Rubella virus-induced apoptosis varies among cell lines and is modulated by Bcl-XL and caspase inhibitors

Rubella virus (RV) causes multisystem birth defects in the fetuses of infected women. To investigate the cellular basis of this pathology, we examined the cytopathic effect of RV in three permissive cell lines: Vero 76, RK13, and BHK21. Electron microscopy and the TUNEL assay showed that the cytopathic effect resulted from RV-induced programmed cell death (apoptosis) in all three cell lines, but the extent of apoptosis varied among these cells. At 48 h postinfection, the RK13 cell line showed the greatest number of apoptotic cells, the Vero 76 cell line was approximately 3-fold less, and BHK21 had very few. An increased multiplicity of infection and longer time postinfection were required for the BHK21 cell line to reach the level of apoptotic cells in Vero 76 at 48 h. Purified RV induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent fashion, but not UV-inactivated RV or virus-depleted culture supernatant. Specific inhibitors of the apoptosis-specific proteases caspases reduced RV-induced apoptosis and led to higher levels of RV components in infected cells. To address the role of regulatory proteins in RV-induced apoptosis, the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL was transfected into RK13 cells. Although a high level of Bcl-2 family proteins was expressed, no protection was observed from apoptosis induced by RV, Sindbis virus, or staurosporine in RK13 cells. In BHK21 cells, however, increased expression of Bcl-XL protected cells from apoptosis. The observed variability in apoptotic response to RV of these cell lines demonstrates that programmed cell death is dependent on the unique properties of each cell and may be indicative of how selective organ damage occurs in a congenital rubella syndrome fetus.     

Expression of Bcl-2 family proteins during chemotherapeutic agents-induced apoptosis in the hepatoblastoma HepG2 cell line

This study demonstrates that two anticancer drugs, taxol and doxorubicin (Dox), can kill human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner via the induction of apoptosis. Characteristic events, including externalization of phosphatidylserine, cytoplasmic shrinkage, chromatin condensation and DNA degradation, were observed in a large majority of the drug-treated cells. DNA fragmentation showed that a ladder of DNA fragments of approximately 200 bp multiples was observed in taxol-treated, but not in Dox-treated, cells. In addition, the expression patterns of Bcl-2 family members during taxol or Dox treatment were investigated. Results from Western blot analysis indicated that HepG2 cells did not express either the death repressor Bcl-2, or the death promoters Bcl-XS and Bax. However, during the apoptotic process one death repressor, Bcl-XL, and two death promoters, Bak and Bad, were expressed. The expression levels of Bcl-XL and Bak remained unchanged, whereas the level of Bad was down-regulated. As the ratio between death repressors and death promoters in the Bcl-2 family will determine the sensitivity of cells to apoptotic stimuli, the findings suggest that the changed expression patterns of Bcl-2 family proteins caused by anticancer drugs in liver cancer cells may be involved in chemoresistance.     

β-d-Glucosyl-(1–4)-α-l-thevetosides of 17β-digitoxigenin from seeds of Cerbera manghas L. induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

β-d-Glucosyl-(1–4)-α-l-thevetosides of 17β-digitoxigenin (GHSC-73) is a cardiac glycoside isolated from the seeds of Cerbera manghas L. GHSC-73 reduced viability of HepG2 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner without decreasing the viability of Chang human liver cells and Swiss albino 3T3 fibroblasts, induced efficiently stimulated apoptosis in HepG2 cells as evidenced by DNA fragmentation, annexin V/PI binding assay and DAPI staining. This apoptotic process was accompanied by the activation of the effector caspase-3, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ_m) and translocation of AIF from the mitochondrion to the nucleus in HepG2 cells. In addition, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) tested in this experiment partially prevent HepG2 cells from GHSC-73-induced cell death, but did not affect translocation of AIF from the mitochondrion to the nucleus after GHSC-73 treatment. Our results firstly show that GHSC-73 inhibits the growth of HepG2 cells through caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosis pathways.     

