Cytotoxic Effects of Darinaparsin, a Novel Organic Arsenical, against Human Leukemia Cells.

To explore the molecular mechanisms of action underlying the antileukemia activities of darinaparsin, an organic arsenical approved for the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma in Japan, cytotoxicity of darinaparsin was evaluated in leukemia cell lines NB4, U-937, MOLT-4 and HL-60. Darinaparsin was a more potent cytotoxic than sodium arsenite, and induced apoptosis/necrosis in NB4 and HL-60 cells. In NB4 cells exhibiting the highest susceptibility to darinaparsin, apoptosis induction was accompanied by the activation of caspase-8/-9/-3, a substantial decrease in Bid expression, and was suppressed by Boc-D-FMK, a pancaspase inhibitor, suggesting that darinaparsin triggered a convergence of the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis via Bid truncation. A dramatic increase in the expression level of γH2AX, a DNA damage marker, occurred in parallel with G2/M arrest. Activation of p53 and the inhibition of cdc25C/cyclin B1/cdc2 were concomitantly observed in treated cells. Downregulation of c-Myc, along with inactivation of E2F1 associated with the activation of Rb, was observed, suggesting the critical roles of p53 and c-Myc in darinaparsin-mediated G2/M arrest. Trolox, an antioxidative reagent, suppressed the apoptosis induction but failed to correct G2/M arrest, suggesting that oxidative stress primarily contributed to apoptosis induction. Suppression of Notch1 signaling was also confirmed. Our findings provide novel insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the cytotoxicity of darinaparsin and strong rationale for its new clinical application for patients with different types of cancer.

Involvement of the Restoration of Cerebral Blood Flow and Maintenance of eNOS Expression in the Prophylactic Protective Effect of the Novel Ferulic Acid Derivative FAD012 against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injuries in Rats.

Tissue plasminogen activator, aiming to restore cerebral blood flow (CBF), has been used for acute ischemic strokes in clinics; however, its narrow therapeutic time window remains a serious concern. To develop novel prophylactic drugs to alleviate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injuries, ferulic acid derivative 012 (FAD012) was synthesized and showed comparable antioxidant properties to ferulic acid (FA) and probably possesses the potent ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. A more potent cytoprotective effect of FAD012 against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells was also observed. In vivo toxicity was not observed in rats given a long-term oral administration of FAD012, indicating its good tolerability. A one-week-course oral administration of FAD012 significantly alleviated middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injuries in rats, accompanied by the restoration of CBF and endothelial nitrogen oxide synthetase (eNOS) expression. Treatment with FAD012 significantly restored the cell viability and eNOS expression damaged by H2O2, used to mimic MCAO-triggered oxidative stress, in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells. Our findings suggested that FAD012 protected the viability of vascular endothelium and maintained eNOS expression, ultimately contributing to the restoration of CBF, and may provide a rationale for the development of FAD012 into an effective prophylactic drug for patients at high risk of stroke.

Enhanced Cytotoxic Effects of Arenite in Combination with Active Bufadienolide Compounds against Human Glioblastoma Cell Line U-87.

The cytotoxicity of a trivalent arsenic derivative (arsenite, AsIII) combined with arenobufagin or gamabufotalin was evaluated in human U-87 glioblastoma cells. Synergistic cytotoxicity with upregulated intracellular arsenic levels was observed, when treated with AsIII combined with arenobufagin instead of gamabufotalin. Apoptosis and the activation of caspase-9/-8/-3 were induced by AsIII and further strengthened by arenobufagin. The magnitude of increase in the activities of caspase-9/-3 was much greater than that of caspase-8, suggesting that the intrinsic pathway played a much more important role in the apoptosis. An increase in the number of necrotic cells, enhanced LDH leakage, and intensified G2/M phase arrest were observed. A remarkable increase in the expression level of γH2AX, a DNA damage marker, was induced by AsIII+arenobufagin. Concomitantly, the activation of autophagy was observed, suggesting that autophagic cell death associated with DNA damage was partially attributed to the cytotoxicity of AsIII+arenobufagin. Suppression of Notch signaling was confirmed in the combined regimen-treated cells, suggesting that inactivation of Jagged1/Notch signaling would probably contribute to the synergistic cytotoxic effect of AsIII+arenobufagin. Given that both AsIII and arenobufagin are capable of penetrating into the blood-brain barrier, our findings may provide fundamental insight into the clinical application of the combined regimen for glioblastoma.

