Sorafenib,rapamycin, and venetoclax attenuate doxorubicin-induced senescence and promote apoptosis in HCT116 cells

Emerging evidence has shown that the therapy-induced senescent growth arrest in cancer cells is of durable nature whereby a subset of cells can reinstate proliferative capacity. Promising new drugs named senolytics selectively target senescent cells and commit them into apoptosis. Accordingly, senolytics have been proposed as adjuvant cancer treatment to cull senescent tumor cells, and thus, screening for agents that exhibit senolytic properties is highly warranted. Our study aimed to investigate three agents, sorafenib, rapamycin, and venetoclax for their senolytic potential in doxorubicin-induced senescence in HCT116 cells. HCT116 cells were treated with one of the three agents, sorafenib (5 µM), rapamycin (100 nM), or venetoclax (10 µM), in the absence or presence of doxorubicin (1 µM). Senescence was evaluated using microscopy-based and flow cytometry-based Senescence-associated-β-galactosidase staining (SA-β-gal), while apoptosis was assessed using annexin V-FITC/PI, and Muse caspase-3/-7 activity assays. We screened for potential genes through which the three drugs exerted senolytic-like action using the Human Cancer Pathway Finder PCR array. The three agents reduced doxorubicin-induced senescent cell subpopulations and significantly enhanced the apoptotic effect of doxorubicin compared with those treated only with doxorubicin. The senescence genes IGFBP5 and BMI1 and the apoptosis genes CASP7 and CASP9 emerged as candidate genes through which the three drugs exhibited senolytic-like properties. These results suggest that the attenuation of doxorubicin-induced senescence might have shifted HCT116 cells to apoptosis by exposure to the tested pharmacological agents. Our work argues for the use of senolytics to reduce senescence-mediated resistance in tumor cells and to enhance chemotherapy efficacy.     

Efficacy of stem cell-based therapies for colistin-induced nephrotoxicity

The increase in infections with multidrug resistant bacteria has forced to return to the use of colistin, antibiotic with known nephrotoxicity. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being extensively investigated for their potential in regenerative medicine. This study aimed to investigate the possible protective mechanisms of the MSCs against kidney injury induced by colistin. Forty adult female albino rats were randomly classified into 4 equal groups; the control group, the MSC-treated group (a single dose of 1 ×10⁶ /ml MSCs through the tail vein), the colistin-treated group (36 mg/kg/day colistin was given for 7 days), and the both colistin and MSC group (36 mg/kg/day colistin and 1 ×10⁶ /ml MSCs). Main outcome measures were histopathological alterations, kidney malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and immunohistological autophagy evaluation. MSC repressed the progression of colistin-induced kidney injury as evidenced by the improvement of histopathological alterations and the substantial increase MDA, and decrease SOD and CAT in serum levels. Moreover, MSC resulted in a profound reduction in oxidative stress as manifested by decreased MDA and increased SOD in serum. Notably, MSC suppressed colistin-induced autophagy; it reduced renal levels of Beclin-1, P62 and LC3A/B. Furthermore, MSC decreased renal levels of eNOS. Lastly, MSC efficiently decreased expression of the TUNEL positive cell number. MSC confers protection against colistin-induced kidney injury by alleviating oxidative stress, nitric oxide synthase besides modulating reducing autophagy and apoptosis.     

