Ellen C. Henry

Novel Compound 2-Methyl-2H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic Acid (2-methyl-4-o-tolylazo-phenyl)-amide (CH-223191) Prevents 2,3,7,8-TCDD-Induced Toxicity by Antagonizing the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a widespread environmental pollutant with many toxic effects, including endocrine disruption, reproductive dysfunction, immunotoxicity, liver damage, and cancer. These are mediated by TCDD binding to and activating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. In this regard, targeting the AhR using novel small molecule inhibitors is an attractive strategy for the development of potential preventive agents. In this study, by screening a chemical library composed of approximately 10,000 compounds, we identified a novel compound, 2-methyl-2H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (2-methyl-4-o-tolylazo-phenyl)-amide (CH-223191), that potently inhibits TCDD-induced AhR-dependent transcription. In addition, CH-223191 blocked the binding of TCDD to AhR and inhibited TCDD-mediated nuclear translocation and DNA binding of AhR. These inhibitory effects of CH-223191 prevented the expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes, target genes of the AhR. Unlike many known antagonists of AhR, CH-223191 did not have detectable AhR agonist-like activity or estrogenic potency, suggesting that CH-223191 is a specific antagonist of AhR. It is noteworthy that CH-223191 potently prevented TCDD-elicited cytochrome P450 induction, liver toxicity, and wasting syndrome in mice. Taken together, these results demonstrate that this novel compound, CH-223191, may be a useful agent for the study of AhR-mediated signal transduction and the prevention of TCDD-associated pathology.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is a novel Hsp90 inhibitor.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major component of green tea, protects against certain types of cancers, although the mechanism has not yet been determined. It was previously demonstrated that EGCG blocks aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated transcription induced by the potent carcinogen 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Unlike other AhR antagonists that directly bind to the AhR, EGCG inhibits AhR-mediated transcription by binding to hsp90. We hypothesize that EGCG exerts anti-AhR and anticancer effects by acting as an hsp90 inhibitor. Using proteolytic footprinting, immunoprecipitation, and an ATP-agarose pull-down assay, EGCG was found to directly modulate the conformation of hsp90 and bind at or near to a C-terminal ATP binding site. Hsp90 chaperone function, as assessed by its ability to mediate refolding of denatured luciferase, was inhibited by EGCG treatment. Hsp90 dimerization, which occurs at the C-terminal end, was also inhibited by EGCG treatment. Coimmunoprecipitation studies showed that EGCG stabilizes an AhR complex that includes hsp90 and XAP2 (hepatitis B virus X-associated protein 2), and decreases the association of aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator (Arnt) with ligand-activated AhR. Thus, EGCG, through its ability to bind to hsp90, blocks AhR response element (AhRE) recognition. These studies indicate a novel mechanism whereby EGCG inhibits ligand-induced AhRE binding and AhR-mediated transcriptional activity. In EGCG-treated human ovarian carcinoma SKOV3 cells, decreased levels of several cancer-related hsp90 client proteins, such as ErbB2, Raf-1 and phospho-AKT, were observed. EGCG also modified the association of hsp90 with several cochaperones. Overall, these data indicate that EGCG is a novel hsp90 inhibitor. Further studies are needed to determine if this has a role in the antitumor actions of EGCG.

Neural precursor cell proliferation is disrupted through activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

