Bergapten induces G1 arrest and pro-apoptotic cascade in colorectal cancer cells associating with p53/p21/PTEN axis.

Bergapten is a natural compound and has potent anticancer activities. In this study, we explored the cytotoxicity of bergapten on colorectal cancer (CRC) cell DLD-1 and LoVo and its underlying mechanisms. We observed that bergapten (30 and 50 µM) decreased the viability of the CRC cells and induced the G0/G1 and sub-G1 phase arrest. Furthermore, immunoblotting results indicated that bergapten increased p53, phospho-p53(Ser-46), p21, PUMA, Bax, PTEN, and the caspase-9 and caspase-3 cleavage, but decreased cyclin E, CDK2, and phosphor-AKT(Ser-473) in the CRC cells. Inhibition of p53 by pifithrin-α reversed the bergapten-induced p53-mediated apoptotic cascade and restored the survival signaling and cell viability. Collectively, our findings reveal that bergapten decrease the cell viability and induce cell cycle arrest in the CRC cells, which may be attributed to p53-mediated apoptotic cascade, upregulation of p21 and PTEN, and inhibition of AKT.

Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in severe traumatic lung injury with respiratory failure.

OBJECTIVES: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in managing acute respiratory distress syndrome had been accepted. Severe lung injury with respiratory failure is often encountered in trauma patients. We report our experience with the use of ECMO in severe traumatic lung injury. METHODS: Patients with severe traumatic lung injury that met the following criteria were candidates for ECMO: (1) severe hypoxemia, Pao2/fraction of inspired oxygen (1.0) less than 60, and positive end-expiratory pressure greater than 10 cm H2O in spite of vigorous ventilation strategy; (2) irreversible CO2 retention with unstable hemodynamics; and (3) an initial arterial Pao2/fraction of inspired oxygen (1.0) less than 60, where the pulmonary condition and hemodynamics rapidly deteriorated despite vigorous mechanical ventilation strategy. RESULTS: Over 60 months, a total of 19 patients with severe traumatic lung injury who received ECMO management were retrospectively reviewed. The median age was 38 years (25-58 years), the median injury severity score was 29 (25-34), the median admission Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 25 (21-36), and the median blood transfusion volume was 5500 mL (3500-13 000). There were 9 venovenous and 10 venoarterial types. The survival rate was 68.4% (13/19). The survivors were younger (30 vs 53 years; 21-39 vs 48-63). There were 6 mortalities (3 pneumonia, 2 coagulopathy, and 1 cardiac rupture with cardiac tamponade). There were 5 of 19 patients with pre-ECMO traumatic brain hemorrhage (3 survived and 2 mortalities). A total of 16 patients received heparinization with 5 mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ECMO may offer an additional treatment modality in severe traumatic lung injury with respiratory failure that is unresponsive to optimal conventional ventilator support. Timely ECMO intervention is of value.

Down-Regulation of miR-34a-5p Potentiates Protective Effect of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Against Ischemic Myocardial Infarction by Stimulating the Expression of C1q/Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Protein-9.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have shown great promise for the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI), although their potential therapeutic mechanism remains poorly understood. Growing evidence has implicated microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) in the biological processes whereby ADSCs could ameliorate cardiovascular disease. In this study, we explored the contribution of miR-34a-5p down-regulation to the protective actions of ADSCs against MI. We initially identified the interaction between miR-34a-5p and C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein-9 (CTRP9) through in silico analysis. We next tested the effects of miR-34a-5p and CTRP9 on the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2), and antioxidant proteins [manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)] through gain- and loss-of-function tests. In other experiments, we assessed the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of ADSCs using the EdU assay, scratch test, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry. Finally, we studied whether miR-34a-5p/CTRP9 axis could modulate the protective effect of ADSCs against MI during stem cell transplantation in MI mouse models. miR-34a-5p could target and down-regulate CTRP9 in cardiomyocytes. Down-regulated miR-34a-5p increased the expression of ERK1, MMP-9, NRF2, MnSOD, and HO-1, whereas down-regulation of miR-34a-5p or up-regulation of CTRP9 in vitro promoted ADSC proliferation and migration and inhibited ADSC apoptosis. Moreover, miR-34a-5p down-regulation or CTRP9 up-regulation promoted the protective role of ADSCs against MI damage in vivo. Thus, inhibition of miR-34a-5p may facilitate ADSC's protective function against MI damage by stimulating the expression of CTRP9.

