Shiho Ohnishi

Oxidative stress and its significant roles in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species have been implicated in diverse pathophysiological conditions, including inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Accumulating evidence indicates that oxidative damage to biomolecules including lipids, proteins and DNA, contributes to these diseases. Previous studies suggest roles of lipid peroxidation and oxysterols in the development of neurodegenerative diseases and inflammation-related cancer. Our recent studies identifying and characterizing carbonylated proteins reveal oxidative damage to heat shock proteins in neurodegenerative disease models and inflammation-related cancer, suggesting dysfunction in their antioxidative properties. In neurodegenerative diseases, DNA damage may not only play a role in the induction of apoptosis, but also may inhibit cellular division via telomere shortening. Immunohistochemical analyses showed co-localization of oxidative/nitrative DNA lesions and stemness markers in the cells of inflammation-related cancers. Here, we review oxidative stress and its significant roles in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

DNA Damage in Inflammation-Related Carcinogenesis and Cancer Stem Cells

Infection and chronic inflammation have been recognized as important factors for carcinogenesis. Under inflammatory conditions, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are generated from inflammatory and epithelial cells and result in oxidative and nitrative DNA damage, such as 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and 8-nitroguanine. The DNA damage can cause mutations and has been implicated in the initiation and/or promotion of inflammation-mediated carcinogenesis. It has been estimated that various infectious agents are carcinogenic to humans (IARC group 1), including parasites (Schistosoma haematobium (SH) and Opisthorchis viverrini (OV)), viruses (hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)), and bacterium Helicobacter pylori (HP). SH, OV, HCV, HPV, EBV, and HP are important risk factors for bladder cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, cervical cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and gastric cancer, respectively. We demonstrated that 8-nitroguanine was strongly formed via inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression at these cancer sites of patients. Moreover, 8-nitroguanine was formed in Oct3/4-positive stem cells in SH-associated bladder cancer tissues and in Oct3/4- and CD133-positive stem cells in OV-associated cholangiocarcinoma tissues. Therefore, it is considered that oxidative and nitrative DNA damage in stem cells may play a key role in inflammation-related carcinogenesis.

Nitrative DNA damage and Oct3/4 expression in urinary bladder cancer with Schistosoma haematobium infection

To investigate whether mutant stem cells participate in inflammation-related carcinogenesis, we performed immunohistochemical analysis to examine nitrative and oxidative DNA lesions (8-nitroguanine and 8-oxodG) and a stem cell marker Oct3/4 in bladder tissues obtained from cystitis and bladder cancer patients infected with Schistosomahaematobium (S. haematobium). We also detected the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which lead to 8-nitroguanine formation. The staining intensity of 8-nitroguanine and 8-oxodG was significantly higher in bladder cancer and cystitis tissues than in normal tissues. iNOS expression was colocalized with NF-κB in 8-nitroguanine-positive tumor cells from bladder cancer patients. Oct3/4 expression was significantly increased in cells from S. haematobium-associated bladder cancer tissues in comparison to normal bladder and cancer tissues without infection. Oct3/4 was also expressed in epithelial cells of cystitis patients. Moreover, 8-nitroguanine was formed in Oct3/4-positive stem cells in S. haematobium-associated cystitis and cancer tissues. In conclusion, inflammation by S.haematobium infection may increase the number of mutant stem cells, in which iNOS-dependent DNA damage occurs via NF-κB activation, leading to tumor development.

Oxidative DNA damage induced by an N-hydroxy metabolite of carcinogenic 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene

Formation of adducts has been considered to be a major causal factor of DNA damage by carcinogenic aminoazo dyes. We investigated whether a metabolite of hepatocarcinogenic 4‐dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB) can cause oxidative DNA damage or not, using 32P‐5′‐end‐labeled DNA fragments. The DAB metabolite. N‐hydroxy‐4‐aminoazobenzene (N‐OH‐AAB) was found to cause Cu(II)‐mediated DNA damage, including 8‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydro‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐oxodG) formation. When an endogenous reductant, β‐nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) was added, the DNA damage was greatly enhanced. Very low concentrations of N‐OH‐AAB could induce DNA damage via redox reactions. Catalase and a Cu(I)‐specific chelator inhibited the DNA damage, suggesting the involvement of H2O2 and Cu(I). A typical OH scavenger did not inhibit the DNA damage. The main reactive species are probably DNA‐copper‐hydroperoxo complexes. We conclude that oxidative DNA damage may play an important role in the carcinogenic processes of DAB, in addition to DNA adduct formation.

