Cellular oxidative stress response mediates radiosensitivity in Fus1-deficient mice.

Mechanism of radiosensitivity of normal tissues, a key factor in determining the toxic side effects of cancer radiotherapy, is not fully understood. We recently demonstrated that deficiency of mitochondrial tumor suppressor, Fus1, increases radiosensitivity at the organismal, tissue and cellular levels. Since Fus1-deficient mice and cells exhibit high levels of oxidative stress, we hypothesized that dysregulation of cellular antioxidant defenses may contribute to the increased radiosensitivity. To address this potential mechanism, we treated the Fus1 KO mice with an inhibitor of pathogenic oxidative reactions, pyridoxamine (PM). Treatment with PM ameliorated IR-induced damage to GI epithelium of Fus1 KO mice and significantly increased the survival of irradiated mice. In cultured Fus1 KO epithelial cells, IR-induced oxidative stress was enhanced because of inadequate cellular antioxidant defenses, such as low levels and/or activities of cytochrome C, Sod 2 and STAT3. This resulted in dysregulation of IR-induced DNA-damage response and DNA synthesis. Treatment of Fus1 KO cells with PM or Sod 2 mimetic Tempol normalized the oxidative stress response, thus compensating to a significant degree for inadequate antioxidant response. Our findings using Fus1 KO radiosensitive mice suggest that radiosensitivity is mediated via dysregulation of antioxidant response and defective redox homeostasis.

A novel radioprotective function for the mitochondrial tumor suppressor protein Fus1.

FUS1/TUSC2 is a mitochondrial tumor suppressor with activity to regulate cellular oxidative stress by maintaining balanced ROS production and mitochondrial homeostasis. Fus1 expression is inhibited by ROS, suggesting that individuals with a high level of ROS may have lower Fus1 in normal tissues and, thus, may be more prone to oxidative stress-induced side effects of cancer treatment, including radiotherapy. As the role of Fus1 in the modulation of cellular radiosensitivity is unknown, we set out to determine molecular mechanisms of Fus1 involvement in the IR response in normal tissues. Mouse whole-body irradiation methodology was employed to determine the role for Fus1 in the radiation response and explore underlying molecular mechanisms. Fus1(-/-) mice were more susceptible to radiation compared with Fus1(+/+) mice, exhibiting increased mortality and accelerated apoptosis of the GI crypt epithelial cells. Following untimely reentrance into the cell cycle, the Fus1(-/-) GI crypt cells died at accelerated rate via mitotic catastrophe that resulted in diminished and/or delayed crypt regeneration after irradiation. At the molecular level, dysregulated dynamics of activation of main IR response proteins (p53, NFκB, and GSK-3ß), as well as key signaling pathways involved in oxidative stress response (SOD2, PRDX1, and cytochrome c), apoptosis (BAX and PARP1), cell cycle (Cyclins B1 and D1), and DNA repair (γH2AX) were found in Fus1(-/-) cells after irradiation. Increased radiosensitivity of other tissues, such as immune cells and hair follicles was also detected in Fus1(-/-) mice. Our findings demonstrate a previously unknown radioprotective function of the mitochondrial tumor suppressor Fus1 in normal tissues and suggest new individualized therapeutic approaches based on Fus1 expression.

Glycogen synthase kinase 3ß inhibitors protect hippocampal neurons from radiation-induced apoptosis by regulating MDM2-p53 pathway.

Exposure of the brain to ionizing radiation can cause neurocognitive deficiencies. The pathophysiology of these neurological changes is complex and includes radiation-induced apoptosis in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus. We have recently found that inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK-3ß) resulted in significant protection from radiation-induced apoptosis in hippocampal neurons. The molecular mechanisms of this cytoprotection include abrogation of radiation-induced accumulation of p53. Here we show that pretreatment of irradiated HT-22 hippocampal-derived neurons with small molecule inhibitors of GSK-3ß SB216763 or SB415286, or with GSK-3ß-specific shRNA resulted in accumulation of the p53-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. Knockdown of MDM2 using specific shRNA or chemical inhibition of MDM2-p53 interaction prevented the protective changes triggered by GSK-3ß inhibition in irradiated HT-22 neurons and restored radiation cytotoxicity. We found that this could be due to regulation of apoptosis by subcellular localization and interaction of GSK-3ß, p53 and MDM2. These data suggest that the mechanisms of radioprotection by GSK-3ß inhibitors in hippocampal neurons involve regulation of MDM2-dependent p53 accumulation and interactions between GSK-3ß, MDM2 and p53.

