Sample records for mb cell lines

  1. Mechanisms underlying the growth inhibitory effects of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Basu, Gargi D; Pathangey, Latha B; Tinder, Teresa L; Gendler, Sandra J; Mukherjee, Pinku

    2005-01-01

    Inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 are being extensively studied as anticancer agents. In the present study we evaluated the mechanisms by which a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, affects tumor growth of two differentially invasive human breast cancer cell lines. MDA-MB-231 (highly invasive) and MDA-MB-468 (moderately invasive) cell lines were treated with varying concentrations of celecoxib in vitro, and the effects of this agent on cell growth and angiogenesis were monitored by evaluating cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and vasculogenic mimicry. The in vitro results of MDA-MB-231 cell line were further confirmed in vivo in a mouse xenograft model. The highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells express higher levels of COX-2 than do the less invasive MDA-MB-468 cells. Celecoxib treatment inhibited COX-2 activity, indicated by prostaglandin E2 secretion, and caused significant growth arrest in both breast cancer cell lines. In the highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells, the mechanism of celecoxib-induced growth arrest was by induction of apoptosis, associated with reduced activation of protein kinase B/Akt, and subsequent activation of caspases 3 and 7. In the less invasive MDA-MB-468 cells, growth arrest was a consequence of cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 checkpoint. Celecoxib-induced growth inhibition was reversed by addition of exogenous prostaglandin E2 in MDA-MB-468 cells but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, MDA-MB-468 cells formed significantly fewer extracellular matrix associated microvascular channels in vitro than did the high COX-2 expressing MDA-MB-231 cells. Celecoxib treatment not only inhibited cell growth and vascular channel formation but also reduced vascular endothelial growth factor levels. The in vitro findings corroborated in vivo data from a mouse xenograft model in which daily administration of celecoxib significantly reduced tumor growth of MDA-MB-231 cells, which was associated with reduced vascularization and increased necrosis in the tumor mass. The disparate molecular mechanisms of celecoxib-induced growth inhibition in human breast cancer cells depends upon the level of COX-2 expression and the invasive potential of the cell lines examined. Data suggest a role for COX-2 not only in the growth of cancer cells but also in activating the angiogenic pathway through regulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor.

  2. Molecularly Targeted Dose-Enhancement Radiotherapy Using Gold and Luminescent Nanoparticles in an Orthotopic Human Prostate Cancer Rat Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-10-01

    cell lines, such as cervix cancer cell line (HeLa) and breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231), were also employed. The experiments with other cell lines...breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB- 231), and cervix cancer cell line (HeLa). Different from our hypothesis, prostate cancer cell lines did not present...Radiotherapy Using Gold and Luminescent Nanoparticles in an Orthotopic Human Prostate Cancer Rat Model PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kwang Song

  3. Mechanisms underlying the growth inhibitory effects of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib in human breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Basu, Gargi D; Pathangey, Latha B; Tinder, Teresa L; Gendler, Sandra J; Mukherjee, Pinku

    2005-01-01

    Introduction Inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 are being extensively studied as anticancer agents. In the present study we evaluated the mechanisms by which a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, affects tumor growth of two differentially invasive human breast cancer cell lines. Methods MDA-MB-231 (highly invasive) and MDA-MB-468 (moderately invasive) cell lines were treated with varying concentrations of celecoxib in vitro, and the effects of this agent on cell growth and angiogenesis were monitored by evaluating cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and vasculogenic mimicry. The in vitro results of MDA-MB-231 cell line were further confirmed in vivo in a mouse xenograft model. Results The highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells express higher levels of COX-2 than do the less invasive MDA-MB-468 cells. Celecoxib treatment inhibited COX-2 activity, indicated by prostaglandin E2 secretion, and caused significant growth arrest in both breast cancer cell lines. In the highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells, the mechanism of celecoxib-induced growth arrest was by induction of apoptosis, associated with reduced activation of protein kinase B/Akt, and subsequent activation of caspases 3 and 7. In the less invasive MDA-MB-468 cells, growth arrest was a consequence of cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 checkpoint. Celecoxib-induced growth inhibition was reversed by addition of exogenous prostaglandin E2 in MDA-MB-468 cells but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, MDA-MB-468 cells formed significantly fewer extracellular matrix associated microvascular channels in vitro than did the high COX-2 expressing MDA-MB-231 cells. Celecoxib treatment not only inhibited cell growth and vascular channel formation but also reduced vascular endothelial growth factor levels. The in vitro findings corroborated in vivo data from a mouse xenograft model in which daily administration of celecoxib significantly reduced tumor growth of MDA-MB-231 cells, which was associated with reduced vascularization and increased necrosis in the tumor mass. Conclusion The disparate molecular mechanisms of celecoxib-induced growth inhibition in human breast cancer cells depends upon the level of COX-2 expression and the invasive potential of the cell lines examined. Data suggest a role for COX-2 not only in the growth of cancer cells but also in activating the angiogenic pathway through regulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor. PMID:15987447

  4. Complexing Methylene Blue with Phosphorus Dendrimers to Increase Photodynamic Activity.

    PubMed

    Dabrzalska, Monika; Janaszewska, Anna; Zablocka, Maria; Mignani, Serge; Majoral, Jean Pierre; Klajnert-Maculewicz, Barbara

    2017-02-23

    The efficiency of photodynamic therapy is limited mainly due to low selectivity, unfavorable biodistribution of photosensitizers, and long-lasting skin sensitivity to light. However, drug delivery systems based on nanoparticles may overcome the limitations mentioned above. Among others, dendrimers are particularly attractive as carriers, because of their globular architecture and high loading capacity. The goal of the study was to check whether an anionic phosphorus dendrimer is suitable as a carrier of a photosensitizer-methylene blue (MB). As a biological model, basal cell carcinoma cell lines were used. We checked the influence of the MB complexation on its singlet oxygen production ability using a commercial fluorescence probe. Next, cellular uptake, phototoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and cell death were investigated. The MB-anionic dendrimer complex (MB-1an) was found to generate less singlet oxygen; however, the complex showed higher cellular uptake and phototoxicity against basal cell carcinoma cell lines, which was accompanied with enhanced ROS production. Owing to the obtained results, we conclude that the photodynamic activity of MB complexed with an anionic dendrimer is higher than free MB against basal cell carcinoma cell lines.

  5. [Expression of Chemokine receptor CXCR6 and its significance in breast cancer cell lines].

    PubMed

    Cheng, Hao; Chen, Nian-yong

    2014-05-01

    To detect the expression of Chemokine receptor CXCR6 in invasive breast cancer cell lines and normal mammary epithelial cell line, and assess the relationship between CXCR6 expression and malignant behavior of breast cancer cells. Expression level of CXCR6 in different invasive breast cancer cell lines (SK-BR-3, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) and normal mammary epithelial cell line (MCF-10A)was detected by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (real time-PCR) and Western blot. Lentivirus was employed to interfere CXCR6 expression in MDA-MB-231. MTT assay and transwell chamber were used to study proliferative and invasive ability of those cells respectively. Vascular enothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was detected to study the role of CXCR6 in angiogenesis. At both mRNA level and protein level, normal mammary epithelial cell line MCF-10A showed the weakest CXCR6 expression. The breast cancer cell lines expressed CXCR6 in different levels, the expression level of CXCR6 in highly invasive cell line MDA-MB-231 was significantly higher than that in two low-invasive cell lines SK-BR-3 and MCF-7 (P < 0.05). Silencing CXCR6 gene by Lentivirus-mediated RNA interference in MDA-MB-231 inhibited its proliferation ability, invasion ability and angiogenesis ability in vitro (P < 0.05). Different invasive breast cancer cell lines express CXCR6 at different levels, positively correlated with its invasive ability.

  6. Genetic and small molecule inhibition of arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 reduces anchorage-independent growth in human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231.

    PubMed

    Stepp, Marcus W; Doll, Mark A; Carlisle, Samantha M; States, J Christopher; Hein, David W

    2018-04-01

    Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) expression is reported to affect proliferation, invasiveness, and growth of cancer cells. MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were engineered such that NAT1 expression was elevated or suppressed, or treated with a small molecule inhibitor of NAT1. The MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines were engineered with a scrambled shRNA, a NAT1 specific shRNA or a NAT1 overexpression cassette stably integrated into a single flippase recognition target (FRT) site facilitating incorporation of these different genetic elements into the same genomic location. NAT1-specific shRNA reduced NAT1 activity in vitro by 39%, increased endogenous acetyl coenzyme A levels by 35%, and reduced anchorage-independent growth (sevenfold) without significant effects on cell morphology, growth rates, anchorage-dependent colony formation, or invasiveness compared to the scrambled shRNA cell line. Despite 12-fold overexpression of NAT1 activity in the NAT1 overexpression cassette transfected MDA-MB-231 cell line, doubling time, anchorage-dependent cell growth, anchorage-independent cell growth, and relative invasiveness were not changed significantly when compared to the scrambled shRNA cell line. A small molecule (5E)-[5-(4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzylidene)-2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one (5-HDST) was 25-fold more selective towards the inhibition of recombinant human NAT1 than N-acetyltransferase 2. Incubation of MDA-MB-231 cell line with 5-HDST resulted in 60% reduction in NAT1 activity and significant decreases in cell growth, anchorage-dependent growth, and anchorage-independent growth. In summary, inhibition of NAT1 activity by either shRNA or 5-HDST reduced anchorage-independent growth in the MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line. These findings suggest that human NAT1 could serve as a target for the prevention and/or treatment of breast cancer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Medullospheres from DAOY, UW228 and ONS-76 cells: increased stem cell population and proteomic modifications.

    PubMed

    Zanini, Cristina; Ercole, Elisabetta; Mandili, Giorgia; Salaroli, Roberta; Poli, Alice; Renna, Cristiano; Papa, Valentina; Cenacchi, Giovanna; Forni, Marco

    2013-01-01

    Medulloblastoma (MB) is an aggressive pediatric tumor of the Central Nervous System (CNS) usually treated according to a refined risk stratification. The study of cancer stem cells (CSC) in MB is a promising approach aimed at finding new treatment strategies. The CSC compartment was studied in three characterized MB cell lines (DAOY, UW228 and ONS-76) grown in standard adhesion as well as being grown as spheres, which enables expansion of the CSC population. MB cell lines, grown in adherence and as spheres, were subjected to morphologic analysis at the light and electron microscopic level, as well as cytofluorimetric determinations. Medullospheres (MBS) were shown to express increasingly immature features, along with the stem cells markers: CD133, Nestin and β-catenin. Proteomic analysis highlighted the differences between MB cell lines, demonstrating a unique protein profile for each cell line, and minor differences when grown as spheres. In MBS, MALDI-TOF also identified some proteins, that have been linked to tumor progression and resistance, such as Nucleophosmin (NPM). In addition, immunocytochemistry detected Sox-2 as a stemness marker of MBS, as well as confirming high NPM expression. Culture conditioning based on low attachment flasks and specialized medium may provide new data on the staminal compartment of CNS tumors, although a proteomic profile of CSC is still elusive for MB.

  8. Medullospheres from DAOY, UW228 and ONS-76 Cells: Increased Stem Cell Population and Proteomic Modifications

    PubMed Central

    Zanini, Cristina; Ercole, Elisabetta; Mandili, Giorgia; Salaroli, Roberta; Poli, Alice; Renna, Cristiano; Papa, Valentina; Cenacchi, Giovanna; Forni, Marco

    2013-01-01

    Background Medulloblastoma (MB) is an aggressive pediatric tumor of the Central Nervous System (CNS) usually treated according to a refined risk stratification. The study of cancer stem cells (CSC) in MB is a promising approach aimed at finding new treatment strategies. Methodology/Principal Findings The CSC compartment was studied in three characterized MB cell lines (DAOY, UW228 and ONS-76) grown in standard adhesion as well as being grown as spheres, which enables expansion of the CSC population. MB cell lines, grown in adherence and as spheres, were subjected to morphologic analysis at the light and electron microscopic level, as well as cytofluorimetric determinations. Medullospheres (MBS) were shown to express increasingly immature features, along with the stem cells markers: CD133, Nestin and β-catenin. Proteomic analysis highlighted the differences between MB cell lines, demonstrating a unique protein profile for each cell line, and minor differences when grown as spheres. In MBS, MALDI-TOF also identified some proteins, that have been linked to tumor progression and resistance, such as Nucleophosmin (NPM). In addition, immunocytochemistry detected Sox-2 as a stemness marker of MBS, as well as confirming high NPM expression. Conclusions/Significance Culture conditioning based on low attachment flasks and specialized medium may provide new data on the staminal compartment of CNS tumors, although a proteomic profile of CSC is still elusive for MB. PMID:23717474

  9. Cellular effect of styrene substituted biscoumarin caused cellular apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Perumalsamy, Haribalan; Sankarapandian, Karuppasamy; Kandaswamy, Narendran; Balusamy, Sri Renukadevi; Periyathambi, Dhaiveegan; Raveendiran, Nanthini

    2017-11-01

    Coumarins occurs naturally across plant kingdoms exhibits significant pharmacological properties and pharmacokinetic activity. The conventional, therapeutic agents are often associated with poor stability, absorption and increased side effects. Therefore, identification of a drug that has little or no-side effect on humans is consequential. Here, we investigated the antiproliferative activity of styrene substituted biscoumarin against various human breast cancer cell lines, such as MCF-7, (ER-) MDA-MB-231 and (AR+) MDA-MB-453. Styrene substituted biscoumarin induced cell death by apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cell line was analyzed. Antiproliferative activity of Styrene substituted biscoumarin was performed by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Styrene substituted biscoumarin induced apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst staining, Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (Annexin V-FITC/PI) staining and flow cytometric analysis. Migratory and proliferating characteristic of breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 was also analyzed by wound healing and colony formation assay. Furthermore, mRNA expression of BAX and BCL-2 were quantified using qRT-PCR and protein expression level analyzed by Western blot. The inhibition concentration (IC 50 ) of styrene substituted biscoumarin was assayed against three breast cancer cell lines. The inhibition concentration (IC 50 ) value of styrene substituted biscoumarin toward MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-453 and MCF-7 cell lines was 5.63, 7.30 and 10.84μg/ml respectively. Styrene substituted biscoumarin induced apoptosis was detected by Hoechst staining, DAPI/PI analysis and flow-cytometric analysis. The migration and proliferative efficiency of MDA-MB-231 cells were completely arrested upon styrene substituted biscoumarin treatment. Also, mRNA gene expression and protein expression of pro-apoptotic (BAX) and anti-apoptotic (BCL-2) genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis upon styrene substituted biscoumarin treatment to MDA-MB-231 cells. Our results showed that styrene substituted biscoumarin downregulated BCL-2 gene expression and upregulated BAX gene expression to trigger apoptotic process. Styrene substituted biscoumarin could induce apoptosis through intrinsic mitochondrial pathway in breast cancer cell lines, particularly in MDA-MB-231. Our data suggest that styrene substituted biscoumarin may act as a potential chemotherapeutic agent against breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Characterization of metabolic profile of intact non-tumor and tumor breast cells by high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Maria, Roberta M; Altei, Wanessa F; Andricopulo, Adriano D; Becceneri, Amanda B; Cominetti, Márcia R; Venâncio, Tiago; Colnago, Luiz A

    2015-11-01

    (1)H high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H HR-MAS NMR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the metabolic profile of an intact non-tumor breast cell line (MCF-10A) and intact breast tumor cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). In the spectra of MCF-10A cells, six metabolites were assigned, with glucose and ethanol in higher concentrations. Fifteen metabolites were assigned in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 (1)H HR-MAS NMR spectra. They did not show glucose and ethanol, and the major component in both tumor cells was phosphocholine (higher in MDA-MB-231 than in MCF-7), which can be considered as a tumor biomarker of breast cancer malignant transformation. These tumor cells also show acetone signal that was higher in MDA-MB-231 cells than in MCF-7 cells. The high acetone level may be an indication of high demand for energy in MDA-MB-231 to maintain cell proliferation. The higher acetone and phosphocholine levels in MDA-MB-231 cells indicate the higher malignance of the cell line. Therefore, HR-MAS is a rapid reproducible method to study the metabolic profile of intact breast cells, with minimal sample preparation and contamination, which are critical in the analyses of slow-growth cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Mib1 contributes to persistent directional cell migration by regulating the Ctnnd1-Rac1 pathway.

    PubMed

    Mizoguchi, Takamasa; Ikeda, Shoko; Watanabe, Saori; Sugawara, Michiko; Itoh, Motoyuki

    2017-10-31

    Persistent directional cell migration is involved in animal development and diseases. The small GTPase Rac1 is involved in F-actin and focal adhesion dynamics. Local Rac1 activity is required for persistent directional migration, whereas global, hyperactivated Rac1 enhances random cell migration. Therefore, precise control of Rac1 activity is important for proper directional cell migration. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of Rac1 activity in persistent directional cell migration is not fully understood. Here, we show that the ubiquitin ligase mind bomb 1 (Mib1) is involved in persistent directional cell migration. We found that knockdown of MIB1 led to an increase in random cell migration in HeLa cells in a wound-closure assay. Furthermore, we explored novel Mib1 substrates for cell migration and found that Mib1 ubiquitinates Ctnnd1. Mib1-mediated ubiquitination of Ctnnd1 K547 attenuated Rac1 activation in cultured cells. In addition, we found that posterior lateral line primordium cells in the zebrafish mib1 ta52b mutant showed increased random migration and loss of directional F-actin-based protrusion formation. Knockdown of Ctnnd1 partially rescued posterior lateral line primordium cell migration defects in the mib1 ta52b mutant. Taken together, our data suggest that Mib1 plays an important role in cell migration and that persistent directional cell migration is regulated, at least in part, by the Mib1-Ctnnd1-Rac1 pathway. Published under the PNAS license.

  12. Inhibition of urokinase-type plasminogen activator expression by dihydroartemisinin in breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    ZHANG, SHUQUN; MA, YINAN; JIANG, JIANTAO; DAI, ZHIJUN; GAO, XIAOYAN; YIN, XIAORAN; XI, WENTAO; MIN, WEILI

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the primary tumor growth and metastasis of the human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, in vitro. The expression levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) were detected by immunocytochemistry in two cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). The MDA-MB-231 cell activity was inhibited by various concentration gradients of DHA. The inhibitory rate, cell growth curve and apoptotic morphological observations were obtained using the MTT assay at 0, 24, 48 and 72 h. Cell scratch migration was performed at various time-points to test the cell proliferation and migration capacity. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the effect of DHA on uPA mRNA expression in breast cancer cells. The human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, possesses higher metastatic potential and relatively higher expression of uPA when compared with the MCF-7 cell line. DHA was found to inhibit the proliferation and migration capacity of the cell line, MDA-MB-231, in vitro. The growth inhibition occurred in a time- and dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 117.76±0.04, 60.26±0.12 and 52.96±0.07 μmol/l following 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. The inhibition of uPA was observed to decrease breast cancer cell growth and migration. Thus, results of the present study indicate that DHA may be used for further studies with regard to breast cancer therapy. PMID:24765140

  13. Comparing Apoptosis and Necrosis Effects of Arctium Lappa Root Extract and Doxorubicin on MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 Cell Lines

    PubMed Central

    Ghafari, Fereshteh; Rajabi, Mohammad Reza; Mazoochi, Tahereh; Taghizadeh, Mohsen; Nikzad, Hossein; Atlasi, Mohammad Ali; Taherian, Aliakbar

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and very common malignancy in women worldwide. The efficacy of chemotherapy as an important part of breast cancer treatment is limited due to its side effects. While pharmaceutical companies are looking for better chemicals, research on traditional medicines that generally have fewer side effects is quite interesting. In this study, apoptosis and necrosis effect of Arctium lappa and doxorubicin was compared in MCF7, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Materials and Methods: MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 containing 10% FBS and 100 U/ml penicillin/streptomycin. MTT assay and an annexin V/propidium iodide (AV/PI) kit were used respectively to compare the survival rate and apoptotic effects of different concentrations of doxorubicin and Arctium lappa root extract on MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cells. Results: Arctium lappa root extract was able to reduce cell viability of the two cell lines in a dose and time dependent manner similar to doxorubicin. Flow cytometry results showed that similar to doxorubicin, Arctium Lappa root extract had a dose and time dependent apoptosis effect on both cell lines. 10µg/mL of Arctium lappa root extract and 5 µM of doxorubicin showed the highest anti-proliferative and apoptosis effect in MCF7 and MDA231 cells. Conclusion: The MCF7 (ER/PR-) and MDA-MB-231 (ER/PR+) cell lines represent two major breast cancer subtypes. The similar anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of Arctium lappa root extract and doxorubicin (which is a conventional chemotherapy drug) on two different breast cancer cell lines strongly suggests its anticancer effects and further studies. PMID:28441789

  14. Comparing Apoptosis and Necrosis Effects of Arctium Lappa Root Extract and Doxorubicin on MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 Cell Lines

    PubMed

    Ghafari, Fereshteh; Rajabi, Mohammad Reza; Mazoochi, Tahereh; Taghizadeh, Mohsen; Nikzad, Hossein; Atlasi, Mohammad Ali; Taherian, Aliakbar

    2017-03-01

    Objective: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and very common malignancy in women worldwide. The efficacy of chemotherapy as an important part of breast cancer treatment is limited due to its side effects. While pharmaceutical companies are looking for better chemicals, research on traditional medicines that generally have fewer side effects is quite interesting. In this study, apoptosis and necrosis effect of Arctium lappa and doxorubicin was compared in MCF7, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Materials and Methods: MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 containing 10% FBS and 100 U/ml penicillin/streptomycin. MTT assay and an annexin V/propidium iodide (AV/PI) kit were used respectively to compare the survival rate and apoptotic effects of different concentrations of doxorubicin and Arctium lappa root extract on MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cells. Results: Arctium lappa root extract was able to reduce cell viability of the two cell lines in a dose and time dependent manner similar to doxorubicin. Flow cytometry results showed that similar to doxorubicin, Arctium Lappa root extract had a dose and time dependent apoptosis effect on both cell lines. 10μg/mL of Arctium lappa root extract and 5 μM of doxorubicin showed the highest anti-proliferative and apoptosis effect in MCF7 and MDA231 cells. Conclusion: The MCF7 (ER/PR-) and MDA-MB-231 (ER/PR+) cell lines represent two major breast cancer subtypes. The similar anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of Arctium lappa root extract and doxorubicin (which is a conventional chemotherapy drug) on two different breast cancer cell lines strongly suggests its anticancer effects and further studies. Creative Commons Attribution License

  15. Radiation Response of Cancer Stem-Like Cells From Established Human Cell Lines After Sorting for Surface Markers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Al-Assar, Osama; Muschel, Ruth J.; Mantoni, Tine S.

    2009-11-15

    Purpose: A subpopulation of cancer stem-like cells (CSLC) is hypothesized to exist in different cancer cell lines and to mediate radioresistance in solid tumors. Methods and Materials: Cells were stained for CSLC markers and sorted (fluorescence-activated cell sorter/magnetic beads) to compare foci and radiosensitivity of phosphorylated histone H2AX at Ser 139 (gamma-H2AX) in sorted vs. unsorted populations in eight cell lines from different organs. CSLC properties were examined using anchorage-independent growth and levels of activated Notch1. Validation consisted of testing tumorigenicity and postirradiation enrichment of CSLC in xenograft tumors. Results: The quantity of CSLC was generally in good agreement withmore » primary tumors. CSLC from MDA-MB-231 (breast) and Panc-1 and PSN-1 (both pancreatic) cells had fewer residual gamma-H2AX foci than unsorted cells, pointing to radioresistance of CSLC. However, only MDA-MB-231 CSLC were more radioresistant than unsorted cells. Furthermore, MDA-MB-231 CSLC showed enhanced anchorage-independent growth and overexpression of activated Notch1 protein. The expression of cancer stem cell surface markers in the MDA-MB-231 xenograft model was increased after exposure to fractionated radiation. In contrast to PSN-1 cells, a growth advantage for MDA-MB-231 CSLC xenograft tumors was found compared to tumors arising from unsorted cells. Conclusions: CSLC subpopulations showed no general radioresistant phenotype, despite the quantities of CSLC subpopulations shown to correspond relatively well in other reports. Likewise, CSLC characteristics were found in some but not all of the tested cell lines. The reported problems in testing for CSLC in cell lines may be overcome by additional techniques, beyond sorting for markers.« less

  16. Autophagic Cell Death, Polyploidy and Senescence Induced in Breast Tumor Cells by the Substituted Pyrrole JG-03-14, a Novel Microtubule Poison

    PubMed Central

    Arthur, Christopher R.; Gupton, John T.; Kellogg, Glen E.; Yeudall, W. Andrew; Cabot, Myles C.; Newsham, Irene; Gewirtz, David A.

    2007-01-01

    JG-03-14, a substituted pyrrole that inhibits microtubule polymerization, was screened against MCF-7 (p53 wild type), MDA-MB 231 (p53 mutant), MCF-7/caspase 3 and MCF-7/ADR (multidrug resistant) breast tumor cell lines. Cell viability and growth inhibition were assessed by the crystal violet dye assay. Apoptosis was evaluated by the TUNEL assay, cell cycle distribution by flow cytometry, autophagy by acridine orange staining of vesicle formation, and senescence based on β-galactosidase staining and cell morphology. Our studies indicate that exposure to JG-03-14, at a concentration of 500 nM, induces time dependent cell death in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell lines. In MCF-7 cells, a residual surviving cell population was found to be senescent; in contrast, there was no surviving senescent population in treated MDA-MB 231 cells. No proliferative recovery was detected over a period of 15 days post-treatment in either cell line. Both the TUNEL assay and FLOW cytometry indicated a relatively limited degree of apoptosis (< 10%) in response to drug treatment in MCF-7 cells with more extensive apoptosis (but < 20%) in MDA-MB231 cells; acidic vacuole formation indicative of autophagic cell death was relatively extensive in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 cells. In addition, JG-03-14 induced the formation of a large hyperdiploid cell population in MDA-MB231 cells. JG-03-14 also demonstrated pronounced anti-proliferative activity in MCF-7/caspase 3 cells and in the MCF-7/ADR cell line. The observation that JG-03-14 promotes autophagic cell death and also retains activity in tumor cells expressing the multidrug resistance pump indicates that novel microtubule poisons of the substituted pyrroles class may hold promise in the treatment of breast cancer. PMID:17692290

  17. Cell Motility and Jamming across the EMT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grosser, Steffen; Oswald, Linda; Lippoldt, Jürgen; Heine, Paul; Kaes, Josef A.

    We use single-cell tracking and cell shape analysis to highlight the different roles that cell jamming plays in the behaviour of epithelial vs. mesenchymal mammary breast cell lines (MCF-10A, MDA-MB-231) in 2D adherent culture. An automatic segmentation allows for the evaluation of cell shapes, which we compare to predictions made by the self-propelled vertex (SPV) model. On top of that, we employ co-cultures to study the emerging demixing behaviour of these cell lines, demonstrating that the mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 cell line forms unjammed islands within the jammed collective.

  18. Selenium Nanoparticles Induce the Chemo-Sensitivity of Fluorouracil Nanoparticles in Breast and Colon Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Abd-Rabou, Ahmed A; Shalby, Aziza B; Ahmed, Hanaa H

    2018-05-11

    Drug resistance is a major challenge of breast and colon cancer therapies leading to treatment failure. The main objective of the current study is to investigate whether selenium nanoparticles (nano-Se) can induce the chemo-sensitivity of 5-fluorouracil (FU)-encapsulated poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles (nano-FU) in breast and colon cancer cell lines. Nano-Se and nano-FU were synthesized and characterized, then applied individually or in combination upon MCF7, MDA-MB-231, HCT 116, and Caco-2 cancerous cell lines. Cytotoxicity, cellular glucose uptake, and apoptosis, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and zinc (Zn) levels, were investigated upon the different treatments. We have resulted that nano-FU induced cell death in MCF7 and Caco-2 more effectively than MDA-MB-231 and HCT 116 cell lines. Moreover, nano-FU plus nano-Se potentiate MCF7 and Caco-2 chemo-sensitivity were higher than MDA-MB-231 and HCT 116 cancerous cell lines. It is relevant to note that Se and FU nano-formulations inhibited cancer cell bioenergetics via glucose uptake slight blockage. Furthermore, nano-FU increased the levels of NO and MDA in media over cancer cells, while their combinations with nano-Se rebalance the redox status with Zn increment. We noticed that MCF7 cell line is sensitive, while MDA-MB-231 cell line is resistant to Se and nano-Se. This novel approach could be of great potential to enhance the chemo-sensitivity in breast and colon cancer cells.

  19. Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric (DEC) Human Cells Provide a Potential Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

    PubMed

    Siemionow, Maria; Cwykiel, Joanna; Heydemann, Ahlke; Garcia, Jesus; Marchese, Enza; Siemionow, Krzysztof; Szilagyi, Erzsebet

    2018-06-01

    Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive and lethal disease caused by mutations of the dystrophin gene. Currently no cure exists. Stem cell therapies targeting DMD are challenged by limited engraftment and rejection despite the use of immunosuppression. There is an urgent need to introduce new stem cell-based therapies that exhibit low allogenic profiles and improved cell engraftment. In this proof-of-concept study, we develop and test a new human stem cell-based approach to increase engraftment, limit rejection, and restore dystrophin expression in the mdx/scid mouse model of DMD. We introduce two Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric (DEC) cell lines created by ex vivo fusion of human myoblasts (MB) derived from two normal donors (MB N1 /MB N2 ), and normal and DMD donors (MB N /MB DMD ). The efficacy of fusion was confirmed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy based on donor cell fluorescent labeling (PKH26/PKH67). In vitro, DEC displayed phenotype and genotype of donor parent cells, expressed dystrophin, and maintained proliferation and myogenic differentiation. In vivo, local delivery of both DEC lines (0.5 × 10 6 ) restored dystrophin expression (17.27%±8.05-MB N1 /MB N2 and 23.79%±3.82-MB N /MB DMD ) which correlated with significant improvement of muscle force, contraction and tolerance to fatigue at 90 days after DEC transplant to the gastrocnemius muscles (GM) of dystrophin-deficient mdx/scid mice. This study establishes DEC as a potential therapy for DMD and other types of muscular dystrophies.

  20. Anti-proliferative and apoptosis inducing potential of hydroalcoholic Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch extract on human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-Mb-468.

    PubMed

    Galavi, Hamid Reza; Saravani, Ramin; Shahraki, Ali; Ashtiani, Mojtaba

    2016-11-01

    Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch contains a variety of components such as flavonoid. The previous studies showed that flavonoid has anti-cancer properties. The aim of the present study was to determine the anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing potential of hydroalcoholic Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch extract (HAWE) on MCF-7 and MDA-Mb-468 human breast carcinoma cell lines. The anti-proliferative activity of HAWE was evaluated using MTT, flowcytometry by annexin V/PI double staining, and caspase-3 activity. The results of MTT showed that the ED50 of MCF-7 and MDA-Mb-468 was 25μg/ml of HAWE, 48h after treatment. Flowcytometry by annexin V/PI showed that HAWE induced late apoptosis in MCF-7 and early apoptosis in MDA-Mb-468. In addition, the caspase-3 colorimetric method showed that caspase-3 increased in the MDA-Mb-468 after treatment with HAWE. This study found that the hydroalcoholic extract of Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch induced apoptosis in both the MCF-7 and MDA-Mb-468 human breast carcinoma cell lines.

  1. The apoptotic effects of silibinin on MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Bayram, D; Çetin, E S; Kara, M; Özgöçmen, M; Candan, I A

    2017-06-01

    Silibinin is a bioactive flavonolignan extracted from milk thistle, known as Silybum marianum. Silibinin exerts strong antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Many studies have shown that silibinin inhibits experimentally induced malignancies of the liver, prostate, skin, and colon as well as promotes inhibition of the proliferation of cancer cell lines in vitro. This study aimed to investigate the effects of silibinin on the human breast carcinoma cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 in monolayer and spheroid cultures. The MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines were cultured in both monolayer and spheroid cultures. Cells were treated with silibinin at 24, 48, and 72 h of incubation. The 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labeling index was used to determine the cells of the synthesis phase. Poly-ADP-ribose-polimerase immunohistochemical staining and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick and labeling assay were used to determine the death of cells in both the monolayer and spheroid cultures. An half maximal inhibitory concentration dose of silibinin in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells was 100 µM/mL at 24, 48, and 72 h of incubation. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick and labeling positive cells and active poly-ADP-ribose-polimerase were detected after treatment with silibinin in both the monolayer and spheroid cultures. The dead cell count was higher in the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines with silibinin applied than in the controls. Our study demonstrated that silibinin applications enhanced terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick and labeling positive cells and active poly-ADP-ribose-polimerase in comparison to the control in both the monolayer and spheroid cultures.

  2. A Targeted RNAi Screen of the Breast Cancer Genome Identifies KIF14 and TLN1 as Genes That Modulate Docetaxel Chemosensitivity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Singel, Stina Mui; Cornelius, Crystal; Batten, Kimberly; Fasciani, Gail; Wright, Woodring E.; Lum, Lawrence; Shay, Jerry W.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To identify biomarkers within the breast cancer genome that may predict chemosensitivity in breast cancer. Experimental Design We conducted an RNA interference (RNAi) screen within the breast cancer genome for genes whose loss-of-function enhanced docetaxel chemosensitivity in an estrogen receptor–negative, progesterone receptor–negative, and Her2-negative (ER−, PR−, and Her2−, respectively) breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. Top candidates were tested for their ability to modulate chemosensitivity in 8 breast cancer cell lines and to show in vivo chemosensitivity in a mouse xenograft model. Results From ranking chemosensitivity of 328 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) MDA-MB-231 cell lines (targeting 133 genes with known somatic mutations in breast cancer), we focused on the top two genes, kinesin family member 14 (KIF14) and talin 1 (TLN1). KIF14 and TLN1 loss-of-function significantly enhanced chemosensitivity in four triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines (MDA-MB-231, HCC38, HCC1937, and Hs478T) but not in three hormone receptor–positive cell lines (MCF7, T47D, and HCC1428) or normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC). Decreased expression of KIF14, but not TLN1, also enhanced docetaxel sensitivity in a Her2-amplified breast cancer cell line, SUM190PT. Higher KIF14 and TLN1 expressions are found in TNBCs compared with the other clinical subtypes. Mammary fat pad xenografts of KIF14- and TLN1-deficient MDA-MB-231 cells revealed reduced tumor mass compared with control MDA-MB-231 cells after chemotherapy. KIF14 expression is also prognostic of relapse-free and overall survival in representative breast cancer expression arrays. Conclusion KIF14 and TLN1 are modulators of response to docetaxel and potential therapeutic targets in TNBC. PMID:23479679

  3. Analysis of Protein–Protein Interactions in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Cell Lines Using Phthalic Acid Chemical Probes

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Shih-Shin; Wang, Tsu-Nai; Tsai, Eing-Mei

    2014-01-01

    Phthalates are a class of plasticizers that have been characterized as endocrine disrupters, and are associated with genital diseases, cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity in the GeneOntology gene/protein database. In this study, we synthesized phthalic acid chemical probes and demonstrated differing protein–protein interactions between MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Phthalic acid chemical probes were synthesized using silicon dioxide particle carriers, which were modified using the silanized linker 3-aminopropyl triethoxyslane (APTES). Incubation with cell lysates from breast cancer cell lines revealed interactions between phthalic acid and cellular proteins in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Subsequent proteomics analyses indicated 22 phthalic acid-binding proteins in both cell types, including heat shock cognate 71-kDa protein, ATP synthase subunit beta, and heat shock protein HSP 90-beta. In addition, 21 MCF-7-specific and 32 MDA-MB-231 specific phthalic acid-binding proteins were identified, including related proteasome proteins, heat shock 70-kDa protein, and NADPH dehydrogenase and ribosomal correlated proteins, ras-related proteins, and members of the heat shock protein family, respectively. PMID:25402641

  4. P2X7 receptor as a novel drug delivery system to increase the entrance of hydrophilic drugs into cells during photodynamic therapy.

    PubMed

    Pacheco, Paulo Anastácio Furtado; Ferreira, Leonardo Braga Gomes; Mendonça, Leonardo; Ferreira, Dinarte Neto M; Salles, Juliana Pimenta; Faria, Robson Xavier; Teixeira, Pedro Celso Nogueira; Alves, Luiz Anastacio

    2016-08-01

    The second-generation photosensitizer methylene blue (MB) exhibits photochemical and photophysical properties suitable for photodynamic therapy (PDT)-based cancer treatment. However, the clinical application of MB is limited because of its high hydrophilicity, which hinders its penetration into tumor tissues. Therefore, new methods to improve the entry of MB into the cytoplasm of target cells are necessary. Because MB has a mass of 319 Da, transient pores on the plasma membrane, such as the pore induced by the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) that allows the passage of molecules up to 900 Da, could be used. Using MTT viability assays, flow cytometry experiments, and fluorescence microscopy, we evaluated the toxicity and phototoxicity of MB and potentiation effects of ATP and MB on cell death processes in the J774 cell line (via a P2X7-associated pore). We observed that treatment with 5 μM MB for 15 min promoted the rate of entry of MB into the cytoplasm to 4.7 %. However, treatment with 5 μM MB and 1 mM ATP for the same amount of time increased this rate to 90.2 %. However, this effect was inhibited by pretreatment with a P2X7 antagonist. We used peritoneal macrophages and a cell line that does not express P2X7R as controls. These cells were more resistant to PDT with MB under the same experimental conditions. Taken together, these results suggest the use of the pore associated with P2X7R as a drug delivery system to increase the passage of hydrophilic drugs into cells that express this receptor, thus facilitating PDT.

  5. MELK as a potential target to control cell proliferation in triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells

    PubMed Central

    Li, Gang; Yang, Mei; Zuo, Li; Wang, Mei-Xing

    2018-01-01

    Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is an important regulator in tumorigenesis of human breast cancer, and if silenced leads to programmed cell death in specific breast cancer cell lines, including MDA-MB-231 cells. In the present study, RNA interference, proliferation assay and semi-quantification of cell cycle relative proteins were performed to determine the effects of MELK in human breast cancer cells. Data demonstrated that the highest level of MELK protein in the MDA-MB-231 cell line among eight breast cancer cell lines. The sensitivity of MELK small interfering-RNA varied in different breast cancer cell lines, but MELK silencing resulted in marked suppression of proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC cells. Specific silencing of MELK caused G2 arrest in TNBC MDA-MB-231 and HCC1143 cells, and G1 arrest in non-TNBC T47D and MCF7 cells. Notably, the knockdown of MELK did not induce apoptosis in HCC1143 cells, indicated by the lack of caspase-3 expression. In addition, in response to MELK silencing, cyclin B and cyclin D1 were downregulated in four breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the silencing of MELK resulted in the upregulation of p21, p27 and phosphorylated (p)-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in HCC1143 TNBC cells, and downregulation of p21 and p-JNK in T47D non-TNBC cells. Additionally, MELK protein was markedly suppressed in non-TNBC cells in response to estrogen deprivation. The findings from the present study suggested that MELK may be a potential target in MDA-MB-231 cells, although genetic knockdown of MELK resulted in inhibitory effects on proliferation of TNBC and non-TNBC cells. MELK exert its effect on different breast cancer cells via arrest of different cell cycle phases and therefore mediated by different mediators, which may be involved in the crosstalk with MELK signaling and with the estrogen receptor signaling pathway. PMID:29805690

  6. [Inhibitory effect of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 on proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its mechanism].

    PubMed

    Yuan, Lei; Fan, Wen-Juan; Yang, Xu-Guang; Rao, Shu-Mei; Song, Jin-Ling; Song, Guo-Hua

    2013-10-25

    The present study was to investigate the effects of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) on the proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its possible mechanism. By means of MTT method in vitro, the results showed exogenous IGFBP7 inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-453 cells (IC50 of IGFBP7 = 8.49 μg/mL) in time- and concentration-dependent manner. SB203580, p38(MAPK) inhibitor, blocked the anti-proliferative effect of exogenous IGFBP7. The flow cytometry assay showed that exogenous IGFBP7 remarkably induced G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells. The Western blot showed that exogenous IGFBP7 promoted phosphorylation of p38(MAPK), up-regulated expression of p21(CIP1/WAF1), and inhibited phosphorylation of Rb. SB203580 restrained exogenous IGFBP7-induced regulation of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p-Rb in MDA-MB-453 cells. In conclusion, the present study suggests that exogenous IGFBP7 could activate the p38(MAPK) signaling pathway, upregulate p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression, inhibit phosphorylation of Rb, and finally induce G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells.

  7. Investigating the effect of cell substrate on cancer cell stiffness by optical tweezers.

    PubMed

    Yousafzai, Muhammad Sulaiman; Coceano, Giovanna; Bonin, Serena; Niemela, Joseph; Scoles, Giacinto; Cojoc, Dan

    2017-07-26

    The mechanical properties of cells are influenced by their microenvironment. Here we report cell stiffness alteration by changing the cell substrate stiffness for isolated cells and cells in contact with other cells. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is used to prepare soft substrates with three different stiffness values (173, 88 and 17kPa respectively). Breast cancer cells lines, namely HBL-100, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 with different level of aggressiveness are cultured on these substrates and their local elasticity is investigated by vertical indentation of the cell membrane. Our preliminary results show an unforeseen behavior of the MDA-MB-231 cells. When cultured on glass substrate as isolated cells, they are less stiff than the other two types of cells, in agreement with the general statement that more aggressive and metastatic cells are softer. However, when connected to other cells the stiffness of MDA-MB-231 cells becomes similar to the other two cell lines. Moreover, the stiffness of MDA-MB-231 cells cultured on soft PDMS substrates is significantly higher than the stiffness of the other cell types, demonstrating thus the strong influence of the environmental conditions on the mechanical properties of the cells. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of conjugated trans-2-nonenal (T2N), an off-flavor compound in beer and heat processed food arising from lipid oxidation.

    PubMed

    Dey, Estera Szwajcer; Staniszewska, Magdalena; Paściak, Mariola; Konopacka, Maria; Rogoliński, Jacek; Gamian, Andrzej; Danielsson, Bengt

    2005-01-01

    This study investigates the toxic effect of E(2)nonenal (trans-2-nonenal, T2N) and its conjugate with horse muscle myoglobin (Mb) tested on murine cell line L929 and human cell line A549, as well as the genotoxic effect of these compounds assayed by measuring of micronuclei in human cells K562. It is an aldehyde, which is occurring as the substance responsible for an off flavour in aged beers, but originates also from lipid oxidation in heat processed food. T2N is an aldehyde formed from linoleic acid as a secondary oxidation product. The modification of Mb with T2N was analyzed with the use of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Results from SDS-PAGE suggest that T2N substitutes Mb and additionally causes cross-linking with polymerization of Mb resulting in an insoluble fraction. The ESI-MS spectrum of the soluble fraction used in the toxicity tests, demonstrated that conjugation of T2N with Mb yielded Mb adducts with one residue of trans-2-nonenal per myoglobin molecule as the major fraction and adducts with different numbers of T2N molecules as minor fractions. In the cytotoxicity assay the T2N and its Mb conjugate causes 50% destruction of cells at the concentration 95-125 microg/ml and 200 microg/ml respectively, when L929 and A549 cell lines were used, whereas Mb control tested up to 2000 mg/ml was without any cytotoxic effect. In genotoxicity in vitro assay we have observed that the T2N and its Mb conjugate expressed the genotoxicity. The number of micronuclei in human K562 cells reached 26 +/- 2.16 promille (MN/1000 cells), comparing to 62 +/- 8.64 MN/1000 cells for the reference free T2N, whereas a control value was 10.33 +/- 1.25 MN/1000 cells. The studied compounds expressed also the apoptotic effect in K562 cells as the number of apoptotic cells increased to 44.67 +/- 4.92 promille for T2N-Mb, comparing to 168.67 +/- 37.28 promille for free T2N, whereas a control value was 30.33 +/- 1.36 promille for Mb. In these assays the T2N-Mb conjugate is several times more toxic in relation to control protein. Results indicate that T2N adducts with protein are potent to induce various cytotoxic and apoptotic effects when assayed in vitro tests. It suggests that higher level of such aldehyde might create in organism severe potential of toxicity.

  9. Anticancer Effects of Extracts from the Fruit of Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Sharma, K; Pachauri, S D; Khandelwal, K; Ahmad, H; Arya, A; Biala, P; Agrawal, S; Pandey, R R; Srivastava, A; Srivastav, A; Saxena, J K; Dwivedi, A K

    2016-03-01

    Morinda citrifolia L. (NONI) fruits have been used for thousands of years for the treatment of many health problems including cancer, cold, diabetes, flu, hypertension, and pain. Plant extracts have reported several therapeutic benefits, but extraction of individual compound from the extract often exhibits limited clinical utility as the synergistic effect of various natural ingredients gets lost. They generally constitute polyphenols and flavonoids. Studies have suggested that these phytochemicals, especially polyphenols, display high antioxidant properties, which help to reduce the risk of degenerative diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Several in-vitro and in-vivo studies have shown that Noni fruits have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-dementia, liver-protective, anticancer, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects. Till date about 7 in vitro cancer studies have been done, but a detailed in vitro study including cell cycle and caspase activation assay on breast cancer cell line has not been done. In the present study different Noni fruit fractions have tested on cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 (breast adenocarcinoma) and one non-cancer cell line HEK-293 (Human embryonic kidney). Out of which ethylacetate extract showed a higher order of in vitro anticancer activity profile. The ethylacetate extract strongly inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and HEK-293 cell lines with IC50 values of 25, 35, 60 µg/ml respectively. The extract showed increase in apoptotic cells in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and arrested the cell cycle in the G1/S phase in MCF-7 and G0/G1 phase in MDA-MB-231 cells. Noni extract also decreases the intracellular ROS generation and mitochondrial membrane potential. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  10. The Influence of Different Oregano Species on the Antioxidant Activity Determined Using HPLC Postcolumn DPPH Method and Anticancer Activity of Carvacrol and Rosmarinic Acid

    PubMed Central

    Kubiliene, Asta; Marksa, Mindaugas; Petrikaite, Vilma; Vitkevičius, Konradas; Baranauskas, Algirdas

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate concentration-dependent antioxidant and anticancer activities of CA and RA in ethanol extracts of three different Oregano species (Origanum onites L., Origanum vulgare L., and Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum). The study revealed the highest RA antioxidant activity in O. vulgare ssp. hirtum (9550 ± 95 mmol/g) and the lowest in O. vulgare L. (2605 ± 52 mmol/g) (p < 0.05). The highest CA amount was present in O. onites L., which was 1.8 and 4.7 times higher (p < 0.05) than in O. vulgare ssp. hirtum and O. vulgare L., respectively. The anticancer activity was evaluated on human glioblastoma (U87) and triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB231) cell lines in vitro. RA anticancer activity was negligible. CA and the extracts were about 1.5–2 times more active against MDA-MB231 cell line (p < 0.05) compared to U87 cell line. The anticancer activities of three tested extracts were similar against U87 cell line (p > 0.05) but they had different activities against MDA-MB231 cell line. PMID:29181386

  11. Estrogen and the Dietary Phytoestrogen Tesveratrol as Regulators of the Rho GTPase Rac in Breast Cancer Research

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-01

    neuroblastoma SH - SY5Y cells . Neurosci.Lett. 1999;264:141- 4. 18. Pozo-Guisado E, Alvarez-Barrientos A, Mulero-Navarro S, Santiago-Josefat B, Fernandez...inhibitor on breast cancer invasion and metastasis using human breast cancer cell lines and a nude mouse model. The following are our Specific Aims...MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer cell lines will be treated with vehicle control, resveratrol, E2, or Rac-specific inhibitor NSC23766 and

  12. The role of annexin A1 in expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and invasion of breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kang, Hyereen; Ko, Jesang; Jang, Sung-Wuk, E-mail: swjang@amc.seoul.kr

    2012-06-22

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We evaluated the effect of ANXA1 on promoting migration and invasion in MDA-MB-231 cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ANXA1 siRNA inhibits invasion and migration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ANXA1 regulates MMP-9 expression and activity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ANX-1 siRNA inhibits the activation of NF-{kappa}B in MDA-MB-231 cells. -- Abstract: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. However, the regulatory mechanism of MMP-9 expression and its biological effects on breast cancer development remain obscure. In the current study, we examined the potential role of annexin A1 (ANXA1) in regulating migration and invasion in breast cancer cell lines. Both ANXA1more » mRNA and protein are expressed in the highly invasive, hormone-insensitive human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and SKBr3, but not in the hormone-responsive cell lines MCF-7 and T47D. Downregulation of ANXA1 expression with specific small interfering RNAs (ANXA1 siRNA) in MDA-MB-231 cells resulted in decreased cancer cell migration and invasion. Ablation of ANXA1 expression decreases the expression of MMP-9 at both the mRNA and protein levels and also reduces the proteolytic activity of MMP-9 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, silencing ANXA1 also decreases the transcriptional activity of MMP-9 by the suppression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-{kappa}B) activity. Collectively, these results indicate that ANXA1 functions as a positive regulator of MMP-9 expression and invasion of breast cancer cells through specific activation of the NF-{kappa}B signaling pathway.« less

  13. Experiment on the factors for enhancing the susceptibility of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drug by ultrasound microbubbles.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ying-Zheng; Gao, Hui-Sheng; Zhou, Zhi-Cai; Tang, Qin-Qin; Lu, Cui-Tao; Jin, Zhuo; Tian, Ji-Lai; Xu, Yan-Yan; Tian, Xin-Qiao; Wang, Lee; Kong, Fan-Lei; Li, Xiao-Kun; Huang, Pin-Tong; He, Hui-Liao; Wu, Yan

    2010-07-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the factors for enhancing the susceptibility of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drug by ultrasound microbubbles. Ultrasound (US) combined with phospholipid-based microbubbles (MB) was used to enhance the susceptibility of colon cancer cell line SWD-620 to anticancer drugs Topotecan hydrochloride (TOP). Experiments were designed to investigate the influence of main factors on cell viability and cell inhibition, such as US intensity, MB concentration, drug combination with MB, asynchronous action between US triggered cavitation and drug entering cell, MB particle size. US exposure for 10 sec with US probe power at 0.6 W/cm(2) had satisfied cell viability. Treated with US combined with 15% MB, cell viability maintained more than 85% and cell inhibition 86.16%. Under optimal US combined with MB, TOP showed much higher cell inhibition than that of only TOP group. Cell inhibition under short delayed time (<2 h) for TOP addition did not show obvious difference. In terms of MB particle size, the order of cell inhibition was: Mixture > Micron bubble part > Nanometer bubble part. US combined with MB can enhance the susceptibility of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drug, which may provide a potential method for US-mediated tumor chemotherapy.

  14. Sigma-2 ligands and PARP inhibitors synergistically trigger cell death in breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McDonald, Elizabeth S.; Mankoff, Julia; Makvandi, Mehran

    The sigma-2 receptor is overexpressed in proliferating cells compared to quiescent cells and has been used as a target for imaging solid tumors by positron emission tomography. Recent work has suggested that the sigma-2 receptor may also be an effective therapeutic target for cancer therapy. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a family of enzymes involved in DNA damage response. In this study, we looked for potential synergy of cytotoxicity between PARP inhibitors and sigma-2 receptor ligands in breast cancer cell lines. We showed that the PARP inhibitor, YUN3-6, sensitized mouse breast cancer cell line, EMT6, to sigma-2 receptor ligand (SV119,more » WC-26, and RHM-138) induced cell death determined by cell viability assay and colony forming assay. The PARP inhibitor, olaparib, sensitized tumor cells to a different sigma-2 receptor ligand SW43-induced apoptosis and cell death in human triple negative cell line, MDA-MB-231. Olaparib inhibited PARP activity and cell proliferation, and arrested cells in G2/M phase of the cell cycle in MDA-MB-231 cells. Subsequently cells became sensitized to SW43 induced cell death. In conclusion, the combination of sigma-2 receptor ligands and PARP inhibitors appears to hold promise for synergistically triggering cell death in certain types of breast cancer cells and merits further investigation. - Highlights: • PARPi, YUN3-6 and olaparib, and σ2 ligands, SV119 and SW43, were evaluated. • Mouse and human breast cancer cells, EMT6 and MDA-MB-231 respectively, were used. • YUN3-6 and SV119 synergistically triggered cell death in EMT6 cells. • Olaparib and SW43 additively triggered cell death in MDA-MB-231 cells. • Olaparib arrested cells in G2/M in MDA-MB-231 cells.« less

  15. Influence of polyphenol extract from evening primrose (Oenothera paradoxa) seeds on human prostate and breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Lewandowska, Urszula; Owczarek, Katarzyna; Szewczyk, Karolina; Podsędek, Anna; Koziołkiewicz, Maria; Hrabec, Elżbieta

    2014-02-03

    There is growing interest in plant polyphenols which exhibit pleiotropic biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. The objective of our study was to evaluate the influence of an evening primrose extract (EPE) from defatted seeds on viability and invasiveness of three human cell lines: PNT1A (normal prostate cells), DU145 (prostate cancer cells) and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer cells). The results revealed that after 72 h of incubation the tested extract reduced the viability of DU 145 and MDA-MB-231 with IC50 equal to 14.5 μg/mL for both cell lines. In contrast, EPE did not inhibit the viability of normal prostate cells. Furthermore, EPE reduced PNT1A and MDA-MB-231 cell invasiveness; at the concentration of 21.75 μg/mL the suppression of invasion reached 92% and 47%, respectively (versus control). Additionally, zymographic analysis revealed that after 48 h of incubation EPE inhibited metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activities in a dose-dependent manner. For PNT1A the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 decreased 4- and 2-fold, respectively, at EPE concentration of 29 μg/mL. In the case of MDA-MB-231 and DU 145 the decrease in MMP-9 activity at EPE concentration of 29 μg/mL was 5.5-fold and almost 1.9-fold, respectively. In conclusion, this study suggests that EPE may exhibit antimigratory, anti-invasive and antimetastatic potential towards prostate and breast cancer cell lines.

  16. Duration of ultrasound-mediated enhanced plasma membrane permeability.

    PubMed

    Lammertink, Bart; Deckers, Roel; Storm, Gert; Moonen, Chrit; Bos, Clemens

    2015-03-30

    Ultrasound (US) induced cavitation can be used to enhance the intracellular delivery of drugs by transiently increasing the cell membrane permeability. The duration of this increased permeability, termed temporal window, has not been fully elucidated. In this study, the temporal window was investigated systematically using an endothelial- and two breast cancer cell lines. Model drug uptake was measured as a function of time after sonication, in the presence of SonoVue™ microbubbles, in HUVEC, MDA-MB-468 and 4T1 cells. In addition, US pressure amplitude was varied in MDA-MB-468 cells to investigate its effect on the temporal window. Cell membrane permeability of HUVEC and MDA-MB-468 cells returned to control level within 1-2 h post-sonication, while 4T1 cells needed over 3h. US pressure affected the number of cells with increased membrane permeability, as well as the temporal window in MDA-MB-468 cells. This study shows that the duration of increased membrane permeability differed between the cell lines and US pressures used here. However, all were consistently in the order of 1-3 h after sonication. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Autophagic cell death and premature senescence: New mechanism of 5-fluorouracil and sulforaphane synergistic anticancer effect in MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer cell line.

    PubMed

    Milczarek, Małgorzata; Wiktorska, Katarzyna; Mielczarek, Lidia; Koronkiewicz, Mirosława; Dąbrowska, Aleksandra; Lubelska, Katarzyna; Matosiuk, Dariusz; Chilmonczyk, Zdzisław

    2018-01-01

    In view of the need for new, more effective therapies for the triple negative breast cancer treatment, the aim of the study was to evaluate the anticancer activity and mechanism of action of the sulforaphane and 5-fluorouracil combination in the triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Changes in the number of live cells after alone and sequential treatment were determined by the MTT test. The Chou and Talaly method was used to identify the type of interaction. Confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, western blot and spectrophotometry were used to examine apoptosis, autophagy and premature senescence. The western blot method was applied to measure the level of enzymes that are crucial for the 5-fluorouracil activity. Sulforaphane and 5-fluorouracil have been shown to interact synergistically in the breast cancerMDA-MB-231 cell line, resulting in a significant reduction of the number of live cells compared to alone treatments. Sulforaphane has decreased the level of thymidylate synthetase, which was also observed in the case of the sequential sulforaphane and 5-fluorouracil treatment. Studies of the interaction mechanism have revealed that sulforaphane and 5-fluorouracil act synergistically in the MDA-MB-231 cells by inducing autophagic cell death and premature senescence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. [Impact of siRNA-mediated down-regulation of CD147 on human breast cancer cells].

    PubMed

    Li, Zhenqian; Li, Daoming; Li, Jiangwei; Huang, Pei; Qin, Hui

    2015-10-01

    To investigate the influence of siRNA-mediated down-regulation of CD147 on growth, proliferation and movement of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. The protein expression of CD147, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 of the MDA-MB-231 cells were analyzed by ABC. Lentiviral expression vector of CD147 gene was constructed and transfected into MDA-MB-231 cells. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein level changes of CD147 genes to identify the optimal time point, followed by detection of changes of mRNA and protein expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 genes. CCK-8 reagent method and cell scratch test were used to detect the proliferation and migration change of MDA-MB-231 cells. The nude mouse model of breast cancer by hypodermic injection with MDA-MB-231 cells was established to document the effect of CD147 siRNA on the tumor transplants. After transfection of lentiviral expression vector of CD147 gene, protein of CD147, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were weakly or negative expressed, significantly weaker than those of control group (P < 0.01). After 72 hours of transfection, average down-regulation rate of CD147 and MMP-2 were 96.03% ± 0.84% and 96.03% ± 0.84%, respectively. Both CD147 mRNA and MMP-2 mRNA expression were down-regulated (P < 0.05), while TIMP-2 mRNA expression showed no significant deference (P > 0.05). No less than 2 days after transfection, cell growth of MDA-MB-231 cell line was found significantly inhibited (P < 0.05). After 24 hours of transection, average migration distance of MDA-MB-231 cell line and control group were (0.64 ± 0.12) mm and (4.69 ± 0.85) mm, respectively, which indicated a lower migrate speed. Down regulation of CD147 led to reduction of volume and mass of nude mouses. The growth of the carcinoma transplant was inhibited upon siRNA-mediated down-regulation of CD147 (P < 0.05), with an average tumor mass of (1.85 ± 0.98) g and both reduction of tumor size and tumor mass. CD147 may alter the MMP-2/TIMP-2 balance in MDA-MB-231 cells. CD147 gene silencing inhibits the proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells and the growth of carcinoma transplants in nude mice.

  19. Targeting ceramide metabolic pathway induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cell lines

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vethakanraj, Helen Shiphrah; Babu, Thabraz Ahmed; Sudarsanan, Ganesh Babu

    2015-08-28

    The sphingolipid ceramide is a pro apoptotic molecule of ceramide metabolic pathway and is hydrolyzed to proliferative metabolite, sphingosine 1 phosphate by the action of acid ceramidase. Being upregulated in the tumors of breast, acid ceramidase acts as a potential target for breast cancer therapy. We aimed at targeting this enzyme with a small molecule acid ceramidase inhibitor, Ceranib 2 in human breast cancer cell lines MCF 7 and MDA MB 231. Ceranib 2 effectively inhibited the growth of both the cell lines in dose and time dependant manner. Morphological apoptotic hallmarks such as chromatin condensation, fragmented chromatin were observedmore » in AO/EtBr staining. Moreover, ladder pattern of fragmented DNA observed in DNA gel electrophoresis proved the apoptotic activity of Ceranib 2 in breast cancer cell lines. The apoptotic events were associated with significant increase in the expression of pro-apoptotic genes (Bad, Bax and Bid) and down regulation of anti-apoptotic gene (Bcl 2). Interestingly, increase in sub G1 population of cell cycle phase analysis and elevated Annexin V positive cells after Ceranib 2 treatment substantiated its apoptotic activity in MCF 7 and MDA MB 231 cell lines. Thus, we report Ceranib 2 as a potent therapeutic agent against both ER{sup +} and ER{sup −} breast cancer cell lines. - Highlights: • Acid Ceramidase inhibitor, Ceranib 2 induced apoptosis in Breast cancer cell lines (MCF 7 and MDA MB 231 cell lines). • Apoptosis is mediated by DNA fragmentation and cell cycle arrest. • Ceranib 2 upregulated the expression of pro-apoptotic genes and down regulated anti-apoptotic gene expression. • More potent compared to the standard drug Tamoxifen.« less

  20. PLK1-associated microRNAs are correlated with pediatric medulloblastoma prognosis.

    PubMed

    Pezuk, Julia Alejandra; Brassesco, María Sol; de Oliveira, Ricardo Santos; Machado, Hélio Rubens; Neder, Luciano; Scrideli, Carlos Alberto; Tone, Luiz Gonzaga

    2017-04-01

    Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) in children. Despite its relative good survival rates, treatment can cause long time sequels and may impair patients' lifespan and quality, making the search for new treatment options still necessary. Polo like kinases (PLKs) constitute a five-member serine/threonine kinases family (PLK 1-5) that regulates different stages during cell cycle. Abnormal PLKs expression has been observed in several cancer types, including MB. As gene regulators, miRNAs have also been described with variable expression in cancer. We evaluated gene expression profiles of all PLK family members and related miRNAs (miR-100, miR-126, miR-219, and miR-593*) in MB cell lines and tumor samples. RT-qPCR analysis revealed increased levels of PLK1-4 in all cell lines and in most MB samples, while PLK5 was found underexpressed. In parallel, miR-100 was also found upregulated while miR-129, miR-216, and miR-593* were decreased in MB cell lines. Variable miRNAs expression patterns were observed in MB samples. However, a correlation between miR-100 and PLK4 expression was observed, and associations between miR-100, miR-126, and miR-219 expression and overall and event free survival were also evinced in our cohort. Moreover, despite the lack of association with clinico-pathological features, when comparing primary tumors to those relapsed, we found a consistent decrease on PLK2, miR-219, and miR-598* and an increase on miR-100 and miR-126. Specific dysregulation on PLKs and associated miRNAs may be important in MB and can be used to predict prognosis. Although miRNAs sequences are fundamental to predict its target, the cell type may also be consider once that mRNA repertoire can define different roles for specific miRNA in a given cell.

  1. Cytotoxic effects of chloroform and hydroalcoholic extracts of aerial parts of Cuscuta chinensis and Cuscuta epithymum on Hela, HT29 and MDA-MB-468 tumor cells

    PubMed Central

    Jafarian, A.; Ghannadi, A.; Mohebi, B.

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies have indicated that some species of Cuscuta possess anticancer activity on various cell lines. Due to the lack of detailed researches on the cytotoxic effects of Cuscuta chinensis and Cuscuta epithymum, the aim of the present study was to evaluate cytotoxic effects of chloroform and hydroalcoholic extracts of these plants on the human breast carcinoma cell line (MDA-MB-468), human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT29) and human uterine cervical carcinoma (Hela). Using maceration method, different extracts of aerial parts of C. chinensis and C. epithymum were prepared. Extraction was performed using chloroform and ethanol/water (70/30). Total phenolic contents of the extracts were determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Using MTT assay, the cytotoxic activity of the extracts against HT29, Hela and MDA-MB-468 tumor cells was evaluated. Extracts were considered cytotoxic when more than 50% reduction on cell survival was observed. The poly-phenolic content of the hydroalcoholic and chloroform extracts of C. chinensis and C. epithymum were 56.08 ± 4.11, 21.49 ± 2.00, 10.64 ± 0.86 and 4.81 ± 0.38, respectively. Our findings showed that the chloroform extracts of C. chinensis and C. epithyum significantly reduced the viability of Hela, HT-29 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Also, hydroalcoholic extracts of C. chinensis significantly decreased the viability of HT29, Hela and MDA-MB-468 cells. However, in the case of hydroalcoholic extracts of C. epithymum only significant decrease in the viability of MDA-MB-468 cells was observed (IC50 = 340 μg/ml). From these findings it can be concluded that C. chinensis and C. epithymum are good candidates for further study to find new possible cytotoxic agents. PMID:25657780

  2. Cytotoxic effects of chloroform and hydroalcoholic extracts of aerial parts of Cuscuta chinensis and Cuscuta epithymum on Hela, HT29 and MDA-MB-468 tumor cells.

    PubMed

    Jafarian, A; Ghannadi, A; Mohebi, B

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies have indicated that some species of Cuscuta possess anticancer activity on various cell lines. Due to the lack of detailed researches on the cytotoxic effects of Cuscuta chinensis and Cuscuta epithymum, the aim of the present study was to evaluate cytotoxic effects of chloroform and hydroalcoholic extracts of these plants on the human breast carcinoma cell line (MDA-MB-468), human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT29) and human uterine cervical carcinoma (Hela). Using maceration method, different extracts of aerial parts of C. chinensis and C. epithymum were prepared. Extraction was performed using chloroform and ethanol/water (70/30). Total phenolic contents of the extracts were determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Using MTT assay, the cytotoxic activity of the extracts against HT29, Hela and MDA-MB-468 tumor cells was evaluated. Extracts were considered cytotoxic when more than 50% reduction on cell survival was observed. The poly-phenolic content of the hydroalcoholic and chloroform extracts of C. chinensis and C. epithymum were 56.08 ± 4.11, 21.49 ± 2.00, 10.64 ± 0.86 and 4.81 ± 0.38, respectively. Our findings showed that the chloroform extracts of C. chinensis and C. epithyum significantly reduced the viability of Hela, HT-29 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Also, hydroalcoholic extracts of C. chinensis significantly decreased the viability of HT29, Hela and MDA-MB-468 cells. However, in the case of hydroalcoholic extracts of C. epithymum only significant decrease in the viability of MDA-MB-468 cells was observed (IC50 = 340 μg/ml). From these findings it can be concluded that C. chinensis and C. epithymum are good candidates for further study to find new possible cytotoxic agents.

  3. The natural flavonoid silybin improves the response to Photodynamic Therapy of bladder cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Gándara, L; Sandes, E; Di Venosa, G; Prack Mc Cormick, B; Rodriguez, L; Mamone, L; Batlle, A; Eiján, A M; Casas, A

    2014-04-05

    Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an anticancer treatment based on photosensitisation of malignant cells. The precursor of the photosensitiser Protoporphyrin IX, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), has been used for PDT of bladder cancer. Silybin is a flavonoid extracted from Silybum marianum, and it has been reported to increase the efficacy of several anticancer treatments. In the present work, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of the combination of ALA-PDT and silybin in the T24 and MB49 bladder cancer cell lines. MB49 cells were more sensitive to PDT damage, which was correlated with a higher Protoporphyrin IX production from ALA. Employing lethal light doses 50% (LD50) and 75% (LD75) and additional silybin treatment, there was a further increase of toxicity driven by PDT in both cell lines. Using the Chou-Talalay model for drug combination derived from the mass-action law principle, it was possible to identify the effect of the combination as synergic when using LD75, whilst the use of LD50 led to an additive effect on MB49 cells. On the other hand, the drug combination turned out to be nearly additive on T24 cells. Apoptotic cell death is involved both in silybin and PDT cytotoxicity in the MB49 line but there is no apparent correlation with the additive or synergic effect observed on cell viability. On the other hand, we found an enhancement of the PDT-driven impairment of cell migration on both cell lines as a consequence of silybin treatment. Overall, our results suggest that the combination of silybin and ALA-PDT would increase PDT outcome, leading to additive or synergistic effects and possibly impairing the occurrence of metastases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Major triterpenoids in Chinese hawthorn "Crataegus pinnatifida" and their effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis induction in MDA-MB-231 cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Wen, Lingrong; Guo, Ruixue; You, Lijun; Abbasi, Arshad Mehmood; Li, Tong; Fu, Xiong; Liu, Rui Hai

    2017-02-01

    The cytotoxicity and antiproliferative effect of phytochemicals presenting in the fruits of Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) were evaluated. Shanlihong (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br.) variety possessed significant levels of flavonoids and triterpenoids, and showed potent antiproliferative effect against HepG 2 , MCF-7 and MDA-MB- 231 human cancer cells lines. Triterpenoids-enriched fraction (S9) prepared by Semi-preparative HPLC, and its predominant ingredient ursolic acid (UA) demonstrated remarkably antiproliferative activities for all the tested cancer cell lines. DNA flow cytometric analysis showed that S9 fraction and UA significantly induced G1 arrest in MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Western blotting analysis revealed that S9 fraction and UA significantly induced PCNA, CDK4, and Cyclin D1 downregulation in MDA-MB-231 cells, followed by p21 Waf1/Cip1 up-regulation. Additionally, flow cytometer and DNA ladder assays indicated that S9 fraction and UA significantly induced MDA-MB-231 cells apoptosis. Mitochondrial death pathway was involved in this apoptosis as significantly induced caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation. These results suggested that triterpenoids-enriched fraction and UA exhibited antiproliferative activity through the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction, and was majorly responsible for the potent anticancer activity of Chinese hawthorn. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Effect of toll-like receptor 3 agonists on the functionality and metastatic properties of breast cancer cell model.

    PubMed

    Alizadeh, Nastaran; Amiri, Mohammad Mehdi; Salek Moghadam, Alireza; Zarnani, Amir Hassan; Saadat, Farshid; Safavifar, Farnaz; Berahmeh, Azar; Khorramizadeh, Mohammad Reza

    2013-05-15

    There exists compelling evidence that Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) agonists can directly affect human cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate anti-cancer effects of TLR3 agonist in human breast cell line. We assessed potential effects of poly (A:U) on human breast cell line (MDA-MB-231) on a dose-response and time-course basis. Human breast cell line MDA-MB-231 was treated with different concentrations of poly (A:U) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Then, the following assays were performed on the treated cells: dose-response and time-course cytotoxicity using colorimetric method; matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity using gelatin zymography method; apoptosis using annexin-v flowcytometry method; and relative expression of TLR3 and MMP-2 mRNA using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Following treatments, dose- response and time-course cytotoxicity using a colorimetric method, (MMP-2) activity (using gelatin zymography), apoptosis (using annexin-v flowcytometry method) assays and expression of TLR3 and MMP-2 genes (using PCR method) were performed. Cytotoxicity and flowcytometry analysis of poly (A:U) showed that poly (A:U) do not have any cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in different concentrations used. MMP-2 activity analysis showed significant decrease in higher concentrations (50 and 100 μg/ ml) between treated and untreated cells. Moreover, poly A:U treated cells demonstrated decreased expression of MMP-2 gene in higher concentrations. Collectively, our data indicated that human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) was highly responsive to poly (A:U). The antimetastatic effect of direct poly (A:U) and TLR3 interactions in MDA-MB-231 cells could provide new approaches in malignant tumor therapeutic strategy.

  6. The role of the polyamine catabolic enzymes SSAT and SMO in the synergistic effects of standard chemotherapeutic agents with a polyamine analogue in human breast cancer cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Pledgie-Tracy, Allison; Billam, Madhavi; Hacker, Amy; Sobolewski, Michele D; Woster, Patrick M.; Zhang, Zhe; Casero, Robert A.; Davidson, Nancy E

    2009-01-01

    Polyamine analogues have demonstrated significant activity against human breast cancer cell lines as single agents as well as in combination with other cytotoxic drugs. This study evaluates the ability of a polyamine analogue N1, N11-bis(ethyl)norspermine (BENSpm) to synergize with six standard chemotherapeutic agents, 5-fluorouracil (FU), fluorodeoxyuridine, cis- diaminechloroplatinum(II) (DDP), paclitaxel, docetaxel, and vinorelbine, in four human breast cancer cell lines and one immortalized, non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cell line. BENSpm exhibited synergistic inhibitory effect on cell proliferation in combination with 5-FU or paclitaxel in human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and either antagonistic or less effective in the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cell line. Synergism was highest with 120 hour concomitant treatment or pre-treatment with BENSpm for 24 hours followed by concomitant treatment for 96 additional hours. Since the cytotoxic effects of many polyamine analogues and cytotoxic agents are believed to act, in part, through induction of the polyamine catabolic enzymes SSAT and SMO, the role of these enzymes on synergistic response was evaluated in MDA-MB-231- and MCF-7-treated with BENSpm and 5-FU or paclitaxel. Combination treatments of BENSpm with 5-FU or paclitaxel resulted in induction of SSAT mRNA and activity in both cell lines compared to either drug alone, while SMO mRNA and activity were increased only in MDA-MB-231 cells. Induction was greater with BENSpm/paclitaxel combination than BENSpm/5-FU. Further, RNAi studies demonstrated that both SSAT and SMO play a significant role in the response of MDA-MB-231 cells to treatment with BENSpm and 5-FU or paclitaxel. In MCF-7 cells, only SSAT appears to be involved in the response to these treatments. In an effort to translate combination studies from in vitro to in vivo, and to form a basis for clinical setting, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of BENSpm alone and in combination with paclitaxel on tumor regression was evaluated in xenograft mice models generated with MDA-MB-231 cells. Intraperitoneal exposure to BENSpm or taxol singly and in combination for 4 weeks resulted in significant inhibition in tumor growth These findings help elucidate the mechanisms involved in synergistic drug response and support combinations of polyamine analogues with chemotherapeutic agents which could potentially be used in the treatment of breast cancer. PMID:19727732

  7. The cellular and molecular effects of the androgen receptor agonist, Cl-4AS-1, on breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Ahram, Mamoun; Mustafa, Ebtihal; Abu Hammad, Shatha; Alhudhud, Mariam; Bawadi, Randa; Tahtamouni, Lubna; Khatib, Faisal; Zihlif, Malek

    2018-03-26

    The androgen receptor (AR) has attracted attention in the treatment of breast cancer. Due to the undesirable side effects of AR agonists, attempts have been undertaken to develop selective AR modulators. One of these compounds is Cl-4AS-1. This study examined this compound more closely at the cellular and molecular levels. Three different breast cancer cell lines were utilized, namely the luminal MCF-7 cells, the molecular apocrine MDA-MB-453 cells, and the triple negative, basal MDA-MB-231 cells. High and significant concordance between dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and Cl-4AS-1 in regulation of gene expression in MDA-MB-453 cells was found. However, some differences were noted including the expression of AR, which was upregulated by DHT, but not Cl-4AS-1. In addition, both DHT and Cl-4AS-1 caused a similar morphological change and reorganization of the actin structure of MDA-MB-453 cells into a mesenchymal phenotype. Treatment of cells with DHT resulted in induction of proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453 cells, but no effect was observed on the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells. On the other hand, increasing doses of Cl-4AS-1 resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition on the growth of the three cell lines. This inhibition was a result of induction of apoptosis whereby Cl-4AS-1 caused a block in entry of cells into the S-phase followed by DNA degradation. These results indicate that although Cl-4AS-1 has characteristics of classical AR agonist, it has dissimilar properties that may make it useful in treating breast cancer.

  8. Imidazopyridine-fused [1,3]-diazepinones part 2: Structure-activity relationships and antiproliferative activity against melanoma cells.

    PubMed

    Bellet, Virginie; Lichon, Laure; Arama, Dominique P; Gallud, Audrey; Lisowski, Vincent; Maillard, Ludovic T; Garcia, Marcel; Martinez, Jean; Masurier, Nicolas

    2017-01-05

    We recently described a pyrido-imidazodiazepinone derivative which could be a promising hit compound for the development of new drugs acting against melanoma cells. In this study, a series of 28 novel pyrido-imidazodiazepinones were synthesized and screened for their in vitro cytotoxic activities against the melanoma MDA-MB-435 cell line. Among the derivatives, seven of them showed 50% growth inhibitory activity at 1 μM concentration, and high selectivity against the melanoma cell line MDA-MB-435. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Expression of death decoy receptor-3 (DcR3) in human breast cancer and its functional effects on breast cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Ge, Zhicheng; Sanders, Andrew J; Ye, Lin; Wang, Yu; Jiang, Wen G

    2011-01-01

    Death Decoy Receptor-3 (DcR3), otherwise known as tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 6b, is suggested to be involved in the progression and immune evasion of malignant tumours. Its ligands include FASL and LIGHT (Tumour necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 14). DcR3 has been found to be amplified in certain solid tumours. However, its role in breast tumours remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the role played by DcR3 in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. The expression of DcR3 was examined in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines using immunocytochemical staining and RT-PCR. Anti-DcR3 hammerhead ribozyme transgenes were constructed and transfected into cells to create DcR3 knock-down cell sublines. The biological impact of modifying DcR3 expression in breast cancer cells was evaluated using a variety of in vitro assays, including growth, adhesion, migration and invasion models. MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, usually expressing DcR3, were transfected with the anti-DcR3 ribozyme transgene. Stable transfectants containing the DcR3 ribozyme transgene (MCF7DcR3KO, MDA-MB-231DcR3KO) displayed a reduction of DcR3 expression at mRNA and protein levels. DcR3 knockdown in MCF7 cells was found to significantly reduce invasive capacity compared to pEF6 control cell lines (30.78 +/- 6.40 vs.151.67 +/- 17.67 P < 0.001). The rate of migration in MCF7DcR3KO was significantly lower than MCF7pEF6 (P < 0.001). In contrast, no such significant differences was seen between MDA-MB-231DcR3KO and MDA-MB-231pEF6. Suppressing DcR3 expression was found to have an inhibitory effect on cellular invasion and migration in MCF7 breast cancer cells. This suggests that the invasion and migration capacity of this breast cancer cell line may, at least partly, depend on DcR3. DcR3 may be regarded as a negative regulator for aggressiveness during the development and progression of certain types of breast cancer.

  10. Endogenous myoglobin in human breast cancer is a hallmark of luminal cancer phenotype.

    PubMed

    Kristiansen, G; Rose, M; Geisler, C; Fritzsche, F R; Gerhardt, J; Lüke, C; Ladhoff, A-M; Knüchel, R; Dietel, M; Moch, H; Varga, Z; Theurillat, J-P; Gorr, T A; Dahl, E

    2010-06-08

    We aimed to clarify the incidence and the clinicopathological value of non-muscle myoglobin (Mb) in a large cohort of non-invasive and invasive breast cancer cases. Matched pairs of breast tissues from 10 patients plus 17 breast cell lines were screened by quantitative PCR for Mb mRNA. In addition, 917 invasive and 155 non-invasive breast cancer cases were analysed by immunohistochemistry for Mb expression and correlated to clinicopathological parameters and basal molecular characteristics including oestrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha)/progesteron receptor (PR)/HER2, fatty acid synthase (FASN), hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha), HIF-2alpha, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX). The spatial relationship of Mb and ERalpha or FASN was followed up by double immunofluorescence. Finally, the effects of estradiol treatment and FASN inhibition on Mb expression in breast cancer cells were analysed. Myoglobin mRNA was found in a subset of breast cancer cell lines; in microdissected tumours Mb transcript was markedly upregulated. In all, 71% of tumours displayed Mb protein expression in significant correlation with a positive hormone receptor status and better prognosis. In silico data mining confirmed higher Mb levels in luminal-type breast cancer. Myoglobin was also correlated to FASN, HIF-2alpha and CAIX, but not to HIF-1alpha or GLUT1, suggesting hypoxia to participate in its regulation. Double immunofluorescence showed a cellular co-expression of ERalpha or FASN and Mb. In addition, Mb levels were modulated on estradiol treatment and FASN inhibition in a cell model. We conclude that in breast cancer, Mb is co-expressed with ERalpha and co-regulated by oestrogen signalling and can be considered a hallmark of luminal breast cancer phenotype. This and its possible new role in fatty acid metabolism may have fundamental implications for our understanding of Mb in solid tumours.

  11. A new chemotherapy agent-free theranostic system composed of graphene oxide nano-complex and aptamers for treatment of cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Bahreyni, Amirhossein; Yazdian-Robati, Rezvan; Hashemitabar, Shirin; Ramezani, Mohammad; Ramezani, Pouria; Abnous, Khalil; Taghdisi, Seyed Mohammad

    2017-06-30

    The common cancer treatment strategies like chemotherapy and radiotherapy are nonspecific and can trigger severe side effects by damaging normal cells. So, targeted cancer therapies, such as apoptosis induction, have attracted great attention in recent years. In this project, two nano-complexes, MUC1 aptamer-NAS-24 aptamer-Graphene oxide (GO) and MUC1 aptamer-Cytochrome C aptamer-GO, were designed to induce cell programmed death in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells (breast cancer cell lines) and to verify the level of apoptosis in both cell lines. MUC1 aptamer was a molecular recognition probe that led the internalization of two nano-complexes into MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells (MUC1 positive cells) but not into HepG2 cell (liver cancer cell line, MUC1 negative cells). The apoptosis induction relied on binding of NAS-24 aptamer to its target, vimentin, in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 (target cells) with different levels of vimentin content. The function of first nano-complex was confirmed by binding of FAM-labeled cytochrome C aptamer to its target (cytochrome C) which was released from mitochondria, based on the function of the first nano-complex. Fluorometric analysis and gel retardation assay proved the formation of nano-complexes. The results of flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy indicated efficient apoptosis induction just in target cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells) but not in non-target cells (HepG2 cell). The results of MTT assay also confirmed cell death process. Overall, our results proved excellent targeted apoptosis in breast cancer cells by designed nano-complexes which can be applied as an efficient cancer therapy method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Antibacterial Synthetic Peptides Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin Exhibit Cytotoxic Effect against MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Vargas Casanova, Yerly; Rodríguez Guerra, Jorge Antonio; Umaña Pérez, Yadi Adriana; Leal Castro, Aura Lucía; Almanzar Reina, Giovanni; García Castañeda, Javier Eduardo; Rivera Monroy, Zuly Jenny

    2017-09-29

    Linear, dimeric, tetrameric, and cyclic peptides derived from lactoferricin B, containing the RRWQWR motif, were designed, synthesized, purified, and characterized using RP-HPLC chromatography and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The antibacterial activity of the designed peptides against E. coli (ATCC 11775 and 25922) and their cytotoxic effect against MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines were evaluated. Dimeric and tetrameric peptides showed higher antibacterial activity in both bacteria strains than linear peptides. The dimeric peptide (RRWQWR)₂K-Ahx exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains. Furthermore, the peptides with high antibacterial activity exhibited significant cytotoxic effect against the tested breast cancer cell lines. This cytotoxic effect was fast and dependent on the peptide concentration. The tetrameric molecule containing RRWQWR motif has an optimal cytotoxic effect at a concentration of 22 µM. The evaluated dimeric and tetrameric peptides could be considered as candidates for developing new therapeutic agents against breast cancer. Polyvalence of linear sequences could be considered as a novel and versatile strategy for obtaining molecules with high anticancer activity.

  13. Stromelysin-3 over-expression enhances tumourigenesis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines: involvement of the IGF-1 signalling pathway

    PubMed Central

    Kasper, Grit; Reule, Matthias; Tschirschmann, Miriam; Dankert, Niels; Stout-Weider, Karen; Lauster, Roland; Schrock, Evelin; Mennerich, Detlev; Duda, Georg N; Lehmann, Kerstin E

    2007-01-01

    Background Stromelysin-3 (ST-3) is over-expressed in the majority of human carcinomas including breast carcinoma. Due to its known effect in promoting tumour formation, but its impeding effect on metastasis, a dual role of ST-3 in tumour progression, depending on the cellular grade of dedifferentiation, was hypothesized. Methods The present study was designed to investigate the influence of ST-3 in vivo and in vitro on the oestrogen-dependent, non-invasive MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell line as well as on the oestrogen-independent, invasive MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cell line. Therefore an orthotopic human xenograft tumour model in nude mice, as well as a 3D matrigel cell culture system, were employed. Results Using both in vitro and in vivo techniques, we have demonstrated that over-expression of ST-3 in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells leads to both increased cell numbers and tumour volumes. This observation was dependent upon the presence of growth factors. In particular, the enhanced proliferative capacity was in MCF-7/ST-3 completely and in MDA-MB-231/ST-3 cells partially dependent on the IGF-1 signalling pathway. Microarray analysis of ST-3 over-expressing cells revealed that in addition to cell proliferation, further biological processes seemed to be affected, such as cell motility and stress response. The MAPK-pathway as well as the Wnt and PI3-kinase pathways, appear to also play a potential role. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that breast cancer cell lines of different differentiation status, as well as the non-tumourigenic cell line MCF-10A, have a comparable capability to induce endogenous ST-3 expression in fibroblasts. Conclusion These data reveal that ST-3 is capable of enhancing tumourigenesis in highly differentiated "early stage" breast cancer cell lines as well as in further progressed breast cancer cell lines that have already undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition. We propose that ST-3 induction in tumour fibroblasts leads to the stimulation of the IGF-1R pathway in carcinoma cells, thus enhancing their proliferative capacity. In addition, further different cellular processes seem to be activated by ST-3, possibly accounting for the dual role of ST-3 in tumour progression and metastasis. PMID:17233884

  14. Induction of apoptosis and growth arrest in human breast carcinoma cells by a snake (Walterinnesia aegyptia) venom combined with silica nanoparticles: crosstalk between Bcl2 and caspase 3.

    PubMed

    Al-Sadoon, Mohamed K; Abdel-Maksoud, Mostafa A; Rabah, Danny M; Badr, Gamal

    2012-01-01

    We recently demonstrated that the snake venom extracted from Walterinnesia aegyptia (WEV) either alone or combined with silica nanoparticles (WEV+NP) enhanced the proliferation of mice immune cells and simultaneously decreased the proliferation of human breast carcinoma cell line (MDA-MB-231). However, the molecular mechanism of how this venom induced growth arrest of breast cancer cells has not been studied. In this context, we extended our study to evaluate the anti-tumor potential of WEV and WEV+NP on the human breast carcinoma cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, as well as their effects on non-tumorigenic normal breast epithelial cells (MCF-10). The IC(50 )values of WEV alone and WEV+NP in these cell lines were determined to be 50 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml, respectively. Interestingly, at these concentrations, the venom did not affect the viability of normal MCF-10 cells and treatment of all these cell lines with NP alone did not affect their viability. Using annexin-V binding assay followed by flow cytometry analysis, we found that combination of WEV with NP strongly induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cancer cells without significant effect on normal MCF-10 cells. Furthermore, we found that WEV+NP decreased the expression of Bcl2 and enhanced the activation of caspase 3 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. Most importantly, WEV+NP-treated breast cancer cells, but not normal MCF-10 cells, exhibited a significant (P<0.05) reduction in actin polymerization and cytoskeletal rearrangement in response to CXCL12. Our data reveal biological effects of WEV or WEV+NP and the underlying mechanisms to fight breast cancer cells. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. Blueberry Phytochemicals Inhibit Growth and Metastatic Potential of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells Through Modulation of the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Adams, Lynn S.; Phung, Sheryl; Yee, Natalie; Seeram, Navindra P.; Li, Liya; Chen, Shiuan

    2010-01-01

    Dietary phytochemicals are known to exhibit a variety of anti-carcinogenic properties. This study investigated the chemopreventive activity of blueberry extract in triple negative breast cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Blueberry decreased cell proliferation in HCC38, HCC1937 and MDA-MB-231 cells with no effect on the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cell line. Decreased metastatic potential of MDA-MB-231 cells by blueberry was shown through inhibition of cell motility using wound healing assays and migration through a PET membrane. Blueberry treatment decreased the activity of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and the secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator while increasing tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 secretion in MDA-MB-231 conditioned medium as shown by western blotting. Cell signaling pathways that control the expression/activation of these processes were investigated via western blotting and reporter gene assay. Treatment with blueberry decreased phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and nuclear factor kappa-B (NFκB) activation in MDA-MB-231 cells where protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) were not affected. In vivo, the efficacy of blueberry to inhibit triple negative breast tumor growth was evaluated using the MDA-MB-231 xenograft model. Tumor weight and proliferation (Ki-67 expression) were decreased in blueberry treated mice, where apoptosis (caspase-3 expression) was increased compared to controls. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumors from blueberry-fed mice showed decreased activation of AKT and p65 NFκB signaling proteins with no effect on the phosphorylation of ERK. These data illustrate the inhibitory effect of blueberry phytochemicals on the growth and metastatic potential of MDA-MB-231 cells through modulation of the PI3K/AKT/NFκB pathway. PMID:20388778

  16. BAG3 Overexpression and Cytoprotective Autophagy Mediate Apoptosis Resistance in Chemoresistant Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Das, Chandan Kanta; Linder, Benedikt; Bonn, Florian; Rothweiler, Florian; Dikic, Ivan; Michaelis, Martin; Cinatl, Jindrich; Mandal, Mahitosh; Kögel, Donat

    2018-03-01

    Target-specific treatment modalities are currently not available for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and acquired chemotherapy resistance is a primary obstacle for the treatment of these tumors. Here we employed derivatives of BT-549 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cell lines that were adapted to grow in the presence of either 5-Fluorouracil, Doxorubicin or Docetaxel in an aim to identify molecular pathways involved in the adaptation to drug-induced cell killing. All six drug-adapted BT-549 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines displayed cross resistance to chemotherapy and decreased apoptosis sensitivity. Expression of the anti-apoptotic co-chaperone BAG3 was notably enhanced in two thirds (4/6) of the six resistant lines simultaneously with higher expression of HSP70 in comparison to parental controls. Doxorubicin-resistant BT-549 (BT-549 r DOX 20 ) and 5-Fluorouracil-resistant MDA-MB-468 (MDA-MB-468 r 5-FU 2000 ) cells were chosen for further analysis with the autophagy inhibitor Bafilomycin A1 and lentiviral depletion of ATG5, indicating that enhanced cytoprotective autophagy partially contributes to increased drug resistance and cell survival. Stable lentiviral BAG3 depletion was associated with a robust down-regulation of Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, restoration of drug-induced apoptosis and reduced cell adhesion in these cells, and these death-sensitizing effects could be mimicked with the BAG3/Hsp70 interaction inhibitor YM-1 and by KRIBB11, a selective transcriptional inhibitor of HSF-1. Furthermore, BAG3 depletion was able to revert the EMT-like transcriptional changes observed in BT-549 r DOX 20 and MDA-MB-468 r 5-FU 2000 cells. In summary, genetic and pharmacological interference with BAG3 is capable to resensitize TNBC cells to treatment, underscoring its relevance for cell death resistance and as a target to overcome therapy resistance of breast cancer. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. KIAA0100 Modulates Cancer Cell Aggression Behavior of MDA-MB-231 through Microtubule and Heat Shock Proteins.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Zhenyu; Pannu, Vaishali; Rosenow, Matthew; Stark, Adam; Spetzler, David

    2018-06-04

    The KIAA0100 gene was identified in the human immature myeloid cell line cDNA library. Recent studies have shown that its expression is elevated in breast cancer and associated with more aggressive cancer types as well as poor outcomes. However, its cellular and molecular function is yet to be understood. Here we show that silencing KIAA0100 by siRNA in the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 significantly reduced the cancer cells' aggressive behavior, including cell aggregation, reattachment, cell metastasis and invasion. Most importantly, silencing the expression of KIAA0100 particularly sensitized the quiescent cancer cells in suspension culture to anoikis. Immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that KIAA0100 may play multiple roles in the cancer cells, including stabilizing microtubule structure as a microtubule binding protein, and contributing to MDA-MB-231 cells Anoikis resistance by the interaction with stress protein HSPA1A. Our study also implies that the interaction between KIAA0100 and HSPA1A may be targeted for new drug development to specifically induce anoikis cell death in the cancer cell.

  18. Usp7 promotes medulloblastoma cell survival and metastasis by activating Shh pathway

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhan, Meixiao; Zhuhai Precision Medicine Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Jinan University, Zhuhai; Sun, Xiaohan

    The ubiquitin-specific protease Usp7 plays roles in multiple cellular processes through deubiquitinating and stabilizing numerous substrates, including P53, Pten and Gli. Aberrant Usp7 activity has been implicated in many disorders and tumorigenesis, making it as a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Although it is clear that Usp7 is involved in many types of cancer, its role in regulating medulloblastoma (MB) is still unknown. In this study, we show that knockdown of Usp7 inhibits the proliferation and migration of MB cells, while Usp7 overexpression exerts an opposite effect. Furthermore, we establish Usp7 knockout MB cell line using the CRISPR/Cas9 system andmore » further confirm that Usp7 knockout also blocks MB cell proliferation and metastasis. In addition, we reveal that knockdown of Usp7 compromises Shh pathway activity and decrease Gli protein levels, while P53 level and P53 target gene expression have no obvious changes. Finally, we find that Usp7 inhibitors apparently inhibit MB cell viability and migration. Taken together, our findings suggest that Usp7 is important for MB cell proliferation and metastasis by activating Shh pathway, and is a putative therapeutic target for MBs. - Highlights: • Loss of usp7 blocks the proliferation and metastasis of MB cells. • Usp7 regulates MB cell growth and migration through stimulating Shh pathway. • Usp7 inhibitors hamper MB cell proliferation and migration. • Usp7 inhibitors could attenuate Shh pathway activity.« less

  19. Context dependent reversion of tumor phenotype by connexin-43 expression in MDA-MB231 cells and MCF-7 cells: Role of β-catenin/connexin43 association

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Talhouk, Rabih S., E-mail: rtalhouk@aub.edu.lb; Fares, Mohamed-Bilal; Rahme, Gilbert J.

    Connexins (Cx), gap junction (GJ) proteins, are regarded as tumor suppressors, and Cx43 expression is often down regulated in breast tumors. We assessed the effect of Cx43 over-expression in 2D and 3D cultures of two breast adenocarcinoma cell lines: MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. While Cx43 over-expression decreased proliferation of 2D and 3D cultures of MCF-7 by 56% and 80% respectively, MDA-MB-231 growth was not altered in 2D cultures, but exhibited 35% reduction in 3D cultures. C-terminus truncated Cx43 did not alter proliferation. Untransfected MCF-7 cells formed spherical aggregates in 3D cultures, and MDA-MB-231 cells formed stellar aggregates. However, MCF-7 cells over-expressingmore » Cx43 formed smaller sized clusters and Cx43 expressing MDA-MB-231 cells lost their stellar morphology. Extravasation ability of both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was reduced by 60% and 30% respectively. On the other hand, silencing Cx43 in MCF10A cells, nonneoplastic human mammary cell line, increased proliferation in both 2D and 3D cultures, and disrupted acinar morphology. Although Cx43 over-expression did not affect total levels of β-catenin, α-catenin and ZO-2, it decreased nuclear levels of β-catenin in 2D and 3D cultures of MCF-7 cells, and in 3D cultures of MDA-MB-231 cells. Cx43 associated at the membrane with α-catenin, β-catenin and ZO-2 in 2D and 3D cultures of MCF-7 cells, and only in 3D conditions in MDA-MB-231 cells. This study suggests that Cx43 exerts tumor suppressive effects in a context-dependent manner where GJ assembly with α-catenin, β-catenin and ZO-2 may be implicated in reducing growth rate, invasiveness, and, malignant phenotype of 2D and 3D cultures of MCF-7 cells, and 3D cultures of MDA-MB-231 cells, by sequestering β-catenin away from nucleus. - Highlights: • Cx43 over-expressing MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 were grown in 2D and 3D cultures. • Proliferation and growth morphology were affected in a context dependent manner. • Extravasation ability of both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was reduced. • Cx43-mediated gap junction complex assembly correlated with observed changes. • We propose that membranous Cx43 sequesters β-catenin away from the nucleus.« less

  20. DKK1 and Kremen Expression Predicts the Osteoblastic Response to Bone Metastasis.

    PubMed

    Clines, Katrina L; Clines, Gregory A

    2018-05-14

    Bone metastasis is a complication of advanced breast and prostate cancer. Tumor-secreted Dickkopf homolog 1 (DKK1), an inhibitor of canonical Wnt signaling and osteoblast differentiation, was proposed to regulate the osteoblastic response to metastatic cancer in bone. The objectives of this study were to compare DKK1 expression with the in vivo osteoblastic response in a panel of breast and prostate cancer cell lines, and to discover mechanisms that regulate cancer DKK1 expression. DKK1 expression was highest in MDA-MB-231 and PC3 cells that produce osteolytic lesions, and hence a suppressed osteoblastic response, in animal models of bone metastasis. LnCaP, C4-2B, LuCaP23.1, T47D, ZR-75-1, MCF-7, ARCaP and ARCaP M cancer cells that generate osteoblastic, mixed or no bone lesions had the lowest DKK1 expression. The cell lines with negligible expression, LnCaP, C4-2B and T47D, exhibited methylation of the DKK1 promoter. Canonical Wnt signaling activity was then determined and found in all cell lines tested, even in the MDA-MB-231 and PC3 cell lines despite sizeable amounts of DKK1 protein expression expected to block canonical Wnt signaling. A mechanism of DKK1 resistance in the osteolytic cell lines was investigated and determined to be at least partially due to down-regulation of the DKK1 receptors Kremen1 and Kremen2 in the MDA-MB-231 and PC3 cell lines. Combined DKK1 and Kremen expression in cancer cells may serve as predictive markers of the osteoblastic response of breast and prostate cancer bone metastasis. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. Decatropis bicolor (Zucc.) Radlk essential oil induces apoptosis of the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line.