Oxidative DNA damage induced by a metabolite of 2-naphthylamine, a smoking-related bladder carcinogen.

2‐Naphthylamine (2‐NA), a bladder carcinogen, is contained in cigarette smoke. DNA adduct formation is thought to be a major cause of DNA damage by carcinogenic aromatic amines. We have investigated whether a metabolite of 2‐NA, 2‐nitroso‐1‐naphthol (NO‐naphthol) causes oxidative DNA damage, using 32P‐labeled DNA fragments. We compared the mechanism of DNA damage induced by NO‐naphthol with that by N‐hydroxy‐4‐aminobiphenyl (4‐ABP (NHOH)), a metabolite of 4‐aminobiphenyl, another smoking‐related bladder carcinogen. NO‐naphthol caused Cu(II)‐mediated DNA damage at T>C>G residues, with non‐enzymatic reduction by NADH. Catalase and bathocuproine, a Cu(I)‐specific chelator, inhibited the DNA damage, suggesting the involvement of H2O2 and Cu(I). Some free ·OH scavengers also attenuated NO‐naphthol‐induced DNA damage, while free ·OH scavengers had no effect on the DNA damage induced by 4–ABP(NHOH). This difference suggests that the reactive species formed by NO‐naphthol has more free ·OH‐ character than that by 4–ABP(NHOH). A high‐pressure liquid chromatograph equipped with an electrochemical detector showed that NO‐naphthol induced 8–oxo–7,8–dihydro–2′–deoxyguanosine formation in the presence of NADH and Cu(II). The oxidative DNA damage by these aminoaromatic compounds may participate in smoking‐related bladder cancer, in addition to DNA adduct formation.

Nitrative and oxidative DNA damage in infection-related carcinogenesis in relation to cancer stem cells.

Infection and chronic inflammation have been recognized as important factors for carcinogenesis. Under inflammatory conditions, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are generated from inflammatory and epithelial cells, and result in the formation of oxidative and nitrative DNA lesions, such as 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and 8-nitroguanine. The DNA damage can cause mutations and has been implicated in inflammation-mediated carcinogenesis. It has been estimated that various infectious agents are carcinogenic to humans (IARC group 1), including bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), viruses [hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)] and parasites [Schistosoma haematobium (SH) and Opisthorchis viverrini (OV)]. H. pylori, HBV/HCV, HPV, EBV, SH and OV are important risk factors for gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, bladder cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma, respectively. We demonstrated that 8-nitroguanine was strongly formed via inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression at these cancer sites of patients. Moreover, 8-nitroguanine was formed in Oct3/4-positive stem cells in SH-associated bladder cancer tissues, and in Oct3/4- and CD133-positive stem cells in OV-associated cholangiocarcinoma tissues. Therefore, it is considered that nitrative and oxidative DNA damage in stem cells may play a key role in infection-related carcinogenesis via chronic inflammation.

CD44v6 expression in human skin keratinocytes as a possible mechanism for carcinogenesis associated with chronic arsenic exposure

Inorganic arsenic is a well-known human skin carcinogen. Chronic arsenic exposure results in various types of human skin lesions, including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). To investigate whether mutant stem cells participate in arsenic-associated carcinogenesis, we repeatedly exposed the human spontaneously immortalized skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) cell line to an environmentally relevant level of arsenic (0.05 ppm) in vitrofor 18 weeks. Following sodium arsenite administration, cell cycle, colony-forming efficiency (CFE), cell tumorigenicity, and expression of CD44v6, NF-κB and p53, were analyzed at different time points (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 passages). We found that a chronic exposure of HaCaT cells to a low level of arsenic induced a cancer stem-like phenotype. Furthermore, arsenictreated HaCaT cells also became tumorigenic in nude mice, their growth cycle was predominantly in G2/M and S phases. Relative to nontreated cells, they exhibited a higher growth rate and a significant increase in CFE. Western blot analysis found that arsenic was capable of increasing cell proliferation and sprouting of cancer stem-like phenotype. Additionally, immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that CD44v6 expression was upregulated in HaCaT cells exposed to a low level of arsenic during early stages of induction. The expression of CD44v6 in arsenic-treated cells was positively correlated with their cloning efficiency in soft agar (r=0.949, P=0.01). Likewise, the expressions of activating transcription factor NF-κB and p53 genes in the arsenic-treated HaCaT cells were significantly higher than that in non-treated cells. Higher expressions of CD44v6, NF-κB and p53 were also observed in tumor tissues isolated from Balb/c nude mice. The present results suggest that CD44v6 may be a biomarker of arsenicinduced neoplastic transformation in human skin cells, and that arsenic promotes malignant transformation in human skin lesions through a NF-κB signaling pathway-stimulated expression of CD44v6.

