Antisense inhibition of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase reduces survival of methionine-dependent tumour lines

Transformed cells have been documented to be methionine-dependent, suggesting that inhibition of methionine synthesis might be useful for cancer therapy. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase synthesises 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the methyl donor utilised in methionine synthesis from homocysteine by vitamin B(12)-dependent methionine synthase. We hypothesised that methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase inhibition would affect cell viability through decreased methionine synthesis. Using medium lacking methionine, but containing homocysteine and vitamin B(12) (M-H+), we found that nontransformed human fibroblasts could maintain growth. In contrast, four transformed cell lines (one colon carcinoma, two neuroblastoma and one breast carcinoma) increased proliferation only slightly in the M-H+ medium. To downregulate methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase expression, two phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides, EX5 and 677T, were used to target methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in the colon carcinoma line SW620; 400 nM of each antisense oligonucleotide decreased cell survival by approximately 80% (P<0.01) and 70% (P<0.0001), respectively, compared to cell survival after the respective control mismatched oligonucleotide. Western blotting and enzyme assays confirmed that methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase expression was decreased. Two neuroblastoma and two breast carcinoma lines also demonstrated decreased survival following EX5 treatment whereas nontransformed human fibroblasts were not affected. This study suggests that methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase may be required for tumour cell survival and that methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase inhibition should be considered for anti-tumour therapy.     

p53 Cooperates berberine-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis of non-small cell human lung cancer cells in vitro and tumor xenograft growth in vivo

Berberine has been shown to have anti-carcinogenic effects. Since p53 is the most commonly mutated tumor suppressor gene, and a lack of functional p53 is associated with an increased risk of cancer development, we examined the effects of berberine on p53-positive and p53-deficient non-small cell human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of A549, which express wild-type p53, and H1299, which are p53-deficient, human lung cancer cells with berberine resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation and an increase in apoptotic cell death; however, A549 cells were more sensitive to the berberine-induced cytotoxic effects than H1299 cells. Further, the treatment of A549 cells with pifithrin-alpha, a specific inhibitor of p53, or transfection of A549 cells with a p53 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide resulted in a reduction in the berberine-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis. The berberine-induced apoptosis of both the A549 and H1299 human lung cancer cells was associated with the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, reduction in the levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xl while increase in Bax, Bak, and activation of caspase-3. Treatment of the cells with pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) or caspase-3 inhibitor (z-DEVD-fmk) inhibited berberine-induced apoptosis, thus suggesting the role of caspase-3. Further, the administration of berberine by oral gavage inhibited the growth of s.c. A549 and H1299 lung tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice, however, the growth of tumor xenograft of H1299 cells was faster than A549 cells in mice and the chemotherapeutic effect of berberine was more pronounced in the p53-positive-A549 tumor xenograft than p53-deficient-H1299 tumor xenograft.     

Flavone inhibition of tumor growth via apoptosis in vitro and in vivo

Colorectal carcinoma is a human malignant tumor, which is very resistant to currently available methods of treatment. Therefore, developing an effective agent with anti-colorectal carcinoma activity is important. In the present study, 8 structurally related flavones including flavone, 3-OH flavone, 5-OH flavone, 7-OH flavone, quercetin, kaempferol, quercetin, and morin were used to study their effects on colorectal carcinoma cells (HT29, COLO205, COLO320-HSR). Results of MTT assay indicated that flavone shows the most potent cytoxic effect among them on these three cell types. The cytotoxicity induced by flavone is mediated by inducing the occurrence of apoptosis characterized by the appearance of DNA ladders, apoptotic bodies and hypodiploid cells. Activation of caspase 3 protein procession and enzyme activity with inducing cleavage of caspase 3 substrates PARP was identified in flavone-treated cells, and an inhibitory peptide Ac-DEVD-FMK for caspase 3, but not Ac-YVAD-FMK for caspase 1, attenuates the cytotoxic effect of flavone in COLO205 and HT29 cells. Elevation of p21 but no p53 protein was observed in flavone-treated cells. Increasing intracellular peroxide level was detected in flavone-treated cells by DCHF-DA assay, and antioxidants such as tiron, catalase, SOD, PDTC, but not DPI, suppress flavone-induced cytotoxic effect. In vivo anti-tumor study indicates that flavone exhibits ability to inhibit tumor formation elicited by s.c. injection of COLO205 cells in nude mice, and apoptotic cells and an increase in p21, but not p53, protein were observed in tumor tissues derived from flavone-treated group. Additionally, flavone induced apoptosis in primary colon carcinoma cells COLO205-X with appearance of DNA ladders, caspase 3 protein procession, PARP protein cleavage, and an increase in p21 (not p53) protein. These data provide evidence to suggest that flavone is an effective agent to induce apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo; activation of caspase 3, ROS production, and increasing p21 protein are involved.     

