DNMT3b/OCT4 expression confers sorafenib resistance and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma through IL-6/STAT3 regulation

Abstract Background The inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is critical for the expression of octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), which is highly associated with early tumor recurrence and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) family is closely linked with OCT4 expression and drug resistance. However, the underlying mechanism regarding the interplay between DNMTs and IL-6-induced OCT4 expression and the sorafenib resistance of HCC remains largely unclear. Methods HCC tissue samples were used to examine the association between DNMTs/OCT4 expression levels and clinical prognosis. Serum levels of IL-6 were detected using ELISA assays (n = 144). Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed in cell lines and mouse xenograft models to determine the underlying mechanism in vitro and in vivo. Results We demonstrate that levels of DNA methyltransferase 3 beta (DNMT3b) are significantly correlated with the OCT4 levels in HCC tissues (n = 144), and the OCT4 expression levels are positively associated with the serum IL-6 levels. Higher levels of IL-6, DNMT3b, or OCT4 predicted early HCC recurrence and poor prognosis. We show that IL-6/STAT3 activation increases DNMT3b/1 and OCT4 in HCC. Activated phospho-STAT3 (STAT-Y640F) significantly increased DNMT3b/OCT4, while dominant negative phospho-STAT3 (STAT-Y705F) was suppressive. Inhibiting DNMT3b with RNA interference or nanaomycin A (a selective DNMT3b inhibitor) effectively suppressed the IL-6 or STAT-Y640F-induced increase of DNMT3b-OCT4 and ALDH activity in vitro and in vivo. The fact that OCT4 regulates the DNMT1 expressions were further demonstrated either by OCT4 forced expression or DNMT1 silence. Additionally, the DNMT3b silencing reduced the OCT4 expression in sorafenib-resistant Hep3B cells with or without IL-6 treatment. Notably, targeting DNMT3b with nanaomycin A significantly increased the cell sensitivity to sorafenib, with a synergistic combination index (CI) in sorafenib-resistant Hep3B cells. Conclusions The DNMT3b plays a critical role in the IL-6-mediated OCT4 expression and the drug sensitivity of sorafenib-resistant HCC. The p-STAT3 activation increases the DNMT3b/OCT4 which confers the tumor early recurrence and poor prognosis of HCC patients. Findings from this study highlight the significance of IL-6-DNMT3b–mediated OCT4 expressions in future therapeutic target for patients expressing cancer stemness-related properties or sorafenib resistance in HCC.

Download Full-text

Methylprednisolone Protects SAP and Pancreatitis-Associated ALI in Mice by Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome Through NF-κB

10.21203/rs.3.rs-96231/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chuan-jiang Liu ◽

Qiang Fu ◽

Wenjing Zhou ◽

Xu Zhang ◽

Rui Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Tissue ◽

Nlrp3 Inflammasome ◽

Antioxidant Properties ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Peritoneal Macrophages ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Tnf Α

Abstract Background: Methylprednisolone (MP) is a synthetic corticosteroid with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties used as therapy for a variety of diseases. The underlying mechanism of MP to reduce acute pancreatitis still needs to be elucidated.Methods: Twenty-four male C57BL/6 mice (6-8 weeks) were used to establish SAP mouse model by administering an intraperitoneal injection of Cae and LPS. Amylase expression levels of serum and PLF were measured with an amylase assay kit. The concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α in the serum and PLF were detected by ELISA. The level of pancreatic and lung tissue damage and inflammation was assessed by H&E staining and immunofluorescence staining. Western blot and qPCR were used to detect the expression levels of NLRP3, IL-1β and TNF-αin vivo and in vitro.Results: In this study, we found MP, used in the early phase of SAP, decreased the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in serum and peritoneal lavage fluids (PLF), reduced the level of serum amylase and the expression of MPO in lung tissue, attenuated the pathological injury of the pancreas and lungs in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of NLRP3 and IL-1β in pancreas and lungs was down-regulated significantly depending on the MP concentration. In vitro, MP reduced the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α by down-regulating the expression of NLRP3, IL-1β and p-NF-κB in isolated peritoneal macrophages. Conclusion: MP can attenuate the injury of pancreas and lungs, and the inflammatory response in SAP mice by down-regulating the activation of NF-κB and the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Download Full-text

