Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027651 (tumor)
685,946 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Salicylates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells, including those of colon, prostate, breast, and leukemia. We examined the effects of sodium salicylate (NaSal) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the association of these effects with apoptotic tumor cell death. We demonstrate that NaSal mediates ROS production followed by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (deltapsi(m)), release of cytochrome c, and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. However, expression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-x(L) prevents ROS production and subsequent loss of deltapsi(m), thereby inhibiting apoptotic cell death. The presence of ROS scavengers and an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase or expression of a dominant negative form of Rac1 blocks ROS production, deltapsi(m) collapse, and the subsequent activation of caspases. These observations indicate that NaSal mediates ROS production critical in the triggering of apoptotic tumor cell death through a Rac1-NADPH oxidase-dependent pathway. Our data collectively imply that NaSal-induced ROS are key mediators of deltapsi(m) collapse, which leads to the release of cytochrome c followed by caspase activation, culminating in tumor apoptosis.
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PMID:Molecular ordering of ROS production, mitochondrial changes, and caspase activation during sodium salicylate-induced apoptosis. 1256 69

The inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) plays a central role in repressing caspase-mediated cell death. However, little is known about the actual role of endogenously expressed IAPs in cancer cells. We found that the cytochrome c/apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 (apoptosome)-dependent caspase activation is deficient in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) NCI-H460 cells. This dysfunctional apoptosome activity was not correlated with any decrease of apoptosome component factors, but it was linked to an increased X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP). In H460 cells, the overexpressed XIAP, but not c-IAP1, bound to the processed form of caspase-9 and suppressed the activation of downstream effector caspases. Moreover, the defect in apoptosome activity in H460 cells was dramatically restored by the IAP-targeting SmacN7 peptide, which disrupted XIAP-caspase-9 binding, indicating an essential role of the IAP in the apoptosome inhibition. However, the SmacN7 did not show any striking effect on the apoptosome activity of normal lung fibroblast cells, although these cells also expressed modest amounts of IAP. To explore the therapeutic approach, we additionally developed SmacN7(R)8, a newly designed cell permeable peptide. The SmacN7(R)8 selectively reversed the apoptosis resistance of H460 cells, and when in combination with chemotherapy, regressed the tumor growth in vivo with little toxicity to the mice. Our results indicate that IAP-dependent suppression of apoptosome predominantly occurs in IAP-overexpressing tumor, and the IAP-targeting Smac peptide is an effective molecule to increase tumor cell death induced by chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo.
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PMID:Predominant suppression of apoptosome by inhibitor of apoptosis protein in non-small cell lung cancer H460 cells: therapeutic effect of a novel polyarginine-conjugated Smac peptide. 1455 54

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), found at the site of most tumors, has been recognized as one of the mechanisms involved in tumor immunological escape. To evaluate its impact on adoptive immunotherapy against cancer, we examined the susceptibility of tumor-specific T cells to TGF-beta in the setting of these T cells being prepared for adoptive transfer. Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific CD4(+) T cells were ex vivo generated by activating with HBV-transfected dendritic cells and selecting with antibodies to CD25 activation molecules, and then expanded with antibodies to CD3/CD28. These T cells expressed higher levels of the type II TGF-beta receptor than nai;ve T cells and exhibited enhanced apoptosis when exposed to TGF-beta. The underlying apoptotic pathway was linked to the dissipation of the mitochondrial inner membrane potential and activation of caspase-9. The absence of caspase-8 activity in TGF-beta-treated T cells suggests that the death receptor system may not be involved in this type of apoptosis. Interleukin-2 (IL-2), which is concomitantly administered with tumor-specific T cells in adoptive immunotherapy, was unable to protect HBV-specific CD4(+) T cells from the pro-apoptotic effect of TGF-beta when added simultaneously with TGF-beta. Interesting, IL-2-pretreated T cells displayed the type II TGF-beta receptor at lower levels and were more resistant to TGF-beta. Together, our findings indicate that the effectiveness of adoptive cancer immunotherapy may be impaired by tumor-derived TGF-beta and appropriate manipulation of exogenous IL-2 might overcome this hurdle.
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PMID:Transforming growth factor-beta induces apoptosis in antigen-specific CD4+ T cells prepared for adoptive immunotherapy. 1260 Jul 43

