Bortezomib enhances G-CSF-induced hematopoietic stem cell mobilization by decreasing CXCL12 levels and increasing vascular permeability.

Bortezomib (BTZ) is known to enhance the mobilization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) induced by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). However, the most effective time at which to administer BTZ to produce this enhancing effect remains debatable, and the precise mechanism underlying the effect of BTZ is poorly understood. We addressed these questions in this article by performing animal experiments. First, in agreement with previous studies, BTZ administration 12 hours before blood collection was most effective for HSPC mobilization; in contrast, BTZ administration 3 days before blood collection negatively affected HSPC harvesting. Next, in terms of the mechanism of action, G-CSF, but not BTZ, downregulated the expression of very late antigen-4 on HSPCs and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 on bone marrow (BM) stromal cells; however, intriguingly, both G-CSF and BTZ downregulated CXCL12 chemokine expression in BM. Notably, BTZ treatment also increased BM vascular permeability. These results suggest that the pro-mobilization effect of BTZ could involve the dissociation of HSPCs from BM stromal cells triggered by G-CSF, vascular hyperpermeability elicited by BTZ, and downregulation of CXCL12 concomitantly induced by G-CSF and BTZ.

Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate inhibits protein glycation.

The production and accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are hypothesized to have a causal role in the development of the complications associated with aging and lifestyle-related diseases, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia. Therefore, it is important to reduce the production and accumulation of AGEs. In the present study, the ability of sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) on inhibition of glycation was assessed. In vitro, PBA inhibited the glycation of albumin and collagen by up to 42.1 and 36.9%, respectively. Furthermore, when spontaneously diabetic KK mice were administered PBA (20 mg/day) or vehicle orally, glycosuria developed rapidly in the control mice, but after 6 weeks, only one treated mouse was glycosuric. In addition, the weight gain and HbA1c levels were significantly lower in the treated mice compared with the untreated mice (weight gain, 36.0 g vs. 39.4 g, P<0.01; HbA1C level, 3.96 vs. 4.78%, P<0.01; respectively). These results suggested that PBA also inhibited glycation in vivo. Further studies are required to determine whether PBA may be effective for the therapy or prevention of aging or lifestyle-related diseases caused by the accumulation of AGEs. The method of administration and the side-effects of PBA have already been established as PBA is already used clinically. Therefore, the repurposing of PBA for reducing AGE levels may be a potential option to reduce complications associated with aging.

Effects of geldanamycin on neurite outgrowth-related proteins and kinases in nerve growth factor-differentiated pheochromocytoma 12 cells.

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) antagonists are currently being evaluated as potential anticancer drugs. However, adverse effects related to these drugs, such as fatigue and pain, suggest that they affect neurons. Therefore, to understand the influence of HSP90 inhibitors on neurons, we investigated the effects of geldanamycin, an HSP90 antagonist, on nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells, particularly, on the expression and phosphorylation of proteins and kinases in the NGF pathway. Geldanamycin significantly inhibited NGF-induced neurite outgrowth and phosphorylation of Akt and extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 in PC12 cells. Furthermore, geldanamycin inhibited the phosphorylation of collapsin response mediator protein 2 and the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 in the presence of NGF, but did not significantly affect the expression of glycogen synthase kinase 3ß. These results suggest that geldanamycin influences microtubule-binding proteins and kinases relating to neurite outgrowth, thereby inducing neuronal impairment.

Maternal folic acid depletion during early pregnancy increases sensitivity to squamous tumor formation in the offspring in mice.

Gestational nutrition is widely recognized to affect an offspring's future risk of lifestyle-related diseases, suggesting the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms. As folic acid (FA) is a nutrient essential for modulating DNA methylation, we sought to determine how maternal FA intake during early pregnancy might influence tumor sensitivity in an offspring. Dams were maintained on a FA-depleted (FA(-)) or normal (2 mg FA/kg; FA(+)) diet from 2 to 3 days before mating to 7 days post-conception, and their offspring were challenged with chemical tumorigenesis using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a)anthracene and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for skin and 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide for tongue. In both squamous tissues, tumorigenesis was more progressive in the offspring from FA(-) than FA(+) dams. Notably, in the skin of FA(-) offspring, the expression and activity of cylindromatosis (Cyld) were decreased due to the altered DNA methylation status in its promoter region, which contributed to increased tumorigenesis coupled with inflammation in the FA(-) offspring. Thus, we conclude that maternal FA insufficiency during early pregnancy is able to promote neoplasm progression in the offspring through modulating DNA methylation, such as Cyld. Moreover, we propose, for the first time, "innate" utero nutrition as the third cause of tumorigenesis besides the known causes-hereditary predisposition and acquired environmental factors.

