrating that DHA regulates SIRT6 and Hh signaling in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that DHA may induce apoptotic cell death through SIRT6-modulated Hh signaling suppression in human NSCLC cells. These findings implicate that ω3-PUFAs may represent a potential effective therapy for the chemoprevention and treatment of human NSCLC. [This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (2007-0054932, NRF-2015R1D1A1A01056887) and by the framework of international cooperation program managed by National Research Foundation of Korea (2015K2A2A6002008)].

Citation Format: Soyeon Jeong, Kaipeng Jing, Soyeon Shin, Seung-Hyeon Han, Yoon-Seon Yoo, Prashanta Silwal, Young-Joo Jeon, Jun-Young Heo, Gi-Ryang Kweon, Seung-Kiel Park, Jong-Il Park, Tong Wu, Kyu Lim. Downregulation of Hedgehog signaling via Sirt6 activation is important to docosahexaenoic acid-induced cell death in human EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1150. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1150

Abstract 2110: Anti-invasive and antimetastatic actions of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and deadliest brain malignancy in adults. Despite of surgical techniques, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, GBM has remained an invariably lethal tumor with a median survival less than 15 months. Although the anticancer mechanisms of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-PUFAs) have been reported in several cancers, it is still unclear in brain cancer. Here, our data show the anti-invasive and anti-metastatic effects of ω3-PUFAs in GBM. Invasiveness using transwell chamber was inhibited by docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) treatment in D54MG and GL261 cells. In zymography, MMP-2 activity was suppressed by DHA in a dose dependent manner. MMP-2 promoter activity was also decreased. DHA inhibited both p-STAT3 and β-catenin levels that contribute to invasion by stimulating pro-invasion factors such as MMP-2. Additionally, fat-1 (ω3-desaturease) stable D54MG cell was established and the effect of the high level of ω3-PUFAs was investigated endogenously. The invasiveness were significantly inhibited in the fat-1 stable cells compared to control cell. Moreover, the metastasis in vivo was significantly reduced when GL261 mouse glioma cells were injected through tail vein into the fat-1 transgenic mice. In immunohistochemistry, intensity of p-STAT-3 and β-catenin were significantly weak in metastatic lung tumor from Fat-1 mice compared to wild type mice. These results indicate that anti-invasive and anti-metastatic actions of ω3-PUFA may be correlated with inhibition of MMP-2 through decrease of STAT3 and β-catenin in GBM cells. Thus, these findings provide important preclinical evidence and molecular insight for utilization of ω-3 PUFAs for the chemoprevention and treatment of human GBM. [This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (2007-0054932, NRF-2015R1D1A1A01056887) and by the framework of international cooperation program managed by National Research Foundation of Korea (2015K2A2A6002008)].

Citation Format: Soyeon Kim, Soyeon Shin, Soyeon Jeong, Seung-Hyeon Han, Yoon-Seon Yoo, Prashanta Silwal, Young-Joo Jeon, Jun-Young Heo, Gi-Ryang Kweon, Seung-Kiel Park, Jong-Il Park, Kyu Lim. Anti-invasive and antimetastatic actions of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in glioblastoma cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2110. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2110

The Role of MRI in Diagnosing Neurovascular Compression of the Cochlear Nerve Resulting in Typewriter Tinnitus

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Typewriter tinnitus, a symptom characterized by paroxysmal attacks of staccato sounds, has been thought to be caused by neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve, but the correlation between radiologic evidence of neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve and symptom presentation has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine whether radiologic evidence of neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve is pathognomonic in typewriter tinnitus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifteen carbamazepine-responding patients with typewriter tinnitus and 8 control subjects were evaluated with a 3D T2-weighted volume isotropic turbo spin-echo acquisition sequence. Groups 1 (16 symptomatic sides), 2 (14 asymptomatic sides), and 3 (16 control sides) were compared with regard to the anatomic relation between the vascular loop and the internal auditory canal and the presence of neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve with/without angulation/indentation.

