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ABSTRACT: Adenosine A(3) receptor (A3AR) is coupled to G proteins that are involved in a variety of intracellular signaling pathways and physiological functions. 2-Chloro-N (6)-(3-iodobenzyl) adenosine-5'-N-methylcarboxamide (Cl-IB-MECA), an agonist of A3AR, has been reported to induce cell death in various cancer cells. However, the effect of CI-IB-MECA on glioma cell growth is not clear. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of CI-IB-MECA on glioma cell viability and to determine its molecular mechanism. CI-IB-MECA inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Treatment of CI-IB-MECA resulted in an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) followed by enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. EGTA and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) blocked the cell death induced by CI-IB-MECA, suggesting that Ca(2+) and ROS are involved in the Cl-IB-MECA-induced cell death. Western blot analysis showed that CI-IB-MECA induced the down-regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and Akt, which was prevented by EGTA, NAC, and the A3AR antagonist MRS1191. Transfection of constitutively active forms of MEK, the upstream kinase of ERK, and Akt prevented the cell death. CI-IB-MECA induced caspase-3 activation and the CI-IB-MECA-induced cell death was blocked by the caspase inhibitors DEVD-CHO and z-VAD-FMK. In addition, expression of XIAP and Survivin were decreased in cells treated with Cl-IB-MECA. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that CI-IB-MECA induce a caspase-dependent cell death through suppression of ERK and Akt mediated by an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) and ROS generation in human glioma cells. These suggest that A3AR agonists may be a potential therapeutic agent for induction of apoptosis in human glioma cells.
Neurochemical Research 08/2012; · 2.24 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of Fructus ligustri lucidi (FLL) extracts on glioma cell growth and to determine the underlying mechanism by which FLL extracts exert anticancer properties in human U87MG glioma cells. The FLL extracts resulted in cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Western blot analysis showed that treatment with FLL extracts caused down-regulation of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Overexpression of Akt prevented the cell death induced by the FLL extracts. The FLL extracts caused a decrease in the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the FLL extract-induced cell death was increased by the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. The FLL extracts decreased the expression of survivin. Oral administration of FLL extracts in subcutaneous U87MG xenograft models reduced the glioma tumor volume. These findings indicate that the FLL extracts resulted in glioma cell death through regulation of the Akt/mTOR/survivin pathway in vitro and inhibited glioma tumor growth in vivo. These data suggest that the FLL extracts may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for malignant human gliomas.
Phytotherapy Research 03/2011; 25(3):429-34. · 2.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Mulberry has been reported to contain wide range of polyphenols and have chemopreventive activity. However, little has been known regarding the effect of mulberry fruit extracts on cell viability in vitro in human glioma cells and the anticancer efficacy in vivo. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of mulberry fruit (Moris fructus; MF) extracts on cell viability in vitro and anticancer efficacy in vivo. Cell viability and cell death were estimated by MTT assay and trypan blue exclusion assay, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was measured using the fluorescence probe DCFH-DA. The mitochondrial transmembrane potential was measured with DiOC(6)(3). Bax expression and cytochrome c release were measured by Western blot analysis. Caspase activity was estimated using colorimetric kit. Cell migration was estimated using the scratched wound model. In vivo anticancer efficacy of MF extracts was evaluated using a subcutaneously injected mouse tumor model. Changes in proliferation and apoptosis were estimated by immunohistochemistric analysis. MF extracts resulted in apoptotic cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner. MF extracts increased ROS generation, and the MF extract-induced cell death was also prevented by antioxidants, suggesting that ROS generation plays a critical role in the MF extract-induced cell death. Western blot analysis showed that treatment of MF extracts caused an increase in Bax expression, which was inhibited by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). MF extracts induced depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, and its effect was inhibited by the antioxidants NAC and catalase. MF extracts induced cytochrome c release, which was inhibited by NAC. Caspase activity was stimulated by MF extracts, and caspase inhibitors prevented the MF extract-induced cell death. Treatment of MF extracts inhibited cell migration. Oral MF extracts administration in animals with subcutaneous U87MG glioma cells reduced tumor volume. Subsequent tumor tissue analysis showed a decrease in PCNA-positive cells, an increase in TUNEL-positive cells, and caspase activation. From these data, we concluded that MF extracts reduce glioma tumor growth through inhibition of cell proliferation resulting from induction of apoptosis. These findings suggest that MF extracts result in human glioma cell death in vitro through ROS-dependent mitochondrial pathway and glioma tumor growth in vivo via reduction of tumor cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis.
Nutrition and Cancer 04/2010; 62(3):402-12. · 2.78 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We have previously demonstrated that the synthetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) agonist ciglitazone induces apoptosis accompanied by activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) in opossum kidney (OK) renal epithelial cells. However, the precise mechanism by which ciglitazone induces activation of p38 MAPK and the role of AIF in the induction of the apoptosis are not defined. This study was therefore undertaken to determine whether the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and intracellular Ca(2+) in the ciglitazone-induced activation of p38 MAPK and whether AIF nuclear translocation is responsible for the ciglitazone-induced apoptosis in OK renal epithelial cells. Ciglitazone caused generation of ROS and an increase in intracellular Ca(2+). Ciglitazone-induced cell death was reduced by the antioxidant Trolox, the Ca(2+) chelator EGTA, and the store-operated Ca(2+) channels (SOCC) blocker lanthanum chloride (La(3+)), indicating involvement of ROS and Ca(2+) in the ciglitazone-induced cell death. Ciglitazone-induced intracellular Ca(2+) increase was decreased by Trolox, while ROS generation was not affected by EGTA and La(3+), suggesting that ROS generation promote the increase of intracellular Ca(2+). Transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) of p38 MAPK or vector expressing microRNA (miRNA) of AIF prevented the ciglitazone-induced cell death. Activation of p38 MAPK, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and AIF nuclear translocation induced by ciglitazone were inhibited by Trolox, EGTA and La(3+). Taken together, these results suggest that ROS-dependent intracellular Ca(2+) increase is responsible for activation of p38 MAPK and nuclear translocation of AIF by ciglitazone.
Toxicology 01/2009; 257(1-2):1-9. · 3.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We have previously demonstrated that the synthetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonist ciglitazone induces apoptosis accompanied by activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) in opossum kidney (OK) renal epithelial cells. However, the precise mechanism by which ciglitazone induces activation of p38 MAPK and the role of AIF in the induction of the apoptosis are not defined. This study was therefore undertaken to determine whether the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and intracellular Ca2+ in the ciglitazone-induced activation of p38 MAPK and whether AIF nuclear translocation is responsible for the ciglitazone-induced apoptosis in OK renal epithelial cells. Ciglitazone caused generation of ROS and an increase in intracellular Ca2+. Ciglitazone-induced cell death was reduced by the antioxidant Trolox, the Ca2+ chelator EGTA, and the store-operated Ca2+ channels (SOCC) blocker lanthanum chloride (La3+), indicating involvement of ROS and Ca2+ in the ciglitazone-induced cell death. Ciglitazone-induced intracellular Ca2+ increase was decreased by Trolox, while ROS generation was not affected by EGTA and La3+, suggesting that ROS generation promote the increase of intracellular Ca2+. Transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) of p38 MAPK or vector expressing microRNA (miRNA) of AIF prevented the ciglitazone-induced cell death. Activation of p38 MAPK, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and AIF nuclear translocation induced by ciglitazone were inhibited by Trolox, EGTA and La3+. Taken together, these results suggest that ROS-dependent intracellular Ca2+ increase is responsible for activation of p38 MAPK and nuclear translocation of AIF by ciglitazone.
Toxicology.