scholarly journals Low-Dose Albendazole Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Melanoma Cells by Enhancing Phosphorylated GSK-3β/Tyr216 Accumulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang He ◽  
Shun Lei ◽  
Fucheng Liang ◽  
Liuchang Tan ◽  
Weinan Zhang ◽  
...  

Albendazole (ABZ) is an effective broad-spectrum anthelmintic agent that has been widely used for humans and animals. Previous studies have reported that ABZ exhibits antitumor effects against melanoma and other different cancer types; however, it is unknown whether ABZ exerts the inhibitory effect against melanoma metastasis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of ABZ on melanoma cells. Through in vitro studies, we discovered that low-dose ABZ treatment significantly inhibited the migration and invasion, but not the proliferation, of A375 and B16-F10 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Further analysis revealed that ABZ treatment reduced the expression level of snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (Snail) in the cytoplasm and nucleus by decreasing the levels of phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) Ser473/GSK-3β (pGSK-3β) Ser9 and increasing pGSK-3β/Tyr216, resulting in a significant upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of N-cadherin and ultimately reversing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of melanoma cells. In contrast, the continuous activation of AKT via transfected plasmids elevated the protein levels of pAKT Ser473/pGSK-3β Ser9 and Snail and antagonized the inhibitory action of ABZ. We also confirmed that ABZ treatment effectively inhibited the lung metastasis of melanoma in nude mice in vivo. Subsequent immunohistochemical analysis verified the decreased pAKT Ser473/pGSK-3β Ser9 and increased pGSK-3β/Tyr216 levels in ABZ-treated subcutaneous tumors. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that ABZ treatment can suppress the EMT progress of melanoma by increasing the pGSK-3β/Tyr216-mediated degradation of Snail, which may be used as a potential treatment strategy for metastatic melanoma.

Pharmacology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 104 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 312-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Can Wei ◽  
Junfeng Jing ◽  
Yanbin Zhang ◽  
Ling Fang

Background: Wogonoside, an effective component of Scutellaria baicalensis extract, has recently become a hot topic for its newly discovered anticancer efficacy, but the underlying pharmacological mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we tested the inhibitory effects of wogonoside in human prostate cancer PC3 cells in vitro and vivo. Methods: The effects of wogonoside on cell viability, cycle progression, invasion, migration, and apoptosis were assessed in vitro. The levels of proteins in related signaling pathways were detected by western blotting assay. Finally, nude mouse tumorigenicity assay was conducted to detect the anticancer effect of wogonoside in vivo. Results: Wogonoside inhibited cell viability, invasive and migratory ability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry indicated that wogonoside could induce cell apoptosis and S phase cell-cycle arrest. Mechanically, wogonoside suppressed the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and the level of p-glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β; Ser9) was inhibited by wogonoside. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process was also reversed in PC3 cell line after wogonoside treatment. In vivo experiments showed that wogonoside inhibited tumor growth in xenograft mouse models. Conclusion: These findings revealed that wogonoside could suppress Wnt/β-catenin pathway and reversing the EMT process in PC3 cells. GSK-3β acts as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer. Wogonoside may serve as an effective agent for treating prostate cancer.


Cells ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michela Deiana ◽  
Luca Dalle Carbonare ◽  
Michela Serena ◽  
Samuele Cheri ◽  
Francesca Parolini ◽  
...  

