Search

TREM2 (Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2) is the causative gene for Nasu-Hakola disease, which is characterized by multiple bone cysts and leukoencephalopathy. In addition, mutations in this gene have been found to be correlated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease. TREM2 is an immunoreceptor expressed on dendritic cells, microglia, osteoclasts, and macrophages. TREM2 on the cell membrane is shed by some proteases and released as soluble TREM2 (sTREM2). Meanwhile, several TREM2 ligands have been reported, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is one of the candidates. Using RNA interference to examine TREM2-mediated LPS response in macrophages, we identified five chemokines whose expression was induced via TREM2. Furthermore, we showed that LPS-induced expression of CXC-motif chemokine ligand (Cxcl10) and Cxcl11 among the five chemokines was mediated in part through sTREM2. These results suggest that sTREM2 has cytokine-like functions in macrophages.

Chemokines are a group of small proteins that induce chemoattraction and inflammation and contribute to the differentiation and homeostasis of various cell types. Here we explored the role of chemokines, extracellular matrix production, and myofibroblast differentiation in self-assembled skin equivalents (SASE), a three-dimensional (3D) skin-equivalent tissue model. We found that the expression of three chemokines, C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 20, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 5, and CXCL8, increased with differentiation to myofibroblasts. Addition of recombinant CCL20 to human skin fibroblast induced collagen Type I alpha 2 gene expression, but did not affect the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin expression. Conversely, siRNA gene knockdown of CCL20 effectively inhibited the expression of collagen Type I gene and protein. Furthermore, when the CCL20 gene in fibroblasts was knocked down in SASE, collagen Type I synthesis and stromal thickness were decreased. Taken together, these results have indicated the utility of SASE in understanding how cytokines such as CCL20 positively regulate extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen Type I production during myofibroblast differentiation in 3D tissues that mimic human skin.

The glycolytic system is selected for ATP synthesis not only in tumor cells but also in differentiated cells. Differentiated osteoblasts also switch the dominant metabolic pathway to aerobic glycolysis. We found that primary osteoblasts increased expressions of glycolysis-related enzymes such as Glut1, hexokinase 1 and 2, lactate dehydrogenase A and pyruvate kinase M2 during their differentiation. Osteoblast differentiation decreased expression of tumor suppressor p53, which negatively regulates Glut1 expression, and enhanced phosphorylation of AKT, which is regulated by phosphoinositol-3 kinase (PI3K). An inhibitor of PI3K enhanced p53 expression and repressed Glut1 expression. Luciferase reporter assay showed that p53 negatively regulated transcriptional activity of solute carrier family 2 member 1 gene promoter region. Inhibition of glycolysis in osteoblasts reduced ATP contents more significantly than inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazine. These results have indicated that osteoblasts increase Glut1 expression through the down-regulation of p53 to switch their metabolic pathway to glycolysis during differentiation.

Background/Aim: Very few studies are available about the biological activity of 3-styrylchromones. Our previous study demonstrated the importance of methoxy group at 6-position of the chromone ring and hydroxyl group at 4’-position of phenyl group in styryl moiety. As a sequel of this study, we synthesized fourteen compounds that include eight 3-styrylchromones where methoxy group was introduced at 7-position of chromone rings, and then evaluated their tumor-specificity. Materials and Methods: Tumor-specificity (TS) was calculated by relative cytotoxicity against human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines versus human normal oral cells. Apoptosis induction and growth arrest were monitored by cell-cycle analysis. Quantitative structure–activity relationship analysis of TS was performed with 3,167 chemical descriptors. Results and Discussion: Two compounds, 7-methoxy-3-[(1E)-2-phenylethenyl]-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one [7] and 3-[(1E)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethenyl]-7-methoxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one [14] showed higher tumor-specificity than doxorubicin and 5-FU, suggesting the importance of methoxy group in 7-position of the chromone ring. These compounds induced the apoptosis and mitotic arrest in HSC-2 cells. The tumor-specificity of 3-styrylchromone derivatives were most correlated with descriptors for molecule shape and electronic charge. The present study suggested that modification by introducing methoxy group at 7-position, instead at 6-position, further increased the tumor-specificity of 3-styrylchromone., Publisher permission granted

Background/aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the antitumor potential and combination effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. Materials and methods The cytotoxicity of 20 drip-type classical and molecular-targeted anticancer drugs was examined against 4 human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and 5 human oral normal mesenchymal and epithelial cells. Cell cycle progression was monitored by a cell sorter. Combination effect was evaluated by combination index. Results Most of the classical anticancer drugs showed much higher antitumor activity than molecular-targeted drugs, except bortezomib. Among 12 classical anticancer drugs, taxanes and gemsitabine showed the highest tumor-specificity (TS) and potency-selectivity expression (PSE) values, whereas platinum analogs showed the least TS value. Combination of two classical or a classical and a molecular-targeted drug showed mostly additive or antagonistic effect. 5-FU and cisplatin did not produce a subG1 population, but induced G2/M or G1/S arrest, regardless of the addition of cetuximab. Cetuximab, nibolumab and bortezomib showed potent keratinocyte toxicity. Conclusion The present TS monitoring system may provide useful information for building up the treatment regimens of anticancer drugs.

