Inhibition of Orai1-mediated Ca2+ entry enhances chemosensitivity of HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells to 5-fluorouracil.

Increasing evidence supports that activation of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is implicated in the chemoresistance of cancer cells subjected to chemotherapy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance are not well understood. In this study, we aim to investigate whether 5-FU induces hepatocarcinoma cell death through regulating Ca2+ -dependent autophagy. [Ca2+ ]i was measured using fura2/AM dye. Protein expression was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. We found that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) induced autophagic cell death in HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Orai1 expression was obviously elevated in hepatocarcinoma tissues. 5-FU treatment decreased SOCE and Orai1 expressions, but had no effects on Stim1 and TRPC1 expressions. Knockdown of Orai1 or pharmacological inhibition of SOCE enhanced 5-FU-induced inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and potentiated 5-FU-activated autophagic cell death. On the contrary, ectopic overexpression of Orai1 antagonizes 5-FU-induced autophagy and cell death. Our findings provide convincing evidence to show that Orai1 expression is increased in hepatocarcinoma tissues. 5-FU can induce autophagic cell death in HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells through inhibition of SOCE via decreasing Orai1 expression. These findings suggest that Orai1 expression is a predictor of 5-FU sensitivity for hepatocarcinoma treatment and blockade of Orai1-mediated Ca2+ entry may be a promising strategy to sensitize hepatocarcinoma cells to 5-FU treatment.

Hepatocyte TMEM16A Deletion Retards NAFLD Progression by Ameliorating Hepatic Glucose Metabolic Disorder.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent form of chronic liver disease, and the mechanisms underpinning its pathogenesis have not been completely established. Transmembrane member 16A (TMEM16A), a component of the Ca2+-activated chloride channel (CaCC), has recently been implicated in metabolic events. Herein, TMEM16A is shown to be responsible for CaCC activation in hepatocytes and is increased in liver tissues of mice and patients with NAFLD. Hepatocyte-specific ablation of TMEM16A in mice ameliorates high-fat diet-induced obesity, hepatic glucose metabolic disorder, steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammation. In contrast, hepatocyte-specific TMEM16A transgenic mice exhibit the opposite phenotype. Mechanistically, hepatocyte TMEM16A interacts with vesicle-associated membrane protein 3 (VAMP3) to induce its degradation, suppressing the formation of the VAMP3/syntaxin 4 and VAMP3/synaptosome-associated protein 23 complexes. This leads to the impairment of hepatic glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) translocation and glucose uptake. Notably, VAMP3 overexpression restrains the functions of hepatocyte TMEM16A in blocking GLUT2 translocation and promoting lipid deposition, insulin resistance, and inflammation. In contrast, VAMP3 knockdown reverses the beneficial effects of TMEM16A downregulation. This study demonstrates a role for TMEM16A in NAFLD and suggests that inhibition of hepatic TMEM16A or disruption of TMEM16A/VAMP3 interaction may provide a new potential therapeutic strategy for NAFLD.

Different cell kinetic changes in rat stomach cancer after treatment with celecoxib or indomethacin: implications on chemoprevention.

AIM: Mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive effects of cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors remain elusive. We have previously shown that celecoxib but not indomethacin could prevent carcinogen-induced gastric cancer development in Wistar rats. This chemopreventive effect appeared to be independent of COX-2 and prostaglandin (PG) E2 suppression since the lowest PGE2 was obtained in indomethacin group. This study compared the cell kinetic changes in stomachs of rats after treatment with celecoxib (5, 10, 20 mg/(kg.d)) or indomethacin (3 mg/(kg.d)) to gain more insights into the chemopreventive mechanism. METHODS: The apoptosis and proliferation indexes in gastric tumor, adjacent non-cancer tissues and normal gastric tissues were determined. Apoptosis was quantified by apoptotic nuclei counting and TUNEL, whereas proliferation was determined by Ki67 immunostaining. RESULTS: Treatment with either celecoxib or indomethacin inhibited gastric tumor proliferation by more than 65% (P<0.02). However, celecoxib caused a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis (P<0.05) which was not seen in indomethacin-treated tumors (P = 0.54). The highest apoptosis to proliferation ratio was seen in tumors treated with celecoxib at 10 mg/(kg.d). Treatment with this dose of celecoxib was associated with the lowest incidence of gastric cancer development. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the difference in chemopreventive effects of indomethacin and celecoxib in this animal model of gastric carcinogenesis is largely due to the differential cell kinetic changes, which does not correlate with the degree of COX-2 and PG suppression.