RESULTS

The anatomic location of the vascular loop was not significantly different among the 3 groups (all, P > .05). Meanwhile, neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve on MR imaging was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 3 (P = .032). However, considerable false-positive (no symptoms with neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve on MR imaging) and false-negative (typewriter tinnitus without demonstrable neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve) findings were also observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve was more frequently detected on the symptomatic side of patients with typewriter tinnitus compared with the asymptomatic side of these patients or on both sides of control subjects on MR imaging. However, considering false-positive and false-negative findings, meticulous history-taking and the response to the initial carbamazepine trial should be regarded as more reliable diagnostic clues than radiologic evidence of neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve.

Esculetin exerts anti-proliferative effects against non-small-cell lung carcinoma by suppressing specificity protein 1 in vitro

Esculetin, a coumarin derivative, is a phenolic compound isolated from Artemisia capillaris, Citrus limonia, and Euphorbia lathyris. Although it has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-proliferative activities in several human cancers, its anti-proliferative activity against non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and the molecular mechanisms involved have not been adequately elucidated. In this study, we used two NSCLC cell lines (NCI-H358 and NCI-H1299) to investigate the anti-proliferative activity and apoptotic effect of esculetin. Our data showed that esculetin-treated cells exhibited reduced proliferation and apoptotic cell morphologies. Intriguingly, the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was significantly suppressed by esculetin in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, the levels of p27 and p21, two key regulators of the cell cycle, were up-regulated by the esculetin-mediated down-regulation of Sp1; the level of a third cell-cycle regulator, survivin, was decreased, resulting in caspase-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, we conclude that esculetin could be a potent anti-proliferative agent in patients with NSCLC.

Proteomic Assessment of the Relevant Factors Affecting Pork Meat Quality Associated with Longissimus dorsi Muscles in Duroc Pigs

Meat quality is a complex trait influenced by many factors, including genetics, nutrition, feeding environment, animal handling, and their interactions. To elucidate relevant factors affecting pork quality associated with oxidative stress and muscle development, we analyzed protein expression in high quality longissimus dorsi muscles (HQLD) and low quality longissimus dorsi muscles (LQLD) from Duroc pigs by liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteomic analysis. Between HQLD (n = 20) and LQLD (n = 20) Duroc pigs, 24 differentially expressed proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS. A total of 10 and 14 proteins were highly expressed in HQLD and LQLD, respectively. The 24 proteins have putative functions in the following seven categories: catalytic activity (31%), ATPase activity (19%), oxidoreductase activity (13%), cytoskeletal protein binding (13%), actin binding (12%), calcium ion binding (6%), and structural constituent of muscle (6%). Silver-stained image analysis revealed significant differential expression of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) between HQLD and LQLD Duroc pigs. LDHA was subjected to in vitro study of myogenesis under oxidative stress conditions and LDH activity assay to verification its role in oxidative stress. No significant difference of mRNA expression level of LDHA was found between normal and oxidative stress condition. However, LDH activity was significantly higher under oxidative stress condition than at normal condition using in vitro model of myogenesis. The highly expressed LDHA was positively correlated with LQLD. Moreover, LDHA activity increased by oxidative stress was reduced by antioxidant resveratrol. This paper emphasizes the importance of differential expression patterns of proteins and their interaction for the development of meat quality traits. Our proteome data provides valuable information on important factors which might aid in the regulation of muscle development and the improvement of meat quality in longissimus dorsi muscles of Duroc pigs under oxidative stress conditions.

Abstract 4651: Docosahexaenoic acid-induced degradation of epidermal growth factor receptor through lysosome and ubiquitin/proteasomal system in human non-small cell lung cancer cells