BACKGROUND/AIM 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one (chromone), present in various flavonoids as a backbone structure, has been used for the synthesis of anticancer drugs. The study aimed at investigating the cytotoxicity of eight 2-arylazolylchromones and twelve 2-triazolylchromones against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines and three human normal mesenchymal oral cells, and then performed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cell viability was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. The distribution of cells to various phases of cell cycle was determined by cell cycle analysis. A total of 3,218 physicochemical, structural and quantum chemical features were calculated for QSAR analysis from the most stabilized structure optimized using CORINA. RESULTS 2-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl]-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one [6] had the highest tumor-specificity (TS), comparable with that of 5-flurouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin, inducing cytostatic growth inhibition, accumulation of G2+M phase cells with no cells in the G1 phase. All eight 2-triazolylchromones showed much lower tumor-specificity, confirming our previous finding. Tumor-specificity was also correlated with 3D shape, topological shape, size, ionization potential, and the presence of more than two aromatic rings in the molecule and imidazole ring in the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring. CONCLUSION [6] can be a lead compound for designing anticancer drugs.

Hypoxia in adipose tissue is regarded as a trigger that induces dysregulation of the secretory profile in adipocytes. Similarly, local dysregulation of adipocytokine secretion is an initial event in the deleterious effects of obesity on metabolism. We previously reported that CXCL13 is highly produced during adipogenesis, however little is known about the roles of CXCL13 in adipocytes. Here, we found that hypoxia, as modeled by 1% O2 or exposure to the hypoxia-mimetic reagent desferrioxamine (DFO) has strong inductive effects on the expression of CXCL13 and CXCR5, a CXCL13 receptor, in both undifferentiated and differentiated adipocytes and in organ-cultured white adipose tissue (WAT). CXCL13 was also highly expressed in WAT from high fat diet-fed mice. Hypoxic profile, typified by increased expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and decreased expression of adiponectin, was significantly induced by CXCL13 treatment during adipogenic differentiation. Conversely, the treatment of adipocytes with a neutralizing-antibody against CXCL13 as well as CXCR5 knockdown by specific siRNA effectively inhibited DFO-induced inflammation. The phosphorylation of Akt2, a protective factor of adipose inflammation, was significantly inhibited by CXCL13 treatment during adipogenic differentiation. Mechanistically, CXCL13 induces the expression of PHLPP1, an Akt2 phosphatase, through focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling; and correspondingly we show that CXCL13 and DFO-induced IL-6 and PAI-1 expression was blocked by Phlpp1 knockdown. Furthermore, we revealed the functional binding sites of PPARγ2 and HIF1-α within the Cxcl13 promoter. Taken together, these results indicate that CXCL13 is an adipocytokine that facilitates hypoxia-induced inflammation in adipocytes through FAK-mediated induction of PHLPP1 in autocrine and/or paracrine manner.

Pyrazole-based carbohydrazone hybrids have been considered to be a remarkable class of compounds in pharmaceutical chemistry. Here, we reported bioactivities of 4-(3-(2-(arylidene)hydrazin-1-carbonyl)-5-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)benzenesulfonamides (1-27) towards CA isoenzymes (hCA I, hCA II, hCA IX) and human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line. Compounds 19 (Ki = 10.1 nM, hCA I/hCA IX = 749.6), 22 (Ki = 18.5 nM, hCA I/hCA IX = 429.2), 26 (Ki = 14.5 nM, hCA I/hCA IX = 596.9), 27 (Ki = 21.5 nM, hCA I/hCA IX = 413.1) were more potent and selective inhibitors of cancer-associated hCA IX isoenzyme. Compounds 22 and 26 were also found to be approximately three times more selective hCA IX inhibitors over off-target hCA II at low nanomolar. Compounds 19, 22, 23, 24, and 26 with IC

Feiyanning formula (FYN) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription used for more than 20 years in the treatment of lung cancer. FYN is composed of Astragalus membranaceus, Polygonatum sibiricum, Atractylodes macrocephala, Cornus officinalis, Paris polyphylla, and Polistes olivaceous, etc. All of them have been proved to have anti-tumor effect. In this study, we used the TCM network pharmacological analysis to perform the collection of compound and disease target, the prediction of compound target and biological signal and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. It was found that the activation of mitochondrial pathway might be the molecular mechanism of the anti-lung cancer effect of FYN. The experimental results showed that FYN had an inhibitory effect on the growth of lung cancer cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Moreover, FYN induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death as early as 6 h after treatment. In addition, FYN significantly induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and increased calreticulin expression. Metabolomics analysis showed the increase of ATP utilization (assessed by a significant increase of the AMP/ATP and ADP/ATP ratio, necessary for apoptosis induction) and decrease of polyamines (that reflects growth potential). Taken together, our study suggested that FYN induced apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma cells by promoting metabolism and changing the mitochondrial membrane potential, further supporting the validity of network pharmacological prediction.

