NADPH Oxidase 1 and NADPH Oxidase 4 Have Opposite Prognostic Effects for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Hepatectomy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX)-mediated reactive oxygen species contribute to various liver diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Uncertainties remain regarding the prognostic relevance of NOX1 and NOX4 protein expression in HCC. METHODS: NOX1 and NOX4 protein expression was examined by using immunohistochemistry in tumor tissue from 227 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy. RESULTS: High immunoreactivity for NOX1 was observed in 197 (86.8%) of the 227 HCC cases and low immunoreactivity for NOX4 in 112 (49.3%). NOX1 and NOX4 proteins had opposite prognostic effects. High NOX1 expression was an independent predictor of both shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p<0.01) and shorter overall survival (OS) (p=0.01). Low NOX4 expression was an independent predictor of both shorter RFS (p<0.01) and shorter OS (p=0.01). Subgroup analysis showed that, among patients with normal α-fetoprotein levels, patients with tumor size ≤5.0 cm and patients in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A, high NOX1 expression had unfavorable effects on RFS, whereas low NOX4 expression had unfavorable effects on both RFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that NOX1 and NOX4 protein expression had opposite prognostic effects for HCC patients. Moreover, both proteins had prognostic value in HCC patients with normal α-fetoprotein levels or with early-stage HCC.

Entamoeba histolytica Induces Cell Death of HT29 Colonic Epithelial Cells via NOX1-Derived ROS

Entamoeba histolytica, which causes amoebic colitis and occasionally liver abscess in humans, is able to induce host cell death. However, signaling mechanisms of colon cell death induced by E. histolytica are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the signaling role of NOX in cell death of HT29 colonic epithelial cells induced by E. histolytica. Incubation of HT29 cells with amoebic trophozoites resulted in DNA fragmentation that is a hallmark of apoptotic cell death. In addition, E. histolytica generate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a contact-dependent manner. Inhibition of intracellular ROS level with treatment with DPI, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidases (NOXs), decreased Entamoeba-induced ROS generation and cell death in HT29 cells. However, pan-caspase inhibitor did not affect E. histolytica-induced HT29 cell death. In HT29 cells, catalytic subunit NOX1 and regulatory subunit Rac1 for NOX1 activation were highly expressed. We next investigated whether NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1)-derived ROS is closely associated with HT29 cell death induced by E. histolytica. Suppression of Rac1 by siRNA significantly inhibited Entamoeba-induced cell death. Moreover, knockdown of NOX1 by siRNA, effectively inhibited E. histolytica-triggered DNA fragmentation in HT29 cells. These results suggest that NOX1-derived ROS is required for apoptotic cell death in HT29 colon epithelial cells induced by E. histolytica.

Change of subunit of NADPH oxidation enzyme complex nox -1 protein in cardiocyte hypoxia - reoxygenation injury and the role of cardiotrophin -1 / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM: To observe the change of subunit of NADPH oxidation enzyme complex nox - 1 protein in cardiocyte hypoxia - reoxygenation injury and the role of cardiotrophin -1.METHODS: Cardiomyocytes from the hearts of 1 -3 d old neonatal rats were prepared by a modified method. Five groups were included in the study: control; hypoxia/ reoxygenation; hypoxia/reoxygenation + CT - 1; CT - 1 + hypoxia/reoxygenation + LY294002 (PIK3/Akt inhibitor) ; CT -1 + hypoxia/reoxygenation + PD98059 (ERK inhibitor) ; CT - 1 + hypoxia/reoxygenation + DMSO. The concentration of CT -1 was 10 μg/L. The survival rate of myocytes was evaluated by MTS method. Apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition pore ( △ψm) and reactive oxygen species ( ROS) were detected by flow cytometry. Nox - 1 protein was determined by Western blotting. RESULTS: Apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and the level of ROS (19.7% ±1.4% vs 2.1% ± 0.5% , 14.07% ± 1.25% vs 3.54% ± 0.86% , P < 0.05 ) increased markedly after hypoxia/reoxygenation, but cardio-myocyte survival rate and the level of△ψm (40.55% ±4.25% vs 86.28% ±7.15% , P <0.01) decreased significantly. The expression of nox - 1 protein was upregulated markedly. With CT - 1 intervention, cardiomyocyte survival rate increased markedly, apoptosis, both ROS and expression of nox - 1 protein reduced significantly. The level of△ψm increased obviously. The effect of CT - 1 was inhibited by LY294002.No significant effect was observed on cells survival in DMSO group, which confirmed that LY294002 was specifically involved in blocking the protective effect of CT - 1.CONCLUSION : The expression of subunit of NADPH oxidation enzyme complex nox - 1 protein is upregulated markedly in cardiocyte hypoxia - reoxygenation injury.CT - 1 protects cardiac cells against hypoxia - reoxygenation injury by downregulating the expression of nox -1 protein to decrease the level of ROS.