Crosstalk between DNA Damage and Inflammation in the Multiple Steps of Carcinogenesis

Inflammation can be induced by chronic infection, inflammatory diseases and physicochemical factors. Chronic inflammation is estimated to contribute to approximately 25% of human cancers. Under inflammatory conditions, inflammatory and epithelial cells release reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS), which are capable of causing DNA damage, including the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine and 8-nitroguanine. We reported that 8-nitroguanine was clearly formed at the sites of cancer induced by infectious agents including Helicobacter pylori, inflammatory diseases including Barrett’s esophagus, and physicochemical factors including asbestos. DNA damage can lead to mutations and genomic instability if not properly repaired. Moreover, DNA damage response can also induce high mobility group box 1-generating inflammatory microenvironment, which is characterized by hypoxia. Hypoxia induces hypoxia-inducible factor and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which increases the levels of intracellular RNS and ROS, resulting DNA damage in progression with poor prognosis. Furthermore, tumor-producing inflammation can induce nuclear factor-κB, resulting in iNOS-dependent DNA damage. Therefore, crosstalk between DNA damage and inflammation may play important roles in cancer development. A proposed mechanism for the crosstalk may explain why aspirin decreases the long-term risk of cancer mortality.

Protection by Taurine Against INOS-Dependent DNA Damage in Heavily Exercised Skeletal Muscle by Inhibition of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Taurine protects against tissue damage in a variety of models involving inflammation, especially the muscle. We set up a heavy exercise bout protocol for rats consisting of climbing ran on a treadmill to examine the effect of an intraabdominal dose of taurine (300 mg/kg/day) administered 1 h before heavy exercise for ten consecutive days. Each group ran on the treadmill at 20 m/min, 25% grade, for 20 min or until exhaustion within 20 min once each 10 days. Exhaustion was the point when an animal was unable to right itself when placed on its side. The muscle damage was associated with an increased accumulation of 8-nitroguanine and 8-OHdG in the nuclei of skeletal muscle cells. The immunoreactivities for NF-κB and iNOS were also increased in the exercise group. Taurine ameliorated heavy exercise-induced muscle DNA damage to a significant extent since it reduced the accumulation of 8-nitroguanine and 8-OHdG, possibly by down-regulating the expression of iNOS through a modulatory action on NF-κB signaling pathway. This study demonstrates for the first time that taurine can protect against intense exercise-induced nitrosative inflammation and ensuing DNA damage in the skeletal muscle of rats by preventing iNOS expression and the nitrosative stress generated by heavy exercise.

Oxidative DNA damage induced by metabolites of chloramphenicol, an antibiotic drug.

Abstract Chloramphenicol (CAP) was an old antimicrobial agent. However, the use of CAP is limited because of its harmful side effects, such as leukemia. The molecular mechanism through which CAP has been strongly correlated with leukemogenesis is still unclear. To elucidate the mechanism of genotoxicity, we examined DNA damage by CAP and its metabolites, nitroso-CAP (CAP-NO), N-hydroxy-CAP (CAP-NHOH), using isolated DNA. CAP-NHOH have the ability of DNA damage including 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine formation in the presence of Cu(II), which was greatly enhanced by the addition of an endogenous reductant NADH. CAP-NO caused DNA damage in the presence of Cu(II), only when reduced by NADH. NADH can non-enzymatically reduce the nitroso form to hydronitroxide radicals, resulting in enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species followed by DNA damage through the redox cycle. Furthermore, we also studied the site specificity of base lesions in DNA treated with piperidine or formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase, using 32P-5′-end-labeled DNA fragments obtained from the human tumor suppressor gene. CAP metabolites preferentially caused double base lesion, the G and C of the ACG sequence complementary to codon 273 of the p53 gene, in the presence of NADH and Cu(II). Therefore, we conclude that oxidative double base lesion may play a role in carcinogenicity of CAP.