Dose- and time-dependent effects of TNFα and actinomycin D on cell death incidence and embryo growth in mouse blastocysts

Zygote ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Fabian ◽  
S. Juhás ◽  
G. Il'ková ◽  
J. Koppel

SummaryThis study was undertaken to obtain information about characteristics of different types of induced apoptosis in preimplantation embryos. Freshly isolated mouse blastocysts were cultured in vitro with the addition of two apoptotic inductors – TNFα and actinomycin D – at various doses and times. The average number of nuclei and the percentage of dead cells were evaluated in treated embryos. Classification of dead cells was based on morphological assessment of their nuclei evaluated by fluorescence microscopy, the detection of specific DNA degradation (TUNEL assay), the detection of active caspase-3 and cell viability assessed by propidium iodide staining. The addition of both apoptotic inductors into culture media significantly increased cell death incidence in blastocysts. Their effects were dose and time dependent. Lower concentrations of inductors increased cell death incidence, usually without affecting embryo growth after 24 h culture. Higher concentrations of inductors caused wider cell damage and also retarded embryo development. In all experiments, the negative effect of actinomycin D on blastomere survival and blastocyst growth was greater than the effect of TNFα. Furthermore, the addition of actinomycin D into culture media increased cell death incidence even after 6 h culture. Differences resulted probably from diverse specificity of apoptotic inductors. The majority of dead cells in treated blastocysts were of apoptotic origin. Morphological and biochemical features of apoptotic cell death induced by both TNFα and actinomycin D were similar and had homologous profile. In blastomeres, similarly to somatic cells, the biochemical pathways of induced apoptosis included activation of caspase-3 and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation.

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
S. M. Hong ◽  
S. H. Jeong ◽  
S. H. Hyun

Little is known about apoptosis events in porcine preimplantation embryos. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the evaluated markers of cell death could be found at particular developmental stages of normal porcine in vitro-fertilized (IVF) embryos. We investigated the characteristics of spontaneous and induced apoptosis during preimplantation development stages of porcine IVF embryos. In experiment 1, to induce apoptosis of porcine IVF embryos, porcine IVF embryos at 22 h postinsemination were treated at different concentrations of actinomycin D (0, 5, 50 and 500 ng mL–1 in NCSU medium). Four groups were incubated at 37°C in 5% CO2, 5%O2 for 8 h, and then washed to NCSU medium and incubated until blastocyst (BL) stage. We examined cleavage rate at 2 days and BL development rate at 7 days after in vitro culture (IVC). A significantly less rate of cleavage was found in the 500 ng mL–1 group compared with others (500 ng mL–1 v. 0, 5, 50 ng mL–1; 15.4% v. 48.6%, 40%, 32%). In the results of BL formation rate, there was a significantly less BL formation rate in 500 ng mL–1 compared with others (500 ng mL–1 v. 0, 5, 50 ng mL–1; 0% v. 10%, 8.8%, 9%). In experiment 2, to evaluate apoptotic cells at different stage (2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell and BL stage) of all groups, we conducted TUNEL assay based on morphological assessment of nuclei and on detection of specific DNA degradation under fluorescence microscope. This result showed that apoptosis is a normal event during preimplantation development in control group (0 ng mL–1 actinomycin D). A high number of the BL derived control group contained at least one apoptotic cell. Actinomycin D treated BL responded to the presence of apoptotic inductor by a significant decrease in the average number of blastomeres and a significant increase in the incidence of apoptotic cell death. In the 500 ng mL–1 group, the incidence of apoptosis increased at the 4-cell stage and later. This result suggested that apoptosis is a process of normal embryonic development and actinomycin D is a useful tool for the apoptosis study of porcine preimplantation embryos. This work was supported by a grant (#20070301034040) from BioGreen 21 program, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.


2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (03) ◽  
pp. 377-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyung-Jin Kim ◽  
Seon Il Jang ◽  
Young-Jun Kim ◽  
Hyun-Ock Pae ◽  
Hae-Young Won ◽  
...  

