NOX enzymes: potential target for the treatment of acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is characterized by acute inflammation, disruption of the alveolar-capillary barrier, and in the organizing stage by alveolar pneumocytes hyperplasia and extensive lung fibrosis. The cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to the development of ALI/ARDS are not completely understood, but there is evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by inflammatory cells as well as epithelial and endothelial cells are responsible for inflammatory response, lung damage, and abnormal repair. Among all ROS-producing enzymes, the members of NADPH oxidases (NOXs), which are widely expressed in different lung cell types, have been shown to participate in cellular processes involved in the maintenance of lung integrity. It is not surprising that change in NOXs' expression and function is involved in the development of ALI/ARDS. In this context, the use of NOX inhibitors could be a possible therapeutic perspective in the management of this syndrome. In this article, we summarize the current knowledge concerning some cellular aspects of NOXs localization and function in the lungs, consider their contribution in the development of ALI/ARDS and discuss the place of NOX inhibitors as potential therapeutical targe

Targeting Vascular NADPH Oxidase 1 Blocks Tumor Angiogenesis through a PPARα Mediated Mechanism

Reactive oxygen species, ROS, are regulators of endothelial cell migration, proliferation and survival, events critically involved in angiogenesis. Different isoforms of ROS-generating NOX enzymes are expressed in the vasculature and provide distinct signaling cues through differential localization and activation. We show that mice deficient in NOX1, but not NOX2 or NOX4, have impaired angiogenesis. NOX1 expression and activity is increased in primary mouse and human endothelial cells upon angiogenic stimulation. NOX1 silencing decreases endothelial cell migration and tube-like structure formation, through the inhibition of PPARα, a regulator of NF-κB. Administration of a novel NOX-specific inhibitor reduced angiogenesis and tumor growth in vivo in a PPARα dependent manner. In conclusion, vascular NOX1 is a critical mediator of angiogenesis and an attractive target for anti-angiogenic therapies

NOXs in Pulmonary Diseases: A Potential Therapeutic Avenue ?

Pulmonary diseases including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect millions of individuals, and are associated mostly with high mortality and even death. To date, there is no therapeutic option available to stop the progression of pulmonary diseases, making it a major scientific challenge and public health concern. Although the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in lung pathogenesis are not fully elucidated, a wealth of evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species generated by NOX enzymes might be major actors in lung pathogenic processes. Indeed, NOX enzymes are expressed in different human and rodent lung cell types and contribute to the development of lung diseases in a broad range of animal models. In this context, targeting NOX enzymes might represent a novel strategy for a cure of lung diseases. In the current thesis, the knowledge relating to the cellular expression and the function of NOX enzymes in physiological and pathological situation will be summarized. In addition, the potential place of NOX inhibitors for the treatment of lung diseases will be addressed

Chimioprévention des cancers intestinaux par le géraniol,un monoterpène microconstituant des fruits et plantes aromatiques (Aspects moléculaire, cellulaire et physiopathologique)

