A new insight of anti-platelet effects of sirtinol in platelets aggregation via cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase

Sirtinol, a cell permeable six-membered lactone ring, is derived from naphthol and potent inhibitor of SIR2 and its naphtholic may have the inhibitory effects on platelets aggregation. In this study, platelet function was examined by collagen/epinephrine (CEPI) and collagen/ADP-induced closure times using the PFA-100 system reveal that CEPI-CT and CADP-CT were prolonged by sirtinol. The platelets aggregation regulated by physiological agonists such as: thrombin, collagen and AA and U46619 were significantly inhibited by sirtinol. Increases cAMP level was observed when sirtinol treated with Prostaglandin E1 in washed platelets. Moreover, sirtinol attenuated intracellular Ca²⁺ release and thromboxane B2 formation stimulated by thrombin, collagen, AA and U46619 in human washed platelets. This study indicated that sirtinol could inhibit the platelet aggregation induced by physiological agonists, AA and U46619. The mechanism of action may include an increase of cAMP level with enhanced VASP-Ser157 phosphorylation via inhibition of cAMP phosphodiesterase activity and subsequent inhibition of intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization, thromboxane A2 formation, and ATP release during the platelet aggregation.     

Effects of nickel, chromate, and arsenite on histone 3 lysine methylation

Occupational exposure to nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and arsenic (As) containing compounds has been associated with lung cancer and other adverse health effects. Their carcinogenic properties may be attributable in part, to activation and/or repression of gene expression induced by changes in the DNA methylation status and histone tail post-translational modifications. Here we show that individual treatment with nickel, chromate, and arsenite all affect the gene activating mark H3K4 methylation. We found that nickel (1 mM), chromate (10 μM), and arsenite (1 μM) significantly increase tri-methyl H3K4 after 24 h exposure in human lung carcinoma A549 cells. Seven days of exposure to lower levels of nickel (50 and 100 μM), chromate (0.5 and 1 μM) or arsenite (0.1, 0.5 and 1 μM) also increased tri-methylated H3K4 in A549 cells. This mark still remained elevated and inherited through cell division 7 days following removal of 1 μM arsenite. We also demonstrate by dual staining immunofluorescence microscopy that both H3K4 tri-methyl and H3K9 di-methyl marks increase globally after 24 h exposure to each metal treatment in A549 cells. However, the tri-methyl H3K4 and di-methyl H3K9 marks localize in different regions in the nucleus of the cell. Thus, our study provides further evidence that a mechanism(s) of carcinogenicity of nickel, chromate, and arsenite metal compounds may involve alterations of various histone tail modifications that may in turn affect the expression of genes that may cause transformation.     

Structure-activity relationship studies of novel oxygen-incorporated SAHA analogues

Novel oxygen-incorporated SAHA (oxa-SAHA) analogues, in which oxygen was inserted in the alkyl linker connecting the hydroxamic acid moiety and amide group, were synthesized and their inhibitory activities on histone deacetylase were evaluated. The most active oxa-SAHA analogue potently inhibited histone deacetylase, almost as potently as SAHA. Various structural modifications in the amide, but not the hydroxamic acid, significantly affected the inhibitory activities of the derivatives. Based on the inhibitory data, the N-phenyl moiety of the amide turned to be a better modification site for enhancing the inhibitory activity.     

异硫氰酸苯己酯诱导Molt-4细胞p15基因去甲基化及机制研究

研究新型组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂异硫氰酸苯己酯（PHI）对急性T淋巴细胞性白血病Molt-4细胞p15基因的去甲基化作用及诱导沉默基因重新表达作用,并进一步探讨其作用机制。应用甲基化特异性聚合酶链反应（MSP）检测PHI作用前后Molt-4细胞株p15基因甲基化状态的变化;半定量逆转录-聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测Molt-4细胞经过PHI处理后DNA甲基转移酶DNMT1、DNMT3A、DNMT3B、p15基因的mRNA的表达变化;用蛋白免疫印迹（Western blotting）检测Molt-4细胞经过PHI处理后的P15蛋白的表达。结果显示,PHI作用于Molt-4细胞5 d后,p15基因的甲基化程度减弱,p15基因的异常高甲基化现象被逆转,沉默的p15基因重新表达,p15 mRNA、P15蛋白表达增加,并呈浓度依赖性;PHI可下调DNMT1和DNMT3B的mRNA表达（P < 0.05）,而对DNMT3A的mRNA表达作用不明显（P > 0.05）。PHI可能通过抑制DNA甲基转移酶DNMT1和DNMT3B的活性,诱导p15基因产生去甲基化,或者（和）是通过改变p15基因附近组蛋白的乙酰化水平,导致染色体空间结构发生变化,增加转录因子的进入,从而诱导p15基因重新表达。
     