Necroptosis regulates tumor repopulation after radiotherapy via RIP1/RIP3/MLKL/JNK/IL8 pathway

Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research ◽

10.1186/s13046-019-1423-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yiwei Wang ◽

Minghui Zhao ◽

Sijia He ◽

Yuntao Luo ◽

Yucui Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Growth Stimulation ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Promoting Effect ◽

Clinical Prognosis ◽

Associated Proteins ◽

Radiation Induced ◽

Colorectal Cancer Patients

Abstract Background Tumor cell repopulation after radiotherapy is a major cause for the tumor radioresistance and recurrence. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanism of tumor repopulation after radiotherapy, with focus on whether and how necroptosis takes part in this process. Methods Necroptosis after irradiation were examined in vitro and in vivo. And the growth-promoting effect of necroptotic cells was investigated by chemical inhibitors or shRNA against necroptosis associated proteins and genes in in vitro and in vivo tumor repopulation models. Downstream relevance factors of necroptosis were identified by western blot and chemiluminescent immunoassays. Finally, the immunohistochemistry staining of identified necroptosis association growth stimulation factor was conducted in human colorectal tumor specimens to verify the relationship with clinical outcome. Results Radiation-induced necroptosis depended on activation of RIP1/RIP3/MLKL pathway, and the evidence in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that the inhibition of necroptosis attenuated growth-stimulating effects of irradiated tumor cells on living tumor reporter cells. The JNK/IL-8 were identified as downstream molecules of pMLKL during necroptosis, and inhibition of JNK, IL-8 or IL-8 receptor significantly reduced tumor repopulation after radiotherapy. Moreover, the high expression of IL-8 was associated with poor clinical prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. Conclusions Necroptosis associated tumor repopulation after radiotherapy depended on activation of RIP1/RIP3/MLKL/JNK/IL-8 pathway. This novel pathway provided new insight into understanding the mechanism of tumor radioresistance and repopulation, and MLKL/JNK/IL-8 could be developed as promising targets for blocking tumor repopulation to enhance the efficacy of colorectal cancer radiotherapy.

Download Full-text

FOXE1 represses cell proliferation and Warburg effect by inhibiting HK2 in colorectal cancer

Cell Communication and Signaling ◽

10.1186/s12964-019-0502-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Weixing Dai ◽

Xianke Meng ◽

Shaobo Mo ◽

Wenqiang Xiang ◽

Ye Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cell Proliferation ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Aerobic Glycolysis ◽

Lactate Production ◽

Glucose Consumption ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Low Expression

Abstract Background Low expression of FOXE1, a member of Forkhead box (FOX) transcription factor family that plays vital roles in cancers, contributes to poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Materials and methods The effects of FOXE1 on the growth of colon cancer cells and the expression of glycolytic enzymes were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Molecular biological experiments were used to reveal the underlying mechanisms of altered aerobic glycolysis. CRC tissue specimens were used to determine the clinical association of ectopic metabolism caused by dysregulated FOXE1. Results FOXE1 is highly expressed in normal colon tissues compared with cancer tissues and low expression of FOXE1 is significantly associated with poor prognosis of CRC patients. Silencing FOXE1 in CRC cell lines dramatically enhanced cell proliferation and colony formation and promoted glucose consumption and lactate production, while enforced expression of FOXE1 manifested the opposite effects. Mechanistically, FOXE1 bound directly to the promoter region of HK2 and negatively regulated its transcription. Furthermore, the expression of FOXE1 in CRC tissues was negatively correlated with that of HK2. Conclusion FOXE1 functions as a critical tumor suppressor in regulating tumor growth and glycolysis via suppressing HK2 in CRC.