Cytosolic phospholipase A2 regulates viability of irradiated vascular endothelium.

Radiosensitivity of various normal tissues is largely dependent on radiation-triggered signal transduction pathways. Radiation simultaneously initiates distinct signaling from both DNA damage and cell membrane. Specifically, DNA strand breaks initiate cell-cycle delay, strand-break repair or programmed cell death, whereas membrane-derived signaling through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) enhances cell viability. Here, activation of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) and production of the lipid second-messenger lysophosphatidylcholine were identified as initial events (within 2 min) required for radiation-induced activation of Akt and ERK1/2 in vascular endothelial cells. Inhibition of cPLA(2) significantly enhanced radiation-induced cytotoxicity due to an increased number of multinucleated giant cells and cell cycle-independent accumulation of cyclin B1 within 24-48 h of irradiation. Delayed programmed cell death was detected at 72-96 h after treatment. Endothelial functions were also affected by inhibition of cPLA(2) during irradiation resulting in attenuated cell migration and tubule formation. The role of cPLA(2) in the regulation of radiation-induced activation of Akt and ERK1/2 and cell viability was confirmed using human umbilical vein endothelial cells transfected with shRNA for cPLA(2)alpha and cultured embryonic fibroblasts from cPLA(2)alpha(-/-) mice. In summary, an immediate radiation-induced cPLA(2)-dependent signaling was identified that regulates cell viability and, therefore, represents one of the key regulators of radioresistance of vascular endothelial cells.

Prolonged wild-type p53 protein accumulation and cisplatin resistance.

The major limitation for the chemotherapeutic use of DNA-damaging agent cisplatin is the development of resistance in initially responsive tumors. One of the main pathways regulating cell survival following DNA damage is the p53 pathway. In this study we compared the cisplatin-induced response of p53 protein and its downstream targets p21WAF-1 and Mdm2 in the cisplatin-sensitive ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780 and its cisplatin-resistant derivative CP70. A higher dose of cisplatin and a longer exposure time was required to achieve the same level of p53, p21WAF-1, and Mdm2 protein accumulation in the cisplatin-resistant CP70 cells versus cisplatin-sensitive A2780 cells. A significant difference between the two cell lines was observed in cisplatin-induced stabilization of p53 protein. The p53 half-life increased 31-fold in CP70 cells compared to only 6-fold in A2780 cells. In contrast, there was no difference in p21WAF-1 half-life between the two cell lines. These results demonstrate that in A2780 and CP70 cells resistance to cisplatin correlates with prolonged p53 protein stabilization and accumulation.

Regulation of p53 target gene expression by cisplatin-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase.

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is among several signal transduction pathways that are activated in response to exposure to the DNA damage-inducing chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. We have previously reported that inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK activity enhances sensitivity to cisplatin. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that cisplatin-induced ERK activation is required for optimal p53 protein accumulation following cisplatin-induced DNA damage. In the present study, we expanded our investigations to examine the effect of cisplatin-induced ERK activation on the expression of p53-targeted genes that have been shown to be important in the cellular response to DNA damage including Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-x1, Cyclin G, Gadd45, p21WAF1, and Mdm2. In the ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780, cisplatin was shown to induce expression of p21WAF1, Gadd45 and Mdm2, but cisplatin had no effect on expression of Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-x1, or Cyclin G. Inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK activity by PD98059 resulted in decreased levels of p21WAF1, Gadd45 and Mdm2. These results provide evidence that ERK activity during the cisplatin DNA damage response, regulates in part, these cell cycle control (p21WAF1, Gadd45), DNA repair (Gadd45) and p53-regulatory (Mdm2) proteins.

Effect of extracellular signal-regulated kinase on p53 accumulation in response to cisplatin.

