Latest Publications

@article{machala_changes_2021,

title = {Changes in Sphingolipid Profile of Benzo[a]pyrene-Transformed Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Are Reflected in the Altered Composition of Sphingolipids in Their Exosomes.},

author = {Miroslav Machala and Josef Slavík and Ondrej Kováč and Jiřina Procházková and Kateřina Pěnčíková and Martina Pařenicová and Nicol Straková and Jan Kotouček and Pavel Kulich and Steen Mollerup and Jan Vondráček and Martina Hýžďalová},

doi = {10.3390/ijms22179195},

issn = {1422-0067},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-08-01},

journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},

volume = {22},

number = {17},

abstract = {Sphingolipids (SLs), glycosphingolipids (GSLs), and eicosanoids are bioactive lipids, which play important roles in the etiology of various diseases, including cancer. However, their content and roles in cancer cells, and in particular in the exosomes derived from tumor cells, remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, we evaluated alterations of SL and GSL levels in transformed cells and their exosomes, using comparative HPLC-MS/MS analysis of parental human bronchial epithelial cells HBEC-12KT and their derivative, benzo[a]pyrene-transformed HBEC-12KT-B1 cells with the acquired mesenchymal phenotype. We examined in parallel SL/GSL contents in the exosomes released from both cell lines. We found significant alterations of the SL/GSL profile in the transformed cell line, which corresponded well with alterations of the SL/GSL profile in exosomes derived from these cells. This suggested that a majority of SLs and GSLs were transported by exosomes in the same relative pattern as in the cells of origin. The only exceptions included decreased contents of sphingosin, sphingosin-1-phosphate, and lactosylceramide in exosomes derived from the transformed cells, as compared with the exosomes derived from the parental cell line. Importantly, we found increased levels of ceramide phosphate, globoside Gb3, and ganglioside GD3 in the exosomes derived from the transformed cells. These positive modulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and other pro-carcinogenic processes might thus also contribute to cancer progression in recipient cells. In addition, the transformed HBEC-12KT-B1 cells also produced increased amounts of eicosanoids, in particular prostaglandin E2. Taken together, the exosomes derived from the transformed cells with specifically upregulated SL and GSL species, and increased levels of eicosanoids, might contribute to changes within the cancer microenvironment and in recipient cells, which could in turn participate in cancer development. Future studies should address specific roles of individual SL and GSL species identified in the present study.},

note = {Place: Switzerland},

keywords = {*Cell Transformation, Benzo(a)pyrene/toxicity, Bronchi/cytology, Carcinogens/toxicity, Cell Line, eicosanoids, exosomes, Exosomes/*metabolism, glycosphingolipid, Humans, in vitro cell transformation, Neoplastic, Respiratory Mucosa/drug effects/*metabolism, sphingolipid, Sphingolipids/*metabolism},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{hyzdalova_prolonged_2021,

title = {A prolonged exposure of human lung carcinoma epithelial cells to benzo[a]pyrene induces p21-dependent epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype.},

author = {Martina Hýžďalová and Jiřina Procházková and Simona Strapáčová and Lucie Svržková and Ondřej Vacek and Radek Fedr and Zdeněk Andrysík and Eva Hrubá and Helena Líbalová and Jiří Kléma and Jan Topinka and Josef Mašek and Karel Souček and Jan Vondráček and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128126},

issn = {1879-1298 0045-6535},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

journal = {Chemosphere},

volume = {263},

pages = {128126},

abstract = {Deciphering the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in lung cancer cells may help us to better understand the role of toxic AhR ligands in lung carcinogenesis, including cancer progression. We employed human lung carcinoma A549 cells to investigate their fate after continuous two-week exposure to model AhR agonists, genotoxic benzo[a]pyrene (BaP; 1 μM) and non-genotoxic 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; 10 nM). While TCDD increased proliferative rate of A549 cells, exposure to BaP decreased cell proliferation and induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype, which was associated with enhanced cell migration, invasion, and altered cell morphology. Although TCDD also suppressed expression of E-cadherin and activated some genes linked to EMT, it did not induce the EMT-like phenotype. The results of transcriptomic analysis, and the opposite effects of BaP and TCDD on cell proliferation, indicated that a delay in cell cycle progression, together with a slight increase of senescence (when coupled with AhR activation), favors the induction of EMT-like phenotype. The shift towards EMT-like phenotype observed after simultaneous treatment with TCDD and mitomycin C (an inhibitor of cell proliferation) confirmed the hypothesis. Since BaP decreased cell proliferative rate via induction of p21 expression, we generated the A549 cell model with reduced p21 expression and exposed it to BaP for two weeks. The p21 knockdown suppressed the BaP-mediated EMT-like phenotype in A549 cells, thus confirming that a delayed cell cycle progression, together with p21-dependent induction of senescence-related chemokine CCL2, may contribute to induction of EMT-like cell phenotype in lung cells exposed to genotoxic AhR ligands.},

