Hernan Flores-Rozas

Anti-inflammatory effects of thymoquinone in activated BV-2 microglial cells

Thymoquinone (TQ), the main pharmacological active ingredient within the black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) is believed to be responsible for the therapeutic effects on chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, asthma and neurodegeneration. In this study, we evaluated the potential anti-inflammatory role of TQ in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 murine microglia cells. The results obtained indicate that TQ was effective in reducing NO2(-) with an IC50 of 5.04μM, relative to selective iNOS inhibitor LNIL-l-N6-(1-iminoethyl)lysine (IC50 4.09μM). TQ mediated reduction in NO2(-) was found to parallel the decline of iNOS protein expression as confirmed by immunocytochemistry. In addition, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of TQ on ninety-six (96) cytokines using a RayBio AAM-CYT-3 and 4 cytokine antibody protein array. Data obtained establish a baseline protein expression profile characteristic of resting BV-2 cells in the order of osteopontin>MIP-1alpha>MIP-1g>IGF-1 and MCP-I. In the presence of LPS [1ug/ml], activated BV-2 cells produced a sharp rise in specific pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines IL-6, IL-12p40/70, CCL12 /MCP-5, CCL2/MCP-1, and G-CSF which were attenuated by the addition of TQ (10μM). The TQ mediated attenuation of MCP-5, MCP-1 and IL-6 protein in supernatants from activated BV-2 cells were corroborated by independent ELISA. Moreover, the data obtained from the RT(2) PCR demonstrated a similar pattern where the LPS mediated elevation of mRNA for IL-6, CCL12/MCP-5, CCL2/MCP-1 were significantly attenuated by TQ (10μM). Also, in this study, consistent data were obtained for both protein antibody array densitometry and ELISA assays. In addition, TQ was found to reduce LPS mediated elevation in gene expression of Cxcl10 and a number of other cytokines in the panel. These findings demonstrate the significant anti-inflammatory properties of TQ in LPS activated microglial cells. Therefore, the obtained results might indicate the usefulness of TQ in delaying the onset of inflammation-mediated neurodegenerative disorders involving activated microglia cells.

Diallyl disulfide inhibits TNFα induced CCL2 release through MAPK/ERK and NF-Kappa-B signaling

TNFα receptors are constitutively overexpressed in tumor cells, correlating to sustain elevated NFκB and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) expression. The elevation of CCL2 evokes aggressive forms of malignant tumors marked by tumor associated macrophage (TAM) recruitment, cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis. Previously, we have shown that the organo-sulfur compound diallyl disulfide (DADS) found in garlic (Allium sativum) attenuates TNFα induced CCL2 production in MDA-MB-231 cells. In the current study, we explored the signaling pathways responsible for DADS suppressive effect on TNFα mediated CCL2 release using PCR Arrays, RT-PCR and western blots. The data in this study show that TNFα initiates a rise in NFκB mRNA, which is not reversed by DADS. However, TNFα induced heightened expression of IKKε and phosphorylated ERK. The expression of these proteins corresponds to increased CCL2 release that can be attenuated by DADS. CCL2 induction by TNFα was also lessened by inhibitors of p38 (SB202190) and MEK (U0126) but not JNK (SP 600125), all of which were suppressed by DADS. In conclusion, the obtained results indicate that DADS down regulates TNFα invoked CCL2 production primarily through reduction of IKKε and phosphorylated-ERK, thereby impairing MAPK/ERK, and NFκB pathway signaling. Future research will be required to evaluate the effects of DADS on the function and expression of TNFα surface receptors.

Inactivation of chromatin remodeling factors sensitizes cells to selective cytotoxic stress

The SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex plays an essential role in several cellular processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, and DNA repair. Loss of normal function of the SWI/SNF complex because of mutations in its subunits correlates with tumorigenesis in humans. For many of these cancers, cytotoxic chemotherapy is the primary, and sometimes the only, therapeutic alternative. Among the antineoplastic agents, anthracyclines are a common treatment option. Although effective, resistance to these agents usually develops and serious dose-related toxicity, namely, chronic cardiotoxicity, limits its use. Previous work from our laboratory showed that a deletion of the SWI/SNF factor SNF2 resulted in hypersensitivity to doxorubicin. We further investigated the contribution of other chromatin remodeling complex components in the response to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Our results indicate that, of the eight SWI/SNF strains tested, snf2, taf14, and swi3 were the most sensitive and displayed distinct sensitivity to different cytotoxic agents, while snf5 displayed resistance. Our experimental results indicate that the SWI/SNF complex plays a critical role in protecting cells from exposure to cytotoxic chemotherapy and other cytotoxic agents. Our findings may prove useful in the development of a strategy aimed at targeting these genes to provide an alternative by hypersensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents.