Characterization of 6-bromoferulic acid as a novel common-use matrix for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Ferulic acid (FA) is a standard matrix used for analyzing proteins. In this study, the ability of a halogenated FA to serve as an effective MALDI matrix was investigated. Various halogenated FAs were synthesized, and the characteristics and performance of each were compared with those of the standard matrices α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) and 2,5-dihydrobenzoic acid (DHBA). METHODS: The abilities of 6-bromoferulic acid (6-BFA), ferulic acid (FA), and eight other halogenated FA derivatives to ionize eight synthetic peptides were examined. Absorption measurements, MM2 structure optimizations, and proton affinity (PA) calculations were also performed for 6-BFA and FA. The suitabilities of these compounds as matrices for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) for lipids, sugar chains, polymers, cyanocobalamin, synthetic peptides, and tryptic peptides originating from two types of serum proteins were also tested. RESULTS: The 6-position of FA was found to be the best site for introducing a bromine because the generated compound allowed facile detection of cyanocobalamin and several peptides. 6-BFA exhibited good sensitivity for large peptides (3-5 kDa) and peptides containing acidic amino acids or proline. 6-BFA was also shown to be a suitable matrix for tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis when using MALDI time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) with a quadrupole ion trap (QIT) system. CONCLUSIONS: The properties of 6-BFA as a MALDI matrix differed from those of DHBA and CHCA. 6-BFA appears to be a useful matrix for de novo sequencing using MALDI-QIT-TOF-MS.

Protective Effects of Ferulic Acid against Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion-Induced Swallowing Dysfunction in Rats.

Ferulic acid (FA), a phenolic phytochemical, has been reported to exert antioxidative and neuroprotective effects. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of FA against the dysfunction of the swallowing reflex induced by ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries (2VO) in rats. In 2VO rats, topical administration of water or citric acid to the pharyngolaryngeal region evoked a diminished number of swallowing events with prolonged latency compared to sham-operated control rats. 2VO rats had an increased level of superoxide anion radical, and decreased dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme levels in the striatum, suggesting that 2VO augmented cerebral oxidative stress and impaired the striatal dopaminergic system. Furthermore, substance P (SP) expression in the laryngopharyngeal mucosa, which is believed to be positively regulated by dopaminergic signaling in the basal ganglia, was decreased in 2VO rats. Oral treatment with FA (30 mg/kg) for 3 weeks (from one week before 2VO to two weeks after) improved the swallowing reflex and maintained levels of striatal dopamine and laryngopharyngeal SP expression in 2VO rats. These results suggest that FA maintains the swallowing reflex by protecting the dopamine-SP system against ischemia-induced oxidative damage in 2VO rats.

Systematic evaluation of methyl ester bioisosteres in the context of developing alkenyldiarylmethanes (ADAMs) as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) for anti-HIV-1 chemotherapy.

The alkenyldiarylmethanes (ADAMs) are a class of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) targeting HIV-1. Four chemically and metabolically stabilized ADAMs incorporating N-methoxyimidoyl halide replacements of the methyl esters of the lead compound were previously reported. In this study, twenty-five new ADAMs were synthesized in order to investigate the biological consequences of installing nine different methyl ester bioisosteres at three different locations. Attempts to define a universal rank order of methyl ester bioisosteres and discover the 'best' one in terms of inhibitory activity versus HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) led to the realization that the potencies are critically dependent on the surrounding structure at each location, and therefore the definition of universal rank order is impossible. This investigation produced several new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in which all three of the three methyl esters of the lead compound were replaced by methyl ester bioisosteres, resulting in compounds that are more potent as HIV-1 RT inhibitors and antiviral agents than the lead compound itself and are expected to also be more metabolically stable than the lead compound.

