Xiaodan Yu

Apigenin inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human multiple myeloma cells through targeting the trinity of CK2, Cdc37 and Hsp90

BackgroundMultiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy that is largely incurable and is characterized by the accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Apigenin, a common flavonoid, has been reported to suppress proliferation in a wide variety of solid tumors and hematological cancers; however its mechanism is not well understood and its effect on MM cells has not been determined.ResultsIn this study, we investigated the effects of apigenin on MM cell lines and on primary MM cells. Cell viability assays demonstrated that apigenin exhibited cytotoxicity against both MM cell lines and primary MM cells but not against normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Together, kinase assays, immunoprecipitation and western blot analysis showed that apigenin inhibited CK2 kinase activity, decreased phosphorylation of Cdc37, disassociated the Hsp90/Cdc37/client complex and induced the degradation of multiple kinase clients, including RIP1, Src, Raf-1, Cdk4 and AKT. By depleting these kinases, apigenin suppressed both constitutive and inducible activation of STAT3, ERK, AKT and NF-κB. The treatment also downregulated the expression of the antiapoptotic proteins Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, XIAP and Survivin, which ultimately induced apoptosis in MM cells. In addition, apigenin had a greater effects in depleting Hsp90 clients when used in combination with the Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin and the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the primary mechanisms by which apigenin kill MM cells is by targeting the trinity of CK2-Cdc37-Hsp90, and this observation reveals the therapeutic potential of apigenin in treating multiple myeloma.

Celastrol targets mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I to induce reactive oxygen species-dependent cytotoxicity in tumor cells

BackgroundCelastrol is an active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Tripterygium Wilfordii, which exhibits significant antitumor activity in different cancer models in vitro and in vivo; however, the lack of information on the target and mechanism of action of this compound have impeded its clinical application. In this study, we sought to determine the mode of action of celastrol by focusing on the processes that mediate its anticancer activity.MethodsThe downregulation of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) client proteins, phosphorylation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), and cleavage of PARP, caspase 9 and caspase 3 were detected by western blotting. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was analyzed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Cell cycle progression, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry. Absorption spectroscopy was used to determine the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) complexes.ResultsCelastrol induced ROS accumulation, G2-M phase blockage, apoptosis and necrosis in H1299 and HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidative agent, inhibited celastrol-induced ROS accumulation and cytotoxicity. JNK phosphorylation induced by celastrol was suppressed by NAC and JNK inhibitor SP600125 (SP). Moreover, SP significantly inhibited celastrol-induced loss of MMP, cleavage of PARP, caspase 9 and caspase 3, mitochondrial translocation of Bad, cytoplasmic release of cytochrome c, and cell death. However, SP did not inhibit celastrol-induced ROS accumulation. Celastrol downregulated HSP90 client proteins but did not disrupt the interaction between HSP90 and cdc37. NAC completely inhibited celastrol-induced decrease of HSP90 client proteins, catalase and thioredoxin. The activity of MRC complex I was completely inhibited in H1299 cells treated with 6 μM celastrol in the absence and presence of NAC. Moreover, the inhibition of MRC complex I activity preceded ROS accumulation in H1299 cells after celastrol treatment.ConclusionWe identified ROS as the key intermediate for celastrol-induced cytotoxicity. JNK was activated by celastrol-induced ROS accumulation and then initiated mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Celastrol induced the downregulation of HSP90 client proteins through ROS accumulation and facilitated ROS accumulation by inhibiting MRC complex I activity. These results identify a novel target for celastrol-induced anticancer activity and define its mode of action.

