Evaluation of in vitro biological activity of O-alkylated hydroxamic derivatives of some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

AIM: Several published studies suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are promising anticancer agents. This study examined the in vitro effect of O-alkylated NSAID hydroxamic acid derivatives 3a-i on cell survival for a panel of human tumour cell lines, their cytotoxicity on normal human fibroblasts and their antiviral activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Established methods of cell viability testings, cell cycle analyses and Western blot assays were used. RESULTS: O-Alkylated NSAID hydroxamic acid derivatives exerted poor antiviral activity butreduced the viability of the studied tumour cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner showing low cytotoxic effect on normal fibroblasts. Compounds 3a and 3i were shown to be potent inhibitors of the growth of MIA PaCa-2 cell line. They induced p53-independent S-phase arrest and triggered caspase 3-dependent apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Two novel O-alkylated NSAID hydroxamic acid derivatives may be useful in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and should be further evaluated in vivo.

Adenovirally mediated p53 overexpression diversely influence the cell cycle of HEp-2 and CAL 27 cell lines upon cisplatin and methotrexate treatment.

PURPOSE: p53 gene plays a crucial role in the response to therapy. Since it is inactivated in the majority of human cancers, it is strongly believed that the p53 mutations confer resistance to therapeutics. In this paper we analyzed the influence of two mechanistically diverse antitumor agents--cisplatin and methotrexate on the proliferation and cell cycle of two head and neck squamous cancer cell lines HEp-2 (wild type p53 gene, but HPV 18/E6-inactivated protein) and CAL 27 (mutated p53 gene), along with the influence of adenovirally mediated p53 overexpression in modulation of cisplatin and methoterexate effects, whereby subtoxic vector/compound concentrations were employed. METHODS: p53 gene was introduced into tumor cells using adenoviral vector (AdCMV-p53). The cell cycle perturbations were measured by two parameter flow cytometry. The expression of p53, p21(WAF1/CIP1) and cyclin B1 proteins was examined using immunocytochemistry and western blot methods. RESULTS: In CAL 27 cells overexpression of p53 completely abrogated high S phase content observed in methotrexate-treated cells into a G1 and slight G2 arrest, while it sustained G2 arrest of the cells treated with cisplatin, along with the reduction of DNA synthesis and cyclin B1 expression. On the other hand, in HEp-2 cell line p53 overexpression slightly slowed down the progression through S phase in cells treated with methotrexate, decreased the cyclin B1 expression only after 24 h, and failed to sustain the G2 arrest after treatment with cisplatin alone. Instead, it increased the population of S phase cells that were not actively synthesizing DNA, sustained cyclin B1 expression and allowed the G2 cells to progress through mitosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that adenovirally mediated p53 overexpression at sub-cytotoxic levels enhanced the activity of low doses of cisplatin and methotrexate in HEp-2 and CAL 27 cells through changes in the cell cycle. However, the mechanisms of these effects differ depending on the genetic context and on the chemotherapeutics' modality of action.

Differential antiproliferative mechanisms of novel derivative of benzimidazo[1,2-alpha]quinoline in colon cancer cells depending on their p53 status.

In the present article, we describe a mechanistic study of a novel derivative of N-amidino-substituted benzimidazo[1,2-alpha]quinoline in two human colorectal cancer cell lines differing in p53 gene status. We used a proteomic approach based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry to complement the results obtained by common molecular biology methods for analyzing cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Tested quinoline derivative inhibited colon cancer cell growth, whereby p53 gene status seemed to be critical for its differential response patterns. DNA damage and oxidative stress are likely to be the common triggers of molecular events underlying its antiproliferative effects. In HCT 116 (wild-type p53), this compound induced a p53-dependent response resulting in accumulation of the G(1)- and S-phase cells and induction of apoptosis via both caspase-3-dependent and caspase-independent pathways. Quinoline derivative triggered transient, p53-independent G(2)-M arrest in mutant p53 cells (SW620) and succeeding mitotic transition, whereby these cells underwent cell death probably due to aberrant mitosis (mitotic catastrophe). Proteomic approach used in this study proved to be a valuable tool for investigating cancer cell response to newly synthesized compound, as it specifically unraveled some molecular changes that would not have been otherwise detected (e.g., up-regulation of the p53-dependent chemotherapeutic response marker maspin in HCT 116 and impairment in ribosome biogenesis in SW620). Finally, antiproliferative effects of tested quinoline derivative on SW620 cells strongly support its possible role as an antimetastatic agent and encourage further in vivo studies on the chemotherapeutic potential of this compound against colorectal carcinoma.

Does transduced p27 induce apoptosis in human tumor cell lines?

p27 is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor involved in the negative regulation of G1 progression in response to a number of antiproliferative signals. In this study, we examined the transduction of full-length Tat-p27, pt-mutated Tat-p27, and N'- Tat-p27 (truncated p27 on the C-terminal end) fusion proteins into human tumor cell lines and whether these transduced proteins induced apoptosis in the cells. Protein transduction can be described as the direct uptake by the cell of exogenous proteins/peptides as a result of a specific property of the protein/peptide component. The basic domain of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein possesses the ability to traverse biological membranes efficiently in a process termed protein transduction. Although the mechanism is unknown, transduction occurs in receptor/transporter-independent manner that appears to target the lipid bilayer directly. Thus, HIV-1 Tat proteins have tremendous potential to deliver large-sized compounds into the cells. Transduction of TAT-fusion proteins affected the proliferation of human tumor cell lines, depending on the type of protein and cell line. By Western blot analysis it was shown that some cell cycle regulatory proteins were affected, and that some proteins were responsible for the induction of apoptosis.