Fatty Acid ß-Oxidation Plays a Key Role in Regulating cis-Palmitoleic Acid Levels in the Liver.

Different monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) species have distinct pathophysiological activities. cis-Palmitoleic acid (16:1n-7) was previously reported to improve insulin sensitivity in animal studies. The proportions of hepatic MUFAs are generally considered to reflect changes in the activities of fatty acid modifications (∆9 desaturation and fatty acid elongation). However, hepatic levels of 16:1n-7 are markedly lower than those of oleic acid (18:1n-9). Nevertheless, no convincing explanation has yet been provided for the low level of 16:1n-7. We hypothesized that fatty acid degradation plays a key role in maintaining a low 16:1n-7 proportion in the liver. In order to corroborate the link between ß-oxidation and the proportion of 16:1n-7, rats were fed a control diet, fed a fat-free diet to up-regulate fatty acid modifications, but not ß-oxidation, or treated with clofibric acid to up-regulate fatty acid modifications and ß-oxidation. The nutritional manipulation markedly increased the proportions of 16:1n-7, 18:1n-9, and cis-vaccenic acid (18:1n-7). Although the pharmacological manipulation enhanced fatty acid modifications to largely the same extent as the nutritional manipulation and markedly elevated the proportion of 18:1n-9, those of 16:1n-7 and 18:1n-7 remained largely unchanged. The oxidation rates of 16:1n-7, 18:1n-9, and 18:1n-7 in liver slices were in the following order: 16:1n-7>18:1n-7≑18:1n-9 in control livers, and were increased by the pharmacological manipulation and decreased by the nutritional manipulation. These results strongly suggest that ß-oxidation, in concert with fatty acid modifications, plays a key role in regulating the MUFA profile and is crucially involved in maintaining low 16:1n-7 levels in the liver.

Antidepressant-like effects of a water-soluble extract from the culture medium of Ganoderma lucidum mycelia in rats.

BACKGROUND: Ganoderma lucidum is a popular medicinal mushroom used for promoting health and longevity in Asian countries. Previously, we reported that a water-soluble extract from a culture medium of Ganoderma lucidum mycelia (MAK) exerts antioxidative and cerebroprotective effects against ischemia-reperfusion injury in vivo. Here, we evaluated the antidepressant and anxiolytic activities of MAK in rats. METHODS: MAK (0.3 or 1 g/kg, p.o.) was administered in the experimental animals 60 min before the forced swimming, open-field, elevated plus-maze, contextual fear-conditioning, and head twitch tests. Additionally, the mechanisms involved in the antidepressant-like action of MAK were investigated by the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-HTP)- or 5-HT2A agonist (±)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride (DOI)-induced head twitch responses. RESULTS: Treatment with MAK (1 g/kg) exhibited antidepressant-like effects in the forced swimming test, attenuated freezing behavior in the contextual fear-conditioning test, and decreased the number of head twitches induced by DOI, but not with 5-HTP. No significant response was observed in locomotion or anxiety-like behavior, when the animals were evaluated in the open-field or elevated plus-maze test, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that MAK has antidepressant-like potential, which is most likely due to the antagonism of 5-HT2A receptors, and possesses anxiolytic-like effects toward memory-dependent and/or stress-induced anxiety in rats.

Corrigendum: Cytotoxic Effects of Arsenite in Combination With Gamabufotalin Against Human Glioblastoma Cell Lines.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.628914.].

Cytotoxic Effects of Arsenite in Combination With Gamabufotalin Against Human Glioblastoma Cell Lines.

