Masaru Ohashi

Role of interleukin-8 secreted from human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is an important cytokine involved in tumor growth and angiogenesis in a variety of malignancies. Furthermore, matrix metalloptoteinases (MMPs) also play important roles in the invasion and metastasis of carcinomas including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We studied whether IL-8 and MMPs participate in tumorigenesis and metastasis of OSCC. First, we investigated the gene and protein expressions of IL-8 and IL-8 receptor (IL-8R), and the effect of IL-8 on proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC. Second, we thus also investigated the effect of IL-8 on MMP release in OSCC cells. OSCC cell lines NA and HSC-4 constitutively expressed IL-8 mRNA and secreted its protein in vitro. The production of IL-8 was significantly enhanced by the addition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-beta, but not interferon (IFN)-gamma, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or IL-2. Flow cytometric analysis revealed the constitutive expression of both receptors of IL-8, IL-8RA and IL-8RB, in OSCC cell lines. The expression of IL-8 receptors in HSC-4 cells was stronger than that in NA cells. The intensity of IL-8RA expression was stronger than that of IL-8RB expression in each cell line. The expression of IL-8 receptors was not altered by the addition of cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. The conditioned medium containing IL-8 from OSCC cell lines induced migration and invasion of OSCC cells, but did not change cell proliferation. The differences in migrational and invasive ability between NA cells and HSC-4 cells were correlated with the expression intensity of IL-8 receptors in each cell line. Neutralizing antibodies to IL-8, IL-8RA and IL-8RB partially inhibited the chemotactic activity induced by conditioned medium. The expression of MMP-2, -7 and -9 was detected in culture supernatants from these OSCC cell lines. The expressions of MMP-7 protein and mRNA were enhanced by the addition of rIL-8, but that of other MMPs was not observed in a similar manner. These results suggest that IL-8 secreted from OSCC may contribute to the invasion of OSCC through the regulation of MMP-7 expression.

Suppressive effect of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor on cytokine release in human neutrophils.

To clarify whether a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor can affect various functions in human peripheral blood neutrophils. For this purpose, the effects of selective COX-2 inhibitors, NS-398 and nimesulide, on the expression of COX-2, PGE2 release and respiratory burst, degranulation and cytokine release in activated neutrophils were examined. Peripheral blood neutrophils were stimulated with formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP; 100 nM) or opsonized zymosan (OZ; 200 microg/ml). Then, the expression of COX-2 at protein and mRNA levels was detected by Western blot analysis and RT-PCR. The concentration of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cytokines in the culture supernatant of neutrophils was determined using ELISA. Superoxide generation was measured by the cytochrome c reduction method. Elastase activity was measured using a chromogenic substrate assay specific for human neutrophil elastase. FMLP and OZ enhanced PGE2 release through induction of COX-2 protein and mRNA expression. FMLP- or OZ-induced PGE2 release was abolished by the addition of NS-398 or nimesulide; nevertheless, even a high concentration of COX-2 inhibitor did not change FMLP- or OZ-induced expression of COX-2 at message and protein levels. Although FMLP- or OZ-induced superoxide generation and elastase release were not affected by the addition of COX-2 inhibitor, cytokine release such as interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and IL-8 was significantly inhibited by high concentration of COX-2 inhibitor, but tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was partially attenuated. These studies showed that selective COX-2 inhibitors, NS-398 and nimesulide, suppressed PGE2 and proinflammatory cytokine release in activated neutrophils. These results suggest that selective COX-2 inhibitors may contribute to resolution of acute inflammation through the reduction of inflammatory cytokine release in activated neutrophils.

Changes in susceptibility to Fas-mediated apoptosis during differentiation of HL-60 cells.

