Mechanism of collagen biosynthesis up-regulation in cultured leiomyoma cells.

Uterine leiomyoma is the most common tumour in women with a reported incidence of 25-30%. The tumors are benign, composed of smooth muscle cells with variable amount of collagen - rich fibrous tissue. It is well established that accumulation of extracellular matrix in leiomyoma is key feature of tissue fibrosis. However, the pathogenesis of leiomyoma is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolism of collagen in cultured leiomyoma cells and in control myometrium cells. The effect of estradiol, selective modulators of estrogen receptors (raloxifene, tamoxifen) and estrogen receptor down regulator (ICI 182.780) on collagen biosynthesis (measured by 5-[3H]-proline incorporation assay and measurement of prolidase activity) and collagen degradation (measured by metalloproteinase activity assay) was studied. It was found that collagen biosynthesis is strongly stimulated by low doses of estradiol (5 nM) in leiomyoma cells while it is not changed in control myometrium cells. An increase in estradiol concentration to 10 nM results in drastic decrease of this process both in leiomyoma as well as control cells. Although raloxifene and tamoxifen only slightly affected collagen biosynthesis in control myometrium cells, they significantly inhibited the process in leiomyoma cells. There was no coordinate correlation between collagen biosysignificantly inhibited the process in leiomyoma cells. There was no coordinate correlation between collagen biosynthesis and prolidase activity suggesting that regulation of this process may take place at transcriptional level. Both estrogen and SERMs were found to inhibit MMP-2 in leiomyoma as well as in control myometrium cells. The data suggest that stimulatory action of estrogen on collagen biosynthesis and inhibitory effect on MMP-2 activity in uterine leiomyoma may contribute to accumulation of this protein in ECM of this tissue

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs as PPARγ Agonists Can Induce PRODH/POX-Dependent Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells: New Alternative Pathway in NSAID-Induced Apoptosis

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are considered to be therapeutics in cancer prevention because of their inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenases (COX), which are frequently overexpressed in many types of cancer. However, it was also demonstrated that NSAIDs provoked a proapoptotic effect in COX knocked-out cancer cells. Here, we suggest that this group of drugs may provoke antineoplastic activity through the activation of PPARγ, which induces proline dehydrogenase/proline oxidase (PRODH/POX)-dependent apoptosis. PRODH/POX is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes proline degradation, during which ATP or reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated. We have found that NSAIDs induced PRODH/POX and PPARγ expressions (as demonstrated by Western Blot or immunofluorescence analysis) and cytotoxicity (as demonstrated by MTT, cytometric assay, and DNA biosynthesis assay) in breast cancer MCF7 cells. Simultaneously, the NSAIDs inhibited collagen biosynthesis, supporting proline for PRODH/POX-induced ROS-dependent apoptosis (as demonstrated by an increase in the expression of apoptosis markers). The data suggest that targeting proline metabolism and the PRODH/POX–PPARγ axis can be considered a novel approach for breast cancer treatment

P5C as an Interface of Proline Interconvertible Amino Acids and Its Role in Regulation of Cell Survival and Apoptosis

Studies of cancer metabolism have focused on the production of energy and the interconversion of carbons between cell cycles. More recently, amino acid metabolism, especially non-essential amino acids (NEAAs), has been investigated, underlining their regulatory role. One of the important mediators in energy production and interconversion of carbons in the cell is Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C)—the physiological intracellular intermediate of the interconversion of proline, ornithine, and glutamate. As a central component of these conversions, it links the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), urea cycle (UC), and proline cycle (PC). P5C has a cyclic structure containing a tertiary nitrogen atom (N) and is in tautomeric equilibrium with the open-chain form of L-glutamate-γ-semialdehyde (GSAL). P5C is produced by P5C synthase (P5CS) from glutamate, and ornithine via ornithine δ-amino acid transferase (δOAT). It can also be converted to glutamate by P5C dehydrogenase (P5CDH). P5C is both a direct precursor of proline and a product of its degradation. The conversion of P5C to proline is catalyzed by P5C reductase (PYCR), while proline to P5C by proline dehydrogenase/oxidase (PRODH/POX). P5C-proline-P5C interconversion forms a functional redox couple. Their transformations are accompanied by the transfer of a reducing-oxidizing potential, that affect the NADP+/NADPH ratio and a wide variety of processes, e.g., the synthesis of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP), and purine ribonucleotides, which are crucial for DNA synthesis. This review focuses on the metabolism of P5C in the cell as an interconversion mediator of proline, glutamate, and ornithine and its role in the regulation of survival and death with particular emphasis on the metabolic context

