Selenite treatment inhibits LAPC-4 tumor growth and prostate-specific antigen secretion in a xenograft model of human prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: Selenium compounds have known chemopreventive effects on prostate cancer. However selenite, an inorganic form of selenium, has not been extensively studied as a treatment option for prostate cancer. Our previous studies have demonstrated the inhibition of androgen receptor expression and androgen stimulated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) expression by selenite in human prostate cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated the in vivo effects of selenite as a therapy to treat mice with established LAPC-4 tumors. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Male mice harboring androgen-dependent LAPC-4 xenograft tumors were treated with selenite (2 mg/kg intraperitoneally three times per week) or vehicle for 42 days. In addition, androgen-independent LAPC-4 xenograft tumors were generated in female mice over 4 to 6 months. Once established, androgen-independent LAPC-4 tumor fragments were passaged into female mice and were treated with selenite or vehicle for 42 days. Changes in tumor volume and serum PSA levels were assessed. RESULTS: Selenite significantly decreased androgen-dependent LAPC-4 tumor growth in male mice over 42 days (p < 0.001). Relative tumor volume was decreased by 41% in selenite-treated animals compared with vehicle-treated animals. The inhibition of LAPC-4 tumor growth corresponded to a marked decrease in serum PSA levels (p < 0.01). In the androgen-independent LAPC-4 tumors in female mice, selenite treatment decreased tumor volume by 58% after 42 days of treatment (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that selenite may have potential as a novel therapeutic agent to treat both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Targeting integrins and PI3K/Akt-mediated signal transduction pathways enhances radiation-induced anti-angiogenesis.

The integrins and PI3K/Akt are important mediators of the signal transduction pathways involved in tumor angiogenesis and cell survival after exposure to ionizing radiation. Selective targeting of either integrins or PI3K/Akt can radiosensitize tumors. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the combined inhibition of integrin alphanubeta3 by cRGD and PI3K/Akt by LY294002 would significantly enhance radiation-induced inhibition of angiogenesis by vascular endothelial cells. Treatment with cRGD inhibited the adhesion and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The inhibitory effect was further increased when cRGD and LY294002 were applied simultaneously. Both radiation and cRGD induced Akt phosphorylation, up-regulated COX2 expression, and increased PGE2 production in HUVECs. Treatment with LY294002 effectively inhibited radiation- and cRGD-induced Akt phosphorylation and up-regulation of COX2 and increased apoptosis of HUVECs. The combined use of cRGD and LY294002 enhanced radiation-induced cell killing. The clonogenic survival of HUVECs was decreased from 34% with 2 Gy radiation to 4% with these agents combined. These results demonstrate that combined use of ionizing radiation, cRGD and LY294002 inhibited multiple signaling transduction pathways involved in tumor angiogenesis and enhanced radiation-induced effects on vascular endothelial cells.

Inhibition of androgen receptor signaling by selenite and methylseleninic acid in prostate cancer cells: two distinct mechanisms of action.

The development of prostate cancer and its progression to a hormone-refractory state is highly dependent on androgen receptor (AR) expression. Recent studies have shown that the selenium-based compound methylseleninic acid (MSeA) can disrupt AR signaling in prostate cancer cells. We have found that selenite can inhibit AR expression and activity in LAPC-4 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells as well but through a different mechanism. On entering the cell, selenite consumes reduced glutathione (GSH) and generates superoxide radicals. Pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine, a GSH precursor, blocked the down-regulation of AR mRNA and protein expression by selenite and restored AR ligand binding and prostate-specific antigen expression to control levels. MSeA reacts with reduced GSH within the cell; however, N-acetylcysteine did not effect MSeA-induced down-regulation of AR and prostate-specific antigen. The superoxide dismutase mimetic MnTMPyP was also found to prevent the decrease in AR expression caused by selenite but not by MSeA. A Sp1-binding site in the AR promoter is a key regulatory component for its expression. Selenite decreased Sp1 expression and activity, whereas MSeA did not. The inhibition of Sp1 by selenite was reversed in the presence of N-acetylcysteine. In conclusion, we have found that selenite and MSeA disrupt AR signaling by distinct mechanisms. The inhibition of AR expression and activity by selenite occurs via a redox mechanism involving GSH, superoxide, and Sp1.

Redox modulation of human prostate carcinoma cells by selenite increases radiation-induced cell killing.