Induction of apoptosis by Se-MSC in U937 human leukemia cells through release of cytochrome c and activation of caspases and PKC-delta: mutual regulation between caspases and PKC-delta via a positive feedback mechanism

Se-methylselenocysteine (Se-MSC) has been shown to possess potent chemopreventive and anti-tumor properties. However, its exact mechanism of action is still not well understood. The present study investigated the mechanism of Se-MSC on the induction of apoptosis using U937 human leukemia cells. Se-MSC induced dose- and time-dependent apoptosis of U937 cells as assessed by flow cytometry analysis, DNA fragmentation, and proteolytic cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Se-MSC increased time- and dose-dependent cytochrome c accumulation in the cytosol, which was greatly inhibited by overexpression of Bcl-2, suggesting that the apoptotic effect by Se-MSC in U937 cells is mitochondrial-dependent. Se-MSC also induced activation of caspases, followed by proteolytic cleavage of PKC-delta. The Se-MSC-induced apoptosis required activities of caspases since pretreatment of a pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk greatly suppressed the Se-MSC-induced apoptosis as well as proteolytic cleavage of PKC-delta, suggesting activation of caspases is critical for the Se-MSC-induced apoptosis, and caspases lie upstream of PKC-delta. The Se-MSC-induced apoptosis of U937 cells also required activity of PKC-delta because pretreatment of rottlerin, a specific PKC-delta inhibitor greatly blocked the Se-MSC-induced apoptosis as well as processing and activities of caspases, suggesting activation of PKC-delta is also important for the Se-MSC-induced apoptosis of U937 cells, and PKC-delta lies upstream of caspases. Together, our data suggest the apoptotic mechanism by Se-MSC in U937 cells may be related to cytochrome c release from the mitochondria, and mutual activation between caspases and PKC-delta via a positive feedback mechanism, which may potentiate the apoptotic action by Se-MSC in U937 cells.     

Manumycin induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) were developed to prevent Ras processing and thus to be effective agents for the treatment of cancers harbouring mutated ras. In the present study, HepG2 cells underwent internucleosomal DNA fragmentation after treatment with farnesyltransferase inhibitor manumycin (20 microM) for 12 h. Flow cytometric analysis showed that HepG2 cells were accumulated in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and the number of apoptotic sub-G1 fraction of cells was increased after treatment with manumycin in a time-dependent manner. During the induction of apoptosis, expression of p53 and p21WAF1 was upregulated, phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha was blocked, caspase substrates poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and lamin B were cleaved, and Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression remained unchanged. These results indicated that manumycin induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The induction of apoptosis by manumycin involved the upregulation of p53 and p21WAF1, the activation of caspases, and the inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway. However, Bcl-2 and Bax are not associated with manumycin-mediated apoptosis.     

Differential thioredoxin reductase activity from human normal hepatic and hepatoma cell lines

Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), a component of the thioredoxin system, including thioredoxin (Trx) and NADPH, catalyzes the transfer of electrons from NADPH to Trx, acts as a reductant of disulfide-containing proteins and participates in the defense system against oxidative stresses. In this study, the regulation pattern of TrxR in the presence of various stressful reagents was compared between Chang (human normal hepatic cell) and HepG2 (human hepatoma cell) cell lines. Aluminum chloride (0.5 mM) and zinc chloride (0.5 mM) enhanced the TrxR activity in the Chang cell line to a higher degree than in the HepG2 cell line, but cupric chloride (0.2 mM) and cadmium chloride (0.1 mM) enhanced the TrxR activity in the HepG2 cell line to a greater degree. The TrxR activities in both Chang and HepG2 cell lines were similarly induced by treatment with sodium selenite (0.02 mM) and menadione (0.5 and 1.0 mM). Lipopolysaccharide (2 micro g/m1) increased the TrxR activity upto 4.02- and 2.2-fold in the Chang and HepG2 cell lines, respectively, in time-dependent manners. Hydrogen peroxide (5 mM) markedly enhanced the TrxR activity in the HepG2 cell line, but not in the Chang cell line. NO-generating sodium nitroprusside (3.0 and 6.0 mM) induced TrxR activities in both human liver cell lines. The TrxR activity was also induced in human liver cells under limited growth conditions by serum deprivation. These results imply that the TrxR activities in normal hepatic and hepatoma cell lines are subject to different regulatory responses to various stresses.     