Mutations in EGFR gene frequently occurr in lung cancer and their expressions are related to poor prognosis and drug resistance. Although docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has anti-cancer activity, the underlying mechanism is not well known in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) yet. In this study, we show a molecular mechanism of DHA-induced degradation of EGFR in human NSCLC cells. To determine whether DHA modulates EGFR degradation, we used three NSCLC cell lines, which is A549 (EGFR WT), and two mutant cells (PC9 and H1975). We confirmed that the viability of three lung cancer cells was decreased by DHA in a dose- and time-dependent manner. DHA augmented EGFR degradation and its ubiquitin in all three cell lines. Indeed, DHA increased the levels of E3-ligase, c-cbl and endosome-related molecules (Rab5, EEA1, Rab7, and LAMP1). Chloroquin (CQ) effectively blocked the DHA-induced EGFR degradation. Moreover, knockdown of lysosome associated membrane protein (LAMP) by its siRNAs, which regulates lysosome fusion, partially prevented EGFR degradation induced by DHA, and co-localization of EGFR with lysosome in immunocytochemistry, suggesting that DHA-induced EGFR degradation is associated with lysosomal degradation. On the other hand, MG132 (proteasome inhibitor) also protected DHA-triggered EGFR degradation, demonstrating that proteasomes also contribute to EGFR degradation in response to DHA treatment. To confirm the effects of endogenous ω3-PUFAs on EGFR degradation, fat-1-stablyexpressing A549 (f-A549) and PC9 cells (f-PC9) were established (The cells express a C. elegansω3-desaturase converting ω6- to ω3-PUFAs endogenously). The level of EGFR was reduced in f-A549 and f-PC9 cells, indicating ω3-PUFAs diminish EGFR level. The cell growth was retarded and the tumorigenicity was inhibited in nude mice. In addition, EGFR levels were significantly decreased in tumor tissues from f-A549 and f-PC9 cells-bearing mice. Taken together, DHA may induce the degradation of EGFR through lysosome and ubiquitin/proteosomal system in EGFR WT and EGFR mutant NSCLC cells. Thus, these findings provide important preclinical evidence and molecular insight for utilization of ω3-PUFAs in the chemoprevention and treatment of human NSCLC.[This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (2007-0054932)]

Citation Format: Soyeon Jeong, Kaipeng Jing, Soyeon Shin, Soyeon Kim, Young-Joo Jeon, Jun-Young Heo, Gi-Ryang Kweon, Seung-Kiel Park, Jong-Il Park, Kyu Lim. Docosahexaenoic acid-induced degradation of epidermal growth factor receptor through lysosome and ubiquitin/proteasomal system in human non-small cell lung cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4651.

Abstract 1301: Anti-invasive and antimetastatic effects of ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids through inhibition of NF-kB/matrix metalloproteinases in ovarian cancer cells

Ovarian cancer is leading cause of gene cological cancer death in the United States. It is reported that about 14,000 patients will die to ovarian cancer in United States, 2015. ω3- and ω6-PUFAs are considered as essential fatty acids because they cannot be synthesized in mammals. The ω3-desaturase (fat-1) converts ω6-PUFAs to ω3-PUFAs. Cancer cells and transgenic mice stably expressing fat-1 geneare useful models to study the anti-cancer effects of ω3-PUFAs. Here, we show anti-invasive and anti-metastatic action of ω3-PUFA in ovarian cancer.DHA significantly inhibited cell invasion and wound healing activity of human ovarian PA-1 cells. DHA also abolishedthe induction of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cyclooxygenase (COX2) as well as the transactivity of NF-κB in PA-1 cells. When ID8 cells were subcutaneously implanted into fat-1 transgenic mice, the tumor size and volume were smallin comparison to wild-type mice. The growth inhibition of tumor was also confirmed with the increase in the level of TUNEL-positive cells. Additionally, when ID8 cells were injected via tail vein of fat1 mice, the lung metastasis was remarkably inhibited in fat-1 transgenic mice. Furthermore, the proliferation of fat-1-stably expressing PA-1 (f-PA-1) cells was more attenuated than that of cells expressing control vectors. The invasion and NF-κB/MMPs promoter activities were also decreased in f-PA-1 cells. These results suggest that ω3-PUFAs inhibit invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells through inhibition of NF-κB/MMPs. Therefore, ω3-PUFAs may contribute an effective and safe therapeutic approach for the chemoprevention and treatment of human ovarian cancer. [This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (2007-0054932)]

Citation Format: Soyeon Jeong, Kaipeng Jing, Soyeon Shin, Soyeon Kim, Young-Joo Jeon, Jun-Young Heo, Gi-Ryang Kweon, Seung-Kiel Park, Jong-Il Park, Kyu Lim. Anti-invasive and antimetastatic effects of ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids through inhibition of NF-kB/matrix metalloproteinases in ovarian cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1301.

