Tai Young Kim

Class I Histone Deacetylase-Selective Novel Synthetic Inhibitors Potently Inhibit Human Tumor Proliferation

We have developed previously a class of synthetic hybrid histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which were built from hydroxamic acid of trichostatin A and pyridyl ring of MS-275. In this study we evaluated the antitumor effects of these novel hybrid synthetic HDAC inhibitors, SK-7041 and SK-7068, on human cancer cells. Both SK-7041 and SK-7068 effectively inhibited cellular HDAC activity at nanomolar concentrations and induced the time-dependent hyperacetylation of histones H3 and H4. These HDAC inhibitors preferentially inhibited the enzymatic activities of HDAC1 and HDAC2, as compared with the other HDAC isotypes, indicating that class I HDAC is the major target of SK-7041 and SK-7068. We found that these compounds exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against various human cancer cells in vitro. Growth inhibition effect of SK-7041 and SK-7068 was related with the induction of aberrant mitosis and apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells. Both compounds induced the accumulation of cells at mitosis after 6 h of treatment, which was demonstrated by accumulation of tetraploid cells, lack of G2 cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase inactivation, and higher mitotic index. After 12 h of treatment, apoptotic cells were increased through mitochondrial and caspase-mediated pathway. Finally, in vivo experiment showed that SK-7041 or SK-7068 was found to reduce the growth of implanted human tumors in nude mice. Therefore, based on isotype specificity and antitumor activity, SK-7041 and SK-7068 HDAC inhibitors are expected to be promising anticancer therapeutic agents and need additional clinical development.

Transcriptional silencing of the DLC-1 tumor suppressor gene by epigenetic mechanism in gastric cancer cells

DLC-1 (deleted in liver cancer) gene is frequently deleted in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, little is known about the genetic status and the expression of this gene in gastric cancer. In this study, Northern and Southern analysis showed that seven of nine human gastric cancer cell lines did not express DLC-1 mRNA, but contained the DLC-1 gene. To identify the mechanism of the loss of DLC-1 mRNA expression in these cell lines, we investigated the methylation status of DLC-1 gene by using methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and Southern blot, and found that five of seven DLC-1 nonexpressing gastric cancer cell lines were methylated in the DLC-1 CpG island. Treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) induced DLC-1 mRNA expression in the gastric cancer cell lines that have the methylated alleles. Studies using SNU-601 cell line with methylated DLC-1 alleles revealed that nearly all CpG sites within DLC-1 CpG island were methylated, and that the in vitro methylation of the DLC-1 promoter region is enough to repress DLC-1 mRNA expression, regardless of the presence of transcription factors capable of inducing this gene. In all, 29 of 97 (30%) primary gastric cancers were also shown to be methylated, demonstrating that methylation of the DLC-1 CpG island is not uncommon in gastric cancer. In addition, we demonstrated that DLC-1 mRNA expression was induced, and an increase in the level of acetylated H3 and H4 was detected by the treatment with trichostatin A (TSA) in two DLC-1 nonexpressing cell lines that have the unmethylated alleles. Taken together, the results of our study suggest that the transcriptional silencing of DLC-1, by epigenetic mechanism, may be involved in gastric carcinogenesis.

AKAP12/Gravin is inactivated by epigenetic mechanism in human gastric carcinoma and shows growth suppressor activity.

AKAP12/Gravin, one of the A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs), functions as a kinase scaffold protein and as a dynamic regulator of the β2-adrenergic receptor complex. However, the biological role of AKAP12 in cancer development is not well understood. The AKAP12 gene encodes two major isoforms of 305 and 287u2009kDa (designated AKAP12A and AKAP12B, respectively, in this report). We found that these two isoforms are independently expressed and that they are probably under the control of two different promoters. Moreover, both isoforms were absent from the majority of human gastric cancer cells. The results from methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfite sequencing revealed that the 5′ CpG islands of both AKAP12A and AKAP12B are frequently hypermethylated in gastric cancer cells. Treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor and/or histone deacetylase inhibitor efficiently restored the expression of AKAP12 isoforms, confirming that DNA methylation is directly involved in the transcriptional silencing of AKAP12 in gastric cancer cells. Hypermethylation of AKAP12A CpG island was also detected in 56% (10 of 18) of primary gastric tumors. The restoration of AKAP12A in AKAP12-nonexpressing cells reduced colony formation and induced apoptotic cell death. In conclusion, our results suggest that AKAP12A may function as an important negative regulator of the survival pathway in human gastric cancer.

Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibits Novel Ginseng Metabolite-Mediated Apoptosis

Recently, a novel intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginseng protopanaxadiol saponins, i.e., 20-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (IH-901), has been reported to induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. Here we show a differential effect of IH-901 on several cell types. Exposure to IH-901 for 48 hours at a supposedly subapoptotic concentration of 40 mumol/L led to both apoptotic cell death and G1 arrest in Hep3B cells, but only resulted in G1 arrest in MDA-MB-231, Hs578T, and MKN28 cells. Additionally, the treatment of MDA-MB-231, but not of Hep3B, with IH-901 up-regulated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA (2 hours) and protein (6 hours), and enhanced the production of prostaglandin E2. In MDA-MB-231 cells, IH-901 induced the sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), whereas inhibition of mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase blocked IH-901-mediated COX-2 induction and resulted in apoptosis, suggesting the involvement of an ERK-COX-2 pathway. Combined treatment with IH-901 and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibited COX-2 enzyme and induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cells. Adenovirus-mediated COX-2 small interfering RNAs also effectively inhibited COX-2 protein expression and enhanced IH-901-mediated apoptosis without inhibiting ERK 1/2 phosphorylation, thus providing direct evidence that COX-2 is an antiapoptotic molecule. Moreover, IH-901-mediated G1 arrest resulted from an increase in p27Kip1 mRNA and protein expression followed by a decrease in CDK2 kinase activity that was concurrent with the hypophosphorylation of Rb and p130. In conclusion, IH-901 induced both G1 arrest and apoptosis, and this apoptosis could be inhibited by COX-2 induction.

Potential advantages of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1)-targeted inhibition for cancer therapy

The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) has been used as a drug in a part of cancer therapy. However, because of its incorporation into DNA during DNA synthesis, 5-aza-dC can cause DNA damage, mutagenesis, and cytotoxicity. In view of the adverse effects of 5-aza-dC, DNMT-targeted inhibition may be a more effective approach than treatment with 5-aza-dC. To address the possibility of DNMT-targeted cancer therapy, we compared the effects of treatment with small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNAs) specific for DNMT1 or DNMT3b and treatment with 5-aza-dC on transcription, cell growth, and DNA damage in gastric cancer cells. We found that DNMT1-targeted inhibition induced the re-expression and reversed DNA methylation of five (CDKN2A, RASSF1A, HTLF, RUNX3, and AKAP12B) out of seven genes examined, and 5-aza-dC reactivated and demethylated all seven genes. In contrast, DNMT3b siRNAs did not show any effect. Furthermore, the double knockdown of DNMT1 and DNMT3b did not show a synergistic effect on gene re-expression and demethylation. In addition, DNMT1 siRNAs showed an inhibitory effect of cell proliferation in the cancer cells and the induction of cell death without evidence of DNA damage, whereas treatment with 5-aza-dC caused DNA damage as demonstrated by the comet assay. These results provide a rationale for the development of a DNMT1-targeted strategy as an effective epigenetic cancer therapy.

Aberrant methylation of integrin alpha4 gene in human gastric cancer cells.

Integrins are adhesion receptors that mediate both cell–extracellular matrix and cell–cell interactions. It has also been reported that the loss of integrin α4 expression might be associated with metastasis in several cancers. However, the molecular mechanism for loss of their expression in cancers has not been explored. In the present study, we found that the integrin α4 expression is lost in human gastric cancer cell lines and that this is recovered by treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, implying transcriptional silencing by DNA methylation. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing demonstrated the CpG methylation-dependent silencing of integrin α4 expression in eight of nine (88.8%) gastric cancer cell lines and in 84.7% of 46 primary tumors. We also investigated whether the restoration of integrin α4 in integrin α4-inactivated cells affects their ability to invade extracellular matrix, using matrigel assays. Interestingly, integrin α4-stable transfectants had markedly less invasive ability than the parental cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the transcriptional repression of the integrin α4 gene is caused by aberrant DNA methylation, and that this may play an important role in human gastric carcinogenesis.