Nodosin对HepG2细胞株的增殖抑制作用及对Bcl-2和Bax表达的影响

 目的:研究传统中药提取物nodosin对体外培养的人肝癌细胞株HepG2的增殖抑制作用,并探讨其对Bcl-2和Bax表达的影响。方法:将不同浓度组（1.25、2.5、5、10和20 μmol/L）nodosin预作用于HepG2细胞24 h,用倒置显微镜观察nodosin对细胞形态学的影响,采用MTT法检测细胞生长抑制率,用流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率和Bcl-2、Bax的表达。结果:形态学结果显示,随着nodosin剂量的增加,细胞皱缩和漂浮细胞数量增加,流式细胞术检测结果显示随着nodosin药物浓度的增加,HepG2细胞凋亡率增加。Bax的表达随着nodosin剂量的增加逐渐增加, Bcl-2的表达逐渐减少。结论: Nodosin能抑制HepG2细胞株的增殖,呈明显的剂量依赖性,对HepG2细胞的抑制作用是通过增加Bax的表达以及降低Bcl-2的表达诱导细胞凋亡实现的。     

NS-398对肝癌细胞HepG2增殖和凋亡的影响

目的:探讨选择性环氧合酶II(COX-2)抑制剂NS-398对人肝癌细胞HepG2增殖和凋亡的影响。方法: 应用MTT法研究不同浓度NS-398对HepG2细胞增殖的影响,DNA梯状电泳(DNA ladder)检测凋亡的发生,流式细胞仪检测细胞周期的改变及凋亡百分率的变化,竞争性RT-PCR检测环氧合酶II COX-2 mRNA及抑凋亡基因bcl-2 mRNA表达的改变。结果: NS-398呈剂量依赖性抑制HepG2细胞增殖,并诱导其凋亡,细胞周期分析表明随着浓度增大S期细胞明显减少,有G₀/G₁期细胞累积现象,并伴有Bcl-2 mRNA表达的下调,而对COX-2 mRNA表达改变无明显影响,且COX-2表达改变与NS-398引起的HepG2细胞的增殖和凋亡均无相关性(相关系数分别为:r=0.056,P>0.05和r=0.119,P>0.05)。结论: NS-398能明显抑制HepG2细胞增殖并诱导其凋亡,与细胞G₀/G₁期阻滞以及bcl-2基因表达下调有关,而非依赖于抑制COX-2基因的表达。     

Death signals from the B cell antigen receptor target mitochondria, activating necrotic and apoptotic death cascades in a murine B cell line, WEHI-231.

B cell antigen receptor (BCR)-mediated cell death has been proposed as a mechanism for purging the immune repertoire of anti-self specificities during B cell differentiation in bone marrow. Mitochondrial alterations and activation of caspases are required for certain aspects of apoptotic cell death, but how the mitochondria and caspases contribute to BCR-mediated cell death is not well understood. In the present study, we used the mouse WEHI-231 B cell line to demonstrate that mitochondrial alterations and activation of caspases are indeed participants in BCR-mediated cell death. The peptide inhibitor of caspases, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (z-VAD-fmk), blocked cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and various manifestation of nuclear apoptosis such as nuclear fragmentation, hypodiploidy and DNA fragmentation, indicating that signals from the BCR induced the activation of caspases. In addition, z-VAD-fmk delayed apoptosis-associated changes in cellular reduction-oxidation potentials as determined by hypergeneration of superoxide anion, as well as exposure of phosphatidylserine residues in the outer plasma membrane. By contrast, although z-VAD-fmk retarded cytolysis, it was incapable of preventing disruption of the plasma membrane even under the same condition in which it completely blocked nuclear apoptosis. Mitochondrial membrane potential loss was also not blocked by z-VAD-fmk. Bongkrekic acid, a specific inhibitor of mitochondrial permeability transition pores, suppressed not only the mitochondrial membrane potential but also the change of plasma membrane permeability. Overexpression of Bcl-xL prevented mitochondrial dysfunction, nuclear apoptosis and membrane permeability cell death triggered by BCR signal transduction. These observations indicate that death signals from BCR may first cause mitochondrial alterations followed by activation of both necrotic and apoptotic cascades.     