Blood calcium homeostasis is critical for biological function. Caldecrin, or chymotrypsin-like elastase, was originally identified in the pancreas as a serum calcium-decreasing factor. The serum calcium-decreasing activity of caldecrin requires the trypsin-mediated activation of the protein. Protease activity-deficient mature caldecrin can also reduce serum calcium concentration, indicating that structural processing is necessary for serum calcium-decreasing activity. Caldecrin suppresses the differentiation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts from bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) by inhibiting receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced nuclear factor of activated T-cell cytoplasmic 1 expression via the Syk–PLCγ–Ca2+ oscillation-calcineurin signaling pathway. It also suppresses mature osteoclastic bone resorption by RANKL-stimulated TRAF6–c-Src–Syk–calcium entry and actin ring formation. Caldecrin inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced osteoclast formation in RANKL-primed BMMs by inducing the NF-κB negative regulator A20. In addition, caldecrin suppresses LPS-mediated M1 macrophage polarization through the immunoreceptor triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM) 2, suggesting that caldecrin may function as an anti-osteoclastogenic and anti-inflammatory factor via TREM2. The ectopic intramuscular expression of caldecrin cDNA prevents bone resorption in ovariectomized mice, and the administration of caldecrin protein also prevents skeletal muscle destruction in dystrophic mice. In vivo and in vitro studies have indicated that caldecrin is a unique multifunctional protease and a possible therapeutic target for skeletal and inflammatory diseases.

Background/Aim: Very few studies of anticancer activity of azulene amides led us to investigate the cytotoxicity of 21 N-alkylazulene-1-carboxamides introduced either with 3-methyl [1-7], 7-isopropyl-3-methyl [8-14] or 2-methoxy group [15-21]. Materials and Methods: Tumor-specificity (TS) was calculated by the ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) against three normal human oral mesenchymal cells to that against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. Potency-selectivity expression (PSE) was calculated by dividing TS value by CC50 value against OSCC cell lines. Apoptosis-inducing activity was evaluated by caspase-3 activation and appearance of subG1 cell population. Results: [8-14] showed higher TS and PSE values, than [1-7] and [15-21]. The most active compound [8-14] induced apoptosis in C9-22 OSCC cells at 4-times higher CC50. Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis of [1-14] demonstrated that their tumor-specificity was correlated with chemical descriptors that explain the molecular shape and hydrophobicity. Conclusion: 7-Isopropyl-3-methyl-N-propylazulene-1-carboxamide [8] can be a potential candidate of lead compound for manufacturing new anticancer drug.

Osteoblasts are versatile cells involved in multiple whole-body processes, including bone formation and immune response. Secretory amounts and patterns of osteoblast-derived proteins such as osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OCN) modulate osteoblast function. However, the regulatory mechanism of OPN and OCN expression remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that p54/p46 c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibition suppresses matrix mineralization and OCN expression but increases OPN expression in MC3T3-E1 cells and primary osteoblasts treated with differentiation inducers, including ascorbic acid, bone morphogenic protein-2, or fibroblast growth factor 2. Preinhibition of JNK before the onset of differentiation increased the number of osteoblasts that highly express OPN but not OCN (OPN-OBs), indicating that JNK affects OPN secretory phenotype at the early stage of osteogenic differentiation. Additionally, we identified JNK2 isoform as being critically involved in OPN-OB differentiation. Microarray analysis revealed that OPN-OBs express characteristic transcription factors, cell surface markers, and cytokines, including glycoprotein hormone α2 and endothelial cell-specific molecule 1. Moreover, we found that inhibitor of DNA binding 4 is an important regulator of OPN-OB differentiation and that dual-specificity phosphatase 16, a JNK-specific phosphatase, functions as an endogenous regulator of OPN-OB induction. OPN-OB phenotype was also observed following LPS from

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the antitumor potential of guaiazulene-3-carboxylate derivatives against oral malignant cells. Materials and Methods: Twelve guaiazulene-3-carboxylate derivatives were synthesized by introduction of either with alkyl group [1-5], alkoxy group [6, 7], hydroxyl group [8, 9] or primary amine [10-12] at the end of sidechains. Tumor-specificity (TS) was calculated by the ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) against 3 human oral mesenchymal cell lines to that against 4 human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. Potency-selectivity expression (PSE) was calculated by dividing TS value by CC50value against OSCC cell lines. Cell cycle analysis was performed by cell sorter. Results: [6, 7] showed the highest TS and PSE values, and induced the accumulation of both subG1 and G2/M cell populations in HSC-2 OSCC cells. Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis demonstrated that their tumor-specificity was correlated with chemical descriptors that explain the 3D shape, electric state and ionization potential. Conclusion: Alkoxyl guaiazulene-3-carboxylates [6, 7] can be potential candidates of lead compound for developing novel anticancer drugs., Permission Granted by Publisher