note = {Place: England},

keywords = {*Carcinoma, *Lung Neoplasms/genetics, Aryl Hydrocarbon/genetics, BaP, Benzo(a)pyrene/toxicity, Cell Proliferation, EMT, Epithelial Cells, Humans, Lung, Lung carcinoma, Phenotype, Receptors, TCDD, Tumor progression},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{prochazkova_adaptive_2018,

title = {Adaptive changes in global gene expression profile of lung carcinoma A549 cells acutely exposed to distinct types of AhR ligands.},

author = {Jiřina Procházková and Simona Strapáčová and Lucie Svržková and Zdeněk Andrysík and Martina Hýžďalová and Eva Hrubá and Kateřina Pěnčíková and Helena Líbalová and Jan Topinka and Jiří Kléma and Joaquín M. Espinosa and Jan Vondráček and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1016/j.toxlet.2018.04.024},

issn = {1879-3169 0378-4274},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-08-01},

journal = {Toxicology letters},

volume = {292},

pages = {162–174},

abstract = {Exposure to persistent ligands of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has been found to cause lung cancer in experimental animals, and lung adenocarcinomas are often associated with enhanced AhR expression and aberrant AhR activation. In order to better understand the action of toxic AhR ligands in lung epithelial cells, we performed global gene expression profiling and analyze TCDD-induced changes in A549 transcriptome, both sensitive and non-sensitive to CH223191 co-treatment. Comparison of our data with results from previously reported microarray and ChIP-seq experiments enabled us to identify candidate genes, which expression status reflects exposure of lung cancer cells to TCDD, and to predict processes, pathways (e.g. ER stress, Wnt/β-cat, IFNɣ, EGFR/Erbb1), putative TFs (e.g. STAT, AP1, E2F1, TCF4), which may be implicated in adaptive response of lung cells to TCDD-induced AhR activation. Importantly, TCDD-like expression fingerprint of selected genes was observed also in A549 cells exposed acutely to both toxic (benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[k]fluoranthene) and endogenous AhR ligands (2-(1H-Indol-3-ylcarbonyl)-4-thiazolecarboxylic acid methyl ester and 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole). Overall, our results suggest novel cellular candidates, which could help to improve monitoring of AhR-dependent transcriptional activity during acute exposure of lung cells to distinct types of environmental pollutants.},

note = {Place: Netherlands},

keywords = {A549 Cells, Aryl hydrocarbon receptor, Aryl Hydrocarbon/*agonists/metabolism, Azo Compounds/toxicity, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/*agonists/metabolism, Benzo(a)pyrene/toxicity, Carbazoles/toxicity, Dioxins, Environmental Pollutants/*toxicity, Fluorenes/toxicity, Gene Expression Profiling/methods, Gene Expression Regulation, Gene Regulatory Networks/drug effects, Genetic/drug effects, Global gene expression profiling, Humans, Indoles/toxicity, Ligands, Lung cancer, Lung Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism, Neoplastic/*drug effects, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis, Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins/toxicity, Pyrazoles/toxicity, Receptors, Signal Transduction/drug effects, Thiazoles/toxicity, Time Factors, Transcription, Transcriptional Activation/drug effects, Transcriptome/*drug effects},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{vondracek_role_2009,

title = {The role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in regulation of enzymes involved in metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a model of rat liver progenitor cells.},

author = {Jan Vondrácek and Pavel Krcmár and Jirina Procházková and Lenka Trilecová and Martina Gavelová and Lenka Skálová and Barbora Szotáková and Martin Buncek and Hana Radilová and Alois Kozubík and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1016/j.cbi.2009.03.011},