We studied the effect of 4-acetyl-12,13-epoxyl-9-trichothecene-3,15-diol (AETD) isolated from Isaria japonica, one of the most popular Chinese fungal medicines, on the induction of apoptosis in rat bladder carcinoma NBT-II cells. AETD was cytotoxic to NBT-II cells, and this cytotoxic effect appears to be attributed to its induction of apoptotic cell death, as AETD induced nuclear morphological changes and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, and increased the proportion of hypodiploid cells and activity of caspase-3. AETD treatment also decreased the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and increased the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. These results provide important information in understanding the mechanism(s) of AETD-induced apoptosis.


2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Vinken ◽  
Elke Decrock ◽  
Elke De Vuyst ◽  
Luc Leybaert ◽  
Tamara Vanhaecke ◽  
...  

This study was set up to critically evaluate a commonly-used in vitro model of hepatocellular apoptotic cell death, in which freshly isolated hepatocytes, cultured in a monolayer configuration, are exposed to a combination of Fas ligand and cycloheximide for six hours. A set of well-acknowledged cell death markers was addressed: a) cell morphology was studied by light microscopy; b) apoptotic and necrotic cell populations were quantified by in situ staining with Annexin-V, Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide (PI); c) apoptotic and necrotic activities were monitored by probing caspase 3-like activity and measuring the extracellular leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), respectively; and d) the expression of apoptosis regulators was investigated by immunoblotting. The initiation of apoptosis was evidenced by the activation of caspase 8 and caspase 9, and increased Annexin-V reactivity. Progression through the apoptotic process was confirmed by the activation of caspase 3 and Bid, the enhanced expression of Bax, and the occurrence of nuclear fragmentation. Late transition to a necrotic appearance was demonstrated by an increased number of PI-positive cells and augmented extracellular release of LDH. Thus, the in vitro model allows the study of the entire course of Fas-mediated hepatocellular apoptotic cell death, which is not possible in vivo. This experimental system can serve a broad range of in vitro pharmaco-toxicological purposes, thereby directly assisting in the reduction of animal experimentation.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Yue Wang ◽  
Jun Hyeok Kwak ◽  
Kyung-Tae Lee ◽  
Tsegaye Deyou ◽  
Young Pyo Jang ◽  
...  

The seeds of Millettia ferruginea are used in fishing, pesticides, and folk medicine in Ethiopia. Here, the anti-cancer effects of isoflavones isolated from M. ferruginea were evaluated in human ovarian cancer cells. We found that isoflavone ferrugone and 6,7-dimethoxy-3’,4’-methylenedioxy-8-(3,3-dimethylallyl)isoflavone (DMI) had potent cytotoxic effects on human ovarian cancer cell A2780 and SKOV3. Ferrugone and DMI treatment increased the sub-G1 cell population in a dose-dependent manner in A2780 cells. The cytotoxic activity of ferrugone and DMI was associated with the induction of apoptosis, as shown by an increase in annexin V-positive cells. Z-VAD-fmk, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, and z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor, significantly reversed both the ferrugone and DMI-induced apoptosis, suggesting that cell death stimulated by the isoflavones is mediated by caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. Additionally, ferrugone-induced apoptosis was found to be caspase-8-dependent, while DMI-induced apoptosis was caspase-9-dependent. Notably, DMI, but not ferrugone, increased the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) attenuated the pro-apoptotic activity of DMI. These data suggest that DMI induced apoptotic cell death through the intrinsic pathway via ROS production, while ferrugone stimulated the extrinsic pathway in human ovarian cancer cells.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prachya Janhom ◽  
Permphan Dharmasaroja

