Ke Xu

East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, China

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Publications (10)32 Total impact

  • Article: miR-297 modulates multidrug resistance in human colorectal carcinoma by down-regulating MRP-2.
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    ABSTRACT: Colorectal carcinoma is a frequent cause of cancer-related death in men and women. miRNAs (microRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression negatively at the post-transcriptional level. In the present study we investigated the possible role of microRNAs in the development of MDR (multidrug resistance) in colorectal carcinoma cells. We analysed miRNA expression levels between MDR colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT116/L-OHP cells and their parent cell line HCT116 using a miRNA microarray. miR-297 showed lower expression in HCT116/L-OHP cells compared with its parental cells. MRP-2 (MDR-associated protein 2) is an important MDR protein in platinum-drug-resistance cells and is a predicted target of miR-297. Additionally miR-297 was down-regulated in a panel of human colorectal carcinoma tissues and negatively correlated with expression levels of MRP-2. Furthermore, we found that ectopic expression of miR-297 in MDR colorectal carcinoma cells reduced MRP-2 protein level and sensitized these cells to anti-cancer drugs in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-297 could play a role in the development of MDR in colorectal carcinoma cells, at least in part by modulation of MRP-2.
    Biochemical Journal 06/2012; 446(2):291-300. · 4.90 Impact Factor
  • Article: MiR-222 modulates multidrug resistance in human colorectal carcinoma by down-regulating ADAM-17.
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    ABSTRACT: Colorectal carcinoma is a frequent cause of cancer-related death in men and women throughout the world. MicroRNAs are endogenous small noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. We investigated the role of ADAM-17 (a desintegrin and metalloproteases 17) as a novel multidrug resistance (MDR) mechanism in multidrug-resistant colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and the role of miR-222 in the development of MDR in CRC cells. We found that the high expression of ADAM-17, which results in growth factor shedding and growth factor receptor activation could induce drug resistance in CRC. Pharmacological inhibition of ADAM-17, in conjunction with chemotherapy, may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of CRC. ADAM-17 is a predicted target of miR-222, which was downregulated in multidrug-resistant CRC cells. The presence of miR-222 was consistently inversely proportionate to the expression levels of ADAM-17. We found that elevated levels of miR-222 in the mimics-transfected HCT116/L-OHP and HCT-8/VCR cells reduced the ADAM-17 protein level and the luciferase activity of an ADAM-17 3' untranslated region-based reporter and sensitized these cells' apoptosis to some anticancer drugs. Our findings suggest that miR-222 could play a role in the development of MDR by modulation of ADAM-17, the new MDR treatment target in colorectal carcinoma cells.
    Experimental Cell Research 06/2012; 318(17):2168-77. · 3.58 Impact Factor
  • Article: MiR-139 inhibits invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer by targeting the type I insulin-like growth factor receptor.
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    ABSTRACT: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression, are involved in tumor metastasis. In this study, we describe the down-regulation and function of miR-139 in colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis. MiR-139 was found underexpressed in 34 CRC tissues compared to their corresponding nontumor tissues. Decreased miR-139 in CRC tissue was associated with disease progression and metastasis. Re-expression of miR-139 did not inhibit CRC cell growth but suppresses CRC cell metastasis and invasion in vitro and in vivo. MiR-139 might suppress CRC cells invasion and metastasis by targeting type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR). We also found miR-139 directed migration inactivation of human CRC cells involves down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2). The IGF-IR/MEK/ERK signaling was inhibited by miR-139 overexpression and then resulted in MMP-2 promoter suppression. Taken together, our results provide evidence that miR-139 might function as a metastasis suppressor in CRC. Targeting miR-139 may provide a strategy for blocking CRC metastasis.