Although selenium compounds have been extensively studied as chemopreventative agents for prostate cancer, little is known about the potential use of selenium compounds for chemotherapy. We have shown that selenite inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in androgen-dependent LAPC-4 prostate cancer cells. LAPC-4 cells were more sensitive to selenite-induced apoptosis than primary cultures of normal prostate cells. Selenite-induced apoptosis in LAPC-4 cells correlated with a decrease in the Bcl-2:Bax expression ratio. Selenite-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis are dependent upon its reaction with reduced GSH. LAPC-4 cells treated with selenite showed decreased levels of total GSH and increased concentrations of GSSG. Thus, selenite altered the intracellular redox status toward an oxidative state by decreasing the ratio of GSH:GSSG. Because increased levels of Bcl-2 and GSH are associated with radioresistance, we examined the ability of selenite to sensitize prostate cancer cells to gamma-irradiation. Both LAPC-4 and androgen-independent DU 145 cells pretreated with selenite showed increased sensitivity to gamma-irradiation as measured by clonogenic survival assays. Importantly, selenite-induced radiosensitization was observed in combination with a clinically relevant dose of 2 Gy. These data suggest that altering the redox environment of prostate cancer cells with selenite increases the apoptotic potential and sensitizes them to radiation-induced cell killing.

Radiation-induced cyclooxygenase 2 up-regulation is dependent on redox status in prostate cancer cells.

Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) is the inducible isozyme of COX, a key enzyme in arachidonate metabolism and the conversion of arachidonic acid (AA) to prostaglandins (PGs) and other eicosanoids. Previous studies have demonstrated that the COX2 protein is up-regulated in prostate cancer cells after irradiation and that this results in elevated levels of PGE(2). In the present study, we further investigated whether radiation-induced COX2 up-regulation is dependent on the redox status of cells from the prostate cancer cell line PC-3. l-Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), which inhibits gamma glutamyl cysteine synthetase (gammaGCS), and the antioxidants alpha-lipoic acid and N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) were used to modulate the cellular redox status. BSO decreased the cellular GSH level and increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PC-3 cells, whereas alpha-lipoic acid and NAC increased the GSH level and decreased cellular ROS. Both radiation and the oxidant H(2)O(2) had similar effects on COX2 up-regulation and PGE(2) production in PC-3 cells, suggesting that radiation-induced COX2 up-regulation is secondary to the production of ROS. The relative increases in COX2 expression and PGE(2) production induced by radiation and H(2)O(2) were even greater when PC-3 cells were pretreated with BSO. When the cells were pretreated with alpha-lipoic acid or NAC for 24 h, both radiation- and H(2)O(2)-induced COX2 up-regulation and PGE(2) production were markedly inhibited. These results demonstrate that radiation-induced COX2 up-regulation in prostate cancer cells is modulated by the cellular redox status. Radiation-induced increases in ROS levels contribute to the adaptive response of PC-3 cells, resulting in elevated levels of COX2.

The redox protein thioredoxin-1 regulates the constitutive and inducible expression of the estrogen metabolizing cytochromes P450 1B1 and 1A1 in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

The oxidative metabolites of estrogen have been proposed to play an important role in the development of some human cancers. The two major pathways of estrogen metabolism, to the carcinogenic 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2) and to the non-carcinogenic 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2), are mediated by cytochromes P450 CYP1B1 and CYP1A1, respectively. The expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 is regulated by the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor/Ah receptor nuclear translocator (AhR/ARNT) transcription factor complex. CYP1B1 expression is elevated in a wide range of human cancers but is not found in corresponding normal tissue. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) is a small redox protein that is overexpressed in a number of human cancers. We report that the expression of CYP1B1 mRNA and protein is increased by Trx-1 transfection of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and decreased by a redox inactive mutant Trx-1. The Trx-1 inhibitor PX-12 inhibits CYP1B1 gene expression. Trx-1 transfected MCF-7 cells show increased AhR/ARNT DNA binding activity that is not due to altered AhR or ARNT protein expression. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) induced expression of CYP1B1 in MCF-7 cells is increased by Trx-1. Trx-1 does not effect the basal expression of CYP1A1, but increases CYP1A1 mRNA in response to TCDD. The redox inactive mutant Trx-1 completely blocks the induction of both CYP1B1 and CYP1A1 by TCDD. Expression of CYP1A1 but not CYP1B1 has been linked to estrogen receptor (ERalpha) status. Trx-1 transfected MCF-7 cells have decreased ERalpha expression, which may account for the lack of CYP1A1 induction by Trx-1 in the absence of ligand. The results suggest that Trx-1 is involved in the constitutive expression of CYP1B1 and is required for the induction of CYP1B1 and CYP1A1 by TCDD in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells.