C2-Ceramide-Induced Rb-Dominant Senescence-Like Phenotype Leads to Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Escape from p53-Dependent Cell Death.

Ceramide is a sphingolipid which regulates a variety of signaling pathways in eukaryotic cells. Exogenous ceramide has been shown to induce cellular apoptosis. In this study, we observed that exogenous ceramide induced two distinct morphologies of cell fate following C2-ceramide treatment between the two breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (wild type p53) and MDA-MB-231 (mutant p53) cells. The growth assessment showed that C2-ceramide caused significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells through down-regulating the expression of mutant p53 whereas up-regulating the expression of pro-apoptotic Bad, and the proteolytic activation of caspase-3. However, senescence-associated (SA)-ß-galactosidase (ß-gal) was regulated in MCF-7 cells after C2-ceramide treatment. The results of proliferation and apoptosis assays showed that MCF-7 cells were more resistant to C2-ceramide treatment compared to MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, C2-ceramide treatment induced a time-responsive increase in Rb protein, a key regulator of senescence accompanied with the upregulation of both mRNA level and protein level of SA-genes PAI-1 and TGaseII in MCF-7 but not in MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting that some cancer cells escape apoptosis through modulating senescence-like phenotype. The results of our present study depicted the mechanism of C2-ceramide-resistant breast cancer cells, which might benefit the strategic development of ceramide-based chemotherapeutics against cancer in the future.

Innate immune sensor laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 suppresses tumor cell growth and functions as a prognostic marker in neuroblastoma.

The innate immune receptors, such as toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), melanoma differentiation-associated 5 (MDA5) and retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I), have been shown to be differentially expressed in neuroblastoma (NB) and promote dsRNA poly (I:C)-induced NB suppression in vitro and in vivo. However, the role of another important innate immune cytosolic sensor, laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2), in the cancer behavior of NB remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that the expression levels of LGP2 were either low or undetectable in all NB cell lines tested with or without MYCN amplification. LGP2 expression levels were significantly increased only in NB cells without MYCN amplification, including SK-N-AS and SK-N-FI after poly (I:C) treatment in vitro and in mouse xenograft models. Ectopic expression of LGP2 in NB cells significantly enhanced poly (I:C)-induced NB cell death associated with downregulation of MDA5, RIG-I, MAVS and Bcl-2, as well as upregulation of Noxa and tBid. By immunofluorescence analyses, LGP2 localized mainly in the cytoplasm of NB cells after poly (I:C) treatment. In human NB tissue samples, cytoplasmic LGP2 expression was positively correlated with histological differentiation and inversely correlated with MYCN amplification. Positive cytoplasmic LGP2 expression in tumor tissues could predict a favorable outcome in NB patients independent of other prognostic factors. In short, LGP2 was effective in promoting poly (I:C)-induced NB suppression and cytoplasmic LGP2 can serve as an independent favorable prognostic factor in NB patients.

Downregulation of c-Myc is involved in TLR3-mediated tumor death of neuroblastoma xenografts.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the deadliest pediatric solid tumor due to its pleomorphic molecular characteristics. In the innate immune system, toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) recognizes viral double-stranded RNAs to initiate immune signaling. Positive TLR3 expression indicates a favorable prognosis in NB patients, and is associated with MYCN-non-amplified. However, TLR3-mediated innate immune responses remain elusive in NB. In this study, we attempted to dissect the molecular mechanism underlying TLR3-agonist polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] treatment in NB in vivo. We established NB xenograft models in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice with MYCN-amplified SK-N-DZ (DZ) cells or MYCN-non-amplified SK-N-AS (AS) cells. Poly(I:C) treatment led to significant tumor regression in AS xenografts, but not in DZ xenografts. Through immunohistochemical analysis, significant suppression of tumor proliferation, downregulation of c-Myc expression, and upregulation of TLR3 expression were found in the treatment group. Poly(I:C) inducing activation of TLR3/IRF3-mediated innate immunity associated with downregulation of c-Myc can be found in MYCN-non-amplified SK-N-AS cells, but not in MYCN-amplified BE(2)-M17 cells. Knockdown of TLR3 disturbed poly(I:C)-induced suppression of c-Myc and upregulation of p-IRF3 in AS cells. Furthermore, poly(I:C) treatment upregulated active NF-κB, mitochondrial antioxidant manganese superoxide dismutase and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, which works with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and DNA damage. Upregulation of active caspase 3 and cleaved poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1 were found in poly(I:C)-treated AS xenografts, which indicates the induction of apoptosis. Thus, our results suggest that c-Myc overexpression may increase sensitivity to poly(I:C)-induced tumor growth arrest and ROS-mediated apoptosis in NB. This study demonstrates that c-Myc protein expression has an important role in TLR3-induced innate immune responses, providing future treatment recommendations.

