Ropivacaine promotes apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through damaging mitochondria and activating caspase-3 activity. Wang Wenting,Zhu Mingyue,Xu Zhixin,Li Wei,Dong Xu,Chen Yi,Lin Bo,Li Mengsen Biological research BACKGROUND:Recent evidences indicated that some local anaesthetic agents played a role in inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells; Whether ropivacaine is able to promote apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ropivacaine on the apoptosis of HCC cells. METHODS:In the present study, we treated the HCC cell lines, Bel7402 and HLE with ropivacaine. MTT, DAPI stain, trypan blue exclusion dye assay, flow cytometry, electron microscopy, computational simulation, laser confocal microscope, Western blotting, and enzyme activity analysis of caspase-3 were applied to detect the growth and apoptosis of HCC cells and to explore the role mechanism of ropivacaine. RESULTS:Ropivacaine was able to inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of HCC cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Ropivacaine also has a trait to inhibit the migration of HCC cells; ropivacaine damaged the mitochondria of HCC cells. The results also indicated that ropivacaine was able to interact with caspase-3, promote cytoplasmic caspase-3 migration into the nucleus, stimulate cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP-1, caspase-9 proteins, inhibit the expression of Bcl-2, promote expression of Apaf-1 and mitochondria release cytochrome C, and activate the activity of caspase-3. CONCLUSIONS:Ropivacaine has a novel role in promoting apoptosis of HCC cells; The role mechanism of ropivacaine maybe involve in damaging the function of mitochondria and activating the caspase-3 signalling pathway in HCC cells. Our findings provide novel insights into the local anaesthetic agents in the therapy of HCC patients. 10.1186/s40659-019-0242-7

Noninvasive radiofrequency treatment effect on mitochondria in pancreatic cancer cells. Curley Steven A,Palalon Flavio,Lu Xiaolin,Koshkina Nadezhda V Cancer BACKGROUND:The development of novel therapeutic approaches for cancer therapy is important, especially for tumors that have poor response or develop resistance to standard chemotherapy and radiation. We discovered that noninvasive radiofrequency (RF) fields can affect cancer cells but not normal cells, inhibit progression of tumors in mice, and enhance the anticancer effects of chemotherapy. However, it remains unclear what physiological and molecular mechanisms this treatment induces inside cells. Here, we studied the effect of RF treatment on mitochondria in human pancreatic cancer cells. METHODS:The morphology of mitochondria in cells was studied via electron microscopy. The alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ) was accessed using a Mitotracker probe. The respiratory activity of mitochondria was evaluated by analyzing changes in oxygen consumption rates determined with a Mito Stress Test Kit. The production of intracellular reactive oxygen species was performed using flow cytometry. The colocalization of mitochondria and autophagosome markers in cells was performed using fluorescence immunostaining and confocal microscopy analysis. RESULTS:RF fields treatment changed the morphology of mitochondria in cancer cells, altered polarization of the mitochondrial membrane, substantially impaired mitochondrial respiration, and increased reactive oxygen species production, indicating RF-induced stress on the mitochondria. We also observed frequent colocalization of the autophagosome marker LC3B with the mitochondrial marker Tom20 inside cancer cells after RF exposure, indicating the presence of mitochondria in the autophagosomes. This suggests that RF-induced stress can damage mitochondria and induce elimination of damaged organelles via autophagy. CONCLUSION:RF treatment impaired the function of mitochondria in cancer cells. Therefore, mitochondria can represent one of the targets of the RF treatment. 10.1002/cncr.28895

Effect of ultrasound sonication on clonogenic survival and mitochondria of ovarian cancer cells in the presence of methylene blue. Xiang Junyan,Leung Albert Wingnang,Xu Chuanshan Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasound sonication in the presence of methylene blue on clonogenic survival and mitochondria of ovarian cancer cells. METHODS:Human ovarian cancer HO-8910 cells, which were incubated with different concentrations of methylene blue for 1 hour, were exposed to an ultrasonic wave for 5 seconds with intensity of 0.46 W/cm(2). Clonogenic survival of HO-8910 cells after ultrasound sonication was measured by a colony-forming unit assay. Mitochondrial structural changes were observed on transmission electron microscopy, and the mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated by confocal laser-scanning microscopy with rhodamine 123 staining. RESULTS:The colony-forming units of HO-8910 cells decreased considerably after ultrasound sonication in the presence of methylene blue. Transmission electron microscopy showed slightly enlarged mitochondria in the ultrasound-treated cells in the absence of methylene blue; however, seriously damaged mitochondria, even with almost complete disappearance of cristae, were found in the cells treated by ultrasound sonication in the presence of methylene blue. The mitochondrial membrane potential collapsed significantly when HO-8910 cells were treated by ultrasound sonication in the presence of methylene blue (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS:Ultrasound sonication in the presence of methylene blue markedly damaged mitochondrial structure and function and decreased clonogenic survival of HO-8910 cells. 10.7863/ultra.33.10.1755