ß-carotene treatment alters the cellular death process in oxidative stress-induced K562 cells.

Oxidizing agents (e.g., H2 O2 ) cause structural and functional disruptions of molecules by affecting lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. As a result, cellular mechanisms related to disrupted macro molecules are affected and cell death is induced. Oxidative damage can be prevented at a certain point by antioxidants or the damage can be reversed. In this work, we studied the cellular response against oxidative stress induced by H2 O2 and antioxidant-oxidant (ß-carotene-H2 O2 ) interactions in terms of time, concentration, and treatment method (pre-, co-, and post) in K562 cells. We showed that co- or post-treatment with ß-carotene did not protect cells from the damage of oxidative stress furthermore co- and post-ß-carotene-treated oxidative stress induced cells showed similar results with only H2 O2 treated cells. However, ß-carotene pre-treatment prevented oxidative damage induced by H2 O2 at concentrations lower than 1,000 µM compared with only H2 O2 -treated and co- and post-ß-carotene-treated oxidative stress-induced cells in terms of studied cellular parameters (mitochondrial membrane potential [Δψm ], cell cycle and apoptosis). Prevention effect of ß-carotene pre-treatment was lost at concentrations higher than 1,000 µM H2 O2 (2-10 mM). These findings suggest that ß-carotene pre-treatment alters the effects of oxidative damage induced by H2 O2 and cell death processes in K562 cells.

Low dose monoethyl phthalate (MEP) exposure triggers proliferation by activating PDX-1 at 1.1B4 human pancreatic beta cells.

Phthalate plasticizers used in a wide range of common plastic products are released into the environment and may pose a risk of increased incidence of type 2 diabetes. In this work, we studied the effects of monoethyl phthalate (MEP), the metabolite of diethyl phthalate, exposure on 1.1B4 human pancreatic beta cells at low doses (1-1000 nM). We showed that MEP treatment induced proliferation in 1.1B4 cells. Also PCNA protein expression levels were increased related to proliferation induction. It has been noted that phthalates can exert estrogen mediated response by interacting with ER. In our study 24 h MEP treatment decreased ERα protein expression level conversely it increased the same protein expression level after 72 h treatment. Also MEP treatment decreased ERß expression after 72 h at 1.1B4 cells. Our results further show that insulin content of 1.1B4 cells were increased with low dose MEP treatment. Along with our insulin content results, PDX- 1 expression levels were also increased at 1.1B4 cells with MEP treatment. These findings suggest that MEP acts as an estrogenic compound and PPARγ agonist at lower concentrations. Also it should be noted that PDX-1 may be a critical regulator of 1.1B4 cells treated with MEP.

Microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 regulates melanoma cell survival and associates with melanoma disease progression.

COX-2 and its product PGE2 enhance carcinogenesis and tumor progression, which has been previously reported in melanoma. As most COX inhibitors cause much toxicity, the downstream microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 (mPGES1) is a consideration for targeting. Human melanoma TMAs were employed for testing mPGES1 protein staining intensity and percentage levels, and both increased with clinical stage; employing a different Stage III TMA, mPGES1 intensity (not percentage) associated with reduced patient survival. Our results further show that iNOS was also highly expressed in melanoma tissues with high mPGES1 levels, and iNOS-mediated NO promoted mPGES1 expression and PGE2 production. An mPGES1-specific inhibitor (CAY10526) as well as siRNA attenuated cell survival and increased apoptosis. CAY10526 significantly suppressed tumor growth and increased apoptosis in melanoma xenografts. Our findings support the value of a prognostic and predictive role for mPGES1, and suggest targeting this molecule in the PGE2 pathway as another avenue toward improving melanoma therapy.

K562 cells display different vulnerability to H2O2 induced oxidative stress in differing cell cycle phases.

Oxidative stress can be defined as the increase of oxidizing agents like reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, or the imbalance between the antioxidative defense mechanism and oxidants. Cell cycle checkpoint response can be defined as the arrest of the cell cycle functioning after damaging chemical exposure. This temporary arrest may be a period of time given to the cells to repair the DNA damage before entering the cycle again and completing mitosis. In order to determine the effects of oxidative stress on several cell cycle phases, human erytroleukemia cell line (K562) was synchronized with mimosine and genistein, and cell cycle analysis carried out. Synchronized cells were exposed to oxidative stress with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at several concentrations and different times. Changes on mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm) of K562 cells were analyzed in G1, S, and G2 /M using Rhodamine 123 (Rho 123). To determine apoptosis and necrosis, stressed cells were stained with Annexin V (AnnV) and propidium iodide (PI) for flow cytometry. Changes were observed in the ΔΨm of synchronized and asynchronized cells that were exposed to oxidative stress. Synchronized cells in S phase proved resistant to the effects of oxidative stress and synchronized cells at G2 /M phase were sensitive to the effects of H2O2 -induced oxidative stress at 500 µM and above.