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BACKGROUND Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 is a putative antioxidant and has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments, including cancer. While it is known that cell behavior can be modulated by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), the contributions of lncRNAs in EGb 761-induced anti-cancer effects are largely unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS Colon cancer cell lines HT29 and HCT116 were used in this study. RT-qPCR was used to detect the relative expression of lincRNA-p21 in colon cancer cells. Wound-healing assay and Matrigel Transwell assay were performed to investigate the migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot experiments were used to verify ubiquitination and the interaction between lincRNA-p21 and E-cadherin, or E-cadherin and b-transducin repeat containing (BTRC) E3 ubiquitin protein ligase. RESULTS Cell function assay verified that treatment with EGb 761 suppressed the migratory and invasive abilities of colon cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner via the suppression of E-cadherin expression level. lincRNA-p21 was upregulated in colon cancer cells after treatment with EGb 761, and knockdown of lincRNA-p21 reversed the EGb 761-induced anti-metastatic effect. Furthermore, lincRNA-p21 was localized in cytoplasm of colon cells and regulated E-cadherin expression at a post-transcriptional level. Specifically, lincRNA-p21 promotes E-cadherin stability by preventing the interaction between BTRC and E-cadherin, which leads to the inhibition of E-cadherin ubiquitination. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that lincRNA-p21 mediates the anti-cancer effect of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 by stabilizing E-cadherin protein in colon cancer, which may help define the functional role of EGb 761 in cancer treatment.

Vitamin D3 is beneficial in ameliorating or preventing inflammation and carcinogenesis. Here, we evaluated if vitamin D3 has a preventive effect on colitis-associated carcinogenesis. Administration of azoxymethane (AOM), followed with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), was used to simulate colitis-associated colon cancer in mice. The supplement of vitamin D3 at different dosages (15, 30, 60 IU·g·w), started before AOM or immediately after DSS treatment (post 60), was sustained to the end of the experiment. Dietary vitamin D3 significantly reduced the number of tumors and tumor burden in a dose-dependent manner. Of note, vitamin D3 in high doses showed significant preventive effects on carcinogenesis regardless of administration before or after AOM-DSS treatment. Cell proliferation decreased in vitamin D3 groups compared with the control group after inhibition of expression of β-catenin and its downstream target gene cyclin D1 in the colon. In vitro, vitamin D3 reduced the transcriptional activity and nuclear level of β-catenin, and it also increased E-cadherin expression and its binding affinity for β-catenin. Moreover, repression of E-cadherin was rescued by supplemental vitamin D3 in mouse colons. Taken together, our results indicate that vitamin D3 effectively suppressed colonic carcinogenesis in the AOM-DSS mouse model. Our findings further suggest that upregulation of E-cadherin contributes to the preventive effect of vitamin D3 on β-catenin activity.

The effects of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) differ in various types of cancers. We investigated the EMT phenotype in four colon cancer cell lines when challenged with HDAC inhibitors trichostatin A (TSA) and valproic acid (VPA) with or without transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) treatment. Four colon cancer cell lines with different phenotypes in regards to tumorigenicity, microsatellite stability and DNA mutation were used. EMT phenotypes were assessed by the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin using western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, quantitative real-time RT-PCR following treatment with TSA (100 or 200 nM) or VPA (0.5 mM) with or without TGF-β1 (5 ng/ml) for 24 h. Biological EMT phenotypes were also evaluated by cell morphology, migration and invasion assays. TSA or VPA induced mesenchymal features in the colon carcinoma cells by a decrease in E-cadherin and an increase in vimentin expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Confocal microscopy revealed membranous attenuation or nuclear translocation of E-cadherin and enhanced expression of vimentin. These responses occurred after 6 h and increased until 24 h. Colon cancer cells changed from a round or rectangular shape to a spindle shape with increased migration and invasion ability following TSA or VPA treatment. The susceptibility to EMT changes induced by TSA or VPA was comparable in microsatellite stable (SW480 and HT29) and microsatellite unstable cells (DLD1 and HCT116). TSA or VPA induced a mesenchymal phenotype in the colon carcinoma cells and these effects were augmented in the presence of TGF-β1. HDAC inhibitors require careful caution before their application as new anticancer drugs for colon cancers.

