RESUMO
Tumor malignant cells are characterized by dysregulation of mitochondrial bioenergetics due to the 'Warburg effect'. In the present study, this metabolic imbalance was explored as a potential target for novel cancer chemotherapy. Imatinib (IM) downregulates the expression levels of SCΟ2 and FRATAXIN (FXN) genes involved in the hemedependent cytochrome c oxidase biosynthesis and assembly pathway in human erythroleukemic IMsensitive K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells (K562). In the present study, it was investigated whether the treatment of cancer cells with IM (an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation) separately, or together with dichloroacetate (DCA) (an inhibitor of glycolysis), can inhibit cell proliferation or cause death. Human K562 and IMchemoresistant K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells (K562R), as well as human colorectal carcinoma cells HCT116 (+/+p53) and (/p53, with double TP53 knock-in disruptions), were employed. Treatments of these cells with either IM (1 or 2 µM) and/or DCA (4 mΜ) were also assessed for the levels of several process biomarkers including SCO2, FXN, lactate dehydrogenase A, glyceraldehyde3phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase M2, hypoxia inducing factor1a, heme oxygenase1, NFκB, stem cell factor and vascular endothelial growth factor via western blot analysis. Computational network biology models were also applied to reveal the connections between the ten proteins examined. Combination treatment of IM with DCA caused extensive cell death (>75%) in K562 and considerable (>45%) in HCT116 (+/+p53) cultures, but less in K562R and HCT116 (/p53), with the latter deficient in full length p53 protein. Such treatment, markedly reduced reactive oxygen species levels, as measured by flowcytometry, in K562 cells and affected the oxidative phosphorylation and glycolytic biomarkers in all lines examined. These findings indicated, that targeting of cancer mitochondrial bioenergetics with such a combination treatment was very effective, although chemoresistance to IM in leukemia and the absence of a full length p53 in colorectal cells affected its impact.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Colorretais , Leucemia Eritroblástica Aguda , Leucemia Mielogênica Crônica BCR-ABL Positiva , Humanos , Mesilato de Imatinib/farmacologia , Mesilato de Imatinib/uso terapêutico , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/genética , Fator A de Crescimento do Endotélio Vascular/metabolismo , Apoptose , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Leucemia Mielogênica Crônica BCR-ABL Positiva/tratamento farmacológico , Leucemia Mielogênica Crônica BCR-ABL Positiva/genética , Leucemia Mielogênica Crônica BCR-ABL Positiva/patologia , Metabolismo Energético , Neoplasias Colorretais/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Colorretais/genética , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Células K562 , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Proliferação de CélulasRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Generally, decreased zinc in the serum of tumor patients but increased zinc in tumor cells can be observed. However, the role of zinc homeostasis in myeloid leukemia remains elusive. BCR-ABL is essential for the initiation, maintenance, and progression of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). We are currently investigating the association between zinc homeostasis and CML. METHODS: Genes involved in zinc homeostasis were examined using three GEO datasets. Western blotting and qPCR were used to investigate the effects of zinc depletion on BCR-ABL expression. Furthermore, the effect of TPEN on BCR-ABL promoter activity was determined using the dual-luciferase reporter assay. MRNA stability and protein stability of BCR-ABL were assessed using actinomycin D and cycloheximide. RESULTS: Transcriptome data mining revealed that zinc homeostasis-related genes were associated with CML progression and drug resistance. Several zinc homeostasis genes were affected by TPEN. Additionally, we found that zinc depletion by TPEN decreased BCR-ABL mRNA stability and transcriptional activity in K562 CML cells. Zinc supplementation and sodium nitroprusside treatment reversed BCR-ABL downregulation by TPEN, suggesting zinc- and nitric oxide-dependent mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Our in vitro findings may help to understand the role of zinc homeostasis in BCR-ABL regulation and thus highlight the importance of zinc homeostasis in CML.