Glioblastoma is a fatal primary malignant brain tumor, and the 5-year survival rate of treated glioblastoma patients still remains <5%. Considering the sustained development of metastasis, tumor recurrence, and drug resistance, there is an urgent need for the novel therapeutic approaches to combat glioblastoma. Trivalent arsenic derivative (arsenite, AsIII) with remarkable clinical efficacy in leukemia has been shown to exert cytocidal effect against glioblastoma cells. Gamabufotalin, an active bufadienolide compound, also shows selective cytocidal effect against glioblastoma cells, and has been suggested to serve as a promising adjuvant therapeutic agent to potentiate therapeutic effect of conventional anticancer drugs. In order to gain novel insight into therapeutic approaches against glioblastoma, the cytotoxicity of AsIII and gamabufotalin was explored in the human glioblastoma cell lines U-87 and U-251. In comparison with U-251 cells, U-87 cells were highly susceptible to the two drugs, alone or in combination. More importantly, clinically achieved concentrations of AsIII combined with gamabufotalin exhibited synergistic cytotoxicity against U-87 cells, whereas showed much less cytotoxicity to human normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. G2/M cell cycle arrest was induced by each single drug, and further augmented by their combination in U-87 cells. Downregulation of the expression levels of cdc25C, Cyclin B1, cdc2, and survivin was observed in U-87 cells treated with the combined regimen and occurred in parallel with G2/M arrest. Concomitantly, lactate dehydrogenase leakage was also observed. Intriguingly, SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, intensified the cytotoxicity of the combined regimen in U-87 cells, whereas wortmannin, a potent autophagy inhibitor, significantly rescued the cells. Collectively, G2/M arrest, necrosis and autophagy appeared to cooperatively contribute to the synergistic cytotoxicity of AsIII and gamabufotalin. Given that p38 MAPK serves an essential role in promoting glioblastoma cell survival, developing a possible strategy composed of AsIII, gamabufotalin, and a p38 MAPK inhibitor may provide novel insight into approaches designed to combat glioblastoma.

Delivery of acetaminophen to the central nervous system and the pharmacological effect after intranasal administration with a mucoadhesive agent and absorption enhancer.

Acetaminophen, a central antipyretic and analgesic drug, is one of the most commonly used drugs among individuals of all ages throughout the world. This study pharmacokinetically and pharmacodynamically investigated the transport of acetaminophen to the central nervous system and systemic circulation after intranasal (i.n.) administration, and evaluated the potential of a transnasal acetaminophen formulation in comparison to other routes of administration. Direct transport to the brain and the pharmacological effect after the i.n. administration of acetaminophen with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP; a mucoadhesive agent) and poly-l-arginine (PLA; an absorption enhancer) were investigated to improve retention of the dosage solution in the olfactory epithelium region and enhance the transfer of acetaminophen to the brain. The transport of acetaminophen to the brain was rapid, and the concentration in the brain, especially the olfactory bulb, was higher after i.n. administration, resulting in a greater antipyretic effect in comparison to other routes of administration. The delivery system using PVP and PLA produced a high and prolonged antipyretic effect by enhancing the transfer of acetaminophen to the brain through suppression of the transfer to systemic circulation. Thus, this transnasal drug delivery system using PVP and PLA may be a promising method for transporting acetaminophen to the brain.

Improvement of the Solubility and Evaluation of the Physical Properties of an Inclusion Complex Formed by a New Ferulic Acid Derivative and γ-Cyclodextrin.

Ferulic acid derivative 012 (FAD012) is a ferulic acid (FA) derivative. The current study prepared a solid dispersion of FAD012 and γ-cyclodextrin (γCD) and ground it using a three-dimensional ball mill (3DGM) to prepare an inclusion complex. This study also assessed the physicochemical properties such as solubility of that complex. A Job's plot indicated that FAD012 and γCD formed an inclusion complex at a molar ratio of 1:1. Phase solubility diagrams revealed that FAD012 produced a BS diagram. According to PXRD, FAD012 produced a diffraction peak at 2θ = 7.0° and γCD produced a diffraction peak at 2θ = 9.1°. Those two peaks were not produced by the 3DGM, but new peaks (2θ = 7.3 and 16.5°) were evident. DSC patterns revealed an endothermic peak due to the melting of FAD012 at 190 °C, but no endothermic peaks were evident with the 3DGM. NIR spectra of the 3DGM indicated that the methyl group of FAD012 produced a higher peak and that the OH groups of γCD produced a higher peak. 1H-1H ROESY NMR spectra (D2O) revealed cross peaks for protons of the methyl group of FAD012 and a proton (H-3) in the cavity of γCD, so FAD012 presumably interacts with the wide opening of the γCD torus. A solubility test (25 °C) indicated that solubility improved about 5-fold for the 3DGM in comparison to the solubility of FAD012 alone (about 140 µg/mL). Based on these findings, an FAD012/γCD complex was formed by cogrinding, and its solubility improved. These observations are expected to expand the usefulness of cogrinding of FAD012 with γCD using a 3D ball mill.