Background/aim Although chemotherapy agents, such as oxaliplatin, cisplatin, paclitaxel and bortezomib frequently cause severe peripheral neuropathy, very few studies have reported the effective strategy to prevent this side effect. In this study, we first investigated whether these drugs show higher neuropathy compared to a set of 15 other anticancer drugs, and then whether antioxidants, such as sodium ascorbate, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and vitamin B12 have any protective effect against them. Materials and methods Rat PC12 cells were induced to differentiate into neuronal cells by repeated overlay of serum-free medium supplemented with nerve growth factor. The cytotoxic levels of anticancer drugs against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines, three normal oral cells, and undifferentiated and differentiated PC12 cells were determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. Cells were sorted for apoptotic cells (distributed into subG1 phase) and cells at different stages of cell cycle (G1, S and G2/M). Results All 19 anticancer drugs showed higher cytotoxicity against PC12 compared to oral normal cells. Among them, bortezomib showed the highest cytotoxicity against both undifferentiated and differentiated PC12 cell and, committed them to undergo apoptosis. Sodium ascorbate and N-acetyl-L-cysteine, but not vitamin B12, completely reversed the cytotoxicity of bortezomib. Conclusion Bortezomib-induced neuropathy might be ameliorated by antioxidants.

Background/Aim: Chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (Chi-NP) have gained attention because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity and targetability under magnetic field. In this study, we investigated various biological properties of Chi-NP. Materials and Methods: Chi-NP was prepared by mixing magnetic NP with chitosan FL-80. Particle size was determined by scanning and transmission electron microscopes, cell viability by MTT assay, cell cycle distribution by cell sorter, synergism with anticancer drugs by combination index, PGE(2) production in human gingival fibroblast was assayed by ELISA. Results: The synthetic process of Chi-NP from FL-80 and magnetic NP increased the affinity to cells, up to the level attained by nanofibers. Upon contact with the culture medium, Chi-NP instantly formed aggregates and interfered with intracellular uptake. Aggregated Chi-NP did not show cytotoxicity, synergism with anticancer drugs, induce apoptosis (accumulation of subG1 cell population), protect the cells from X-ray-induced damage, nor affected both basal and IL-1β-induced PGE(2) production. Conclusion: Chi-NP is biologically inert and shows high affinity to cells, further confirming its superiority as a scaffold for drug delivery.

Caldecrin was previously isolated as a serum calcium-decreasing factor from the pancreas and is known to suppress receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced calcium oscillation pathways in osteoclasts. Here, we explored the effects of caldecrin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) signaling pathways in macrophages. Caldecrin inhibited the LPS-induced gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and M1 macrophage polarization in mouse bone marrow macrophages and the RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cell line. Next, we focused on triggering receptor expressed in myeloid cells-2 (TREM-2) as a co-receptor common to RANKL receptor and TLR-4, and established Trem2-KO RAW264.7 cells, in which Trem2 gene was deleted using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Caldecrin-mediated alterations in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and M1 macrophage polarization were not observed in Trem2-KO RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that caldecrin is not only an inhibitor of osteoclast activation but also a negative regulator of LPS-induced inflammatory responses, functioning via TREM-2.

BACKGROUND/AIM 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-ones (chromones) provide a backbone structure for the chemical synthesis of potent anticancer drugs. In contrast to 2-(N-cyclicamino)chromones, the biological activity of 3-(N-cyclicamino)chromones has not been reported. In this study, cytotoxicity of 15 3-(N-cyclicamino)chromone derivatives was investigated and subjected to quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cytotoxicity against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and three oral normal mesenchymal cells was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Tumor-specificity (TS) was evaluated as the ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) against normal oral cells to that against human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Potency-selectivity expression (PSE) value was calculated by dividing the TS value by the CC50 against tumor cells. Apoptosis induction was evaluated by morphological observation, western blot analysis and cell-cycle analysis. For QSAR analysis, a total of 3,096 physicochemical, structural and quantum chemical features were calculated from the most stabilized structure optimized using CORINA. RESULTS 3-(4-phenyl-1-piperazinyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (3a) had the highest tumor specificity, comparable with that of melphalan, without induction of apoptosis. Compound 3a caused cytostatic growth inhibition and had much lower cytotoxicity against human oral keratinocytes compared to doxorubicin. TS of the 15 3-(N-cyclicamino)chromones was correlated with 3D structure and lipophilicity. CONCLUSION Chemical modification of 3a may be a potential choice for designing a new type of anticancer drug.