Regional Differences of Proteins Expressing in Adipose Depots Isolated from Cows, Steers and Bulls as Identified by a Proteomic Approach

Adipose tissue in the loin muscle area of beef cattle as a marbling factor is directly associated with beef quality. To elucidate whether properties of proteins involved in depot specific adipose tissue were sex-dependent, we analyzed protein expression of intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and omental adipose tissue (OMAT) from Hanwoo cows, steers, and bulls of Korean native beef cattle by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteomic analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot analysis. Two different adipose depots (i.e. intramuscular and omental) were collected from cows (n = 7), steers (n = 7), or bulls (n = 7). LC-MS/MS revealed a total of 55 and 35 proteins in IMAT and OMAT, respectively. Of the 55 proteins identified, 44, 40, and 42 proteins were confirmed to be differentially expressed in IMAT of cows, steers, and bulls, respectively. In OMAT of cows, steers, and bulls, 33, 33, and 22 were confirmed to be differentially expressed, respectively. Tropomyosin (TPM) 1, TPM 2, and TPM3 were subjected to verification by quantitative PCR and western blot analysis in IMAT and OMAT of Hanwoo cows, steers, and bulls as key factors closely associated with muscle development. Both mRNA levels and protein levels of TPM1, TPM2, and TPM3 in IMAT were lower in bulls compared to in cows or steers suggesting that they were positively correlated with marbling score and quality grade. Our results may aid the regulation of marbling development and improvement of meat quality grades in beef cattle.

β-lapachone suppresses the proliferation of human malignant melanoma cells by targeting specificity protein 1

β-lapachone (β-lap), a novel natural quinone derived from the bark of the Pink trumpet tree (Tabebuia avellanedae) has been demonstrated to have anticancer activity. In this study, we investigated whether β-lap exhibits anti-proliferative effects on two human malignant melanoma (HMM) cell lines, G361 and SK-MEL-28. The effects of β-lap on the HMM cell lines were investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)‑5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)‑2-(4-sulfophenyl-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, Annexin V and Dead cell assay, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) assay and western blot analysis. We demonstrated that β-lap significantly induced apoptosis and suppressed cell viability in the HMM cells. Intriguingly, the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was significantly downregulated by β-lap in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, β-lap modulated the protein expression level of the Sp1 regulatory genes including cell cycle regulatory proteins and apoptosis-associated proteins. Taken together, our findings indicated that β-lap modulates Sp1 transactivation and induces apoptotic cell death through the regulation of cell cycle- and apoptosis-associated proteins. Thus, β-lap may be used as a promising anticancer drug for cancer prevention and may improve the clinical outcome of patients with cancer.

Comparative Analysis of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived From Bone Marrow, Placenta, and Adipose Tissue as Sources of Cell Therapy

Various source-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with multipotent capabilities were considered for cell therapeutics of incurable diseases. The applicability of MSCs depends on the cellular source and on their different in vivo functions, despite having similar phenotypic and cytological characteristics. We characterized MSCs from different sources, including human bone marrow (BM), placenta (PL), and adipose tissue (AT), in terms of the phenotype, surface antigen expression, differentiation ability, proteome reference map, and blood flow recovery in a hindlimb ischemic disease model. The MSCs exhibit different differentiation potentials depending on the cellular source despite having similar phenotypic and surface antigen expression. We identified approximately 90 differentially regulated proteins. Most up- or down-regulated proteins show cytoskeletal or oxidative stress, peroxiredoxin, and apoptosis roles according to their functional involvement. In addition, the PL-MSCs retained a higher therapeutic efficacy than the BM- and AT-MSCs in the hindlimb ischemic disease model. In summary, we examined differentially expressed key regulatory factors for MSCs that were obtained from several cellular sources and demonstrated their differentially expressed proteome profiles. Our results indicate that primitive PL-MSCs have biological advantages relative to those from other sources, making PL-MSCs a useful model for clinical applications of cell therapy.