JNK and Autophagy Independently Contributed to Cytotoxicity of Arsenite combined With Tetrandrine via Modulating Cell Cycle Progression in Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer are urgently needed due to the sustained development of drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Trivalent arsenic derivative (arsenite, AsIII) has been reported to induce cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells. We recently demonstrated that AsIII plus tetrandrine (Tetra), a Chinese plant-derived alkaloid, exerted potent antitumor activity against human breast cancer cells, however, the underlying mechanisms for their action have not been well defined. In order to provide fundamental insights for understanding the action of AsIII plus Tetra, the effects of the combined regimen on two breast cancer cell lines T47D and MDA-MB-231 were evaluated. Compared to T47D cells, MDA-MB-231 cells were much more susceptible to the synergistic cytotoxic effects of AsIII and Tetra. Besides the induction of apoptotic/necrotic cell death, S-phase arrest and autophagic cell death were also observed in MDA-MB-231 cells. Exposure of MDA-MB-231 cells to AsIII and Tetra caused the activation of MAPKs. Cytotoxicity of the combined regimen in MDA-MB-231 cell was significantly abrogated by SP600125, a potent c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor. However, similar abrogation was not caused by p38 and ERK inhibitors. The addition of either autophagy inhibitors (3-methyladenine or wortmannin) or SP600125 corrected the combined regimen-triggered S-phase arrest, whereas had little effect on the apoptosis/necrosis induction in the cells. Surprisingly, SP600125NC, a negative control for SP600125, significantly strengthened S-phase arrest and the cytotoxicity induced by the combined regimen. The addition of SP600125 did not alter autophagy induction. In conclusion, the cytotoxicity of AsIII combined with Tetra was attributed to the induction of S-phase arrest, apoptotic/necrotic and autophagic cell death. The enhanced cytotoxicity of the two drugs by SP600125NC might be explained by its capability to strengthen S-phase arrest. Our results suggested that JNK and autophagy independently contributed to the cytotoxicity via modulating cell cycle progression. The study further provides fundamental insights for the development of AsIII in combination with Tetra for patients with different types of breast cancer.

Peroxisome proliferators attenuate free arachidonic acid pool in the kidney through inducing lysophospholipid acyltransferases.

Attenuating effects of peroxisome proliferators on the concentration of free arachidonic acid by inducing 1-acyl-2-lysophospholipid acyltransferases in the kidney were studied. The administration of the three structurally dissimilar peroxisome proliferators, 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropionic acid (clofibric acid), di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, and 2,2'-(decamethylenedithio)diethanol, to rats or mice considerably increased the activities of microsomal 1-acylglycerophosphoethanolamine acyltransferase (LPEAT), 1-acylglycerophosphoinositol acyltransferase (LPIAT), 1-acylglycerophosphoserine acyltransferase (LPSAT), and 1-acylglycerophosphocholine acyltransferase (LPCAT), and the mRNA level of LPCAT3, but not the mRNA level of LPCAT1, LPCAT4, or LPEAT1, in the kidney and the liver. The proportions of arachidonic acid in phospholipids in renal microsomes are rather high for the low proportion of arachidonic acid in free fatty acids in renal microsomes of control rats. The treatment of rats with clofibric acid attenuated the concentration and the proportion of free arachidonic acid to about a half; nevertheless the treatment lowered slightly the proportions of arachidonic acid in phospholipids other than phosphatidylcholine. These results indicate that peroxisome proliferators upregulate the four 1-acyl-2-lysophospholipid acyltransferases of the kidney and, and the induced 1-acyl-2-lysophospholipid acyltransferases seem to play a physiologically crucial contribution in attenuating the pool of free arachidonic acid in the kidney.

Chemopreventive and anticancer activity of flavonoids and its possibility for clinical use by combining with conventional chemotherapeutic agents.

