Gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. Chinese agarwood comprises the resin-containing wood of Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg., traditionally utilized for treating asthma, cardiac ischemia, and tumors. However, comprehensive research regarding its anti-GC effects and underlying mechanisms remains limited. In this study, Chinese agarwood petroleum ether extract (CAPEE) demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against human GC cells, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values for AGS, HGC27, and MGC803 cells of 2.89, 2.46, and 2.37 μg·mL^-1, respectively, at 48 h. CAPEE significantly induced apoptosis in these GC cells, with B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) associated X protein (BAX)/BCL-2 antagonist killer 1 (BAK) likely mediating CAPEE-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, CAPEE induced G₀/G₁ phase cell cycle arrest in human GC cells via activation of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage-p21-cyclin D1/cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) signaling axis, and increased Fe²⁺, lipid peroxides and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, thereby inducing ferroptosis. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western blotting analyses revealed CAPEE-mediated upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in human GC cells. RNA interference studies demonstrated that HO-1 knockdown reduced CAPEE sensitivity and inhibited CAPEE-induced ferroptosis in human GC cells. Additionally, CAPEE administration exhibited robust in vivo anti-GC activity without significant toxicity in nude mice while inhibiting tumor cell growth and promoting apoptosis in tumor tissues. These findings indicate that CAPEE suppresses human GC cell growth through upregulation of the DNA damage-p21-cyclin D1/CDK4 signaling axis and HO-1-mediated ferroptosis, suggesting its potential as a candidate drug for GC treatment.
Animals ; Humans ; Mice ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin D1/genetics* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/genetics* ; DNA Damage/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints/drug effects* ; Heme Oxygenase-1/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Thymelaeaceae/chemistry* ; Up-Regulation/drug effects*

Objective To establish a stable strain of H9c2 cardiomyocytes overexpressing Cx40 and preliminarily investigate the effect of lentiviral vector-mediated Cx40 protein overexpression on the proliferation of H9c2 cells and its related mechanisms. Methods The Cx40 gene fragment was cloned from H9c2 cells by PCR and linked with lentivirus vector pLVX-IRES-Puro to obtain the recombinant plasmid pLVX-Flag-Cx40. Recombinant lentiviral particles carrying Flag-Cx40 were obtained by cotransfection with packaging plasmids into HEK293T cells. A stable expression strain (H9c2-Flag-Cx40 cell) was screened from infected H9c2 cells by purinomycin. The expression of Cx40 protein was detected by Western blot analysis, and the effect of Cx40 on H9c2 cells proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay; cell cycle changes were measured by flow cytometry; the expression of the cell cycle protein cyclin D1 was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis were used to identify the binding of Cx40 and Yes associated protein (YAP) in H9c2 cells; cytoplasmic and cytosolic proteins were isolated to detect the effect of Cx40 on the localization of YAP using Western blot analysis. Results Sequencing results showed that the recombinant pLVX-Flag-Cx40 expression vector was successfully established. A stable transfected cell line containing recombinant Flag-Cx40 lentivirus (H9c2-Flag-Cx40 cell) was successfully constructed from H9c2 cells. Compared with the control group, overexpression of Cx40 significantly reduced the proliferation of H9c2 cells, arrested the cell cycle at G0/G1 and reduced cyclin D1 expression. A significant increase in YAP expression was observed in the cytoplasm of the H9c2-Flag-Cx40 stable cell line, while the expression in the nucleus was significantly reduced. Cx40 bound to YAP in the cytoplasm and prevented it from entering the nucleus to play the role of transcriptional coactivation. Conclusion Overexpression of Cx40 induces cell-cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and inhibits the proliferation in H9c2 cells.
Rats ; Humans ; Animals ; Cyclin D1/genetics* ; Transfection ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; HEK293 Cells ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation/genetics* ; Lentivirus/genetics* ; Genetic Vectors/genetics* ; Gap Junction alpha-5 Protein

Spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is a protective mechanism for cells to undergo accurate mitosis. SAC prevented chromosome segregation when kinetochores were not, or incorrectly attached to microtubules in the anaphase of mitosis, thus avoiding aneuploid chromosomes in daughter cells. Aneuploidy and altered expression of SAC component proteins are common in different cancers, including lung cancer. Therefore, SAC is a potential new target for lung cancer therapy. Five small molecule inhibitors of monopolar spindle 1 (MPS1), an upstream component protein of SAC, have entered clinical trials. This article introduces the biological functions of SAC, summarizes the abnormal expression of SAC component proteins in various cancers and the research progress of MPS1 inhibitors, and expects to provide a reference for the future development of lung cancer therapeutic strategies targeting SAC components.
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Humans ; Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism* ; Spindle Apparatus/metabolism* ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints/genetics* ; Lung Neoplasms/metabolism*

Objective: To investigate the effects of glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6PC) recombinant adenovirus on proliferation and cell cycle regulation of liver cancer cells. Methods: Recombinant adenovirus AdG6PC was constructed. Huh7 cells and SK-Hep1 cells were set as Mock, AdGFP and AdG6PC group. Cell proliferation and clone formation assay were used to observe the proliferation of liver cancer cells. Transwell and scratch assay were used to observe the invasion and migration of liver cancer cells. Cell cycle flow cytometry assay was used to analyze the effect of G6PC overexpression on the proliferation cycle of liver cancer cells. Western blot was used to detect the effect of G6PC overexpression on the cell-cycle protein expression in liver cancer cells. Results: The recombinant adenovirus AdG6PC was successfully constructed. Huh7 and SK-Hep1 cells proliferation assay showed that the number of proliferating cells in the AdG6PC group was significantly lower than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Clone formation assay showed that the number of clones was significantly lower in AdG6PC than the other two groups (P < 0.05), suggesting that G6PC overexpression could significantly inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells. Transwell assay showed that the number of cell migration was significantly lower in AdG6PC than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Scratch repair rate was significantly lower in AdG6PC than the other two groups (P < 0.05), suggesting that G6PC overexpression can significantly inhibit the invasion and migration of liver cancer cells. Cell cycle flow cytometry showed that G6PC overexpression had significantly inhibited the Huh7 cells G(1)/S phase transition. Western blot result showed that G6PC overexpression had down-regulated the proliferation in cell-cycle related proteins expression. Conclusion: G6PC inhibits the proliferation, cell-cycle related expression, and migration of liver cancer cells by inhibiting the G(1)/S phase transition.
Catalytic Domain ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Glucose-6-Phosphatase/metabolism* ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics*

Cell Cycle Checkpoints/genetics* ; Checkpoint Kinase 1/metabolism* ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Mitosis/genetics* ; Mutation ; Zygote/metabolism*

Currently, chemoresistance seriously attenuates the curative outcome of liver cancer. The purpose of our work was to investigate the influence of 6-shogaol on the inhibition of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in liver cancer. The cell viability of cancer cells was determined by MTT assay. Liver cancer cell apoptosis and the cell cycle were examined utilizing flow cytometry. Moreover, qRT-PCR and western blotting was used to analyse the mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively. Immunohistochemistry assays were used to examine multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) expression in tumour tissues. In liver cancer cells, we found that 6-shogaol-5-FU combination treatment inhibited cell viability, facilitated G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, and accelerated apoptosis compared with 6-shogaol or 5-FU treatment alone. In cancer cells cotreated with 6-shogaol and 5-FU, AKT/mTOR pathway- and cell cycle-related protein expression levels were inhibited, and MRP1 expression was downregulated. AKT activation or MRP1 increase reversed the influence of combination treatment on liver cancer cell viability, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The inhibition of AKT activation to the anticancer effect of 6-shogaol-5-FU could be reversed by MRP1 silencing. Moreover, our results showed that 6-shogaol-5-FU combination treatment notably inhibited tumour growth in vivo. In summary, our data demonstrated that 6-shogaol contributed to the curative outcome of 5-FU in liver cancer by inhibiting the AKT/mTOR/MRP1 signalling pathway.
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 ; Apoptosis ; Catechols ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Fluorouracil/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism*