The p53 tumor suppressor protein is a transcription factor that plays a major role in the DNA damage response. After DNA damage, p53 levels increase due primarily to stabilization of the protein. The molecular mechanisms leading to stabilization of p53 after DNA damage have not been completely elucidated. Recently we reported that cisplatin treatment activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and that inhibition of ERK1/2 resulted in enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin. In the present study, we examined the potential role of ERK1/2 activation in regulation of the p53 response to cisplatin. In the ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780, inhibition of ERK1/2 activation with the mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase 1 (MEK1) inhibitor PD98059 resulted in decreased p53 protein half-life and diminished accumulation of p53 protein during exposure to cisplatin. We also demonstrated that p53 protein co-immunoprecipitated with ERK1/2 protein and was phosphorylated by activated recombinant murine ERK2 in vitro. Furthermore, PD98059 decreased the phosphorylation of p53 at serine 15 during cisplatin exposure, suggesting that ERK1/2 mediates in part phosphorylation of p53 during the cisplatin DNA response. These results strongly suggest that cisplatin-induced ERK activation is an up-stream regulator of the p53 response to DNA damage caused by cisplatin.

Cisplatin-induced response of c-jun N-terminal kinase 1 and extracellular signal--regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 in a series of cisplatin-resistant ovarian carcinoma cell lines.

The cellular response to cisplatin involves activation of multiple signal transduction pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways. In this study, we compared the cisplatin-induced activation of two MAP kinases, c-jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), in the cisplatin-sensitive ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780 and its derivative cisplatin-resistant cell lines CP70 and C200. Dose-dependent and time-dependent activation of JNK1 and ERK1/2 occurred in each of the three cell lines in response to cisplatin treatment. The requirement of higher concentrations of cisplatin for induction of maximum activation of JNK1 and ERK1/2 was correlated with increased levels of cisplatin resistance. In addition, inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK activation, using the MAP/ERK kinase 1 synthetic inhibitor PD98059, resulted in enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin in all three cell lines. These results suggest that cisplatin-induced ERK1/2 activity is not responsible for the acquired cisplatin resistance in CP70 and C200 cells but rather provides a general cytoprotective effect in both cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant cell lines. In conclusion, different patterns of cisplatin-induced JNK1 and ERK1/2 activation are observed in cell lines with different levels of cisplatin sensitivity, and inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK1/2 activation enhances sensitivity to cisplatin in both cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant cell lines.

Cisplatin-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases in ovarian carcinoma cells: inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity increases sensitivity to cisplatin.

Cisplatin treatment activates multiple signal transduction pathways, which can lead to several cellular responses including cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, survival, or apoptosis. We investigated the response of the mitogen-activated protein kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun-N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1), and p38, to cisplatin treatment in the ovarian carcinoma cell line SK-OV-3. Cisplatin caused a late and prolonged induction in a dose-dependent manner of both ERK1/2 and JNK1 activity. ERK1/2 and JNK1 activities continued to increase in magnitude up to 24 h following initiation of cisplatin treatment. In contrast, cisplatin treatment had no effect on p38 activity. Transplatin failed to induce either ERK1/2 or JNK1 at 24 h, which suggests that the activation of these kinases was dependent on cisplatin-specific DNA damage. Treatment with cycloheximide resulted in inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK1/2 activation, demonstrating that ERK1/2 activity induced by cisplatin was dependent on de novo protein synthesis. Furthermore, inhibition of cisplatin-induced ERK1/2 activity by PD 98059 caused enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity. Similar enhanced cytotoxic effects of cisplatin were also observed following treatment with PD 98059 in the ovarian carcinoma cell line UCI 101. These observations indicate that ERK1/2 activation induced by cisplatin partially protects cells from cisplatin cytotoxicity. Continued investigation into the mechanism by which the ERK pathway and other signal transduction pathways modulate the response to cisplatin may be helpful in the development of new strategies for improving the therapeutic use of platinum drugs.