Aurora A, Aurora B and survivin are novel targets of transcriptional regulation by histone deacetylase inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Analysis of biopsies from a recent clinical trial suggested that Depsipeptide FK228 (DP) inhibits Aurora kinase expression in lung cancer cells. The present study was undertaken to confirm and extend these observations. Methods: Aurora A, and Aurora B levels in lung cancer cells and normal respiratory epithelia were assessed using quantitative RT-PCR techniques. These methods, as well as as western blots were used to examine expression of Auroras A/B, and several related genes/proteins in lung cancer cells exposed to DP, TSA, SAHA, and geldanamycins. Transient transfection promoter-reporter assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) techniques were used to examine DP-mediated changes in activity and chromatin structure of the Aurora B promoter. Confocal imaging techniques were used to examine the effects of DP and TSA on mitotic progression in lung cancer cells. Results: Aurora A and B mRNA levels in lung cancer cells were considerably higher than levels in normal pulmonary epithelia. DP, TSA, and SAHA inhibited Aurora A, Aurora B, and survivin expression with kinetics that were remarkably similar within individual cell lines, and appeared to coincide with p53 expression status. These effects were not observed following treatment with geldanamycins. Inhibition of Aurora B transcription coincided with decreased H3K6Ac and H3K4Me2 activation marks, and accumulation of H3K9Me3, as well as MBD1, MBD2, and MBD3 repression marks within the minimal Aurora B promoter. Knock-down of MBD1,- 2, or -3 did not reproducibly abrogate inhibition of Aurora or survivin expression by DP or TSA. DP and TSA decreased expression and altered localization of Aurora kinases and survivin, resulting in mitotic catastrophe in lung cancer cells. Conclusions: Novel transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involving Aurora kinase and survivin appear to contribute to cytotoxicity mediated by HDAC inhibitors in lung cancer cells.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor SAHA induces ERα degradation in breast cancer MCF-7 cells by CHIP-mediated ubiquitin pathway and inhibits survival signaling

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) plays an important role in the development and progression of breast cancer, and recent studies showed that ERalpha expression is associated with resistance to hormonal therapy. Therefore, a number of studies have explored ways to deplete ERalpha from breast cancer cells as a new therapy especially for hormone-refractory breast cancer. We reported here that suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, effectively depletes ERalpha in breast cancer MCF-7 cells. However, the intrinsic mechanisms by which SAHA decreases ERalpha levels are not clear. Our present data demonstrated that both inhibition of ERalpha mRNA level and promotion of ERalpha degradation by the proteasome contribute to SAHA-induced ERalpha depletion, indicating that SAHA may exert its effects through transcriptional and posttranslational mechanisms. Furthermore, the decrease of ERalpha protein level in MCF-7 cells after SAHA treatment is mainly the result of its rapid degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway rather than transcriptional inhibition. In addition, we showed that inactivation of the heat shock protein-90 (Hsp90) is involved in SAHA-induced ERalpha degradation, and ubiquitin ligase CHIP (C-terminal Hsc70 interacting protein) enhances SAHA-induced ERalpha degradation. SAHA-induced ERalpha depletion is paralleled with reduction of transcriptional activity of ERalpha and SAHA is able to effectively inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. Taken together, our results revealed a mechanism for SAHA-induced ERalpha degradation and indicated that SAHA is a suitable pharmacological agent for depletion of ERalpha and a potential choice for breast cancer expressing high ERalpha.

Celastrol stimulates hypoxia-inducible factor-1 activity in tumor cells by initiating the ROS/Akt/p70S6K signaling pathway and enhancing hypoxia-inducible factor-1α protein synthesis.