p75(NTR) was identified as a tumor and metastasis suppressor that functions in part via induction of apoptosis in tumor cells. To examine p75(NTR)-dependent apoptosis in tumor cells, we demonstrated that a dose-dependent increase in p75(NTR) expression was associated with a concomitant increase in the mitochondrial proapoptotic effector proteins Bad, Bax and Bik and a decrease in the mitochondrial prosurvival effector proteins phospho-Bad, Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L). Significantly, p75(NTR)-dependent induction of cytochrome c release from the mitochondria occurred during CHX potentiation of apoptosis. Furthermore, p75(NTR) expression largely suppressed expression of IAP-1 and induced cleavage of procaspase-9 and procaspase-7 but not of procaspases 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10. A specific peptide inhibitor of procaspase-9 cleavage also inhibited cleavage of procaspase-7, indicating that caspase-7 is downstream of caspase-9. As end points of apoptosis, we observed p75(NTR)-dependent annexin V binding to the plasma membrane, an indicator of early apoptotic events, and Hoechst staining of DNA nuclear fragmentation, an indicator of late apoptotic events, whereas control tumor cells that lack expression of the p75(NTR) protein did not exhibit either of these apoptotic markers. Together, these results delineate the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway of the p75(NTR) tumor-suppressor gene product.
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PMID:The p75(NTR) tumor suppressor induces caspase-mediated apoptosis in bladder tumor cells. 1267 29

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is involved in the carcinogenesis of several human cancers such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and Burkitt lymphoma (BL). Given the consistent role of EBV in transformation and maintenance of malignant phenotype, antiviral strategies provide an attractive approach to target EBV-expressing cells. In that aim, we have tested the Cidofovir, which is an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate analog known to exert an antiproliferative activity in some human virus-related tumors. Here, we show that Cidofovir induces a downregulation of the EBV oncoprotein LMP1 associated with a decrease of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and an increase of the proapoptotic Bax protein in Raji (BL) and C15 (NPC) cells. Using BL cell line BL2 B95-8 (BL2 infected with the B95.8 strain of EBV), we addressed the relation between EBV genome expression and modulation of viral oncoproteins by Cidofovir and/or ionizing radiation (IR). Cidofovir was able to significantly reduce LMP1 and EBNA2 mRNA and protein expression. This effect was associated with inhibition of proliferation, stimulation of apoptosis, and decrease of Bcl-2 expression in BL2 B95.8 cells. In addition, Cidofovir enhanced the radiation-induced apoptosis and the radiosensitivity through the proteolytic cleavage of death effectors caspase-9 and -3, which was specifically induced by combined treatment in EBV-positive cells compared to their negative counterparts. Furthermore, the combined treatment in nude mice led to a complete tumor remission without increasing toxicity in two human EBV-related cancer xenografts (Raji and C15). These results provide the basis for a novel anticancer strategy to enhance the therapeutic ratio of IR in EBV-related cancers.
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PMID:Antiviral agent cidofovir decreases Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) oncoproteins and enhances the radiosensitivity in EBV-related malignancies. 1270 Jun 62

All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) has been shown to inhibit the growth of a number of ovarian tumor cell lines while others have been found to be resistant to retinoid suppression of growth. Interestingly, two synthetic retinoids, CD437 and 4-HPR, inhibit the growth of both ATRA-sensitive (CA-OV-3) and ATRA-resistant (SK-OV-3) ovarian tumor cells. However, in contrast to ATRA, both induce apoptosis. Our goal was to elucidate the mechanism by which these two synthetic retinoids induce apoptosis in ovarian tumor cells. Since it has been documented that apoptosis induction is often mediated by the activation of a cascade of proteases known as caspases, we initially studied the role of caspases in induction of apoptosis by CD437 and 4-HPR. We found that both retinoids induced caspase-3 and caspase-9 enzyme activity. Furthermore, using caspase specific inhibitors we determined that caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity was essential for the induction of apoptosis by these synthetic retinoids since these inhibitors completely blocked CD437 and 4-HPR induced apoptosis. Interestingly, we found that treatment with bongkriekic acid (BA), a mitochondrial membrane depolarization inhibitor, blocked apoptosis, caspase-9 activation and caspase-3 activation induced by both retinoids. Finally, we were able to determine that CD437 treatment induced the translocation of TR3, a nuclear orphan receptor, whereas, 4-HPR did not. Our results suggest that CD437 and 4-HPR initially activate separate pathways to induce mitochondrial depolarization but both utilize mitochondrial depolarization, caspase-9 activation, and caspase-3 activation in the later stages of apoptosis induction.
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PMID:Comparison of the mechanism of induction of apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cells by the conformationally restricted synthetic retinoids CD437 and 4-HPR. 1270 90