The Role of DNA Mismatch Repair and Recombination in the Processing of DNA Alkylating Damage in Living Yeast Cells

It is proposed that mismatch repair (MMR) mediates the cytotoxic effects of DNA damaging agents by exerting a futile repair pathway which leads to double strand breaks (DSBs). Previous reports indicate that the sensitivity of cells defective in homologous recombination (HR) to DNA alkylation is reduced by defects in MMR genes. We have assessed the contribution of different MMR genes to the processing of alkylation damage in vivo. We have directly visualized recombination complexes formed upon DNA damage using fluorescent protein (FP) fusions. We find that msh6 mutants are more resistant than wild type cells to MNNG, and that an msh6 mutation rescues the sensitivity of rad52 strains more efficiently than an msh3 mutation. Analysis of RAD52-GFP tagged strains indicate that MNNG increases repair foci formation, and that the inactivation of the MHS2 and MSH6 genes but not the MSH3 gene result in a reduction of the number of foci formed. In addition, in the absence of HR, NHEJ could process the MNNG-induced DSBs as indicated by the formation of NHEJ-GFP tagged foci. These data suggest that processing of the alkylation damage by MMR, mainly by MSH2-MSH6, is required for recruitment of recombination proteins to the damage site for repair.

Defects in Base Excision Repair Sensitize Cells to Manganese in S. cerevisiae

Manganese (Mn) is essential for normal physiologic functioning; therefore, deficiencies and excess intake of manganese can result in disease. In humans, prolonged exposure to manganese causes neurotoxicity characterized by Parkinson-like symptoms. Mn2+ has been shown to mediate DNA damage possibly through the generation of reactive oxygen species. In a recent publication, we showed that Mn induced oxidative DNA damage and caused lesions in thymines. This study further investigates the mechanisms by which cells process Mn2+-mediated DNA damage using the yeast S. cerevisiae. The strains most sensitive to Mn2+ were those defective in base excision repair, glutathione synthesis, and superoxide dismutase mutants. Mn2+ caused a dose-dependent increase in the accumulation of mutations using the CAN1 and lys2-10A mutator assays. The spectrum of CAN1 mutants indicates that exposure to Mn results in accumulation of base substitutions and frameshift mutations. The sensitivity of cells to Mn2+ as well as its mutagenic effect was reduced by N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, and Mg2+. These data suggest that Mn2+ causes oxidative DNA damage that requires base excision repair for processing and that Mn interferes with polymerase fidelity. The status of base excision repair may provide a biomarker for the sensitivity of individuals to manganese.

Synergistic Effect of Endogenous and Exogenous Aldehydes on Doxorubicin Toxicity in Yeast

Anthracyclines are frequently used to treat many cancers including triple negative breast cancer, which is commonly observed in African-American women (AA), and tend to be more aggressive, carry worse prognoses, and are harder to manage because they lack molecular targets. Although effective, anthracyclines use can be limited by serious side effects and eventually the development of drug resistance. In S. cerevisiae, mutants of HOM6 display hypersensitivity to doxorubicin. HOM6 is required for synthesis of threonine and interruption of the pathway leads to accumulation of the threonine intermediate L-aspartate-semialdehyde. This intermediate may synergize with doxorubicin to kill the cell. In fact, deleting HOM3 in the first step, preventing the pathway to reach the HOM6 step, rescues the sensitivity of the hom6 strain to doxorubicin. Using several S. cerevisiae strains (wild type, hom6, hom3, hom3hom6, ydj1, siz1, and msh2), we determined their sensitivity to aldehydes and to their combination with doxorubicin, cisplatin, and etoposide. Combination of formaldehyde and doxorubicin was most effective at reducing cell survival by 31-fold–39-fold (in wild type cells) relative to doxorubicin and formaldehyde alone. This effect was dose dependent on doxorubicin. Cotreatment with formaldehyde and doxorubicin also showed increased toxicity in anthracycline-resistant strains siz1 and msh2. The hom6 mutant also showed sensitivity to menadione with a 2.5-fold reduction in cell survival. The potential use of a combination of aldehydes and cytotoxic drugs could potentially lead to applications intended to enhance anthracycline-based therapy.