The Fas‐mediated pathway has been implicated as an important cellular pathway mediating apoptosis in diverse cell types. We conducted studies to examine the susceptibility to Fas‐mediated apoptosis of HL‐60 cells treated with differentiation‐inducing factors such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), retinoic acid (RA), and 1α, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3). Although the expression of Fas antigen (Ag) and its mRNA showed a marked increase in HL‐60 cells with cell differentiation, that of Bcl‐2 protein and its mRNA revealed the reverse. The expression of caspase proteins such as caspases‐3 and ‐8 was also enhanced during cell differentiation. DNA fragmentation, annexin V binding, and caspase activities increased in differentiated HL‐60 cells with the addition of anti‐Fas Ag antibody. These findings were more clearly demonstrated in DMSO‐ or RA‐induced neutrophil‐like cells than in VD3‐induced monocyte‐like cells. Therefore, susceptibility to Fas‐mediated apoptosis showed an increase with differentiation of HL‐60 cells, especially in the neutrophil lineage. These results suggest that the difference of susceptibility to Fas‐mediated apoptosis among cell populations depends on the expression of Fas Ag, Bcl‐2, and caspases. Cell maturation and susceptibility to Fas‐mediated apoptosis may be linked in hematopoietic cells. J. Leukoc. Biol. 67: 374–380; 2000.

Enhanced susceptibility of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines to FAS-mediated apoptosis by cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil

Our study was conducted to investigate whether anticancer drugs, cisplatin (CDDP) and/or 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU), can modulate Fas‐mediated apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. When OSCC cell lines, NA and HSC‐4, were treated with CDDP and/or 5‐FU, Fas and its mRNA expression on the plasma membrane were enhanced. An increase in caspase‐3 and ‐8 activities was then observed by the addition of agonistic anti‐Fas antibody, CH‐11. Apoptosis of OSCC cells treated with anticancer drugs were significantly enhanced by CH‐11, whereas untreated cells were nearly resistant to apoptosis. Moreover, the combination of CDDP and 5‐FU resulted in an increasing susceptibility to apoptosis. Caspase‐3 and ‐8 inhibitors, but not caspase‐9 inhibitor, reduced Fas‐mediated apoptosis enhanced by the anticancer drugs. Furthermore, OSCC cells treated with anticancer drugs exhibited decreased cellular FADD‐like interleukin 1‐converting enzyme‐inhibitory protein (c‐FLIP) levels, whereas neither the Fas‐associated death domain‐containing protein (FADD) nor procaspase‐8 changed the expression. Moreover, antisense oligonucleotide to c‐FLIP confirmed that down‐regulation of c‐FLIP induced sensitization to Fas‐mediated apoptosis. These results suggest that CDDP and 5‐FU may enhance the susceptibility to Fas‐mediated apoptosis through down‐regulation of c‐FLIP. From these findings, a new potential strategy may be developed to improve the efficacy of anticancer drugs.

Antitumor activity of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid against human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo

It has been reported recently that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) can block the growth of a variety of malignant tumor cells by reversing the silencing of the tumor suppressor genes; these will be the anticancer agents of the next generation. In this study, we evaluated the antitumor effects of the HDACI suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and investigated its molecular mechanism. SAHA suppressed the in vitro proliferation of OSCC cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analyses showed that treatment with SAHA led to G1 phase cell-cycle arrest of OSCC cells, accompanying a decrease in the percentage of S-phase cells. Western blot analyses demonstrated that the expression of p21 protein was remarkably augmented and hyperacetylation of p53 was induced after SAHA treatment. These results suggest that administration of SAHA suppresses OSCC growth through G1 phase arrest. Additionally, we observed that the growth of xenograft SAS tumors in nude mice was significantly blocked by the administration of SAHA without major adverse effects.

Treatment of Mandibular Prognathism in an Acromegalic Patient: Report of a Case

A case of acromegaly accompanied by pituitary adenoma in a 35-year-old male is reported. The patient presented with mandibular protrusion, malocclusion and articulate disorder. Prior to oral surgery, a pituitary adenoma was resected at the Department of Neurosurgery. Pre-operative orthodontic treatment was started after growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I had returned to normal levels. Orthognathic surgery by sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) was performed, and good occlusion was obtained. Articulate function also improved after orthognathic surgery.