5-aza-2'-Deoxycytidine Induces a RIG-I-Related Innate Immune Response by Modulating Mitochondria Stress in Neuroblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common malignant solid tumors to occur in children, characterized by a wide range of genetic and epigenetic aberrations. We studied whether modifications of the latter with a 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (decitabine, Dac) DNA methyltransferase inhibitor can provide a therapeutic advantage in NB. METHODS: NB cells with or without MYCN amplification were treated with Dac. We used flow cytometry to measure cell apoptosis and death and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), microarray to analyze gene expression profile and bisulfite pyrosequencing to determine the methylation level of the DDX58/RIG-I promoter. Western blot was used to detect markers related to innate immune response and apoptotic signaling, while immunofluorescent imaging was used to determine dsRNA. We generated mtDNA depleted ρ0 cells using long-term exposure to low-dose ethidium bromide. RESULTS: Dac preferentially induced a RIG-I-predominant innate immune response and cell apoptosis in SK-N-AS NB cells, significantly reduced the methylation level of the DDX58/RIG-I promoter and increased dsRNA accumulation in the cytosol. Dac down regulated mitochondrial genes related to redox homeostasis, but augmented mtROS production. ρ0 cells demonstrated a blunted response in innate immune response and apoptotic cell death, as well as greatly diminished dsRNA. The response of NB cells to CDDP and poly(I:C) was potentiated by Dac in association with increased mtROS, which was blunted in ρ0 cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that Dac effectively induces a RIG-I-related innate immune response and apoptotic signaling primarily in SK-N-AS NB cells by hypomethylating DDX58/RIG-I promoter, elevated mtROS and increased dsRNA. Dac can potentiate the cytotoxic effects of CDDP and poly(I:C) in NB cells.

MDA5 complements TLR3 in suppression of neuroblastoma.

Toll-like receptor3 (TLR3) has been confirmed to be differentially expressed in neuroblastoma (NB), and predicts a favorable prognosis with a high expression in tumor tissues. Treatment with TLR3 agonist--polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] could induce significant but limited apoptosis in TLR3-expressing NB cells, suggesting that other viral RNA sensors, including melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) and retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) in the cytosolic compartment might also be implicated in poly(I:C)-induced NB cell death. MDA5 and RIG-I were induced by poly(I:C) to express in two of six NB cell lines, SK-N-AS (AS) and SK-N-FI, which were associated with up-regulation of caspase9 and active caspase3. While knockdown of either MDA5 or RIG-I alone is ineffective to decrease caspase9 and active caspase3, simultaneously targeting MDA5 and TLR3 showed the best effect to rescue poly(I:C) induced up-regulation of mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS), caspase9, active caspase3, and apoptosis in AS cells. Over-expression of MDA5 in FaDu cells resulted in significantly less colony formation and more poly(I:C)-induced cell death. Further studies in human NB tissue samples revealed that MDA5 expression in NB tissues predicted a favorable prognosis synergistically with TLR3. Our findings indicate that MDA5 may serve as a complementary role in the TLR3 activated suppression of NB.