Background & Aims: Activation of the β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) complex occurs in most colon tumors, and its actions correlate with the neoplastic phenotype of intestinal epithelial cells. Type 3 deiodinase (D3), the selenoenzyme that inactivates thyroid hormone (3,5,3' triiodothyronine [T3]), is frequently expressed by tumor cells, but little is known about its role in the regulation of T3 signaling in cancer cells., Methods: We measured D3 expression in 6 colon cancer cell lines and human tumors and correlated it with the activity of the β-catenin/TCF complex. We also determined the effects of D3 loss on local thyroid hormone signaling and colon tumorigenesis., Results: We show that D3 is a direct transcriptional target of the β-catenin/TCF complex; its expression was higher in human intestinal adenomas and carcinomas than in healthy intestinal tissue. Experimental attenuation of β-catenin reduced D3 levels and induced type 2 deiodinase (the D3 antagonist that converts 3,5,3',5' tetraiodothyronine into active T3) thereby increasing T3-dependent transcription. In the absence of D3, excess T3 reduced cell proliferation and promoted differentiation in cultured cells and in xenograft mouse models. This occurred via induction of E-cadherin, which sequestered β-catenin at the plasma membrane and promoted cell differentiation., Conclusions: Deiodinases are at the interface between the β-catenin and the thyroid hormone pathways. Their synchronized regulation of intracellular T3 concentration is a hitherto unrecognized route by which the multiple effects of β-catenin are generated and may be targeted to reduce the oncogenic effects of β-catenin in intestinal cells., (Copyright © 2012 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is one of the most potent chemopreventive agents against colorectal cancer; however, the mechanisms remain largely unexplored. In this study, we assessed the ability of PEG to target cyclin D1-beta-catenin-mediated hyperproliferation in the azoxymethane-treated rat model and the human colorectal cancer cell line, HT-29. Azoxymethane-treated rats were randomized to AIN-76A diet alone or supplemented with 5% PEG-8000. After 30 weeks, animals were euthanized and biopsies of aberrant crypt foci and uninvolved crypts were subjected to immunohistochemical and immunoblot analyses. PEG markedly suppressed both early and late markers of azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis (fractal dimension by 80%, aberrant crypt foci by 64%, and tumors by 74%). In both azoxymethane-treated rats and HT-29 cells treated with 5% PEG-3350 for 24 hours, PEG decreased proliferation (45% and 52%, respectively) and cyclin D1 (78% and 56%, respectively). Because beta-catenin is the major regulator of cyclin D1 in colorectal cancer, we used the T-cell factor (Tcf)-TOPFLASH reporter assay to show that PEG markedly inhibited beta-catenin transcriptional activity. PEG did not alter total beta-catenin expression but rather its nuclear localization, leading us to assess E-cadherin expression (a major determinant of beta-catenin subcellular localization), which was increased by 73% and 71% in the azoxymethane-rat and HT-29 cells, respectively. We therefore investigated the effect of PEG treatment on levels of the negative regulator of E-cadherin, SNAIL, and observed a 50% and 75% decrease, respectively. In conclusion, we show, for the first time, a molecular mechanism through which PEG imparts its antiproliferative and hence profound chemopreventive effect.

1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1alpha,25(OH)2D3) has antitumor activity in addition to its classical action on calcium metabolism and bone tissue biology. It is thought to regulate the expression of multiple target genes and thus modulate processes critical for tumor growth and metastases. Here we show that 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 differentially regulates the expression of Id1 and Id2 genes, members of a family of transcriptional regulators of cell proliferation and differentiation. 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 induced epithelial differentiation in SW480-ADH human colon carcinoma cell line by promoting expression of the proteins implicated in adherent junction formation, including E-cadherin, and by inhibiting beta-catenin transcriptional activity. 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 activated the human Id1 gene promoter and rapidly induced Id1 RNA and protein. Ectopic overexpression of Id1 was not sufficient to induce E-cadherin, which was critical for the morphological changes induced by 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 in SW480-ADH cells. Conversely, Id2 transcription rate, RNA and protein levels were decreased by 1alpha,25(OH)2D3. Id2 downregulation by 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 mediated the antiproliferative effect of 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 on SW480-ADH cells. In addition, we showed that 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 changed the levels of the inducer of angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor and the potent antiangiogenic factor thrombospondin-1, leading to a balanced change in the angiogenic potential of SW480-ADH human colon carcinoma cells.

The mechanisms through which beta-catenin signaling is inhibited during colorectal cancer chemoprevention by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents is incompletely understood. We report that nabumetone decreased uninvolved intestinal mucosal beta-catenin levels in the MIN mouse with a concomitant increase in glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta levels, an enzyme that targets beta-catenin for destruction. However, in the azoxymethane-treated rat, where beta-catenin is frequently rendered GSK-3beta-insensitive, nabumetone failed to alter beta-catenin levels but did decrease beta-catenin nuclear localization and transcriptional activity as gauged by cyclin D1. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the differential mechanisms for beta-catenin suppression may be determined, at least partly, by GSK-3beta.