In vitrostudies have shown that extracts from mangosteen (Garcinia mangostanaLinn.) act as antioxidants and cytoprotective agents against oxidative damage. The protective effect of alpha-mangostin, the major xanthone found in the pericarp of the mangosteen, in cellular models of Parkinson’s disease (PD), has not been investigated. This study aims to investigate whether alpha-mangostin could protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells from MPP+-induced apoptosis. The effects of alpha-mangostin on MPP+-induced cell death were evaluated with a cell viability assay, staining for nuclear DNA morphology, flow cytometry for apoptotic cells and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, quantitative real-time PCR for the expression of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2, and western blot analysis for cleaved caspase-3. Concomitant treatment with alpha-mangostin attenuated the effect of MPP+on cell viability and apoptotic cell death. Alpha-mangostin reduced ROS formation induced by MPP+. Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio and expression of p53 were significantly lower in cells cocultured with alpha-mangostin and MPP+. The cotreated cells showed a significant decrease in activated caspase-3 compared with MPP+treatment alone. Our data suggest that cytoprotection of alpha-mangostin against MPP+-induced apoptosis may be associated with the reduction of ROS production, modulating the balance of pro- and antiapoptotic genes, and suppression of caspase-3 activation.


Author(s):  
Lin Yang ◽  
Yongyu Mei ◽  
Qifeng Xie ◽  
Xiaoyan Han ◽  
Fucheng Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractIt has been suggested that Bax translocation to the mitochondria is related to apoptosis, and that cytosol acidification contributes to apoptosis events. However, the mechanisms remain obscure. We investigated the effect of acidification on Bax translocation and on ultraviolet (UV) light-induced apoptosis. The Bax translocation assay in vitro showed that Bax translocated to the mitochondria at pH 6.5, whereas no Bax translocation was observed at pH 7.4. VHDBB cells expressing the GFP-Bax fusion protein were treated for 12 h with a pH 6.5 DMEM medium, nigericin (5 μg/ml) and UV light (50 J/cm2), separately or in combination, and Bax translocation to the mitochondria was determined by SDS-PAGE and Western blot, and apoptotic cell death was detected by flow cytometry. The results showed that some of the Bax translocated to the mitochondria in the cells treated with the normal medium, nigericin and UV in combination, whereas all of the Bax translocated to the mitochondria in the cells treated with the pH 6.5 medium, nigericin and UV in combination. In VHDBB cells treated for 12 h with nigericin, UV alone, and UV and nigericin in combination, the respective rates of apoptotic cell death were 25.08%, 33.25% and 52.88%. In cells treated with pH 6.5 medium and nigericin, pH 6.5 medium and UV, and pH 6.5 medium, nigericin and UV in combination, the respective rates of apoptotic cell death increased to 37.19%, 41.42% and 89.44%. Our results indicated that acidification induces Bax translocation from the cytosol to the mitochondria, and promotes UV lightmediated apoptosis. This suggests that there is a possibility of improving cancer treatment by combining acidification with irradiation or chemotherapeutic drugs.


2000 ◽  
Vol 346 (3) ◽  
pp. 777-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank ESSMANN ◽  
Thomas WIEDER ◽  
Albrecht OTTO ◽  
Eva-Christina MÜLLER ◽  
Bernd DÖRKEN ◽  
...  

Different cytotoxic drugs induce cell death by activating the apoptotic programme; a family of cysteinyl aspartate proteases named caspases has been shown to be involved in the initiation as well as the execution of this kind of cell death. In the present study, cleavage of D4-GDI (Rho-GDI 2), an abundant haemopoietic-cell GDP dissociation inhibitor for the Ras-related Rho family GTPases, was demonstrated after treatment of BJAB Burkitt-like lymphoma cells with taxol or epirubicin. The cleavage of D4-GDI occurred simultaneously with the activation of caspase-3 but preceded DNA fragmentation and the morphological changes associated with apoptotic cell death. By using high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis it was shown that this cleavage is specific: whereas the level of the homologous protein Rho-GDI 1 was not significantly altered during drug-induced apoptosis and in cytochrome c/dATP-activated cellular extracts, D4-GDI disappeared owing to proteolytic cleavage. Inhibitor experiments with Z-DEVD-fmk (in which Z stands for benzyloxycarbonyl and fmk for fluoromethyl ketone) and microsequencing of the D4-GDI fragment revealed that this occurs at the caspase-3 cleavage site. Our results strongly suggest the differential regulation of the homologous GDP dissociation inhibitors Rho-GDI 1 and D4-GDI during drug-induced apoptosis by proteolysis mediated by caspase-3 but not by caspase-1. Owing to their crucial role as modulators of Rho GTPases, this might in turn have a significant impact on the mechanisms that induce the cytoskeletal and morphological changes in apoptotic cells.