BACKGROUND/AIM 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one (chromone) provides a backbone structure for the chemical synthesis of potent anticancer drugs. Since studies of the biological activity of pyrano[4,3-b]chromones are limited, we investigated a total of 20 pyrano[4,3-b]chromones (10 sets of diastereomers) for their cytotoxicity against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines and human normal oral cells, and then carried out a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cytotoxicity was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. Tumor-specificity (TS) was evaluated by the ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) against normal oral cells to that against human OSCC cell lines. Potency-selectivity expression (PSE) value was calculated by dividing the TS value by the CC50 against tumor cells. Apoptosis induction was evaluated by morphological observation, western blot analysis and cell-cycle analysis. For QSAR analysis, a total of 3,072 physicochemical, structural and quantum chemical features were calculated from the most stabilized structure optimized using CORINA. RESULTS 8-Chloro-4,4a-dihydro-3-methoxy-3-methyl-3H,10H-pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyran-10-one (16) and 3-ethoxy-4,4a-dihydro-8-methoxy-3H,10H-pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyran-10-one (17) had the highest TS, higher than that of 5-flurouracil and melphalan, without induction of apoptosis. Compound 16 induced cytostatic growth inhibition and much lower cytotoxicity against human normal oral keratinocytes compared to doxorubicin. TS of 20 pyrano[4,3-b]chromones was correlated with 3D structure, polarity, ionic potential and electric state. CONCLUSION Chemical modification of 16 may be a potential choice for designing a new type of anticancer drug.

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are multipotent cells that can differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblasts. Inadequate BMSC differentiation is occasionally implicated in chronic bone metabolic disorders. However, specific signaling pathways directing BMSC differentiation have not been elucidated. Here, we explored the roles of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) in BMSC differentiation into adipocytes and osteoblasts. We found that Syk phosphorylation was increased in the early stage, whereas its protein expression was gradually decreased during the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of two mouse mesenchymal stromal cell lines, ST2 and 10T(1/2), and a human BMSC line, UE6E-7-16. Syk inactivation with either a pharmacological inhibitor or Syk-specific siRNA suppressed adipogenic differentiation, characterized by decreased lipid droplet appearance and the gene expression of fatty acid protein 4 (Fabp4), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2 (Pparg2), CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins α (C/EBPα), and C/EBPβ. In contrast, Syk inhibition promoted osteogenic differentiation, represented by increase in matrix mineralization and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, as well as the expression levels of osteocalcin, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and distal-less homeobox 5 (Dlx5) mRNAs. We also found that Syk-induced signals are mediated by phospholipase C γ1 (PLCγ1) in osteogenesis and PLCγ2 in adipogenesis. Notably, Syk-activated PLCγ2 signaling was partly modulated through B-cell linker protein (BLNK) in adipogenic differentiation. On the other hand, growth factor receptor-binding protein 2 (Grb2) was involved in Syk-PLCγ1 axis in osteogenic differentiation. Taken together, these results indicate that Syk-PLCγ signaling has a dual role in regulating the initial stage of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

Osteopontin (OPN), a major marker of osteogenic differentiation, suppresses osteoblast responses to mechanical stress and cytokines, including HGF and PDGF. These OPN-induced effects are mediated through focal adhesion kinase inactivation by the induction of low–molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase., Osteopontin (OPN) is an osteogenic marker protein. Osteoblast functions are affected by inflammatory cytokines and pathological conditions. OPN is highly expressed in bone lesions such as those in rheumatoid arthritis. However, local regulatory effects of OPN on osteoblasts remain ambiguous. Here we examined how OPN influences osteoblast responses to mechanical stress and growth factors. Expression of NO synthase 1 (Nos1) and Nos2 was increased by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) in MC3T3-E1 cells and primary osteoblasts. The increase of Nos1/2 expression was abrogated by both exogenous OPN overexpression and recombinant OPN treatment, whereas it was promoted by OPN-specific siRNA and OPN antibody. Moreover, LIPUS-induced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a crucial regulator of mechanoresponses, was down-regulated by OPN treatments. OPN also attenuated hepatocyte growth factor–induced vitamin D receptor (Vdr) expression and platelet-derived growth factor–induced cell mobility through the repression of FAK activity. Of note, the expression of low–molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP), a FAK phosphatase, was increased in both OPN-treated and differentiated osteoblasts. CD44 was a specific OPN receptor for LWW-PTP induction. Consistently, the suppressive influence of OPN on osteoblast responsiveness was abrogated by LMW-PTP knockdown. Taken together, these results reveal novel functions of OPN in osteoblast physiology.

Keratinocytes secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angioregulatory chemokines during cutaneous wound healing. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) promotes skin re-epithelialization by increasing VEGF expression in keratinocytes. Here, we investigated the regulatory roles of HGF in the expression of genes encoding angiogenic and angiostatic chemokines in keratinocytes and found that HGF specifically inhibits mRNA expression of the angiostatic chemokine CXCL10 in both mouse primary keratinocytes and in the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT through the MEK/ERK cascade. Furthermore, HGF inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α-induced CXCL10 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in HaCaT cells. Thus, HGF may orchestrate angiogenesis in wounded skin by modulating both VEGF and CXCL10 expression in keratinocytes.