Manumycin A from a new Streptomyces strain induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated cell death through specificity protein 1 signaling in human oral squamous cell carcinoma

Manumycin A (Manu A) is a natural antibiotic produced by new Streptomyces strain, exhibiting antitumor and anticancer effects. However, the anticancer effects of Manu A on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have not been reported. OSCC is an aggressive type of cancer because of its poor prognosis and low survival rate despite advanced medical treatment. We observed that Manu A reduced cell growth and Sp1 protein levels in OSCC cell lines (HN22 and HSC4) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also observed downregulation of Sp1 downstream target genes such as p27, p21, Mcl-1 and survivin. Moreover, nuclear staining with DAPI showed that Manu A was able to cause nuclear condensation and further fragmentation. Flow cytometry analyses using Annexin V and propiodium iodide supported Manu A-mediated apoptotic cell death of OSCC cells. Furthermore, Bcl-2 family such as mitochondrial pro‑apoptotic Bax, anti-apoptotic Bcl-xl and Bid were regulated by Manu A, triggering the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, these results indicate that Manu A is a potential to treat human OSCC via cell apoptosis through the downregulation of Sp1.

Esculetin, a Coumarin Derivative, Exhibits Anti-proliferative and Pro-apoptotic Activity in G361 Human Malignant Melanoma

BACKGROUND

Although esculetin, a coumarin compound, is known to induce apoptosis in human cancer cells, the effects and molecular mechanisms on the apoptosis in human malignant melanoma (HMM) cells are not well understood yet. In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative effects of esculetin on the G361 HMM cells.

METHODS

We analyzed the anti-proliferative effects and molecular mechanisms of esculetin on G361 cells by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxy phenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium assay, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining and Western blotting.

RESULTS

Esculetin exhibited significant anti-proliferative effects on the HMM cells in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, we found that esculetin induced nuclear shrinkage and fragmentation, typical apoptosis markers, by suppression of Sp1 transcription factor (Sp1). Notably, esculetin modulated Sp1 downstream target genes including p27, p21 and cyclin D1, resulted in activation of apoptosis signaling molecules such as caspase-3 and PARP in G361 HMM cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results clearly demonstrated that esculetin induced apoptosis in the HMM cells by downregulating Sp1 protein levels. Thus, we suggest that esculetin may be a potential anti-proliferative agent that induces apoptotic cell death in G361 HMM cells.

Role of transcription factor Sp1 in the 4-O-methylhonokiol-mediated apoptotic effect on oral squamous cancer cells and xenograft

Recently, biphenolic components derived from the Magnolia family have been studied for anti-cancer, anti-stress, and anti-inflammatory pharmacological effects. However, the pharmacological mechanism of action of 4-O-methylhonokiol (MH) is not clear in oral cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of MH in apoptosis and its molecular mechanism in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines, HN22 and HSC4, as well as tumor xenografts. Here, we demonstrated that MH decreased cell growth and induced apoptosis in HN22 and HSC4 cells through the regulation of specificity protein 1 (Sp1). We employed several experimental techniques such as MTS assay, DAPI staining, PI staining, Annexin-V/7-ADD staining, RT-PCR, western blot analysis, immunocytochemistry, immunohistochemistry, TUNEL assay and in vivo xenograft model analysis. MH inhibited Sp1 protein expression and reduced Sp1 protein levels via both proteasome-dependent protein degradation and inhibition of protein synthesis in HN22 and HSC4 cells; MH did not alter Sp1 mRNA levels. We found that MH directly binds Sp1 by Sepharose 4B pull-down assay and molecular modeling. In addition, treatment with MH or knocking down Sp1 expression suppressed oral cancer cell colony formation. Moreover, MH treatment effectively inhibited tumor growth and Sp1 levels in BALB/c nude mice bearing HN22 cell xenografts. These results indicated that MH inhibited cell growth, colony formation and also induced apoptosis via Sp1 suppression in OSCC cells and xenograft tumors. Thus, MH is a potent anti-cancer drug candidate for oral cancer.

Downregulation of Sp1 is involved in β-lapachone-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

β-lapachone (β-lap) is a naturally occurring quinone obtained from the bark of lapacho tree (Tabebuia avellanedae) with anti-proliferative properties against various cancers. The present study investigated the cell proliferation and apoptosis effect of β-lap on two oral squamous cell carcinoma lines (OSCCs). We carried out a series of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assays, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, cell cycle analysis, and western blot analysis to characterize β-lap and its underlying signaling pathway. We demonstrated that β-lap-treated cells significantly reduced cell proliferation but increased DNA condensation and increased sub-G1 population in OSCCs. Particularly, β-lap suppresses activation of transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) followed by apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner in OSCCs. Furthermore, β-lap modulated protein expression levels of cell cycle regulatory proteins and apoptosis-related proteins that are known as Sp1 target genes, resulting in apoptosis. Our results collectively indicated that β-lap was able to modulate Sp1 transactivation and induce apoptosis through the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis-related proteins. Therefore, β-lap may be used in cancer prevention and therapies to improve clinical outcome as an anticancer drug candidate.

