Juong G. Rhee

bcl-2 over-expression delays radiation-induced apoptosis without affecting the clonogenic survival of human prostate cancer cells.

In this study we evaluated the effect of over‐expression of the bcl‐2 gene, a potent apoptosis suppressor, on radiation‐induced apoptotic cell death in 2 human prostate cancer cell lines, androgen‐independent PC‐3 cells and androgen‐sensitive LNCaP cells. Cells were transfected with the bcl‐2 gene and bcl‐2 transfectant clones isolated under neomycin selection; bcl‐2 gene integration and level of mRNA and protein expression in the cloned transfectants were examined by Southern, Northern and Western blot analyses, respectively. Parental, neo control and bcl‐2‐expressing cells were exposed to single or fractionated doses of ionizing irradiation, and the cellular response to radiation was determined at 24, 48 and 72 hr post‐irradiation, on the basis of: (i) loss of cell viability, (ii) clonogenic survival and (iii) induction of apoptotic DNA fragmentation. At 24 hr post‐irradiation all cell lines, i.e., parental and bcl‐2 transfectants, failed to form colonies, though the majority of bcl‐2‐expressing cells did not exhibit apoptotic morphology; bcl‐2 over‐expression in both cell lines reduced apoptosis 48 hr post‐irradiation from 20–25% to 5% at a dose of 2,000 cGy. By 72 hr, bcl‐2 over‐expression afforded a 3‐fold protection from radiation‐induced apoptosis. There was no significant difference, however, in the clonogenic survival of the parental and bcl‐2‐expressing cells. Furthermore, there was a 24 hr delay in induction of the apoptosis marker gene SGP‐2/TRPM‐2 in the bcl‐2‐expressing cells, co‐incidental with the delay in apoptotic DNA fragmentation. Int. J. Cancer, 70:341–348, 1997.

Effects of low dose quercetin: Cancer cell-specific inhibition of cell cycle progression

Quercetin is a flavonoid present in many vegetables, fruits, and beverages. Due to its anti‐oxidant, anti‐tumor, and anti‐inflammatory activity, quercetin has been studied extensively as a chemoprevention agent in several cancer models. Since most of these studies used higher doses of quercetin than clinically achievable, we focused on the effectiveness of physiologically relevant doses of quercetin. A low dose of quercetin exerted cancer cell‐specific inhibition of proliferation and this inhibition resulted from cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. Quercetin induced p21 CDK inhibitor with a concomitant decrease of phosphorylation of pRb, which inhibits the G1/S cell cycle progression by trapping E2F1. A low dose of quercetin induced mild DNA damage and Chk2 activation, which is the main regulator of p21 expression by quercetin. In addition, quercetin down‐regulated the cyclin B1 and CDK1, essential components of G2/M cell cycle progression. Inhibition of the recruitment of key transcription factor NF‐Y to cyclin B1 gene promoter by quercetin led to transcriptional inhibition. This study proved that the chemo‐preventive efficacy of a physiologically relevant dose of quercetin can be achievable through the inhibition of cell cycle progression. J. Cell. Biochem. 106: 73–82, 2009.

Spermine Oxidation Induced by Helicobacter pylori Results in Apoptosis and DNA Damage Implications for Gastric Carcinogenesis

Oxidative stress is linked to carcinogenesis due to its ability to damage DNA. The human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori exerts much of its pathogenicity by inducing apoptosis and DNA damage in host gastric epithelial cells. Polyamines are abundant in epithelial cells, and when oxidized by the inducible spermine oxidase SMO(PAOh1) H2O2 is generated. Here, we report that H. pylori up-regulates mRNA expression, promoter activity, and enzyme activity of SMO(PAOh1) in human gastric epithelial cells, resulting in DNA damage and apoptosis. H. pylori-induced H2O2 generation and apoptosis in these cells was equally attenuated by an inhibitor of SMO(PAOh1), by catalase, and by transient transfection with small interfering RNA targeting SMO(PAOh1). Conversely, SMO(PAOh1) overexpression induced apoptosis to the same levels as caused by H. pylori. Importantly, in H. pylori-infected tissues, there was increased expression of SMO(PAOh1) in both human and mouse gastritis. Laser capture microdissection of human gastric epithelial cells demonstrated expression of SMO(PAOh1) that was significantly attenuated by H. pylori eradication. These results identify a pathway for oxidative stress-induced epithelial cell apoptosis and DNA damage due to SMO(PAOh1) activation by H. pylori that may contribute to the pathogenesis of the infection and development of gastric cancer.

Reactive oxygen species up-regulate p53 and Puma; a possible mechanism for apoptosis during combined treatment with TRAIL and wogonin.

Background and purpose:  Tumour necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) triggers apoptotic death in a variety of cancer cells without marked toxicity to most normal cells. We previously reported that wogonin, a potent anticancer agent from a Chinese herb, up‐regulates p53 in prostate cancer cells. In this study, the effects of combinations of TRAIL and wogonin on a human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP, resistant to TRAIL, was evaluated for evidence of synergy in triggering apoptosis.

CHANGES IN ACIDITY OF MOUSE TUMOR BY HYPERTHERMIA

The intratissue pH of SCK tumor and leg muscle of unanesthetized mice were determined before, during and after hyperthermia with the use of bulb type pH microelectrodes having pH-sensitive hemisphere 20-40 micron in outer radius. Intratumor pH was heterogeneous throughout tumor (range, 6.60-7.38; average, 6.96), and was more acidic than the intramuscle pH of mouse leg (average, 7.46). Hyperthermia at 43.5 degrees C for 30 min induced a further increase in acidity (decrease in pH of about 0.2 units) in tumor but not in muscle. The heat-induced acidity in tumor lasted for 12 hr following hyperthermia and then recovered to almost control pH value 24 hr after heating. The cause of the increase in acidity in the heated tumors is not clear, but it appears to result from an increase in the contents of acidic metabolites and a sluggish drainage of them due to induced vascular damage. The increased acidity in the heated tumors may inhibit the repair of thermal damage and sensitizes the tumor cells to subsequent heating.

