scholarly journals Molecular Targets of Epigallocatechin—Gallate (EGCG): A Special Focus on Signal Transduction and Cancer

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aide Negri ◽  
Valeria Naponelli ◽  
Federica Rizzi ◽  
Saverio Bettuzzi

Green tea is a beverage that is widely consumed worldwide and is believed to exert effects on different diseases, including cancer. The major components of green tea are catechins, a family of polyphenols. Among them, epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant and biologically active. EGCG is widely studied for its anti-cancer properties. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms explaining its action have not been completely understood, yet. EGCG is effective in vivo at micromolar concentrations, suggesting that its action is mediated by interaction with specific targets that are involved in the regulation of crucial steps of cell proliferation, survival, and metastatic spread. Recently, several proteins have been identified as EGCG direct interactors. Among them, the trans-membrane receptor 67LR has been identified as a high affinity EGCG receptor. 67LR is a master regulator of many pathways affecting cell proliferation or apoptosis, also regulating cancer stem cells (CSCs) activity. EGCG was also found to be interacting directly with Pin1, TGFR-II, and metalloproteinases (MMPs) (mainly MMP2 and MMP9), which respectively regulate EGCG-dependent inhibition of NF-kB, epithelial-mesenchimal transaction (EMT) and cellular invasion. EGCG interacts with DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), which modulates epigenetic changes. The bulk of this novel knowledge provides information about the mechanisms of action of EGCG and may explain its onco-suppressive function. The identification of crucial signalling pathways that are related to cancer onset and progression whose master regulators interacts with EGCG may disclose intriguing pharmacological targets, and eventually lead to novel combined treatments in which EGCG acts synergistically with known drugs.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Huan Guo ◽  
Baozhen Zeng ◽  
Liqiong Wang ◽  
Chunlei Ge ◽  
Xianglin Zuo ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: The incidence of lung cancer in Yunnan area ranks firstly in the world and underlying molecular mechanisms of lung cancer in Yunnan region are still unclear. We screened a novel potential oncogene CYP2S1 used mRNA microassay and bioinformation database. The function of CYP2S1 in lung cancer has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the functions of CYP2S1 in lung cancer. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and Real-time PCR were used to verify the expression of CYP2S1. Colony formation and Transwell assays were used to determine cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Xenograft assays were used to detected cell growth in vivo. RESULTS: CYP2S1 is significantly up-regulated in lung cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown CYP2S1 in lung cancer cells resulted in decrease cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro. Animal experiments showed downregulation of CYP2S1 inhibited lung cancer cell growth in vivo. GSEA analysis suggested that CYP2S1 played functions by regulating E2F targets and G2M checkpoint pathway which involved in cell cycle. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with high CYP2S1 had markedly shorter event overall survival (OS) time. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that CYP2S1 exerts tumor suppressor function in lung cancer. The high expression of CYP2S1 is an unfavorable prognostic marker for patient survival.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 2924-2937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaoru Tominaga ◽  
Bhakti Kirtane ◽  
James G. Jackson ◽  
Yuji Ikeno ◽  
Takayoshi Ikeda ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT MRG15 is a highly conserved protein, and orthologs exist in organisms from yeast to humans. MRG15 associates with at least two nucleoprotein complexes that include histone acetyltransferases and/or histone deacetylases, suggesting it is involved in chromatin remodeling. To study the role of MRG15 in vivo, we generated knockout mice and determined that the phenotype is embryonic lethal, with embryos and the few stillborn pups exhibiting developmental delay. Immunohistochemical analysis indicates that apoptosis in Mrg15 − / − embryos is not increased compared with wild-type littermates. However, the number of proliferating cells is significantly reduced in various tissues of the smaller null embryos compared with control littermates. Cell proliferation defects are also observed in Mrg15 − / − mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The hearts of the Mrg15 − / − embryos exhibit some features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The increase in size of the cardiomyocytes is most likely a response to decreased growth of the cells. Mrg15 − / − embryos appeared pale, and microarray analysis revealed that α-globin gene expression was decreased in null versus wild-type embryos. We determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation that MRG15 was recruited to the α-globin promoter during dimethyl sulfoxide-induced mouse erythroleukemia cell differentiation. These findings demonstrate that MRG15 has an essential role in embryonic development via chromatin remodeling and transcriptional regulation.


