Cell death mechanisms induced by synergistic effects of halofuginone and artemisinin in colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most commonly occurring cancers. The management of CRC includes laparoscopic surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapies and neoadjuvant treatment. However, conventional chemotherapies have poor impact on combating CRC and are associated with severe toxic effects and high rates of relapse. Therefore, searching for a new combination regimen is a favorable consideration. The aim of this study was to elucidate the synergistic effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and diosmetin in an in vitro model on colorectal cancer cells. An MTT assay was conducted on HCT-116 cancer cells and they were treated with a concentration gradient of 5-FU and diosmetin individually and in combination. The combination index (CI) and dose reduction index (DRI) were calculated using CompuSyn software. Isobologram analysis and synergism determination were performed using the Combenefit software tool and the synergy score was calculated using the SynergyFinder 2.0 software tool. The apoptotic features of the cells were determined via an AO/PI double staining assay and an annexin V assay using a fluorescent microscope and the flow cytometry technique, respectively. The findings showed that the DRI of 5-FU was three-fold lower in the combination with a CI value of less than one, which indicates that there was a synergistic effect. The AO/PI microscopic results revealed signs of apoptosis and dead cells after 72 h of treatment. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that the apoptotic effect of the combination was more prominent compared to 5-FU alone. The findings of this study offer a potential strategy for reducing the cytotoxicity and enhancing the efficacy of 5-FU on colorectal cancer cells through a synergistic study model.

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Assessment of TRPV4 Channel and Its Role in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Biomedical & Pharmacology Journal ◽

10.13005/bpj/1683 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 629-638

Author(s):

N. N. Bahari ◽

S. Y. N. Jamaludin ◽

A. H. Jahidin ◽

M. N. Zahary ◽

A. B. Mohd Hilmi

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cell Cycle ◽

Cell Death ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Human Colorectal Cancer ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Pharmacological Modulation ◽

Colorectal Cancer Cells ◽

Ht 29

The transient receptor potential vanilloid member 4 (TRPV4) is a non-selective calcium (Ca2+)-permeable channel which is widely expressed in different types of tissues including the lungs, liver, kidneys and salivary gland. TRPV4 has been shown to serve as a cellular sensor where it is involved in processes such as osmoregulation, cell volume regulation and thermoregulation. Emerging evidence suggests that TRPV4 also plays important roles in several aspects of cancer progression. Despite the reported roles of TRPV4 in several forms of cancers, the role of TRPV4 in human colorectal cancer remains largely unexplored. In the present study, we sought to establish the potential role of TRPV4 in colorectal cancer by assessing TRPV4 expression levels and investigating whether TRPV4 pharmacological modulation may alter cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell death in colorectal cancer cells. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that TRPV4 mRNA levels were significantly lower in HT-29 cells than normal colon CCD-18Co cells. However, TRPV4 mRNA was absent in HCT-116 cells. Pharmacological activation of TRPV4 with GSK1016790A significantly enhanced the proliferation of HT-29 cells while TRPV4 inhibition using RN 1734 decreased their proliferation. Increased proliferation in GSK1016790A-treated HT-29 cells was attenuated by co-treatment with RN 1734. Pharmacological modulation of TRPV4 had no effect on the cell cycle progression but promoted cell death in HT-29 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest differential TRPV4 expression levels in human colorectal cancer cells and that pharmacological modulation of TRPV4 produces distinct effects on the proliferation and induces cell death in HT-29 cells.

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p53 Enhances Artemisia annua L. Polyphenols-Induced Cell Death Through Upregulation of p53-Dependent Targets and Cleavage of PARP1 and Lamin A/C in HCT116 Colorectal Cancer Cells

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21239315 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (23) ◽

pp. 9315

Author(s):

Eun Joo Jung ◽

Won Sup Lee ◽

Anjugam Paramanantham ◽

Hye Jung Kim ◽

Sung Chul Shin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cell Death ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Artemisia Annua ◽

Flow Cytometric Analysis ◽

Lamin A ◽

Artemisia Annua L ◽

Anticancer Effects ◽

Colorectal Cancer Cells ◽

Hct116 Cells

Plant-derived natural polyphenols exhibit anticancer activity without showing any noticeable toxicities to normal cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of p53 on the anticancer effect of polyphenols isolated from Korean Artemisia annua L. (pKAL) in HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells. We confirmed that pKAL induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, propidium iodide (PI) uptake, nuclear structure change, and acidic vesicles in a p53-independent manner in p53-null HCT116 cells through fluorescence microscopy analysis of DCF/PI-, DAPI-, and AO-stained cells. The pKAL-induced anticancer effects were found to be significantly higher in p53-wild HCT116 cells than in p53-null by hematoxylin staining, CCK-8 assay, Western blot, and flow cytometric analysis of annexin V/PI-stained cells. In addition, expression of ectopic p53 in p53-null cells was upregulated by pKAL in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, increasing pKAL-induced cell death. Moreover, Western bot analysis revealed that pKAL-induced cell death was associated with upregulation of p53-dependent targets such as p21, Bax and DR5 and cleavage of PARP1 and lamin A/C in p53-wild HCT116 cells, but not in p53-null. Taken together, these results indicate that p53 plays an important role in enhancing the anticancer effects of pKAL by upregulating p53 downstream targets and inducing intracellular cell death processes.

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Abstract 1692:KRAS-mediated therapeutic resistance abrogates immunogenic cell death in colorectal cancer cells

10.1158/1538-7445.am2017-1692 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Yi-Jun Wang ◽

Dongshi Chen ◽

Jingshan Tong ◽

Jian Yu ◽

Alberto Bardelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cell Death ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Therapeutic Resistance ◽

Immunogenic Cell Death ◽

Colorectal Cancer Cells

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Sourcing the immune system to induce immunogenic cell death in Kras-colorectal cancer cells

British Journal of Cancer ◽

10.1038/s41416-019-0561-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 121 (9) ◽

pp. 768-775

Author(s):

Mara Cirone ◽

Lavinia Vittoria Lotti ◽

Marisa Granato ◽

Livia Di Renzo ◽

Ida Biunno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cell Death ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cell Activation ◽

Cytotoxic T Cells ◽

Single Agent ◽

Atp Release ◽

Immunogenic Cell Death ◽

Dendritic Cell Activation ◽

Colorectal Cancer Cells

Abstract Background Current approaches aimed at inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) to incite an immune response against cancer neoantigens are based on the use of chemotherapeutics and other agents. Results are hampered by issues of efficacy, combinatorial approaches, dosing and toxicity. Here, we adopted a strategy based on the use of an immunomolecule that overcomes pharmachemical limitations. Methods Cytofluorometry, electron microscopy, RT-PCR, western blotting, apotome immunofluorescence, MLR and xenografts. Results We report that an ICD process can be activated without the use of pharmacological compounds. We show that in Kras-mut/TP53-mut colorectal cancer cells the 15 kDa βGBP cytokine, a T cell effector with onco-suppressor properties and a potential role in cancer immunosurveillance, induces key canonical events required for ICD induction. We document ER stress, autophagy that extends from cancer cells to the corresponding xenograft tumours, CRT cell surface shifting, ATP release and evidence of dendritic cell activation, a process required for priming cytotoxic T cells into a specific anticancer immunogenic response. Conclusions Our findings provide experimental evidence for a rationale to explore a strategy based on the use of an immunomolecule that as a single agent couples oncosuppression with the activation of procedures necessary for the induction of long term response to cancer.

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