Surendra Kumar Trigun

Dimethyl sulfoxide activates tumor necrosis factorα-p53 mediated apoptosis and down regulates D-fructose-6-phosphate-2-kinase and lactate dehydrogenase-5 in Dalton's lymphoma in vivo.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is evident to induce apoptosis in certain tumor cells in vitro. However, its apoptotic mechanism remains unexplored in in vivo tumors. This article describes that DMSO, being non-toxic to the normal lymphocytes, up regulated TNFα and p53, declined Bcl-2/Bax ratio, activated caspase 9 and PARP-1 cleavage and produced apoptotic pattern of DNA ladder in Daltons lymphoma (DL) in vivo. This was consistent with the declined expressions of tumor growth supportive glycolytic enzymes; inducible D-fructose-6-phosphate-2-kinase and lactate dehydrogenase-5 in the DL cells. The findings suggest induction of TNFα-p53-mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis by DMSO in a non-Hodgkins lymphoma and support evolving concept of glycolytic inhibition led apoptosis in a tumor cell in vivo.

Fisetin Modulates Antioxidant Enzymes and Inflammatory Factors to Inhibit Aflatoxin-B1 Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Rats

Fisetin, a known antioxidant, has been found to be cytotoxic against certain cell lines. However, the mechanism by which it inhibits tumor growth in vivo remains unexplored. Recently, we have demonstrated that Aflatoxin-B1 (AFB1) induced hepatocarcinogenesis is associated with activation of oxidative stress-inflammatory pathway in rat liver. The present paper describes the effect of in vivo treatment with 20 mg/kg b.w. Fisetin on antioxidant enzymes vis-a-vis oxidative stress level and on the profile of certain proinflammatory cytokines in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by two doses of 1 mg/kg b.w. AFB1 i.p. in rats. The reduced levels of most of the antioxidant enzymes, coinciding with the enhanced level of reactive oxygen species in the HCC liver, were observed to regain their normal profiles due to Fisetin treatment. Also, Fisetin treatment could normalize the enhanced expression of TNFα and IL1α, the two proinflammatory cytokines, reported to be involved in HCC pathogenesis. These observations were consistent with the regression of neoplastic lesion and declined GST-pi (placental type glutathione-S-transferase) level, a HCC marker, in the liver of the Fisetin treated HCC rats. The findings suggest that Fisetin attenuates oxidative stress-inflammatory pathway of AFB1 induced hepatocarcinogenesis.

Acute Liver Failure in Rats Activates Glutamine-Glutamate Cycle but Declines Antioxidant Enzymes to Induce Oxidative Stress in Cerebral Cortex and Cerebellum

Background and Purpose Liver dysfunction led hyperammonemia (HA) causes a nervous system disorder; hepatic encephalopathy (HE). In the brain, ammonia induced glutamate-excitotoxicity and oxidative stress are considered to play important roles in the pathogenesis of HE. The brain ammonia metabolism and antioxidant enzymes constitute the main components of this mechanism; however, need to be defined in a suitable animal model. This study was aimed to examine this aspect in the rats with acute liver failure (ALF). Methods ALF in the rats was induced by intraperitoneal administration of 300 mg thioacetamide/Kg. b.w up to 2 days. Glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutaminase (GA), the two brain ammonia metabolizing enzymes vis a vis ammonia and glutamate levels and profiles of all the antioxidant enzymes vis a vis oxidative stress markers were measured in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of the control and the ALF rats. Results The ALF rats showed significantly increased levels of ammonia in the blood (HA) but little changes in the cortex and cerebellum. This was consistent with the activation of the GS-GA cycle and static levels of glutamate in these brain regions. However, significantly increased levels of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl contents were consistent with the reduced levels of all the antioxidant enzymes in both the brain regions of these ALF rats. Conclusion ALF activates the GS-GA cycle to metabolize excess ammonia and thereby, maintains static levels of ammonia and glutamate in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Moreover, ALF induces oxidative stress by reducing the levels of all the antioxidant enzymes which is likely to play important role, independent of glutamate levels, in the pathogenesis of acute HE.

Activation of p53 mediated glycolytic inhibition-oxidative stress-apoptosis pathway in Dalton's lymphoma by a ruthenium (II)-complex containing 4-carboxy N-ethylbenzamide