Author(s):  
Jiewei Lin ◽  
Shuyu Zhai ◽  
Siyi Zou ◽  
Zhiwei Xu ◽  
Jun Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background FLVCR1-AS1 is a key regulator of cancer progression. However, the biological functions and underlying molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer (PC) remain unknown. Methods FLVCR1-AS1 expression levels in 77 PC tissues and matched non-tumor tissues were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Moreover, the role of FLVCR1-AS1 in PC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and migration was verified via functional in vitro and in vivo experiments. Further, the potential competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network between FLVCR1-AS1 and KLF10, as well as FLVCR1-AS1 transcription levels, were investigated. Results FLVCR1-AS1 expression was low in both PC tissues and PC cell lines, and FLVCR1-AS1 downregulation was associated with a worse prognosis in patients with PC. Functional experiments demonstrated that FLVCR1-AS1 overexpression significantly suppressed PC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and migration both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that FLVCR1-AS1 acts as a ceRNA to sequester miR-513c-5p or miR-514b-5p from the sponging KLF10 mRNA, thereby relieving their suppressive effects on KLF10 expression. Additionally, FLVCR1-AS1 was shown to be a direct transcriptional target of KLF10. Conclusions Our research suggests that FLVCR1-AS1 plays a tumor-suppressive role in PC by inhibiting proliferation, cell cycle, and migration through a positive feedback loop with KLF10, thereby providing a novel therapeutic strategy for PC treatment.


2008 ◽  
Vol 295 (5) ◽  
pp. C1175-C1182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadashi Yoshida ◽  
Qiong Gan ◽  
Gary K. Owens

Phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), such as increased proliferation, enhanced migration, and downregulation of SMC differentiation marker genes, is known to play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the factors and mechanisms controlling this process are not fully understood. We recently showed that oxidized phospholipids, including 1-palmitoyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl)- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POVPC), which accumulate in atherosclerotic lesions, are potent repressors of expression of SMC differentiation marker genes in cultured SMCs as well as in rat carotid arteries in vivo. Here, we examined the molecular mechanisms whereby POVPC induces suppression of SMC differentiation marker genes in cultured SMCs. Results showed that POVPC induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Elk-1. The MEK inhibitors U-0126 and PD-98059 attenuated POVPC-induced suppression of smooth muscle ( SM) α-actin and SM-myosin heavy chain. POVPC also induced expression of Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4). Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that POVPC caused simultaneous binding of Elk-1 and Klf4 to the promoter region of the SM α-actin gene. Moreover, coimmunoprecipitation assays showed a physical interaction between Elk-1 and Klf4. Results in Klf4-null SMCs showed that blockade of both Klf4 induction and Elk-1 phosphorylation completely abolished POVPC-induced suppression of SMC differentiation marker genes. POVPC-induced suppression of SMC differentiation marker genes was also accompanied by hypoacetylation of histone H4 at the SM α-actin promoter, which was mediated by the recruitment of histone deacetylases (HDACs), HDAC2 and HDAC5. Coimmunoprecipitation assays showed that Klf4 interacted with HDAC5. Results provide evidence that Klf4, Elk-1, and HDACs coordinately mediate POVPC-induced suppression of SMC differentiation marker genes.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuyoshi Miyata ◽  
Yohei Shida ◽  
Tomoaki Hakariya ◽  
Hideki Sakai

