title: Expression of WWOX and FHIT is downregulated by exposure to arsenite in human uroepithelial cells.
abstract: Ecological studies in Taiwan, Chile, Argentina, Bangladesh, and Mexico have confirmed significant dose-dependent associations between ingestion of arsenic-contaminated drinking water and the risk of various human malignancies. The FHIT and WWOX genes are active in common fragile sites FRA3B and FRA16D, respectively. Reduced expression of FHIT or WWOX is known to be an early indicator of carcinogen-induced cancers. However, the effect of arsenite on the expressions and molecular mechanisms of these markers is still unclear. The aims of this study were (i) to observe the expression of ATR, WWOX and FHIT proteins in urothelial carcinoma (UC) between endemic and non-endemic areas of blackfoot disease (BFD) by immunohistochemical analyses; (ii) to compare expression of these genes between arsenite-treated SV-HUC-1 human epithelial cells and rat uroepithelial cells; and (iii) to determine the role of DNMT and MEK inhibitors on expressions of WWOX and FHIT in response to arsenite in SV-HUC-1. The experiments revealed that expressions of ATR, WWOX and FHIT in UC significantly differed between BFD areas and non-BFD areas (p=0.003, 0.009 and 0.021, respectively). In fact, the results for the arsenite-treated groups showed that ATR, WWOX and FHIT are downregulated by arsenite in SV-HUC-1. However, the inhibitors suppressed the effects of arsenite on WWOX and FHIT proteins and mRNA expression. In conclusion, arsenite decreased expressions of ATR, WWOX and FHIT via ERK1/2 activation in SV-HUC-1 cells. These findings confirm that dysregulations of these markers may contribute to arsenite-induced carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ya-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wen-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Wan-Tzu
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsin-Su
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chee-Yin
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chai
mesh_terms: D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D018053:Arsenites / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000633:toxicity*; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D000074584:WW Domain-Containing Oxidoreductase; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase
chemical_list: D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; D018053:Arsenites; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000074584:WW Domain-Containing Oxidoreductase; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase; C486071:WWOX protein, human; C576597:ATR protein, human; C015001:arsenite