MAOB expression correlates with a favourable prognosis in prostate cancer, and its genetic variants are associated with the metastasis of the disease.

Monoamine oxidase B (MAOB), a neurotransmitter-degrading enzyme, was reported to reveal conflicting roles in various cancers. However, the functional role of MAOB and impacts of its genetic variants on prostate cancer (PCa) is unknown. Herein, we genotyped four loci of MAOB single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including rs1799836 (A/G), rs3027452 (G/A), rs6651806 (A/C) and rs6324 (G/A) in 702 PCa Taiwanese patients. We discovered that PCa patients carrying the MAOB rs6324 A-allele exhibited an increased risk of having a high initial prostate-specific antigen (iPSA) level (>10 ng/mL). Additionally, patients with the rs3027452 A-allele had a higher risk of developing distal metastasis, particularly in the subpopulation with high iPSA levels. In a subpopulation without postoperative biochemical recurrence, patients carrying the rs1799836 G-allele had a higher risk of developing lymph node metastasis and recurrence compared to those carrying the A-allele. Furthermore, genotype screening in PCa cell lines revealed that cells carrying the rs1799836 G-allele expressed lower MAOB levels than those carrying the A-allele. Functionally, overexpression and knockdown of MAOB in PCa cells respectively suppressed and enhanced cell motility and proliferation. In clinical observations, correlations of lower MAOB expression levels with higher Gleason scores, advanced clinical T stages, tumour metastasis, and poorer prognosis in PCa patients were noted. Our findings suggest that MAOB may act as a suppressor of PCa progression, and the rs3027452 and rs1799836 genetic variants of MAOB are linked to PCa metastasis within the Taiwanese population.

Genetic variants of dipeptidyl peptidase IV are linked to the clinicopathologic development of prostate cancer.

CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) is a multifunctional cell-surface glycoprotein widely found in many cell types, and a soluble form is present in body fluids. There is longstanding evidence indicating a tumour-promoting or -suppressive role of DPP4 in different cancer types. However, studies focusing on the impacts of genetic variants of DPP4 on cancers are very rare. Herein, we conducted a case-control study to evaluate whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DPP4 were associated with the risk or clinicopathologic development of prostate cancer (PCa). We genotyped four loci of DPP4 SNPs, including rs7608798 (A/G), rs3788979 (C/T), rs2268889 (T/C) and rs6741949 (G/C), using a TaqMan allelic discrimination assay in 704 PCa patients and 704 healthy controls. Our results showed that PCa patients with the DPP4 rs7608798 AG+GG genotype or rs2268889 TC+CC genotype had a higher risk of developing an advanced clinical primary tumour (cT) stage (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.680, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.062-2.659, p = 0.025; AOR: 1.693, 95% CI: 1.092-2.624, p = 0.018). Additionally, in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we observed that lower DPP4 expression levels were correlated with higher Gleason scores, advanced cT and pathological stages, tumour metastasis, and shorter progression-free survival rates in PCa patients. Furthermore, overexpression of DPP4 suppressed migration/invasion of metastatic PC3 PCa cells. Our findings suggest that DPP4 levels may affect the progression of PCa, and the DPP4 rs7608798 and rs2268889 SNPs are associated with the clinicopathologic development of PCa in a Taiwanese population.

Autophagosome accumulation-mediated ATP energy deprivation induced by penfluridol triggers nonapoptotic cell death of lung cancer via activating unfolded protein response.

Anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs mainly trigger apoptosis induction to eliminate malignant cells. However, many cancer cells are chemoresistant because of defective apoptosis induction. Targeting the autophagic pathway is currently regarded as an alternative strategy for cancer drug discovery. Penfluridol, an antipsychotic drug, has been reported to exert oncostatic effects, but the effect of penfluridol on lung cancer remains unknown. Herein, the antitumor activity of penfluridol was determined in vitro in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines using MTS, plate clonogenic, and transwell migration assays and in vivo in an orthotopic xenograft model. Flow cytometry, holotomographic microscopy, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry were employed to determine the cell-death phenotype induced by penfluridol in vitro and in vivo. Western blotting and genetic knockdown by small interfering RNA were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms involved in penfluridol-mediated cell death. We uncovered that penfluridol inhibited the viability and motility of NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo. Penfluridol induced nonapoptotic cell death by blocking autophagic flux and inducing accumulation of autophagosome-related protein, light chain 3 (LC3) B-II, in HCC827 and A549 NSCLC cells, and in an A549 orthotopic xenograft tumor model. Autophagosome accumulation-induced cell viability inhibition by penfluridol was mainly attributed to ATP energy deprivation. Moreover, we observed that patients with lung tumors expressing high LC3B had longer overall and disease-free survival times. Mechanistically, upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR) pathways and activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were critical for penfluridol-induced autophagosome accumulation. Our findings identify that penfluridol acts as an inducer of ER stress and p38 MAPK activation, which led to UPR-mediated nonapoptotic cell death via autophagosome accumulation-caused energy loss. Penfluridol is clinically used for schizophrenia, and our study results strongly support penfluridol as a repurposed drug for treating NSCLC.

Targeting the SPOCK1-snail/slug axis-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by apigenin contributes to repression of prostate cancer metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is considered one of the most prevalent malignancy globally, and metastasis is a major cause of death. Apigenin (API) is a dietary flavonoid which exerts an antimetastatic effect in various cancer types. Sparc/osteonectin, cwcv, and kazal-like domains proteoglycan 1 (SPOCK1) is a crucial modulator of tumor growth and metastasis in cancers. However, the role and underlying regulatory mechanisms of SPOCK1 in the API-mediated antimetastatic effects of PCa remain unclear. METHODS: MTS, colony formation, wound-healing, and transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of API on PCa cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive potentials. In vivo orthotopic bioluminescent xenograft model were employed to determine antitumor activity of API. PCa cells were transfected with either Snail-, Slug-, SPOCK1-overexpressing vector, or small hairpin (sh)SPOCK1 to determine the invasive abilities and expression levels of SPOCK1 and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers in response to API treatment. Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays were carried out to evaluate the expression level of SPOCK1 in PCa xenografts and a PCa tissue array. Associations of SPOCK1 expression with clinicopathological features and prognoses of patients with PCa were analyzed by GEO or TCGA RNA-sequencing data. RESULTS: API significantly suppressed in vitro PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and inhibited in vivo PCa tumor growth and metastasis. Moreover, survival times of animals were also prolonged after API treatment. Mechanistic studies revealed that API treatment resulted in downregulation of SPOCK1, which was accompanied by reduced expressions of mesenchymal markers and subsequent attenuation of invasive abilities of PCa cells. Overexpression of SPOCK1 in PCa xenografts resulted in significant promotion of tumor progression and relieved the anticancer activities induced by API, whereas knockdown of SPOCK1 had opposite effects. In clinical, SPOCK1 levels were higher in tumor tissues compared to non-tumor tissues, which was also significantly correlated with shorter disease-free survival in PCa patients. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of SPOCK1 increase with the progression of human PCa which suggests that SPOCK1 may act as a prognostic marker or therapeutic target for patients with PCa. Suppression of SPOCK1-mediated EMT signaling contributes to the antiproliferative and antimetastatic activities of API in vitro and in vivo.

Protonated Melamine Sponge for Effective Oil/Water Separation.

In this study, we fabricated a superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic protonated melamine sponge for effective separation of water-rich immiscible oil/water mixtures with extremely high separation efficiency. This protonated melamine sponge exhibited excellent antifouling properties and could be used to separate oil/water mixtures continuously for up to 12 h without any increase in the oil content in filtrate. Moreover, our compressed protonated melamine sponge could separate both surfactant-free and -stabilized oil-in-water emulsions with high separation efficiencies. The high performance of this protonated melamine sponge and its efficient, energy- and cost-effective preparation suggest that it has great potential for use in practical applications.

Tomatidine inhibits invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma cell A549 by reducing matrix metalloproteinases expression.