    PubMed

    Estanislao Gómez, C C; Aquino Carreño, A; Pérez Ishiwara, D G; San Martín Martínez, E; Morales López, J; Pérez Hernández, N; Gómez García, M C

    2016-08-05

    Decatropis bicolor (Zucc.)Radlk is a plant that has been traditionally used for the treatment of breast cancer in some communities of Mexico. So, the aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of the essential oil of Decatropis bicolor against breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. The essential oil obtained from hydrodestillation of leaves of Decatropis bicolor was studied for its biological activity against breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 by MTT assay, Hematoxylin-eosin stain, Annexin V-FITC, TUNEL and western blot assays and for its chemical composition by GC-MS. The results showed a relevant cytotoxic effect of the essential oil towards MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose- and time- dependent manner, with an IC50 of 53.81 ± 1.691 μg/ml but not in the epithelial mammary cell line MCF10A (207.51 ± 3.26 μg/ml). Morphological examination displayed apoptotic characteristics in the treated cells like cell size reduction, membrane blebbing and apoptotic bodies. In addition, the apoptotic rate significantly increased as well as DNA fragmentation and western blot analysis revealed that the essential oil induced apoptosis in the MDA-MB-231 cells via intrinsic pathways due to the activation of Bax, caspases 9 and 3. Phytochemical analysis of the Decatropis bicolor essential oil showed the presence of twenty-three compounds. Major components of the oil were 1,5-cyclooctadiene,3-(methyl-2)propenyl (18.38 %), β-terpineol (8.16 %) and 1-(3-methyl-cyclopent-2-enyl)-cyclohexene (6.12 %). This study suggests that essential oil of Decatropis bicolor has a potential cytotoxic and antitumoral effect against breast cancer cells, with the presence of potential bioactive compounds. Our results contribute to the validation of the anticancer activity of the plant in Mexican traditional medicine.

  2. Tangeretin inhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer cells via CYP1A1/CYP1B1 enzyme induction and CYP1A1/CYP1B1-mediated metabolism to the product 4' hydroxy tangeretin.

    PubMed

    Surichan, Somchaiya; Arroo, Randolph R; Tsatsakis, Aristidis M; Androutsopoulos, Vasilis P

    2018-04-04

    Tangeretin is a polymethoxylated flavone with multifaceted anticancer activity. In the present study, the metabolism of tangeretin was evaluated in the CYP1 expressing human breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 and in the normal breast cell line MCF10A. Tangeretin was converted to 4' OH tangeretin by recombinant CYP1 enzymes and by CYP1 enzymes expressed in MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. This metabolite was absent in MCF10A cells that did not express CYP1 enzymes. Tangeretin exhibited submicromolar IC50 (0.25 ± 0.15 μM) in MDA-MB-468 cells, whereas it was less active in MCF7 cells (39.3 ± 1.5 μM) and completely inactive in MCF10A cells (>100 μM). In MDA-MB-468 cells that were coincubated with the CYP1 inhibitor acacetin, an approximately 70-fold increase was noted in the IC50 (18 ± 1.6 μM) of tangeretin. In the presence of the CYP1 inhibitor acacetin, the conversion of tangeretin to 4' OH tangeretin was significantly reduced in MDA-MB-468 cells (2.55 ± 0.19 μM vs. 6.33 ± 0.12 μM). The mechanism of antiproliferative action involved cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase for MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Tangeretin was further shown to induce CYP1 enzyme activity and CYP1A1/CYP1B1 protein expression in MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. These results suggest that tangeretin inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer cells via CYP1A1/CYP1B1-mediated metabolism to the product 4' hydroxy tangeretin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Cytotoxic activity of ten algae from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea on human breast cancer cell lines; MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D

    PubMed Central

    Erfani, Nasrollah; Nazemosadat, Zahra; Moein, Mahmoodreza

    2015-01-01

    Background: Seaweeds have proven to be a promising natural source of bioactive metabolites for drug development. Objective: This study aimed to monitor the ethanol extract of ten algae from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, for their in vitro cytotoxic activity on three human breast cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: Three human breast cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231(ER−), MCF-7(ER+), and T-47D (ER+) were treated by different concentrations of total ethanol (90%) algae extracts and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Doxorubicin (Ebewe, Austria) was used as a positive control. After 72 h of incubation, the cytotoxic effect of the algae was calculated and presented as 50%-inhibitory concentration (IC50). Results: The results indicated Gracilaria foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. to be the most active algae in terms of cytotoxic effects on the investigated cancer cell lines. The IC50 values against MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D cells were, respectively, 74.89 ± 21.71, 207.81 ± 12.07, and 203.25 ± 30.98 µg/ml for G. foliifera and 66.48 ± 4.96, 150.86 ± 51.56 and >400 µg/ml for Cladophoropsis sp. The rest of the algal extracts were observed not to have significant cytotoxic effects in the concentration range from 6.25 µg/ml to 400 µg/ml. Conclusion: Our data conclusively suggest that G. foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. may be good candidates for further fractionation to obtain novel anticancer substances. Moreover, stronger cytotoxic effects on estrogen negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231(ER−)) in comparison to estrogen positive cells (MCF-7 and T-47D) suggest that the extract of G. foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. may have an estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-independent mechanism for their cellular growth inhibition. PMID:25829786

  4. Isolation and characterization of a metastatic hybrid cell line generated by ER negative and ER positive breast cancer cells in mouse bone marrow.

    PubMed

    Mukhopadhyay, Keya De; Bandyopadhyay, Abhik; Chang, Ting-Tung A; Elkahloun, Abdel G; Cornell, John E; Yang, Junhua; Goins, Beth A; Yeh, I-Tien; Sun, Lu-Zhe

    2011-01-01

    The origin and the contribution of breast tumor heterogeneity to its progression are not clear. We investigated the effect of a growing orthotopic tumor formed by an aggressive estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer cell line on the metastatic potential of a less aggressive ER-positive breast cancer cell line for the elucidation of how the presence of heterogeneous cancer cells might affect each other's metastatic behavior. ER positive ZR-75-1/GFP/puro cells, resistant to puromycin and non-tumorigenic/non-metastatic without exogenous estrogen supplementation, were injected intracardiacally into mice bearing growing orthotopic tumors, formed by ER negative MDA-MB-231/GFP/Neo cells resistant to G418. A variant cell line B6, containing both estrogen-dependent and -independent cells, were isolated from GFP expressing cells in the bone marrow and re-inoculated in nude mice to generate an estrogen-independent cell line B6TC. The presence of ER negative orthotopic tumors resulted in bone metastasis of ZR-75-1 without estrogen supplementation. The newly established B6TC cell line was tumorigenic without estrogen supplementation and resistant to both puromycin and G418 suggesting its origin from the fusion of MDA-MB-231/GFP/Neo and ZR-75-1/GFP/puro in the mouse bone marrow. Compared to parental cells, B6TC cells were more metastatic to lung and bone after intracardiac inoculation. More significantly, B6TC mice also developed brain metastasis, which was not observed in the MDA-MB-231/GFP/Neo cell-inoculated mice. Low expression of ERα and CD24, and high expression of EMT-related markers such as Vimentin, CXCR4, and Integrin-β1 along with high CD44 and ALDH expression indicated stem cell-like characteristics of B6TC. Gene microarray analysis demonstrated a significantly different gene expression profile of B6TC in comparison to those of parental cell lines. Spontaneous generation of the novel hybrid cell line B6TC, in a metastatic site with stem cell-like properties and propensity to metastasize to brain, suggest that cell fusion can contribute to tumor heterogeneity.

  5. Anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity of lycopene against three subtypes of human breast cancer cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Takeshima, Mikako; Ono, Misaki; Higuchi, Takako; Chen, Chen; Hara, Takayuki; Nakano, Shuji

    2014-01-01

    Although lycopene, a major carotenoid component of tomatoes, has been suggested to attenuate the risk of breast cancer, the underlying preventive mechanism remains to be determined. Moreover, it is not known whether there are any differences in lycopene activity among different subtypes of human breast cancer cells. Using ER/PR positive MCF-7, HER2-positive SK-BR-3 and triple-negative MDA-MB-468 cell lines, we investigated the cellular and molecular mechanism of the anticancer activity of lycopene. Lycopene treatment for 168 consecutive hours exhibited a time-dependent and dose-dependent anti-proliferative activity against these cell lines by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase at physiologically achievable concentrations found in human plasma. The greatest growth inhibition was observed in MDA-MB-468 where the sub-G0/G1 apoptotic population was significantly increased, with demonstrable cleavage of PARP. Lycopene induced strong and sustained activation of the ERK1/2, with concomitant cyclin D1 suppression and p21 upregulation in these three cell lines. In triple negative cells, lycopene inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and its downstream molecule mTOR, followed by subsequent upregulation of proapoptotic Bax without affecting anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL. Taken together, these data indicate that the predominant anticancer activity of lycopene in MDA-MB-468 cells suggests a potential role of lycopene for the prevention of triple negative breast cancer. PMID:24397737

  6. The diverse roles of glutathione-associated cell resistance against hypericin photodynamic therapy.

    PubMed

    Theodossiou, Theodossis A; Olsen, Cathrine E; Jonsson, Marte; Kubin, Andreas; Hothersall, John S; Berg, Kristian

    2017-08-01

    The diverse responses of different cancers to treatments such as photodynamic therapy of cancer (PDT) have fueled a growing need for reliable predictive markers for treatment outcome. In the present work we have studied the differential response of two phenotypically and genotypically different breast adenocarcinoma cell lines, MCF7 and MDA-MB-231, to hypericin PDT (HYP-PDT). MDA-MB-231 cells were 70% more sensitive to HYP PDT than MCF7 cells at LD 50 . MCF7 were found to express a substantially higher level of glutathione peroxidase (GPX4) than MDA-MB-231, while MDA-MB-231 differentially expressed glutathione-S-transferase (GSTP1), mainly used for xenobiotic detoxification. Eighty % reduction of intracellular glutathione (GSH) by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), largely enhanced the sensitivity of the GSTP1 expressing MDA-MB-231 cells to HYP-PDT, but not in MCF7 cells. Further inhibition of the GSH reduction however by carmustine (BCNU) resulted in an enhanced sensitivity of MCF7 to HYP-PDT. HYP loading studies suggested that HYP can be a substrate of GSTP for GSH conjugation as BSO enhanced the cellular HYP accumulation by 20% in MDA-MB-231 cells, but not in MCF7 cells. Studies in solutions showed that L-cysteine can bind the GSTP substrate CDNB in the absence of GSTP. This means that the GSTP-lacking MCF7 may use L-cysteine for xenobiotic detoxification, especially during GSH synthesis inhibition, which leads to L-cysteine build-up. This was confirmed by the lowered accumulation of HYP in both cell lines in the presence of BSO and the L-cysteine source NAC. NAC reduced the sensitivity of MCF7, but not MDA-MB-231, cells to HYP PDT which is in accordance with the antioxidant effects of L-cysteine and its potential as a GSTP substrate. As a conclusion we have herein shown that the different GSH based cell defense mechanisms can be utilized as predictive markers for the outcome of PDT and as a guide for selecting optimal combination strategies. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Suppression of STAT3 NH2 -terminal domain chemosensitizes medulloblastoma cells by activation of protein inhibitor of activated STAT3 via de-repression by microRNA-21.

    PubMed

    Ray, Sutapa; Coulter, Don W; Gray, Shawn D; Sughroue, Jason A; Roychoudhury, Shrabasti; McIntyre, Erin M; Chaturvedi, Nagendra K; Bhakat, Kishor K; Joshi, Shantaram S; McGuire, Timothy R; Sharp, John G

    2018-04-01

    Medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant pediatric brain tumor with poor prognosis. Signal transducers and activators of transcription-3 (STAT3) is constitutively activated in MB where it functions as an oncoprotein, mediating cancer progression and metastasis. Here, we have delineated the functional role of activated STAT3 in MB, by using a cell permeable STAT3-NH 2 terminal domain inhibitor (S3-NTDi) that specifically perturbs the structure/function of STAT3. We have implemented several biochemical experiments using human MB tumor microarray (TMA) and pediatric MB cell lines, derived from high-risk SHH-TP53-mutated and MYC-amplified Non-WNT/SHH tumors. Treatment of MB cells with S3-NTDi leads to growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. S3-NTDi downregulated expression of STAT3 target genes, delayed migration of MB cells, attenuated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker expressions and reduced cancer stem-cell associated protein expressions in MB-spheres. To elucidate mechanisms, we showed that S3-NTDi induce expression of pro-apoptotic gene, C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), and decrease association of STAT3 to the proximal promoter of CCND1 and BCL2. Of note, S3-NTDi downregulated microRNA-21, which in turn, de-repressed Protein Inhibitor of Activated STAT3 (PIAS3), a negative regulator of STAT3 signaling pathway. Furthermore, combination therapy with S3-NTDi and cisplatin significantly decreased highly aggressive MYC-amplified MB cell growth and induced apoptosis by downregulating STAT3 regulated proliferation and anti-apoptotic gene expression. Together, our results revealed an important role of STAT3 in regulating MB pathogenesis. Disruption of this pathway with S3-NTDi, therefore, may serves as a promising candidate for targeted MB therapy by enhancing chemosensitivity of MB cells and potentially improving outcomes in high-risk patients. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Evaluation of anticancer potential of Bacopa monnieri L. against MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell line

    PubMed Central

    Mallick, Md. Nasar; Akhtar, Md. Salman; Najm, Mohd. Zeeshan; Tamboli, E. T.; Ahmad, Sayeed; Husain, Syed Akhtar

    2015-01-01

    Background: The ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri contains bacoside A and B, brahmin, cucurbitacins, and betulinic acid. Currently, cucurbitacins have also been reported for their strong anti-tumorigenic and anti-proliferative activity by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and formation of multiplied cells. The present study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity of ethanolic extract of dichloromethane (DCM) fraction of B. monnieri on two different cell lines. Materials and Methods: The ethanolic extract of B. monnieri was prepared using soxhlet extraction method and different fractions (hexane, DCM, methanol, acetone, and water) of ethanolic extracts were prepared. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay of ethanolic extract and of all fractions was carried out on MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell lines. The presence of cucurbitacins and betulinic acid in these fractions was confirmed by high-performance thin layer chromatography. Results: The IC50 values of ethanolic extract of B. monnieri in MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell lines were 72.0 μg/mL and 75.0 μg/mL, respectively. The DCM fraction of B. monnieri showed maximum cytotoxic activity among all fraction upto 72 h and was found to be 57.0 μg/mL and 42.0 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed good cytotoxic activity in DCM fraction in both the cell lines may be due to the presence of cucurbitacins and betulinic acid in DCM fraction. PMID:26681894

  9. Evaluation of anticancer potential of Bacopa monnieri L. against MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell line.

    PubMed

    Mallick, Md Nasar; Akhtar, Md Salman; Najm, Mohd Zeeshan; Tamboli, E T; Ahmad, Sayeed; Husain, Syed Akhtar

    2015-01-01

    The ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri contains bacoside A and B, brahmin, cucurbitacins, and betulinic acid. Currently, cucurbitacins have also been reported for their strong anti-tumorigenic and anti-proliferative activity by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and formation of multiplied cells. The present study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity of ethanolic extract of dichloromethane (DCM) fraction of B. monnieri on two different cell lines. The ethanolic extract of B. monnieri was prepared using soxhlet extraction method and different fractions (hexane, DCM, methanol, acetone, and water) of ethanolic extracts were prepared. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay of ethanolic extract and of all fractions was carried out on MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell lines. The presence of cucurbitacins and betulinic acid in these fractions was confirmed by high-performance thin layer chromatography. The IC50 values of ethanolic extract of B. monnieri in MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell lines were 72.0 μg/mL and 75.0 μg/mL, respectively. The DCM fraction of B. monnieri showed maximum cytotoxic activity among all fraction upto 72 h and was found to be 57.0 μg/mL and 42.0 μg/mL, respectively. The results showed good cytotoxic activity in DCM fraction in both the cell lines may be due to the presence of cucurbitacins and betulinic acid in DCM fraction.

  10. Enhanced preferential cytotoxicity through surface modification: synthesis, characterization and comparative in vitro evaluation of TritonX-100 modified and unmodified zinc oxide nanoparticles in human breast cancer cell (MDA-MB-231).

    PubMed

    Kc, Biplab; Paudel, Siddhi Nath; Rayamajhi, Sagar; Karna, Deepak; Adhikari, Sandeep; Shrestha, Bhupal G; Bisht, Gunjan

    2016-01-01

    Nanoparticles (NPs) are receiving increasing interest in biomedical research owing to their comparable size with biomolecules, novel properties and easy surface engineering for targeted therapy, drug delivery and selective treatment making them a better substituent against traditional therapeutic agents. ZnO NPs, despite other applications, also show selective anticancer property which makes it good option over other metal oxide NPs. ZnO NPs were synthesized by chemical precipitation technique, and then surface modified using Triton X-100. Comparative study of cytotoxicity of these modified and unmodified NPs on breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and normal cell line (NIH 3T3) were carried out. ZnO NPsof average size 18.67 ± 2.2 nm and Triton-X modified ZnO NPs of size 13.45 ± 1.42 nm were synthesized and successful characterization of synthesized NPs was done by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Surface modification of NPs was proved by FT-IR analysis whereas structure and size by XRD analysis. Morphological analysis was done by TEM. Cell viability assay showed concentration dependent cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs in breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) whereas no positive correlation was found between cytotoxicity and increasing concentration of stress in normal cell line (NIH 3T3) within given concentration range. Half maximum effective concentration (EC50) value for ZnO NPs was found to be 38.44 µg/ml and that of modified ZnO NPs to be 55.24 µg/ml for MDA-MB-231. Crystal violet (CV) staining image showed reduction in number of viable cells in NPs treated cell lines further supporting this result. DNA fragmentation assay showed fragmented bands indicating that the mechanism of cytotoxicity is through apoptosis. Although use of surfactant decreases particle size, toxicity of modified ZnO NPs were still less than unmodified NPs on MDA-MB-231 contributed by biocompatible surface coating. Both samples show significantly less toxicity towards NIH 3T3 in concentration independent manner. But use of Triton-X, a biocompatible polymer, enhances this preferentiality effect. Since therapeutic significance should be analyzed through its comparative effect on both normal and cancer cells, possible application of biocompatible polymer modified nanoparticles as therapeutic agent holds better promise.Graphical abstractSurface coating, characterization and comparative in vitro cytotoxicity study on MDA-MB 231 and NIH 3T3 of ZnO NPs showing enhanced preferentiality by biocompatible surface modification.

  11. Antiangiogenic 1-Aryl-3-[3-(thieno[3,2-b]pyridin-7-ylthio)phenyl]ureas Inhibit MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines Through PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk Pathways.

    PubMed

    Machado, Vera A; Peixoto, Daniela; Queiroz, Maria João; Soares, Raquel

    2016-12-01

    Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths among women worldwide. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the cytotoxic effects and possible molecular mechanisms of the antiproliferative properties of the antiangiogenic 1-aryl-3-[3-(thieno[3,2-b]pyridin-7-ylthio)phenyl]ureas 1a-e, prepared earlier by us, on two human breast cancer cell lines of distinct histological types: hormone-dependent MCF-7 (ER positive), and hormone independent MDA-MB-231 (ER/PR/HER2 negative), this latter being the most aggressive and difficult to treat. Our findings clearly demonstrated that compounds 1a-e suppress breast cancer cell survival, proliferation, migration, and colony formation at very low concentrations, not showing cytotoxicity in normal human mammary cells (MCF-10A). TUNEL assay demonstrated that compounds 1a-e induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231, but not in MCF-7 at the concentrations tested. PI3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk cell signaling pathways were investigated using Western blot analysis, revealing that these compounds decrease their activity in both breast cancer cell lines. Compounds 1b (R 2  = F), 1c (R 2  = Me), and 1e (R 1  = Cl, R 2  = CF 3 ) were the most effective particularly in MDA-MB-231 cells. Overall, 1c and 1e compounds are the most promising antitumor compounds. These findings, together with the antiangiogenic activity previously described by us, render these compounds a relevant breakthrough for cancer therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2791-2799, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Soluble L1CAM promotes breast cancer cell adhesion and migration in vitro, but not invasion.

    PubMed

    Li, Yupei; Galileo, Deni S

    2010-09-15

    Neural recognition molecule L1CAM, which is a key protein involved in early nervous system development, is known to be abnormally expressed and shed in several types of cancers where it participates in metastasis and progression. The distinction of L1CAM presence in cancerous vs. normal tissues has suggested it to be a new target for cancer treatment. Our current study focused on the potential role of soluble L1CAM in breast cancer cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins, migration, and invasion. We found L1 expression levels were correlated with breast cancer stage of progression in established data sets of clinical samples, and also were high in more metastatic breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435, but low in less migratory MDA-MB-468 cells. Proteolysis of L1 into its soluble form (sL1) was detected in cell culture medium from all three above cell lines, and can be induced by PMA activation. Over-expression of the L1 ectodomain in MDA-MB-468 cells by using a lentiviral vector greatly increased the amount of sL1 released by those cells. Concomitantly, cell adhesion to extracellular matrix and cell transmigration ability were significantly promoted, while cell invasion ability through Matrigel™ remained unaffected. On the other hand, attenuating L1 expression in MDA-MB-231 cells by using a shRNA lentiviral vector resulted in reduced cell-matrix adhesion and transmigration. Similar effects were also shown by monoclonal antibody blocking of the L1 extracellular region. Moreover, sL1 in conditioned cell culture medium induced a directional migration of MDA-MB-468 cells, which could be neutralized by antibody treatment. Our data provides new evidence for the function of L1CAM and its soluble form in promoting cancer cell adhesion to ECM and cell migration. Thus, L1CAM is validated further to be a potential early diagnostic marker in breast cancer progression and a target for breast cancer therapy.

  13. Soluble L1CAM promotes breast cancer cell adhesion and migration in vitro, but not invasion

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Neural recognition molecule L1CAM, which is a key protein involved in early nervous system development, is known to be abnormally expressed and shed in several types of cancers where it participates in metastasis and progression. The distinction of L1CAM presence in cancerous vs. normal tissues has suggested it to be a new target for cancer treatment. Our current study focused on the potential role of soluble L1CAM in breast cancer cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins, migration, and invasion. Results We found L1 expression levels were correlated with breast cancer stage of progression in established data sets of clinical samples, and also were high in more metastatic breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435, but low in less migratory MDA-MB-468 cells. Proteolysis of L1 into its soluble form (sL1) was detected in cell culture medium from all three above cell lines, and can be induced by PMA activation. Over-expression of the L1 ectodomain in MDA-MB-468 cells by using a lentiviral vector greatly increased the amount of sL1 released by those cells. Concomitantly, cell adhesion to extracellular matrix and cell transmigration ability were significantly promoted, while cell invasion ability through Matrigel™ remained unaffected. On the other hand, attenuating L1 expression in MDA-MB-231 cells by using a shRNA lentiviral vector resulted in reduced cell-matrix adhesion and transmigration. Similar effects were also shown by monoclonal antibody blocking of the L1 extracellular region. Moreover, sL1 in conditioned cell culture medium induced a directional migration of MDA-MB-468 cells, which could be neutralized by antibody treatment. Conclusions Our data provides new evidence for the function of L1CAM and its soluble form in promoting cancer cell adhesion to ECM and cell migration. Thus, L1CAM is validated further to be a potential early diagnostic marker in breast cancer progression and a target for breast cancer therapy. PMID:20840789

  14. Protein Kinase G facilitates EGFR-mediated cell death in MDA-MB-468 cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jackson, Nicole M.; Ceresa, Brian P., E-mail: brian.ceresa@louisville.edu

    The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase with critical implications in cell proliferation, migration, wound healing and the regulation of apoptosis. However, the EGFR has been shown to be hyper-expressed in a number of human malignancies. The MDA-MB-468 metastatic breast cell line is one example of this. This particular cell line hyper-expresses the EGFR and undergoes EGFR-mediated apoptosis in response to EGF ligand. The goal of this study was to identify the kinases that could be potential intermediates for the EGFR-mediated induction of apoptosis intracellularly. After identifying Cyclic GMP-dependent Protein Kinase G (PKG) as amore » plausible intermediate, we wanted to determine the temporal relationship of these two proteins in the induction of apoptosis. We observed a dose-dependent decrease in MDA-MB-468 cell viability, which was co-incident with increased PKG activity as measured by VASPSer239 phosphorylation. In addition, we observed a dose dependent decrease in cell viability, as well as an increase in apoptosis, in response to two different PKG agonists, 8-Bromo-cGMP and 8-pCPT-cGMP. MDA-MB-468 cells with reduced PKG activity had attenuated EGFR-mediated apoptosis. These findings indicate that PKG does not induce cell death via transphosphorylation of the EGFR. Instead, PKG activity occurs following EGFR activation. Together, these data indicate PKG as an intermediary in EGFR-mediated cell death, likely via apoptotic pathway.« less

  15. Circumventing Therapeutic Resistance and the Emergence of Disseminated Breast Cancer Cells Through Non-Invasive Optical Imaging

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-07-01

    vivo. Lastly, we have established four pairs of parental and isogenic matched tamoxifen ( tam )-resistant cell lines (MCF7, T47D, MDA-MB-361 and HCC1428...receptor family (EGFR/HER1; HER2; HER3) are upregulated with the development of tam -resistance; furthermore, differences in receptor expression between ER...Increased HER receptor expression in response to tam -treated MDA-MB-361 cells and tam -resistant 361 cells. Steady-state levels of the indicated proteins

  16. All-trans-retinoic acid activates the pro-invasive Src-YAP-Interleukin 6 axis in triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells while cerivastatin reverses this action.

    PubMed

    Mezquita, Belén; Mezquita, Pau; Pau, Montserrat; Gasa, Laura; Navarro, Lourdes; Samitier, Mireia; Pons, Miquel; Mezquita, Cristóbal

    2018-05-04

    All-trans-retinoic acid (RA), the active metabolite of vitamin A, can reduce the malignant phenotype in some types of cancer and paradoxically also can promote cancer growth and invasion in others. For instance, it has been reported that RA induces tumor suppression in tumor xenografts of MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells while increasing tumor growth and metastases in xenografts of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The signaling pathways involved in the pro-invasive action of retinoic acid remain mostly unknown. We show here that RA activates the pro-invasive axis Src-YAP-Interleukin 6 (Src-YAP-IL6) in triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, yielding to increased invasion of these cells. On the contrary, RA inhibits the Src-YAP-IL6 axis of triple-negative MDA-MB-468 cells, which results in decreased invasion phenotype. In both types of cells, inhibition of the Src-YAP-IL6 axis by the Src inhibitor PP2 drastically reduces migration and invasion. Src inhibition also downregulates the expression of a pro-invasive isoform of VEGFR1 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, interference of YAP nuclear translocation using the statin cerivastatin reverses the upregulation of Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and the pro-invasive effect of RA on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and also decreases invasion and viability of MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. These results altogether suggest that RA induces pro-invasive or anti-invasive actions in two triple-negative breast cancer cell lines due to its ability to activate or inhibit the Src-YAP-IL6 axis in different cancer cells. The pro-invasive effect of RA can be reversed by the statin cerivastatin.

  17. Transdifferentiation between Luminal- and Basal-Type Cancer Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-04-01

    cancer patients have few choices of therapeutic agents. The MB231 cell line is a basal type cell line and is resistant to EGFR inhibitor erlotinib...mitotic inhibitor paclitaxel and DNA damaging agent cisplatin. However, over- expression of PKD1 makes the cell line sensitive to erlotinib and...approach will help to understand how PKD1 acts in basal-type cancer cells; (3) using existing small molecule inhibitors for PKD1 to treat breast cancer

  18. Influence of calcitriol on prostaglandin- and vitamin D-metabolising enzymes in benign and malignant breast cell lines.

    PubMed

    Thill, Marc; Cordes, Tim; Hoellen, Friederike; Becker, Steffi; Dittmer, Christine; Kümmel, Sherko; Salehin, Darius; Friedrich, Michael; Diedrich, Klaus; Köster, Frank

    2012-01-01

    Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a potential molecular prognostic factor for breast cancer, and calcitriol [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)], the biologically active form of vitamin D, is a promising target in breast cancer therapy. The influence of calcitriol on the proliferation and the effects of calcitriol on the expression of prostaglandin- and vitamin D-metabolising enzymes were examined in benign and malignant breast cells. Calcitriol inhibited the proliferation of MCF-10F and MCF-7 cells but not of invasive MDA-MB-231 cells and reduced the expression of COX-2 and 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) in the benign breast cell line MCF-10F. Furthermore, dysregulation in vitamin D-metabolising proteins was detected, especially in MDA-MB-231 cells. These results suggest dysregulation of vitamin D metabolism and a lack of a possible influence of calcitriol on the metabolism of prostaglandins in the malignant breast cell lines.

  19. Study of the Role of siRNA Mediated Promoter Methylation in DNMT3B Knockdown and Alteration of Promoter Methylation of CDH1, GSTP1 Genes in MDA-MB -453 Cell Line.

    PubMed

    Naghitorabi, Mojgan; Mir Mohammad Sadeghi, Hamid; Mohammadi Asl, Javad; Rabbani, Mohammad; Jafarian-Dehkordi, Abbas

    2017-01-01

    Promoter methylation is one of the main epigenetic mechanisms that leads to the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes during carcinogenesis. Due to the reversible nature of DNA methylation, many studies have been performed to correct theses epigenetic defects by inhibiting DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). In this case novel therapeutics especially siRNA oligonucleotides have been used to specifically knock down the DNMTs at mRNA level. Also many studies have focused on transcriptional gene silencing in mammalian cells via siRNA mediated promoter methylation. The present study was designed to assess the role of siRNA mediated promoter methylation in DNMT3B knockdown and alteration of promoter methylation of Cadherin-1 (CDH1), Glutathione S-Transferase Pi 1(GSTP1), and DNMT3B genes in MDA-MB-453 cell line. MDA-MB-453 cells were transfected with siDNMT targeting DNMT3B promoter and harvested at 24 and 48 h post transfection to monitor gene silencing and promoter methylation respectively. DNMT3B expression was monitored by quantitative RT-PCR method. Promoter methylation was quantitatively evaluated using differential high resolution melting analysis. A non-significant 20% reduction in DNMT3B mRNA level was shown only after first transfection with siDNMT, which was not reproducible. Promoter methylation levels of DNMT3B, CDH1, and GSTP1 were detected at about 15%, 70% and 10% respectively, in the MDA-MB-453 cell line, with no significant change after transfection. Our results indicated that siDNMT sequence were not able to affect promoter methylation and silencing of DNMT3B in MDA-MB-453 cells. However, quantitation of methylation confirmed a hypermethylated phenotype at CDH1 and GSTP1 promoters as well as a differential methylation pattern at DNMT3B promoter in breast cancer.

  20. Effects of Urtica dioica dichloromethane extract on cell apoptosis and related gene expression in human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-468).

    PubMed

    Mohammadi, A; Mansoori, B; Goldar, S; Shanehbandi, D; Khaze, V; Mohammadnejad, L; Baghbani, E; Baradaran, B

    2016-02-29

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in worldwide, especially in developing countries. Therefore, a large number of anticancer agents with herbal origins have been reported against this deadly disease. This study is the first to examine the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of Urtica dioica in MDA-MB-468, human breast adenocarcinoma cells. The 3-(4,5-dimethylethiazol-2 yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) reduction and trypan-blue exclusion assay were performed in MDA-MB-468 cells as well as control cell line L929 to analyze the cytotoxic activity of the dichloromethane extract. In addition, Apoptosis induction of Urtica dioica on the MDA-MB-468 cells was assessed using TUNEL (terminal deoxy transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick- end labeling) assay and DNA fragmentation analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that the extract significantly inhibited cell growth and viability without inducing damage to normal control cells. Nuclei Staining in TUNEL and DNA fragments in DNA fragmentation assay and increase in the mRNA expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-9, decrease in the bcl2 and no significant change in the caspase-8 mRNA expression level, showed that the induction of apoptosis was the main mechanism of cell death that induce by Urtica dioica extract. Our results suggest that urtica dioica dichloromethane extract may contain potential bioactive compound(s) for the treatment of breast adenocarcinoma.

  1. OTX2 exhibits cell-context-dependent effects on cellular and molecular properties of human embryonic neural precursors and medulloblastoma cells

    PubMed Central

    Kaur, Ravinder; Aiken, Christopher; Morrison, Ludivine Coudière; Rao, Radhika; Del Bigio, Marc R.; Rampalli, Shravanti; Werbowetski-Ogilvie, Tamra

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant primary pediatric brain tumor and is currently divided into four subtypes based on different genomic alterations, gene expression profiles and response to treatment: WNT, Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), Group 3 and Group 4. This extensive heterogeneity has made it difficult to assess the functional relevance of genes to malignant progression. For example, expression of the transcription factor Orthodenticle homeobox2 (OTX2) is frequently dysregulated in multiple MB variants; however, its role may be subtype specific. We recently demonstrated that neural precursors derived from transformed human embryonic stem cells (trans-hENs), but not their normal counterparts (hENs), resemble Groups 3 and 4 MB in vitro and in vivo. Here, we tested the utility of this model system as a means of dissecting the role of OTX2 in MB using gain- and loss-of-function studies in hENs and trans-hENs, respectively. Parallel experiments with MB cells revealed that OTX2 exerts inhibitory effects on hEN and SHH MB cells by regulating growth, self-renewal and migration in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. This was accompanied by decreased expression of pluripotent genes, such as SOX2, and was supported by overexpression of SOX2 in OTX2+ SHH MB and hENs that resulted in significant rescue of self-renewal and cell migration. By contrast, OTX2 is oncogenic and promotes self-renewal of trans-hENs and Groups 3 and 4 MB independent of pluripotent gene expression. Our results demonstrate a novel role for OTX2 in self-renewal and migration of hENs and MB cells and reveal a cell-context-dependent link between OTX2 and pluripotent genes. Our study underscores the value of human embryonic stem cell derivatives as alternatives to cell lines and heterogeneous patient samples for investigating the contribution of key developmental regulators to MB progression. PMID:26398939

  2. Low-concentration methylene blue maintains energy production and strongly improves survival of Leigh syndrome French Canadian skin fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Legault, Jean; Larouche, Pierre-Luc; Côté, Isabelle; Bouchard, Line; Pichette, André; Robinson, Brian H; Morin, Charles

    2011-01-01

    Leigh syndrome French Canadian (LSFC) is a recessive disease caused by mutations in the LRPPRC gene (leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat containing protein). These mutations induce a cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deficiency resulting in episodes of acute acidotic crisis that will often lead to death. There is no effective treatment. Methylene blue (MB) is a redox dye that increases COX content and activity in vitro and in vivo suggesting that MB could prevent and treat LSFC. In this study, the protective effect of low-concentration MB was tested on two LSFC cell lines, including LSFC-F1, homozygous for the mutation A354V, and LSFC-F2 a compound heterozygous for the mutations A354V and C12775STOP. MB effect on metabolic activity was assessed on both LSFC cells in stable and acidotic conditions. For LSFC-F1, results showed that metabolic activity drastically decline after 96 hours in both conditions but not LSFC-F2 and normal cells. MB completely prevents the decrease of metabolic activity in LSFC-F1. Intracellular ATP content was also measured in both culture media. After 96 hours in acidotic medium, ATP content was almost completely depleted for both LSFC cells. Interestingly, MB completely restores ATP content in LSFC-F1 and LSFC-F2 cells. Finally, MB strongly improves the survival of both LSFC cells.

  3. Development of three-dimensional collagen scaffolds with controlled architecture for cell migration studies using breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Jonathan J; Husmann, Anke; Hume, Robert D; Watson, Christine J; Cameron, Ruth E

    2017-01-01

    Cancer is characterized by cell heterogeneity and the development of 3D in vitro assays that can distinguish more invasive or migratory phenotypes could enhance diagnosis or drug discovery. 3D collagen scaffolds have been used to develop analogues of complex tissues in vitro and are suited to routine biochemical and immunological assays. We sought to increase 3D model tractability and modulate the migration rate of seeded cells using an ice-templating technique to create either directional/anisotropic or non-directional/isotropic porous architectures within cross-linked collagen scaffolds. Anisotropic scaffolds supported the enhanced migration of an invasive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 with an altered spatial distribution of proliferative cells in contrast to invasive MDA-MB-468 and non-invasive MCF-7 cells lines. In addition, MDA-MB-468 showed increased migration upon epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in anisotropic scaffolds. The provision of controlled architecture in this system may act both to increase assay robustness and as a tuneable parameter to capture detection of a migrated population within a set time, with consequences for primary tumour migration analysis. The separation of invasive clones from a cancer biomass with in vitro platforms could enhance drug development and diagnosis testing by contributing assay metrics including migration rate, as well as modelling cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction in a system compatible with routine histopathological testing. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. Effect of 3-bromopyruvate acid on the redox equilibrium in non-invasive MCF-7 and invasive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Kwiatkowska, Ewa; Wojtala, Martyna; Gajewska, Agnieszka; Soszyński, Mirosław; Bartosz, Grzegorz; Sadowska-Bartosz, Izabela

    2016-02-01

    Novel approaches to cancer chemotherapy employ metabolic differences between normal and tumor cells, including the high dependence of cancer cells on glycolysis ("Warburg effect"). 3-Bromopyruvate (3-BP), inhibitor of glycolysis, belongs to anticancer drugs basing on this principle. 3-BP was tested for its capacity to kill human non-invasive MCF-7 and invasive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. We found that 3-BP was more toxic for MDA-MB-231 cells than for MCF-7 cells. In both cell lines, a statistically significant decrease of ATP and glutathione was observed in a time- and 3-BP concentration-dependent manner. Transient increases in the level of reactive oxygen species and reactive oxygen species was observed, more pronounced in MCF-7 cells, followed by a decreasing tendency. Activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) decreased in 3-BP treated MDA-MB-231 cells. For MCF-7 cells decreases of GR and GST activities were noted only at the highest concentration of 3-BP.These results point to induction of oxidative stress by 3-BP via depletion of antioxidants and inactivation of antioxidant enzymes, more pronounced in MDA-MB-231 cells, more sensitive to 3-BP.

  5. Activated protein C promotes breast cancer cell migration through interactions with EPCR and PAR-1

    PubMed Central

    Beaulieu, Lea M.; Church, Frank C.

    2014-01-01

    Activated protein C (APC) is a serine protease that regulates thrombin (IIa) production through inactivation of blood coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. APC also has non-hemostatic functions related to inflammation, proliferation, and apoptosis through various mechanisms. Using two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435, we investigated the role of APC in cell chemotaxis and invasion. Treatment of cells with increasing APC concentrations (1–50 μg/ml) increased invasion and chemotaxis in a concentration-dependent manner. Only the active form of APC increased invasion and chemotaxis of the MDA-MB-231 cells when compared to 3 inactive APC derivatives. Using a modified “checkerboard” analysis, APC was shown to only affect migration when plated with the cells; therefore, APC is not a chemoattractant. Blocking antibodies to endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) and protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) attenuated the effects of APC on chemotaxis in the MDA-MB-231 cells. Finally, treatment of the MDA-MB-231 cells with the proliferation inhibitor, Na butyrate, showed that APC did not increase migration by increasing cell number. Therefore, APC increases invasion and chemotaxis of cells by binding to the cell surface and activating specific signaling pathways through EPCR and PAR-1. PMID:17254565

  6. Quercetin Suppresses Twist to Induce Apoptosis in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Ranganathan, Santhalakshmi; Halagowder, Devaraj; Sivasithambaram, Niranjali Devaraj

    2015-01-01

    Quercetin is a dietary flavonoid which exerts anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative effect of quercetin in two breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), which differed in hormone receptor. IC50 value (37μM) of quercetin showed significant cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells, which was not observed in MDA-MB-231 cells even at 100μM of quercetin treatment. To study the response of cancer cells to quercetin, with respect to different hormone receptors, both the cell lines were treated with a fixed concentration (40μM) of quercetin. MCF-7 cells on quercetin treatment showed more apoptotic cells with G1 phase arrest. In addition, quercetin effectively suppressed the expression of CyclinD1, p21, Twist and phospho p38MAPK, which was not observed in MDA-MB-231 cells. To analyse the molecular mechanism of quercetin in exerting an apoptotic effect in MCF-7 cells, Twist was over-expressed and the molecular changes were observed after quercetin administration. Quercetin effectively regulated the expression of Twist, in turn p16 and p21 which induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, quercetin induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells through suppression of Twist via p38MAPK pathway. PMID:26491966

  7. Glioma-Associated Oncogene Homolog Inhibitors Have the Potential of Suppressing Cancer Stem Cells of Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Jeng, Kuo-Shyang; Jeng, Chi-Juei; Sheen, I-Shyan; Wu, Szu-Hua; Lu, Ssu-Jung; Wang, Chih-Hsuan; Chang, Chiung-Fang

    2018-05-05

    Overexpression of Sonic Hedgehog signaling (Shh) pathway molecules is associated with invasiveness and recurrence in breast carcinoma. Therefore, inhibition of the Shh pathway downstream molecule Glioma-associated Oncogene Homolog (Gli) was investigated for its ability to reduce progression and invasiveness of patient-derived breast cancer cells and cell lines. Human primary breast cancer T2 cells with high expression of Shh signaling pathway molecules were compared with breast cancer line MDA-MB-231 cells. The therapeutic effects of Gli inhibitors were examined in terms of the cell proliferation, apoptosis, cancer stem cells, cell migration and gene expression. Blockade of the Shh signaling pathway could reduce cell proliferation and migration only in MDA-MB-231 cells. Hh pathway inhibitor-1 (HPI-1) increased the percentages of late apoptotic cells in MDA-MB-231 cells and early apoptotic cells in T2 cells. It reduced Bcl2 expression for cell proliferation and increased Bim expression for apoptosis. In addition, Gli inhibitor HPI-1 decreased significantly the percentages of cancer stem cells in T2 cells. HPI-1 worked more effectively than GANT-58 against breast carcinoma cells. In conclusion, HPI-1 could inhibit cell proliferation, reduce cell invasion and decrease cancer stem cell population in breast cancer cells. To target Gli-1 could be a potential strategy to suppress breast cancer stem cells.

  8. Anti-neoplastic activity of Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma parvum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick saliva on breast tumor cell lines.

    PubMed

    Sousa, Ana Carolina Prado; Oliveira, Carlo José Freire; Szabó, Matias Pablo Juan; Silva, Marcelo José Barbosa

    2018-06-15

    Cancer is one of the most troubling diseases and is becoming increasingly common. Breast cancer has a high cure rate when diagnosed early, but when diagnosed late, treatment is frequently painful, devastating and unsuccessful. The search for new treatments that are more effective and less harmful has led to several substances and biomolecules from plants and animals with potential anti-tumor activity. Within this context, ticks have emerged as an excellent source of new molecules with a wide array of therapeutic properties. Various molecules in tick saliva have immunomodulatory, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects across different tumor cell lines. Our study evaluates the effect of saliva from three widespread and important tick species in Brazil (Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma parvum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus) on MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines and on the non-neoplastic MCF-10A cell line. We found that tick saliva from all three tick species showed cytotoxicity to tumor cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) but not to the non-tumor cells (MCF-10A). Morphological changes on the surface of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 tumor cells did not occur on the MCF-10A cells. We also demonstrated that tumor cells die by apoptosis induced by caspase-3 and caspase 7 activity, suggesting that intrinsic pathway apoptosis may be triggered by tick saliva. These changes were not observed in MCF10A cells, which remained broadly unchanged even after exposure to diverse types of saliva. These results suggest that tick saliva from these tick species is a source of molecules, or biomolecules, useful for the potential source for the development of new breast cancer drugs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. WAVE2- and microtubule-dependent formation of long protrusions and invasion of cancer cells cultured on three-dimensional extracellular matrices.

    PubMed

    Kikuchi, Keiji; Takahashi, Kazuhide

    2008-11-01

    Invadopodia, small protrusions formed at ventral membranes of several types of invasive cancer cells upon contact with the extracellular matrix (ECM), are implicated in cell invasion; however, the relationship between invadopodia formation and cell invasion through the ECM is still unknown. To correlate the formation of membrane protrusions and cell invasion, a three-dimensional (3-D) gel culture system with native collagen type-I matrix overlaid with a thin basement membrane equivalent (Matrigel) was made. Human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 formed long protrusions in addition to small protrusions reminiscent of invadopodia and migrated into the collagen layer. Comparative analyses with other cancer cell lines indicate that cellular ability to form long protrusions, but not small protrusions or invadopodia, correlates with cellular invasiveness in the 3-D culture. Some of the long protrusions in MDA-MB-231 cells appeared to extend from the adherence membrane, implying that they are derived from small protrusions. The formation of long protrusions and invasion, as well as the formation of invadopodia, required WAVE2 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Accumulation of tubulin was observed in long protrusions but not in invadopodia. Correspondingly, a microtubule-stabilizing agent, paclitaxel, suppressed the formation of long protrusions and invasion, but not the formation of invadopodia, in MDA-MB-231 cells. These results suggest that long protrusions formed in a WAVE2- and microtubule-dependent manner may identify the cells at the later stage of invasion, possibly after the formation of invadopodia in the 3-D cultures.

  10. A Metabolomics Study of BPTES Altered Metabolism in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Nagana Gowda, G A; Barding, Gregory A; Dai, Jin; Gu, Haiwei; Margineantu, Daciana H; Hockenbery, David M; Raftery, Daniel

    2018-01-01

    The Warburg effect is a well-known phenomenon in cancer, but the glutamine addiction in which cancer cells utilize glutamine as an alternative source of energy is less well known. Recent efforts have focused on preventing cancer cell proliferation associated with glutamine addiction by targeting glutaminase using the inhibitor BPTES (bis-2-(5-phenylacetamido-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)ethyl sulfide). In the current study, an investigation of the BPTES induced changes in metabolism was made in two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 (an estrogen receptor dependent cell line) and MDA-MB231 (a triple negative cell line), relative to the non-cancerous cell line, MCF10A. NMR spectroscopy combined with a recently established smart-isotope tagging approach enabled quantitative analysis of 41 unique metabolites representing numerous metabolite classes including carbohydrates, amino acids, carboxylic acids and nucleotides. BPTES induced metabolism changes in the cancer cell lines were especially pronounced under hypoxic conditions with up to 1/3 of the metabolites altered significantly ( p < 0.05) relative to untreated cells. The BPTES induced changes were more pronounced for MCF7 cells, with 14 metabolites altered significantly ( p < 0.05) compared to seven for MDA-MB231. Analyses of the results indicate that BPTES affected numerous metabolic pathways including glycolysis, TCA cycle, nucleotide and amino acid metabolism in cancer. The distinct metabolic responses to BPTES treatment determined in the two breast cancer cell lines offer valuable metabolic information for the exploration of the therapeutic responses to breast cancer.

  11. Photodynamic treatment (PDT) of endometrium primary cultures serving as an in-vitro-model for endometriosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Werter, Wiebke; Viereck, Volker; Keckstein, J.; Steiner, Rudolf W.; Rueck, Angelika C.

    1994-05-01

    As a new treatment model for endometriosis, photodynamic therapy (PDT) was applied to endometrium cultures. Endometriosis is a benign disease. Therefore primary cultures were used instead of cell lines. Endometrium is composed of epithelial and stromal cells which can also be found in primary culture. While stromal cells take a polygonal shape in culture, epithelial cells form cell colonies. PSIII (Photasan III), which is similar to hematorporphyrin derivate (HpD), meso-tetra (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (TPPS4), which posses a high fluorescence quantum yield and may be useful in fluorescence diagnosis of subtle endometriotic spots, and methylene blue (MB), a vital dye with phototoxic properties, were used as photosensitizers. Different sensitizer concentrations and incubation times were applied. The highest phototoxicity was observed for PSIII; TPPS4 and MB were less phototoxic. We compared our results with the sensitivity of cell lines described in the literature. The necessary irradiation to destroy stromal cells was relatively high but still in the same dimension as for cell lines. However they were even more sensitive than epithelial cells. This was true for all sensitizers used.

  12. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of endometrium primary cultures serving as an in-vitro model for endometriosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herter, Wiebke; Viereck, Volker; Keckstein, J.; Steiner, Rudolf W.; Rueck, Angelika C.

    1994-05-01

    As a new treatment model for endometriosis, photodynamic therapy (PDT) was applied to endometrium cultures. Endometriosis is a benign disease. Therefore primary cultures were used instead of cell lines. Endometrium is composed of epithelial and stromal cells which can also be found in primary culture. While stromal cells take a polygonal shape in culture, epithelial cells form cell colonies. PSIII (Photasan III), which is similar to hematorporphyrin derivate (HpD), meso-tetra (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (TPPS4), which posses a high fluorescence quantum yield and may be useful in fluorescence diagnosis of subtle endometriotic spots, and methylene blue (MB), a vital dye with phototoxic properties, were used as photosensitizers. Different sensitizer concentrations and incubation times were applied. The highest phototoxicity was observed for PSIII; TPPS4 and MB were less phototoxic. We compared our results with the sensitivity of cell lines described in the literature. The necessary irradiation to destroy stromal cells was relatively high but still in the same dimension as for cell lines. However they were even more sensitive than epithelial cells. This was true for all sensitizers used.

  13. Purification of cardiomyocytes from differentiating pluripotent stem cells using molecular beacons that target cardiomyocyte-specific mRNA.

    PubMed

    Ban, Kiwon; Wile, Brian; Kim, Sangsung; Park, Hun-Jun; Byun, Jaemin; Cho, Kyu-Won; Saafir, Talib; Song, Ming-Ke; Yu, Shan Ping; Wagner, Mary; Bao, Gang; Yoon, Young-Sup

    2013-10-22

    Although methods for generating cardiomyocytes from pluripotent stem cells have been reported, current methods produce heterogeneous mixtures of cardiomyocytes and noncardiomyocyte cells. Here, we report an entirely novel system in which pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are purified by cardiomyocyte-specific molecular beacons (MBs). MBs are nanoscale probes that emit a fluorescence signal when hybridized to target mRNAs. Five MBs targeting mRNAs of either cardiac troponin T or myosin heavy chain 6/7 were generated. Among 5 MBs, an MB that targeted myosin heavy chain 6/7 mRNA (MHC1-MB) identified up to 99% of HL-1 cardiomyocytes, a mouse cardiomyocyte cell line, but <3% of 4 noncardiomyocyte cell types in flow cytometry analysis, which indicates that MHC1-MB is specific for identifying cardiomyocytes. We delivered MHC1-MB into cardiomyogenically differentiated pluripotent stem cells through nucleofection. The detection rate of cardiomyocytes was similar to the percentages of cardiac troponin T- or cardiac troponin I-positive cardiomyocytes, which supports the specificity of MBs. Finally, MHC1-MB-positive cells were sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorter from mouse and human pluripotent stem cell differentiating cultures, and ≈97% cells expressed cardiac troponin T or cardiac troponin I as determined by flow cytometry. These MB-based sorted cells maintained their cardiomyocyte characteristics, which was verified by spontaneous beating, electrophysiological studies, and expression of cardiac proteins. When transplanted in a myocardial infarction model, MB-based purified cardiomyocytes improved cardiac function and demonstrated significant engraftment for 4 weeks without forming tumors. We developed a novel cardiomyocyte selection system that allows production of highly purified cardiomyocytes. These purified cardiomyocytes and this system can be valuable for cell therapy and drug discovery.

  14. Wasabi-derived 6-(methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate induces apoptosis in human breast cancer by possible involvement of the NF-κB pathways.

    PubMed

    Fuke, Yoko; Hishinuma, Madoka; Namikawa, Mayumi; Oishi, Yoshie; Matsuzaki, Takeshi

    2014-01-01

    6-(methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate (6-MSITC) is a bioactive ingredient of wasabi (Wasabia japonica), which is a popular spice in Japan. 6-MSITC has been reported to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer and melanoma cell lines. We inoculated 30 female Balb-nu/nu mice with MDA-MB-231 or -453 cells, and orally administered varying concentrations of 6-MSITC for 12 days following tumor growth. The tumor volumes and tumor weights from mice inoculated with MDA-MB-231 cells, and the tumor volumes of MDA-MB-453 cells were significantly inhibited by 6-MSITC on Days 9 and 11 after drug administration. DNA fragmentation, DNA ladder, and caspase 3/7 activity performed in vitro revealed that 6-MSITC induced apoptosis of MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-453, and MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression in the nuclei and phosphorylation of inhibitor κBα (IκBα) was downregulated by 6-MSITC in a concentration-dependent manner; however, this activity was not observed in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, this downregulation of phosphorylated IκBα by 6-MSITC in MDA-MB-231 and -453 cells supports its inhibitory effects on NF-κB activity. The expression of phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) reduced by 6-MSITC was confirmed in MDA-MB-231 cells. Thus, we conclude that 6-MITC promotes apoptosis of breast cancer cells by inhibiting NF-kB and therefore releasing its control of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

  15. Genome-wide effects of MELK-inhibitor in triple-negative breast cancer cells indicate context-dependent response with p53 as a key determinant

    PubMed Central

    Simon, Marisa; Mesmar, Fahmi; Helguero, Luisa

    2017-01-01

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, highly recurrent breast cancer subtype, affecting approximately one-fifth of all breast cancer patients. Subpopulations of treatment-resistant cancer stem cells within the tumors are considered to contribute to disease recurrence. A potential druggable target for such cells is the maternal embryonic leucine-zipper kinase (MELK). MELK expression is upregulated in mammary stem cells and in undifferentiated cancers, where it correlates with poor prognosis and potentially mediates treatment resistance. Several MELK inhibitors have been developed, of which one, OTSSP167, is currently in clinical trials. In order to better understand how MELK and its inhibition influence TNBC, we verified its anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in claudin-low TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and SUM-159 using MTS assays and/or trypan blue viability assays together with analysis of PARP cleavage. Then, using microarrays, we explored which genes were affected by OTSSP167. We demonstrate that different sets of genes are regulated in MDA-MB-231 and SUM-159, but in both cell lines genes involved in cell cycle, mitosis and protein metabolism and folding were regulated. We identified p53 (TP53) as a potential upstream regulator of the regulated genes. Using western blot we found that OTSSP167 downregulates mutant p53 in all tested TNBC cell lines (MDA-MB-231, SUM-159, and BT-549), but upregulates wild-type p53 in the luminal A subtype MCF-7 cell line. We propose that OTSSP167 might have context-dependent or off-target effects, but that one consistent mechanism of action could involve the destabilization of mutant p53. PMID:28235006

  16. Methotrexate diethyl ester-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules in aqueous solution increased antineoplastic effects in resistant breast cancer cell line.

    PubMed

    Yurgel, Virginia C; Oliveira, Catiuscia P; Begnini, Karine R; Schultze, Eduarda; Thurow, Helena S; Leon, Priscila M M; Dellagostin, Odir A; Campos, Vinicius F; Beck, Ruy C R; Guterres, Silvia S; Collares, Tiago; Pohlmann, Adriana R; Seixas, Fabiana K

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer affecting women. Methotrexate (MTX) is an antimetabolic drug that remains important in the treatment of breast cancer. Its efficacy is compromised by resistance in cancer cells that occurs through a variety of mechanisms. This study evaluated apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest induced by an MTX derivative (MTX diethyl ester [MTX(OEt)2]) and MTX(OEt)2-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules in two MTX-resistant breast adenocarcinoma cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The formulations prepared presented adequate granulometric profile. The treatment responses were evaluated through flow cytometry. Relying on the mechanism of resistance, we observed different responses between cell lines. For MCF-7 cells, MTX(OEt)2 solution and MTX(OEt)2-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules presented significantly higher apoptotic rates than untreated cells and cells incubated with unloaded lipid-core nanocapsules. For MDA-MB-231 cells, MTX(OEt)2-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules were significantly more efficient in inducing apoptosis than the solution of the free drug. S-phase cell cycle arrest was induced only by MTX(OEt)2 solution. The drug nanoencapsulation improved apoptosis induction for the cell line that presents MTX resistance by lack of transport receptors.

  17. Methotrexate diethyl ester-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules in aqueous solution increased antineoplastic effects in resistant breast cancer cell line

    PubMed Central

    Yurgel, Virginia C; Oliveira, Catiuscia P; Begnini, Karine R; Schultze, Eduarda; Thurow, Helena S; Leon, Priscila MM; Dellagostin, Odir A; Campos, Vinicius F; Beck, Ruy CR; Guterres, Silvia S; Collares, Tiago; Pohlmann, Adriana R; Seixas, Fabiana K

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer affecting women. Methotrexate (MTX) is an antimetabolic drug that remains important in the treatment of breast cancer. Its efficacy is compromised by resistance in cancer cells that occurs through a variety of mechanisms. This study evaluated apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest induced by an MTX derivative (MTX diethyl ester [MTX(OEt)2]) and MTX(OEt)2-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules in two MTX-resistant breast adenocarcinoma cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The formulations prepared presented adequate granulometric profile. The treatment responses were evaluated through flow cytometry. Relying on the mechanism of resistance, we observed different responses between cell lines. For MCF-7 cells, MTX(OEt)2 solution and MTX(OEt)2-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules presented significantly higher apoptotic rates than untreated cells and cells incubated with unloaded lipid-core nanocapsules. For MDA-MB-231 cells, MTX(OEt)2-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules were significantly more efficient in inducing apoptosis than the solution of the free drug. S-phase cell cycle arrest was induced only by MTX(OEt)2 solution. The drug nanoencapsulation improved apoptosis induction for the cell line that presents MTX resistance by lack of transport receptors. PMID:24741306

  18. Cytotoxic effects of Mangifera indica L. kernel extract on human breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines) and bioactive constituents in the crude extract.

    PubMed

    Abdullah, Al-Shwyeh Hussah; Mohammed, Abdulkarim Sabo; Abdullah, Rasedee; Mirghani, Mohamed Elwathig Saeed; Al-Qubaisi, Mothanna

    2014-06-25

    Waterlily Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is thought to be antioxidant-rich, conferred by its functional phytochemicals. The potential anticancer effects of the ethanolic kernel extract on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) using MTT, anti-proliferation, neutral red (NR) uptake and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays were evaluated. Cytological studies on the breast cancer cells were also conducted, and phytochemical analyses of the extract were carried out to determine the likely bioactive compounds responsible for such effects. Results showed the extract induced cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 30 and 15 μg/mL, respectively. The extract showed significant toxicity towards both cell lines, with low toxicity to normal breast cells (MCF-10A). The cytotoxic effects on the cells were further confirmed by the NR uptake, antiproliferative and LDH release assays. Bioactive analyses revealed that many bioactives were present in the extract although butylated hydroxytoluene, a potent antioxidant, was the most abundant with 44.65%. M. indica extract appears to be more cytoxic to both estrogen positive and negative breast cancer cell lines than to normal breast cells. Synergistic effects of its antioxidant bioactives could have contributed to the cytotoxic effects of the extract. The extract of M. indica, therefore, has potential anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. This potential is worth studying further, and could have implications on future studies and eventually management of human breast cancers.

  19. Cytotoxic effects of Mangifera indica L. kernel extract on human breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines) and bioactive constituents in the crude extract

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Waterlily Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is thought to be antioxidant-rich, conferred by its functional phytochemicals. Methods The potential anticancer effects of the ethanolic kernel extract on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) using MTT, anti-proliferation, neutral red (NR) uptake and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays were evaluated. Cytological studies on the breast cancer cells were also conducted, and phytochemical analyses of the extract were carried out to determine the likely bioactive compounds responsible for such effects. Results Results showed the extract induced cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 30 and 15 μg/mL, respectively. The extract showed significant toxicity towards both cell lines, with low toxicity to normal breast cells (MCF-10A). The cytotoxic effects on the cells were further confirmed by the NR uptake, antiproliferative and LDH release assays. Bioactive analyses revealed that many bioactives were present in the extract although butylated hydroxytoluene, a potent antioxidant, was the most abundant with 44.65%. Conclusions M. indica extract appears to be more cytoxic to both estrogen positive and negative breast cancer cell lines than to normal breast cells. Synergistic effects of its antioxidant bioactives could have contributed to the cytotoxic effects of the extract. The extract of M. indica, therefore, has potential anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. This potential is worth studying further, and could have implications on future studies and eventually management of human breast cancers. PMID:24962691

  20. Ziyuglycoside I Inhibits the Proliferation of MDA-MB-231 Breast Carcinoma Cells through Inducing p53-Mediated G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest and Intrinsic/Extrinsic Apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xue; Wang, Ke; Zhang, Kai; Zhang, Ting; Yin, Yongxiang; Xu, Fei

    2016-11-22

    Due to the aggressive clinical behavior, poor outcome, and lack of effective specific targeted therapies, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has currently been recognized as one of the most malignant types of tumors. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of ziyuglycoside I, one of the major components extracted from Chinese anti-tumor herbal Radix Sanguisorbae , on the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231. The underlying molecular mechanism of the cytotoxic effect ziyuglycoside I on MDA-MB-231 cells was investigated with cell viability assay, flow cytometric analysis and Western blot. Compared to normal mammary gland Hs 578Bst cells, treatment of ziyuglycoside I resulted in a significant growth inhibitory effect on MDA-MB-231 cells. Ziyuglycoside I induced the G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These effects were found to be partially mediated through the up-regulation of p53 and p21 WAF1 , elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and the activation of both intrinsic (mitochondrial-initiated) and extrinsic (Fas/FasL-initiated) apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, the p53 specific siRNA attenuated these effects. Our study suggested that ziyuglycoside I-triggered MDA-MB-231 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were probably mediated by p53. This suggests that ziyuglycoside I might be a potential drug candidate for treating TNBC.

  1. Pentameric procyanidin from Theobroma cacao selectively inhibits growth of human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Ramljak, Danica; Romanczyk, Leo J; Metheny-Barlow, Linda J; Thompson, Nicole; Knezevic, Vladimir; Galperin, Mikhail; Ramesh, Arun; Dickson, Robert B

    2005-04-01

    A naturally occurring, cocoa-derived pentameric procyanidin (pentamer) was previously shown to cause G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in human breast cancer cells by an unknown molecular mechanism. Here, we show that pentamer selectively inhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer cells (MDA MB-231, MDA MB-436, MDA MB-468, SKBR-3, and MCF-7) and benzo(a)pyrene-immortalized 184A1N4 and 184B5 cells. In contrast, normal human mammary epithelial cells in primary culture and spontaneously immortalized MCF-10A cells were significantly resistant. We evaluated whether this differential response to pentamer may involve depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. Pentamer caused significant depolarization of mitochondrial membrane in MDA MB231 cells but not the more normal MCF-10A cells, whereas other normal and tumor cell lines tested gave variable results. Further investigations, using a proteomics approach with pentamer-treated MDA MB-231, revealed a specific dephosphorylation, without changes in protein expression, of several G1-modulatory proteins: Cdc2 (at Tyr15), forkhead transcription factor (at Ser256, the Akt phosphorylation site) and p53 (Ser392). Dephosphorylation of p53 (at Ser392) by pentamer was confirmed in MDA MB-468 cells. However, both expression and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein were decreased after pentamer treatment. Our results show that breast cancer cells are selectively susceptible to the cytotoxic effects of pentameric procyanidin, and suggest that inhibition of cellular proliferation by this compound is associated with the site-specific dephosphorylation or down-regulation of several cell cycle regulatory proteins.

  2. Alteration of gene expression in MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cell line in response to continuous exposure to Trastuzumab.

    PubMed

    Sharieh, Elham Abu; Awidi, Abdulla S; Ahram, Mamoun; Zihlif, Malek A

    2016-01-10

    Development of resistance against cancer therapeutic agents is a common problem in cancer management. Trastuzumab resistance is one of the challenges in management of HER-2-positive breast cancer patients resulting in breast cancer progression, metastasis, and patient poor outcome. The aim of this study is to determine the alteration in gene expression in response to Trastuzumab resistance after long-term exposure to Trastuzumab. The Trastuzumab-resistant MDA-MB-453 (MDA-MB-453/TR) cell line was developed by exposing cells to 10 μM Trastuzumab continuously for 6 months. Sensitivity toward Trastuzumab was tested using cell viability assays. The acquisition of an epithelial-to mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype was also observed in parallel with the development of resistance. Based on the real-time-based PCR array technology, several genes were altered affecting multiple networks. The most up-regulated genes were TGF-β1 and EGF, and IGFBP-3. These genes are known to have a critical role in Trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer cell lines and/or in the acquisition of EMT. They are also recognized for their role in cancer progression and metastasis. These alterations indicate that the development of Trastuzumab resistance is multifactorial and involves a development of a mesenchymal like phenotype. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. H-Ferritin Enriches the Curcumin Uptake and Improves the Therapeutic Efficacy in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Pandolfi, Laura; Bellini, Michela; Vanna, Renzo; Morasso, Carlo; Zago, Andrea; Carcano, Sofia; Avvakumova, Svetlana; Bertolini, Jessica Armida; Rizzuto, Maria Antonietta; Colombo, Miriam; Prosperi, Davide

    2017-10-09

    Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive, invasive, and metastatic tumor. Although it is reported to be sensitive to cytotoxic chemotherapeutics, frequent relapse and chemoresistance often result in treatment failure. In this study, we developed a biomimetic nanodrug consisting of a self-assembling variant (HFn) of human apoferritin loaded with curcumin. HFn nanocage improved the solubility, chemical stability, and bioavailability of curcumin, allowing us to reliably carry out several experiments in the attempt to establish the potential of this molecule as a therapeutic agent and elucidate the mechanism of action in TNBC. HFn biopolymer was designed to bind selectively to the TfR1 receptor overexpressed in TNBC cells. HFn-curcumin (CFn) proved to be more effective in viability assays compared to the drug alone using MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, representative of basal and claudin-low TNBC subtypes, respectively. Cellular uptake of CFn was demonstrated by flow cytometry and label-free confocal Raman imaging. CFn could act as a chemosensitizer enhancing the cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin by interfering with the activity of multidrug resistance transporters. In addition, CFn exhibited different cell cycle effects on these two TNBC cell lines, blocking MDA-MB-231 in G0/G1 phase, whereas MDA-MB-468 accumulated in G2/M phase. CFn was able to inhibit the Akt phosphorylation, suggesting that the effect on the proliferation and cell cycle involved the alteration of PI3K/Akt pathway.

  4. 3-bromopyruvate enhanced daunorubicin-induced cytotoxicity involved in monocarboxylate transporter 1 in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhe; Sun, Yiming; Hong, Haiyu; Zhao, Surong; Zou, Xue; Ma, Renqiang; Jiang, Chenchen; Wang, Zhiwei; Li, Huabin; Liu, Hao

    2015-01-01

    Increasing evidence demonstrates that the hexokinase inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA) induces the cell apoptotic death by inhibiting ATP generation in human cancer cells. Interestingly, some tumor cell lines are less sensitive to 3-BrPA-induced apoptosis than others. Moreover, the molecular mechanism of 3-BrPA-trigged apoptosis is unclear. In the present study, we examined the effects of 3-BrPA on the viability of the breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. We further investigated the potential roles of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in drug accumulation and efflux of breast cancer cells. Finally, we explored whether 3-BrPA enhanced daunorubicin (DNR)-induced cytotoxicity through regulation of MCT1 in breast cancer cells. MTT and colony formation assays were used to measure cell viability. Western blot analysis, flow cytometric analysis and fluorescent microscopy were used to determine the molecular mechanism of actions of MCT1 in different breast cancer cell lines. Whole-body bioluminescence imaging was used to investigate the effect of 3-BrPA in vivo. We found that 3-BrPA significantly inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cell line, but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, we observed that 3-BrPA efficiently enhanced DNR-induced cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells by inhibiting the activity of ATP-dependent efflux pumps. We also found that MCT1 overexpression increased the efficacy of 3-BrPA in MDA-MB-231 cells. 3-BrPA markedly suppressed subcutaneous tumor growth in combination with DNR in nude mice implanted with MCF-7 cells. Lastly, our whole-body bioluminescence imaging data indicated that 3-BrPA promoted DNR accumulation in tumors. These findings collectively suggest that 3-BrPA enhanced DNR antitumor activity in breast cancer cells involved MCT-1, suggesting that inhibition of glycolysis could be an effective therapeutic approach for breast cancer treatment.

  5. Differential anti-tumor activity of coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) extract through p53- and/or Bcl-2-dependent apoptotic pathway in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Ho, Cheong-Yip; Kim, Chi-Fai; Leung, Kwok-Nam; Fung, Kwok-Pui; Tse, Tak-Fu; Chan, Helen; Lau, Clara Bik-San

    2005-06-01

    Coriolus versicolor (CV), also called Yunzhi, has been demonstrated to exert anti-tumor effects on various types of cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro anti-tumor activity of a standardized aqueous ethanol extract prepared from CV on four breast cancer cell lines using MTT assay, and test whether the mechanism involves apoptosis induction and modulation of p53 and Bcl-2 protein expressions using cell death detection ELISA, p53 and Bcl-2 ELISAs respectively. Our results demonstrated that the CV extract dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation of three breast tumor cell lines, with ascending order of IC50 values: T-47D, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, while BT-20 cells were not significantly affected. Tumoricidal activity of the CV extract was found to be comparable to a chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drug, mitomycin C. Nucleosome productions in apoptotic MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and T-47D cells were significantly augmented in a time-dependent manner and paralleled the anti-proliferative activity of CV extract. Expression of p53 protein was significantly upregulated only in T-47D cells treated with the CV extract in a dose- and time-dependent fashion, but not in MCF-7 (except at 400 mug/ml after 16 h) and MDA-MB-231 cells. The CV extract significantly induced a dose-dependent downregulation of Bcl-2 protein expression in MCF-7 and T-47D cells, but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. These results suggested that apoptosis induction, differentially dependent of p53 and Bcl-2 expressions, might be the possible mechanism of CV extract-mediated cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cells in vitro.

  6. Phenylpropanoids isolated from Piper sarmentosum Roxb. induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells through reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial-dependent pathways.

    PubMed

    Hematpoor, Arshia; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Liew, Sook Yee; Sivasothy, Yasodha; Mohebali, Nooshin; Looi, Chung Yeng; Wong, Won Fen; Azirun, Mohd Sofian; Awang, Khalijah

    2018-01-05

    The aim of the present study is to isolate bioactive compounds from the roots of Piper sarmentosum and examine the mechanism of action using human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231). Bioassay guided-fractionation of methanolic extract led to the isolation of asaricin (1) and isoasarone (2). Asaricin (1) and isoasarone (2) had significant cytotoxicity towards MDA-MB-231. MCF-10A (human normal breast epithelial cells) cells are less sensitive than MDA-MB-231, but they respond to the treatment with the same unit of measurement. Both compounds increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), decrease mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and enhance cytochrome c release in treated MDA-MB-231 cells. Isoasarone (2) markedly elevated caspase -8 and -3/7 activities and caused a decline in nuclear NF-κB translocation, suggesting extrinsic, death receptor-linked apoptosis pathway. Quantitative PCR results of MDA-MB-231 treated with asaricin (1) and isoasarone (2) showed altered expression of Bcl-2: Bax level. The inhibitory potency of these isolates may support the therapeutic uses of these compounds in breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Differential nuclear shape dynamics of invasive andnon-invasive breast cancer cells are associated with actin cytoskeleton organization and stability.

    PubMed

    Chiotaki, Rena; Polioudaki, Hara; Theodoropoulos, Panayiotis A

    2014-08-01

    Cancer cells often exhibit characteristic aberrations in their nuclear architecture, which are indicative of their malignant potential. In this study, we have examined the nuclear and cytoskeletal composition, attachment configuration dynamics, and osmotic or drug treatment response of invasive (Hs578T and MDA-MB-231) and non-invasive (MCF-10A and MCF-7) breast cancer cell lines. Unlike MCF-10A and MCF-7, Hs578T and MDA-MB-231 cells showed extensive nuclear elasticity and deformability and displayed distinct kinetic profiles during substrate attachment. The nuclear shape of MCF-10A and MCF-7 cells remained almost unaffected upon detachment, hyperosmotic shock, or cytoskeleton depolymerization, while Hs578T and MDA-MB-231 revealed dramatic nuclear contour malformations following actin reorganization.

  8. Cytotoxicity and physicochemical characterization of iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Al-Fahdawi, Mohamed Qasim; Rasedee, Abdullah; Al-Qubaisi, Mothanna Sadiq; Alhassan, Fatah H; Rosli, Rozita; El Zowalaty, Mohamed Ezzat; Naadja, Seïf-Eddine; Webster, Thomas J; Taufiq-Yap, Yun Hin

    2015-01-01

    Iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles with both Lewis and Brønsted acidic sites were prepared by a hydrothermal impregnation method followed by calcination at 650°C for 5 hours, and their cytotoxicity properties against cancer cell lines were determined. The characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brauner–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurements, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, zeta size potential, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cytotoxicity of iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays against three human cancer cell lines (breast cancer MDA-MB231 cells, colon carcinoma HT29 cells, and hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells) and two normal human cell lines (normal hepatocyte Chang cells and normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs]). The results suggest for the first time that iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles are cytotoxic to MDA-MB231 and HepG2 cancer cells but have less toxicity to HT29 and normal cells at concentrations from 7.8 μg/mL to 500 μg/mL. The morphology of the treated cells was also studied, and the results supported those from the cytotoxicity study in that the nanoparticle-treated HepG2 and MDA-MB231 cells had more dramatic changes in cell morphology than the HT29 cells. In this manner, this study provides the first evidence that iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles should be further studied for a wide range of cancer applications without detrimental effects on healthy cell functions. PMID:26425082

  9. Combined enzyme/prodrug treatment by genetically engineered AT-MSC exerts synergy and inhibits growth of MDA-MB-231 induced lung metastases.

    PubMed

    Matuskova, Miroslava; Kozovska, Zuzana; Toro, Lenka; Durinikova, Erika; Tyciakova, Silvia; Cierna, Zuzana; Bohovic, Roman; Kucerova, Lucia

    2015-04-09

    Metastatic spread of tumor cells remains a serious problem in cancer treatment. Gene-directed enzyme/prodrug therapy mediated by tumor-homing genetically engineered mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) represents a promising therapeutic modality for elimination of disseminated cells. Efficacy of gene-directed enzyme/prodrug therapy can be improved by combination of individual systems. We aimed to define the combination effect of two systems of gene therapy mediated by MSC, and evaluate the ability of systemically administered genetically engineered mesenchymal stromal cells to inhibit the growth of experimental metastases derived from human breast adenocarcinoma cells MDA-MB-231/EGFP. Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AT-MSC) were retrovirally transduced with fusion yeast cytosine deaminase::uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (CD::UPRT) or with Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk). Engineered MSC were cocultured with tumor cells in the presence of prodrugs 5-fluorocytosin (5-FC) and ganciclovir (GCV). Combination effect of these enzyme/prodrug approaches was calculated. SCID/bg mice bearing experimental lung metastases were treated with CD::UPRT-MSC, HSVtk-MSC or both in combination in the presence of respective prodrug(s). Treatment efficiency was evaluated by EGFP-positive cell detection by flow cytometry combined with real-time PCR quantification of human cells in mouse organs. Results were confirmed by histological and immunohistochemical examination. We demonstrated various extent of synergy depending on tested cell line and experimental setup. The strongest synergism was observed on breast cancer-derived cell line MDA-MB-231/EGFP. Systemic administration of CD::UPRT-MSC and HSVtk-MSC in combination with 5-FC and GCV inhibited growth of MDA-MB-231 induced lung metastases. Combined gene-directed enzyme/prodrug therapy mediated by MSC exerted synergic cytotoxic effect and resulted in high therapeutic efficacy in vivo.

  10. Equol as a potent radiosensitizer in estrogen receptor-positive and -negative human breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Taghizadeh, Bita; Ghavami, Laleh; Nikoofar, Alireza; Goliaei, Bahram

    2015-07-01

    Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women worldwide, and diet plays an important role in its prevention and progression. Radiotherapy has a limited but important role in the management of nearly every stage of breast cancer. We studied whether equol, the major metabolite of the soybean isoflavone daidzein, could enhance radiosensitivity in two human breast cancer cell lines (T47D and MDA-MB-231). MTT assay was used to examine equol's effect on cell viability. Sensitivity of cells to equol, radiation and a combination of both was determined by colonogenic assays. Induction of apoptosis by equol, radiation and the combination of both was also determined by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining fluorescence microscopy. DNA strand breaks were assessed by Comet assay. MTT assay showed that equol (0.1-350 μM) inhibited MDA-MB-231 and T47D cell growth in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Treatment of cells with equol for 72 h (MDA-MB-231) and 24 h (T47D) was found to inhibit cell growth with IC50 values of 252 μM and 228 μM, respectively. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with 50 μM equol for 72 h (MDA-MB-231) and 24 h (T47D) sensitized the cells to irradiation. Equol was also found to enhance radiation-induced apoptosis. Comet assay results showed that the radiosensitizing effect of equol was accompanied by increased radiation-induced DNA damages. These results suggest for the first time that equol can be considered as a radiosensitizing agent and its effects may be due to increasing cell death following irradiation, increasing the remaining radiation-induced DNA damage and thus reducing the surviving fraction of irradiated cells.

  11. miR-429 mediates δ-tocotrienol-induced apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells by targeting XIAP

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Chen; Ju, Hong; Shen, Chunyan; Tong, Zhongsheng

    2015-01-01

    Vitamin E δ-tocotrienol has been reported to possess anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of δ-tocotrienol induced apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer are not fully understood. Here, we reported that microRNA-429 (miR-429) is up-regulated in two TNBC cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468), treated with δ-tocotrienol. Inhibition of miR-429 may partially rescue the apoptosis induced by δ-tocotrienol in MDA-MB-231 cells. We also showed that the forced expression of miR-429 was sufficient to lead to apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, we identified X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) as one of miR-429’s target genes. These results suggest that the activation of miR-429 by δ-tocotrienol may be an effective approach for the prevention and treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. PMID:26629059

  12. The Genome Landscape of the African Green Monkey Kidney-Derived Vero Cell Line

    PubMed Central

    Osada, Naoki; Kohara, Arihiro; Yamaji, Toshiyuki; Hirayama, Noriko; Kasai, Fumio; Sekizuka, Tsuyoshi; Kuroda, Makoto; Hanada, Kentaro

    2014-01-01

    Continuous cell lines that originate from mammalian tissues serve as not only invaluable tools for life sciences, but also important animal cell substrates for the production of various types of biological pharmaceuticals. Vero cells are susceptible to various types of microbes and toxins and have widely contributed to not only microbiology, but also the production of vaccines for human use. We here showed the genome landscape of a Vero cell line, in which 25,877 putative protein-coding genes were identified in the 2.97-Gb genome sequence. A homozygous ∼9-Mb deletion on chromosome 12 caused the loss of the type I interferon gene cluster and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor genes in Vero cells. In addition, an ∼59-Mb loss of heterozygosity around this deleted region suggested that the homozygosity of the deletion was established by a large-scale conversion. Moreover, a genomic analysis of Vero cells revealed a female Chlorocebus sabaeus origin and proviral variations of the endogenous simian type D retrovirus. These results revealed the genomic basis for the non-tumourigenic permanent Vero cell lineage susceptible to various pathogens and will be useful for generating new sub-lines and developing new tools in the quality control of Vero cells. PMID:25267831

  13. Purification of Cardiomyocytes from Differentiating Pluripotent Stem Cells using Molecular Beacons Targeting Cardiomyocyte-Specific mRNA

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sangsung; Park, Hun-Jun; Byun, Jaemin; Cho, Kyu-Won; Saafir, Talib; Song, Ming-Ke; Yu, Shan Ping; Wagner, Mary; Bao, Gang; Yoon, Young-Sup

    2013-01-01

    Background While methods for generating cardiomyocytes (CMs) from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have been reported, current methods produce heterogeneous mixtures of CMs and non-CM cells. Here, we report an entirely novel system in which PSC-derived CMs are purified by CM-specific molecular beacons (MBs). MBs are nano-scale probes that emit a fluorescence signal when hybridized to target mRNAs. Method and Results Five MBs targeting mRNAs of either cardiac troponin T or myosin heavy chain 6/7 were generated. Among five MBs, a MB targeting myosin heavy chain 6/7 mRNA (MHC1-MB) identified up to 99% of HL-1 CMs, a mouse CM cell line, but < 3% of four non-CM cell types in flow cytometry analysis, indicating that MHC1-MB is specific for identifying CMs. We delivered MHC1-MB into cardiomyogenically differentiated PSCs through nucleofection. The detection rate of CMs was similar to the percentages of cardiac troponin T (TNNT2) or cardiac troponin I (TNNI3)-positive CMs, supporting the specificity of MBs. Finally, MHC1-MB-positive cells were FACS-sorted from mouse and human PSC differentiating cultures and ~97% cells expressed TNNT2- or TNNI3 determined by flow cytometry. These MB-based sorted cells maintained their CM characteristics verified by spontaneous beating, electrophysiologic studies, and expression of cardiac proteins. When transplanted in a myocardial infarction model, MB-based purified CMs improved cardiac function and demonstrated significant engraftment for 4 weeks without forming tumors. Conclusions We developed a novel CM selection system that allows production of highly purified CMs. These purified CMs and this system can be valuable for cell therapy and drug discovery. PMID:23995537

  14. PIEZO channel protein naturally expressed in human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 as probed by atomic force microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weng, Yuanqi; Yan, Fei; Chen, Runkang; Qian, Ming; Ou, Yun; Xie, Shuhong; Zheng, Hairong; Li, Jiangyu

    2018-05-01

    Mechanical stimuli drives many physiological processes through mechanically activated channels, and the recent discovery of PIEZO channel has generated great interests in its mechanotransduction. Many previous researches investigated PIEZO proteins by transcribing them in cells that originally have no response to mechanical stimulation, or by forming PIEZO-combined complexes in vitro, and few studied PIEZO protein's natural characteristics in cells. In this study we show that MDA-MB-231, a malignant cell in human breast cancer cell line, expresses the mechanosensitive behavior of PIEZO in nature without extra treatment, and we report its characteristics in response to localized mechanical stimulation under an atomic force microscope, wherein a correlation between the force magnitude applied and the channel opening probability is observed. The results on PIEZO of MDA-MB-231 can help establish a basis of preventing and controlling of human breast cancer cell via mechanical forces.

  15. IK channel activation increases tumor growth and induces differential behavioral responses in two breast epithelial cell lines.

    PubMed

    Thurber, Amy E; Nelson, Michaela; Frost, Crystal L; Levin, Michael; Brackenbury, William J; Kaplan, David L

    2017-06-27

    Many potassium channel families are over-expressed in cancer, but their mechanistic role in disease progression is poorly understood. Potassium channels modulate membrane potential (Vmem) and thereby influence calcium ion dynamics and other voltage-sensitive signaling mechanisms, potentially acting as transcriptional regulators. This study investigated the differential response to over-expression and activation of a cancer-associated potassium channel, the intermediate conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (IK), on aggressive behaviors in mammary epithelial and breast cancer cell lines. IK was over-expressed in the highly metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and the spontaneously immortalized breast epithelial cell line MCF-10A, and the effect on cancer-associated behaviors was assessed. IK over-expression increased primary tumor growth and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 in orthotopic xenografts, demonstrating for the first time in any cancer type that increased IK is sufficient to promote cancer aggression. The primary tumors had similar vascularization as determined by CD31 staining and similar histological characteristics. Interestingly, despite the increased in vivo growth and metastasis, neither IK over-expression nor activation with agonist had a significant effect on MDA-MB-231 proliferation, invasion, or migration in vitro. In contrast, IK decreased MCF-10A proliferation and invasion through Matrigel but had no effect on migration in a scratch-wound assay. We conclude that IK activity is sufficient to promote cell aggression in vivo. Our data provide novel evidence supporting IK and downstream signaling networks as potential targets for cancer therapies.

  16. Anticancer property of sediment actinomycetes against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines.

    PubMed

    Ravikumar, S; Fredimoses, M; Gnanadesigan, M

    2012-02-01

    To investigate the anticancer property of marine sediment actinomycetes against two different breast cancer cell lines. In vitro anticancer activity was carried out against breast (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) cancer cell lines. Partial sequences of the 16s rRNA gene, phylogenetic tree construction, multiple sequence analysis and secondary structure analysis were also carried out with the actinomycetes isolates. Of the selected five actinomycete isolates, ACT01 and ACT02 showed the IC50 value with (10.13±0.92) and (22.34±5.82) µg/mL concentrations, respectively for MCF-7 cell line at 48 h, but ACT01 showed the minimum (18.54±2.49 µg/mL) level of IC50 value with MDA-MB-231 cell line. Further, the 16s rRNA partial sequences of ACT01, ACT02, ACT03, ACT04 and ACT05 isolates were also deposited in NCBI data bank with the accession numbers of GQ478246, GQ478247, GQ478248, GQ478249 and GQ478250, respectively. The phylogenetic tree analysis showed that, the isolates of ACT02 and ACT03 were represented in group I and III, respectively, but ACT01 and ACT02 were represented in group II. The multiple sequence alignment of the actinomycete isolates showed that, the maximum identical conserved regions were identified with the nucleotide regions of 125 to 221st base pairs, 65 to 119th base pairs and 55, 48 and 31st base pairs. Secondary structure prediction of the 16s rRNA showed that, the maximum free energy was consumed with ACT03 isolate (-45.4 kkal/mol) and the minimum free energy was consumed with ACT04 isolate (-57.6 kkal/mol). The actinomycete isolates of ACT01 and ACT02 (GQ478246 and GQ478247) which are isolated from sediment sample can be further used as anticancer agents against breast cancer cell lines.

  17. Urtica dioica inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis by targeting Ornithine decarboxylase and Adenosine deaminase as key regulatory enzymes in adenosine and polyamines homeostasis in human breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Fattahi, Sadegh; Ghadami, Elham; Asouri, Mohsen; Motevalizadeh Ardekanid, Ali; Akhavan-Niaki, Haleh

    2018-02-28

    Breast cancer is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease with variable disease progression risk, and treatment response. Urtica dioica is a traditional herb used as an adjuvant therapeutic agent in cancer. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of the aqueous extract of Urtica dioica on Adenosine deaminase (ADA) and Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC1) gene expression in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, two breast cancer cell lines being estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative, respectively.  Cell lines were cultured in suitable media. After 24 h, different concentrations of the extract were added and after 72 h, ADA and ODC1 gene expression as well as BCL2 and BAX apoptotic genes were assessed by Taqman real time PCR assay. Cells viability was assessed by MTT assay, and apoptosis was also evaluated at cellular level. The intra and extracellular levels of ODC1 and ADA enzymes were evaluated by ELISA. Results showed differential expression of ADA and ODC1 genes in cancer cell lines. In MCF-7 cell line, the expression level of ADA was upregulated in a dose-dependent manner but its expression did not change in MDA-MB cell line. ODC1 expression was increased in both examined cell lines. Also, increased level of the apoptotic BAX/BCL-2 ratio was detected in MCF-7 cells. These results demonstrated that Urtica dioica induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells by influencing ODC1 and ADA genes expression, and estrogen receptors. The different responses observed with these cell lines could be due to the interaction of Urtica dioica as a phytoestrogen with the estrogen receptor.

  18. PMCA2 silencing potentiates MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell death initiated with the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-263.

    PubMed

    Curry, Merril; Roberts-Thomson, Sarah J; Monteith, Gregory R

    2016-09-30

    PMCA2 overexpression in some breast cancers suggests that this calcium pump isoform may play a role in breast pathophysiology. To investigate PMCA2 as a potential drug target for breast cancer therapy, we assessed the functional consequence of PMCA2 silencing on cell death pathways and calcium signals in the basal-like MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Silencing PMCA2 expression alone has no effect on MDA-MB-231 cell viability, however, PMCA2 silencing promotes calcium-induced cell death initiated with the calcium ionophore ionomycin. Assessment of cytoplasmic calcium responses generated with various agents including ionomycin demonstrates that in MDA-MB-231 cells, PMCA2 does not play a major role in shaping global calcium signals. We also examined the ability of PMCA2 silencing to modulate caspase-dependent cell death triggered by a Bcl-2 inhibitor that is in clinical development for the treatment of various cancers, ABT-263 (Navitoclax). Despite the lack of effect on global calcium responses, PMCA2 silencing augmented Bcl-2 inhibitor (ABT-263)-mediated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell death. These studies provide evidence that PMCA2 inhibitors could sensitize PMCA2-positive breast cancers to cell death initiators that work through mechanisms involving the Bcl-2 survival pathway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Three new sesquiterpenes from Pterocarpus santalinus.

    PubMed

    Li, Li; Tao, Run-Hong; Wu, Ji-Ming; Guo, Ya-Ping; Huang, Chao; Liang, Hong-Gang; Fan, Le-Zhi; Zhang, Hai-Yan; Sun, Ren-Kuan; Shang, Lei; Lu, Li-Na; Huang, Jian; Wang, Jin-Hui

    2018-04-01

    Three new sesquiterpenes of canusesnol K (1), canusesnol L (2) and 12, 15-dihydroxycurcumene (3), along with five known ones (4-8), were isolated from the heartwood extract of Pterocarpus santalinus. Their structures were established by extensive analyses of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, including 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY, and HRESI-MS. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were established with Modified Mosher's method. The cytotoxic activities of all these compounds against HepG2 (human liver cancer), MCF-7 (human breast cancer), MDA-MB-231 (human breast cancer), and Hela (human cervical carcinoma) cancer cell lines were evaluated. Compound 1 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity toward MDA-MB-231 cell lines.

  20. Cell cloning-on-the-spot by using an attachable silicone cylinder.

    PubMed

    Park, Hong Bum; Son, Wonseok; Chae, Dong Han; Lee, Jisu; Kim, Il-Woung; Yang, Woomi; Sung, Jae Kyu; Lim, Kyu; Lee, Jun Hee; Kim, Kyung-Hee; Park, Jong-Il

    2016-06-10

    Cell cloning is a laboratory routine to isolate and keep particular properties of cultured cells. Transfected or other genetically modified cells can be selected by the traditional microbiological cloning. In addition, common laboratory cell lines are prone to genotypic drift during their continual culture, so that supplementary cloning steps are often required to maintain correct lineage phenotypes. Here, we designed a silicone-made attachable cloning cylinder, which facilitated an easy and bona fide cloning of interested cells. This silicone cylinder was easy to make, showed competent stickiness to laboratory plastics including culture dishes, and hence enabled secure isolation and culture for days of selected single cells, especially, on the spots of preceding cell-plating dishes under microscopic examination of visible cellular phenotypes. We tested the silicone cylinder in the monoclonal subcloning from a heterogeneous population of a breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, and readily established independent MDA-MB-231 subclones showing different sublineage phenotypes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Mechanism of metformin action in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells involves oxidative stress generation, DNA damage, and transforming growth factor β1 induction.

    PubMed

    Marinello, Poliana Camila; da Silva, Thamara Nishida Xavier; Panis, Carolina; Neves, Amanda Fouto; Machado, Kaliana Larissa; Borges, Fernando Henrique; Guarnier, Flávia Alessandra; Bernardes, Sara Santos; de-Freitas-Junior, Júlio Cesar Madureira; Morgado-Díaz, José Andrés; Luiz, Rodrigo Cabral; Cecchini, Rubens; Cecchini, Alessandra Lourenço

    2016-04-01

    The participation of oxidative stress in the mechanism of metformin action in breast cancer remains unclear. We investigated the effects of clinical (6 and 30 μM) and experimental concentrations of metformin (1000 and 5000 μM) in MCF-7 and in MDA-MB-231 cells, verifying cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and intracellular pathways related to cell growth and survival after 24 h of drug exposure. Clinical concentrations of metformin decreased metabolic activity of MCF-7 cells in the MTT assay, which showed increased oxidative stress and DNA damage, although cell death and impairment in the proliferative capacity were observed only at higher concentrations. The reduction in metabolic activity and proliferation in MDA-MB-231 cells was present only at experimental concentrations after 24 h of drug exposition. Oxidative stress and DNA damage were induced in this cell line at experimental concentrations. The drug decreased cytoplasmic extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and AKT and increased nuclear p53 and cytoplasmic transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in both cell lines. These findings suggest that metformin reduces cell survival by increasing reactive oxygen species, which induce DNA damage and apoptosis. A relationship between the increase in TGF-β1 and p53 levels and the decrease in ERK1/2 and AKT was also observed. These findings suggest the mechanism of action of metformin in both breast cancer cell lineages, whereas cell line specific undergoes redox changes in the cells in which proliferation and survival signaling are modified. Taken together, these results highlight the potential clinical utility of metformin as an adjuvant during the treatment of luminal and triple-negative breast cancer.

  2. Synergistic inhibition of malignant melanoma proliferation by melphalan combined with ultrasound and microbubbles.

    PubMed

    Matsuo, Miki; Yamaguchi, Kazuki; Feril, Loreto B; Endo, Hitomi; Ogawa, Koichi; Tachibana, Katsuro; Nakayama, Juichiro

    2011-09-01

    The cavitational effects of ultrasound (US) exposure induce transient pores on the cell membrane (sonoporation). Sonoporation have been applied in the field of cancer therapy by promoting delivery of extracellular molecules such as drugs and genes into cytoplasm. In addition, it is known that using US together with microbubbles (MB) elevates permeability of these agents. In this study, by applying the US-MB strategy for melanoma chemotherapy, we evaluated the antitumor effect of melphalan combined with US-MB on a melanoma cell line (C32) in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro cytotoxic effect of the melphalan with US-MB was greater than that of melphalan alone or melphalan in combination with US. In vivo experiments using xenografts, intratumoral injection of melphalan and MB with US exposure led to a greater degree of tumor regression than did the intratumoral injection of the melphalan alone or melphalan in combination with US. These results suggest that US-MB promotes the antitumor effect of melphalan by increasing delivery of molecules into cells and that this strategy may become an effective method of adjuvant therapy against malignant melanoma. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Synthesis, crystal structure, and biological evaluation of a series of phloretin derivatives.

    PubMed

    Wang, Li; Li, Zheng-Wei; Zhang, Wei; Xu, Rui; Gao, Fei; Liu, Yang-Feng; Li, Ya-Jun

    2014-10-13

    A one-step synthesis of phloretin derivatives 2-11 from phloretin in good to excellent yields is reported. Their structures were characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and MS, and the structures of 8 and 11 were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. A mechanism for the formation of 9-11 is proposed. Compared with the anticancer drug docetaxel, phloretin, phloretin derivatives and phlorizin exhibited moderate cytotoxicity toward the MDA-MB-231, SPC-A1, A549, MCF-7 and EC109 cell lines. Among all of the tested compounds, 7 exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity toward the five cell lines and was more active than docetaxel in MDA-MB-231 cells. Our findings suggest that these derivatives hold great promise for further development as anticancer agents.

  4. Methylene blue photodynamic therapy induces selective and massive cell death in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Dos Santos, Ancély F; Terra, Letícia F; Wailemann, Rosangela A M; Oliveira, Talita C; Gomes, Vinícius de Morais; Mineiro, Marcela Franco; Meotti, Flávia Carla; Bruni-Cardoso, Alexandre; Baptista, Maurício S; Labriola, Leticia

    2017-03-15

    Breast cancer is the main cause of mortality among women. The disease presents high recurrence mainly due to incomplete efficacy of primary treatment in killing all cancer cells. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), an approach that causes tissue destruction by visible light in the presence of a photosensitizer (Ps) and oxygen, appears as a promising alternative therapy that could be used adjunct to chemotherapy and surgery for curing cancer. However, the efficacy of PDT to treat breast tumours as well as the molecular mechanisms that lead to cell death remain unclear. In this study, we assessed the cell-killing potential of PDT using methylene blue (MB-PDT) in three breast epithelial cell lines that represent non-malignant conditions and different molecular subtypes of breast tumours. Cells were incubated in the absence or presence of MB and irradiated or not at 640 nm with 4.5 J/cm 2 . We used a combination of imaging and biochemistry approaches to assess the involvement of classical autophagic and apoptotic pathways in mediating the cell-deletion induced by MB-PDT. The role of these pathways was investigated using specific inhibitors, activators and gene silencing. We observed that MB-PDT differentially induces massive cell death of tumour cells. Non-malignant cells were significantly more resistant to the therapy compared to malignant cells. Morphological and biochemical analysis of dying cells pointed to alternative mechanisms rather than classical apoptosis. MB-PDT-induced autophagy modulated cell viability depending on the cell model used. However, impairment of one of these pathways did not prevent the fatal destination of MB-PDT treated cells. Additionally, when using a physiological 3D culture model that recapitulates relevant features of normal and tumorous breast tissue morphology, we found that MB-PDT differential action in killing tumour cells was even higher than what was detected in 2D cultures. Finally, our observations underscore the potential of MB-PDT as a highly efficient strategy which could use as a powerful adjunct therapy to surgery of breast tumours, and possibly other types of tumours, to safely increase the eradication rate of microscopic residual disease and thus minimizing the chance of both local and metastatic recurrence.

  5. Influence of exogenous lactoferrin on the oxidant/antioxidant balance and molecular profile of hormone receptor-positive and -negative human breast cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Zalutskii, I V; Lukianova, N Y; Storchai, D M; Burlaka, A P; Shvets, Y V; Borikun, T V; Todor, I M; Lukashevich, V S; Rudnichenko, Y A; Chekhun, V F

    2017-07-01

    To investigate the mechanisms of cytotoxic activity and pro-/antioxidant effect of lactoferrin on hormone receptor-positive and receptor-negative breast cancer cells in vitro. The study was performed on receptor-positive (MCF-7, T47D) and receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) human breast cancer cell lines. Immunocytochemical staining, flow cytometry, low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance, and the Comet assay were used. Upon treatment with lactoferrin, the increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p < 0.05), NO generation rate by inducible NO-synthase (p < 0.05) and the level of "free" iron (p < 0.05) were observed. Moreover, the effects of lactoferrin were more pronounced in receptor-negative MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. These changes resulted in increased expression of proapoptotic Bax protein (p < 0.05), reduced expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein (p < 0.05) and level of not-oxidized mitochondrial cardiolipin (1.4-1.7-fold, p < 0.05). This, in turn, caused an increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells (by 14-24%, p < 0.05). Cytotoxic effects of lactoferrin were accompanied by an increase in the percentage of DNA in the comet tail and blocking cell cycle at G2/M phase, especially in receptor-negative cell lines. The study showed that exogenous lactoferrin causes a violation of an antioxidant balance by increasing the level of ROS, "free" iron and NO generation rate, resalting in the blocking of cell cycle at G2/M-phase and apoptosis of malignant cells.