Biomarkers that indicate biological activity and/or efficacy are a potentially useful tool in the development of molecularly targeted therapeutics. It is useful, though challenging, to identify biomarkers during preclinical development in order to impact decision-making during early clinical development. SU11248 is an oral, selective multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor currently in Phase II oncology clinical trials. It exhibits direct antitumor and antiangiogenic activity via inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinases PDGFR, VEGFR, KIT and FLT3. To identify clinically translatable biomarkers of SU11248 activity, expression profiling was performed on Colo205 human xenograft tumors following treatment with SU11248. Over 100 transcripts changed in abundance in SU11248 as compared to vehicle-treated tumors. Nine candidate transcripts, chosen based on putative function, were also analysed and validated by TaqMan. One such potential biomarker, cadherin-11, was further evaluated at the protein level and was found to have increased expression in xenograft tumors after SU11248 treatment. Interestingly, cadherin-11 expression was also detected via immunohistochemical analysis of archived solid tumors, indicating the technical feasibility of translating this putative biomarker to clinical studies. Importantly, SU11248 treatment also resulted in increased expression of cadherin-11 protein in human tumor biopsies in three out of seven patients examined and confirms the feasibility of using transcriptional profiling of preclinical models to identify clinically translatable biomarkers.

We have previously demonstrated that ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA) and a fluorinated analogue of vitamin D(3), F(6)-D(3),inhibited colonic carcinogenesis in the azoxymethane (AOM) model. Generalized colonic mucosal hyperproliferation and aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are intermediate biomarkers of colon cancer. Using these biomarkers, in this study we examined the anticarcinogenic mechanisms of these chemopreventive agents. Rats were maintained on AIN-76A chow or supplemented with 0.4% UDCA or F(6)-D(3) (2.5 nmol/kg chow) and treated weekly with AOM 20 mg i.p./kg wt or saline x 2 weeks. F(6)-D(3) was continued for an additional 2 weeks and UDCA for the duration of the study. At 40 weeks, animals received bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) i.p. 2 h before sacrifice. A portion of each tumor was fixed in formalin and the remainder flash frozen. Colons were divided longitudinally and half-fixed in formalin and half in ethanol. The size and location of methylene blue-stained ACF were recorded. Cell proliferation (BrdUrd labeling) and apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling assay) were measured in colonic crypts and tumors. Protein expression levels of several regulators of cell proliferation were analyzed by immunostaining and Western blotting. Colonic crypt cyclin D1 and E-cadherin mRNA levels were measured by real-time PCR. In saline injected controls, neither UDCA nor F(6)-D(3) alone had any effect on cytokinetic parameters or on the expression of mitogenic regulators. AOM significantly increased the proliferation (percentage of BrdUrd-positive cells) of both ACF (23.1 +/- 1.7%) and non-ACF crypts (17.6 +/- 1.6%), compared with normal colonic crypts (4.5 +/- 0.8%; P < 0.05). This hyperproliferation was accompanied by a 5-fold increase in cyclin D1 and >50% decrease in E-cadherin protein (P < 0.05) in ACF, both of which are predicted to be growth-enhancing alterations. UDCA and F(6)-D(3) significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited AOM-induced crypt cell hyperproliferation, ACF development, and tumor burden. These chemopreventive agents also significantly blocked AOM-induced alterations in cyclin D1 and E-cadherin protein in ACF and tumors. In ACF, changes in mRNA levels of cyclin D1, but not E-cadherin, paralleled alterations in protein expression. Cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase were increased in AOM tumors but not in ACF, and these changes were blocked by UDCA and F(6)-D(3). UDCA and F(6)-D(3) significantly inhibited ACF development and hyperproliferation, in part, by preventing carcinogen-induced alterations in cyclin D1 and E-cadherin. In established tumors, UDCA and F(6)-D(3) also limited inductions of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, which together with their effects on cyclin D1 and E-cadherin, contribute to their chemopreventive actions.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1 has been characterized as an important effector of the tumor suppressor p53 and has been linked to various growth-regulatory processes. To identify a potential role of p21 in anchorage-dependent growth control, we analyzed a pair of HCT116 human colon carcinoma cell lines that differed only in their p21 status. We found that during suspension culture, HCT116 cells (which contain wildtype p53 and p21) continued to proliferate and formed compact multicellular spheroids (MCSs). In contrast, HCT116 cells engineered to lack functional p21 (HCTp21-/-) were unable to form MCSs in suspension culture, ceased proliferation, and eventually died through apoptosis. The parental HCT116 cells underwent the same fate when treated with hyaluronidase, indicating that cell-cell contact might be required for survival in suspension culture. We established that E-cadherin was induced in HCT116 but not in HCTp21-/- cells and accounted for the formation of MCSs. Forced expression of E-cadherin or p21 in HCTp21-/- cells restored the ability to form MCSs and to grow independently of anchorage. Moreover, HCTp21-/- cells exhibited a severely reduced transformed phenotype and demonstrated greatly enhanced chemosensitivity in suspension culture. Thus, our results link an important regulator of the cell cycle machinery to the expression of a cell-cell adhesion molecule involved in tumor formation. Because our results indicate that loss of p21 severely impairs the ability of HCT cells to grow independently of anchorage, it may not be coincidental that inactivating mutations of this gene are very rarely found in tumor cells.