    Biochemical pharmacology 05/2012; 84(3):320-30. · 4.25 Impact Factor
  • Article: miR-1915 inhibits Bcl-2 to modulate multidrug resistance by increasing drug-sensitivity in human colorectal carcinoma cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Colorectal carcinoma is a frequent cause of cancer-related death in the world for men and women. microRNAs are endogenous small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression negatively at post-transcriptional level. Here, we investigated the possible role of microRNAs in the development of multidrug resistance (MDR) in colorectal carcinoma cells. We analyzed microRNA (miRNA) expression levels between multidrug resistant colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT116/L-OHP and its parent cell line HCT116 using a miRNA microarray. miR-1915 had the lowest expression of miRNA in HCT116/L-OHP cells compared to its parental cells. Overexpression of Bcl-2 is generally associated with tumor drug resistance, meanwhile Bcl-2 is a predicted target of miR-1915. We found that elevated levels of miR-1915 in the mimics-transfected HCT116/L-OHP cells reduced Bcl-2 protein level and the luciferase activity of a Bcl-2 3'-untranslated region-based reporter, and also sensitized these cells to some anticancer drugs. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-1915 could play a role in the development of MDR in colorectal carcinoma cells at least in part by modulation of apoptosis via targeting Bcl-2. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
    Molecular Carcinogenesis 11/2011; · 3.16 Impact Factor
  • Article: Induction of G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis by potent antitumor APCA in human cervix carcinoma cells.
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    ABSTRACT: 3-(dimethylamino-ethylamino)-8-oxo-8H-acenaphthol[1, 2-b]pyrrole-9-carboxylic acid (APCA), as a potent antitumor compound, showed anticancer activity on a series of established cancer cells. Meanwhile, the cytotoxic effects of APCA were much smaller on normal human cells than that on cancer cells. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying APCA-induced growth inhibition in HeLa cells. The results showed that the APCA-induced cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M phase correlated with cyclinB1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 expression downregulation in a p53-independent manner, and also caused an increase in apoptosis, which was confirmed by characteristic morphological changes and increased apoptotic sub-G(1) population. Furthermore, translocation inhibition of nuclear factor-κB, upregulation of Bax, and downregulation of Bcl-2, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation, and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage were observed in HeLa cells treated with APCA, which indicated that the mitochondrial pathway was involved in the apoptosis signal pathway. In summary, APCA displayed an antitumor effect through cell cycle arrest and apoptotic induction in HeLa cells, which suggested that APCA might have therapeutic potential against cervix carcinoma as an effective lead compound.
    Anti-cancer drugs 08/2011; 22(9):875-85. · 2.23 Impact Factor
  • Article: B1-induced caspase-independent apoptosis in MCF-7 cells is mediated by down-regulation of Bcl-2 via p53 binding to P2 promoter TATA box.
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    ABSTRACT: The Bcl-2 family contains a panel of proteins which are conserved regulators of apoptosis in mammalian cells, like the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. According to its significant role in altering susceptibility to apoptosis, the deciphering of the mechanism of Bcl-2 expression modulation may be crucial for identifying therapeutics strategies for cancer. Treatment with naphthalimide-based DNA intercalators, including M2-A and R16, generally leads to a decrease in Bcl-2 intracellular amounts. Whereas the interest for these chemotherapeutics is accompanied by advances in the fundamental understanding of their anticancer properties, the molecular mechanism underlying changes in Bcl-2 expression remains poorly understood. We report here that p53 contributes to Bcl-2 down-regulation induced by B1, a novel naphthalimide-based DNA intercalating agent. Indeed, the decrease in Bcl-2 protein levels observed during B1-induced apoptosis was correlated to the decrease in mRNA levels, as a result of the inhibition of Bcl-2 transcription and promoter activity. In this context, we evaluated p53 contribution in the Bcl-2 transcriptional down-regulation. We found a significant increase of p53 binding to P(2) promoter TATA box in MCF7 cells by chromatin immunoprecipitation. These data suggest that B1-induced caspase-independent apoptosis in MCF-7 cells is associated with the activation of p53 and the down-regulation of Bcl-2. Our study strengthens the links between p53 and Bcl-2 at a transcriptional level, upon naphthalimide-based DNA intercalator treatment.
    Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 07/2011; 256(1):52-61. · 4.45 Impact Factor
  • Article: B1, a novel amonafide analogue, overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in human promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cells.