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. Green tea consumption is reported to play an important role in the prevention of carcinogenesis in many types of malignancies, including prostate cancer; however, epidemiological studies show conflicting results regarding these anti-cancer effects. In recent years, in addition to prevention, many investigators have shown the efficacy and safety of green tea polyphenols and combination therapies with green tea extracts and anti-cancer agents in in vivo and in vitro studies. Furthermore, numerous studies have revealed the molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer effects of green tea extracts. We believe that improved understanding of the detailed pathological roles at the molecular level is important to evaluate the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Therefore, in this review, we present current knowledge regarding the anti-cancer effects of green tea extracts in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer, with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms of action, such as influencing tumor growth, apoptosis, androgen receptor signaling, cell cycle, and various malignant behaviors. Finally, the future direction for the use of green tea extracts as treatment strategies in patients with prostate cancer is introduced.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1523
Author(s):  
Isabelle Anna Zink ◽  
Erika Wimmer ◽  
Christa Schleper

Prokaryotes are constantly coping with attacks by viruses in their natural environments and therefore have evolved an impressive array of defense systems. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is an adaptive immune system found in the majority of archaea and about half of bacteria which stores pieces of infecting viral DNA as spacers in genomic CRISPR arrays to reuse them for specific virus destruction upon a second wave of infection. In detail, small CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) are transcribed from CRISPR arrays and incorporated into type-specific CRISPR effector complexes which further degrade foreign nucleic acids complementary to the crRNA. This review gives an overview of CRISPR immunity to newcomers in the field and an update on CRISPR literature in archaea by comparing the functional mechanisms and abundances of the diverse CRISPR types. A bigger fraction is dedicated to the versatile and prevalent CRISPR type III systems, as tremendous progress has been made recently using archaeal models in discerning the controlled molecular mechanisms of their unique tripartite mode of action including RNA interference, DNA interference and the unique cyclic-oligoadenylate signaling that induces promiscuous RNA shredding by CARF-domain ribonucleases. The second half of the review spotlights CRISPR in archaea outlining seminal in vivo and in vitro studies in model organisms of the euryarchaeal and crenarchaeal phyla, including the application of CRISPR-Cas for genome editing and gene silencing. In the last section, a special focus is laid on members of the crenarchaeal hyperthermophilic order Sulfolobales by presenting a thorough comparative analysis about the distribution and abundance of CRISPR-Cas systems, including arrays and spacers as well as CRISPR-accessory proteins in all 53 genomes available to date. Interestingly, we find that CRISPR type III and the DNA-degrading CRISPR type I complexes co-exist in more than two thirds of these genomes. Furthermore, we identified ring nuclease candidates in all but two genomes and found that they generally co-exist with the above-mentioned CARF domain ribonucleases Csx1/Csm6. These observations, together with published literature allowed us to draft a working model of how CRISPR-Cas systems and accessory proteins cross talk to establish native CRISPR anti-virus immunity in a Sulfolobales cell.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethan P. Metz ◽  
Erin L. Wuebben ◽  
Phillip J. Wilder ◽  
Jesse L. Cox ◽  
Kaustubh Datta ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Quiescent tumor cells pose a major clinical challenge due to their ability to resist conventional chemotherapies and to drive tumor recurrence. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that promote quiescence of tumor cells could help identify therapies to eliminate these cells. Significantly, recent studies have determined that the function of SOX2 in cancer cells is highly dose dependent. Specifically, SOX2 levels in tumor cells are optimized to promote tumor growth: knocking down or elevating SOX2 inhibits proliferation. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that quiescent tumor cells express higher levels of SOX2 compared to adjacent proliferating cells. Currently, the mechanisms through which elevated levels of SOX2 restrict tumor cell proliferation have not been characterized. Methods To understand how elevated levels of SOX2 restrict the proliferation of tumor cells, we engineered diverse types of tumor cells for inducible overexpression of SOX2. Using these cells, we examined the effects of elevating SOX2 on their proliferation, both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we examined how elevating SOX2 influences their expression of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and p27Kip1. Results Elevating SOX2 in diverse tumor cell types led to growth inhibition in vitro. Significantly, elevating SOX2 in vivo in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, medulloblastoma, and prostate cancer cells induced a reversible state of tumor growth arrest. In all three tumor types, elevation of SOX2 in vivo quickly halted tumor growth. Remarkably, tumor growth resumed rapidly when SOX2 returned to endogenous levels. We also determined that elevation of SOX2 in six tumor cell lines decreased the levels of cyclins and CDKs that control each phase of the cell cycle, while upregulating p27Kip1. Conclusions Our findings indicate that elevating SOX2 above endogenous levels in a diverse set of tumor cell types leads to growth inhibition both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, our findings indicate that SOX2 can function as a master regulator by controlling the expression of a broad spectrum of cell cycle machinery. Importantly, our SOX2-inducible tumor studies provide a novel model system for investigating the molecular mechanisms by which elevated levels of SOX2 restrict cell proliferation and tumor growth.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 190179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Xue ◽  
Joyce Tran ◽  
Hongsu Wang ◽  
Giovanna Park ◽  
Frederick Hsu ◽  
...  

Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers play a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Oligomers of different sizes, morphology and structures have been reported in both in vivo and in vitro studies, but there is a general lack of understanding about where to place these oligomers in the overall process of Aβ aggregation and fibrillization. Here, we show that Aβ42 spontaneously forms oligomers with a wide range of sizes in the same sample. These Aβ42 samples contain predominantly oligomers, and they quickly form fibrils upon incubation at 37°C. When fractionated using ultrafiltration filters, the samples enriched with smaller oligomers form fibrils at a faster rate than the samples enriched with larger oligomers, with both a shorter lag time and faster fibril growth rate. This observation is independent of Aβ42 batches and hexafluoroisopropanol treatment. Furthermore, the fibrils formed by the samples enriched with larger oligomers are more readily solubilized by epigallocatechin gallate, a main catechin component of green tea. These results suggest that the fibrils formed by larger oligomers may adopt a different structure from fibrils formed by smaller oligomers, pointing to a link between oligomer heterogeneity and fibril polymorphism.


ISRN Oncology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ui-Lyong Lee ◽  
Sung-Weon Choi

Chemoprevention is a relatively novel and promising approach for controlling cancer that uses specific natural products or synthetic agents to suppress, reverse, or prevent premalignancy before transformation into invasive cancer. Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) represents a large, worldwide health burden with approximately 274,000 cases diagnosed annually worldwide. Smoking and alcohol consumption are major inducers of OCSCC. Recently, the human papilloma virus was also shown to potentially be an etiologic factor. Due to its easily identifiable risk factors and the presence of premalignant regions, oral cancer makes a good candidate for chemoprevention. Green tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, and it has received considerable attention because of its abundant, scientifically proven, beneficial effects on human health. In this review, we discuss the role of green tea in oral cancer chemoprevention with regard to the multiple molecular mechanisms proposed in various in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4096
Author(s):  
Giulia Apprato ◽  
Camilla Fiz ◽  
Isabella Fusano ◽  
Loredana Bergandi ◽  
Francesca Silvagno

Vitamin D plays an important role in every tissue due to its differentiating properties and the control of calcium homeostasis. The reversion of the epigenetic repression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) could lead to an increased sensitivity of the cells to the beneficial activity of the hormone and could be exploited in many vitamin D-resistant diseases. In this study we analyzed the effects of three natural epigenetic modulators: sulforaphane, curcumin, and the products of the fermentative activity of probiotics. Sulforaphane and curcumin are inhibitors of the DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) and of the histone deacetylases (HDAC); it has been demonstrated that sulforaphane and curcumin increase VDR expression in intestinal epithelial cells and in a human liver cancer cell line, respectively. The anti-inflammatory properties associated with the probiotic administration in vivo can be linked to the increased activity of intestinal VDR. Butyrate, an inhibitor of HDAC and a known modulator of VDR expression, is the candidate byproduct of fermentation by gut microbiome that could mediate the enhanced expression of VDR triggered by probiotics in vivo. Many other natural compounds wait to be investigated and recognized as epigenetic modulators of VDR, thus opening promising therapeutic avenues for many diseases by natural means.


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