Abstract 1869: Dislodgement of K-Ras from plasma membranes, induction of apoptosis and tumor regression by PCAIs, a novel class of polyisoprenylated small molecules

Although mutation-induced dysregulation of Ras signaling constitutes the biochemical change that drives some of the most difficult-to-manage cancers, directly targeting the constitutively active mutant Ras GTPases has not resulted in clinically useful drugs. Therefore, modulating Ras activity for targeted treatment of cancer remains an urgent healthcare need. In the current study, we investigated a novel class of compounds, the polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors (PCAIs), for their anticancer molecular mechanisms using the NSCLC cell panel with K-Ras and/or other mutant genes. Treatment of the lung cancer cells with PCAIs, NSL-RD-035, NSL-BA-036, NSL-BA-040, NSL-BA-055 and NSL-BA-040 resulted in concentration-dependent cell death in both K-Ras mutant (A549 and NCI-H1573), N-Ras mutant (NCI-H1299) and other (NCI-H661, NCI-H460, NCI-H1975, NCI-H1563) NSCLC cells. The PCAIs at sub- to low micromolar 1.0 -10 μM concentrations induced the degeneration of 3D spheroid cultures, inhibited, clonogenic cell growth, and induced marked apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, together with a significant increase in active caspase 3 (p Citation Format: FELIX AMISSAH, ELIZABETH NTANTIE, ROSEMARY A. POKU, AUGUSTINE T. NKEMBO, OLUFISAYO O. SALAKO, HERNAN FLORES-ROZAS, NAZARIUS S. LAMANGO. Dislodgement of K-Ras from plasma membranes, induction of apoptosis and tumor regression by PCAIs, a novel class of polyisoprenylated small molecules. [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 1869.

Abstract 2545: Effect of aldehydes in anthracycline cytotoxicity in S. cerevisiae

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Anthracyclines constitute drugs of choice as single agents or in combination therapy in cancers that are refractory to other therapies, such as triple negative breast cancer, commonly observed in African-American women (AA) and is characterized for lacking biomarkers for targeted therapy, and for being aggressive and carrying bad prognoses. Anthracyclines effectiveness is dose-dependent, which increases the risk of side-effects and eventually the development of drug resistance. In S. cerevisiae, mutants of HOM6 display hypersensitivity to doxorubicin by inactivation of the homoserine dehydrogenase. We hypothesized that the L-aspartate-semialdehyde accumulating at this step, sensitizes the cells to anthracyclines. We confirmed this by inactivating HOM3, a prior step in the threonine biosynthesis pathway which prevents the accumulation of the L-aspartate-semialdehyde, rescuing the hom6 strain. To expand our knowledge of the relationship between aldehydes and anthracyclines, we sought to identify other aldehydes that can enhance the toxic effects of doxorubicin. We exposed S. cerevisiae to aldehydes (acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde) alone and combined with doxorubicin, cisplatin and menadione. Combination of formaldehyde (2 mM) and doxorubicin was most effective at reducing cell survival by between 31 to 39-fold (in wild type cells) relative to doxorubicin and formaldehyde alone. This effect was dose-dependent on doxorubicin. Co-treatment with formaldehyde and doxorubicin also showed increased toxicity in anthracycline-resistant strains siz1 and msh2. Combination of formaldehyde (2 mM) and menadione (60 mM) reduced cell survival by between 1- to 1.5-fold in wild type cells. Combination of acetaldehyde (2 mM) and menadione (60 mM) reduced cell survival by between 1.6- to 2.2-fold in wild type cells. Wild type cells treated with the combination of cisplatin (80 μM) and acetaldehyde (2 mM) or glutaraldehyde (2 mM) showed a reduced cell survival by between 0.4- to 3.12-fold with the combination of cisplatin and glutaraldehyde being the more cytotoxic of the two. Acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde show enhanced toxicity of wild type cells when combined with cytotoxic drugs. The potential use of a combination of aldehydes and cytotoxic drugs could potentially lead to applications intended to enhance anthracycline-based therapy. Citation Format: Jana S. Miles, Tryphon K. Mazu, Hernan Flores-Rozas. Effect of aldehydes in anthracycline cytotoxicity in S. cerevisiae. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2545. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2545

