Decisive role of cyclooxygenase-2 and lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase in chemotherapeutics-induced apoptosis of human cervical carcinoma cells.

The role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in cancer remains controversial. Using cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa), the present study investigates the involvement of COX-2 in apoptosis elicited by the chemotherapeutics paclitaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Each compound led to a profound induction of COX-2 expression and prostaglandin (PG) synthesis, accompanied by a substantial decrease of viability and enhanced apoptosis. Cells were significantly less sensitive to apoptotic death when either COX-2 expression or its activity was suppressed by small-interfering RNA (siRNA) and by the selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398, respectively. Experiments performed to clarify how COX-2 leads to apoptosis revealed a profound proapoptotic action of PGD2 and its dehydration product, 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14) PGJ2 (15d-PGJ2). In line with these findings, chemotherapeutics-induced apoptosis was prevented by siRNA targeting lipocalin-type PGD synthase (L-PGDS), which catalyses the isomerization of PGH(2) to PGD2. Moreover, apoptosis by chemotherapeutics, PGD2 and 15d-PGJ2 was suppressed by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) antagonist, GW-9662 or PPARgamma siRNA. Finally, a COX-2-dependent apoptotic mechanism of all investigated chemotherapeutics was confirmed in human lung cancer cells (A549) as well as in another cervical carcinoma cell line (C33A). Collectively, this study suggests COX-2 induction and synthesis of L-PGDS-derived, PPARgamma-activating PGs as a decisive target by which several chemotherapeutics induce apoptosis. COX-2 is therefore suspected to sensitize cancer cells to apoptotic death under certain circumstances, suggesting that COX-2 inhibition during cancer therapy could diminish its efficacy.

Upregulation of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 confers the anti-invasive action of cisplatin on human cancer cells.

Cancer cell invasion is one of the crucial events in local spreading, growth and metastasis of tumors. The present study investigates the mechanism underlying the anti-invasive action of the chemotherapeutic cisplatin. In human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa), cisplatin caused a time- and concentration-dependent suppression of cell invasion through Matrigel. Inhibition of invasion was accompanied by upregulation of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), whereas levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and TIMP-2 remained unchanged. Cisplatin's effects on TIMP-1 expression and invasion were associated with phosphorylations of p38 and p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinases and were abrogated by specific inhibitors of both pathways. The impact of TIMP-1 in the anti-invasive action of cisplatin was proven by transfecting cells with small interfering RNA targeting TIMP-1, which completely reversed suppression of invasion by cisplatin. A functional relevance of TIMP-1 upregulation was substantiated by findings showing a concentration-dependent inhibition of Matrigel invasion by recombinant TIMP-1. The essential role of TIMP-1 in the anti-invasive action of cisplatin was confirmed using another human cervical carcinoma cell line (C33A) and human lung carcinoma cells (A549). Altogether, our data demonstrate a hitherto unknown mechanism by which cisplatin exerts its antimetastatic properties on highly invasive cancer cells.

Residual 31P, 35,37Cl dipolar coupling in 31P MAS spectra of chlorocyclophosphazenes.

In 31P MAS NMR spectra of chlorocyclophosphazenes, characteristic splittings have been observed for PCI or PCl2 groups. At different applied magnetic fields, the fine structure and total width of the patterns change in a characteristic way, demonstrating that the splittings are due to indirect spin-spin and residual dipolar interactions with the chlorine nuclei directly bonded to phosphorus. For trans-nongeminal N3P3Cl3(NMe2)3 and N3P3Cl6 as examples, the spectra have been analyzed to obtain information on chlorine nuclear quadrupole coupling constants and 35,37Cl, 3P indirect spin-spin coupling constants. Neglect of these interactions may result in misinterpretations of the multiplicity in 3P MAS spectra of chlorophosphazenes.

3-Acetoxy group of genuine AKBA (acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid) is alpha-configurated.

The pentacyclic triterpenoid 3-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) from the resin of Boswellia spec. is a potent inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). We noticed discrepancies in the nomenclature and stereochemistry of the 3-acetoxy group of boswellic acids. Isolation of AKBA under mild conditions and the data from the first X-ray crystallography study evidence the 3 alpha-orientation of AKBA's acetoxy function.

Observation of nitrogen-14, carbon-13 indirect spin-spin coupling in high-resolution 13C CP/MAS spectra of solids.

The 13C CP/MAS NMR spectrum of [(n-C3H7)4N][Cd(SCN)3], 1, indicates the presence of three non-equivalent thiocyanate ligands, in agreement with the results of a recent single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Examination of the 13C MAS line shapes allows direct measurement of the indirect spin-spin coupling constants, 1J(14N, 13C) = 16 +/- 1 Hz and 2J(111/113Cd, 13C) = 75 +/- 5 Hz, for the unique N-bonded thiocyanate ligand. This is the first reported measurement of 1J(14N, 13C) and 2J(111/113Cd, 13C) in the solid state. Possible reasons for the failure to observe 1J(14N, 13C) values in previous high-resolution 13C CP/MAS NMR studies are summarized.