scholarly journals RasOncogene-Mediated Progressive Silencing of Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase in Tumorigenesis

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Cammarota ◽  
Gabriella de Vita ◽  
Marco Salvatore ◽  
Mikko O. Laukkanen

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD3) is a secreted enzyme that uses superoxide anion as a substrate in a dismutase reaction that results in the formation of hydrogen peroxide. Both of these reactive oxygen species affect growth signaling in cells. Although SOD3 has growth-supporting characteristics, the expression ofSOD3is downregulated in epithelial cancer cells. In the current work, we studied the mechanisms regulatingSOD3expressionin vitrousing thyroid cell models representing different stages of thyroid cancer. We demonstrate that a low level of RAS activation increasesSOD3mRNA synthesis that then gradually decreases with increasing levels of RAS activation and the decreasing degree of differentiation of the cancer cells. Our data indicate thatSOD3regulation can be divided into two classes. The first class involves RAS–driven reversible regulation ofSOD3expression that can be mediated by the following mechanisms: RAS GTPase regulatory genes that are responsible forSOD3self-regulation; RAS-stimulated p38 MAPK activation; and RAS-activated increased expression of themir21microRNA, which inversely correlates withsod3mRNA expression. The second class involves permanent silencing ofSOD3mediated by epigenetic DNA methylation in cells that represent more advanced cancers. Therefore, the work suggests thatSOD3belongs to the group ofrasoncogene-silenced genes.

2015 ◽  
Vol 210 (6) ◽  
pp. 1013-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikki R. Paul ◽  
Jennifer L. Allen ◽  
Anna Chapman ◽  
Maria Morlan-Mairal ◽  
Egor Zindy ◽  
...  

Invasive migration in 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial to cancer metastasis, yet little is known of the molecular mechanisms that drive reorganization of the cytoskeleton as cancer cells disseminate in vivo. 2D Rac-driven lamellipodial migration is well understood, but how these features apply to 3D migration is not clear. We find that lamellipodia-like protrusions and retrograde actin flow are indeed observed in cells moving in 3D ECM. However, Rab-coupling protein (RCP)-driven endocytic recycling of α5β1 integrin enhances invasive migration of cancer cells into fibronectin-rich 3D ECM, driven by RhoA and filopodial spike-based protrusions, not lamellipodia. Furthermore, we show that actin spike protrusions are Arp2/3-independent. Dynamic actin spike assembly in cells invading in vitro and in vivo is regulated by Formin homology-2 domain containing 3 (FHOD3), which is activated by RhoA/ROCK, establishing a novel mechanism through which the RCP–α5β1 pathway reprograms the actin cytoskeleton to promote invasive migration and local invasion in vivo.


1986 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Öhman ◽  
Stefan L. Marklund

1. Disulfiram has long been used in the treatment of chronic alcoholism. It is in vivo partially reduced to diethyldithiocarbamate, which is an efficient inhibitor of Cu, Zn-containing superoxide dismutase both in vitro and in vivo. The recently described extracellular superoxide dismutase is even more sensitive to diethyldithiocarbamate than Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase. 2. To test for the possibility that long term treatment with disulfiram leads to inhibition of the superoxide dismutases, plasma extracellular superoxide dismutase and erythrocyte Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase were determined in 12 disulfiram-treated alcoholics, and compared with 11 non-treated alcoholics and 19 healthy controls. 3. Plasma extracellular superoxide dismutase was moderately reduced (about 20%) in the disulfiram-treated alcoholics as compared with the non-treated alcoholics and the healthy controls. No effect of disulfiram treatment on erythrocyte Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase activity was demonstrated.


2013 ◽  
Vol 452 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Levi J. Beverly ◽  
Lauren A. Howell ◽  
Maria Hernandez-Corbacho ◽  
Lavona Casson ◽  
Jerry E. Chipuk ◽  
...  

Determining mechanistic details about how drugs kill cancer cells is critical for predicting which cancers will respond to given therapeutic regimens and for identifying effective combinations of drugs that more potently kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells. The BCL2 family of proteins and bioactive sphingolipids are intricately linked during apoptotic cell death. In fact, many chemotherapeutic drugs are known to cause accumulation of the pro-apoptotic sphingolipid ceramide; however, the mechanism by which this occurs is not completely understood. In the present study we demonstrate that direct inhibition of anti-apoptotic BCL2 proteins with ABT-263 is sufficient to induce C16-ceramide synthesis in multiple cell lines, including human leukaemia and myeloma cells. ABT-263 activates CerS (ceramide synthase) activity only in cells expressing BAK or in cells capable of activating BAK. Importantly, recombinant BAK is sufficient to increase in vitro CerS activity in microsomes purified from Bak-KO (knockout) cells and activated BAK more potently activates CerS than inactive BAK. Likewise, ABT-263 addition to wild-type, but not Bak-deficient, microsomes increases CerS in vitro activity. Furthermore, we present a feed-forward model by which BAK activation of CerS by chemotherapeutic drugs leads to elevated ceramide levels that result in synergistic channel formation by ceramide (or one of its metabolites) and BAX/BAK.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayan Rajgarhia ◽  
Kameshwar R. Ayasolla ◽  
Nahla Zaghloul ◽  
Jorge M. Lopez Da Re ◽  
Edmund J. Miller ◽  
...  