Association of apoptosis with the inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase activity in the tumor necrosis factor alpha-resistant ovarian carcinoma cell line UCI 101.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) can function as both an autocrine and a paracrine growth factor and may therefore play a role in ovarian tumor progression. TNF alpha initiates multiple cellular responses, many of which are mediated through the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, which transduce signals from the TNF alpha receptors through the cytoplasm to the nucleus, resulting in regulation of gene expression. We examined the role of c-jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 in the cellular growth response to TNF alpha in the ovarian carcinoma cell line UCI 101. JNK1 activity was increased to a maximum level ninefold above the basal level after 10-20 min of treatment with 10 ng/mL TNF alpha. A maximum threefold induction of ERK1/2 activity was observed after 1 min of treatment. At concentrations up to 100 ng/mL, TNF alpha had neither a stimulatory nor an inhibitory effect on growth of UCI 101 cells. However, inhibition of TNF alpha-induced ERK1/2 activity by the MAP/ERK kinase 1 inhibitor PD 98059 resulted in 60% inhibition of cell growth in TNF alpha-treated UCI 101 cells. This decrease in cell growth was accompanied by apoptosis, as demonstrated by the presence of a 180-bp DNA ladder. Thus, the inhibition of TNF alpha-induced ERK1/2 activity was associated with induction of apoptosis in the TNF alpha-resistant cell line UCI 101. Inhibition of TNF alpha-induced ERK1/2 activity was accompanied by a subsequent transient increase in TNF alpha-induced JNK1 activity. The significance of this increase with respect to apoptosis induction remains to be determined. These findings demonstrated that ERK1/2 activity can modulate cellular sensitivity to TNF alpha and suggested that the balance between the levels of ERK1/2 and JNK1 activation may be critical in the cellular growth response to TNF alpha.

Prevention of estrogen carcinogenesis in the hamster kidney by ethinylestradiol: some unique properties of a synthetic estrogen.

Ethinylestradiol (EE) has evident paradoxical effects on cancer risk for human breast and hepatic cancer which parallel in some respects its effects on estrogen-induced neoplasms in the hamster kidney and liver. EE has been shown to be only weakly carcinogenic in the hamster kidney, but the most potent carcinogenic estrogen in the hamster liver following prolonged treatment. Unexpectedly, when EE and potent carcinogenic estrogens, such as diethylstilbestrol (DES), 17beta-estradiol (E2) and Moxestrol (MOX), are administered concomitantly, estrogen-induced carcinogenesis in the kidney is completely prevented. In studying this novel finding, we found that, compared with E2 exposure alone, EE at 0.05 and 1.0 nM significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited the rise in proliferation of cultured primary hamster proximal renal tubular (PRT) cells in the presence of E2 (1.0 nM). Consistent with these findings, combined EE + DES treatment for 5.0 months reduced hamster kidney c-myc, c-fos and c-jun RNA expression to 43, 37 and 52%, respectively, compared with levels observed after DES treatment alone. Interestingly, TAM + DES treatment for the same period also resulted in the same low level of RNA expression of these proto-oncogenes. c-MYC, c-FOS and c-JUN protein products were comparably reduced after either EE + DES or TAM + DES treatment. It appears that c-fos expression and c-FOS protein levels in the hamster kidney were more responsive to TAM inhibition. These data demonstrate that EE possesses unique anti-tumorigenic properties in vivo in the hamster kidney. Additionally, the observed anti-estrogen-like effect of EE on cell proliferation of cultured PRT cells suggests that EE may interfere critically with estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated mitogenic pathway(s) affected by potent carcinogenic estrogens, thus preventing subsequent gene dysregulation and, hence, tumor development. Based on competition studies, the differential binding of EE to hamster kidney ER relative to that of the other estrogens (E2, DES, MOX) appears not to contribute to the prevention of estrogen carcinogenesis at this organ site by EE.

Induction of cathepsin D protein during estrogen carcinogenesis: possible role in estrogen-mediated kidney tubular cell damage.