  6. Valproic acid treatment response in vitro is determined by TP53 status in medulloblastoma.

    PubMed

    Mascaro-Cordeiro, Bruna; Oliveira, Indhira Dias; Tesser-Gamba, Francine; Pavon, Lorena Favaro; Saba-Silva, Nasjla; Cavalheiro, Sergio; Dastoli, Patrícia; Toledo, Silvia Regina Caminada

    2018-05-22

    Histone deacetylate inhibitors (HDACi), as valproic acid (VA), have been reported to enhance efficacy and to prevent drug resistance in some tumors, including medulloblastoma (MB). In the present study, we investigated VA role, combined to cisplatin (CDDP) in cell viability and gene expression of MB cell lines. Dose-response curve determined IC 50 values for each treatment: (1) VA single, (2) CDDP single, and (3) VA and CDDP combined. Cytotoxicity and flow cytometry evaluated cell viability after exposure to treatments. Quantitative PCR evaluated gene expression levels of AKT, CTNNB1, GLI1, KDM6A, KDM6B, NOTCH2, PTCH1, and TERT, before and after treatment. Besides, we performed next-generation sequencing (NGS) for PTCH1, TERT, and TP53 genes. The most effective treatment to reduce viability was combined for D283MED and ONS-76; and CDDP single for DAOY cells (p < 0.0001). TERT, GLI1, and AKT genes were overexpressed after treatments with VA. D283MED and ONS-76 cells presented variants in TERT and PTCH1, respectively and DAOY cell line presented a TP53 mutation. MB tumors belonging to SHH molecular subgroup, with TP53 MUT , would be the ones that present high risk in relation to VA use during the treatment, while TP53 WT MBs can benefit from VA therapy, both SHH and groups 3 and 4. Our study shows a new perspective about VA action in medulloblastoma cells, raising the possibility that VA may act in different patterns. According to the genetic background of MB cell, VA can stimulate cell cycle arrest and apoptosis or induce resistance to treatment via signaling pathways activation.

  7. Differential Ratios of Omega Fatty Acids (AA/EPA+DHA) Modulate Growth, Lipid Peroxidation and Expression of Tumor Regulatory MARBPs in Breast Cancer Cell Lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231

    PubMed Central

    Mansara, Prakash P.; Deshpande, Rashmi A.; Vaidya, Milind M.; Kaul-Ghanekar, Ruchika

    2015-01-01

    Omega 3 (n3) and Omega 6 (n6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been reported to exhibit opposing roles in cancer progression. Our objective was to determine whether different ratios of n6/n3 (AA/EPA+DHA) FAs could modulate the cell viability, lipid peroxidation, total cellular fatty acid composition and expression of tumor regulatory Matrix Attachment Region binding proteins (MARBPs) in breast cancer cell lines and in non-cancerous, MCF10A cells. Low ratios of n6/n3 (1:2.5, 1:4, 1:5, 1:10) FA decreased the viability and growth of MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 significantly compared to the non-cancerous cells (MCF10A). Contrarily, higher n6/n3 FA (2.5:1, 4:1, 5:1, 10:1) decreased the survival of both the cancerous and non-cancerous cell types. Lower ratios of n6/n3 selectively induced LPO in the breast cancer cells whereas the higher ratios induced in both cancerous and non-cancerous cell types. Interestingly, compared to higher n6/n3 FA ratios, lower ratios increased the expression of tumor suppressor MARBP, SMAR1 and decreased the expression of tumor activator Cux/CDP in both breast cancer and non-cancerous, MCF10A cells. Low n6/n3 FAs significantly increased SMAR1 expression which resulted into activation of p21WAF1/CIP1 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF7, the increase being ratio dependent in MDA-MB-231. These results suggest that increased intake of n3 fatty acids in our diet could help both in the prevention as well as management of breast cancer. PMID:26325577

  8. Effects of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase I knockdown in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Tiang, Jacky M; Butcher, Neville J; Minchin, Rodney F

    2015-01-01

    Expression of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase I (NAT1) has been associated with various cancer subtypes and inhibition of this enzyme with small molecule inhibitors or siRNA affects cell growth and survival. Here, we have investigated the role of NAT1 in the invasiveness of breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. We knocked down NAT1 using a lentivirus-based shRNA approach and observed marked changes in cell morphology in the triple-negative breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436, and BT-549. Most notable was a reduction in the number and size of the filopodia protrusions on the surface of the cells. The loss of filopodia could be rescued by the reintroduction of NAT1 into the knockdown cells. NAT1 expression was localized to the lamellipodia and extended into the filopodia protrusions. In vitro invasion through Geltrex was significantly inhibited in both the MDA cell lines but not in the BT-549 cells. The expression of Snail increased when NAT1 was knocked down, while other genes associated with mesenchymal to epithelial transition (vimentin, cytokeratin-18, and Twist) did not show any changes. By contrast, both N-cadherin and β-catenin were significantly reduced. When MDA-MB-231 cells expressing shRNA were injected in vivo into BALB/c nu/nu nude mice, a significant reduction in the number of colonies that formed in the lungs was observed. Taken together, the results show that NAT1 can alter the invasion and metastatic properties of some triple-negative breast cancer cells but not all. The study suggests that NAT1 may be a novel therapeutic target in a subset of breast cancers. PMID:25627111

  9. Effects of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase I knockdown in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Tiang, Jacky M; Butcher, Neville J; Minchin, Rodney F

    2015-04-01

    Expression of human arylamine N-acetyltransferase I (NAT1) has been associated with various cancer subtypes and inhibition of this enzyme with small molecule inhibitors or siRNA affects cell growth and survival. Here, we have investigated the role of NAT1 in the invasiveness of breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. We knocked down NAT1 using a lentivirus-based shRNA approach and observed marked changes in cell morphology in the triple-negative breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436, and BT-549. Most notable was a reduction in the number and size of the filopodia protrusions on the surface of the cells. The loss of filopodia could be rescued by the reintroduction of NAT1 into the knockdown cells. NAT1 expression was localized to the lamellipodia and extended into the filopodia protrusions. In vitro invasion through Geltrex was significantly inhibited in both the MDA cell lines but not in the BT-549 cells. The expression of Snail increased when NAT1 was knocked down, while other genes associated with mesenchymal to epithelial transition (vimentin, cytokeratin-18, and Twist) did not show any changes. By contrast, both N-cadherin and β-catenin were significantly reduced. When MDA-MB-231 cells expressing shRNA were injected in vivo into BALB/c nu/nu nude mice, a significant reduction in the number of colonies that formed in the lungs was observed. Taken together, the results show that NAT1 can alter the invasion and metastatic properties of some triple-negative breast cancer cells but not all. The study suggests that NAT1 may be a novel therapeutic target in a subset of breast cancers. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Cancer-associated fibroblasts affect breast cancer cell gene expression, invasion and angiogenesis.

    PubMed

    Eiro, Noemi; González, Lucía; Martínez-Ordoñez, Anxo; Fernandez-Garcia, Belen; González, Luis O; Cid, Sandra; Dominguez, Francisco; Perez-Fernandez, Román; Vizoso, Francisco J

    2018-03-01

    It has been reported that stromal cell features may affect the clinical outcome of breast cancer patients. Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent one of the most abundant cell types within the breast cancer stroma. Here, we aimed to explore the influence of CAFs on breast cancer gene expression, as well as on invasion and angiogenesis. qRT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of several cancer progression related genes (S100A4, TGFβ, FGF2, FGF7, PDGFA, PDGFB, VEGFA, IL-6, IL-8, uPA, MMP2, MMP9, MMP11 and TIMP1) in the human breast cancer-derived cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, before and after co-culture with CAFs. Stromal mononuclear inflammatory cell (MIC) MMP11 expression was used to stratify primary tumors. In addition, we assessed the in vitro effects of CAFs on both MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell invasion and endothelial cell (HUVEC) tube formation. We found that the expression levels of most of the genes tested were significantly increased in both breast cancer-derived cell lines after co-culture with CAFs from either MMP11+ or MMP11- MIC tumors. IL-6 and IL-8 showed an increased expression in both cancer-derived cell lines after co-culture with CAFs from MMP11+ MIC tumors. We also found that the invasive and angiogenic capacities of, respectively, MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cells were increased after co-culture with CAFs, especially those from MMP11+ MIC tumors. Our data indicate that tumor-derived CAFs can induce up-regulation of genes involved in breast cancer progression. Our data additionally indicate that CAFs, especially those derived from MMP11+ MIC tumors, can promote breast cancer cell invasion and angiogenesis.

  11. Anti-HER2 antibody and ScFvEGFR-conjugated antifouling magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for targeting and magnetic resonance imaging of breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Hongwei; Wang, Liya; Yu, Qiqi; Qian, Weiping; Tiwari, Diana; Yi, Hong; Wang, Andrew Y; Huang, Jing; Yang, Lily; Mao, Hui

    2013-01-01

    Antifouling magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) coated with block copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane) (PEO-b-PγMPS) were investigated for improving cell targeting by reducing nonspecific uptake. Conjugation of a HER2 antibody, Herceptin®, or a single chain fragment (ScFv) of antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor (ScFvEGFR) to PEO-b-PγMPS-coated IONPs resulted in HER2-targeted or EGFR-targeted IONPs (anti-HER2-IONPs or ScFvEGFR-IONPs). The anti-HER2-IONPs bound specifically to SK-BR-3, a HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cell line, but not to MDA-MB-231, a HER2-underexpressing cell line. On the other hand, the ScFvEGFR-IONPs showed strong reactivity with MDA-MB-231, an EGFR-positive human breast cancer cell line, but not with MDA-MB-453, an EGFR-negative human breast cancer cell line. Transmission electron microscopy revealed internalization of the receptor-targeted nanoparticles by the targeted cancer cells. In addition, both antibody-conjugated and non-antibody-conjugated IONPs showed reduced nonspecific uptake by RAW264.7 mouse macrophages in vitro. The developed IONPs showed a long blood circulation time (serum half-life 11.6 hours) in mice and low accumulation in both the liver and spleen. At 24 hours after systemic administration of ScFvEGFR-IONPs into mice bearing EGFR-positive breast cancer 4T1 mouse mammary tumors, magnetic resonance imaging revealed signal reduction in the tumor as a result of the accumulation of the targeted IONPs. PMID:24124366

  12. Heterogeneity of chemokine cell-surface receptor expression in triple-negative breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Norton, Kerri-Ann; Popel, Aleksander S; Pandey, Niranjan B

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Tumor heterogeneity is a well-established concept in cancer research. In this paper, we examine an additional type of tumor cell heterogeneity - tumor cell-surface receptor heterogeneity. Methods: We use flow cytometry to measure the frequency and numbers of cell-surface receptors on triple negative breast cancer cell lines. Results: We find two distinct populations of human triple-negative breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 when they are grown in culture, one with low surface levels of various chemokine receptors and a second with much higher levels. The population with high surface levels of these receptors is increased in the more metastatic MDA-MB-231-luc-d3h2ln cell line. Conclusion: We hypothesize that this high cell-surface receptor population is involved in metastasis. We find that the receptor high populations can be modulated by tumor conditioned media and IL6 treatment indicating that the tumor microenvironment is important for the maintenance and sizes of these populations. PMID:26101698

  13. Multimodal Imaging of Pathophysiological Changes and Their Role in Development of Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    and tissue oxygenation. Moreover, by introducing hypoxia reporter gene ( HRE -luciferase) into breast tumor lines, we will be able to use...hypoxia reporter gene, HRE -ODD-luc. The single nodule lesion was visualized and followed up by both BLI and MRI. As an example presented in Figure 1...MDA-MB231 cells with stable transfection of a hypoxia reporter gene, HRE -ODD-luc. a. 3 × 105 MDA-MB231/5HRE-ODD-luc cells incubated in each well of

  14. Discovery of N-hydroxy-4-(3-phenylpropanamido)benzamide derivative 5j, a novel histone deacetylase inhibitor, as a potential therapeutic agent for human breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Feng, Jinhong; Fang, Hao; Wang, Xuejian; Jia, Yuping; Zhang, Lei; Jiao, Jie; Zhang, Jian; Gu, Lichuan; Xu, Wenfang

    2011-03-01

    A novel series of N-hydroxy-4-(3-phenylpropanamido)benzamide (HPPB) derivatives comprising N-hydroxybenzamide group as zinc-chelating moiety were designed, synthesized and evaluated as histone deacetylases inhibitors. The thiophene substituted derivative 5j exhibited the best HDAC inhibition activity among these compounds. The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of 5j as a candidate compound for cancer therapy. Our results indicated that 5j exhibited better HDAC1, 8 and hela nuclear extract inhibition activities than SAHA, and good antiproliferative activities against a broad spectrum of human cancer cell lines especially for breast cancer. 5j induced cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M phase, and eventual apoptosis possibly by modulating p21, caspase-3 and Bcl-x(L) on MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, 5j down regulated the active form of MMP2, and inhibited the invasion of MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Moreover, 5j significantly delayed the growth of MDA-MB-231 xenografts in mice after 3 weeks of peritoneal injection. In summary, our results suggest that 5j might have therapeutic potential for the treatment of human breast cancer.

  15. Multicomponent synthesis of some new (1S,4S)-2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-dithiocarbamates and their in vitro anti-proliferative activity against CaSki, MDA-MB-231 and SK-Lu-1 tumour cells as apoptosis inducing agents without necrosis.

    PubMed

    Laskar, Sujay; Sánchez-Sánchez, Luis; López-Ortiz, Manuel; López-Muñoz, Hugo; Escobar-Sánchez, María L; Sánchez, Arturo T; Regla, Ignacio

    2017-12-01

    Identification of a new class of antitumor agent capable to induce apoptosis without triggering necrotic cell death event is challenging. The present communication describes the multicomponent synthesis of seven new (1S,4S)-2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-dithiocarbamates and their in vitro antiproliferative activity on cervical cancer cell line (CaSki), breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB231), lung cancer cell line (SK-Lu-1) and human lymphocytes. Among the synthesized dithiocarbamates, compound 9e displayed significant antiproliferative activity without inducing any necrotic cell death (both on tumour cells and lymphocytes) and induced apoptosis in tumor cells by the caspase dependent apoptotic pathway. The compound 9e also exhibited greater tumor selectivity than human lymphocytes. In silico ADME predictions revealed that compound 9e has the potential to be developed as a drug candidate. Rapid chemical modifications of this lead are thus highly necessary for further investigation as a drug like safer antitumor candidate and also to achieve compounds with better activity profile.

  16. Novel Thiazolidinone/Thiazolo[3,2-a]Benzimidazolone-Isatin Conjugates as Apoptotic Anti-proliferative Agents Towards Breast Cancer: One-Pot Synthesis and In Vitro Biological Evaluation.

    PubMed

    El-Naggar, Mohamed; Eldehna, Wagdy M; Almahli, Hadia; Elgez, Amr; Fares, Mohamed; Elaasser, Mahmoud M; Abdel-Aziz, Hatem A

    2018-06-12

    In connection with our research program on the development of new isatin-based anticancer candidates, herein we report the synthesis of two novel series of thiazolidinone-isatin conjugates ( 4a ⁻ n ) and thiazolo[3,2- a ]benzimidazolone-isatin conjugates ( 7a ⁻ d ), and in vitro evaluation of their antiproliferative activity towards two breast cancer cell lines; triple negative MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7. Compounds 4m and 7b emerged as the most active congeners against MDA-MB-231 cells (IC 50 = 7.6 ± 0.5 and 13.2 ± 1.1 µM, respectively). Compounds 4m and 7b were able to provoke apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells, evidenced by the up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2, besides boosting caspase-3 levels. Hybrid 4m induced a fourfold increase in the percentage of cells at Sub-G₁, with concurrent arrest in G₂-M phase by 2.5-folds. Furthermore, hybrid 4m resulted in a sixfold increase in the percentage of annexin V-FITC positive apoptotic MDA-MB-231 cells as compared with the control. Moreover, the cytotoxic activities of the active conjugates were assessed towards two nontumorigenic cell lines (breast MCF-10A and lung WI-38) where both conjugates 4m and 7b displayed mean tumor selectivity index: 9.6 and 13.9, respectively. Finally, several ADME descriptors were predicted for the active conjugates via a theoretical kinetic study.

  17. Targeted therapeutic approach for an anaplastic thyroid cancer in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Stenner, Frank; Liewen, Heike; Zweifel, Martin; Weber, Achim; Tchinda, Joelle; Bode, Beata; Samaras, Panagiotis; Bauer, Stefan; Knuth, Alexander; Renner, Christoph

    2008-09-01

    Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is among the most aggressive human malignancies, being responsible for the majority of thyroid cancer-related deaths. Despite multimodal therapy including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, the outcome of ATC is poor. The human ATC cell line MB1, derived from tumor tissue of a 57-year-old man with thyroid cancer and pronounced neutrophilia, was established from surgically excised tumor tissue. The karyotype of the cell line shows many chromosomal abnormalities. Preclinical investigations have shown antitumor activity and effectiveness of the BRAF kinase inhibitor Sorafenib and the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib. After establishment of the MB1 cell line these agents were applied in vitro and, showing activity in a cell culture model, were also used for in vivo treatment. Sorafenib had some clinical effect, namely normalization of leucocytosis, but had no sustained impact on subsequent tumor growth and development of distant metastasis. Molecular diagnostics of the tumor demonstrated no BRAF mutations in exons 11 and 15 concordant with a rather modest effect of Sorafenib on MB1 cell growth. Clinical benefit was seen with subsequent bortezomib therapy inducing a temporary halt to lymph node growth and a progression-free interval of 7 weeks. Our observations together with previous data from preclinical models could serve as a rationale for selecting those patients suffering from ATC most likely to benefit from targeted therapy. A prospective controlled randomized trial integrating kinase and proteasome inhibitors into a therapeutic regime for ATC is warranted.

  18. Influence of the interaction between nodal fibroblast and breast cancer cells on gene expression

    PubMed Central

    Santos, Rosângela Portilho Costa; Benvenuti, Ticiana Thomazine; Honda, Suzana Terumi; Del Valle, Paulo Roberto; Katayama, Maria Lucia Hirata; Brentani, Helena Paula; Carraro, Dirce Maria; Rozenchan, Patrícia Bortman; Brentani, Maria Mitzi; de Lyra, Eduardo Carneiro; Torres, César Henrique; Salzgeber, Marcia Batista; Kaiano, Jane Haruko Lima; Góes, João Carlos Sampaio

    2010-01-01

    Our aim was to evaluate the interaction between breast cancer cells and nodal fibroblasts, by means of their gene expression profile. Fibroblast primary cultures were established from negative and positive lymph nodes from breast cancer patients and a similar gene expression pattern was identified, following cell culture. Fibroblasts and breast cancer cells (MDA-MB231, MDA-MB435, and MCF7) were cultured alone or co-cultured separated by a porous membrane (which allows passage of soluble factors) for comparison. Each breast cancer lineage exerted a particular effect on fibroblasts viability and transcriptional profile. However, fibroblasts from positive and negative nodes had a parallel transcriptional behavior when co-cultured with a specific breast cancer cell line. The effects of nodal fibroblasts on breast cancer cells were also investigated. MDA MB-231 cells viability and migration were enhanced by the presence of fibroblasts and accordingly, MDA-MB435 and MCF7 cells viability followed a similar pattern. MDA-MB231 gene expression profile, as evaluated by cDNA microarray, was influenced by the fibroblasts presence, and HNMT, COMT, FN3K, and SOD2 were confirmed downregulated in MDA-MB231 co-cultured cells with fibroblasts from both negative and positive nodes, in a new series of RT-PCR assays. In summary, transcriptional changes induced in breast cancer cells by fibroblasts from positive as well as negative nodes are very much alike in a specific lineage. However, fibroblasts effects are distinct in each one of the breast cancer lineages, suggesting that the inter-relationships between stromal and malignant cells are dependent on the intrinsic subtype of the tumor. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13277-010-0108-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. PMID:20820980

  19. Influence of the interaction between nodal fibroblast and breast cancer cells on gene expression.

    PubMed

    Santos, Rosângela Portilho Costa; Benvenuti, Ticiana Thomazine; Honda, Suzana Terumi; Del Valle, Paulo Roberto; Katayama, Maria Lucia Hirata; Brentani, Helena Paula; Carraro, Dirce Maria; Rozenchan, Patrícia Bortman; Brentani, Maria Mitzi; de Lyra, Eduardo Carneiro; Torres, César Henrique; Salzgeber, Marcia Batista; Kaiano, Jane Haruko Lima; Góes, João Carlos Sampaio; Folgueira, Maria Aparecida Azevedo Koike

    2011-02-01

    Our aim was to evaluate the interaction between breast cancer cells and nodal fibroblasts, by means of their gene expression profile. Fibroblast primary cultures were established from negative and positive lymph nodes from breast cancer patients and a similar gene expression pattern was identified, following cell culture. Fibroblasts and breast cancer cells (MDA-MB231, MDA-MB435, and MCF7) were cultured alone or co-cultured separated by a porous membrane (which allows passage of soluble factors) for comparison. Each breast cancer lineage exerted a particular effect on fibroblasts viability and transcriptional profile. However, fibroblasts from positive and negative nodes had a parallel transcriptional behavior when co-cultured with a specific breast cancer cell line. The effects of nodal fibroblasts on breast cancer cells were also investigated. MDA MB-231 cells viability and migration were enhanced by the presence of fibroblasts and accordingly, MDA-MB435 and MCF7 cells viability followed a similar pattern. MDA-MB231 gene expression profile, as evaluated by cDNA microarray, was influenced by the fibroblasts presence, and HNMT, COMT, FN3K, and SOD2 were confirmed downregulated in MDA-MB231 co-cultured cells with fibroblasts from both negative and positive nodes, in a new series of RT-PCR assays. In summary, transcriptional changes induced in breast cancer cells by fibroblasts from positive as well as negative nodes are very much alike in a specific lineage. However, fibroblasts effects are distinct in each one of the breast cancer lineages, suggesting that the inter-relationships between stromal and malignant cells are dependent on the intrinsic subtype of the tumor.

  20. Long Term Exposure to Polyphenols of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) Exerts Induction of Senescence Driven Growth Arrest in the MDA-MB231 Human Breast Cancer Cell Line.

    PubMed

    Mileo, Anna Maria; Di Venere, Donato; Abbruzzese, Claudia; Miccadei, Stefania

    2015-01-01

    Polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) have been shown to be potential chemopreventive and anticancer dietary compounds. High doses of polyphenolic extracts (AEs) induce apoptosis and decrease the invasive potential of the human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB231. However, the molecular mechanism underlying AEs antiproliferative effects is not completely understood. We demonstrate that chronic and low doses of AEs treatment at sublethal concentrations suppress human breast cancer cell growth via a caspases-independent mechanism. Furthermore, AEs exposure induces a significant increase of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining and upregulation of tumour suppressor genes, p16(INK4a) and p21(Cip1/Waf1) in MDA-MB231 cells. AEs treatment leads to epigenetic alterations in cancer cells, modulating DNA hypomethylation and lysine acetylation levels in total proteins. Cell growth arrest correlates with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in AEs treated breast cancer cells. Inhibition of ROS generation by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) attenuates the antiproliferative effect. These findings demonstrate that chronic AEs treatment inhibits breast cancer cell growth via the induction of premature senescence through epigenetic and ROS-mediated mechanisms. Our results suggest that artichoke polyphenols could be a promising dietary tool either in cancer chemoprevention or/and in cancer treatment as a nonconventional, adjuvant therapy.

  1. Long Term Exposure to Polyphenols of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) Exerts Induction of Senescence Driven Growth Arrest in the MDA-MB231 Human Breast Cancer Cell Line

    PubMed Central

    Di Venere, Donato

    2015-01-01

    Polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) have been shown to be potential chemopreventive and anticancer dietary compounds. High doses of polyphenolic extracts (AEs) induce apoptosis and decrease the invasive potential of the human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB231. However, the molecular mechanism underlying AEs antiproliferative effects is not completely understood. We demonstrate that chronic and low doses of AEs treatment at sublethal concentrations suppress human breast cancer cell growth via a caspases-independent mechanism. Furthermore, AEs exposure induces a significant increase of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining and upregulation of tumour suppressor genes, p16INK4a and p21Cip1/Waf1 in MDA-MB231 cells. AEs treatment leads to epigenetic alterations in cancer cells, modulating DNA hypomethylation and lysine acetylation levels in total proteins. Cell growth arrest correlates with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in AEs treated breast cancer cells. Inhibition of ROS generation by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) attenuates the antiproliferative effect. These findings demonstrate that chronic AEs treatment inhibits breast cancer cell growth via the induction of premature senescence through epigenetic and ROS-mediated mechanisms. Our results suggest that artichoke polyphenols could be a promising dietary tool either in cancer chemoprevention or/and in cancer treatment as a nonconventional, adjuvant therapy. PMID:26180585

  2. MicroRNA-224 inhibits proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells by down-regulating Fizzled 5 expression.

    PubMed

    Liu, Feng; Liu, Yang; Shen, Jingling; Zhang, Guoqiang; Han, Jiguang

    2016-08-02

    The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is crucial for the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. However, the expression of microRNA-224 (miR-224) in the different types of breast cancers and its role in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells are poorly understood. In this study, the levels of miR-224 in different types of breast cancer tissues and cell lines were examined by quantitative RT-PCR and the potential targets of miR-224 in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling were investigated. The effects of altered miR-224 expression on the frequency of CD44+CD24- cancer stem-like cells (CSC), proliferation and migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were examined by flow cytometry, MTT and transwell migration. We found that the levels of miR-224 expression in different types of breast cancer tissues and cell lines were associated inversely with aggressiveness of breast cancers. Enhanced miR-224 expression significantly reduced the fizzled 5-regulated luciferase activity in 293T cells, fizzled 5 expression in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, the β-dependent luciferase activity in MCF-7 cells, and the nuclear translocation of β-catenin in MDA-MB-231 cells. miR-224 inhibition significantly increased the percentages of CSC in MCF-7 cells and enhanced proliferation and migration of MCF-7 cells. Enhanced miR-224 expression inhibited proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells, and the growth of implanted breast cancers in vivo. Induction of Frizzled 5 over-expression mitigated the miR-224-mediated inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation. Collectively, these data indicated that miR-224 down-regulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling possibly by binding to Frizzled 5 and inhibited proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells.

  3. Genome-wide miRNA response to anacardic acid in breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Schultz, David J.; Muluhngwi, Penn; Alizadeh-Rad, Negin; Green, Madelyn A.; Rouchka, Eric C.; Waigel, Sabine J.

    2017-01-01

    MicroRNAs are biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Anacardic acid (AnAc) is a dietary phenolic lipid that inhibits both MCF-7 estrogen receptor α (ERα) positive and MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell proliferation with IC50s of 13.5 and 35 μM, respectively. To identify potential mediators of AnAc action in breast cancer, we profiled the genome-wide microRNA transcriptome (microRNAome) in these two cell lines altered by the AnAc 24:1n5 congener. Whole genome expression profiling (RNA-seq) and subsequent network analysis in MetaCore Gene Ontology (GO) algorithm was used to characterize the biological pathways altered by AnAc. In MCF-7 cells, 69 AnAc-responsive miRNAs were identified, e.g., increased let-7a and reduced miR-584. Fewer, i.e., 37 AnAc-responsive miRNAs were identified in MDA-MB-231 cells, e.g., decreased miR-23b and increased miR-1257. Only two miRNAs were increased by AnAc in both cell lines: miR-612 and miR-20b; however, opposite miRNA arm preference was noted: miR-20b-3p and miR-20b-5p were upregulated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, respectively. miR-20b-5p target EFNB2 transcript levels were reduced by AnAc in MDA-MB-231 cells. AnAc reduced miR-378g that targets VIM (vimentin) and VIM mRNA transcript expression was increased in AnAc-treated MCF-7 cells, suggesting a reciprocal relationship. The top three enriched GO terms for AnAc-treated MCF-7 cells were B cell receptor signaling pathway and ribosomal large subunit biogenesis and S-adenosylmethionine metabolic process for AnAc-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. The pathways modulated by these AnAc-regulated miRNAs suggest that key nodal molecules, e.g., Cyclin D1, MYC, c-FOS, PPARγ, and SIN3, are targets of AnAc activity. PMID:28886127

  4. Cellular localization of the activated EGFR determines its effect on cell growth in MDA-MB-468 cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hyatt, Dustin C.; Ceresa, Brian P.

    2008-11-01

    The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) is a ubiquitously expressed receptor tyrosine kinase that regulates diverse cell functions that are dependent upon cell type, the presence of downstream effectors, and receptor density. In addition to activating biochemical pathways, ligand stimulation causes the EGFR to enter the cell via clathrin-coated pits. Endocytic trafficking influences receptor signaling by controlling the duration of EGFR phosphorylation and coordinating the receptor's association with downstream effectors. To better understand the individual contributions of cell surface and cytosolic EGFRs on cell physiology, we used EGF that was conjugated to 900 nm polystyrene beads (EGF-beads). EGF-beads canmore » stimulate the EGFR and retain the activated receptor at the plasma membrane. In MDA-MB-468 cells, a breast cancer cell line that over-expresses the EGFR, only internalized, activated EGFRs stimulate caspase-3 and induce cell death. Conversely, signaling cascades triggered from activated EGFR retained at the cell surface inhibit caspase-3 and promote cell proliferation. Thus, through endocytosis, the activated EGFR can differentially regulate cell growth in MDA-MB-468 cells.« less

  5. Biodegradable Eri silk nanoparticles as a delivery vehicle for bovine lactoferrin against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Roy, Kislay; Patel, Yogesh S; Kanwar, Rupinder K; Rajkhowa, Rangam; Wang, Xungai; Kanwar, Jagat R

    2016-01-01

    This study used the Eri silk nanoparticles (NPs) for delivering apo-bovine lactoferrin (Apo-bLf) (~2% iron saturated) and Fe-bLf (100% iron saturated) in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Apo-bLf and Fe-bLf-loaded Eri silk NPs with sizes between 200 and 300 nm (±10 nm) showed a significant internalization within 4 hours in MDA-MB-231 cells when compared to MCF-7 cells. The ex vivo loop assay with chitosan-coated Fe-bLf-loaded silk NPs was able to substantiate its future use in oral administration and showed the maximum absorption within 24 hours by ileum. Both Apo-bLf and Fe-bLf induced increase in expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 and lactoferrin receptor in epidermal growth factor (EGFR)-positive MDA-MB-231 cells, while transferrin receptor (TfR) and TfR2 in MCF-7 cells facilitated the receptor-mediated endocytosis of NPs. Controlled and sustained release of both bLf from silk NPs was shown to induce more cancer-specific cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells compared to normal MCF-10A cells. Due to higher degree of internalization, the extent of cytotoxicity and apoptosis was significantly higher in MDA-MB-231 (EGFR+) cells when compared to MCF-7 (EGFR−) cells. The expression of a prominent anticancer target, survivin, was found to be downregulated at both gene and protein levels. Taken together, all the observations suggest the potential use of Eri silk NPs as a delivery vehicle for an anti-cancer milk protein, and indicate bLf for the treatment of breast cancer. PMID:26730188

  6. p62 Regulates the Proliferation of Molecular Apocrine Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Nozaki, Fumi; Hirotani, Yukari; Nakanishi, Yoko; Yamaguchi, Hiromi; Nishimaki, Haruna; Noda, Hiroko; Tang, Xiaoyan; Yamamoto, Hisae; Suzuki, Atsuko; Seki, Toshimi; Masuda, Shinobu

    2016-01-01

    p62, also called sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), is a multifunctional signaling molecule that affects cell proliferation. Recently, we found accumulation of p62 in apocrine carcinoma of the breast, however, the biological role of p62 expression in apocrine carcinoma still remains unclear. To investigate whether p62 might contribute to tumor cell proliferation in apocrine carcinomas, we used the MDA-MB-453 (androgen receptor-positive, HER2-type) and MFM223 (androgen receptor-positive, triple-negative type) breast cancer cell lines as models of molecular apocrine carcinoma. Both MDA-MB-453 and MFM223 showed strong and d high p62 protein expression than MCF7 cells (androgen receptor-negative, luminal A type). Knockdown of p62 resulted in significant reduction of the cell proliferative activity in both MDA-MB-453 (P<0.01) and MFM223 (P<0.05). In conclusion, p62 could contribute to cell proliferation and represent a therapeutic target in apocrine carcinoma. PMID:27682016

  7. p62 Regulates the Proliferation of Molecular Apocrine Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Nozaki, Fumi; Hirotani, Yukari; Nakanishi, Yoko; Yamaguchi, Hiromi; Nishimaki, Haruna; Noda, Hiroko; Tang, Xiaoyan; Yamamoto, Hisae; Suzuki, Atsuko; Seki, Toshimi; Masuda, Shinobu

    2016-08-30

    p62, also called sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), is a multifunctional signaling molecule that affects cell proliferation. Recently, we found accumulation of p62 in apocrine carcinoma of the breast, however, the biological role of p62 expression in apocrine carcinoma still remains unclear. To investigate whether p62 might contribute to tumor cell proliferation in apocrine carcinomas, we used the MDA-MB-453 (androgen receptor-positive, HER2-type) and MFM223 (androgen receptor-positive, triple-negative type) breast cancer cell lines as models of molecular apocrine carcinoma. Both MDA-MB-453 and MFM223 showed strong and d high p62 protein expression than MCF7 cells (androgen receptor-negative, luminal A type). Knockdown of p62 resulted in significant reduction of the cell proliferative activity in both MDA-MB-453 (P<0.01) and MFM223 (P<0.05). In conclusion, p62 could contribute to cell proliferation and represent a therapeutic target in apocrine carcinoma.

  8. In vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of the essential oil from the leaves of Guatteria friesiana.

    PubMed

    Britto, Anny C S; de Oliveira, Allan C A; Henriques, Raissa M; Cardoso, Gabriella M B; Bomfim, Diogo S; Carvalho, Adriana A; Moraes, Manoel O; Pessoa, Claudia; Pinheiro, Maria L B; Costa, Emmanoel V; Bezerra, Daniel P

    2012-03-01

    Guatteria friesiana (W. A. Rodrigues) Erkens & Maas (synonym Guatteriopsis friesiana W. A. Rodrigues), popularly known as "envireira", is a medicinal plant found in the Brazilian and Colombian Amazon basin that is used in traditional medicine for various purposes. Recent studies on this species have demonstrated antimicrobial activity. In this study, the antitumor activity of the essential oil from the leaves of G. friesiana (EOGF) and its main components ( α-, β-, and γ-eudesmol) were determined using experimental models. In the in vitro study, EOGF and its components α-, β-, and γ-eudesmol displayed cytotoxicity against tumor cell lines, showing IC₅₀ values in the range of 1.7 to 9.4 µg/mL in the HCT-8 and HL-60 cell lines for EOGF, 5.7 to 19.4 µg/mL in the HL-60 and MDA-MB-435 cell lines for α-eudesmol, 24.1 to > 25 µg/mL in the SF-295 and MDA-MB-435 cell lines for β-eudesmol, and 7.1 to 20.6 µg/mL in the SF-295 and MDA-MB-435 cell lines for γ-eudesmol, respectively. In the in vivo study, the antitumor effect of EOGF was evaluated in mice inoculated with sarcoma 180 tumor cells. Tumor growth inhibition rates were 43.4-54.2 % and 6.6-42.8 % for the EOGF treatment by intraperitoneal (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) and oral (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) administration, respectively. The treatment with EOGF did not significantly affect body mass, macroscopy of the organs, or blood leukocyte counts. Based on these results, we can conclude that EOGF possesses significant antitumor activity and has only low systemic toxicity. These effects could be assigned to its components α-, β-, and γ-eudesmol. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. Synthesis and biological activity of pyrrole analogues of combretastatin A-4.

    PubMed

    Jung, Eun-Kyung; Leung, Euphemia; Barker, David

    2016-07-01

    A series of pyrrole analogues of combretastatin (CA-4) were synthesized and tested for their anti-proliferative activity. The highly diastereoselective acyl-Claisen rearrangement was used to provide 2,3-syn disubstituted morpholine amides which were used as precursors for the various analogues. This synthesis allows for the preparation of 1,2- and 2,3-diaryl-1H-pyrroles which are both geometrically similar to CA-4. These pyrrolic analogues were tested for their anti-proliferative activity against two human cell lines, K562 and MDA-MB-231 with 2,3-diaryl-1H-pyrrole 35 exhibiting the most potent activity with IC50 value of 0.07μM against MDA-MB-231 cell line. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Cytotoxic activity screening of Bangladeshi medicinal plant extracts.

    PubMed

    Akter, Raushanara; Uddin, Shaikh J; Grice, I Darren; Tiralongo, Evelin

    2014-01-01

    The cytotoxic activity of 23 crude methanol extracts from 19 Bangladeshi medicinal plants was investigated against healthy mouse fibroblasts (NIH3T3), healthy monkey kidney (VERO) and four human cancer cell lines (gastric, AGS; colon, HT-29; and breast, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) using MTT assay. High cytotoxicity across all cell lines tested was exhibited by Aegiceras corniculatum (fruit) and Hymenodictyon excelsum (bark) extracts (IC50 values ranging from 0.0005 to 0.9980 and 0.08 to 0.44 mg/mL, respectively). Fourteen extracts from 11 plant species, namely Clitoria ternatea (flower and leaf), Dillenia indica (leaf), Diospyros peregrina (leaf), Dipterocarpus turbinatus (bark and leaf), Ecbolium viride (leaf), Glinus oppositifolius (whole plant), Gnaphalium luteoalbum (leaf), Jasminum sambac (leaf), Lannea coromandelica (bark and leaf), Mussaenda glabrata (leaf) and Saraca asoca (leaf), were also significantly cytotoxic (IC50 < 1.0 mg/mL) against at least one of the cancer cell lines tested. More selectively, Avicennia alba (leaf), C. ternatea (flower and leaf), Caesalpinia pulcherrima (leaf), E. viride (leaf) and G. oppositifolius (whole plant) showed cytotoxicity only against both of the breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). In contrast, C. ternatea (flower and leaf) exhibited high cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 (IC50 values of 0.11 and 0.49 mg/mL, respectively), whereas E. viride and G. oppositifolius whole plant extracts exhibited high activity against MCF-7 cells (IC50 values of 0.06 and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively). The cytotoxic activity test results for 9 of the plant species correlate with their traditional use as anticancer agents, thus making them interesting sources for further drug development.

  11. Autophagy contributes to resistance of tumor cells to ionizing radiation.

    PubMed

    Chaachouay, Hassan; Ohneseit, Petra; Toulany, Mahmoud; Kehlbach, Rainer; Multhoff, Gabriele; Rodemann, H Peter

    2011-06-01

    Autophagy signaling is a novel important target to improve anticancer therapy. To study the role of autophagy on resistance of tumor cells to ionizing radiation (IR), breast cancer cell lines differing in their intrinsic radiosensitivity were used. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and HBL-100 were examined with respect to clonogenic cell survival and induction of autophagy after radiation exposure and pharmacological interference of the autophagic process. As marker for autophagy the appearance of LC3-I and LC3-II proteins was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Formation of autophagic vacuoles was monitored by immunofluorescence staining of LC3. LC3-I and LC3-II formation differs markedly in radioresistant MDA-MB-231 versus radiosensitive HBL-100 cells. Western blot analyses of LC3-II/LC3-I ratio indicated marked induction of autophagy by IR in radioresistant MDA-MB-231 cells, but not in radiosensitive HBL-100 cells. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis of LC3-II positive vacuoles confirmed this differential effect. Pre-treatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA) antagonized IR-induced autophagy. Likewise, pretreatment of radioresistant MDA-231 cells with autophagy inhibitors 3-MA or chloroquine (CQ) significantly reduced clonogenic survival of irradiated cells. Our data clearly indicate that radioresistant breast tumor cells show a strong post-irradiation induction of autophagy, which thus serves as a protective and pro-survival mechanism in radioresistance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Synthesis and anticancer activity of N-substituted 2-arylquinazolinones bearing trans-stilbene scaffold.

    PubMed

    Mahdavi, Mohammad; Pedrood, Keyvan; Safavi, Maliheh; Saeedi, Mina; Pordeli, Mahboobeh; Ardestani, Sussan Kabudanian; Emami, Saeed; Adib, Mehdi; Foroumadi, Alireza; Shafiee, Abbas

    2015-05-05

    A novel series of 2-arylquinazolinones 7a-o bearing trans-stilbene moiety were designed, synthesized, and evaluated against human breast cancer cell lines including human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and human ductal breast epithelial tumor (T-47D). Among the tested compounds, the sec-butyl derivative 7h showed the best profile of activity (IC50 < 5 μM) against all cell lines, being 2-fold more potent than standard drug, etoposide. Our investigation revealed that the cytotoxic activity was significantly affected by N3-alkyl substituents. Furthermore, the morphological analysis by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining test and flow cytometry analysis indicated that the prototype compound 7h can induce apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Antiproliferative activity of Haematoxylum brasiletto H. Karst

    PubMed Central

    Bello-Martínez, J; Jiménez-Estrada, M; Rosas-Acevedo, JL; Avila-Caballero, LP; Vidal-Gutierrez, M; Patiño-Morales, C; Ortiz-Sánchez, E; Robles-Zepeda, RE

    2017-01-01

    Background: Haematoxylum brasiletto is a tree that grows in Central America, commonly known as “Palo de Brasil,” which is used in the traditional medicine for the treatment of cancer and gastric ulcers. Objective: The aim of this study was to isolate the compounds responsible for antiproliferative activity of H. brasiletto. Materials and Methods: A bioassay-guided fractionation of ethanol extract of H. brasiletto was performed using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cell proliferation assay to measure the antiproliferative activity on six human cancer cell lines (A549, LS180, HeLa, SiHa, MDA-MB-231, and NCI-H1299) and one human noncancer cell line (ARPE-19). The ethanol extract was partitioned with hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate. The active dichloromethane fraction was fractioned by silica-column chromatography, and active subfractions were separated using preparative-thin layer chromatography. The chemical structure of an isolated compound was elucidated with different chemical and spectroscopic methods. Results: The flavonoid brazilin (1) was isolated from the heartwood of H. brasiletto. The measurement of antiproliferative activity showed that brazilin can inhibit the growth of SiHa, MDA-MB-231, A549, and NCI-H1299 cell lines by 50% at doses of 44.3, 48.7, 45.4, and 48.7 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the flavonoid showed a high antiproliferative activity on LS 180 and HeLa with IC50 values of 62.2 and 71.9 μM, respectively. Brazilin also exhibited a high antiproliferative activity on the human noncancer cell line ARPE-19 with an IC50 value of 37.9 μM. Conclusions: Brazilin: (6aS, 11bR)-7,11b-Dihidro-6H-indeno[2,1-c] cromeno-3,6a, 9,10-tetrol was isolated; this compound demonstrated antiproliferative activity against several human cancer cell lines. This work demonstrated that brazilin, a flavonoid isolated and characterized of H. brasiletto, has antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines. SUMMARY The flavonoid brazilin was isolated from the heartwood of H. brasilettoBrazilin is able to inhibit the growth of SiHa, MDA-MB-231, A549 and NCI- H1299 cancerous cell linesBrazilin exhibited a moderate antiproliferative activity on the human non-cancer cell line ARPE-19Brazilin demonstrated to have antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines and could be a potential source of anticancer agents. Abbreviations used: MTT: [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium]; FBS: Fetal bovine serum; TLC: Thin layer chromatography. PMID:28808394

  14. Cytotoxic effect of sanguiin H-6 on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Park, Eun-Ji; Lee, Dahae; Baek, Seon-Eun; Kim, Ki Hyun; Kang, Ki Sung; Jang, Tae Su; Lee, Hye Lim; Song, Ji Hoon; Yoo, Jeong-Eun

    2017-09-15

    Sanguiin H-6 is a dimer of casuarictin linked by a bond between the gallic acid residue and one of the hexahydroxydiphenic acid units. It is an effective compound extracted from Rubus coreanus. It has an anticancer effect against several human cancer cells; however, its effect on breast cancer cells has not been clearly demonstrated. Thus, we aimed to investigate the anticancer effect and mechanism of action of sanguiin H-6 against two human breast carcinoma cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). We found that sanguiin H-6 significantly reduced cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. It also increased the rates at which MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells underwent apoptosis. Furthermore, sanguiin H-6 induced the cleavage of caspase-8, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, which resulted in apoptosis. However, cleavage of caspase-9 was only detectable in MCF-7 cells. In addition, sanguiin H-6 increased the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings suggest that sanguiin H-6 is a potent therapeutic agent against breast cancer cells. In addition, it exerts its anticancer effect in an estrogen-receptor-independent manner. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Docetaxel modulates the delayed rectifier potassium current (IK) and ATP-sensitive potassium current (IKATP) in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Sun, Tao; Song, Zhi-Guo; Jiang, Da-Qing; Nie, Hong-Guang; Han, Dong-Yun

    2015-04-01

    Ion channel expression and activity may be affected during tumor development and cancer growth. Activation of potassium (K(+)) channels in human breast cancer cells is reported to be involved in cell cycle progression. In this study, we investigated the effects of docetaxel on the delayed rectifier potassium current (I K) and the ATP-sensitive potassium current (I KATP) in two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435S, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Our results show that docetaxel inhibited the I K and I KATP in both cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control at a potential of +60 mV, treatment with docetaxel at doses of 0.1, 1, 5, and 10 µM significantly decreased the I K in MCF-7 cells by 16.1 ± 3.5, 30.2 ± 5.2, 42.5 ± 4.3, and 46.4 ± 9% (n = 5, P < 0.05), respectively and also decreased the I KATP at +50 mV. Similar results were observed in MDA-MB-435S cells. The G-V curves showed no significant changes after treatment of either MCF-7 or MDA-MB-435S cells with 10 μM docetaxel. The datas indicate that the possible mechanisms of I K and I KATP inhibition by docetaxel may be responsible for its effect on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells.

  16. Oxime ether lipids containing hydroxylated head groups are more superior siRNA delivery agents than their nonhydroxylated counterparts.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Kshitij; Mattingly, Stephanie J; Knipp, Ralph J; Afonin, Kirill A; Viard, Mathias; Bergman, Joseph T; Stepler, Marissa; Nantz, Michael H; Puri, Anu; Shapiro, Bruce A

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the structure-activity relationship of oxime ether lipids (OELs) containing modifications in the hydrophobic domains (chain length, degree of unsaturation) and hydrophilic head groups (polar domain hydroxyl groups) toward complex formation with siRNA molecules and siRNA delivery efficiency of resulting complexes to a human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231). Ability of lipoplex formation between oxime ether lipids with nucleic acids were examined using biophysical techniques. The potential of OELs to deliver nucleic acids and silence green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was analyzed using MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231/GFP cells, respectively. Introduction of hydroxyl groups to the polar domain of the OELs and unsaturation into the hydrophobic domain favor higher transfection and gene silencing in a cell culture system.

  17. Real-time analysis of the carbohydrates on cell surfaces using a QCM biosensor: a lectin-based approach.

    PubMed

    Pei, Zhichao; Saint-Guirons, Julien; Käck, Camilla; Ingemarsson, Björn; Aastrup, Teodor

    2012-05-15

    A novel approach to the study of molecular interactions on the surface of mammalian cells using a QCM biosensor was developed. For this study, an epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A-431) and a breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MDA-MB-468) were immobilized onto polystyrene-coated quartz crystals. The binding and dissociation between the lectin Con A and the cells as well as the inhibition of the binding by monosaccharides were monitored in real time and provided an insight into the complex avidic recognition of cell glycoconjugates. The real-time lectin screening of a range of lectins, including Con A, DBA, PNA and UEA-I, enabled the accurate study of the glycosylation changes between cells, such as changes associated with cancer progression and development. Furthermore, the kinetic parameters of the interaction of Con A with MDA-MB-468 cells were studied. This application provides investigators in the field of glycobiology with a novel tool to study cell surface glycosylation and may also have impacts on drug discovery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Antioxidant Activity and ROS-Dependent Apoptotic Effect of Scurrula ferruginea (Jack) Danser Methanol Extract in Human Breast Cancer Cell MDA-MB-231

    PubMed Central

    Marvibaigi, Mohsen; Amini, Neda; Supriyanto, Eko; Abdul Majid, Fadzilah Adibah; Kumar Jaganathan, Saravana; Jamil, Shajarahtunnur; Hamzehalipour Almaki, Javad; Nasiri, Rozita

    2016-01-01

    Scurrula ferruginea (Jack) Danser is one of the mistletoe species belonging to Loranthaceae family, which grows on the branches of many deciduous trees in tropical countries. This study evaluated the antioxidant activities of S. ferruginea extracts. The cytotoxic activity of the selected extracts, which showed potent antioxidant activities, and high phenolic and flavonoid contents, were investigated in human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and non-cancer human skin fibroblast cells (HSF-1184). The activities and characteristics varied depending on the different parts of S. ferruginea, solvent polarity, and concentrations of extracts. The stem methanol extract showed the highest amount of both phenolic (273.51 ± 4.84 mg gallic acid/g extract) and flavonoid contents (163.41 ± 4.62 mg catechin/g extract) and strong DPPH• radical scavenging (IC50 = 27.81 μg/mL) and metal chelation activity (IC50 = 80.20 μg/mL). The stem aqueous extract showed the highest ABTS•+ scavenging ability. The stem methanol and aqueous extracts exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 cells with IC50 of 19.27 and 50.35 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the extracts inhibited the migration and colony formation of MDA-MB-231 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Morphological observations revealed hallmark properties of apoptosis in treated cells. The methanol extract induced an increase in ROS generation and mitochondrial depolarization in MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting its potent apoptotic activity. The present study demonstrated that the S. ferruginea methanol extract mediated MDA-MB-231 cell growth inhibition via induction of apoptosis which was confirmed by Western blot analysis. It may be a potential anticancer agent; however, its in vivo anticancer activity needs to be investigated. PMID:27410459

  19. Nutritional channels in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Godoy, Alejandro; Salazar, Katherine; Figueroa, Carlos; Smith, Gary J; de Los Angeles Garcia, Maria; Nualart, Francisco J

    2009-09-01

    Breast cancers increase glucose uptake by increasing expression of the facilitative glucose transporters (GLUTs), mainly GLUT1. However, little is known about the relationship between GLUT1 expression and malignant potential in breast cancer. In this study, expression and subcellular localization of GLUT1 was analysed in vivo in breast cancer tissue specimens with differing malignant potential, based on the Scarff-Bloom-Richardson (SBRI, II, III) histological grading system, and in vitro in the breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-468 and MCF-7, and in MDA-MB-468 cells grown as xenografts in nude athymic BALB/c male mice. In situ hybridization analyses demonstrated similar levels of GLUT1 mRNA expression in tissue sections from breast cancers of all histological grades. However, GLUT1 protein was expressed at higher levels in grade SBRII cancer, compared with SBRI and SBRIII, and associated with the expression of the proliferation marker PCNA. Immunolocalization analyses in SBRII cancers demonstrated a preferential localization of GLUT1 to the portions of the cellular membrane that faced neighbouring cells and formed 'canaliculi-like structures', that we hypothesize could have a potential role as 'nutritional channels'. A similar pattern of GLUT1 localization was observed in confluent cultures of MDA-MB-468 and MCF-7, and in MDA-MB-468 cells grown as xenografts, but not in the normal breast epithelial cell line HMEC. However, no relationship between GLUT1 expression and malignant potential of human breast cancer was observed. Preferential subcellular localization of GLUT1 could represent a physiological adaptation of a subset of breast cancer cells that form infiltrative tumours with a nodular growth pattern and that therefore need a major diffusion of glucose from blood vessels.

  20. [Overexpression of tumor metastasis suppressor gene 1 suppresses proliferation and invasion, but enhances apoptosis of human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 cells].

    PubMed

    Su, Jing; You, Jiang-feng; Wang, Jie-liang; Cui, Xiang-lin; Fang, Wei-gang; Zheng, Jie

    2007-10-01

    To investigate the effects of tumor metastasis suppressor gene 1 (TMSG-1) overexpression on the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of breast cancer cells and to determine possible correlations of TMSG-1 and metastasis of breast cancer. Full-length human TMSG-1 coding sequences were cloned into plasmid pcDNA3.0-FLAG. The recombinant plasmids constructs were transfeced into MDA-MB-231, a highly malignant breast cancer cell line. Parental, vector-only stable transfectant and TMSG-1 stable transfectant clones were tested by MTT, soft agar colony formation and Boyden chamber assays. At twenty-four hours and forty-eight hours post transient transfection, double staining with Annexin-V-FITC and PI were employed to distinguish apoptotic cells from living cells by flow cytometry analysis. Three TMSG-1 overexpression clones were selected. Compared with the control cells, TMSG-1 overexpression MDA-MB-231 cells showed strong inhibition of proliferation and decreased clonogenicity in soft agar (P<0.05). Transfection of TMSG-1 into MDA-MB-231 cells significantly suppressed the cell invasion ability in vitro (decreased numbers of cells trespassing the matrigel in three experiments: 72.3+/-8.1, 85.0+/-4.2, and 73.5+/-7.8) in comparison with nave cells without transfection (187.5+/-2.1) and cells transfected with the control vector (162.3+/-6.8) (P<0.01). Transient transfection of TMSG-1 into MDA-MB-231 cells could promote cell apoptosis at 24 and 48 hours after transfection (P<0.05). TMSG-1 protein may have multiple functions in the regulation of proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of metastatic breast cancer cells, likely as a metastasis suppressor gene.

  1. Integrated Proteomic and Transcriptomic-Based Approaches to Identifying Signature Biomarkers and Pathways for Elucidation of Daoy and UW228 Subtypes.

    PubMed

    Higdon, Roger; Kala, Jessie; Wilkins, Devan; Yan, Julia Fangfei; Sethi, Manveen K; Lin, Liang; Liu, Siqi; Montague, Elizabeth; Janko, Imre; Choiniere, John; Kolker, Natali; Hancock, William S; Kolker, Eugene; Fanayan, Susan

    2017-02-03

    Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Patient survival has remained largely the same for the past 20 years, with therapies causing significant health, cognitive, behavioral and developmental complications for those who survive the tumor. In this study, we profiled the total transcriptome and proteome of two established MB cell lines, Daoy and UW228, using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and label-free nano-LC-MS/MS-based quantitative proteomics, coupled with advanced pathway analysis. While Daoy has been suggested to belong to the sonic hedgehog (SHH) subtype, the exact UW228 subtype is not yet clearly established. Thus, a goal of this study was to identify protein markers and pathways that would help elucidate their subtype classification. A number of differentially expressed genes and proteins, including a number of adhesion, cytoskeletal and signaling molecules, were observed between the two cell lines. While several cancer-associated genes/proteins exhibited similar expression across the two cell lines, upregulation of a number of signature proteins and enrichment of key components of SHH and WNT signaling pathways were uniquely observed in Daoy and UW228, respectively. The novel information on differentially expressed genes/proteins and enriched pathways provide insights into the biology of MB, which could help elucidate their subtype classification.

  2. Carcinoma associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote breast cancer motility by suppressing mammalian Diaphanous-related formin-2 (mDia2).

    PubMed

    Dvorak, Kaitlyn M; Pettee, Krista M; Rubinic-Minotti, Kaitlin; Su, Robin; Nestor-Kalinoski, Andrea; Eisenmann, Kathryn M

    2018-01-01

    The tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis. An important step in the shift to a pro-cancerous microenvironment is the transformation of normal stromal fibroblasts to carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs are present in a majority of solid tumors and can directly promote tumor cell motility via cytokine, chemokine and growth factor secretion into the TME. The exact effects that the TME has upon cytoskeletal regulation in motile tumor cells remain enigmatic. The conserved formin family of cytoskeleton regulating proteins plays an essential role in the assembly and/or bundling of unbranched actin filaments. Mammalian Diaphanous-related formin 2 (mDia2/DIAPH3/Drf3/Dia) assembles a dynamic F-actin cytoskeleton that underlies tumor cell migration and invasion. We therefore sought to understand whether CAF-derived chemokines impact breast tumor cell motility through modification of the formin-assembled F-actin cytoskeleton. In MDA-MB-231 cells, conditioned media (CM) from WS19T CAFs, a human breast tumor-adjacent CAF line, significantly and robustly increased wound closure and invasion relative to normal human mammary fibroblast (HMF)-CM. WS19T-CM also promoted proteasome-mediated mDia2 degradation in MDA-MB-231 cells relative to control HMF-CM and WS21T CAF-CM, a breast CAF cell line that failed to promote robust MDA-MB-231 migration. Cytokine array analysis of CM identified up-regulated secreted factors in WS19T relative to control WS21T CM. We identified CXCL12 as a CM factor influencing loss of mDia2 protein while increasing MDA-MB-231 cell migration. Our data suggest a mechanism whereby CAFs promote tumor cell migration and invasion through CXCL12 secretion to regulate the mDia2-directed cytoskeleton in breast tumor cells.

  3. Regulation of intracellular pH in cancer cell lines under normoxia and hypoxia.

    PubMed

    Hulikova, Alzbeta; Harris, Adrian L; Vaughan-Jones, Richard D; Swietach, Pawel

    2013-04-01

    Acid-extrusion by active transport is important in metabolically active cancer cells, where it removes excess intracellular acid and sets the intracellular resting pH. Hypoxia is a major trigger of adaptive responses in cancer, but its effect on acid-extrusion remains unclear. We studied pH-regulation under normoxia and hypoxia in eight cancer cell-lines (HCT116, RT112, MDA-MB-468, MCF10A, HT29, HT1080, MiaPaca2, HeLa) using the pH-sensitive fluorophore, cSNARF-1. Hypoxia responses were triggered by pre-incubation in low O(2) or with the 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase inhibitor dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG). By selective pharmacological inhibition or transport-substrate removal, acid-extrusion flux was dissected into components due to Na(+)/H(+) exchange (NHE) and Na(+)-dependent HCO(3)(-) transport. In half of the cell-lines (HCT116, RT112, MDA-MB-468, MCF10A), acid-extrusion on NHE was the dominant flux during an acid load, and in all of these, bar one (MDA-MB-468), NHE-flux was reduced following hypoxic incubation. Further studies in HCT116 cells showed that <4-h hypoxic incubation reduced NHE-flux reversibly with a time-constant of 1-2 h. This was not associated with a change in expression of NHE1, the principal NHE isoform. Following 48-h hypoxia, inhibition of NHE-flux persisted but became only slowly reversible and associated with reduced expression of the glycosylated form of NHE1. Acid-extrusion by Na(+)-dependent HCO(3)(-) transport was hypoxia-insensitive and comparable in all cell lines. This constitutive and stable element of pH-regulation was found to be important for setting and stabilizing resting pH at a mildly alkaline level (conducive for growth), irrespective of oxygenation status. In contrast, the more variable flux on NHE underlies cell-specific differences in their dynamic response to larger acid loads. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Withaferin A induced impaired autophagy and unfolded protein response in human breast cancer cell-lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Kamalini; De, Soumasree; Mukherjee, Srimoyee; Das, Sayantani; Ghosh, Amar Nath; Sengupta, Sumita Bandyopadhyay

    2017-10-01

    The autophagy-lysosome pathway and the ubiquitin-proteasome systems are the two major routes for eukaryotic intracellular protein clearance. Cancerous cells often display elevated protein synthesis and byproduct disposal, thus, inhibition of the protein degradation pathways became an emerging approach for cancer therapy. The present study revealed that withaferin-A (WA), the biologically active withanolide derived from Withania somnifera, initially induced formation of autophagosomes in human breast cancer cell-lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. WA treatment elevated the levels of autophagic substrate p62/SQSTM1 (p62) and both LC3-II and LC3-I (microtubule-associated protein 2 light chain 3) and simultaneously reduced the upstream autophagy markers like beclin-1 and ATG5-ATG12 complex, which indicate accumulation of autophagosomes in the cells. WA induced disruption of microtubular network through inhibition of tubulin polymerization and its hyper-acetylation, thus prevent the formation of autolysosome (by merging of autophagosomes with lysosomes) and its recycling process, leading to incomplete autophagy. Further, WA caused ER (Endoplasmic Reticulum) stress, which is evident from the activation of ER-related caspase-4 and increased levels of ER stress marker proteins. Thus, these findings altogether indicate that WA mediated inhibition of proteasomal degradation system and perturbation of autophagy, i.e. suppression of both the intracellular degradation systems caused accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, which in turn led to unfolded protein response and ER stress mediated proteotoxicity in human breast cancer cell-lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. A NOVEL CELL LINE THAT STABLY EXPRESSES AN ANDROGEN RESPONSIVE LUCIFERASE REPORTER FOR THE DETECTION OF ANDROGEN RECEPTOR (AR) AGONIST AND ANTAGONISTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The use of in vitro assays to screen chemicals for estrogen receptor (ER) and AR mediated actions is being evaluated by the USEPA for use in a Tier I screening battery to detect endocrine active chemicals. We have developed a stable cell line, MDA-MB-453-KB2, for screening of and...

  6. A NOVEL CELL LINE THAT STABLY EXPRESSES AN ANDROGEN RESPONSIVE LUCIFERASE REPORTER FOR THE DETECTION OF ANDROGEN RECEPTOR (AR) AGONISTS AND ANTAGONISTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The use of in vitro assays to screen chemicals for estrogen receptor (ER) and AR mediated actions is being evaluated by the USEPA for use in a Tier I screening battery to detect endocrine active chemicals. We have developed a stable cell line, MDA-MB-453-KB2, for screening of and...

  7. Hepcidin as a possible marker in determination of malignancy degree and sensitivity of breast cancer cells to cytostatic drugs.

    PubMed

    Yalovenko, T M; Todor, I M; Lukianova, N Y; Chekhun, V F

    2016-06-01

    To investigate the role of hepcidin (Hepc) in the formation of cells malignant phenotype in vitro and its expression in the dyna-mics of growth of Walker-256 carcinosarcoma with different sensitivity to doxorubicin (Dox). The cell lines used in the analysis included T47D, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MCF/CP, and MCF/Dox. Hepc expression was studied by immunocytochemical method. "Free" iron content was determined by EPR spectroscopy. Determination of Hepc expression in homogenates of tumor tissue and in blood serum of rats with Dox-sensitive and -resistant Walker-256 carcinosarcoma was performed. It was found that Hepc levels in breast cancer (BC) cells with high degree of malignancy (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) and drug-resistant phenotype (MCF/CP, MCF/Dox) were by 1.5-2 times higher (p < 0.05) in comparison with sensitive and less malignant BC cells. The development of drug-resistant phenotype in Walker-256 carcinosarcoma cells was accompanied by increasing of Hepc and "free" iron content (by 2.4 and 1.2 times, respectively). The data of in vitro and in vivo research evidenced on involvement of Hepc in formation of BC cells malignant phenotype and their resistance to Dox.

  8. TASK-3 Downregulation Triggers Cellular Senescence and Growth Inhibition in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Zúñiga, Rafael; Valenzuela, Claudio; Concha, Guierdy; Brown, Nelson; Zúñiga, Leandro

    2018-03-29

    TASK-3 potassium channels are believed to promote proliferation and survival of cancer cells, in part, by augmenting their resistance to both hypoxia and serum deprivation. While overexpression of TASK-3 is frequently observed in cancers, the understanding of its role and regulation during tumorigenesis remains incomplete. Here, we evaluated the effect of reducing the expression of TASK-3 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10F human mammary epithelial cell lines through small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown. Our results show that knocking down TASK-3 in fully transformed MDA-MB-231 cells reduces proliferation, which was accompanied by an induction of cellular senescence and cell cycle arrest, with an upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors p21 and p27. In non-tumorigenic MCF-10F cells, however, TASK-3 downregulation did not lead to senescence induction, although cell proliferation was impaired and an upregulation of CDK inhibitors was also evident. Our observations implicate TASK-3 as a critical factor in cell cycle progression and corroborate its potential as a therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment.

  9. TASK-3 Downregulation Triggers Cellular Senescence and Growth Inhibition in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

    PubMed Central

    Zúñiga, Rafael; Valenzuela, Claudio; Concha, Guierdy; Brown, Nelson; Zúñiga, Leandro

    2018-01-01

    TASK-3 potassium channels are believed to promote proliferation and survival of cancer cells, in part, by augmenting their resistance to both hypoxia and serum deprivation. While overexpression of TASK-3 is frequently observed in cancers, the understanding of its role and regulation during tumorigenesis remains incomplete. Here, we evaluated the effect of reducing the expression of TASK-3 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10F human mammary epithelial cell lines through small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown. Our results show that knocking down TASK-3 in fully transformed MDA-MB-231 cells reduces proliferation, which was accompanied by an induction of cellular senescence and cell cycle arrest, with an upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors p21 and p27. In non-tumorigenic MCF-10F cells, however, TASK-3 downregulation did not lead to senescence induction, although cell proliferation was impaired and an upregulation of CDK inhibitors was also evident. Our observations implicate TASK-3 as a critical factor in cell cycle progression and corroborate its potential as a therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment. PMID:29596383

  10. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) -TrKB signaling modulates cancer-endothelial cells interaction and affects the outcomes of triple negative breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Tsai, Yi-Fang; Hsu, Chih-Yi; Yang, Muh-Hwa; Shyr, Yi-Ming

    2017-01-01

    Aims There is good evidence that the tumor microenvironment plays an important role in cancer metastasis and progression. Our previous studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) participates in the process of metastasis and in the migration of cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of BDNF on the tumor cell microenvironment, namely, the cancer cell-endothelial cell interaction of TNBC cells. Methods We conducted oligoneucleotide microarray analysis of potential biomarkers that are able to differentiate recurrent TNBC from non-recurrent TNBC. The MDA-MB-231 and human endothelial HUVEC lines were used for this study and our approaches included functional studies, such as migration assay, as well as Western blot and real-time PCR analysis of migration and angiogenic signaling. In addition, we analyzed the survival outcome of TNBC breast cancer patients according to their expression level of BDNF using clinical samples. Results The results demonstrated that BDNF was able to bring about autocrinal (MDA-MB-231) and paracrinal (HUVECs) regulation of BDNF-TrkB gene expression and this affected cell migratory activity. The BDNF-induced migratory activity was blocked by inhibitors of ERK, PI3K and TrkB when MDA-MB-231 cells were examined, but only an inhibitor of ERK blocked this activity when HUVEC cells were used. Furthermore, decreased migratory activity was found for △BDNF and △TrkB cell lines. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) of MDA-MB-231 cells showed that BDNF is a key factor that is able to regulate a network made up of metalloproteases and calmodulin. Protein expression levels in a tissue array of tumor slices were found to be correlated with patient prognosis and the results showed that there was significant correlation of TrkB expression, but not of BDNF. expressionwith patient DFS and OS. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that up-regulation of the BDNF signaling pathway seems tobe involved in the mechanism associated with early recurrence in triple negative breast cancer cell. In addition, BDNF can function in either an autocrine or a paracrine manner to increase the migration ability of both MDA-MB-231 cells and HUVEC cells. Finally, overexpression of TrkB, but not of BDNF, is significantly associated with a poor survival outcome for TNBC patients. PMID:28604807

  11. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) -TrKB signaling modulates cancer-endothelial cells interaction and affects the outcomes of triple negative breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Yi-Fang; Tseng, Ling-Ming; Hsu, Chih-Yi; Yang, Muh-Hwa; Chiu, Jen-Hwey; Shyr, Yi-Ming

    2017-01-01

    There is good evidence that the tumor microenvironment plays an important role in cancer metastasis and progression. Our previous studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) participates in the process of metastasis and in the migration of cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of BDNF on the tumor cell microenvironment, namely, the cancer cell-endothelial cell interaction of TNBC cells. We conducted oligoneucleotide microarray analysis of potential biomarkers that are able to differentiate recurrent TNBC from non-recurrent TNBC. The MDA-MB-231 and human endothelial HUVEC lines were used for this study and our approaches included functional studies, such as migration assay, as well as Western blot and real-time PCR analysis of migration and angiogenic signaling. In addition, we analyzed the survival outcome of TNBC breast cancer patients according to their expression level of BDNF using clinical samples. The results demonstrated that BDNF was able to bring about autocrinal (MDA-MB-231) and paracrinal (HUVECs) regulation of BDNF-TrkB gene expression and this affected cell migratory activity. The BDNF-induced migratory activity was blocked by inhibitors of ERK, PI3K and TrkB when MDA-MB-231 cells were examined, but only an inhibitor of ERK blocked this activity when HUVEC cells were used. Furthermore, decreased migratory activity was found for △BDNF and △TrkB cell lines. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) of MDA-MB-231 cells showed that BDNF is a key factor that is able to regulate a network made up of metalloproteases and calmodulin. Protein expression levels in a tissue array of tumor slices were found to be correlated with patient prognosis and the results showed that there was significant correlation of TrkB expression, but not of BDNF. expressionwith patient DFS and OS. Our study demonstrates that up-regulation of the BDNF signaling pathway seems tobe involved in the mechanism associated with early recurrence in triple negative breast cancer cell. In addition, BDNF can function in either an autocrine or a paracrine manner to increase the migration ability of both MDA-MB-231 cells and HUVEC cells. Finally, overexpression of TrkB, but not of BDNF, is significantly associated with a poor survival outcome for TNBC patients.

  12. Gomisin G Inhibits the Growth of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells by Suppressing AKT Phosphorylation and Decreasing Cyclin D1.

    PubMed

    Maharjan, Sony; Park, Byoung Kwon; Lee, Su In; Lim, Yoonho; Lee, Keunwook; Kwon, Hyung-Joo

    2018-05-01

    A type of breast cancer with a defect in three molecular markers such as the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor is called triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Many patients with TNBC have a lower survival rate than patients with other types due to a poor prognosis. In this study, we confirmed the anti-cancer effect of a natural compound, Gomisin G, in TNBC cancer cells. Treatment with Gomisin G suppressed the viability of two TNBC cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 but not non-TNBC cell lines such as MCF-7, T47D, and ZR75-1. To investigate the molecular mechanism of this activity, we examined the signal transduction pathways after treatment with Gomisin G in MDA-MB-231 cells. Gomisin G did not induce apoptosis but drastically inhibited AKT phosphorylation and reduced the amount of retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (Rb) and phosphorylated Rb. Gomisin G induced in a proteasome-dependent manner a decrease in Cyclin D1. Consequently, Gomisin G causes cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. In contrast, there was no significant change in T47D cells except for a mild decrease in AKT phosphorylation. These results show that Gomisin G has an anti-cancer activity by suppressing proliferation rather than inducing apoptosis in TNBC cells. Our study suggests that Gomisin G could be used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of TNBC patients.

  13. Cytotoxicity of different extracts of arial parts of Ziziphus spina-christi on Hela and MDA-MB-468 tumor cells

    PubMed Central

    Jafarian, Abbas; Zolfaghari, Behzad; Shirani, Kobra

    2014-01-01

    Background: It has been shown that plants from the family Rhamnaceae possess anticancer activity. In this study, we sought to determine if Ziziphus spina-christi, a species from this family, has cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: Using maceration method, different extracts of leaves of Z. spina-christi were prepared. Hexane, chloroform, chloroform-methanol (9:1), methanol-water (7:1) methanol, butanol and water were used for extraction, after preliminary phytochemical analyses were done. The cytotoxic activity of the extracts against Hela and MDA-MB-468 tumor cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Briefly, cells were seeded in microplates and different concentrations of extracts were added. After incubation of cells for 72 h, their viability was evaluated by addition of tetrazolium salt solution. After 3 h medium was aspirated, dimethyl sulfoxide was added and absorbance was determined at 540 nm with an ELISA plate reader. Extracts were considered cytotoxic when more than 50% reduction on cell survival was observed. Results: Hexane, chloroform, chloroform-methanol, butanol, methanol-water and aqueous extracts of Z. spina-christi significantly and concentration-dependently reduced viability of Hela and MAD-MB-468 cells. In the both cell lines, chloroform-methanol extract of Z. spina-christi was more potent than the other extracts. Results: From the finding of this study it can be concluded that Z. spina-christi is a good candidate for further study for new cytotoxic agents. PMID:24627846

  14. Inhibitory Effect of Ginseng on Breast Cancer Cell Line Growth Via Up-Regulation of Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor, p21 and p53

    PubMed

    AL Shabanah, Othman A; Alotaibi, Moureq rashed; Al Rejaie, Salim S; Alhoshani, Ali R; Almutairi, Mashal M; Alshammari, Musaad A; Hafez, Mohamed M

    2016-11-01

    Objective: Breast cancer is global female health problem worldwide. Most of the currently used agents for breast cancer treatment have toxic side-effects. Ginseng root, an oriental medicine, has many health benefits and may exhibit direct anti-cancer properties. This study was performed to assess the effects of ginseng on breast cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity of ginseng extract was measured by MTT assay after exposure of MDA-MB-231, MCF-10A and MCF-7 breast cancer cells to concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 mg/well. Expression levels of p21WAF, p16INK4A, Bcl-2, Bax and P53 genes were analyzed by quantitative real time PCR. Results: The treatment resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation in a dose-and time-dependent manner. p53, p21WAF1and p16INK4A expression levels were up-regulated in ginseng treated MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cancer cells compared to untreated controls and in MCF-10A cells. The expression levels of Bcl2 in the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells were down-regulated. In contrast, that of Bax was significantly up-regulated. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that ginseng may inhibit breast cancer cell growth by activation of the apoptotic pathway. Creative Commons Attribution License

  15. Simultaneous Inhibition of EGFR and PI3K Enhances Radiosensitivity in Human Breast Cancer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li Ping; Zhang Qing; Torossian, Artour

    2012-07-01

    Purpose: Mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling transduction pathway are common in cancer. This pathway is imperative to the radiosensitivity of cancer cells. We aimed to investigate the radiosensitizing effects of the simultaneous inhibition of EGFR and PI3K in breast cancer cells. Methods and Materials: MCF-7 cell lines with low expression of EGFR and wild-type PTEN and MDA-MB-468 cell lines with high expression of EGFR and mutant PTEN were used. The radiosensitizing effects by the inhibition of EGFR with AG1478 and/or PI3K with Ly294002 were determined by colony formation assay, Western blot was used tomore » investigate the effects on downstream signaling. Flow cytometry was used for apoptosis and cell cycle analysis. Mice-bearing xenografts of MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells were also used to observe the radiosensitizing effect. Results: Simultaneous inhibition of EGFR and PI3K greatly enhanced radiosensitizing effect in MDA-MB-468 in terms of apoptosis and mitotic death, either inhibition of EGFR or PI3K alone could enhance radiosensitivity with a dose-modifying factor (DMF{sub SF2}) of 1.311 and 1.437, radiosensitizing effect was further enhanced by simultaneous inhibition of EGFR and PI3K with a DMF{sub SF2} at 2.698. DNA flow cytometric analysis indicated that dual inhibition combined with irradiation significantly induced G0/G1 phase arrest in MDA-MB-468 cells. The expression of phosphor-Akt and phosphor-Erk1/2 (induced by irradiation and PI3K inhibitor) were fully attenuated by simultaneous treatment with both inhibitors in combination with irradiation. In addition, dual inhibition combined with irradiation induced dramatic tumor growth delay in MDA-MB-468 xenografts. Conclusions: Our study indicated that simultaneous inhibition of EGFR and PI3K could further sensitize the cancer cells to irradiation compared to the single inhibitor with irradiation in vitro and in vivo. The approach may have important therapeutic implication in the treatment of a subset of breast cancer patients with high expression of EGFR and deficient function of PTEN.« less

  16. Neuroligin 4X overexpression in human breast cancer is associated with poor relapse-free survival.

    PubMed

    Henderson, Henry J; Karanam, Balasubramanyam; Samant, Rajeev; Vig, Komal; Singh, Shree R; Yates, Clayton; Bedi, Deepa

    2017-01-01

    The molecular mechanisms involved in breast cancer progression and metastasis still remain unclear to date. It is a heterogeneous disease featuring several different phenotypes with consistently different biological characteristics. Neuroligins are neural cell adhesion molecules that have been implicated in heterotopic cell adhesion. In humans, alterations in neuroligin genes are implicated in autism and other cognitive diseases. Until recently, neuroligins have been shown to be abundantly expressed in blood vessels and also play a role implicated in the growth of glioma cells. Here we report increased expression of neuroligin 4X (NLGN4X) in breast cancer. We found NLGN4X was abundantly expressed in breast cancer tissues. NLGN4X expression data for all breast cancer cell lines in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) was analyzed. Correlation between NLGN4X levels and clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed within Oncomine datasets. Evaluation of these bioinfomatic datasets results revealed that NLGN4X expression was higher in triple negative breast cancer cells, particularly the basal subtype and tissues versus non-triple-negative sets. Its level was also observed to be higher in metastatic tissues. RT-PCR, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence study of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells validated that NLGN4X was increased in MDA-MB-231. Knockdown of NLGN4X expression by siRNA decreased cell proliferation and migration significantly in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. NLGN4X knockdown in MDA-MB-231 cells resulted in induction of apoptosis as determined by annexin staining, elevated caspase 3/7 and cleaved PARP by flow cytometry. High NLGN4X expression highly correlated with decrease in relapse free-survival in TNBC. NLGN4X might represent novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Inhibition of NLGN4X may be a new target for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

  17. The role of lipid droplets and adipocytes in cancer. Raman imaging of cell cultures: MCF10A, MCF7, and MDA-MB-231 compared to adipocytes in cancerous human breast tissue.

    PubMed

    Abramczyk, Halina; Surmacki, Jakub; Kopeć, Monika; Olejnik, Alicja Klaudia; Lubecka-Pietruszewska, Katarzyna; Fabianowska-Majewska, Krystyna

    2015-04-07

    We have studied live non-malignant (MCF10A), mildly malignant (MCF7) and malignant (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells and human breast cancer tissue. We demonstrate the first application of Raman imaging and spectroscopy in diagnosing the role of lipid droplets in cell line cultures that closely mimic an in vivo environment of various stages in human breast cancer tissue. We have analyzed the composition of the lipid droplets in non-malignant and malignant human breast epithelial cell lines and discussed the potential of lipid droplets as a prognostic marker in breast cancer. To identify any difference in the lipid droplet-associated biochemistry and to correlate it with different stages of breast cancer, the PCA method was employed. The chemical composition of lipids and proteins, both in the cell line models and in human breast tissue has been analyzed. The paper shows the alterations in lipid metabolism that have been reported in cancer, at both the cellular and tissue levels, and discusses how they contribute to the different aspects of tumourigenesis.

  18. Strong fascin expression promotes metastasis independent of its F-actin bundling activity.

    PubMed

    Heinz, Lisa S; Muhs, Stefanie; Schiewek, Johanna; Grüb, Saskia; Nalaskowski, Marcus; Lin, Yuan-Na; Wikman, Harriet; Oliveira-Ferrer, Leticia; Lange, Tobias; Wellbrock, Jasmin; Konietzny, Anja; Mikhaylova, Marina; Windhorst, Sabine

    2017-12-15

    High expression of the actin bundling protein Fascin increases the malignancy of tumor cells. Here we show that fascin expression is up-regulated in more malignant sub-cell lines of MDA-MB-231 cells as compared to parental cells. Since also parental MDA-MB-231 cells exhibit high fascin levels, increased fascin expression was termed as "hyperexpression". To examine the effect of fascin hyperexpression, fascin was hyperexpressed in parental MDA-MB-231 cells and metastasis was analyzed in NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice. In addition, the effect of fascin mutants with inactive or constitutively active actin bundling activity was examined. Unexpectedly, we found that hyperexpression of both, wildtype (wt) and mutant fascin strongly increased metastasis in vivo , showing that the effect of fascin hyperexpression did not depend on its actin bundling activity. Cellular assays revealed that hyperexpression of wt and mutant fascin increased adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cells while transmigration and proliferation were not affected. Since it has been shown that fascin controls adhesion by directly interacting with microtubules ( MTs), we analyzed if fascin hyperexpression affects MT dynamics. We found that at high concentrations fascin significantly increased MT dynamics in cells and in cell-free approaches. In summary our data show that strong expression of fascin in breast cancer cells increases metastasis independent of its actin bundling activity. Thus, it seems that the mechanism of fascin-stimulated metastasis depends on its concentration.

  19. Estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of Zoledronic acid in hormone sensitive breast cancer cells in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Weingartshofer, Sigrid; Grunt, Thomas W.; Mairhofer, Mario; Tan, Yen; Gamper, Jutta; Singer, Christian F.

    2017-01-01

    Background Zoledronic acid (ZA) has antiresorptive effects and protects from bone metastasis in women with early breast cancer. In addition, in postmenopausal women with endocrine responsive breast cancer ZA prolongs DFS. The exact mechanism is still unclear. We have therefore investigated the effect of increasing concentrations of ZA in breast cancer cell lines in the absence or presence of estradiol to mimic the hormonal environment in vitro. Materials and methods Using assays for cell proliferation (EZ4U, BrdU) and cell death (Annexin/PI), we have analyzed the dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of ZA in two hormone sensitive cell lines (MCF-7 and T47D) and a hormone insensitive, triple negative cell line (MDA-MB-231) in the presence of 0, 1 and 10 nM estradiol. Results In the absence of estradiol, ZA exerts dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic antitumor effects in both, hormone sensitive (MCF-7, T47D) and -insensitive (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines (p<0.0001). In the presence of estradiol, the antitumoral effect of ZA was significantly decreased only in the hormone sensitive MCF-7 and T47D cell lines (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.0008, respectively). Conclusion We have demonstrated that estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of ZA in hormone sensitive, but not in hormone insensitive breast cancer cell lines. Our findings provide a possible explanation for the differential effect of ZA on DFS in pre- and postmenopausal patients with hormone sensitive early breast cancer, which has been demonstrated clinically. We further hypothesize that endocrine insensitive tumors such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) should benefit from ZA irrespective of their menopausal status. PMID:28945801

  20. Estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of Zoledronic acid in hormone sensitive breast cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Gschwantler-Kaulich, Daphne; Weingartshofer, Sigrid; Grunt, Thomas W; Mairhofer, Mario; Tan, Yen; Gamper, Jutta; Singer, Christian F

    2017-01-01

    Zoledronic acid (ZA) has antiresorptive effects and protects from bone metastasis in women with early breast cancer. In addition, in postmenopausal women with endocrine responsive breast cancer ZA prolongs DFS. The exact mechanism is still unclear. We have therefore investigated the effect of increasing concentrations of ZA in breast cancer cell lines in the absence or presence of estradiol to mimic the hormonal environment in vitro. Using assays for cell proliferation (EZ4U, BrdU) and cell death (Annexin/PI), we have analyzed the dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of ZA in two hormone sensitive cell lines (MCF-7 and T47D) and a hormone insensitive, triple negative cell line (MDA-MB-231) in the presence of 0, 1 and 10 nM estradiol. In the absence of estradiol, ZA exerts dose-dependent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic antitumor effects in both, hormone sensitive (MCF-7, T47D) and -insensitive (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines (p<0.0001). In the presence of estradiol, the antitumoral effect of ZA was significantly decreased only in the hormone sensitive MCF-7 and T47D cell lines (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.0008, respectively). We have demonstrated that estradiol impairs the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect of ZA in hormone sensitive, but not in hormone insensitive breast cancer cell lines. Our findings provide a possible explanation for the differential effect of ZA on DFS in pre- and postmenopausal patients with hormone sensitive early breast cancer, which has been demonstrated clinically. We further hypothesize that endocrine insensitive tumors such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) should benefit from ZA irrespective of their menopausal status.

  1. Cancer stem cells CD133 inhibition and cytotoxicity of certain 3-phenylthiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazoles: design, direct synthesis, crystal study and in vitro biological evaluation.

    PubMed

    Al-Ansary, Ghada H; Eldehna, Wagdy M; Ghabbour, Hazem A; Al-Rashood, Sara T A; Al-Rashood, Khalid A; Eladwy, Radwa A; Al-Dhfyan, Abdullah; Kabil, Maha M; Abdel-Aziz, Hatem A

    2017-12-01

    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been objects of intensive study since their identification in 1994. Adopting a structural rigidification approach, a novel series of 3-phenylthiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazoles 4a-d was designed and synthesised, in an attempt to develop potent anticancer agent that can target the bulk of tumour cells and CSCs. The anti-proliferative activity of the synthesised compounds was evaluated against two cell lines, namely; colon cancer HT-29 and triple negative breast cancer MDA-MB-468 cell lines. Also, their inhibitory activity against the cell surface expression of CD133 was examined. In particular, compound 4b emerged as a promising hit molecule as it manifested good antineoplastic potency against both tested cell lines (IC 50  = 9 and 12 μM, respectively), beside its ability to inhibit the cell surface expression of CD133 by 50% suggesting a promising potential of effectively controlling the tumour by eradicating the tumour bulk and inhibiting the proliferation of the CSCs. Moreover, compounds 4a and 4c showed moderate activity against HT-29 (IC 50  = 21 and 29 μM, respectively) and MDA-MB-468 (IC 50  = 23 and 24 μM, respectively) cell lines, while they inhibited the CD133 expression by 14% and 48%, respectively. Finally, a single crystal X-ray diffraction was recorded for compound 4d.

  2. Activation of autophagy by stress-activated signals as a cellular self-defense mechanism against the cytotoxic effects of MBIC in human breast cancer cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Hasanpourghadi, Mohadeseh; Majid, Nazia Abdul; Mustafa, Mohd Rais

    2018-06-01

    We recently reported that methyl 2-(-5-fluoro-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylate (MBIC) is a microtubule targeting agent (MTA) with multiple mechanisms of action including apoptosis in two human breast cancer cell-lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. In the present study, investigation of early molecular events following MBIC treatment demonstrated the induction of autophagy. This early (<24 h) response to MBIC was characterized by accumulation of autophagy markers; LC3-II, Beclin1, autophagic proteins (ATGs) and collection of autophagosomes but with different variations in the two cell-lines. MBIC-induced autophagy was associated with generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In parallel, an increased activation of SAPK/JNK pathway was detected, as an intersection of ROS production and induction of autophagy. The cytotoxic effect of MBIC was enhanced by inhibition of autophagy through blockage of SAPK/JNK signaling, suggesting that MBIC-induced autophagy, is a possible cellular self-defense mechanism against toxicity of this agent in both breast cancer cell-lines. The present findings suggest that inhibition of autophagy eliminates the cytoprotective activity of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, and sensitizes both the aggressive and non-aggressive human breast cancer cell-lines to the cytotoxic effects of MBIC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Synthesis of fluorescent dye-doped silica nanoparticles for target-cell-specific delivery and intracellular microRNA imaging.

    PubMed

    Li, Henan; Mu, Yawen; Qian, Shanshan; Lu, Jusheng; Wan, Yakun; Fu, Guodong; Liu, Songqin

    2015-01-21

    MicroRNA (miRNA) is found to be up-regulated in many kinds of cancer and therefore is classified as an oncomiR. Herein, we design a multifunctional fluorescent nanoprobe (FSiNP-AS/MB) with the AS1411 aptamer and a molecular beacon (MB) co-immobilized on the surface of the fluorescent dye-doped silica nanoparticles (FSiNPs) for target-cell-specific delivery and intracellular miRNA imaging. The FSiNPs were prepared by a facile reverse microemulsion method from tetraethoxysilane and silane derivatized coumarin that was previously synthesized by click chemistry. The as-prepared FSiNPs possess uniform size distribution, good optical stability and biocompatibility. In addition, there is a remarkable affinity interaction between the AS1411 aptamer and the nucleolin protein on the cancer cell surface. Thus, a target-cell-specific delivery system by the FSiNP-AS/MB is proposed for effectively transferring a MB into the cancer cells to recognize the target miRNA. Using miRNA-21 in MCF-7 cells (a human breast cancer cell line) as a model, the proposed multifunctional nanosystems not only allow target-cell-specific delivery with the binding affinity of AS1411, but also can track simultaneously the transfected cells and detect intracellular miRNA in situ. The proposed multifunctional nanosystems are a promising platform for a highly sensitive luminescent nonviral vector in biomedical and clinical research.

  4. Oxime ether lipids containing hydroxylated head groups are more superior siRNA delivery agents than their nonhydroxylated counterparts

    PubMed Central

    Gupta, Kshitij; Mattingly, Stephanie J; Knipp, Ralph J; Afonin, Kirill A; Viard, Mathias; Bergman, Joseph T; Stepler, Marissa; Nantz, Michael H; Puri, Anu; Shapiro, Bruce A

    2015-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate the structure–activity relationship of oxime ether lipids (OELs) containing modifications in the hydrophobic domains (chain length, degree of unsaturation) and hydrophilic head groups (polar domain hydroxyl groups) toward complex formation with siRNA molecules and siRNA delivery efficiency of resulting complexes to a human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231). Materials & methods: Ability of lipoplex formation between oxime ether lipids with nucleic acids were examined using biophysical techniques. The potential of OELs to deliver nucleic acids and silence green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was analyzed using MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231/GFP cells, respectively. Results & conclusion: Introduction of hydroxyl groups to the polar domain of the OELs and unsaturation into the hydrophobic domain favor higher transfection and gene silencing in a cell culture system. PMID:26107486

  5. Development of NIST standard reference material 2373: Genomic DNA standards for HER2 measurements.

    PubMed

    He, Hua-Jun; Almeida, Jamie L; Lund, Steve P; Steffen, Carolyn R; Choquette, Steve; Cole, Kenneth D

    2016-06-01

    NIST standard reference material (SRM) 2373 was developed to improve the measurements of the HER2 gene amplification in DNA samples. SRM 2373 consists of genomic DNA extracted from five breast cancer cell lines with different amounts of amplification of the HER2 gene. The five components are derived from the human cell lines SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-361, MDA-MB-453, and BT-474. The certified values are the ratios of the HER2 gene copy numbers to the copy numbers of selected reference genes DCK, EIF5B, RPS27A, and PMM1. The ratios were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and digital PCR, methods that gave similar ratios. The five components of SRM 2373 have certified HER2 amplification ratios that range from 1.3 to 17.7. The stability and homogeneity of the reference materials were shown by repeated measurements over a period of several years. SRM 2373 is a well characterized genomic DNA reference material that can be used to improve the confidence of the measurements of HER2 gene copy number.

  6. Inhibition of SIRT1 by a small molecule induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Kalle, Arunasree M; Mallika, A; Badiger, Jayasree; Alinakhi; Talukdar, Pinaki; Sachchidanand

    2010-10-08

    Overexpression of SIRT1, a NAD+-dependent class III histone deacetylases (HDACs), is implicated in many cancers and therefore could become a promising antitumor target. Here we demonstrate a small molecule SIRT1 inhibitor, ILS-JGB-1741(JGB1741) with potent inhibitory effects on the proliferation of human metastatic breast cancer cells, MDA-MB 231. The molecule has been designed using medicinal chemistry approach based on known SIRT1 inhibitor, sirtinol. The molecule showed a significant inhibition of SIRT1 activity compared to sirtinol. Studies on the antitumor effects of JGB on three different cancer cell lines, K562, HepG2 and MDA-MB 231 showed an IC₅₀ of 1, 10 and 0.5 μM, respectively. Further studies on MDA-MB 231 cells showed a dose-dependent increase in K9 and K382 acetylation of H3 and p53, respectively. Results also demonstrated that JGB1741-induced apoptosis is associated with increase in cytochrome c release, modulation in Bax/Bcl2 ratio and cleavage of PARP. Flowcytometric analysis showed increased percentage of apoptotic cells, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and increase in multicaspase activation. In conclusion, the present study indicates the potent apoptotic effects of JGB1741 in MDA-MB 231 cells. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Ecto-5’-Nucleotidase Overexpression Reduces Tumor Growth in a Xenograph Medulloblastoma Model

    PubMed Central

    Cappellari, Angélica R.; Pillat, Micheli M.; Souza, Hellio D. N.; Dietrich, Fabrícia; Oliveira, Francine H.; Figueiró, Fabrício; Abujamra, Ana L.; Roesler, Rafael; Lecka, Joanna; Sévigny, Jean; Battastini, Ana Maria O.; Ulrich, Henning

    2015-01-01

    Background Ecto-5’-nucleotidase/CD73 (ecto-5’-NT) participates in extracellular ATP catabolism by converting adenosine monophosphate (AMP) into adenosine. This enzyme affects the progression and invasiveness of different tumors. Furthermore, the expression of ecto-5’-NT has also been suggested as a favorable prognostic marker, attributing to this enzyme contradictory functions in cancer. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common brain tumor of the cerebellum and affects mainly children. Materials and Methods The effects of ecto-5’-NT overexpression on human MB tumor growth were studied in an in vivo model. Balb/c immunodeficient (nude) 6 to 14-week-old mice were used for dorsal subcutaneous xenograph tumor implant. Tumor development was evaluated by pathophysiological analysis. In addition, the expression patterns of adenosine receptors were verified. Results The human MB cell line D283, transfected with ecto-5’-NT (D283hCD73), revealed reduced tumor growth compared to the original cell line transfected with an empty vector. D283hCD73 generated tumors with a reduced proliferative index, lower vascularization, the presence of differentiated cells and increased active caspase-3 expression. Prominent A1 adenosine receptor expression rates were detected in MB cells overexpressing ecto-5’-NT. Conclusion This work suggests that ecto-5’-NT promotes reduced tumor growth to reduce cell proliferation and vascularization, promote higher differentiation rates and initiate apoptosis, supposedly by accumulating adenosine, which then acts through A1 adenosine receptors. Therefore, ecto-5’-NT might be considered an important prognostic marker, being associated with good prognosis and used as a potential target for therapy. PMID:26491983

  8. Correlation between erythropoietin receptor(s) and estrogen and progesterone receptor expression in different breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Trošt, Nina; Hevir, Neli; Rižner, Tea Lanišnik; Debeljak, Nataša

    2013-03-01

    Erythropoietin (EPO) receptor (EPOR) expression in breast cancer has been shown to correlate with the expression of estrogen receptor (ESR) and progesterone receptor (PGR) and to be associated with the response to tamoxifen in ESR+/PGR+ tumors but not in ESR- tumors. In addition, the correlation between EPOR and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 [GPER; also known as G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30)] has been reported, suggesting the prognostic potential of EPOR expression. Moreover, the involvement of colony stimulating factor 2 receptor, β, low‑affinity (CSF2RB) and ephrin type-B receptor 4 (EPHB4) as EPOR potential receptor partners in cancer has been indicated. This study analyzed the correlation between the expression of genes for EPO, EPOR, CSF2RB, EPHB4, ESR, PGR and GPER in the MCF-7, MDA-MB-361, T-47D, MDA-MB-231, Hs578Bst, SKBR3, MCF-10A and Hs578T cell lines. The cell lines were also treated with recombinant human EPO (rHuEPO) in order to determine its ability to activate the Jak/STAT5, MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways and modify cell growth characteristics. Expression analysis stratified the cell lines in 2 main clusters, hormone-dependent cell lines expressing ESR and PGR and a hormone-independent cluster. A significant correlation was observed between the expression levels of ESR and PGR and their expression was also associated with that of GPER. Furthermore, the expression of GPER was associated with that of EPOR, suggesting the connection between this orphan G protein and EPO signaling. A negative correlation between EPOR and CSF2RB expression was observed, questioning the involvement of these two receptors in the hetero-receptor formation. rHuEPO treatment only influenced the hormone-independent cell lines, since only the MDA-MB-231, SKBR3 and Hs578T cells responded to the treatment. The correlation between the expression of the analyzed receptors suggests that the receptors may interact in order to activate signaling pathways or to evade their inhibition. Therefore, breast cancer classification upon ESR, PGR and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) may not be sufficient for the selection of suitable treatment protocol. The expression of EPOR, GPER and EPHB4 may be considered as additional classification factors.

  9. A Cyclin D2-derived peptide acts on specific cell cycle phases by activating ERK1/2 to cause the death of breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Russo, Lilian C; Araujo, Christiane B; Iwai, Leo K; Ferro, Emer S; Forti, Fabio L

    2017-01-16

    Protein degradation by the proteasome generates functional intracellular peptides. Pep5, a peptide derived from Cyclin D2, induces cell death in tumor cell lines and reduces the volume of rat C6 glioblastoma tumors in vivo. Here, we chose the human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to evaluate the mechanism of cell death induced by pep5 in different phases of the cell cycle. Fluorescently labeled pep5, monitored by real time confocal microscopy, entered the MDA-MB-231 cells 3min after application and localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm. Pep5-induced cell death was increased when the MDA-MB-231 cell population was arrested at the G1/S transition or in S phase compared to asynchronous cells. Pep5 induced permanent extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) phosphorylation in MDA-MB-231 cells synchronized in G1/S or S phase. Affinity chromatography followed by mass spectrometry identified CLIC1 and Plectin as the only two proteins that interacted with pep5 in both asynchronous and synchronized MDA-MB-231 cells. These interactions could explain the long-lasting ERK1/2 phosphorylation and the cytoskeleton perturbations in the MDA-MB-231 cells, in which the stress fibers' integrity is affected by pep5 treatments. These data suggest that pep5 has potential therapeutic properties for treating specific types of cancers, such as breast cancer cells. Pep5, a natural intracellular peptide formed by the degradation of Cyclin D2 through the ubiquitin-proteasome system, induces cell death when reintroduced into MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, which express low levels of Cyclin D2, specifically in G1/S arrested cells or in cells that are passing through S phase. Under these conditions, pep5 is able to interact with different intracellular proteins, primarily cytoskeleton and proteasome components, which can lead to cellular apoptosis. Together, our data suggest that pep5 is an intracellular peptide with therapeutic potential for treating specific types of tumors with low expression of Cyclin D2 by inhibiting cell proliferation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Quinazolinones-Phenylquinoxaline hybrids with unsaturation/saturation linkers as novel anti-proliferative agents.