血管内皮细胞生长因子促进肝内胆管细胞癌生长的机制研究

目的探究血管内皮细胞生长因子（VEGF）及其受体对肝内胆管细胞癌（ICC）细胞生长调控的作用机制。 方法Western blotting检测VEGF在12例ICC患者肿瘤组织和癌旁正常组织中的表达水平。采用外源性重组人源VEGF（rhVEGF）处理ICC细胞株Huh28后，采用细胞计数检测细胞生长情况，5-溴脱氧尿嘧啶核苷（BrdU）实验检测细胞增殖，流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡。Western blotting检测rhVEGF处理后Huh28细胞中VEGF受体VEGFR1及VEGFR2的表达情况。使用特异性抗体分别阻断VEGFR1及VEGFR2，通过ELISA法检测细胞的凋亡水平。采用慢病毒shRNA构建稳定敲低VEGFR2的ICC细胞株Huh28-shVEGFR2（实验组）和对照细胞株Huh28-shNC（对照组）。采用Huh28-shVEGFR2及Huh28-shNC细胞在10只裸鼠中构建皮下瘤模型，观察肿瘤的生长情况。 结果VEGF在ICC肿瘤组织中蛋白表达水平上调，显著高于癌旁正常组织（P<0.01）。外源性rhVEGF可以促进Huh28细胞生长，抑制细胞凋亡，而对细胞增殖能力无明显影响。rhVEGF处理后Huh28细胞中磷酸化的VEGFR1及VEGFR2表达水平升高（P<0.05）。VEGFR2抗体可以显著逆转rhVEGF介导的抗凋亡作用（P<0.05），而VEGFR1抗体则无明显效果。皮下瘤模型结果显示，与对照组相比，肿瘤生长在实验组中受到显著抑制，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。 结论VEGF是通过VEGFR2依赖的信号通路抑制ICC细胞凋亡，从而促进ICC细胞生长。     

地塞米松通过线粒体途径诱导成骨细胞凋亡的研究

目的观察地塞米松对离体成骨细胞凋亡的影响,探讨地塞米松对成骨细胞凋亡的分子作用机制。方法采用不同浓度地塞米松(10~(-8)、10~(-6)、10~(-4)mol/L)干预SD大鼠离体成骨细胞,DAPI染色观察细胞核形态,透射电镜观察细胞核及线粒体形态,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率,JC-1荧光探针检测线粒体跨膜电位。结果 10~(-8)、10~(-6)、10~(-4)mol/L地塞米松干预24 h后,DAPI染色发现,10~(-8)mol/L地塞米松组的成骨细胞很少发生凋亡,10~(-6)mol/L和10~(-4)mol/L地塞米松组的成骨细胞凋亡明显,地塞米松的浓度越高,核固缩、核裂解等凋亡现象越明显;透射电镜观察发现,随着地塞米松浓度增加,细胞核固缩明显,线粒体肿胀、空泡样变化现象增多;成骨细胞的凋亡率随着地塞米松浓度的增加而逐渐增高,与空白对照组相比,10~(-8)mol/L地塞米松组细胞凋亡率无明显升高(P0.05),10~(-6) mol/L和10~(-4)mol/L地塞米松组的成骨细胞凋亡率分别较空白对照组增加7.240%和31.173%(P0.05);随着地塞米松浓度的增加,线粒体膜电位逐渐减低,与空白对照组相比较,10~(-8)mol/L地塞米松组细胞膜电位下降不明显(P0.05),10~(-6) mol/L和10~(-4)mol/L地塞米松组膜电位下降分别较空白对照组降低6.814%和17.846%(P0.05)。结论地塞米松通过激活线粒体途径诱导成骨细胞凋亡,存在浓度依赖性。     

首发儿童精神分裂症患者脑源性神经营养因子水平及神经元凋亡研究

目的探讨首发儿童精神分裂症患者脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)、β-微管蛋白III(Tuj-1)、胱天蛋白酶3(Caspase-3)的变化,为揭示儿童精神分裂症的病因和发病机制提供参考。方法以2015年8月-2018年3月在大理州第二人民医院就诊的符合《精神障碍诊断与统计手册(第4版)》(DSM-IV)诊断标准的儿童精神分裂症患者(n=35)为研究组,同期在大理州第二人民医院的体检儿童中随机选取健康儿童为对照组(n=30)。通过实时荧光定量逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)测定两组儿童血液中BDNF、Caspase-3和Tuj-1的mRNA表达水平。结果与对照组相比,研究组BDNF和Tuj-1 mRNA表达低(P0.05或0.01),Caspase-3 mRNA表达高(P0.01)。结论儿童精神分裂症患者的BDNF mRNA和Tuj-1 mRNA表达少,Caspase-3 mRNA表达多,BDNF mRNA、Tuj-1 mRNA和Caspase-3 mRNA可能与儿童精神分裂症相关。     

Molecular mechanisms and cellular events involved in the neuroprotective actions of estradiol. Analysis of sex differences

