The nature of the molecules underlying the radioresistance phenotype of laryngeal cancer cells remains to be established. We initially generated radioresistant laryngeal cancer cell lines from human HEp-2 cells with fractionated radiation. These RR-HEp-2 cells and isolated clones displayed more radioresistant and anti-apoptotic phenotypes than parental HEp-2 cells after radiation. Characteristics of RR-Hep-2 cell lines were confirmed by upregulation of radioresistance-related genes, such as epidermal growth factor receptor, Hsp90, and Bcl-xl. Subsequently, we examined proteome changes between HEp-2 and RR-HEp-2 cells and identified 16 proteins showing significantly altered expression levels. Interestingly, protein expression of chloride intracellular channel 1 (CLIC1) was markedly suppressed in RR-HEp-2 cells, compared with non-irradiated control cells. Suppression of CLIC1 with an indanyloxyacetic acid-94 or small interfering RNA led to radioresistance in HEp-2 cells by suppressing the radiation-induced cellular ROS level. However, ectopic overexpression of CLIC1 induced radiosensitivity in RR-HEp-2 cells via induction of ROS level after radiation, suggesting that the protein acts as a positive regulator of ROS production. Our results collectively indicate that suppression of CLIC1 contributes to acquisition of the radioresistance phenotype of laryngeal cancer cells via inhibition of ROS production, implying that this protein is an important candidate molecule for radiotherapy in radioresistant laryngeal cancer cells.

Although much is known about interleukin (IL)-1␤ and its role as a key mediator of cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis, only limited information is available on IL-1␤ signaling in chondrocyte dedifferentiation. Here, we have characterized the molecular mechanisms leading to the dedifferentiation of primary cultured articular chondrocytes by IL-1␤ treatment. IL-1␤ or lipopolysaccharide, but not phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, retinoic acid, or epidermal growth factor, induced nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) expression, showing the association of inflammatory cytokines with NAMPT regulation. SIRT1, in turn, was activated NAMPT-dependently, without any alteration in the expression level. Activation or inhibition of SIRT1 oppositevely regulates IL-1␤-mediated chondrocyte dedifferentiation, suggesting this protein as a key regulator of chondrocytes phenotype. SIRT1 activation promotes induction of ERK and p38 kinase activities, but not JNK, in response to IL-1␤. Subsequently, ERK and p38 kinase activated by SIRT1 also induce SIRT1 activation, forming a positive feedback loop to sustain downstream signaling of these kinases. Moreover, we found that the SIRT1-ERK complex, but not SIRT1-p38, is engaged in IL-1␤-induced chondrocyte dedifferentiation via a Sox-9-mediated mechanism. JNK is activated by IL-1␤ and modulates dedifferentiation of chondrocytes, but this pathway is independent on NAMPT-SIRT1 signaling. Based on these findings, we propose that IL-1␤ induces dedifferentiation of articular chondrocytes by up-regulation of SIRT1 activity enhanced by both NAMPT and ERK signaling.

Although end-binding protein 1 (EB1) is well known to regulate microtubule dynamics, the role of EB1 in apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which EB1 regulates apoptosis in H460, A549, and H1299 cells. Depletion of EB1 in A549 and H1299 cells, which express high levels of EB1, induced cell death in a p53-independent manner through over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Bax induction. This phenomenon was potentiated in radiation-treated EB1-knockdown cells and was largely blocked by N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a scavenger of ROS. ROS accelerated the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) to promote transcriptional activity of Bax, an action that was accompanied by cytochrome c translocation and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) release. The NF-κB inhibitor, BAY 11-7082, potently inhibited the apoptosis induced by EB1 knockdown and radiation treatment, in association with diminished activity of the mitochondrial death pathway. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of EB1 in H460 cells, which express low levels of EB1, remarkably abrogated radiation-induced apoptosis and NF-κB-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction. Our data provide the first demonstration that down-regulation of EB1 promotes NSCLC cell death by inducing ROS-mediated, NF-κB-dependent Bax signaling cascades, a process in which cytochrome c and AIF play important roles, indicating a potential therapeutic benefit of EB1 in lung cancer.

Ionizing radiation is widely used in medicine and is valuable in both the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. However, its health effects are ambiguous. Here, we report that low-dose ionizing radiation has beneficial effects in human amyloid-β42 (Aβ42)-expressing Drosophila Alzheimer's disease (AD) models. Ionizing radiation at a dose of 0.05 Gy suppressed AD-like phenotypes, including developmental defects and locomotive dysfunction, but did not alter the decreased survival rates and longevity of Aβ42-expressing flies. The same dose of γ-irradiation reduced Aβ42-induced cell death in Drosophila AD models through downregulation of head involution defective ( hid ), which encodes a protein that activates caspases. However, 4 Gy of γ-irradiation increased Aβ42-induced cell death without modulating pro-apoptotic genes grim , reaper and hid . The AKT signaling pathway, which was suppressed in Drosophila AD models, was activated by either 0.05 or 4 Gy γ-irradiation. Interestingly, p38 mitogen-activated protein-kinase (MAPK) activity was inhibited by exposure to 0.05 Gy γ-irradiation but enhanced by exposure to 4 Gy in Aβ42-expressing flies. In addition, overexpression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a negative regulator of the AKT signaling pathway, or a null mutant of AKT strongly suppressed the beneficial effects of low-dose ionizing radiation in Aβ42-expressing flies. These results indicate that low-dose ionizing radiation suppresses Aβ42-induced cell death through regulation of the AKT and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, suggesting that low-dose ionizing radiation has hormetic effects on the pathogenesis of Aβ42-associated AD.

Although low-dose radiation (LDR) regulates a wide range of biological processes, limited information is available on the effects of LDR on the chondrocyte phenotype. Here, we found that LDR, at doses of 0.5–2 centiGray (cGy), inhibited interleukin (IL)-1β-induced chondrocyte destruction without causing side effects, such as cell death and senescence. IL-1β treatment induced an increase in the expression of α-, β-, and γ-catenin proteins in chondrocytes via Akt signaling, thereby promoting dedifferentiation through catenin-dependent suppression of Sox-9 transcription factor expression and induction of inflammation through activation of the NF-κB pathway. Notably, LDR blocked cartilage disorders by inhibiting IL-1β-induced catenin signaling and subsequent catenin-dependent suppression of the Sox-9 pathway and activation of the NF-κB pathway, without directly altering catenin expression. LDR also inhibited chondrocyte destruction through the catenin pathway induced by epidermal growth factor, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and retinoic acid. Collectively, these results identify the molecular mechanisms by which LDR suppresses pathophysiological processes and establish LDR as a potentially valuable therapeutic tool for patients with cytokine- or soluble factors-mediated cartilage disorders.

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The role of end-binding protein 1 (EB1) in lung cancer tumorigenesis and radiotherapy remains poorly understood. In the present study, we observed that EB1 was highly expressed in lung tumor tissues compared with normal non-tumor tissues based on immunohistochemical analysis of lung cancer tissue samples obtained from human tissue microarrays. EB1 was also highly overexpressed in radioresistant lung and cervical cancer cells, which exhibited increased cell death after EB1 silencing. The cytotoxicity induced by EB1 gene knockdown was due to the activation and generation of reactive oxygen species by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Notably, this signaling cascade, however not nuclear factor-κB-mediated signaling, induced the expression of cyclooxygenase-2, a key effector of apoptotic death. Our results provided new molecular evidence supporting the use of EB1 as a novel target in lung cancer therapy, especially in the case of radioresistance.