    PubMed

    Palem, Jyothsna Devi; Alugubelli, Gopi Reddy; Bantu, Rajashaker; Nagarapu, Lingaiah; Polepalli, Sowjanya; Jain, S Nishanth; Bathini, Raju; Manga, Vijjulatha

    2016-07-01

    A new series of novel quinazolinones with allylphenyl quinoxaline hybrids 9a-n were efficiently synthesized in good yields by the reaction of 3-allyl-2-methylquinazolin-4(3H)-one (5a-n) with bromophenyl)quinoxaline (8) utilizing Pd catalyzed Heck-cross coupling and evaluated for anti-proliferative activity against four cancer cell lines such as HeLa (cervical), MIAPACA (pancreatic), MDA-MB-231 (breast) and IMR32 (neuroblastoma). Compounds 9a, 9e, 9g and 9h exhibited promising anti-proliferative activity with GI50 values ranging from 0.06 to 0.2μM against four cell lines, while compounds 9e and 9k showed significant activity against HeLa and MIAPACA cell lines and compounds 9b, 9d, 9h and 9j showed selective potency against IMR32 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. This is the first report on the synthesis and in vitro anti-proliferative evaluation of E-2-(4-substituted)-3-(3-(4-(quinoxalin-2-yl)phenyl)allyl)quinazolin-4(3H)-ones (9a-n). Docking results indicate a sign of good correlation between experimental activity and calculated binding affinity (dock score), suggesting that these compounds could act as promising DNA intercalates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Anti-Metastatic and Anti-Tumor Growth Effects of Origanum majorana on Highly Metastatic Human Breast Cancer Cells: Inhibition of NFκB Signaling and Reduction of Nitric Oxide Production

    PubMed Central

    Al Dhaheri, Yusra; Attoub, Samir; Arafat, Kholoud; AbuQamar, Synan; Viallet, Jean; Saleh, Alaaeldin; Al Agha, Hala; Eid, Ali; Iratni, Rabah

    2013-01-01

    Background We have recently reported that Origanum majorana exhibits anticancer activity by promoting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of the metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Here, we extended our study by investigating the effect of O . majorana on the migration, invasion and tumor growth of these cells. Results We demonstrate that non-cytotoxic concentrations of O . majorana significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of the MDA-MB-231 cells as shown by wound-healing and matrigel invasion assays. We also show that O . majorana induce homotypic aggregation of MDA-MB-231 associated with an upregulation of E-cadherin protein and promoter activity. Furthermore, we show that O . majorana decrease the adhesion of MDA-MB-231 to HUVECs and inhibits transendothelial migration of MDA-MB-231 through TNF-α-activated HUVECs. Gelatin zymography assay shows that O . majorana suppresses the activities of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9). ELISA, RT-PCR and Western blot results revealed that O . majorana decreases the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), ICAM-1 and VEGF. Further investigation revealed that O . majorana suppresses the phosphorylation of IκB, downregulates the nuclear level of NFκB and reduces Nitric Oxide (NO) production in MDA-MB-231 cells. Most importantly, by using chick embryo tumor growth assay, we also show that O . majorana promotes inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Conclusion Our findings identify Origanum majorana as a promising chemopreventive and therapeutic candidate that modulate breast cancer growth and metastasis. PMID:23874773

  12. Physalis angulata induced G2/M phase arrest in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Wen-Tsong; Huang, Kuan-Yuh; Lin, Hui-Yi; Chung, Jing-Gung

    2006-07-01

    Physalis angulata (PA) is employed in herbal medicine around the world. It is used to treat diabetes, hepatitis, asthma and malaria in Taiwan. We have evaluated PA as a cancer chemopreventive agent in vitro by studying the role of PA in regulation of proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis in human breast cancer cell lines. PA inhibited cell proliferation and induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis in human breast cancer MAD-MB 231 and MCF-7 cell lines. In this study, under treatment with various concentrations of PA in MDA-MB 231 cell line, we checked mRNA levels for cyclin A and cyclin B1 and the protein levels of cyclin A and cyclin B1, Cdc2 (cyclin-dependent kinases), p21(waf1/cip1) and P27(Kip1) (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors), Cdc25C, Chk2 and Wee1 kinase (cyclin-dependent kinase relative factors) in cell cycle G2/M phase. From those results, we determined that PA arrests MDA-MB 231 cells at the G2/M phase by (i) inhibiting synthesis or stability of mRNA and their downstream protein levels of cyclin A and cyclin B1, (ii) increasing p21(waf1/cip1) and P27(kip1) levels, (iii) increasing Chk2, thus causing an increase in Cdc25C phosphorylation/inactivation and inducing a decrease in Cdc2 levels and an increase in Wee1 level. According to the results obtained, PA appears to possess anticarcinogenic properties; these results suggest that the effect of PA on the levels of phosphorylated/inactivated Cdc25C are mediated by Chk2 activation, at least in part, via p21(waf1/cip1) and P27(kip1) cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors pathway to arrest cells at G2/M phase in breast cancer carcinoma cells.

  13. Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, and Antiangiogenesis Effects of Polyphenol-Rich Seaweed (Sargassum muticum)

    PubMed Central

    Namvar, Farideh; Mohamad, Rosfarizan; Baharara, Javad; Zafar-Balanejad, Saeedeh; Fargahi, Fahimeh; Rahman, Heshu Sulaiman

    2013-01-01

    In the present study, we evaluated the effect of brown seaweeds Sargassum muticum methanolic extract (SMME), against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines proliferation. This algae extract was also evaluated for reducing activity and total polyphenol content. The MTT assay results indicated that the extracts were cytotoxic against breast cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 of 22 μg/ml for MCF-7 and 55 μg/ml for MDA-MB-231 cell lines. The percentages of apoptotic MCF-7-treated cells increased from 13% to 67% by increasing the concentration of the SMME. The antiproliferative efficacy of this algal extract was positively correlated with the total polyphenol contents, suggesting a causal link related to extract content of phenolic acids. Cell cycle analysis showed a significant increase in the accumulation of SMME-treated cells at sub-G1 phase, indicating the induction of apoptosis by SMME. Further apoptosis induction was confirmed by Hoechst 33342 and AO/PI staining. Also SMME implanted in vivo into fertilized chicken eggs induced dose-related antiangiogenic activity in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Our results imply a new insight on the novel function of Sargassum muticum polyphenol-rich seaweed in cancer research by induction of apoptosis, antioxidant, and antiangiogenesis effects. PMID:24078922

  14. Mass spectrometric detection of 27-hydroxycholesterol in breast cancer exosomes.

    PubMed

    Roberg-Larsen, Hanne; Lund, Kaja; Seterdal, Kristina Erikstad; Solheim, Stian; Vehus, Tore; Solberg, Nina; Krauss, Stefan; Lundanes, Elsa; Wilson, Steven Ray

    2017-05-01

    Exosomes from cancer cells are rich sources of biomarkers and may contain elevated levels of lipids of diagnostic value. 27-Hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) is associated with proliferation and metastasis in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the levels of 27-OHC, and other sidechain-hydroxylated oxysterols in exosomes. To study both cytoplasmic and exosomal oxysterol samples of limited size, we have developed a capillary liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry platform that outperforms our previously published systems regarding chromatographic resolution, analysis time and sensitivity. In the analyzed samples, the quantified level of cytoplasmic 27-OHC using this platform fitted with mRNA levels of 27-OHC's corresponding enzyme, CYP27A1. We find clearly increased levels of 27-OHC in exosomes (i.e., enrichment) from an ER+ breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) compared to exosomes derived from an estrogen receptor (ER-) breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and other control exosomes (non-cancerous cell line (HEK293) and human pooled serum). The exosomal oxysterol profile did not reflect cytoplasmic oxysterol profiles in the cells of origin; cytoplasmic 27-OHC was low in ER+ MCF-7 cells while high in MDA-MB-231 cells. Other control cancer cells showed varied cytoplasmic oxysterol levels. Hence, exosome profiling in cancer cells might provide complementary information with the possibility of diagnostic value. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. CYP1-mediated antiproliferative activity of dietary flavonoids in MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Androutsopoulos, Vasilis P; Ruparelia, Ketan; Arroo, Randolph R J; Tsatsakis, Aristidis M; Spandidos, Demetrios A

    2009-10-29

    Among the different mechanisms proposed to explain the cancer-protecting effect of dietary flavonoids, substrate-like interactions with cytochrome P450 CYP1 enzymes have recently been explored. In the present study, the metabolism of the flavonoids chrysin, baicalein, scutellarein, sinensetin and genkwanin by recombinant CYP1A1, CYP1B1 and CYP1A2 enzymes, as well as their antiproliferative activity in MDA-MB-468 human breast adenocarcinoma and MCF-10A normal breast cell lines, were investigated. Baicalein and 6-hydroxyluteolin were the only conversion products of chrysin and scutellarein metabolism by CYP1 family enzymes, respectively, while baicalein itself was not metabolized further. Sinensetin and genkwanin produced a greater number of metabolites and were shown to inhibit strongly in vitro proliferation of MDA-MB-468 cells at submicromolar and micromolar concentrations, respectively, without essentially affecting the viability of MCF-10A cells. Cotreatment of the CYP1 family inhibitor acacetin reversed the antiproliferative activity noticed for the two flavones in MDA-MB-468 cells to 13 and 14 microM respectively. In contrast chrysin, baicalein and scutellarein inhibited proliferation of MDA-MB-468 cells to a lesser extent than sinensetin and genkwanin. The metabolism of genkwanin to apigenin and of chrysin to baicalein was favored by CYP1B1 and CYP1A1, respectively. Taken together the data suggests that CYP1 family enzymes enhance the antiproliferative activity of dietary flavonoids in breast cancer cells, through bioconversion to more active products.

  16. Ethanol extract of propolis and its constituent caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibit breast cancer cells proliferation in inflammatory microenvironment by inhibiting TLR4 signal pathway and inducing apoptosis and autophagy.

    PubMed

    Chang, Huasong; Wang, Yuehua; Yin, Xusheng; Liu, Xinying; Xuan, Hongzhuan

    2017-09-26

    Propolis and its major constituent - caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) have good abilities on antitumor and anti-inflammation. However, little is known about the actions of propolis and CAPE on tumor in inflammatory microenvironment, and inflammatory responses play decisive roles at different stages of tumor development. To understand the effects and mechanisms of ethanol-extracted Chinese propolis (EECP) and its major constituent - CAPE in inflammation-stimulated tumor, we investigated their effects on Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway which plays a crucial role in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line. 80% confluent breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were stimulated with 1 μg/mL lipopolysaccaride (LPS). Then the cells were divided for treatment by CAPE (25 μg/mL) and EECP (25, 50 and 100 μg/mL), respectively. Cell viability, nitric oxide (NO) production and cell migration were measured by sulforhodamine B assay, chemical method and scratch assay. The levels of TLR4, MyD88, IRAK4, TRIF, caspase 3, PARP, LC3B and p62 were investigated through western blotting. The expression of TLR4, LC3B and nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65) were tested by immunofluorescence microscopy assay. Treatment of different concentrations of EECP (25, 50 and 100 μg/mL) and CAPE (25 μg/mL) significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated MDA-MB-231 cell line proliferation, migration and NO production. Furthermore, EECP and CAPE activated caspase3 and PARP to induce cell apoptosis, and also upregulated LC3-II and decreased p62 level to induce autophagy during the process. TLR4 signaling pathway molecules such as TLR4, MyD88, IRAK4, TRIF and NF-κB p65 were all down-regulated after EECP and CAPE treatment in LPS-stimulated MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings indicated that EECP and its major constituent - CAPE inhibited breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells proliferation in inflammatory microenvironment through activating apoptosis, autophagy and inhibiting TLR4 signaling pathway. EECP and CAPE may hold promising prospects in treating inflammation-induced tumor.

  17. Insights on the antitumor effects of kahweol on human breast cancer: Decreased survival and increased production of reactive oxygen species and cytotoxicity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cárdenas, Casimiro; IBIMA; Research Support Central Services

    Highlights: • Kahweol inhibits growth and attachment-independent proliferation of tumor cells. • Kahweol induces apoptosis in MDA-MB231 human breast cancer cells. • Kahweol-induced apoptosis involves caspase activation and cytochrome c release. • Kahweol does not protect against hydrogen peroxide cytotoxicity. • Kahweol increases hydrogen peroxide production by human breast cancer cells. - Abstract: The present study aims to identify the modulatory effects of kahweol, an antioxidant diterpene present in coffee beans, on a panel of human tumor cell lines. Kahweol inhibits tumor cell proliferation and clonogenicity and induces apoptosis in several kinds of human tumor cells. In the estrogen receptor-negativemore » MDA-MB231 human breast cancer, the mentioned effects are accompanied by caspases 3/7 and 9 activation and cytochrome c release. On the other hand, kahweol increases the production of reactive oxygen species and their cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cells but not in normal cells. Taken together, our data suggest that kahweol is an antitumor compound with inhibitory effects on tumor cell growth and survival, especially against MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells.« less

  18. Mechanisms underlying differential expression of interleukin-8 in breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Freund, Ariane; Jolivel, Valérie; Durand, Sébastien; Kersual, Nathalie; Chalbos, Dany; Chavey, Carine; Vignon, Françoise; Lazennec, Gwendal

    2004-01-01

    We have recently reported that Interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression was inversely correlated to estrogen-receptor (ER)-status and was overexpressed in invasive breast cancer cells. In the present study, we show that IL-8 overexpression in breast cancer cells involves a higher transcriptional activity of IL-8 gene promoter. Cloning of IL-8 promoter from MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells expressing high and low levels of IL-8, respectively, shows the integrity of the promoter in both cell lines. Deletion and site-directed mutagenesis of the promoter demonstrate that NF-κB and AP-1 and to a lesser extent C/EBP binding sites play a crucial role in the control of IL-8 promoter activity in MDA-MB-231 cells. Knock-down of NF-κB and AP-1 activities by adenovirus-mediated expression of a NF-κB super-repressor and RNA interference, respectively, decreased IL-8 expression in MDA-MB-231 cells. On the contrary, restoration of Fra-1, Fra-2, c-Jun, p50, p65, C/EBPα and C/EBPβ expression levels in MCF-7 cells led to a promoter activity comparable to that observed in MDA-MB-231 cells. Our data constitute the first extensive study of IL-8 gene overexpression in breast cancer cells and suggest that the high expression of IL-8 in invasive cancer cells requires a complex cooperation between NF-κB, AP-1 and C/EBP transcription factors. PMID:15208657

  19. Gene expression profiling of breast cancer cell lines treated with proton and electron radiations.

    PubMed

    Bravatà, Valentina; Minafra, Luigi; Cammarata, Francesco Paolo; Pisciotta, Pietro; Lamia, Debora; Marchese, Valentina; Manti, Lorenzo; Cirrone, Giuseppe Ap; Gilardi, Maria Carla; Cuttone, Giacomo; Forte, Giusi Irma; Russo, Giorgio

    2018-06-11

    Technological advances in radiation therapy are evolving with the use of hadrons, such as protons, indicated for tumors where conventional radiotherapy does not give significant advantages or for tumors located in sensitive regions, which need the maximum of dose-saving of the surrounding healthy tissues. The genomic response to conventional and non conventional Linear Energy Transfer exposure is a poor investigated topic and became an issue of radiobiological interest. The aim of this work was to analyze and compare molecular responses in term of gene expression profiles, induced by electron and proton irradiation in breast cancer cell lines. We studied the gene expression profiling differences by cDNA microarray activated in response to electron and proton irradiation with different Linear Energy Transfer values, among three breast cell lines (the tumorigenic MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 and the non tumorigenic MCF10A), exposed to the same sub-lethal dose of 9 Gy. Gene expression profiling pathway analyses showed the activation of different signaling and molecular networks in a cell line and radiation type-dependent manner. MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 cell lines were found to induce factors and pathways involved in the immunological process control. Here we describe in a detailed way the gene expression profiling and pathways activated after electron and proton irradiation in breast cancer cells. Summarizing, although specific pathways are activated in a radiation type-dependent manner, each cell line activates overall similar molecular networks in response to both these two types of ionizing radiation. Advances in knowledge: In the era of personalized medicine and breast cancer target-directed intervention, we trust that this study could drive radiation therapy towards personalized treatments, evaluating possible combined treatments, based on the molecular characterization.

  20. Methanol extract of Codium fragile inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 and invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 cells by suppressing nuclear factor-κB activation.

    PubMed

    Dilshara, Matharage Gayani; Jayasooriya, Rajapaksha Gedara Prasad Tharanga; Kang, Chang-Hee; Choi, Yung-Hyun; Kim, Gi-Young

    2016-06-01

    To evaluate whether the methanol extract of Codium fragile (MECF) regulates tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced invasion of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells by suppressing matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis were performed to analyze the expression of MMP-9 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) subunits, p65 and p50, and IκB in MDA-MB-231 cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used for cell viability. MMP-9 activity and invasion were measured by gelatin zymography and a matrigel invasion assay, respectively. NF-κB activity was measured by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and luciferase activity. MECF had no effect on cell viability up to a concentration of 100 μg/mL in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells regardless of the presence of TNF-α. MDA-MB-231 cells that were stimulated with TNF-α showed a marked increase of invasion compared to the untreated control, whereas pretreatment with MECF downregulated the TNF-α-induced invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Additionally, zymography, western blot analysis, and RT-PCR confirmed that MECF decreased TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression and activity which is a key regulator for cancer invasion. According to an electrophoretic morbidity shift assay, pretreatment with MECF in MDA-MB-231 cells significantly decreased the TNF-α-induced DNA-binding activity of NF-κB, which is an important transcription factor for regulating cancer invasion-related genes such as MMP-9. Furthermore, treatment with MECF sustained the expression of p65 and p50 in response to TNF-α in the cytosolic compartment. The luciferase assay demonstrated that MECF attenuated TNF-α-induced NF-κB luciferase activity. MECF exhibited its anti-invasive capability by downregulating TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression, resulting from the suppression of NF-κB activity in the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Copyright © 2016 Hainan Medical College. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Antitumor Effect of KX-01 through Inhibiting Src Family Kinases and Mitosis.

    PubMed

    Kim, Seongyeong; Min, Ahrum; Lee, Kyung-Hun; Yang, Yaewon; Kim, Tae-Yong; Lim, Jee Min; Park, So Jung; Nam, Hyun-Jin; Kim, Jung Eun; Song, Sang-Hyun; Han, Sae-Won; Oh, Do-Youn; Kim, Jee Hyun; Kim, Tae-You; Hangauer, David; Lau, Johnson Yiu-Nam; Im, Kyongok; Lee, Dong Soon; Bang, Yung-Jue; Im, Seock-Ah

    2017-07-01

    KX-01 is a novel dual inhibitor of Src and tubulin. Unlike previous Src inhibitors that failed to show clinical benefit during treatment of breast cancer, KX-01 can potentially overcome the therapeutic limitations of current Src inhibitors through inhibition of both Src and tubulin. The present study further evaluates the activity and mechanism of KX-01 in vitro and in vivo . The antitumor effect of KX-01 in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines was determined by MTT assay. Wound healing and immunofluorescence assays were performed to evaluate the action mechanisms of KX-01. Changes in the cell cycle and molecular changes induced by KX-01 were also evaluated. A MDA-MB-231 mouse xenograft model was used to demonstrate the in vivo effects. KX-01 effectively inhibited the growth of breast cancer cell lines. The expression of phospho-Src and proliferative-signaling molecules were down-regulated in KX-01-sensitive TNBC cell lines. In addition, migration inhibition was observed by wound healing assay. KX-01-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and increased the aneuploid cell population in KX-01-sensitive cell lines. Multi-nucleated cells were significantly increased after KX-01 treatment. Furthermore, KX-01 effectively delayed tumor growth in a MDA-MB-231 mouse xenograft model. KX-01 effectively inhibited cell growth and migration of TNBC cells. Moreover, this study demonstrated that KX-01 showed antitumor effects through the inhibition of Src signaling and the induction of mitotic catastrophe. The antitumor effects of KX-01 were also demonstrated in vivo using a mouse xenograft model.

  2. Quantitative Characterization of Cell Behaviors through Cell Cycle Progression via Automated Cell Tracking

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yuliang; Jeong, Younkoo; Jhiang, Sissy M.; Yu, Lianbo; Menq, Chia-Hsiang

    2014-01-01

    Cell behaviors are reflections of intracellular tension dynamics and play important roles in many cellular processes. In this study, temporal variations in cell geometry and cell motion through cell cycle progression were quantitatively characterized via automated cell tracking for MCF-10A non-transformed breast cells, MCF-7 non-invasive breast cancer cells, and MDA-MB-231 highly metastatic breast cancer cells. A new cell segmentation method, which combines the threshold method and our modified edge based active contour method, was applied to optimize cell boundary detection for all cells in the field-of-view. An automated cell-tracking program was implemented to conduct live cell tracking over 40 hours for the three cell lines. The cell boundary and location information was measured and aligned with cell cycle progression with constructed cell lineage trees. Cell behaviors were studied in terms of cell geometry and cell motion. For cell geometry, cell area and cell axis ratio were investigated. For cell motion, instantaneous migration speed, cell motion type, as well as cell motion range were analyzed. We applied a cell-based approach that allows us to examine and compare temporal variations of cell behavior along with cell cycle progression at a single cell level. Cell body geometry along with distribution of peripheral protrusion structures appears to be associated with cell motion features. Migration speed together with motion type and motion ranges are required to distinguish the three cell-lines examined. We found that cells dividing or overlapping vertically are unique features of cell malignancy for both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, whereas abrupt changes in cell body geometry and cell motion during mitosis are unique to highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells. Taken together, our live cell tracking system serves as an invaluable tool to identify cell behaviors that are unique to malignant and/or highly metastatic breast cancer cells. PMID:24911281

  3. Anti-proliferation activity of terpenoids isolated from Euphorbia kansui in human cancer cells and their structure-activity relationship.

    PubMed

    Hou, Jin-Jun; Shen, Yao; Yang, Zhou; Fang, Lin; Cai, Lu-Ying; Yao, Shuai; Long, Hua-Li; Wu, Wan-Ying; Guo, De-An

    2017-10-01

    Euphorbia kansui is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of edema, pleural effusion, and asthma, etc. According to the previous researches, terpenoids in E. kansui possess various biological activities, e.g., anti-virus, anti-allergy, antitumor effects. In this work, twenty five terpenoids were isolated from E. kansui, including thirteen ingenane- and eight jatrophane-type diterpenoids (with two new compounds, kansuinin P and Q) and four triterpenoids. Eighteen of them were analyzed by MTS assay for in vitro anticancer activity in five human cancer cell lines. Structure-activity relationship for 12 ingenane-type diterpenoids in colorectal cancer Colo205 cells were preliminary studied. Significant anti-proliferation activities were observed in human melanoma cells breast cancer MDA-MB-435 cells and Colo205 cells. More than half of the isolated ingenane-type diterpenoids showed inhibitory activities in MDA-MB-435 cells. Eight ingenane- and one jatrophane-type diterpenoids possessed much lower IC 50 values in MDA-MB-435 cells than positive control staurosporine. Preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis showed that substituent on position 20 was important for the activity of ingenane-type diterpenoids in Colo205 cells and substituent on position 3 contributed more significant biological activity of the compounds than that on position 5 in both MDA-MB-435 and Colo205 cells. Copyright © 2017 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Two populations of double minute chromosomes harbor distinct amplicons, the MYC locus at 8q24.2 and a 0.43-Mb region at 14q24.1, in the SW613-S human carcinoma cell line.

    PubMed

    Guillaud-Bataille, M; Brison, O; Danglot, G; Lavialle, C; Raynal, B; Lazar, V; Dessen, P; Bernheim, A

    2009-01-01

    High-level amplifications observed in tumor cells are usually indicative of genes involved in oncogenesis. We report here a high resolution characterization of a new amplified region in the SW613-S carcinoma cell line. This cell line contains tumorigenic cells displaying high-level MYC amplification in the form of double minutes (DM(+) cells) and non tumorigenic cells exhibiting low-level MYC amplification in the form of homogeneously staining regions (DM(-) cells). Both cell types were studied at genomic and functional levels. The DM(+) cells display a second amplification, corresponding to the 14q24.1 region, in a distinct population of DMs. The 0.43-Mb amplified and overexpressed region contains the PLEK2, PIGH, ARG2, VTI1B, RDH11, and ZFYVE26 genes. Both amplicons were stably maintained upon in vitro and in vivo propagation. However, the 14q24.1 amplicon was not found in cells with high-level MYC amplification in the form of HSRs, either obtained after spontaneous integration of endogenous DM MYC copies or after transfection of DM(-) cells with a MYC gene expression vector. These HSR-bearing cells are highly tumorigenic. The 14q24.1 amplification may not play a role in malignancy per se but might contribute to maintaining the amplification in the form of DMs. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. The phytoestrogen genistein enhances multidrug resistance in breast cancer cell lines by translational regulation of ABC transporters.

    PubMed

    Rigalli, Juan Pablo; Tocchetti, Guillermo Nicolás; Arana, Maite Rocío; Villanueva, Silvina Stella Maris; Catania, Viviana Alicia; Theile, Dirk; Ruiz, María Laura; Weiss, Johanna

    2016-06-28

    Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in women. Multidrug resistance due to overexpression of ABC drug transporters is a common cause of chemotherapy failure and disease recurrence. Genistein (GNT) is a phytoestrogen present in soybeans and hormone supplements. We investigated the effect of GNT on the expression and function of ABC transporters in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Results demonstrated an induction at the protein level of ABCC1 and ABCG2 and of ABCC1 in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, respectively. MCF-7 cells showed a concomitant increase in doxorubicin and mitoxantrone efflux and resistance, dependent on ABCG2 activity. ABCC1 induction by GNT in MDA-MB-231 cells modified neither drug efflux nor chemoresistance due to simultaneous acute inhibition of the transporter activity by GNT. All inductions took place at the translational level, as no increment in mRNA was observed and protein increase was prevented by cycloheximide. miR-181a, already demonstrated to inhibit ABCG2 translation, was down-regulated by GNT, explaining translational induction. Effects were independent of classical estrogen receptors. Results suggest potential nutrient-drug interactions that could threaten chemotherapy efficacy, especially in ABCG2-expressing tumors treated with substrates of this transporter. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Apoptotic effect of chalcone derivatives of 2-acetylthiophene in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Fogaça, Tatiana B; Martins, Rosiane M; Begnini, Karine R; Carapina, Caroline; Ritter, Marina; de Pereira, Claudio M P; Seixas, Fabiana K; Collares, Tiago

    2017-02-01

    A variety of chalcones have demonstrated cytotoxic activity toward several cancer cell lines. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity of four chalcones derivatives of 2-acetylthiophene in human breast cancer cell lines. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with synthesized chalcones and the cytotoxicity was evaluated by tetrazolium dye (MTT), live/dead, and DAPI assays. Chalcones significantly decreased MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells viability in vitro in a dose dependent manner. After 48h treatment, the IC 50 values ranging from 5.52 to 34.23μM. Chalcone 3c displayed the highest cytotoxic activity from all the tested compounds. Cytotoxic effects of compounds were confirmed in the live/dead assay. In addition, DAPI staining revealed that these compounds induce death by apoptosis. The data speculate that chalcone derivatives of 2-acetylthiophene may represent a source of therapeutic agents for human breast cancer. Copyright © 2016 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

  7. Salidroside induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hu, Xiaolan, E-mail: huxiaolan1998@yahoo.com.cn; Zhang, Xianqi; Qiu, Shuifeng

    2010-07-16

    Research highlights: {yields} Salidroside inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cells. {yields} Salidroside induces cell-cycle arrest of human breast cancer cells. {yields} Salidroside induces apoptosis of human breast cancer cell lines. -- Abstract: Recently, salidroside (p-hydroxyphenethyl-{beta}-D-glucoside) has been identified as one of the most potent compounds isolated from plants of the Rhodiola genus used widely in traditional Chinese medicine, but pharmacokinetic data on the compound are unavailable. We were the first to report the cytotoxic effects of salidroside on cancer cell lines derived from different tissues, and we found that human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells (estrogen receptor negative) weremore » sensitive to the inhibitory action of low-concentration salidroside. To further investigate the cytotoxic effects of salidroside on breast cancer cells and reveal possible ER-related differences in response to salidroside, we used MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF-7 cells (estrogen receptor-positive) as models to study possible molecular mechanisms; we evaluated the effects of salidroside on cell growth characteristics, such as proliferation, cell cycle duration, and apoptosis, and on the expression of apoptosis-related molecules. Our results demonstrated for the first time that salidroside induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells and may be a promising candidate for breast cancer treatment.« less

  8. On-column trypsinization allows for re-use of matrix in modified multiplexed inhibitor beads assay.

    PubMed

    Petrovic, Voin; Olaisen, Camilla; Sharma, Animesh; Nepal, Anala; Bugge, Steffen; Sundby, Eirik; Hoff, Bård Helge; Slupphaug, Geir; Otterlei, Marit

    2017-04-15

    The Multiplexed Inhibitor Bead (MIB) assay is a previously published quantitative proteomic MS-based approach to study cellular kinomes. A rather extensive procedure, need for multiple custom-made kinase inhibitors and an inability to re-use the MIB-columns, has limited its applicability. Here we present a modified MIB assay in which elution of bound proteins is facilitated by on-column trypsinization. We tested the modified MIB assay by analyzing extract from three human cancer cell lines treated with the cytotoxic drugs cisplatin or docetaxel. Using only three immobilized kinase inhibitors, we were able to detect about 6000 proteins, including ∼40% of the kinome, as well as other signaling, metabolic and structural proteins. The method is reproducible and the MIB-columns are re-usable without loss of performance. This makes the MIB assay a simple, affordable, and rapid assay for monitoring changes in cellular signaling. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Evaluation of cytotoxic and chemotherapeutic properties of boldine in breast cancer using in vitro and in vivo models

    PubMed Central

    Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Kamalidehghan, Behnam; Wong, Yi Li; Wong, Won Fen; Looi, Chung Yeng; Mustafa, Mohd Rais

    2014-01-01

    To date, plants have been the major source of anticancer drugs. Boldine is a natural alkaloid commonly found in the leaves and bark of Peumus boldus. In this study, we found that boldine potently inhibited the viability of the human invasive breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 (48-hour IC50 46.5±3.1 μg/mL) and MDA-MB-468 (48-hour IC50 50.8±2.7 μg/mL). Boldine had a cytotoxic effect and induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells as indicated by a higher amount of lactate dehydrogenase released, membrane permeability, and DNA fragmentation. In addition, we demonstrated that boldine induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. The anticancer mechanism is associated with disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c in MDA-MB-231. Boldine selectively induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3/7, but not caspase-8. We also found that boldine could inhibit nuclear factor kappa B activation, a key molecule in tumor progression and metastasis. In addition, protein array and Western blotting analysis showed that treatment with boldine resulted in downregulation of Bcl-2 and heat shock protein 70 and upregulation of Bax in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. An acute toxicity study in rats revealed that boldine at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight was well tolerated. Moreover, intraperitoneal injection of boldine (50 or 100 mg/kg) significantly reduced tumor size in an animal model of breast cancer. Our results suggest that boldine is a potentially useful agent for the treatment of breast cancer. PMID:24944509

  10. BMP9 inhibits the bone metastasis of breast cancer cells by downregulating CCN2 (connective tissue growth factor, CTGF) expression.

    PubMed

    Ren, Wei; Sun, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Ke; Feng, Honglei; Liu, Yuehong; Fei, Chang; Wan, Shaoheng; Wang, Wei; Luo, Jinyong; Shi, Qiong; Tang, Min; Zuo, Guowei; Weng, Yaguang; He, Tongchuan; Zhang, Yan

    2014-03-01

    Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), which belong to the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, regulate a wide range of cellular responses including cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, migration, and apoptosis. BMP9, the latest BMP to be discovered, is reportedly expressed in a variety of human carcinoma cell lines, but the role of BMP9 in breast cancer has not been fully clarified. In a previous study, BMP9 was found to inhibit the growth, migration, and invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In the current study, the effect of BMP9 on the bone metastasis of breast cancer cells was investigated. After absent or low expression of BMP9 was detected in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and breast non-tumor adjacent tissues using Western blot and immunohistochemistry, In our previous study, BMP9 could inhibit the proliferation and invasiveness of breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 in vitro and in vivo. This paper shows that BMP9 inhibit the bone metastasis of breast cancer cells by activating the BMP/Smad signaling pathway and downregulating connective tissue growth factor (CTGF); however, when CTGF expression was maintained, the inhibitory effect of BMP9 on the MDA-MB-231 cells was abolished. Together, these observations indicate that BMP9 is an important mediator of breast cancer bone metastasis and a potential therapeutic target for treating this deadly disease.

  11. Involvement of reactive oxygen species/c-Jun NH{sub 2}-terminal kinase pathway in kotomolide A induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kuo, P.-L.; Chen, C.-Y.; Tzeng, T.-F.

    2008-06-01

    The anticancer effects of kotomolide A (KTA), a new butanolide constituent isolated from the leaves of Cinnamomum kotoense (Lauraceae), on the two human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, were first investigated in our study. KTA exhibited selectively antiproliferative effects in cancer cell lines without showing any toxicity in normal mammary epithelial cells. Treatment of cancer cells with KTA to trigger G2/M phase arrest was associated with increased p21/WAF1 levels and reduced amounts of cyclin A, cyclin B1, cdc2 and cdc25C. KTA induced cancer cell death treatment by triggering mitochondrial and death receptor 5 (DR5) apoptotic pathways, but didmore » not act on the Fas receptor. Exposure of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells to KTA resulted in cellular glutathione reduction and ROS generation, accompanied by JNK activation and apoptosis. Both antioxidants, NAC and catalase, significantly decreased apoptosis by inhibiting the phosphorylation of JNK and subsequently triggering DR5 cell death pathways. The reduction of JNK expression by siRNA decreased KTA-mediated Bim cleavage, DR5 upregulation and apoptosis. Furthermore, daily KTA i.p. injections in nude mice with MDA-MB-231 s.c. tumors resulted in a 50% decrease of mean tumor volume, compared with vehicle-treated controls. Taken together, the data show that cell death of breast cancer cells in response to KTA is dependent upon ROS generation and JNK activation, triggering intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. The ROS/JNK pathway could be a useful target for novel approaches in breast cancer chemotherapy.« less

  12. FAP-α (Fibroblast activation protein-α) is involved in the control of human breast cancer cell line growth and motility via the FAK pathway

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Fibroblast Activation Protein alpha (FAP-α) or seprase is an integral membrane serine peptidase. Previous work has not satisfactorily explained both the suppression and promotion effects that have been observed in cancer. The purpose of this work was to investigate the role of FAP-α in human breast cancer. Expression of FAP-α was characterized in primary tumour samples and in cell lines, along with the effects of FAP-α expression on in vitro growth, invasion, attachment and migration. Furthermore the potential interaction of FAP-α with other signalling pathways was investigated. Results FAP-α was significantly increased in patients with poor outcome and survival. In vitro results showed that breast cancer cells over expressing FAP-α had increased growth ability and impaired migratory ability. The growth of MDA-MB-231 cells and the adhesion and invasion ability of both MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells were not dramatically influenced by FAP-α expression. Over-expression of FAP-α resulted in a reduction of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) level in both cells cultured in normal media and serum-free media. An inhibitor to FAK restored the reduced motility ability of both MCF-7exp cells and MDA-MB-231exp cells and prevented the change in phosphorylated FAK levels. However, inhibitors to PI3K, ERK, PLCϒ, NWASP, ARP2/3, and ROCK had no influence this. Conclusions FAP-α in significantly associated with poor outcome in patients with breast cancer. In vitro, FAP-α promotes proliferation and inhibits migration of breast cancer cells, potentially by regulating the FAK pathway. These results suggest FAP-α could be a target for future therapies. PMID:24885257

  13. FAP-α (Fibroblast activation protein-α) is involved in the control of human breast cancer cell line growth and motility via the FAK pathway.

    PubMed

    Jia, Jun; Martin, Tracey Amanda; Ye, Lin; Jiang, Wen Guo

    2014-05-21

    Fibroblast Activation Protein alpha (FAP-α) or seprase is an integral membrane serine peptidase. Previous work has not satisfactorily explained both the suppression and promotion effects that have been observed in cancer. The purpose of this work was to investigate the role of FAP-α in human breast cancer. Expression of FAP-α was characterized in primary tumour samples and in cell lines, along with the effects of FAP-α expression on in vitro growth, invasion, attachment and migration. Furthermore the potential interaction of FAP-α with other signalling pathways was investigated. FAP-α was significantly increased in patients with poor outcome and survival. In vitro results showed that breast cancer cells over expressing FAP-α had increased growth ability and impaired migratory ability. The growth of MDA-MB-231 cells and the adhesion and invasion ability of both MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells were not dramatically influenced by FAP-α expression. Over-expression of FAP-α resulted in a reduction of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) level in both cells cultured in normal media and serum-free media. An inhibitor to FAK restored the reduced motility ability of both MCF-7exp cells and MDA-MB-231exp cells and prevented the change in phosphorylated FAK levels. However, inhibitors to PI3K, ERK, PLCΥ, NWASP, ARP2/3, and ROCK had no influence this. FAP-α in significantly associated with poor outcome in patients with breast cancer. In vitro, FAP-α promotes proliferation and inhibits migration of breast cancer cells, potentially by regulating the FAK pathway. These results suggest FAP-α could be a target for future therapies.

  14. Utility Of Nitric Oxide And Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Chimeras As Anticancer Agents.

    PubMed

    Kashfi, Khosrow

    2015-08-01

    Aspirin is chemopreventive but has significant side effects. We developed NOSH-aspirin a safer, nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide releasing hybrid. Here we report on NOSH-aspirin as an anti-inflammatory and its effects on human cancer cell kinetics and various cancer xenografts. Anti-inflammatory: Carageenan rat paw edema model. Cancer cell lines: Colon, HT-29, HCT 15, SW 480; breast, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231; pancreas, MIA PaCa2, BxPC3. Normal cell lines: human mammary, HMEpC; pancreatic epithelial, ACBRI 515. Xenografts: nude mice implanted with HT-29, MDA-MB-231, MIA PaCa2 cells, were treated with NOSH-aspirin (100mg/kg/d) or vehicle. After 3 weeks, mice were sacrificed, tumors excised, weighed, and fixed for IHC studies. NOSH-aspirin significantly reduced paw edema as function of time. NOSH-aspirin's IC 50 in nM at 24h for cell growth inhibition ranged from 50±2 to 250±10 in the cancer cell lines and about 400-fold higher in the normal cell lines. The cell growth inhibitory effects were due to a dose-dependent induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest (G0/G1), leading to reductions in cell proliferation. In xenografts, NOSH-aspirin had no effect on the weight of the mice. Tumor volume was reduced as a function of treatment time. At sacrifice, tumor mass reductions were colon: 89%, P=0.005; breast: 91%, P=0.006; pancreas: 75%, P=0.0031. Growth inhibition was due to reduced proliferation (decreased PCNA expression), and induction of apoptosis (increased TUNEL positive cells). NOSH-aspirin is a potent anti-inflammatory, preferentially affecting cancer cells and targets parameters important in determining cellular mass. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Design, synthesis, in silico and in vitro studies of novel 4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid derivatives as potent anti-cancer agents.

    PubMed

    Kilaru, Ravendra Babu; Valasani, Koteswara Rao; Yellapu, Nanda Kumar; Osuru, Hari Prasad; Kuruva, Chandra Sekhar; Matcha, Bhaskar; Chamarthi, Naga Raju

    2014-09-15

    Since inhibitors of mucin onco proteins are potential targets for breast cancer therapy, a series of novel 4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid (1) derivatives 3a-k were synthesized by the reaction of 1 with SOCl2 followed by different bases/alcohols in the presence of triethylamine. Once synthesized and characterized, their binding modes with MUC1 were studied by molecular docking analysis using Aruglab 4.0.1 and QSAR properties were determined using HyperChem. All synthesized compounds were screened for in vitro anti-breast cancer activity against MDA-MB-231 breast adenocarcinoma cell lines by Trypan-blue cell viability assay and MTT methods. Compounds 1, 3b, 3d, 3e, 3i and 3f showed good anti-breast cancer activity. Since 1 and 3d exhibited high potent activity against MDA-MB-231 cell lines, they show could be effective mucin onco protein inhibitors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Synthesis of Scutellarein Derivatives with a Long Aliphatic Chain and Their Biological Evaluation against Human Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Ni, Guanghui; Tang, Yanling; Li, Minxin; He, Yuefeng; Rao, Gaoxiong

    2018-02-01

    Scutellarin is the major active flavonoid extracted from the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz., which is widely used in China. Recently, accumulating evidence has highlighted the potential role of scutellarin and its main metabolite scutellarein in the treatment of cancer. To explore novel anticancer agents with high efficiency, a series of new scutellarein derivatives with a long aliphatic chain were synthesized, and the antiproliferative activities against Jurkat, HCT-116 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines were assessed. Among them, compound 6a exhibited the strongest antiproliferative effects on Jurkat (IC 50 = 1.80 μM), HCT-116 (IC 50 = 11.50 μM) and MDA-MB-231 (IC 50 = 53.91 μM). In particular, 6a even showed stronger antiproliferative effects than the positive control NaAsO₂ on Jurkat and HCT-116 cell lines. The results showed that a proper long aliphatic chain enhanced the antiproliferative activity of scutellarein.

  17. MIB-1 Is Required for Spermatogenesis and Facilitates LIN-12 and GLP-1 Activity in Caenorhabditis elegans.

    PubMed

    Ratliff, Miriam; Hill-Harfe, Katherine L; Gleason, Elizabeth J; Ling, Huiping; Kroft, Tim L; L'Hernault, Steven W

    2018-05-01

    Covalent attachment of ubiquitin to substrate proteins changes their function or marks them for proteolysis, and the specificity of ubiquitin attachment is mediated by the numerous E3 ligases encoded by animals. Mind Bomb is an essential E3 ligase during Notch pathway signaling in insects and vertebrates. While Caenorhabditis elegans encodes a Mind Bomb homolog ( mib-1 ), it has never been recovered in the extensive Notch suppressor/enhancer screens that have identified numerous pathway components. Here, we show that C. elegans mib-1 null mutants have a spermatogenesis-defective phenotype that results in a heterogeneous mixture of arrested spermatocytes, defective spermatids, and motility-impaired spermatozoa. mib-1 mutants also have chromosome segregation defects during meiosis, molecular null mutants are intrinsically temperature-sensitive, and many mib-1 spermatids contain large amounts of tubulin. These phenotypic features are similar to the endogenous RNA intereference (RNAi) mutants, but mib-1 mutants do not affect RNAi. MIB-1 protein is expressed throughout the germ line with peak expression in spermatocytes followed by segregation into the residual body during spermatid formation. C. elegans mib-1 expression, while upregulated during spermatogenesis, also occurs somatically, including in vulva precursor cells. Here, we show that mib-1 mutants suppress both lin-12 and glp-1 ( C. elegans Notch) gain-of-function mutants, restoring anchor cell formation and a functional vulva to the former and partly restoring oocyte production to the latter. However, suppressed hermaphrodites are only observed when grown at 25°, and they are self-sterile. This probably explains why mib-1 was not previously recovered as a Notch pathway component in suppressor/enhancer selection experiments. Copyright © 2018 by the Genetics Society of America.

  18. CREB-1 and AP-1 transcription factors JunD and Fra-2 regulate bone sialoprotein gene expression in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Detry, C; Lamour, V; Castronovo, V; Bellahcène, A

    2008-02-01

    Bone sialoprotein (BSP) expression is detected in a variety of human osteotropic cancers. High expression of BSP in breast and prostate primary carcinomas is associated with progression and bone metastases development. In this study, we examined the transcriptional regulation of BSP gene expression in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells compared with Saos-2 human osteoblast-like cells. BSP human promoter deletion analyses delineated a -56/-84 region, which comprises a cAMP response element (CRE) that was sufficient for maximal promoter activity in breast cancer cell lines. We found that the basic fibroblast growth factor response element (FRE) also located in the proximal promoter was a crucial regulator of human BSP promoter activity in Saos-2 but not in breast cancer cells. Promoter activity experiments in combination with DNA mobility shift assays demonstrated that BSP promoter activity is under the control of the CRE element, through CREB-1, JunD and Fra-2 binding, in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and in Saos-2 cells. Forskolin, a protein kinase A pathway activator, failed to enhance BSP transcriptional activity suggesting that CRE site behaves as a constitutive rather than an inducible element in these cell lines. Over-expression of JunD and Fra-2 increased BSP promoter activity and upregulated endogenous BSP protein expression in MCF-7 and Saos-2 cells while siRNA-mediated inhibition of both factors expression significantly reduced BSP protein level in MDA-MB-231. Collectively, these data provide with new transcriptional mechanisms, implicating CREB and AP-1 factors, that control BSP gene expression in breast cancer cells.

  19. Zirconium phosphate nanoplatelets: a biocompatible nanomaterial for drug delivery to cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saxena, Vipin; Diaz, Agustin; Clearfield, Abraham; Batteas, James D.; Hussain, Muhammad Delwar

    2013-02-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoplatelets (NPs), and their use in drug delivery. ZrP and doxorubicin-intercalated ZrP (DOX:ZrP) NPs were characterized by using X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Transmission Electron Micrography (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Biocompatibility of ZrP NPs was evaluated in human embryonic kidney (HEK-293), breast cancer (MCF-7), metastatic breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), ovarian cancer (OVCAR-3), resistant cancer (NCI-RES/ADR) cells and mouse macrophage (RAW 264.7) cell lines. Hemocompatibility of ZrP NPs was evaluated with human red blood cells. Simulated body fluid (SBF) of pH 7.4 was used to determine the in vitro release of doxorubicin from DOX:ZrP NPs. Cellular uptake and in vitro cytotoxicity studies of DOX:ZrP NPs were determined in MDA-MB-231. The ZrP nanomaterial can be prepared in the 100-200 nm size range with a platelet-like shape. The ZrP NPs themselves are biocompatible, hemocompatible and showed no toxicity to the macrophage cells. ZrP NPs can intercalate high loads (35% w/w) of doxorubicin between their layers. The release of DOX was sustained for about 2 weeks. DOX:ZrP NPs showed higher cellular uptake and increased cytotoxicity than free DOX in MDA-MB-231 cells. ZrP NPs are highly biocompatible, can intercalate large amounts of drugs and sustain the release of drugs. ZrP NPs improved the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of DOX to MDA-MB-231 cells. ZrP NPs are promising nanocarriers for drug delivery in cancer therapy.The objective of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoplatelets (NPs), and their use in drug delivery. ZrP and doxorubicin-intercalated ZrP (DOX:ZrP) NPs were characterized by using X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Transmission Electron Micrography (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Biocompatibility of ZrP NPs was evaluated in human embryonic kidney (HEK-293), breast cancer (MCF-7), metastatic breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), ovarian cancer (OVCAR-3), resistant cancer (NCI-RES/ADR) cells and mouse macrophage (RAW 264.7) cell lines. Hemocompatibility of ZrP NPs was evaluated with human red blood cells. Simulated body fluid (SBF) of pH 7.4 was used to determine the in vitro release of doxorubicin from DOX:ZrP NPs. Cellular uptake and in vitro cytotoxicity studies of DOX:ZrP NPs were determined in MDA-MB-231. The ZrP nanomaterial can be prepared in the 100-200 nm size range with a platelet-like shape. The ZrP NPs themselves are biocompatible, hemocompatible and showed no toxicity to the macrophage cells. ZrP NPs can intercalate high loads (35% w/w) of doxorubicin between their layers. The release of DOX was sustained for about 2 weeks. DOX:ZrP NPs showed higher cellular uptake and increased cytotoxicity than free DOX in MDA-MB-231 cells. ZrP NPs are highly biocompatible, can intercalate large amounts of drugs and sustain the release of drugs. ZrP NPs improved the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of DOX to MDA-MB-231 cells. ZrP NPs are promising nanocarriers for drug delivery in cancer therapy. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr34242e

  20. Isochlorogenic Acid C Reverses Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Down-regulation of EGFR Pathway in MDA-MB-231 cells.

    PubMed

    Yu, Ji-Kuen; Yue, Chia-Herng; Pan, Ying-Ru; Chiu, Yung-Wei; Liu, Jer-Yuh; Lin, Kun-I; Lee, Chia-Jen

    2018-04-01

    Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been suggested to play an important role in survival, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and tumorigenesis of many cell types. Breast cancer patients with high EGFR expression have a poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effect of isochlorogenic acid c (ICAC) extracted from Lonicera japonica on elevated EGFR levels of the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line, MDA-MB-231. The cell viability and cell-cycle analysis were evaluated using 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The migration ability and invasiveness of ICAC-treated MDA-MB-231 were examined by migration and Matrigel invasion assay. The epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT)-related protein expression was examined by western blotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). ICAC led to significant morphological changes and suppressed migration and invasion capacities of highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells. Western blot analysis for EGFR/EMT-associated proteins suggested that ICAC attenuated the mesenchymal traits as observed by up-regulation of epithelial markers and down-regulation of mesenchymal markers as well as decreased activities of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). These results suggested that the inhibitory effects of ICAC against EGFR-induced EMT and MDA-MB-231 cell invasion were dependent on the EGFR/ phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ)/extracellular regulated protein kinase ½ (ERK½)/slug signaling pathway. Therefore, the obtained results could provide us clues for the next therapeutic strategy in the treatment of TNBC. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  1. Anti-proliferative effect of biogenic gold nanoparticles against breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 & MCF-7)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    K. S., Uma Suganya; Govindaraju, K.; Ganesh Kumar, V.; Prabhu, D.; Arulvasu, C.; Stalin Dhas, T.; Karthick, V.; Changmai, Niranjan

    2016-05-01

    Breast cancer is a major complication in women and numerous approaches are being developed to overcome this problem. In conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy the post side effects cause an unsuitable effect in treatment of cancer. Hence, it is essential to develop a novel strategy for the treatment of this disease. In the present investigation, a possible route for green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using leaf extract of Mimosa pudica and its anticancer efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer cell lines is studied. The synthesized nanoparticles were found to be effective in killing cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 & MCF-7) which were studied using various anticancer assays (MTT assay, cell morphology determination, cell cycle analysis, comet assay, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and DAPI staining). Cell morphological analysis showed the changes occurred in cancer cells during the treatment with AuNPs. Cell cycle analysis revealed apoptosis in G0/G1 to S phase. Similarly in Comet assay, there was an increase in tail length in treated cells in comparison with the control. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay showed prompt fluorescence in treated cells indicating the translocation of phosphatidylserine from the inner membrane. PI and DAPI staining showed the DNA damage in treated cells.

  2. Interrelation of androgen receptor and miR-30a and miR-30a function in ER-, PR-, AR+ MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Lyu, Shuhua; Liu, Han; Liu, Xia; Liu, Shan; Wang, Yahong; Yu, Qi; Niu, Yun

    2017-10-01

    The association between androgen-induced androgen receptor (AR) activating signal and microRNA (miR)-30a was investigated, as well as the function of miR-30a in estrogen receptor-negative (ER - ), progesterone receptor-negative (PR - ), and AR-positive (AR + ) MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells. Androgen-induced AR activating signal upregulated the expression of AR, and downregulated the expression of miR-30a, b and c. Bioinformatics analysis indicated a putative miR-30a, b and c binding site in the 3'-untranslated region of AR mRNA. It was confirmed that the AR gene is a direct target of miR-30a, whereas AR does not target the miR-30a promoter, and AR activating signal may indirectly downregulate miR-30a through other cell signaling pathways. In this positive feedback mechanism AR is then upregulated through miR-30a. Overexpression of miR-30a inhibited cell proliferation, whereas inhibition of miR-30a expression by specific antisense oligonucleotides, increased cell growth. Previously, androgen-induced AR activating signal was demonstrated to inhibit cell proliferation in ER - , PR - and AR + MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells, but AR activating signal downregulated the expression of miR-30a, relieving the inhibition of MDA-MB-453 cell growth. Therefore, in MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells, miR-30a has two different functions regarding cell growth: Inhibition of cell proliferation through a positive feedback signaling pathway; and the relative promotion of cell proliferation through downregulation of miR-30a. Thus, the association between AR activating signal and microRNAs is complex, and microRNAs may possess different functions due to different signaling pathways. Although the results of the present study were obtained in one cell line, they contribute to subsequent studies on ER - , PR - and AR + breast cancer.

  3. Biochemical signatures of in vitro radiation response in human lung, breast and prostate tumour cells observed with Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matthews, Q.; Jirasek, A.; Lum, J. J.; Brolo, A. G.

    2011-11-01

    This work applies noninvasive single-cell Raman spectroscopy (RS) and principal component analysis (PCA) to analyze and correlate radiation-induced biochemical changes in a panel of human tumour cell lines that vary by tissue of origin, p53 status and intrinsic radiosensitivity. Six human tumour cell lines, derived from prostate (DU145, PC3 and LNCaP), breast (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7) and lung (H460), were irradiated in vitro with single fractions (15, 30 or 50 Gy) of 6 MV photons. Remaining live cells were harvested for RS analysis at 0, 24, 48 and 72 h post-irradiation, along with unirradiated controls. Single-cell Raman spectra were acquired from 20 cells per sample utilizing a 785 nm excitation laser. All spectra (200 per cell line) were individually post-processed using established methods and the total data set for each cell line was analyzed with PCA using standard algorithms. One radiation-induced PCA component was detected for each cell line by identification of statistically significant changes in the PCA score distributions for irradiated samples, as compared to unirradiated samples, in the first 24-72 h post-irradiation. These RS response signatures arise from radiation-induced changes in cellular concentrations of aromatic amino acids, conformational protein structures and certain nucleic acid and lipid functional groups. Correlation analysis between the radiation-induced PCA components separates the cell lines into three distinct RS response categories: R1 (H460 and MCF7), R2 (MDA-MB-231 and PC3) and R3 (DU145 and LNCaP). These RS categories partially segregate according to radiosensitivity, as the R1 and R2 cell lines are radioresistant (SF2 > 0.6) and the R3 cell lines are radiosensitive (SF2 < 0.5). The R1 and R2 cell lines further segregate according to p53 gene status, corroborated by cell cycle analysis post-irradiation. Potential radiation-induced biochemical response mechanisms underlying our RS observations are proposed, such as (1) the regulated synthesis and degradation of structured proteins and (2) the expression of anti-apoptosis factors or other survival signals. This study demonstrates the utility of RS for noninvasive radiobiological analysis of tumour cell radiation response, and indicates the potential for future RS studies designed to investigate, monitor or predict radiation response.

  4. The DHEA metabolite 7β-hydroxy-epiandrosterone exerts anti-estrogenic effects on breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Sandra, Niro; Ester, Pereira; Marie-Agnès, Pélissier; Robert, Morfin; Olivier, Hennebert

    2012-04-01

    7β-Hydroxy-epiandrosterone (7β-OH-EpiA), an endogenous androgenic derivative of dehydroepiandrosterone, has previously been shown to exert anti-inflammatory action in vitro and in vivo via a shift from prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to 15-deoxy-Δ(12,14)-PGJ2 production. This modulation in prostaglandin production was obtained with low concentrations of 7β-OH-EpiA (1-100nM) and suggested that it might act through a specific receptor. Inflammation and prostaglandin synthesis is important in the development and survival of estrogen-dependent mammary cancers. Estrogen induced PGE2 production and cell proliferation via its binding to estrogen receptors (ERs) in these tumors. Our objective was to test the effects of 7β-OH-EpiA on the proliferation (by counting with trypan blue exclusion), cell cycle and cell apoptosis (by flow cytometry) of breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (ERα+, ERβ+, G-protein coupled receptor 30: GPR30+) and MDA-MB-231 (ERα-, ERβ+, GPR30+) and to identify a potential target of this steroid in these cell lineages (by transactivations) and in the nuclear ER-negative SKBr3 cells (GPR30+) (by proliferation assays). 7β-OH-EpiA exerted anti-estrogenic effects in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells associated with cell proliferation inhibition and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, transactivation and proliferation with ER agonists assays indicated that 7β-OH-EpiA interacted with ERβ. Data from proliferation assays on the MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and SKBr3 cell lines suggested that 7β-OH-EpiA may also act through the membrane GPR30 receptor. These results support that this androgenic steroid acts as an anti-estrogenic compound. Moreover, this is the first evidence that low doses of androgenic steroid exert antiproliferative effects in these mammary cancer cells. Further investigations are needed to improve understanding of the observed actions of endogenous 7β-OH-EpiA. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. A combinational therapy of EGFR-CAR NK cells and oncolytic herpes simplex virus 1 for breast cancer brain metastases.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xilin; Han, Jianfeng; Chu, Jianhong; Zhang, Lingling; Zhang, Jianying; Chen, Charlie; Chen, Luxi; Wang, Youwei; Wang, Hongwei; Yi, Long; Elder, J Bradley; Wang, Qi-En; He, Xiaoming; Kaur, Balveen; Chiocca, E Antonio; Yu, Jianhua

    2016-05-10

    Breast cancer brain metastases (BCBMs) are common in patients with metastatic breast cancer and indicate a poor prognosis. These tumors are especially resistant to currently available treatments due to multiple factors. However, the combination of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified immune cells and oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) has not yet been explored in this context. In this study, NK-92 cells and primary NK cells were engineered to express the second generation of EGFR-CAR. The efficacies of anti-BCBMs of EGFR-CAR NK cells, oHSV-1, and their combination were tested in vitro and in a breast cancer intracranial mouse model. In vitro, compared with mock-transduced NK-92 cells or primary NK cells, EGFR-CAR-engineered NK-92 cells and primary NK cells displayed enhanced cytotoxicity and IFN-γ production when co-cultured with breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and MCF-7. oHSV-1 alone was also capable of lysing and destroying these cells. However, a higher cytolytic effect of EGFR-CAR NK-92 cells was observed when combined with oHSV-1 compared to the monotherapies. In the mice intracranially pre-inoculated with EGFR-expressing MDA-MB-231 cells, intratumoral administration of either EGFR-CAR-transduced NK-92 cells or oHSV-1 mitigated tumor growth. Notably, the combination of EGFR-CAR NK-92 cells with oHSV-1 resulted in more efficient killing of MDA-MB-231 tumor cells and significantly longer survival of tumor-bearing mice when compared to monotherapies. These results demonstrate that regional administration of EGFR-CAR NK-92 cells combined with oHSV-1 therapy is a potentially promising strategy to treat BCBMs.

  6. Identification of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL in breast cancer as a target for the human miR-34a microRNA

    PubMed Central

    Mackiewicz, Mark; Huppi, Konrad; Pitt, Jason J.; Dorsey, Tiffany H.; Ambs, Stefan

    2012-01-01

    The identification of molecular features that contribute to the progression of breast cancer can provide valuable insight into the pathogenesis of this disease. Deregulated microRNA expression represents one type of molecular event that has been associated with many different human cancers. In order to identify a miRNA/mRNA regulatory interaction that is biologically relevant to the triple-negative breast cancer genotype/phenotype, we initially conducted a miRNA profiling experiment to detect differentially expressed miRNAs in cell line models representing triple-negative (MDA-MB-231), ER+ (MCF7), and HER-2 over expressed (SK-BR-3) histotypes. We identified human miR-34a expression as being >3-fold down (from its median expression value across all cell lines) in MDA-MB-231 cells, and identified AXL as a putative mRNA target using multiple miRNA/target prediction algorithms. The miR-34a/AXL interaction was functionally characterized through ectopic over expression experiments with a miR-34a mimic in two independent triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. In reporter assays, miR-34a binds to its putative target site within the AXL 3′UTR to inhibit luciferase expression. We also observed degradation of AXL mRNA and decreased AXL protein levels, as well as cell signaling effects on AKT phosphorylation and phenotypic effects on cell migration. Finally, we present an inverse correlative trend in miR-34a and AXL expression for both cell line and patient tumor samples. PMID:21814748

  7. Cytotoxic Effect of Nano-SiO2 in Human Breast Cancer Cells via Modulation of EGFR Signaling Cascades.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Donghwan; Kim, Hyungjoo; Nam, Keesoo; Oh, Sunhwa; Son, Seog-Ho; Shin, Incheol

    2017-11-01

    Silica nanoparticles (nano-SiO 2 ) are widely used in many industrial areas and there is much controversy surrounding cytotoxic effects of such nanoparticles. In order to determine the toxicity and possible molecular mechanisms involved, we conducted several tests with two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T. After exposure to nano-SiO 2 , growth, apoptosis, motility of breast cancer cells were monitored. In addition, modulation of signal transduction induced by nano-SiO 2 was detected through western blot analysis. Treatment of nano-SiO 2 repressed the growth of breast cancer cell lines. It also increased apoptosis and reduced cell motility. Moreover, exposure to nano-SiO 2 significantly disturbed the dimerization of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), followed by down-regulation of its downstream cellular sarcoma kinase (c-SRC) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling cascades. Nano-SiO 2 has a cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T breast cancer cells via modulation of EGFR signaling cascades. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  8. Monitoring of tumor growth and metastasis potential in MDA-MB-435s/ tk-luc human breast cancer xenografts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, Ya-Fang; Lin, Yi-Yu; Wang, Hsin-Ell; Liu, Ren-Shen; Pang, Fei; Hwang, Jeng-Jong

    2007-02-01

    Molecular imaging of reporter gene expression provides a rapid, sensitive and non-invasive monitoring of tumor behaviors. In this study, we reported the establishment of a novel animal model for longitudinal examination of tumor growth kinetics and metastatic spreading in vivo. The highly metastatic human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-435s cell line was engineered to stably express herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV-1- tk) and luciferase ( luc). Both 131I-FIAU and D-luciferin were used as reporter probes. For orthotopic tumor formation, MDA-MB-435s/ tk-luc cells were implanted into the first nipple of 6-week-old female NOD/SCID mice. For metastatic study, cells were injected via the lateral tail vein. Mice-bearing MDA-MB-435s/ tk-luc tumors were scanned for tumor growth and metastatsis using Xenogen IVIS50 system. Gamma scintigraphy and whole-body autoradiography were also applied to confirm the tumor localization. The results of bioluminescence imaging as well as histopathological finding showed that tumors could be detected in femur, spine, ovary, lungs, kidney, adrenal gland, lymph nodes and muscle at 16 weeks post i.v. injection, and correlated photons could be quantified. This MDA-MB-435s/ tk-luc human breast carcinoma-bearing mouse model combined with multimodalities of molecular imaging may facilitate studies on the molecular mechanisms of cancer invasion and metastasis.

  9. (-)-Kusunokinin and piperloguminine from Piper nigrum: An alternative option to treat breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Sriwiriyajan, Somchai; Sukpondma, Yaowapa; Srisawat, Theera; Madla, Siribhorn; Graidist, Potchanapond

    2017-08-01

    Several studies have reported that active compounds isolated from Piper nigrum possess anticancer properties. However, there are no data on anticancer activity of (-)-kusunokinin and piperlonguminine. The purposes of this study were to isolate active compounds from P. nigrum and identify the molecular mechanisms underlying growth and apoptosis pathway in breast cancer cells. Two bioactive compounds, (-)-kusunokinin and piperlonguminine, were isolated from P. nigrum. Cytotoxicity and the molecular mechanism were measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, flow cytometry and Western blot analysis. We found that the active compounds, which effect cancer cell lines were (-)-kusunokinin and piperlonguminine. These compounds have potent cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468) and colorectal cells (SW-620). (-)-Kusunokinin demonstrated a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 with IC 50 values of 1.18 and 1.62μg/mL, respectively. Piperlonguminine had a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 with IC 50 values of 1.63 and 2.19μg/mL, respectively. Both compounds demonstrated lower cytotoxicity against normal breast cell lines with IC 50 values higher than 11μg/mL. Cell cycle and apoptotic analysis using flow cytometry, showed that the (-)-kusunokinin and piperlonguminine induced cell undergoing apoptosis and drove cells towards the G2/M phase. Moreover, both compounds decreased topoisomerase II and bcl-2. The increasing of p53 levels further increased p21, bax, cytochrome c, caspase-8, -7 and -3 activities, except caspase-9. These results suggest that the (-)-kusunokinin and piperlonguminine have been shown to have potent anticancer activities through extrinsic pathway and G2/M phase arrest. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Functional proteomic analysis reveals the involvement of KIAA1199 in breast cancer growth, motility and invasiveness

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background KIAA1199 is a recently identified novel gene that is up-regulated in human cancer with poor survival. Our proteomic study on signaling polarity in chemotactic cells revealed KIAA1199 as a novel protein target that may be involved in cellular chemotaxis and motility. In the present study, we examined the functional significance of KIAA1199 expression in breast cancer growth, motility and invasiveness. Methods We validated the previous microarray observation by tissue microarray immunohistochemistry using a TMA slide containing 12 breast tumor tissue cores and 12 corresponding normal tissues. We performed the shRNA-mediated knockdown of KIAA1199 in MDA-MB-231 and HS578T cells to study the role of this protein in cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis in vitro. We studied the effects of KIAA1199 knockdown in vivo in two groups of mice (n = 5). We carried out the SILAC LC-MS/MS based proteomic studies on the involvement of KIAA1199 in breast cancer. Results KIAA1199 mRNA and protein was significantly overexpressed in breast tumor specimens and cell lines as compared with non-neoplastic breast tissues from large-scale microarray and studies of breast cancer cell lines and tumors. To gain deeper insights into the novel role of KIAA1199 in breast cancer, we modulated KIAA1199 expression using shRNA-mediated knockdown in two breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and HS578T), expressing higher levels of KIAA1199. The KIAA1199 knockdown cells showed reduced motility and cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, when the knockdown cells were injected into the mammary fat pads of female athymic nude mice, there was a significant decrease in tumor incidence and growth. In addition, quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that knockdown of KIAA1199 in breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cells affected a broad range of cellular functions including apoptosis, metabolism and cell motility. Conclusions Our findings indicate that KIAA1199 may play an important role in breast tumor growth and invasiveness, and that it may represent a novel target for biomarker development and a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer. PMID:24628760

  11. Ex vivo expanded natural killer cells from breast cancer patients and healthy donors are highly cytotoxic against breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumours.

    PubMed

    Shenouda, Mira M; Gillgrass, Amy; Nham, Tina; Hogg, Richard; Lee, Amanda J; Chew, Marianne V; Shafaei, Mahsa; Aarts, Craig; Lee, Dean A; Hassell, John; Bane, Anita; Dhesy-Thind, Sukhbinder; Ashkar, Ali A

    2017-07-01

    Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in cancer immunosurveillance. Recent developments in NK cell ex-vivo expansion makes it possible to generate millions of activated NK cells from a small volume of peripheral blood. We tested the functionality of ex vivo expanded NK cells in vitro against breast cancer cell lines and in vivo using a xenograft mouse model. The study aim was to assess functionality and phenotype of expanded NK cells from breast cancer patients against breast cancer cell lines and autologous primary tumours. We used a well-established NK cell co-culture system to expand NK cells ex vivo from healthy donors and breast cancer patients and examined their surface marker expression. Moreover, we tested the ability of expanded NK cells to lyse the triple negative breast cancer and HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453, respectively. We also tested their ability to prevent tumour growth in vivo using a xenograft mouse model. Finally, we tested the cytotoxicity of expanded NK cells against autologous and allogeneic primary breast cancer tumours in vitro. After 3 weeks of culture we observed over 1000-fold expansion of NK cells isolated from either breast cancer patients or healthy donors. We also showed that the phenotype of expanded NK cells is comparable between those from healthy donors and cancer patients. Moreover, our results confirm the ability of ex vivo expanded NK cells to lyse tumour cell lines in vitro. While the cell lines examined had differential sensitivity to NK cell killing we found this was correlated with level of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression. In our in vivo model, NK cells prevented tumour establishment and growth in immunocompromised mice. Finally, we showed that NK cells expanded from the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients show high cytotoxicity against allogeneic and autologous patient-derived tumour cells in vitro. NK cells from breast cancer patients can be expanded similarly to those from healthy donors, have a high cytotoxic ability against breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumour cells, and can be compatible with current cancer treatments to restore NK cell function in cancer patients.

  12. The sigma-2 receptor as a therapeutic target for drug delivery in triple negative breast cancer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Makvandi, Mehran; Tilahun, Estifanos D.; Lieberman, Brian P.

    Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with high relapse rates and increased mortality when compared with other breast cancer subtypes. In contrast to receptor positive breast cancers, there are no approved targeted therapies for TNBC. Identifying biomarkers for TNBC is of high importance for the advancement of patient care. The sigma-2 receptor has been shown to be overexpressed in triple negative breast cancer in vivo and has been characterized as a marker of proliferation. The aim of the present study was to define the sigma-2 receptor as a target for therapeutic drug delivery and biomarker in TNBC. Methods: Three TNBCmore » cell lines were evaluated: MDA-MB-231, HCC1937 and HCC1806. Sigma-2 compounds were tested for pharmacological properties specific to the sigma-2 receptor through competitive inhibition assays. Sigma-2 receptor expression was measured through radioligand receptor saturation studies. Drug sensitivity for taxol was compared to a sigma-2 targeting compound conjugated to a cytotoxic payload, SW IV-134. Cell viability was assessed after treatments for 2 or 48 h. Sigma-2 blockade was assessed to define sigma-2 mediated cytotoxicity of SW IV-134. Caspase 3/7 activation induced by SW IV-134 was measured at corresponding treatment time points. Results: SW IV-134 was the most potent compound tested in two of the three cell lines and was similarly effective in all three. MDA-MB-231 displayed a statistically significant higher sigma-2 receptor expression and also was the most sensitive cell line evaluated to SW IV-134. Conclusion: Targeting the sigma-2 receptor with a cytotoxic payload was effective in all the three cell lines evaluated and provides the proof of concept for future development of a therapeutic platform for the treatment of TNBC. - Highlights: • TNBC cells are sensitive to sigma-2 receptor targeted drug conjugate SW IV-134. • MDA-MB-231 displayed the highest amount of sigma-2 receptors and corresponded well with sensitivity. • The sigma-2 receptor is a potential biomarker in TNBC for prognosis and therapy.« less

  13. Metallothionein-3 Increases Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Invasiveness via Induction of Metalloproteinase Expression

    PubMed Central

    Suchanski, Jaroslaw; Olbromski, Mateusz; Gomulkiewicz, Agnieszka; Owczarek, Tomasz; Kruczak, Anna; Ambicka, Aleksandra; Rys, Janusz; Ugorski, Maciej; Podhorska-Okolow, Marzena; Dziegiel, Piotr

    2015-01-01

    It has been recently found that metallothionein-3 (MT3) enhances the invasiveness and tumorigenesis of prostate cancer cells. This finding is in contrast to those of earlier studies, which indicated that overexpression of MT3 in breast cancer and prostate cancer cell lines inhibits their growth in vitro. Therefore, to clarify the role of MT3 in breast cancer progression, we analyzed the effect of MT3-overexpression on proliferation, invasiveness, migration, and tumorigenesis of breast cancer MDA-MB-231/BO2 cells. It was found that MDA-MB-231/BO2 cells overexpressing MT3 were characterized by increased invasiveness in vitro, compared to the control cells. Interestingly, this increased invasiveness correlated with a highly increased concentration of MMP3 in the culture supernatants (p<0.0001). Our data suggest that MT3 may regulate breast cancer cell invasiveness by modulating the expression of MMP3. These experimental results, obtained using triple-negative MDA-MB-231/BO2 cells, were further supported by clinical data. It was found that, in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), nuclear MT3 immunoreactivity in cancer cells tended to be associated with patients’ shorter disease-specific survival, suggesting that nuclear MT3 expression may be a potential marker of poor prognosis of triple-negative TNBC cases. PMID:25933064

  14. The molecular basis of cytotoxicity of α-spinasterol from Ganoderma resinaceum: Induction of apoptosis and overexpression of p53 in breast and ovarian cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Sedky, Nada K; El Gammal, Zaynab H; Wahba, Amir E; Mosad, Eman; Waly, Zahraa Y; El-Fallal, Amira Ali; Arafa, Reem K; El-Badri, Nagwa

    2018-05-01

    Despite advances in therapy of breast and ovarian cancers, they still remain among the most imperative causes of cancer death in women. The first can be considered one of the most widespread diseases among females, while the latter is more lethal and needs prompt treatment. Thus, the research field can still benefit from discovery of new compounds that can be of potential use in management of these grave illnesses. We hereby aimed to assess the antitumor activity of the phytosterol α-spinasterol isolated from Ganoderma resinaceum mushroom on human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), as well as, on human ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-3). The anti-tumor activity of α-spinasterol, isolated from the mycelial extract of the Egyptian G. resinaceum, on human breast and ovarian cancer cell lines was evaluated by MTT cell viability assay and AnnexinV/propidium iodide apoptosis assay. The molecular mechanism underlying this effect was assessed by the relative expression of the following markers; tumor suppressor (p53, BRCA1, BRCA2), apoptotic marker (Bax) and cell cycle progression markers (cyclin dependent kinases cdk4/6) using real-time PCR. Cell cycle analysis was performed for the three investigated cancer cell lines to explore the effect on cell cycle progression. Our findings showed that α-spinasterol exhibited a higher antitumor activity on MCF-7 cells relative to SKOV-3 cells, while its lowest antitumor activity was against MDA-MB-231 cells. A significant increase in the expression of p53 and Bax was observed in cells treated with α-spinasterol, while cdk4/6 were significantly down-regulated upon exposure to α-spinasterol. Cell cycle analysis of α-spinasterol treated cells showed a G 0 -G 1 arrest. In conclusion, α-spinasterol isolated from G. resinaceum mushroom exerts a potent inhibitory activity on breast and ovarian cancer cell lines in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This can be reasonified in lights of the compound's ability to increase p53 and Bax expressions, and to lower the expression of cdk4/6. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Overexpression of the miR-141/200c cluster promotes the migratory and invasive ability of triple-negative breast cancer cells through the activation of the FAK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways by secreting VEGF-A.

    PubMed

    Choi, Sul Ki; Kim, Hoe Suk; Jin, Tiefeng; Hwang, Eun Hye; Jung, Minji; Moon, Woo Kyung

    2016-08-02

    The role of microRNA-200 (miR-200) family members in the migration and invasion of breast cancer is controversial. This study investigated the mechanisms by which the miR-200 family members modulated the migratory and invasive abilities of an aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line, MDA-MB-231. The miR-200 family (miR-200b/200a/429 and miR-141/200c clusters) and green fluorescence protein (GFP) were transduced into MDA-MB-231 cells using a lentiviral system. Stable cells highly expressing the miR-200 family and GFP were isolated by puromycin selection and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Gene expression was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). The migratory and invasive abilities were assessed using trans-well and wound-healing assays. The secreted cytokines and growth factors in cultured media were quantified using a Bio-Plex200 multiplex array system. Western blot assays and immunofluorescence staining were conducted to investigate miR-200 family-regulated signaling pathways. The entire dataset obtained in this study was statistically evaluated using a one-way ANOVA followed by a t-test. The stable overexpression of the miR-200b/200a/429 or miR-141/200c cluster suppressed cell growth and significantly increased migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. miR-141/200c overexpression was more effective in decreasing cell growth and promoting migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells than was miR-200b/200a/429 overexpression. In addition, the overexpression of the miR-200b/200a/429 or miR-141/200c cluster led to an increase in the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and protein kinase B (AKT). Chemical inhibitors of FAK and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT suppressed the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells that was enhanced by the overexpression of the miR-200b/200a/429 or miR-141/200c cluster. Compared to the miR-200b/200a/429 cluster-transduced MDA-MB-231 cells, the miR-141/200c cluster-transduced MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited a significant increase in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A secretion and integrin-alphaV (integrin-αV) expression. Treatment with an anti-VEGF-A-neutralizing antibody inhibited the increase in migration and invasion in both the miR-200b/200a/429- and miR-141/200c-transduced MDA-MB-231 cells but significantly reduced the phosphorylation of FAK and AKT in only the miR-141/200c cluster-transduced MDA-MB-231 cells. Taken together, our data demonstrate a mechanism in which the miR-141/200c cluster, through FAK- and PI3K/AKT-mediated signaling by means of increased VEGF-A secretion, promotes the migratory and invasive abilities of MDA-MB-231 cells.

  16. Methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) supplementation attenuates breast cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis in vivo; therapeutic and chemopreventive applications.

    PubMed

    Mahmood, Niaz; Cheishvili, David; Arakelian, Ani; Tanvir, Imrana; Khan, Haseeb Ahmed; Pépin, Anne-Sophie; Szyf, Moshe; Rabbani, Shafaat A

    2018-01-12

    DNA hypomethylation coordinately targets various signaling pathways involved in tumor growth and metastasis. At present, there are no approved therapeutic modalities that target hypomethylation. In this regard, we examined the therapeutic plausibility of using universal methyl group donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to block breast cancer development, growth, and metastasis through a series of studies in vitro using two different human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T) and in vivo using an MDA-MB-231 xenograft model of breast cancer. We found that SAM treatment caused a significant dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation, invasion, migration, anchorage-independent growth and increased apoptosis in vitro . These results were recapitulated in vivo where oral administration of SAM reduced tumor volume and metastasis in green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged MDA-MB-231 xenograft model. Gene expression analyses validated the ability of SAM to decrease the expression of several key genes implicated in cancer progression and metastasis in both cell lines and breast tumor xenografts. SAM was found to be bioavailable in the serum of experimental animals as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and no notable adverse side effects were seen including any change in animal behavior. The results of this study provide compelling evidence to evaluate the therapeutic potential of methylating agents like SAM in patients with breast cancer to reduce cancer-associated morbidity and mortality.

  17. EZH2 and histone deacetylase inhibitors induce apoptosis in triple negative breast cancer cells by differentially increasing H3 Lys27 acetylation in the BIM gene promoter and enhancers.

    PubMed

    Huang, Julia P; Ling, Kun

    2017-11-01

    Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a subunit of polycomb repressive complex 2, is a histone methyl-transferase and is considered to work cooperatively with histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the same protein complex to mediate gene transcription repression by increasing histone H3 Lys 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), in particular in the nucleosome (s). EZH2 is overexpressed in numerous types of cancer, including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer, which there are no effective treatment options for. Thus, inhibition of EZH2 may be harnessed for targeted therapy of this disease. The present study demonstrated that co-treatment with an EZH2 inhibitor and a HDAC inhibitor additively induced apoptosis in two TNBC cell lines, namely MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436. The increased rate of cell death was associated with an elevation of B cell lymphoma-2 like 11 (BIM) expression level, a pro-apoptotic protein at the protein and mRNA expression levels in these two cell lines. The expression of forkhead box O1 (FOXO1), a known upstream transcriptional activator of BIM , was upregulated in both cell lines by the HDAC inhibitor, and the effect was more pronounced in MDA-MB-436 cells with higher phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B, a negative regulator of FOXO1, compared with MDA-MB-231 cells. Conversely, FOXO1 expression was inhibited following treatment with the EZH2 inhibitor, suggesting that EZH2 and HDAC inhibitors induced BIM expression via a FOXO1-independent mechanism. The present study further revealed that the EZH2 inhibitor, but not the HDAC inhibitor, induced high levels of H3K27 acetylation (H3K27ac) in the BIM promoter. By contrast, compared with the effect of the EZH2 inhibitor, HDAC inhibitor treatment resulted in an increase in H3K27ac at two BIM enhancers. Collectively, the results of the present study indicated that EZH2 and HDACs act differentially on H3K27ac levels in the nucleosome at the promoter and enhancer regions of the BIM gene. Through the upregulation of BIM, co-treatment with EZH2 and HDAC inhibitors had a pronounced therapeutic effect on TNBC cells, suggesting that co-targeting EZH2 and HDAC proteins represents a viable therapeutic option for the treatment of TNBC.

  18. Distinct Biochemical Pools of Golgi Phosphoprotein 3 in the Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231.

    PubMed

    Tenorio, María J; Ross, Breyan H; Luchsinger, Charlotte; Rivera-Dictter, Andrés; Arriagada, Cecilia; Acuña, Diego; Aguilar, Marcelo; Cavieres, Viviana; Burgos, Patricia V; Ehrenfeld, Pamela; Mardones, Gonzalo A

    2016-01-01

    Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) has been implicated in the development of carcinomas in many human tissues, and is currently considered a bona fide oncoprotein. Importantly, several tumor types show overexpression of GOLPH3, which is associated with tumor progress and poor prognosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that connect GOLPH3 function with tumorigenicity are poorly understood. Experimental evidence shows that depletion of GOLPH3 abolishes transformation and proliferation of tumor cells in GOLPH3-overexpressing cell lines. Conversely, GOLPH3 overexpression drives transformation of primary cell lines and enhances mouse xenograft tumor growth in vivo. This evidence suggests that overexpression of GOLPH3 could result in distinct features of GOLPH3 in tumor cells compared to that of non-tumorigenic cells. GOLPH3 is a peripheral membrane protein mostly localized at the trans-Golgi network, and its association with Golgi membranes depends on binding to phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate. GOLPH3 is also contained in a large cytosolic pool that rapidly exchanges with Golgi-associated pools. GOLPH3 has also been observed associated with vesicles and tubules arising from the Golgi, as well as other cellular compartments, and hence it has been implicated in several membrane trafficking events. Whether these and other features are typical to all different types of cells is unknown. Moreover, it remains undetermined how GOLPH3 acts as an oncoprotein at the Golgi. Therefore, to better understand the roles of GOLPH3 in cancer cells, we sought to compare some of its biochemical and cellular properties in the human breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 with that of the non-tumorigenic breast human cell line MCF 10A. We found unexpected differences that support the notion that in different cancer cells, overexpression of GOLPH3 functions in diverse fashions, which may influence specific tumorigenic phenotypes.

  19. Distinct Biochemical Pools of Golgi Phosphoprotein 3 in the Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231

    PubMed Central

    Luchsinger, Charlotte; Rivera-Dictter, Andrés; Arriagada, Cecilia; Acuña, Diego; Aguilar, Marcelo; Cavieres, Viviana; Burgos, Patricia V.; Ehrenfeld, Pamela; Mardones, Gonzalo A.

    2016-01-01

    Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) has been implicated in the development of carcinomas in many human tissues, and is currently considered a bona fide oncoprotein. Importantly, several tumor types show overexpression of GOLPH3, which is associated with tumor progress and poor prognosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that connect GOLPH3 function with tumorigenicity are poorly understood. Experimental evidence shows that depletion of GOLPH3 abolishes transformation and proliferation of tumor cells in GOLPH3-overexpressing cell lines. Conversely, GOLPH3 overexpression drives transformation of primary cell lines and enhances mouse xenograft tumor growth in vivo. This evidence suggests that overexpression of GOLPH3 could result in distinct features of GOLPH3 in tumor cells compared to that of non-tumorigenic cells. GOLPH3 is a peripheral membrane protein mostly localized at the trans-Golgi network, and its association with Golgi membranes depends on binding to phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate. GOLPH3 is also contained in a large cytosolic pool that rapidly exchanges with Golgi-associated pools. GOLPH3 has also been observed associated with vesicles and tubules arising from the Golgi, as well as other cellular compartments, and hence it has been implicated in several membrane trafficking events. Whether these and other features are typical to all different types of cells is unknown. Moreover, it remains undetermined how GOLPH3 acts as an oncoprotein at the Golgi. Therefore, to better understand the roles of GOLPH3 in cancer cells, we sought to compare some of its biochemical and cellular properties in the human breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 with that of the non-tumorigenic breast human cell line MCF 10A. We found unexpected differences that support the notion that in different cancer cells, overexpression of GOLPH3 functions in diverse fashions, which may influence specific tumorigenic phenotypes. PMID:27123979

  20. Differentially expressed proteins in ER+ MCF7 and ER- MDA- MB-231 human breast cancer cells by RhoGDI-α silencing and overexpression.

    PubMed

    Hooshmand, Somayeh; Ghaderi, Abbas; Yusoff, Khatijah; Thilakavathy, Karuppiah; Rosli, Rozita; Mojtahedi, Zahra

    2014-01-01

    The consequence of Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor alpha (RhoGDIα) activity on migration and invasion of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) and negative (ER-) breast cancer cells has not been studied using the proteomic approach. Changes in expression of RhoGDIα and other proteins interacting directly or indirectly with RhoGDIα in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231, with different metastatic potentials is of particular interest. ER+ MCF7 and ER- MDA-MB-231 cell lines were subjected to two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and spots of interest were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of- flight/time- of-flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) analysis after downregulation of RhoGDIα using short interfering RNA (siRNA) and upregulated using GFP-tagged ORF clone of RhoGDIα. The results showed a total of 35 proteins that were either up- or down-regulated in these cells. Here we identifed 9 and 15 proteins differentially expressed with silencing of RhoGDIα in MCF-7 and the MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. In addition, 10 proteins were differentially expressed in the upregulation of RhoGDIα in MCF7, while only one protein was identified in the upregulation of RhoGDIα in MDA-MB-231. Based on the biological functions of these proteins, the results revealed that proteins involved in cell migration are more strongly altered with RhoGDI-α activity. Although several of these proteins have been previously indicated in tumorigenesis and invasiveness of breast cancer cells, some ohave not been previously reported to be involved in breast cancer migration. Hence, these proteins may serve as useful candidate biomarkers for tumorigenesis and invasiveness of breast cancer cells. Future studies are needed to determine the mechanisms by which these proteins regulate cell migration. The combination of RhoGDIα with other potential biomarkers may be a more promising approach in the inhibition of breast cancer cell migration.

  1. Cell-specific radiosensitization by gold nanoparticles at megavoltage radiation energies.

    PubMed

    Jain, Suneil; Coulter, Jonathan A; Hounsell, Alan R; Butterworth, Karl T; McMahon, Stephen J; Hyland, Wendy B; Muir, Mark F; Dickson, Glenn R; Prise, Kevin M; Currell, Fred J; O'Sullivan, Joe M; Hirst, David G

    2011-02-01

    Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have been shown to cause sensitization with kilovoltage (kV) radiation. Differences in the absorption coefficient between gold and soft tissue, as a function of photon energy, predict that maximum enhancement should occur in the kilovoltage (kV) range, with almost no enhancement at megavoltage (MV) energies. Recent studies have shown that GNPs are not biologically inert, causing oxidative stress and even cell death, suggesting a possible biological mechanism for sensitization. The purpose of this study was to assess GNP radiosensitization at clinically relevant MV X-ray energies. Cellular uptake, intracellular localization, and cytotoxicity of GNPs were assessed in normal L132, prostate cancer DU145, and breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Radiosensitization was measured by clonogenic survival at kV and MV photon energies and MV electron energies. Intracellular DNA double-strand break (DSB) induction and DNA repair were determined and GNP chemosensitization was assessed using the radiomimetic agent bleomycin. GNP uptake occurred in all cell lines and was greatest in MDA-MB-231 cells with nanoparticles accumulating in cytoplasmic lysosomes. In MDA-MB-231 cells, radiation sensitizer enhancement ratios (SERs) of 1.41, 1.29, and 1.16 were achieved using 160 kVp, 6 MV, and 15 MV X-ray energies, respectively. No significant effect was observed in L132 or DU145 cells at kV or MV energies (SER 0.97-1.08). GNP exposure did not increase radiation-induced DSB formation or inhibit DNA repair; however, GNP chemosensitization was observed in MDA-MB-231 cells treated with bleomycin (SER 1.38). We have demonstrated radiosensitization in MDA-MB-231 cells at MV X-ray energies. The sensitization was cell-specific with comparable effects at kV and MV energies, no increase in DSB formation, and GNP chemopotentiation with bleomycin, suggesting a possible biological mechanism of radiosensitization. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. A functional in vivo screen for regulators of tumor progression identifies HOXB2 as a regulator of tumor growth in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Boimel, Pamela J; Cruz, Cristian; Segall, Jeffrey E

    2011-09-01

    Microarray profiling in breast cancer patients has identified genes correlated with prognosis whose functions are unknown. The purpose of this study was to develop an in vivo assay for functionally screening regulators of tumor progression using a mouse model. Transductant shRNA cell lines were made in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer line. A pooled population of 25 transductants was injected into the mammary fat pads and tail veins of mice to evaluate tumor growth, and experimental metastasis. The proportions of transductants were evaluated in the tumor and metastases using barcodes specific to each shRNA transductant. We characterized the homeobox 2 transcription factor as a negative regulator, decreasing tumor growth in MDA-MB-231, T47D, and MTLn3 mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines. Homeobox genes have been correlated with cancer patient prognosis and tumorigenesis. Here we use a novel in vivo shRNA screen to identify a new role for a homeobox gene in human mammary adenocarcinoma. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A functional in vivo screen for regulators of tumor progression identifies HOXB2 as a regulator of tumor growth in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Boimel, Pamela J.; Cruz, Cristian; Segall, Jeffrey E.

    2011-01-01

    Microarray profiling in breast cancer patients have identified genes correlated with prognosis whose functions are unknown. The purpose of this study was to develop an in vivo assay for functionally screening regulators of tumor progression using a mouse model. Transductant shRNA cell lines were made in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer line. A pooled population of 25 transductants was injected into the mammary fat pads and tail veins of mice to evaluate tumor growth, and experimental metastasis. The proportions of transductants were evaluated in the tumor and metastases using barcodes specific to each shRNA transductant. We characterized the homeobox 2 transcription factor as a negative regulator, decreasing tumor growth in MDA-MB-231, T47D, and MTLn3 mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines. Homeobox genes have been correlated with cancer patient prognosis and tumorigenesis. Here we use a novel in vivo shRNA screen to identify a new role for a homeobox gene in human mammary adenocarcinoma. PMID:21672623

  4. Irradiation of breast cancer cells enhances CXCL16 ligand expression and induces the migration of natural killer cells expressing the CXCR6 receptor.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Mee Sun; Pham, Chanh Tin; Phan, Minh-Trang Thi; Shin, Dong-Jun; Jang, Youn-Young; Park, Min-Ho; Kim, Sang-Ki; Kim, Seokho; Cho, Duck

    2016-12-01

    Few studies have examined the migration pattern of natural killer (NK) cells, especially after radiation treatment for cancer. We investigated whether irradiation can modulate the expression of chemokines in cancer cells and the migration of NK cells to irradiated tumor cells. The expression of chemokine receptors (CXCR3, CXCR4 and CXCR6) on interleukin-2 (IL-2)/IL-15-activated NK cells was assessed using flow cytometry. Related chemokine ligands (CXCL11, CXCL12 and CXCL16) in human breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, SKBR3 and MDA-MB231) irradiated at various doses were assessed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cell-free culture supernatant was collected 96 h after irradiation of breast cancer cell lines for migration and blocking assays. The activated NK cells expressed CXCR6. Expression of the CXCR6 ligand CXCL16 increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner in all analyzed cancer cell lines. CXCL16 expression was statistically significantly enhanced in all breast cancer cell lines on day 3 after 20 Gy irradiation. Activated NK cells migration correlated with CXCL16 concentration (R 2  = 0.91; P <0.0001). Significantly enhanced migration of NK cells to irradiated cancer cells was observed for a dose of 20 Gy in MCF7 (P = 0.043) and SKBR3 (P = 0.043) cells, but not in MDA-MB231 (P = 0.225) cells. A blocking assay using a CXCR6 antibody showed a significant decrease in the migration of activated NK cells in all cancer cell lines. Our data indicate that irradiation induces CXCL16 chemokine expression in cancer cells and enhances the migration of activated NK cells expressing CXCR6 to irradiated breast cancer cells. These results suggest that radiation would improve the anti-tumor effect of NK cells through enhanced migration of NK cells to tumor site for the treatment of patients with breast cancer. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Imidazopyridine-fused [1,3]-diazepinones: synthesis and antiproliferative activity.

    PubMed

    Gallud, Audrey; Vaillant, Ophélie; Maillard, Ludovic T; Arama, Dominique P; Dubois, Joëlle; Maynadier, Marie; Lisowski, Vincent; Garcia, Marcel; Martinez, Jean; Masurier, Nicolas

    2014-03-21

    A series of 15 pyrido-imidazo-1,3-diazepin-5-ones and pyrido-1,3-diazepine-2,5-diones were synthesized and their anticancer activities were evaluated. Among tested compounds on a cell lines panel, compound 6a presents the best growth inhibition activity on 21 cell lines with a cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-435 melanoma cells. This compound led to deep cell morphological changes and revealed to be an inhibitor of the Hepatocyte progenitor kinase-like kinase (HGK), which is known to be implicated in the migration, adhesion and invasion of various tumor cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Anticarcinogenic effects of polyphenolics from mango (Mangifera indica) varieties.

    PubMed

    Noratto, Giuliana D; Bertoldi, Michele C; Krenek, Kimberley; Talcott, Stephen T; Stringheta, Paulo C; Mertens-Talcott, Susanne U

    2010-04-14

    Many polyphenolics contained in mango have shown anticancer activity. The objective of this study was to compare the anticancer properties of polyphenolic extracts from several mango varieties (Francis, Kent, Ataulfo, Tommy Atkins, and Haden) in cancer cell lines, including Molt-4 leukemia, A-549 lung, MDA-MB-231 breast, LnCap prostate, and SW-480 colon cancer cells and the noncancer colon cell line CCD-18Co. Cell lines were incubated with Ataulfo and Haden extracts, selected on the basis of their superior antioxidant capacity compared to the other varieties, where SW-480 and MOLT-4 were statistically equally most sensitive to both cultivars followed by MDA-MB-231, A-549, and LnCap in order of decreasing efficacy as determined by cell counting. The efficacy of extracts from all mango varieties in the inhibition of cell growth was tested in SW-480 colon carcinoma cells, where Ataulfo and Haden demonstrated superior efficacy, followed by Kent, Francis, and Tommy Atkins. At 5 mg of GAE/L, Ataulfo inhibited the growth of colon SW-480 cancer cells by approximately 72% while the growth of noncancer colonic myofibroblast CCD-18Co cells was not inhibited. The growth inhibition exerted by Ataulfo and Haden polyphenolics in SW-480 was associated with an increased mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic biomarkers and cell cycle regulators, cell cycle arrest, and a decrease in the generation of reactive oxygen species. Overall, polyphenolics from several mango varieties exerted anticancer effects, where compounds from Haden and Ataulfo mango varieties possessed superior chemopreventive activity.

  7. A three dimensional micropatterned tumor model for breast cancer cell migration studies.

    PubMed

    Peela, Nitish; Sam, Feba S; Christenson, Wayne; Truong, Danh; Watson, Adam W; Mouneimne, Ghassan; Ros, Robert; Nikkhah, Mehdi

    2016-03-01

    Breast cancer cell invasion is a highly orchestrated process driven by a myriad of complex microenvironmental stimuli, making it difficult to isolate and assess the effects of biochemical or biophysical cues (i.e. tumor architecture, matrix stiffness) on disease progression. In this regard, physiologically relevant tumor models are becoming instrumental to perform studies of cancer cell invasion within well-controlled conditions. Herein, we explored the use of photocrosslinkable hydrogels and a novel, two-step photolithography technique to microengineer a 3D breast tumor model. The microfabrication process enabled precise localization of cell-encapsulated circular constructs adjacent to a low stiffness matrix. To validate the model, breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MCF7) and non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A) were embedded separately within the tumor model, all of which maintained high viability throughout the experiments. MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited extensive migratory behavior and invaded the surrounding matrix, whereas MCF7 or MCF10A cells formed clusters that stayed confined within the circular tumor regions. Additionally, real-time cell tracking indicated that the speed and persistence of MDA-MB-231 cells were substantially higher within the surrounding matrix compared to the circular constructs. Z-stack imaging of F-actin/α-tubulin cytoskeletal organization revealed unique 3D protrusions in MDA-MB-231 cells and an abundance of 3D clusters formed by MCF7 and MCF10A cells. Our results indicate that gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogel, integrated with the two-step photolithography technique, has great promise in the development of 3D tumor models with well-defined architecture and tunable stiffness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Moringa oleifera as an Anti-Cancer Agent against Breast and Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman Khazim; Albalawi, Sulaiman Mansour; Athar, Md Tanwir; Khan, Abdul Quaiyoom; Al-Shahrani, Hamoud; Islam, Mozaffarul

    2015-01-01

    In this study we investigated the anti-cancer effect of Moringa oleifera leaves, bark and seed extracts. When tested against MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cancer cell lines, the extracts of leaves and bark showed remarkable anti-cancer properties while surprisingly, seed extracts exhibited hardly any such properties. Cell survival was significantly low in both cells lines when treated with leaves and bark extracts. Furthermore, a striking reduction (about 70-90%) in colony formation as well as cell motility was observed upon treatment with leaves and bark. Additionally, apoptosis assay performed on these treated breast and colorectal cancer lines showed a remarkable increase in the number of apoptotic cells; with a 7 fold increase in MD-MB-231 to an increase of several fold in colorectal cancer cell lines. However, no significant apoptotic cells were detected upon seeds extract treatment. Moreover, the cell cycle distribution showed a G2/M enrichment (about 2-3 fold) indicating that these extracts effectively arrest the cell progression at the G2/M phase. The GC-MS analyses of these extracts revealed numerous known anti-cancer compounds, namely eugenol, isopropyl isothiocynate, D-allose, and hexadeconoic acid ethyl ester, all of which possess long chain hydrocarbons, sugar moiety and an aromatic ring. This suggests that the anti-cancer properties of Moringa oleifera could be attributed to the bioactive compounds present in the extracts from this plant. This is a novel study because no report has yet been cited on the effectiveness of Moringa extracts obtained in the locally grown environment as an anti-cancer agent against breast and colorectal cancers. Our study is the first of its kind to evaluate the anti-malignant properties of Moringa not only in leaves but also in bark. These findings suggest that both the leaf and bark extracts of Moringa collected from the Saudi Arabian region possess anti-cancer activity that can be used to develop new drugs for treatment of breast and colorectal cancers.

