Pivarubicin Is More Effective Than Doxorubicin Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer In Vivo

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is unresponsive to antiestrogen and anti-HER2 therapies, requiring the use of cytotoxic drug combinations of anthracyclines, taxanes, cyclophosphamide, and platinum compounds. Multidrug therapies achieve pathological cure rates of only 20–40%, a consequence of drug resistance and cumulative dose limitations necessitated by the reversible cardiotoxic effects of drug therapy. Safer and more effective treatments for TNBC are required to achieve durable therapeutic responses. This study describes the mechanistic analyses of the novel anthracycline, pivarubicin, and its in vivo efficacy against human primary TNBC. Pivarubicin directly activates PKCd, triggers rapid mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, and circumvents resistance conferred by overexpression of P-glycoprotein, Bcl-2, Bcl-X_L, and Bcr-Abl. As a consequence, pivarubicin is more cytotoxic than doxorubicin against MDA-MB-231, and SUM159 TNBC cell lines grown in both monolayer culture and tumorspheres. Comparative in vivo efficacy of pivarubicin and doxorubicin was performed in an orthotopic NSG mouse model implanted with MDA-MB-231 human TNBC cells and treated with the maximum tolerated doses (MTDs) of pivarubicin and doxorubicin. Tumor growth was monitored by digital caliper measurements and determination of endpoint tumor weight and volume. Endpoint cardiotoxicity was assessed histologically by identifying microvacuolization in ventricular cardiomyocytes. Primary tumors treated with multiple rounds of doxorubicin at MTD failed to inhibit tumor growth compared with vehicletreated tumors. However, administration of a single MTD of pivarubicin produced significant inhibition of tumor growth and tumor regression relative to tumor volume prior to initiation of treatment. Histological analysis of hearts excised from drug- and vehicle-treated mice revealed that pivarubicin produced no evidence of myocardial damage at a therapeutic dose. These results support the development of pivarubicin as a safer and more effective replacement for doxorubicin against TNBC as well as other malignancies for which doxorubicin therapy is indicated.     

Hsa-miR-4282对肝癌细胞系SMMC-7721生长的影响

目的  探讨Hsa-miR-4282在肝癌细胞系SMMC-7721中的表达及其对细胞生长的影响。方法 采用实时荧光定量PCR法检测Hsa-miR-4282在人正常肝上皮细胞系HL-7702和人肝癌细胞系MHCC97-H、SMMC-7721，以及 20例肝癌组织及其相应癌旁组织中的表达。采用瞬时转染法将Hsa-miR-4282 mimics（上调组）和Hsa-miR-4282 inhibitor（下调组）分别转染肝癌SMMC-7721细胞，上调组和下调组分别设置相应阴性对照组。转染后采用MTT法检测细胞增殖能力，平板克隆形成实验检测细胞克隆形成能力，流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡能力。结果 Hsa-miR-4282在肝癌组织、肝癌细胞MHCC97-H及肝癌细胞SMMC-7721中的表达均低于癌旁组织及正常肝细胞HL-7702（P＜0.05）。MTT实验结果显示，Hsa-miR-4282上调后肝癌SMMC-7721细胞的OD值低于其阴性对照组，而下调后OD值高于其阴性对照组 （P＜0.05）。平板克隆形成实验显示，下调组的细胞克隆数高于其阴性对照组［（240±7） 个 vs （191±10） 个，P=0.005）］，而上调组细胞克隆数低于基阴性对照组［（146±10） 个 vs （193±12） 个，P=0.013）］。流式细胞仪检测结果显示，Hsa-miR-4282上调组细胞凋亡率较其阴性对照组升高［（23.89±1.89）% vs（16.6±1.14）%，P=0.009）］，下调组细胞凋亡率较期阴性对照组降低［（14.98±0.46）% vs （17.79±0.73）%，P=0.010］。结论 Hsa-miR-4282上调可抑制肝癌SMMC-7721细胞增殖，促进细胞凋亡，可能与肝癌的发病机制有关。     

Coenzyme Q10 supplementation improves acute outcomes of stroke in rats pretreated with atorvastatin

Objectives: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, ubiquinone) stands among the safest supplements in the elderly to protect against cardiovascular disorders. Noteworthy, CoQ10 deficiency is common in many surviving stroke patients as they are mostly prescribed statins for the secondary prevention of stroke incidence lifelong. Accordingly, the current study aims to experimentally examine whether CoQ10 supplementation in animals receiving atorvastatin may affect acute stroke-induced injury.

Methods: Adult rats underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion after atorvastatin pretreatment (5 or 10 mg/ kg/day; po; 30 days) with or without CoQ10 (200 mg/kg/day). After 24 hours ischemic/reperfusion injury, animals were subjected to functional assessments followed by cerebral molecular and histological to detect inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress.

Results: Animals dosed with 10 mg/kg presented the worst neurological function and brain damage in the acute phase of stroke injury. CoQ10 supplementation efficiently improved functional deficit and cerebral infarction in all stroke animals, particularly those exhibiting statin toxicity. Such benefits were associated with remarkable anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, based on the analyzed tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, Bax/Bcl2 and cleaved caspase 3/9 immunoblots. Importantly, our fluoro-jade staining data indicated CoQ10 may revert the stroke-induced neurodegeneration. No parallel alteration was detected in stroke-induced oxidative stress as determined by malondialdehyde and 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine levels.