Single-agent inhibition of Chk1 is antiproliferative in human cancer cell lines in vitro and inhibits tumor xenograft growth in vivo

Chk1 is a serine/threonine kinase that plays several important roles in the cellular response to genotoxic stress. Since many current standard-of-care therapies for human cancer directly damage DNA or inhibit DNA synthesis, there is interest in using small molecule inhibitors of Chk1 to potentiate their clinical activity. Additionally, Chk1 is known to be critically involved in cell cycle progression of unperturbed cells. Therefore, it is plausible that treatment with a Chkl inhibitor alone could also be an efficacious cancer therapy. Here we report that Chk1-A, a potent and highly selective small molecule inhibitor of Chk1, is antiproliferative as a single agent in a variety of human cancer cell lines in vitro. The inhibition of proliferation is associated with collapse of DNA replication and apoptosis. Rapid decreases in inhibitory phosphorylation of CDKs and a concomitant increase in CDK kinase activity and chromatin loading of Cdc45 suggest that the antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity of Chk1-A is at least in part due to deregulation of DNA synthesis. We extend these in vitro studies by demonstrating that Chk1-A inhibits the growth of tumor xenografts in vivo in a treatment regimen that is well tolerated. Together, these results suggest that single-agent inhibition of Chk1 may be an effective treatment strategy for selected human malignancies.     

Dimethylthiourea inhibition of melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo

The effect of dimethylthiourea (DMTU), an agent known as a hydroxyl radical scavenger, was determined on growth and differentiation of the B16 murine melanoma cell line. DMTU inhibited melanoma cell growth in vitro and induced changes in the morphology of melanoma cells. Prolonged treatment of cells with DMTU resulted in an increase in melanin content. DMTU-treated melanoma cells had a decreased capacity to form tumors in syngeneic mice. Systemic administration of DMT to C57BL/6J mice inoculated with melanoma cells resulted in a delay in tumor appearance and a prolongation of survival. The doses of DMTU used did not cause any apparent toxic effects. A potential therapeutic role for DMTU in the treatment of melanoma is suggested.     

Effects of graft-versus-host reaction on inhibition of tumor growth in vivo and on tumor cytotoxicity in vitro.

In DA X Wistar F1 rats, growth of 10(4) Wistar-specific Sp 1 carcinoma cells s.c. was commonly prevented by a mild subclinical graft=versus-host reaction produced by injecting 50 X 10(6) Wistar spleen cells i.p. either concurrently with the tumor or 7 to 14 days previously, Spleen cells alone had no effect on established tumor, but their injection on Day 14 significantly reduced the recurrence rate after excision of tumor on Day 21. In vitro tests in tumor-bearing rats with graft-versus-host reactions showed increased spleen lymphocyte and serum cytotoxicity; these mechanisms may inhibit tumor growth in vivo. Because Wistar lymphocytes and Sp 1 cells are syngeneic, inhibition of tumor cannot be due to allograft rejection but is probably an effect of increased host immunoreactivity during the graft-versus-host reaction.     

