Structural influence of isothiocyanates on the antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression.
OBJECTIVE
Isothiocyanates (ITCs), existing abundantly in cruciferous vegetables, is one class of promising dietary cancer chemopreventive agents that possess strong cancer protective effects by modulation of phase II detoxifying/antioxidant enzyme activities. However, limited studies regarding to the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of ITCs on the induction of phase II detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes are reported. In this study, the effects of ten structurally related isothiocyanates on the antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction in human hepatoma HepG2-C8 cells were evaluated.


METHODS
After exposure of HepG2-C8 cells to ITCs, cell viability, luciferase reporter assay, Western blot analysis and quantitative real-time PCR were conducted.


RESULTS
Treatments with most ITCs significantly activated ARE-mediated luciferase activity with different maximal degree of ARE induction. In addition, ITCs caused a substantial induction of HO-1 protein, which was closely correlated with inductive level of Nrf2 protein. Real-time PCR revealed that the expression of HO-1 mRNA and protein was significantly increased after treatments with ITCs, although not directly correlated. HO-1 induction by ITCs was attenuated in HepG2-C8 cells transiently transfected with a dominant negative mutant of Nrf2 (Nrf2-M4), whereas it was totally absent in Nrf2 -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts. In addition, ARE activation by ITCs was associated with the depletion of intracellular glutathione.


CONCLUSIONS
Collectively, our results demonstrate that the ITC class of compounds activates ARE-mediated HO-1 gene transcription through Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, however, their inductive effects are quite specific, depending on the chemical structure. These results suggest the possibility that some synthetic ITCs might have superior chemopreventive activity than natural ITCs.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, 123 Mittrapharb Road, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
Auemduan
A
Prawan
Young-Sam
YS
Keum
Tin Oo
TO
Khor
Siwang
S
Yu
Sujit
S
Nair
Wenge
W
Li
Longqin
L
Hu
Ah-Ng Tony
AN
Kong
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017879:Isothiocyanates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D015394:Molecular Structure; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020218:Response Elements / Q000187:drug effects*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495635:NFE2L2 protein, human; C495636:Nfe2l2 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; C496542:Hmox1 protein, mouse; D005978:Glutathione