Carfilzomib in Combination with Bortezomib Enhances Apoptotic Cell Death in B16-F1 Melanoma Cells.

Proteasome inhibitors, such as bortezomib (BZ) and carfilzomib (CFZ), have been suggested as treatments for various cancers. To utilize BZ and/or CFZ as effective therapeutics for treating melanoma, we studied their molecular mechanisms using B16-F1 melanoma cells. Flow cytometry of Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled cells indicated apoptosis induction by treatment with BZ and CFZ. Apoptosis was evidenced by the activation of various caspases, including caspase 3, 8, 9, and 12. Treatment with BZ and CFZ induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as indicated by an increase in eIF2α phosphorylation and the expression of ER stress-associated proteins, including GRP78, ATF6α, ATF4, XBP1, and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein. The effects of CFZ on ER stress and apoptosis were lower than that of BZ. Nevertheless, CFZ and BZ synergistically induced ER stress and apoptosis in B16-F1 cells. Furthermore, the combinational pharmacological interactions of BZ and CFZ against the growth of B16-F1 melanoma cells were assessed by calculating the combination index and dose-reduction index with the CompuSyn software. We found that the combination of CFZ and BZ at submaximal concentrations could obtain dose reduction by exerting synergistic inhibitory effects on cell growth. Moreover, this drug combination reduced tumor growth in C57BL/6 syngeneic mice. Taken together, these results suggest that CFZ in combination with BZ may be a beneficial and potential strategy for melanoma treatment.

Non-Polar Myxococcus fulvus KYC4048 Metabolites Exert Anti-Proliferative Effects via Inhibition of Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells.

The Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway is involved in breast cancer and Myxococcus fulvus KYC4048 is a myxobacterial strain that can produce a variety of bioactive secondary metabolites. Although a previous study revealed that KYC4048 metabolites exhibit anti-proliferative effects on breast cancer, the biochemical mechanism involved in their effects remains unclear. In the present study, KYC4048 metabolites were separated into polar and non-polar (ethyl acetate and n-hexane) fractions via liquid-liquid extraction. The effects of these polar and non-polar KYC4048 metabolites on the viability of breast cancer cells were then determined by MTT assay. Expression levels of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway proteins were determined by Western blot analysis. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The results revealed that non-polar KYC4048 metabolites induced cell death of breast cancer cells and decreased expression levels of WNT2B, ß-catenin, and Wnt target genes (c-Myc and cyclin D1). Moreover, the n-hexane fraction of non-polar KYC4048 metabolites was found most effective in inducing apoptosis, necrosis, and cell cycle arrest, leading us to conclude that it can induce apoptosis of breast cancer cells through the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. These findings provide evidence that the n-hexane fraction of non-polar KYC4048 metabolites can be developed as a potential therapeutic agent for breast cancer via inhibition of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Step Electrical Stimulation on Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) Induced Rheumatoid Arthritis Rats.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects joints and induces pain and swelling. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of step electrical stimulation (SES) in this study. SES was carried out by increasing the voltage (3 V/s) from 5 V to 100 V for 60 cycles. The viability of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH-3T3) was evaluated after step-electrical stimulation. After the injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) on the right hind paw of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (6 weeks old), the degree of swelling was measured using a digital plethysmometer and Vernier caliper. Histological changes in inflamed tissues were observed with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, while the degree of inflammation was evaluated from the expression level of inflammatory factors such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). As a result, we found no difference in cell viability after SES treatment between the control and SES-treated groups. On day 21 after CFA injection, the swelling of right hind paws decreased by 1.09 times in SES-treated group as compared with the untreated group. In addition, the levels of COX-2, TNF-α and IL-6 significantly decreased after SES treatment. Thus, SES treatment decreased paw swelling and alleviated inflammation.

Carfilzomib enhances cisplatin-induced apoptosis in SK-N-BE(2)-M17 human neuroblastoma cells.