Download Full-text

Elevated pressure enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via ERK1/2-inactivation

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters ◽

10.1515/cmble-2015-0030 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Eunyoung Hong ◽

Eunil Lee ◽

Joonhee Kim ◽

Daeho Kwon ◽

Yongchul Lim

Keyword(s):

Specific Inhibitor ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Elevated Pressure ◽

Mitochondrial Pathway ◽

Carcinoma Cells ◽

Intrinsic Resistance ◽

Hep3b Cells ◽

Induced Apoptosis

AbstractThe high frequency of intrinsic resistance to TNF-related apoptosisinducing ligand (TRAIL) in tumor cell lines has necessitated the development of strategies to sensitize tumors to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. We previously showed that elevated pressure applied as a mechanical stressor enhanced TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human lung carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. This study focused on the effect of elevated pressure on the sensitization of TRAIL-resistant cells and the underlying mechanism. We observed elevated pressure-induced sensitization to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in Hep3B cells, accompanied by the activation of several caspases and the mitochondrial signaling pathway. Interestingly, the enhanced apoptosis induced by elevated pressure was correlated with suppression of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation and CREB without any change to other MAPKs. Phosphorylation of Bcl-2-associated death promoter (BAD) also decreased, leading to inhibition of the mitochondrial pathway. To confirm whether the activation of pERK1/2 plays a key role in the TRAIL-sensitizing effect of elevated pressure, Hep3B cells were pre-treated with the ERK1/2-specific inhibitor PD98059 instead of elevated pressure. Co-treatment with PD98059 and TRAIL augmented TRAIL-induced apoptosis and decreased BAD phosphorylation. The inhibition of ERK1/2 activation by elevated pressure and PD98059 also reduced BH3 interacting-domain death agonist (BID), thereby amplifying apoptotic stress at the mitochondrial level. Our results suggest that elevated pressure enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis of Hep3B cells via specific suppression of ERK1/2 activation among MAPKs.

Download Full-text

Loss of IRF8 Inhibits the Growth of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v124.21.3004.3004 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 124 (21) ◽

pp. 3004-3004

Author(s):

Yulian Xu ◽

Lei Jiang ◽

Rachel R. Fang ◽

Jeff Xiwu Zhou ◽

Herbert Morse

Keyword(s):

Cell Proliferation ◽

B Cell ◽

Cell Lymphoma ◽

Critical Role ◽

B Cell Lymphoma ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Large B Cell Lymphoma ◽

Large B Cell

Abstract IRF8 is a transcription factor with a critical role in B lymphocyte development and biological functions. Although it has been reported that IRF8 is highly expressed in human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and the translocation of IRF8-IgH loci occurs in DLBCL, little information is available regarding the function and mechanisms for the role of IRF8 in DLBCL. In this study, by using several human DLBCL cell lines with shRNA-mediated decrease in IRF8 expression levels, we found that the loss of IRF8 significantly reduced the proliferation of lymphoma cells (Figure 1). Mechanistically, decreasing the levels of IRF8 led to a decrease in p38 and ERK phosphorylation (Figure 2), molecular events critical for B cell proliferation. Furthermore, using a xenograft lymphoma mice model, we found that the loss of IRF8 significantly inhibited the growth of lymphomas in vivo (n=5 for each group) (Figure 3). Analysis of public available data also suggested that the expression levels of IRF8 mRNA in human DLBCL tissues were inversely correlated patientsÕ overall survival time. Taken together, this study showed that IRF8 may play an oncogenic role in human DLBCL by promoting cell proliferation. Figure 1. Loss of IRF8 decreased the proliferation of DLBCL cells in vitro. Figure 1. Loss of IRF8 decreased the proliferation of DLBCL cells in vitro. Figure 2. Loss of IRF8 decreased the phosphorylation of p38 and ERK in DLBCL cells. Figure 2. Loss of IRF8 decreased the phosphorylation of p38 and ERK in DLBCL cells. Figure 3. Loss of IRF8 decreased the growth of DLBCL in vivo. Figure 3. Loss of IRF8 decreased the growth of DLBCL in vivo. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text

LncRNA NONHSAT114552 Sponges miR-320d to Promote Proliferation and Invasion of Chordoma Through Upregulating NRP1

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.773918 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Kai Zhang ◽

Zixiang Liu ◽

Yingchuang Tang ◽

Xiaofeng Shao ◽

Xi Hua ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Proliferation ◽

Critical Role ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Clinical Prognosis ◽

