calpain and honokiol

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDIs) can modulate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression and inhibit the migration and invasion of cancer cells. Emerging as a novel class of anti-cancer drugs, HDIs are attracted much attention in the field of drug discovery. This study aimed to discern the underlying mechanisms of Honokiol in preventing the metastatic dissemination of gastric cancer cells by inhibiting HDAC3 activity/expression.. Clinical pathological analysis was performed to determine the relationship between HDAC3 and tumor progression. The effects of Honokiol on pharmacological characterization, functional, transcriptional activities, organelle structure changes, and molecular signaling were analyzed using binding assays, differential scanning calorimetry, luciferase reporter assay, HDAC3 activity, ER stress response element activity, transmission electron microscopy, immune-blotting, and Wnt/β-catenin activity assays. The in vivo effects of Honokiol on peritoneal dissemination were determined by a mouse model and detected by PET/CT tomography.. HDAC3 over-expression was correlated with poor prognosis. Honokiol significantly abolished HDAC3 activity (Y298) via inhibition of NFκBp65/CEBPβ signaling, which could be reversed by the over-expression of plasmids of NFκBp65/CEBPβ. Treatments with 4-phenylbutyric acid (a chemical chaperone) and calpain-2 gene silencing inhibited Honokiol-inhibited NFκBp65/CEBPβ activation. Honokiol increased ER stress markers and inhibited EMT-associated epithelial markers, but decreased Wnt/β-catenin activity. Suppression of HDAC3 by both Honokiol and HDAC3 gene silencing decreased cell migration and invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo.. Honokiol acts by suppressing HDAC3-mediated EMT and metastatic signaling. By prohibiting HDAC3, metastatic dissemination of gastric cancer may be blocked. Conceptual model showing the working hypothesis on the interaction among Honokiol, HDAC3, and ER stress in the peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer. Honokiol targeting HDAC3 by ER stress cascade and mitigating the peritoneal spread of gastric cancer. Honokiol-induced ER stress-activated calpain activity targeted HDAC3 and blocked Tyr298 phosphorylation, subsequently blocked cooperating with EMT transcription factors and cancer progression. The present study provides evidence to demonstrate that HDAC3 is a positive regulator of EMT and metastatic growth of gastric cancer cells. The findings here imply that overexpressed HDAC3 is a potential therapeutic target for honokiol to reverse EMT and prevent gastric cancer migration, invasion, and metastatic dissemination. • Honokiol significantly abolished HDAC3 activity on catalytic tyrosine 298 residue site. In addition, Honokiol-induced ER stress markedly inhibited HDAC3 expression via inhibition of NFκBp65/CEBPβ signaling. • HDAC3, which is a positive regulator of metastatic gastric cancer cell growth, can be significantly inhibited by Honokiol. • Opportunities for HDAC3 inhibition may be a potential therapeutic target for preventing gastric cancer metastatic dissemination.

Topics: Animals; beta Catenin; Calpain; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; Histone Deacetylases; Mice; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Stomach Neoplasms

There is increasing global incidence of highly metastatic melanoma and therapeutic strategies like those focusing on the downstream beta-catenin/MITF axis of invading melanoma cells are urgently needed. Targeting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress can promote cancer cell death and inhibit epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in metastatic tumors. This study aimed to determine if Honokiol could promote ER stress-dependent apoptosis and regulate metastatic melanoma. The therapeutic efficacy of Honokiol was assessed using the highly metastatic melanoma xenograft mouse model for peritoneal metastasis and evaluated by computed tomography imaging. The ER stress marker, Calpain-10, delineated a novel proteolytic cleavage enzyme, while CHOP/GADD153-regulated apoptosis was used for gene silencing to determine the role of the β-catenin/MITF axis in melanoma cells. The results showed that Honokiol effectively decreased peritoneal dissemination and organ metastasis via ER stress activation and EMT marker inhibition. Knockdown Calpain-10 or CHOP/GADD153 blocked all of the biological effects in Honokiol-induced β-catenin/MITF cleavage, ERSE or TCF/LEF luciferase activity, and β-catenin kinase activity. These findings suggest that Honokiol can significantly thwart the progression of highly metastatic melanoma using the β-catenin/MITF axis via prompt Calpain-10 and CHOP/GADD153 regulated cascades.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; beta Catenin; Biphenyl Compounds; Calpain; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Lignans; Male; Melanoma; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Skin Neoplasms; Transcription Factor CHOP; Wnt Signaling Pathway; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Peritoneal dissemination is a major clinical obstacle in gastrointestinal cancer therapy, and it accounts for the majority of cancer-related mortality. Calreticulin (CRT) is over-expressed in gastric tumors and has been linked to poor prognosis. In this study, immunohistochemistry studies revealed that the up-regulation of CRT was associated with lymph node and distant metastasis in patients with gastric cancer specimens. CRT was significantly down-regulated in highly metastatic gastric cancer cell lines and metastatic animal by Honokiol-treated. Small RNA interference blocking CRT by siRNA-CRT was translocated to the cells in the early immunogenic response to Honokiol. Honokiol activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and down-regulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) activity resulting in PPARγ and CRT degradation through calpain-II activity, which could be reversed by siRNA-calpain-II. The Calpain-II/PPARγ/CRT axis and interaction evoked by Honokiol could be blocked by gene silencing or pharmacological agents. Both transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) induced cell migration, invasion and reciprocal down-regulation of epithelial marker E-cadherin, which could be abrogated by siRNA-CRT. Moreover, Honokiol significantly suppressed MNNG-induced gastrointestinal tumor growth and over-expression of CRT in mice. Knockdown CRT in gastric cancer cells was found to effectively reduce growth ability and metastasis in vivo. The present study provides insight into the specific biological behavior of CRT in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis. Taken together, our results suggest that the therapeutic inhibition of CRT by Honokiol suppresses both gastric tumor growth and peritoneal dissemination by dictating early translocation of CRT in immunogenic cell death, activating ER stress, and blocking EMT.