Previous experiments have shown that emodin is highly active in suppressing the proliferation of several tumor cell lines. However, it is not clear that emodin can induce growth inhibition of hepatoma cells. We have found that emodin induces apoptotic responses in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HCC) Mahlavu, PLC/PRF/5 and HepG2. The addition of emodin to these three cell lines led to inhibition of growth in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Emodin generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in these cells which brought about a reduction of the intracellular mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim), followed by the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, leading to DNA fragmentation and apoptosis. Our findings demonstrate that ROS and the resulting oxidative stress play a pivotal role in apoptosis. Preincubation of hepatoma cell lines with the hydrogen peroxide-scavenging enzyme, catalase (CAT) and cyclosporin A (CsA), partially inhibited apoptosis. These results demonstrate that enhancement of generation of ROS, DeltaPsim disruption and caspase activation may be involved in the apoptotic pathway induced by emodin.
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PMID:Induction of apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines by emodin. 1271 64

The Ewing sarcoma is the second most common bone tumor in children and young adults. Despite the advances in therapy, the 5-year survival rate for patients with metastatic disease is poor, indicating the need for alternative treatments. Here, we report that 2-methoxy-estradiol (2-Me), a natural estrogen metabolite, induced a caspase-dependent apoptosis of Ewing sarcoma-derived cells independently of their p53 status. 2-Me-induced apoptosis occurred through the mitochondrial death pathway as evidenced by reduction of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, cytochrome c release and caspase-9 activation. Treatment of cells with 2-Me resulted in generation of intracellular H(2)O(2), which occurred earlier than caspase-9 activation. The H(2)O(2)-reducing agent Ebselen and the lipid peroxidation inhibitor vitamin E decreased both 2-Me-induced caspase-9 activation and cell death, thus providing evidence for a role of H(2)O(2) and lipid peroxides in the initiation of this process. Rotenone, an inhibitor of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, abolished both apoptosis and H(2)O(2) production, thereby identifying mitochondria as the source of H(2)O(2). Moreover, we observed that treatment of cells with 2-Me or H(2)O(2) induced activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of JNK1 reduced 2-Me-induced apoptosis indicating that JNK participates in this process. Altogether, our results provide evidence that 2-Me triggers apoptosis of Ewing sarcoma cells through induction of a mitochondria redox-dependent mechanism and suggest that this compound or other agents that selectively increase the level of reactive oxygen species may prove useful to the development of novel strategies for treatment of Ewing tumors.
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PMID:2-Methoxyestradiol induces apoptosis in Ewing sarcoma cells through mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide production. 1273 Jun 70

A tumor suppressor gene product, ARF, sensitizes cells to apoptosis in the presence of appropriate collateral signals. In this study, we analyzed the mechanism of ARF-dependent apoptosis and demonstrated that ARF induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in p53 wild-type, ARF/p16-null cells. We also found that ARF evokes cytochrome c release from mitochondria, decreases mitochondrial membrane potential, and activates pro-caspase-9 to induce apoptosis. Our findings suggest that this apoptotic cellular modulation is brought about by up-regulation of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins Bax and Bim and down-regulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 in mitochondrial fractions. Additionally, ARF seems to down-regulate Bcl-2 in a p53-dependent manner while up-regulating Bax/Bim via a p53-independent pathway.
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PMID:ARF tumor suppressor induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by modulation of mitochondrial Bcl-2 family proteins. 1274 Mar 65

Enediyne antibiotics have been reported to be the most potent cytotoxic antitumor agents. The pathway by which these compounds cleave DNA and induce apoptosis of tumor cells may be different from the caspase-mediated pathways that initiate typical apoptosis. In this report, we studied the apoptosis induced by lidamycin (LDM), a member of the enediyne antibiotic family, and compared the characteristics of LDM-induced apoptosis with those of typical apoptosis induced by mitomycin C or etoposide. Chromatin condensation occurred very rapidly and appeared as speckles in human hepatoma BEL-7402 and breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells after treatment with 1 microM LDM. In addition, co-staining the cells with the mitochondria-specific dye Mitosensor and the DNA-specific dye Hoechst 33342 enabled the visualization of mitochondria in normal control and LDM-treated cells but not in mitomycin C-treated cells. Neither the caspase inhibitor VAD-fmk nor the caspase-3 inhibitor DEVD-fmk was able to inhibit the DNA ladder patterns caused by LDM in BEL-7042 or MCF-7 cells. Smaller fragments of histone H1 cleaved by LDM were detected by SDS-PAGE, indicating that the site of LDM action is the internucleosomal structure. Although caspase-9, caspase-3/7, and caspase-6 activities were increased in BEL-7402 cells, and caspase-7 activity was increased in MCF-7 cells after treatment with 1 microM LDM, this occurred much later, indicating that chromatin condensation reached the maximal level rapidly while caspase activities still remained low. Taken together, these results demonstrate that LDM induced rapid DNA cleavage and chromatin condensation independently of caspase activities; this may contribute to its highly potent cytotoxicity toward tumor cells.
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PMID:Non-caspase-mediated apoptosis contributes to the potent cytotoxicity of the enediyne antibiotic lidamycin toward human tumor cells. 1278 28


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