Neuroblastoma is a solid malignant tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, which accounts for 8-10% of childhood cancers. Considering the overall high risk and poor prognosis associated with neuroblastoma, effective therapeutics should be developed to improve patient survival and quality of life. A recent study showed that a proteasome inhibitor, carfilzomib (CFZ), reduced cell viability of SK-N-BE(2)-M17 neuroblastoma cells. Therefore, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which CFZ lower the cell viability of neuroblastoma cells. CFZ reduced cell viability via cell cycle arrest at G2/M and apoptosis, which involved caspase activation (caspases-8, 9, 4, and 3), endoplasmic reticulum stress, reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, and autophagy in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The effect of CFZ was additive to that of cisplatin (Cis), a well-known chemotherapeutic drug, in terms of cell viability reduction, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Importantly, the additive effect of CFZ was maintained in Cis-resistant neuroblastoma cells. These results suggest that CFZ can be used in combination therapy for patients with neuroblastoma to overcome the resistance and adverse side effects of Cis.

Alpha-naphthoflavone induces apoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress via c-Src-, ROS-, MAPKs-, and arylhydrocarbon receptor-dependent pathways in HT22 hippocampal neuronal cells.

α-Naphthoflavone (αNF) is a prototype flavone, also known as a modulator of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of αNF-induced cytotoxic effects in HT22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cells. αNF induced apoptotic cell death via activation of caspase-12 and -3 and increased expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated proteins, including C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Inhibition of ER stress by treatment with the ER stress inhibitor, salubrinal, or by CHOP siRNA transfection reduced αNF-induced cell death. αNF activated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), such as p38, JNK, and ERK, and inhibition of MAPKs reduced αNF-induced CHOP expression and cell death. αNF also induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine, reduced αNF-induced MAPK phosphorylation, CHOP expression, and cell death. Furthermore, αNF activated c-Src kinase, and inhibition of c-Src by a kinase inhibitor, SU6656, or siRNA transfection reduced αNF-induced ROS accumulation, MAPK activation, CHOP expression, and cell death. Inhibition of AhR by an AhR antagonist, CH223191, and siRNA transfection of AhR and AhR nuclear translocator reduced αNF-induced AhR-responsive luciferase activity, CHOP expression, and cell death. Finally, we found that inhibition of c-Src and MAPKs reduced αNF-induced transcriptional activity of AhR. Taken together, these findings suggest that αNF induces apoptosis through ER stress via c-Src-, ROS-, MAPKs-, and AhR-dependent pathways in HT22 cells.

Fluoxetine induces apoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress via mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and histone hyperacetylation in SK-N-BE(2)-M17 human neuroblastoma cells.

Fluoxetine (FLX) is an antidepressant drug that belongs to the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. FLX is known to induce apoptosis in multiple types of cancer cells. In this study, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of FLX were investigated in SK-N-BE(2)-M17 human neuroblastoma cells. FLX induced apoptotic cell death, activation of caspase-4, -9, and -3, and expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated proteins, including C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Inhibition of ER stress by treatment with the ER stress inhibitors, salubrinal and 4-phenylbutyric acid or CHOP siRNA transfection reduced FLX-induced cell death. FLX induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) family, p38, JNK, and ERK, and an upstream kinase apoptosis signal kinase 1 (ASK1). Inhibition of MAPKs and ASK1 reduced FLX-induced cell death and CHOP expression. We then showed that FLX reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ER stress inhibitors as well as MAPK inhibitors ameliorated FLX-induced loss of MMP. Interestingly, FLX induced hyperacetylation of histone H3 and H4, upregulation of p300 histone acetyltransferase (HAT), and downregulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs). Treatment with a HAT inhibitor anacardic acid or p300 HAT siRNA transfection blocked FLX-induced apoptosis in SK-N-BE(2)-M17 cells. However, FLX did not induce histone acetylation and anacardic acid had no protective effect on FLX-induced cell death and CHOP expression in MYCN non-amplified SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma and MYCN knockdowned SK-N-BE(2)-M17 cells. These findings suggest that FLX induces apoptosis in neuroblastoma through ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction via the ASK1 and MAPK pathways and through histone hyperacetylation in a MYCN-dependent manner.