NSAIDs Induce Proline Dehydrogenase/Proline Oxidase-Dependent and Independent Apoptosis in MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are considered in cancer therapy for their inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which is overexpressed in most cancers. However, we found that NSAIDs as ligands of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ)-induced apoptosis independent of the COX-2 inhibition, and the process was mediated through activation of proline dehydrogenase/proline oxidase (PRODH/POX)-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This mitochondrial enzyme converts proline to ∆1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) during which ATP or ROS is generated. To confirm the role of PRODH/POX in the mechanism of NSAID-induced apoptosis we obtained an MCF7 CRISPR/Cas9 PRODH/POX knockout breast cancer cell model (MCF7POK-KO). Interestingly, the studied NSAIDs (indomethacin and diclofenac) in MCF7POK-KO cells contributed to a more pronounced pro-apoptotic phenotype of the cells than in PRODH/POX-expressing MCF7 cells. The observed effect was independent of ROS generation, but it was related to the energetic disturbances in the cells as shown by an increase in the expression of AMPKα (sensor of cell energy status), GLUD1/2 (proline producing enzyme from glutamate), prolidase (proline releasing enzyme), PPARδ (growth supporting transcription factor) and a decrease in the expression of proline cycle enzymes (PYCR1, PYCRL), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and collagen biosynthesis (the main proline utilizing process). The data provide evidence that the studied NSAIDs induce PRODH/POX-dependent and independent apoptosis in MCF7 breast cancer cells

Functional Consequences of Intracellular Proline Levels Manipulation Affecting PRODH/POX–Dependent Pro-Apoptotic Pathways in a Novel in Vitro Cell Culture Model

Background/Aims: The effect of impaired intracellular proline availability for proline dehydrogenase/proline oxidase (PRODH/POX)-dependent apoptosis was studied. Methods: We generated a constitutively knocked-down PRODH/POX MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (MCF-7shPRODH/POX) as a model to analyze the functional consequences of impaired intracellular proline levels. We have used inhibitor of proline utilization in collagen biosynthesis, 2-metoxyestradiol (MOE), inhibitor of prolidase that generate proline, rapamycin (Rap) and glycyl-proline (GlyPro), substrate for prolidase. Collagen and DNA biosynthesis were evaluated by radiometric assays. Cell viability was determined using Nucleo-Counter NC-3000. The activity of prolidase was determined by colorimetric assay. Expression of proteins was assessed by Western blot and immunofluorescence bioimaging. Concentration of proline was analyzed by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Results: PRODH/POX knockdown decreased DNA and collagen biosynthesis, whereas increased prolidase activity and intracellular proline level in MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells. All studied compounds decreased cell viability in MCF-7 and MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells. DNA biosynthesis was similarly inhibited by Rap and MOE in both cell lines, but GlyPro inhibited the process only in MCF-7shPRODH/POX and MOE+GlyPro only in MCF-7 cells. All the compounds inhibited collagen biosynthesis, increased prolidase activity and cytoplasmic proline level in MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells and contributed to the induction of pro-survival mode only in MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells. In contrast, all studied compounds upregulated expression of pro-apoptotic protein only in MCF-7 cells. Conclusion: PRODH/POX was confirmed as a driver of apoptosis and proved the eligibility of MCF-7shPRODH/POX cell line as a highly effective model to elucidate the different mechanisms underlying proline utilization or generation in PRODH/POX-dependent pro-apoptotic pathways

Di- and Triselenoesters—Promising Drug Candidates for the Future Therapy of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a major malignancy among women, characterized by a high mortality rate. The available literature evidence indicates that selenium, as a trace element, has chemopreventive properties against many types of cancer; as such, compounds containing it in their structure may potentially exhibit anticancer activity. Accordingly, we have undertaken a study to evaluate the effects of novel selenoesters (EDAG-1, -7, -8, -10) on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Our analysis included investigations of cell proliferation and viability as well as cytometric determinations of apoptosis/autophagy induction, changes in mitochondrial membrane polarity (ΔΨm), caspase 3/7, 8, and 9 activities, and Bax, Bcl-2, p53, Akt, AMPK, and LC3A/B proteins. The obtained data revealed that the tested derivatives are highly cytotoxic and inhibit cell proliferation even at nanomolar doses (0.41–0.79 µM). Importantly, their strong proapoptotic properties (↑ caspase 3/7) are attributable to the effects on both the extrinsic (↑ caspase 8) and intrinsic (↓ ΔΨm and Bcl-2, ↑ Bax, p53, and caspase 9) pathways of apoptosis. Moreover, the tested compounds are autophagy activators (↓ Akt, ↑ autophagosomes and autolysosomes, AMPK, LC3A/B). In summary, the potent anticancer activity suggests that the tested compounds may be promising drug candidates for future breast cancer therapy

The intensification of anticancer activity of LFM-A13 by erythropoietin as a possible option for inhibition of breast cancer

Recombinant human erythropoietin (Epo) is an effective and convenient treatment for cancer-related anaemia. In our study for the first time, we evaluated the effect of simultaneous use of Epo and Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor LFM-A13 on the viability and tumour development of breast cancer cells. The results demonstrated that Epo significantly intensifies the anticancer activity of LFM-A13 in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The featured therapeutic scheme efficiently blocked the tumour development in zebrafish experimental cancer model. Epo and LFM-A13 administered together resulted in effective cell killing, accompanied by attenuation of the BTK signalling pathways, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), accumulation of apoptotic breast cancer cells with externalised PS, a slight increase in phase G0/G1 and a reduction in cyclin D1 expression. Simultaneous use of Epo with LFM-A13 inhibited early stages of tumour progression. This therapeutic scheme may be rationale for further possible research