扶正解毒通络方对人肝癌HepG2 细胞增殖、凋亡的影响及其作用机制研究

目的:探讨扶正解毒通络方对人肝癌HepG2 细胞增殖、凋亡的影响及其机制。方法:MTT 法观察细胞增殖能 力;RT鄄PCR 检测细胞内Bax 和Bcl鄄2 mRNA 水平;免疫印迹(Western blot)检测细胞中Bax、Bcl-2、活化的caspase-3、SIRT3、P53 及Fas 蛋白水平。结果:扶正解毒通络方能明显诱导减少HepG2 细胞内Bcl-2 基因转录,增加Bax 基因转录;扶正解毒通络方 能明显诱导减少HepG2 胞内Bcl-2 蛋白表达,增加Bax、活化的caspase-3、SIRT3、P53 及Fas 蛋白表达。结论:与正常对照组比 较,正常血清组人肝癌细胞HepG2 细胞内Bax、Bcl-2、活化的caspase-3、基因及蛋白表达水平无明显改变;与正常血清组比较, 扶正解毒通络方低、中和高剂量含药血清和阳性对照组HepG2 细胞内Bcl鄄2 基因转录减少,蛋白表达减少;Bax 基因转录增 加,蛋白表达增加,活化的caspase鄄3 蛋白表达增加。     

Hot water extract of Chlorella vulgaris induced DNA damage and apoptosis

OBJECTIVES:

The aim of this study was to determine the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of hot water extracts of Chlorella vulgaris on hepatoma cell line HepG2.

INTRODUCTION:

The search for food and spices that can induce apoptosis in cancer cells has been a major study interest in the last decade. Chlorella vulgaris, a unicellular green algae, has been reported to have antioxidant and anti‐cancer properties. However, its chemopreventive effects in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells have not been studied in great detail.

METHODS:

HepG2 liver cancer cells and WRL68 normal liver cells were treated with various concentrations (0‐4 mg/ml) of hot water extract of C. vulgaris after 24 hours incubation. Apoptosis rate was evaluated by TUNEL assay while DNA damage was assessed by Comet assay. Apoptosis proteins were evaluated by Western blot analysis.

RESULTS:

Chlorella vulgaris decreased the number of viable HepG2 cells in a dose dependent manner (p < 0.05), with an IC₅₀ of 1.6 mg/ml. DNA damage as measured by Comet assay was increased in HepG2 cells at all concentrations of Chlorella vulgaris tested. Evaluation of apoptosis by TUNEL assay showed that Chlorella vulgaris induced a higher apoptotic rate (70%) in HepG2 cells compared to normal liver cells, WRL68 (15%). Western blot analysis showed increased expression of pro‐ apoptotic proteins P53, Bax and caspase‐3 in the HepG2 cells compared to normal liver cells WRL68, and decreased expression of the anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl‐2.

CONCLUSIONS:

Chlorella vulgaris may have anti‐cancer effects by inducing apoptosis signaling cascades via an increased expression of P53, Bax and caspase‐3 proteins and through a reduction of Bcl‐2 protein, which subsequently lead to increased DNA damage and apoptosis.     

