Molecular Biology and Genetics / Moleküler Biyoloji ve Genetik

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11147/9

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 21
    Citation - Scopus: 22
    High-Dose Exposure To Polymer-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Elicits Autophagy-Dependent Ferroptosis in Susceptible Cancer Cells
    (MDPI, 2023) Lomphithak, Thanpisit; Helvacıoğlu, Selin; Armenia, Ilaria; Keshavan, Sandeep; Ovejero, Jesus G.; Baldi, Giovanni; Ravagli, Costanza; Grazú, Valeria; Fadeel, Bengt
    Ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent, lipid peroxidation-driven cell death, has been extensively investigated in recent years, and several studies have suggested that the ferroptosis-inducing properties of iron-containing nanomaterials could be harnessed for cancer treatment. Here we evaluated the potential cytotoxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles, with and without cobalt functionalization (Fe2O3 and Fe2O3@Co-PEG), using an established, ferroptosis-sensitive fibrosarcoma cell line (HT1080) and a normal fibroblast cell line (BJ). In addition, we evaluated poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-PEG-PLGA). Our results showed that all the nanoparticles tested were essentially non-cytotoxic at concentrations up to 100 mu g/mL. However, when the cells were exposed to higher concentrations (200-400 mu g/mL), cell death with features of ferroptosis was observed, and this was more pronounced for the Co-functionalized nanoparticles. Furthermore, evidence was provided that the cell death triggered by the nanoparticles was autophagy-dependent. Taken together, the exposure to high concentrations of polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles triggers ferroptosis in susceptible human cancer cells.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 5
    Citation - Scopus: 5
    De-Sealing Reverses Habitat Decay More Than Increasing Groundcover Vegetation
    (MDPI, 2023) Couch, Virginia; Salata, Stefano; Saygın, Nicel; Frary, Anne; Arslan, Bertan
    Modeling ecosystem services is a growing trend in scientific research, and Nature-based Solutions (NbSs) are increasingly used by land-use planners and environmental designers to achieve improved adaptation to climate change and mitigation of the negative effects of climate change. Predictions of ecological benefits of NbSs are needed early in design to support decision making. In this study, we used ecological analysis to predict the benefits of two NbSs applied to a university masterplan and adjusted our preliminary design strategy according to the first modeling results. Our Area of Interest was the IZTECH campus, which is located in a rural area of the eastern Mediterranean region (Izmir/Turkey). A primary design goal was to improve habitat quality by revitalizing soil. Customized analysis of the Baseline Condition and two NbSs scenarios was achieved by using local values obtained from a high-resolution photogrammetric scan of the catchment to produce flow accumulation and habitat quality indexes. Results indicate that anthropogenic features are the primary cause of habitat decay and that decreasing imperviousness reduces habitat decay significantly more than adding vegetation. This study creates a method of supporting sustainability goals by quickly testing alternative NbSs. The main innovation is demonstrating that early approximation of the ecological benefits of NbSs can inform preliminary design strategy. The proposed model may be calibrated to address specific environmental challenges of a given location and test other forms of NbSs.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 3
    Citation - Scopus: 3
    Her2-Specific Peptide (ltvspwy) and Antibody (herceptin) Targeted Core Cross-Linked Micelles for Breast Cancer: a Comparative Study
    (MDPI, 2023) Bayram, N.N.; Ulu, G.T.; Abdulhadi, N.A.; Gürdap, S.; İşoğlu, İ.A.; Baran, Yusuf; İşoğlu, S.D.
    This study aims to prepare a novel breast cancer-targeted micelle-based nanocarrier, which is stable in circulation, allowing intracellular drug release, and to investigate its cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and cytostatic effects, in vitro. The shell part of the micelle is composed of zwitterionic sulfobetaine ((N-3-sulfopropyl-N,N-dimethylamonium)ethyl methacrylate), while the core part is formed by another block, consisting of AEMA (2-aminoethyl methacrylamide), DEGMA (di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate), and a vinyl-functionalized, acid-sensitive cross-linker. Following this, a targeting agent (peptide (LTVSPWY) and antibody (Herceptin®)), in varying amounts, were coupled to the micelles, and they were characterized by 1H NMR, FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), Zetasizer, BCA protein assay, and fluorescence spectrophotometer. The cytotoxic, cytostatic, apoptotic, and genotoxic effects of doxorubicin-loaded micelles were investigated on SKBR-3 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive) and MCF10-A (HER2-negative). According to the results, peptide-carrying micelles showed a higher targeting efficiency and better cytostatic, apoptotic, and genotoxic activities than antibody-carrying and non-targeted micelles. Also, micelles masked the toxicity of naked DOX on healthy cells. In conclusion, this nanocarrier system has great potential to be used in different drug-targeting strategies, by changing targeting agents and drugs. © 2023 by the authors.