The mortality rate for malignant melanoma (MM) is very high, since it is highly invasive and resistant to chemotherapeutic treatments. The modulation of some transcription factors affects cellular processes in MM. In particular, a higher expression of the osteogenic master gene RUNX2 has been reported in melanoma cells, compared to normal melanocytes. By analyzing public databases for recurrent RUNX2 genetic and epigenetic modifications in melanoma, we found that the most common RUNX2 genetic alteration that exists in transcription upregulation is, followed by genomic amplification, nucleotide substitution and multiple changes. Additionally, altered RUNX2 is involved in unchecked pathways promoting tumor progression, Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), and metastasis. In order to investigate further the role of RUNX2 in melanoma development and to identify a therapeutic target, we applied the CRISPR/Cas9 technique to explore the role of the RUNT domain of RUNX2 in a melanoma cell line. RUNT-deleted cells showed reduced proliferation, increased apoptosis, and reduced EMT features, suggesting the involvement of the RUNT domain in different pathways. In addition, del-RUNT cells showed a downregulation of genes involved in migration ability. In an in vivo zebrafish model, we observed that wild-type melanoma cells migrated in 81% of transplanted fishes, while del-RUNT cells migrated in 58%. All these findings strongly suggest the involvement of the RUNT domain in melanoma metastasis and cell migration and indicate RUNX2 as a prospective target in MM therapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haoqi Zhao ◽  
Lan Wang ◽  
Shufang Wang ◽  
Xihua Chen ◽  
Min Liang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Metastasis and invasion are crucial in determining the mortality of cervical carcinoma (CC) patients. The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is now a universal explanation for the mechanisms of tumor metastasis. Α-chimeric protein (α-chimaerin, CHN1) plays an important role in the regulation of signal transduction and development. However, the molecular regulatory relationships between CHN1 and CC progression in relation to EMT have not yet been identified. Methods The expression of CHN1 in CC tissues, adjacent tissues, and lymph node metastases from CC patients was detected by immunohistochemistry. Upregulation and knockdown of CHN1 were achieved by transfection of CC cells. The effect of CHN1 on cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 and plate clone formation assays. Changes in migration and invasion capabilities were evaluated using scratch migration and transwell invasion assays. The effect of CHN1 overexpression and interference on xenograft tumor growth was determined by tumor weight and pathological analyses. The expression of EMT-related mRNAs was measured by qRT-PCR in transfected CC cells. EMT-related proteins and Akt/GSK-3β/Snail signaling pathway-related proteins were also evaluated by western blotting. Results CHN1 was overexpressed in CC tissues and was associated with lymph node metastasis and low survival in CC patients. Overexpression of CHN1 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in CC cells. In contrast, silencing of CHN1 inhibited these phenomena. Overexpression of CHN1 promoted tumor formation in an in vivo xenograft tumor mouse model, with increased tumor volumes and weights. In addition, CHN1 induced the expression of EMT-related transcription factors, accompanied by the decreased expression of epithelial markers and increased expression of mesenchymal markers. The Akt/GSK-3β/Snail signaling pathway was activated by overexpression of CHN1 in vitro, and activation of this pathway was inhibited by the signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002. Conclusion These results suggest that CHN1 promotes the development and progression of cervical carcinoma via the Akt/GSK-3β/Snail pathway by inducing EMT.


2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenqian Zheng ◽  
Jinhui Hu ◽  
Yiming Lv ◽  
Bingjun Bai ◽  
Lina Shan ◽  
...  

AbstractThe use of the anthelmintic drug pyrvinium pamoate (PP) in cancer therapy has been extensively investigated in the last decade. PP has been shown to have an inhibitory effect in colorectal cancer (CRC), but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. We aimed to investigate the antitumor activity and mechanisms of PP in CRC. In the present study, we used CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, and western blotting to reveal that PP effectively suppressed CRC cell proliferation and the AKT-dependent signaling pathway in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis and fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that PP increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. We found that the inhibitory effect of PP on cell proliferation and AKT protein expression induced by PP could be partially reversed by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), an ROS scavenger. In addition, the results also demonstrated that PP inhibited cell migration by modulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins, including E-cadherin and vimentin. In conclusion, our data suggested that PP effectively inhibited cell proliferation through the ROS-mediated AKT-dependent signaling pathway in CRC, further providing evidence for the use of PP as an antitumor agent.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Masaki Nakano ◽  
Yachiyo Mitsuishi ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
Naoki Watanabe ◽  
Emi Hibino ◽  
...  

