Theoretical basis validation and oxidative stress markers for cancer prevention clinical trials of aspirin.

Aspirin, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been proven effective in a clinical trial of carcinogenesis blockade. However, various modes of action have been reported for these effects. Thus, in this study, we aimed to present reasonable mode of actions as a proof of concept for human trials, especially trials for patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Aspirin treatment at 1000 ppm inhibited intestinal tumorigenesis in FAP model Min mice. As a mode of action, aspirin regulated ß-catenin signaling, inflammation, and oxidative stress both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, we examined novel markers predictive of aspirin treatment based on liquid biopsy. Here, we demonstrated that aspirin reduced the levels of reactive carbonyl species in the serum of Min mice. These data are expected to be of use for proof of concept of aspirin human trials and implied for the prediction of aspirin efficacy.

Induction of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma differentiation through NMYC suppression using PPAR-γ antagonist.

Neuroblastomas are the most common extracranial solid tumors in children and have a unique feature of neuronal differentiation. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is reported to have neuroprotective effects in addition to having antitumor effects in various cancers. Thus, we aimed to clarify the role of PPAR-γ agonist and antagonist in malignant neuroblastomas, which also possess neuronal features. In MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma CHP212 cells, treatment with the PPAR-γ antagonist GW9662 induced growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the PPAR-γ antagonist treatment changed cell morphology with increasing expression of the neuronal differentiation marker tubulin beta 3 (TUBB3) and induced G1 phase arrest and apoptosis in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Notably, the PPAR-γ antagonist treatment significantly decreased expression of NMYC, B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4). It is implied that BRD4, NMYC, BCL2 suppression by the PPAR-γ antagonist resulted in cell growth inhibition, differentiation, and apoptosis induction. In our in vivo study, the PPAR-γ antagonist treatment induced CHP212 cells differentiation and resultant tumor growth inhibition. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of tumor cell differentiation and suggest that PPAR-γ antagonist is a new therapeutic and prevention option for neuroblastomas.

Automated cell isolation from photodegradable hydrogel based on fluorescence image analysis.

We report an automated cell-isolation system based on fluorescence image analysis of cell aggregates cultured in a photodegradable hydrogel. The system incorporates cell culture in a humidified atmosphere with controlled CO2 concentration and temperature, image acquisition and analysis, micropatterned light exposure, and cell collection by pipetting. Cell aggregates were cultured on hydrogels, and target cells were selected by phase contrast and fluorescence image analysis. After degradation of the hydrogel by exposure to micropatterned UV light, cell aggregates were transferred to a collection vessel by robotic pipetting. We assessed the system for hydrogel degradation, recovery of target cells, and contamination by off-target cells. We demonstrated two practical applications of our method: (i) in cell aggregates from MCF-7-RFP strains in which 18.8% of cells produced red fluorescent protein (RFP), we successfully obtained 14 proliferative fluorescence-positive cell aggregates from 31-wells, and all of the isolated strains produced a higher proportion of RFP production than the original populations; (ii) after fluorescent immunostaining of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in cancer cells, we successfully isolated HER2-positive cells from a mixed population of HER2-positive and -negative cells, and gene sequence analysis confirmed that the isolated cells mainly contained the target cells.

Feeding a High-Fat Diet for a Limited Duration Increases Cancer Incidence in a Breast Cancer Model.

High-fat intake by young Asian women impacts the risk of breast cancer. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms may be essential for disease prevention in Asia as well as globally. We aimed to examine the effects of corn oil- and animal fat-based high-fat diets (32.9 and 31.4%, respectively, of fat energy ratio as compared to 12.3% in the standard diet) on mammary carcinogenesis and alterations in gene expression and epigenetic statuses in the mammary gland during the growth stages in a rat model. An increased incidence of carcinomas was observed after the cessation of high-fat feeding. In addition, rapid tumor growth and elevations in Celsr2 expression, which may be a result of DNA hypomethylation patterns in the 3' untranslated region of the gene were noted in the animal fat group. In the human breast carcinoma cell line MCF7, a marginal decrease in cell viability was observed following the knockdown of Celsr2, suggesting that the animal fat-associated risk of cancer is partly due to the deregulation of mammary cell proliferation via non-metabolic gene functions. The present results will contribute to the development of strategies for controlling the food-associated risk of breast cancer, particularly in younger age groups.

