Nontoxic Concentrations (nontoxic + concentration)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Cepharanthine activates caspases and induces apoptosis in Jurkat and K562 human leukemia cell lines

JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2001
Jianghong Wu
Abstract Cepharanthine (CEP) is a known membrane stabilizer that has been widely used in Japan for the treatment of several disorders such as anticancer therapy-provoked leukopenia. We here report that apoptosis was induced by low concentrations (1,5 ,M) of CEP in a human leukemia T cell line, Jurkat, and by slightly higher concentrations (5,10 ,M) in a human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell line K562, which expresses a p210 antiapoptotic Bcr-Abl fusion protein. Induction of apoptosis was confirmed in both Jurkat and K562 cells by DNA fragmentation and typical apoptotic nuclear change, which were preceded by disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and were induced through a Fas-independent pathway. CEP treatment induced activation of caspase-9 and -3 accompanied by cleavage of PARP, Bid, lamin B1, and DFF45/ICAD in both Jurkat and K562 cells, whereas caspase-8 activation and Akt cleavage were observed only in Jurkat cells. The CEP-induced apoptosis was completely blocked by zVAD-fmk, a broad caspase inhibitor. Interestingly, CEP treatment induced remarkable degradation of the Bcr-Abl protein in K562 cells, and this degradation was prevented partially by zVAD-fmk. When used in combination with a nontoxic concentration of herbimycin A, lower concentrations (2,5 ,M) of CEP induced obvious apoptosis in K562 cells with rapid degradation or decrease in the amount of Bcr-Abl and Akt proteins. Our results suggest that CEP, which does not have bone marrow toxicity, may possess therapeutic potential against human leukemias, including CML, which is resistant to anticancer drugs and radiotherapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 82: 200,214, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Transforming growth factor-,1-dependent activation of Smad2/3 and up-regulation of PAI-1 expression is negatively regulated by Src in SKOV-3 human ovarian cancer cells

JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2004
Kiyoshi Wakahara
Abstract The net balance between urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) has been implicated in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. To elucidate the mechanism of the transforming growth factor-,1 (TGF-,1)-dependent up-regulation of PAI-1 expression, we investigated which signaling pathway transduced by TGF-,1 is responsible for this effect. Here, we show (1) nontoxic concentrations of TGF-,1 up-regulates uPA expression in HRA and SKOV-3 human ovarian cancer cells, (2) TGF-,1 activates Smads (phosphorylation of Smad2 and nuclear translocation of Smad3) and subsequently up-regulates PAI-1 expression in HRA cells, whereas TGF-,1 neither activates Smads nor up-regulates PAI-1 in SKOV-3 cells, (3) pharmacological Src inhibitor PP2 or antisense (AS) c-Src oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) treatment significantly induces TGF-,1-dependent activation of Smads, leading to PAI-1 synthesis, compared with controls, in SKOV-3 cells, (4) combination of TGF-,1 and PP2, which activates PAI-1 expression and reduces uPA expression in SKOV-3, results in decreased invasiveness, (5) pharmacological inhibitors for mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (PD98059) and phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) (LY294002 and wortmannin) or AS-PI3K ODN transfection do not affect TGF-,1-induced Smad signaling and up-regulation of PAI-1 expression in SKOV-3 cells pr treated with PP2, and (6) the induction of PAI-1 protein was partially inhibited by an inhibitor of Sp1-DNA binding, mithramycin, implicating, at least in part, Sp1 in the regulation of this gene by TGF-,1. In conclusion, TGF-,1-dependent activation of Smad2/3, leading to PAI-1 synthesis, may be negatively regulated by Src, but not its downstream targets MAPK and PI3K in SKOV-3 cells. These data also reflect the complex biological effect of uPA-PAI-1 system. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Reversal of multidrug resistance-associated protein-mediated daunorubicin resistance by camptothecin

JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 8 2002
David Chauvier
Abstract The multidrug-resistance (MR) status of camptothecin (CPT) was investigated in colon adenocarcinoma HT29 cells, leukemia K562, and breast carcinoma MCF7 cells expressing P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and/or MR-associated protein (MRP1). The concentration that induced 50% growth inhibition (IC50) against CPT was 0.14 and 0.20 ,M in parental K562/WT and MCF7/WT cells, respectively. The drug resistant subline KH30 and MCF7/VP cells, which both overexpress MRP1, presented IC50 values of 0.63 and 3.10 ,M, respectively. The resulting resistance indexes were 3.80 and 12.50, respectively. However, in KH300 cells, a cell line that preferentially overexpresses Pgp, the IC50 of CPT was 0.08 ,M and thus did not exhibit resistance against CPT. In MCF7/DoX cells, preferentially overexpressing Pgp, but also a significant level of MRP1, the IC50 of CPT was 0.64 ,M and thus presented a resistance index of 3.26 against CPT. The cytotoxic effect of CPT was modulated in cells expressing MRP1 (MCF7/VP, HT29 cells) by the specific MRP1 modulators, probenecid and MK571. These results led us to consider CPT as a substrate for MRP1 and a potential modulator of MRP1 activity. To test this hypothesis, we examined the ability of nontoxic concentrations of CPT to sensitize MRP1-overexpressing cells to daunorubicin (DNR). In MCF7/VP and KH30 cells, nontoxic concentrations of CPT were able to enhance cytotoxicity of DNR and its nuclear accumulation. Sequential and simultaneous associations of CPT (100 nM) and DNR provided complete reversal of resistance, thus showing a synergistic effect in KH30 cells. However, simultaneous association (with 10 or 20 nM CPT) had an additive effect in MCF7/VP. These data suggest that CPT could be proposed as a candidate for the reversal of the MRP1 phenotype at clinically achievable concentrations. © 2002 Wiley-Liss Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 91:1765,1775, 2002 [source]


The Ether Lipid Inositol-C2-PAF is a Potent Inhibitor of Cell Proliferation in HaCaT Cells

CHEMBIOCHEM, Issue 3 2006
Annette Fischer
Abstract The search for specific anticancer drugs that do not interfere with DNA synthesis or influence the cytoskeleton has led to the development of modified phospholipids with antiproliferative properties. These compounds cause remodeling of the structure and function of plasma membranes. Recently, we described novel compounds, the glycosidated phospholipids, that surprisingly inhibit cell proliferation. These compounds contain ,- D -glucose in the sn -2 position of the glycerol backbone of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and platelet-activating factor (PAF), which gives rise to 2-glucophosphatidylcholine (Glc-PC) and 1- O -octadecyl-2- O -,- d- glucopyranosyl- sn -2-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (Glc-PAF), respectively. Glc-PC and Glc-PAF inhibit the growth of HaCaT cells at nontoxic concentrations. Here we report the introduction of myo -inositol, in place of ,- D -glucose, in the sn -2 position of the glycerol backbone; this leads to two diastereomeric 1- O -octadecyl-2- O -(2-(myo -inositolyl)-ethyl)- sn -glycero-3-(R/S)-phosphatidylcholines (Ino-C2-PAF). The inositol-containing PAF enhances the antiproliferative capacity (IC50=1.8 ,M) and reduces the cytotoxicity relative to Glc-PAF (LC50=15 ,M). Through biological assays, we showed that, in HaCaT cells, Ino-C2-PAF causes upregulation of the keratinocyte-specific differentiation marker involucrin, increases the activity of the differentiation marker transglutaminase, and induces apoptosis at nontoxic concentrations. Ino-C2-PAF therefore seems to be a promising candidate for development as an antiproliferative drug for the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases of the skin. [source]