New chaps in the histone chaperone arena

Understanding exactly how chromatin is assembled is paramount to addressing how select histone modifications may be transmitted, a putative epigenetic process. In the June 15, 2010, issue of Genes & Development, Drané and colleagues (pp. 1253–1265) identified DAXX as a novel H3.3-specific chaperone. This finding, in the context of others published by Goldberg and colleauges in Cell and Sawatsubashi and colleagues (pp. 159–170) in the January 15, 2010, issue of Genes & Development, provides the impetus for uncovering the mechanistic and functional properties of alternative histone deposition pathways.     

Targeting Histone Deacetylases for the Treatment of Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition with significant burdens on both patient and healthcare costs. Despite the identification of the causative element, an expanded toxic polyglutamine tract in the mutant Huntingtin protein, treatment options for patients with this disease remain limited. In the following review I assess the current evidence suggesting that a family of important regulatory proteins known as histone deacetylases may be an important therapeutic target in the treatment of this disease.     

Anti‐leukemic activity of valproic acid and imatinib mesylate on human Ph+ ALL and CML cells in vitro

The armamentarium of anti‐leukemic drugs has increased substantially since anti‐leukemic activities were recently found for a variety of non‐classical cytostatic drugs, among them the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor valproic acid (VPA). This study investigated the effect of VPA on proliferation and apoptosis of human Philadelphia chromosome‐positive (Ph+) acute lymphatic (ALL) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells and on colony formation of human chronic‐phase CML progenitor cells. Strong anti‐proliferative and pro‐apoptotic effects of VPA were observed on human ALL and CML cell lines at concentrations achievable in vivo. These effects were most pronounced in ALL cell lines as well as in primary ALL cells. Notably, VPA revealed enhanced activity with imatinib mesylate, nilotinib, the farnesyl transferase inhibitor SCH66336, interferon‐alpha and cytosine arabinoside. VPA inhibited the growth of colony‐forming cells from 12 Ph+ chronic‐phase CML patients but also of those from normal healthy controls in a dose‐dependent fashion. HDAC‐inhibiting activity of VPA was confirmed on ALL and CML cells. In conclusion, VPA, whether alone or in combination with other non‐classical anti‐leukemic compounds, exerts significant anti‐leukemic effects on human ALL and CML cells.     

Epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate are potent inhibitors of human arylacetamide deacetylase

Recently, in addition to carboxylesterases (CESs), we found that arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC) plays an important role in the metabolism of some clinical drugs. In this study, we screened for food-related natural compounds that could specifically inhibit human AADAC, CES1, or CES2. AADAC, CES1, and CES2 activities in human liver microsomes were measured using phenacetin, fenofibrate, and procaine as specific substrates, respectively. In total, 43 natural compounds were screened for their inhibitory effects on each of these enzymes. Curcumin and quercetin showed strong inhibitory effects against all three enzymes, whereas epicatechin, epicatechin gallate (ECg), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) specifically inhibited AADAC. In particular, ECg and EGCg showed strong inhibitory effects on AADAC (IC₅₀ values: 3.0 ± 0.5 and 2.2 ± 0.2 μM, respectively). ECg and EGCg also strongly inhibited AADAC-mediated rifampicin hydrolase activity in human liver microsomes with IC₅₀ values of 2.2 ± 1.4 and 1.7 ± 0.4 μM, respectively, whereas it weakly inhibited p-nitrophenyl acetate hydrolase activity, which is catalyzed by AADAC, CES1, and CES2. Our results indicate that ECg and EGCg are potent inhibitors of AADAC.