4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one (chromone) provides a backbone structure for the chemical synthesis of potent anticancer drugs. Since studies of the biological activity of pyrano[4,3-b]chromones are limited, we investigated a total of 20 pyrano[4,3-b]chromones (10 sets of diastereomers) for their cytotoxicity against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines and human normal oral cells, and then carried out a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis.Cytotoxicity was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. Tumor-specificity (TS) was evaluated by the ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC8-Chloro-4,4a-dihydro-3-methoxy-3-methyl-3H,10H-pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyran-10-one (Chemical modification of

4H-1-Benzopyran-4-ones (chromones) provide a backbone structure for the chemical synthesis of potent anticancer drugs. In contrast to 2-(N-cyclicamino)chromones, the biological activity of 3-(N-cyclicamino)chromones has not been reported. In this study, cytotoxicity of 15 3-(N-cyclicamino)chromone derivatives was investigated and subjected to quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis.Cytotoxicity against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and three oral normal mesenchymal cells was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Tumor-specificity (TS) was evaluated as the ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC3-(4-phenyl-1-piperazinyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (Chemical modification of

4H-1-Benzopyran-4-ones (chromones) have provided backbone structure for the chemical synthesis of potent anticancer drugs. In this study, the cytotoxicity of fifteen 2-(N-cyclicamino)chromone derivatives was investigated and subjected to quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis.Cytotoxicity against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and three oral normal mesenchymal cells was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Tumor specificity (TS) was evaluated by ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC7-Methoxy-2-(4-morpholinyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (Chemical modification of

Adipogenic differentiation plays a vital role in energy homeostasis and endocrine system. Several transcription factors including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ 2 (PPARγ2), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) α, β, and δ are important for the process, whereas the stage-specific intracellular signal transduction regulating the onset of adipogenesis remains enigmatic. Here, we explored the functional role of c- jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) in adipogenic differentiation using in vitro differentiation models of 3T3-L1 cells and primary adipo-progenitor cells. JNK inactivation with either a pharmacological inhibitor or JNK2-specific siRNA suppressed adipogenic differentiation, characterized by decreased lipid droplet appearance and the downregulation of Adiponectin , fatty acid protein 4 ( Fabp4 ), Pparg2 , and C/ebpa expressions. Conversely, increased adipogenesis was observed by the inducible overexpression of p46JNK2 (JNK2-1), whereas it was not observed by that of p54JNK2 (JNK2-2), indicating a distinct role of p46JNK2. The essential role of JNK appears restricted to the early stage of adipogenic differentiation, as JNK inhibition in the later stages did not influence adipogenesis. Indeed, JNK phosphorylation was significantly induced at the onset of adipogenic differentiation. As for the transcription factors involved in early adipogenesis, JNK inactivation significantly inhibited the induction of C/ebpd , but not C/ebpb, during the initial stage of adiogenic differentiation. JNK activation increased C/ebpd mRNA and protein expression through the induction and phosphorylation of activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) that binds to a responsive element within the C/ebpd gene promoter region. Taken together, these data indicate that constitutive JNK activity is specifically required for the initial stage differentiation events of adipocytes.

Previous reports have shown that osteoblasts are mechano-sensitive. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) induces osteoblast differentiation and is an established therapy for bone fracture. Here we have examined how LIPUS affects inflammatory responses of osteoblasts to LPS. LPS rapidly induced mRNA expression of several chemokines including CCL2, CXCL1, and CXCL10 in both mouse osteoblast cell line and calvaria-derived osteoblasts. Simultaneous treatment by LIPUS significantly inhibited mRNA induction of CXCL1 and CXCL10 by LPS. LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERKs, p38 kinases, MEK1/2, MKK3/6, IKKs, TBK1, and Akt was decreased in LIPUS-treated osteoblasts. Furthermore, LIPUS inhibited the transcriptional activation of NF-κB responsive element and Interferon-sensitive response element (ISRE) by LPS. In a transient transfection experiment, LIPUS significantly inhibited TLR4-MyD88 complex formation. Thus LIPUS exerts anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-stimulated osteoblasts by inhibiting TLR4 signal transduction.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a powerful tool for cell-based, clinical therapies like bone regeneration. Therapeutic use of cell transplantation requires many cells, however, the expansion process needed to produce large quantities of cells reduces the differentiation potential of MSCs. Here, we examined the protective effects of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on the maintenance of osteogenic potency. Primary osteoblastic cells were serially passaged between 2 and 12 times with daily LIPUS treatment. We found that LIPUS stimulation maintains osteogenic differentiation capacity in serially passaged cells, as characterized by improved matrix mineralization and Osteocalcin mRNA expression. Decreased expression of Nanog, Sox2, and Msx2, and increased expression of Pparg2 from serial passaging was recovered in LIPUS-stimulated cells. We found that LIPUS stimulation not only increased but also sustained expression of Nanog in primary osteoblasts and ST2 cells, a mouse mesenchymal stromal cell line. Nanog overexpression in serially passaged cells mimicked the recuperative effects of LIPUS on osteogenic potency, highlighting the important role of Nanog in LIPUS stimulation. Additionally, we found that spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) is an important signaling molecule to induce Nanog expression in LIPUS-stimulated cells. Syk activation was regulated by both Rho-associated kinase 1 (ROCK1) and extracellular ATP in a paracrine manner. Interestingly, the LIPUS-induced increase in Nanog mRNA expression was regulated by ATP-P2X4-Syk Y323 activation, while the improvement of Nanog protein stability was controlled by the ROCK1-Syk Y525/526 pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that LIPUS stimulation recovers and maintains the osteogenic potency of serially passaged cells through a Syk-Nanog axis.