Kaplan Meier ◽

Neuropilin 1 ◽

Competitive Endogenous Rnas ◽

Proliferation And Invasion

Chordoma is a relatively rare malignant bone tumor with high local recurrence. To date, the mechanism remains unclear. lncRNAs play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis by acting as competitive endogenous RNAs of microRNAs. However, the biological role of lncRNA is still unclear in chordoma. In this research, our aim is to investigate the roles and regulation mechanisms of lncRNA NONHSAT114552 in chordoma development. The expression level of NONHSAT114552 and miR-320d in chordoma tissues was determined by qRT-PCR. Meantime, the correlation between NONHSAT114552 and clinical prognosis was also studied. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the relationship between NONHSAT114552 and miR-320d, and between miR-320d and Neuropilin 1 (NRP1). In addition, effects of NONHSAT114552 on chordoma cells (U-CH1 and U-CH2) proliferation and invasion and its regulation on miR-320d were also evaluated. Furthermore, the influences of NONHSAT114552/miR-320d/NRP1 axis on chordoma tumorigenesis were investigated in vivo. NONHSAT114552 was overexpressed while miR-320d was down-regulated in chordoma tissue compared to fetal nucleus pulposus. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that NONHSAT114552 overexpression was associated with patients’ poor prognosis. Knockdown of NONHSAT114552 significantly suppressed chordoma cell proliferation and invasion. In vitro studies confirmed that NONHSAT114552 acted as ceRNA to regulate NRP1 by directly sponging miR-320d, thus facilitating chordoma cell proliferation and invasion. In vivo study demonstrated that NONHSAT114552 moderated chordoma growth by sponging miR-320d to regulating NRP1. Our findings indicate that lncRNA NONHSAT114552 exhibits a critical role in the tumorigenesis and development of chordoma and it may become one potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this disease. .

Download Full-text

PTEN Methylation Promotes Inflammation and Activation of Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.700373 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Xiao-Feng Li ◽

Sha Wu ◽

Qi Yan ◽

Yuan-Yuan Wu ◽

He Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Articular Cartilage ◽

Dna Methyltransferase ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Cartilage Destruction ◽

Specific Pcr ◽

Methylation Inhibitor ◽

Fibroblast Like Synoviocytes

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by a tumor-like expansion of the synovium and subsequent destruction of adjacent articular cartilage and bone. In our previous work we showed that phosphatase and tension homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) contributes to the activation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA), but the underlying mechanism is not unknown. In this study, we show that PTEN is downregulated while DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)1 is upregulated in FLS from RA patients and a rat model of AIA. DNA methylation of PTEN was increased by administration of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in FLS of RA patients, as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation and methylation-specific PCR. Treatment with the methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine suppressed cytokine and chemokine release and FLS activation in vitro and alleviated paw swelling in vivo. PTEN overexpression reduced inflammation and activation of FLS via protein kinase B (AKT) signaling in RA, and intra-articular injection of PTEN-expressing adenovirus into the knee of AIA rats markedly reduced inflammation and paw swelling. Thus, PTEN methylation promotes the inflammation and activation of FLS in the pathogenesis of RA. These findings provide insight into the molecular basis of articular cartilage destruction in RA, and indicate that therapeutic strategies that prevent PTEN methylation may an effective treatment.

Download Full-text

Hypoxia and its possible relationship with endometrial receptivity in adenomyosis: a preliminary study

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology ◽

10.1186/s12958-020-00692-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Song Guo ◽

Di Zhang ◽

Xiaowei Lu ◽

Qian Zhang ◽

Ruihuan Gu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Western Blotting ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Endometrial Receptivity ◽

Control Group ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Preliminary Study