Celastrol, a tripterine derived from the traditional Chinese medicine plant Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. (“Thunder of God Vine”), has been reported to have multiple effects, such as anti-inflammation, suppression of tumor angiogenesis, inhibition of tumor growth, induction of apoptosis and protection of cells against human neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms that underlie these functions are not well defined. In this study, we reported for the first time that Celastrol could induce HIF-1α protein accumulation in multiple cancer cell lines in an oxygen-independent manner and that the enhanced HIF-1α protein entered the nucleus and promoted the transcription of the HIF-1 target genes VEGF and Glut-1. Celastrol did not influence HIF-1α transcription. Instead, Celastrol induced the accumulation of the HIF-1α protein by inducing ROS and activating Akt/p70S6K signaling to promote HIF-1α translation. In addition, we found that the activation of Akt by Celastrol was transient. With increased exposure time, inhibition of Hsp90 chaperone function by Celastrol led to the subsequent depletion of the Akt protein and thus to the suppression of Akt activity. Moreover, in HepG2 cells, the accumulation of HIF-1α increased the expression of BNIP3, which induced autophagy. However, HIF-1α and BNIP3 did not influence the cytotoxicity of Celastrol because the main mechanism by which Celastrol kills cancer cells is through stimulating ROS-mediated JNK activation and inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, our data showed that the dose required for Celastrol to induce HIF-1α protein accumulation and enhance HIF-1α transcriptional activation was below its cytotoxic threshold. A cytotoxic dose of Celastrol for cancer cells did not display cytotoxicity in LO2 normal human liver cells, which indicated that the novel functions of Celastrol in regulating HIF-1 signaling and inducing autophagy might be used in new applications, such as in anti-inflammation and protection of cells against human neurodegenerative diseases. Future studies regarding these applications are required.

Proteomic Analysis Identifies Protein Targets Responsible for Depsipeptide Sensitivity in Tumor Cells

Depsipeptide FR901228 (FK228) is a new kind of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) that induces growth arrest and cell death in a variety of tumor cells. Though its effects on oncogene expression and degradation have been documented, the detailed mechanism of FK228-induced cytotoxicity is still undefined. In this study, a differential proteomic analysis was performed to identify proteins associated with FK228-induced cytotoxicity in human lung cancer cells. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) revealed a distinct protein profile of H322 cells in response to FK228 treatment, and 45 protein spots with significant alteration were screened. In total, 27 proteins were identified by mass spectrometry and involved in signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, metabolism, cytoskeletal organization, and protein folding, synthesis and degradation, consistent with multiple effects of FK228 on tumor cells. Notably, a novel target protein, thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), was identified, which is downregulated in FK228-sensitive cancer cells, but upregulated in resistant cells. The expression level of TrxR was negatively correlated with ROS accumulation, DNA damage and apoptosis, implicating TrxR in FK228-induced apoptosis and HDACi sensitivity in cancer cells. Thus, proteomic analysis provides new information about target proteins important for FK228-induced cytotoxicity in cancer cells.

The histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat prevents TNFα-induced necroptosis by regulating multiple signaling pathways

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are novel anticancer reagents that have recently been reported to have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects; however, the mechanisms underlying their activities are largely undefined. The data from this study show that the HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) can protect L929 cells from TNFα-induced necroptosis. This effect involves multiple mechanisms, including the upregulation of cFLIPL expression, the enhanced activation of NFκB and p38 MAPK, and the inactivation of JNK. In addition, SAHA could initiate cell autophagy by inhibiting Akt and mTOR, which also play important roles in protecting cells from necroptosis. Because cell necroptosis is important for inflammation-related deterioration and neurodegenerative disease, our results indicate that preventing cell necrosis may be an important mechanism through which HDAC inhibitor compounds exert their anti-inflammatory or neuroprotective effects.

RIP1-dependent Bid cleavage mediates TNFα-induced but Caspase-3-independent cell death in L929 fibroblastoma cells.