issn = {1872-7786 0009-2797},

year  = {2009},

date = {2009-07-01},

journal = {Chemico-biological interactions},

volume = {180},

number = {2},

pages = {226–237},

abstract = {In contrast to hepatocytes, there is only limited information about the expression and activities of enzymes participating in metabolic activation of environmental mutagens, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in liver progenitor cells. In rat liver "stem-like" WB-F344 cell line, sharing many characteristics with rat liver progenitor cells, PAHs are efficiently activated to their ultimate genotoxic metabolites forming DNA adducts. The present study aimed to characterize expression/activities of enzymes of two major pathways involved in the metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP): cytochrome P450 (CYP) family 1 enzymes and cytosolic aldo-keto reductases (AKRs). We report here that, apart from induction of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 expression and the corresponding enzymatic activity, both BaP and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induced rat 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (AKR1C9) expression and activity. In contrast, the aldehyde reductase AKR1A1 was not induced by either treatment. Thus, both CYP1 and AKR metabolic pathways were inducible in the model of liver progenitor cells. BaP and TCDD were efficient inducers of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) expression and activity in WB-F344 cells, a principal enzyme of cellular antioxidant defense. Both compounds also induced expression of transcription factor NRF2, involved in control of enzymes protecting cells from oxidative stress. However, although BaP induced a significant formation of reactive oxygen species, it did not induce expression of heme oxygenase-1, suggesting that induction of oxidative stress by BaP was limited. Using shRNA against the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), we found that similar to CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, the AKR1C9 induction was AhR-dependent. Moreover, constitutive AKR1C9 levels in AhR-deficient rat BP8 hepatoma cells were significantly lower than in their AhR-positive 5L variant, thus supporting possible role of AhR in regulation of AKR1C9 expression. Taken together, both CYP1 and AKR1C9 appear to be AhR-regulated metabolic pathways, which may contribute to formation of pro-carcinogenic PAH metabolites in liver progenitor cells.},

note = {Place: Ireland},

keywords = {Animals, Aryl Hydrocarbon/*metabolism, Benzo(a)pyrene/toxicity, Cell Line, Dimethyl Sulfoxide/toxicity, Enzymologic/drug effects, Gene Expression Regulation, Gene Silencing, Hydrogen Peroxide/toxicity, Liver/*cytology/*enzymology, Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins/analogs & derivatives/toxicity, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/*metabolism, Rats, Reactive Oxygen Species, Receptors, Stem Cells/*drug effects/*metabolism},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{andrysik_aryl_2007,

title = {The aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent deregulation of cell cycle control induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rat liver epithelial cells.},

author = {Zdenek Andrysík and Jan Vondrácek and Miroslav Machala and Pavel Krcmár and Lenka Svihálková-Sindlerová and Anne Kranz and Carsten Weiss and Dagmar Faust and Alois Kozubík and Cornelia Dietrich},

doi = {10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2006.10.004},

issn = {0027-5107},

year  = {2007},

date = {2007-02-01},

journal = {Mutation research},

volume = {615},

number = {1-2},

pages = {87–97},

abstract = {Disruption of cell proliferation control by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may contribute to their carcinogenicity. We investigated role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in disruption of contact inhibition in rat liver epithelial WB-F344 'stem-like' cells, induced by the weakly mutagenic benz[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) and by the strongly mutagenic benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). There were significant differences between the effects of BaA and BbF, and those of the strongly genotoxic BaP. Both BaA and BbF increased percentage of cells entering S-phase and cell numbers, associated with an increased expression of Cyclin A and Cyclin A/cdk2 complex activity. Their effects were significantly reduced in cells expressing a dominant-negative AhR mutant (dnAhR). Roscovitine, a chemical inhibitor of cdk2, abolished the induction of cell proliferation by BbF. However, neither BaA nor BbF modulated expression of the principal cdk inhibitor involved in maintenance of contact inhibition, p27(Kip1), or pRb phosphorylation. The strongly mutagenic BaP induced apoptosis, a decrease in total cell numbers and significantly higher percentage of cells entering S-phase than either BaA or BbF. Given that BaP induced high levels of Cyclin A/cdk2 activity, downregulation of p27(Kip1) and hyperphosphorylation of pRb, the accumulation of cells in S-phase was probably due to cell proliferation, although S-phase arrest due to blocked replication forks can not be excluded. Both types of effects of BaP were significantly attenuated in dnAhR cells. Transfection of WB-F344 cells with siRNA targeted against AhR decreased induction of Cyclin A induced by BbF or BaP, further supporting the role of AhR in proliferative effects of PAHs. This suggest that activation of AhR plays a significant role both in disruption of contact inhibition by weakly mutagenic PAHs and in genotoxic effects of BaP possibly leading to enhanced cell proliferation. Thus, PAHs may increase proliferative rate and the likelihood of fixation of mutations.},

note = {Place: Netherlands},

keywords = {Animals, Apoptosis/drug effects, Aryl Hydrocarbon/antagonists & inhibitors/genetics/*metabolism, Base Sequence, Benz(a)Anthracenes/toxicity, Benzo(a)pyrene/toxicity, Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism, Cell Cycle/*drug effects/*physiology, Cell Line, Cell Proliferation/drug effects, Cyclin A/metabolism, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2/metabolism, Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1/genetics, Epithelial Cells/cytology/drug effects/metabolism, Fluorenes/toxicity, Gene Expression/drug effects, Hepatocytes/cytology/*drug effects/*metabolism, Messenger/genetics/metabolism, Multiprotein Complexes, Mutagens/toxicity, Mutation, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/*toxicity, Rats, Receptors, RNA, Small Interfering/genetics},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}