There is a general agreement that most of the cancer cells switch over to aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) and upregulate antioxidant enzymes to prevent oxidative stress induced apoptosis. Thus, there is an evolving view to target these metabolic alterations by novel anticancer agents to restrict tumor progression in vivo. Previously we have reported that when a non toxic dose (10 mg/kg bw i.p.) of a novel anticancer ruthenium(II)-complex containing 4-carboxy N-ethylbenzamide; Ru(II)-CNEB, was administered to the Daltons lymphoma (DL) bearing mice, it regressed DL growth by inducing apoptosis in the DL cells. It also inactivated M4-LDH (M4-lactate dehydrogenase), an enzyme that drives anaerobic glycolysis in the tumor cells. In the present study we have investigated whether this compound is able to modulate regulation of glycolytic inhibition-apoptosis pathway in the DL cells in vivo. We observed that Ru(II)-CNEB could decline expression of the inducible form of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase (iPFK2: PFKFB3), the master regulator of glycolysis in the DL cells. The complex also activated superoxide dismutase (the H2O2 producing enzyme) but declined the levels of catalase and glutathione peroxidase (the two H2O2 degrading enzymes) to impose oxidative stress in the DL cells. This was consistent with the enhanced p53 level, decline in Bcl2/Bax ratio and activation of caspase 9 in those DL cells. The findings suggest that Ru(II)-CNEB is able to activate oxidative stress-apoptosis pathway via p53 (a tumor supressor protein) mediated repression of iPFK2, a key glycolytic regulator, in the DL cells in vivo.

Targetting cancer with Ru(III/II)-phosphodiesterase inhibitor adducts: A novel approach in the treatment of cancer

Lack of specificity and normal tissue toxicity are the two major limitations faced with most of the anticancer agents in current use. Due to effective biodistribution and multimodal cellular actions, during recent past, ruthenium complexes have drawn much attention as next generation anticancer agents. This is because metal center of ruthenium (Ru) effectively binds with the serum transferrin and due to higher concentration of transferrin receptors on the tumor cells, much of the circulating Ru-transferrin complexes are delivered preferentially to the tumor site. This enables Ru-complexes to become tumor cell specific and to execute their anticancer activities in a somewhat targeted manner. Also, there are evidences to suggest that inhibition of phosphodiesterases leads to increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) level, which in turn can evoke cell cycle arrest and can induce apoptosis in the tumor cells. In addition, phosphodiesterase inhibition led increased cGMP level may act as a potent vasodilator and thus, it is likely to enhance blood flow to the growing tumors in vivo, and thereby it can further facilitate delivery of the drugs/compounds to the tumor site. Therefore, it is hypothesized that tagging PDE inhibitors (PDEis) with Ru-complexes could be a relevant strategy to deliver Ru-complexes-PDEi adduct preferentially to the tumor site. The Ru-complex tagged entry of PDEi is speculated to initially enable the tumor cells to become a preferential recipient of such adducts followed by induction of antitumor activities shown by both, the Ru-complex & the PDEi, resulting into enhanced antitumor activities with a possibility of minimum normal tissue toxicity due to administration of such complexes.

Low grade cirrhosis induces cognitive impairment and motor dysfunction in rats: Could be a model for minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a nervous system disorder developed in the patients with liver cirrhosis. The low grade cirrhosis is of common occurrence, however, whether and the extent to which it affects brain function is not clearly understood. The present article examines certain neurobehavioral parameters in the rats with low grade chronic liver failure (CLF) induced by intraperitoneal administration of 50mg/kgb.w. thioacetamide up to 14 days. During Morris Water Maze tasks, the CLF rats, as compared to the control, showed insignificant decline in the escape latency score to find out the hidden platform throughout the learning days and also stayed for a significantly declined (p<0.01) time period at the place of the hidden platform during the retrieval test. They also showed impairment in the conditional discrimination ability, reflected by a significant decline in the active avoidance score (p<0.05) and increment in the number of non-response (p<0.05) during shuttle box tests. On rotarod performance, they exhibited significant decline in their riding time (p<0.01-001) on the rotating rod as a function of increasing speed. The findings suggest a moderate level cognitive impairment and motor dysfunction in the low grade CLF rats. Since, these impairments correlate with the early stage manifestation of HE in the patients, these CLF rats could serve as a model to study the pathogenesis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy.

Evidence for tissue specific alterations in Zn2+-induced conformational changes in fructose-bisphosphatase of senescent rats

In vitro studies on Zn2+-induced modulations in certain allosteric control of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase: EC 3.1.3.11), isolated from liver and muscle of 28- and 97-wk old rats were carried out in parallel. Similar chromatographic elution on ion-exchanger and electrophoretic mobility on polyacrylamide gels revealed similarity in charge and molecular size of the enzyme proteins from the two ages of rats. Regarding Zn2+ induced modulations, almost all the parameters used did not show any age-dependent significant alteration with liver enzyme. However, in case of muscle FBPase, apart from a significant increase in Ki for ZnCl2, Zn2+-induced modulations in substrate affinity and AMP inhibition were observed to be altered markedly with the enzyme of 97-wk-old rats in comparison to that of 28-wk-old rats. Thus, it suggests age-associated alterations in Zn2+-mediated conformational modification in the muscle enzyme. This has been further supported by tissue-specific usual pattern of substrate affinity in the absence of Zn2+ and exhibition of normal AMP inhibition after replacement of Zn2+ by EDTA. Such age-dependent changes induced by Zn2+ in muscle FBPase may be of high physiological significance with advancing age of the animal.