Induction of DNA Damage in Mouse Colorectum by Administration of Colibactin-producing Escherichia coli, Isolated from a Patient With Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Among colorectal cancer-associated intestinal microbiota, colibactin-producing (clb+) bacteria are attracting attention. We aimed to clarify the interaction between clb+ Escherichia coli and normal colorectal epithelial cells in vivo and in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five-week-old female Balb/c mice were divided in an untreated group, a group treated with clb+ E. coli isolated from a Japanese patient with colorectal cancer (E. coli-50), and a group treated with non colibactin-producing E. coli (E. coli-50/ΔclbP). Mice were sacrificed at 18 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Treatment with clb+ E. coli increased positivity for H2A histone family member X phosphorylated at Ser-139 (γH2AX) in epithelial cells of the luminal surface of the mouse rectum but this did not occur in the E. coli-50/ΔclbP and untreated groups. In an in vitro setting, the ratio of apoptotic cells was increased and cell counts were reduced by treatment with clb+ E. coli more than in untreated cells and normal rat colorectal epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: E. coli-50 induced DNA damage in the mouse rectum, possibly by direct interaction between clb+ E. coli and normal colorectal epithelial cells. Our findings imply that regulation of clb+ E. coli infection may be a useful strategy for colorectal cancer control.

Complex Modulating Effects of Dietary Calcium Intake on Obese Mice.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Οverweight and obesity are risk factors for chronic diseases. Dietary calcium has been reported to exert anti-obesity effects. However, the complex modulating effects of calcium intake on obese mice have not been clarified. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of calcium intake on body weight/visceral fat mass were examined in the obese mouse model, KK-Ay Results: Body weight gain decreased in mice fed a diet containing 0.4 to 3.2% calcium at the age of 11 and 13 weeks, but not at 12 weeks after normalization for food intake. Calcium intake also decreased serum insulin levels and increased the amount of feces excreted. Fecal deoxycholate levels were lower in the high-calcium group than in the normal diet control group. Furthermore, the ratio of the deoxycholate-producing microbiome in feces decreased. CONCLUSION: Dietary calcium has anti-obesity effects in obese KK-Ay mice. Inhibition of insulin production and an increased amount of feces excreted with calcium intake may affect body weight.

Artesunate inhibits intestinal tumorigenesis through inhibiting wnt signaling.

Artesunate (ART) is a clinically approved antimalarial drug and was revealed as a candidate of colorectal cancer chemopreventive agents in our drug screening system. Here, we aimed to understand the suppressive effects of ART on intestinal tumorigenesis. In vitro, ART reduced T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) promoter transcriptional activity. In vivo, ART inhibited intestinal polyp development. We found that ART reduces TCF1/TCF7 nuclear translocation by binding the Ras-related nuclear protein (RAN), suggesting that ART inhibits TCF/LEF transcriptional factor nuclear translocation by binding to RAN, thereby inhibiting Wnt signaling. Our results provide a novel mechanism through which artesunate inhibits intestinal tumorigenesis.

Very Long-Term Treatment with a Lactobacillus Probiotic Preparation, Lactobacillus casei Strain Shirota, Suppresses Weight Loss in the Elderly.

Weight loss, often observed in the elderly, is associated with increased risks of various diseases. No large and long-term human study has been conducted to demonstrate the health maintenance-related effects of lactic acid bacteria preparations. To reveal the potential benefit of long-term lactic acid, the effects of bacteria-based probiotics for health maintenance were examined. This observational study included the participants from a previous clinical study designed to evaluate the effects of wheat bran biscuits or Lactobacillus preparation, 3 g/day biolactis powder (BLP), in preventing colorectal tumor. The participants were provided an option to continue treatment with BLP on an outpatient basis after completion of the study. The 380 patients who completed the study were contacted and asked to participate in the present study and those who consented were surveyed for cancer incidence, treatment compliance, lifestyle, weight, and other variables. Informed consent was obtained from 237 of the 380 (62.4%) patients. The mean follow-up period was 7913 days (21.7 years). Cancer developed in 24 of 128 (18.8%) patients in the BLP extension group and 24 of 109 (22.0%) patients in the non-BLP extension group (risk ratio 0.88 [95% confidence interval 0.53-1.47]). Although no significant difference was observed, the cumulative cancer incidence rose at a slightly lower rate in the BLP extension group. Both groups showed a significant weight decrease over the course of 20 years, although the decrease in the BLP extension group was only 1.4 kg, compared with 2.8 kg in the non-BLP extension group. Very long-term treatment with a Lactobacillus probiotic preparation suppressed weight loss in the elderly.