Quercetin Induces Antiproliferative Activity Against Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2) Cells by Suppressing Specificity Protein 1 (Sp1)

Preclinical Research Quercetin, found in red onions and red apple skin can induce apoptosis insome malignant cells. However, the apoptotic effect of quercetin in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells via regulation of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) has not been studied. Here, we demonstrated that quercetin decreased cell growth and induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells via suppression of Sp1 using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) assay, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, Annexin V, and Western blot analysis, an effect that was dose- and time-dependent manner. Treatment of HepG2 cells with quercetin reduced cell growth and induced apoptosis, followed by regulation of Sp1 and Sp1 regulatory protein. Taken together, the results suggest that quercetin can induce apoptotic cell death by regulating cell cycle and suppressing antiapoptotic proteins. Therefore, quercetin may be useful for cancer prevention. Drug Dev Res 76 : 9-16, 2015.

Beta-Lapachone Suppresses Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Proliferation through the Regulation of Specificity Protein 1

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common pathological type with a reported frequency of about 85% of all cases. Despite recent advances in therapeutic agents and targeted therapies, the prognosis for NSCLC remains poor, and therefore it is important to identify the biological targets of this complex disease since a blockade of such targets would affect multiple downstream signaling cascades. β-Lapachone (β-Lap) is an antiproliferative agent that selectively induces apoptosis-related cell death in a variety of human cancer cells. However, the mechanisms of its action require further investigation. In this study, we show that treatment with β-lap triggers apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in two NSCLC cell lines: H1299 and NCI-H358. The transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was markedly inhibited by β-lap in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, β-lap modulated the protein expression levels of the Sp1 regulatory genes, including cell-cycle regulatory proteins and antiapoptotic proteins, resulting in apoptosis. Taken together, our results indicate that β-lap may be a potential antiproliferative agent candidate by inducing apoptotic cell death in NSCLC tissue through downregulation of Sp1.

Thermal neutron response of a boron-coated GEM detector via GEANT4 Monte Carlo code

In this work, we report the design configuration and the performance of the hybrid Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detector. In order to make the detector sensitive to thermal neutrons, the forward electrode of the GEM has been coated with the enriched boron-10 material, which works as a neutron converter. A total of 5×5cm² configuration of GEM has been used for thermal neutron studies. The response of the detector has been estimated via using GEANT4 MC code with two different physics lists. Using the QGSP_BIC_HP physics list, the neutron detection efficiency was determined to be about 3%, while with QGSP_BERT_HP physics list the efficiency was around 2.5%, at the incident thermal neutron energies of 25meV. The higher response of the detector proves that GEM-coated with boron converter improves the efficiency for thermal neutrons detection.

Anti-proliferative properties of kahweol in oral squamous cancer through the regulation specificity protein 1

Kahweol, the coffee-specific deterpene, has been shown to have potential anti-cancer effects against several cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer activity of kahweol have not yet established. In this study, we investigated whether kahweol could show anti-cancer effects on oral squamous cell lines (OSCCs), HN22 and HSC4. We conducted an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxy-phenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay, 4'-6-diamidino2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, propidium iodide staining, immunocytochemistry, and Western blot analysis for the characterization of kahweol and the underlying signaling pathway. We determined that kahweol-treated cells showed significantly decreased cell viability and increased nuclear condensation and an increased sub-G1 population in OSCCs. Interestingly, suppression of the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was followed by induced apoptosis by kahweol in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, kahweol modulated the protein expression level of the Sp1 regulatory genes including cell cycle regulatory proteins and anti-apoptotic proteins, resulting in apoptosis. Taken together, results from these findings suggest that kahweol may be a potential anti-cancer drug candidate to induce apoptotic cell death through downregulation of Sp1 in OSCCs.