Relationship between in vivo drug exposure of the tumor interstitium and inhibition of tumor cell growth in vitro: a study in breast cancer patients

A novel approach is described to simulate effect site pharmacodynamics of anticancer drugs. This approach is based on (i) the in vivo measurement of unbound, interstitial drug pharmacokinetics (PK) in solid tumor lesions in patients and (ii) a subsequent pharmacodynamic (PD) simulation of the time versus drug concentration profile in an in vitro setting. For this purpose, breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were exposed in vitro to the time versus interstitial tumor concentration profiles of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and methotrexate (MTX) from primary breast cancer lesions in patients. This led to a maximal reduction in the viable cell count of 69 on day 4, and of 71 on day 7 for 5-FU and MTX, respectively. This effect was dependent on the initial cell count and was characterized by a high interindividual variability. For 5-FU there was a significant correlation between the maximum antitumor effect and the intratumoral AUC (r=0.82, p=0.0005), whereas no correlation could be shown for MTX (r=0.05, p=0.88). We conclude, that the in-vivo-PK / in-vitro-PD model presented in this study may provide a rational approach for describing and predicting pharmacodynamics of cytotoxic drugs at the target site. Data derived from this approach support the concept that tumor penetration of 5-FU may be a response-limiting event, while the response to MTX may be determined by events beyond interstitial fluid kinetics.     

Salirasib inhibits the growth of hepatocarcinoma cell lines in vitro and tumor growth in vivo through ras and mTOR inhibition

Background  

Dysregulation of epidermal growth factor and insulin-like growth factor signaling play important roles in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), leading to frequent activation of their downstream targets, the ras/raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) pathways. Salirasib is an S-prenyl-cysteine analog that has been shown to block ras and/or mTOR activation in several non hepatic tumor cell lines. We investigated in vitro the effect of salirasib on cell growth as well as its mechanism of action in human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2, Huh7, and Hep3B) and its in vivo effect in a subcutaneous xenograft model with HepG2 cells.     

Antisense treatment against Ki-67 mRNA inhibits proliferation and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo

The Ki-67 protein is tightly regulated and depends on the proliferative status of a cell. It is present in the nuclei of proliferating cells but absent in resting cells. Since transformation of malignant cells is frequently associated with high cell proliferation and since proliferation is tightly associated with the Ki-67 protein labeling index, this antigen may represent a potential target for cancer therapy. In the present study we determined the ability of a phosphorothioate antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN) targeted against Ki-67 mRNA to inhibit tumor cell proliferation specifically in cell culture, in multicellular 3-dimensional spheroids (MCS) and in subcutaneous murine tumor models. Antisense treatment of 1 myeloid and different epithelial tumor cell lines in suspension and monolayer culture, respectively, resulted in specific reduction of Ki-67 mRNA and protein, inhibition of proliferation and increased apoptotic cell death. Multicellular human bladder carcinoma spheroids lost their 3-dimensional structure and underwent cell death after incubation with antisense oligonucleotides. The growth of subcutaneous syngeneic prostatic (p = 0.05) and transitional cell tumors (p = 0.001) in immunocompetent mice was significantly inhibited in antisense-treated animals. From these findings we conclude that antisense inhibition of Ki-67 protein expression may be a rational approach in anticancer therapy.     

8-Cl-adenosine-induced inhibition of colorectal cancer growth in vitro and in vivo

The cAMP analogue 8-Cl-cAMP induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of a wide variety of malignancies in vitro and in vivo with relatively little toxicity. The antitumor effects of this compound are thought to involve its ability to modulate type I protein kinase A (PKAI). However, a nontoxic metabolite of 8-Cl-cAMP, 8-Cl-adenosine, with no known activity against PKAI, exerts growth inhibitory effects in breast, ovary, pancreas, and colorectal cancer cells in vitro and accumulates in xenografted tumors after 8-Cl-cAMP treatment in vivo. To characterize further the antitumor effects of 8-Cl-adenosine in colorectal cancer, we examined its effects on cell growth in vitro (cell number, ³H-thymidine incorporation, and soft agar colony formation) using the isogenically matched colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116, HCT116-E6 (p53-depleted), and 80S14 (p21^WAF1/Cip1-null). 8-Cl-adenosine inhibited cell growth by 89%, 74%, and 79%, respectively in HCT116, HCT116-E6, and 80S14 cells after a 72-hour exposure. Growth inhibition coincided with DNA endoreduplication and subsequent apoptosis. Furthermore, nontoxic doses of 8-Cl-adenosine administered i.p. twice weekly for 4 weeks to athymic mice suppressed growth of HCT116-derived xenografts by 50%. These results show that 8-Cl-adenosine exerts antitumor activity against colorectal cancer independent of p53 and p21^WAF1/Cip1.     