Theracurmin inhibits intestinal polyp development in Apc-mutant mice by inhibiting inflammation-related factors.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Therefore, it is important to establish useful methods for preventing CRC. One prevention strategy involves the use of cancer chemopreventive agents, including functional foods. We focused on the well-known cancer chemopreventive agent curcumin, which is derived from turmeric. However, curcumin has the disadvantage of being poorly soluble in water due to its high hydrophobicity. To overcome this problem, the formation of submicron particles with surface controlled technology has been applied to curcumin to give it remarkably improved water solubility, and this derived compound is named Theracurmin. To date, the preventive effects of Theracurmin on hereditary intestinal carcinogenesis have not been elucidated. Thus, we used Apc-mutant mice, a model of familial adenomatous polyposis, to evaluate the effects of Theracurmin. First, we showed that treatment with 10-20 µM Theracurmin for 24 hours reduced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcriptional activity in human colon cancer DLD-1 and HCT116 cells. However, treatment with curcumin mixed in water did not change the NF-κB promoter transcriptional activity. As NF-κB is a regulator of inflammation-related factors, we next investigated the downstream targets of NF-κB: monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin (IL)-6. We found that treatment with 500 ppm Theracurmin for 8 weeks inhibited intestinal polyp development and suppressed MCP-1 and IL-6 mRNA expression levels in the parts of the intestine with polyps. This report provides a proof of concept for the ongoing Theracurmin human trial (J-CAP-C study).

The Radical Scavenger NZ-419 Suppresses Intestinal Polyp Development in Apc-Mutant Mice.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and it is important to establish effective methods for preventing colorectal cancer. One effective prevention strategy could be the use of antioxidants. However, the role of the direct antioxidative function of antioxidants against carcinogenesis has not been clarified. Thus, we aimed to determine whether the direct removal of reactive oxygen species by a hydroxyl radical scavenger, NZ-419, could inhibit colorectal carcinogenesis. NZ-419 is a creatinine metabolite that has been shown to be safe and to inhibit the progression of chronic kidney disease in rats, and it is now under clinical development. In the present study, we demonstrated that NZ-419 eliminated reactive oxygen species production in HCT116 cells after H2O2 stimulation and suppressed H2O2-induced Nrf2 promoter transcriptional activity. The administration of 500 ppm NZ-419 to Apc-mutant Min mice for 8 weeks resulted in a decrease in the number of polyps in the middle segment of the small intestine to 62.4% of the value in the untreated control (p < 0.05 vs. control group). As expected, NZ-419 treatment affected the levels of reactive carbonyl species, which are oxidative stress markers in the serum of Min mice. Suppression of the mRNA levels of the proliferation-associated factor c-Myc was observed in intestinal polyps of Min mice after NZ-419 treatment, with a weak suppression of epithelial cell proliferation assessed by proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining in the intestinal polyps. This study demonstrated that NZ-419 suppress the development of intestinal polyps in Min mice, suggesting the utility of radical scavenger/antioxidants as a cancer chemopreventive agent.

Activation of NF-E2 p45-related factor-2 transcription and inhibition of intestinal tumor development by AHCC, a standardized extract of cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia.

It has been reported that activation of NF-E2 p45-related factor-2 (NRF2), a transcription factor, induces a variety of antioxidant enzymes, and plays an important role in preventing carcinogenesis. AHCC is a standardized extract of cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia and it has been demonstrated to improve cancer. However, the effects of AHCC on NRF2 have not been examined, and the effects on intestinal adenoma development are not yet fully understood. We first investigated the effects of AHCC (1-5 mg/ml) on NRF2 activity in human colon cancer cell lines by a luciferase reporter gene assay, and found NRF2 transcriptional activities were increased ~12.6-fold. In addition, AHCC dose-dependently increased HO-1 and NQO-1 mRNA levels, and decreased interleukine-6 mRNA levels. Next, we administered 1,000 ppm AHCC for 8 weeks in the diet of Apc mutant Min mice, and found that AHCC significantly reduced the total number of intestinal polyps to 57.7% and to 67.6% of the control value in male and female Min mice, respectively, with suppression of interleukine-6 in the polyp part. These data suggest that AHCC possesses an ability to suppress cellular oxidative stress through activation of NRF2, thereby lowering intestinal polyp development in Min mice.

The rBC2LCN-positive subpopulation of PC-3 cells exhibits cancer stem-like properties.

The recombinant lectin rBC2LCN is a useful marker for discriminating the undifferentiated status of human induced or embryonic stem cells. Recently, rBC2LCN has also been used for detecting some cancers and niche cells. However, the generality of which types of cells are detected by rBC2LCN is unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the potential of rBC2LCN as a probe for detecting and isolating cancer stem-like cells. Interestingly, flow cytometric analysis of various human cell lines indicated that the human prostate cancer cell line PC-3 consisted of rBC2LCN-positive and -negative subpopulations. Compared with the rBC2LCN-negative subpopulation, the rBC2LCN-positive subpopulation possessed representative features of cancer stem cells and malignancy, such as slow proliferation, increased cell motility, anchorage-independent growth, and drug resistance. The comprehensive expression profiles revealed that the rBC2LCN-positive subpopulation expressed higher levels of cancer stem cell markers. These findings indicate that rBC2LCN is useful for detecting not only pluripotent stem cells but also the cancer stem-like subpopulation of PC-3 cells. Pluripotent and cancer cells with rBC2LCN positivity would be important for future stem cell research.

Novel screening system revealed that intracellular cholesterol trafficking can be a good target for colon cancer prevention.

In conventional research methods for cancer prevention, cell proliferation and apoptosis have been intensively targeted rather than the protection of normal or benign tumor cells from malignant transformation. In this study, we aimed to identify candidate colon cancer chemopreventive drugs based on the transcriptional activities of TCF/LEF, NF-κB and NRF2, that play important roles in the process of malignant transformation. We screened a "validated library" consisting of 1280 approved drugs to identify hit compounds that decreased TCF/LEF and NF-κB transcriptional activity and increased NRF2 transcriptional activity. Based on the evaluation of these 3 transcriptional activities, 8 compounds were identified as candidate chemopreventive drugs for colorectal cancer. One of those, itraconazole, is a clinically used anti-fungal drug and was examined in the Min mouse model of familial adenomatous polyposis. Treatment with itraconazole significantly suppressed intestinal polyp formation and the effects of itraconazole on transcriptional activities may be exerted partly through inhibition of intracellular cholesterol trafficking. This screen represents one of the first attempts to identify chemopreventive agents using integrated criteria consisting of the inhibition of TCF/LEF, NF-κB and induction of NRF2 transcriptional activity.

Inhibition of NF-kappaB transcriptional activity enhances fucoxanthinol-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Evidence from epidemiological and experimental studies has shown that the etiology of colorectal cancer (CRC) is related to lifestyle, mainly diet. At the same time, there are many foods and beverages that have been shown to provide protection against CRC. We turned our attention to a traditional Japanese food, brown algae, that contains carotenoids and various functional polyphenols, especially fucoxanthin (FX) and fucoxanthinol (FxOH). RESULTS: Both FX and FxOH treatments induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner as detected by annexin V / propidium iodide and the presence of a subG1 population in human colon cancer HCT116 cells. This apoptotic effect of FxOH was stronger than that of FX. We also found that nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) transcriptional activity was significantly increased by treatment with ≥5 µM FxOH. Thus, we cotreated the cells with FxOH plus NF-κB inhibitor, and the results demonstrated that this cotreatment strongly enhanced the induction of apoptosis compared with the effects of FxOH or NF-κB inhibitor treatment alone and resulted in X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) downregulation. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that FxOH is a more potent apoptosis-inducing agent than FX and that its induction of apoptosis is enhanced by inhibiting NF-κB transcriptional activity via suppression of IAP family genes.

Anticarcinogenic Effects of Dried Citrus Peel in Colon Carcinogenesis Due to Inhibition of Oxidative Stress.

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Reactive oxygen species produce oxidative stress and contribute to colorectal carcinogenesis. Because dietary citrus has been shown to reduce oxidative stress, we investigated the effects of citrus peel extract at dilutions of 1/200-1/500 on the activity of oxidative-stress-related transcription factors, including AP-1, NF-κB, NRF2, p53, and STAT3, in human colon cancer cell line HCT116 cells using a luciferase reporter gene assay. NRF2 transcriptional activities were 1.8- to 2.0-fold higher than the untreated control value. In addition, NF-κB, p53, and STAT3 transcriptional activities were 12-26% lower than the untreated control value. Administration of dried citrus peel in the diet of F344 rats at a dose of 1,000 ppm prevented the formation of azoxymethane-induced precancerous aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the colon. The total number of ACF in rats fed with dried citrus peel was reduced to 75% of the control value. Moreover, the levels of oxidative-stress-related markers, reactive carbonyl species, in the serum of F344 rats were significantly reduced following the administration of dried citrus peel. These data suggest that citrus peel possesses an ability to suppress cellular oxidative stress through induction of NRF2, thereby preventing azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis.

Chemopreventive effects of a low-side-effect antibiotic drug, erythromycin, on mouse intestinal tumors.