  9. Immunohistochemical and prognostic analysis of apoptosis and proliferation in uveal melanoma.

    PubMed Central

    Mooy, C. M.; Luyten, G. P.; de Jong, P. T.; Luider, T. M.; Stijnen, T.; van de Ham, F.; van Vroonhoven, C. C.; Bosman, F. T.

    1995-01-01

    Neoplasia can be defined as deregulated tissue homeostasis caused by an imbalance between proliferation and apoptosis. Many genes are involved in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis, eg, the c-myc oncoprotein, which is an important regulator of cell proliferation and Bcl-2 protein, which is involved in the regulation of apoptosis. We studied retrospectively indices of proliferation, such as mitotic count and the Mib-1 index, on 51 uveal melanomas and compared their prognostic significance with established indicators of prognosis such as cell type and tumor size. Along the same line we investigated the expression of the regulating proteins c-myc and Bcl-2. Of all parameters tested, the largest tumor diameter and mitotic count were most strongly associated with tumor-related death (P < 0.001 and P = 0.005, respectively). In addition, cell type, the presence of epithelioid cells, the Mib-1 index, and the percentage of cytoplasmic c-myc-positive cells were significant predictive factors. Multivariate analysis showed that the Mib-1 index, largest tumor diameter, and the percentage of cytoplasmic c-myc-positive cells were independent prognostic parameters. Bcl-2 expression did not correlate with clinical outcome. The Mib-1 index correlated with the presence of epithelioid cells (P < 0.03) and the presence of apoptotic bodies (P < 0.001) and c-myc. A strong inverse relationship was found between (nuclear and cytoplasmic) c-myc and Bcl-2 (P < 0.00004 and P < 0.006, respectively), suggesting that Bcl-2 cooperates with c-myc to immortalize uveal melanoma cells. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:7573354

  10. Hydroxytyrosol Protects against Oxidative DNA Damage in Human Breast Cells

    PubMed Central

    Warleta, Fernando; Quesada, Cristina Sánchez; Campos, María; Allouche, Yosra; Beltrán, Gabriel; Gaforio, José J.

    2011-01-01

    Over recent years, several studies have related olive oil ingestion to a low incidence of several diseases, including breast cancer. Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol are two of the major phenols present in virgin olive oils. Despite the fact that they have been linked to cancer prevention, there is no evidence that clarifies their effect in human breast tumor and non-tumor cells. In the present work, we present hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol’s effects in human breast cell lines. Our results show that hydroxytyrosol acts as a more efficient free radical scavenger than tyrosol, but both fail to affect cell proliferation rates, cell cycle profile or cell apoptosis in human mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A) or breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7). We found that hydroxytyrosol decreases the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in MCF10A cells but not in MCF7 or MDA-MB-231 cells while very high amounts of tyrosol is needed to decrease the ROS level in MCF10A cells. Interestingly, hydroxytyrosol prevents oxidative DNA damage in the three breast cell lines. Therefore, our data suggest that simple phenol hydroxytyrosol could contribute to a lower incidence of breast cancer in populations that consume virgin olive oil due to its antioxidant activity and its protection against oxidative DNA damage in mammary cells. PMID:22254082

  11. Glyceollins as novel targeted therapeutic for the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of glyceollins on the suppression of tumorigenesis in triple negative breast carcinoma cell lines. We further explored the effects of glyceollins on microRNA and protein expression in MDA MB 231 cells. Triple negative (ER , PgR, and Her2/neu ...

  12. Multiplex bioimaging of piRNA molecular pathway-regulated theragnostic effects in a single breast cancer cell using a piRNA molecular beacon.

    PubMed

    Lee, Youn Jung; Moon, Sung Ung; Park, Min Geun; Jung, Woon Yong; Park, Yong Keun; Song, Sung Kyu; Ryu, Je Gyu; Lee, Yong Seung; Heo, Hye Jung; Gu, Ha Na; Cho, Su Jeong; Ali, Bahy A; Al-Khedhairy, Abdulaziz A; Lee, Ilkyun; Kim, Soonhag

    2016-09-01

    Recently, PIWI-interacting small non-coding RNAs (piRNAs) have emerged as novel cancer biomarkers candidate because of their high expression level in various cancer types and role in the control of tumor suppressor genes. In this study, a novel breast cancer theragnostics probe based on a single system targeting the piRNA-36026 (piR-36026) molecular pathway was developed using a piR-36026 molecular beacon (MB). The piR-36026 MB successfully visualized endogenous piR-36026 biogenesis, which is highly expressed in MCF7 cells (a human breast cancer cell line), and simultaneously inhibited piR-36026-mediated cancer progression in vitro and in vivo. We discovered two tumor suppressor proteins, SERPINA1 and LRAT, that were directly regulated as endogenous piR-36026 target genes in MCF7 cells. Furthermore, multiplex bioimaging of a single MCF7 cell following treatment with piR-36026 MB clearly visualized the direct molecular interaction of piRNA-36026 with SERPINA1 or LRAT and subsequent molecular therapeutic responses including caspase-3 and PI in the nucleus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A novel taspine derivative, HMQ1611, inhibits breast cancer cell growth via estrogen receptor α and EGF receptor signaling pathways.

    PubMed

    Zhan, Yingzhuan; Zhang, Yanmin; Liu, Cuicui; Zhang, Jie; Smith, Wanli W; Wang, Nan; Chen, Yinnan; Zheng, Lei; He, Langchong

    2012-06-01

    Breast cancer is a common cancer with a leading cause of cancer mortality in women. Currently, the chemotherapy for breast cancer is underdeveloped. Here, we report a novel taspine derivative, HMQ1611, which has anticancer effects using in vitro and in vivo breast cancer models. HMQ1611 reduced cancer cell proliferation in four human breast cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231, SK-BR-3, ZR-75-30, and MCF-7. HMQ1611 more potently reduced growth of estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive breast cancer cells (ZR-75-30 and MCF-7) than ERα-negative cells (MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3). Moreover, HMQ1611 arrested breast cancer cell cycle at S-phase. In vivo tumor xenograft model, treatment of HMQ1611 significantly reduced tumor size and weight compared with vehicles. We also found that HMQ1611 reduced ERα expression and inhibited membrane ERα-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling following the stimulation of cells with estrogen. Knockdown of ERα by siRNA transfection in ZR-75-30 cells attenuated HMQ1611 effects. In contrast, overexpression of ERα in MDA-MB-231 cells enhanced HMQ1611 effects, suggesting that ERα pathway mediated HMQ1611's inhibition of breast cancer cell growth in ERα-positive breast cancer. HMQ1611 also reduced phosphorylation of EGF receptor (EGFR) and its downstream signaling players extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and AKT activation both in ZR-75-30 and MDA-MB-231 cells. These results showed that the novel compound HMQ1611 had anticancer effects, and partially via ERα and/or EGFR signaling pathways, suggesting that HMQ1611 may be a potential novel candidate for human breast cancer intervention. ©2012 AACR.

  14. Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of two diastereomeric lignan amides serving as dimeric caffeic acid-l-DOPA hybrids.

    PubMed

    Magoulas, George E; Rigopoulos, Andreas; Piperigkou, Zoi; Gialeli, Chrysostomi; Karamanos, Nikos K; Takis, Panteleimon G; Troganis, Anastassios N; Chrissanthopoulos, Athanassios; Maroulis, George; Papaioannou, Dionissios

    2016-06-01

    Two new diastereomeric lignan amides (4 and 5) serving as dimeric caffeic acid-l-DOPA hybrids were synthesized. The synthesis involved the FeCl3-mediated phenol oxidative coupling of methyl caffeate to afford trans-diester 1a as a mixture of enantiomers, protection of the catechol units, regioselective saponification, coupling with a suitably protected l-DOPA derivative, separation of the two diastereomers thus obtained by flash column chromatography and finally global chemoselective deprotection of the catechol units. The effect of hybrids 4 and 5 and related compounds on the proliferation of two breast cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential and estrogen receptor status (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and of one epithelial lung cancer cell line, namely A-549, was evaluated for concentrations ranging from 1 to 256μM and periods of treatment of 24, 48 and 72h. Both hybrids showed interesting and almost equipotent antiproliferative activities (IC50 64-70μM) for the MDA-MB-231 cell line after 24-48h of treatment, but they were more selective and much more potent (IC50 4-16μM) for the MCF-7 cells after 48h of treatment. The highest activity for both hybrids and both breast cancer lines was observed after 72h of treatment (IC50 1-2μM), probably as the result of slow hydrolysis of their methyl ester functions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. The Urtica dioica extract enhances sensitivity of paclitaxel drug to MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Mohammadi, Ali; Mansoori, Behzad; Aghapour, Mahyar; Shirjang, Solmaz; Nami, Sanam; Baradaran, Behzad

    2016-10-01

    Due to the chemo resistant nature of cancer cells and adverse effects of current therapies, researchers are looking for the most efficient therapeutic approach which has the lowest side effects and the highest toxicity on cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the synergic effect of Urtica dioica extract in combination with paclitaxel on cell death and invasion of human breast cancer MDA-MB-468 cell line. To determine the cytotoxic effects of Urtica dioica extract with paclitaxel, MTT assay was performed. The scratch test was exploited to assess the effects of Urtica dioica, Paclitaxel alone and combination on migration of cancer cells. The expression levels of snail-1, ZEB1, ZEB2, twist, Cdc2, cyclin B1 and Wee1 genes were quantified using qRT-PCR and western blot performed for snail-1expression. The effects of plant extract, Paclitaxel alone and combination on different phases of cell cycle was analyzed using flow cytometry. Results of MTT assay showed that Urtica dioica significantly destroyed cancer cells. Interestingly, Concurrent use of Urtica dioica extract with paclitaxel resulted in decreased IC50 dose of paclitaxel. Moreover, findings of scratch assay exhibited the inhibitory effects of Urtica dioica, Paclitaxel alone and combination on migration of MDA-MB-468 cell line. Our findings also demonstrated that the extract substantially decreased the Snail-1 and related gene expression. Ultimately, Cell cycle arrest occurred at G2/M phase post-treatment by deregulating Cdc2 and wee1. Our results demonstrated that the dichloromethane extract of Urtica dioica inhibit cell growth and migration. Also, Urtica dioica extract substantially increased sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel. Therefore, it can be used as a potential candidate for treatment of breast cancer with paclitaxel. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. Synthesis and Anticancer Activities of Glycyrrhetinic Acid Derivatives.

    PubMed

    Li, Yang; Feng, Ling; Song, Zhi-Fang; Li, Hai-Bei; Huai, Qi-Yong

    2016-02-06

    A total of forty novel glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) derivatives were designed and synthesized. The cytotoxic activity of the novel compounds was tested against two human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) in vitro by the MTT method. The evaluation results revealed that, in comparison with GA, compound 42 shows the most promising anticancer activity (IC50 1.88 ± 0.20 and 1.37 ± 0.18 µM for MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, respectively) and merits further exploration as a new anticancer agent.

  17. Adenosine Stimulate Proliferation and Migration in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Fernandez-Gallardo, Miriam; González-Ramírez, Ricardo; Sandoval, Alejandro; Monjaraz, Eduardo

    2016-01-01

    Emerging evidence suggests that the adenosine (Ado) receptors may play crucial roles in tumor progression. Here, we show that Ado increases proliferation and migration in a triple negative breast cancer model, the MDA-MB 231 cell line. The use of specific agonists and antagonists evidenced that these effects depend on the activation of the A2B receptor, which then triggers an intracellular response mediated by the adenylate cyclase/PKA/cAMP signaling pathway. Ado also increases the expression of NaV1.5 channels, a potential biomarker in breast cancer. Together, these data suggest important roles of the A2B receptors and NaV1.5 channels in the Ado-induced increase in proliferation and migration of the MDA-MB 231 cells. PMID:27911956

  18. Resveratrol induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in metastatic breast cancer cells via de novo ceramide signaling.

    PubMed

    Scarlatti, Francesca; Sala, Giusy; Somenzi, Giulia; Signorelli, Paola; Sacchi, Nicoletta; Ghidoni, Riccardo

    2003-12-01

    Resveratrol (3,4',5-trans-trihydroxystilbene), a phytoalexin present in grapes and red wine, is emerging as a natural compound with potential anticancer properties. Here we show that resveratrol can induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231, a highly invasive and metastatic breast cancer cell line, in concomitance with a dramatic endogenous increase of growth inhibitory/proapoptotic ceramide. We found that accumulation of ceramide derives from both de novo ceramide synthesis and sphingomyelin hydrolysis. More specifically we demonstrated that ceramide accumulation induced by resveratrol can be traced to the activation of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), the key enzyme of de novo ceramide biosynthetic pathway, and neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase), a main enzyme involved in the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway. However, by using specific inhibitors of SPT, myriocin and L-cycloserine, and nSMase, gluthatione and manumycin, we found that only the SPT inhibitors could counteract the biological effects induced by resveratrol. Thus, resveratrol seems to exert its growth inhibitory/apoptotic effect on the metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 by activating the de novo ceramide synthesis pathway.

  19. Hit to lead optimization of a series of N-[4-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)phenyl]acetamides as monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitors with potential anticancer activity.

    PubMed

    Afzal, Obaid; Akhtar, Md Sayeed; Kumar, Suresh; Ali, Md Rahmat; Jaggi, Manu; Bawa, Sandhya

    2016-10-04

    A total of thirty five new N-[4-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)phenyl]acetamide derivatives were synthesized and structures of all the compounds were confirmed on the basis of elemental analysis and collective use of IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and mass spectral data. Compounds were tested for their ability to inhibit human monoacylglycerol lipase (hMAGL) enzyme. Eight compounds 4, 19-21, 24-26, and 34 reduced the hMAGL activity less than 50% at 100 nM concentrations. The halogen substituted aniline derivatives 20, 21 and 24-26 were found to be most active among all the synthesized compounds having IC50 value in the range of 6.5-9 nM. Twenty five compounds were selected by NCI, USA for one dose anticancer screening. Compound 21 (NSC: 780167) and 24 (NSC: 780168) fulfilled prearranged doorstep growth inhibition criteria and further selected for NCI full panel five dose assay at 10-fold dilutions of five different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μM). Both the compounds 21 and 24 were found to be most active against MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell lines. The GI50 value of 32.5 nM (MCF7) and 23.8 nM (MDA-MB-468) was observed for compound 21. Compound 24 showed GI50 values of 37.1 nM against MCF7 breast cancer cell line and 25.1 nM against MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts derived from Australian fungi inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro.

    PubMed

    Beattie, Karren D; Ulrich, Rahel; Grice, I Darren; Uddin, Shaikh J; Blake, Tony B; Wood, Kyle A; Steele, Jules; Iu, Fontaine; May, Tom W; Tiralongo, Evelin

    2011-01-01

    Fifteen Australian macrofungi were investigated for cytotoxic activity. Ethanol, cold and hot water extracts of each species were screened for cytotoxic activity against normal mouse fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3), healthy human epithelial kidney cells (HEK-293), four cancer cell lines, gastric adenocarcinoma cells (AGS), two mammary gland adenocarcinoma cells (MDA-MB-231, MCF7) and colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) with a validated MTT assay. Most extracts derived from Omphalotus nidiformis, Cordyceps cranstounii and Cordyceps gunnii demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity toward a variety of cancer cell lines. In contrast only some extracts from Coprinus comatus, Cordyceps hawkesii, Hypholoma fasciculare, Lepista nuda, Leratiomyces ceres and Ophiocordyceps robertsii displayed significant cytotoxic activity, which was usually selective for only one or two cancer cell lines tested. The least cytotoxic species evaluated in this study were Agaricus bitorquis, Coprinopsis atrametaria, Psathyrella asperospora, Russula clelandii, Tricholoma sp. AU2 and Xerula mundroola.

  1. YD277 Suppresses Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Partially Through Activating the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Zekun; Wu, Qiuju; Ding, Ye; Zhou, Wenhui; Liu, Rong; Chen, Haiying; Zhou, Jia; Feng, Jing; Chen, Ceshi

    2017-01-01

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor clinical outcomes. YD277 is a novel small molecule derived from ML264, a KLF5 inhibitor that elicits cytotoxic effects in colon cancer cell lines. Our previous studies suggest that Krüpple-like factor 5 (KLF5) is a promising therapeutic target for TNBC. In this study, we demonstrated that YD277 significantly induced G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cells, independent of KLF5 inhibition. YD277 also reduced the protein expression levels of Cyclin D1, Bcl2 and Bclxl and promoted the expression of p21 and p27. Moreover, the pro-apoptotic activity of YD277 in TNBC was mediated by the transcription of IRE1α, a key molecule in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway. Finally, YD277 (15 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the growth of MDA-MB-231 tumor xenografts in nude mice. These findings indicate that YD277 is a promising chemotherapeutic candidate for TNBC. PMID:28740556

  2. UPLC-QTOF/MS-based phenolic profiling of Melastomaceae, their antioxidant activity and cytotoxic effects against human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231.

    PubMed

    Hamid, Hazrulrizawati Abd; Ramli, Aizi Nor Mazila; Zamri, Normaiza; Yusoff, Mashitah M

    2018-11-01

    Eleven compounds were identified during profiling of polyphenols by UPLC-QTOF/MS. In abundance was quercetin-3-O-α-l-arabinofuranoside in M. malabathricum ethanolic leaves extract while 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-glucoside was present in the leaves extract of M. decenfidum (its rare variety). TPC and TFC were significantly higher in M. decemfidum extract than M. malabathricum extract. During DPPH, FRAF and β-carotene bleaching assays, M. decemfidum extract exhibited greater antioxidant activity compared to M. malabathricum extract. Effect of M. malabathricum and M. decemfidum extracts on viability of MDA-MB-231 cell at concentrations 6.25-100 μg/mL were evaluated for 24, 48 and 72 h. After 48 and 72 h treatment, M. malabathricum and M. decemfidum leaves extracts exhibited significant activity in inhibiting MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line with M. malabathricum extract being more cytotoxic. M. malabathricum and M. imbricatum serves as potential daily dietary source of natural phenolics and to improve chemotherapeutic effectiveness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Paclitaxel sensitivity of breast cancer cells requires efficient mitotic arrest and disruption of Bcl-xL/Bak interaction.

    PubMed

    Flores, M Luz; Castilla, Carolina; Ávila, Rainiero; Ruiz-Borrego, Manuel; Sáez, Carmen; Japón, Miguel A

    2012-06-01

    Taxanes are being used for the treatment of breast cancer. However, cancer cells frequently develop resistance to these drugs with the subsequent recurrence of the tumor. MDA-MB-231 and T-47D breast cancer cell lines were used to assess the effect of paclitaxel treatment on apoptosis and cell cycle, the possible mechanisms of paclitaxel resistance as well as the enhancement of paclitaxel-induced apoptosis based on its combination with phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC). T-47D cells undergo apoptosis in response to paclitaxel treatment. The induction of apoptosis was associated with a robust mitotic arrest and the disruption of Bcl-xL/Bak interaction. By contrary, MDA-MB-231 cells were insensitive to paclitaxel-induced apoptosis and this was associated with a high percentage of cells that slip out of paclitaxel-imposed mitotic arrest and also with the maintenance of Bcl-xL/Bak interaction. The sequential treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with PEITC followed by paclitaxel inhibited the slippage induced by paclitaxel and increased the apoptosis induction achieved with any of the drugs alone. In breast cancer tissues, high Bcl-xL expression was correlated with a shorter time of disease-free survival in patients treated with a chemotherapeutic regimen that contains paclitaxel, in a statistically significant way. Thus, resistance to paclitaxel in MDA-MB-231 cells is related to the inability to disrupt the Bcl-xL/Bak interaction and increased slippage. In this context, the combination of a drug that induces a strong mitotic arrest, such as paclitaxel, with another that inhibits slippage, such as PEITC, translates into increased apoptotic induction.

  4. Formononetin inhibits migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 breast cancer cells by suppressing MMP-2 and MMP-9 through PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

    PubMed

    Zhou, R; Xu, L; Ye, M; Liao, M; Du, H; Chen, H

    2014-10-01

    Formononetin is a naturally existing isoflavone, which can be found in the roots of Astragalus membranaceus, Trifolium pratense, Glycyrrhiza glabra, and Pueraria lobata. It was found to be associated with inhibition of cell proliferation and cell cycle progression, as well as induction of apoptosis in various cancer cell lines. However, the effect of formononetin on breast cancer cell metastasis remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effect of formononetin on the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 in vitro and in vivo. Our data demonstrated that formononetin did not effectively inhibit the cell viability of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 in 24 h with the concentration lower than 160 μmol/l. When treated with nontoxic concentration of formononetin, the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells were markedly suppressed by wound healing assay, chamber invasion assay, and in vivo mouse metastasis model. In vitro, formononetin reduced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and increased the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and TIMP-2. Furthermore, the immunofluorescence and immunoblotting assays indicated that formononetin was very effective in suppressing the phosphorylation of Akt and PI3K. Collectively, these results suggest that formononetin inhibited breast cancer cell migration and invasion by reducing the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. These findings demonstrate a potentially new therapeutic strategy of formononetin as anti-invasive agent for breast cancer. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  5. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moreira, Liliana, E-mail: lilianam87@gmail.com; Araújo, Isabel, E-mail: isa.araujo013@gmail.com; Costa, Tito, E-mail: tito.fmup16@gmail.com

    In this study we characterized {sup 3}H-2-deoxy-D-glucose ({sup 3}H -DG) uptake by the estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF7 and the ER-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines and investigated the effect of quercetin (QUE) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) upon {sup 3}H-DG uptake, glucose metabolism and cell viability and proliferation. In both MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells {sup 3}H-DG uptake was (a) time-dependent, (b) saturable with similar capacity (V{sub max}) and affinity (K{sub m}), (c) potently inhibited by cytochalasin B, an inhibitor of the facilitative glucose transporters (GLUT), (d) sodium-independent and (e) slightly insulin-stimulated. This suggests that {sup 3}H-DG uptake by both cellmore » types is mediated by members of the GLUT family, including the insulin-responsive GLUT4 or GLUT12, while being independent of the sodium-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1). QUE and EGCG markedly and concentration-dependently inhibited {sup 3}H-DG uptake by MCF7 and by MDA-MB-231 cells, and both compounds blocked lactate production by MCF7 cells. Additionally, a 4 h-treatment with QUE or EGCG decreased MCF7 cell viability and proliferation, an effect that was more potent when glucose was available in the extracellular medium. Our results implicate QUE and EGCG as metabolic antagonists in breast cancer cells, independently of estrogen signalling, and suggest that these flavonoids could serve as therapeutic agents/adjuvants even for ER-negative breast tumors. -- Highlights: • Glucose uptake by MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells is mainly mediated by GLUT1. • QUE and EGCG inhibit cellular glucose uptake thus abolishing the Warburg effect. • This process induces cytotoxicity and proliferation arrest in MCF7 cells. • The flavonoids’ effects are independent of estrogen receptor signalling.« less

  6. Long non-coding RNA BRAF-regulated lncRNA 1 promotes lymph node invasion, metastasis and proliferation, and predicts poor prognosis in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Jing; Shi, Sheng-Hong; Li, Xu-Jun; Sun, Long; Ge, Qi-Dong; Li, Chao; Zhang, Wei

    2018-06-01

    Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are primary regulators of cancer development via their involvement in almost every aspect of cell biology. Recent studies have indicated that lncRNAs serve pivotal roles in breast cancer (BC) progression; however, to the best of our knowledge, the role of the lncRNA BRAF-regulated lncRNA 1 (BANCR) in BC has not yet been elucidated. The present study revealed that BANCR was overexpressed in BC cell lines and tissues, and could promote the clinical progression of disease, including increases in tumor size, lymph node metastasis and Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage. Furthermore, high BANCR expression was demonstrated to be associated with poor overall survival rates and early recurrence of BC in patients. Additionally, univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses identified high BANCR expression as an independent risk factor of poor prognosis of patients with BC. In addition, to verify the function of BANCR in BC cell lines, BANCR expression was silenced using short hairpin RNAs in MDA-MB-231 cells and overexpressed in MDA-MB-468 cells. An MTT assay and colony formation assay indicated that BANCR knockdown could suppress the proliferation of BC cells, whereas BANCR upregulation induced the proliferation of BC cells. Furthermore, BANCR silencing also reduced the migration and invasion of BC cells, as demonstrated via transwell migration and invasion assays. Consistently, the migration and invasion of BC cells increased upon BANCR ectopic overexpression in MDA-MB-468 cells. Mechanistically, matrix metallopeptidase 2/9 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers may be the potential targets of BANCR in regulating BC metastasis. In conclusion, BANCR overexpression could promote the clinical progression, metastasis and proliferation of BC and indicate poor prognosis of patients with BC. BANCR may therefore be a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target of patients with BC.

  7. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of (2E)-(2-oxo-1, 2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)acetate derivatives as anti-proliferative agents through ROS-induced cell apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Song, Zhuang; Chen, Cai-Ping; Liu, Jun; Wen, Xiaoan; Sun, Hongbin; Yuan, Haoliang

    2016-11-29

    A novel class of (2E)-(2-oxo-1, 2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)acetate derivatives were designed and synthesized as potent anti-proliferative agents. Most of these compounds showed potent anti-proliferative activity against some tumor cell lines, including SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231, HCT-116, SW480, Ovcar-3, HL-60, Saos-2 and HepG2. Compounds 8c and 11h were identified as the most potent ones, while HL-60, HCT116 and MDA-MB-231 were the most sensitive cell lines. Mechanistic study revealed that compound 8c enhanced reactive oxygen species level by inhibiting TrxR and then induced apoptosis by activating apoptosis proteins, bax and cleaved-caspase 3 in HCT116 cells. Preliminary SAR analysis indicated that modifications of the double bond and ester group made great effects on the anti-proliferative activity. Our findings suggested that it was worth further studies on the antitumor potency of (2E)-(2-oxo-1, 2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)acetates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Solid-phase total synthesis of cherimolacyclopeptide E and discovery of more potent analogues by alanine screening.

    PubMed

    Shaheen, Farzana; Rizvi, Tania S; Musharraf, Syed G; Ganesan, A; Xiao, Kai; Townsend, Jared B; Lam, Kit S; Choudhary, M Iqbal

    2012-11-26

    Cherimolacyclopeptide E (1) is a cyclic hexapeptide obtained from Annona cherimola, reported to be cytotoxic against the KB (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma) cell line. The solid-phase total syntheses of this cyclic peptide and its analogues were accomplished by employing FMOC/tert-butyl-protected amino acids and the Kenner sulfonamide safety-catch linker. The synthetic peptide 1 was found to be weakly cytotoxic against four cell lines (MOLT-4, Jurkat T lymphoma, MDA-MB-231, and KB). Analogues 3 and 7, where glycine at positions 2 and 6 of the parent compound was replaced by Ala, exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity against KB (3, IC50 6.3 μM; 7, IC50 7.8 μM) and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (3, IC50 10.2 μM; 7, IC50 7.7 μM), thereby suggesting possible selective targeting of these cancer cells by these peptides. The spectral data of synthetic peptide 1 was found to be similar to that reported for the natural product. However, a striking difference in biological activity was noted, which warrants the re-evaluation of the original natural product for purity and the existence of conformational differences.

  9. A Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylation Approach to Eight-Membered Lactam Derivatives with Antitumor Activity.

    PubMed

    Mancuso, Raffaella; Raut, Dnyaneshwar S; Marino, Nadia; De Luca, Giorgio; Giordano, Cinzia; Catalano, Stefania; Barone, Ines; Andò, Sebastiano; Gabriele, Bartolo

    2016-02-24

    The reactivity of 2-(2-alkynylphenoxy)anilines under PdI2 /KI-catalyzed oxidative carbonylation conditions has been studied. Although a different reaction pathway could have been operating, N-palladation followed by CO insertion was the favored pathway with all substrates tested, including those containing an internal or terminal triple bond. This led to the formation of a carbamoylpalladium species, the fate of which, as predicted by theoretical calculations, strongly depended on the nature of the substituent on the triple bond. In particular, 8-endo-dig cyclization preferentially occurred when the triple bond was terminal, leading to the formation of carbonylated ζ-lactam derivatives, the structures of which have been confirmed by XRD analysis. These novel medium-sized heterocyclic compounds showed antitumor activity against both estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and triple negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. In particular, ζ-lactam 3 j' may represent a novel and promising antitumor agent because biological tests clearly demonstrate that this compound significantly reduces cell viability and motility in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, without affecting normal breast epithelial cell viability. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Antineoplastic Effects of α-Santalol on Estrogen Receptor-Positive and Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer Cells through Cell Cycle Arrest at G2/M Phase and Induction of Apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Santha, Sreevidya; Bommareddy, Ajay; Rule, Brittny; Guillermo, Ruth; Kaushik, Radhey S.; Young, Alan; Dwivedi, Chandradhar

    2013-01-01

    Anticancer efficacy and the mechanism of action of α-santalol, a terpenoid isolated from sandalwood oil, were investigated in human breast cancer cells by using p53 wild-type MCF-7 cells as a model for estrogen receptor(ER)-positive and p53 mutated MDA-MB-231 cells as a model for ER-negative breast cancer. α-Santalol inhibited cell viability and proliferation in a concentration and time-dependent manner in both cells regardless of their ER and/or p53 status. However, α-santalol produced relatively less toxic effect on normal breast epithelial cell line, MCF-10A. It induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Cell cycle arrest induced by α-santalol was associated with changes in the protein levels of BRCA1, Chk1, G2/M regulatory cyclins, Cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs), Cell division cycle 25B (Cdc25B), Cdc25C and Ser-216 phosphorylation of Cdc25C. An up-regulated expression of CDK inhibitor p21 along with suppressed expression of mutated p53 was observed in MDA-MB-231 cells treated with α-santalol. On the contrary, α-santalol did not increase the expression of wild-type p53 and p21 in MCF-7 cells. In addition, α-santalol induced extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis in both cells with activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9. It led to the activation of the executioner caspase-6 and caspase-7 in α-santalol-treated MCF-7 cells and caspase-3 and caspase-6 in MDA-MB-231 cells along with strong cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in both cells. Taken together, this study for the first time identified strong anti-neoplastic effects of α-santalol against both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells. PMID:23451128

  11. Analysis of the Antiproliferative Effects of Curcumin and Nanocurcumin in MDA-MB231 as a Breast Cancer Cell Line.

    PubMed

    Khosropanah, Mohammad Hossein; Dinarvand, Amin; Nezhadhosseini, Afsaneh; Haghighi, Alireza; Hashemi, Sima; Nirouzad, Fereidon; Khatamsaz, Sepideh; Entezari, Maliheh; Hashemi, Mehrdad; Dehghani, Hossein

    2016-01-01

    Cancer is one of the main causes of mortality in the world which appears by the effect of enviromental physico-chemical mutagen and carcinogen agents. The identification of new cytotoxic drug with low sid effects on immune system has developed as important area in new studies of immunopharmacology. Curcumin is a natural polyphenol with anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Its therapeutic potential is substantially hindered by the rather low water solubility and bioavailability, hence the need for suitable carriers. In this report we employed nanogel-based nanoparticle approach to improve upon its effectiveness. Myristic acid-chitosan (MA-chitosan) nanogels were prepared by the technique of self-assembly. Curcumin was loaded into the nanogels. The surface morphology of the prepared nanoparticles was determined using SEM and TEM. The other objective of this study was to examine the in vitro cytotoxic activity of cell death of curcumin and nanocurcumin on human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MDA-MB231). Cytotoxicity and viability of curcumin and nanocurcumin were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and dye exclusion assay. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the particle diameter was between 150 to 200 nm. Proliferation of MDA-MB231 cells was significantly inhibited by curcumin and nanocurcumin in a concentration-dependent manner in defined times. There were significant differences in IC50 curcumin and nanocurcumin. curcumin -loaded nanoparticles proved more effective compared to TQ solution. The high drug-targeting potential and efficiency demonstrates the significant role of the anticancer properties of curcumin -loaded nanoparticles.

  12. The miR-21/PTEN/Akt signaling pathway is involved in the anti-tumoral effects of zoledronic acid in human breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Fragni, M; Bonini, S A; Bettinsoli, P; Bodei, S; Generali, D; Bottini, A; Spano, P F; Memo, M; Sigala, S

    2016-05-01

    Preclinical data indicate a direct anti-tumor effect of zoledronic acid (ZA) outside the skeleton, but its molecular mechanism is still not completely clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer effects of ZA in human breast cancer cell lines, suggesting that they may in part be mediated via the miR-21/PTEN/Akt signaling pathway. The effect of ZA on cell viability was measured by MTT assay, and cell death induction was analyzed using either a double AO/EtBr staining and M30 ELISA assay. A Proteome Profiler Human Apoptosis Array was executed to evaluate the molecular basis of ZA-induced apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis was executed by flow cytometry. The effect of ZA on miR-21 expression was quantified by qRT-PCR, and the amount of PTEN protein and its targets were analyzed by Western blot. ZA inhibited cell growth in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, through the activation of cell death pathways and arrest of cell cycle progression. ZA downregulated the expression of miR-21, resulting in dephosphorilation of Akt and Bad and in a significant increase of p21 and p27 proteins expression. These results were observed also in MDA-MB-231 cells, commonly used as an experimental model of bone metastasis of breast cancer. This study revealed, for the first time, an involvement of the miR-21/PTEN/Akt signaling pathway in the mechanism of ZA anti-cancer actions in breast cancer cells. We would like to underline that this pathway is present both in the hormone responsive BC cell line (MCF-7) as well as in a triple negative cell line (MDA-MB-231). Taken together these results reinforce the use of ZA in clinical practice, suggesting the role of miR-21 as a possible mediator of its therapeutic efficacy.

  13. WDR26 in Advanced Breast Cancer: A Novel Regulator of the P13K/AKT Pathway

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-01

    661, that disrupt the assembly of assembly of a specific signaling complex consisting of G, PI3K and AKT2, and blocked GPCR-stimulated PI3K/AKT...AKT2 with a higher efficacy than AKT1, and WDR26 also directly binds PI3K (Fig. 2). Second, we generated stable MDA-MB231 cell lines expressing...promotes Gβf signaling. Here, we demonstrate that WDR26 is overexpressed in highly malignant breast tumor cell lines and human breast cancer samples, and

  14. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fontenot, Krystal; Naragoni, Srivatcha; Claville, Michelle

    Kola acuminate, also known as Bizzy Nut or Kola Nut, is a natural product that contains bioactive chemicals that possess hormonal properties. The purpose of this study was to characterize the putative phytoestrogenic compounds present in Bizzy Nut for estrogenic-like activity. As an initial step, five extracts (E1 - hexane, E2 - ether, E3 - acetone, E4 - methanol and E5 - water) were sequentially generated using solid-liquid phase extraction and their bioactivity was examined in MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and LNCaP cancer cell models. MTT cell viability, dye exclusion, caspase activity and microscopic assessment of apoptotic cells demonstrated that extracts ofmore » Bizzy were cytotoxic to MCF-7, MDA-MB 468 and LNCaP cells. In MCF-7 cells, the acetone extract (E3) at 100 ppm elicited a potent cytotoxic response with a growth-inhibitory concentration (GI{sub 50}) of 67 ppm. In contrast, E3 stimulated growth in LNCaP cells. The ether extract (E2) showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic response with a GI{sub 50} of 13 ppm in the LNCaP cell line. Examination of the apoptotic response induced by E2 and E3 paralleled the level of cell cytotoxicity observed in both cell lines. The methanol extract (E4) was the only extract that showed a time-, dose-, and estrogen-receptor-dependent stimulation of pS2 gene expression. On the other hand, the acetone extract (E3), which showed the highest degree of cytotoxicity, showed no transcription stimulation of pS2 in MCF-7 cells. Altogether, these data indicate that Bizzy contains unique active hormonal compounds that have specific biological properties that are cell line-dependent.« less

  15. Lipophilicity-dependent ruthenium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes as potential anticancer agents.

    PubMed

    Lv, Gaochao; Guo, Liubin; Qiu, Ling; Yang, Hui; Wang, Tengfei; Liu, Hong; Lin, Jianguo

    2015-04-28

    Five Ru(II)-N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) (1-5) were synthesized by reacting the appropriately substituted imidazolium chlorides with Ag2O, forming the NHC-silver chloride in situ followed by transmetalation with dimeric p-cymene ruthenium(II) dichloride. All the complexes were characterized by NMR and ESI-MS, and complex 1 was also characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The IC50 values of these five complexes were determined by the MTT-based assay on four human cancer cell lines, SKOV-3 (ovarian), PC-3 (prostate), MDA-MB-231 (breast) and EC109 (esophagus). The cytotoxicities of these complexes changed from a moderate effect to a fine one, corresponding to the increasing lipophilicity order of the complex of 2 < 1 < 3 < 4 < 5 (0.91, 0.88, 1.36, 1.85 and 2.62 for 1–5 respectively). Complex 5 showed the most cytotoxicity with the IC50 values 10.3 ± 0.3 μM for SKOV-3, 2.9 ± 0.1 μM for PC-3, 8.2 ± 0.6 μM for MDA-MB-231, 6.4 ± 0.2 μM for EC109 cell lines. Due to the superior cytotoxicity of complex 5 against the PC-3 cell lines, further biological evaluations were carried out to elucidate its action mechanism. The morphologic changes and cell cycle analysis showed that complex 5 can inhibit PC-3 cell lines by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. The DNA binding experiments further demonstrate that complex 5 has a better binding ability for DNA (Kb = 2.2 × 10(6) M(-1)) than complexes 1-4 (3.8 × 10(5), 7.0 × 10(5), 5.7 × 10(5), and 1.9 × 10(5) respectively).

  16. Methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) supplementation attenuates breast cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis in vivo; therapeutic and chemopreventive applications

    PubMed Central

    Mahmood, Niaz; Cheishvili, David; Arakelian, Ani; Tanvir, Imrana; Khan, Haseeb Ahmed; Pépin, Anne-Sophie; Szyf, Moshe; Rabbani, Shafaat A.

    2018-01-01

    DNA hypomethylation coordinately targets various signaling pathways involved in tumor growth and metastasis. At present, there are no approved therapeutic modalities that target hypomethylation. In this regard, we examined the therapeutic plausibility of using universal methyl group donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to block breast cancer development, growth, and metastasis through a series of studies in vitro using two different human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T) and in vivo using an MDA-MB-231 xenograft model of breast cancer. We found that SAM treatment caused a significant dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation, invasion, migration, anchorage-independent growth and increased apoptosis in vitro. These results were recapitulated in vivo where oral administration of SAM reduced tumor volume and metastasis in green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged MDA-MB-231 xenograft model. Gene expression analyses validated the ability of SAM to decrease the expression of several key genes implicated in cancer progression and metastasis in both cell lines and breast tumor xenografts. SAM was found to be bioavailable in the serum of experimental animals as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and no notable adverse side effects were seen including any change in animal behavior. The results of this study provide compelling evidence to evaluate the therapeutic potential of methylating agents like SAM in patients with breast cancer to reduce cancer-associated morbidity and mortality. PMID:29435170

  17. Inhibition of CDK-mediated phosphorylation of Smad3 results in decreased oncogenesis in triple negative breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Tarasewicz, Elizabeth; Rivas, Lisbi; Hamdan, Randala; Dokic, Danijela; Parimi, Vamsi; Bernabe, Beatriz Penalver; Thomas, Alexandra; Shea, Lonnie D; Jeruss, Jacqueline S

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer onset and disease progression have been linked to members of the TGFβ superfamily and their downstream signaling components, the Smads. Alterations in Smad3 signaling are associated with the dichotomous role of TGFβ in malignancy, mediating both tumor suppressant and pro-metastatic behaviors. Overexpression of cell cycle regulators, cyclins D and E, renders cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 4/2 hyperactive. Noncanonical phosphorylation of Smad3 by CDK4/2 inhibits tumor suppressant actions of Smad3. We hypothesized that CDK inhibition (CDKi) would restore Smad3 action and help promote cancer cell regression. Treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436, Hs578T) with CDK2i or CDK4i resulted in increased Smad3 activity and decreased cell migration. Transfection with a 5M Smad3 construct containing inhibitory mutations in 5 CDK phosphorylation sites also resulted in decreased TNBC cell migration and invasion. MDA-MB-231 cells treated with CDK2i or CDK4i resulted in decreased Smad3 protein phosphorylation at the CDK phosphorylation T179 site, decreased MMP2 and c-myc expression, and increased p15 and p21 expression. Using a novel transfected cell array, we found that CDK2i treatment decreased activity of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition related transcription factors Snail and Twist. In vivo studies in an MDA-MB-231 tumor model showed that individual and combination treatment with paclitaxel and CDK2i resulted in decreased tumor volume and Ki67 staining. Collectively, these data support further investigation of targeted CDK inhibitors as a promising therapeutic strategy for TNBC, a breast cancer subtype with limited treatment options. PMID:25485498

  18. Reciprocal changes in gene expression profiles of cocultured breast epithelial cells and primary fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Rozenchan, Patricia Bortman; Carraro, Dirce Maria; Brentani, Helena; de Carvalho Mota, Louise Danielle; Bastos, Elen Pereira; e Ferreira, Elisa Napolitano; Torres, Cesar H; Katayama, Maria Lúcia Hirata; Roela, Rosimeire Aparecida; Lyra, Eduardo C; Soares, Fernando Augusto; Folgueira, Maria Aparecida Azevedo Koike; Góes, João Carlos Guedes Sampaio; Brentani, Maria Mitzi

    2009-12-15

    The importance of epithelial-stroma interaction in normal breast development and tumor progression has been recognized. To identify genes that were regulated by these reciprocal interactions, we cocultured a nonmalignant (MCF10A) and a breast cancer derived (MDA-MB231) basal cell lines, with fibroblasts isolated from breast benign-disease adjacent tissues (NAF) or with carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF), in a transwell system. Gene expression profiles of each coculture pair were compared with the correspondent monocultures, using a customized microarray. Contrariwise to large alterations in epithelial cells genomic profiles, fibroblasts were less affected. In MDA-MB231 highly represented genes downregulated by CAF derived factors coded for proteins important for the specificity of vectorial transport between ER and golgi, possibly affecting cell polarity whereas the response of MCF10A comprised an induction of genes coding for stress responsive proteins, representing a prosurvival effect. While NAF downregulated genes encoding proteins associated to glycolipid and fatty acid biosynthesis in MDA-MB231, potentially affecting membrane biogenesis, in MCF10A, genes critical for growth control and adhesion were altered. NAFs responded to coculture with MDA-MB231 by a decrease in the expression of genes induced by TGFbeta1 and associated to motility. However, there was little change in NAFs gene expression profile influenced by MCF10A. CAFs responded to the presence of both epithelial cells inducing genes implicated in cell proliferation. Our data indicate that interactions between breast fibroblasts and basal epithelial cells resulted in alterations in the genomic profiles of both cell types which may help to clarify some aspects of this heterotypic signaling. Copyright (c) 2009 UICC.

  19. Preliminary in vitro evaluation of the anti-proliferative activity of guanylhydrazone derivatives.

    PubMed

    França, Paulo H B; Da Silva-Júnior, Edeildo F; Aquino, Pedro G V; Santana, Antônio E G; Ferro, Jamylle N S; De Oliveira Barreto, Emiliano; Do Ó Pessoa, Cláudia; Meira, Assuero Silva; De Aquino, Thiago M; Alexandre-Moreira, Magna S; Schmitt, Martine; De Araújo-Júnior, João X

    2016-03-01

    Guanylhydrazones have shown promising antitumor activity in preclinical tumor models in several studies. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the cytotoxic effect of a series of synthetic guanylhydrazones. Different human tumor cell lines, by including HCT-8 (colon carcinoma), MDA-MB-435 (melanoma) and SF-295 (glioblastoma) were continuous exposed to guanylhydrazone derivatives for 72 hours and growth inhibition of tumor cell lines and macrophages J774 was measured using tetrazolium salt (MTT) assay. Compounds 7, 11, 16 and 17 showed strong cytotoxic activity with IC50 values lower than 10 μmol L(-1) against four tumor cell lines. Among them, 7 was less toxic to non-tumor cells. Finally, obtained data suggest that guanylhydrazones may be regarded as potential lead compounds for the design of novel anticancer agents.

  20. Cordycepin-induced apoptosis and autophagy in breast cancer cells are independent of the estrogen receptor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Choi, Sunga; Lim, Mi-Hee; Kim, Ki Mo

    2011-12-15

    Cordycepin (3-deoxyadenosine), found in Cordyceps spp., has been known to have many therapeutic effects including immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-aging effects. Moreover, anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects of cordycepin have been reported, but the mechanism causing cancer cell death is poorly characterized. The present study was designed to investigate whether the mechanisms of cordycepin-induced cell death were associated with estrogen receptor in breast cancer cells. Exposure of both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells to cordycepin resulted in dose-responsive inhibition of cell growth and reduction in cell viability. The cordycepin-induced cell death in MDA-MB-231 cells was associated with several specificmore » features of the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway, which was confirmed by DNA fragmentation, TUNEL, and biochemical assays. Cordycepin also caused a dose-dependent increase in mitochondrial translocation of Bax, triggering cytosolic release of cytochrome c and activation of caspases-9 and -3. Interestingly, MCF-7 cells showed autophagy-associated cell death, as observed by the detection of an autophagosome-specific protein and large membranous vacuole ultrastructure morphology in the cytoplasm. Cordycepin-induced autophagic cell death has applications in treating MCF-7 cells with apoptotic defects, irrespective of the ER response. Although autophagy has a survival function in tumorigenesis of some cancer cells, autophagy may be important for cordycepin-induced MCF-7 cell death. In conclusion, the results of our study demonstrate that cordycepin effectively kills MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines in culture. Hence, further studies should be conducted to determine whether cordycepin will be a clinically useful, ER-independent, chemotherapeutic agent for human breast cancer. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We studied the mechanism which cordycepin-induced cell death association with estrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The cordycepin-induced cell death in MDA-MB-231 cells was associated with the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cordycepin treatment also resulted in autophagy in MCF-7 cells, associated with induction of autophagosome formation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The different cordycepin-mediated cell death pathways are irrespective of the ER response. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cordycepin proves a clinically useful, ER-independent chemotherapeutic agent for human breast cancer cells.« less

  1. Cellular dosimetry of (111)In using monte carlo N-particle computer code: comparison with analytic methods and correlation with in vitro cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Cai, Zhongli; Pignol, Jean-Philippe; Chan, Conrad; Reilly, Raymond M

    2010-03-01

    Our objective was to compare Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP) self- and cross-doses from (111)In to the nucleus of breast cancer cells with doses calculated by reported analytic methods (Goddu et al. and Farragi et al.). A further objective was to determine whether the MCNP-predicted surviving fraction (SF) of breast cancer cells exposed in vitro to (111)In-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid human epidermal growth factor ((111)In-DTPA-hEGF) could accurately predict the experimentally determined values. MCNP was used to simulate the transport of electrons emitted by (111)In from the cell surface, cytoplasm, or nucleus. The doses to the nucleus per decay (S values) were calculated for single cells, closely packed monolayer cells, or cell clusters. The cell and nucleus dimensions of 6 breast cancer cell lines were measured, and cell line-specific S values were calculated. For self-doses, MCNP S values of nucleus to nucleus agreed very well with those of Goddu et al. (ratio of S values using analytic methods vs. MCNP = 0.962-0.995) and Faraggi et al. (ratio = 1.011-1.024). MCNP S values of cytoplasm and cell surface to nucleus compared fairly well with the reported values (ratio = 0.662-1.534 for Goddu et al.; 0.944-1.129 for Faraggi et al.). For cross doses, the S values to the nucleus were independent of (111)In subcellular distribution but increased with cluster size. S values for monolayer cells were significantly different from those of single cells and cell clusters. The MCNP-predicted SF for monolayer MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7 cells agreed with the experimental data (relative error of 3.1%, -1.0%, and 1.7%). The single-cell and cell cluster models were less accurate in predicting the SF. For MDA-MB-468 cells, relative error was 8.1% using the single-cell model and -54% to -67% using the cell cluster model. Individual cell-line dimensions had large effects on S values and were needed to estimate doses and SF accurately. MCNP simulation compared well with the reported analytic methods in the calculation of subcellular S values for single cells and cell clusters. Application of a monolayer model was most accurate in predicting the SF of breast cancer cells exposed in vitro to (111)In-DTPA-hEGF.

  2. Genomic screening for targets regulated by berberine in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Wen, Chun-Jie; Wu, Lan-Xiang; Fu, Li-Juan; Yu, Jing; Zhang, Yi-Wen; Zhang, Xue; Zhou, Hong-Hao

    2013-01-01

    Berberine, a common isoquinoline alkaloid, has been shown to possess anti-cancer activities. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not completely understood. In the current study, we investigated the effects of berberine on cell growth, colony formation, cell cycle distribution, and whether it improved the anticancer efficiency of cisplatin and doxorubicin in human breast cancer estrogen receptor positive (ER+) MCF-7 cells and estrogen receptor negative (ER-) MDA-MB-231 cells. Notably, berberine treatment significantly inhibited cell growth and colony formation in the two cell lines, berberine in combination with cisplatin exerting synergistic growth inhibitory effects. Accompanied by decreased growth, berberine induced G1 phase arrest in MCF-7 but not MDA-MB-231 cells. To provide a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms of action of berberine, we performed genome-wide expression profiling of berberine-treated cells using cDNA microarrays. This revealed that there were 3,397 and 2,706 genes regulated by berberine in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. Fene oncology (GO) analysis identified that many of the target genes were involved in regulation of the cell cycle, cell migration, apoptosis, and drug responses. To confirm the microarray data, qPCR analysis was conducted for 10 selected genes based on previously reported associations with breast cancer and GO analysis. In conclusion, berberine exhibits inhibitory effects on breast cancer cells proliferation, which is likely mediated by alteration of gene expression profiles.

  3. Quantitative assessment of cancer cell morphology and motility using telecentric digital holographic microscopy and machine learning.

    PubMed

    Lam, Van K; Nguyen, Thanh C; Chung, Byung M; Nehmetallah, George; Raub, Christopher B

    2018-03-01

    The noninvasive, fast acquisition of quantitative phase maps using digital holographic microscopy (DHM) allows tracking of rapid cellular motility on transparent substrates. On two-dimensional surfaces in vitro, MDA-MB-231 cancer cells assume several morphologies related to the mode of migration and substrate stiffness, relevant to mechanisms of cancer invasiveness in vivo. The quantitative phase information from DHM may accurately classify adhesive cancer cell subpopulations with clinical relevance. To test this, cells from the invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line were cultured on glass, tissue-culture treated polystyrene, and collagen hydrogels, and imaged with DHM followed by epifluorescence microscopy after staining F-actin and nuclei. Trends in cell phase parameters were tracked on the different substrates, during cell division, and during matrix adhesion, relating them to F-actin features. Support vector machine learning algorithms were trained and tested using parameters from holographic phase reconstructions and cell geometric features from conventional phase images, and used to distinguish between elongated and rounded cell morphologies. DHM was able to distinguish between elongated and rounded morphologies of MDA-MB-231 cells with 94% accuracy, compared to 83% accuracy using cell geometric features from conventional brightfield microscopy. This finding indicates the potential of DHM to detect and monitor cancer cell morphologies relevant to cell cycle phase status, substrate adhesion, and motility. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

  4. Atg7- and Keap1-dependent autophagy protects breast cancer cell lines against mitoquinone-induced oxidative stress

    PubMed Central

    Gonzalez, Yanira; Aryal, Baikuntha; Chehab, Leena; Rao, V. Ashutosh

    2014-01-01

    The interplay between oxidative stress and autophagy is critical for determining the fate of cancer cells exposed to redox-active and cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. Mitoquinone (MitoQ), a mitochondrially-targeted redox-active ubiquinone conjugate, selectively kills breast cancer cells over healthy mammary epithelial cells. We reported previously that MitoQ, although a derivative of the antioxidant ubiquinone, can generate excess ROS and trigger the Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant response in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. Following MitoQ treatment, a greater number of cells underwent autophagy than apoptosis. However, the relationship between MitoQ-induced oxidative stress and autophagy as a primary cellular response was unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that MitoQ induces autophagy related gene 7 (Atg7)-dependent, yet Beclin-1-independent, autophagy marked by an increase in LC3-II. Both the ATG7-deficient human MDA-MB-231 cells and Atg7-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibited lower levels of autophagy following MitoQ treatment than their respective wild-type counterparts. Increased apoptosis was confirmed in these autophagy-deficient isogenic cell line pairs, indicating that autophagy was attempted for survival in wild type cell lines. Furthermore, we observed higher levels of ROS in Atg7-deficient cells, as measured by hydroethidine oxidation. In Atg7-deficient cells, redox-sensitive Keap1 degradation was decreased, suggesting autophagy- and Atg7-dependent degradation of Keap1. Conversely, downregulation of Keap1 decreased autophagy levels, increased Nrf2 activation, upregulated cytoprotective antioxidant gene expression, and caused accumulation of p62, suggesting a feedback loop between ROS-regulated Keap1-Nrf2 and Atg7-regulated autophagy. Our data indicate that excessive ROS causes the upregulation of autophagy, and autophagy acts as an antioxidant feedback response triggered by cytotoxic levels of MitoQ. PMID:24681637

  5. Atg7- and Keap1-dependent autophagy protects breast cancer cell lines against mitoquinone-induced oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, Yanira; Aryal, Baikuntha; Chehab, Leena; Rao, V Ashutosh

    2014-03-30

    The interplay between oxidative stress and autophagy is critical for determining the fate of cancer cells exposed to redox-active and cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. Mitoquinone (MitoQ), a mitochondrially-targeted redox-active ubiquinone conjugate, selectively kills breast cancer cells over healthy mammary epithelial cells. We reported previously that MitoQ, although a derivative of the antioxidant ubiquinone, can generate excess ROS and trigger the Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant response in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. Following MitoQ treatment, a greater number of cells underwent autophagy than apoptosis. However, the relationship between MitoQ-induced oxidative stress and autophagy as a primary cellular response was unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that MitoQ induces autophagy related gene 7 (Atg7)-dependent, yet Beclin-1-independent, autophagy marked by an increase in LC3-II. Both the ATG7-deficient human MDA-MB-231 cells and Atg7-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibited lower levels of autophagy following MitoQ treatment than their respective wild-type counterparts. Increased apoptosis was confirmed in these autophagy-deficient isogenic cell line pairs, indicating that autophagy was attempted for survival in wild type cell lines. Furthermore, we observed higher levels of ROS in Atg7-deficient cells, as measured by hydroethidine oxidation. In Atg7-deficient cells, redox-sensitive Keap1 degradation was decreased, suggesting autophagy- and Atg7-dependent degradation of Keap1. Conversely, downregulation of Keap1 decreased autophagy levels, increased Nrf2 activation, upregulated cytoprotective antioxidant gene expression, and caused accumulation of p62, suggesting a feedback loop between ROS-regulated Keap1-Nrf2 and Atg7-regulated autophagy. Our data indicate that excessive ROS causes the upregulation of autophagy, and autophagy acts as an antioxidant feedback response triggered by cytotoxic levels of MitoQ.

  6. Undecylprodigiosin selectively induces apoptosis in human breast carcinoma cells independent of p53

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ho, T.-F.; Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Medical Technology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung 40605, Taiwan

    2007-12-15

    Undecylprodigiosin (UP) is a bacterial bioactive metabolite produced by Streptomyces and Serratia. In this study, we explored the anticancer effect of UP. Human breast carcinoma cell lines BT-20, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and T47D and one nonmalignant human breast epithelial cell line, MCF-10A, were tested in this study. We found that UP exerted a potent cytotoxicity against all breast carcinoma cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In contrast, UP showed limited toxicity to MCF-10A cells, indicating UP's cytotoxic effect is selective for malignant cells. UP's cytotoxic effect was due to apoptosis, as confirmed by positive TUNEL signals, annexin V-binding, caspasemore » 9 activation and PARP cleavage. Notably, UP-induced apoptosis was blocked by the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD.fmk, further indicating the involvement of caspase activity. Moreover, UP caused a marked decrease of the levels of antiapoptotic BCL-X{sub L}, Survivin and XIAP while enhancing the levels of proapoptotic BIK, BIM, MCL-1S and NOXA, consequently favoring induction of apoptosis. Additionally, we found that cells with functional p53 (MCF-7, T47D) or mutant p53 (BT-20, MDA-MB-231) were both susceptible to UP's cytotoxicity. Importantly, UP was able to induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cells with p53 knockdown by RNA interference, confirming the dispensability of p53 in UP-induced apoptosis. Overall, our results establish that UP induces p53-independent apoptosis in breast carcinoma cells with no marked toxicity to nonmalignant cells, raising the possibility of its use as a new chemotherapeutic drug for breast cancer irrespective of p53 status.« less

  7. SAR study on N2,N4-disubstituted pyrimidine-2,4-diamines as effective CDK2/CDK9 inhibitors and antiproliferative agents† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c8ra01440j

    PubMed Central

    Jing, Liandong; Tang, Yanbo; Goto, Masuo; Lee, Kuo-Hsiung

    2018-01-01

    Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are pivotal kinases in cell cycle transition and gene transcription. A series of N2,N4-diphenylpyrimidine-2,4-diamines were previously identified as potent CDK2/CDK9 inhibitors. To explore the SAR of this structural prototype, twenty-four novel N2,N4-disubstituted pyrimidine-2,4-diamines were designed and synthesized. Among them, twenty-one compounds exhibited potent inhibitory activities against both CDK2/cyclin A and CDK9/cyclin T1 systems, and the most potent CDK2 and CDK9 inhibitors, 3g and 3c, showed IC50 values of 83 nM and 65 nM respectively. Most of these compounds displayed significant inhibition against the tested tumor cell lines in the SRB assay, and in particular, remained active against the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line MDA-MB-231. Flow cytometer analysis of compounds 2a, 2d and 3b in MDA-MB-231 cells indicated that these compounds induced cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. Docking studies on compound 3g were performed, which provided conducive clues for further molecular optimization. PMID:29682280

  8. Broccoli and watercress suppress matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and invasiveness of human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rose, Peter; Huang, Qing; Ong, Choon Nam

    A high dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables has been associated with a reduction in numerous human pathologies particularly cancer. In the current study, we examined the inhibitory effects of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) and watercress (Rorripa nasturtium aquaticum) extracts on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced cancer cell invasion and matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity using human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Aberrant overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases, including metalloproteinase-9, is associated with increased invasive potential in cancer cell lines. Our results demonstrate that extracts of broccoli and Rorripa suppressed TPA-induced MMP-9 activity and invasiveness in a concentration dependant manner as determined by zymographic analysis. Furthermore, fractionationmore » of individual extracts followed by liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy analysis (LC-MS) revealed that the inhibitory effects of each vegetable were associated with the presence of 4-methysulfinylbutyl (sulforaphane) and 7-methylsulphinylheptyl isothiocyanates. Taken together, our data indicate that isothiocyanates derived form broccoli and Rorripa inhibit metalloproteinase 9 activities and also suppress the invasive potential of human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro. The inhibitory effects observed in the current study may contribute to the suppression of carcinogenesis by diets high in cruciferous vegetables.« less

  9. NHERF1 inhibits proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells by suppressing GPER signaling.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yan; Peng, Zhiqiang; Meng, Ran; Tao, Tao; Wang, Qiqi; Zhao, Chunjuan; Liu, Hua; Song, Ran; Zheng, Junfang; Qin, Qiong; He, Junqi

    2017-07-01

    G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) signaling is activated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, the detailed mechanisms of its regulation remain unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in GPER activation in TNBC. In MDA-MB-231 cells, a TNBC cell line, NHERF1 interaction with GPER was verified by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescent staining assays. Overexpression of NHERF1 in MDA-MB-231 cells inhibited GPER-mediated proliferation and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt. Furthermore, NHERF1 expression levels were negatively correlated with the gene signatures of GPER activation, ERK1/2 and Akt signaling, and cell proliferation in early stage of TNBC tumors from the TCGA data set. Taken together, NHERF1 inhibited the activation of GPER-mediated signaling and suppressed the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells. Loss of NHERF1 expression may play a pivotal role in the early stage of TNBC carcinogenesis.

  10. Inhibition of SIRT1 by a small molecule induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kalle, Arunasree M., E-mail: arunasreemk@ilsresearch.org; Mallika, A.; Badiger, Jayasree

    2010-10-08

    Research highlights: {yields} Novel small molecule SIRT1 inhibitor better than sirtinol. {yields} IC{sub 50} 500 nM. {yields} Specific tumor cytotoxicity towards breast cancer cells. {yields} Restoration of H3K9 acetylation levels to baseline when co-treated with SIRT1 activator (Activator X) and inhibitor (ILS-JGB-1741). -- Abstract: Overexpression of SIRT1, a NAD{sup +}-dependent class III histone deacetylases (HDACs), is implicated in many cancers and therefore could become a promising antitumor target. Here we demonstrate a small molecule SIRT1 inhibitor, ILS-JGB-1741(JGB1741) with potent inhibitory effects on the proliferation of human metastatic breast cancer cells, MDA-MB 231. The molecule has been designed using medicinal chemistrymore » approach based on known SIRT1 inhibitor, sirtinol. The molecule showed a significant inhibition of SIRT1 activity compared to sirtinol. Studies on the antitumor effects of JGB on three different cancer cell lines, K562, HepG2 and MDA-MB 231 showed an IC{sub 50} of 1, 10 and 0.5 {mu}M, respectively. Further studies on MDA-MB 231 cells showed a dose-dependent increase in K9 and K382 acetylation of H3 and p53, respectively. Results also demonstrated that JGB1741-induced apoptosis is associated with increase in cytochrome c release, modulation in Bax/Bcl2 ratio and cleavage of PARP. Flowcytometric analysis showed increased percentage of apoptotic cells, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and increase in multicaspase activation. In conclusion, the present study indicates the potent apoptotic effects of JGB1741 in MDA-MB 231 cells.« less

  11. Synthesis and in vitro anti-proliferative activity of some novel isatins conjugated with quinazoline/phthalazine hydrazines against triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells as apoptosis-inducing agents.

    PubMed

    Eldehna, Wagdy M; Almahli, Hadia; Al-Ansary, Ghada H; Ghabbour, Hazem A; Aly, Mohamed H; Ismael, Omnia E; Al-Dhfyan, Abdullah; Abdel-Aziz, Hatem A

    2017-12-01

    Treatment of patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is challenging due to the absence of well- defined molecular targets and the heterogeneity of such disease. In our endeavor to develop potent isatin-based anti-proliferative agents, we utilized the hybrid-pharmacophore approach to synthesize three series of novel isatin-based hybrids 5a-h, 10a-h and 13a-c, with the prime goal of developing potent anti-proliferative agents toward TNBC MDA-MB-231 cell line. In particular, compounds 5e and 10g were the most active hybrids against MDA-MB-231 cells (IC 50  = 12.35 ± 0.12 and 12.00 ± 0.13 μM), with 2.37- and 2.44-fold increased activity than 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (IC 50  = 29.38 ± 1.24 μM). Compounds 5e and 10g induced the intrinsic apoptotic mitochondrial pathway in MDA-MB-231; evidenced by the reduced expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, the enhanced expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax and the up-regulated active caspase-9 and caspase-3 levels. Furthermore, 10g showed significant increase in the percent of annexin V-FITC positive apoptotic cells from 3.88 to 31.21% (8.4 folds compared to control).

  12. Small molecule inhibition of arylamine N-acetyltransferase Type I inhibits proliferation and invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tiang, Jacky M.; Butcher, Neville J., E-mail: n.butcher@uq.edu.au; Minchin, Rodney F.

    2010-02-26

    Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 is a phase II metabolizing enzyme that has been associated with certain breast cancer subtypes. While it has been linked to breast cancer risk because of its role in the metabolic activation and detoxification of carcinogens, recent studies have suggested it may be important in cell growth and survival. To address the possible importance of NAT1 in breast cancer, we have used a novel small molecule inhibitor (Rhod-o-hp) of the enzyme to examine growth and invasion of the breast adenocarcinoma line MDA-MB-231. The inhibitor significantly reduced cell growth by increasing the percent of cells in G2/M phasemore » of the cell cycle. Rhod-o-hp also reduced the ability of the MDA-MB-231 cells to grow in soft agar. Using an in vitro invasion assay, the inhibitor significantly reduced the invasiveness of the cells. To test whether this effect was due to inhibition of NAT1, the enzyme was knocked down using a lentivirus-based shRNA approach and invasion potential was significantly reduced. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate that NAT1 activity may be important in breast cancer growth and metastasis. The study suggests that NAT1 is a novel target for breast cancer treatment.« less

  13. High Resolution Genome-Wide Analysis of Chromosomal Alterations in Burkitt's Lymphoma

    PubMed Central

    Toujani, Saloua; Dessen, Philippe; Ithzar, Nathalie; Danglot, Gisèle; Richon, Catherine; Vassetzky, Yegor; Robert, Thomas; Lazar, Vladimir; Bosq, Jacques; Da Costa, Lydie; Pérot, Christine; Ribrag, Vincent; Patte, Catherine; Wiels, Jöelle; Bernheim, Alain

    2009-01-01

    Additional chromosomal abnormalities are currently detected in Burkitt's lymphoma. They play major roles in the progression of BL and in prognosis. The genes involved remain elusive. A whole-genome oligonucleotide array CGH analysis correlated with karyotype and FISH was performed in a set of 27 Burkitt's lymphoma-derived cell lines and primary tumors. More than half of the 145 CNAs<2 Mb were mapped to Mendelian CNVs, including GSTT1, glutathione s-transferase and BIRC6, an anti-apoptotic protein, possibly predisposing to some cancers. Somatic cell line-specific CNVs localized to the IG locus were consistently observed with the 244 K aCGH platform. Among 136 CNAs >2 Mb, gains were found in 1q (12/27), 13q (7/27), 7q (6/27), 8q(4/27), 2p (3/27), 11q (2/27) and 15q (2/27). Losses were found in 3p (5/27), 4p (4/27), 4q (4/27), 9p (4/27), 13q (4/27), 6p (3/27), 17p (3/27), 6q (2/27),11pterp13 (2/27) and 14q12q21.3 (2/27). Twenty one minimal critical regions (MCR), (range 0.04–71.36 Mb), were delineated in tumors and cell lines. Three MCRs were localized to 1q. The proximal one was mapped to 1q21.1q25.2 with a 6.3 Mb amplicon (1q21.1q21.3) harboring BCA2 and PIAS3. In the other 2 MCRs, 1q32.1 and 1q44, MDM4 and AKT3 appeared as possible drivers of these gains respectively. The 13q31.3q32.1 <89.58–96.81> MCR contained an amplicon and ABCC4 might be the driver of this amplicon. The 40 Kb 2p16.1 <60.96–61> MCR was the smallest gained MCR and specifically encompassed the REL oncogene which is already implicated in B cell lymphomas. The most frequently deleted MCR was 3p14.1 <60.43–60.53> that removed the fifth exon of FHIT. Further investigations which combined gene expression and functional studies are essential to understand the lymphomagenesis mechanism and for the development of more effective, targeted therapeutic strategies. PMID:19759907

  14. High resolution genome-wide analysis of chromosomal alterations in Burkitt's lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Toujani, Saloua; Dessen, Philippe; Ithzar, Nathalie; Danglot, Gisèle; Richon, Catherine; Vassetzky, Yegor; Robert, Thomas; Lazar, Vladimir; Bosq, Jacques; Da Costa, Lydie; Pérot, Christine; Ribrag, Vincent; Patte, Catherine; Wiels, Jöelle; Bernheim, Alain

    2009-09-17

    Additional chromosomal abnormalities are currently detected in Burkitt's lymphoma. They play major roles in the progression of BL and in prognosis. The genes involved remain elusive. A whole-genome oligonucleotide array CGH analysis correlated with karyotype and FISH was performed in a set of 27 Burkitt's lymphoma-derived cell lines and primary tumors. More than half of the 145 CNAs<2 Mb were mapped to Mendelian CNVs, including GSTT1, glutathione s-transferase and BIRC6, an anti-apoptotic protein, possibly predisposing to some cancers. Somatic cell line-specific CNVs localized to the IG locus were consistently observed with the 244 K aCGH platform. Among 136 CNAs >2 Mb, gains were found in 1q (12/27), 13q (7/27), 7q (6/27), 8q(4/27), 2p (3/27), 11q (2/27) and 15q (2/27). Losses were found in 3p (5/27), 4p (4/27), 4q (4/27), 9p (4/27), 13q (4/27), 6p (3/27), 17p (3/27), 6q (2/27),11pterp13 (2/27) and 14q12q21.3 (2/27). Twenty one minimal critical regions (MCR), (range 0.04-71.36 Mb), were delineated in tumors and cell lines. Three MCRs were localized to 1q. The proximal one was mapped to 1q21.1q25.2 with a 6.3 Mb amplicon (1q21.1q21.3) harboring BCA2 and PIAS3. In the other 2 MCRs, 1q32.1 and 1q44, MDM4 and AKT3 appeared as possible drivers of these gains respectively. The 13q31.3q32.1 <89.58-96.81> MCR contained an amplicon and ABCC4 might be the driver of this amplicon. The 40 Kb 2p16.1 <60.96-61> MCR was the smallest gained MCR and specifically encompassed the REL oncogene which is already implicated in B cell lymphomas. The most frequently deleted MCR was 3p14.1 <60.43-60.53> that removed the fifth exon of FHIT. Further investigations which combined gene expression and functional studies are essential to understand the lymphomagenesis mechanism and for the development of more effective, targeted therapeutic strategies.

  15. Antitumor efficacy of PKI-587, a highly potent dual PI3K/mTOR kinase inhibitor.

    PubMed

    Mallon, Robert; Feldberg, Larry R; Lucas, Judy; Chaudhary, Inder; Dehnhardt, Christoph; Santos, Efren Delos; Chen, Zecheng; dos Santos, Osvaldo; Ayral-Kaloustian, Semiramis; Venkatesan, Aranapakam; Hollander, Irwin

    2011-05-15

    The aim of this study was to show preclinical efficacy and clinical development potential of PKI-587, a dual phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mTOR inhibitor. In vitro class 1 PI3K enzyme and human tumor cell growth inhibition assays and in vivo five tumor xenograft models were used to show efficacy. In vitro, PKI-587 potently inhibited class I PI3Ks (IC(50) vs. PI3K-α = 0.4 nmol/L), PI3K-α mutants, and mTOR. PKI-587 inhibited growth of 50 diverse human tumor cell lines at IC(50) values of less than 100 nmol/L. PKI-587 suppressed phosphorylation of PI3K/mTOR effectors (e.g., Akt), and induced apoptosis in human tumor cell lines with elevated PI3K/mTOR signaling. MDA-MB-361 [breast; HER2(+), PIK3CA mutant (E545K)] was particularly sensitive to this effect, with cleaved PARP, an apoptosis marker, induced by 30 nmol/L PKI-587 at 4 hours. In vivo, PKI-587 inhibited tumor growth in breast (MDA-MB-361, BT474), colon (HCT116), lung (H1975), and glioma (U87MG) xenograft models. In MDA-MB-361 tumors, PKI-587 (25 mg/kg, single dose i.v.) suppressed Akt phosphorylation [at threonine(T)308 and serine(S)473] for up to 36 hours, with cleaved PARP (cPARP) evident up to 18 hours. PKI-587 at 25 mg/kg (once weekly) shrank large (∼1,000 mm(3)) MDA-MB-361 tumors and suppressed tumor regrowth. Tumor regression correlated with suppression of phosphorylated Akt in the MDA-MB-361 model. PKI-587 also caused regression in other tumor models, and efficacy was enhanced when given in combination with PD0325901 (MEK 1/2 inhibitor), irinotecan (topoisomerase I inhibitor), or HKI-272 (neratinib, HER2 inhibitor). Significant antitumor efficacy and a favorable pharmacokinetic/safety profile justified phase 1 clinical evaluation of PKI-587. ©2011 AACR.

  16. Differential Control of Growth, Apoptotic Activity, and Gene Expression in Human Breast Cancer Cells by Extracts Derived from Medicinal Herbs Zingiber officinale

    PubMed Central

    Elkady, Ayman I.; Abuzinadah, Osama A.; Baeshen, Nabih A.; Rahmy, Tarek R.

    2012-01-01

    The present study aimed to examine the antiproliferative potentiality of an extract derived from the medicinal plant ginger (Zingiber officinale) on growth of breast cancer cells. Ginger treatment suppressed the proliferation and colony formation in breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Meanwhile, it did not significantly affect viability of nontumorigenic normal mammary epithelial cell line (MCF-10A). Treatment of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 with ginger resulted in sequences of events marked by apoptosis, accompanied by loss of cell viability, chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase 3, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. At the molecular level, the apoptotic cell death mediated by ginger could be attributed in part to upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2 proteins. Ginger treatment downregulated expression of prosurvival genes, such as NF-κB, Bcl-X, Mcl-1, and Survivin, and cell cycle-regulating proteins, including cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (CDK-4). On the other hand, it increased expression of CDK inhibitor, p21. It also inhibited the expression of the two prominent molecular targets of cancer, c-Myc and the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). These findings suggested that the ginger may be a promising candidate for the treatment of breast carcinomas. PMID:22969274

  17. Plantamajoside, a potential anti-tumor herbal medicine inhibits breast cancer growth and pulmonary metastasis by decreasing the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and -2.

    PubMed

    Pei, Shimin; Yang, Xu; Wang, Huanan; Zhang, Hong; Zhou, Bin; Zhang, Di; Lin, Degui

    2015-12-16

    Metastasis is the major cause of death in breast cancers. MMPs play a key role in tumor microenvironment that facilitates metastasis. The existing researches suggest that the high expression of gelatinase A and B (MMP2 and MMP9) promote the metastasis of breast cancer. Therefore, gelatinase inhibitor can effectively suppress tumor metastasis. However, at present, there is no dramatically effective gelatinase inhibitor against breast cancer. We screened gelatinase inhibitor among Chinese herbal medicine by molecular docking technology; investigated the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line and 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell line in response to the treatment with the screened inhibitor by wound assay, invasion assay and gelatin zymography; then further examined the effects of inhibitor on allograft mammary tumors of mice by immunohistochemistry. We successfully screened an Chinese herbal medicine-Plantamajoside(PMS)-which can reduce the gelatinase activity of MMP9 and MMP2. In vitro, PMS can inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line and 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell line by decreasing MMP9 and MMP2 activity. In vivo, oral administration of PMS to the mice bearing 4T1 cells induced tumors resulted in significant reduction in allograft tumor volume and weights, significant decrease in microvascular density and significant lower lung metastasis rate. Our results indicate that as a promising anti-cancer agent, PMS may inhibit growth and metastasis of breast cancer by inhibiting the activity of MMP9 and MMP2.

  18. The Inhibitory Effect of C-phycocyanin Containing Protein Extract (C-PC Extract) on Human Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in Hepatocellular Cancer Cell Line (HepG2).

    PubMed

    Kunte, Mugdha; Desai, Krutika

    2017-06-01

    Spirulina platensis :have been studied for several biological activities. In the current study C-phycocyanin containing protein extract (C-PC extract) of Spirulina platensis have been studied for its effect on human matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2). In the present study, breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB 231) and hepatocellular cancer cell line (HepG2) were examined for inhibition of MMPs at different levels of expression after C-PC extract treatment. Herein, we have demonstrated that C-PC extract significantly reduced activity of MMP-2 by 55.13% and MMP-9 by 57.9% in HepG2 cells at 15 μg concentration. Additionally, the treatment has reduced mRNA expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 at 20 μg concentration by 1.65-folds and 1.66-folds respectively. The C-PC extract treatment have also downregulated a mRNA expression of TIMP-2 by 1.12 folds at 20 μg concentration in HepG2 cells. Together, these results indicate that C-PC, extract successfully inhibited MMP-2 and -9 at different levels of expression and TIMP-2 at a mRNA expression level; however, extract did not have any effect on MMP-1 expressed in MDA-MB231 and TIMP-1 expressed in HepG2 cells as well as the exact mechanism of inhibition of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 remained unclear.

  19. Cytotoxic effects of ultra-diluted remedies on breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Frenkel, Moshe; Mishra, Bal Mukund; Sen, Subrata; Yang, Peiying; Pawlus, Alison; Vence, Luis; Leblanc, Aimee; Cohen, Lorenzo; Banerji, Pratip; Banerji, Prasanta

    2010-02-01

    The use of ultra-diluted natural products in the management of disease and treatment of cancer has generated a lot of interest and controversy. We conducted an in vitro study to determine if products prescribed by a clinic in India have any effect on breast cancer cell lines. We studied four ultra-diluted remedies (Carcinosin, Phytolacca, Conium and Thuja) against two human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and a cell line derived from immortalized normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMLE). The remedies exerted preferential cytotoxic effects against the two breast cancer cell lines, causing cell cycle delay/arrest and apoptosis. These effects were accompanied by altered expression of the cell cycle regulatory proteins, including downregulation of phosphorylated Rb and upregulation of the CDK inhibitor p27, which were likely responsible for the cell cycle delay/arrest as well as induction of the apoptotic cascade that manifested in the activation of caspase 7 and cleavage of PARP in the treated cells. The findings demonstrate biological activity of these natural products when presented at ultra-diluted doses. Further in-depth studies with additional cell lines and animal models are warranted to explore the clinical applicability of these agents.

  20. Indocyanine green loaded liposome nanocarriers for photodynamic therapy using human triple negative breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Shemesh, Colby S; Hardy, Claire W; Yu, David S; Fernandez, Brian; Zhang, Hailing

    2014-06-01

    The goal of the current research is to evaluate the potential of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) with the development of a theranostic thermosensitive liposome platform to deliver indocyanine green (ICG) as the near-infrared (NIR) photosensitizer excited by an 808 nm diode laser. In the PDT protocol, an optimized thermosensitive liposome formulation is investigated to formulate ICG as the photosensitizer, which is exited by laser light at the wavelength of 808 nm delivered by a fiber-coupled laser system. ICG in both free solution and thermosensitive liposomal formulation were evaluated as the NIR photosensitizer and compared in the PDT treatment on a panel of triple negative breast cancer cell lines along with the nontumorigenic mammary epithelial cell line MCF-10A. In addition to cytotoxicity, and clonogenic survival assessment, the role of DNA double strand break damage was evaluated. Both MTT and clonogenic assays revealed that PDT using ICG inhibited the growth of several TNBC cell lines as well as the non-tumorigenic human breast epithelial cell line MCF-10A; and the liposomal formulation of ICG did not compromise the in vitro treatment potency, though free ICG performed slightly more effective in certain cell lines, but was not statistically significant. Cell viability was dose dependent in regards to ICG concentration and irradiation energy. Interestingly, PDT using the described protocol was more potent to inhibit the growth of MDA-MB-468 and HCC-1806 cells, coinciding with the observation that these cells are more sensitive toward DNA damaging agents. In comparison, cell lines HCC-70, BT-549, and MCF-10A were found to have less of an inhibitory effect. Furthermore, substantial DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) were observed 30 min after the PDT treatment via a γ-H2AX staining assay. PDT induced DNA damage has the potential to lead to mutagenicity, which may have various responses depending on the repair capabilities of the cells. Our results suggest that PDT using indocyanine green loaded liposomes were effective in inhibiting tumor cell growth to varying extents with higher responses observed for MDA-MB-468 and HCC-1806 cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Circumventing Therapeutic Resistance and the Emergence of Disseminated Breast Cancer Cells Through Non-Invasive Optical Imaging

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-07-01

    vesicle degradation in vivo. Lastly, we have established four pairs of parental and isogenic matched tamoxifen ( tam )-resistant cell lines (MCF7, T47D...members of the HER receptor family (EGFR/HER1; HER2; HER3) are upregulated with the development of tam -resistance; furthermore, differences in receptor...Figure 4 Increased HER receptor expression in response to tam -treated MDA-MB-361 cells and tam -resistant 361 cells. Steady-state levels of the

  2. Citral induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 spheroid cells.

    PubMed

    Nigjeh, Siyamak Ebrahimi; Yeap, Swee Keong; Nordin, Norshariza; Kamalideghan, Behnam; Ky, Huynh; Rosli, Rozita

    2018-02-13

    Breast cancer remains a leading cause of death in women worldwide. Although breast cancer therapies have greatly advanced in recent years, many patients still develop tumour recurrence and metastasis, and eventually succumb to the disease due to chemoresistance. Citral has been reported to show cytotoxic effect on various cancer cell lines. However, the potential of citral to specifically target the drug resistant breast cancer cells has not yet been tested, which was the focus of our current study. The cytotoxic activity of citral was first tested on MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro by MTT assay. Subsequently, spheroids of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were developed and treated with citral at different concentrations. Doxorubicin, cisplatin and tamoxifen were used as positive controls to evaluate the drug resistance phenotype of MDA-MB-231 spheroids. In addition, apoptosis study was performed using AnnexinV/7AAD flowcytometry. Aldefluor assay was also carried out to examine whether citral could inhibit the ALDH-positive population, while the potential mechanism of the effect of citral was carried out by using quantitative real time- PCR followed by western blotting analysis. Citral was able to inhibit the growth of the MDA-MB-231 spheroids when compared to a monolayer culture of MDA-MB-231 cells at a lower IC 50 value. To confirm the inhibition of spheroid self-renewal capacity, the primary spheroids were then cultured to additional passages in the absence of citral. A significant reduction in the number of secondary spheroids were formed, suggesting the reduction of self-renewal capacity of these aldehyde dehydrogenase positive (ALDH + ) drug resistant spheroids. Moreover, the AnnexinV/7AAD results demonstrated that citral induced both early and late apoptotic changes in a dose-dependent manner compared to the vehicle control. Furthermore, citral treated spheroids showed lower cell renewal capacity compared to the vehicle control spheroids in the mammosphere formation assay. Gene expression studies using quantitative real time PCR and Western blotting assays showed that citral was able to suppress the self-renewal capacity of spheroids and downregulate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The results suggest that citral could be a potential new agent which can eliminate drug-resistant breast cancer cells in a spheroid model via inducing apoptosis.

  3. Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Transition Metal Complexes Derived from N, S Bidentate Ligands

    PubMed Central

    Md Yusof, Enis Nadia; Ravoof, Thahira Begum S. A.; Tiekink, Edward R. T.; Veerakumarasivam, Abhimanyu; Crouse, Karen Anne; Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim; Ahmad, Haslina

    2015-01-01

    Two bidentate NS ligands were synthesized by the condensation reaction of S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate (S2MBDTC) with 2-methoxybenzaldehyde (2MB) and 3-methoxybenzaldehyde (3MB). The ligands were reacted separately with acetates of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) yielding 1:2 (metal:ligand) complexes. The metal complexes formed were expected to have a general formula of [M(NS)2] where M = Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and various spectroscopic techniques. The magnetic susceptibility measurements and spectral results supported the predicted coordination geometry in which the Schiff bases behaved as bidentate NS donor ligands coordinating via the azomethine nitrogen and thiolate sulfur. The molecular structures of the isomeric S2M2MBH (1) and S2M3MBH (2) were established by X-ray crystallography to have very similar l-shaped structures. The Schiff bases and their metal complexes were evaluated for their biological activities against estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. Only the Cu(II) complexes showed marked cytotoxicity against the cancer cell lines. Both Schiff bases and other metal complexes were found to be inactive. In concordance with the cytotoxicity studies, the DNA binding studies indicated that Cu(II) complexes have a strong DNA binding affinity. PMID:25988384

  4. GATA3 Inhibits Lysyl Oxidase Mediated Metastases of Human Basal Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Chu, Isabel M.; Michalowski, Aleksandra M.; Hoenerhoff, Mark; Szauter, Kornelia M.; Luger, Dror; Sato, Misako; Flanders, Kathy; Oshima, Akira; Csiszar, Katalin; Green, Jeffrey E.

    2011-01-01

    Discovery of mechanisms that impede the aggressive and metastatic phenotype of human basal triple-negative type breast cancers (BTNBC) could provide novel targets for therapy for this form of breast cancer that has a relatively poor prognosis. Previous studies have demonstrated that the expression of GATA3, the master transcriptional regulator of mammary luminal differentiation, can reduce the tumorigenicity and metastatic propensity of the human BTNBC MDA-MB-231 cell line (MB231), although the mechanism for reduced metastases was not elucidated. We demonstrate through gene expression profiling that GATA3 expression in 231 cells resulted in the dramatic reduction in the expression of Lysyl oxidase (LOX), a metastasis-promoting matrix remodeling protein, in part, through methylation of the LOX promoter. Suppression of LOX expression by GATA3 was further confirmed in the BTNBC Hs578T cell line. Conversely, reduction of GATA3 expression by siRNA in luminal BT474 cells increased LOX expression. Reconstitution of LOX expression in 231-GATA3 cells restored metastatic propensity. A strong inverse association between high LOX and low GATA3 expression was confirmed in a panel of 51 human breast cancer cell lines. Similarly, human breast cancer microarray data demonstrated that high LOX/low GATA3 expression is associated with the BTNBC subtype of breast cancer and poor patient prognosis. Expression of GATA3 reprograms BTNBC to a less aggressive phenotype and inhibits a major mechanism of metastasis through inhibition of LOX. Induction of GATA3 in BTNBC cells or novel approaches that inhibit LOX expression or activity could be important strategies for treating BTNBC. PMID:21892208

  5. Moringa oleifera as an Anti-Cancer Agent against Breast and Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

    PubMed Central

    Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman Khazim; Albalawi, Sulaiman Mansour; Athar, Md Tanwir; Khan, Abdul Quaiyoom; Al-Shahrani, Hamoud; Islam, Mozaffarul

    2015-01-01

    In this study we investigated the anti-cancer effect of Moringa oleifera leaves, bark and seed extracts. When tested against MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cancer cell lines, the extracts of leaves and bark showed remarkable anti-cancer properties while surprisingly, seed extracts exhibited hardly any such properties. Cell survival was significantly low in both cells lines when treated with leaves and bark extracts. Furthermore, a striking reduction (about 70–90%) in colony formation as well as cell motility was observed upon treatment with leaves and bark. Additionally, apoptosis assay performed on these treated breast and colorectal cancer lines showed a remarkable increase in the number of apoptotic cells; with a 7 fold increase in MD-MB-231 to an increase of several fold in colorectal cancer cell lines. However, no significant apoptotic cells were detected upon seeds extract treatment. Moreover, the cell cycle distribution showed a G2/M enrichment (about 2–3 fold) indicating that these extracts effectively arrest the cell progression at the G2/M phase. The GC-MS analyses of these extracts revealed numerous known anti-cancer compounds, namely eugenol, isopropyl isothiocynate, D-allose, and hexadeconoic acid ethyl ester, all of which possess long chain hydrocarbons, sugar moiety and an aromatic ring. This suggests that the anti-cancer properties of Moringa oleifera could be attributed to the bioactive compounds present in the extracts from this plant. This is a novel study because no report has yet been cited on the effectiveness of Moringa extracts obtained in the locally grown environment as an anti-cancer agent against breast and colorectal cancers. Our study is the first of its kind to evaluate the anti-malignant properties of Moringa not only in leaves but also in bark. These findings suggest that both the leaf and bark extracts of Moringa collected from the Saudi Arabian region possess anti-cancer activity that can be used to develop new drugs for treatment of breast and colorectal cancers. PMID:26288313

  6. Scorpion (Androctonus bicolor) venom exhibits cytotoxicity and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast and colorectal cancer cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman K.; Riyasdeen, Anvarbatcha; Abbasmanthiri, Rajamohamed; Arshaduddin, Mohammed; Al-Harthi, Fahad Ali

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: The defective apoptosis is believed to play a major role in the survival and proliferation of neoplastic cells. Hence, the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells is one of the targets for cancer treatment. Researchers are considering scorpion venom as a potent natural source for cancer treatment because it contains many bioactive compounds. The main objective of the current study is to evaluate the anticancer property of Androctonus bicolor scorpion venom on cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Scorpions were milked by electrical stimulation of telsons and lyophilized. The breast (MDA-MB-231) and colorectal (HCT-8) cancer cells were maintained in appropriate condition. The venom cytotoxicity was assessed by 3-(4,5-di-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, and the cellular and nuclear changes were studied with propidium iodide and 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole stain, respectively. The cell cycle arrest was examined using muse cell analyzer. Results: The A. bicolor venom exerted cytotoxic effects on MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells in a dose- and duration-dependent manner and induced apoptotic cell death. The treatment with this venom arrests the cancer cells in G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. Conclusions: The venom selectively induces the rate of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells as reflected by morphological and cell cycle studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scientific evidence demonstrating the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by A. bicolor scorpion venom. PMID:27721540

  7. Scorpion (Androctonus bicolor) venom exhibits cytotoxicity and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast and colorectal cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman K; Riyasdeen, Anvarbatcha; Abbasmanthiri, Rajamohamed; Arshaduddin, Mohammed; Al-Harthi, Fahad Ali

    2016-01-01

    The defective apoptosis is believed to play a major role in the survival and proliferation of neoplastic cells. Hence, the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells is one of the targets for cancer treatment. Researchers are considering scorpion venom as a potent natural source for cancer treatment because it contains many bioactive compounds. The main objective of the current study is to evaluate the anticancer property of Androctonus bicolor scorpion venom on cancer cells. Scorpions were milked by electrical stimulation of telsons and lyophilized. The breast (MDA-MB-231) and colorectal (HCT-8) cancer cells were maintained in appropriate condition. The venom cytotoxicity was assessed by 3-(4,5-di-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, and the cellular and nuclear changes were studied with propidium iodide and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole stain, respectively. The cell cycle arrest was examined using muse cell analyzer. The A. bicolor venom exerted cytotoxic effects on MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells in a dose- and duration-dependent manner and induced apoptotic cell death. The treatment with this venom arrests the cancer cells in G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. The venom selectively induces the rate of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells as reflected by morphological and cell cycle studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scientific evidence demonstrating the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by A. bicolor scorpion venom.

  8. Notch3 overexpression causes arrest of cell cycle progression by inducing Cdh1 expression in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chun-Fa; Dou, Xiao-Wei; Liang, Yuan-Ke; Lin, Hao-Yu; Bai, Jing-Wen; Zhang, Xi-Xun; Wei, Xiao-Long; Li, Yao-Chen; Zhang, Guo-Jun

    2016-01-01

    Uncontrolled cell proliferation, genomic instability and cancer are closely related to the abnormal activation of the cell cycle. Therefore, blocking the cell cycle of cancer cells has become one of the key goals for treating malignancies. Unfortunately, the factors affecting cell cycle progression remain largely unknown. In this study, we have explored the effects of Notch3 on the cell cycle in breast cancer cell lines by 3 methods: overexpressing the intra-cellular domain of Notch3 (N3ICD), knocking-down Notch3 by RNA interference, and using X-ray radiation exposure. The results revealed that overexpression of Notch3 arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, and inhibited the proliferation and colony-formation rate in the breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. Furthermore, overexpressing N3ICD upregulated Cdh1 expression and resulted in p27(Kip) accumulation by accelerating Skp2 degradation. Conversely, silencing of Notch3 in the breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, caused a decrease in expression levels of Cdh1 and p27(Kip) at both the protein and mRNA levels, while the expression of Skp2 only increased at the protein level. Correspondingly, there was an increase in the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase and an elevated proliferative ability and colony-formation rate, which may be caused by alterations of the Cdh1/Skp2/p27 axis. These results were also supported by exposing MDA-MB-231 cells or MCF-7 treated with siN3 to X-irradiation at various doses. Overall, our data showed that overexpression of N3ICD upregulated the expression of Cdh1 and caused p27(Kip) accumulation by accelerating Skp2 degradation, which in turn led to cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, in the context of proliferating breast cancer cell lines. These findings help to illuminate the precision therapy targeted to cell cycle progression, required for cancer treatment.

  9. Hormesis effect of trace metals on cultured normal and immortal human mammary cells.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Craig M; Cheng, Chun N; Marino, Angelo; Konsoula, Roula; Barile, Frank A

    2004-06-01

    An in vitro study was conducted to determine the effects of variable concentrations of trace metals on human cultured mammary cells. Monolayers of human mortal (MCF-12A) and immortal (MDA-MB231) mammary epithelial cells were incubated in the absence or presence of increasing concentrations of arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and copper (Cu) for 24-h, 72-h, 4-d, and 7-d. The MTT assay was used to assess viability for all time periods and cell proliferation was monitored for 4-d and 7-d studies. Monolayers were also labeled with rhodamine-110 (R-6501), Sytox green, and Celltiter blue fluorescent dyes as indicators for intracellular esterase activity, nucleic acid staining, and cell reduction/viability, respectively. Total incubation time with chemical plus dyes was 24 h. For 24-h and 72-h studies, cells were seeded in 96-well plates, after which confluent monolayers were exposed to increasing concentrations of chemicals. For 4-d and 7-d studies, cells were seeded in 12-well plates at 1/3 confluent density (day 0) and exposed to increasing concentrations of metals on day 1. All cells were counted on days 4 and 7. In addition, test medium was removed from select groups of cultures on day 4, replaced with fresh medium in the absence of chemical (recovery studies), and assays were performed on day 7 as above. The data suggest that there is a consistent protective and/or stimulating effect of metals at the lowest concentrations in MCF-12A cells that is not observed in immortal MDA-MB231 cells. In fact, cell viability of MCF-12A cells is stimulated by otherwise equivalent inhibitory concentrations of As, Cu, and Hg on MDA-MB231 cells at 24-h. Whereas As and Hg suppress proliferation and viability in both cell lines after 4-d and 7-d of exposure, Cu enhances cell proliferation and viability of MCF-12A cells. MDA-MB231, however, recover better after 4-days of toxic insult. In addition, nutritional manipulation of media between the cell lines, or pretreatment with penicillamine, did not alter the hormesis effect displayed by MCF-12A. Growth of these cells however was not maintained in the alternative medium. The study demonstrates that a hormesis effect from trace metals is detectable in cultured mammary cells; fluorescent indicators, however, are not as sensitive as cell proliferation or MTT in recognizing the subtle responses. Also, sensitivity of mammary cells to lower concentrations of Cu, a biologically important trace metal, may play an important role in controlling cellular processes and proliferation. The ability to detect this in vitro phenomenon implies that similar processes, occurring in vivo, may be responsible for the development, induction, or enhancement of human cancers.

  10. Design, synthesis of methotrexate-diosgenin conjugates and biological evaluation of their effect on methotrexate transport-resistant cells.