Abstract 2035: Targeting the hyperactive polyisoprenylated monomeric G-proteins functions in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) incidence is a major healthcare problem as the five-year survival rate remains below 5%. Over 90% of PC cases harbor the hyperactive K-Ras mutant protein. Polyisoprenylation processes facilitate the proper localization and signaling of K-Ras whose gain-in-function mutations drive uncontrolled cell survival, differentiation and proliferation. Efforts to target and disrupt this pathway and signaling for cancer therapy have been unsuccessful. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors (PCAIs) as a potential novel class of small molecules for PC therapy. The effects of the PCAIs on cell viability, proliferation, survival, apoptosis, migration, colony formation and cytoskeletal F-actin organization in four human PC cell lines representing wild type K-Ras (BxPC-3), Mutant K-Ras (MIAPaCa-2 and Panc10.05) and mucins (HPAF-II) were examined. PCAIs induced apoptosis with EC50 values ranging from 2.4 to 5.1, 2.0 to 7.3, 1.8 to 3.3 and 7.0 to 33 μM in MIAPaCa-2, BxPC-3, Panc10.05 and HPAF-II cells, respectively. At 0.2 μM, PCAIs arrested MIAPaCa-2 cells at the G0/G1 phase and significantly inhibited cell migration in the wound-healing assay. MIAPaCa-2 cells transfected with a plasmid expressing a protein that fluoresces red when interacting with F-actin were used to determine the PCAIs effects on F-actin organization. Treatment with PCAIs disrupted the F-actin structures causing the cells to shrink and become rounded upon treatment with PCAIs concentrations as low as 0.2 μM. The ability of PCAIs to disrupt these biological phenomena in pancreatic cancer cells shows that PCAIs may halt progression in tumors with the hyperactive K-Ras mutations. Citation Format: Augustine T. Nkembo, Olufisayo Salako, Rosemary Poku, Tryphon Mazu, Byron Aguilar, Hernan Flores-Rozas, Nazarius S. Lamango. Targeting the hyperactive polyisoprenylated monomeric G-proteins functions in pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2035. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2035

Abstract 660: Polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors exhibit anti-tumor effects in human breast cancer cell lines

PURPOSE: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and fatal form of breast cancer. TNBC has no effective therapies since it is not driven by the estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epidermal growth factor type 2 (Her2/Neu) receptors for which there are targeted drugs. Human epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) are overexpressed in 92% of TNBC cases, however, anti-EGFR therapies are ineffective. Monomeric G-proteins that regulate cell proliferation, angiogenesis, migration and apoptosis operate downstream of EGFR and other signal transduction pathways. Polyisoprenylated methylated protein methyl esterase (PMPMEase) metabolizes monomeric G-proteins, allowing them to function properly. PMPMEase is overexpressed in many cancers and may serve as a biomarker and target for cancer therapy. We have synthesized polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors that may inhibit PMPMEase and/or disrupt polyisoprenylated protein function. We hypothesize that the PCAIs will promote anti-tumorigenic effects, inducing apoptosis, while inhibiting cell survival, proliferation, migration, and invasion. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of PCAIs against the biological hallmarks of TNBC. METHODS: Four TNBC cell lines were treated with the PCAIs and analyzed for their effects on cell survival, viability, F-actin organization, cell migration and apoptosis. RESULTS: Treatment of TNBC cells with the PCAIs resulted in a concentration-dependent death of the TNBC cells with EC50 values ranging from 2.13 to 2.78 μM for NSL-BA-040 and NSL-BA-055 in media containing 5% FBS. AO/EB staining revealed early apoptosis at 1 μM. NSL-RD-036 inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell migration by 71% (163±10.7 cells in control versus 47±6.9 in treated (±SEM, N = 3). PCAIs induced complete disruption of F-actin filament organization at 2 μM in MDA-MB-468 cells. CONCLUSION: The PCAIs’ ability to induce apoptosis, and inhibit cell migration by disrupting F-actin filaments suggest that their potential therapeutic value could involve the inhibition of TNBC tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis, which are all essential hallmarks for breast cancer progression. The PCAIs may ultimately fill the targeted therapy void in TNBC therapy. Citation Format: Olufisayo O. Salako, Rosemary A. Poku, Augustine T. Nkembo, Typhon Mazu, Hernan Flores-Rozas, Nazarius S. Lamango. Polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors exhibit anti-tumor effects in human breast cancer cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 660. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-660