Nos travaux ont montré que le géraniol, un monoterpène acyclique présent dans les huiles essentielles végétales, exerce un pouvoir anti-prolifératif sur les cellules cancéreuses coliques humaines Caco-2 (Carnesecchi, 2001). Nos résultats ont montré que le géraniol induit une dépolarisation membranaire. Cette perturbation membranaire entraîne une inhibition de la protéine kinase C et une inhibition de la phosphorylation de ERK1&2 (Carnesecchi, 2002). De plus, le géraniol induit une inhibition de la synthèse d'ADN. Aucun signe d'apoptose, ni de cytotoxicité n'a été détecté. Ainsi, le changement de la perméabilité membranaire et les effets cellulaires du géraniol pourraient expliquer son effet anti-prolifératif.Il a été montré que les cellules Caco-2 à confluence expriment des caractéristiques de différenciation entérocytaire. La présence de ces cellules pourraient expliquer la forte résistance des tumeurs coliques à la chimiothérapie (Lesuffleur, 1998). Nos travaux ont montré que le géraniol bloque la différenciation des cellules Caco-2. Une combinaison du géraniol et du 5-Fluorouracile (5-FU) a été testée sur ces cellules différenciées. Les résultats montrent que le géraniol sensibilise les cellules Caco-2 au traitement par le 5-FU en augmentant ses effets anti-prolifératifs et cytotoxiques. Ces effets sont corrélés à une entrée facilitée du 5-FU (Carnesecchi, 2001).Une approche expérimentale in vivo a été entreprise afin de tester les effets de la combinaison de géraniol et de 5-FU sur la croissance de tumeurs coliques humaines TC118 implantées chez des souris athymiques. La combinaison de 5-FU (20mg/kg) et de géraniol (150 mg/kg) entraîne une réduction du volume tumoral relatif de 53% par rapport à 26 % avec du géraniol seul et à 0 % pour le 5-FU seul par rapport à des souris non traitées.En conclusion, le géraniol sensibilise les cellules tumorales coliques humaines aux agents de la chimiothérapie, en agissant sur la perméabilité des membranes cellulaires.Ours studies have shown that geraniol, an acyclic monoterpene found in vegetal essential oil, caused inhibition of human colonic cancer cells (Caco-2) growth (Carnesecchi, 2001). Ours results have shown that geraniol induced membrane depolarization. This membrane perturbation lead to Protein Kinase C inhibition and inhibition of ERK 1&2 phosphorylation (Carnesecchi, 2002). Geraniol induced inhibition of ADN synthesis. Nor apoptosis, nor cytotoxicity has been detected. Then, changes in membrane permeability and cellular effects of geraniol could explain antiproliferative effect of geraniol.It has been shown that Caco-2 cells, at confluency, expressed characteristics of enterocytes differentiation. The presence of these cells could explain the increased resistance of colonic tumors to chemotherapeutic agents (Lesuffleur, 1998). Ours studies have shown that geraniol blocked Caco-2 cell differentiation. Combination of geraniol and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) was tested on differentiated Caco-2 cells. These results have shown that geraniol sensitized Caco-2 cells to 5-FU treatment, by increasing its antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects. These effects result from facilitate entry of 5-FU (Carnesecchi, 2001).The effects of geraniol and 5-FU were also evaluated in vivo on the growth of 5-FU-resistant human colonic tumour cells (TC-118) transplanted in Swiss nu/nu mice. The combined intraperitoneal administration of 5-FU (20 mg/kg/day) and geraniol (150 mg/kg/day) caused a 53% reduction of the tumour volume after 7 days compared to a reduction of 26% with geraniol alone. 5-FU alone had no effect on the development of the tumour.We conclude that the combined administration of geraniol and 5-FU sensitizes human colonic tumours to 5-FU treatment. This combination appears as promising approach for optimizing colorectal cancer chemotherapy.STRASBOURG-Sc. et Techniques (674822102) / SudocSudocFranceF

NOX enzymes: potential target for the treatment of acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is characterized by acute inflammation, disruption of the alveolar-capillary barrier, and in the organizing stage by alveolar pneumocytes hyperplasia and extensive lung fibrosis. The cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to the development of ALI/ARDS are not completely understood, but there is evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by inflammatory cells as well as epithelial and endothelial cells are responsible for inflammatory response, lung damage, and abnormal repair. Among all ROS-producing enzymes, the members of NADPH oxidases (NOXs), which are widely expressed in different lung cell types, have been shown to participate in cellular processes involved in the maintenance of lung integrity. It is not surprising that change in NOXs' expression and function is involved in the development of ALI/ARDS. In this context, the use of NOX inhibitors could be a possible therapeutic perspective in the management of this syndrome. In this article, we summarize the current knowledge concerning some cellular aspects of NOXs localization and function in the lungs, consider their contribution in the development of ALI/ARDS and discuss the place of NOX inhibitors as potential therapeutical target

Insulin-induced vascular endothelial growth factor expression is mediated by the NADPH oxidase NOX3

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most potent stimulatory factor of angiogenesis. Its expression is induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hypoxic conditions and by insulin in normoxic cells. Both ROS and insulin can activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and induce the transcriptional factor Sp1, components that are essential for VEGF gene expression. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ROS producing NADPH oxidase enzymes (NOX-es) in insulin-regulated VEGF gene activation. To achieve this goal we chose HepG2 cells as our model system as these cells express the NADPH oxidase isoform NOX3 and respond to insulin stimulation with enhanced ROS production and mRNA transcription and production of VEGF. We demonstrate that in control cells insulin stimulation leads to H2O2 generation, a biphasic activation of p42/44 MAPK and the induction of both Sp1 and HIF-1alpha. Transfection of NOX3-specific siRNA abrogates H2O2 production and inhibits exclusively the second phase of p42/44 MAPK phosphorylation and Sp1 DNA binding and thus prevents upregulation of VEGF-A mRNA expression. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that NOX3, a ROS generating NADPH oxidase, plays an integral role in insulin-induced p42/44 MAPK signal transmission and VEGF-A production

The protective effects of volatile anesthestics against the bronchoconstriction induced by an allergic reaction in sensitized rabbit pups