Inhibition of Ku70 acetylation by INHAT subunit SET/TAF-Iβ regulates Ku70-mediated DNA damage response

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) can cause either cell death or genomic instability. The Ku heterodimer Ku70/80 is required for the NHEJ (non-homologous end-joining) DNA DSB repair pathway. The INHAT (inhibitor of histone acetyltransferases) complex subunit, SET/TAF-Iβ, can inhibit p300- and PCAF-mediated acetylation of both histone and p53, thereby repressing general transcription and that of p53 target genes. Here, we show that SET/TAF-Iβ interacts with Ku70/80, and that this interaction inhibits CBP- and PCAF-mediated Ku70 acetylation in an INHAT domain-dependent manner. Notably, DNA damage by UV disrupted the interaction between SET/TAF-Iβ and Ku70. Furthermore, we demonstrate that overexpressed SET/TAF-Iβ inhibits recruitment of Ku70/80 to DNA damage sites. We propose that dysregulation of SET/TAF-Iβ expression prevents repair of damaged DNA and also contributes to cellular proliferation. All together, our findings indicate that SET/TAF-Iβ interacts with Ku70/80 in the nucleus and inhibits Ku70 acetylation. Upon DNA damage, SET/TAF-Iβ dissociates from the Ku complex and releases Ku70/Ku80, which are then recruited to DNA DSB sites via the NHEJ DNA repair pathway.

The HDAC inhibitor, panobinostat, induces apoptosis by suppressing the expresssion of specificity protein 1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) represent a novel class of therapeutic anticancer agents. Panobinostat (LBH589) induces apoptosis through the regulation of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) in the oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines, HN22 and HSC4. In this study, we analyzed the underlying signaling pathways and the mechanisms involved in this process by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, immunocytochemistry and western blot analysis. LBH589 significantly reduced cell growth and the sub-G1 cell population and induced apoptosis. Sp1 protein expression was significantly reduced following treatment with LBH589 in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, LBH589 upregulated the expression of p27 and p21 and downregulated the expression of cyclin D1, myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) and survivin; this led to the activation of apoptotic signaling pathways through the increase of Bax expression and the decrease of Bid and Bcl-xL expression. Treatment with LBH589 also induced the cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP in the HN22 and HSC4 cells. Taken together, our data demonstrate that LBH589 induces the apoptosis of OSCC cells by suppressing Sp1 expression, indicating that LBH589 may be a promising chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of OSCC.

Association between VEGF and eNOS gene polymorphisms and lumbar disc degeneration in a young Korean population

Disturbances in blood flow to intervertebral discs (IVD) play an important role in IVD degeneration. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) are extremely important angiogenic factors for vasodilation and neovascularization. We investigated the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the VEGF and eNOS genes and genetic susceptibility to lumbar IVD degeneration in a young adult Korean population. Two hundred and forty-one participants (aged 18 to 30 years), with or without low back pain, were selected for the study. Magnetic resonance imaging was made of the lumbar spine in all participants. The patient group (N = 102) had low back pain clinically and lumbar IVD degeneration radiographically. The control group (N = 139) included subjects with and without low back pain; all were negative radiographically for lumbar IVD degeneration. Using PCR-RFLP analysis, we analyzed VEGF (-2578C>A, -1154G>A, -634G>C, and 936C>T) and eNOS (-786T>C, 4a4b and 894G>T) SNPs. We made combined analyses of the genes and performed haplotype analyses. There were no significant differences in the genotype distribution of polymorphisms of VEGF and eNOS genes among patients and controls. However, the frequency of VEGF -2578CA +AA/-634CC combined genotypes was significantly higher in patients when compared with controls [odds ratio (OR) = 21.00; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.590- 170.240]. The frequencies of the -2578A/-1154A/-634C/936C (OR = 3.831; 95%CI = 1.068-13.742), -2578A/-1154A/-634C (OR = 3.356; 95%CI = 1.198-9.400), and -2578A/-634C/936C (OR = 10.820; 95%CI = 2.811-41.656) haplotypes were also significantly higher in patients than in controls. We conclude that the combined genotype VEGF -2578CA+AA/-634CC is a possible risk factor for IVD degeneration and the VEGF -2578A/-1154A/-634C/936C haplotype may increase the risk for development of IVD degeneration. Furthermore, the VEGF -634C allele appears to be associated with susceptibility to IVD degeneration.