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Partha Mukhopadhyay ◽  
Mohanraj Rajesh ◽  
Sandor Bátkai ◽  
György Haskó ◽  
Csaba Szabo ◽  
...  

Although doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most potent antitumor agents available, its clinical use is limited because of the risk of severe cardiotoxicity often leading to irreversible congestive heart failure. Apoptotic cell death is a key component in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, but its trigger(s) and mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we explore the role of peroxynitrite (a reactive oxidant produced from the diffusion-controlled reaction between nitric oxide and superoxide anion) in DOX-induced cell death. Using a well-established in vivo mouse model of DOX-induced acute heart failure, we demonstrate marked increases in myocardial apoptosis (caspase-3 and 9 gene expression, caspase 3 activity, cytochrome-c release, and TUNEL), iNOS but not eNOS and nNOS expression, 3-nitrotyrosine formation and a decrease in myocardial contractility following DOX treatment. Pre-treatment of mice with peroxynitrite scavengers markedly attenuated DOX-induced myocardial cell death and dysfunction without affecting iNOS expression. DOX induced increased superoxide generation and nitrotyrosine formation in the mitochondria, dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential, apoptosis (cytochrome-C release, annexin V staining, caspase activation, nuclear fragmentation), and disruption of actin cytoskeleton structure in cardiac-derived H9c2 cells. Selective iNOS inhibitors attenuated DOX-induced apoptosis, without affecting increased mitochondrial superoxide generation, whereas NO donors increased DOX-induced cell death in vitro . The peroxynitrite scavengers FeTMPyP and MnTMPyP markedly reduced both DOX- or peroxynitrite-induced nitrotyrosine formation and cell death in vitro , without affecting DOX-induced increased mitochondrial superoxide formation. Thus, peroxynitrite is a major trigger of DOX-induced apoptosis, and its effective neutralization can be of significant therapeutic benefit.


1994 ◽  
Vol 107 (5) ◽  
pp. 1169-1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.V. Kulkarni ◽  
C.A. McCulloch

Little is known about the regulation of apoptosis in fibroblasts although several model systems including serum deprivation and treatment with staurosporine or topoisomerase inhibitors have been used to induce apoptosis in vitro. To validate a reproducible in vitro model for the study of apoptosis in fibroblasts, we cultured density-inhibited monolayer cultures of Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts in Dulbecco's modified essential medium plus 15% fetal calf serum and then withdrew serum. Time-lapse video microscopy demonstrated that within minutes of serum withdrawal, cells lost substrate attachment and floated to the top of the liquid growth medium. There was a time-dependent increase in the number of non-adherent cells. Some of these cells regained attachment and spread momentarily, but they eventually rounded up and lost attachment permanently. In contrast to serum-containing cultures in which similar morphological changes were followed by mitosis, in serum-free cultures repeated attempts at mitosis were followed by permanent attachment loss and presumably cell death. To assess whether all the non-adherent cells were in fact dead, the percentages of cells that continued to proliferate upon return to serum-supplemented conditions was computed. After various periods of serum starvation a decreasing proportion (approx. 75% at 30 minutes; < 2% at 24 hours) of the non-adherent cells could be rescued by addition of serum. Transmission electron microscopy of cells 3 hours after serum withdrawal showed that the majority (approximately 60%) of non-adherent cells exhibited marked intranuclear chromatin condensation but maintained integrity of cell and nuclear membranes and cell organelles, morphological changes consistent with those of apoptotic cell death. Scanning electron microscopy of cultures 3 hours following serum withdrawal showed rounded cells with marked surface blebbing. Fluorescence and confocal microscopy revealed increased intensity of nuclear staining with DAPI while actin filaments became indistinct or collapsed around the nucleus. After cycloheximide treatment to inhibit protein synthesis, there was no reduction of apoptosis. Gel electrophoresis of DNA from both control and 3 hour-serum-deprived cells showed intact DNA with no oligonucleosomal length fragmentation. After serum withdrawal, intracellular calcium was reduced by about 32% over 5 minutes as measured by fura2 ratio fluorimetry in single cells. Serum-starved cells showed a time-dependent shrinkage in mean cell diameter compared to trypsinized, adherent control cells (at 0 hours, mean diameter = 18.0 microns--viable; at 4 hours, mean diameter = 15.5 microns--apoptotic). Flow cytometric analysis showed increased propidium iodide staining and reduced fluorescein diacetate uptake over 3 hours, changes that were contemporaneous with the reduction of cell diameter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