Bergapten induces G1 arrest of non­small cell lung cancer cells, associated with the p53­mediated cascade.

The principal subtype of lung cancer, non­small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a life­threatening malignancy that causes high mortality rates. Bergapten (5­methoxypsoralen) has been identified to possess anticancer activity against a number of carcinomas. In the present study, the effects of bergapten on NSCLC cells were investigated. The cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed using flow cytometry. Protein expression and kinase cascade were demonstrated using western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that treatment with bergapten (50 µM for 48 h) inhibited the viability of A549 and NCI­H460 NSCLC cells to 79.1±2.8% and 74.5±3.1%, respectively, compared with the controls. It was identified that bergapten induced G1 phase accumulation in A549 and NCI­H460 cells between ~58 and 75% (P<0.01). In addition, bergapten significantly increased the sub­G1 phase ratio to ~9% (P<0.05) in the two cell types. Further investigation demonstrated that bergapten upregulated the expression of cellular tumor antigen p53 (p53) and its downstream proteins cyclin­dependent kinase inhibitor 1 and cyclin­dependent kinase inhibitor 1B, whereas, it downregulated the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK4. Overall, these results suggested that bergapten may inhibit cell viability and trigger G1 arrest and apoptosis in A549 and NCI­H460 cells, which may be attributed to the activation of p53­mediated cascades. Therefore, bergapten may be beneficial for NSCLC treatment.

Aeroallergen Der p 2 promotes motility of human non-small cell lung cancer cells via toll-like receptor-mediated up-regulation of urokinase-type plasminogen activator and integrin/focal adhesion kinase signaling.

House dust mite (HDM) allergens are one of the major causes leading to respiratory hypersensitiveness and airway remodeling. Here we hypothesized that a major HDM allergen Der p 2 could increase cell motility and invasiveness of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Our results showed that low dose (1 and 3 µg/mL) recombinant Der p 2 protein (DP2) enhanced the migration and invasiveness of human NSCLC cell A549, H1299 and CL1-5, but nonsignificantly altered their growth. Further investigation revealed that integrin αV level was increased and its downstream signaling including focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin were activated in A549 cells exposed to DP2. In parallel, DP2 also activated the FAK-associated signaling effectors such as Src, phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K), AKT, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Our findings also revealed that DP2 increased expression level of urokinase type plasminogen-activated kinase (uPA) and uPA receptor (uPAR), and subsequently enhanced the binding of uPAR to integrin αV. Moreover, the involvement of toll-like receptor 2/4 (TLR2/4)-triggered ERK1/2 activation in the increased expression of uPA and uPAR was also demonstrated. Collectively, these findings indicate that DP2 can enhance cell motility and invasiveness of NSCLC cells, attributing to TLR2/4-ERK1/2 activation, increased uPA and uPAR expression, enhanced binding of uPAR to integrin αV, and the consequent FAK signaling cascades. Thus, we suggest that DP2 may exacerbate NSCLC via promoting metastatic ability of carcinoma cell.

Outcome of frozen elephant trunk technique for acute type A aortic dissection: as systematic review and meta-analysis.

Acute aortic dissections of Stanford type A require emergency surgery repair and present challenges to surgeons. The frozen elephant technique is one of several approaches used to treat aortic arch dissection. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of the frozen elephant technique for treating acute type A aortic dissection.Medline, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched up to March 31, 2014, for studies that assessed the use of frozen elephant trunk technique for treating acute type A aortic dissection. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included rate of stroke, spinal cord injury, renal failure, and reoperations for bleeding.Eleven studies were included in the analysis that encompassed 881 patients. The mean age ranged from 45.4 to 66.8 years, and the proportion of the population that was male ranged from 45 to 85%. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 8%. The rate of stroke, spinal cord injury, renal failure, and frequency of reoperations for bleeding were 3, 4, 5, and 5, respectively. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the findings are robust and there was no publication bias.These findings indicate that the frozen elephant techniques does not bring unacceptable mortality or morbidity risk for treating acute type A aortic dissection.