人胚胎干细胞对肝癌HepG2 细胞体外抑制作用的研究

目的:研究体外共培养情况下人胚胎干细胞H9 对肝癌HepG2 细胞的抑制作用。方法:建立人胚胎干细胞(H9) 与肝癌HepG2 细胞共培养体系,显微镜下观察胚胎干细胞对肿瘤细胞生物学行为的影响,流式细胞仪检测H9 细胞对肿瘤细胞的凋亡与周期的影响,Transwell 小室法检测H9 细胞对HepG2 细胞侵袭和迁移的影响,基因芯片分析共培养后HepG2 细胞全基因组的表达谱变化。结果:结果发现共培养过程中,肝癌HepG2 细胞生长受到抑制,随共培养时间延长,细胞数量逐渐减少,出现老化或凋亡迹象;流式细胞术检测发现HepG2 细胞凋亡率显著增加,细胞周期被阻滞于G0/ G1 期;Transwell 实验发现HepG2 细胞侵袭、迁移力均降低;基因芯片结果发现HepG2 细胞全基因组表达谱发生了显著变化,差异基因涉及多条信号通路。结论:人胚胎干细胞H9 体外对人肝癌细胞HepG2 有一定程度的抑制作用。     

环氧合酶抑制剂NS-398增强放射诱导的肝癌细胞凋亡

目的：探讨环氧合酶-2（COX-2）选择性抑制剂NS-398对放射诱导的人肝癌细胞HepG2凋亡的影响及可能作用机制。 方法:应用MTT 法检测NS-398对细胞的抑制率;透射电子显微镜观察细胞凋亡的形态学变化,流式细胞术(FCM)定量检测细胞凋亡;实时荧光定量PCR检测凋亡相关基因bcl-2、bax及caspase-3 mRNA表达;Western blotting检测Bc1-2、Bax蛋白表达;比色法分析caspase-3酶活性变化。 结果:NS-398对HepG2细胞的生长抑制作用呈时间与剂量依赖性;电镜下处理组细胞呈现典型的凋亡形态学变化,NS-398显著增加放射诱导的细胞凋亡,上调bax mRNA、Bax蛋白及caspase-3mRNA 表达,并增强caspase-3酶活性,而Bcl-2 表达无明显变化（P>0.05）。 结论:NS-398能增加放射诱导的HepG2细胞凋亡,其机制可能与上调Bax、 caspase-3表达,上升Bax／Bcl-2比例,激活线粒体凋亡通路,活化caspase-3,最终诱导细胞凋亡相关。     

人参皂苷Rh4诱导肝癌细胞HepG2的凋亡及分子机制

目的:探讨人参皂苷Rh4对人肝癌HepG2细胞凋亡的作用及机制。方法:采用MTT比色法测定不同浓度(10、20和40μmol/L)人参皂苷Rh4对人肝癌HepG2细胞活力的抑制作用;用流式细胞术检测定细胞凋亡率;通过Hoechst 33258和TUNEL染色观察人参皂苷Rh4诱导人肝癌HepG2细胞凋亡的形态学变化;Western blot法检测凋亡相关蛋白Bax、Bcl-2、caspase-3和caspase-9的表达情况。结果:人参皂苷Rh4能够明显促进人肝癌HepG2细胞的凋亡,且呈剂量依赖性;TUNEL和Hoechst 33258染色实验结果表明,人参皂苷Rh4作用24 h后,细胞呈现明显皱缩、肿胀、破裂等凋亡形态;Western blot分析结果表明,随着人参皂苷Rh4给药浓度的增加,抗凋亡蛋白Bcl-2表达量逐渐下降,而促凋亡蛋白Bax、cleaved caspase-3和caspase-9的表达逐渐升高。结论:人参皂苷Rh4可诱导人肝癌HepG2细胞凋亡,其作用机制可能与下调Bcl-2以及上调Bax、cleaved caspase-3和caspase-9蛋白表达有关。     