2013 ◽  
Vol 119 (6) ◽  
pp. 1415-1423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela A. Bota ◽  
Daniela Alexandru ◽  
Stephen T. Keir ◽  
Darell Bigner ◽  
James Vredenburgh ◽  
...  

Object Recurrent malignant gliomas have inherent resistance to traditional chemotherapy. Novel therapies target specific molecular mechanisms involved in abnormal signaling and resistance to apoptosis. The proteasome is a key regulator of multiple cellular functions, and its inhibition in malignant astrocytic lines causes cell growth arrest and apoptotic cell death. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib was reported to have very good in vitro activity against malignant glioma cell lines, with modest activity in animal models as well as in clinical trials as a single agent. In this paper, the authors describe the multiple effects of bortezomib in both in vitro and in vivo glioma models and offer a novel explanation for its seeming lack of activity. Methods Glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) were obtained from resected glioblastomas (GBMs) at surgery and expanded in culture. Stable glioma cell lines (U21 and D54) as well as temozolomide (TMZ)-resistant glioma cells derived from U251 and D54-MG were also cultured. GSCs from 2 different tumors, as well as D54 and U251 cells, were treated with bortezomib, and the effect of the drug was measured using an XTT cell viability assay. The activity of bortezomib was then determined in D54-MG and/or U251 cells using apoptosis analysis as well as caspase-3 activity and proteasome activity measurements. Human glioma xenograft models were created in nude mice by subcutaneous injection. Bevacizumab was administered via intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 5 mg/kg daily. Bortezomib was administered by intraperitoneal injection 1 hour after bevacizumab administration in doses of at a dose of 0.35 mg/kg on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 every 21 days. Tumors were measured twice weekly. Results Bortezomib induced caspase-3 activation and apoptotic cell death in stable glioma cell lines and in glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) derived from malignant tumor specimens Furthermore, TMZ-resistant glioma cell lines retained susceptibility to the proteasome inhibition. The bortezomib activity was directly proportional with the cells' baseline proteasome activity. The proteasome inhibition stimulated both hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)–1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in malignant GSCs. As such, the VEGF produced by GSCs stimulated endothelial cell growth, an effect that could be prevented by the addition of bevacizumab (VEGF antibody) to the media. Similarly, administration of bortezomib and bevacizumab to athymic mice carrying subcutaneous malignant glioma xenografts resulted in greater tumor inhibition and greater improvement in survival than administration of either drug alone. These data indicate that simultaneous proteasome inhibition and VEGF blockade offer increased benefit as a strategy for malignant glioma therapy. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that combination therapies based on bortezomib and bevacizumab might offer an increased benefit when the two agents are used in combination. These drugs have a complementary mechanism of action and therefore can be used together to treat TMZ-resistant malignant gliomas.


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