Aberrant methylation of integrin α 4 gene in human gastric cancer cells

Integrins are adhesion receptors that mediate both cell–extracellular matrix and cell–cell interactions. It has also been reported that the loss of integrin α4 expression might be associated with metastasis in several cancers. However, the molecular mechanism for loss of their expression in cancers has not been explored. In the present study, we found that the integrin α4 expression is lost in human gastric cancer cell lines and that this is recovered by treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, implying transcriptional silencing by DNA methylation. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing demonstrated the CpG methylation-dependent silencing of integrin α4 expression in eight of nine (88.8%) gastric cancer cell lines and in 84.7% of 46 primary tumors. We also investigated whether the restoration of integrin α4 in integrin α4-inactivated cells affects their ability to invade extracellular matrix, using matrigel assays. Interestingly, integrin α4-stable transfectants had markedly less invasive ability than the parental cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the transcriptional repression of the integrin α4 gene is caused by aberrant DNA methylation, and that this may play an important role in human gastric carcinogenesis.

Cytotoxic effects of pemetrexed in gastric cancer cells.

Pemetrexed is a newly developed multitargeted antifolate with promising clinical activity in many solid tumors including gastric cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of pemetrexed and its mode of interaction with cisplatin in gastric cancer cell lines, and to identify genes associated with sensitivity to pemetrexed. The cytotoxic activity of pemetrexed was assessed by tetrazolium‐based colorimetric assay (MTT assay) and the interaction between pemetrexed and cisplatin was evaluated by the isobologram method. Western immunoblotting and real time RT‐PCR analysis of thymidylate synthase (TS), folylpoly‐γ‐glutamate synthetase (FPGS) and reduced folate carrier (RFC1) were performed in order to determine whether sensitivity to pemetrexed would be predictable by protein or mRNA expression levels. Pemetrexed was more cytotoxic than 5‐fluorouracil, with IC50 between 17 and 310 nM in most of the gastric cancer cell lines examined and the pemetrexed/cisplatin combination resulted in additive or synergistic interaction. The protein expressions of TS, FPGS, and RFC1 were significantly associated with IC50 for 5‐fluorouracil, but no such association was found for pemetrexed chemosensitivity. The mRNA expressions of RFC1, FPGS and other target and resistance related genes revealed no significant association with pemetrexed sensitivity. In conclusion, pemetrexed is active against gastric cancer cell lines and the pemetrexed/cisplatin combination showed a synergistic or additive interaction, supporting its clinical use in gastric cancer. Drug sensitivity toward pemetrexed could not be predicted by the expressions of TS, RFC1, or FPGS and we suggest that it is determined by interactions between multiple genes. (Cancer Sci 2005; 96: 365–371)

ADP-ribosylation factors 1 and 6 regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling via control of LRP6 phosphorylation

It has been shown that inhibition of GTPase-activating protein of ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf), ArfGAP, with a small molecule (QS11) results in synergistic activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. However, the role of Arf in Wnt/β-catenin signaling has not yet been elucidated. Here, we show that activation of Arf is essential for Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The level of the active form of Arf (Arf-GTP) transiently increased in the presence of Wnt, and this induction event was abrogated by blocking the interaction between Wnt and Frizzled (Fzd). In addition, knockdown of Fzds, Dvls or LRP6 blocked the Wnt-mediated activation of Arf. Consistently, depletion of Arf led to inhibition of Wnt-mediated membrane PtdIns (4,5)P2 (phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate) synthesis and LRP6 phosphorylation. Overall, our data suggest that transient activation of Arf modulates LRP6 phosphorylation for the transduction of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Transcriptional induction of DLC-1 gene through Sp1 sites by histone deacetylase inhibitors in gastric cancer cells

We previously reported that trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, induced DLC-1 mRNA expression and accumulated acetylated histones H3 and H4 associated with the DLC-1 promoter in DLC-1 non-expressing gastric cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrated the molecular mechanisms by which TSA induced the DLC-1 gene expression. Treatment of the gastric cancer cells with TSA activates the DLC-1 promoter activity through Sp1 sites located at -219 and -174 relative to the transcription start site. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA) revealed that Sp1 and Sp3 specifically interact with these Sp1 sites and showed that TSA did not change their binding activities. The ectopic expression of Sp1, but not Sp3, enhances the DLC-1 promoter responsiveness by TSA. Furthermore, the TSA-induced DLC-1 promoter activity was increased by p300 expression and reduced by knockdown of p300. These results demonstrated the requirement of specific Sp1 sites and dependence of Sp1 and p300 for TSA-mediated activation of DLC-1 promoter.