We have proposed that an early step in estrogen carcinogenesis in the hamster kidney is tubular damage followed by reparative cell proliferation. This tubular injury is progressive and increases in severity with continued estrogen treatment; one pertinent feature is a marked rise in the number of both secondary and tertiary lysosomes. Data presented herein indicate that cathepsin D, an estrogen-responsive lysosomal proteolytic enzyme, is increased in the kidney following estrogen treatment in the hamster. Three isoforms of cathepsin D were detected in estrogen-treated kidneys, 52, 31, and 27 kDa, the major being 52 kDa. At 1 and 3 months of estrogen treatment, 52-kDa cathepsin D content increased 1.4- to 1.6-fold. These changes coincided with a rise in renal estrogen receptor levels during the same estrogen treatment periods. More pronounced rises in cathepsin D levels, 2.7- and 3.5-fold, were seen after 4 and 5 months of estrogen treatment, respectively. A concomitant, 3.0- to 4.0-fold rise in estrogen receptor content was also observed. At 5 months of estradiol or DES treatment, both 27- and 31-kDa isoforms were present in hamster kidneys, in addition to the 52-kDa form. Neither progesterone nor DHT treatment affected the untreated levels of cathepsin D. Interestingly, either concomitant tamoxifen or DHT and estrogen treatment prevented the rise in cathepsin D and estrogen receptor content observed after estrogen treatment alone. Primary estrogen-induced renal tumors and their metastases exhibited markedly elevated levels of all three isoforms of cathepsin D. Immunohistochemical analysis of cathepsin D in kidney sections confirmed the Western blot findings. These data suggest a novel role for estrogen-induced cathepsin D in the hamster kidney during tumorigenesis; that is, mediating renal tubular damage as a prelude to reparative cell proliferation, thus initiating a multi-step estrogen-driven process which leads to renal tumor formation.

Selective farnesol toxicity and translocation of protein kinase C in neoplastic HeLa-S3K and non-neoplastic CF-3 cells.

We have reported earlier that farnesol, a 15 carbon isoprenoid, has inhibitory effects on the growth and viability of a variety of cultured cells of neoplastic derivation but is considerably less cytotoxic to cells derived from normal tissue (Cancer Lett., 79, 175-179). As part of our search for the mechanism of this observation, we have studied the effect of 20 microM farnesol on the distribution of protein kinase C (PKC) between cytosolic and membrane fractions of HeLa S3K cells and fibroblasts line CF-3. In HeLa cells farnesol caused translocation of PKC from membrane fraction to cytosol after 1h of incubation and also prevented PMA-stimulated induction of PKC translocation from cytosol to membranes. Up to 6 h of incubation, there was no effect of farnesol on PKC localization in CF-3 fibroblasts. The results point to possible involvement of PKC in the toxic effect of farnesol which occurs with some degree of selectivity depending on cell origin.

Directed cell killing (apoptosis) in human lymphoblastoid cells incubated in the presence of farnesol: effect of phosphatidylcholine.

Previously reported observations have shown that trans-trans farnesol inhibits incorporation of choline into phosphatidylcholine and reduces the growth rate of the human acute leukemia CEM-C1 cell line (Melnykovych, G., Haug, J.S. and Goldner, C.M. (1992) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 186, 543-548). These findings have now been followed up in order to establish a relationship between the inhibition of phosphatidylcholine synthesis and the ensuing cell shrinkage and cell death which takes place at higher concentrations of farnesol or upon long incubation. The present results show that after incubation in the presence of farnesol the cells decrease in viability. Their nuclear DNA becomes fragmented at internucleosomal linker regions, showing characteristic pattern of bands at 180 to 200 base-pair intervals. This farnesol-induced effect was also demonstrated by flow cytometry by staining the cellular DNA with propidium iodide and was partially reversible with phosphatidylcholine.

Differences in sensitivity to farnesol toxicity between neoplastically- and non-neoplastically-derived cells in culture.

Six neoplastically-derived cell lines and three cell lines derived from normal tissues were compared for their sensitivity to isoprenoid trans-trans farnesol. Assays of cell numbers and of protein concentrations per culture revealed greater sensitivity of neoplastic cells than of the normal cells. Similar differences were obtained from the comparison of incorporation of [methyl-3H]choline into cellular lipids, with neoplastic cells showing greater inhibition than normal cells.