L929 fibroblastoma cells (L929-A) and L929 fibrosarcoma cells (L929-N) are different cell lines that are commonly used to study the cytotoxicity of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). TNFα has been reported to induce necrosis in both of these cell lines. However, comparing the TNFα-induced cell death in these two cell lines, we found that, unlike the L929-N cells that show typical RIP3-dependent necrosis, TNFα-induced cell death in L929-A cells is pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (Z-VAD)-sensitive, which does not depend on RIP3. We also confirmed that the cell death signal in the L929-A cells was initiated through cytosol-preassembled ripoptosome and that the knockdown of either Caspase-8 or RIP1 protein blocked cell death. Compared with the L929-N cells, the L929-A cell line had lower levels of constitutive and inducible TNFα autocrine production, and the pan-caspase inhibitors Z-VAD or Q-VD did not kill the L929-A cells as they affect the L929-N cells. Moreover, the L929-A cells expressed less RIP3 protein than the L929-N cells; therefore, TNFα failed to induce RIP3-dependent necroptosis. In addition, the ripoptosome-mediated cell death signal was transduced to the mitochondria through Caspase-8-mediated and RIP1 kinase activity-dependent Bid cleavage. The RIP1 kinase inhibitor Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) or Caspase-8 knockdown completely blocked Bid cleavage, and the knockdown of Bid or Bax/Bak prevented TNFα-induced cell death in the L929-A cells. Although the activation of Bax/Bak decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential, the levels of mitochondrial intermembrane space proteins, including cytochrome-c (cyt-C) and Smac, declined, and western blotting and immunofluorescence staining analysis did not determine whether these proteins were redistributed to the cytosol. In addition, the mitochondrial outer membrane protein Tom20 was also reduced, indicating that the reduced mitochondria proteins may be induced by the reduced mitochondria numbers. No efficient cyt-C release was observed; therefore, the limited activation and cleavage of downstream caspases, including Caspase-9, Caspase-7, Caspase-6 and Caspase-3, was insufficient to kill the cells. The Caspase-9, Caspase-6 and Caspase-3/7 inhibitors or Caspase-9 and -3 knockdown also failed to block cell death, and the overexpression of Bcl-2 also did not abrogate cell death. Moreover, the dead cells showed necrotic-like but not apoptotic characteristics under transmission electronmicroscopy, and these features were significantly different from mitochondrial apoptosis, indicating that the effector caspases were not the executioners of cell death. These new discoveries show that TNFα-induced cell death in L929-A cells is different than typical RIP3-dependent necrosis and Caspase-8/Caspase-3-mediated apoptosis. These results highlight that caution is necessary when using different L929 cells as a model to investigate TNFα-induced cell death.

Evaluating cell migration in vitro by the method based on cell patterning within microfluidic channels

Cell migration is an early‐stage and critical step for cancer metastasis. The most common approach to monitor this process is wound‐healing assay. However, this traditional method has some unavoidable limitations. We observed that simply scratching the monolayer of cultured cells might cause local cell damage around the injury line. The cells along the scratched border seemed to be irritated and exhibited abnormal distribution of cytoskeleton reassembly with protruding “cell islands” and “pseudopodia” during wound healing, which might potentially affect the assessment of cell migration behavior. Herein, we applied a microfluidic device that mechanically constrained cells seeded in a designed pattern inside microchannels, and monitored cell movement in a way of mimicking the natural microenvironment of cancerous tissues. We illustrated the capacity of this simple method to probe cellular migration behaviors and to screen some biological active agents that reflected in their influence on cellular motility.

FK228 induces mitotic catastrophe in A549 cells by mistargeting chromosomal passenger complex localization through changing centromeric H3K9 hypoacetylation

Previous studies have shown that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) can kill cancer cells. In addition, HDACis can induce mitotic catastrophe in cancer cells due to insufficient localization of chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) to the centromere. However, the mechanisms behind these phenomena remain unclear. In this study, we found that a HDACi, FK228, affected multiple epigenetic modification characteristics of the centromere, including enhanced acetylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9), decreased trimethylation of H3K9, and decreased phosphorylation of histone H3 serine 10 (H3S10) and centromere protein A (CENP-A). These epigenetic changes implied that H3K9 hyperacetylation inhibits the CPC recruitment, induces impaired centromere assembly and function, and eventually leads to aberrant mitosis. These data suggested that hypoacetylation of histone in the pericentromere is the most important landmark for recruiting CPC and leading to the mitotic catastrophe in HDACi-induced killing of cancer cells.