PPARgamma ligands inhibit telomerase activity and hTERT expression through modulation of the Myc/Mad/Max network in colon cancer cells.

In human cells the length of telomeres depends on telomerase activity. This activity and the expression of the catalytic subunit of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is strongly up-regulated in most human cancers. hTERT expression is regulated by different transcription factors, such as c-Myc, Mad1 and Sp1. In this study, we demonstrated that 15d-PG J2 and rosiglitazone (an endogenous and synthetic peroxisome proliferators activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) ligand, respectively) inhibited hTERT expression and telomerase activity in CaCo-2 colon cancer cells. Moreover, both ligands inhibited c-Myc protein expression and its E-box DNA binding activity. Additionally, Mad1 protein expression and its E-box DNA binding activity were strongly increased by 15d-PG J2 and, to a lesser extent, by rosiglitazone. Sp1 transcription factor expression and its GC-box DNA binding activity were not affected by both PPARgamma ligands. Results obtained by transient transfection of CaCo-2 cells with pmaxFP-Green-PRL plasmid constructs containing the functional hTERT core promoter (including one E-box and five GC-boxes) and its E-box deleted sequences, cloned upstream of the green fluorescent protein reporter gene, demonstrated that 15d-PG J2, and with minor effectiveness, rosiglitazone, strongly reduced hTERT core promoter activity. E-boxes for Myc/Mad/Max binding showed a higher activity than GC-boxes for Sp1. By using GW9662, an antagonist of PPARgamma, we demonstrated that the effects of 15d-PG J2 are completely PPARgamma independent, whereas the effects of rosiglitazone on hTERT expression seem to be partially PPARgamma independent. The regulation of hTERT expression by 15d-PG J2 and rosiglitazone, through the modulation of the Myc/Max/Mad1 network, may represent a new mechanism of action of these substances in inhibiting cell proliferation.

4-hydroxynonenal, a lipid peroxidation product of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, has anticarcinogenic properties in colon carcinoma cell lines through the inhibition of telomerase activity.

The effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) obtained from the diet on colorectal cancer have been widely explored. However, controversial results have been obtained about the role played by the lipid peroxidation products of PUFAs, such as 4-hydroxy-nonenal (HNE), in the control of colon cancer growth. This aldehyde, indeed, showed both procarcinogenic and protective effects. In an attempt to verify the action of HNE, we studied the effects of a low dose of HNE (1 microM), similar to those "physiologically" found in normal cells and plasma, on telomerase activity, a key parameter of malignant transformation. Caco-2 cells were exposed to HNE and, paralleling cell growth inhibition, we observed the down-regulation of telomerase activity and hTERT expression. Similar effects have also been observed in HT-29 cells, in which HNE inhibited cell proliferation, telomerase activity and hTERT expression, suggesting that the inhibition of telomerase activity could be a general mechanism involved in the antiproliferative effect exerted by this aldehyde. Finally, we elucidated the mechanism of hTERT inhibition by HNE. A reduction of GSH content preceded the decrease of telomerase activity, but this only partially explained the telomerase activity inhibition. The major mechanism of HNE action seems to be the modulation of expression and activity of transcription factors belonging to the Myc/Mad/Max network. Since the presence of PUFAs in the diet exposes epithelial colon cells to HNE, this aldehyde could contribute to cell growth control through the inhibitory action on telomerase activity and hTERT expression, suggesting a protective effect on colon mucosa.

4-Hydroxynonenal inhibits telomerase activity and hTERT expression in human leukemic cell lines.

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), produced during oxidative stress, has an antiproliferative/differentiative effect in several tumor cells. Recently, it has been observed that oxidative stress accelerates telomere loss. The length of telomeres depends on the telomerase activity, and the catalytic subunit of telomerase (hTERT) is strongly up-regulated in most human cancers and inhibited by differentiating agents. In this paper the inhibitory effect of HNE on telomerase activity and hTERT expression in three human leukemic cell lines (HL-60, U937, ML-1) is reported. To investigate the molecular mechanism involved in hTERT down-regulation by HNE, the expression of several transcription factors was also studied: in all these cell lines, c-Myc was inhibited, Mad-1 was up-regulated, and Sp-1 was not affected. Moreover, in p53 wild-type ML-1 cells, HNE up-regulated p53 expression. In HL-60 cells, DNA binding activity of c-Myc and Mad-1 to the E-box sequence of the hTERT promoter was inhibited and up-regulated, respectively. In summary, HNE inhibits telomerase activity via decreased hTERT promoter activity, by modulating c-Myc/Mad-1 transcription factor expression.