Neurogenesis involves the proliferation of multipotent neuroepithelial stem cells followed by differentiation into lineage-restricted neural precursor cells (NPCs) during the embryonic period. Interestingly, these progenitor cells express robust levels of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates expression of genes important for growth regulation, and xenobiotic metabolism. Upon binding 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a pervasive environmental contaminant and potent AhR ligand, AhR, is activated and disrupts gene expression patterns to produce cellular toxicity. Because of its widespread distribution in the brain during critical proliferative phases of neurogenesis, it is conceivable that AhR participates in NPC expansion. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that AhR activation by TCDD disrupts signaling events that regulate NPC proliferation. The C17.2 NPC line served as a model system to (1) assess whether NPCs are targets for TCDD-induced neurotoxicity and (2) characterize the effects of TCDD on NPC proliferation. We demonstrated that C17.2 NPCs express an intact AhR signaling pathway that becomes transcriptionally active after TCDD exposure. (3)H-thymidine and alamar blue reduction assays indicated that TCDD suppresses NPC proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner without the loss of cell viability. Cell cycle distribution analysis by flow cytometry revealed that TCDD-induced growth arrest results from an impaired G1 to S cell cycle transition. Moreover, TCDD exposure altered p27( kip1) and cyclin D1 cell cycle regulatory protein expression levels consistent with a G1 phase arrest. Initial studies in primary NPCs isolated from the ventral forebrain of embryonic mice demonstrated that TCDD reduced cell proliferation through a G1 phase arrest, corroborating our findings in the C17.2 cell line. Together, these observations suggest that the inappropriate or sustained activation of AhR by TCDD during neurogenesis can interfere with signaling pathways that regulate neuroepithelial stem cell/NPC proliferation, which could adversely impact final cell number in the brain and lead to functional impairments.

Changes in hamster hepatic cytochrome p-450, ethoxycoumarin o-deethylase, and reduced nad(p):menadione oxidoreductase following treatment with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin: Partial dissociation of temporal and dose-response relationships from elicited toxicity

The temporal and dose-related characteristics of hepatic enzymes induced in the hamster by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) were examined. Male Syrian golden hamsters received a single intraperitoneal injection of TCDD at a dose of 0-500 micrograms/kg. At various times up to 35 days, a number of variables were determined and compared: whole body, liver, and thymus weights; hepatic concentrations of cytochrome P-450 (P-450); and activities of 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) and reduced NAD(P): menadione oxidoreductase (NMOR). Increased liver weights and decreased thymus weights were observed to be dose related. At day 7 following treatment, the approximate ED50 values for these responses were 15 and 100 micrograms/kg respectively. The ED50 values for the increase in hepatic P-450 concentrations and activities of ECOD and NMOR ranged from 0.5 to 2.0 micrograms/kg. At 10 and 500 micrograms/kg, NMOR activity remained maximally induced for up to 35 days. This was also the case for P-450 and ECOD activity at a dose of 10 micrograms/kg. At 500 micrograms/kg, both P-450 and ECOD demonstrated an induction up to day 4 followed by a decrease to near control levels by day 14. This decrease appeared to correlate with changes in hepatic morphology. These results demonstrate a dissociation of the induction of these hepatic enzymes from TCDD-induced lethality, in this species.

The Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibitor, (−)-Epigallocatechin Gallate, Has Anticancer Activity in a Novel Human Prostate Cancer Progression Model

(−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major tea polyphenol, elicits anticancer effects. However, the mechanism of action is not fully understood. Our laboratory previously showed that EGCG inhibits heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). We used nontumorigenic (NT), tumorigenic, and metastatic cancer cells from a novel human prostate cancer progression model to test the hypotheses that certain stages are more or less sensitive to EGCG and that sensitivity is related to HSP90 inhibition. Treatment of cells with EGCG, novobiocin, or 17-AAG resulted in more potent cytotoxic effects on tumorigenic and metastatic cells than NT cells. When tumorigenic or metastatic cells were grown in vivo, mice supplemented with 0.06% EGCG in drinking water developed significantly smaller tumors than untreated mice. Furthermore, EGCG prevented malignant transformation in vivo using the full prostate cancer model. To elucidate the mechanism of EGCG action, we performed binding assays with EGCG-Sepharose, a C-terminal HSP90 antibody, and HSP90 mutants. These experiments revealed that EGCG-Sepharose bound more HSP90 from metastatic cells compared with NT cells and binding occurred through the HSP90 C-terminus. In addition, EGCG bound HSP90 mutants that mimic both complexed and uncomplexed HSP90. Consistent with HSP90 inhibitory activity, EGCG, novobiocin, and 17-AAG induced changes in HSP90-client proteins in NT cells and larger differences in metastatic cells. These data suggest that EGCG may be efficacious for the treatment of prostate cancer because it preferentially targets cancer cells and inhibits a molecular chaperone supportive of the malignant phenotype. Cancer Prev Res; 8(3); 249–57. ©2015 AACR.

