Ascorbic acid suppresses the 2,3,7,8-tetrachloridibenxo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced CYP1A1 expression in human HepG2 cells.

The mechanisms involving the inhibitory effects of ascorbic acid (AA) on carcinogenesis have not fully defined, except for its free-radical scavenging activity against oxidative DNA damage. In this study, we examined the effects of AA on the expression of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-regulated gene cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1), which catalyzes the activation of genotoxic metabolites that can lead to mutagenesis. Cultured human HepG2 cells were incubated with AA with or without the potent AhR agonist/CYP1A1 inducer 2,3,7,8-tetrachloridibenxo-p-dioxin (TCDD). AA was highly effective at suppressing CYP1A1 induction following coincubation of the cells with 1nM TCDD. The preventive effects of AA were seen at the level of mRNA and protein expression as well as CYP1A1-specific 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity. A transient transfection assay using a dioxin response element (DRE)-linked luciferase reporter and an electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that AA reduced the amount of AhR that could form a complex with the DRE sequence in the promoter region of the CYP1A1 gene. In addition, AA inhibited the TCDD-induced Ecto-ATPase activity, which is known to be requiring for AhR translocation to the nucleus. These results suggest that AA may exert at least part of its anticarcinogenesis effect by controlling the expression of CYP1A1 at the transcription level.

EGF stimulates uPAR expression and cell invasiveness through ERK, AP-1, and NF-kappaB signaling in human gastric carcinoma cells.

Overexpression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) have been observed in human gastric cancers. However, the interaction between EGF and uPAR in gastric cancer has not been well elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effect of EGF on uPAR expression and the underlying signal pathways in human gastric cancer AGS cells. EGF induced uPAR mRNA expression in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. EGF also induced uPAR promoter activity. In addition, EGF induced the activation of extracellular signal regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2) and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) but not the activation of c-Jun amino terminal kinase. A specific inhibitor of MEK-1 (an upstream effector of ERK-1/2) and a dominant negative MEK-1 were able to suppress the EGF-induced uPAR promoter activity. Site-directed mutagenesis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the binding sites of transcription factors, activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, are involved in the EGF-induced uPAR transcription. Suppression of the EGF-induced uPAR promoter activity by the AP-1 decoy oligonuclotide, as well as expression vectors encoding mutated-type NF-kappaB-inducting kinase and I-kappaB, confirmed that the activation of AP-1 and NF-kappaB are essential for the EGF-induced uPAR upregulation. The AGS cells pretreated with EGF showed a remarkably enhanced invasiveness and this effect was partially abrogated by uPAR neutralizing antibodies and by the inhibitors of ERK-1/2, AP-1, and NF-kappaB. The above results suggest that EGF induces uPAR expression via ERK-1/2, AP-1, and NF-kappaB signaling pathways and, in turn, stimulates cell invasiveness in human gastric cancer AGS cells.

Helicobacter pylori stimulates urokinase plasminogen activator receptor expression and cell invasiveness through reactive oxygen species and NF-kappaB signaling in human gastric carcinoma cells.

The gastric pathogen, helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), has been associated with the progression of gastric cancer. It was previously reported that H. pylori induced urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) expression and stimulated cell invasiveness in human gastric cancer AGS cells. However, the precise mechanisms for how H. pylori upregulates uPAR are unclear. This study investigated the underlying signal pathways in H. pylori-induced uPAR in human gastric cancer AGS cells. The intracellular H2O2 content, as determined using H2O2-sensitive probe 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein, increased after the H. pylori treatment. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, prevented the H. pylori-induced production of H2O2 and uPAR expression. In addition, exogenous H2O2 was found to increase uPAR mRNA expression and its promoter activity. Site-directed mutagenesis of the potential NF-kappaB element in the uPAR promoter showed that the redox-sensitive transcription factor NF-kappaB was essential for H. pylori-induced uPAR expression. The expression of vectors encoding a mutated-type NF-kappaB-inducing kinase and I-kappaB, and a specific inhibitor of NF-kappaB (BAY11-7082) decreased the H. pylori-induced uPAR promoter activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and the electrophoretic mobility shift assay confirmed that H. pylori increased the DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB. With the aid of NAC and H2O2, it was determined that reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an upstream signaling molecule for activating the NF-kappaB induced by H. pylori. The enhanced AGS cell invasiveness by H. pylori was partially abrogated by an NAC and BAY11-7082 treatment. These results suggest that the ROS and NF-kappaB signaling pathway is important in H. pylori-induced uPAR expression and the increased cell invasiveness of human gastric cancer AGS cells.

Triptolide inhibits tumor promoter-induced uPAR expression via blocking NF-kappaB signaling in human gastric AGS cells.

The overexpression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is closely related to tumor cell invasion. Therefore, strategies for down-regulating uPAR expression may be of clinical utility. This study examined the effects of triptolide, which is a diterpenoid triepoxide extracted from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F., on the induction of uPAR in human gastric cancer AGS cells. Triptolide inhibited the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced uPAR mRNA and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner, and reduced the uPAR transcriptional activity. The stability of the uPAR transcripts was not altered by the triptolide treatment. The signals involved in uPAR induction by PMA were investigated to determine the mechanisms for the triptolide-mediated regulation of uPAR. The inhibitors of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (Erk-1/2, PD98059), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK, SP600125) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB, Bay11-7082) inhibited the PMA-induced expression of uPAR, which suggests that PMA induces uPAR through multiple signals. Triptolide suppressed the PMA-induced activation of NF-kappaB but not Erk-1/2 and JNKI The inhibitory effect of triptolide on the activation of NF-kappaB was confirmed by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and NF-kappaB dependent transcription studies. AGS cells treated with PMA showed a remarkably enhanced invasiveness, which was partially abrogated by triptolide and uPAR-neutralizing antibodies. This suggests that triptolide may exert at least part of its anti-invasive effect in gastric cancer by controlling the expression of uPAR through the suppression of NF-kappaB activation.