Regulation of collagen type XVII expression by miR203a-3p in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Collagen type XVII (COL17) is expressed in various tissues and its aberrant expression is associated with tumour progression. In this study, we investigated the regulation of COL17 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using the cell lines NA, SAS, Ca9-22, and Sa3. COL17 was induced upon p53 activation by cisplatin in SAS; however, this effect was more limited in NA and hardly in Ca9-22 and Sa3, with mutated p53. Moreover, COL17 was found to be regulated by miR203a-3p in all cell lines. Our data suggest that COL17 expression in OSCC cell lines is regulated by p53 and miR203a-3p.

In Vitro Anti-inflammatory Effects of the Phenylbutyric Acid Metabolite Phenylacetyl Glutamine.

Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA), which exerts a wide range of anti-inflammatory effects, is rapidly cleared from the body (approximately 98%) by urinary excretion by 24 h after oral treatment in humans. PBA was almost entirely excreted to urine as phenylacetyl glutamine (PAGln). However, no data describe the potential anti-inflammatory effects of PAGln. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of PAGln on mouse spleen cells and peritoneal cavity cells, and explore the potential mechanism underlying this effect. PAGln was added to mouse spleen cell cultures stimulated by concanavalin A, or mouse peritoneal cavity cell cultures stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. After 72 h of culture, levels of inflammatory cytokines in culture supernatants were measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system, and levels of inflammatory proteins were assessed by Western blotting. PAGln significantly inhibited inflammatory cytokine (interferon-γ, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α) production, decrease of cell number in the spleen cell, and suppressed the expression of inflammatory proteins (nuclear factor κB, and inducible nitric oxide synthase). These results suggest that PAGln possesses anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of T cell activation and Toll-like receptor 4 signaling. This study of the anti-inflammatory mechanism of PAGln provides useful information about its potential for therapeutic applications.

miR-200c-3p spreads invasive capacity in human oral squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) constitutes over 90% of all cancers in the oral cavity. The prognosis for patients with invasive OSCC is poor; therefore, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms of invasion and subsequent metastasis not only to prevent cancer progression but also to detect new therapeutic targets against OSCC. Recently, extracellular vesicles-particularly exosomes-have been recognized as intercellular communicators in the tumor microenvironment. As exosomic cargo, deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) can shape the surrounding microenvironment in a cancer-dependent manner. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results regarding miR-200c-3p expression levels in OSCC cell lines, tissues, or serum-likely because of the heterogeneous characters of the specimen materials. For this reason, single-cell clone analyses are necessary to effectively assess the role of exosome-derived miRNAs on cells within the tumor microenvironment. The present study utilized integrated microarray profiling to compare exosome-derived miRNA and exosome-treated cell-derived mRNA expression. Data were acquired from noninvasive SQUU-A and highly invasive SQUU-B tongue cancer cell clones derived from a single patient to determine candidate miRNAs that promote OSCC invasion. Matrigel invasion assays confirmed that hsa-miR-200c-3p was a key pro-invasion factor among six miRNA candidates. Consistently, silencing of the miR-200c-3p targets, CHD9 and WRN, significantly accelerated the invasive potential of SQUU-A cells. Thus, our data indicate that miR-200c-3p in exosomes derived from a highly invasive OSCC line can induce a similar phenotype in non-invasive counterparts.

Orally administered sodium 4-phenylbutyrate suppresses the development of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) exerts therapeutic effects in a wide range of pathologies. A previous study by the present authors revealed that intraperitoneal administration of PBA suppresses the onset of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. In the present study, the effects of orally administered PBA are investigated, as this route of administration is more clinically relevant. The therapeutic efficacy of PBA (10 mg/12 h) in mice with experimental colitis was assessed based on the disease activity index, production of inflammatory cytokines, colon length and histopathological investigations. The results of the present study demonstrated a significantly higher survival rate in the PBA-treated group compared with the PBA-untreated (DSS control) group (P=0.0156). PBA treatment improved pathological indices of experimental colitis (P<0.05). Furthermore, the oral administration of PBA significantly inhibited the DSS-induced shortening of the colon (P<0.05) and overproduction of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 (both P<0.05) as measured in colonic lavage fluids. A marked attenuation of the DSS-induced overproduction of tumor necrosis factor was also observed. For histopathological analysis, a marked decrease in mature goblet cells and increase in enlarged nuclei of the absorptive cells was observed in colon lesions of DSS control mice as compared with normal untreated mice. However, in the PBA-treated mice, no such lesions were observed and the mucosa resembled that of DSS-untreated mice. The results of the present study, combined with those results of a previous study, suggest that oral and intraperitoneal administration of PBA have similar preventative effects on DSS-induced colitis, achieved by suppressing its pathogenesis.

Anti-inflammatory effects of water extract from bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum) leaves in vitro.

