• BMB Reports
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.166-171
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• 2015

We previously demonstrated that resveratrol and clofarabine elicited a marked cytotoxicity on malignant mesothelioma (MM) MSTO-211H cells but not on the corresponding normal mesothelial MeT-5A cells. Little is known of the possible molecules that could be used to predict preferential chemosensitivity on MSTO-211H cells. Resveratrol and clofarabine induced downregulation of Mcl-1 protein level in MSTO-211H cells. Treatment of cells with cycloheximide in the presence of proteasome inhibitor MG132 suggested that Mcl-1 protein levels were regulated at the post-translational step. The siRNA-based knockdown of Mcl-1 in MSTO-211H cells triggered more growth-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing effects with the resultant cleavages of procaspase-3 and its substrate PARP, increased caspase-3/7 activity, and increased percentage of apoptotic propensities. However, the majority of the observed changes were not shown in MeT-5A cells. Collectively, these studies indicate that the preferential activation of caspase cascade in malignant cells might have important applications as a therapeutic target for MM.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.273-279
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• 2012

Hesperidin, a flavanone present in citrus fruits, has been studied as potential therapeutic agents that have anti-tumor activity and apoptotic effects in several cancers, but there is no report about the apoptotic effect of hesperidin in human malignant pleural mesothelioma through the specificity protein 1 (Sp1) protein. We investigated whether hesperidin inhibited cell growth and regulated Sp1 target proteins by suppressing the levels of Sp1 protein in MSTO-211H cells. The $IC_{50}$ value of hesperidin was determined to be 152.3 ${\mu}M$ in MSTO-211H cells for 48 h. Our results suggested that hesperidin (0-160 ${\mu}M$) decreased cell viability, and induced apoptotic cell death. Hesperidin increased Sub-$G_1$ population in MSTO-211H cells. Hesperidin significantly suppressed mRNA/protein level of Sp1 and modulated the expression level of the Sp1 regulatory protein such as p27, p21, cyclin D1, Mcl-1, and survivin in mesothelioma cells. Also, hesperidin induced apoptotic signaling including: cleavages of Bid, caspase-3, and PARP, upregulation of Bax, and down-regulation of Bcl-$_{xl}$ in mesothelioma cells. These results show that hesperidin suppressed mesothelioma cell growth through inhibition of Sp1. In this study, we demonstrated that Sp1 acts as a novel molecular target of hesperidin in human malignant pleural mesothelioma.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.493-502
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• 2020

Apigenin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, is known to exhibit significant anticancer activity. This study was designed to determine the effects of apigenin on two malignant mesothelioma cell lines, MSTO-211H and H2452, and to explore the underlying mechanism(s). Apigenin significantly inhibited cell viability with a concomitant increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caused the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and ATP depletion, resulting in apoptosis and necroptosis in monolayer cell culture. Apigenin upregulated DNA damage response proteins, including the DNA double strand break marker phospho (p)-histone H2A.X. and caused a transition delay at the G₂/M phase of cell cycle. Western blot analysis showed that apigenin treatment upregulated protein levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved PARP, p-MLKL, and p-RIP3 along with an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. ATP supplementation restored cell viability and levels of DNA damage-, apoptosisand necroptosis-related proteins that apigenin caused. In addition, N-acetylcysteine reduced ROS production and improved ΔΨm loss and cell death that were caused by apigenin. In a 3D spheroid culture model, ROS-dependent necroptosis was found to be a mechanism involved in the anti-cancer activity of apigenin against malignant mesothelioma cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that apigenin can induce ROS-dependent necroptotic cell death due to ATP depletion through mitochondrial dysfunction. This study provides us a possible mechanism underlying why apigenin could be used as a therapeutic candidate for treating malignant mesothelioma.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권5호
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• pp.416-425
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• 2015

NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a basic leucine zipper transcription factor, has recently received a great deal of attention as an important molecule that enhances antioxidative defenses and induces resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated the apoptosis-inducing and Nrf2- upregulating effects of quercetin on malignant mesothelioma (MM) MSTO-211H and H2452 cells. Quercetin treatment inhibited cell growth and led to upregulation of Nrf2 at both the mRNA and protein levels without altering the ubiquitination and extending the half-life of the Nrf2 protein. Following treatment with quercetin, analyses of the nuclear level of Nrf2, Nrf2 antioxidant response element-binding assay, Nrf2 promoter-luc assay, and RT-PCR toward the Nrf2-regulated gene, heme oxygenase-1, demonstrated that the induced Nrf2 is transcriptionally active. Knockdown of Nrf2 expression with siRNA enhanced cytotoxicity due to the induction of apoptosis, as evidenced by an increase in the level of proapoptotic Bax, a decrease in the level of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 with enhanced cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP proteins, the appearance of a sub-$G_0/G_1$ peak in the flow cytometric assay, and increased percentage of apoptotic propensities in the annexin V binding assay. Effective reversal of apoptosis was observed following pretreatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD. Moreover, Nrf2 knockdown exhibited increased sensitivity to the anticancer drug, cisplatin, presumably by potentiating the oxidative stress induced by cisplatin. Collectively, our data demonstrate the importance of Nrf2 in cytoprotection, survival, and drug resistance with implications for the potential significance of targeting Nrf2 as a promising strategy for overcoming resistance to chemotherapeutics in MM.

• BMB Reports
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• 제45권11호
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• pp.647-652
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• 2012

We previously reported that MSTO-211H cells have a higher capacity to regulate Nrf2 activation in response to changes in the cellular redox environment. To further characterize its biological significance, the response of Nrf2, a transcription factor that regulates ARE-containing genes, on the synergistic cytotoxic effect of clofarabine and resveratrol was investigated in mesothelioma cells. The combination treatment showed a marked growth-inhibitory effect, which was accompanied by suppression of Nrf2 activation and decreased expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). While transient overexpression of Nrf2 conferred protection against the cytotoxicity caused by their combination, knockdown of Nrf2 expression using siRNA enhanced their cytotoxic effect. Pretreatment with Ly294002, a PI3K inhibitor, augmented the decrease in HO-1 level by their combination, whereas no obvious changes were observed in Nrf2 levels. Altogether, these results suggest that the synergistic cytotoxic effect of clofarabine and resveratrol was mediated, at least in part, through suppression of Nrf2 signaling.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권7호
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• pp.835-846
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• 2016

항암제 내성은 화학적 치료법의 가장 큰 난관의 하나로 효과적인 항암치료를 위해서 반드시 극복 되야 할 문제이다. ABCG2는 다약제 내성과 이를 특징으로 하는 암 줄기세포와의 연관성도 매우 높다고 보고되고 있다. 최근 암용해 바이러스가 다양한 암종과 항암제내성을 보이는 암 치료에 새로운 대안으로 대두되고 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 항암제 내성 암 치료를 위해 새로운 암용해 백시니아 바이러스 SLJ-496을 개발하였다. 본 연구에서, cytophathic effect, plaque assay, viability assay를 통하여 야생형 바이러스에 비교하여 증가된 종양친화성을 확인하였다. 또한, invitro 환경에서 대장암 세포주(HT-29, HCT-116, HCT-8)를 비롯하여 위암 세포주(AGS, NCI-N87, MKN-28), 간암 세포주(SNU-449, SNU-423, SNU-475, HepG2) 그리고 난치성 암 종인 중피 세포종(NCI-H226, NCI-H28, MSTO-211h)에서 유의적인 세포독성효능을 입증하였다. ABCG2의 발현이 높은 HT-29세포의 3차원 구형배양을 통하여 ABCG2와 암줄기세포 특성의 연관성을 증명하였으며, 항암제 내성세포 모델에서 SLJ-496GFP가 유의한 세포독성을 나타내며 암세포내 복제능을 가지는 것을 입증하였다. ABCG2를 과발현 시킨 세포주 내 야생형 바이러스에 비교하여 유의적으로 낮은 세포 생존율을 증명하였으며, 바이러스의 복제능 또한 검증하였다. 또한, 지속적인 항암제 투여를 통하여 ABCG2의 발현이 높은 항암제 내성 세포주에서의 항종양 효능 또한 입증하였다. 이상의 결과를 토대로 ABCG2가 과발현 된 암 줄기세포 및 항암제 내성에 새로운 항종양 바이러스 SLJ-496 백시니아 바이러스 치료법이 새로운 치료 대안이 될 수 있을 것이라 제안한다.