Objective: To explore the impacts of miR-18a overexpression or depression on the radiosensitivities of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE1 and CNE2 and underlying mechanisms. Methods: CNE1 and CNE2 were transfected with miR-18a mimics, inhibitor and the corresponding control vectors. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to determine the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) expressions in CNE1 and CNE2. CNE1 and CNE2 with stably expressing miR-18a and miR-18a siRNA were constructed. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to detect the impacts of the miR-18a overexpression or depression combined with irradiation on the cell growth. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Colony formation assay was used to evaluate the raodiosensitivities of cells. Acridine orange (AO) staining and western blot were used respectively to test the autophagy and the expressions of related proteins. Independent samples t test was used to compare the mean value between groups by using SPSS 16.0. Results: ATM mRNA was decreased significantly in CNE1 and CNE2 cells transfected with 100 or 200 nmol/L miR-18a mimics for 48 hours (CNE1: RQ=0.174±0.139 and 0.003±0.001, t=9.939 and 19 470.783;CNE2: RQ=0.024±0.008 and 0.019±0.012, t=270.230 and 137.746, respectively, all P<0.001). ATM proteins were also decreased after transfected with 100 or 200 nmol/L miR-18a mimics for 72 hours. While in the cells transfected with 100 and 200 nmol/L miR-18a inhibitor for 48 hours, the expressions of ATM mRNA were upregulated significantly (CNE1: RQ=9.419±2.495 and 2.500±1.063, t=-4.427 and -41.241; CNE2: RQ=7.210±0.171 and 115.875±15.805, t=-62.789 and -12.589, all P<0.05), and the expressions of ATM proteins increased after transfected for 72 hours. The growth of cells with miR-18a overexpression plus 4 Gy irradiation were obviously inhibited compared to that of cells with the 4Gy irradiation alone; while the growth of miR-18a-inhibited cells increased compared to that of cells with 4 Gy irradiation alone (all P<0.05). CNE1 transfected with 100 nmol/L miR-18a mimics plus 4 Gy irradiation showed the higher apoptosis rate than the cells with 4 Gy irradiation alone ((22.9±2.1)% vs. (16.3±1.0)%, t=-4.870, P<0.01). Compared to the cells with 4 Gy irradiation alone, miR-18a-overexpressed cells plus 4 Gy irradiation decreased their percentages in G1 phases ((20.2±3.0)% vs. (29.8±4.4)%, t=3.119) and G2/M phases ((21.5±0.9)% vs. (33.4±3.1)%, t=6.410, P<0.05 for both), and increased their percentages in S phases ((56.7±4.9)% vs. (36.8±6.4)%, t=-4.246, P<0.05), and these cells possessed less colony number after exposure to different doses of irradiation, more autophagy-lysosome number, and more expressions of LC3 proteins (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the expressions of p62 expressions between different groups of cells. Conclusion: Overexpression of miR-18a can enhance the radiosensitivities of NPC cells by targeting ATM to abrogate G1/S, G2/M arrest and to induce autophagy and apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Humans ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/genetics* ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/genetics* ; Radiation Tolerance