Discussion: These data suggest that all stroke animals may benefit from CoQ10 administration through modulating inflammatory and degenerative pathways. This study provides empirical evidence for potential advantages of CoQ10 supplementation in atorvastatin-receiving patients which may not shadow its antioxidant properties.     

PRKAA1 Promotes Proliferation and Inhibits Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer Cells Through Activating JNK1 and Akt Pathways

PRKAA1 (protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit 1) is a catalytic subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which plays a key role in regulating cellular energy metabolism through phosphorylation, and genetic variations in the PRKAA1 have been found to be associated with gastric cancer risk. However, the effect and underlying molecular mechanism of PRKAA1 on gastric cancer tumorigenesis, especially the proliferation and apoptosis, are not fully understood. Our data showed that PRKAA1 is highly expressed in BGC- 823 and MKN45 cells and is expressed low in SGC-7901 and MGC-803 cells in comparison with the other gastric cancer cells. PRKAA1 downregulation by shRNA or treatment of AMPK inhibitor compound C significantly inhibited proliferation as well as promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of BGC-823 and MKN45 cells. Moreover, the expression of PCNA and Bcl-2 and the activity of JNK1 and Akt signaling were also reduced in BGC-823 and MKN45 cells after PRKAA1 downregulation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that tumor growth in nude mice was significantly inhibited after PRKAA1 silencing. Importantly, inactivation of JNK1 or Akt signaling pathway significantly inhibited PRKAA1 overexpression-induced increased cell proliferation and decreased cell apoptosis in MGC-803 cells. In conclusion, our findings suggest that PRKAA1 increases proliferation and restrains apoptosis of gastric cancer cells through activating JNK1 and Akt pathways.     

莱菔硫烷促进神经胶质瘤细胞凋亡的机制探讨

目的探讨莱菔硫烷(SFN)促进神经胶质瘤细胞凋亡的作用机制。方法采用噻唑蓝(MTT)法与流式细胞法检测不同浓度的SFN对神经胶质瘤U251细胞系生长的抑制作用,测定半数抑制浓度,空白对照设为对照组;采用Western blot研究SFN对U251细胞内Cyt-c的表达情况。结果不同浓度SFN组A值均低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。不同浓度SFN均对U251细胞生长有一定抑制作用,12.5μmol/l、25μmol/l、50μmol/l、100μmol/l浓度的SFN对U251细胞生长抑制率逐渐增强,各组间比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。但100μmol/l与200μmol/l浓度的SFN对U251细胞生长抑制率比较无统计学意义(P>0.05)。不同浓度SFN诱导细胞凋亡率及Cyt-c蛋白表达均显著高于对照组,且随着SFN浓度递增,U251细胞凋亡率、Cyt-c蛋白表达逐渐增加,各组间比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论SFN可能参与神经胶质瘤细胞的凋亡过程,表现为诱导凋亡U251细胞,可能与Cyt-c表达增高存在关系。     

雷公藤红素抑制MGC - 823细胞增殖和迁移及诱导凋亡

目的 探索雷公藤红素对MGC - 823细胞的增殖，迁移及诱导凋亡的作用，并探讨其作用机制。方法 0、1、2、4、6、8、12 μM雷公藤红素作用于MGC - 823细胞，采用MTT法检测增殖比率。0、1、2和4 μM雷公藤红素作用于MGC - 823细胞0、24、48和72 h，显微镜下观察细胞形态，采用细胞划痕实验检测细胞迁移能力，流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡，western blot法检测细胞中凋亡相关蛋白Bcl - 2、Bax、Akt、p - Akt等的表达水平。结果 经雷公藤红素作用后，MGC - 823细胞的增殖率均下降（P＜0.05）；细胞数量减少，体积缩小，皱缩变圆，部分不再贴壁，细胞核缩小；细胞迁移率减小（P＜0.05）；早期凋亡率增加（P＜0.05）；MGC - 823细胞中Bax表达升高，Bcl - 2和p - Akt表达降低（P＜0.05）。结论 雷公藤红素对MGC - 823细胞的增殖和迁移有抑制作用，并诱导其凋亡。     

肝X受体对急性肺损伤保护机制的探讨

目的 探讨肝X受体对急性肺损伤的保护机制,观察凋亡抑制因子Api6、Caspase-3、Bcl-2的表达情况.方法 将54只雄性SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组(CL组)、内毒素处理组(LP组)、T0901317预处理组(TP组).TP组预处理后,脂多糖造模,于1h、4h、8h时处死大鼠采取肺组织,免疫组化染色测定凋亡因子Caspase-3、Bcl-2,蛋白定量检测Api6表达水平,同时测定动脉血气,观察电子显微镜下肺组织病理学改变.结果 与CL组相比,LP组动脉血氧分压均显著降低;病理形态学示:与LP组相比,TP组损伤明显减轻.通过Western blot检测肺Api6蛋白表达获知:TP组明显比LP组表达有所增加.结论 Api6在ALI大鼠肺组织中表达明显减少.Api6高表达对肺组织起到一定的保护作用.肝X受体激动剂预处理可以减轻脂多糖所致肺组织的损伤,其机制可能与其抑制促凋亡因子、增加抗凋亡因子表达有关.