Estradiol, either from peripheral or central origin, activates multiple molecular neuroprotective and neuroreparative responses that, being mediated by estrogen receptors or by estrogen receptor independent mechanisms, are initiated at the membrane, the cytoplasm or the cell nucleus of neural cells. Estrogen-dependent signaling regulates a variety of cellular events, such as intracellular Ca²⁺ levels, mitochondrial respiratory capacity, ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, autophagy and apoptosis. In turn, these molecular and cellular actions of estradiol are integrated by neurons and non-neuronal cells to generate different tissue protective responses, decreasing blood-brain barrier permeability, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and excitotoxicity and promoting synaptic plasticity, axonal growth, neurogenesis, remyelination and neuroregeneration. Recent findings indicate that the neuroprotective and neuroreparative actions of estradiol are different in males and females and further research is necessary to fully elucidate the causes for this sex difference.     

Role of intravenous zoledronic acid in management of giant cell tumor of bone- A prospective,randomized, clinical,radiological and electron microscopic analysis

BackgroundThe primary treatment of Giant cell tumor of bone is surgical management. Bisphosphonates are antiresorptive drugs which inhibit osteoclast mediated bone resorption and shown to have inhibitory effect on various tumors. The present study aims to establish clinical, ultrastructural and radiological response of intravenous zoledronic acid on giant cell tumor of bone.MethodologyDesign - Prospective randomized controlled study. A group of 30 patients of GCT bone were randomized into two equal groups. Patients in control group did not receive any adjuvant therapy before surgery. Patients in bisphosphonate group received three doses of intravenous zoledronic acid at four weeks interval prior to definitive surgery. The evaluation was done based on size of swelling, VAS score, plain radiograph, MRI and histopathological and Transmission electron microscopic examination findings.ResultsSignificant reduction in VAS score (from mean 5.33 to 1.8), increased mineralization particularly at periphery of lesion in plain radiograph, statistically significant increase in mean apoptotic index, P value < 0.0001 (mean 41.46 in bisphosphonate group and 6.06 in control group) was noted in bisphosphonate group. No significant change in tumor volume is noted in MRI. No significant side effects were noted.DiscussionOne distinctive feature of pathogenesis of GCT bone is osteoclastogenesis which causes extensive bone destruction. Use of intravenous Zoledronic acid counteracts this bone destruction. Further, possible antiangiogenic effect of intravenous bisphosphonates inhibits tumor growth and provides symptomatic improvement.ConclusionIV Zoledronic acid alleviates pain, produce sclerosis and induce apoptosis hence decrease the rate of tumor progression and decrease the rate of local bone destruction, hence they are useful adjuvant to surgery in GCT.     

Knockdown of Long Noncoding RNA ENST457720 Inhibits Proliferation of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. More and more reports have identified important roles for long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer development. ENST457720 expression was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma in a microarray-based lncRNA screen. We determined the expression levels of ENST457720 in NSCLC tissues with quantitative real-time PCR and then studied their clinical significance. We explored the biological significance of ENST457720 with gain- and lossof-function analyses in vitro and in vivo. In this study, ENST457720 was expressed at higher levels in NSCLC tissues than in paired normal tissues. Higher ENST457720 expression was associated with larger tumor sizes, lymph node metastasis, and advanced TNM stage. ENST457720 silencing suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, ENST457720 knockdown inhibited NSCLC invasion and reversed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. ENST457720 promoted NSCLC proliferation and invasion, which may be a novel potential therapeutic target for NSCLC.     

Luteolin Suppresses Teratoma Cell Growth and Induces Cell Apoptosis via Inhibiting Bcl-2

Luteolin, which is found in plant foods, has a range of therapeutic applications. In order to examine the potential roles of luteolin in ovarian teratocarcinoma, the human ovarian teratocarcinoma cell line PA-1 was selected for functional experiments in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated that luteolin inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of PA-1 cells in vitro. The flow cytometry results suggested that luteolin induced apoptosis of PA-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) was decreased in luteolin-treated cells, whereas the expression of Bcl-2- associated X (Bax) was increased compared with that in the control group. In addition, luteolin inhibited the tumor growth of ovarian teratocarcinoma cells in a xenograft model. All the results suggested that luteolin induced cell apoptosis and inhibited tumor growth of PA-1 cells.