    PubMed

    Cai, Bangrong; Liao, Aimei; Lee, Kyung-Ku; Ban, Jae-Sam; Yang, Hyun-Sam; Im, Young Jun; Chun, ChangJu

    2016-12-01

    A series of methotrexate-diosgenin conjugates was designed and synthesized to enhance the passive internalization of methotrexate (MTX) into transport-resistant cells. The inhibitory effects of these conjugates on dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), and their anti-proliferation behaviors against a transport-resistant breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, were investigated. All of the synthesized conjugates retained an ability to inhibit DHFR after the diosgenin substitution. The MTX conjugates were much more potent against methotrexate-resistant MDA-MB-231 cells than MTX. Conjugate 18, containing a disulfide bond, exhibited the most potent anti-proliferative and DHFR inhibitory effects (IC 50 =4.1μM and 17.21nM, respectively). Anti-proliferative activity was higher in the conjugate with a longer space linker (conjugate 21) than those with shorter linkers (conjugates 19 and 20). These results suggest that diosgenin conjugation of MTX may be an effective way to overcome its transport resistance in cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. (−)-Xanthatin Selectively Induces GADD45γ and Stimulates Caspase-Independent Cell Death in Human Breast Cancer MDA-MB-231 Cells

    PubMed Central

    Takeda, Shuso; Matsuo, Kazumasa; Yaji, Kentaro; Okajima-Miyazaki, Shunsuke; Harada, Mari; Miyoshi, Hiroko; Okamoto, Yoshiko; Amamoto, Toshiaki; Shindo, Mitsuru; Omiecinski, Curtis J.; Aramaki, Hironori

    2014-01-01

    exo-Methylene lactone group-containing compounds, such as (−)-xanthatin, are present in a large variety of biologically active natural products, including extracts of Xanthium strumarium (Cocklebur). These substances are reported to possess diverse functional activities, exhibiting anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, and anticancer potential. In this study, we synthesized six structurally related xanthanolides containing exo-methylene lactone moieties, including (−)-xanthatin and (+)-8-epi-xanthatin, and examined the effects of these chemically defined substances on the highly aggressive and farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI)-resistant MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line. The results obtained demonstrate that (−)-xanthatin was a highly effective inhibitor of MDA-MB-231 cell growth, inducing caspase-independent cell death, and that these effects were independent of FTase inhibition. Further, our results show that among the GADD45 isoforms, GADD45γ was selectively induced by (−)-xanthatin and that GADD45γ-primed JNK and p38 signaling pathways are, at least in part, involved in mediating the growth inhibition and potential anticancer activities of this agent. Given that GADD45γ is becoming increasingly recognized for its tumor suppressor function, the results presented here suggest the novel possibility that (−)-xanthatin may have therapeutic value as a selective inducer of GADD45γ in human cancer cells, in particular in FTI-resistant aggressive breast cancers. PMID:21568272

  12. Mitotic Arrest and Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells Induced by Origanum majorana Extract: Upregulation of TNF-α and Downregulation of Survivin and Mutant p53

    PubMed Central

    Al Dhaheri, Yusra; Eid, Ali; AbuQamar, Synan; Attoub, Samir; Khasawneh, Mohammad; Aiche, Ghenima; Hisaindee, Soleiman; Iratni, Rabah

    2013-01-01

    Background In the present study, we investigated the effect of Origanum majorana ethanolic extract on the survival of the highly proliferative and invasive triple-negative p53 mutant breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Results We found that O. majorana extract (OME) was able to inhibit the viability of the MDA-MB-231 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The effect of OME on cellular viability was further confirmed by the inhibition of colony growth. We showed, depending on the concentration used, that OME elicited different effects on the MDA-MB 231 cells. Concentrations of 150 and 300 µg/mL induced an accumulation of apoptotic–resistant population of cells arrested in mitotis and overexpressing the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21 and the inhibitor of apoptosis, survivin. On the other hand, higher concentrations of OME (450 and 600 µg/mL) triggered a massive apoptosis through the extrinsic pathway, including the activation of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), caspase 8, caspase 3, and cleavage of PARP, downregulation of survivin as well as depletion of the mutant p53 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, OME induced an upregulation of γ-H2AX, a marker of double strand DNA breaks and an overall histone H3 and H4 hyperacetylation. Conclusion Our findings provide strong evidence that O. majorana may be a promising chemopreventive and therapeutic candidate against cancer especially for highly invasive triple negative p53 mutant breast cancer; thus validating its complementary and alternative medicinal use. PMID:23451065

  13. Decreased expression of ADAMTS-1 in human breast tumors stimulates migration and invasion

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background ADAMTS-1 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs) is a member of the ADAMTS family of metalloproteases. Here, we investigated mRNA and protein levels of ADAMTS-1 in normal and neoplastic tissues using qPCR, immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analyses, and we addressed the role of ADAMTS-1 in regulating migration, invasion and invadopodia formation in breast tumor cell lines. Results In a series of primary breast tumors, we observed variable levels of ADAMTS-1 mRNA expression but lower levels of ADAMTS-1 protein expression in human breast cancers as compared to normal tissue, with a striking decrease observed in high-malignancy cases (triple-negative for estrogen, progesterone and Her-2). This result prompted us to analyze the effect of ADAMTS-1 knockdown in breast cancer cells in vitro. MDA-MB-231 cells with depleted ADAMTS-1 expression demonstrated increased migration, invasion and invadopodia formation. The regulatory mechanisms underlying the effects of ADAMTS-1 may be related to VEGF, a growth factor involved in migration and invasion. MDA-MB-231 cells with depleted ADAMTS-1 showed increased VEGF concentrations in conditioned medium capable of inducing human endothelial cells (HUVEC) tubulogenesis. Furthermore, expression of the VEGF receptor (VEGFR2) was increased in MDA-MB-231 cells as compared to MCF7 cells. To further determine the relationship between ADAMTS-1 and VEGF regulating breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 cells with reduced expression of ADAMTS-1 were pretreated with a function-blocking antibody against VEGF and then tested in migration and invasion assays; both were partially rescued to control levels. Conclusions ADAMTS-1 expression was decreased in human breast tumors, and ADAMTS-1 knockdown stimulated migration, invasion and invadopodia formation in breast cancer cells in vitro. Therefore, this series of experiments suggests that VEGF is involved in the effects mediated by ADAMTS-1 in breast cancer cells. PMID:23289900

  14. Activated matriptase as a target to treat breast cancer with a drug conjugate

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Hongxia; Banach-Petrosky, Whitney; Hirshfield, Kim M.; Lin, Chen-Yong; Johnson, Michael D.; Szekely, Zoltan; Bertino, Joseph R.

    2018-01-01

    The antitumor effects of a novel antibody drug conjugate (ADC) was tested against human solid tumor cell lines and against human triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) xenografts in immunosuppressed mice. The ADC targeting activated matriptase of tumor cells was synthesized by using the potent anti-tubulin toxin, monomethyl auristatin-E linked to the activated matriptase-specific monoclonal antibody (M69) via a lysosomal protease-cleavable dipeptide linker. This ADC was found to be cytotoxic against multiple activated matriptase-positive epithelial carcinoma cell lines in vitro and markedly inhibited growth of triple negative breast cancer xenografts and a primary human TNBC (PDX) in vivo. Overexpression of activated matriptase may be a biomarker for response to this ADC. The ADC had potent anti-tumor activity, while the unconjugated M69 antibody was ineffective in a mouse model study using MDA-MB-231 xenografts in mice. Treatment of a human TNBC (MDA-MB-231) showed potent anti-tumor effects in combination with cisplatin in mice. This ADC alone or in combination with cisplatin has the potential to improve the treatment outcomes of patients with TNBC as well as other tumors overexpressing activated matriptase. PMID:29899836

  15. Ferulic acid exerts antitumor activity and inhibits metastasis in breast cancer cells by regulating epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiang; Lin, Dan; Jiang, Rong; Li, Hongzhong; Wan, Jingyuan; Li, Hongyuan

    2016-07-01

    Metastasis, which frequently occurs in breast cancer, is the major cause of mortality; therefore, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Ferulic acid, isolated from Ferula foetida, a perennial herb, has shown antineoplastic activity in various types of cancers, such as colon and lung cancer, and central nervous system tumors. However, its potential role in suppressing breast cancer metastasis has not been fully understood. In the present study, we evaluated the antitumor activity of ferulic acid in breast cancer cell line-based in vitro and in vivo models. We first showed that ferulic acid treatment resulted in decreased viability, increased apoptosis and suppression of metastatic potential in breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the antitumor activity of ferulic acid and its role in suppressing metastasis were regulated by the reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Consistent with our findings in vitro, the antitumor potential of ferulic acid was also verified in an MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse model where significantly decreased tumor volume, weight and increased apoptosis were observed. Taken together, these results indicate that ferulic acid may be used as an effective therapeutic agent against breast cancer.

  16. Phenformin Induces Cell Cycle Change, Apoptosis, and Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition and Regulates the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK Pathways in Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhao; Ren, Lidong; Liu, Chenghao; Xia, Tiansong; Zha, Xiaoming; Wang, Shui

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer remains a world-wide challenge, and additional anti-cancer therapies are still urgently needed. Emerging evidence has demonstrated the potent anti-tumor effect of biguanides, among which phenformin was reported to potentially be a more active anti-cancer agent than metformin. However, little attention has been given to the role of phenformin in breast cancer. In this study, we reveal the role of phenformin in cell death of the MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 breast cancer cell lines. The respective IC50 values of phenformin in MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 cells were 1.184±0.045 mM, 0.665±0.007 mM, 2.347±0.010 mM and 1.885±0.015 mM (mean± standard error). Phenformin induced cell cycle change and apoptosis in breast cancer cells via the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK pathways. Interestingly, phenformin induced MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition) and decreased the migration rate in breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, our results suggest that phenformin inhibits breast cancer cell metastasis after intracardiac injection into nude mice. Taken together, our study further confirms the potential benefit of phenformin in breast cancer treatment and provides novel mechanistic insight into its anti-cancer activity in breast cancer.

  17. Phenformin Induces Cell Cycle Change, Apoptosis, and Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition and Regulates the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK Pathways in Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Zhao; Ren, Lidong; Liu, Chenghao; Xia, Tiansong; Zha, Xiaoming; Wang, Shui

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer remains a world-wide challenge, and additional anti-cancer therapies are still urgently needed. Emerging evidence has demonstrated the potent anti-tumor effect of biguanides, among which phenformin was reported to potentially be a more active anti-cancer agent than metformin. However, little attention has been given to the role of phenformin in breast cancer. In this study, we reveal the role of phenformin in cell death of the MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 breast cancer cell lines. The respective IC50 values of phenformin in MCF7, ZR-75-1, MDA-MB-231 and SUM1315 cells were 1.184±0.045 mM, 0.665±0.007 mM, 2.347±0.010 mM and 1.885±0.015 mM (mean± standard error). Phenformin induced cell cycle change and apoptosis in breast cancer cells via the AMPK/mTOR/p70s6k and MAPK/ERK pathways. Interestingly, phenformin induced MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition) and decreased the migration rate in breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, our results suggest that phenformin inhibits breast cancer cell metastasis after intracardiac injection into nude mice. Taken together, our study further confirms the potential benefit of phenformin in breast cancer treatment and provides novel mechanistic insight into its anti-cancer activity in breast cancer. PMID:26114294

  18. Phytochemical Screening and Biological Activity of Mentha × piperita L. and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Extracts

    PubMed Central

    Alexa, Ersilia; Radulov, Isidora; Obistioiu, Diana; Sumalan, Renata Maria; Morar, Adriana

    2018-01-01

    The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition of Mentha × piperita L. (MP) and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (LA) extracts in terms of hydroxycinnamic acid (HCAs) content, in particular, caffeic (CA), p-cumaric (CU), ferulic (FE), and rosmarinic (RS) acids using LC-MS. Also, the in vitro antimicrobial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and the antiproliferative activity against two cancerous cell lines (A375 and MDA-MB-231) using the MTT assay were tested. The extracts were prepared using aromatic water which resulted from the extraction of oils from plants as extraction medium, with/without acid. The results showed that RS and FE represent the majority of HCAs compounds; the highest content of FE is found in LA (7.47 mg·g–1d.m.), and the maximum content of RS in MP (6.36 mg·g–1d.m.). Regarding the antimicrobial effect against Staphylococcus aureus, the two extracts showed a simulative role on the growth rate of Staphyloccocus aureus, but a slightly inhibitory effect (69.12%) can be attributed to the acidic environment. In terms of biological activity against MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cell line, and A375 human melanoma cell line, at the highest employed concentration, 150 μg·mL–1, the tested extracts present a weak antiproliferative effect. PMID:29552454

  19. Identification of ALK germline mutation (3605delG) in pediatric anaplastic medulloblastoma.

    PubMed

    Coco, Simona; De Mariano, Marilena; Valdora, Francesca; Servidei, Tiziana; Ridola, Vita; Andolfo, Immacolata; Oberthuer, André; Tonini, Gian Paolo; Longo, Luca

    2012-10-01

    The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene has been found either rearranged or mutated in several neoplasms such as anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, neuroblastoma and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Medulloblastoma (MB) is an embryonic pediatric cancer arising from nervous system, a tissue in which ALK is expressed during embryonic development. We performed an ALK mutation screening in 52 MBs and we found a novel heterozygous germline deletion of a single base in exon 23 (3605delG) in a case with marked anaplasia. This G deletion results in a frameshift mutation producing a premature stop codon in exon 25 of ALK tyrosine kinase domain. We also screened three human MB cell lines without finding any mutation of ALK gene. Quantitative expression analysis of 16 out of 52 samples showed overexpression of ALK mRNA in three MBs. In the present study, we report the first mutation of ALK found in MB. Moreover, a deletion of ALK gene producing a stop codon has not been detected in human tumors up to now. Further investigations are now required to elucidate whether the truncated form of ALK may have a role in signal transduction.

  20. Actomyosin tension as a determinant of metastatic cancer mechanical tropism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGrail, Daniel J.; Kieu, Quang Minh N.; Iandoli, Jason A.; Dawson, Michelle R.

    2015-04-01

    Despite major advances in the characterization of molecular regulators of cancer growth and metastasis, patient survival rates have largely stagnated. Recent studies have shown that mechanical cues from the extracellular matrix can drive the transition to a malignant phenotype. Moreover, it is also known that the metastatic process, which results in over 90% of cancer-related deaths, is governed by intracellular mechanical forces. To better understand these processes, we identified metastatic tumor cells originating from different locations which undergo inverse responses to altered matrix elasticity: MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells that prefer rigid matrices and SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells that prefer compliant matrices as characterized by parameters such as tumor cell proliferation, chemoresistance, and migration. Transcriptomic analysis revealed higher expression of genes associated with cytoskeletal tension and contractility in cells that prefer stiff environments, both when comparing MDA-MB-231 to SKOV-3 cells as well as when comparing bone-metastatic to lung-metastatic MDA-MB-231 subclones. Using small molecule inhibitors, we found that blocking the activity of these pathways mitigated rigidity-dependent behavior in both cell lines. Probing the physical forces exerted by cells on the underlying substrates revealed that though force magnitude may not directly correlate with functional outcomes, other parameters such as force polarization do correlate directly with cell motility. Finally, this biophysical analysis demonstrates that intrinsic levels of cell contractility determine the matrix rigidity for maximal cell function, possibly influencing tissue sites for metastatic cancer cell engraftment during dissemination. By increasing our understanding of the physical interactions of cancer cells with their microenvironment, these studies may help develop novel therapeutic strategies.

  1. Microfluidic chip for non-invasive analysis of tumor cells interaction with anti-cancer drug doxorubicin by AFM and Raman spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Han; Xiao, Lifu; Li, Qifei; Qi, Xiaojun; Zhou, Anhong

    2018-03-01

    Raman spectroscopy has been playing an increasingly significant role for cell classification. Here, we introduce a novel microfluidic chip for non-invasive Raman cell natural fingerprint collection. Traditional Raman spectroscopy measurement of the cells grown in a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic device suffers from the background noise from the substrate materials of PDMS when intended to apply as an in vitro cell assay. To overcome this disadvantage, the current device is designed with a middle layer of PDMS layer sandwiched by two MgF 2 slides which minimize the PDMS background signal in Raman measurement. Three cancer cell lines, including a human lung cancer cell A549, and human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231/BRMS1, were cultured in this microdevice separately for a period of three days to evaluate the biocompatibility of the microfluidic system. In addition, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure the Young's modulus and adhesion force of cancer cells at single cell level. The AFM results indicated that our microchannel environment did not seem to alter the cell biomechanical properties. The biochemical responses of cancer cells exposed to anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) up to 24 h were assessed by Raman spectroscopy. Principal component analysis over the Raman spectra indicated that cancer cells untreated and treated with DOX can be distinguished. This PDMS microfluidic device offers a non-invasive and reusable tool for in vitro Raman measurement of living cells, and can be potentially applied for anti-cancer drug screening.

  2. Novel Single-Cell Analysis Platform Based on a Solid-State Zinc-Coadsorbed Carbon Quantum Dots Electrochemiluminescence Probe for the Evaluation of CD44 Expression on Breast Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Youyi; Zhou, Bin; Yang, Xiaojuan; Long, Dongping; Hao, Yan; Yang, Peihui

    2017-05-24

    A novel single-cell analysis platform was fabricated using solid-state zinc-coadsorbed carbon quantum dot (ZnCQDs) nanocomposites as an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) probe for the detection of breast cancer cells and evaluation of the CD44 expression level. Solid-state ZnCQDs nanocomposite probes were constructed through the attachment of ZnCQDs to gold nanoparticles and then the loading of magnetic beads to amplify the ECL signal, exhibiting a remarkable 120-fold enhancement of the ECL intensity. Hyaluronic acid (HA)-functionalized solid-state probes were used to label a single breast cancer cell by the specific recognition of HA with CD44 on the cell surface, revealing more stable, sensitive, and effective tagging in comparison with the water-soluble CQDs. This strategy exhibited a good analytical performance for the analysis of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 single cells with linear range from 1 to 18 and from 1 to 12 cells, respectively. Furthermore, this single-cell analysis platform was used for evaluation of the CD44 expression level of these two cell lines, in which the MDA-MB-231 cells revealed a 2.8-5.2-fold higher CD44 expression level. A total of 20 single cells were analyzed individually, and the distributions of the ECL intensity revealed larger variations, indicating the high cellular heterogeneity of the CD44 expression level on the same cell line. The as-proposed single-cell analysis platform might provide a novel protocol to effectively study the individual cellular function and cellular heterogeneity.

  3. The anticancer potential of steroidal saponin, dioscin, isolated from wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) root extract in invasive human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in vitro

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Previously, we observed that wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) root extract (WYRE) was able to activate GATA3 in human breast cancer cells targeting epigenome. This study aimed to 'nd out if dioscin (DS), a bioactive compound of WYRE, can modulate GATA3 functions and cellular invasion in human breast can...

  4. β-cyclodextrin functionalized poly (5-amidoisophthalicacid) grafted Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles: A novel biocompatible nanocomposite for targeted docetaxel delivery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tarasi, Roghayeh; Khoobi, Mehdi; Niknejad, Hassan; Ramazani, Ali; Ma'mani, Leila; Bahadorikhalili, Saeed; Shafiee, Abbas

    2016-11-01

    Thiol-lactam initiated radical polymerization (TLIRP) was successfully employed to prepare poly-N-5-acrylamidoisophthalicacid grafted onto Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs@PAIP). β-Cyclodextrin (CD) was then conjugated to the carboxylic groups of the prepared MNPs via carbodiimide activation. Subsequently, tumor-targeting folic acid (FA) was attached to the hydroxyl groups of CD on the surface of the latter MNPs to increase the site-specific intracellular delivery. The prepared MNPs were fully characterized by FTIR, VSM, TGA, XRD, FE-SEM and TEM. Docetaxel (DTX) as hydrophobic anticancer drug was loaded via host-guest inclusion complexation with CD and the release profile of the system was studied at different pH. The effect of MNPs on the cell viability was evaluated for the human embryonic kidney normal cell line (HEK293) as well as HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cancerous cell lines and the results did not show any apparent cytotoxic effect. In comparison, DTX loaded MNPs reduced the growth of HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells more than free DTX. Intracellular uptake ability of DTX loaded MNPs was also studied using fluorescent microscopy and showed cellular uptake about 90% after 4 h treatment.

  5. Single cell multiplexed assay for proteolytic activity using droplet microfluidics.

    PubMed

    Ng, Ee Xien; Miller, Miles A; Jing, Tengyang; Chen, Chia-Hung

    2016-07-15

    Cellular enzymes interact in a post-translationally regulated fashion to govern individual cell behaviors, yet current platform technologies are limited in their ability to measure multiple enzyme activities simultaneously in single cells. Here, we developed multi-color Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based enzymatic substrates and use them in a microfluidics platform to simultaneously measure multiple specific protease activities from water-in-oil droplets that contain single cells. By integrating the microfluidic platform with a computational analytical method, Proteolytic Activity Matrix Analysis (PrAMA), we are able to infer six different protease activity signals from individual cells in a high throughput manner (~100 cells/experimental run). We characterized protease activity profiles at single cell resolution for several cancer cell lines including breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, lung cancer cell line PC-9, and leukemia cell line K-562 using both live-cell and in-situ cell lysis assay formats, with special focus on metalloproteinases important in metastasis. The ability to measure multiple proteases secreted from or expressed in individual cells allows us to characterize cell heterogeneity and has potential applications including systems biology, pharmacology, cancer diagnosis and stem cell biology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Identification and structural characterization of a new pro-apoptotic cyclic octapeptide cyclosaplin from somatic seedlings of Santalum album L.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Abheepsa; Gauri, Samiran S; Mukhopadhyay, Sourav K; Chatterjee, Soumya; Das, Shibendu S; Mandal, Santi M; Dey, Satyahari

    2014-04-01

    Small cyclic peptides exhibiting potent biological activity have great potential for anticancer therapy. An antiproliferative cyclic octapeptide, cyclosaplin was purified from somatic seedlings of Santalum album L. (sandalwood) using gel filtration and RP-HPLC separation process. The molecular mass of purified peptide was found to be 858 Da and the sequence was determined by MALDI-ToF-PSD-MS as 'RLGDGCTR' (cyclic). The cytotoxic activity of the peptide was tested against human breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell line in a dose and time-dependent manner. The purified peptide exhibited significant antiproliferative activity with an IC50 2.06 μg/mL. In a mechanistic approach, apoptosis was observed in differential microscopic studies for peptide treated MDA-MB-231 cells, which was further confirmed by mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation assay, cell cycle analysis and caspase 3 activities. The modeling and docking experiments revealed strong affinity (kcal/mol) of peptide toward EGFR and procaspase 3. The co-localization studies revealed that the peptide sensitizes MDA-MB-231 cells by possibly binding to EGFR and induces apoptosis. This unique cyclic octapeptide revealed to be a favorable candidate for development of anticancer agents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Reprogramming to a pluripotent state modifies mesenchymal stem cell resistance to oxidative stress

    PubMed Central

    Asensi, Karina D; Fortunato, Rodrigo S; dos Santos, Danúbia S; Pacheco, Thaísa S; de Rezende, Danielle F; Rodrigues, Deivid C; Mesquita, Fernanda C P; Kasai-Brunswick, Tais H; de Carvalho, Antonio C Campos; Carvalho, Denise P; Carvalho, Adriana B; Goldenberg, Regina C dos S

    2014-01-01

    Properties of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) have been extensively studied since their first derivation in 2006. However, the modification in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and detoxification caused by reprogramming still needs to be further elucidated. The objective of this study was to compare the response of iPSC generated from menstrual blood–derived mesenchymal stem cells (mb-iPSC), embryonic stem cells (H9) and adult menstrual blood–derived mesenchymal stem cells (mbMSC) to ROS exposure and investigate the effects of reprogramming on cellular oxidative stress (OS). mbMSC were extremely resistant to ROS exposure, however, mb-iPSC were 10-fold less resistant to H2O2, which was very similar to embryonic stem cell sensitivity. Extracellular production of ROS was also similar in mb-iPSC and H9 and almost threefold lower than in mbMSC. Furthermore, intracellular amounts of ROS were higher in mb-iPSC and H9 when compared with mbMSC. As the ability to metabolize ROS is related to antioxidant enzymes, we analysed enzyme activities in these cell types. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were reduced in mb-iPSC and H9 when compared with mbMSC. Finally, cell adhesion under OS conditions was impaired in mb-iPSC when compared with mbMSC, albeit similar to H9. Thus, reprogramming leads to profound modifications in extracellular ROS production accompanied by loss of the ability to handle OS. PMID:24528612

  8. Regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression and secretion in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1).

    PubMed

    Endres, Marcel; Kneitz, Susanne; Orth, Martin F; Perera, Ruwan K; Zernecke, Alma; Butt, Elke

    2016-09-27

    The process of tumor invasion requires degradation of extracellular matrix by proteolytic enzymes. Cancer cells form protrusive invadopodia, which produce and release matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to degrade the basement membrane thereby enabling metastasis. We investigated the effect of LASP1, a newly identified protein in invadopodia, on expression, secretion and activation of MMPs in invasive breast tumor cell lines.By analyzing microarray data of in-house generated control and LASP1-depleted MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, we observed downregulation of MMP1, -3 and -9 upon LASP1 depletion. This was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Conversely, rescue experiments restored in part MMP expression and secretion. The regulatory effect of LASP1 on MMP expression was also observed in BT-20 breast cancer cells as well as in prostate and bladder cancer cell lines.In line with bioinformatic FunRich analysis of our data, which mapped a high regulation of transcription factors by LASP1, public microarray data analysis detected a correlation between high LASP1 expression and enhanced c-Fos levels, a protein that is part of the transcription factor AP-1 and known to regulate MMP expression. Compatibly, in luciferase reporter assays, AP-1 showed a decreased transcriptional activity after LASP1 knockdown.Zymography assays and Western blot analysis revealed an additional promotion of MMP secretion into the extracellular matrix by LASP1, thus, most likely, altering the microenvironment during cancer progression.The newly identified role of LASP1 in regulating matrix degradation by affecting MMP transcription and secretion elucidated the migratory potential of LASP1 overexpressing aggressive tumor cells in earlier studies.

  9. PLGA-CTAB curcumin nanoparticles: Fabrication, characterization and molecular basis of anticancer activity in triple negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 cells).

    PubMed

    Meena, Ramovatar; Kumar, Sumit; Kumar, Raj; Gaharwar, Usha Singh; Rajamani, Paulraj

    2017-10-01

    Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are aggressive cancers, which do not control by hormonal therapy or therapies that target HER-2 receptors. Curcumin (Cur) has shown cytotoxic effects in multiple cancer cell lines. However, its medical uses remain limited due to low aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability. Therefore, present study was aimed to fabricate the small positive charge curcumin nanoparticles (CN) by nanoprecipitation methods using PLGA and CTAB, and to evaluate its anticancer efficacy and underlying the mechanism in triple negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 cells). In in-vitro drug release assay, Cur was released from CN by flicking diffusion and anomalous transport process. CN showed a higher cellular incorporation than free Cur resulted in higher cytotoxicity. Checking the anticancer activity at the molecular level, Cur has shown to induce the reactive oxygen species production that subsequently causes the DNA damage and resulting in p38-MAPK activation. The p38-MAPK induce the expression of p16 /INKK4a , p21 /waf1/cip1 and p53 resulting in a reduction in the level of CDK2, CDK4, cyclin D1 and cyclin E and subsequently cell cycle arrest at G1/S and G2/M phase. It also reduces the expression of DNA repair gene, i.e. BRCA1, BRCA2, Rad51, Rad50, Mre11 and NBS1 resulting in apoptosis induction due to persistent DNA damage. This study presents an effective delivery of curcumin in TNBC cancer cells and it could open the new frontiers in clinical cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Dual-Color Fluorescence Imaging of EpCAM and EGFR in Breast Cancer Cells with a Bull's Eye-Type Plasmonic Chip.

    PubMed

    Izumi, Shota; Yamamura, Shohei; Hayashi, Naoko; Toma, Mana; Tawa, Keiko

    2017-12-19

    Surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence microscopic observation of a live breast cancer cell was performed with a plasmonic chip. Two cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7), were selected as breast cancer cells, with two kinds of membrane protein, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), observed in both cells. The membrane proteins are surface markers used to differentiate and classify breast cancer cells. EGFR and EpCAM were detected with Alexa Fluor ® 488-labeled anti-EGFR antibody (488-EGFR) and allophycocyanin (APC)-labeled anti-EpCAM antibody (APC-EpCAM), respectively. In MDA-MB231 cells, three-fold plus or minus one and seven-fold plus or minus two brighter fluorescence of 488-EGFR were observed on the 480-nm pitch and the 400-nm pitch compared with that on a glass slide. Results show the 400-nm pitch is useful. Dual-color fluorescence of 488-EGFR and APC-EpCAM in MDA-MB231 was clearly observed with seven-fold plus or minus two and nine-fold plus or minus three, respectively, on the 400-nm pitch pattern of a plasmonic chip. Therefore, the 400-nm pitch contributed to the dual-color fluorescence enhancement for these wavelengths. An optimal grating pitch of a plasmonic chip improved a fluorescence image of membrane proteins with the help of the surface plasmon-enhanced field.

  11. Subchronic toxicity, immunoregulation and anti-breast tumor effect of Nordamnacantal, an anthraquinone extracted from the stems of Morinda citrifolia L.

    PubMed

    Abu, Nadiah; Zamberi, Nur Rizi; Yeap, Swee Keong; Nordin, Noraini; Mohamad, Nurul Elyani; Romli, Muhammad Firdaus; Rasol, Nurulfazlina Edayah; Subramani, Tamilselvan; Ismail, Nor Hadiani; Alitheen, Noorjahan Banu

    2018-01-27

    Morinda citrifolia L. that was reported with immunomodulating and cytotoxic effects has been traditionally used to treat multiple illnesses including cancer. An anthraquinone derived from fruits of Morinda citrifolia L., nordamnacanthal, is a promising agent possessing several in vitro biological activities. However, the in vivo anti-tumor effects and the safety profile of nordamnacanthal are yet to be evaluated. In vitro cytotoxicity of nordamnacanthal was tested using MTT, cell cycle and Annexin V/PI assays on human MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells. Mice were orally fed with nordamnacanthal daily for 28 days for oral subchronic toxicity study. Then, the in vivo anti-tumor effect was evaluated on 4T1 murine cancer cells-challenged mice. Changes of tumor size and immune parameters were evaluated on the untreated and nordamnacanthal treated mice. Nordamnacanthal was found to possess cytotoxic effects on MDA-MB231, MCF-7 and 4T1 cells in vitro. Moreover, based on the cell cycle and Annexin V results, nordamnacanthal managed to induce cell death in both MDA-MB231 and MCF-7 cells. Additionally, no mortality, signs of toxicity and changes of serum liver profile were observed in nordamnacanthal treated mice in the subchronic toxicity study. Furthermore, 50 mg/kg body weight of nordamncanthal successfully delayed the progression of 4T1 tumors in Balb/C mice after 28 days of treatment. Treatment with nordamnacanthal was also able to increase tumor immunity as evidenced by the immunophenotyping of the spleen and YAC-1 cytotoxicity assays. Nordamnacanthal managed to inhibit the growth and induce cell death in MDA-MB231 and MCF-7 cell lines in vitro and cease the tumor progression of 4T1 cells in vivo. Overall, nordamnacanthal holds interesting anti-cancer properties that can be further explored.

  12. Methylene blue inhibits function of the 5-HT transporter

    PubMed Central

    Oz, Murat; Isaev, Dmytro; Lorke, Dietrich E; Hasan, Muhammed; Petroianu, Georg; Shippenberg, Toni S

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Methylene blue (MB) is commonly employed as a treatment for methaemoglobinaemia, malaria and vasoplegic shock. An increasing number of studies indicate that MB can cause 5-HT toxicity when administered with a 5-HT reuptake inhibitor. MB is a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidases, but other targets that may contribute to MB toxicity have not been identified. Given the role of the 5-HT transporter (SERT) in the regulation of extracellular 5-HT concentrations, the present study aimed to characterize the effect of MB on SERT. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Live cell imaging, in conjunction with the fluorescent SERT substrate 4-(4-(dimethylamino)-styryl)-N-methylpyridinium (ASP+), [3H]5-HT uptake and whole-cell patch-clamp techniques were employed to examine the effects of MB on SERT function. KEY RESULTS In EM4 cells expressing GFP-tagged human SERT (hSERT), MB concentration-dependently inhibited ASP+ accumulation (IC50: 1.4 ± 0.3 µM). A similar effect was observed in N2A cells. Uptake of [3H]5-HT was decreased by MB pretreatment. Furthermore, patch-clamp studies in hSERT expressing cells indicated that MB significantly inhibited 5-HT-evoked ion currents. Pretreatment with 8-Br-cGMP did not alter the inhibitory effect of MB on hSERT activity, and intracellular Ca2+ levels remained unchanged during MB application. Further experiments revealed that ASP+ binding to cell surface hSERT was reduced after MB treatment. In whole-cell radioligand experiments, exposure to MB (10 µM; 10 min) did not alter surface binding of the SERT ligand [125I]RTI-55. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS MB modulated SERT function and suggested that SERT may be an additional target upon which MB acts to produce 5-HT toxicity. PMID:21542830

  13. Functional expression of calcium-permeable canonical transient receptor potential 4-containing channels promotes migration of medulloblastoma cells.

    PubMed

    Wei, Wei-Chun; Huang, Wan-Chen; Lin, Yu-Ping; Becker, Esther B E; Ansorge, Olaf; Flockerzi, Veit; Conti, Daniele; Cenacchi, Giovanna; Glitsch, Maike D

    2017-08-15

    The proton sensing ovarian cancer G protein coupled receptor 1 (OGR1, aka GPR68) promotes expression of the canonical transient receptor potential channel subunit TRPC4 in normal and transformed cerebellar granule precursor (DAOY) cells. OGR1 and TRPC4 are prominently expressed in healthy cerebellar tissue throughout postnatal development and in primary cerebellar medulloblastoma tissues. Activation of TRPC4-containing channels in DAOY cells, but not non-transformed granule precursor cells, results in prominent increases in [Ca 2+ ] i and promotes cell motility in wound healing and transwell migration assays. Medulloblastoma cells not arising from granule precursor cells show neither prominent rises in [Ca 2+ ] i nor enhanced motility in response to TRPC4 activation unless they overexpressTRPC4. Our results suggest that OGR1 enhances expression of TRPC4-containing channels that contribute to enhanced invasion and metastasis of granule precursor-derived human medulloblastoma. Aberrant intracellular Ca 2+ signalling contributes to the formation and progression of a range of distinct pathologies including cancers. Rises in intracellular Ca 2+ concentration occur in response to Ca 2+ influx through plasma membrane channels and Ca 2+ release from intracellular Ca 2+ stores, which can be mobilized in response to activation of cell surface receptors. Ovarian cancer G protein coupled receptor 1 (OGR1, aka GPR68) is a proton-sensing G q -coupled receptor that is most highly expressed in cerebellum. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common paediatric brain tumour that arises from cerebellar precursor cells. We found that nine distinct human MB samples all expressed OGR1. In both normal granule cells and the transformed human cerebellar granule cell line DAOY, OGR1 promoted expression of the proton-potentiated member of the canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channel family, TRPC4. Consistent with a role for TRPC4 in MB, we found that all MB samples also expressed TRPC4. In DAOY cells, activation of TRPC4-containing channels resulted in large Ca 2+ influx and enhanced migration, while in normal cerebellar granule (precursor) cells and MB cells not derived from granule precursors, only small levels of Ca 2+ influx and no enhanced migration were observed. Our results suggest that OGR1-dependent increases in TRPC4 expression may favour formation of highly Ca 2+ -permeable TRPC4-containing channels that promote transformed granule cell migration. Increased motility of cancer cells is a prerequisite for cancer invasion and metastasis, and our findings may point towards a key role for TRPC4 in progression of certain types of MB. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society.

  14. TRAF2 regulates the cytoplasmic/nuclear distribution of TRAF4 and its biological function in breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Xiaoli; Wen, Zhifeng; Sun, Limei

    2013-06-28

    Highlights: •TRAF2 appears to interact with TRAF4 in breast cancer cell lines. •TRAF2 affects the localization and function of TRAF4 in breast cancer cell lines. •TRAF4 may play an important role in the activation of NF-κB via TRAF2. -- Abstract: Although numerous studies have shown that tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of many tumor types, its exact molecular mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we examined the regulation function of TRAF2 to the cytoplasmic/nuclear distribution of TRAF4 in the breast cancer cell line. Using cell immunofluorescent staining, we found that TRAF2more » and TRAF4 were co-localized to the cytoplasm in MCF-7 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that TRAF2 could interact with TRAF4 in MCF-10A, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Western blotting showed TRAF2 depletion by targeted siRNA in MDA-MB-231 cells led to reduced TRAF4 expression in the cytoplasm and augmented TRAF4 expression in the nucleus. Cytoplasmic expression of TRAF4 was augmented and nuclear expression was reduced when MCF-7 cells were transfected with hTRAF2pLPCX-HA-Flag/P874. MCF-7 cells expressing hTRAF2pLPCX-HA-Flag/P874 had enhanced cell proliferation rates. The nuclear expression of NF-κB significantly increased after TNF-α treatment. When hTRAF2pLPCX-HA-Flag/P874 and the siRNA-TRAF4 plasmid were cotransfected, the nuclear expression of NF-κB was significantly reduced compared with cells transfected with hTRAF2pLPCX-HA-Flag/P874 only. In conclusion, TRAF2 appears to interact with TRAF4 and affect the localization of TRAF4 in breast cancer cell lines. The overexpression of TRAF2 augmented the cytoplasmic expression of TRAF4 which promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis by activating NF-κB nuclear transcription. TRAF4 may play an important role in the activation of NF-κB via TRAF2.« less

  15. High growth fraction at 9 grays of radiotherapy is associated with a good prognosis for patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Oka, K; Suzuki, Y; Nakano, T

    2000-10-01

    MIB-1, a murine monoclonal antibody, recognizes the Ki-67 antigen of routinely processed paraffin sections after microwave treatment. Cycling cells are positive for MIB-1 in their nucleus, and quiescent cells are negative for MIB-1. The MIB-1 labeling index represents the growth fraction of the cell population. A total of 150 cervical biopsy specimens were taken from 75 consecutive patients with cervical squamous cell carcinomas before radiotherapy (RT) and at 9 grays (Gy) of RT and were investigated to analyze the correlation between the MIB-1 labeling index or the deltaMIB-1 labeling index and patient prognosis or local disease control. The deltaMIB-1 index was calculated as the MIB-1 index at 9 Gy minus the MIB-1 index before RT. The mean MIB-1 index was 38% (range, 11-67%) before RT and 54% (range, 15-85%) at 9 Gy. The MIB-1 index at 9 Gy was related to prognosis, including overall survival (P = 0.025), disease free survival (P = 0. 024), and metastasis free survival (P = 0.045). Patients who had a deltaMIB-1 index > 20% showed a trend toward a higher disease free survival rate compared with patients who had a deltaMIB-1 index < 20% (P = 0.093). Neither the MIB-1 index nor the deltaMIB-1 index was associated with local disease control. The high growth fraction at 9 Gy is regarded as a predictive factor for a good prognosis in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients who undergo RT alone.

  16. Suppression of RND3 activity by AES downregulation promotes cancer cell proliferation and invasion.

    PubMed

    Xia, Hongwei; Li, Mingxing; Chen, Liang; Leng, Weibing; Yuan, Dandan; Pang, Xiaohui; Chen, Liu; Li, Ronghui; Tang, Qiulin; Bi, Feng

    2013-05-01

    Amino-terminal enhancer of split (AES) is a member of the Groucho/TLE family. Although it has no DNA-binding site, AES can regulate transcriptional activity by interacting with transcriptional factors. Emerging evidence indicates that AES may play an important role in tumor metastasis, but the molecular mechanism is still poorly understood. In this study, we found that knockdown of AES by RNA interference (RNAi) downregulated RND3 expression at the mRNA and protein levels in MDA-MB-231 and HepG2, two cancer cell lines. Furthermore, luciferase assays showed that overexpression of AES significantly enhanced RND3 promoter activity. Moreover, inhibition of AES both in MDA-MB-231 and HepG2 cells by RNAi significantly promoted cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and invasion, consistent with the effects of RNAi-mediated RND3 knockdown in these cells. For the first time, data are presented showing that alteration of the malignant behavior of cancer cells by AES is related to RND3 regulation, and these findings also provide new insights into the mechanism of AES action in regulating tumor malignancy.

  17. Benzimidazoles diminish ERE transcriptional activity and cell growth in breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Payton-Stewart, Florastina; Tilghman, Syreeta L.; Williams, LaKeisha G.

    Highlights: • The methyl-substituted benzimidazole was more effective at inhibiting growth in MDA-MB 231 cells. • The naphthyl-substituted benzimidazole was more effective at inhibiting growth in MCF-7 cells than ICI. • The benzimidazole molecules demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in ERE transcriptional activity. • The benzimidazole molecules had binding mode in ERα and ERβ comparable to that of the co-crystallized ligand. - Abstract: Estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. They regulate the transcription of estrogen-responsive genes and mediate numerous estrogen related diseases (i.e., fertility, osteoporosis, cancer, etc.). As such, ERs are potentially useful targets formore » developing therapies and diagnostic tools for hormonally responsive human breast cancers. In this work, two benzimidazole-based sulfonamides originally designed to reduce proliferation in prostate cancer, have been evaluated for their ability to modulate growth in estrogen dependent and independent cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231) using cell viability assays. The molecules reduced growth in MCF-7 cells, but differed in their impact on the growth of MDA-MB 231 cells. Although both molecules reduced estrogen response element (ERE) transcriptional activity in a dose dependent manner, the contrasting activity in the MDA-MB-231 cells seems to suggest that the molecules may act through alternate ER-mediated pathways. Further, the methyl analog showed modest selectivity for the ERβ receptor in an ER gene expression array panel, while the naphthyl analog did not significantly alter gene expression. The molecules were docked in the ligand binding domains of the ERα-antagonist and ERβ-agonist crystal structures to evaluate the potential of the molecules to interact with the receptors. The computational analysis complimented the results obtained in the assay of transcriptional activity and gene expression suggesting that the molecules upregulate ERβ activity while down regulating that of ERα.« less

  18. DNA content analysis allows discrimination between Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli.

    PubMed

    Naves, Lucila Langoni; da Silva, Marcos Vinícius; Fajardo, Emanuella Francisco; da Silva, Raíssa Bernardes; De Vito, Fernanda Bernadelli; Rodrigues, Virmondes; Lages-Silva, Eliane; Ramírez, Luis Eduardo; Pedrosa, André Luiz

    2017-01-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi, a human protozoan parasite, is the causative agent of Chagas disease. Currently the species is divided into six taxonomic groups. The genome of the CL Brener clone has been estimated to be 106.4-110.7 Mb, and DNA content analyses revealed that it is a diploid hybrid clone. Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate that has the same reservoirs and vectors as T. cruzi; however, it is non-pathogenic to vertebrate hosts. The haploid genome of T. rangeli was previously estimated to be 24 Mb. The parasitic strains of T. rangeli are divided into KP1(+) and KP1(-). Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the DNA content in different strains of T. cruzi and T. rangeli by flow cytometry. All T. cruzi and T. rangeli strains yielded cell cycle profiles with clearly identifiable G1-0 (2n) and G2-M (4n) peaks. T. cruzi and T. rangeli genome sizes were estimated using the clone CL Brener and the Leishmania major CC1 as reference cell lines because their genome sequences have been previously determined. The DNA content of T. cruzi strains ranged from 87,41 to 108,16 Mb, and the DNA content of T. rangeli strains ranged from 63,25 Mb to 68,66 Mb. No differences in DNA content were observed between KP1(+) and KP1(-) T. rangeli strains. Cultures containing mixtures of the epimastigote forms of T. cruzi and T. rangeli strains resulted in cell cycle profiles with distinct G1 peaks for strains of each species. These results demonstrate that DNA content analysis by flow cytometry is a reliable technique for discrimination between T. cruzi and T. rangeli isolated from different hosts.

  19. Systematic Analysis of the Functional Relevance of Nuclear Structure and Mechanics in Breast Cancer Progression

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-07-01

    epithelial cells; MDA-MB-231 metastatic breast cancer cells) with systematic alterations in the expression of lamins A, B1, B2, C, and lamin B receptor...LBR). We then evaluated the effect of altered lamin expression on nuclear stiffness in these cell lines. While increased expression of lamin A...caused stiffer, less deformable nuclei, reduction of lamins A/C expression by shRNA reduced nuclear stiffness. The effect of alterations in other lamins

  20. Methylene blue, curcumin and ion pairing nanoparticles effects on photodynamic therapy of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell.

    PubMed

    Hosseinzadeh, Reza; Khorsandi, Khatereh

    2017-06-01

    The aim of current study was to use methylene blue-curcumin ion pair nanoparticles and single dyes as photosensitizer for comparison of photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy on MDA-MB-231 cancer cells, also various light sources effect on activation of photosensitizer (PS) was considered. Ion pair nanoparticles were synthesized using opposite charge ions precipitation and lyophilized. The PDT experiments were designed and the effect of PSs and light sources (Red LED (630nm; power density: 30mWcm -2 ) and blue LED (465nm; power density: 34mWcm -2 )) on the human breast cancer cell line were examined. The effect of PS concentration (0-75μg.mL -1 ), incubation time, irradiation time and light sources, and priority in irradiation of blue or red lights were determined. The results show that the ion pairing of methylene blue and curcumin enhance the photodynamic activity of both dyes and the cytotoxicity of ion pair nanoparticles on the MDA-231 breast cancer cell line. Blue and red LED light sources were used for photo activation of photosensitizers. The results demonstrated that both dyes can activate using red light LED better than blue light LED for singlet oxygen producing. Nano scale ion pair precipitating of methylene blue-curcumin enhanced the cell penetrating and subsequently cytotoxicity of both dyes together. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. [Tricostantin A inhibits self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells in vitro].

    PubMed

    Peng, Li; Li, Fu-Xi; Shao, Wen-Feng; Xiong, Jing-Bo

    2013-10-01

    To investigate the effect of tricostantin A (TSA) on self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells and explore the mechanisms. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and SKBR3 were cultured in suspension and treated with different concentrations of TSA for 7 days, using 0.1% DMSO as the control. Secondary mammosphere formation efficiency and percentage of CD44(+)/CD24(-) sub-population in the primary mammospheres were used to evaluate the effects of TSA on self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells. The breast cancer stem cell surface marker CD44(+)/CD24(-) and the percentage of apoptosis in the primary mammospheres were assayed using flow cytometry. The mRNA expressions of Nanog, Sox2 and Oct4 in the primary mammospheres were assayed with quantitative PCR. TSA at both 100 and 500 nmol/L, but not at 10 nmol/L, partially inhibited the self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells from the 4 cell lines. TSA at 500 nmol/L induced cell apoptosis in the primary mammospheres. TSA down-regulated the mRNA expression of Nanog and Sox2 in the primary mammospheres. TSA can partially inhibit the self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells through a mechanism involving the down-regulation of Nanog and Sox2 expression, indicating the value of combined treatments with low-dose TSA and other anticancer drugs to achieve maximum inhibition of breast cancer stem cell self-renewal. The core transcriptional factor of embryonic stem cells Nanog and Sox2 can be potential targets of anticancer therapy.

  2. In vitro anti-breast cancer activity of ethanolic extract of Wrightia tomentosa: role of pro-apoptotic effects of oleanolic acid and urosolic acid.

    PubMed

    Chakravarti, Bandana; Maurya, Ranjani; Siddiqui, Jawed Akhtar; Bid, Hemant Kumar; Rajendran, S M; Yadav, Prem P; Konwar, Rituraj

    2012-06-26

    Wrightia tomentosa Roem. & Schult. (Apocynaceae) is known in the traditional medicine for anti-cancer activity along with other broad indications like snake and scorpion bites, renal complications, menstrual disorders etc. However, the anti-cancer activity of this plant or its constituents has never been studied systematically in any cancer types so far. To evaluate the anti-cancer activities of the ethanolic extract of W. tomentosa and identified constituent active molecule(s) against breast cancer. Powdered leaves of W. tomentosa were extracted with ethanol. The ethanolic extract, subsequent hexane fractions and fraction F-4 of W. tomentosa were tested for its anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The ethanolic extract, subsequent hexane fractions and fraction F-4 of W. tomentosa inhibited the proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The fraction F-4 obtained from hexane fraction inhibited proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in concentration and time dependent manner with IC₅₀ of 50 μg/ml and 30 μg/ml for 24 h, 28 μg/ml and 22 μg/ml for 48 h and 25 μg/ml and 20 μg/ml for 72 h respectively. The fraction F-4 induced G1 cell cycle arrest, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and subsequent apoptosis. Apoptosis is indicated in terms of increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, enhanced Annexin-V positivity, caspase 8 activation and DNA fragmentation. The active molecule isolated from fraction F-4, oleanolic acid and urosolic acid inhibited cell proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells at IC₅₀ value of 7.5 μM and 7.0 μM respectively, whereas there is devoid of significant cell inhibiting activity in non-cancer originated cells, HEK-293. In both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, oleanolic acid and urosolic acid induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis as indicated by significant increase in Annexin-V positive apoptotic cell counts. Our results suggest that W. tomentosa extracts has significant anti-cancer activity against breast cancer cells due to induction of apoptosis pathway. Olenolic and urosolic acid are important constituent molecules in the extract responsible for anti-cancer activity of W. tomentosa.

  3. The pan-PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941 activates canonical WNT signaling to confer resistance in TNBC cells: resistance reversal with WNT inhibitor.

    PubMed

    Tzeng, Huey-En; Yang, Lixin; Chen, Kemin; Wang, Yafan; Liu, Yun-Ru; Pan, Shiow-Lin; Gaur, Shikha; Hu, Shuya; Yen, Yun

    2015-05-10

    The pan-PI3K inhibitors are one treatment option for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, this treatment is ineffective for unknown reasons. Here, we report that aberrant expression of wingless-type MMTV integration site family (WNT) and activated WNT signals, which crosstalk with the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway through GSK3β, plays the most critical role in resistance to pan-PI3K inhibitors in TNBC cells. GDC-0941 is a pan-PI3K inhibitor that activates the WNT/beta-catenin pathway in TNBC cells through stimulation of WNT secretion. GDC-0941-triggered WNT/beta-catenin pathway activation was observed in MDA-MB-231 and HCC1937 cells, which are TNBC cell lines showing aberrant WNT/beta-catenin activation, and not in SKBR3 and MCF7 cells. This observation is further investigated in vivo. GDC-0941 exhibited minimal tumor inhibition in MDA-MB-231 cells, but it significantly suppressed tumor growth in HER-positive SK-BR3 cells. In vivo mechanism study revealed the activation of WNT/beta-catenin pathway by GDC-0941. A synergistic effect was observed when combined treatment with GDC-0941 and the WNT inhibitor LGK974 at low concentrations in MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings indicated that WNT pathway activation conferred resistance in TNBC cells treated with GDC-0941. This resistance may be further circumvented through combined treatment with pan-PI3K and WNT inhibitors. Future clinical trials of these two inhibitors are warranted.

  4. The pan-PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941 activates canonical WNT signaling to confer resistance in TNBC cells: resistance reversal with WNT inhibitor

    PubMed Central

    Tzeng, Huey-En; Yang, Lixin; Chen, Kemin; Wang, Yafan; Liu, Yun-Ru; Pan, Shiow-Lin; Gaur, Shikha; Hu, Shuya; Yen, Yun

    2015-01-01

    The pan-PI3K inhibitors are one treatment option for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, this treatment is ineffective for unknown reasons. Here, we report that aberrant expression of wingless-type MMTV integration site family (WNT) and activated WNT signals, which crosstalk with the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway through GSK3β, plays the most critical role in resistance to pan-PI3K inhibitors in TNBC cells. GDC-0941 is a pan-PI3K inhibitor that activates the WNT/beta-catenin pathway in TNBC cells through stimulation of WNT secretion. GDC-0941-triggered WNT/beta-catenin pathway activation was observed in MDA-MB-231 and HCC1937 cells, which are TNBC cell lines showing aberrant WNT/beta-catenin activation, and not in SKBR3 and MCF7 cells. This observation is further investigated in vivo. GDC-0941 exhibited minimal tumor inhibition in MDA-MB-231 cells, but it significantly suppressed tumor growth in HER-positive SK-BR3 cells. In vivo mechanism study revealed the activation of WNT/beta-catenin pathway by GDC-0941. A synergistic effect was observed when combined treatment with GDC-0941 and the WNT inhibitor LGK974 at low concentrations in MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings indicated that WNT pathway activation conferred resistance in TNBC cells treated with GDC-0941. This resistance may be further circumvented through combined treatment with pan-PI3K and WNT inhibitors. Future clinical trials of these two inhibitors are warranted. PMID:25857298

  5. Elucidation of the mechanism of homozygous deletion of 3p12-13 in the U2020 cell line reveals the unexpected involvement of other chromosomes.

    PubMed

    Heppell-Parton, A C; Nacheva, E; Carter, N P; Bergh, J; Ogilvie, D; Rabbitts, P H

    1999-06-01

    Homozygous deletions in tumor cells have been useful in the localization and validation of tumor suppressor genes. We have described a homozygous deletion in a lung cancer cell line (U2020) which is located within the most proximal of the three regions on the short arm of chromosome 3 believed to be lost in lung cancer development. Construction of a YAC contig map indicates that the deletion spans around 8 Mb, but no large deletion was apparent on conventional cytogenetic analysis of the cell line. To investigate this paradox, whole chromosome, arm-specific, and regional paints have been used. This analysis has revealed that genetic loss has occurred by complex rearrangements of chromosomes 3, rather than simple interstitial deletion. These studies emphasize the power of molecular cytogenetics to disclose unsuspected tumor-specific translocations within the extremely complex karyotypes characteristic of solid tumors.

  6. Characterization of hybrid cells derived from spontaneous fusion events between breast epithelial cells exhibiting stem-like characteristics and breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Dittmar, Thomas; Schwitalla, Sarah; Seidel, Jeanette; Haverkampf, Sonja; Reith, Georg; Meyer-Staeckling, Sönke; Brandt, Burkhard H; Niggemann, Bernd; Zänker, Kurt S

    2011-01-01

    Several data of the past years clearly indicated that the fusion of tumor cells and tumor cells or tumor cells and normal cells can give rise to hybrids cells exhibited novel properties such as an increased malignancy, drug resistance, or resistance to apoptosis. In the present study we characterized hybrid cells derived from spontaneous fusion events between the breast epithelial cell line M13SV1-EGFP-Neo and two breast cancer cell lines: HS578T-Hyg and MDA-MB-435-Hyg. Short-tandem-repeat analysis revealed an overlap of parental alleles in all hybrid cells indicating that hybrid cells originated from real cell fusion events. RealTime-PCR-array gene expression data provided evidence that each hybrid cell clone exhibited a unique gene expression pattern, resulting in a specific resistance of hybrid clones towards chemotherapeutic drugs, such as doxorubicin and paclitaxel, as well as a specific migratory behavior of hybrid clones towards EGF. For instance, M13MDA435-4 hybrids showed a marked resistance towards etoposide, doxorubicin and paclitaxel, whereas hybrid clones M13MDA-435-1 and -2 were only resistant towards etoposide. Likewise, all investigated M13MDA435 hybrids responded to EGF with an increased migratory activity, whereas the migration of parental MDA-MB-435-Hyg cells was blocked by EGF, suggesting that M13MDA435 hybrids may have acquired a new motility pathway. Similar findings have been obtained for M13HS hybrids. We conclude from our data that they further support the hypothesis that cell fusion could give rise to drug resistant and migratory active tumor (hybrid) cells in cancer.

  7. Antitumor effects of a tumor cell vaccine expressing a membrane-bound form of the IL-12 p35 subunit.

    PubMed

    Lim, Ho Yong; Ju, Hee Young; Chung, Hee-Yong; Kim, Young Sang

    2010-08-15

    We investigated whether expression of the IL-12 p35 subunit in membrane-bound form in tumor cells enhanced their immunogenicity. Since p35 is only secreted when associated with the IL-12 p40 subunit, we generated tumor cells expressing membrane-bound forms of p35 and p40 as chimeras with the transmembrane/cytoplasmic region of TNFα (mbIL-12p35 and mbIL-12p40). The relevant vectors were transfected into MethA fibrosarcoma cells, and mbIL-12p35 or mbIL-12p40-expressing tumor clones were isolated and their ability to induce antitumor immunity studied. Cells of the mbIL-12p35 tumor clone induced CD69 expression and IFNγ production in purified CD8(+) T cells in vitro, and their in vivo tumorigenicity was reduced. Cells of the mbIL-12p40 tumor clone failed to show either of these activities. Mice that had rejected cells of the mbIL-12p35 tumor clone possessed systemic antitumor immunity to wild type tumor cells. The growth rate of mbIL-12p35 tumor cells was greater in CD8(+) T cell-depleted mice than in CD4(+) T-cell- and NK cell-depleted mice or normal mice, suggesting that CD8(+) T cells were mainly responsible for the antitumor immunity. These results indicate that expression of mbIL-12p35 on tumor cells enhances their immunogenicity by increasing their ability to activate CD8(+) T cells, possibly by direct priming.

  8. Novel Drugs that Target ErbB2

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-05-01

    Fig. 3C). 3. Role of cannabinoid receptors BA-induced downregulation of Sp transcription factors was proteasome-independent (Fig. 2) and...cancer cell lines show that cannabinoids (CBs) decrease Sp proteins (data not shown), the effects of CB1 and CB2 receptor antagonists AM251 and AM630...were observed in MDA-MB-453 cells confirming a role for the cannabinoid receptors in mediating the effects of BA on Sp and Sp-regulated genes

  9. Avenanthramide-C reduces the viability of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells through an apoptotic mechanism.

    PubMed

    Hastings, Jordan; Kenealey, Jason

    2017-01-01

    Avenanthramides (AVN) are a relatively unstudied family of phytochemicals that could be novel chemotherapeutics. These compounds, found in oats, are non-toxic to healthy cells and have been shown to reduce viability of human colon and liver cancers in vitro. However, these studies do not elucidate a molecular mechanism for individual AVN. In this study we aim to see the effects of AVN on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. An MTT assay was used to determine cell viability. Staining and analysis with a flow cytometer was used to identify cell cycle progression and apoptosis. FloJo software was used to analyze the cytometric data. In all experiments, statistical significance was determined by a two-tailed t test. This study demonstrates that AVN-A, B, and C individually reduce viability in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. AVN-C has the most potent decrease in tumor cell viability, decreasing viable cells to below 25% at 400 µM when compared to control after 96 h. We demonstrate that treatment with AVN-C causes DNA fragmentation and accumulation of over 90% of cells into a sub G 1 cell cycle population. Further, we conclude that AVN-C treated cells activate apoptosis because 97% of treated cells stain positive for annexin V while 91% have caspase-3/7 activity, a late marker of apoptosis. Breast cancer cells treated with AVN-C have a decrease in cell viability, an increase in the sub G 1 population, and stain positive for both annexin V and caspase activity, indicating that AVN-C induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells. These compounds may be able to act as chemotherapeutics as demonstrated through future in vivo studies.

  10. Methylene blue mediated photobiomodulation on human osteoblast cells.

    PubMed

    Ateş, Gamze Bölükbaşı; Ak, Ayşe; Garipcan, Bora; Gülsoy, Murat

    2017-11-01

    Photobiomodulation (PBM) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are two major methods, which use light in medicine and dentistry. PBM uses low-level laser light to induce cell proliferation and activity. In contrast, PDT use laser light combined with a photosensitizer (PS) to cause cell death. Due to similar, not fully understood mechanisms and biphasic response of light, unexpected and complex outcomes may be observed. In the present study, the effect of 635 nm laser light, with power density 50 mW/cm 2 , at three different energy densities (0.5, 1, and 2 J/cm 2 which last 10, 20, and 40 s, respectively) mediated by methylene blue (MB) on the human osteoblast cell line (ATCC-CRL-11372, Rockville, MD, USA) was investigated. Cell viability (MTT assay and acridine orange/propidium iodide staining) and proliferation (Alamar Blue assay) were assessed at 24, 48, and 72 h post irradiation. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralization (Alizarin Red staining) and gene expressions (RT-PCR analysis) were analyzed at 7th and 14th days after treatment. Five groups were formed as the control group (no MB, no irradiation), MB (only 0.05 μM MB), MB + 0.5 J/cm 2 , MB + 1 J/cm 2 , and MB + 2 J/cm 2 . Cell viability was decreased at 72 h (ANOVA; p < 0.05) for MB + 0.5 J/cm 2 , MB + 1 J/cm 2 , and MB + 2 J/cm 2 groups. Although proliferation does not seem to be effected by MB-mediated laser application, osteo-anabolic activity is altered. ALP activity was significantly increased at day 7 (ANOVA; p < 0.05) for MB-combined laser groups; on the other hand, mineralization was significantly decreased (ANOVA; p < 0.05) in all treatment groups. Alkaline phosphatase and collagen-I expressions were upregulated in MB + 2 J/cm 2 group at 7th and 14th days, respectively. These results may contribute to the low-dose PDT researches and understanding PBM effects on osteoblast behavior but further studies are needed since inappropriate conditions may lead to undesirable results for both therapies.

  11. Withaferin A Suppresses Estrogen Receptor-α Expression in Human Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Hahm, Eun-Ryeong; Lee, Joomin; Huang, Yi; Singh, Shivendra V.

    2011-01-01

    We have shown previously that withaferin A (WA), a promising anticancer constituent of Ayurvedic medicine plant Withania somnifera, inhibits growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells in culture and MDA-MB-231 xenografts in vivo by causing apoptosis. However, the mechanism of WA-induced apoptosis is not fully understood. The present study was designed to systematically determine the role of tumor suppressor p53 and estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) in proapoptotic response to WA using MCF-7, T47D, and ER-α overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells as a model. WA treatment resulted in induction as well as increased Ser15 phosphorylation of p53 in MCF-7 cells, but RNA interference of this tumor suppressor gene conferred modest protection at best against WA-induced apoptosis. WA-mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in MCF-7 cells were significantly attenuated in the presence of 17β-estradiol (E2). Exposure of MCF-7 cells to WA resulted in a marked decrease in protein levels of ER-α (but not ER-β) and ER-α regulated gene product pS2, and this effect was markedly attenuated in the presence of E2. WA-mediated down-regulation of ER-α protein expression correlated with a decrease in its nuclear level, suppression of its mRNA level, and inhibition of E2-dependent activation of ERE2e1b-luciferase reporter gene. Ectopic expression of ER-α in the MDA-MB-231 cell line conferred partial but statistically significant protection against WA-mediated apoptosis, but not G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. Collectively, these results indicate that WA functions as an anti-estrogen, and the proapoptotic effect of this promising natural product is partially attenuated by p53 knockdown and E2-ER-α. PMID:21432907

  12. Biological study of the effect of water soluble [N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-L-aspartato] gallium complexes on breast carcinoma and fibrosarcoma cells.

    PubMed

    Mohsen, Ahmed; Saby, Charles; Collery, Philippe; Sabry, Gilane Mohamed; Hassan, Rasha Elsherif; Badawi, Abdelfattah; Jeannesson, Pierre; Desmaële, Didier; Morjani, Hamid

    2016-10-01

    Two water soluble gallium complexes described as [Ga(III)LCl], where L is the deprotonated form of N-2-hydroxybenzyl aspartic acid derivatives, were synthesized and characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, FT-IR, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The 2-(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylamino)succinic acid derivative (GS2) has been found to be a promising anticancer drug candidate. This compound was found to be more cytotoxic against human breast carcinoma MDA-MB231 and fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cell lines than the unsubstituted derivative and GaCl3. GS2 was able to induce apoptosis through downregulation of AKT phosphorylation, G2M arrest in cell cycle, and caspase 3/7 pathway. This gallium complex was found to induce an increase in mitochondrial ROS level in HT-1080 cells but not in MDA-MB231 cells. This suggests that the mechanism of action of GS2 would not be mediated by the drug-induced oxidative stress but probably by directly and indirectly inhibiting the AKT cell-signaling pathway.

  13. Microsatellite analysis of loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 9q, 11p and 17p in medulloblastomas.

    PubMed

    Albrecht, S; von Deimling, A; Pietsch, T; Giangaspero, F; Brandner, S; Kleihues, P; Wiestler, O D

    1994-02-01

    Medulloblastoma (MB) is a primitive neuroectodermal tumour of the cerebellum whose pathogenesis is poorly understood. Previous studies suggest a role for loci on chromosomes 11p and 17p in the pathogenesis of MB. Evidence for another potential MB locus has recently emerged from studies on Gorlin syndrome (GS), an autosomal dominant syndrome with multiple basal cell carcinomas, epithelial jaw cysts, and skeletal anomalies. Since GS can be associated with MB, we examined sporadic (non-GS) cases of MB for evidence of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 9 where a putative GS locus has been localized to band q31. Nineteen paired blood and MB DNA specimens from 16 patients (11 primary tumours, two primary with recurrent tumours, one primary tumour and cell line, two cell lines) were studied by PCR analysis of microsatellites at D9S55 (9p12), D9S15 (9q13-q21.1), D9S127 (9q21.1-21.3), D9S12 (9q22.3), D9S58 (9q22.3-q31), D9S109 (9q31), D9S53 (9q31), GSN (9q33), D9S60 (9q33-q34), D9S65 (9q33-q34), ASS (9q34), D9S67 (9q34.3), TH (11p15.5), D11S490 (11q23.3), D17S261 (17p11.2-12), D17S520 (17p12), TP53 (17p13.1), D17S5 (17p13.3), D17S515 (17q22-qter), and by RFLP analysis at the WT-1 locus (11p13). Only two tumours had LOH on 9q. One was non-informative at D9S15, D9S65, and GSN but showed LOH at D9S127, D9S12, D9S58, D9S109, D9S53, D9S60, ASS, and D9S67. The other was uninterpretable at D9S65 and non-informative at D9S15, D9S58, D9S53, and D9S67 but exhibited LOH at D9S127, D9S12, D9S109, GSN, D9S60, and ASS. Both these cases were informative at D9S55 without LOH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  14. Spatiotemporal assessment of spontaneous metastasis formation using multimodal in vivo imaging in HER2+ and triple negative metastatic breast cancer xenograft models in mice.

    PubMed

    Fricke, Inga B; De Souza, Raquel; Costa Ayub, Lais; Francia, Giulio; Kerbel, Robert; Jaffray, David A; Zheng, Jinzi

    2018-01-01

    Preclinical breast cancer models recapitulating the clinical course of metastatic disease are crucial for drug development. Highly metastatic cell lines forming spontaneous metastasis following orthotopic implantation were previously developed and characterized regarding their biological and histological characteristics. This study aimed to non-invasively and longitudinally characterize the spatiotemporal pattern of metastasis formation and progression in the MDA-MB-231-derived triple negative LM2-4 and HER2+ LM2-4H2N cell lines, using bioluminescence imaging (BLI), contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT), fluorescence imaging, and 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography ([18F]FDG-PET). LM2-4, LM2-4H2N, and MDA-MB-231 tumors were established in the right inguinal mammary fat pad (MFP) of female SCID mice and resected 14-16 days later. Metastasis formation was monitored using BLI. Metabolic activity of primary and metastatic lesions in mice bearing LM2-4 or LM2-4H2N was assessed by [18F]FDG-PET. Metastatic burden at study endpoint was assessed by CT and fluorescence imaging following intravenous dual-modality liposome agent administration. Comparable temporal metastasis patterns were observed using BLI for the highly metastatic cell lines LM2-4 and LM2-4H2N, while metastasis formed about 10 days later for MDA-MB-231. 21 days post primary tumor resection, metastases were detected in 86% of LM2-4, 69% of LM2-4H2N, and 60% of MDA-MB-231 inoculated mice, predominantly in the axillary region, contralateral MFP, and liver/lung. LM2-4 and LM2-4H2N tumors displayed high metabolism based on [18F]FDG-PET uptake. Lung metastases were detected as the [18F]FDG-PET uptake increased significantly between pre- and post-metastasis scan. Using a liposomal dual-modality agent, CT and fluorescence confirmed BLI detected lesions and identified additional metastatic nodules in the intraperitoneal cavity and lung. The combination of complementary anatomical and functional imaging techniques can provide high sensitivity characterization of metastatic disease spread, progression and overall disease burden. The described models and imaging toolset can be implemented as an effective means for quantitative treatment response evaluation in metastatic breast cancer.

  15. Development of single nanometer-sized ultrafine oxygen bubbles to overcome the hypoxia-induced resistance to radiation therapy via the suppression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α

    PubMed Central

    Honma, Kyoko; Nakano, Takashi; Asao, Takayuki; Kuwahara, Ryusuke; Aoyama, Kazuhiro; Yasuda, Hidehiro; Kelly, Matthew; Kuwano, Hiroyuki

    2018-01-01

    Radiation therapy can result in severe side-effects, including the development of radiation resistance. The aim of this study was to validate the use of oxygen nanobubble water to overcome resistance to radiation in cancer cell lines via the suppression of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α (HIF-1α) subunit. Oxygen nanobubble water was created using a newly developed method to produce nanobubbles in the single-nanometer range with the ΣPM-5 device. The size and concentration of the oxygen nanobubbles in the water was examined using a cryo-transmission electron microscope. The nanobubble size was ranged from 2 to 3 nm, and the concentration of the nanobubbles was calculated at 2×1018 particles/ml. Cell viability and HIF-1α levels were evaluated in EBC-1 lung cancer and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells treated with or without the nanobubble water and radiation under normoxic and hypoxic conditions in vitro. The cancer cells grown in oxygen nanobubble-containing media exhibited a clear suppression of hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression compared to the cells grown in media made with distilled water. Under hypoxic conditions, the EBC-1 and MDA-MB231 cells displayed resistance to radiation compared to the cells cultured under normoxic cells. The use of oxygen nanobubble medium significantly suppressed the hypoxia-induced resistance to radiation compared to the use of normal medium at 2, 6, 10 and 14 Gy doses. Importantly, the use of nanobubble media did not affect the viability and radiation sensitivity of the cancer cell lines, or the non-cancerous cell line, BEAS-2B, under normoxic conditions. This newly created single-nanometer range oxygen nanobubble water, without any additives, may thus prove to be a promising agent which may be used to overcome the hypoxia-induced resistance of cancer cells to radiation via the suppression of HIF-1α. PMID:29393397

  16. Cdx2 Polymorphism Affects the Activities of Vitamin D Receptor in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines and Human Breast Carcinomas

    PubMed Central

    Di Benedetto, Anna; Korita, Etleva; Goeman, Frauke; Sacconi, Andrea; Biagioni, Francesca; Blandino, Giovanni; Strano, Sabrina; Muti, Paola; Mottolese, Marcella; Falvo, Elisabetta

    2015-01-01

    Vitamin D plays a role in cancer development and acts through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). It regulates the action of hormone responsive genes and is involved in cell cycle regulation, differentiation and apoptosis. VDR is a critical component of the vitamin D pathway and different common single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified. Cdx2 VDR polymorphism can play an important role in breast cancer, modulating the activity of VDR. The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between the Cdx2 VDR polymorphism and the activities of VDR in human breast cancer cell lines and carcinomas breast patients. Cdx2 VDR polymorphism and antiproliferative effects of vitamin D treatment were investigated in a panel of estrogen receptor-positive (MCF7 and T-47D) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231, SUM 159PT, SK-BR-3, BT549, MDA-MB-468, HCC1143, BT20 and HCC1954) human breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the potential relationship among Cdx2 VDR polymorphism and a number of biomarkers used in clinical management of breast cancer was assessed in an ad hoc set of breast cancer cases. Vitamin D treatment efficacy was found to be strongly dependent on the Cdx2 VDR status in ER-negative breast cancer cell lines tested. In our series of breast cancer cases, the results indicated that patients with variant homozygote AA were associated with bio-pathological characteristics typical of more aggressive tumours, such as ER negative, HER2 positive and G3. Our results may suggest a potential effect of Cdx2 VDR polymorphism on the efficacy of vitamin D treatment in aggressive breast cancer cells (estrogen receptor negative). These results suggest that Cdx2 polymorphism may be a potential biomarker for vitamin D treatment in breast cancer, independently of the VDR receptor expression. PMID:25849303

  17. Overexpression of molecular chaperons GRP78 and GRP94 in CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) breast cancer stem cells.

    PubMed

    Nami, Babak; Ghasemi-Dizgah, Armin; Vaseghi, Akbar

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer stem cell with CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phonotype is described having stem cell properties and represented as the main driving factor in breast cancer initiation, growth, metastasis and low response to anti-cancer agents. Glucoseregulated proteins (GRPs) are heat shock protein family chaperons that are charged with regulation of protein machinery and modulation of endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis whose important roles in stem cell development and invasion of various cancers have been demonstrated. Here, we investigated the expression levels of GRP78 and GRP94 in CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). MCF7, T-47D and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines were used. CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype cell population were analyzed and sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Transcriptional and translational expression of GRP78 and GRP94 were investigated by western blotting and quantitative real time PCR. RESULTS showed different proportion of CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype cell population in their original bulk cells. The ranking of the cell lines in terms of CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype cell population was as MCF7

  18. Combined exposure to Maneb and Paraquat alters transcriptional regulation of neurogenesis-related genes in mice models of Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Desplats, Paula; Patel, Pruthul; Kosberg, Kori; Mante, Michael; Patrick, Christina; Rockenstein, Edward; Fujita, Masayo; Hashimoto, Makoto; Masliah, Eliezer

    2012-09-28

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial disease where environmental factors act on genetically predisposed individuals. Although only 5% of PD manifestations are associated with specific mutations, majority of PD cases are of idiopathic origin, where environment plays a prominent role. Concurrent exposure to Paraquat (PQ) and Maneb (MB) in rural workers increases the risk for PD and exposure of adult mice to MB/PQ results in dopamine fiber loss and decreased locomotor activity. While PD is characterized by neuronal loss in the substantia nigra, we previously showed that accumulation of α-synuclein in the limbic system contributes to neurodegeneration by interfering with adult neurogenesis. We investigated the effect of pesticides on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in two transgenic models: Line 61, expressing the human wild type SNCA gene and Line LRRK2(G2019S), expressing the human LRRK2 gene with the mutation G2019S. Combined exposure to MB/PQ resulted in significant reduction of neuronal precursors and proliferating cells in non-transgenic animals, and this effect was increased in transgenic mice, in particular for Line 61, suggesting that α-synuclein accumulation and environmental toxins have a synergistic effect. We further investigated the transcription of 84 genes with direct function on neurogenesis. Overexpresion of α-synuclein resulted in the downregulation of 12% of target genes, most of which were functionally related to cell differentiation, while LRRK2 mutation had a minor impact on gene expression. MB/PQ also affected transcription in non-transgenic backgrounds, but when transgenic mice were exposed to the pesticides, profound alterations in gene expression affecting 27% of the studied targets were observed in both transgenic lines. Gene enrichment analysis showed that 1:3 of those genes were under the regulation of FoxF2 and FoxO3A, suggesting a primary role of these proteins in the response to genetic and environmental cues. We report that adult neurogenesis is highly susceptible to multiple "risk factors" for PD, including α-synuclein accumulation, LRRK2 G2019 mutation and exposure to environmental toxins. We identified specific groups of genes that are responsive to each stressor, while uncovering a novel function for Fox transcription factors in PD.

  19. Development and Characterization of Methylene Blue Oleate Salt-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles and their Potential Application as a Treatment for Glioblastoma

    PubMed Central

    Castañeda-Gill, JM; Ranjan, AP; Vishwanatha, JK

    2017-01-01

    Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive, grade IV brain tumor that develops from astrocytes located within the cerebrum, resulting in poor prognosis and survival rates following an accepted treatment regimen of surgery, radiation, and temozolomide. Thus, development of new therapeutics is necessary. During the last two decades, methylene blue (MB) has received increased attention as a potential neurotherapeutic due to its duality in brain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. While MB is capable of easily permeating the blood-brain barrier, its therapeutic concentrations in GBM are known to induce off-target cytotoxicity and thus, another mode of drug delivery must be considered. To this end, encapsulation of formerly unusable compounds into nanoparticles (NPs) made from the biodegradable/biocompatible, FDA approved co-polymer poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) has been more commonplace when developing novel therapeutics. In this study, we formulated and characterized Pluronic F68-coated PLGA NPs containing a sodium oleate conjugate of MB (MBOS) via solvent displacement. Conjugation of sodium oleate to MB was shown to reduce its release from PLGA NPs compared to unmodified MB, leading to potential improvements in drug accumulation and therapeutic effectiveness. Our drug-loaded NP preparations, which were ~170 nm in size and had drug loading values of ~2%, were shown to reduce cell viability and cell compartment-specific, as well as overall cell, functions equivalenty, if not more so, when compared to free drug in two GBM cell lines. Following bio-distribution analysis of free MBOS compared to its nano-encapsulated counterpart, drug-loaded NPs were shown to more effectively permeate the BBB, which could lead to improvements in therapeutic effectiveness upon further examination in a tumor-bearing mouse model. Based on these results, we believe that the further development and eventual utilization of this nanoformulation could lead to an effective GBM therapy that could extend patient survival rates. PMID:29034126

  20. Architecture of energy balance traits in emerging lines of the Collaborative Cross

    PubMed Central

    Aylor, David L.; Miller, Darla R.; Churchill, Gary A.; Chesler, Elissa J.; de Villena, Fernando Pardo-Manuel; Threadgill, David W.; Pomp, Daniel

    2011-01-01

    The potential utility of the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse resource was evaluated to better understand complex traits related to energy balance. A primary focus was to examine if genetic diversity in emerging CC lines (pre-CC) would translate into equivalent phenotypic diversity. Second, we mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for 15 metabolism- and exercise-related phenotypes in this population. We evaluated metabolic and voluntary exercise traits in 176 pre-CC lines, revealing phenotypic variation often exceeding that seen across the eight founder strains from which the pre-CC was derived. Many phenotypic correlations existing within the founder strains were no longer significant in the pre-CC population, potentially representing reduced linkage disequilibrium (LD) of regions harboring multiple genes with effects on energy balance or disruption of genetic structure of extant inbred strains with substantial shared ancestry. QTL mapping revealed five significant and eight suggestive QTL for body weight (Chr 4, 7.54 Mb; CI 3.32–10.34 Mb; Bwq14), body composition, wheel running (Chr 16, 33.2 Mb; CI 32.5–38.3 Mb), body weight change in response to exercise (1: Chr 6, 77.7Mb; CI 72.2–83.4 Mb and 2: Chr 6, 42.8 Mb; CI 39.4–48.1 Mb), and food intake during exercise (Chr 12, 85.1 Mb; CI 82.9–89.0 Mb). Some QTL overlapped with previously mapped QTL for similar traits, whereas other QTL appear to represent novel loci. These results suggest that the CC will be a powerful, high-precision tool for examining the genetic architecture of complex traits such as those involved in regulation of energy balance. PMID:21427413

  1. Segmental duplications and evolutionary plasticity at tumor chromosome break-prone regions

    PubMed Central

    Darai-Ramqvist, Eva; Sandlund, Agneta; Müller, Stefan; Klein, George; Imreh, Stefan; Kost-Alimova, Maria

    2008-01-01

    We have previously found that the borders of evolutionarily conserved chromosomal regions often coincide with tumor-associated deletion breakpoints within human 3p12-p22. Moreover, a detailed analysis of a frequently deleted region at 3p21.3 (CER1) showed associations between tumor breaks and gene duplications. We now report on the analysis of 54 chromosome 3 breaks by multipoint FISH (mpFISH) in 10 carcinoma-derived cell lines. The centromeric region was broken in five lines. In lines with highly complex karyotypes, breaks were clustered near known fragile sites, FRA3B, FRA3C, and FRA3D (three lines), and in two other regions: 3p12.3-p13 (∼75 Mb position) and 3q21.3-q22.1 (∼130 Mb position) (six lines). All locations are shown based on NCBI Build 36.1 human genome sequence. The last two regions participated in three of four chromosome 3 inversions during primate evolution. Regions at 75, 127, and 131 Mb positions carry a large (∼250 kb) segmental duplication (tumor break-prone segmental duplication [TBSD]). TBSD homologous sequences were found at 15 sites on different chromosomes. They were located within bands frequently involved in carcinoma-associated breaks. Thirteen of them have been involved in inversions during primate evolution; 10 were reused by breaks during mammalian evolution; 14 showed copy number polymorphism in man. TBSD sites showed an increase in satellite repeats, retrotransposed sequences, and other segmental duplications. We propose that the instability of these sites stems from specific organization of the chromosomal region, associated with location at a boundary between different CG-content isochores and with the presence of TBSDs and “instability elements,” including satellite repeats and retroviral sequences. PMID:18230801

  2. Segmental duplications and evolutionary plasticity at tumor chromosome break-prone regions.

    PubMed

    Darai-Ramqvist, Eva; Sandlund, Agneta; Müller, Stefan; Klein, George; Imreh, Stefan; Kost-Alimova, Maria

    2008-03-01

    We have previously found that the borders of evolutionarily conserved chromosomal regions often coincide with tumor-associated deletion breakpoints within human 3p12-p22. Moreover, a detailed analysis of a frequently deleted region at 3p21.3 (CER1) showed associations between tumor breaks and gene duplications. We now report on the analysis of 54 chromosome 3 breaks by multipoint FISH (mpFISH) in 10 carcinoma-derived cell lines. The centromeric region was broken in five lines. In lines with highly complex karyotypes, breaks were clustered near known fragile sites, FRA3B, FRA3C, and FRA3D (three lines), and in two other regions: 3p12.3-p13 ( approximately 75 Mb position) and 3q21.3-q22.1 ( approximately 130 Mb position) (six lines). All locations are shown based on NCBI Build 36.1 human genome sequence. The last two regions participated in three of four chromosome 3 inversions during primate evolution. Regions at 75, 127, and 131 Mb positions carry a large ( approximately 250 kb) segmental duplication (tumor break-prone segmental duplication [TBSD]). TBSD homologous sequences were found at 15 sites on different chromosomes. They were located within bands frequently involved in carcinoma-associated breaks. Thirteen of them have been involved in inversions during primate evolution; 10 were reused by breaks during mammalian evolution; 14 showed copy number polymorphism in man. TBSD sites showed an increase in satellite repeats, retrotransposed sequences, and other segmental duplications. We propose that the instability of these sites stems from specific organization of the chromosomal region, associated with location at a boundary between different CG-content isochores and with the presence of TBSDs and "instability elements," including satellite repeats and retroviral sequences.

  3. Extracts from black carrot tissue culture as potent anticancer agents.

    PubMed

    Sevimli-Gur, Canan; Cetin, Burcu; Akay, Seref; Gulce-Iz, Sultan; Yesil-Celiktas, Ozlem

    2013-09-01

    Black carrots contain anthocyanins possessing enhanced physiological activities. Explants of young black carrot shoots were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for callus initiation and were transferred to new MS medium supplemented with four different combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and kinetin. Subsequently, the lyophilized calli and black carrot harvested from fields were subjected to ultrasound extraction with ethanol at a ratio of 1:15 (w:v). Obtained extracts were applied to various human cancer cell lines including MCF-7 SK-BR-3 and MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinomas), HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma), PC-3 (human prostate adenocarcinoma), Neuro 2A (Musmusculus neuroblastoma) cancer cell lines and VERO (African green monkey kidney) normal cell line by MTT assay. The highest cytotoxic activity was achieved against Neuro-2A cell lines exhibiting viability of 38-46% at 6.25 μg/ml concentration for all calli and natural extracts. However, a significantly high IC50 value of 170.13 μg/ml was attained in normal cell line VERO indicating that its natural counterpart is an ideal candidate for treatment of brain cancer without causing negative effects to normal healthy cells.

  4. Mitochondrial calcium uniporter silencing potentiates caspase-independent cell death in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Curry, Merril C.; Peters, Amelia A.; Kenny, Paraic A.

    Highlights: •Some clinical breast cancers are associated with MCU overexpression. •MCU silencing did not alter cell death initiated with the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-263. •MCU silencing potentiated caspase-independent cell death initiated by ionomycin. •MCU silencing promoted ionomycin-mediated cell death without changes in bulk Ca{sup 2+}. -- Abstract: The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) transports free ionic Ca{sup 2+} into the mitochondrial matrix. We assessed MCU expression in clinical breast cancer samples using microarray analysis and the consequences of MCU silencing in a breast cancer cell line. Our results indicate that estrogen receptor negative and basal-like breast cancers are characterized by elevated levelsmore » of MCU. Silencing of MCU expression in the basal-like MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line produced no change in proliferation or cell viability. However, distinct consequences of MCU silencing were seen on cell death pathways. Caspase-dependent cell death initiated by the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-263 was not altered by MCU silencing; whereas caspase-independent cell death induced by the calcium ionophore ionomycin was potentiated by MCU silencing. Measurement of cytosolic Ca{sup 2+} levels showed that the promotion of ionomycin-induced cell death by MCU silencing occurs independently of changes in bulk cytosolic Ca{sup 2+} levels. This study demonstrates that MCU overexpression is a feature of some breast cancers and that MCU overexpression may offer a survival advantage against some cell death pathways. MCU inhibitors may be a strategy to increase the effectiveness of therapies that act through the induction of caspase-independent cell death pathways in estrogen receptor negative and basal-like breast cancers.« less

  5. Activation of Estrogen Receptor Transfected into a Receptor-Negative Brest Cancer Cell Line Decreases the Metastatic and Invasive Potential of the Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia, Marcel; Derocq, Danielle; Freiss, Gilles; Rochefort, Henri

    1992-12-01

    Breast cancers containing estrogen receptors are responsive to antiestrogen treatment and have a better prognosis than estrogen receptor-negative tumors. The loss of estrogen and progesterone receptors appears to be associated with a progression to less-differentiated tumors. We transfected the human estrogen receptor into the estrogen receptor-negative metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in an attempt to restore their sensitivity to antiestrogens. Two stable sublines of MDA-MB-231 cells (HC1 and HE5) expressing functional estrogen receptors were studied for their ability to grow and invade in vitro and to metastasize in athymic nude mice. The number and size of lung metastases developed by these two sublines in ovariectomized nude mice was not markedly altered by tamoxifen but was inhibited 3-fold by estradiol. Estradiol also significantly inhibited in vitro cell proliferation of these sublines and their invasiveness in Matrigel, a reconstituted basement membrane, whereas the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen and ICI 164,384 reversed these effects. These results show that estradiol inhibits the metastatic ability of estrogen receptornegative breast cancer cells following transfection with the estrogen receptor, whereas estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers are stimulated by estrogen, indicating that factors other than the estrogen receptor are involved in progression toward hormone independence. Reactivation or transfer of the estrogen receptor gene can therefore be considered as therapeutic approaches to hormone-independent cancers

  6. Physical mapping withing the tuberous sclerosis linkage group in region 9q32-q34

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Harris, R.M.; Carter, N.P.; Griffiths, B.

    1993-02-01

    Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and flow dot-blot analysis have been used to construct a physical map of the q32-q34 region of chromosome 9, where one of the loci responsible for tuberous sclerosis (TSC1) has been mapped by genetic linkage. Five linked groups of markers have been defined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The orientation of these groups and the order of markers within them were determined by hybridization to flow-sorted dot blots derived from a panel of cell lines of chromosome 9 translocations to place probes proximal or distal to each breakpoint. The local map order 9q32-q34 derived by application of thismore » combination of techniques is as follows: centromere - ALAD-1.3 Mb-ORM/20 kb/D9S16-GSN-250 kb-C5-HXB-1.9 Mb-D9S21-AK1-1.4 Mb-SPTAN1-ASS-800-kb-ABL-2 Mb-D0S10/350 Kb/DBH-telomere. 48 refs., 6 figs., 4 figs.« less

  7. Highly conserved non-coding elements on either side of SOX9 associated with Pierre Robin sequence.

    PubMed

    Benko, Sabina; Fantes, Judy A; Amiel, Jeanne; Kleinjan, Dirk-Jan; Thomas, Sophie; Ramsay, Jacqueline; Jamshidi, Negar; Essafi, Abdelkader; Heaney, Simon; Gordon, Christopher T; McBride, David; Golzio, Christelle; Fisher, Malcolm; Perry, Paul; Abadie, Véronique; Ayuso, Carmen; Holder-Espinasse, Muriel; Kilpatrick, Nicky; Lees, Melissa M; Picard, Arnaud; Temple, I Karen; Thomas, Paul; Vazquez, Marie-Paule; Vekemans, Michel; Roest Crollius, Hugues; Hastie, Nicholas D; Munnich, Arnold; Etchevers, Heather C; Pelet, Anna; Farlie, Peter G; Fitzpatrick, David R; Lyonnet, Stanislas

    2009-03-01

    Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is an important subgroup of cleft palate. We report several lines of evidence for the existence of a 17q24 locus underlying PRS, including linkage analysis results, a clustering of translocation breakpoints 1.06-1.23 Mb upstream of SOX9, and microdeletions both approximately 1.5 Mb centromeric and approximately 1.5 Mb telomeric of SOX9. We have also identified a heterozygous point mutation in an evolutionarily conserved region of DNA with in vitro and in vivo features of a developmental enhancer. This enhancer is centromeric to the breakpoint cluster and maps within one of the microdeletion regions. The mutation abrogates the in vitro enhancer function and alters binding of the transcription factor MSX1 as compared to the wild-type sequence. In the developing mouse mandible, the 3-Mb region bounded by the microdeletions shows a regionally specific chromatin decompaction in cells expressing Sox9. Some cases of PRS may thus result from developmental misexpression of SOX9 due to disruption of very-long-range cis-regulatory elements.

  8. Synthesis, Characterization, and Study of In Vitro Cytotoxicity of ZnO-Fe3O4 Magnetic Composite Nanoparticles in Human Breast Cancer Cell Line (MDA-MB-231) and Mouse Fibroblast (NIH 3T3).

    PubMed

    Bisht, Gunjan; Rayamajhi, Sagar; Kc, Biplab; Paudel, Siddhi Nath; Karna, Deepak; Shrestha, Bhupal G

    2016-12-01

    Novel magnetic composite nanoparticles (MCPs) were successfully synthesized by ex situ conjugation of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and Fe 3 O 4 NPs using trisodium citrate as linker with an aim to retain key properties of both NPs viz. inherent selectivity towards cancerous cell and superparamagnetic nature, respectively, on a single system. Successful characterization of synthesized nanoparticles was done by XRD, TEM, FTIR, and VSM analyses. VSM analysis showed similar magnetic profile of thus obtained MCPs as that of naked Fe 3 O 4 NPs with reduction in saturation magnetization to 16.63 emu/g. Also, cell viability inferred from MTT assay showed that MCPs have no significant toxicity towards noncancerous NIH 3T3 cells but impart significant toxicity at similar concentration to breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231. The EC50 value of MCPs on MDA-MB-231 is less than that of naked ZnO NPs on MDA-MB-231, but its toxicity on NIH 3T3 was significantly reduced compared to ZnO NPs. Our hypothesis for this prominent difference in cytotoxicity imparted by MCPs is the synergy of selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles via reactive oxygen species (ROS) and exhausting scavenging activity of cancerous cells, which further enhance the cytotoxicity of Fe 3 O 4 NPs on cancer cells. This dramatic difference in cytotoxicity shown by the conjugation of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 NPs with ZnO NPs should be further studied that might hold great promise for the development of selective and site-specific nanoparticles. Schematic representation of the conjugation, characterization and cytotoxicity analysis of Fe 3 O 4 -ZnO magnetic composite particles (MCPs).

  9. Survey of genome sequences in a wild sweet potato, Ipomoea trifida (H. B. K.) G. Don

    PubMed Central

    Hirakawa, Hideki; Okada, Yoshihiro; Tabuchi, Hiroaki; Shirasawa, Kenta; Watanabe, Akiko; Tsuruoka, Hisano; Minami, Chiharu; Nakayama, Shinobu; Sasamoto, Shigemi; Kohara, Mitsuyo; Kishida, Yoshie; Fujishiro, Tsunakazu; Kato, Midori; Nanri, Keiko; Komaki, Akiko; Yoshinaga, Masaru; Takahata, Yasuhiro; Tanaka, Masaru; Tabata, Satoshi; Isobe, Sachiko N.

    2015-01-01

    Ipomoea trifida (H. B. K.) G. Don. is the most likely diploid ancestor of the hexaploid sweet potato, I. batatas (L.) Lam. To assist in analysis of the sweet potato genome, de novo whole-genome sequencing was performed with two lines of I. trifida, namely the selfed line Mx23Hm and the highly heterozygous line 0431-1, using the Illumina HiSeq platform. We classified the sequences thus obtained as either ‘core candidates’ (common to the two lines) or ‘line specific’. The total lengths of the assembled sequences of Mx23Hm (ITR_r1.0) was 513 Mb, while that of 0431-1 (ITRk_r1.0) was 712 Mb. Of the assembled sequences, 240 Mb (Mx23Hm) and 353 Mb (0431-1) were classified into core candidate sequences. A total of 62,407 (62.4 Mb) and 109,449 (87.2 Mb) putative genes were identified, respectively, in the genomes of Mx23Hm and 0431-1, of which 11,823 were derived from core sequences of Mx23Hm, while 28,831 were from the core candidate sequence of 0431-1. There were a total of 1,464,173 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 16,682 copy number variations (CNVs) in the two assembled genomic sequences (under the condition of log2 ratio of >1 and CNV size >1,000 bases). The results presented here are expected to contribute to the progress of genomic and genetic studies of I. trifida, as well as studies of the sweet potato and the genus Ipomoea in general. PMID:25805887

  10. Synthesis and in vitro anti-proliferative effects of 3-(hetero)aryl substituted 3-[(prop-2-ynyloxy)(thiophen-2-yl)methyl]pyridine derivatives on various cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Reddy Chamakura, Upendar; Sailaja, E; Dulla, Balakrishna; Kalle, Arunasree M; Bhavani, S; Rambabu, D; Kapavarapu, Ravikumar; Rao, M V Basaveswara; Pal, Manojit

    2014-03-01

    A series of 3-(hetero)aryl substituted 3-[(prop-2-ynyloxy)(thiophen-2-yl)methyl]pyridine derivatives were designed as potential anticancer agents. These compounds were conveniently prepared by using Pd/C-Cu mediated Sonogashira type coupling as a key step. Many of these compounds were found to be promising when tested for their in vitro anti-proliferative properties against six cancer cell lines. All these compounds were found to be selective towards the growth inhibition of cancer cells with IC50 values in the range of 0.9-1.7 μM (against MDA-MB 231 and MCF7 cells), comparable to the known anticancer drug doxorubicin. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Co-Expression of α9β1 Integrin and VEGF-D Confers Lymphatic Metastatic Ability to a Human Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-468LN

    PubMed Central

    Majumder, Mousumi; Rodriguez-Torres, Mauricio; Torres-Garcia, Jose; Wiebe, Ryan; Timoshenko, Alexander V.; Bhattacharjee, Rabindra N.; Chambers, Ann F.; Lala, Peeyush K.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction and Objectives Lymphatic metastasis is a common occurrence in human breast cancer, mechanisms remaining poorly understood. MDA-MB-468LN (468LN), a variant of the MDA-MB-468GFP (468GFP) human breast cancer cell line, produces extensive lymphatic metastasis in nude mice. 468LN cells differentially express α9β1 integrin, a receptor for lymphangiogenic factors VEGF-C/-D. We explored whether (1) differential production of VEGF-C/-D by 468LN cells provides an autocrine stimulus for cellular motility by interacting with α9β1 and a paracrine stimulus for lymphangiogenesis in vitro as measured with capillary-like tube formation by human lymphatic endothelial cells (HMVEC-dLy); (2) differential expression of α9 also promotes cellular motility/invasiveness by interacting with macrophage derived factors; (3) stable knock-down of VEGF-D or α9 in 468LN cells abrogates lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis in vivo in nude mice. Results A comparison of expression of cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 (a VEGF-C/-D inducer), VEGF-C/-D and their receptors revealed little COX-2 expression by either cells. However, 468LN cells showed differential VEGF-D and α9β1 expression, VEGF-D secretion, proliferative, migratory/invasive capacities, latter functions being stimulated further with VEGF-D. The requirement of α9β1 for native and VEGF-D-stimulated proliferation, migration and Erk activation was demonstrated by treating with α9β1 blocking antibody or knock-down of α9. An autocrine role of VEGF-D in migration was shown by its impairment by silencing VEGF-D and restoration with VEGF-D. 468LN cells and their soluble products stimulated tube formation, migration/invasiveness of HMVEC-dLy cell in a VEGF-D dependent manner as indicated by the loss of stimulation by silencing VEGF-D in 468LN cells. Furthermore, 468LN cells showed α9-dependent stimulation of migration/invasiveness by macrophage products. Finally, capacity for intra-tumoral lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis in nude mice was completely abrogated by stable knock-down of either VEGF-D or α9 in 468LN cells. Conclusion Differential capacity for VEGF-D production and α9β1 integrin expression by 468LN cells jointly contributed to their lymphatic metastatic phenotype. PMID:22545097

  12. GnRH receptor activation competes at a low level with growth signaling in stably transfected human breast cell lines

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs lower estrogen levels in pre-menopausal breast cancer patients. GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) activation also directly inhibits the growth of certain cells. The applicability of GnRH anti-proliferation to breast cancer was therefore analyzed. Methods GnRH-R expression in 298 primary breast cancer samples was measured by quantitative immunofluorescence. Levels of functional GnRH-R in breast-derived cell lines were assessed using 125I-ligand binding and stimulation of 3H-inositol phosphate production. Elevated levels of GnRH-R were stably expressed in cells by transfection. Effects of receptor activation on in vitro cell growth were investigated in comparison with IGF-I and EGF receptor inhibition, and correlated with intracellular signaling using western blotting. Results GnRH-R immunoscoring was highest in hormone receptor (triple) negative and grade 3 breast tumors. However prior to transfection, functional endogenous GnRH-R were undetectable in four commonly studied breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, ZR-75-1, T47D and MDA-MB-231). After transfection with GnRH-R, high levels of cell surface GnRH-R were detected in SVCT and MDA-MB-231 clones while low-moderate levels of GnRH-R occurred in MCF-7 clones and ZR-75-1 clones. MCF-7 sub-clones with high levels of GnRH-R were isolated following hygromycin phosphotransferase transfection. High level cell surface GnRH-R enabled induction of high levels of 3H-inositol phosphate and modest growth-inhibition in SVCT cells. In contrast, growth of MCF-7, ZR-75-1 or MDA-MB-231 clones was unaffected by GnRH-R activation. Cell growth was inhibited by IGF-I or EGF receptor inhibitors. IGF-I receptor inhibitor lowered levels of p-ERK1/2 in MCF-7 clones. Washout of IGF-I receptor inhibitor resulted in transient hyper-elevation of p-ERK1/2, but co-addition of GnRH-R agonist did not alter the dynamics of ERK1/2 re-phosphorylation. Conclusions Breast cancers exhibit a range of GnRH-R immunostaining, with higher levels of expression found in triple-negative and grade 3 cancers. However, functional cell surface receptors are rare in cultured cells. Intense GnRH-R signaling in transfected breast cancer cells did not markedly inhibit growth, in contrast to transfected HEK 293 cells indicating the importance of intracellular context. GnRH-R signaling could not counteract IGF-I receptor-tyrosine kinase addiction in MCF-7 cells. These results suggest that combinatorial strategies with growth factor inhibitors will be needed to enhance GnRH anti-proliferative effects in breast cancer PMID:22051164

  13. DOT1L histone methyltransferase regulates the expression of BCAT1 and is involved in sphere formation and cell migration of breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Oktyabri, Dulamsuren; Ishimura, Akihiko; Tange, Shoichiro; Terashima, Minoru; Suzuki, Takeshi

    2016-04-01

    DOT1L is a histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) methyltransferase mainly implicated in leukemia. Here we analyzed the function of DOT1L in breast cancer cells. The expression of DOT1L was up-regulated in malignant breast cancer tissues. Over-expression of DOT1L significantly increased the sphere formation and the cell migration activities of MCF7 breast cancer cell line. In contrast, knockdown of DOT1L reduced the cell migration activity of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. BCAT1, which encodes a branched-chain amino acid transaminase, was identified as one of the target genes controlled by DOT1L through the regulation of H3K79 methylation. Mechanistic investigation revealed that BCAT1 might be an important regulator responsible for DOT1L-mediated sphere formation and cell migration in breast cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  14. Epidermal growth factor promotes a mesenchymal over an amoeboid motility of MDA-MB-231 cells embedded within a 3D collagen matrix

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geum, Dongil T.; Kim, Beum Jun; Chang, Audrey E.; Hall, Matthew S.; Wu, Mingming

    2016-01-01

    The receptor of epidermal growth factor (EGFR) critically regulates tumor cell invasion and is a potent therapeutic target for treatment of many types of cancers, including carcinomas and glioblastomas. It is known that EGF regulates cell motility when tumor cells are embedded within a 3D biomatrix. However, roles of EGF in modulating tumor cell motility phenotype are largely unknown. In this article, we report that EGF promotes a mesenchymal over an amoeboid motility phenotype using a malignant breast tumor cell line, MDA-MB-231, embedded within a 3D collagen matrix. Amoeboid cells are rounded in shape, while mesenchymal cells are elongated, and their migrations are governed by a distinctly different set of biomolecules. Using single cell tracking analysis, we also show that EGF promotes cell dissemination through a significant increase in cell persistence along with a moderate increase of speed. The increase of persistence is correlated with the increase of the percentage of the mesenchymal cells within the population. Our work reveals a novel role of microenvironmental cue, EGF, in modulating heterogeneity and plasticity of tumor cell motility phenotype. In addition, it suggests a potential visual cue for diagnosing invasive states of breast cancer cells. This work can be easily extended beyond breast cancer cells.