青蒿琥酯通过增加活性氧簇生成诱导人肝癌HepG2细胞凋亡

目的:探讨青蒿琥酯诱导人肝癌Hep G2细胞凋亡的机制及活性氧簇(ROS)在青蒿琥酯诱导Hep G2细胞凋亡中的作用。方法:采用MTT法观查青蒿琥酯对人肝癌Hep G2细胞存活的影响,Hoechst 33258荧光染色法观察细胞凋亡形态的变化,流式细胞术检测Hep G2细胞的凋亡率,DCFH-DA检测细胞凋亡过程中ROS的变化。Western blot检测细胞内凋亡相关蛋白Bax、Bcl-2、cleaved caspase-3和细胞色素C(Cyt C)蛋白水平的变化。采用NADPH氧化酶抑制剂夹竹桃麻素(apocynin)预处理Hep G2细胞,Western blot检测NADPH氧化酶亚基p47~(phox)和p22~(phox)蛋白表达水平,流式细胞术检测ROS变化。结果:与对照组相比,青蒿琥酯作用于Hep G2细胞24 h后,细胞存活率明显减少(P0.05);细胞核呈致密浓染色,细胞凋亡比例升高(P0.05);ROS明显升高(P0.05);Western blot结果显示,青蒿琥酯作用后细胞内Bcl-2蛋白表达下调,Bax蛋白表达上调,Bax/Bcl-2蛋白表达比例升高,cleaved caspase-3和Cyt C蛋白水平升高。Apocynin预处理能降低青蒿琥酯给药组细胞内p47~(phox)和p22~(phox)蛋白表达及ROS的生成。结论:青蒿琥酯能诱导Hep G2细胞凋亡,其凋亡过程可能与ROS的生成增加相关。     

Increased sensitivity of early apoptotic cells to complement-mediated lysis

Opsonization of apoptotic cells with complement proteins contributes to their clearance by phagocytes. Little is known about the lytic effects of complement on apoptotic cells. Sensitivity of cells treated with anti-Fas antibody (Jurkat cells), staurosporine or etoposide (Raji cells) to lysis by complement was examined. As shown here, early apoptotic cells are more sensitive to lysis by antibody and complement than control cells. More complement C3 and C9 bound to apoptotic than to control cells, even though antibody binding was similar. Enhanced killing and C3/C9 deposition were blocked by benzyloxy-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone, a pan-caspase inhibitor. Complement-mediated lysis of early apoptotic cells was also prevented by inhibitors of caspases 6, 8, 9 or 10. In contrast, caspase inhibitors had no effect on the lysis of non-apoptotic Jurkat and Raji cells. Early apoptotic Jurkat cells were also more sensitive to lysis by the pore formers streptolysin O and melittin. Sensitivity of Jurkat Bcl-2 transfectants to lysis by complement was analyzed. Enhanced Bcl-2 expression was associated with reduced C3 deposition and lower sensitivity to complement-mediated lysis. These results demonstrate that at an early stage in apoptosis, following caspase activation, cells become sensitive to necrotic-type death by complement and other pore formers. Furthermore, they suggest that Bcl-2 is actively protecting Jurkat cells from complement-mediated lysis.     

中成药甘舒胶囊对抗氧化应激诱导的肝细胞损伤

目的探讨中药甘舒胶囊对抗氧化应激损伤的肝细胞保护作用。方法在Chang肝细胞建立氧化应激(H2O2)损伤的实验模型,应用甲氮甲唑蓝(MTT)检测法。PI染色流式细胞仪(FCM)及Hoechst 33258染色法等检测甘舒对抗H2O2诱导Chang肝细胞的细胞毒性及凋亡的细胞保护作用。结果H2O2呈浓度依赖性地降低Chang肝细胞的存活率;在自身不影响Chang肝细胞存活率的浓度(1～100μg/ml)范围内,甘舒呈浓度依赖性地对抗300μmol/L和400μmol/LH2O2对肝细胞存活率的抑制作用;另方面,在0～800μmol/L浓度范围内,H2O2呈浓度依赖性地增加Chang肝细胞的凋亡率;100μg/ml、500μg/ml和1mg/ml的甘舒本身不影响肝细胞的凋亡率,但却能显著地抑制300μmol/LH2O2诱导的肝细胞凋亡。结论中药甘舒胶囊具有抗氧化应激作用,可显著对抗氧化应激(H2O2)诱导的肝细胞损伤。