Downregulation of Sp1 is involved in honokiol-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human malignant pleural mesothelioma cells

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an extremely aggressive type of cancer and is associated with a poor patient prognosis due to its rapid progression. Novel therapeutic agents such as honokiol (HNK) improve the clinical outcomes of cancer therapy, yet the mechanisms involved have not been fully elucidated. The present study examined the regulatory effects of HNK on the growth and apoptosis of MSTO-211H mesothelioma cells and investigated its anticancer mechanism. The results revealed that HNK significantly reduced the cell viability and increased the sub-G1 population in MSTO-211H cells and suppressed the expression of the specificity protein 1 protein (Sp1). HNK reduced the transcriptional activity of Sp1 regulatory proteins, including cyclin D1, Mcl-1 and survivin, and, thus, induced apoptosis signaling pathways by increasing Bax, reducing Bid and Bcl-xl and activating caspase-3 and PARP in mesothelioma cells. The results suggest that Sp1, a novel molecular target of HNK, may be related to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction through the modulation of signal transduction pathways in MPM.

Association of transforming growth factor-beta 1 gene polymorphism with genetic susceptibility to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in Korean patients

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligaments (OPLL) has been considered to be associated with abnormalities of bone metabolism, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has been demonstrated to affect the bone remodeling process. We investigated two SNPs of the TGF-β1 promoter (-509C>T; rs1800469) and exon 1 (869T>C; rs1982073) in 298 Koreans (98 patients with OPLL and 200 control subjects). The promoter SNP -509C>T was determined by PCR and RFLP, and the TaqMan probe assay was used to determine 869T>C polymorphism genotypes. The subjects were divided into OPLL continuous group (continuous type plus mixed type) and OPLL segmental group (segmental and localized type). We also separately analyzed this association according to gender difference. There was no significant difference in genotype distributions of -509C>T and 869T>C polymorphisms of the TGF-β1 gene between OPLL patients and controls. A combined analysis of TGF-β1 -509C>T and 869T>C polymorphisms showed no significant association with OPLL, and a subgroup analysis did not show any significant correlation between the SNP -509C>T or SNP 869T>C and OPLL subgroups. Stratification by gender demonstrated no significant effect. We conclude that promoter region (-509C>T) and exon 1 (869T>C) polymorphisms are not associated with OPLL in the Korean population.

Comparative proteomic analysis of endothelial cells progenitor cells derived from cord blood- and peripheral blood for cell therapy

Vasculopathy due to ischemia in damaged tissues is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. To treat these conditions, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from various sources, such as umbilical cord or peripheral blood, have been the focus of the regenerative medicine field due to their proliferative and vasculogenic activities. However, the fundamental, molecular-level differences between EPCs obtained from different cellular sources have rarely been studied. In this study, we established endothelial progenitor cells derived from cord blood- and peripheral blood (CB- and PB-EPCs) and investigated their fundamental differences at the cellular and molecular levels through a combination of stem cell biology techniques and proteomic analysis. Our results suggest that specifically up-regulated factors such as STMIN 1, CFL 1, PARK 7, NME 1, GLO 1, HSP 27 and PRDX 2 in CB-EPCs as key elements that could be functionally active in ischemic regions. We also discussed functional behaviors important for inducing and maintaining long-lasting blood vessels under ischemic conditions. As a result, CB-EPCs retained a higher anti-oxidant and migration ability than PB-EPCs in vitro. Furthermore, CB-EPCs retained a higher therapeutic efficacy than PB-EPCs in a hindlimb ischemic disease model. The up-regulated expression pattern of STMIN 1, CFL 1, PARK 7, NME 1, GLO 1, HSP 27 and PRDX 2 was confirmed under several conditions in vitro and in vivo, indicating that the up-regulation of these molecules in CB-EPCs may be critical to the mechanism of healing in ischemic conditions and that CB-EPCs may be more appropriate for inducing neo-vessels. Thus, these results may aid in predetermining which cell sources will be of value for cell-based therapies of pathological conditions and identify several candidate molecules that may be involved in the therapeutic mechanism for ischemia.