Abstract Background Adenomyosis (AM) is an important cause of female infertility. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This report describes a preliminary study of hypoxia and its possible association with endometrial receptivity in AM. Methods The study was divided into in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, expression levels of the endometrial receptivity markers HOXA10 and HOXA11 in the implantation period were examined using real-time PCR and western blotting. Endometrial expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, HIF-2α, and HIF-3α was determined using immunohistochemistry. In vivo, using an AM mouse model established by oral administration of tamoxifen, we inhibited expression of HIF-2α using an HIF-2α antagonist (PT2399; 30 mg/kg body weight, twice daily by oral gavage for 2 days) and then examined expression levels of Hoxa10 and Hoxa11 using real-time PCR and western blotting. Results Endometrial mRNA and protein expression levels of HOXA10 and HOXA11 were significantly lower in patients with AM than in control patients. Expression of HIF-2α was significantly higher in the AM group than in the control group, whereas that of HIF-1α and HIF-3α was equivalent in both groups. In vivo analysis showed that administration of the HIF-2α antagonist resulted in increased expression of Hoxa10 and Hoxa11 at both the mRNA and protein levels in AM model mice. Conclusions HIF-2α overexpression may be one reason for decreased endometrial receptivity in AM. The current findings provide insight into HIF-2α-mediated AM-related infertility and suggest that PT2399 has potential as a treatment for AM. Trial registration This trial was retrospectively registered.

Download Full-text

The Immunomodulatory Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Play a Critical Role in Inducing Immune Tolerance after Liver Transplantation

Stem Cells International ◽

10.1155/2021/6930263 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Shao-wei Li ◽

Yue Cai ◽

Xin-li Mao ◽

Sai-qin He ◽

Ya-hong Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Transplantation ◽

Immune Tolerance ◽

Critical Role ◽

Immunosuppressive Drugs ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Clinical Prognosis ◽

Promising Tool ◽

Immunomodulatory Properties

Although liver transplantation is considered to be the best choice for patients with end-stage liver diseases, postoperative immune rejection still cannot be overlooked. Patients with liver transplantation have to take immunosuppressive drugs for a long time or even their entire lives, in which heavy economic burden and side effects caused by the drugs have become the major impediment for liver transplantation. There is a growing body of evidences indicating that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation, a promising tool in regenerative medicine, can be used as an effective way to induce immune tolerance after liver transplantation based on their huge expansion potential and unique immunomodulatory properties. MSCs have been reported to inhibit innate immunity and adaptive immunity to induce a tolerogenic microenvironment. In in vitro studies, transplanted MSCs show plasticity in immune regulation by altering their viability, migration, differentiation, and secretion in the interactions with the surrounding host microenvironment. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the current understanding of immunomodulatory properties of MSCs in liver transplantation, to elucidate the potential mechanisms behind MSCs regulating immune response, especially in vivo and the influence of the microenvironment, and ultimately to discuss the feasible strategies to improve the clinical prognosis of liver transplantation. Only after exhaustive understanding of potential mechanisms of the MSC immunomodulation can we improve the safety and effectiveness of MSC treatment and achieve better therapeutic effects.

Download Full-text

MiR-22 Inhibition Alleviates Cardiac Dysfunction in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy by Targeting the sirt1/PGC-1α Pathway

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.646903 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Runze Wang ◽

Yuerong Xu ◽

Xiaolin Niu ◽

Yexian Fang ◽

Dong Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Dysfunction ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Cardiac Fibrosis ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Life Threatening

Doxorubicin (DOX) cardiotoxicity is a life-threatening side effect that leads to a poor prognosis in patients receiving chemotherapy. We investigated the role of miR-22 in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy and the underlying mechanism in vivo and in vitro. Specifically, we designed loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments to identify the role of miR-22 in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy. Our data suggested that inhibiting miR-22 alleviated cardiac fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction induced by doxorubicin. In addition, inhibiting miR-22 mitigated mitochondrial dysfunction through the sirt1/PGC-1α pathway. Knocking out miR-22 enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, as evidenced by increased PGC-1α, TFAM, and NRF-1 expression in vivo. Furthermore, knocking out miR-22 rescued mitophagy, which was confirmed by increased expression of PINK1 and parkin and by the colocalization of LC3 and mitochondria. These protective effects were abolished by overexpressing miR-22. In conclusion, miR-22 may represent a new target to alleviate cardiac dysfunction in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy and improve prognosis in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Download Full-text