Volatile inhaled anesthetics exert a differential protective effect against bronchospasm development after cholinergic stimulation. However, their ability to inhibit the adverse respiratory consequences of an anaphylactic reaction after exposure to an allergen has not been characterized. We therefore compared the abilities of isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane to prevent the lung constriction induced by an allergic reaction in a pediatric model of an anaphylactic reaction

Nicotine mediates oxidative stress and apoptosis through cross talk between NOX1 and Bcl-2 in lung epithelial cells

Nicotine contributes to the onset and progression of several pulmonary diseases. Among the various pathophysiological mechanisms triggered by nicotine, oxidative stress and cell death are reported in several cell types. We found that chronic exposure to nicotine (48h) induced NOX1-dependent oxidative stress and apoptosis in primary pulmonary cells. In murine (MLE-12) and human (BEAS-2B) lung epithelial cell lines, nicotine acted as a sensitizer to cell death and synergistically enhanced apoptosis when cells were concomitantly exposed to hyperoxia. The precise signaling pathway was investigated in MLE-12 cells in which NOX1 was abrogated by a specific inhibitor or stably silenced by shRNA. In the early phase of exposure (1h), nicotine mediated intracellular Ca(2+) fluxes and activation of protein kinase C, which in its turn activated NOX1, leading to cellular and mitochondrial oxidative stress. The latter triggered the intrinsic apoptotic machinery by modulating the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax. Overexpression of Bcl-2 completely prevented nicotine's detrimental effects, suggesting Bcl-2as a downstream key regulator in nicotine/NOX1-induced cell damage. These results suggest that NOX1 is a major contributor to the generation of intracellular oxidative stress induced by nicotine and might be an important molecule to target in nicotine-related lung pathologies

Bcl-2 protects against hyperoxia-induced apoptosis through inhibition of the mitochondria-dependent pathway

Bcl-2 is an antiapoptotic molecule that prevents oxidative stress damage and cell death. We investigated the possible protective mechanisms mediated by Bcl-2 during hyperoxia-induced cell death in L929 cells. In these cells, hyperoxia promoted apoptosis without DNA fragmentation. Overexpression of Bcl-2 significantly protected cells from oxygen-induced apoptosis, as shown by measurement of lactate dehydrogenase release, quantification of apoptotic nuclei, and detection of Annexin-V-positive cells. Bcl-2 partially prevented mitochondrial damage and interfered with the mitochondrial proapoptotic signaling pathway: it reduced Bax translocation to mitochondria, decreased the release of cytochrome c, and inhibited caspase 3 activation. However, treatment with the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD.fmk failed to rescue the cells from death, indicating that protection provided by Bcl-2 was due not only to caspase inhibition. Bcl-2 also prevented the release of mitochondrial apoptotic inducing factor, a mediator of caspase-independent apoptosis, correlating with the absence of oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. In addition, Bcl-2-overexpressing cells showed significantly higher intracellular amounts of glutathione after 72 h of oxygen exposure. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the overexpression of Bcl-2 is able to prevent hyperoxia-induced cell death, by affecting mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways and increasing intracellular antioxidant compounds

The NADPH oxidase NOX5 protects against apoptosis in ALK-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma cell lines

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key modulators of apoptosis and carcinogenesis. One of the important sources of ROS is NADPH oxidases (NOXs). The isoform NOX5 is highly expressed in lymphoid tissues, but it has not been detected in any common Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma cell lines. In diverse, nonlymphoid malignant cells NOX5 exerts an antiapoptotic effect. Apoptosis suppression is the hallmark feature of a rare type of lymphoma, termed anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK(+)) anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), and a major factor in the therapy resistance and relapse of ALK(+) ALCL tumors. We applied RT-PCR and Western blot analysis to detect NOX5 expression in three ALK(+) ALCL cell lines (Karpas-299, SR-786, SUP-M2). We investigated the role of NOX5 in apoptosis by small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing and chemical inhibition of NOX5 using FACS analysis and examining caspase 3 cleavage in Karpas-299 cells. We used immunohistochemistry to detect NOX5 in ALK(+) ALCL pediatric tumors. NOX5 mRNA was uniquely detected in ALK(+) ALCL cells, whereas cell lines of other lymphoma classes were devoid of NOX5. Transfection of NOX5-specific siRNA and chemical inhibition of NOX5 abrogated calcium-induced superoxide production and increased caspase 3-mediated apoptosis in Karpas-299 cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed focal NOX5 reactivity in pediatric ALK(+) ALCL tumor cells. These results indicate that NOX5-derived ROS contribute to apoptosis blockage in ALK(+) ALCL cell lines and suggest NOX5 as a potential pharmaceutical target to enhance apoptosis and thus to suppress tumor progression and prevent relapse in pediatric ALK(+) ALCL patients that resist classical therapeutic approaches