Thymosin β10 Expression Driven by the Human TERT Promoter Induces Ovarian Cancer-Specific Apoptosis through ROS Production

The fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Schisandra berries) are used as health food supplements and popular food ingredients in East Asia. Lignans, major and characteristic polyphenol compounds of Schisandra berries, possess various biological activities, including hepatoprotective and anticancer effects. However, the biological activities of gomisin L1, a lignan isolated from Schisandra berries, are less to be investigated. In this study, the antitumor activity of gomisin L1 and its underlying molecular mechanism in human ovarian cancer cells were investigated. Gomisin L1 exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against A2780 and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the growth inhibitory effects of gomisin L1 were mediated by the induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, gomisin L1 induced an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine significantly negated gomisin L1-induced cell death. Moreover, inhibition of NADPH oxidase (NOX) using an inhibitor and siRNA attenuated gomisin L1-induced death of, and ROS production in, human ovarian cancer cells. Taken together, these data indicate that the lignan gomisin L1 from Schisandra berries induces apoptotic cell death by regulating intracellular ROS production via NOX.

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Direct impact of cisplatin on mitochondria induces ROS production that dictates cell fate of ovarian cancer cells

Cell Death and Disease ◽

10.1038/s41419-019-2081-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Markus Kleih ◽

Kathrin Böpple ◽

Meng Dong ◽

Andrea Gaißler ◽

Simon Heine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Cell Death ◽

Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽

High Dose ◽

Observation Data ◽

Ros Production ◽

Mitochondrial Content ◽

Knock Down ◽

Mitochondrial Ros ◽

Induced Apoptosis

Abstract Patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) frequently receive platinum-based chemotherapeutics, such as cisplatin. Cisplatin binds to DNA and induces DNA-damage culminating in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Interestingly, mitochondrial DNA is critically affected by cisplatin but its relevance in cell death induction is scarcely investigated. We find that cisplatin sensitive HGSC cell lines contain higher mitochondrial content and higher levels of mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) than cells resistant to cisplatin induced cell death. In clonal sub-lines from OVCAR-3 mitochondrial content and basal oxygen consumption rate correlate with sensitivity to cisplatin induced apoptosis. Mitochondria are in two ways pivotal for cisplatin sensitivity because not only knock-down of BAX and BAK but also the ROS scavenger glutathione diminish cisplatin induced apoptosis. Mitochondrial ROS correlates with mitochondrial content and reduction of mitochondrial biogenesis by knock-down of transcription factors PGC1α or TFAM attenuates both mtROS induction and cisplatin induced apoptosis. Increasing mitochondrial ROS by inhibition or knock-down of the ROS-protective uncoupling protein UCP2 enhances cisplatin induced apoptosis. Similarly, enhancing ROS by high-dose ascorbic acid or H2O2 augments cisplatin induced apoptosis. In summary, mitochondrial content and the resulting mitochondrial capacity to produce ROS critically determine HGSC cell sensitivity to cisplatin induced apoptosis. In line with this observation, data from the human protein atlas (www.proteinatlas.org) indicates that high expression of mitochondrial marker proteins (TFAM and TIMM23) is a favorable prognostic factor in ovarian cancer patients. Thus, we propose mitochondrial content as a biomarker for the response to platinum-based therapies. Functionally, this might be exploited by increasing mitochondrial content or mitochondrial ROS production to enhance sensitivity to cisplatin based anti-cancer therapies.

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Disruption of Endoplasmic Reticulum and ROS Production in Human Ovarian Cancer by Campesterol

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10030379 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 379

Author(s):

Hyocheol Bae ◽

Sunwoo Park ◽

Changwon Yang ◽

Gwonhwa Song ◽

Whasun Lim

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Cell Death ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Cell Aggregation ◽

Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽

Human Ovarian Cancer ◽

Ros Production ◽

Apoptosis Protein

Phytosterols, which are present in a variety of foods, exhibit various physiological functions and do not have any side effects. Here, we attempted to identify functional role of campesterol in regulation of oxidative stress by leading to cell death of ovarian cancer. We investigated the effects of campesterol on cancer cell aggregation using a three-dimensional (3D) culture of human ovarian cancer cells. The effects of campesterol on apoptosis, protein expression, proliferation, the cell cycle, and the migration of these cells were determined to unravel the underlying mechanism. We also investigated whether campesterol regulates mitochondrial function, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and calcium concentrations. Our results show that campesterol activates cell death signals and cell death in human ovarian cancer cells. Excessive calcium levels and ROS production were induced by campesterol in the two selected ovarian cancer cell lines. Moreover, campesterol suppressed cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and cell aggregation in ovarian cancer cells. Campesterol also enhanced the anticancer effects of conventional anticancer agents. The present study shows that campesterol can be used as a novel anticancer drug for human ovarian cancer.

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