Effects of thyroidectomy on the Ah receptor and enzyme inducibility by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in the rat liver

Thyroidectomy of rats confers some protection, by an unknown mechanism, from the weight loss, immunotoxicity, and mortality induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Since at least some of the many effects of TCDD appear to be mediated by the Ah receptor, perhaps the thyroid plays a role in regulation of this receptor, thereby modifying the toxicity of TCDD. We tested this hypothesis by comparing TCDD-binding characteristics of the receptor and hepatic enzyme inducibility by TCDD (a receptor-mediated response) in thyroidectomized (ThX) and euthyroid rats. There were no significant differences in levels of TCDD binding in vitro in hepatic cytosol, in receptor affinity, nor in the molecular size of the TCDD-bound receptor in untreated ThX rats compared to controls fed ad libitum or pair-fed. Total hepatic cytochrome P-450 (P-450) levels and NADPH-menadione oxidoreductase (NMOR) activity were unaffected by thyroid status, whereas 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) activity was approx. 50% lower in ThX animals than in ad libitum or pair-fed controls. At 3 and 10 days after TCDD administration (10 micrograms/kg, i.p.), P-450 concentrations and NMOR and ECOD activities were induced by approximately the same proportions in ThX and pair-fed intact rats; however, the absolute levels of the induced activities were lower in ThX than in pair-fed controls. It was concluded that hypothyroidism does not regulate Ah receptor concentration or function in the liver. Therefore, the modulation of TCDD toxicity by hypothyroidism appears not to involve changes in the hepatic Ah receptor.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Deficiency in an Exon 3 Deletion Mouse Model Promotes Hematopoietic Stem Cell Proliferation and Impacts Endosteal Niche Cells

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor belonging to the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) family of proteins. The AHR is involved in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) functions including self-renewal, proliferation, quiescence, and differentiation. We hypothesize that AHR impacts HSC functions by influencing genes that have roles in HSC maintenance and function and that this may occur through regulation of bone marrow (BM) niche cells. We examined BM and niche cells harvested from 8-week-old AHR null-allele (KO) mice in which exon 3 was deleted in the Ahr gene and compared these data to cells from B6 control mice; young and old (10 months) animals were also compared. We report changes in HSCs and peripheral blood cells in mice lacking AHR. Serial transplantation assays revealed a significant increase in long term HSCs. There was a significant increase in mesenchymal stem cells constituting the endosteal BM niche. Gene expression analyses of HSCs revealed an increase in expression of genes involved in proliferation and maintenance of quiescence. Our studies infer that loss of AHR results in increased proliferation and self-renewal of long term HSCs, in part, by influencing the microenvironment in the niche regulating the balance between quiescence and proliferation in HSCs.

Towards the discovery of drug-like epigallocatechin gallate analogs as Hsp90 inhibitors

(-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the major flavonoid of green tea and has been widely explored for a range of biological activities including anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotection. Existing structure-activity data for EGCG has been largely limited to exploration of simple ethers and hydroxyl deletion. EGCG has poor drug-like properties because of multiple phenolic hydroxyl moieties and a metabolically labile ester. This work reports a substantial expansion of structure-activity understanding by exploring a range of semi-synthetic and synthetic derivatives with ester replacements and variously substituted aromatic and alicyclic groups containing more drug-like substituents. Structure-activity relationships for these molecules were obtained for Hsp90 inhibition. The results indicate that amide and sulfonamide linkers are suitable ester replacements. Hydroxylated aromatic rings and the cis-stereochemistry in EGCG are not essential for Hsp90 inhibition. Selected analogs in this series are more potent than EGCG in a luciferase refolding assay for Hsp90 activity.

Temporal - and dose-related characteristics of biochemical and morphological alterations in the hamster induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

The temporal - and dose-related characteristics of hepatic enzymes induced and toxic responses elicited in the hamster by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin were examined. The results demonstrate a dissociation of the induction of these hepatic enzymes from TCDD-elicited lethality, but not necessarily hepatic damage, in this species. Furthermore, the hyperthyroidism observed is suggestive of a role of these hormones in the relatively insensitive nature of this species to TCDD treatment.