Metallothionein promotes laminin-1-induced acinar differentiation in vitro and reduces tumor growth in vivo

Laminin-1 was found previously to promote the morphological differentiation of a salivary gland cell line (HSG) into acinar-like structures with polarized nuclei (1). Here, microarray analysis showed that laminin-1 induced mainly one gene family of proteins, the metal binding metallothioneins (MTs), out of more than 10,500 cDNAs screened. Northern and protein analyses demonstrated that MT was increased some 5-10-fold by laminin-1 as early as 6 h after incubation. Cells transfected with this gene formed 3-5-fold larger acinar-like structures on exposure to laminin-1 in vitro and smaller, more differentiated tumors in vivo. We conclude that MTs are important in acinar cell morphological differentiation and may have novel functions other than metal binding.     

In vitro stimulation and inhibition of tumor cell growth mediated by different lymphoid cell populations.

Spleen, lymph node and thymus cells from normal C57BL/6 mice or mice given injections 6 to 20 days previously with syngeneic methylocholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma (B6MCA) cells were tested for their ability to mediate growth stimulation and/or inhibition of B6MCA cells in vitro. At an effector cell to tumor cell ratio of 10:1,, nucleated spleen cells from mice bearing the tumor for 6 days enhanced tumor cell growth. Neither lymph node nor thymus cells from tumor-bearing mice were stimulatory. Tumor cell growth was inhibited by either spleen or lymph node cells only when a ratio of 1000:1 was exceeded. Thymocytes, however, were inhibitory at a ratio of 100:1,. Lymphoid cells from normal mice were not stimulatory at low ratios or inhibitory at any ratio tested. Both stimulatory and inhibitory activities disappeared by Day 20. Filtration of sensitized spleen cells through a glass wool column did not remove stimulatory or inhibitory activities. Subsequent passage through a nylon wool column resulted in a loss of stimulation, but not inhibition, of tumor cell growth. Stimulatory activity was completely abrogated by treatment with either anti-theta or rabbit anti-mouse gamma-globulin serum. A 1:1 mixture of spleen cells treated with either antisera did not restore stimulation. Spleen cells from T-cell- or B-cell-deficient mice bearing the tumor for 6 days were also not stimulatory. The results suggest that immunostimulation of tumor growth in vitro is mediated by a lymphoid cell that is distinct from the cytotoxic effector cell.     

Breast cancer risk and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism

Objective. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), a polymorphic enzyme involved in folate metabolism, plays a role in DNA biosynthesis, methylation, and repair in actively dividing cells. Because breast-cell division occurs in women with active ovulatory cycles, polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene could be a risk factor for breast cancer. Methods. We genotyped 352 clinic-based study subjects for MTHFR, 105 subjects with breast cancer and 247 with benign breast disease, histopathologically classified as high-risk or low-risk for breast cancer. Questionnaire data were collected prior to biopsy to blind subjects and interviewers to diagnoses. Results. Premenopausal women with the MTHFR polymorphism had a threefold increased breast cancer risk (OR = 2.8; 95%CI: 1.02–7.51) compared to the clinic-based controls with benign breast disease. Results were similar using either low- or high-risk controls. However, risk for postmenopausal women was not elevated (OR = 0.8; 95%CI 0.4–1.4). No significant interaction between genotype and smoking or alcohol was found, but polymorphic MTHFR decreased the likelihood of drinking alcohol (OR = 0.5; 95%CI 0.3–0.9). Conclusion. These data suggest that polymorphic MTHFR increases risk of premenopausal, but not postmenopausal, breast cancer. These findings should be explored with a larger sample size in order to analyze gene–environment interactions between MTHFR and folate. Once the intricate relationship between diet and breast cancer has been elucidated, new cancer control initiatives can be considered such as folate chemoprevention trials in high-risk individuals.     