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    ABSTRACT: In the course of screening for novel anticancer compounds, B1 [N-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)-2-aminothiazonaphthalimide], a novel amonafide analogue, was generated as a new anticancer candidate. In the present study, B1 displayed stronger antitumor effects than amonafide in HL60 cells. We further examined whether B1 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2, as overcoming the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 represents an attractive therapeutic strategy against cancer. Our viability assay showed that B1 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in human promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cells. Various apoptosis assessment assays showed that B1 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in HL60 cells by inducing apoptosis. Noticeably, we elucidated the marked downregulation of 14-3-3σ protein by B1, indicating that B1 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in HL60 cells via 14-3-3σ. The analysis of chromatin immunoprecipitation assay indicated that MBD2 was associated with the methylated 14-3-3σ promoter-associated CpG island and thus interfered with transcriptional activity of the methylated promoter. Furthermore, knockdown of MBD2, using siRNA transfection, inhibited B1-induced apoptosis and overcame the resistance conferred by Bcl-2. Accordingly, these data showed the involvement of MBD2 in B1-induced apoptosis and overcoming the resistance conferred by Bcl-2, which suggested that MBD2 might guide the development of future anticancer agents.
    Molecular Cancer Research 11/2010; 8(12):1619-32. · 4.29 Impact Factor
  • Article: B1, a novel naphthalimide-based DNA intercalator, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HeLa cells via p53 activation.
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    ABSTRACT: In the course of screening for novel anticancer compounds, B1 (N-(2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl)-2-aminothiazonaphthalimide), a novel naphthalimide-based DNA intercalator, was generated as a new anticancer candidate. For the first time, our investigation demonstrates that B1 inhibited the growth of HeLa cells by the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Analysis of flow cytometry and western blots of HeLa cells treated with B1 revealed an appreciable cell cycle arrest and apoptotic induction in dose and time-dependent manner via the p53-dependent pathway. Furthermore, the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria was detected using confocal microscopy in HeLa cells treated with B1. Accordingly, these data demonstrate that the anticancer activity of B1 is associated with the activation of p53 and the release of cytochrome c, which suggest that B1 might have therapeutic potential against cervix carcinoma as an effective lead compound.
    Investigational New Drugs 02/2010; 29(4):646-58. · 3.36 Impact Factor
  • Article: Antimetastatic effect of ganoderic acid T in vitro through inhibition of cancer cell invasion
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    ABSTRACT: Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is known as a valuable herb in the search for anticancer lead compounds because it has been used for thousands of years as a traditional medication. Triterpenoids are the principal active components in this fungus. To examine the bioactivity of triterpene compounds, Ganoderic acid T (GA-T) was isolated from G. lucidum by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this study, we investigated the anti-invasion and antimetastasis mechanisms of GA-T in vitro. GA-T dose-dependently inhibited 95-D cells migration by wound healing assay. Results of cell aggregation and adhesion assay showed that GA-T could promote cell aggregation and simultaneously inhibit cell from adhering to extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition, GA-T suppressed MMP-2 and MMP-9 gene expression, hence, decreased protein level of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in 95-D cells, according to RT-PCR assay and Western blot assay. These results demonstrate that GA-T effectively inhibits tumor metastasis in vitro. According to the result of Western blot, the suppression of NF-κB activation likely abrogates the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, thus prevents tumor metastasis. These results suggest that GA-T has therapeutic potential against high metastatic lung carcinoma as a new agent.
    Process Biochemistry.
  • Article: Preparation of immunomagnetic nanoparticles and their application in the separation of mouse CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells
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    ABSTRACT: The magnetic nanoparticles with a diameter of about 60 nm were synthesized by coprecipitation from ferrous and ferric iron solutions and coated with silica. Then the nanoparticles were modified with N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AEAPS) in order to immobilize anti-CD34+ monoclonal antibodies to the surface of modified magnetic particles. The results of transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) indicated that the nanoparticles were successfully prepared. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photo confirmed that the mouse CD34+ cells (cells expressing CD34) were separated by the immunomagnetic nanoparticles. The viability of the separated cells was studied by hematopoietic colony-forming assay, the result of which showed that the target cells still had an ability of proliferation and differentiation. The application of the separated CD34+ cells was in testing the pharmacological effect of three samples isolated from enzyme-digested traditional Chinese medicine Colla corii asini.
    Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 321(12):1885-1888. · 1.78 Impact Factor