1. |
- Bertran, Esther, et al.
(author)
-
Role of CXCR4/SDF-1 alpha in the migratory phenotype of hepatoma cells that have undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition in response to the transforming growth factor-beta.
- 2009
-
In: Cellular Signalling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0898-6568 .- 1873-3913. ; 21:11, s. 1595-1606
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Treatment of FaO rat hepatoma cells with TGF-beta selects cells that survive to its apoptotic effect and undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT). We have established a cell line (T beta T-FaO, from TGF-beta-treated FaO) that shows a mesenchymal, de-differentiated, phenotype in the presence of TGF-beta and is refractory to its suppressor effects. In the absence of this cytokine, cells revert to an epithelial phenotype in 3-4 weeks and recover the response to TGF-beta. T beta T-FaO show higher capacity to migrate than that observed in the parental FaO cells. We found that FaO cells express low levels of CXCR4 and do not respond to SDF-1 alpha. However, TGF-beta up-regulates CXCR4, through a NF kappaB-dependent mechanism, and T beta T-FaO cells show elevated levels of CXCR4, which is located in the presumptive migration front. A specific CXCR4 antagonist (AMD3100) attenuates the migratory capacity of T beta T-FaO cells on collagen gels. Extracellular SDF-1 alpha activates the ERKs pathway in T beta T-FaO, but not in FaO cells, increasing cell scattering and protecting cells from apoptosis induced by serum deprivation. Targeted knock-down of CXCR4 with specific siRNA blocks the T beta T-FaO response to SDF-1 alpha. Thus, the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis might play an important role in mediating cell migration and survival after a TGF-beta-induced EMT in hepatoma cells.
|
|
2. |
- Caja, Laia, et al.
(author)
-
Differential intracellular signalling induced by TGF-beta in rat adult hepatocytes and hepatoma cells : implications in liver carcinogenesis.
- 2007
-
In: Cellular Signalling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0898-6568 .- 1873-3913. ; 19:4, s. 683-94
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) regulates hepatocyte growth, inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Indeed, escaping from the TGF-beta suppressor actions might be a prerequisite for liver tumour progression. In this work we show that TGF-beta plays a dual role in regulating apoptosis in FaO rat hepatoma cells, since, in addition to its pro-apoptotic effect, TGF-beta also activates survival signals, such as AKT, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) being required for its activation. TGF-beta induces the expression of the EGFR ligands transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and induces intracellular re-localization of the EGFR. Cells that overcome the apoptotic effects of TGF-beta undergo morphological changes reminiscent of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. In contrast, TGF-beta does not activate AKT in adult hepatocytes, which correlates with lack of EGFR transactivation and no response to EGFR inhibitors. Although TGF-beta induces TGF-alpha and HB-EGF in adult hepatocytes, these cells show very low expression of TACE/ADAM 17 (TNF-alpha converting enzyme), which is required for EGFR ligand proteolysis and activation. Furthermore, adult hepatocytes do not undergo EMT processes in response to TGF-beta, which might be due, at least in part, to the fact that F-actin re-organization induced by TGF-beta in FaO cells require the EGFR pathway. Finally, results indicate that EGFR transactivation does not block TGF-beta-induced cell cycle arrest in FaO cells, but must be interfering with the pro-apoptotic signalling. In conclusion, TGF-beta is a suppressor factor for adult quiescent hepatocytes, but not for hepatoma cells, where it plays a dual role, both suppressing and promoting carcinogenesis.
|
|
3. |
- Caja, Laia, et al.
(author)
-
Overactivation of the MEK/ERK pathway in liver tumor cells confers resistance to TGF-{beta}-induced cell death through impairing up-regulation of the NADPH oxidase NOX4.