  15. Silibinin sensitizes chemo-resistant breast cancer cells to chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Molavi, Ommoleila; Narimani, Farzaneh; Asiaee, Farshid; Sharifi, Simin; Tarhriz, Vahideh; Shayanfar, Ali; Hejazi, Mohammadsaied; Lai, Raymond

    2017-12-01

    Multiple drug resistance is the major obstacle to conventional chemotherapy. Silibinin, a nontoxic naturally occurring compound, has anticancer activity and can increase the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy in various cancer models. To evaluate the effects of silibinin on enhancing the sensitivity of chemo-resistant human breast cell lines to doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PAC). The cells were treated with silibinin (at 50 to 600 μM concentrations) and/or chemo drugs for 24 and 48 h, then cell viability and changes in oncogenic proteins were determined by MTT assay and Western blotting/RT-PCR, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to study apoptosis in the cells receiving different treatments. The antitumorigenic effects of silibinin (at 200 to 400 μM concentration) were evaluated by mammosphere assay. Silibinin exerted significant growth inhibitory effects with IC 50 ranging from 200 to 570 μM in different cell lines. Treatment of DOX-resistant MDA-MB-435 cells with silibinin at 200 μM reduced DOX IC 50 from 71 to 10 μg/mL and significantly suppressed the key oncogenic pathways including STAT3, AKT, and ERK in these cells. Interestingly treatment of DOX-resistant MDA-MB-435 cells with silibinin at 400 μM concentration for 48 h induced a 50% decrease in the numbers of colonies as compared with DMSO-treated cells. Treatment of PAC-resistant MCF-7 cells with silibinin at 400 μM concentration generated synergistic effects when it was used in combination with PAC at 250 nM concentration (CI = 0.81). Silibinin sensitizes chemo-resistant cells to chemotherapeutic agents and can be useful in treating breast cancers.

  16. Automated Camouflage Pattern Generation Technology Survey.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-08-07

    supported by high speed data communications? Costs: 9 What are your rates? $/CPU hour: $/MB disk storage/day: S/connect hour: other charges: What are your... data to the workstation, tape drives are needed for backing up and archiving completed patterns, 256 megabytes of on-line hard disk space as a minimum...is needed to support multiple processes and data files, and 4 megabytes of actual or virtual memory is needed to process the largest expected single

  17. Sex differences in the MB49 syngeneic, murine model of bladder cancer

    PubMed Central

    White-Gilbertson, Shai; Davis, Megan; Voelkel-Johnson, Christina; Kasman, Laura M.

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE The MB49 syngeneic, murine model of bladder cancer has been widely used for more than 35 years. In humans, bladder cancer is one third as prevalent in women as in men, with a trend toward lower prevalence in parous compared to nulliparous women. Our objective was to determine if the MB49 bladder cancer model reproduces the sex differences observed in humans, and to determine its sensitivity to testosterone and the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). METHODS Male and female C57BL/6 mice were implanted with MB49 murine bladder cancer cells, and observed for tumor growth. MB49 dose responses to hCG and dihydrotestosterone were determined in vitro. RESULTS MB49 tumor growth was significantly greater in male mice than female mice. Pregnancy did not affect MB49 tumor growth in female mice. MB49 cells did not proliferate in response to hCG in vitro and the functional receptor for gonadotropins was absent. Dihydrotestosterone strongly stimulated growth of MB49 cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS The MB49 murine model of bladder cancer reproduced some aspects of the sex differences observed in humans. Our results suggest that testosterone may stimulate MB49 cell proliferation, which may explain the more rapid MB49 tumor growth observed in male mice. PMID:26998503

  18. Sex differences in the MB49 syngeneic, murine model of bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    White-Gilbertson, Shai; Davis, Megan; Voelkel-Johnson, Christina; Kasman, Laura M

    The MB49 syngeneic, murine model of bladder cancer has been widely used for more than 35 years. In humans, bladder cancer is one third as prevalent in women as in men, with a trend toward lower prevalence in parous compared to nulliparous women. Our objective was to determine if the MB49 bladder cancer model reproduces the sex differences observed in humans, and to determine its sensitivity to testosterone and the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Male and female C57BL/6 mice were implanted with MB49 murine bladder cancer cells, and observed for tumor growth. MB49 dose responses to hCG and dihydrotestosterone were determined in vitro . MB49 tumor growth was significantly greater in male mice than female mice. Pregnancy did not affect MB49 tumor growth in female mice. MB49 cells did not proliferate in response to hCG in vitro and the functional receptor for gonadotropins was absent. Dihydrotestosterone strongly stimulated growth of MB49 cells in vitro . The MB49 murine model of bladder cancer reproduced some aspects of the sex differences observed in humans. Our results suggest that testosterone may stimulate MB49 cell proliferation, which may explain the more rapid MB49 tumor growth observed in male mice.

  19. Tamoxifen resistance and metastasis of human breast cancer cells were mediated by the membrane-associated estrogen receptor ER-α36 signaling in vitro.

    PubMed

    Gu, Wenwen; Dong, Nian; Wang, Peng; Shi, Changgen; Yang, Jun; Wang, Jian

    2017-04-01

    The drug resistance and tumor metastasis have been the main obstacles for the longer-term therapeutic effects of tamoxifen (TAM) on estrogen receptor-positive (ER + ) breast cancer, but the mechanisms underlying the TAM resistance are still unclear. Here, we demonstrated that the membrane-associated estrogen receptor ER-α36 signaling, but not the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) signaling, might be involved in the TAM resistance and metastasis of breast cancer cells. In this study, a model of ER + breast cancer cell MCF-7 that involves the up-regulated expression of ER-α36 and unchanged expression of ER-α66 and GPER1 was established via the removal of insulin from the cell culture medium. The mechanism of TAM resistance in the ER + breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was investigated, and the results showed that the stimulating effect of insulin on susceptibility of MCF-7 to TAM was mediated by ER-α36 and that the expression level of ER-α36 in TAM-resistant MCF-7 cells was also significantly increased. Both TAM and estradiol (E2) could promote the migration of triple negative (ER-α66 - /PR - /HER2 - ) and ER-α36 + /GPER1 + breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. The migration of MDA-MB-231 cells was inhibited by the down-regulated intracellular expression of ER-α36 by transient transfection of specific small interfering RNA, whereas no effect of GPER1 down-regulation was observed. Meanwhile, the effect of TAM on the migration of ER-α36-down-regulated MDA-MB-231 cells was also reduced. Furthermore, it was found that TAM enhanced the distribution of integrin β1 on the cell surface but did not affect the expression of integrin β1 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Collectively, these data suggested that ER-α36 signaling might play critical roles in acquired and de novo TAM resistance and metastasis of breast cancer, and ER-α36 might present a potential biomarker of TAM resistance in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of ER + breast cancer.

  20. Role of extracellular matrix in regulation of staurosporine-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Vasaturo, F; Malacrino, C; Sallusti, E; Coppotelli, G; Birarelli, P; Giuffrida, A; Albonici, L; Simonelli, L; Modesti, A; Modesti, M; Scarpa, S

    2005-04-01

    Autocrine and paracrine mechanisms modulate the synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM); moreover, each component of the ECM is capable of modulating the synthesis and release of other ECM molecules. Therefore, the synthesis of ECM glycoprotein fibronectin and laminin was studied in the human breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA MB 23, plated on different ECM. Our results showed that the cells plated on a fibronectin substrate increased laminin synthesis: this event correlated with an increase in alpha2 and alpha3 integrin subunits. Staurosporine-induced apoptosis was then analyzed in the cell lines plated on different ECM. Staurosporine treatment determined the apoptosis of 35 and 33% respectively of MDA MB 231 and MCF7; these values increased to 60 and 64% in cells plated on laminin, to 48 and 63% in cells plated on fibronectin and to 64 and 69% in cells plated on matrigel. Moreover, staurosporine treatment decreased bcl-2 expression in the cells plated on fibronectin and laminin. Yet, staurosporine treatment determined PARP cleavage and PARP partial disappearance when the cells were plated on matrigel. Finally, a partial loss of function mutant Ras protein that activated only Raf pathway, was expressed in MCF7, in order to identify whether the increase of apoptosis induced by extracellular matrix involved the Raf/MAP kinase pathway. The increase of apoptosis of the cells plated on matrigel suggested that the activation of the Raf pathway is probably involved in the decrease of survival on matrigel. These data demonstrate that the modification of ECM modulates the apoptotic process of breast cancer cells and suggest that it is worthwhile to dissect the role of ECM in the control of apoptotic process.

  1. Non-thermal cytocidal effect of infrared irradiation on cultured cancer cells using specialized device.

    PubMed

    Tanaka, Yohei; Matsuo, Kiyoshi; Yuzuriha, Shunsuke; Yan, Huimin; Nakayama, Jun

    2010-06-01

    As infrared penetrates the skin, thermal effects of infrared irradiation on cancer cells have been investigated in the field of hyperthermia. We evaluated non-thermal effects of infrared irradiation using a specialized device (1100-18000 nm with filtering of wavelengths between 1400 and 1500 nm and contact cooling) on cancer cells. In in vitro study, five kinds of cultured cancer cell lines (MCF7 breast cancer, HeLa uterine cervical cancer, NUGC-4 gastric cancer, B16F0 melanoma, and MDA-MB435 melanoma) were irradiated using the infrared device, and then the cell proliferation activity was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay. Proliferation of all the cancer cell lines was significantly suppressed by infrared irradiation. Total infrared output appeared to be correlated with cell survival. Increased temperature during infrared irradiation appeared not to play a role in cell survival. The maximum temperature elevation in the wells after each shot in the 20 and 40 J/cm(2) culture was 3.8 degrees C and 6.9 degrees C, respectively. In addition, we have shown that infrared irradiation significantly inhibited the tumor growth of MCF7 breast cancer transplanted in severe combined immunodeficiency mice and MDA-MB435 melanoma transplanted in nude mice in vivo. Significant differences between control and irradiated groups were observed in tumor volume and frequencies of TUNEL-positive and Ki-67-positive cells. These results indicate that infrared, independent of thermal energy, can induce cell killing of cancer cells. As this infrared irradiation schedule reduces discomfort and side effects, reaches the deep subcutaneous tissues, and facilitates repeated irradiations, it may have potential as an application for treating various forms of cancer.

  2. β-sitosterol induces G1 arrest and causes depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential in breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Backgrounds It is suggested that dietary phytosterols, such as β-sitosterol (ST), have cancer chemopreventive effects; however, studies are limited to support such claims. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of ST on three different human cancer cell lines including skin epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells, lung epithelial carcinoma A549 cells and breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231. Methods Cell growth assay, cell cycle analysis, FACS, JC-1 staining, annexin V staining and immunoblotting were used to study the efficacy of ST on cancer cells. Results ST (30–90 μM) treatments for 48 h and 72 h did not show any significant effect on cell growth and death in A431 cells. Whereas similar ST treatments moderately inhibited the growth of A549 cells by up to 13% (p ≤ 0.05) in 48 h and 14% (p ≤ 0.05-0.0001) in 72 h. In MDA-MB-231 cells, ST caused a significant dose-dependent cell growth inhibition by 31- 63% (p ≤ 0.0001) in 48 h and 40-50% (p ≤ 0.0001) in 72 h. While exploring the molecular changes associated with strong ST efficacy in breast cancer cells, we observed that ST induced cell cycle arrest as well as cell death. ST caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest which was accompanied by a decrease in CDK4 and cyclin D1, and an increase in p21/Cip1and p27/Kip1 protein levels. Further, cell death effect of ST was associated with induction of apoptosis. ST also caused the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio. Conclusions These results suggest prominent in vitro anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of ST in MDA-MB-231 cells. This study provides valuable insight into the chemopreventive efficacy and associated molecular alterations of ST in breast cancer cells whereas it had only moderate efficacy on lung cancer cells and did not show any considerable effect on skin cancer cells. These findings would form the basis for further studies to understand the mechanisms and assess the potential utility of ST as a cancer chemopreventive agent against breast cancer. PMID:24160369

  3. Cytotoxic withanolides from Physalis angulata.

    PubMed

    Gao, Caiyun; Li, Ruijun; Zhou, Miaomiao; Yang, Yanwei; Kong, Lingyi; Luo, Jun

    2018-03-01

    A new withanolide (1), physagulide P, together with five known withanolides (2-6), was isolated from the aerial parts of Physalis angulata L. The structure of new compound was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic techniques, including 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The activity screening indicated that compound 1 showed significant cytotoxicities against the human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63, HepG-2 hepatoma cells and breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 with the IC 50 value of 3.50, 4.22 and 15.74 μM.

  4. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) suppresses proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells via inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yu

    2017-07-08

    The medical mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), a traditional Chinese medicine, has exhibited a promising anti-cancer effect. However, the molecular mechanism of its action on cancer cells remains unclear. Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is the cause of many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Here we investigated the effect of Reishi on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and elucidated the molecular mechanism of its function in inhibiting breast cancer cells. We found that Reishi blocked Wnt/β-catenin signaling through inhibiting the phosphorylation of Wnt co-receptor LRP6. In human (MDA-MB-231) and mouse (4T1) breast cancer cell lines, Reishi significantly decreased the phosphorylation of LRP6 and suppressed Wnt3a-activated Wnt target gene Axin2 expression. Administration of Reishi inhibited Wnt-induced hyper-proliferation of breast cancer cells and MDA-MB-231 cell migration. Our results provide evidence that Reishi suppresses breast cancer cell growth and migration through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling, indicating that Reishi may be a potential natural inhibitor for breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Eriocalyxin B, a novel autophagy inducer, exerts anti-tumor activity through the suppression of Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xunian; Yue, Grace Gar-Lee; Chan, Andrew Man-Lok; Tsui, Stephen Kwok-Wing; Fung, Kwok-Pui; Sun, Handong; Pu, Jianxin; Lau, Clara Bik-San

    2017-10-15

    Eriocalyxin B (EriB), a natural ent-kaurane diterpenoid presented in the plant Isodon eriocalyx var. laxiflora, has been reported to diminish angiogenesis-dependent breast tumor growth. In the present study, the effects of EriB on human breast cancer and its underlying mechanisms were further investigated. The in vitro anti-breast cancer activity of EriB was determined using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. MDA-MB-231 xenograft model of human breast cancer was also established to explore the anti-tumor effect in vivo. We found that EriB was able to induce apoptosis accompanied by the activation of autophagy, which was evidenced by the increased accumulation of autophagosomes, acidic vesicular organelles formation, the microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3B-II (LC3B-II) conversion from LC3B-I and p62 degradation. Meanwhile, EriB treatment time-dependently decreased the phosphorylation of Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), leading to the inhibition of Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway. Moreover, the blockage of autophagy obviously sensitized EriB-induced cell death, which suggested the cytoprotective function of autophagy in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Interestingly, the autophagic features and apoptosis induction were prevented by reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine, indicating that ROS played an essential role in the mediation of EriB-induced cell death. Furthermore, in MDA-MB-231 xenograft model, EriB displayed a significant anti-tumor effect via the activation of autophagy and apoptosis in breast tumor cells. Taken together, our findings firstly demonstrated that EriB suppressed breast cancer cells growth both in vitro and in vivo, and thus could be developed as a promising anti-breast tumor agent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of homeopathic preparations on human prostate cancer growth in cellular and animal models.

    PubMed

    MacLaughlin, Brian W; Gutsmuths, Babett; Pretner, Ewald; Jonas, Wayne B; Ives, John; Kulawardane, Don Victor; Amri, Hakima

    2006-12-01

    The use of dietary supplements for various ailments enjoys unprecedented popularity. As part of this trend, Sabal serrulata (saw palmetto) constitutes the complementary treatment of choice with regard to prostate health. In homeopathy, Sabal serrulata is commonly prescribed for prostate problems ranging from benign prostatic hyperplasia to prostate cancer. The authors' work assessed the antiproliferative effects of homeopathic preparations of Sabal serrulata, Thuja occidentalis, and Conium maculatum, in vivo, on nude mouse xenografts, and in vitro, on PC-3 and DU-145 human prostate cancer as well as MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. Treatment with Sabal serrulata in vitro resulted in a 33% decrease of PC-3 cell proliferation at 72 hours and a 23% reduction of DU-145 cell proliferation at 24 hours (P<.01). The difference in reduction is likely due to the specific doubling time of each cell line. No effect was observed on MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Thuja occidentalis and Conium maculatum did not have any effect on human prostate cancer cell proliferation. In vivo, prostate tumor xenograft size was significantly reduced in Sabal serrulata-treated mice compared to untreated controls (P=.012). No effect was observed on breast tumor growth. Our study clearly demonstrates a biologic response to homeopathic treatment as manifested by cell proliferation and tumor growth. This biologic effect was (i)significantly stronger to Sabal serrulata than to controls and (ii)specific to human prostate cancer. Sabal serrulata should thus be further investigated as a specific homeopathic remedy for prostate pathology.

  7. Gene expression profiling and pathway analysis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines treated with dioscin

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The long-term goal of our study is to understand the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis in human and to discover new possible genetic markers for use in clinical practice. We have used microarray technology (Human OneArray microarray, phylanxbiotech.com) to compare gene ex...

  8. Phenotypic high-throughput screening elucidates target pathway in breast cancer stem cell-like cells.

    PubMed

    Carmody, Leigh C; Germain, Andrew R; VerPlank, Lynn; Nag, Partha P; Muñoz, Benito; Perez, Jose R; Palmer, Michelle A J

    2012-10-01

    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are resistant to standard cancer treatments and are likely responsible for cancer recurrence, but few therapies target this subpopulation. Due to the difficulty in propagating CSCs outside of the tumor environment, previous work identified CSC-like cells by inducing human breast epithelial cells into an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transdifferentiated state (HMLE_sh_ECad). A phenotypic screen was conducted against HMLE_sh_ECad with 300 718 compounds from the Molecular Libraries Small Molecule Repository to identify selective inhibitors of CSC growth. The screen yielded 2244 hits that were evaluated for toxicity and selectivity toward an isogenic control cell line. An acyl hydrazone scaffold emerged as a potent and selective scaffold targeting HMLE_sh_ECad. Fifty-three analogues were acquired and tested; compounds ranged in potency from 790 nM to inactive against HMLE_sh_ECad. Of the analogues, ML239 was best-in-class with an IC(50)= 1.18 µM against HMLE_sh_ECad, demonstrated a >23-fold selectivity over the control line, and was toxic to another CSC-like line, HMLE_shTwist, and a breast carcinoma cell line, MDA-MB-231. Gene expression studies conducted with ML239-treated cells showed altered gene expression in the NF-κB pathway in the HMLE_sh_ECad line but not in the isogenic control line. Future studies will be directed toward the identification of ML239 target(s).

  9. 3-Amino-thieno[2,3-b]pyridines as microtubule-destabilising agents: Molecular modelling and biological evaluation in the sea urchin embryo and human cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Eurtivong, Chatchakorn; Semenov, Victor; Semenova, Marina; Konyushkin, Leonid; Atamanenko, Olga; Reynisson, Jóhannes; Kiselyov, Alex

    2017-01-15

    A series of 3-amino-thieno[2,3-b]pyridines was prepared and tested in a phenotypic sea urchin embryo assay to identify potent and specific molecules that affect tubulin dynamics. The most active compounds featured a tricyclic core ring system with a fused cycloheptyl or cyclohexyl substituent and unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted phenyl moiety tethered via a carboxamide. Low nano-molar potency was observed in the sea urchin embryos for the most active compounds (1-5) suggestive of a microtubule-destabilising effect. The molecular modelling studies indicated that the tubulin colchicine site is inhibited, which often leads to microtubule-destabilisation in line with the sea urchin embryo results. Finally, the identified hits displayed a robust growth inhibition (GI 50 of 50-250nM) of multidrug-resistant melanoma MDA-MB-435 and breast MDA-MB-468 human cancer cell lines. This work demonstrates that for the thieno[2,3-b]pyridines the most effective mechanism of action is microtubule-destabilisation initiated by binding to the colchicine pocket. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of pregnane-fused isoxazolines by nitril-oxide/alkene 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and an evaluation of their cell-growth inhibitory effect in vitro

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mótyán, Gergő; Baji, Ádám; Zupkó, István; Frank, Éva

    2016-04-01

    Efficient syntheses of some pregnane-fused isoxazolines from 16-dehydropregnenolone acetate with different arylnitrile oxides were carried out by 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions. The intermolecular ring-closures occurred in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner permitting the formation of a single 16α,17α-condensed diastereomer in which the O terminus of the nitrile oxide dipole is attached to C-17 of the sterane core. The conversions were found to be affected significantly by the electronic character of the substituents on the aromatic moiety of the 1,3-dipoles. Deacetylation of the primary products resulted in the corresponding 3β-OH analogs. All of the synthesized compounds were subjected to in vitro pharmacological studies for the determination of their antiproliferative effects on four breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, T47D, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-361).

  11. Expression of breast cancer metastasis suppressor-1, BRMS-1, in human breast cancer and the biological impact of BRMS-1 on the migration of breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yulu; Ye, Lin; Tan, Yuxia; Sun, Pinghui; Ji, Ke; Jiang, Wen G

    2014-03-01

    Breast cancer metastasis suppressor-1 (BRMS1) is a candidate metastasis-suppressing gene and has been shown to potentially inhibit tumor progression without blocking the growth of orthotopic tumors, in different tumor types including non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian, melanoma and breast cancers. BRMS-1 gene transcript was quantified in breast cancer sample tissues and analyzed against histological and clinical patient outcome. Human breast cancer cell lines, MDA MB-231 and MCF-7 were used to genetically-modify the expression of BRMS-1 and test for biological responses following BRMS-1 modifications. Key candidate signal pathways, influenced by BRMS-1 were also explored. BRMS1 was present in MDA MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines. Using anti-BRMS1 transgenes, we knocked-down the transcripts of BRMS1 in both cells at the mRNA and protein levels. Knockdown of BRMS1 gave both cells a faster cell growth rate, rapid pace of cellular migration and invasion, compared to respective wild-type and control cells (p<0.05). Blocking phospholipase-Cγ (PLCγ) had a significant influence on the BRMS-1-induced cell migration. Finally, significantly low levels of BRMS1 were observed in patients with high-grade tumors (p=0.12), in patients with distant metastasis (p=0.05) and those who died of breast cancer (p=0.0037). In addition, patients with low levels of BRMS1 had a significantly shorter overall survival (p=0.035). BRMS-1 is aberrantly expressed in human breast cancer and is inversely-correlated with disease progression and patient survival. This is likely to be occurring via its influence on invasion and migration of breast cancer cells.

  12. A Novel Model System to Examine Agents Used in Breast Cancer Therapy.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1996-07-01

    DNA replication (DNA synthesome) isolated from MDA MB 468 human breast cancer cells, human breast tumor tissue and human breast tumor cell xenografts In the presence of the viral large T-antigen and simian virus 40 (SV40) origin sequences, the DNA synthesome executes all of the steps required for the in vitro replication of the SV40 genome. Furthermore, the DNA synthesome isolated from human breast cancer cells possesses a lower fidelity for DNA synthesis in vitro than the synthesome purified from a non-malignant breast cell line. Our studies indicate that the following

  13. Human snoRNA-93 is processed into a microRNA-like RNA that promotes breast cancer cell invasion.

    PubMed

    Patterson, Dillon G; Roberts, Justin T; King, Valeria M; Houserova, Dominika; Barnhill, Emmaline C; Crucello, Aline; Polska, Caroline J; Brantley, Lucas W; Kaufman, Garrett C; Nguyen, Michael; Santana, Megann W; Schiller, Ian A; Spicciani, Julius S; Zapata, Anastasia K; Miller, Molly M; Sherman, Timothy D; Ma, Ruixia; Zhao, Hongyou; Arora, Ritu; Coley, Alexander B; Zeidan, Melody M; Tan, Ming; Xi, Yaguang; Borchert, Glen M

    2017-01-01

    Genetic searches for tumor suppressors have recently linked small nucleolar RNA misregulations with tumorigenesis. In addition to their classically defined functions, several small nucleolar RNAs are now known to be processed into short microRNA-like fragments called small nucleolar RNA-derived RNAs. To determine if any small nucleolar RNA-derived RNAs contribute to breast malignancy, we recently performed a RNA-seq-based comparison of the small nucleolar RNA-derived RNAs of two breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and identified small nucleolar RNA-derived RNAs derived from 13 small nucleolar RNAs overexpressed in MDA-MB-231s. Importantly, we find that inhibiting the most differentially expressed of these small nucleolar RNA-derived RNAs (sdRNA-93) in MDA-MB-231 cells results primarily in a loss of invasiveness, whereas increased sdRNA-93 expression in either cell line conversely results in strikingly enhanced invasion. Excitingly, we recently determined sdRNA-93 expressions in small RNA-seq data corresponding to 116 patient tumors and normal breast controls, and while we find little sdRNA-93 expression in any of the controls and only sporadic expression in most subtypes, we find robust expression of sdRNA-93 in 92.8% of Luminal B Her2+tumors. Of note, our analyses also indicate that at least one of sdRNA-93's endogenous roles is to regulate the expression of Pipox, a sarcosine metabolism-related protein whose expression significantly correlates with distinct molecular subtypes of breast cancer. We find sdRNA-93 can regulate the Pipox 3'UTR via standard reporter assays and that manipulating endogenous sdRNA-93 levels inversely correlates with altered Pipox expression. In summary, our results strongly indicate that sdRNA-93 expression actively contributes to the malignant phenotype of breast cancer through participating in microRNA-like regulation.

  14. IL-1β produced by aggressive breast cancer cells is one of the factors that dictate their interactions with mesenchymal stem cells through chemokine production.

    PubMed

    Escobar, Pauline; Bouclier, Céline; Serret, Julien; Bièche, Ivan; Brigitte, Madly; Caicedo, Andres; Sanchez, Elodie; Vacher, Sophie; Vignais, Marie-Luce; Bourin, Philippe; Geneviève, David; Molina, Franck; Jorgensen, Christian; Lazennec, Gwendal

    2015-10-06

    The aim of this work was to understand whether the nature of breast cancer cells could modify the nature of the dialog of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with cancer cells. By treating MSCs with the conditioned medium of metastatic Estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative MDA-MB-231, or non-metastatic ER-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells, we observed that a number of chemokines were produced at higher levels by MSCs treated with MDA-MB-231 conditioned medium (CM). MDA-MB-231 cells were able to induce NF-κB signaling in MSC cells. This was shown by the use of a NF-kB chemical inhibitor or an IκB dominant negative mutant, nuclear translocation of p65 and induction of NF-κB signature. Our results suggest that MDA-MB-231 cells exert their effects on MSCs through the secretion of IL-1β, that activates MSCs and induces the same chemokines as the MDA-MB-231CM. In addition, inhibition of IL-1β secretion in the MDA-MB-231 cells reduces the induced production of a panel of chemokines by MSCs, as well the motility of MDA-MB-231 cells. Our data suggest that aggressive breast cancer cells secrete IL-1β, which increases the production of chemokines by MSCs.

  15. IL-1β produced by aggressive breast cancer cells is one of the factors that dictate their interactions with mesenchymal stem cells through chemokine production

    PubMed Central

    Serret, Julien; Bièche, Ivan; Brigitte, Madly; Caicedo, Andres; Sanchez, Elodie; Vacher, Sophie; Vignais, Marie-Luce; Bourin, Philippe; Geneviève, David; Molina, Franck; Jorgensen, Christian; Lazennec, Gwendal

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this work was to understand whether the nature of breast cancer cells could modify the nature of the dialog of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with cancer cells. By treating MSCs with the conditioned medium of metastatic Estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative MDA-MB-231, or non-metastatic ER-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells, we observed that a number of chemokines were produced at higher levels by MSCs treated with MDA-MB-231 conditioned medium (CM). MDA-MB-231 cells were able to induce NF-κB signaling in MSC cells. This was shown by the use of a NF-kB chemical inhibitor or an IκB dominant negative mutant, nuclear translocation of p65 and induction of NF-κB signature. Our results suggest that MDA-MB-231 cells exert their effects on MSCs through the secretion of IL-1β, that activates MSCs and induces the same chemokines as the MDA-MB-231CM. In addition, inhibition of IL-1β secretion in the MDA-MB-231 cells reduces the induced production of a panel of chemokines by MSCs, as well the motility of MDA-MB-231 cells. Our data suggest that aggressive breast cancer cells secrete IL-1β, which increases the production of chemokines by MSCs. PMID:26362269

  16. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of di-substituted cinnamic hydroxamic acids bearing urea/thiourea unit as potent histone deacetylase inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Ning, Chengqing; Bi, Yanjing; He, Yujun; Huang, WenYuan; Liu, Lifei; Li, Yi; Zhang, Sihan; Liu, Xiaoyu; Yu, Niefang

    2013-12-01

    A novel class of di-substituted cinnamic hydroxamic acid derivatives containing urea or thiourea unit was designed, synthesized and evaluated as HDAC inhibitors. All tested compounds demonstrated significant HDAC inhibitory activities and anti-proliferative effects against diverse human tumor cell lines. Among them, 7l exhibited most potent pan-HDAC inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 130 nM. It also showed strong cellular inhibition against diverse cell lines including HCT-116, MCF-7, MDB-MB-435 and NCI-460, with GI50 values of 0.35, 0.22, 0.51 and 0.48 μM, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Cytotoxic lanostane-type triterpenoids from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum and their structure-activity relationships.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shaodan; Li, Xiangmin; Yong, Tianqiao; Wang, Zhanggen; Su, Jiyan; Jiao, Chunwei; Xie, Yizhen; Yang, Burton B

    2017-02-07

    We conducted a study of Ganoderma lucidum metabolites and isolated 35 lanostane-type triterpenoids, including 5 new ganoderols (1-5). By spectroscopy, we compared the structures of these compounds with known related compounds in this group. All of the isolated compounds were assayed for their effect against the human breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231 and hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. Corresponding three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) models were built and analyzed using Discovery Studio. These results provide further evidence for anti-cancer constituents within Ganoderma lucidum, and may provide a theoretical foundation for designing novel therapeutic compounds.

  18. Cytotoxic lanostane-type triterpenoids from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum and their structure–activity relationships

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Zhanggen; Su, Jiyan; Jiao, Chunwei; Xie, Yizhen; Yang, Burton B.

    2017-01-01

    We conducted a study of Ganoderma lucidum metabolites and isolated 35 lanostane-type triterpenoids, including 5 new ganoderols (1-5). By spectroscopy, we compared the structures of these compounds with known related compounds in this group. All of the isolated compounds were assayed for their effect against the human breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231 and hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. Corresponding three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D-QSAR) models were built and analyzed using Discovery Studio. These results provide further evidence for anti-cancer constituents within Ganoderma lucidum, and may provide a theoretical foundation for designing novel therapeutic compounds. PMID:28052025

  19. Medulloblastoma stem cells: Promising targets in medulloblastoma therapy.

    PubMed

    Huang, Guo-Hao; Xu, Qing-Fu; Cui, You-Hong; Li, Ningning; Bian, Xiu-Wu; Lv, Sheng-Qing

    2016-05-01

    Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Despite great improvements in the therapeutic regimen, relapse and leptomeningeal dissemination still pose great challenges to the long-term survival of MB patients. Developing more effective strategies has become extremely urgent. In recent years, a number of malignancies, including MB, have been found to contain a subpopulation of cancer cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor initiating/propagating cells. The CSCs are thought to be largely responsible for tumor initiation, maintenance, dissemination, and relapse; therefore, their pivotal roles have revealed them to be promising targets in MB therapy. Our growing understanding of the major medulloblastoma molecular subgroups and the derivation of some of these groups from specific stem or progenitor cells adds additional layers to the CSC knowledge base. Herein we review the current knowledge of MB stem cells, highlight the molecular mechanisms relating to MB relapse and leptomeningeal dissemination, and incorporate these with the need to develop more effective and accurate therapies for MB patients. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  20. Inactivated Sendai virus particle upregulates cancer cell expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and enhances natural killer cell sensitivity on cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Li, Simin; Nishikawa, Tomoyuki; Kaneda, Yasufumi

    2017-12-01

    We have already reported that the inactivated Sendai virus (hemagglutinating virus of Japan; HVJ) envelope (HVJ-E) has multiple anticancer effects, including induction of cancer-selective cell death and activation of anticancer immunity. The HVJ-E stimulates dendritic cells to produce cytokines and chemokines such as β-interferon, interleukin-6, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10, which activate both CD8 + T cells and natural killer (NK) cells and recruit them to the tumor microenvironment. However, the effect of HVJ-E on modulating the sensitivity of cancer cells to immune cell attack has yet to be investigated. In this study, we found that HVJ-E induced the production of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, CD54), a ligand of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1, in several cancer cell lines through the activation of nuclear factor-κB downstream of retinoic acid-inducible gene I and the mitochondrial antiviral signaling pathway. The upregulation of ICAM-1 on the surface of cancer cells increased the sensitivity of cancer cells to NK cells. Knocking out expression of ICAM-1 in MDA-MB-231 cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 method significantly reduced the killing effect of NK cells on ICAM-1-depleted MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, HVJ-E suppressed tumor growth in MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing SCID mice, and the HVJ-E antitumor effect was impaired when NK cells were depleted by treatment with the anti-asialo GM1 antibody. Our findings suggest that HVJ-E enhances NK cell sensitivity against cancer cells by increasing ICAM-1 expression on the cancer cell surface. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  1. Marine actinomycete crude extracts with potent TRAIL-resistance overcoming activity against breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Elmallah, Mohammed I Y; Micheau, Olivier; Eid, Mennat Allah G; Hebishy, Ali M S; Abdelfattah, Mohamed S

    2017-06-01

    Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising anticancer agent, as it can kill tumor cells selectively. In our search of bioactive natural products to overcome TRAIL-resistance, we isolated 47 actinomycete strains from different sediments and seawater samples collected from the Red Sea coast in Egypt and found four crude extracts (EGY1, EGY3, EGY24 and EGY34) displaying TRAIL sensitizing activity in the resistant breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. None of these crude extracts exhibited cytotoxic effect on normal mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF), with the exception of EGY34. Analysis of the signaling pathways underlying the sensitization of MDA-MB-231 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, by western blotting, revealed that all crude extracts facilitated initiator caspase‑8/-10 activation upon TRAIL stimulation, but that in addition, EGY3 and EGY34, alone, induced strong ER-stress activation, with the appearance of BiP in the cytosolic extracts. Our results pave the way to the discovery and the development of marine-derived drugs for cancer therapy.

  2. Osteoprotegerin expression in triple-negative breast cancer cells promotes metastasis.

    PubMed

    Weichhaus, Michael; Segaran, Prabu; Renaud, Ashleigh; Geerts, Dirk; Connelly, Linda

    2014-10-01

    Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a secreted member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily that has been well characterized as a negative regulator of bone remodeling. OPG is also expressed in human breast cancer tissues and cell lines. In vitro studies suggest that OPG exerts tumor-promoting effects by binding to TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL), thereby preventing induction of apoptosis. However, the in vivo effect of OPG expression by primary breast tumors has not been characterized. We knocked down OPG expression in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 human breast cancer cells using shRNA and siRNA to investigate impact on metastasis in the chick embryo model. We observed a reduction in metastasis with OPG knockdown cells. We found that lowering OPG expression did not alter sensitivity to TRAIL-induced apoptosis; however, the OPG knockdown cells had a reduced level of invasion. In association with this we observed reduced expression of the proteases Cathepsin D and Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 upon OPG knockdown, indicating that OPG may promote metastasis via modulation of protease expression and invasion. We conclude that OPG has a metastasis-promoting effect in breast cancer cells. © 2014 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. In situ detection of estrogen receptor dimers in breast carcinoma cells in archival materials using proximity ligation assay (PLA).

    PubMed

    Iwabuchi, Erina; Miki, Yasuhiro; Ono, Katsuhiko; Onodera, Yoshiaki; Suzuki, Takashi; Hirakawa, Hisashi; Ishida, Takanori; Ohuchi, Noriaki; Sasano, Hironobu

    2017-01-01

    Estrogen receptor (ER) is required for carcinoma cell proliferation in the great majority of breast cancer and also functions as a dimer. ER dimeric proteins have been largely identified by BRET/FRET analyses but their in situ visualization have not yet been reported. Recently, in situ Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA) has been developed as the methods detecting protein interactions in situ. Therefore, in this study we firstly demonstrated the dimerization of ERα in breast carcinoma cell lines and tissues using PLA. The human breast carcinoma cell lines MCF-7, T-47D and MDA-MB-231 were used in this study. Cells were treated with ER agonist or antagonist and fixed in 4% PFA, and ER dimers were subsequently detected using PLA. The evaluation of ER dimers in breast carcinoma cell lines were quantified by measuring the area of dots localized in the nuclei using image analysis. We also firstly demonstrated the visualization of ER dimer patterns in 10% formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of breast cancer using PLA technique. Estradiol (E2) administration induced ERα homodimers in the nuclei of MCF-7 and T-47D but not in ER-negative MDA-MB-231. 4-OH tamoxifen also induced ERα homodimers but the subcellular localization of these ERα homodimers was predominant in cytoplasm instead of the nuclei induced by E2 treatment. ICI182,780 treatment did decrease the number of formation of ERα homodimers in MCF-7. In breast cancer patients, ERα PLA score was significantly correlated positively with ERα- or PgR (progesterone receptor) immunohistochemical scores and inversely with Ki-67-labeling index, respectively. We also demonstrated the ERα/β heterodimer as well as ERα homodimers in both breast carcinoma cell lines and surgical pathology specimens. In summary, we did firstly succeed in the visualization of ER dimeric proteins using PLA method. The evaluation of ER dimer patterns could provide pivotal information as to the prediction of response to endocrine therapy of breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Disrupting Hypoxia-Induced Bicarbonate Transport Acidifies Tumor Cells and Suppresses Tumor Growth.

    PubMed

    McIntyre, Alan; Hulikova, Alzbeta; Ledaki, Ioanna; Snell, Cameron; Singleton, Dean; Steers, Graham; Seden, Peter; Jones, Dylan; Bridges, Esther; Wigfield, Simon; Li, Ji-Liang; Russell, Angela; Swietach, Pawel; Harris, Adrian L

    2016-07-01

    Tumor hypoxia is associated clinically with therapeutic resistance and poor patient outcomes. One feature of tumor hypoxia is activated expression of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9), a regulator of pH and tumor growth. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that impeding the reuptake of bicarbonate produced extracellularly by CA9 could exacerbate the intracellular acidity produced by hypoxic conditions, perhaps compromising cell growth and viability as a result. In 8 of 10 cancer cell lines, we found that hypoxia induced the expression of at least one bicarbonate transporter. The most robust and frequent inductions were of the sodium-driven bicarbonate transporters SLC4A4 and SLC4A9, which rely upon both HIF1α and HIF2α activity for their expression. In cancer cell spheroids, SLC4A4 or SLC4A9 disruption by either genetic or pharmaceutical approaches acidified intracellular pH and reduced cell growth. Furthermore, treatment of spheroids with S0859, a small-molecule inhibitor of sodium-driven bicarbonate transporters, increased apoptosis in the cell lines tested. Finally, RNAi-mediated attenuation of SLC4A9 increased apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer spheroids and dramatically reduced growth of MDA-MB-231 breast tumors or U87 gliomas in murine xenografts. Our findings suggest that disrupting pH homeostasis by blocking bicarbonate import might broadly relieve the common resistance of hypoxic tumors to anticancer therapy. Cancer Res; 76(13); 3744-55. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  5. Estrogen-related receptor alpha is critical for the growth of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Stein, Rebecca A.; Chang, Ching-yi; Kazmin, Dmitri A.; Way, James; Schroeder, Thies; Wergin, Melanie; Dewhirst, Mark W.; McDonnell, Donald P.

    2009-01-01

    Expression of estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) has recently been shown to carry negative prognostic significance in breast and ovarian cancers. The specific role of this orphan nuclear receptor in tumor growth and progression, however, is yet to be fully understood. The significant homology between estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and ERRα initially suggested that these receptors may have similar transcriptional targets. Using the well-characterized ERα-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, we sought to gain a genome-wide picture of ERα-ERRα cross-talk using an unbiased microarray approach. In addition to generating a host of novel ERRα target genes, this study yielded the surprising result that most ERRα-regulated genes are unrelated to estrogen-signaling. The relatively small number of genes regulated by both ERα and ERRα led us to expand our study to the more aggressive and less clinically treatable ERα-negative class of breast cancers. In this setting we found that ERRα expression is required for the basal level of expression of many known and novel ERRα target genes. Introduction of an siRNA directed to ERRα into the highly aggressive breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cell line dramatically reduced the migratory potential of these cells. Although stable knockdown of ERRα expression in MDA-MB-231 cells had no impact on in vitro cell proliferation, a significant reduction of tumor growth rate was observed when these cells were implanted as xenografts. Our results confirm a role for ERRα in breast cancer growth and highlight it as a potential therapeutic target for estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. PMID:18974123

  6. Apigenin inhibits the inducible expression of programmed death ligand 1 by human and mouse mammary carcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Coombs, Melanie R Power; Harrison, Megan E; Hoskin, David W

    2016-10-01

    Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is expressed by many cancer cell types, as well as by activated T cells and antigen-presenting cells. Constitutive and inducible PD-L1 expression contributes to immune evasion by breast cancer (BC) cells. We show here that the dietary phytochemical apigenin inhibited interferon (IFN)-γ-induced PD-L1 upregulation by triple-negative MDA-MB-468 BC cells, HER2(+) SK-BR-3 BC cells, and 4T1 mouse mammary carcinoma cells, as well as human mammary epithelial cells, but did not affect constitutive PD-L1 expression by triple-negative MDA-MB-231 BC cells. IFN-β-induced expression of PD-L1 by MDA-MB-468 cells was also inhibited by apigenin. In addition, luteolin, the major metabolite of apigenin, inhibited IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression by MDA-MB-468 cells. Apigenin-mediated inhibition of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression by MDA-MB-468 and 4T1 cells was associated with reduced phosphorylation of STAT1, which was early and transient at Tyr701 and sustained at Ser727. Apigenin-mediated inhibition of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression by MDA-MB-468 cells also increased proliferation and interleukin-2 synthesis by PD-1-expressing Jurkat T cells that were co-cultured with MDA-MB-468 cells. Apigenin therefore has the potential to increase the vulnerability of BC cells to T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Magnetic fluid hyperthermia enhances cytotoxicity of bortezomib in sensitive and resistant cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Alvarez-Berríos, Merlis P; Castillo, Amalchi; Rinaldi, Carlos; Torres-Lugo, Madeline

    2014-01-01

    The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BZ) has shown promising results in some types of cancer, but in others it has had minimal activity. Recent studies have reported enhanced efficacy of BZ when combined with hyperthermia. However, the use of magnetic nanoparticles to induce hyperthermia in combination with BZ has not been reported. This novel hyperthermia modality has shown better potentiation of chemotherapeutics over other types of hyperthermia. We hypothesized that inducing hyperthermia via magnetic nanoparticles (MFH) would enhance the cytotoxicity of BZ in BZ-sensitive and BZ-resistant cancer cells more effectively than hyperthermia using a hot water bath (HWH). Studies were conducted using BZ in combination with MFH in two BZ-sensitive cell lines (MDA-MB-468, Caco-2), and one BZ-resistant cell line (A2780) at two different conditions, ie, 43°C for 30 minutes and 45°C for 30 minutes. These experiments were compared with combined application of HWH and BZ. The results indicate enhanced potentiation between hyperthermic treatment and BZ. MFH combined with BZ induced cytotoxicity in sensitive and resistant cell lines to a greater extent than HWH under the same treatment conditions. The observation that MFH sensitizes BZ-resistant cell lines makes this approach a potentially effective anticancer therapy platform.

  8. Estrogen effects of Daldinia concentrica and Psathyrella efflorescens extracts in vitro.

    PubMed

    Benie, Tanon; Kouakou, Koffi; Thieulant, Marie-Lise

    2008-02-28

    Daldinia concentrica and Psathyrella efflorescens are two fungi used in African traditional medicine. In the present study, their extracts were evaluated for their steroid activities in estrogen- or androgen-dependent cell lines using as endpoints steroid-dependent transcriptional activity and cell proliferation. Treatment of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells with 15 or 30 microg/ml of Daldinia concentrica or Psathyrellaefflorescens extracts in the absence of 17beta-estradiol (E2) significantly increased the transcriptional activity of an estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent reporter gene, in the same range as E2. Similar data were obtained in gonadotrope cell line alpha-T3-1. All the effects were prevented by the pure estrogen antagonist, ICI 182,780. In the absence of steroid addition, the two extracts induced cell proliferation of ER-dependent MCF-7 and Ishikawa Var-I cell lines by approximately 100% of the E2 response. Combination treatments with E2 showed no competitive or additive effects in the two latter cell lines. Interestingly, the extracts had no androgen-like response in androgen receptor (AR)-positive and ER-negative MDA-MB231 cells, suggesting that fungi effects are estrogen specific and extracts are not toxic at used concentrations. Results provided evidence that Daldinia concentrica or Psathyrellaefflorescens extracts induce estrogen-like effects in ER-positive cell lines, which could be responsible of the effects observed in vivo.

  9. Antitumor efficacy profile of PKI-402, a dual phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor.

    PubMed

    Mallon, Robert; Hollander, Irwin; Feldberg, Larry; Lucas, Judy; Soloveva, Veronica; Venkatesan, Aranapakam; Dehnhardt, Christoph; Delos Santos, Efren; Chen, Zecheng; Dos Santos, Osvaldo; Ayral-Kaloustian, Semiramis; Gibbons, Jay

    2010-04-01

    PKI-402 is a selective, reversible, ATP-competitive, equipotent inhibitor of class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K), including PI3K-alpha mutants, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; IC(50) versus PI3K-alpha = 2 nmol/L). PKI-402 inhibited growth of human tumor cell lines derived from breast, brain (glioma), pancreas, and non-small cell lung cancer tissue and suppressed phosphorylation of PI3K and mTOR effector proteins (e.g., Akt at T308) at concentrations that matched those that inhibited cell growth. In MDA-MB-361 [breast: Her2(+) and PIK3CA mutant (E545K)], 30 nmol/L PKI-402 induced cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a marker for apoptosis. In vivo, PKI-402 inhibited tumor growth in MDA-MB-361, glioma (U87MG), and lung (A549) xenograft models. In MDA-MB-361, PKI-402 at 100 mg/kg (daily for 5 days, one round) reduced initial tumor volume of 260 mm(3) to 129 mm(3) and prevented tumor regrowth for 70 days. In MDA-MB-361 tumors, PKI-402 (100 mg/kg, single dose) suppressed Akt phosphorylation (at T308) and induced cleaved PARP. Suppression of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) was complete at 8 hours and still evident at 24 hours. Cleaved PARP was evident at 8 and 24 hours. In normal tissue (heart and lung), PKI-402 (100 mg/kg) had minimal effect on p-Akt, with no detectable cleaved PARP. Preferential accumulation of PKI-402 in tumor tissue was observed. Complete, sustained suppression of Akt phosphorylation may cause tumor regression in MDA-MB-361 and other xenograft models. We are testing whether dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors can durably suppress p-Akt, induce cleaved PARP, and cause tumor regression in a diverse set of human tumor xenograft models. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(4); 976-84. (c)2010 AACR.

  10. Macranthoidin B Modulates Key Metabolic Pathways to Enhance ROS Generation and Induce Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer.

    PubMed

    Fan, Xing; Rao, Jun; Zhang, Ziwei; Li, Dengfeng; Cui, Wenhao; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Hua; Tou, Fangfang; Zheng, Zhi; Shen, Qiang

    2018-01-01

    Induction of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated-apoptosis have been utilized as effective strategies in anticancer therapy. Macranthoidin B (MB) is a potent inducer of ROS-mediated apoptosis in cancer, but its mechanism of action is poorly understood. Superoxide production with MB exposure in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells was measured using lucigenin chemiluminescence and real-time PCR. MB's inhibitory effect on proliferation and viability of CRC cells was determined by proliferation assays. MB's effect on apoptosis of CRC cells was determined by Western blotting and annexin V-FITC/PI staining. MB's effect on the growth of CRC xenografts in mice was assessed. An established metabolomics profiling platform combining ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed to determine MB's effect on total metabolite variation in CRC cells. We found that MB increases ROS generation via modulating key metabolic pathways. Using metabolomics profiling platform combining LC-MS with GC-MS, a total of 236 metabolites were identified in HCT-116 cells in which 31 metabolites were determined to be significantly regulated (p ≤ 0.05) after MB exposure. A number of key metabolites revealed by metabolomics analysis include glucose, fructose, citrate, arginine, phenylalanine, and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), suggesting specific modulation of metabolism on carbohydrates, amino acids and peptides, lipids, nucleotide, cofactors and vitamins in HCT-116 CRC cells with MB treatment highly associated with apoptosis triggered by enhanced ROS and activated caspase-3. Our results demonstrate that MB represses CRC cell proliferation by inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. Measuring nanoscale viscoelastic parameters of cells directly from AFM force-displacement curves.

    PubMed

    Efremov, Yuri M; Wang, Wen-Horng; Hardy, Shana D; Geahlen, Robert L; Raman, Arvind

    2017-05-08

    Force-displacement (F-Z) curves are the most commonly used Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) mode to measure the local, nanoscale elastic properties of soft materials like living cells. Yet a theoretical framework has been lacking that allows the post-processing of F-Z data to extract their viscoelastic constitutive parameters. Here, we propose a new method to extract nanoscale viscoelastic properties of soft samples like living cells and hydrogels directly from conventional AFM F-Z experiments, thereby creating a common platform for the analysis of cell elastic and viscoelastic properties with arbitrary linear constitutive relations. The method based on the elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle was validated using finite element (FE) simulations and by comparison with the existed AFM techniques on living cells and hydrogels. The method also allows a discrimination of which viscoelastic relaxation model, for example, standard linear solid (SLS) or power-law rheology (PLR), best suits the experimental data. The method was used to extract the viscoelastic properties of benign and cancerous cell lines (NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, NMuMG epithelial, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells). Finally, we studied the changes in viscoelastic properties related to tumorigenesis including TGF-β induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition on NMuMG cells and Syk expression induced phenotype changes in MDA-MB-231 cells.

  12. Effects of Chinese medicinal herbs on expression of brain-derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its interaction with human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells and endothelial HUVECs.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Jen-Hwey; Chen, Fang-Pey; Tsai, Yi-Fang; Lin, Man-Ting; Tseng, Ling-Ming; Shyr, Yi-Ming

    2017-08-12

    Our previous study demonstrated that an up-regulation of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) signaling pathway is involved the mechanism causing the recurrence of triple negative breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs on MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cells and how they interact with BDNF. Human TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells and human endothelial HUVEC cells were used to explore the effect of commonly used Chinese herbal medicines on cancer cells alone, on endothelial cells alone and on cancer cell/endothelial cell interactions; this was done via functional studies, including migration and invasion assays. Furthermore, Western blot analysis and real-time PCR investigations were also used to investigate migration signal transduction, invasion signal transduction, and angiogenic signal transduction in these systems. Finally, the effect of the Chinese medicinal herbs on cancer cell/endothelial cell interactions was assessed using co-culture and ELISA. In terms of autoregulation, BDNF up-regulated TrkB gene expression in both MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cells. Furthermore, BDNF enhanced migration by MDA-MB-231 cells via Rac, Cdc42 and MMP, while also increasing the migration of HUVEC cells via MMP and COX-2 expression. As measured by ELISA, the Chinese herbal medicinal herbs A. membranaceus, P. lactiflora, L. chuanxiong, P. suffruticosa and L. lucidum increased BDNF secretion by MDA-MB-231 cells. Similarly, using a co-culture system with MDA-MB-231 cells, A. membranaceus and L. lucidum modulated BDNF-TrkB signaling by HUVEC cells. We conclude that BDNF plays an important role in the metastatic interaction between MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cells. Some Chinese medicinal herbs are able to enhance the BDNF-related metastatic potential of the interaction between cancer cells and endothelial cells. These findings provide important information that should help with the development of integrated medical therapies for breast cancer patients.

  13. Epitaxially grown collagen fibrils reveal diversity in contact guidance behavior among cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Wang, Juan; Petefish, Joseph W; Hillier, Andrew C; Schneider, Ian C

    2015-01-01

    Invasion of cancer cells into the surrounding tissue is an important step during cancer progression and is driven by cell migration. Cell migration can be random, but often it is directed by various cues such as aligned fibers composed of extracellular matrix (ECM), a process called contact guidance. During contact guidance, aligned fibers bias migration along the long axis of the fibers. These aligned fibers of ECM are commonly composed of type I collagen, an abundant structural protein around tumors. In this paper, we epitaxially grew several different patterns of organized type I collagen on mica and compared the morphology and contact guidance behavior of two invasive breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MTLn3 cells). Others have shown that these cells randomly migrate in qualitatively different ways. MDA-MB-231 cells exert large traction forces, tightly adhere to the ECM, and migrate with spindle-shaped morphology and thus adopt a mesenchymal mode of migration. MTLn3 cells exert small traction forces, loosely adhere to the ECM, and migrate with a more rounded morphology and thus adopt an amoeboid mode of migration. As the degree of alignment of type I collagen fibrils increases, cells become more elongated and engage in more directed contact guidance. MDA-MB-231 cells perceive the directional signal of highly aligned type I collagen fibrils with high fidelity, elongating to large extents and migrating directionally. Interestingly, behavior in MTLn3 cells differs. While highly aligned type I collagen fibril patterns facilitate spreading and random migration of MTLn3 cells, they do not support elongation or directed migration. Thus, different contact guidance cues bias cell migration differently and the fidelity of contact guidance is cell type dependent, suggesting that ECM alignment is a permissive cue for contact guidance, but requires a cell to have certain properties to interpret that cue.

  14. High metastaticgastric and breast cancer cells consume oleic acid in an AMPK dependent manner.

    PubMed

    Li, Shuai; Zhou, Ti; Li, Cen; Dai, Zhiyu; Che, Di; Yao, Yachao; Li, Lei; Ma, Jianxing; Yang, Xia; Gao, Guoquan

    2014-01-01

    Gastric cancer and breast cancer have a clear tendency toward metastasis and invasion to the microenvironment predominantly composed of adipocytes. Oleic acid is an abundant monounsaturated fatty acid that releases from adipocytes and impinges on different energy metabolism responses. The effect and underlying mechanisms of oleic acid on highly metastatic cancer cells are not completely understood. We reported that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was obviously activated in highly aggressive carcinoma cell lines treated by oleic acid, including gastric carcinoma HGC-27 and breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cell lines. AMPK enhanced the rates of fatty acid oxidation and ATP production and thus significantly promoted cancer growth and migration under serum deprivation. Inactivation of AMPK attenuated these activities of oleic acid. Oleic acid inhibited cancer cell growth and survival in low metastatic carcinoma cells, such as gastric carcinoma SGC7901 and breast carcinoma MCF-7 cell lines. Pharmacological activation of AMPK rescued the cell viability by maintained ATP levels by increasing fatty acid β-oxidation. These results indicate that highly metastatic carcinoma cells could consume oleic acid to maintain malignancy in an AMPK-dependent manner. Our findings demonstrate the important contribution of fatty acid oxidation to cancer cell function.

  15. Breast cancer amelioration by Butea monosperma in-vitro and in-vivo.

    PubMed

    Karia, Prachi; Patel, Kirti V; Rathod, Shri S P

    2018-05-10

    Butea monosperma belonging to family Fabaceae is used in the Indian traditional medicine (Ayurveda) for various ailments including abdominal tumors and possess anti-estrogenic activity. The present study is aimed at investigating the chemo-preventive potential of Butea monosperma in breast cancer and elucidating it's mechanism of action by assessing its effect on key processes like apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis. Cytotoxic potential of methanol extract of Butea monosperma flower (MEBM) was tested in MCF-7 (estrogen receptor positive), MDA-MB-231 (triple negative) and MDA-MB-453 (HER2 positive) human breast cancer cells by MTT assay. Chemo-preventive potential was evaluated in-vivo in Methylnitrosourea (MNU) induced mammary cancer in nulliparous Sprague-Dawley rats. The mechanism for anticancer potential was screened by in-vitro studies involving Annexin V- FITC assay (apoptosis), Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane assay (angiogenesis) and Migration assay (metastasis). Statistical analysis was done by one way and two way ANOVA (for Growth Rate and feed consumption efficiency) followed by post hoc Bonferroni's test with P value < 0.05. It is observed that the exposure of MEBM, at various concentrations and time intervals to different cell lines, resulted in decreased cell proliferation. The IC 50 value of MCF-7 cells was found significantly less than that of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 cells, which indicated that the extract of said medicinal plant were more potent inhibitors of estrogen positive breast cancer cells than other types of breast cancer cells in vitro. Corroborative evidences were acquired in MNU actuated mammary carcinogenesis where MEBM constricted tumor parameters, decreased expression of estrogen and progesterone, nucleic acid content and increased latency period. MEBM also induced apoptosis, inhibited angiogenesis and metastasis in-vitro. Selective cytotoxic activity in MCF-7 estrogen positive breast cancer cells and inhibition of growth of mammary carcinoma in-vivo by methanol extract of Butea monosperma flowers (MEBM) suggests chemo-prevention through modulation of estrogen and progesterone receptor, apoptotic, anti-angiogenesis and anti-metastatic activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. In vitro anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activities of thalidomide dithiocarbamate analogs.

    PubMed

    El-Aarag, Bishoy Y A; Kasai, Tomonari; Zahran, Magdy A H; Zakhary, Nadia I; Shigehiro, Tsukasa; Sekhar, Sreeja C; Agwa, Hussein S; Mizutani, Akifumi; Murakami, Hiroshi; Kakuta, Hiroki; Seno, Masaharu

    2014-08-01

    Inhibition of angiogenesis is currently perceived as a promising strategy in the treatment of cancer. The anti-angiogenicity of thalidomide has inspired a second wave of research on this teratogenic drug. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activities of two thalidomide dithiocarbamate analogs by studying their anti-proliferative effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. Their action on the expression levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, VEGF165, and MMP-2 was also assessed. Furthermore, their effect on angiogenesis was evaluated through wound healing, migration, tube formation, and nitric oxide (NO) assays. Results illustrated that the proliferation of HUVECs and MDA-MB-231 cells was not significantly affected by thalidomide at 6.25-100μM. Thalidomide failed to block angiogenesis at similar concentrations. By contrast, thalidomide dithiocarbamate analogs exhibited significant anti-proliferative action on HUVECs and MDA-MB-231 cells without causing cytotoxicity and also showed powerful anti-angiogenicity in wound healing, migration, tube formation, and NO assays. Thalidomide analogs 1 and 2 demonstrated more potent activity to suppress expression levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, VEGF165, and MMP-2 than thalidomide. Analog 1 consistently, showed the highest potency and efficacy in all the assays. Taken together, our results support further development and evaluation of novel thalidomide analogs as anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic agents. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Photo-physics study of a styrylquinoline as inhibitor of Pim-1 kinase: Solvent and concentration effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lamhasni, Taibi; Barbache, Sara; Ait Lyazidi, Saadia; Haddad, Mustapha; Hnach, Mohamed; Desmaële, Didier

    2018-03-01

    7-Nicotinoyl-styrylquinoline (MB96) displays an antiviral activity on HIV-1 infected CEM cell lines and is a promising inhibitor of the serine/threonine-protein Pim-1 kinase. By means of UV-vis spectroscopy supported by theoretical calculations this styrylquinoline is shown to exist in different conformations: the s-trans planar conformation along with other twisted ones with respect to the torsion around the single bond between the quinoline and the phenylethenyl appendage. Hydrogen bonding interactions with the solvent shift the skeleton of the MB96 towards the planar form, enhancing conjugation of π-electrons between the quinoline and the catechol parts, while self-association process seems furthering this planar conformation.

  18. Discovery of 1-(3-aryl-4-chlorophenyl)-3-(p-aryl)urea derivatives against breast cancer by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Hedgehog signalings.

    PubMed

    Li, Wenlu; Sun, Qinsheng; Song, Lu; Gao, Chunmei; Liu, Feng; Chen, Yuzong; Jiang, Yuyang

    2017-12-01

    PI3K/Akt/mTOR and hedgehog (Hh) signalings are two important pathways in breast cancer, which are usually connected with the drug resistance and cancer migration. Many studies indicated that PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors and Hh inhibitors displayed synergistic effects, and the combination of the two signaling drugs could delay drug resistance and inhibit cancer migration in breast cancer. Therefore, the development of molecules simultaneously inhibiting these two pathways is urgent needed. Based on the structures of PI3K inhibitor buparlisib and Hh inhibitor vismodegib, a series of hybrid structures were designed and synthesized utilizing rational drug design and computer-based drug design. Several compounds displayed excellent antiproliferative activities against several breast cancer cell lines, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 cell. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that the representative compound 9i could inhibit both PI3K/Akt/mTOR and hedgehog (Hh) signalings by inhibiting the phosphorylation of S6K and Akt as well as decreasing the SAG elevated expression of Gli1. Compound 9i could also induce apoptosis remarkably in T47D and MDA-MB-231 cells. In the transwell assay, 9i showed significant inhibition on the migration of MDA-MB-231. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Implication of Highly Cytotoxic Natural Killer Cells for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treatment.

    PubMed

    Lim, Kee Siang; Mimura, Kosaku; Kua, Ley-Fang; Shiraishi, Kensuke; Kono, Koji

    2018-04-20

    Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive upper gastrointestinal cancer and effective treatments are limited. Previous studies reported that natural killer (NK) cells expanded by coculturing with K562-mb15-41BBL feeder cells, a genetically modified K562 leukemia cell line that expresses membrane-bound interleukin (IL)-15 and 41BBL ligand, were highly proliferative and highly cytotoxic. Here, we investigated the potential of expanded NK cells for ESCC treatment. We analyzed both genetic and surface expression levels of NKG2D ligands (NKG2DLs) in ESCC using publicly available microarray data sets and ESCC cell lines. The cytotoxicity of resting and of IL-2-activated NK cells against ESCC cell lines was compared with that of expanded NK cells. We then also investigated the effect of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) inducers, GSK3β inhibitor and epidermal growth factor, on NKG2DLs expressions. As a result, MICA and MICB were significantly overexpressed in ESCC compared with adjacent normal tissues and surface NKG2DLs were expressed in ESCC cell lines. Expanded NK cells were much potent than IL-2-activated and resting NK cells against ESCC cell lines. Blocking of NKG2D with anti-NKG2D monoclonal antibody dampened expanded NK cell cytotoxicity, suggesting that the NKG2DLs-NKG2D interaction is crucial for NK cells to eliminate ESCC cells. EMT inducers concurrently induced EMT and NKG2DLs expression in ESCC cell lines rendering transitioned cells more sensitive to expanded NK cells. In conclusion, expanded NK cells were highly cytotoxic against NKG2DLs-expressing ESCC cells, particularly the EMT phenotype. These results provide a strong rationale for clinical use of these NK cells in ESCC patients.

  20. In vitro effects of Apixaban on 5 different cancer cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Guasti, Luigina; Moretto, Paola; Vigetti, Davide; Ageno, Walter; Dentali, Francesco; Maresca, Andrea M.; Campiotti, Leonardo; Grandi, Anna M.; Passi, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Background Cancer is associated with hypercoagulability. However, several data suggest that anticoagulant drugs may have an effect on tumor development and progression mediated by both coagulation dependent processes and non-coagulation dependent processes. Therefore, we investigated the in vitro effects of Apixaban on cell proliferation, mortality, cell migration, gene expression and matrix metalloproteinase in 5 different cancer cell lines. Methods The following cancer cell lines, and 2 normal fibroblast cultures (lung and dermal fibroblasts), were studied: OVCAR3 (ovarian cancer), MDA MB 231 (breast cancer), CaCO-2 (colon cancer), LNCaP (prostate cancer) and U937 (histiocytic lymphoma). Proliferation and cell mortality were assessed in control cells and Apixaban treated cultures (dose from 0.1 to 5 μg/ml, 0 to 96-h). Necrosis/Apoptosis (fluorescence microscopy), cell migration (24-h after scratch test), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and mRNA expression (RT PCR) of p16, p21, p53 and HAS were also assessed. Results High-dose (5 μg/ml) Apixaban incubation was associated with a significantly reduced proliferation in 3 cancer cell lines (OVCAR3, CaCO-2 and LNCaP) and with increased cancer cell mortality in all, except LNCaP, cancer lines. Apoptosis seems to account for the increased mortality. The migration capacity seems to be impaired after high-dose Apixaban incubation in OVCAR3 and CaCO-2 cells. Data on mRNA expression suggest a consistent increase in tumor suppression gene p16 in all cell lines. Conclusions Our data suggest that high-dose Apixaban may be able to interfere with cancer cell in vitro, reducing proliferation and increasing cancer cell mortality through apoptosis in several cancer cell lines. PMID:29023465

  1. Eugenia jambolana Lam. Berry Extract Inhibits Growth and Induces Apoptosis of Human Breast Cancer but not Non-Tumorigenic Breast Cells

    PubMed Central

    Li, Liya; Adams, Lynn S.; Chen, Shiuan; Killian, Caroline; Ahmed, Aftab; Seeram, Navindra P.

    2009-01-01

    The ripe purple berries of the native Indian plant, Eugenia jambolana Lam., known as Jamun, are popularly consumed and available in the United States in Florida and Hawaii. Despite the growing body of data on the chemopreventive potential of edible berry extracts, there is paucity of such data for Jamun fruit. Therefore our laboratory initiated the current study with the following objectives:1) to prepare a standardized Jamun fruit extract (JFE) for biological studies and, 2) to investigate the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of JFE in estrogen dependent/aromatase positive (MCF-7aro), and estrogen independent (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells, and in a normal/non-tumorigenic (MCF-10A) breast cell line. JFE was standardized to anthocyanin content using the pH differential method, and individual anthocyanins were identified by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. JFE contained 3.5% anthocyanins (as cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents) which occur as diglucosides of five anthocyanidins/aglycons: delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin and malvidin. In the proliferation assay, JFE was most effective against MCF-7aro (IC50=27 µg/mL), followed by MDA-MB-231 (IC50=40 µg/mL) breast cancer cells. Importantly, JFE exhibited only mild antiproliferative effects against the normal MCF-10A (IC50>100 µg/mL) breast cells. Similarly, JFE (at 200 µg/mL) exhibited pro-apoptotic effects against the MCF-7aro (p≤0.05) and the MDA-MB-231 (p≤0.01) breast cancer cells, but not towards the normal MCF-10A breast cells. These studies suggest that JFE may have potential beneficial effects against breast cancer. PMID:19166352

  2. Cytotoxicity and cytochrome P450 inhibitory activities of Clinacanthus nutans.

    PubMed

    Quah, Suk Yen; Chin, Jin Han; Akowuah, Gabriel Akyirem; Khalivulla, Shaik Ibrahim; Yeong, Siew Wei; Sabu, Mandumpal Chacko

    2017-03-01

    Clinacanthus nutans Lindau (family: Acanthaceae), also known as "Sabah Snake Grass" or "Belalai Gajah" in Malaysia, has been widely used by Malaysians due to its anticancer property. However, the anticancer activity of C. nutans leaves extract and its safe use need to be further investigated. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of methanol leaves extract of C. nutans in various human cancer cell lines and to evaluate the in vitro effect of C. nutans leaves on the activity of CYP3A4 and CYP2E1 in human liver microsomes. The cytotoxic effects of methanol extract of C. nutans leaves in various cancer cell lines (Hep-G2, A549, HT-29, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and CRL 1739) and normal cells (3T3) were determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay. The activities of CYP3A4 and CYP2E1 were determined using simple spectrophotometric methods. Results obtained showed that the methanol extract of C. nutans leaves exhibited the highest cytotoxic effect against Hep-G2 cell lines (liver cancer) (IC50=13.33 μg/mL), followed by breast cancer oestrogen negative (MDA-MB-231) (IC50 of 18.67 μg/mL). Methanol leaves extract of C. nutans showed significant inhibition (p<0.05) in CYP3A4 and CYP2E1 activity in human liver microsomes. In conclusion, methanol leaves extract of C. nutans exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity against liver cancer cells (Hep-G2). There is a possibility that herb-drug interaction could occur with C. nutans through inhibitory effects on CYP3A4. Additionally, inhibition of C. nutans on CYP2E1 could show anti-carcinogenesis effects in human liver microsomes.

  3. HPW-RX40 restores anoikis sensitivity of human breast cancer cells by inhibiting integrin/FAK signaling

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, I-Hua; Shih, Hsin-Chu; Hsieh, Pei-Wen

    Anoikis is defined as apoptosis, which is induced by inappropriate cell–matrix interactions. Cancer cells with anoikis resistance tend to undergo metastasis, and this phenomenon has been reported to be associated with integrin and FAK activity. HPW-RX40 is a derivative of 3,4-methylenedioxy-β-nitrostyrene, which is known to prevent platelet aggregation by inhibition of integrin. In the present study, we investigated the effect of HPW-RX40 on an anoikis-resistant human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. HPW-RX40 inhibited cell aggregation and induced cell death in suspending MDA-MB-231 cells, but had only little effect on the monolayer growth of adherent cells. Analysis of caspase activation andmore » poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage confirmed anoikis in HPW-RX40-treated suspending cancer cells. HPW-RX40 also affected the Bcl-2 family proteins in detached cancer cells. Furthermore, HPW-RX40 inhibited detachment-induced activation of FAK and the downstream phosphorylation of Src and paxillin, but did not affect this pathway in adherent cancer cells. We also found that the expression and activation of β1 integrin in MDA-MB-231 cells were reduced by HPW-RX40. The combination of HPW-RX40 with an EGFR inhibitor led to enhanced anoikis and inhibition of the FAK pathway in breast cancer cells. Taken together, our results suggest that HPW-RX40 restores the anoikis sensitivity in the metastatic breast cancer cells by inhibiting integrin and subsequent FAK activation, and reveal a potential strategy for prevention of tumor metastasis. - Highlights: • The β-nitrostyrene derivative, HPW-RX40, induces anoikis in human breast cancer cells. • HPW-RX40 inhibits the integrin/FAK signaling pathway. • The combination of HPW-RX40 with an EGFR inhibitor leads to enhanced anoikis. • HPW-RX40 may have a potential to prevent the spread of metastatic breast cancer.« less

  4. Lithocholic bile acid inhibits lipogenesis and induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Luu, Trang H; Bard, Jean-Marie; Carbonnelle, Delphine; Chaillou, Chloé; Huvelin, Jean-Michel; Bobin-Dubigeon, Christine; Nazih, Hassan

    2018-02-01

    It has amply been documented that mammary tumor cells may exhibit an increased lipogenesis. Biliary acids are currently recognized as signaling molecules in the intestine, in addition to their classical roles in the digestion and absorption of lipids. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of lithocholic acid (LCA) on the lipogenesis of breast cancer cells. The putative cytotoxic effects of LCA on these cells were also examined. The effects of LCA on breast cancer-derived MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were studied using MTT viability assays, Annexin-FITC and Akt phosphorylation assays to evaluate anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic properties, qRT-PCR and Western blotting assays to assess the expression of the bile acid receptor TGR5 and the estrogen receptor ERα, and genes and proteins involved in apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2, p53) and lipogenesis (SREBP-1c, FASN, ACACA). Intracellular lipid droplets were visualized using Oil Red O staining. We found that LCA induces TGR5 expression and exhibits anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Also, an increase in pro-apoptotic p53 protein expression and a decrease in anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein expression were observed after LCA treatment of MCF-7 cells. In addition, we found that LCA reduced Akt phosphorylation in MCF-7 cells, but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. We also noted that LCA reduced the expression of SREBP-1c, FASN and ACACA in both breast cancer-derived cell lines and that cells treated with LCA contained low numbers of lipid droplets compared to untreated control cells. Finally, a decrease in ERα expression was observed in MCF-7 cells treated with LCA. Our data suggest a potential therapeutic role of lithocholic acid in breast cancer cells through a reversion of lipid metabolism deregulation.

  5. Disrupting CCT-β : β-tubulin selectively kills CCT-β overexpressed cancer cells through MAPKs activation

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yan-Jin; Kumar, Vathan; Lin, Yuan-Feng; Liang, Po-Huang

    2017-01-01

    We have previously demonstrated the ability of I-Trp to disrupt the protein–protein interaction of β-tubulin with chaperonin-containing TCP-1β (CCT-β). This caused more severe apoptosis in multidrug-resistant MES-SA/Dx5, compared to MES-SA, due to its higher CCT-β overexpression. In this study, we screened a panel of cancer cell lines, finding CCT-β overexpression in the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, colorectal cancer cell lines Colo205 and HCT116, and a gastric cancer cell line MKN-45. Thus, I-Trp killed these cancers with sub- to low-μM EC50, whereas it was non-toxic to MCF-10A. We then synthesized analogs of I-Trp and evaluated their cytotoxicity. Furthermore, apoptotic mechanism investigations revealed the activation of both protein ubiquitination/degradation and ER-associated protein degradation pathways. These pathways proceeded through activation of MAPKs at the onset of CCT-β : β-tubulin complex disruption. We thus establish an effective strategy to treat CCT-β overexpressed cancers by disrupting the CCT-β : β-tubulin complex. PMID:28906489

  6. Synergistic effect of pyrazoles derivatives and doxorubicin in claudin-low breast cancer subtype.

    PubMed

    Saueressig, Silvia; Tessmann, Josiane; Mastelari, Rosiane; da Silva, Liziane Pereira; Buss, Julieti; Segatto, Natalia Vieira; Begnini, Karine Rech; Pacheco, Bruna; de Pereira, Cláudio Martin Pereira; Collares, Tiago; Seixas, Fabiana Kömmling

    2018-02-01

    Breast cancer is a global public health problem. For some subtypes, such as Claudin-low, the prognosis is poorer and the treatment is still a challenge. Pyrazoles are an important class of heterocyclic compounds and are promising anticancer agents based on their chemical properties. The present study was aimed not only at testing pyrazoles previously prepared by our research group in two breast cancer cell lines characterized by intermediated response to conventional chemotherapy but also at analyzing the possible synergistic effect of these pyrazoles associated with doxorubicin. Four 1-thiocarbamoyl-3,5-diaryl-4,5-dihydro-1H pyrazoles were tested for the first time in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 culture cells. The pyrazoles with best results in cytotoxicity were used in combination with doxorubicin and compared with this drug alone as standard. The synergic effect was analyzed using Combination Index method. In addition, cell death and apoptosis assays were carried out. Two pyrazoles with cytotoxic effect in MCF-7 and especially in MDA-MB-231 were identified. This activity was markedly higher in pyrazoles containing bromine and chlorine substituents. The combination of these pyrazoles with doxorubicin had a significant synergic effect in both cells tested and mainly in MDA-MB-231. These data were confirmed with apoptosis and cell death analysis. The synergic effect observed with combination of these pyrazoles and doxorubicin deserves special attention in Claudin-low breast cancer subtype. This should be explored in order to improve treatment results and minimize side effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. Process property studies of melt blown thermoplastic polyurethane polymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Youn Eung

    The primary goal of this research was to determine optimum processing conditions to produce commercially acceptable melt blown (MB) thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) webs. The 6-inch MB line and the 20-inch wide Accurate Products MB pilot line at the Textiles and Nonwovens Development Center (TANDEC), The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, were utilized for this study. The MB TPU trials were performed in four different phases: Phase 1 focused on the envelope of the MB operating conditions for different TPU polymers; Phase 2 focused on the production of commercially acceptable MB TPU webs; Phase 3 focused on the optimization of the processing conditions of MB TPU webs, and the determination of the significant relationships between processing parameters and web properties utilizing statistical analyses; Based on the first three phases, a more extensive study of fiber and web formation in the MB TPU process was made and a multi liner regression model for the MB TPU process versus properties was also developed in Phase 4. In conclusion, the basic MB process was fundamentally valid for the MB TPU process; however, the MB process was more complicated for TPU than PP, because web structures and properties of MB TPUs are very sensitive to MB process conditions: Furthermore, different TPU grades responded very differently to MB processing and exhibited different web structure and properties. In Phase 3 and Phase 4, small fiber diameters of less than 5mum were produced from TPU237, TPU245 and TPU280 pellets, and the mechanical strengths of MB TPU webs including the tensile strength, tear strength, abrasion resistance and tensile elongation were notably good. In addition, the statistical model showed useful interaction regarding trends for processing parameters versus properties of MB TPU webs. Die and air temperature showed multicollinearity problems and fiber diameter was notably affected by air flow rate, throughput and die/air temperature. It was also shown that most of the MB TPU web properties including mechanical strength, air permeability and fiber diameters were affected by air velocity and die temperature.

  8. Evaluation of the Effects of Aminonaphthoquinone Derivatives in Combination with Curcumin Against ER-positive Breast Cancer and Related Tumours.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Melanie C; Mohammed, Raushaan; VAN Otterlo, Willem A L; DE Koning, Charles B; Davids, Hajierah

    2017-12-01

    Combination therapies are often explored to treat cancer. The use of curcumin as an adjuvant to current chemotherapies has been reported, whilst aminonaphthoquinones have shown potential as anticancer agents in various tumour cell lines. This study aimed at screening synthetic aminonathoquinone derivatives (Rau 008, Rau 010, Rau 015 and Rau 018) alone and in combination with curcumin for anti-breast cancer activity. Combination effects were determined in MCF-7 breast cancer cells using combination index analyses. Synergistic anti-proliferative effects were further investigated in breast (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), osteosarcoma (MG-63) and endometrial (HEC-1A) cancer-derived cells. Rau 015 (15 μM) and curcumin (112.5 μM) significantly reduced MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and MG-63 cell proliferation compared to individual treatment, indicating synergistic anti-proliferative effects. Rau 018 (30 μM) and curcumin (100 μM) displayed similar effects in MCF-7 and MG-63 cells. We report on the potential of Rau 015 or Rau 018 as anti-breast cancer agents when combined with curcumin. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  9. Rapid activation of ERK1/2 and AKT in human breast cancer cells by cadmium

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu Zhiwei; Yu Xinyuan; Shaikh, Zahir A.

    2008-05-01

    Cadmium (Cd), an endocrine disruptor, can induce a variety of signaling events including the activation of ERK1/2 and AKT. In this study, the involvement of estrogen receptors (ER) in these events was evaluated in three human breast caner cell lines, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SK-BR-3. The Cd-induced signal activation patterns in the three cell lines mimicked those exhibited in response to 17{beta}-estradiol. Specifically, treatment of MCF-7 cells, that express ER{alpha}, ER{beta} and GPR30, to 0.5-10 {mu}M Cd for only 2.5 min resulted in transient phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Cd also triggered a gradual increase and sustained activation of AKT during the 60more » min treatment period. In SK-BR-3 cells, that express only GPR30, Cd also caused a transient activation of ERK1/2, but not of AKT. In contrast, in MDA-MB-231 cells, that express only ER{beta}, Cd was unable to cause rapid activation of either ERK1/2 or AKT. A transient phosphorylation of ER{alpha} was also observed within 2.5 min of Cd exposure in the MCF-7 cells. While the estrogen receptor antagonist, ICI 182,780, did not prevent the effect of Cd on these signals, specific siRNA against hER{alpha} significantly reduced Cd-induced activation of ERK1/2 and completely blocked the activation of AKT. It is concluded that Cd, like estradiol, can cause rapid activation of ERK1/2 and AKT and that these signaling events are mediated by possible interaction with membrane ER{alpha} and GPR30, but not ER{beta}.« less

  10. IT-25DEVELOPMENTALLY REGULATED ANTIGENS FOR IMMUNOLOGIC TARGETING OF MEDULLOBLASTOMA SUBTYPES

    PubMed Central

    Pham, Christina; Flores, Catherine; Pei, Yanxin; Wechsler-Reya, Robert; Mitchell, Duane

    2014-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Medulloblastoma (MB) remains incurable in one third of patients despite aggressive multi-modality standard therapies. Immunotherapy presents a promising alternative by specifically targeting cancer cells. To date, there have been no successful immunologic applications targeting MB. Emerging evidence from integrated genomic studies has suggested MB variants arise from deregulation of pathways affecting proliferation of progenitor cell populations within the developing cerebellum. Using total embryonic RNA as a source of tumor rejection antigens is attractive because it can be delivered as a single vaccine, target both known and unknown fetal proteins, and can be refined to preferentially treat distinct MB subtypes. METHODS: We have created two transplantable, syngeneic animal MB models recapitulating human SHH and Group 3 variants to investigate the immunologic targeting of different MB subtypes. We generated T cells specific to the developing mouse cerebellum (P5) and tested their reactivity to target cells pulsed with total RNA from two MB subtypes and the normal brain. Immune responses were evaluated by measuring cytokine secretion following re-stimulation of activated T cells with both normal and tumor cell targets. In vivo antitumor efficacy was also tested in survival studies of intracranial tumor-bearing animals. RESULTS: We generated T cells specific to the developing cerebellum in vitro, confirming the immunogenicity of developmentally regulated antigens. Additionally, we have shown that developmental antigen-specific T cells produce high levels of Th1-type cytokines in response to tumor cells of two immunologically distinct subtypes of MB. Interestingly, developmental antigen specific T cells do not show cross reactivity with the normal brain or subsequent stages of the developing brain after P5. Targeting developmental antigens also conferred a significant survival benefit in a treatment model of Group 3 tumor bearing animals. CONCLUSIONS: Developmental antigens can safely target multiple MB subtypes with equal effectiveness compared to previously established total tumor strategies.

  11. Macrophage phenotypic subtypes diametrically regulate epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Min; Ma, Bo; Shao, Hanshuang; Clark, Amanda M; Wells, Alan

    2016-07-07

    Metastatic progression of breast cancer involves phenotypic plasticity of the carcinoma cells moving between epithelial and mesenchymal behaviors. During metastatic seeding and dormancy, even highly aggressive carcinoma cells take on an E-cadherin-positive epithelial phenotype that is absent from the emergent, lethal metastatic outgrowths. These phenotypes are linked to the metastatic microenvironment, though the specific cells and induction signals are still to be deciphered. Recent evidence suggests that macrophages impact tumor progression, and may alter the balance between cancer cell EMT and MErT in the metastatic microenvironment. Here we explore the role of M1/M2 macrophages in epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity of breast cancer cells by coculturing epithelial and mesenchymal cells lines with macrophages. We found that after polarizing the THP-1 human monocyte cell line, the M1 and M2-types were stable and maintained when co-cultured with breast cancer cells. Surprisingly, M2 macrophages may conferred a growth advantage to the epithelial MCF-7 cells, with these cells being driven to a partial mesenchymal phenotypic as indicated by spindle morphology. Notably, E-cadherin protein expression is significantly decreased in MCF-7 cells co-cultured with M2 macrophages. M0 and M1 macrophages had no effect on the MCF-7 epithelial phenotype. However, the M1 macrophages impacted the highly aggressive mesenchymal-like MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to take on a quiescent, epithelial phenotype with re-expression of E-cadherin. The M2 macrophages if anything exacerbated the mesenchymal phenotype of the MDA-MB-231 cells. Our findings demonstrate M2 macrophages might impart outgrowth and M1 macrophages may contribute to dormancy behaviors in metastatic breast cancer cells. Thus EMT and MErT are regulated by selected macrophage phenotype in the liver metastatic microenvironment. These results indicate macrophage could be a potential therapeutic target for limiting death due to malignant metastases in breast cancer.

  12. Discovery of a Series of Acridinones as Mechanism-Based Tubulin Assembly Inhibitors with Anticancer Activity

    PubMed Central

    Magalhaes, Luma G.; Marques, Fernando B.; da Fonseca, Marina B.; Rogério, Kamilla R.; Graebin, Cedric S.; Andricopulo, Adriano D.

    2016-01-01

    Microtubules play critical roles in vital cell processes, including cell growth, division, and migration. Microtubule-targeting small molecules are chemotherapeutic agents that are widely used in the treatment of cancer. Many of these compounds are structurally complex natural products (e.g., paclitaxel, vinblastine, and vincristine) with multiple stereogenic centers. Because of the scarcity of their natural sources and the difficulty of their partial or total synthesis, as well as problems related to their bioavailability, toxicity, and resistance, there is an urgent need for novel microtubule binding agents that are effective for treating cancer but do not have these disadvantages. In the present work, our lead discovery effort toward less structurally complex synthetic compounds led to the discovery of a series of acridinones inspired by the structure of podophyllotoxin, a natural product with important microtubule assembly inhibitory activity, as novel mechanism-based tubulin assembly inhibitors with potent anticancer properties and low toxicity. The compounds were evaluated in vitro by wound healing assays employing the metastatic and triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Four compounds with IC50 values between 0.294 and 1.7 μM were identified. These compounds showed selective cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 and DU-145 cancer cell lines and promoted cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase and apoptosis. Consistent with molecular modeling results, the acridinones inhibited tubulin assembly in in vitro polymerization assays with IC50 values between 0.9 and 13 μM. Their binding to the colchicine-binding site of tubulin was confirmed through competitive assays. PMID:27508497

  13. Investigation of Microbubble Cavitation-Induced Calcein Release from Cells In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Maciulevičius, Martynas; Tamošiūnas, Mindaugas; Jakštys, Baltramiejus; Jurkonis, Rytis; Venslauskas, Mindaugas Saulius; Šatkauskas, Saulius

    2016-12-01

    In the present study, microbubble (MB) cavitation signal analysis was performed together with calcein release evaluation in both pressure and exposure duration domains of the acoustic field. A passive cavitation detection system was used to simultaneously measure MB scattering and attenuation signals for subsequent extraction efficiency relative to MB cavitation activity. The results indicate that the decrease in the efficiency of extraction of calcein molecules from Chinese hamster ovary cells, as well as cell viability, is associated with MB cavitation activity and can be accurately predicted using inertial cavitation doses up to 0.18 V × s (R 2  > 0.9, p < 0.0001). No decrease in additional calcein release or cell viability was observed after complete MB sonodestruction was achieved. This indicates that the optimal exposure duration within which maximal sono-extraction efficiency is obtained coincides with the time necessary to achieve complete MB destruction. These results illustrate the importance of MB inertial cavitation in the sono-extraction process. To our knowledge, this study is the first to (i) investigate small molecule extraction from cells via sonoporation and (ii) relate the extraction process to the quantitative characteristics of MB cavitation acoustic spectra. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-[1, 2, 3] oxadiazol-3-ium-5-olate and its 4-formyl analog-Ultrasound assisted synthesis and in-vitro anticancer evaluation against human tumor cell lines.

    PubMed

    Bhosale, Sachin K; Deshpande, Shreenivas R; Wagh, Rajendra D

    2017-03-01

    The title compound, 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-formyl-[1, 2, 3] oxadiazol-3-ium-5-olate 5 was synthesized under ultrasonication by formylation of 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-[1, 2, 3] oxadiazol-3-ium-5-olate 4 and characterized by spectral studies. The ultrasonic method of synthesis was found to be simple, ecofriendly, economical, reduces reaction time and gave good yield when compared with traditional methods of synthesis. Anticancer activity of the compounds were tested against 60 human tumor cell lines and compared with standard drug vincristine sulphate. Compound 5 was found to be active against CNS (SNB-75, %GI=46.71), renal (UO-31, %GI=31.52), non small cell lung (NCI-H522, %GI=25.65), leukemia (MOLT-4, %GI=23.02) human tumor cell lines whereas, compound 4 against breast (MDA-MB-231/ATCC, %GI=19.90, T-47D %GI=16.50, MCF-7 15.10) and ovarian (IGROV1 %GI=19.30, OVCAR-4 %GI=17.90) human tumor cell lines. Compound 5 showed higher cytotoxicity against NCI-H23 cells (non small lung cancer cell panel) as compared to standard drug vincristine sulphate. Further structural modification of these compounds may lead to potent anticancer activity.

  15. Synthesis of 1,2,4-triazole-linked urea/thiourea conjugates as cytotoxic and apoptosis inducing agents.

    PubMed

    Tokala, Ramya; Bale, Swarna; Janrao, Ingle Pavan; Vennela, Aluri; Kumar, Niggula Praveen; Senwar, Kishna Ram; Godugu, Chandraiah; Shankaraiah, Nagula

    2018-06-01

    A new series of 1,2,4-triazole-linked urea and thiourea conjugates have been synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against selected human cancer cell lines namely, breast (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), lung (A549) prostate (DU145) and one mouse melanoma (B16-F10) cell line and compared with reference drug. The compound 5t showed significant cytotoxicity on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with a IC 50 value of 7.22 ± 0.47 µM among all the tested compounds. Notably, induction of apoptosis by compound 5t on MCF-7 cells was evaluated using different staining techniques such as acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB), annexin V-FITC/PI, and DAPI. Further, clonogenic assay indicates the inhibition of colony formation on MCF-7 cells by compound 5t. Moreover, the flow-cytometric analysis also revealed that compound 5t caused the arrest of cells at G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. In addition, the compounds when tested on normal human cells (L-132) were found to be safer with low cytotoxicity profile. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A physical sciences network characterization of non-tumorigenic and metastatic cells

    PubMed Central

    Agus, David B.; Alexander, Jenolyn F.; Arap, Wadih; Ashili, Shashanka; Aslan, Joseph E.; Austin, Robert H.; Backman, Vadim; Bethel, Kelly J.; Bonneau, Richard; Chen, Wei-Chiang; Chen-Tanyolac, Chira; Choi, Nathan C.; Curley, Steven A.; Dallas, Matthew; Damania, Dhwanil; Davies, Paul C. W.; Decuzzi, Paolo; Dickinson, Laura; Estevez-Salmeron, Luis; Estrella, Veronica; Ferrari, Mauro; Fischbach, Claudia; Foo, Jasmine; Fraley, Stephanie I.; Frantz, Christian; Fuhrmann, Alexander; Gascard, Philippe; Gatenby, Robert A.; Geng, Yue; Gerecht, Sharon; Gillies, Robert J.; Godin, Biana; Grady, William M.; Greenfield, Alex; Hemphill, Courtney; Hempstead, Barbara L.; Hielscher, Abigail; Hillis, W. Daniel; Holland, Eric C.; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Jacks, Tyler; Johnson, Roger H.; Joo, Ahyoung; Katz, Jonathan E.; Kelbauskas, Laimonas; Kesselman, Carl; King, Michael R.; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos; Kraning-Rush, Casey M.; Kuhn, Peter; Kung, Kevin; Kwee, Brian; Lakins, Johnathon N.; Lambert, Guillaume; Liao, David; Licht, Jonathan D.; Liphardt, Jan T.; Liu, Liyu; Lloyd, Mark C.; Lyubimova, Anna; Mallick, Parag; Marko, John; McCarty, Owen J. T.; Meldrum, Deirdre R.; Michor, Franziska; Mumenthaler, Shannon M.; Nandakumar, Vivek; O’Halloran, Thomas V.; Oh, Steve; Pasqualini, Renata; Paszek, Matthew J.; Philips, Kevin G.; Poultney, Christopher S.; Rana, Kuldeepsinh; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A.; Ros, Robert; Semenza, Gregg L.; Senechal, Patti; Shuler, Michael L.; Srinivasan, Srimeenakshi; Staunton, Jack R.; Stypula, Yolanda; Subramanian, Hariharan; Tlsty, Thea D.; Tormoen, Garth W.; Tseng, Yiider; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Verbridge, Scott S.; Wan, Jenny C.; Weaver, Valerie M.; Widom, Jonathan; Will, Christine; Wirtz, Denis; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan; Wu, Pei-Hsun

    2013-01-01

    To investigate the transition from non-cancerous to metastatic from a physical sciences perspective, the Physical Sciences–Oncology Centers (PS-OC) Network performed molecular and biophysical comparative studies of the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast epithelial cell lines, commonly used as models of cancer metastasis. Experiments were performed in 20 laboratories from 12 PS-OCs. Each laboratory was supplied with identical aliquots and common reagents and culture protocols. Analyses of these measurements revealed dramatic differences in their mechanics, migration, adhesion, oxygen response, and proteomic profiles. Model-based multi-omics approaches identified key differences between these cells' regulatory networks involved in morphology and survival. These results provide a multifaceted description of cellular parameters of two widely used cell lines and demonstrate the value of the PS-OC Network approach for integration of diverse experimental observations to elucidate the phenotypes associated with cancer metastasis. PMID:23618955

  17. A physical sciences network characterization of non-tumorigenic and metastatic cells.

    PubMed

    Agus, David B; Alexander, Jenolyn F; Arap, Wadih; Ashili, Shashanka; Aslan, Joseph E; Austin, Robert H; Backman, Vadim; Bethel, Kelly J; Bonneau, Richard; Chen, Wei-Chiang; Chen-Tanyolac, Chira; Choi, Nathan C; Curley, Steven A; Dallas, Matthew; Damania, Dhwanil; Davies, Paul C W; Decuzzi, Paolo; Dickinson, Laura; Estevez-Salmeron, Luis; Estrella, Veronica; Ferrari, Mauro; Fischbach, Claudia; Foo, Jasmine; Fraley, Stephanie I; Frantz, Christian; Fuhrmann, Alexander; Gascard, Philippe; Gatenby, Robert A; Geng, Yue; Gerecht, Sharon; Gillies, Robert J; Godin, Biana; Grady, William M; Greenfield, Alex; Hemphill, Courtney; Hempstead, Barbara L; Hielscher, Abigail; Hillis, W Daniel; Holland, Eric C; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Jacks, Tyler; Johnson, Roger H; Joo, Ahyoung; Katz, Jonathan E; Kelbauskas, Laimonas; Kesselman, Carl; King, Michael R; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos; Kraning-Rush, Casey M; Kuhn, Peter; Kung, Kevin; Kwee, Brian; Lakins, Johnathon N; Lambert, Guillaume; Liao, David; Licht, Jonathan D; Liphardt, Jan T; Liu, Liyu; Lloyd, Mark C; Lyubimova, Anna; Mallick, Parag; Marko, John; McCarty, Owen J T; Meldrum, Deirdre R; Michor, Franziska; Mumenthaler, Shannon M; Nandakumar, Vivek; O'Halloran, Thomas V; Oh, Steve; Pasqualini, Renata; Paszek, Matthew J; Philips, Kevin G; Poultney, Christopher S; Rana, Kuldeepsinh; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A; Ros, Robert; Semenza, Gregg L; Senechal, Patti; Shuler, Michael L; Srinivasan, Srimeenakshi; Staunton, Jack R; Stypula, Yolanda; Subramanian, Hariharan; Tlsty, Thea D; Tormoen, Garth W; Tseng, Yiider; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Verbridge, Scott S; Wan, Jenny C; Weaver, Valerie M; Widom, Jonathan; Will, Christine; Wirtz, Denis; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan; Wu, Pei-Hsun

    2013-01-01

    To investigate the transition from non-cancerous to metastatic from a physical sciences perspective, the Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OC) Network performed molecular and biophysical comparative studies of the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast epithelial cell lines, commonly used as models of cancer metastasis. Experiments were performed in 20 laboratories from 12 PS-OCs. Each laboratory was supplied with identical aliquots and common reagents and culture protocols. Analyses of these measurements revealed dramatic differences in their mechanics, migration, adhesion, oxygen response, and proteomic profiles. Model-based multi-omics approaches identified key differences between these cells' regulatory networks involved in morphology and survival. These results provide a multifaceted description of cellular parameters of two widely used cell lines and demonstrate the value of the PS-OC Network approach for integration of diverse experimental observations to elucidate the phenotypes associated with cancer metastasis.

