Repression of PDK1- and LncRNA HOTAIR-Mediated EZH2 Gene Expression Contributes to the Enhancement of Atractylenolide 1 and Erlotinib in the Inhibition of Human Lung Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We previously showed that the major bioactive compound of Atractylodes macrocephula Koidz atractylenolide 1 (ATL-1) inhibited human lung cancer cell growth by suppressing the gene expression of 3-Phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1 or PDPK1). However, the potentially associated molecules and downstream effectors of PDK1 underlying this inhibition, particularly the mechanism for enhancing the anti-tumor effects of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), remain unknown. METHODS: Cell viability and cell cycle distribution were measured using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Western blot analyses were performed to examine the protein expressions of PDK1 and of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). The levels of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) were examined via qRT-PCR. RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assays were used to analyze HOTAIR interaction with EZH2. The promoter activity of the EZH2 gene was determined using Secrete-Pair Dual Luminescence Assay Kit. Exogenous expressions of PDK1, HOTAIR, and EZH2 were conducted via transient transfection assays. A xenografted tumor model was used to further evaluate the effect of ATL-1 in the presence or absence of erlotinib in vivo. RESULTS: We showed that the combination of ATL-1 and EGFR-TKI erlotinib further inhibited growth and induced cell arrest of the human lung cancer cells, determined by both MTT and flow cytometry assays. ATL-1 inhibited the protein expression and the promoter activity of EZH2, which was reversed in cells with PDK1 overexpression. Interestingly, ATL-1 inhibited the expression levels of HOTAIR. While silencing HOTAIR inhibited the expressions of PDK1 and EZH2, overexpression of HOTAIR reduced the ATL-1-reduced PDK1 and EZH2 protein expressions and EZH2 promoter activity. In addition, ATL-1 reduced the HOTAIR binding to the EZH2 protein. Moreover, we found that exogenously expressed EZH2 antagonized the effect of ATL-1 on cell growth inhibition. Consistent with the in vitro results, ATL-1 inhibited tumor growth and the expression levels of HOTAIR, protein expressions of EZH2 and PDK1 in vivo. Importantly, there was synergy of the combination of ATL-1 and erlotinib in this process. CONCLUSION: Here, we provide the first evidence that ATL-1 inhibits lung cancer cell growth through inhibiting not only the PDK1 but also the lncRNA HOTAIR, which results in the reduction of one downstream effector EZH2 expression. The novel interplay between the HOTAIR and EZH2, as well as repressions of the PDK1 and HOTAIR coordinate the overall effects of ATL-1. Importantly, the combination of ATL-1 and EGFR-TKI erlotinib exhibits synergy. Thus, targeting the PDK1- and HOTAIR-mediated downstream molecule EZH2 by the combination of ATL-1 and erlotinib potentially facilitates the development of an additional novel strategy to combat lung cancer.

Salvianolate reduces murine myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury via ERK1/2 signaling pathways in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of salvianolate on myocardial infarction in a murine in vivo model of ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: Myocardial I/R injury model was constructed in mice by 30 min of coronary occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion and pretreated with salvianolate 30 min before I/R (SAL group). The SAL group was compared with SHAM (no I/R and no salvianolate), I/R (no salvianolate), and ischemia preconditioning (IPC) groups. Furthermore, an ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 (1 mg/kg), and a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor, LY294002 (7.5 mg/kg), were administered intraperitoneal injection (i.p) for 30 min prior to salvianolate, followed by I/R surgery in LY and PD groups. By using a double staining method, the ratio of the infarct size (IS) to left ventricle (LV) and of risk region (RR) to LV were compared among the groups. Correlations between IS and RR were analyzed. Western-blot was used to detect the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation changes. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between RR to LV ratio among the SHAM, I/R, IPC and SAL groups (P>0.05). The SAL and IPC groups had IS of 26.1%±1.4% and 22.3%±2.9% of RR, respectively, both of which were significantly smaller than the I/R group (38.5%±2.9% of RR, P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). Moreover, the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was increased in SAL group (P<0.05), while AKT had no significant change. LY294002 further reduced IS, whereas the protective role of salvianolate could be attenuated by PD98059, which increased the IS. Additionally, the IS was not linearly related to the RR (r=0.23, 0.45, 0.62, 0.17, and 0.52 in the SHAM, I/R, SAL, LY and PD groups, respectively). CONCLUSION: Salvianolate could reduce myocardial I/R injury in mice in vivo, which involves an ERK1/2 pathway, but not a PI3-K signaling pathway.