[Inhibitory effects of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the inhibitory effects of celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. METHODS: The in vitro inhibitory effects of celecoxib at different concentrations and for different treatment time lengths on human liver cancer cell line SMMC-7,721 were observed with MTT assay, and flow cytometry was performed to detect the cell cycle changes. The in vivo tumor inhibition effect of celecoxib was evaluated in Kunming mice bearing transplanted tumor derived from liver cancer cell line H22 transplantation. RESULT: Celecoxib significantly inhibited the in vitro growth of human liver cancer cell line SMMC-7721 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. A 36-hour celecoxib treatment (40 micromol/L) resulted in decreased SMMC-7721 cell proliferation and an increase of the cell percentage in G1 phase from 44.7% to 49.9% with decreased cell percentage in S and G(2)/M phases from 55.4% to 50.1%. In the mice bearing H22 transplanted tumor, celecoxib showed significant inhibitory effect on the growth and local metastasis of the transplanted tumor. CONCLUSION: Celecoxib can inhibit the proliferation of different liver cancer cell lines both in vitro and in vivo, and therefore may serve as an important candidate drug for prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

[Prophylactic effect of a selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib on carcinogen-induced gastric premalignant lesions in rats].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Although we have previously showed that a selective cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) inhibitor celecoxib prevents gastric cancer development in a rat model of gastric carcinogenesis, the role of celecoxib on gastric premalignant lesions remains unknown. This study was to explore whether celecoxib was effective for the prevention of premalignancy, and further to clarify its mechanism. METHODS: Ninety-four male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups. Group A (n=12) was fed with water only; group B (n=16) with daily 10 mg/kg celecoxib; group C (n=22) with 100 microg/ml N-methyl-No-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG); group D (n=22) with 100 microg/ml MNNG and daily 10 mg/kg celecoxib; group E (n=22) with 100 microg/ml MNNG and daily 3 mg/kg indomethacin. The rats in groups B to E were given 10% sodium chloride in the initial 6 weeks, and the rats in groups C to E were given 100 microg/ml MNNG in drinking water to induce premalignant lesions in the stomach. Six rats in group A, 8 in group B, 10 in group C, 10 in group D, and 10 in group E were killed at week 16, and others were killed at week 24. The occurrence rates of gastric premalignant lesions in the groups were compared. The mRNA and protein levels of COX-1 and COX-2 in gastric mucosa were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry; prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) level was measured by an ELISA-based assay. RESULTS: Ninety-three rats were studied. In week 16 and week 24, the occurrence rates of glandular atrophy in groups C, D, and E had no significant difference (P>0.05). In week 16, gastric mucosal dysplasia was not detected in groups C, D, and E; at week 24, the occurrence rates of dysplasia were 75% (9/12) on group C, 25% (3/12) in group D, and 46% (5/11) in group E. The occurrence rate of gastric mucosal dysplasia was significantly lower in group D than in group C (25% vs. 75%, P=0.039); there was no significant difference between group E and group C (46% vs. 75%, P=0.214). At week 16 and week 24, there was no significant difference in COX-1 expression between treatment groups and control group. The mRNA and protein levels of COX-2 in group C (3.29+/-1.50 and 3.41+/-0.94) were significantly higher than those in other groups (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in PGE2 level between groups C, D, and E (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Celecoxib effectively inhibits the development of gastric mucosal dysplasia in rats induced by MNNG, but has no effect on the PGE2 level in the gastric mucosa, indicating that the anti-neoplastic activities of celecoxib may be independent of COX-2.

Effect of celecoxib on experimental liver fibrosis in rat.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an inducible enzyme that catalyzes prostaglandin synthesis, has been implicated in a number of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) functions. In the current study, we assessed the in vivo effect of celecoxib, a COX-2-selective inhibitor, in experimental liver fibrosis in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats received experimental treatments for 5 weeks. Serum alanine transminase at the time of sacrifice was measured. Quantitative assessment of liver fibrosis was performed by computerized morphometry. Expression of COX-2, alpha smooth muscle actin and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to determine the expression of genes associated with fibrogenesis and extracellular matrix degradation. RESULTS: Liver fibrosis was significantly worse in rats that received both carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and celecoxib, compared with rats that received CCl4 and gavage of water (P = 0.037). There was also more HSC activation, and upregulation of collagen alpha1(I), heat-shock protein 47, alphaB crystallin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP)-2. The expression of TIMP-1 and CTGF was not significantly different between the two groups. The pro-fibrogenic effect of celecoxib in toxin-induced liver fibrosis in rats was further confirmed in thioacetamide model of liver injury. CONCLUSIONS: Celecoxib potentiates experimental liver fibrosis; further studies are warranted to investigate the potential pro-fibrogenic effect of celecoxib in other animal models of liver fibrosis and in patients with chronic hepatitis.