Capacitive heating of phantom and human tumors with an 8 MHz radiofrequency applicator (thermotron RF-8)

The thermal profile was investigated in agar phantoms and in human tumors heated capacitively with 8 MHz RF. Deep and homogeneous heating could be achieved in a large homogeneous phantom of 25 cm diameter and 24 cm thick when heated with a pair of 25 cm diameter electrodes, coupled to both bases of the phantom. When the size of the two electrodes was not the same, the region near the smaller electrode was preferentially heated. It was, therefore, possible to control the depth of heating by choosing properly sized electrodes. Therapeutic temperature (greater than 42 degrees C) could be obtained in 7 out of 9 small, as well as, bulky superficial human tumors as large as 8 X 8 X 10 cm. Indications are that heating of some deep-seated human tumors might be achieved by the capacitive method, provided that subcutaneous fat layer is cooled by temperature controlled bolus and large electrodes are used. The effect of the anatomical structure on the power deposition in the human body during capacitive heating should be further investigated.

Increase in tumor pO2 by perfluorochemicals and carbogen

The effects of perfluorochemicals (Fluosol-DA) in combination with carbogen (95% O2 and 5% CO2) breathing on the tumor pO2 was investigated. The pO2 in RIF-1 tumors grown in the leg of C3H mice was determined by polarographic method using oxygen microelectrodes with diameters of 50-60 micron. The average and median pO2 in the control RIF-1 tumors was about 13 mm Hg and 6 mm Hg, respectively. Carbogen breathing alone could cause a significant increase in pO2 in some tumors and Fluosol-DA injection (i.v.) alone caused a slight change in tumor pO2. When the animals were treated with both Fluosol-DA injection and carbogen breathing, the pO2 markedly increased in most of the tumors resulting in an average and median tumor pO2 of 80 mm Hg and 60 mm Hg, respectively. Such an increase in tumor pO2 may account for the previous observations by us and others that the response of experimental tumors to radiation could be markedly increased by treating the tumor-bearing animals with carbogen and Fluosol-DA.

The Clonogenic Response of Bovine Aortic Endothelial Cells in Culture to Radiation

The effect of ionizing radiation on the survival of bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells was determined by the in vitro colony formation method. The BAE cells were cultured in Dulbeccos modified Eagles medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% calf serum, antibiotics, and growth factors obtained from the culture of mouse S-180 cells. The cultured BAE cells were positive to the staining of antibodies against human factor VIII and formed clones in plastic culture flasks with a plating efficiency of about 11%. The survival curve of the BAE cells following an exposure to a single dose of X rays was characterized by D0 = 101 rad, Dq = 65 rad, and an extrapolation number (n) of 1.9. These parameters were not modified by the absence of growth factors at the time of irradiation. The response of BAE cells to radiation was dose-rate dependent. The split-dose studies demonstrated that the BAE cells were able to repair sublethal radiation damage within 1 h after irradiation.

Effect of fractionated heating on the blood flow in normal tissues

The changes in blood flow in the skin and muscle of rat by single, two or six heatings, were measured with the radioactive microsphere method. The blood flow rose continuously during the 2 h heatings at temperatures up to 43.0 degrees C and 44.0 degrees C in the skin and muscle, respectively. When heated at higher temperatures, the blood flow increased and then decreased. When heated twice at 43.5 degrees C for 1 h each, the magnitude of the increase in blood flow by the second heating varied depending on the time interval between the two heatings; e.g., the second heating on the 14th day after the first heating induced an increase in blood flow much greater than that by the first heating. When the heating at 43.5 degrees C for 1 h was repeated at intervals of five days, the second and third heatings were as effective as the first heating in increasing the skin blood flow. In the muscle, the second and third heatings were 2-3-fold more effective than the first heating in raising the blood flow. The heat-induced increase in blood flow in the skin and muscle gradually diminished from the fourth heating. The tissue temperature varied considerably during heating with a water bath at a constant temperature, due probably to the changes in blood flow.

Effect of multiple heatings on the blood flow in RIF-1 tumours, skin and muscle of C3H mice

The effect of one to five multiple heatings on blood flow in the RIF-1 tumour, skin and muscle of C3H mice was studied. When heated for 1 h at 43.5 degrees C the tumour blood flow increased 1.8 times, and rapidly decreased after the heating to less than half the control value. The 2nd-5th heatings at 43.5 degrees C, applied at 1- or 3-day intervals, caused no further significant change in the tumour blood flow. In the skin and muscle the blood flow increased 5 times when heated for 1 h at 43.5 degrees C, and remained at 1.5-2.0 times of control for 1-3 days after the heating. The blood flow in the skin and muscle, particularly in the skin, was further increased by the 2nd-5th heatings applied at 3-day intervals, but not at 1-day intervals, albeit the additional increase was very small. Consequently, whereas the tumour blood flow was 5-6 times greater than that in the skin and muscle before heating, it was only about 1.5-2.0 times greater than that in the skin and muscle during the 1st heating. The tumour blood flow became more or less similar to the normal tissue blood flow during the 2nd-5th heatings given at 3-day intervals. The decline in the vascular response in normal and tumour tissues to the 2nd-5th heatings suggested development of vascular thermotolerance.