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.