No abstract

*MicroRNA (miRNA) is a form of small noncoding RNA that regulates the expression of genes either by inhibiting mRNA translation or by inducing its degradation. Small microRNA play important roles in regulating a large number of cellular processes, including development, proliferation and apoptosis. This study examined the biological functions of miR-205 as a tumor suppressor in KB oral cancer cells. The results showed that miR-205 expression was significantly lower in KB oral cancer cells than in human normal oral keratinocytes. Furthermore, the miR-205 over-expressed in KB oral cancer cells increased the cell cytotoxicity and induced apoptosis through the activation of caspase-3/-7. The transfection of miR-205 into KB oral cancer cells strongly induced IL-24, a well known cytokine that acts as a tumor suppressor in a range of tumor tissues. In addition, miR-205 targeted the IL-24 promoter directly to induce gene expression. Overall, miR-205 has significant therapeutic potential to turn on silenced tumor suppressor genes by targeting them with miRNA.

Melatonin, a naturally occurring neurohormone in the pineal gland, has been shown to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study examined the effects of melatonin on manganese (Mn) and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial activation. Melatonin (10 μM) inhibited Mn (100 μM) and/or LPS (0.5 μg/ml)-induced phagocytotic activity of activated BV2 microglia. It also inhibited the lipid peroxidation and intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) depletion induced by Mn and/or LPS. Melatonin effectively suppressed the upregulation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) at both mRNA and protein levels in Mn and/or LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. In addition, melatonin pretreatment attenuated Mn and/or LPS-induced degradation of IκB-α, nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and its activation, and the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) in BV2 microglial cells. These results suggest that melatonin can effectively modulate phagocytosis and expression of proinflammatory mediators, and can prevent neuroinflammatory disorders accompanied by microglial activation.

Glutamate-mediated cytotoxicity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), a naturally occurring thiol antioxidant, on glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in cultured C6 astroglial cells. Exposure to high-dose glutamate (10 mM) caused oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction through the elevation of reactive oxygen species, depletion of glutathione, and loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m). Pretreatment with ALA (200 µM), however, significantly inhibited the glutamate-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. ALA pretreatment dosedependently suppressed glutamate-induced apoptotic events including altered nuclear morphology and activation of caspase-3. In addition, ALA significantly attenuated glutamate-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers; namely, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR)-like ER-associated kinase (PERK), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), and caspase-12. We confirmed that CHOP and caspase-12 are key mediators of glutamateinduced ER stress. Furthermore, exposure of the cells to a caspase-12-specific inhibitor and CHOP small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) led to restoration of the ΔΨ m that was damaged by glutamate treatment. These results suggest that ALA can effectively suppress oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ER stress in astroglial cells.

Curcumin, a bioactive component in tumeric, has been shown to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects, but the effects of curcumin against manganese (Mn)-mediated neurotoxicity have not been studied. This study examined the protective effects of curcumin on Mn-induced cytotoxicity in BV-2 microglial cells. Curcumin (0.1-10 µM) dose-dependently prevented Mn (250 µM)-induced cell death. Mn-induced mitochondria-related apoptotic characteristics, such as caspase-3 and -9 activation, cytochrome c release, Bax increase, and Bcl-2 decrease, were significantly suppressed by curcumin. In addition, curcumin significantly increased intracellular glutathione (GSH) and moderately potentiated superoxide dismutase (SOD), both which were diminished by Mn treatment. Curcumin pretreatment effectively suppressed Mn-induced upregulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), total reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, curcumin markedly inhibited the Mn-induced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss. Furthermore, curcumin was able to induce heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression. Curcuminmediated inhibition of ROS, down-regulation of caspases, restoration of MMP, and recovery of cell viability were partially reversed by HO-1 inhibitor (SnPP). These results suggest the first evidence that curcumin can prevent Mn-induced microglial cell death through the induction of HO-1 and regulation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptotic events.