4th Symposium on Biotransformations for Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industry -- JUN 25-27, 2018 -- Trzebnica, POLAND, WOS: 000479184600049, PubMed ID: 31288135, New mono Mannich bases, (2-(4-hydroxy-3-((4-substituephenylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)benzylidene)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one), were prepared to evaluate their cytotoxic/anticancer properties and also their inhibitory effects on human carbonic anhydrase I and II isoenzymes (hCA I and II). Amine part was changed as [N-phenylpiperazine (1),N-benzylpiperazine (2), 1-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine (3), 1-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine (4), 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (5)]. The structure of the synthesized compounds was characterized by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and HRMS spectra. Cytotoxicity results of the series pointed out that the compound 4 had the highest tumor selectivity value (TS: 59.4) possibly by inducing necrotic cell death in series. Additionally, all compounds synthesized showed a good inhibition profile towards hCA I and II isoenzymes with the Ki values between 29.6 and 58.4 nM and 38.1-69.7 nM, respectively. These values were lower than the reference compound AZA. However, it seems that the compounds 4 and 2 can be considered as lead compounds of CA studies with the lowest Ki values in series for further designs., Ataturk University BAP Office, The authors are thankful to Dr. C. Kazaz and Dr. B. Anil (Ataturk University) for NMRs and Ataturk University BAP Office for their financial support.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are pluripotent cells that can be differentiated as osteoblasts, adipocytes, myocytes or chondrocytes depending on the culture condition. However, MSCs are known to lose their differentiation potency after long-term culture. Development of a new cell culture method to maintain their stemness is required for successful application of MSCs. Here, we revealed that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation was useful for maintaining the MSC stemness as LIPUS inhibited the loss of osteogenic differentiation potency of osteo-progenitor cells induced by serial subculture. LIPUS also increased the transcriptional and phosphorylation level of Nanog, a crucial stem cell marker gene in a MSC cell line. We also found that LIPUS induced the secretion of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in MSC. The treatments of the conditioned medium from LIPUS-stimulated MSC and exogenous ATP promoted Nanog expression. Thus, LIPUS may maintain the long-term differentiation potency of MSCs and osteo-progenitor cells by induction in Nanog transcript level and phosphorylation.

LPS signaling is mediated through MyD88-dependent and -independent pathways, activating NF-κB, MAP kinases and IRF3. Cot/Tpl2 is an essential upstream kinase in LPS-mediated activation of ERKs. Here we explore the roles of MyD88 and Cot/Tpl2 in LPS-induced chemokine expression by studying myd88−/− and cot/tpl2−/− macrophages. Among the nine LPS-responsive chemokines examined, mRNA induction of ccl5, cxcl10, and cxcl13 is mediated through the MyD88-independent pathway. Notably, Cot/Tpl2-ERK signaling axis exerts negative effects on the expression of these three chemokines. In contrast, LPS-induced gene expression of ccl2, ccl7, cxcl2, cxcl3, ccl8, and cxcl9 is mediated in the MyD88-dependent manner. The Cot/Tpl2-ERK axis promotes the expression of the first four and inhibits the expression of the latter two. Thus, LPS induces expression of multiple chemokines through various signaling pathways in macrophages.

Previous studies of the neuroprotective activity of polyphenols have used ununiform culture systems, making it difficult to compare their neuroprotective potency. We have established a new and simple method for preparing differentiated PC12 cells by removing the toxic coating step. Cells were induced to differentiate with the nerve growth factor (NGF) in a serum-free medium, without a medium change, but with a one-time overlay supplementation of NGF. The optimal inoculation density of the cells was 6&ndash, 12 &times, 103 cells/cm2, and the presence of serum inhibited the differentiation. Neuroprotective activity could be quantified by the specific index (SI) value, that is, the ratio of the 50% cytotoxic concentration to the 50% effective concentration. Alkaline extract from the leaves of Sasa senanensis Rehder (SE), having had hormetic growth stimulation, showed the highest SI value, followed by epigallocatechin gallate. The SI value of curcumin and resveratrol was much lower. This simple overly method, that can prepare massive differentiated neuronal cells, may be applicable for the study of the differentiation-associated changes in intracellular metabolites, and the interaction between neuronal cells and physiological factors.