OBJECTIVE: To screen the key genes related to the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma through big data analysis and explore their clinical value and potential mechanism. METHODS: We analyzed GSE18842, GSE27262, and GSE33532 gene expression profile data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Bioinformatics methods were used to screen the differentially expressed genes in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and KEGG and GO enrichment analysis was performed, followed by PPI interaction network analysis, module analysis, differential expression analysis, and prognosis analysis. The expressions of MAD2L1 and TTK by immunohistochemistry were verified in 35 non-small cell lung cancer specimens and paired adjacent tissues. RESULTS: We identified a total of 256 genes that showed significant differential expressions in lung adenocarcinoma, including 66 up-regulated and 190 down-regulated genes. Thirty-two up-regulated core genes were screened by functional analysis, and among them 29 were shown to significantly correlate with a poor prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. All the 29 genes were highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared with normal lung tissues and were mainly enriched in cell cycle pathways. Seven of these key genes were closely related to the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) complex and responsible for regulating cell behavior in G2/M phase. We selected SAC-related proteins TTK and MAD2L1 to test their expressions in clinical tumor samples, and detected their overexpression in lung adenocarcinoma tissues as compared with the adjacent tissues. CONCLUSIONS Seven SAC complex-related genes, including TTK and MAD2L1, are overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues with close correlation with the prognosis of the patients.
Adenocarcinoma of Lung/genetics* ; Big Data ; Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics* ; Computational Biology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/genetics* ; M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Mad2 Proteins/genetics* ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of palbociclib on cell cycle progression and proliferation of human renal tubular epithelial cells. METHODS: Human renal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2 was treated with 1, 5, 10, and 20 μmol/L of palbociclib, and the changes in cell proliferation and viability were examined by cell counting and CCK8 assay. EDU staining was used to assess the proliferation of HK-2 cells following palbiciclib treatment at different concentrations for 5 days. The effect of palbociclib on cell cycle distribution of HK-2 cells was evaluated using flow cytometry. SA-β-Gal staining and C12FDG senescence staining were used to detect senescence phenotypes of HK-2 cells after palbociclib treatment at different concentrations for 5 days. The relative mRNA expression levels of P16, P21, and P53 and the genes associated with senescence-related secretion phenotypes were detected by RT-PCR, and the protein expressions of P16, P21 and P53 were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Palbociclib inhibited HK-2 cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest in G1 phase. Compared with the control cells, HK-2 cells treated with high-dose (10 μmol/L) palbociclib exhibited significantly suppressed cell proliferation activity, and the inhibitory effect was the most obvious on day 5 ( CONCLUSIONS Palbociclib induces HK-2 cell senescence by causing cell growth arrest and delaying cell cycle progression.
Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cellular Senescence ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Piperazines/pharmacology* ; Pyridines/pharmacology* ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics*

Proteasome inhibitors have shown remarkable success in the treatment of hematologic neoplasm. There has been a lot of attention to applying these drugs for solid tumor treatment. Recent preclinical study has signified the effectiveness on cell proliferation inhibition in lung adenocarcinoma treated by carfilzomib (CFZ), a second generation proteasome inhibitor. However, no insight has been gained regarding the mechanism. In this study, we have systematically investigated the CFZ functions in cell proliferation and growth, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Flow cytometry experiments showed that CFZ significantly induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma. MTS and colony formation assays revealed that CFZ substantially inhibited survival of lung adenocarcinoma cells. All results were consistently correlated to the upregulation expression of Gadd45a, which is an important gene in modulating cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in response to physiologic and environmental stresses. Here, upregulation of Gadd45a expression was observed after CFZ treatment. Knocking down Gadd45a expression suppressed G2/M arrest and apoptosis in CFZ-treated cells, and reduced cytotoxicity of this drug. The protein expression analysis has further identified that the AKT/FOXO3a pathway is involved in Gadd45a upregulation after CFZ treatment. These findings unveil a novel mechanism of proteasome inhibitor in anti-solid tumor activity, and shed light on novel preferable therapeutic strategy for lung adenocarcinoma. We believe that Gadd45a expression can be a highly promising candidate predictor in evaluating the efficacy of proteasome inhibitors in solid tumor therapy.
Adenocarcinoma of Lung/pathology* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints/drug effects* ; Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Forkhead Box Protein O3/physiology* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects* ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Oligopeptides/pharmacology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/physiology* ; Up-Regulation