Fruits and vegetables have been recognized as natural sources of various bioactive compounds. Peppers, one such natural source, are consumed worldwide as spice crops. They additionally have an important role in traditional medicine, as a result of their antioxidant bioactivity via radical scavenging. However, there are no reports regarding the bioactivity of the bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum), a commonly used edible vegetable. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of water extract from bell pepper leaves on mouse spleen cells, and explore the potential mechanism underlying this effect. The extract was prepared through homogenization of bell pepper leaves in deionized water. The sterilized supernatant was added to a mouse spleen cell culture stimulated by concanavalin A. Following 72 h of culture, the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the culture supernatant were measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system, and levels of inflammatory proteins were assessed using western blotting. The bell pepper leaf extract significantly inhibited inflammatory cytokine production, inhibited cell proliferation without producing cytotoxicity, and suppressed the expression of inflammatory proteins. These results suggest that components of the bell pepper leaf extract possess anti-inflammatory activity. The study of the anti-inflammatory mechanism of bell pepper leaf extract has provided useful information on its potential for therapeutic application.

Exosomes from oral squamous carcinoma cell lines, SQUU-A and SQUU-B, define the tropism of lymphatic dissemination.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is often associated with lymphatic rather than hematogenous metastasis; however, a determinant factor for this process has not been elucidated. This study examined the effect of OSCC-derived exosomes on angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, closely related with hematogenous and lymphatic metastasis, respectively. Our data demonstrated that OSCC-derived exosomes stimulated the expression of VEGFs and their receptors, essential regulators of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, in human lymphatic endothelial cells but not in human vein endothelial cells. These results suggest that specific exosomes have differential tropism toward a certain cell type, defining the modality of metastasis.

Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate suppresses the development of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) exhibits anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. In the present study, the effects of PBA on a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis were investigated. The therapeutic efficacy of PBA (150 mg/kg body weight) in DSS-induced colitis was assessed based on the disease activity index (DAI), colon length, the production of inflammatory cytokines and histopathological examination. The results showed an increase in the median survival time in the PBA-treated group compared with that of the untreated DSS control group. DAI scores were lower in the PBA-treated group than in the DSS control group during the 12 days of the experiment. Additionally, PBA treatment inhibited shortening of the colon and the production of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß and IL-6, which were measured in the colonic lavage fluids. Histopathological examination of the DSS control group showed diffused clusters of chronic inflammatory cells infiltrating the lamina propria, partial exfoliation of the surface epithelium and decreased numbers of mature goblet cells. By contrast, in the PBA-treated group the histopathological findings were the same as those of the normal healthy controls. These results suggest that PBA strongly prevents DSS-induced colitis by suppressing the mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis.

A chemical chaperone, sodium 4-phenylbutyric acid, attenuates the pathogenic potency in human alpha-synuclein A30P + A53T transgenic mice.

Aggregation and cytotoxicity of misfolded alpha-synuclein are postulated to be crucial in the disease processes of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. Mutations in the alpha-synuclein gene in some pedigrees of familial PD have been reported. The mutant alpha-synuclein has been reported to form fibrillar aggregates resulting in biochemical abnormalities that are responsible for the onset of familial PD. Thus, any agent that effectively prevents the development of misfolded and aggregated alpha-synuclein would be a disease modifying therapeutic candidate. We examined the efficacy of sodium 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA), one of the chemical chaperons, in transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing human alpha-synuclein containing a double mutation (A30P + A53T). To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, bradykinesia and motor coordination were assessed using a pole test and a rotarod treadmill task, respectively. After PBA treatment, these motor deteriorations gradually improved. In immunohistochemical examinations, both a loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and an increase of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein in the substantia nigra were inhibited, resulting in no depletion of the striatal dopamine content. These data suggest that PBA might be one of the therapeutic reagents for neurodegenerative disorders.

Detection of amyloid beta protein in the urine of Alzheimer's disease patients and healthy individuals.

To seek for a new valid biomarker using non-invasive specimens for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we carried out the detection of amyloid beta (Abeta) protein in urine. Ten-millilitre urine samples were first sedimented with trichloroacetic acid, and the pellets were resuspended for further analysis by Western blotting with anti-Abeta antibody. The detection sensitivity of the method was 40pg/ml. Rates of subjects positive for monomeric Abeta according to their clinical dementia rating (CDR) were 11.1% for CDR 0, 62.5% for CDR 0.5, 83.3% for CDR 1, 54.5% for CDR 2 and 0% for CDR 3. A single Abeta band relative to the CDR score reflects an alteration in the production, solubility and clearance of Abeta in the brain. Thus, the method could be used as both a diagnostic and monitoring tool in assessing AD and MCI patients during disease-modifying therapies.

Natural killer cells of Parkinson's disease patients are set up for activation: a possible role for innate immunity in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease (PD) involves activation of microglia, participation of several inflammatory cytokines, prostaglandins, complement and systemic activation of natural killer (NK) cells, suggesting that innate immunity has a role in the pathogenesis of this disease. In this study, we examined NK activity and the expression of its regulatory molecules in peripheral lymphocytes of PD patients and compared the results with those of healthy controls. Expression of the inhibitory NKG2A receptors was significantly lower in PD, causing PD patients to be susceptible in a condition for NK activation after NK cells bind to target cells via these receptors.