Choline and phosphatidylcholine fluorescent derivatives localization in carcinoma cells studied by laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy.

In this study, we have shown the intracellular distribution of choline and phosphatidylcholine fluorescent derivatives in human breast carcinoma cells using confocal microscopy. The fluorescent choline derivatives ethanamimium 2-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-N-[2-N-(2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-amine,-N-methyl,-7- nitro)-ethyl] bromide (NBD-choline) and C(6)-NBD-phosphatidylcholine (C(6)-NBD-PC) were used in this work. NBD-choline was easily internalised into drug sensitive MCF-7 and in multidrug resistant MCF-7/DX cells. The probe was found to localise in the endoplasmic reticulum of sensitive cells and in the Golgi of multidrug resistant cells. In contrast, very low accumulation was found in normal MCF10A cells. For C(6)-NBD-PC, a similar pattern of localisation was found in tumour cells, but a significant uptake was also observed in normal cells. Unlike NBD-choline, C(6)-NBD-PC appears not to discriminate between normal and tumour cells. These results are consistent with previously published results showing higher levels of (11)C-choline uptake in malignant lesions seen with positron emission tomography (PET) in vivo imaging. Our results suggest that using NBD-choline and laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy (LSCFM) could be a useful tool to study choline metabolism in cancer cells and to consolidate PET imaging findings.

Kit regulatory elements required for expression in developing hematopoietic and germ cell lineages.

The Kit (White) gene encodes the transmembrane receptor of stem cell factor/Kit ligand (KL) and is essential for the normal development/maintenance of pluripotent primordial germ cells (PGCs), hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), melanoblasts, and some of their descendants. The molecular basis for the transcriptional regulation of Kit during development of these important cell types is unknown. We investigated Kit regulation in hematopoietic cells and PGCs. We identified 6 DNase I hypersensitive sites (HS1-HS6) within the promoter and first intron of the mouse Kit gene and developed mouse lines expressing transgenic green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of these regulatory elements. A construct driven by the Kit promoter and including all 6 HS sites is highly expressed during mouse development in Kit+ cells including PGCs and hematopoietic progenitors (erythroid blast-forming units and mixed colony-forming units). In contrast, the Kit promoter alone (comprising HS1) is sufficient to drive low-level GFP expression in PGCs, but unable to function in hematopoietic cells. Hematopoietic expression further requires the addition of the intronproximal HS2 fragment; HS2 also greatly potentiates the activity in PGCs. Thus, HS2 acts as an enhancer integrating transcriptional signals common to 2 developmentally unrelated stem cell/progenitor lineages. Optimal hematopoietic expression further requires HS3-HS6.

4-Hydroxynonenal affects pRb/E2F pathway in HL-60 human leukemic cells.

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), a highly reactive product of lipid peroxidation, has an antiproliferative effect in several tumor cell lines and provokes alteration of cell cycle progression in HL-60 cells. HNE down-regulates c-myc expression in K562, HL-60, and MEL cells. This prompted us to study the cascade of phenomena that, starting from the CKIs expression and the phosphorylation of pRb, arrives at the E2F binding to consensus sequence in the P2 promoter of the c-myc gene. Treatment of HL-60 cells with HNE (1 microM) causes a p53-independent increase of p21(WAF1/CIP1) expression, pRb dephosphorylation, a decrease of low molecular weight E2F complexes and an increase of high molecular weight E2F complexes bound to P2 c-myc promoter. E2F4 expression is reduced by HNE treatment as well as the amount of pRb/E2F4 complexes, whereas the amount of pRb/E2F1 complexes is increased. In conclusion, HNE can affect the pRb/E2F pathway by modifying the expression of several genes involved in the control of cell proliferation.