We have previously reported that a serine/threonine protein kinase, Cot/Tpl2, is a negative regulator of Th1-type immunity through inhibiting IL-12 expression in antigen presenting cells (APCs) stimulated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. We here show that Cot/Tpl2(-/-) macrophages produce significantly less IL-23, an important regulator of Th17-type response, than the wild-type counterparts in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a ligand for TLR4. The decreased IL-23 production in Cot/Tpl2(-/-) macrophages is, at least partly, regulated at the transcriptional level, as the LPS-mediated IL-23 p19 mRNA induction was significantly less in Cot/Tpl2(-/-) macrophages. Chemical inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity similarly inhibited IL-23 expression in LPS-stimulated wild-type macrophages. As Cot/Tpl2 is an essential upstream component of the ERK activation pathway of LPS, it is suggested that Cot/Tpl2 positively regulates IL-23 expression through ERK activation. These results indicate that Cot/Tpl2 may be involved in balancing Th1/Th17 differentiation by regulating the expression ratio of IL-12 and IL-23 in APCs.

Periodontitis causes resorption of alveolar bone, in which RANKL induces osteoclastogenesis. The binding of lipopolysaccharide to Toll-like receptors causes phosphorylation of Cot/Tp12 to activate the MAPK cascade. Previous in vitro studies showed that Cot/Tp12 was essential for the induction of RANKL expression by lipopolysaccharide. In this study, we examined whether Cot/Tp12 deficiency reduced the progression of alveolar bone loss and osteoclastogenesis during experimental periodontitis. We found that the extent of alveolar bone loss and osteoclastogenesis induced by ligature-induced periodontitis was decreased in Cot/Tp12-deficient mice. In addition, reduction of RANKL expression was observed in periodontal tissues of Cot/Tp12-deficient mice with experimental periodontitis. Furthermore, we found that Cot/Tp12 was involved in the induction of TNF-α mRNA expression in gingiva of mice with experimental periodontitis. Our observations suggested that Cot/Tp12 is essential for the progression of alveolar bone loss and osteoclastogenesis in periodontal tissue during experimental periodontitis mediated through increased RANKL expression.

Orthodontic therapy is known to have an aggravating effect on the progression of destructive periodontitis if oral hygiene is not maintained. However, it is largely unknown how active periodontitis affects the velocity of orthodontic tooth movement. In this study, we examined the effect of periodontal inflammation on orthodontic tooth movement using a mouse model. Orthodontic force was applied on the maxillary first molar of mice, with or without ligature wire to induce experimental periodontitis. The distance moved by the first molar was significantly reduced by the ligature-induced experimental periodontitis. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining revealed that the number of osteoclasts present during orthodontic treatment was lower in the pressure zone of alveolar bone in the presence of periodontal inflammation. Consistently, the expression level of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) in the pressure zone was decreased in the ligature group. By contrast, experimental periodontitis increased the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA in the periodontal tissues, while in vitro treatment with prostaglandin E(2) decreased extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation and RANKL expression induced by mechanical stress in osteoblasts. Taken together, these results suggest that the orthodontic force-induced osteoclastogenesis in alveolar bone was inhibited by the accompanying periodontal inflammation, at least partly through prostaglandin E(2), resulting in reduced orthodontic tooth movement.

Background and Objective: Alveolar bone loss is caused by a host response to periodontal pathogens, and its progression is often enhanced by systemic conditions such as insulin resistance.Alveolar bone dehiscence has been observed in KK-Ay mice, which are metabolic syndrome model mice with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate inducements responsible for alveolar bone dehiscence in the KK-Ay mice. Material and Methods: The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the mandibles of mice was detected using immunohistochemical staining and the reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. After administration of N-acetylcysteine, an antioxidant, to KK-Ay mice, alveolar bone loss and the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein in gingival keratinocytes and of hydrogen peroxide concentrations in plasma, were analyzed. The effect of hydrogen peroxide on endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in keratinocytes was examined using cultured keratinocytes. Results: The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase was decreased in gingival keratinocytes from KK-Ay mice compared with gingival keratinocytes from control mice. Administration of N-acetylcysteine to the mice restored endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in the gingival keratinocytes, suppressed the alveolar bone loss and decreased the hydrogen peroxide concentrations in plasma without the improvement of obesity or diabetes. In vitro, stimulation with hydrogen peroxide decreased the expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in cultured keratinocytes, which was restored by the addition of N-acetylcysteine. Conclusion: Reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide, are responsible for the alveolar bone loss accompanied by decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in KK-Ay mice. Therefore, we propose a working hypothesis that the generation of oxidative stress is an underlying systemic condition that enhances alveolar bone loss in periodontitis occurring as a complication of diabetes.