Cancer is a diverse class of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell growth with the potential to invade and spread to other parts of the body, and continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Conventional cancer treatment modalities include antitumor drugs, surgical resection, locally targeted therapies such as radiation therapy. Along with improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of various cancers, generation and the use of smart targeted anti-cancer drugs have been challenged. The need for novel therapeutic strategies remains paramount given the sustained development of drug resistance, tumor recurrence, and metastasis. Development of new strategies aimed at improving chemotherapy sensitivity and minimizing the adverse side effects is thus essential for obtaining satisfied therapeutic outcomes for patients and enhancing their quality of life. Emerging evidence has reported that many cancer patients use either herbs employed in complementary therapies or dietary agents that influence cellular signaling worldwide. Numerous components of edible plants, collectively termed phytochemicals that have beneficial effects for health, are being reported increasingly in the scientific literature. Of those, flavonoids have attracted much attention by virtue of its wide variety of biological functions including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activity. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying its multiple pharmacological effects, especially focusing on cancer chemoprevention. We further discuss possible strategies to develop anticancer therapy by combining flavonoids nutraceuticals and conventional chemotherapeutic agents. We also highlight numerous pharmacokinetic challenges such as bioavailability, drug-drug interactions, which are still fundamental questions concerning its future clinical application.

Multiple cytotoxic effects of gamabufotalin against human glioblastoma cell line U-87.

To provide novel insight into approaches designed to combat glioblastoma, the molecular details of the cytotoxicity of gamabufotalin, were investigated in the human glioblastoma cell line U-87. A dose-dependent cytotoxicity was observed in the cells, whereas no detectable toxicity was confirmed in mouse primary astrocytes. LDH leakage was only observed in the cells treated with a relatively high concentration (>80 ng/ml). Downregulation of the expression levels of Aurora B, cdc25A, cdc25C, cdc2, Cyclin B1 and survivin, and upregulation of the expression level of p21 were observed in treated cells and occurred in parallel with G2/M phase arrest. Treatment with gamabufotalin also downregulated the expression level of uPA, CA9, and upregulated the expression level of TIMP3, all of which are closely associated with invasion/metastasis. Autophagy induction was observed in the treated cells and the addition of wortmannin, a potent autophagy inhibitor, significantly rescued U-87 cells. These results indicate that gamabufotalin exhibits cytotoxicity against cancerous glial cells with high potency and selectivity through multiple cytotoxic signaling pathways. The activation of p38 MAPK pathway along with the upregulation of VEGF/VEGFR2 was observed in the treated cells, both of which are likely to be compensatory changes in response to gamabufotalin treatment. Intriguingly, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK enhanced the cytotoxicity of the drug, suggesting an important prosurvival role for p38 MAPK. We thus suggest that developing a new combination regimen of gamabufotalin plus a p38 MAPK inhibitor and/or inhibitors for VEGF/VEGFR could improve the efficacy of the drug, and may provide more therapeutic benefits to patients with glioblastoma.

Differentiation induction of human breast cancer cells by arsenite in combination with tetrandrine.

BACKGROUND: To provide novel insight into the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat breast cancer, differentiation-inducing activity of clinically achievable concentrations of arsenite (AsIII) and tetrandrine (Tetra) was investigated in breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. METHODS: Differentiation induction of cancer cells was analyzed by flow cytometer. Alterations of genes related to differentiation, and proliferation of human normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed using western blotting and cell viability assay, respectively. RESULTS: Exposure to Tetra alone or in combination with AsIII induced differentiation of both cells characterized by upregulation of ICAM-1, downregulation of Her2/neu. In comparison with MCF-7, the combination of lower concentrations of AsIII and Tetra induced differentiation of MDA-MB-231, indicating that MDA-MB-231 cells were highly susceptible to differentiation. The differentiation occurred in parallel with activation of Erk signaling pathway, and was abolished by PD98059, a potent Erk inhibitor. Consistent with in vitro experimental results, the upregulation of ICAM-1 and the activation of Erk signaling pathway were also observed in MDA-MB-231 breast tumors in xenograft mouse obtained from our previous study. No obvious proliferation inhibition of PBMCs was observed following the exposure to AsIII combined with Tetra at the concentrations capable of inducing differentiation of MDA-MB-231 cells. CONCLUSION: The Erk signaling pathway may be crucially involved in the differentiation induction of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our results suggest that the combination can probably serve as promising candidates for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for different types of breast cancer.