Topics: Adult; Animals; Biomarkers, Tumor; Biphenyl Compounds; Calpain; Calreticulin; Cell Death; Cell Line, Tumor; Down-Regulation; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Female; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Humans; Lignans; Macrophages; Male; Methylnitronitrosoguanidine; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Phagocytosis; PPAR gamma; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein Binding; Stomach Neoplasms; Up-Regulation

Honokiol, a small-molecular weight natural product, has previously been reported to activate apoptosis and inhibit gastric tumorigenesis. Whether honokiol inhibits the angiogenesis and metastasis of gastric cancer cells remains unknown.. We tested the effects of honokiol on angiogenic activity and peritoneal dissemination using in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro assay systems. The signaling responses in human gastric cancer cells, human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs), and isolated tumors were detected and analyzed. In a xenograft gastric tumor mouse model, honokiol significantly inhibited the peritoneal dissemination detected by PET/CT technique. Honokiol also effectively attenuated the angiogenesis detected by chick chorioallantoic membrane assay, mouse matrigel plug assay, rat aortic ring endothelial cell sprouting assay, and endothelial cell tube formation assay. Furthermore, honokiol effectively enhanced signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT-3) dephosphorylation and inhibited STAT-3 DNA binding activity in human gastric cancer cells and HUVECs, which was correlated with the up-regulation of the activity and protein expression of Src homology 2 (SH2)-containing tyrosine phosphatase-1 (SHP-1). Calpain-II inhibitor and siRNA transfection significantly reversed the honokiol-induced SHP-1 activity. The decreased STAT-3 phosphorylation and increased SHP-1 expression were also shown in isolated peritoneal metastatic tumors. Honokiol was also capable of inhibiting VEGF generation, which could be reversed by SHP-1 siRNA transfection.. Honokiol increases expression and activity of SPH-1 that further deactivates STAT3 pathway. These findings also suggest that honokiol is a novel and potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer cells, providing support for the application potential of honokiol in gastric cancer therapy.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Biphenyl Compounds; Calpain; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; Humans; Lignans; Mice; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Phosphorylation; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6; RNA, Small Interfering; Signal Transduction; STAT3 Transcription Factor; Stomach Neoplasms; Up-Regulation; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Chondrosarcoma is a malignant primary bone tumor that responds poorly to both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer effect of a honokiol, an active component isolated and purified from the Magnolia officinalis in human chondrosarcoma cells. Honokiol-induced cell apoptosis in human chondrosarcoma cell lines (including: JJ012 and SW1353) but not primary chondrocytes. Honokiol also induces upregulation of Bax and Bak, downregulation of Bcl-XL and dysfunction of mitochondria in chondrosarcoma cells. Honokiol triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as indicated by changes in cytosol-calcium levels. We also found that honokiol increased the expression and activities of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and calpain. Transfection of cells with GRP78 or calpain siRNA reduced honokiol-mediated cell apoptosis in JJ012 cells. Importantly, animal studies have revealed a dramatic 53% reduction in tumor volume after 21days of treatment. This study demonstrates that honokiol may be a novel anti-cancer agent targeting chondrosarcoma cells.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Biphenyl Compounds; Bone Neoplasms; Calcium; Calpain; Cell Line, Tumor; Chondrosarcoma; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; Heat-Shock Proteins; Humans; Lignans; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mitochondria; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Honokiol, a small molecular weight natural product, has been shown to possess potent anti-neoplastic and anti-angiogenic properties. Its molecular mechanisms and the ability of anti-gastric cancer remain unknown. It has been shown that the anti-apoptotic function of the glucose-regulated proteins (GRPs) predicts that their induction in neoplastic cells can lead to cancer progression and drug resistance. We explored the effects of honokiol on the regulation of GRPs and apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells and tumor growth.. Treatment of various human gastric cancer cells with honokiol led to the induction of GRP94 cleavage, but did not affect GRP78. Silencing of GRP94 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) could induce cell apoptosis. Treatment of cells with honokiol or chemotherapeutics agent etoposide enhanced the increase in apoptosis and GRP94 degradation. The calpain activity and calpain-II (m-calpain) protein (but not calpain-I (micro-calpain)) level could also be increased by honokiol. Honokiol-induced GRP94 down-regulation and apoptosis in gastric cancer cells could be reversed by siRNA targeting calpain-II and calpain inhibitors. Furthermore, the results of immunofluorescence staining and immunoprecipitation revealed a specific interaction of GRP94 with calpain-II in cells following honokiol treatment. We next observed that tumor GRP94 over-expression and tumor growth in BALB/c nude mice, which were inoculated with human gastric cancer cells MKN45, are markedly decreased by honokiol treatment.. These results provide the first evidence that honokiol-induced calpain-II-mediated GRP94 cleavage causes human gastric cancer cell apoptosis. We further suggest that honokiol may be a possible therapeutic agent to improve clinical outcome of gastric cancer.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Biphenyl Compounds; Calpain; Cell Line, Tumor; Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; Glucose; Humans; Kinetics; Lignans; Male; Membrane Glycoproteins; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Models, Biological; Stomach Neoplasms