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The sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide (PN) has recently attracted considerable attention because of its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. However, the mechanism of its cytotoxic action on tumor cells remains scarcely defined. We recently provided evidence that the effect exerted by PN in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The present study shows that PN promoted the phosphorylation of EGF receptor (phospho-EGFR) at Tyr1173, an event which was observed already at 1 h of incubation with 25 µM PN and reached a peak at 8-16 h. This effect seemed to be a consequence of ROS production, because N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a powerful ROS scavenger, prevented the increment of phospho-EGFR levels. In addition fluorescence analyses performed using dihydroethidium demonstrated that PN stimulated the production of superoxide anion already at 2-3 h of incubation and the effect further increased prolonging the time of treatment, reaching a peak at 8-16 h. Superoxide anion production was markedly hampered by apocynin, a well known NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitor, suggesting that the effect was dependent on NOX activity. The finding that AG1478, an EGFR kinase inhibitor, substantially blocked both EGFR phosphorylation and superoxide anion production strongly suggested that phosphorylation of EGFR can be responsible for the activation of NOX with the consequent production of superoxide anion. Therefore, EGFR phosphorylation can exert a key role in the production of superoxide anion and ROS induced by PN in MDA-MB-231 cells.

This report shows that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) induced apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Trichostatin A (TSA), ITF2357 and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), which were very effective agents, caused apoptotic effects after a lag phase of 12-16 h. In order to elucidate the mechanism of HDACIs action in HepG2 cells we have studied the effects of TSA, ITF2357 and SAHA on acetylation of p53 and histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4. It was observed that HDACIs rapidly induced acetylation of these proteins, being the effects clearly visible already at 30 min of treatment at the same doses which caused apoptosis. Analysis of the immunocomplexes, obtained from nuclear extracts using an antibody against p53, revealed the presence of acetylated p53 together with acetylated forms of histones and histone acetyltransferases p300 and PCAF. Experiments performed using pifithrin-alpha, a reversible inhibitor of p53, showed a correlation between acetylation of p53 and induction of apoptosis. In addition treatment with siRNA against p53 indicated that p53 is involved in the acetylation of histones. In conclusion, this report suggests that complexes constituted by acetylated p53, acetylated histones and coactivators can play a central role in HDACI-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

This study demonstrates that in human osteosarcoma cells treatment with 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB), a potent inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), induces morphological and biochemical features of differentiation, the duration of which depends on whether or not the normal RB gene is expressed. In Saos-2 cells expressing a non-functional Rb protein, 3-AB treatment induced the formation of transient, short dendritic-like protrusions. In RB-transfected-Saos-2 cells (a clone previously generated in our laboratory that shows stable expression of wild-type Rb protein), 3-AB induced marked and prolonged changes with the formation of long dendritic-like protrusions and the appearance of stellate (osteocyte-like) cells. In MG-63 cells producing a wild-type Rb protein, 3-AB treatment had more marked effects, with a larger number of cells assuming the stellate appearance of osteocytes, which were connected to each other via junctions resembling small channels. Regardless of cell type, at some point after 3-AB treatment the differentiative attempt failed and the cells died. Death was apoptotic, as demonstrated by chromatin condensation and fragmentation, specific cleavage of PARP and Lamin-B, processing of caspase-3 and the appearance of Bax immunoreactive species. Enzymatic assay and RT-PCR of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) - an enzyme whose levels markedly decrease when osteoblasts undergo terminal differentiation into osteocytes - showed that 3-AB treatment markedly lowered ALP expression. Simultaneously, 3-AB treatment markedly increased the expression of CD44, a transmembrane multifunctional adhesion molecule and sensitive marker of osteocytic differentiation. This study hypothesizes a cross-talk between pRb and PARP and suggests that PARP may be a useful target for anticancer drugs.

This study demonstrated that cisplatin and carboplatin stimulate apoptosis in human retinoblastoma Y79 cells, cisplatin being the most effective compound. The apoptotic effect appeared after 8 h and then increased in a time-dependent manner. Treatment with cisplatin and carboplatin also provoked an increase in the level of p53 and p21, and a lowering in Bcl-2. The prolonged exposure of Y79 cells to cisplatin induced resistance to cisplatin, carboplatin and etoposide. The basal level of p53 was in resistant cells higher than in untreated cells, while Bcl-2 was not modified. p53 and Bcl-2 levels did not change after treating of resistant cells with cisplatin, carboplatin or etoposide. However, camptothecin which is a powerful inducer of apoptosis in sensitive cells, triggered cell death even in resistant cells. Such an effect was not accompanied by any modification in p53 level while Bcl-2 was markedly reduced. …