Chronic hypoxic stress induces epigenetic modifications mainly DNA methylation in cardiac fibroblasts, inactivating tumor suppressor genes (RASSF1A) and activating kinases (ERK1/2) leading to fibroblast proliferation and cardiac fibrosis. The Ras/ERK signaling pathway is an intracellular signal transduction critically involved in fibroblast proliferation. RASSF1A functions through its effect on downstream ERK1/2. The antioxidant enzyme, extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), decreases oxidative stress from chronic hypoxia, but its effects on these epigenetic changes have not been fully explored. To test our hypothesis, we used an in-vitro model: wild-type C57B6 male mice (WT) and transgenic males with an extra copy of human hEC-SOD (TG). The studied animals were housed in hypoxia (10% O2) for 21 days. The right ventricular tissue was studied for cardiac fibrosis markers using RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Primary C57BL6 mouse cardiac fibroblast tissue culture was used to study the in-vitro model, the downstream effects of RASSF-1 expression and methylation, and its relation to ERK1/2. Our findings showed a significant increase in cardiac fibrosis markers: Collagen 1, alpha smooth muscle actin (ASMA), and SNAIL, in the WT hypoxic animals as compared to the TG hypoxic group (p < 0.05). The expression of DNA methylation enzymes (DNMT 1&3b) was significantly increased in the WT hypoxic mice as compared to the hypoxic TG mice (p < 0.001). RASSF1A expression was significantly lower and ERK1/2 was significantly higher in hypoxia WT compared to the hypoxic TG group (p < 0.05). Use of SiRNA to block RASSF1A gene expression in murine cardiac fibroblast tissue culture led to increased fibroblast proliferation (p < 0.05). Methylation of the RASSF1A promoter region was significantly reduced in the TG hypoxic group compared to the WT hypoxic group (0.59 vs. 0.75, respectively). Based on our findings, we can speculate that EC-SOD significantly attenuates RASSF1A gene methylation and can alleviate cardiac fibrosis induced by hypoxia.


Author(s):  
Tianyu Li ◽  
Tiantao Kuang ◽  
Zhaoshuo Yang ◽  
Qiqi Zhang ◽  
Wen Zhang ◽  
...  

Genistein is a natural isoflavone with pharmacological or potentially anti-tumor properties. However, the resistance of cancer cells to genistein remains a major obstacle. This study focused on the mechanism implicated in the resistance of pancreatic cancer (PC) cells to genistein and the mechanism of action. First, key molecules and signaling pathways related to genistein resistance in PC cells were explored using bioinformatics tools. DEP domain containing MTOR interacting protein (DEPTOR), a typical inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, was predicted to be poorly expressed in the genistein-resistant PC cells. Thereafter, genistein-resistant PC cells (Panc-1 and PaCa) were constructed. Altered expression of DEPTOR was introduced in cells, and everolimus (ELM), an mTOR-specific antagonist, was administrated in cells as well to examine their roles in genistein resistance. The cell apoptosis was examined in vitro and in vivo in mouse xenograft tumors. The upstream regulator of DEPTOR was predicted via bioinformatic tools. The bioinformatic analyses showed that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was activated in the setting of DEPTOR downregulation in genistein-resistant PC cells. DEPTOR overexpression reduced the 50% inhibiting concentration (IC50) of genistein in PC cells and suppressed mTOR phosphorylation, and it increased caspase-3 activity, LDH release and apoptosis in PC cells. ELM treatment enhanced the sensitivity of PC cells to genistein in vitro and it strengthened the tumor-eliminating role of genistein in mice. ETS transcription factor ELK1 (ELK1), a transcription factor that negatively regulated DEPTOR transcription, was suppressed by genistein. Upregulation of ELK1 suppressed DEPTOR transcription and reduced the genistein sensitivity of cells, and it also blocked the genistein-sensitizing roles of ELM in PC cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that ELK1 reduces DEPTOR transcription, leading to mTOR phosphorylation and the drug resistance of PC cells.


1991 ◽  
Vol 279 (1) ◽  
pp. 263-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Adachi ◽  
H Ohta ◽  
K Hirano ◽  
K Hayashi ◽  
S L Marklund

The secretory enzyme extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is in plasma heterogenous with regard to heparin-affinity and can be divided into three fractions, A that lacks affinity, B with intermediate affinity and C with high affinity. The C fraction forms an equilibrium between the plasma phase and heparan sulphate proteoglycan on the surface of the endothelium. In vitro EC-SOD C could be time-dependently glycated. The enzymic activity was not affected in glycated EC-SOD, but the high heparin-affinity was lost in about half of the studied glycated fraction. Addition of heparin decreased the glycation in vitro, and EC-SOD C modified with the lysine-specific reagent trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid could not be glycated in vitro. The findings suggest that the glycation sites are localized rather far away from the active site and may occur on lysine residues in the heparin-binding domain in the C-terminal end of the enzyme. The proportion of glycated EC-SOD in serum of diabetic patients was considerably higher than in normal subjects. Of the subfractions, EC-SOD B was by far the most highly glycated, followed by EC-SOD A. EC-SOD C was glycated only to be a minor extent. The findings suggest that glycation is one of the factors that contribute to the heterogeneity in heparin-affinity of plasma EC-SOD. Since this phenomenon is increased in diabetes, the cell-surface-associated EC-SOD may be decreased in this disease, increasing the susceptibility of cells to superoxide radicals produced in the extracellular space.


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