  • Review
    Citation - WoS: 96
    Citation - Scopus: 112
    Therapeutic Potential of Luteolin on Cancer
    (MDPI, 2023) Çetinkaya, Melisa; Baran, Yusuf
    Cancer is a global concern, as the rate of incidence is increasing each year. The challenges related to the current chemotherapy drugs, such as the concerns related to toxicity, turn to cancer therapeutic research to discover alternative therapy strategies that are less toxic to normal cells. Among those studies, the use of flavonoids-natural compounds produced by plants as secondary metabolites for cancer therapy-has been a hot topic in cancer treatment. Luteolin, a flavonoid that has been present in many fruits, vegetables, and herbs, has been identified to exhibit numerous biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties. The anticancer property of Luteolin has been extensively researched in many cancer types and has been related to its ability to inhibit tumor growth by targeting cellular processes such as apoptosis, angiogenesis, migration, and cell cycle progression. It achieves this by interacting with various signaling pathways and proteins. In the current review, the molecular targets of Luteolin as it exerts its anticancer properties, the combination therapy that includes Luteolin with other flavonoids or chemotherapeutic drugs, and the nanodelivery strategies for Luteolin are described for several cancer types.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 4
    Citation - Scopus: 4
    Interferon Gamma-Inducible Nampt in Melanoma Cells Serves as a Mechanism of Resistance To Enhance Tumor Growth
    (MDPI, 2023) Barba, Cindy; Ekiz, Hüseyin Atakan; Tang, William Weihao; Ghazaryan, Arevik; Hansen, Mason; Lee, Soh-Hyun; Voth, Warren Peter
    Simple Summary The tumor microenvironment is complex, with interacting immune and tumor cells. Immune cells release inflammatory cytokines, including interferons (IFNs), that drive tumor clearance. However, evidence suggests that tumor cells can also utilize IFNs to enhance growth and survival in certain cases. We demonstrate that interferon gamma (IFN gamma) mediates the metabolic reprogramming of melanoma cells by inducing the essential NAD+ salvage pathway enzyme nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) gene through STAT1 binding to the NAMPT locus. NAMPT is constitutively expressed in cells during normal homeostasis. However, melanoma cells have higher energetic demands and increased NAMPT. We show that IFN gamma signaling upregulates NAMPT in melanoma cells, increasing cell proliferation and survival. Further, STAT1-inducible Nampt promotes melanoma growth in mice. We provide evidence that melanoma cells directly respond to IFN gamma-activated STAT1 by increasing Nampt, which improves their fitness during tumor immunity. Elucidating mechanisms that regulate NAMPT expression can lead to enhanced therapeutic approaches with immunotherapies that utilize IFN signaling to improve patient outcomes. (1) Background: Immune cells infiltrate the tumor microenvironment and secrete inflammatory cytokines, including interferons (IFNs), to drive antitumor responses and promote tumor clearance. However, recent evidence suggests that sometimes, tumor cells can also harness IFNs to enhance growth and survival. The essential NAD+ salvage pathway enzyme nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) gene is constitutively expressed in cells during normal homeostasis. However, melanoma cells have higher energetic demands and elevated NAMPT expression. We hypothesized that interferon gamma (IFN gamma) regulates NAMPT in tumor cells as a mechanism of resistance that impedes the normal anti-tumorigenic effects of IFN gamma. (2) Methods: Utilizing a variety of melanoma cells, mouse models, Crispr-Cas9, and molecular biology techniques, we explored the importance of IFN gamma-inducible NAMPT during melanoma growth. (3) Results: We demonstrated that IFN gamma mediates the metabolic reprogramming of melanoma cells by inducing Nampt through a Stat1 binding site in the Nampt gene, increasing cell proliferation and survival. Further, IFN/STAT1-inducible Nampt promotes melanoma in vivo. (4) Conclusions: We provided evidence that melanoma cells directly respond to IFN gamma by increasing NAMPT levels, improving their fitness and growth in vivo (control n = 36, SBS KO n = 46). This discovery unveils a possible therapeutic target that may improve the efficacy of immunotherapies involving IFN responses in the clinic.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 11
    Citation - Scopus: 10
    Genomewide M6a Mapping Uncovers Dynamic Changes in the M6a Epitranscriptome of Cisplatin-Treated Apoptotic Hela Cells
    (MDPI, 2022) Akçaöz, Azime; Tüncel, Özge; Gelmez, Ayşe Bengisu; Sağlam, Buket; Erdoğan Vatansever, İpek; Akgül, Bünyamin
    Cisplatin (CP), which is a conventional cancer chemotherapeutic drug, induces apoptosis by modulating a diverse array of gene regulatory mechanisms. However, cisplatin-mediated changes in the m6A methylome are unknown. We employed an m6A miCLIP-seq approach to investigate the effect of m6A methylation marks under cisplatin-mediated apoptotic conditions on HeLa cells. Our high-resolution approach revealed numerous m6A marks on 972 target mRNAs with an enrichment on 132 apoptotic mRNAs. We tracked the fate of differentially methylated candidate mRNAs under METTL3 knockdown and cisplatin treatment conditions. Polysome profile analyses revealed perturbations in the translational efficiency of PMAIP1 and PHLDA1 transcripts. Congruently, PMAIP1 amounts were dependent on METTL3. Additionally, cisplatin-mediated apoptosis was sensitized by METTL3 knockdown. These results suggest that apoptotic pathways are modulated by m6A methylation events and that the METTL3–PMAIP1 axis modulates cisplatin-mediated apoptosis in HeLa cells.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 104
    Citation - Scopus: 123
    The Role of Cysteine Cathepsins in Cancer Progression and Drug Resistance
    (MDPI, 2019) Rudzinska, Magdalena; Parodi, Alessandro; Soond, Surinder M.; Vinarov, Andrey Z.; Korolev, Dmitry O.; Morozov, Andrey O.; Zamyatnin, Andrey A., Jr.; Dağlıoğlu, Cenk; Tutar, Yusuf
    Cysteine cathepsins are lysosomal enzymes belonging to the papain family. Their expression is misregulated in a wide variety of tumors, and ample data prove their involvement in cancer progression, angiogenesis, metastasis, and in the occurrence of drug resistance. However, while their overexpression is usually associated with highly aggressive tumor phenotypes, their mechanistic role in cancer progression is still to be determined to develop new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we highlight the literature related to the role of the cysteine cathepsins in cancer biology, with particular emphasis on their input into tumor biology.