Allyl sulfur compounds play a major role in the chemoprevention against carcinogenesis. The present study compared the antiproliferative effects of diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS) and garlic extract on p53-wild type H460 and p53-null type H1299 non small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC). The DAS and DADS treatment of both H460 and H1299 cells resulted in the highest numbers of cells in apoptotic state as measured by acridine orange staining, however, garlic extract treatment did not induce any significant apoptotic cells by MTT assay. DADS was found to be more effective in inducing apoptosis on NSCLC. The level of p53 protein in H460 cell was increased following DADS treatment. DAS and garlic extract treatment of H460 cells induced a rise in the level of Bax and a fall of Bcl-2 level. These results demonstrate that DAS, DADS and garlic extract are effective in reduction of anti-proliperative gene in NSCLC and suggest that modulation of apoptosis-associated cellular proteins by DAS, DADS and garlic extract may be the mechanism for apoptosis which merit further investigation as potential chemoprevention agents.

Bcl-2 is involved in the progression of human malignancies, but the precise role and mechanism of Bcl-2 for tumor invasion and metastasis remains unclear. In this study, we have investigated the role and mechanism of Bcl-2 on tumor cell invasion and metastasis by using Bcl-2 overexpressing non-small cell lung cancer cells. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important proteins involved in the processes of tumor invasion and metastasis. In vitro Matrigel invasion assays showed that Bcl-2 overexpression increased tumor cell invasion by 15-fold. Moreover, Bcl-2 overexpression enhanced in vivo lung metastasis by 4-fold. Consistent with its effect on invasion and metastasis, Bcl-2 overexpression induced not only MMP-2 mRNA and its protein expression, but this also activated the pro-MMP-2 protein to its active form. To explore the induction mechanism of MMP-2 by Bcl-2, we investigated the effects of Bcl-2 overexpression on MMP-2 transcriptional regulation. Nuclear run-on assays showed a 6-fold increase in the transcription rate of MMP-2 mRNA in the Bcl-2 transfectants (H157/Bcl-2) compared with that of the H157/vector control cells (H157/C). Overexpression of Bcl-2 induced the nuclear transcription factor activator protein 1 family, including the c-Jun, JunD, c-Fos, FosB, and Fra-1 proteins. Reporter assays combined with deletion mutagenesis analysis and gel shift assays showed the involvement of activator protein 1 in the activation of MMP-2 promoter activity by Bcl-2. Taken together, we have shown that Bcl-2 promotes tumor invasion and lung metastasis by inducing MMP-2 gene expression through the combined action of transcriptional and posttranslational mechanisms. (Cancer Res 2005; 65(13): 5554-60)

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of mild hyperthermia to potentiate the anticancer effects of h-lapachone (3,4-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-2H-naphthol[1,2-b]pyran-5,6-dione) by up-regulating NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) in cancer cells. Experimental Design: Effects of h-lapachone alone or in combination with mild heating on the clonogenic survival of FSaII fibrosarcoma cells of C3H mice and A549 human lung tumor cells in vitro was determined. Effects of heating on the NQO1 level in the cancer cells in vitro were assessed using Western blot analysis for NQO1 expression, biochemical determination of NQO1 activity, and immunofluorescence microscopy for NQO1 expression. Growth of FSaII tumors in the hind legs of C3H mice was determined after treating the host mice with i.p. injection of 45 mg/kg h-lapachone followed by heating the tumors at 42jC for 1 hour every other day for four times.

It has been reported that beta-lapachone (beta-lap), a bioreductive anti-cancer drug, synergistically interacts with ionizing radiation and that the sensitivity of cells to beta-lap is closely related to the activity of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Here we report the results of our studies of mechanisms underlying the synergistic interaction of beta-lap and radiation in killing cancer cells using the DU-145 human prostate cancer cell line. The clonogenic cell death caused by the combination of radiation and beta-lap was synergistic when beta-lap was administered 0-10 h after irradiation but not when it was given before irradiation. The expression and activity of NQO1 increased significantly and remained elevated for longer than 12 h after 4 Gy irradiation, suggesting that the long-lasting elevation of NQO1 sensitized the cells to beta-lap. Studies with split-dose irradiation demonstrated that beta-lap given immediately after irradiation effectively inhibited sublethal radiation damage (SLD) repair. Taken together, these results lead us to conclude that the synergistic interaction between beta-lap and radiation in killing cells is the result of two distinct mechanisms: First, radiation sensitizes cells to beta-lap by up-regulating NQO1, and second, beta-lap sensitizes cells to radiation by inhibiting SLD repair. The combination of beta-lap and radiotherapy is potentially promising modality for the treatment of cancer in humans.

The levels of expressions and catalytic activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP1A1) and glutathione-S-t r a n sferase class (GSTM1) enzymes in lungs and their metabolic balance may be an important determinant host factor underlying lung cancer. Genetic differences in metabolism, MspI restriction sites, Ile-Val polymorphism of CYP1A1 gene, and the null genotype of GSTM1 have been reported to be associated with susceptibility to lung cancer. The present studies were undertaken to establish frequencies of the polymorphic genotypes of CYP1A1 and GSTM1 in Koreans, and to evaluate linkage disequilibrium of the genotypes associated with higher lung cancer risks among Koreans. GSTM1(-) genotype was found in 52% of control subjects, whereas it was found in 55% of lung cancer patients. The allelic variants in CYP1A1 were distributed differently in lung cancer patients and controls. The heterozygous genotype frequency of the MspI site in lung cancer patients (53%) was higher than in controls (49%). The frequency of Ile/Val genotype of CYP1A1 was low in lung cancer patients, which are mostly squamous cell carcinoma.