Tomatidine is an aglycone of glycoalkaloid tomatine in tomato. Tomatidine is found to possess anti-inflammatory properties and may serve as a chemosensitizer in multidrug-resistant tumor cells. However, the effect of tomatidine on cancer cell metastasis remains unclear. This study examines the effect of tomatidine on the migration and invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell in vitro. The data demonstrates that tomatidine does not effectively inhibit the viability of A549 cells. When treated with non-toxic doses of tomatidine, cell invasion is markedly suppressed by Boyden chamber invasion assay, while cell migration is not affected. Tomatidine reduces the mRNA level of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and increases the expression of reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK), as well as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1). The immunoblotting assays indicate that tomatidine is very effective in suppressing the phosphorylation of Akt and extracellular signal regulating kinase (ERK). In addition, tomatidine significantly decreases the nuclear level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which suggests that tomatidine inhibits NF-κB activity. Furthermore, the treatment of inhibitors specific for PI3K/Akt (LY294002), ERK (U0126), or NF-κB (pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate) to A549 cells reduced cell invasion and MMP-2/9 expression. The results suggest that tomatidine inhibits the invasion of A549 cells by reducing the expression of MMPs. It also inhibits ERK and Akt signaling pathways and NF-κB activity. These findings demonstrate a new therapeutic potential for tomatidine in anti-metastatic therapy.

Diosgenin, a steroidal saponin, inhibits migration and invasion of human prostate cancer PC-3 cells by reducing matrix metalloproteinases expression.

BACKGROUND: Diosgenin, a steroidal saponin obtained from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum), was found to exert anti-carcinogenic properties, such as inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in a variety of tumor cells. However, the effect of diosgenin on cancer metastasis remains unclear. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of diosgenin on migration and invasion in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Diosgenin inhibited proliferation of PC-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. When treated with non-toxic doses of diosgenin, cell migration and invasion were markedly suppressed by in vitro wound healing assay and Boyden chamber invasion assay, respectively. Furthermore, diosgenin reduced the activities of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 by gelatin zymography assay. The mRNA level of MMP-2, -9, -7 and extracellular inducer of matrix metalloproteinase (EMMPRIN) were also suppressed while tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) was increased by diosgenin. In addition, diosgenin abolished the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in PC-3 cells and tube formation of endothelial cells. Our immunoblotting assays indicated that diosgenin potently suppressed the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositide-3 kinase (PI3K), Akt, extracellular signal regulating kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In addition, diosgenin significantly decreased the nuclear level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), suggesting that diosgenin inhibited NF-κB activity. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggested that diosgenin inhibited migration and invasion of PC-3 cells by reducing MMPs expression. It also inhibited ERK, JNK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways as well as NF-κB activity. These findings reveal new therapeutic potential for diosgenin in anti-metastatic therapy.

α-Solanine inhibits human melanoma cell migration and invasion by reducing matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 activities.

α-Solanine, a naturally occurring steroidal glycoalkaloid in potato sprouts, was found to possess anti-carcinogenic properties, such as inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells. However, the effect of α-solanine on cancer metastasis remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the effect of α-solanine on metastasis in vitro. Data demonstrated that α-solanine inhibited proliferation of human melanoma cell line A2058 in a dose-dependent manner. When treated with non-toxic doses of α-solanine, cell migration and invasion were markedly suppressed. Furthermore, α-solanine reduced the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9, which are involved in the migration and invasion of cancer cells. Our biochemical assays indicated that α-solanine potently suppressed the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phosphatidylinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) and Akt, while it did not affect phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulating kinase (ERK). In addition, α-solanine significantly decreased the nuclear level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), suggesting that α-solanine inhibited NF-κB activity. Taken together, the results suggested that α-solanine inhibited migration and invasion of A2058 cells by reducing MMP-2/9 activities. It also inhibited JNK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways as well as NF-κB activity. These findings reveal new therapeutic potential for α-solanine in anti-metastatic therapy.