  18. A physical sciences network characterization of non-tumorigenic and metastatic cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers Network; Agus, David B.; Alexander, Jenolyn F.; Arap, Wadih; Ashili, Shashanka; Aslan, Joseph E.; Austin, Robert H.; Backman, Vadim; Bethel, Kelly J.; Bonneau, Richard; Chen, Wei-Chiang; Chen-Tanyolac, Chira; Choi, Nathan C.; Curley, Steven A.; Dallas, Matthew; Damania, Dhwanil; Davies, Paul C. W.; Decuzzi, Paolo; Dickinson, Laura; Estevez-Salmeron, Luis; Estrella, Veronica; Ferrari, Mauro; Fischbach, Claudia; Foo, Jasmine; Fraley, Stephanie I.; Frantz, Christian; Fuhrmann, Alexander; Gascard, Philippe; Gatenby, Robert A.; Geng, Yue; Gerecht, Sharon; Gillies, Robert J.; Godin, Biana; Grady, William M.; Greenfield, Alex; Hemphill, Courtney; Hempstead, Barbara L.; Hielscher, Abigail; Hillis, W. Daniel; Holland, Eric C.; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Jacks, Tyler; Johnson, Roger H.; Joo, Ahyoung; Katz, Jonathan E.; Kelbauskas, Laimonas; Kesselman, Carl; King, Michael R.; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos; Kraning-Rush, Casey M.; Kuhn, Peter; Kung, Kevin; Kwee, Brian; Lakins, Johnathon N.; Lambert, Guillaume; Liao, David; Licht, Jonathan D.; Liphardt, Jan T.; Liu, Liyu; Lloyd, Mark C.; Lyubimova, Anna; Mallick, Parag; Marko, John; McCarty, Owen J. T.; Meldrum, Deirdre R.; Michor, Franziska; Mumenthaler, Shannon M.; Nandakumar, Vivek; O'Halloran, Thomas V.; Oh, Steve; Pasqualini, Renata; Paszek, Matthew J.; Philips, Kevin G.; Poultney, Christopher S.; Rana, Kuldeepsinh; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A.; Ros, Robert; Semenza, Gregg L.; Senechal, Patti; Shuler, Michael L.; Srinivasan, Srimeenakshi; Staunton, Jack R.; Stypula, Yolanda; Subramanian, Hariharan; Tlsty, Thea D.; Tormoen, Garth W.; Tseng, Yiider; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Verbridge, Scott S.; Wan, Jenny C.; Weaver, Valerie M.; Widom, Jonathan; Will, Christine; Wirtz, Denis; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan; Wu, Pei-Hsun

    2013-04-01

    To investigate the transition from non-cancerous to metastatic from a physical sciences perspective, the Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OC) Network performed molecular and biophysical comparative studies of the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast epithelial cell lines, commonly used as models of cancer metastasis. Experiments were performed in 20 laboratories from 12 PS-OCs. Each laboratory was supplied with identical aliquots and common reagents and culture protocols. Analyses of these measurements revealed dramatic differences in their mechanics, migration, adhesion, oxygen response, and proteomic profiles. Model-based multi-omics approaches identified key differences between these cells' regulatory networks involved in morphology and survival. These results provide a multifaceted description of cellular parameters of two widely used cell lines and demonstrate the value of the PS-OC Network approach for integration of diverse experimental observations to elucidate the phenotypes associated with cancer metastasis.

  19. New dinuclear palladium(II) complexes: Studies of the nucleophilic substitution reactions, DNA/BSA interactions and cytotoxic activity.

    PubMed

    Ćoćić, Dušan; Jovanović, Snežana; Nišavić, Marija; Baskić, Dejan; Todorović, Danijela; Popović, Suzana; Bugarčić, Živadin D; Petrović, Biljana

    2017-10-01

    Six new dinuclear Pd(II) complexes, [{Pd(2,2'-bipy)Cl} 2 (μ-pz)](ClO 4 ) 2 (Pd1), [{Pd(dach)Cl} 2 (μ-pz)](ClO 4 ) 2 (Pd2), [{Pd(en)Cl} 2 (μ-pz)](ClO 4 ) 2 (Pd3), [{Pd(2,2'-bipy)Cl} 2 (μ-4,4'-bipy)](ClO 4 ) 2 (Pd4), [{Pd(dach)Cl} 2 (μ-4,4'-bipy)](ClO 4 ) 2 (Pd5) and [{Pd(en)Cl} 2 (μ-4,4'-bipy)](ClO 4 ) 2 (Pd6) (where 2,2'-bipy=2,2'-bipyridyl, pz=pyrazine, dach=trans-(±)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane, en=ethylenediamine, 4,4'-bipy=4,4'-bipyridyl) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental microanalysis, IR, 1 H NMR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The pK a values of corresponding diaqua complexes were determined by spectrophotometric pH titration. Substitution reactions with thiourea (Tu), l-methionine (l-Met), l-cysteine (l-Cys), l-histidine (l-His) and guanosine-5'-monophosphate (5'-GMP) were studied under the pseudo-first order conditions at pH7.2. Reactions of Pd1 with Tu, l-Met and l-Cys were followed by decomposition of complexes, while structures of dinuclear complexes were preserved during the substitution with nitrogen donors. Interactions with calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) were followed by absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching measurements. All complexes can bind to CT-DNA exhibiting high intrinsic binding constants (K b =10 4 -10 5 M -1 ). Competitive studies with ethidium bromide (EB) have shown that complexes can displace DNA-bound EB. High values of binding constants towards bovine serum albumin protein (BSA) indicate good binding affinity. Finally, all complexes showed moderate to high cytotoxic activity against HeLa (human cervical epithelial carcinoma cell lines) and MDA-MB-231 (human breast epithelial carcinoma cell lines) tumor cell lines inducing apoptotic type cell death, whereas normal fibroblasts were significantly less sensitive. The impact on cell cycle of these cells was distinctive, where Pd4, Pd5 and Pd6 showed the most prominent effect arresting MDA-MB-231 (human lung fibroblast cell lines) cell in G1/S phase of cell cycle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Co-evolution of breast-to-brain metastasis and neural progenitor cells.

    PubMed

    Neman, Josh; Choy, Cecilia; Kowolik, Claudia M; Anderson, Athena; Duenas, Vincent J; Waliany, Sarah; Chen, Bihong T; Chen, Mike Y; Jandial, Rahul

    2013-08-01

    Brain colonization by metastatic tumor cells offers a unique opportunity to investigate microenvironmental influences on the neoplastic process. The bi-directional interplay of breast cancer cells (mesodermal origin) and brain cells (neuroectodermal origin) is poorly understood and rarely investigated. In our patients undergoing neurosurgical resection of breast-to-brain metastases, specimens from the tumor/brain interface exhibited increased active gliosis as previously described. In addition, our histological characterization revealed infiltration of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) both outside and inside the tumor margin, leading us to investigate the cellular and molecular interactions between NPCs and metastases. Since signaling by the TGF-β superfamily is involved in both developmental neurobiology and breast cancer pathogenesis, we examined the role of these proteins in the context of brain metastases. The brain-metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231Br (231Br) expressed BMP-2 at significantly higher levels compared to its matched primary breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 (231). Co-culturing was used to examine bi-directional cellular effects and the relevance of BMP-2 overexpression. When co-cultured with NPCs, 231 (primary) tumor cells failed to proliferate over 15 days. However, 231Br (brain metastatic) tumor cells co-cultured with NPCs escaped growth inhibition after day 5 and proliferated, occurring in parallel with NPC differentiation into astrocytes. Using shRNA and gene knock-in, we then demonstrated BMP-2 secreted by 231Br cells mediated NPC differentiation into astrocytes and concomitant tumor cell proliferation in vitro. In xenografts, overexpression of BMP-2 in primary breast cancer cells significantly enhanced their ability to engraft and colonize the brain, thereby creating a metastatic phenotype. Conversely, BMP-2 knockdown in metastatic breast cancer cells significantly diminished engraftment and colonization. The results suggest metastatic tumor cells create a permissive neural niche by steering NPC differentiation toward astrocytes through paracrine BMP-2 signaling.

  1. Co-evolution of breast-to-brain metastasis and neural progenitor cells

    PubMed Central

    Neman, Josh; Choy, Cecilia; Kowolik, Claudia M.; Anderson, Athena; Duenas, Vincent J.; Waliany, Sarah; Chen, Bihong T.; Chen, Mike Y.

    2013-01-01

    Brain colonization by metastatic tumor cells offers a unique opportunity to investigate microenvironmental influences on the neoplastic process. The bi-directional interplay of breast cancer cells (mesodermal origin) and brain cells (neuroectodermal origin) is poorly understood and rarely investigated. In our patients undergoing neurosurgical resection of breast-to-brain metastases, specimens from the tumor/brain interface exhibited increased active gliosis as previously described. In addition, our histological characterization revealed infiltration of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) both outside and inside the tumor margin, leading us to investigate the cellular and molecular interactions between NPCs and metastases. Since signaling by the TGF-β superfamily is involved in both developmental neurobiology and breast cancer pathogenesis, we examined the role of these proteins in the context of brain metastases. The brain-metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231Br (231Br) expressed BMP-2 at significantly higher levels compared to its matched primary breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 (231). Co-culturing was used to examine bi-directional cellular effects and the relevance of BMP-2 overexpression. When co-cultured with NPCs, 231 (primary) tumor cells failed to proliferate over 15 days. However, 231Br (brain meta-static) tumor cells co-cultured with NPCs escaped growth inhibition after day 5 and proliferated, occurring in parallel with NPC differentiation into astrocytes. Using shRNA and gene knock-in, we then demonstrated BMP-2 secreted by 231Br cells mediated NPC differentiation into astrocytes and concomitant tumor cell proliferation in vitro. In xenografts, overexpression of BMP-2 in primary breast cancer cells significantly enhanced their ability to engraft and colonize the brain, thereby creating a metastatic phenotype. Conversely, BMP-2 knockdown in metastatic breast cancer cells significantly diminished engraftment and colonization. The results suggest metastatic tumor cells create a permissive neural niche by steering NPC differentiation toward astrocytes through paracrine BMP-2 signaling. PMID:23456474

  2. DHA is a more potent inhibitor of breast cancer metastasis to bone and related osteolysis than EPA

    PubMed Central

    Rahman, M.; Veigas, Maria; Williams, Paul J.; Fernandes, Gabriel

    2013-01-01

    Breast cancer patients often develop bone metastasis evidenced by osteolytic lesions, leading to severe pain and bone fracture. Attenuation of breast cancer metastasis to bone and associated osteolysis by fish oil (FO), rich in EPA and DHA, has been demonstrated previously. However, it was not known whether EPA and DHA differentially or similarly affect breast cancer bone metastasis and associated osteolysis. In vitro culture of parental and luciferase gene encoded MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines treated with EPA and DHA revealed that DHA inhibits proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells more potently than EPA. Intra-cardiac injection of parental and luciferase gene encoded MDA-MB-231 cells to athymic NCr nu/nu mice demonstrated that DHA treated mice had significantly less breast cancer cell burden in bone, and also significantly less osteolytic lesions than EPA treated mice. In vivo cell migration assay as measured by luciferase intensity revealed that DHA attenuated cell migration specifically to the bone. Moreover, the DHA treated group showed reduced levels of CD44 and TRAP positive area in bone compared to EPA treated group. Breast cancer cell burden and osteolytic lesions were also examined in intra-tibially breast cancer cell injected mice and found less breast cancer cell growth and associated osteolysis in DHA treated mice as compared to EPA treated mice. Finally, doxorubicin resistant MCF-7 (MCF-7dox) human breast cancer cell line was used to examine if DHA can improve sensitization of MCF-7dox cells to doxorubicin. DHA improved the inhibitory effect of doxorubicin on proliferation and invasion of MCF-7dox cells. Interestingly, drug resistance gene P-gp was also down-regulated in DHA plus doxorubicin treated cells. In conclusion, DHA attenuates breast cancer bone metastasis and associated osteolysis more potently than EPA, possibly by inhibiting migration of breast cancer cell to the bone as well as by inhibiting osteoclastic bone resorption. PMID:24062211

  3. Suppression of triple-negative breast cancer metastasis by pan-DAC inhibitor panobinostat via inhibition of ZEB family of EMT master regulators.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, Lyndsay V; Tate, Chandra R; Segar, H Chris; Burks, Hope E; Phamduy, Theresa B; Hoang, Van; Elliott, Steven; Gilliam, Diari; Pounder, F Nell; Anbalagan, Muralidharan; Chrisey, Douglas B; Rowan, Brian G; Burow, Matthew E; Collins-Burow, Bridgette M

    2014-06-01

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive breast cancer subtype that lacks effective targeted therapies. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key contributor in the metastatic process. We previously showed the pan-deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 induces CDH1 expression in TNBC cells, suggesting regulation of EMT. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of LBH589 on the metastatic qualities of TNBC cells and the role of EMT in this process. A panel of breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and BT-549), drugged with LBH589, was examined for changes in cell morphology, migration, and invasion in vitro. The effect on in vivo metastasis was examined using immunofluorescent staining of lung sections. EMT gene expression profiling was used to determine LBH589-induced changes in TNBC cells. ZEB overexpression studies were conducted to validate requirement of ZEB in LBH589-mediated proliferation and tumorigenesis. Our results indicate a reversal of EMT by LBH589 as demonstrated by altered morphology and altered gene expression in TNBC. LBH589 was shown to be a more potent inhibitor of EMT than other HDAC inhibitors, SAHA and TMP269. Additionally, we found that LBH589 inhibits metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells in vivo. These effects of LBH589 were mediated in part by inhibition of ZEB, as overexpression of ZEB1 or ZEB2 mitigated the effects of LBH589 on MDA-MB-231 EMT-associated gene expression, migration, invasion, CDH1 expression, and tumorigenesis. These data indicate therapeutic potential of LBH589 in targeting EMT and metastasis of TNBC.

  4. Tangeretin and nobiletin induce G1 cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis in human breast and colon cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Morley, Karen L; Ferguson, Peter J; Koropatnick, James

    2007-06-18

    Tangeretin and nobiletin are citrus flavonoids that are among the most effective at inhibiting cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. The antiproliferative activity of tangeretin and nobiletin was investigated in human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-435 and MCF-7 and human colon cancer line HT-29. Both flavonoids inhibited proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and blocked cell cycle progression at G1 in all three cell lines. At concentrations that resulted in significant inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle arrest, neither flavonoid induced apoptosis or cell death in any of the tumor cell lines. To test the ability of arrested cells to recover, cells that were incubated with tangeretin and nobiletin for 4 days were then cultured in flavonoid-free medium for an additional 4 days. Cells resumed proliferation similar to untreated control within a day of flavonoid removal. Cell cycle distribution was similar to that of control within 4 days of flavonoid removal. These data indicate that, in these cell lines at concentrations that inhibit proliferation up to 80% over 4 days, tangeretin and nobiletin are cytostatic and significantly suppress proliferation by cell cycle arrest without apoptosis. Such an agent could be expected to spare normal tissues from toxic side effects. Thus, tangeretin and nobiletin could be effective cytostatic anticancer agents. Inhibition of proliferation of human cancers without inducing cell death may be advantageous in treating tumors as it would restrict proliferation in a manner less likely to induce cytotoxicity and death in normal, non-tumor tissues.

  5. Comparative membrane proteomics analyses of breast cancer cell lines to understand the molecular mechanism of breast cancer brain metastasis.

    PubMed

    Peng, Wenjing; Zhang, Yu; Zhu, Rui; Mechref, Yehia

    2017-09-01

    Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women. Breast cancer brain metastasis is currently considered an issue of concern among breast cancer patients. Membrane proteins play important roles in breast cancer brain metastasis, involving cell adhesion and penetration of blood-brain barrier. To understand the mechanism of breast cancer brain metastasis, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed in conjunction with enrichment of membrane proteins to analyze the proteomes from five different breast cancer and a brain cancer cell lines. Quantitative proteomic data of all cell lines were compared with MDA-MB-231BR which is a brain seeking breast cancer cell line, thus representing brain metastasis characteristics. Label-free proteomics of the six cell lines facilitates the identification of 1238 proteins and the quantification of 899 proteins of which more than 70% were membrane proteins. Unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) of the label-free proteomics data resulted in a distinct clustering of cell lines, suggesting quantitative differences in the expression of several proteins among the different cell lines. Unique protein expressions in 231BR were observed for 28 proteins. The up-regulation of STAU1, AT1B3, NPM1, hnRNP Q, and hnRNP K and the down-regulation of TUBB4B and TUBB5 were noted in 231BR relative to 231 (precursor cell lines from which 231BR is derived). These proteins might contribute to the breast cancer brain metastasis. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) supported the great brain metastatic propensity of 231BR and suggested the importance of the up-regulation of integrin proteins and down-regulation of EPHA2 in brain metastasis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. The Endocannabinoid System as a Target for Treatment of Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-08-01

    cannabinoids with radiation in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and 4T1 breast tumor cell lines. Interestingly, the high efficacy synthetic cannabinoid agonist...tumorgenesis in FAAH (-/-) mice vs. wild type mice; and 2) the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 in combination with radiation or adriamycin...THC (the primary active psychoactive constituent present in marijuana ), cannabidiol (CBD: a marijuana -derived cannabinoid that lacks psychomimetic

  7. Agarofuran sesquiterpenes from Schaefferia argentinensis.

    PubMed

    García, Manuela E; Motrich, Rubén D; Caputto, Beatriz L; Sánchez, Marianela; Palermo, Jorge A; Estévez-Braun, Ana; Ravelo, Angel G; Nicotra, Viviana E

    2013-10-01

    Sixteen dihydro-β-agarofuran sesquiterpenes were isolated from the aerial parts of Schaefferia argentinensis Speg. Their structures were determined by a combination of 1D and 2D NMR and MS techniques. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the major sesquiterpenes was examined in T47D, MCF7, and MDA-MB231 human cancer cell lines, but was found to be marginal. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of therapeutic Au-methylene blue nanoparticles for targeted photodynamic therapy of cervical cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Yu, Jiashing; Hsu, Che-Hao; Huang, Chih-Chia; Chang, Po-Yang

    2015-01-14

    Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the cellular uptake of a photosensitizer (PS) combined with oxygen molecules and light at a specific wavelength to be able to trigger cancer cell death via the apoptosis pathway, which is less harmful and has less inflammatory side effect than necrosis. However, the traditional PDT treatment has two main deficiencies: the dark toxicity of the PS and the poor selectivity of the cellular uptake of PS between the target cells and normal tissues. In this work, methylene blue (MB), a known effective PS, combined with Au nanoparticles (NPs) was prepared using an intermolecular interaction between a polystyrene-alt-maleic acid (PSMA) layer on the Au NPs and MB. The Au@polymer/MB NPs produced a high quantum yield of singlet oxygen molecules, over 50% as much as that of free MB, when they were excited by a dark red light source at 660 nm, but without significant dark toxicity. Furthermore, transferrin (Tf) was conjugated on the Au@polymer/MB NPs via an EDC/NHS reaction to enhance the selectivity to HeLa cells compared to 3T3 fibroblasts. With a hand-held single laser treatment (32 mW/cm) for 4 min, the new Au@polymer/MB-Tf NPs showed a 2-fold enhancement of PDT efficiency toward HeLa cells over the use of free MB at 4 times dosage. Cellular staining examinations showed that the HeLa cells reacted with Au@polymer/MB-Tf NPs and the 660 nm light excitation triggered PDT, which caused the cells to undergo apoptosis ("programmed" cell death). We propose that applying this therapeutic Au@polymer/MB-Tf nanoagent is facile and safe for delivery and cancer cell targeting to simultaneously minimize side effects and accomplish a significant enhancement in photodynamic therapeutic efficiency toward next-generation nanomedicine development.

  9. Entrainment of Breast Cell Lines Results in Rhythmic Fluctuations of MicroRNAs

    PubMed Central

    Chacolla-Huaringa, Rafael; Trevino, Victor; Scott, Sean-Patrick

    2017-01-01

    Circadian rhythms are essential for temporal (~24 h) regulation of molecular processes in diverse species. Dysregulation of circadian gene expression has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various disorders, including hypertension, diabetes, depression, and cancer. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as critical modulators of gene expression post-transcriptionally, and perhaps involved in circadian clock architecture or their output functions. The aim of the present study is to explore the temporal expression of miRNAs among entrained breast cell lines. For this purpose, we evaluated the temporal (28 h) expression of 2006 miRNAs in MCF-10A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cells using microarrays after serum shock entrainment. We noted hundreds of miRNAs that exhibit rhythmic fluctuations in each breast cell line, and some of them across two or three cell lines. Afterwards, we validated the rhythmic profiles exhibited by miR-141-5p, miR-1225-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-222-5p, miR-769-3p, and miR-548ay-3p in the above cell lines, as well as in ZR-7530 and HCC-1954 using RT-qPCR. Our results show that serum shock entrainment in breast cells lines induces rhythmic fluctuations of distinct sets of miRNAs, which have the potential to be related to endogenous circadian clock, but extensive investigation is required to elucidate that connection. PMID:28704935

  10. Three new triterpenoids from Ganoderma theaecolum.

    PubMed

    Liu, Li-Ying; Yan, Zheng; Kang, Jie; Chen, Ruo-Yun; Yu, De-Quan

    2017-09-01

    Three new triterpenoids (1-3), together with four known triterpenoids (4-7), were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma theaecolum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data and chemical evidence. Compounds 4 and 6 exhibited antitumor activities against H460 cells with IC 50 values of 22.4 and 43.1 μM, respectively. And the cytotoxic activities of compounds 4 and 5 against MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines were assayed with IC 50 values of 49.1 and 75.8 μM, respectively.

  11. Disruption of endothelial adherens junction by invasive breast cancer cells is mediated by reactive oxygen species and is attenuated by AHCC.

    PubMed

    Haidari, Mehran; Zhang, Wei; Wakame, Koji

    2013-12-18

    The effect of antioxidants on treatment of cancer is still controversial. Previously, we demonstrated that interaction of breast cancer cells with endothelial cells leads to tyrosine phosphorylation of VE-cadherin and disruption of endothelial adherens junction (EAJ). The molecular mechanism underlying the anti-metastatic effects of mushroom-derived active hexode correlated compound (AHCC) remains elusive. Several cellular and biochemical techniques were used to determine the contribution of oxidative stress in the disruption of EAJ and to test this hypothesis that AHCC inhibits the breast cancer cell-induced disruption of EAJ. Interaction of breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 cells) with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) leads to an increase in generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Treatment of HUVECs with H2O2 or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) led to tyrosine phosphorylation of VE-cadherin, dissociation of β-catenin from VE-cadherin complex and increased transendothelial migration (TEM) of MDA-MB-231 cells. Induction of VE-cadherin tyrosine phosphorylation by PMA or by interaction of MDA-MB-231 cells with HUVECs was mediated by HRas and protein kinase C-α signaling pathways. Disruption of EAJ and phosphorylation of VE-cadherin induced by interaction of MDA-MB-231 cells with HUVECs were attenuated when HUVECs were pretreated with an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or AHCC. AHCC inhibited TEM of MDA-MB-231 cells and generation of ROS induced by interaction of MDA-MB-231 cells with HUVECs. Our studies suggest that ROS contributes to disruption of EAJ induced by interaction of MDA-MB-231 cells with HUVECs and AHCC attenuates this alteration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Synthesis and in vitro antiproliferative activity of 2-methyl-3-(2-piperazin-1-yl-ethyl)-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one derivatives against human cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Mallesha, Lingappa; Mohana, Kikkeri N; Veeresh, Bantal; Alvala, Ravi; Mallika, Alvala

    2012-01-01

    A series of new 2-methyl-3-(2-piperazin-1-yl-ethyl)-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one derivatives 6a-j were synthesized by a nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2-methyl-3-(2-piperazin-1-ylethyl)-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one with various sulfonyl chlorides. The compounds were characterized by different spectral studies. All the compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative effect using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay method against four human cancer cell lines (K562, Colo-205, MDA-MB 231, IMR-32) for the time period of 24 h. Among the series, compounds 6d, 6e and 6i showed good activity on all cell lines except K562, whereas the other compounds in the series exhibited moderate activity. Compound 6d could be a potential anticancer agent and therefore deserves further research.

  13. The influence of lateral forces on the cell stiffness measurement by optical tweezers vertical indentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ndoye, Fatou; Sulaiman Yousafzai, Muhammad; Coceano, Giovanna; Bonin, Serena; Scoles, Giacinto; Ka, Oumar; Niemela, Joseph; Cojoc, Dan

    2016-01-01

    We studied the lateral forces arising during the vertical indentation of the cell membrane by an optically trapped microbead, using back focal plane interferometry to determine force components in all directions. We analyzed the cell-microbead interaction and showed that indeed the force had also lateral components. Using the Hertz model, we calculated and compared the elastic moduli resulting from the total and vertical forces, showing that the differences are important and the total force should be considered. To confirm our results we analyzed cells from two breast cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-231 and HBL-100, known to have different cancer aggressiveness and hence stiffness.

  14. High-level secretion of tissue factor-rich extracellular vesicles from ovarian cancer cells mediated by filamin-A and protease-activated receptors.

    PubMed

    Koizume, Shiro; Ito, Shin; Yoshioka, Yusuke; Kanayama, Tomohiko; Nakamura, Yoshiyasu; Yoshihara, Mitsuyo; Yamada, Roppei; Ochiya, Takahiro; Ruf, Wolfram; Miyagi, Etsuko; Hirahara, Fumiki; Miyagi, Yohei

    2016-01-01

    Thromboembolic events occur frequently in ovarian cancer patients. Tissue factor (TF) is often overexpressed in tumours, including ovarian clear-cell carcinoma (CCC), a subtype with a generally poor prognosis. TF-coagulation factor VII (fVII) complexes on the cell surface activate downstream coagulation mechanisms. Moreover, cancer cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), which act as vehicles for TF. We therefore examined the characteristics of EVs produced by ovarian cancer cells of various histological subtypes. CCC cells secreted high levels of TF within EVs, while the high-TF expressing breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 shed fewer TF-positive EVs. We also found that CCC tumours with hypoxic tissue areas synthesised TF and fVII in vivo, rendering the blood of xenograft mice bearing these tumours hypercoagulable compared with mice bearing MDA-MB-231 tumours. Incorporation of TF into EVs and secretion of EVs from CCC cells exposed to hypoxia were both dependent on the actin-binding protein, filamin-A (filA). Furthermore, production of these EVs was dependent on different protease-activated receptors (PARs) on the cell surface. These results show that CCC cells could produce large numbers of TF-positive EVs dependent upon filA and PARs. This phenomenon may be the mechanism underlying the increased incidence of venous thromboembolism in ovarian cancer patients.

  15. Inhibition of histone deacetylase for the treatment of biliary tract cancer: A new effective pharmacological approach

    PubMed Central

    Bluethner, Thilo; Niederhagen, Manuel; Caca, Karel; Serr, Frederik; Witzigmann, Helmut; Moebius, Christian; Mossner, Joachim; Wiedmann, Marcus

    2007-01-01

    AIM: To investigate in vitro and in vivo therapeutic effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors NVP-LAQ824 and NVP-LBH589 on biliary tract cancer. METHODS: Cell growth inhibition by NVP-LAQ824 and NVP-LBH589 was studied in vitro in 7 human biliary tract cancer cell lines by MTT assay. In addition, the anti-tumoral effect of NVP-LBH589 was studied in a chimeric mouse model. Anti-tumoral drug mechanism was assessed by immunoblotting for acH4 and p21WAF-1/CIP-1, PARP assay, cell cycle analysis, TUNEL assay, and immunhistochemistry for MIB-1. RESULTS: In vitro treatment with both compounds significantly suppressed the growth of all cancer cell lines [mean IC50 (3 d) 0.11 and 0.05 μmol/L, respectively], and was associated with hyperacetylation of nucleosomal histone H4, increased expression of p21WAF-1/CIP-1, induction of apoptosis (PARP cleavage), and cell cycle arrest at G2/M checkpoint. After 28 d, NVP-LBH589 significantly reduced tumor mass by 66% (bile duct cancer) and 87% (gallbladder cancer) in vivo in comparison to placebo, and potentiated the efficacy of gemcitabine. Further analysis of the tumor specimens revealed increased apoptosis by TUNEL assay and reduced cell proliferation (MIB-1). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that NVP-LBH589 and NVP-LAQ824 are active against human biliary tract cancer in vitro. In addition, NVP-LBH589 demonstrated significant in vivo activity and potentiated the efficacy of gemcitabine. Therefore, further clinical evaluation of this new drug for the treatment of biliary tract cancer is recommended. PMID:17729398

  16. Liquid part of the phase diagram and percolation line for two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz water.

    PubMed

    Urbic, T

    2017-09-01

    Monte Carlo simulations and Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT) are used to predict the phase diagram and percolation curve for the simple two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz (MB) model of water. The MB model of water is quite popular for explaining water properties, but the phase diagram has not been reported till now. In the MB model, water molecules are modeled as two-dimensional Lennard-Jones disks, with three orientation-dependent hydrogen-bonding arms, arranged as in the MB logo. The liquid part of the phase space is explored using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations and two versions of Wertheim's TPT for associative fluids, which have been used before to predict the properties of the simple MB model. We find that the theory reproduces well the physical properties of hot water but is less successful at capturing the more structured hydrogen bonding that occurs in cold water. In addition to reporting the phase diagram and percolation curve of the model, it is shown that the improved TPT predicts the phase diagram rather well, while the standard one predicts a phase transition at lower temperatures. For the percolation line, both versions have problems predicting the correct position of the line at high temperatures.

  17. Liquid part of the phase diagram and percolation line for two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Urbic, T.

    2017-09-01

    Monte Carlo simulations and Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT) are used to predict the phase diagram and percolation curve for the simple two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz (MB) model of water. The MB model of water is quite popular for explaining water properties, but the phase diagram has not been reported till now. In the MB model, water molecules are modeled as two-dimensional Lennard-Jones disks, with three orientation-dependent hydrogen-bonding arms, arranged as in the MB logo. The liquid part of the phase space is explored using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations and two versions of Wertheim's TPT for associative fluids, which have been used before to predict the properties of the simple MB model. We find that the theory reproduces well the physical properties of hot water but is less successful at capturing the more structured hydrogen bonding that occurs in cold water. In addition to reporting the phase diagram and percolation curve of the model, it is shown that the improved TPT predicts the phase diagram rather well, while the standard one predicts a phase transition at lower temperatures. For the percolation line, both versions have problems predicting the correct position of the line at high temperatures.

  18. Cell membrane reactivity of MIB-1 antibody to Ki67 in human tumors: fact or artifact?

    PubMed

    Leonardo, Eugenio; Volante, Marco; Barbareschi, Mattia; Cavazza, Alberto; Dei Tos, Angelo Paolo; Bussolati, Gianni; Papotti, Mauro

    2007-06-01

    Ki67 immunohistochemistry is a widely used marker of the tumor proliferative fraction. Apart from the nuclear staining of dividing cells, MIB-1 monoclonal antibody was also found to stain the cell membrane of some tumor types. Indeed, such membrane reactivity was proposed as a diagnostic feature of hyalinizing trabecular tumor (HTT) of the thyroid. To verify the diagnostic role of Ki67 membrane pattern, 6 HTTs, 8 pulmonary sclerosing hemangiomas (SH), and 6 other human tumors with MIB-1 cell membrane immunoreactivity were stained by immunoperoxidase with 5 different anti-Ki67 antibodies in different experimental conditions. We show here that the cell membrane reactivity reported in HTT is produced only by MIB-1 and not by other antibodies to Ki67 (including commercially available mouse and rabbit monoclonal antibodies). In addition, this peculiar pattern is obtained only if the reaction is performed at room temperature, because automated immunostainers which operate at 37 degrees C do not produce any MIB-1 membrane localization. The same findings were obtained in the other 6 tumors. Conversely, sclerosing hemangioma of the lung did not produce any MIB-1 cell membrane reactivity in our hands. A cross-reactivity of the MIB-1 monoclonal antibody with an epitope expressed at the cell membrane level (rather than an artifact) seems the most likely explanation for this finding, because the immunoreactivity is generally intense and uniform in the membrane positive tumors. We conclude that when Ki67 immunohistochemistry is used for diagnostic purposes in a suspected HTT, only MIB-1 clone at room temperature should be employed.

  19. Paraquat and Maneb Exposure Alters Rat Neural Stem Cell Proliferation by Inducing Oxidative Stress: New Insights on Pesticide-Induced Neurodevelopmental Toxicity.

    PubMed

    Colle, Dirleise; Farina, Marcelo; Ceccatelli, Sandra; Raciti, Marilena

    2018-06-01

    Pesticide exposure has been linked to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity, and Parkinson's disease (PD). Developmental exposure to pesticides, even at low concentrations not harmful for the adult brain, can lead to neuronal loss and functional deficits. It has been shown that prenatal or early postnatal exposure to the herbicide paraquat (PQ) and the fungicide maneb (MB), alone or in combination, causes permanent toxicity in the nigrostriatal dopamine system, supporting the idea that early exposure to these pesticides may contribute to the pathophysiology of PD. However, the mechanisms mediating PQ and MB developmental neurotoxicity are not yet understood. Therefore, we investigated the neurotoxic effect of low concentrations of PQ and MB in primary cultures of rat embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs), with particular focus on cell proliferation and oxidative stress. Exposure to PQ alone or in combination with MB (PQ + MB) led to a significant decrease in cell proliferation, while the cell death rate was not affected. Consistently, PQ + MB exposure altered the expression of major genes regulating the cell cycle, namely cyclin D1, cyclin D2, Rb1, and p19. Moreover, PQ and PQ + MB exposures increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production that could be neutralized upon N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment. Notably, in the presence of NAC, Rb1 expression was normalized and a normal cell proliferation pattern could be restored. These findings suggest that exposure to PQ + MB impairs NSCs proliferation by mechanisms involving alterations in the redox state.

  20. N-ω-chloroacetyl-L-ornithine has in-vitro activity against cancer cell lines and in-vivo activity against ascitic and solid tumors.

    PubMed

    Vargas-Ramírez, Alba L; Medina-Enríquez, Miriam M; Cordero-Rodríguez, Neira I; Ruiz-Cuello, Tatiana; Aguilar-Faisal, Leopoldo; Trujillo-Ferrara, José G; Alcántara-Farfán, Verónica; Rodríguez-Páez, Lorena

    2016-07-01

    N-ω-chloroacetyl-L-ornithine (NCAO) is an ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibitor that is known to exert cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on three neoplastic human cancer cell lines (HeLa, MCF-7, and HepG2). Here, we show that NCAO has antiproliferative activity in 13 cancer cell lines, of diverse tissue origin from human and mice, and in a mouse cancer model in vivo. All cell lines were sensitive to NCAO after 72 h of treatment (the EC50 ranged from 1 to 50.6 µmol/l). The Ca Ski cell line was the most sensitive (EC50=1.18±0.07 µmol/l) and MDA-MB-231 was the least sensitive (EC50=50.6±0.3 µmol/l). This ODC inhibitor showed selectivity for cancer cells, exerting almost no cytotoxic effect on the normal Vero cell line (EC50>1000 µmol/l). NCAO induced apoptosis and inhibited tumor cell migration in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo, this compound (at 50 and 100 mg/kg, daily intraperitoneal injection for 7 days) exerted potent antitumor activity against both solid and ascitic tumors in a mouse model using the myeloma (Ag8) cell line. At these same two doses, the toxicological evaluation showed that NCAO has no obvious systemic toxicity. The current results suggest that the antitumor activity is exerted by apoptosis related not only to a local but also a systemic cytotoxic effect exerted by NCAO on tumor cells. The applications for NCAO as an antitumor agent may be extensive; however, further studies are needed to ascertain the antitumor activity on other types of tumor in vivo and to determine the precise molecular mechanism of its activity.

  1. Proliferative activity and branching morphogenesis in the human prostate: a closer look at pre- and postnatal prostate growth.

    PubMed

    Xue, Y; Sonke, G; Schoots, C; Schalken, J; Verhofstad, A; de la Rosette, J; Smedts, F

    2001-10-01

    To gain further insight into the molecular cell biologic features of prostate development, we investigated the proliferative activity of prostate epithelial and stromal cells and their topographic relationship with neuroendocrine (NE) cell distribution and regional heterogeneity. Consecutive sections from 43 prostates taken during autopsy representing fetuses (12-38 weeks of gestation), infants, prepubertal males and adults were double stained for chromogranin A and MIB-1. MIB-1 labeling index (LI) was calculated in the budding tips, forming acini, major collecting ducts, adjacent and non-adjacent stromal compartments. Furthermore, the topographic relationship between proliferating cells and NE cells was evaluated. In the first half of gestation, cell proliferation as revealed by MIB-1 LI was significantly higher in epithelial structures and stroma than in older fetuses and other age groups. MIB-1 LI was higher in budding tips than in other epithelial regions. MIB-1 LI in stroma adjacent to budding tips was not higher than that adjacent to other epithelial branching segments. Co-expression of chromogranin A and MIB-1 staining was not observed. MIB-1 LI was lower in cells in the direct vicinity of chromogranin A positive NE cells than at a distance from NE cells. Prostate development in the first half of gestation is explosive. Thereafter, the prostate basically is a slow-growing organ. Budding tips are the major growth foci during early prostate development, while stromal growth is evenly distributed throughout the prostate, probably indicating that stromal-epithelial interactions do not manifest in enhanced proliferation at their interface. NE cells may have an inhibitory effect on proliferation of exocrine epithelial cells and are probably only associated with differentiation of prostate exocrine cells in the prostate. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  2. Phytochemical constituents, nutritional values, phenolics, flavonols, flavonoids, antioxidant and cytotoxicity studies on Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl fruits

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The edible fruits of Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl are widely used in traditional medicine in Indonesia. It is used to treat a variety of medical conditions such as - cancer, diabetes mellitus, allergies, liver and heart diseases, kidney failure, blood diseases, high blood pressure, stroke, various skin diseases, itching, aches, and flu. Therefore, it is of great interest to determine the biochemical and cytotoxic properties of the fruit extracts. Methods The methanol, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water extracts of P. macrocarpa fruits were examined for phytochemicals, physicochemicals, flavonols, flavonoids and phenol content. Its nutritional value (A.O.A.C method), antioxidant properties (DPPH assay) and cytotoxicity (MTT cell proliferation assay) were also determined. Results A preliminary phyotochemical screening of the different crude extracts from the fruits of P. macrocarpa showed the presence secondary metabolites such as of flavonoids, phenols, saponin glycosides and tannins. The ethyl acetate and methanol extracts displayed high antioxidant acitivity (IC50 value of 8.15±0.02 ug/mL) in the DPPH assay comparable to that of the standard gallic acid (IC50 value of 10.8±0.02 ug/mL). Evaluation of cytotoxic activity showed that the crude methanol extract possessed excellent anti-proliferative activity against SKOV-3 (IC50 7.75±2.56 μg/mL) after 72 hours of treatment whilst the hexane and ethyl acetate extracts displayed good cytotoxic effect against both SKOV-3 and MDA-MB231 cell lines. The chloroform extract however, showed selective inhibitory activity in the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB231 (IC50 7.80±1.57 μg/mL) after 48 hours of treatment. There was no cytotoxic effect observed in the Ca Ski cell line and the two normal cell lines (MRC-5 and WRL-68). Conclusion The methanol extract and the ethyl acetate fraction of P. macrocarpa fruits exhibited good nutritional values, good antioxidant and cytotoxic activities, and merits further investigation to identify the specific compound(s) responsible for these activities. PMID:24885709

  3. Efficient Use of Exogenous Isoprenols for Protein Isoprenylation by MDA-MB-231 Cells Is Regulated Independently of the Mevalonate Pathway*

    PubMed Central

    Onono, Fredrick; Subramanian, Thangaiah; Sunkara, Manjula; Subramanian, Karunai Leela; Spielmann, H. Peter; Morris, Andrew J.

    2013-01-01

    Mammalian cells can use exogenous isoprenols to generate isoprenoid diphosphate substrates for protein isoprenylation, but the mechanism, efficiency, and biological importance of this process are not known. We developed mass spectrometry-based methods using chemical probes and newly synthesized stable isotope-labeled tracers to quantitate incorporation of exogenously provided farnesol, geranylgeraniol, and unnatural analogs of these isoprenols containing an aniline group into isoprenoid diphosphates and protein isoprenylcysteines by cultured human cancer cell lines. We found that at exogenous isoprenol concentrations >10 μm, this process can generate as much as 50% of the cellular isoprenoid diphosphate pool used for protein isoprenylation. Mutational activation of p53 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells up-regulates the mevalonate pathway to promote tumor invasiveness. p53 silencing or pharmacological inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase in these cells decreases protein isoprenylation from endogenously synthesized isoprenoids but enhances the use of exogenous isoprenols for this purpose, indicating that this latter process is regulated independently of the mevalonate pathway. Our observations suggest unique opportunities for design of cancer cell-directed therapies and may provide insights into mechanisms underlying pleiotropic therapeutic benefits and unwanted side effects of mevalonate pathway inhibition. PMID:23908355

  4. Cytotoxic Compounds from Aerial Organs of Xanthium strumarium.

    PubMed

    Ferrer, Janet Piloto; Zampini, Iris Catiana; Cuello, Ana Soledad; Francisco, Marbelis; Romero, Aylema; Valdivia, Dayana; Gonzalez, Maria; Carlos Salas; Lamar, Angel Sanchez; Isla, Maria Inés

    2016-03-01

    Xanthium strumarium L., the main species of the genus Xanthium, is ubiquitously distributed. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxic effect of aerial organs of X strumarium, grown in Cuba, against cancer cell lines and the isolation of compounds potentially responsible for this activity. Initially, an ethanol partitioning procedure yielded the XSE extract that was subsequently fractionated with chloroform resulting in a XSCF fraction. Both, XSE and XSCF fractions exhibited cytotoxic effects on MDA MB-23 1, MCF7, A549 and CT26 cell lines by using the MTT assay. Above all, the XSCF fraction was more active than XSE. For this reason, XSCF was subsequently fractionated by silica gel chromatography and the active fractions submitted to semi-preparative HPLC for isolation of bioactive compounds. Six sub-fractions (SF1 to SF6) were recovered. Sub-fractions 3 and 6 were the most active on each assayed cell line, while sub-fractions 4 and 5 were only active against A549 and CT26 cell lines. In each case, sub-fraction 6 showed the strongest inhibitory effect. The HPLC-DAD fingerprint of sub-fraction 6 showed a single peak that was identified by GC-MS as (-) spathulenol, a sesquiterpene with reported antitumor activity.

  5. Acute maneb exposure significantly alters both glycolysis and mitochondrial function in neuroblastoma cells.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Colin C; Aivazidis, Stefanos; Kuzyk, Crystal L; Jain, Abhilasha; Roede, James R

    2018-05-14

    The pesticides paraquat (PQ) and maneb (MB) have been described as environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD), with mechanisms associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. A combined exposure of PQ and MB in murine models and neuroblastoma cells has been utilized to further advance understanding of the PD phenotype. MB acts as a redox modulator through alkylation of protein thiols and has been previously characterized to inhibit complex III of the electron transport chain (ETC) and uncouple the mitochondrial proton gradient. The purpose of this study was to analyze ATP-linked respiration and glycolysis in human neuroblastoma cells utilizing the Seahorse extracellular flux (XFp) platform. Employing an acute, subtoxic exposure of MB, this investigation revealed a MB-mediated decrease in mitochondrial oxygen consumption at baseline and maximal respiration, with inhibition of ATP synthesis and coupling efficiency. Additionally, MB treated cells showed an increase in non-mitochondrial respiration and proton leak. Further investigation into mitochondrial fuel flex revealed an elimination of fuel flexibility across all three major substrates, with a decrease in pyruvate capacity as well as glutamine dependency. Analyses of glycolytic function showed a substantial decrease in glycolytic acidification caused by lactic acid export. This inhibition of glycolytic parameters was also observed after titrating the MB dose as low as 6 μM, and appears to be dependent on the dithiocarbamate functional group, with manganese possibly potentiating the effect. Further studies into cellular ATP and NAD levels revealed a drastic decrease in cells treated with MB. In summary, MB significantly impacted both aerobic and anaerobic energy production; therefore, further characterization of MB's effect on cellular energetics may provide insight into the specificity of PD to dopaminergic neurons.

  6. Immunoliposomal delivery of doxorubicin can overcome multidrug resistance mechanisms in EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells.

    PubMed

    Mamot, Christoph; Ritschard, Reto; Wicki, Andreas; Küng, Willy; Schuller, Jan; Herrmann, Richard; Rochlitz, Christoph

    2012-06-01

    Immunoliposomes (ILs) can be constructed to target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to provide efficient intracellular drug delivery in tumor cells. We hypothesized that this approach might be able to overcome drug resistance mechanisms, which remain an important obstacle to better outcomes in cancer therapy. ILs were evaluated in vitro and in vivo against EGFR-overexpressing pairs of human cancer cells (HT-29 and MDA-MB-231) that either lack or feature the multidrug resistance (mdr) phenotype. In multidrug-resistant cell lines, ILs loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) produced 19-216-fold greater cytotoxicity than free DOX, whereas in nonresistant cells, immunoliposomal cytotoxicity of DOX was comparable with that of the free drug. In intracellular distribution studies, free DOX was efficiently pumped out of the multidrug-resistant tumor cells, whereas immunoliposomal DOX leads to 3.5-8 times higher accumulation of DOX in the cytoplasm and 3.5-4.9 times in the nuclei compared with the free drug. Finally, in vivo studies in the MDA-MB-231 Vb100 xenograft model confirmed the ability of anti-EGFR ILs-DOX to efficiently target multidrug-resistant cells and showed impressive antitumor effects, clearly superior to all other treatments. In conclusion, ILs provide efficient and targeted drug delivery to EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells and are capable of completely reversing the multidrug-resistant phenotype of human cancer cells.

  7. Integrin activation controls metastasis in human breast cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Felding-Habermann, Brunhilde; O'Toole, Timothy E.; Smith, Jeffrey W.; Fransvea, Emilia; Ruggeri, Zaverio M.; Ginsberg, Mark H.; Hughes, Paul E.; Pampori, Nisar; Shattil, Sanford J.; Saven, Alan; Mueller, Barbara M.

    2001-02-01

    Metastasis is the primary cause of death in human breast cancer. Metastasis to bone, lungs, liver, and brain involves dissemination of breast cancer cells via the bloodstream and requires adhesion within the vasculature. Blood cell adhesion within the vasculature depends on integrins, a family of transmembrane adhesion receptors, and is regulated by integrin activation. Here we show that integrin v3 supports breast cancer cell attachment under blood flow conditions in an activation-dependent manner. Integrin v3 was found in two distinct functional states in human breast cancer cells. The activated, but not the nonactivated, state supported tumor cell arrest during blood flow through interaction with platelets. Importantly, activated αvβ3 was expressed by freshly isolated metastatic human breast cancer cells and variants of the MDA-MB 435 human breast cancer cell line, derived from mammary fat pad tumors or distant metastases in severe combined immunodeficient mice. Expression of constitutively activated mutant αvβ3D723R, but not αvβ3WT, in MDA-MB 435 cells strongly promoted metastasis in the mouse model. Thus breast cancer cells can exhibit a platelet-interactive and metastatic phenotype that is controlled by the activation of integrin αvβ3. Consequently, alterations within tumors that lead to the aberrant control of integrin activation are expected to adversely affect the course of human breast cancer.

  8. Octyl gallate and gallic acid isolated from Terminalia bellarica regulates normal cell cycle in human breast cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Sales, Mary Selesty; Roy, Anita; Antony, Ludas; Banu, Sakhila K; Jeyaraman, Selvaraj; Manikkam, Rajalakshmi

    2018-07-01

    Herbal medicines stand unique and effective in treating human diseases. Terminalia bellarica (T. bellarica) is a potent medicinal herb, with a wide range of pharmacological activities. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of octyl gallate (OG) and gallic acid (GA) isolated from methanolic fruit extract of T. bellirica to inhibit the survival of breast cancer cells (MCF-7 & MDA-MB-231). Both OG & GA exhibited decreased MCF-7 & MDA-MB-231 survival and induced apoptosis, with IC 50 value of OG and GA as 40 μM and 80 μM respectively. No toxic effect was observed on normal breast cells (MCF-10A). The compounds inhibited cell cycle progression by altering the expression of the cell cycle regulators (Cyclin D1, D3, CDK-4, CDK-6, p18 INK4, p21Waf-1 and p27 KIP). Octyl gallate was more effective at low concentrations than GA. In-silico results provided stable interactions between the compounds and target proteins. The present investigation proved the downregulation of positive cell cycle regulators and upregulation of negative cell cycle regulators inducing apoptosis in compound-treated breast cancer cells. Hence, both the compounds may serve as potential anticancer agents and could be developed as breast cancer drugs, with further explorations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Identification of direct target genes of miR-7, miR-9, miR-96, and miR-182 in the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231.

    PubMed

    Moazzeni, Hamidreza; Najafi, Ali; Khani, Marzieh

    2017-08-01

    Some microRNAs have carcinogenic or tumor suppressive effects in breast cancer, which is the most common cancer in women worldwide. MiR-7 and miR-9 are tumor suppressor microRNAs, which induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation in breast cancer cells. Moreover, miR-96 and miR-182 are onco-microRNAs that increase proliferation, migration, and tumorigenesis in breast cancer cells. This study aimed to identify the direct target genes of these four microRNAs in the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Initially, bioinformatics tools were used to identify the target genes that have binding sites for miR-7, MiR-9, MiR-96, and miR-182 and are also associated with breast cancer. Subsequently, the findings of the bioinformatics analysis relating to the effects of these four microRNAs on the 3'-UTR activity of the potential target genes were confirmed using the dual luciferase assay in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells co-transfected with the vectors containing 3'-UTR segments of the target genes downstream of a luciferase coding gene and each of the microRNAs. Finally, the effects of microRNAs on the endogenous expression of potential target genes were assessed by the overexpression of each of the four microRNAs in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Respectively, three, three, three, and seven genes were found to have binding sites for miR-7, miR-9, miR-96, and miR-182 and were associated with breast cancer. The results of empirical studies including dual luciferase assays and real-time PCR confirmed that miR-7 regulates the expression of BRCA1 and LASP1; MiR-9 regulates the expression of AR; miR-96 regulates the expression of ABCA1; and miR-182 regulates the expression of NBN, TOX3, and LASP1. Taken together, our results suggest that the tumor suppressive effects of miR-7 may be mediated partly by regulating the expression of BRCA1 as a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer. In addition, this microRNA and miR-182 may have effects on the nodal-positivity and tumor size of breast carcinoma through the regulation of LASP1. The tumor suppressive functions of miR-9 may be mediated partly by suppressing the expression of AR-an oncogene in breast cancer. Moreover, miR-96 may play an oncogenic role in breast cancer by suppressing the apoptosis through the regulation of ABCA1. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Quantitative assessment of image motion blur in diffraction images of moving biological cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, He; Jin, Changrong; Feng, Yuanming; Qi, Dandan; Sa, Yu; Hu, Xin-Hua

    2016-02-01

    Motion blur (MB) presents a significant challenge for obtaining high-contrast image data from biological cells with a polarization diffraction imaging flow cytometry (p-DIFC) method. A new p-DIFC experimental system has been developed to evaluate the MB and its effect on image analysis using a time-delay-integration (TDI) CCD camera. Diffraction images of MCF-7 and K562 cells have been acquired with different speed-mismatch ratios and compared to characterize MB quantitatively. Frequency analysis of the diffraction images shows that the degree of MB can be quantified by bandwidth variations of the diffraction images along the motion direction. The analytical results were confirmed by the p-DIFC image data acquired at different speed-mismatch ratios and used to validate a method of numerical simulation of MB on blur-free diffraction images, which provides a useful tool to examine the blurring effect on diffraction images acquired from the same cell. These results provide insights on the dependence of diffraction image on MB and allow significant improvement on rapid biological cell assay with the p-DIFC method.

  11. Methylene Blue (Tetramethylthionine Chloride) Influences the Mobility of Adult Neural Stem Cells: A Potentially Novel Therapeutic Mechanism of a Therapeutic Approach in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

    PubMed

    van der Ven, Amelie T; Pape, Julius C; Hermann, Dirk; Schloesser, Robert; Genius, Just; Fischer, Nadine; Mößner, Rainald; Scherbaum, Norbert; Wiltfang, Jens; Rujescu, Dan; Benninghoff, Jens

    2017-01-01

    An interest in neurogenesis in the adult human brain as a relevant and targetable process has emerged as a potential treatment option for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of tetramethylthionine chloride (methylene blue, MB) on properties of adult murine neural stem cells. Based on recent clinical studies, MB has increasingly been discussed as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. While no differences in the proliferative capacity were identified, a general potential of MB in modulating the migratory capacity of adult neural stem cells was indicated in a cell mobility assay. To our knowledge, this is the first time that MB could be associated with neural mobility. The results of this study add insight to the spectrum of features of MB within the central nervous system and may be helpful for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying a potential therapeutic effect of MB.

  12. Biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the fungus Humicola sp. and evaluation of their cytoxicity using normal and cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Syed, Asad; Saraswati, Supriya; Kundu, Gopal C; Ahmad, Absar

    2013-10-01

    Nanoscience is a new born science of the modern era and taps into the potential of particles at nanoscale. Bulk materials reduced to nanoscale dimensions thus obtain unique properties such as electronic, optical, magnetic and chemical. As far as synthesis of nanoparticles is concerned, biological synthesis has recently sparked a great interest as compared to other available chemical and physical methods on account of its eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness. Here we report, for the first time, the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by the thermophilic fungus Humicola sp. The fungus when reacted with Ag(+) ions reduces the precursor solution and leads to the formation of extracellular nanoparticles as monitored by ultra violet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The morphology of nanoparticles is found to be spherical with good dispersity as revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cell viability assays were carried out to assess the cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles on NIH3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line and MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cell line. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. DISRUPTION OF THE PACAP GENE PROMOTES MEDULLOBLASTOMA IN PTC1 MUTANT MICE

    PubMed Central

    Lelievre, Vincent; Seksenyan, Akop; Nobuta, Hiroko; Yong, William H.; Chhith, Seririthanar; Niewiadomski, Pawel; Cohen, Joseph R.; Dong, Hongmei; Flores, Avegail; Liau, Linda M.; Kornblum, Harley I.; Scott, Matthew P.; Waschek, James A.

    2008-01-01

    Hedgehog (Hh) proteins and cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) generally play opposing roles in developmental patterning events. Humans and mice heterozygous for mutations in the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) receptor gene patched-1 (ptc1) have an increased incidence of certain types of cancer, including medulloblastoma (MB), a highly aggressive tumor of the cerebellum. Despite the importance of PKA in Hh signaling, little is known about how PKA activity is regulated in the context of Hh signaling, or the consequences of improper regulation. One molecule that can influence PKA activity is pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating peptide (PACAP), which has been shown to regulate cerebellar granule precursor proliferation in vitro, a cell population thought to give rise to MB. To test for a PACAP/Hh interaction in the initiation or propagation of these tumors, we introduced a PACAP mutation into ptc1 mutant mice. Deletion of a single copy of PACAP increased MB incidence approximate 2.5-fold, to 66%, thereby demonstrating that PACAP exerts a powerful inhibitory action on the induction, growth or survival of these tumors. Tumors from PACAP/ptc1 mutant mice retained PACAP receptor gene expression, and exhibited superinduction of Hh target genes compared to those from ptc1+/− mice. Moreover, PACAP inhibited proliferation of cell lines derived from tumors in a PKA-dependent manner, and inhibited expression of the Hh target gene gli1. The results provide genetic evidence that PACAP acts as a physiological factor that regulates the pathogenesis of Hh pathway-associated MB tumors. PMID:18036580

  14. Pharbilignan C induces apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway in human breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Park, Yong Joo; Choi, Chang-Ik; Chung, Kyu Hyuck; Kim, Ki Hyun

    2016-10-01

    Pharbitidis Semen, the seed of Morning glory (Pharbitis nil), is a medicinal agent that has traditionally been used as a purgative in Korea. Pharbilignan C (PLC) is a dihydro[b]-benzofuran-type neolignan from Pharbitidis Semen, which reportedly exhibited the most potent cytotoxicity against human tumor cells. To further study the antiproliferative activity of PLC, its molecular mechanisms of action in two breast adenocarcinoma cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cells were investigated. PLC inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB 231 and MCF-7 cells, in order of sensitivity (IC50 of MDA-MB 231 cells: 7.0±2.0μM). PLC induced apoptosis in MDA-MB 231 cells with down regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax expression. It also decreased mitochondrial membrane potential accompanied with increasing initiator caspase, caspase-9 activation and executioner caspase, caspase-3 activation. This study demonstrates that PLC inhibited proliferation of MDA-MB 231 cells by inducing apoptosis via the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Rottlerin enhances IL-1β-induced COX-2 expression through sustained p38 MAPK activation in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Park, Eun Jung

    2011-01-01

    Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an important enzyme in inflammation. In this study, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of the synergistic effect of rottlerin on interleukin1β (IL-1β)-induced COX-2 expression in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line. Treatment with rottlerin enhanced IL-1β-induced COX-2 expression at both the protein and mRNA levels. Combined treatment with rottlerin and IL-1β significantly induced COX-2 expression, at least in part, through the enhancement of COX-2 mRNA stability. In addition, rottlerin and IL-1β treatment drove sustained activation of p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which is involved in induced COX-2 expression. Also, a pharmacological inhibitor of p38 MAPK (SB 203580) and transient transfection with inactive p38 MAPK inhibited rottlerin and IL-1β-induced COX-2 upregulation. However, suppression of protein kinase C δ (PKC δ) expression by siRNA or overexpression of dominant-negative PKC δ (DN-PKC-δ) did not abrogate the rottlerin plus IL-1β-induced COX-2 expression. Furthermore, rottlerin also enhanced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced COX-2 expression. Taken together, our results suggest that rottlerin causes IL-1β-induced COX-2 upregulation through sustained p38 MAPK activation in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. PMID:21971413

  16. Pericytes as a supplementary source of osteoblasts in periosteal osteogenesis.

    PubMed

    Diaz-Flores, L; Gutierrez, R; Lopez-Alonso, A; Gonzalez, R; Varela, H

    1992-02-01

    In the adult rat femur, lifting a periosteum strip with microscopic bone flakes on its deep surface, if performed without damaging the surrounding microcirculation, rapidly leads to new bone formation and angiogenesis. Using vascular labeling, the pericytes and endothelial cells (ECs) were labeled with monastral blue (MB) in the preformed, preexisting postcapillary venules of the periosteal microcirculation. MB was detectable by light and electron microscopy and it persisted in some of the daughter cells. Between one and 21 hours, the MB labeling was restricted to the pericytes and ECs of postcapillary venules. Immediately afterward, both pericytes and ECs of these vessels were activated and continued to show MB. The phenomenon of pericyte activation includes enlargement, disruption of their basal lamina, separation from the walls of the preformed vessels, and the presence of mitotic figures. At this stage, activated pericytes with MB in their cytoplasm, fibroblast-like cells, and transitional cell forms between them were seen in interstitial areas. After 27 hours, vascular buds appeared and MB was detected in some ECs and pericytes. Between three and six days, when bone-tissue development was observed, some osteoblasts were MB labeled. Previous findings support the hypothesis that when the periosteum is activated, the process of bone formation from cells already present in the periosteum is augmented by proliferation and differentiation of pericytes, which contribute a supplementary population of osteoprogenitor cells.

  17. Rapid, High-Throughput, and Direct Molecular Beacon Delivery to Human Cancer Cells Using a Nanowire-Incorporated and Pneumatic Pressure-Driven Microdevice.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kyung Hoon; Kim, Jung; Choi, Jong Seob; Bae, Sunwoong; Kwon, Donguk; Park, Inkyu; Kim, Do Hyun; Seo, Tae Seok

    2015-12-01

    Tracking and monitoring the intracellular behavior of mRNA is of paramount importance for understanding real-time gene expression in cell biology. To detect specific mRNA sequences, molecular beacons (MBs) have been widely employed as sensing probes. Although numerous strategies for MB delivery into the target cells have been reported, many issues such as the cytotoxicity of the carriers, dependence on the random probability of MB transfer, and critical cellular damage still need to be overcome. Herein, we have developed a nanowire-incorporated and pneumatic pressure-driven microdevice for rapid, high-throughput, and direct MB delivery to human breast cancer MCF-7 cells to monitor survivin mRNA expression. The proposed microdevice is composed of three layers: a pump-associated glass manifold layer, a monolithic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane, and a ZnO nanowire-patterned microchannel layer. The MB is immobilized on the ZnO nanowires by disulfide bonding, and the glass manifold and PDMS membrane serve as a microvalve, so that the cellular attachment and detachment on the MB-coated nanowire array can be manipulated. The combination of the nanowire-mediated MB delivery and the microvalve function enable the transfer of MB into the cells in a controllable way with high cell viability and to detect survivin mRNA expression quantitatively after docetaxel treatment. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Platelet-camouflaged nanococktail: Simultaneous inhibition of drug-resistant tumor growth and metastasis via a cancer cells and tumor vasculature dual-targeting strategy.

    PubMed

    Jing, Lijia; Qu, Haijing; Wu, Dongqi; Zhu, Chaojian; Yang, Yongbo; Jin, Xing; Zheng, Jian; Shi, Xiangsheng; Yan, Xiufeng; Wang, Yang

    2018-01-01

    Multidrug resistance (MDR) poses a great challenge to cancer therapy. It is difficult to inhibit the growth of MDR cancer due to its chemoresistance. Furthermore, MDR cancers are more likely to metastasize, causing a high mortality among cancer patients. In this study, a nanomedicine RGD-NPVs@MNPs/DOX was developed by encapsulating melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) and doxorubicin (DOX) inside RGD peptide (c(RGDyC))-modified nanoscale platelet vesicles (RGD-NPVs) to efficiently inhibit the growth and metastasis of drug-resistant tumors via a cancer cells and tumor vasculature dual-targeting strategy. Methods: The in vitro immune evasion potential and the targeting performance of RGD-NPVs@MNPs/DOX were examined using RAW264.7, HUVECs, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231/ADR cells lines. We also evaluated the pharmacokinetic behavior and the in vivo therapeutic performance of RGD-NPVs@MNPs/DOX using a MDA-MB-231/ADR tumor-bearing nude mouse model. Results: By taking advantage of the self-recognizing property of the platelet membrane and the conjugated RGD peptides, RGD-NPVs@MNPs/DOX was found to evade immune clearance and target the αvβ3 integrin on tumor vasculature and resistant breast tumor cells. Under irradiation with a NIR laser, RGD-NPVs@MNPs/DOX produced a multipronged effect, including reversal of cancer MDR, efficient killing of resistant cells by chemo-photothermal therapy, elimination of tumor vasculature for blocking metastasis, and long-lasting inhibition of the expressions of VEGF, MMP2 and MMP9 within the tumor. Conclusion: This versatile nanomedicine of RGD-NPVs@MNPs/DOX integrating unique biomimetic properties, excellent targeting performance, and comprehensive therapeutic strategies in one formulation might bring opportunities to MDR cancer therapy.

  19. Decursin exerts anti-cancer activity in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells via inhibition of the Pin1 activity and enhancement of the Pin1/p53 association.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji-Hyun; Jung, Ji Hoon; Kim, Sung-Hoon; Jeong, Soo-Jin

    2014-02-01

    The peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase Pin1 is overexpressed in a wide variety of cancer cells and thus considered as an important target molecule for cancer therapy. This study demonstrates that decursin, a bioactive compound from Angelica gigas, exert the anti-cancer effect against breast cancer cells via regulation of Pin1 and its related signaling molecules. We observed that decursin induced G1 arrest with decrease in cyclin D1 level in Pin1-expressing breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231, but not Pin1-non-expressing breast cancer cells MDA-MB-157. In addition, decursin significantly reduced protein expression and enzymatic activity of Pin1 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Further, we found that decursin treatment enhanced the p53 expression level and failed to down-regulate Pin1 in the cells transfected with p53 siRNA, indicating the importance of p53 in the decursin-mediated Pin1 inhibition in MDA-MB-231 cells. Decursin stimulated association between Pin1 to p53. Moreover, decursin facilitated p53 transcription in MDA-MB-231 cells. Overall, our current study suggests the potential of decursin as an attractive cancer therapeutic agent for breast cancer by targeting Pin1 protein. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Apigenin, a dietary flavonoid, induces apoptosis, DNA damage, and oxidative stress in human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA MB-231 cells.

    PubMed

    Vrhovac Madunić, Ivana; Madunić, Josip; Antunović, Maja; Paradžik, Mladen; Garaj-Vrhovac, Vera; Breljak, Davorka; Marijanović, Inga; Gajski, Goran

    2018-05-01

    Apigenin is found in several dietary plant foods such as vegetables and fruits. To investigate potential anticancer properties of apigenin on human breast cancer, ER-positive MCF-7 and triple-negative MDA MB-231 cells were used. Moreover, toxicological safety of apigenin towards normal cells was evaluated in human lymphocytes. Cytotoxicity of apigenin towards cancer cells was evaluated by MTT assay whereas further genotoxic and oxidative stress parameters were measured by comet and lipid peroxidation assays, respectively. In order to examine the type of cell death induced by apigenin, several biomarkers were used. Toxicological safety towards normal cells was evaluated by cell viability and comet assays. After the treatment with apigenin, we observed changes in cell morphology in a dose- (10 to 100 μM) and time-dependent manner. Moreover, apigenin caused cell death in both cell lines leading to significant toxicity and dominantly to apoptosis. Furthermore, apigenin proved to be genotoxic towards the selected cancer cells with a potential to induce oxidative damage to lipids. Of great importance is that no significant cytogenotoxic effects were detected in normal cells. The observed cytogenotoxic and pro-cell death activities of apigenin coupled with its low toxicity towards normal cells indicate that this natural product could be used as a future anticancer modality. Therefore, further analysis to determine the exact mechanism of action and in vivo studies on animal models are warranted.

  1. 12-Chloracetyl-PPD, a novel dammarane derivative, shows anti-cancer activity via delay the progression of cell cycle G2/M phase and reactive oxygen species-mediate cell apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xu De; Sun, Yuan Yuan; Zhao, Chen; Qu, Fan Zhi; Zhao, Yu Qing

    2017-03-05

    (20R)-Dammarane-3β, 12β, 20, 25-tetrol (25-OH-PPD) is a ginsenoside isolated from Panax ginseng (C. A. Meyer). This compound exhibits anti-cancer activities on many human cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated anti-cancer mechanisms of 12β-O-( L -Chloracetyl)-dammar-20(22)-ene-3β,25-diol(12-Chloracetyl-PPD), a modified 25-OH-PPD. We found that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of viability in prostate, breast, and gastric cancer cells, without affecting the viability of normal cell (human gastric epithelial cell line-GES-1, hair follicle dermal papilla cell line-HHDPC and rat myocardial cell line-H9C2). In MDA-MB-435 and C4-2B cancer cells, 12-Chloracetyl-PPD induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, down-regulated mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) expression, up-regulated p53 expression, triggered apoptosis, and stimulated reactive oxygen species production. Apoptosis can be attenuated by the reactive oxygen species scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Our results suggested that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD showed obvious anti-cancer activity based on delaying cell cycle arrest and inducing cell apoptosis by reactive oxygen species production, which supported development of 12-Chloracetyl-PPD as a potential agent for cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Regulation of DNA Replication Timing on Human Chromosome by a Cell-Type Specific DNA Binding Protein SATB1

    PubMed Central

    Oda, Masako; Kanoh, Yutaka; Watanabe, Yoshihisa; Masai, Hisao

    2012-01-01

    Background Replication timing of metazoan DNA during S-phase may be determined by many factors including chromosome structures, nuclear positioning, patterns of histone modifications, and transcriptional activity. It may be determined by Mb-domain structures, termed as “replication domains”, and recent findings indicate that replication timing is under developmental and cell type-specific regulation. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined replication timing on the human 5q23/31 3.5-Mb segment in T cells and non-T cells. We used two independent methods to determine replication timing. One is quantification of nascent replicating DNA in cell cycle-fractionated stage-specific S phase populations. The other is FISH analyses of replication foci. Although the locations of early- and late-replicating domains were common between the two cell lines, the timing transition region (TTR) between early and late domains were offset by 200-kb. We show that Special AT-rich sequence Binding protein 1 (SATB1), specifically expressed in T-cells, binds to the early domain immediately adjacent to TTR and delays the replication timing of the TTR. Measurement of the chromosome copy number along the TTR during synchronized S phase suggests that the fork movement may be slowed down by SATB1. Conclusions Our results reveal a novel role of SATB1 in cell type-specific regulation of replication timing along the chromosome. PMID:22879953

  3. Regulation of DNA replication timing on human chromosome by a cell-type specific DNA binding protein SATB1.

    PubMed

    Oda, Masako; Kanoh, Yutaka; Watanabe, Yoshihisa; Masai, Hisao

    2012-01-01

    Replication timing of metazoan DNA during S-phase may be determined by many factors including chromosome structures, nuclear positioning, patterns of histone modifications, and transcriptional activity. It may be determined by Mb-domain structures, termed as "replication domains", and recent findings indicate that replication timing is under developmental and cell type-specific regulation. We examined replication timing on the human 5q23/31 3.5-Mb segment in T cells and non-T cells. We used two independent methods to determine replication timing. One is quantification of nascent replicating DNA in cell cycle-fractionated stage-specific S phase populations. The other is FISH analyses of replication foci. Although the locations of early- and late-replicating domains were common between the two cell lines, the timing transition region (TTR) between early and late domains were offset by 200-kb. We show that Special AT-rich sequence Binding protein 1 (SATB1), specifically expressed in T-cells, binds to the early domain immediately adjacent to TTR and delays the replication timing of the TTR. Measurement of the chromosome copy number along the TTR during synchronized S phase suggests that the fork movement may be slowed down by SATB1. Our results reveal a novel role of SATB1 in cell type-specific regulation of replication timing along the chromosome.

  4. Monte Carlo calculations of the cellular S-values for α-particle-emitting radionuclides incorporated into the nuclei of cancer cells of the MDA-MB231, MCF7 and PC3 lines.

    PubMed

    Rojas-Calderón, E L; Ávila, O; Ferro-Flores, G

    2018-05-01

    S-values (dose per unit of cumulated activity) for alpha particle-emitting radionuclides and monoenergetic alpha sources placed in the nuclei of three cancer cell models (MCF7, MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells and PC3 prostate cancer cells) were obtained by Monte Carlo simulation. The MCNPX code was used to calculate the fraction of energy deposited in the subcellular compartments due to the alpha sources in order to obtain the S-values. A comparison with internationally accepted S-values reported by the MIRD Cellular Committee for alpha sources in three sizes of spherical cells was also performed leading to an agreement within 4% when an alpha extended source uniformly distributed in the nucleus is simulated. This result allowed to apply the Monte Carlo Methodology to evaluate S-values for alpha particles in cancer cells. The calculation of S-values for nucleus, cytoplasm and membrane of cancer cells considering their particular geometry, distribution of the radionuclide source and chemical composition by means of Monte Carlo simulation provides a good approach for dosimetry assessment of alpha emitters inside cancer cells. Results from this work provide information and tools that may help researchers in the selection of appropriate radiopharmaceuticals in alpha-targeted cancer therapy and improve its dosimetry evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Downregulation of hPMC2 imparts chemotherapeutic sensitivity to alkylating agents in breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Krishnamurthy, Nirmala; Liu, Lili; Xiong, Xiahui; Zhang, Junran; Montano, Monica M

    2015-01-01

    Triple negative breast cancer cell lines have been reported to be resistant to the cyotoxic effects of temozolomide (TMZ). We have shown previously that a novel protein, human homolog of Xenopus gene which Prevents Mitotic Catastrophe (hPMC2) has a role in the repair of estrogen-induced abasic sites. Our present study provides evidence that downregulation of hPMC2 in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells treated with temozolomide (TMZ) decreases cell survival. This increased sensitivity to TMZ is associated with an increase in number of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites in the DNA. We also show that treatment with another alkylating agent, BCNU, results in an increase in AP sites and decrease in cell survival. Quantification of western blot analyses and immunofluorescence experiments reveal that treatment of hPMC2 downregulated cells with TMZ results in an increase in γ-H2AX levels, suggesting an increase in double strand DNA breaks. The enhancement of DNA double strand breaks in TMZ treated cells upon downregulation of hPCM2 is also revealed by the comet assay. Overall, we provide evidence that downregulation of hPMC2 in breast cancer cells increases cytotoxicity of alkylating agents, representing a novel mechanism of treatment for breast cancer. Our data thus has important clinical implications in the management of breast cancer and brings forth potentially new therapeutic strategies.

  6. Boswellia sacra essential oil induces tumor cell-specific apoptosis and suppresses tumor aggressiveness in cultured human breast cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Gum resins obtained from trees of the Burseraceae family (Boswellia sp.) are important ingredients in incense and perfumes. Extracts prepared from Boswellia sp. gum resins have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic effects. Essential oil prepared by distillation of the gum resin traditionally used for aromatic therapy has also been shown to have tumor cell-specific anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities. The objective of this study was to optimize conditions for preparing Boswellea sacra essential oil with the highest biological activity in inducing tumor cell-specific cytotoxicity and suppressing aggressive tumor phenotypes in human breast cancer cells. Methods Boswellia sacra essential oil was prepared from Omani Hougari grade resins through hydrodistillation at 78 or 100 oC for 12 hours. Chemical compositions were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; and total boswellic acids contents were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Boswellia sacra essential oil-mediated cell viability and death were studied in established human breast cancer cell lines (T47D, MCF7, MDA-MB-231) and an immortalized normal human breast cell line (MCF10-2A). Apoptosis was assayed by genomic DNA fragmentation. Anti-invasive and anti-multicellular tumor properties were evaluated by cellular network and spheroid formation models, respectively. Western blot analysis was performed to study Boswellia sacra essential oil-regulated proteins involved in apoptosis, signaling pathways, and cell cycle regulation. Results More abundant high molecular weight compounds, including boswellic acids, were present in Boswellia sacra essential oil prepared at 100 oC hydrodistillation. All three human breast cancer cell lines were sensitive to essential oil treatment with reduced cell viability and elevated cell death, whereas the immortalized normal human breast cell line was more resistant to essential oil treatment. Boswellia sacra essential oil hydrodistilled at 100 oC was more potent than the essential oil prepared at 78 oC in inducing cancer cell death, preventing the cellular network formation (MDA-MB-231) cells on Matrigel, causing the breakdown of multicellular tumor spheroids (T47D cells), and regulating molecules involved in apoptosis, signal transduction, and cell cycle progression. Conclusions Similar to our previous observations in human bladder cancer cells, Boswellia sacra essential oil induces breast cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity. Suppression of cellular network formation and disruption of spheroid development of breast cancer cells by Boswellia sacra essential oil suggest that the essential oil may be effective for advanced breast cancer. Consistently, the essential oil represses signaling pathways and cell cycle regulators that have been proposed as therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Future pre-clinical and clinical studies are urgently needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Boswellia sacra essential oil as a therapeutic agent for treating breast cancer. PMID:22171782

  7. Identification of possible factors impacting dental students' ability to locate MB2 canals in maxillary molars.

    PubMed

    Park, Ellen; Chehroudi, Babak; Coil, Jeffrey M

    2014-05-01

    This study examined the effect of the access size and straight-line path of access on third-year dental students' ability to locate a second mesiobuccal (MB2) canal in maxillary first and second molars. One hundred and six third-year dental students at one Faculty of Dentistry performed simulated root canal treatment with the aid of 2x magnification loupes on extracted teeth. A postgraduate endodontic student subsequently made a reasonable search for an untreated MB2 canal with the aid of a dental operating microscope. The mesiobuccal roots were then sectioned horizontally for determination of the canal configuration. The dental students were able to treat an MB2 canal in 15.8 percent of the teeth, but this was not associated with satisfactory access criteria. The postgraduate endodontic student identified an MB2 canal in 54.7 percent of the remaining tooth samples excluding those where the MB2 canal was found by the dental students; this represented 94.3 percent of those teeth confirmed by horizontal sectioning of the root to have an MB2 canal. The postgraduate student troughed, on average, 2.6 mm before negotiating the MB2 canal. As satisfactory access criteria and straight-line path of access did not correlate with the dental students' ability to find a second mesiobuccal canal, this result has important implications for educational goals with respect to endodontic treatment of maxillary molar teeth.

  8. The t(9;14)(p13;q32) chromosomal translocation associated with lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma involves the PAX-5 gene.

    PubMed

    Iida, S; Rao, P H; Nallasivam, P; Hibshoosh, H; Butler, M; Louie, D C; Dyomin, V; Ohno, H; Chaganti, R S; Dalla-Favera, R

    1996-12-01

    The t(9;14)(p13;q32) translocation is associated with approximately 50% of lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma (LPL), a subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We cloned the chromosomal breakpoint of der (14) from an LPL case (1052) and showed that it involved a junction between 9p13 and the switch micro region of the Ig heavy chain locus (IgH) on 14q32. Using a YAC contig spanning 1.5 megabase (Mb), we determined that the 9p13 breakpoint in one case (1052) mapped within a 270-kb restriction fragment containing two previously reported 9p breakpoints associated with a alpha-heavy chain disease case (MAL) and KI-1 positive diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) cell line (KIS-1). The same fragment also contained the PAX-5 gene which encodes a B-cell specific transcription factor involved in the control of B-cell proliferation and differentiation. The breakpoints of KIS-1 and 1052 were mapped within the 5' noncoding region of PAX-5, while the 9p13 breakpoint of MAL mapped 230 to 270 kb upstream to PAX-5. In all three cases, the translocation caused the juxtaposition of the PAX-5 gene to the IgH locus in the opposite direction of transcription. When compared with six other DLCL cell lines lacking t(9;14)(p13;q32), the KIS-1 cell line showed an 11-fold overexpression of PAX-5 mRNA and a significantly reduced expression of the p53 gene, which is normally regulated by PAX-5. Moreover, metaphase and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis using a YAC clone spanning 1 Mb including the PAX-5 as a probe identified chromosomal translocations in 5 of 7 cases carrying 9p13 translocations. These findings suggest that the PAX-5 gene is the target of the t(9;14) in LPL whereby its expression may be deregulated by juxtaposition to IgH regulatory elements, thus contributing to lymphomagenesis.

  9. Development of DS-5573a: A novel afucosylated mAb directed at B7-H3 with potent antitumor activity.

    PubMed

    Nagase-Zembutsu, Akiko; Hirotani, Kenji; Yamato, Michiko; Yamaguchi, Junko; Takata, Takehiko; Yoshida, Makoto; Fukuchi, Keisuke; Yazawa, Mitsuhiro; Takahashi, Shu; Agatsuma, Toshinori

    2016-05-01

    B7-H3 is highly overexpressed in a variety of human clinical tumors, and its expression is significantly associated with poor outcomes. In our study, we aimed to develop new antitumor mAbs by employing cancer cell immunization, and succeeded in generating a mouse anti-human B7-H3 antibody (M30) that shows antitumor activity. M30 was humanized (Hu-M30), and an afucosylated Hu-M30 (DS-5573a) was also generated. To assess the potency of DS-5573a as a therapeutic mAb, we characterized this mAb and evaluated its antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometry analysis showed that B7-H3 proteins were expressed on various types of cancer cell lines broadly, and DS-5573a binds to IgC1 and IgC2 domains of human B7-H3. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity of DS-5573a was drastically enhanced against medium to high B7-H3-expressing cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and NCI-H322. DS-5573a also induced high antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity against low B7-H3-expressing cancer cell line COLO205, whereas Hu-M30 induced little activity against it. In addition, DS-5573a was found to be a novel anti-B7-H3 antibody which showed antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis activity. Furthermore, DS-5573a showed dose-dependent and significant antitumor efficacy (0.03-3 mg/kg) in MDA-MB-231-bearing SCID mice (which have functional natural killer cells and macrophages), but little antitumor efficacy in NOG mice (which lack natural killer cells and have reduced macrophage function). These results suggest that antitumor activity of DS-5573a is mediated by effector cells, and this mAb could be a promising antitumor therapy for patients with a wide range of B7-H3-expressing tumors. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  10. The anti-metastatic effects of the phytoestrogen arctigenin on human breast cancer cell lines regardless of the status of ER expression.

    PubMed

    Maxwell, Thressi; Chun, So-Young; Lee, Kyu-Shik; Kim, Soyoung; Nam, Kyung-Soo

    2017-02-01

    Arctigenin is a plant lignan extracted from Arctium lappa that has been shown to have estrogenic properties. In spite of the health benefits of phytoestrogens reducing the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and menopausal symptoms, its benefits against the risk of breast cancer have not been fully elucidated. Thus, we investigated the effects of arctigenin on metastasis of breast cancer using both estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 and ER-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines to see if the effects are dependent on the status of ER expression. In ER-positive MCF-7 cells, arctigenin efficiently inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced cell migration and invasion. The activity of crucial metastatic protease matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-9 in gelatin zymography was also efficiently decreased by arctigenin, as well as its mRNA expression. Notably, arctigenin exhibited similar anti-metastatic effects even in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting that the anti-metastatic effects of arctigenin were not exerted via the ER. The upstream signaling pathways involved in the regulation of MMP-9 and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) were analyzed using western blotting. The activation of Akt, NF-κB and MAPK (ERK 1/2 and JNK 1/2) was found to be inhibited. Taken together, these data suggest that arctigenin confers anti-metastatic effects by inhibiting MMP-9 and uPA via the Akt, NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways on breast cancer, regardless of ER expression. Therefore, we propose that the intake of arctigenin could be an effective supplement for breast cancer patients.

  11. Synthesis, molecular docking and anticancer studies of peptides and iso-peptides.

    PubMed

    Jabeen, Farukh; Panda, Siva S; Kondratyuk, Tamara P; Park, Eun-Jung; Pezzuto, John M; Ihsan-ul-Haq; Hall, C Dennis; Katritzky, Alan R

    2015-08-01

    Chiral peptides and iso-peptides were synthesized in excellent yield by using benzotriazole mediated solution phase synthesis. Benzotriazole acted both as activating and leaving group, eliminating frequent use of protection and subsequent deprotection. The procedure was based on the hypothesis that epimerization should be suppressed in solution due to a faster coupling rate than SPPS. All the synthesized peptides complied with Lipinski's Ro5 except for the rotatable bonds. Inhibition of cell proliferation of cancer cell lines is one of the most commonly used methods to study the effectiveness of any anticancer agents. Synthesized peptides and iso-peptides were tested against three cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB 231) to determine their anti-proliferative potential. NFkB was also determined. Molecular docking studies were also carried out to complement the experimental results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Biological and Clinical Significance of MAD2L1 and BUB1, Genes Frequently Appearing in Expression Signatures for Breast Cancer Prognosis

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Zhanwei; Katsaros, Dionyssios; Shen, Yi; Fu, Yuanyuan; Canuto, Emilie Marion; Benedetto, Chiara; Lu, Lingeng; Chu, Wen-Ming; Risch, Harvey A.; Yu, Herbert

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the biologic relevance and clinical implication of genes involved in multiple gene expression signatures for breast cancer prognosis, we identified 16 published gene expression signatures, and selected two genes, MAD2L1 and BUB1. These genes appeared in 5 signatures and were involved in cell-cycle regulation. We analyzed the expression of these genes in relation to tumor features and disease outcomes. In vitro experiments were also performed in two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468, to assess cell proliferation, migration and invasion after knocking down the expression of these genes. High expression of these genes was found to be associated with aggressive tumors and poor disease-free survival of 203 breast cancer patients in our study, and the association with survival was confirmed in an online database consisting of 914 patients. In vitro experiments demonstrated that lowering the expression of these genes by siRNAs reduced tumor cell growth and inhibited cell migration and invasion. Our investigation suggests that MAD2L1 and BUB1 may play important roles in breast cancer progression, and measuring the expression of these genes may assist the prediction of breast cancer prognosis. PMID:26287798

  13. Migration and invasion induced by linoleic acid are mediated through fascin in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez-Reyes, Christian; Marcial-Medina, Cleofas; Cervantes-Anaya, Nancy; Cortes-Reynosa, Pedro; Salazar, Eduardo Perez

    2018-06-01

    Epidemiological studies strongly suggest an association between high levels of dietary fat intake and an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Linoleic acid (LA) is an essential omega-6 PUFA and the major fatty acid in occidental diets. In breast cancer cells, LA induces expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, proliferation, migration, and invasion. Fascin is an actin crosslinker globular protein that generates actin bundles made of parallel actin filaments, which mediate formation and stability of microspikes, stress fibers, membrane ruffles, and filopodia. However, the role of fascin in migration and invasion induced by LA in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells remains to be studied. We demonstrate here that LA induces an increase of fascin expression in MDA-MB-231 and MCF12A mammary epithelial cells. Particularly, LA induces the formation of filopodia and lamellipodia and the localization of fascin in these actin structures in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. However, LA only induces formation of microspikes and the localization of fascin in these actin structures in mammary non-tumorigenic epithelial cells MCF12A. In addition, LA induces migration, invasion, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 secretion through a fascin-dependent pathway in MDA-MB-231 cells. In summary, our findings demonstrate that fascin is required for migration and invasion induced by LA in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

  14. [Roles of Y box-binding protein 1 in SK-BR-3 breast cancer proliferation].

    PubMed

    Shi, Jianhong; Lü, Xinrui; Wang, Bing; Daudan, Lin; Yanan, Wang; Yuhui, Bu; Zhenfeng, Ma

    2014-09-30

    To explore the roles of Y box-binding protein 1 (YB-1) in breast cancer cell proliferation. Twenty cases of surgical removal of breast cancer tissue (diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, stage II, by postoperative paraffin pathology) and normal breast tissues adjacent to carcinoma were collected during June 2013 to August 2013.Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the YB1 mRNA levels. Cultured mammary epithelial cells (HBL-100) and breast cancer cells (MCF7, MDA-MB-231 & SK-BR-3 cells) were harvested and qRT-PCR was performed to detect the YB1 mRNA levels.SK-BR-3 cells were stimulated with various concentrations of PDGF-BB and YB1 expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR. Down-regulation or over-expression of YB1 by si-YB1 or Ad-GFP-YB1 was detected in SK-BR-3 cells. And MTS cell proliferation assay kit was used to detect cell proliferation. YB1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in breast cancer tissues and MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cell lines than that in adjacent normal breast tissues and HBL-100 mammary epithelial cells respectively (P < 0.05).YB1 expression levels increased in PDGF-BB stimulated SK-BR-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. A down-regulation of endogenous YB1 decreases and an over-expression of exogenous YB1 promotes the proliferation activity in SK-BR-3 cells.

  15. Mechanical properties of normal versus cancerous breast cells

    PubMed Central

    Smelser, Amanda M.; Macosko, Jed C.; O’Dell, Adam P.; Smyre, Scott; Bonin, Keith

    2016-01-01

    A cell’s mechanical properties are important in determining its adhesion, migration, and response to the mechanical properties of its microenvironment and may help explain behavioral differences between normal and cancerous cells. Using fluorescently labeled peroxisomes as microrheological probes, the interior mechanical properties of normal breast cells were compared to a metastatic breast cell line, MDA-MB-231. To estimate the mechanical properties of cell cytoplasms from the motions of their peroxisomes, it was necessary to reduce the contribution of active cytoskeletal motions to peroxisome motion. This was done by treating the cells with blebbistatin, to inhibit myosin II, or with sodium azide and 2-deoxy-D-glucose, to reduce intracellular ATP. Using either treatment, the peroxisomes exhibited normal diffusion or subdiffusion, and their mean squared displacements (MSDs) showed that the MDA-MB-231 cells were significantly softer than normal cells. For these two cell types, peroxisome MSDs in treated and untreated cells converged at high frequencies, indicating that cytoskeletal structure was not altered by the drug treatment. The MSDs from ATP-depleted cells were analyzed by the generalized Stokes–Einstein relation to estimate the interior viscoelastic modulus G* and its components, the elastic shear modulus G′ and viscous shear modulus G″, at angular frequencies between 0.126 and 628rad/s. These moduli are the material coefficients that enter into stress–strain relations and relaxation times in quantitative mechanical models such as the poroelastic model of the interior regions of cancerous and non-cancerous cells. PMID:25929519

  16. Orientation and cellular distribution of membrane-bound catechol-O-methyltransferase in cortical neurons: implications for drug development.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jingshan; Song, Jian; Yuan, Peixiong; Tian, Qingjun; Ji, Yuanyuan; Ren-Patterson, Renee; Liu, Guangping; Sei, Yoshitasu; Weinberger, Daniel R

    2011-10-07

    Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a key enzyme for inactivation and metabolism of catechols, including dopamine, norepinephrine, caffeine, and estrogens. It plays an important role in cognition, arousal, pain sensitivity, and stress reactivity in humans and in animal models. The human COMT gene is associated with a diverse spectrum of human behaviors and diseases from cognition and psychiatric disorders to chronic pain and cancer. There are two major forms of COMT proteins, membrane-bound (MB) COMT and soluble (S) COMT. MB-COMT is the main form in the brain. The cellular distribution of MB-COMT in cortical neurons remains unclear and the orientation of MB-COMT on the cellular membrane is controversial. In this study, we demonstrate that MB-COMT is located in the cell body and in axons and dendrites of rat cortical neurons. Analyses of MB-COMT orientation with computer simulation, flow cytometry and a cell surface enzyme assay reveal that the C-terminal catalytic domain of MB-COMT is in the extracellular space, which suggests that MB-COMT can inactivate synaptic and extrasynaptic dopamine on the surface of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. Finally, we show that the COMT inhibitor tolcapone induces cell death via the mechanism of apoptosis, and its cytotoxicity is dependent on dosage and correlated with COMT Val/Met genotypes in human lymphoblastoid cells. These results suggest that MB-COMT specific inhibitors can be developed and that tolcapone may be less hazardous at low doses and in specific genetic backgrounds.

  17. Photodynamic action of methylene blue in osteosarcoma cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Guan, Jiemin; Lai, Xiaoping; Wang, Xinna; Leung, Albert Wingnang; Zhang, Hongwei; Xu, Chuanshan

    2014-03-01

    Osteosarcoma is a common malignant bone tumor which threatens the life of young people worldwide. To explore alternative strategy for combating osteosarcoma, a light-emitting diode (LED) that activates methylene blue (MB) was used in the present study to investigate cell death of osteosarcoma-derived UMR106 cells. Photocytotoxicity in UMR106 cells was investigated 24h after photodynamic activation of MB using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay and light microscopy. Apoptosis induction was observed 24h after photodynamic treatment using a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with Hoechst 33342 staining. The change in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was analyzed using a flow cytometry with rhodamine 123 staining. MB under red light irradiation caused a drug-concentration (0-100μM) and light-dose (0-32J/cm(2)) dependent cytotoxicity in UMR106 cells. The SRB assay and light microscopy observed a significant decrease in the number of UMR106 cells attached to the bottom of culture well after LED light-activated MB (100μM, 32J/cm(2)). Nuclear shrinkage, chromatin condensation and fragmentation were found in the treated cells by nuclear staining. In addition, flow cytometry showed that the MMP in UMR106 cells was rapidly reduced by photo-activated MB (100μM, 32J/cm(2)). Photodynamic action of MB under LED irradiation could remarkably kill osteosarcoma cells and induce cell apoptosis as well as MMP collapse. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Enterolactone: A novel radiosensitizer for human breast cancer cell lines through impaired DNA repair and increased apoptosis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bigdeli, Bahareh, E-mail: bhr.bigdeli@ut.ac.ir

    Introduction: Radiotherapy is a potent treatment against breast cancer, which is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. However, the emergence of radioresistance due to increased DNA repair leads to radiotherapeutic failure. Applying polyphenols combined with radiation is a more promising method leading to better survival. Enterolactone, a phytoestrogenic polyphenol, has been reported to inhibit an important radioresistance signaling pathway, therefore we conjectured that enterolactone could enhance radiosensitivity in breast cancer. To assess this hypothesis, radiation response of enterolactone treated MDA-MB-231 and T47D cell lines and corresponding cellular mechanisms were investigated. Methods: Cytotoxicity of enterolactone was measured via MTT assay.more » Cells were treated with enterolactone before X-irradiation, and clonogenic assay was used to evaluate radiosensitivity. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometric analysis. In addition, DNA damages and corresponding repair, chromosomal damages, and aberrations were assessed by comet, micronucleus, and cytogenetic assays, respectively. Results: Enterolactone decreased the viability of cells in a concentration- and time dependent manner. Enterolactone significantly enhanced radiosensitivity of cells by abrogating G2/M arrest, impairing DNA repair, and increasing radiation-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, increased chromosomal damages and aberrations were detected in cells treated with enterolactone combined with X-rays than X-ray alone. These effects were more prominent in T47D than MDA-MB-231 cells. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first report that enterolactone is a novel radiosensitizer for breast cancer irrespective of estrogen receptor status. Authors propose enterolactone as a candidate for combined therapy to decrease the radiation dose delivered to patients and subsequent side effects. - Highlights: • Enterolactone is proposed to be a novel radiosensitizer for human breast cancer. • Enterolactone pretreatment enhances radiation induced apoptosis. • Enterolactone pretreatment impairs repair of radiation-induced DNA damages. • Chromosomal aberrations increases in cells receiving enterolactone and X-ray. • Micronuclei formation is elevated after combined treatment with enterolactone.« less

  19. Acetonic Extract of Buxus sempervirens Induces Cell Cycle Arrest, Apoptosis and Autophagy in Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Ait-Mohamed, Ouardia; Battisti, Valentine; Joliot, Véronique; Fritsch, Lauriane; Pontis, Julien; Medjkane, Souhila; Redeuilh, Catherine; Lamouri, Aazdine; Fahy, Christine; Rholam, Mohamed; Atmani, Djebbar; Ait-Si-Ali, Slimane

    2011-01-01

    Plants are an invaluable source of potential new anti-cancer drugs. Here, we investigated the cytotoxic activity of the acetonic extract of Buxus sempervirens on five breast cancer cell lines, MCF7, MCF10CA1a and T47D, three aggressive triple positive breast cancer cell lines, and BT-20 and MDA-MB-435, which are triple negative breast cancer cell lines. As a control, MCF10A, a spontaneously immortalized but non-tumoral cell line has been used. The acetonic extract of Buxus sempervirens showed cytotoxic activity towards all the five studied breast cancer cell lines with an IC50 ranging from 7.74 µg/ml to 12.5 µg/ml. Most importantly, the plant extract was less toxic towards MCF10A with an IC50 of 19.24 µg/ml. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis showed that the plant extract induced cell death and cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase in MCF7, T47D, MCF10CA1a and BT-20 cell lines, concomitant to cyclin D1 downregulation. Application of MCF7 and MCF10CA1a respective IC50 did not show such effects on the control cell line MCF10A. Propidium iodide/Annexin V double staining revealed a pre-apoptotic cell population with extract-treated MCF10CA1a, T47D and BT-20 cells. Transmission electron microscopy analyses indicated the occurrence of autophagy in MCF7 and MCF10CA1a cell lines. Immunofluorescence and Western blot assays confirmed the processing of microtubule-associated protein LC3 in the treated cancer cells. Moreover, we have demonstrated the upregulation of Beclin-1 in these cell lines and downregulation of Survivin and p21. Also, Caspase-3 detection in treated BT-20 and T47D confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis in these cells. Our findings indicate that Buxus sempervirens extract exhibit promising anti-cancer activity by triggering both autophagic cell death and apoptosis, suggesting that this plant may contain potential anti-cancer agents for single or combinatory cancer therapy against breast cancer. PMID:21935420

  20. 1,1-Bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-biphenyl)methane inhibits basal-like breast cancer growth in athymic nude mice

    PubMed Central

    Su, Yunpeng; Vanderlaag, Kathryn; Ireland, Courtney; Ortiz, Janelle; Grage, Henry; Safe, Stephen; Frankel, Arthur E

    2007-01-01

    Introduction 1,1-Bis (3'-indolyl)-1-(p-biphenyl) methane (CDIM9) has been identified as a new peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ agonist that exhibits both receptor dependent and independent antitumor activities. CDIM9 has not previously been studied with respect to its effects against basal-like breast cancer. Our goal in the present study was to investigate the anti-basal-like breast tumor activity of CDIM9 in vitro and in vivo. Methods The effects of CDIM9 on cell protein and DNA syntheses were determined in basal-like breast cancer MDA-MB231 and BT549 cells in vitro. Maximum tolerated dose and dose-limited toxicity were determined in BalB/c mice, and antitumor growth activities were assessed in MDA-MB231 basal-like breast tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice. Results CDIM9 exhibited selective cell cytotoxicity and anti-proliferation effects on basal-like breast cancer lines. In MDA-MB231 cell, CDIM9 induced caveolin-1 and p27 expression, which was significantly downregulated by co-treatment with the PPAR-γ antagonist GW9662. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 and activating transcription factor-3 were upregulated by CDIM9 through a PPAR-γ independent pathway. CDIM9 (40 mg/kg daily, intraperitoneally, for 35 days) inhibited the growth of subcutaneous MDA-MB231 tumor xenografts by 87%, and produced a corresponding decrease in proliferation index. Nearly half of the treated mice (46%) had complete durable remissions, confirmed by histology. The growth of an established tumor was inhibited by CDIM9 treatment (64 mg/kg daily, intraperitoneally, for 10 days), with a mean tumor growth inhibition of 67% as compared with controls. CDIM9 induced increases in tumor caveolin-1 and p27 in vivo, which may contribute to its antitumor activity in basal-like breast cancer. Conclusion CDIM9 showed potent antiproliferative effects on basal-like breast cancer cell in tissue culture and dramatic growth inhibition in animal models at safe doses. These findings justify further development of this drug for treatment of basal-like breast cancer. PMID:17764562

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