- 2009
-
In: Cancer Research. - 0008-5472 .- 1538-7445. ; 69:19, s. 7595-7602
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) induces apoptosis in hepatocytes, being considered a liver tumor suppressor. However, many human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells escape from its proapoptotic effects, gaining response to this cytokine in terms of malignancy. We have recently reported that the apoptosis induced by TGF-beta in hepatocytes requires up-regulation of the NADPH oxidase NOX4, which mediates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. TGF-beta-induced NOX4 expression is inhibited by antiapoptotic signals, such as the phosphatydilinositol-3-phosphate kinase or the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. The aim of the present work was to analyze whether resistance to TGF-beta-induced apoptosis in HCC cells is related to the impairment of NOX4 up-regulation due to overactivation of survival signals. Results indicate that inhibition of the MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK)/ERK pathway in HepG2 cells, which are refractory to the proapoptotic effects of TGF-beta, sensitizes them to cell death through a mitochondrial-dependent mechanism, coincident with increased levels of BIM and BMF, decreased levels of BCL-XL and MCL1, and BAX/BAK activation. Regulation of BMF, BCL-XL, and MCL1 occurs at the mRNA level, whereas BIM regulation occurs post-transcriptionally. ROS production and glutathione depletion are only observed in cells treated with TGF-beta and PD98059, which correlates with NOX4 up-regulation. Targeting knockdown of NOX4 impairs ROS increase and all the mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic features by a mechanism that is upstream from the regulation of BIM, BMF, BCL-XL, and MCL1 levels. In conclusion, overactivation of the MEK/ERK pathway in liver tumor cells confers resistance to TGF-beta-induced cell death through impairing NOX4 up-regulation, which is required for an efficient mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis.
|
|
4. |
- Ortiz, Conrad, et al.
(author)
-
Inhibition of the EGF receptor blocks autocrine growth and increases the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin in rat hepatoma cells : role of reactive oxygen species production and glutathione depletion
- 2008
-
In: Biochemical pharmacology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-2968 .- 0006-2952. ; 75:10, s. 1935-1945
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- FaO rat hepatoma cells show increased levels of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands, when compared with adult normal hepatocytes, and higher activity of the TNF-alpha converting enzyme (TACE/ADAM17), which is required for EGFR ligand proteolysis and activation. In this work we have analysed the consequences of inhibiting the EGFR in FaO rat hepatoma cells, focusing the attention on autocrine growth and protection from apoptosis. Results have indicated that FaO cells show overactivation of the EGFR pathway, which induces basal growth (in the absence of serum) and protection from pro-apoptotic agents, such as doxorubicin, generating drug resistance. Treatment of cells with the combination of doxorubicin and the tyrphostin 4-(3-chloroanilino)-6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline (AG1478, a potent and specific inhibitor of EGFR tyrosine kinase) potently inhibits autocrine growth and induces apoptosis. The apoptotic effect correlates with high expression and activation of the pro-apoptotic Bax and decreased transcript and protein levels of the anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and Bcl-x(L). Furthermore, the combination of AG1478 and doxorubicin induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and glutathione depletion in FaO cells, coincident with up-regulation of the NADPH oxidase NOX4 and down-regulation of the gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS), a key regulatory enzyme of the glutathione synthesis. Incubation of cells with glutathione ethyl ester attenuates the apoptosis induced by the combination of doxorubicin and AG1478, which indicates that glutathione depletion is required for an efficient cell death. In conclusion, targeting EGFR combined with other conventional pro-apoptotic drugs should potentially be effective in antineoplastic therapy towards liver cancer.
|
|
5. |
- Sancho, Patricia, et al.
(author)
-
The inhibition of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) pathway enhances TGF-beta-induced apoptosis in rat hepatoma cells through inducing oxidative stress coincident with a change in the expression pattern of the NADPH oxidases (NOX) isoforms.
- 2009
-
In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3002 .- 1878-2434. ; 1793:2, s. 253-263
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) induces apoptosis in hepatocytes, through a mechanism mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Numerous tumoral cells develop mechanisms to escape from the TGF-beta-induced tumor suppressor effects. In this work we show that in FaO rat hepatoma cells inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with the tyrphostin AG1478 enhances TGF-beta-induced cell death, coincident with an elevated increase in ROS production and GSH depletion. These events correlate with down-regulation of genes involved in the maintenance of redox homeostasis, such as gamma-GCS and MnSOD, and elevated mitochondrial ROS. Nonetheless, not all the ROS proceed from the mitochondria. Emerging evidences indicate that ROS production by TGF-beta is also mediated by the NADPH oxidase (NOX) system. TGF-beta-treated FaO cells induce nox1 expression. However, the treatment with TGF-beta and AG1478 greatly enhanced the expression of another family member: nox4. NOX1 and NOX4 targeted knock-down by siRNA experiments suggest that they play opposite roles, because NOX1 knockdown increases caspase-3 activity and cell death, whilst NOX4 knock-down attenuates the apoptotic process. This attenuation correlates with maintenance of GSH and antioxidant enzymes levels. In summary, EGFR inhibition enhances apoptosis induced by TGF-beta in FaO rat hepatoma cells through an increased oxidative stress coincident with a change in the expression pattern of NOX enzymes.
|
|