leupeptins and Esophageal-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma

It has been implied that deregulation of cyclin D1 turnover under stresses can facilitate genomic instability and trigger tumorigenesis. Much focus has been placed on identifying the E3 ligases responsible for mediating cyclin D1 degradation. However, the findings were quite controversial and cell type-dependent. Little is known about how cyclin D1 is regulated in precancerous cells upon DNA damage and which E3 ligases mediate the effects. Here we found cyclin D1 reduction is an early response to DNA damage in immortalized esophageal epithelial cells, with expression dropping to a low level within 1 h after γ-irradiation. Comparison of temporal expression of cyclin D1 upon DNA damage between immortalized NE083-hTERT and NE083-E6E7, the latter being p53/p21-defective, showed that DNA damage-induced rapid cyclin D1 reduction was p53-independent and occurred before p21 accumulation. Overexpression of cyclin D1 in NE083-E6E7 cells could attenuate G0/G1 cell cycle arrest at 1 h after irradiation. Furthermore, rapid reduction of cyclin D1 upon DNA damage was attributed to proteasomal degradation, as evidenced by data showing that proteasomal inhibition by MG132 blocked cyclin D1 reduction while cycloheximide facilitated it. Inhibition of ATM activation and knockdown of E3 ligase adaptor FBX4 reversed cyclin D1 turnover in immortalized NE083-hTERT cells. Further study showed that knockdown of FBX4 facilitated DNA breaks, as indicated by an increase in γ-H2AX foci in esophageal cancer cells. Taken together, the results substantiated a pivotal role of ATM and FBX4 in cyclin D1 proteolysis upon DNA damage in precancerous esophageal epithelial cells, implying that deregulation of the process may contribute to carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Topics: Cell Cycle; Cyclin D1; Cycloheximide; DNA Damage; Down-Regulation; Epithelial Cells; Esophageal Neoplasms; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Esophagus; F-Box Proteins; Gamma Rays; Humans; Leupeptins; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Proteolysis; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53

We recently reported that STAT1 plays a tumor suppressor role, and ERK was inversely correlation with STAT1 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Here, we investigated the mechanism(s) that are responsible for the ERK regulates STAT1 in ESCC.. We performed the immunoprecipitation (IP) to detect the ubiquitin of STAT1 upon MEK transfection or U0126 treatment and co-IP to confirm the binding of STAT1 and ERK in ESCC cell lines.. We found evidence that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway can efficiently degrade STAT1 in ESCC cells, as MG132 treatment rapidly and dramatically increased STAT1 expression in these cells. This process is not dependent on the phosphorylation of the two important STAT1 residues, Y701 and S727, as site-directed mutagenesis of these two sites did not affect STAT1 degradation. We also found that ERK promotes proteasome degradation of STAT1, supported by the observations that pharmacologic inhibition of ERK resulted in a substantial increase of STAT1 whereas expression of constitutively active ERK further reduced the STAT1 protein level. In addition to suppressing STAT1 expression, ERK limited STAT1 signaling by decreasing the production of IFNγ.. To conclude, ERK is an effective negative regulator of STAT1 signaling in ESCC, by promoting its proteasome degradation and decreasing IFNγ production. Our data further supports that targeting ERK and/or STAT1 may be useful for treating ESCC.

Topics: Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Esophageal Neoplasms; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Feedback, Physiological; Humans; Interferon-gamma; Leupeptins; Phosphorylation; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Proteolysis; RNA, Small Interfering; Signal Transduction; STAT1 Transcription Factor; Ubiquitination

Comprehensive treatment based on chemotherapy is regarded as the first-line treatment for patients with unresectable or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, chemoresistance is common among patients with ESCC. Therefore, there is a need to explore new therapeutic strategies or adjuvant drugs. One promising possibility is to use dietary agents that can increase tumor cell sensitivity to drugs. In this study, we initially investigated the antitumor activity of proteasome inhibitor MG132 in vitro and in vivo. Effects of MG132 on the enhancment of the anticancer functions of cisplatin were then investigated in human esophageal cancer EC9706 cells in relation to apoptosis and cell signaling events. Exposure of cells to MG132 resulted in a marked decrease in cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Administration of MG132 markedly inhibited tumor growth in the EC9706 xenograft model. MG132 significantly enhanced cisplatin-induced apoptosis in association with the activation of caspase-3 and -8. These events were accompanied by the downregulation of NF-κB, which plays a key role in cell apoptosis. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a novel mechanism by which proteasome inhibitor MG132 potentiates cisplatin-induced apoptosis in human ESCC and inhibitory activity of tumor growth of the EC9706 xenograft model.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Cisplatin; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; Esophageal Neoplasms; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Female; Humans; Leupeptins; Mice; Mice, Nude