Molecular properties and intracellular localization of rat liver nuclear scaffold protein P130.

We examined the molecular basis of rat P130, a nuclear scaffold protein, and its functions. P130 comprising 845 amino acid residues possesses several functional domains and yields an electrophoretically distinctive isoform, P123, by altering its phosphorylation status in association with translocation across the nuclear membrane and from the digitonin-extractable fraction of the nucleus to the nuclear scaffold. The functional domains, NLS, NES, and zinc-finger bearing DNA-binding domains, ZF1 and ZF2, aid these translocations. P130 binds RNA through two RNA-binding domains (RB1 and RB2) similar to those of hnRNPs I and L. Microsome- and polysome-localized P130 and P123 were found in rat liver and Ac2F hepatoma cells. This localization required prior entry of P130 to the nucleus, but did not require RB1 and RB2. Thus, P130 initially purified from rat liver nuclear scaffold has the potential to play a variety of roles in biological events not only in the nuclear scaffold but also in various subcellular compartments. P130 (AB205483) is identical to matrin 3 (M63485 and BC062231), although the primary structure of rat matrin 3 has been revised, since it was first published.

Perfluorododecanoic Acid Induces Cognitive Deficit in Adult Rats.

The brain level of perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) was compared with those of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) in rats 9 days after a single oral dose (50 mg/kg). The PFDoA level in the brain was 44.0 ± 2.0 µg/g, which was higher than that in the serum (24.4 ± 1.0 µg/ml). In contrast, the concentrations of PFOA and PFDA in the brain were low (<0.8 and 4.7 ± 0.4 µg/g, respectively), and less than one-tenth of those in the serum. Next, to investigate the effects on brain function, the cognitive function alterations of PFOA, PFDA, and PFDoA were estimated by the novel object recognition test 5-6 days after dosing. A significant decrease in the discrimination index was observed in PFDoA-treated rats while no significant alteration was observed in PFDA- and PFOA-treated rats. The effects of PFDoA were further assessed by other behavioral tests. PFDoA-associated alteration was observed in the elevated-plus maze test, but not in the Y-maze test, open-field test, and forced swim test. A decrease in the discrimination index of the novel object recognition test was dependent on the PFDoA dose and the PFDoA concentration in the brain. PFDoA concentration in the brain was 28.6 ± 2.6 µg/g 30 days after dosing, and a decrease in discrimination index was observed. Taken together, these results suggest that PFDoA distributes in the brain easier than PFOA and PFDA and causes cognitive deficit.

Effects of Etanercept against Transient Cerebral Ischemia in Diabetic Rats.

Diabetes mellitus is known to exacerbate acute cerebral ischemic injury. Previous studies have demonstrated that infarction volumes caused by transient cerebral ischemia were greater in diabetic rats than in nondiabetic rats. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory protein produced in the brain in response to cerebral ischemia that promotes apoptosis. Etanercept (ETN), a recombinant TNF receptor (p75)-Fc fusion protein, competitively inhibits TNF-α. Therefore, we evaluated the neuroprotective effects of chronic or acute treatment with ETN on cerebral injury caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/Re) in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of ETN against the apoptosis and myeloperoxidase activity. Single administration of ETN before MCAO significantly suppressed exacerbation of cerebral damage in nondiabetic rats, as assessed by infarct volume. In contrast, the diabetic state markedly aggravated MCAO/Re-induced cerebral damage despite ETN treatment within 24 h before MCAO. However, the damage was improved by repeated administration of ETN at 900 µg/kg/daily in rats in an induced diabetic state. These results suggested that repeated administration of ETN can prevent exacerbation of cerebral ischemic injury in the diabetic state and is mainly attributed to anti-inflammatory effects.