Background: Brain amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide is released into the interstitial fluid (ISF) in a neuronal activity-dependent manner, and Aβ deposition in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is linked to baseline neuronal activity. Although the intrinsic mechanism for Aβ generation remains to be elucidated, interleukin-like epithelial-mesenchymal transition inducer (ILEI) is a candidate for an endogenous Aβ suppressor. Objective: This study aimed to access the mechanism underlying ILEI secretion and its effect on Aβ production in the brain. Methods: ILEI and Aβ levels in the cerebral cortex were monitored using a newly developed ILEI-specific ELISA and in vivo microdialysis in mutant human Aβ precursor protein-knockin mice. ILEI levels in autopsied brains and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured using ELISA. Results: Extracellular release of ILEI and Aβ was dependent on neuronal activation and specifically on tetanus toxin-sensitive exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. However, simultaneous monitoring of extracellular ILEI and Aβ revealed that a spontaneous fluctuation of ILEI levels appeared to inversely mirror that of Aβ levels. Selective activation and inhibition of synaptic receptors differentially altered these levels. The evoked activation of AMPA-type receptors resulted in opposing changes to ILEI and Aβ levels. Brain ILEI levels were selectively decreased in AD. CSF ILEI concentration correlated with that of Aβ and were reduced in AD and mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion: ILEI and Aβ are released from distinct subpopulations of synaptic terminals in an activity-dependent manner, and ILEI negatively regulates Aβ production in specific synapse types. CSF ILEI might represent a surrogate marker for the accumulation of brain Aβ.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e56664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Wang ◽  
Hong-Sheng Wang ◽  
Bin-Hua Zhou ◽  
Cui-Lin Li ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Zhang ◽  
Tao Peng ◽  
Qingying Yan ◽  
Leitao Sun ◽  
Haojun Miao ◽  
...  

Jiedu Sangen Decoction (JSD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been widely used in China to treat gastrointestinal cancer, especially as an adjuvant therapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of JSD and Jiedu Sangen aqueous extract (JSAE) in colon cancer cells and explored the underlining mechanisms by cytotoxicity assay, scratch assay, transwell migration assay, matrigel invasion assay, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and western blot analysis. We demonstrated that JSAE inhibited the growth of colon cancer SW480 cells in a dose-dependent manner and JSAE repressed cancer cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) was reversed by JSAE via enhancing E-cadherin expression and attenuating protein levels of EMT promoting factors such as N-cadherin, Slug, and ZEB1. These findings provided the first experimental evidence confirming the efficacy of JSAE in repressing invasion and metastasis of CRC and paving a way for the broader use of JSD in clinic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mao Komai ◽  
Karin Mihira ◽  
Akinori Shimada ◽  
Ikumi Miyamoto ◽  
Kikumi Ogihara ◽  
...  

Silicosis, caused by the inhalation of crystalline silicon dioxide or silica, is one of the most severe occupational diseases. Persistent inflammation and progressive massive pulmonary fibrosis are the most common histological changes caused by silicosis. Association of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hyperplastic type II epithelial cells with the fibrotic events of pulmonary fibrosis has been suggested in in vitro silica-exposed cultured cell models, patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and bleomycin-induced experimental models. Histological features of EMT, however, are not fully described in silicotic lungs in in vivo. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate EMT of hyperplastic type II epithelial cells in the developmental process of progressive massive pulmonary fibrosis in the lungs of rats exposed to silica. F344 female rats were intratracheally instilled with 20 mg of crystalline silica (Min-U-Sil-5), followed by sacrifice at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after instillation. Fibrosis, characterized by the formation of silicotic nodules, progressive massive fibrosis, and diffuse interstitial fibrosis, was observed in the lungs of the treated rats; the effects of fibrosis intensified in a time-dependent manner. Hyperplasia of the type II epithelial cells, observed in the massive fibrotic lesions, dominated in the lungs of rats at 6 and 12 months after the treatment. Immunohistochemistry of the serial sections of the lung tissues demonstrated positive labeling for cytokeratin, vimentin, and α-smooth muscle actin in spindle cells close to the foci of hyperplasia of type II epithelial cells. Spindle cells, which exhibited features of both epithelial cells and fibroblasts, were also demonstrated with bundles of collagen fibers in the fibrotic lesions, using electron microscopy. Increased expression of TGF-β was shown by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in the lungs of the treated rats. These findings suggested that enhanced TGF-β expression and EMT of hyperplastic type II epithelial cells are involved in the development process of progressive massive pulmonary fibrosis during silicosis.


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