Lentiviral vector-mediated downregulation of ornithine decarboxylase inhibits tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a molecule that is overexpressed in various cancers, has been associated with cell growth and proliferation. Downregulation of ODC may inhibit tumor cell growth. To verify this hypothesis, ODC gene silencing was studied in colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. A lentiviral system harboring both enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene and the ODC short hairpin RNA expression cassette was firstly constructed. Then the stable ODC gene silencing cell lines HT29/ODC and LoVo/ODC were established and their growth-inhibiting characteristics were identified. Real-time RT-PCR analysis of mRNA and Western blot analysis of proteins were used to evaluate the expression of the ODC gene. In the cells studied, ODC expression was significantly decreased. Proliferation of HT29/ODC and LoVo/ODC cells was obviously retarded. In animal experiments, HT29/ODC and LoVo/ODC cell xenografts demonstrated growth suppression compared to parental or control colorectal cancer cell xenografts. The results demonstrated that lentiviral vector was capable of downregulating ODC, resulting in impressive anticancer effects. It offers a powerful new strategy for cancer gene therapy and may be useful in the control of solid tumors, such as human colorectal carcinomas.     

Vitamin K enhancement of sorafenib-mediated HCC cell growth inhibition in vitro and in vivo

The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is the first oral agent to show activity against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Apoptosis has been shown to be induced in HCC by several agents, including sorafenib as well as by the naturally occurring K vitamins (VKs). As few nontoxic agents have activity against HCC growth, we evaluated the activity of sorafenib and VKs, both independently and together on the growth of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. We found that when VK was combined with sorafenib, the concentration of sorafenib required for growth inhibition was substantially reduced. Conversely, VK enhanced sorafenib effects in several HCC cell lines on growth inhibition. Growth could be inhibited at doses of VK plus sorafenib that were ineffective with either agent alone, using vitamins K1, K2 and K5. Combination of VK1 plus sorafenib induced apoptosis on FACS, TUNEL staining and caspase activation. Phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) levels were decreased as was myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (Mcl-1), an ERK target. Sorafenib alone inhibited growth of transplantable HCC in vivo. At subeffective sorafenib doses in vivo, addition of VK1 caused major tumor regression, with decreased phospho-ERK and Mcl-1 staining. Thus, combination of VK1 plus sorafenib strongly induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in rodent and human HCC and inhibited the RAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/ERK pathway. VK1 alone activated PKA, a mediator of inhibitory Raf phosphorylation. Thus, each agent can antagonize Raf: sorafenib as a direct inhibitor and VK1 through inhibitory Raf phosphorylation. As both agents are available for human use, the combination has potential for improving sorafenib effects in HCC.     

MAZ51, an indolinone that inhibits endothelial cell and tumor cell growth in vitro, suppresses tumor growth in vivo

We have recently described MAZ51, an indolinone that blocks the ligand-induced autophosphorylation of VEGFR-3, a receptor tyrosine kinase that plays a central role in the regulation of lymphangiogenesis. Here we show that MAZ51 is able to block the proliferation of VEGFR-3-expressing human endothelial cells and is less potently able to induce their apoptosis. MAZ51 also inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of a variety of non-VEGFR-3-expressing tumor cell lines. These data suggest that MAZ51 blocks the activity of tyrosine kinases in addition to VEGFR-3. In vivo, MAZ51 significantly inhibits the growth of rat mammary carcinomas. These data establish MAZ51 as a compound with antitumor properties that inhibits tumor growth directly and also indirectly by interfering with tumor-host interactions.