It is important to establish effective methods for preventing colorectal cancer because the number of colorectal cancer deaths is increasing. Erythromycin one of the macrolide antibiotics, has been shown to exert pleiotropic effects, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, on mammalian cells. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the preventive effects of erythromycin on intestinal carcinogenesis. We first confirmed that erythromycin suppresses the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-κB and activator protein-1 and the expression of its downstream targets, interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 in human colon cancer cells. Next, we fed 5-week-old male Apc mutant Min mice with diets containing 500 ppm erythromycin for 15 weeks. Erythromycin treatment significantly reduced the number of proximal intestinal polyps to 70.9% of the untreated control value. Moreover, erythromycin reduced the levels of interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in intestinal polyps. Although the levels of hepatic NADPH oxidase mRNA were decreased, erythromycin treatment did not affect the levels of oxidative stress markers, reactive carbonyl species, in the liver of Min mice. Our results suggest that erythromycin suppresses intestinal polyp development in Min mice, in part by attenuating local inflammation, and indicate that erythromycin is useful as a chemopreventive agent.

Preventive Effects of Heat-Killed Enterococcus faecalis Strain EC-12 on Mouse Intestinal Tumor Development.

Establishing effective methods for preventing colorectal cancer by so-called "functional foods" is important because the global burden of colorectal cancer is increasing. Enterococcus faecalis strain EC-12 (EC-12), which belongs to the family of lactic acid bacteria, has been shown to exert pleiotropic effects, such as anti-allergy and anti-infectious effects, on mammalian cells. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the preventive effects of heat-killed EC-12 on intestinal carcinogenesis. We fed 5-week-old male and female Apc mutant Min mice diets containing 50 or 100 ppm heat-killed EC-12 for 8 weeks. In the 50 ppm treated group, there was 4.3% decrease in the number of polyps in males vs. 30.9% in females, and significant reduction was only achieved in the proximal small intestine of female mice. A similar reduction was observed in the 100 ppm treated group. Moreover, heat-killed EC-12 tended to reduce the levels of c-Myc and cyclin D1 mRNA expression in intestinal polyps. Next, we confirmed that heat-killed EC-12 suppressed the transcriptional activity of the T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor, a transcriptional factor involved in cyclin D1 mRNA expression in intestinal polyps. Our results suggest that heat-killed EC-12 very weakly suppresses intestinal polyp development in Min mice, in part by attenuating ß-catenin signaling, and this implies that heat-killed EC-12 could be used as a "functional food".

Impact of Acetazolamide, a Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor, on the Development of Intestinal Polyps in Min Mice.

Colorectal cancer is a common cancer worldwide. Carbonic anhydrase (CA) catalyzes the reversible conversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate ion and a proton, and its inhibitor is reported to reduce cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. Therefore, we asked whether acetazolamide, a CA inhibitor, could inhibit intestinal carcinogenesis. Five-week-old male Apc-mutant mice, Min mice, were fed a AIN-76A diet containing 200 or 400 ppm acetazolamide. As a result, acetazolamide treatment reduced the total number of intestinal polyps by up to 50% compared to the control group. In addition, the acetazolamide-treated group had low cell proliferation and a high apoptosis ratio in the intestinal polyp epithelial cells. Moreover, the mRNA expression level of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, involved in the cell proliferation was decreased in the polyp part of the acetazolamide-treated group. Next, we examined the effects of acetazolamide on the activation of several transcriptional factors (AP-1, HIF, HSF, NF-κB, NRF2, p53, and STAT3) using a reporter gene assay in human colon cancer cells, Caco-2 cells. Among the examined transcriptional factors, NRF2 transcriptional activation was strongly induced. NRF2-targeting genes, γGCS, GPx1, HO-1, and NQO-1, were also elevated in the intestinal polyps of acetazolamide-treated Min mice. Our results suggested that CA is involved in intestinal carcinogenesis. Acetazolamide could inhibit polyp formation through suppressing local/general cytokine levels, i.e., IL-6, via NRF2 activation.

Effects of NSAIDs on the risk factors of colorectal cancer: a mini review.

Evidence from epidemiological and experimental studies has shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The function of NSAIDs and the molecular targets for chemopreventive effects on CRC have been extensively studied and their data were reported. However, the relation between NSAIDs and the risk factors of CRC have not been fully elucidated yet. Thus, relations between NSAIDs and the risk factors of CRC, such as overweight and obesity, alcohol, aging, hypertriglyceridemia and smoking, are summarized with our data and with recent reported data in this review.