Pannexin1 as a novel cerebral target in pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) represents a nervous system disorder caused due to liver dysfunction. HE is broadly classified as acute/overt and moderate-minimal HE. Since HE syndrome severely affects quality of life of the patients and it may be life threatening, it is important to develop effective therapeutic strategy against HE. Mainly ammonia neurotoxicity is considered accountable for HE. Increased level of ammonia in the brain activates glutamate-NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor (NMDAR) pathway leading to Ca2+ influx, energy deficit and oxidative stress in the post synaptic neurons. Moreover, NMDAR blockage has been found to be a poor therapeutic option, as this neurotransmitter receptor plays important role in maintaining normal neurophysiology of the brain. Thus, searching new molecular players in HE pathogenesis is of current concern. There is an evolving concept about roles of the trans-membrane channels in the pathogenesis of a number of neurological complications. Pannexin1 (Panx1) is one of them and has been described to be implicated in stroke, epilepsy and ischemia. Importantly, the pathogenesis of these complications relates to some extent with NMDAR over activation. Thus, it is speculated that HE pathogenesis might also involve Panx1. Indeed, some recent observations in the animal models of HE provide support to this argument. Since opening of Panx1 channel is mostly associated with the neuronal dysfunctions, down regulation of this channel could serve as a relevant therapeutic strategy without producing any serious side effects. In the review article an attempt has been made to summarize the current information on implication of Panx1 in the brain disorders and its prospects for being examined as pharmacological target in HE pathogenesis.

Fisetin Attenuates AKT Associated Growth Promoting Events in AflatoxinB1 Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND Recently, we have reported that Fisetin, a natural flavonol, is able to regress Aflatoxin- B1 (AFB1) induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by suppressing reactive oxygen species (ROS) led proinflammatory factors in rats. In the current study, we aimed to delineate whether Fisetin does so by modulating the cell growth promoting signaling cascade in HCC. The reciprocal interplay of 3-phosphoinositol kinase (PI3K) vs phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) displays Akt, a protein kinase B, to get phosphorylated at Thr308 by a 3-phosphoinositol dependent kinase 1 (PDK1). This commits cells of neoplastic niche to undergo rapid proliferation by p-Aktthr308 dependent phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) at Ser 9 position. METHOD In this study, the effect of in vivo treatment of 20 mg/kg b.w. Fisetin on relative profile of all these factors were studied in the liver from the HCC rats induced by two doses of 1mg/kg b.w. AFB1 i.p. RESULT As compared to the untreated HCC liver, liver from Fisetin treated HCC group rats showed a significant decline in the activity and level of p-Aktthr308 which was consistent with a similar decline in PDK1 level. Concordantly, the level of p-GSK3βSer 9 was also found to be declined significantly in those Fisetin-treated HCC livers. CONCLUSION A concomitant decline in immunohistochemically detected number of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a cell proliferation marker, in the HCC liver, further confirmed anti-cell proliferative role of Fisetin during HCC growth in vivo. These findings suggest that Fisetin is able to suppress Akt dependent cell growth signaling mechanisms in HCC mainly by down regulating PDK1 dependent Akt phosphorylation.

Bacopa monnieri Extract (CDRI-08) Modulates the NMDA Receptor Subunits and nNOS-Apoptosis Axis in Cerebellum of Hepatic Encephalopathy Rats

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE), characterized by impaired cerebellar functions during chronic liver failure (CLF), involves N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) overactivation in the brain cells. Bacopa monnieri (BM) extract is a known neuroprotectant. The present paper evaluates whether BM extract is able to modulate the two NMDAR subunits (NR2A and NR2B) and its downstream mediators in cerebellum of rats with chronic liver failure (CLF), induced by administration of 50 mg/kg bw thioacetamide (TAA) i.p. for 14 days, and in the TAA group rats orally treated with 200 mg/kg bw BM extract from days 8 to 14. NR2A is known to impart neuroprotection and that of NR2B induces neuronal death during NMDAR activation. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase- (nNOS-) apoptosis pathway is known to mediate NMDAR led excitotoxicity. The level of NR2A was found to be significantly reduced with a concomitant increase of NR2B in cerebellum of the CLF rats. This was consistent with significantly enhanced nNOS expression, nitric oxide level, and reduced Bcl2/Bax ratio. Moreover, treatment with BM extract reversed the NR2A/NR2B ratio and also normalized the levels of nNOS-apoptotic factors in cerebellum of those rats. The findings suggest modulation of NR2A and NR2B expression by BM extract to prevent neurochemical alterations associated with HE.