Choi, Siu Cheong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-148). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgement --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / Abbreviation --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.viii / List of Tables --- p.xii / Table of Content --- p.xiii / Chapter Chapter 1: --- General Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Treatment resistance in cancer --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1.1 --- Surgery --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1.2 --- Chemotherapy --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.1.3 --- Radiotherapy --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.1.4 --- Hormonal therapy --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Hypoxia/reoxygenation and its correlation with treatment resistance --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Aim of the study --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- The drug sensitivity in HepG2 cells and A431 cells / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Treatment of cancer --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Drug resistance --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Cell culture --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Drugs --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- MTT assay --- p.11 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- The drugs to which G10HR and G20HR cells were more resistant --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- "The drugs of which GP, G10HR and G20HR cells have similar response" --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- The drugs to which A10HR and A20HR cells were more resistant --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- The drugs to which A10HR and/or A20HR cells were more sensitive --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- "The drugs which AP, A10HR and A20HR cells have similar response" --- p.18 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion --- p.24 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Camptothecin and 10-hydroxy camptothecin --- p.27 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Etoposide --- p.30 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Hydrogen peroxide --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Interferons --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4.4.1 --- Interferon alpha --- p.33 / Chapter 2.4.4.2 --- Interferon gamma --- p.34 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Methotrexate --- p.35 / Chapter 2.4.6 --- Vincristine --- p.36 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- The resistance mechanism of doxorubicin in A431 cells / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Chemotherapeutic resistance --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Tumor hypoxia --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Structure and function of doxorubicin --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Clinical use of doxorubicin --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Mechanisms of doxorubicin resistance --- p.41 / Chapter 3.1.6 --- Structure and function of P-glycoprotein --- p.42 / Chapter 3.1.7 --- Drug resistance contributed by P-glycoprotein and the solution --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1.8 --- Epigenetic modulation of mdr1 --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Cell culture --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- MTT assay --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Western blot analysis --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Doxorubicin efflux assay --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Drug sensitivity of A431 cells treated with verapamil --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor --- p.51 / Chapter 3.2.8 --- Drug sensitivity of A431 cells treated with 5-Aza-dC --- p.51 / Chapter 3.2.9 --- Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) --- p.51 / Chapter 3.2.10 --- Bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.54 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Drug sensitivity of A431 cells to doxorubicin --- p.54 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Expression profile of mdrl and P-glycoprotein in A431 cells --- p.54 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Dox efflux-pump activity in A431 cells --- p.57 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Drug sensitivity of A431 cells in the presence of verapamil --- p.59 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Expression profile of mdrl in A431 cells in the presence of 5- Aza-dC --- p.59 / Chapter 3.3.6 --- Drug sensitivity of A431 cells in the presence of 5-Aza-dC --- p.62 / Chapter 3.3.7 --- Methylation status of mdrl promoter region --- p.64 / Chapter 3.3.8 --- Bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing of the mdrl promoter --- p.64 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.67 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- The resistance mechanism of cisplatin in HepG2 cells / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.70 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Tumor hypoxia and chemotherapeutic resistance --- p.70 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Cisplatin and its action mechanism --- p.71 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Mechanisms of cisplatin resistance --- p.74 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Mismatch repair genes --- p.79 / Chapter 4.1.5 --- Epigenome and drug resistance in cancer --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Cell culture --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- MTT assay --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Oligonucleotide transfection --- p.85 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor --- p.86 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Drug sensitivity of HepG2 cells treated with 5-Aza-dC --- p.87 / Chapter 4.2.7 --- Treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitor --- p.87 / Chapter 4.2.8 --- Drug sensitivity of HepG2 cells treated with TSA --- p.87 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.89 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Drug sensitivity of HepG2 cells to cisplatin --- p.89 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Expression profile of the MMR genes in HepG2 cells --- p.89 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Drug sensitivity of HepG2 cells to cisplatin after the knock- down of PMS2 --- p.91 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Expression profile of MMR genes in the presence of 5-Aza-dC --- p.95 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Drug sensitivity of HepG2 cells to cisplatin after the addition of 5-Aza-dC --- p.95 / Chapter 4.3.6 --- Expression profile of MMR genes in the presence of trichostatin A --- p.98 / Chapter 4.3.7 --- Sensitivity of HepG2 cells to cisplatin after the addition of trichostatin A --- p.98 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.101 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- The role of PMS2 in cisplatin-induced apoptosis / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.105 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Apoptosis --- p.105 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Extrinsic pathway of apoptosis --- p.106 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Intrinsic pathway of apoptosis --- p.106 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Cisplatin-induced apoptosis --- p.107 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- MMR and apoptosis --- p.109 / Chapter 5.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Cell culture --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Oligonucleotide transfection --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Western blot analysis --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Drug and antibodies --- p.112 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.113 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Cisplatin induced apoptosis --- p.113 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Knockdown of PMS2 by siRNA --- p.113 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Cisplatin-induced apoptosis involved caspases --- p.115 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Protein expressions of anti-apoptotic genes --- p.119 / Chapter 5.3.5 --- Protein expressions of pro-apoptotic genes --- p.119 / Chapter 5.3.6 --- Protein expressions of apoptotic proteins after knockdown of PMS2 --- p.122 / Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion --- p.124 / Chapter Chapter 6: --- General discussion and conclusion / Chapter 6.1 --- Diverse sensitivity for hypoxia/reoxygenation treated cells to anticancer drugs --- p.128 / Chapter 6.2 --- Resistance mechanism of doxorubicin in A10HR and A20HR cells --- p.129 / Chapter 6.3 --- Resistance mechanism of cisplatin in G10HR and G20HR cells --- p.129 / Chapter 6.4 --- The role of PMS2 as a direct signaling molecule and the alteration of apoptotic proteins in cisplatin-induced apoptosis --- p.130 / Chapter 6.5 --- Future work --- p.131 / References --- p.132

癌症復發往往伴隨著耐藥性和轉移率的增加。目前我們仍未完全瞭解確切的腫瘤逃脫機制。皮下無水酒精注射（PEI）已經被用於治療肝細胞癌（HCC）幾十年，而PEI治療後的癌症復發仍然是該方法的一個主要限制。最近有許多證據表明癌細胞能夠逆轉化學誘導的細胞凋亡過程而得以存活，這有可能是其中一個導致癌細胞復發的原因。這篇論文的重點在於研究肝癌細胞HepG2經歷乙醇誘導凋亡事件後存活下來的後果。 / 這個研究首先證實肝癌細胞 HepG2能從乙醇誘導凋亡事件後存活下來。然後我們對存活下來的肝癌細胞HepG2進行增殖率，耐藥性，運動性以及侵襲性的研究。結果表明，存活下來的HepG2有46%的乙醇耐藥性和84%的高運動性。然後爲了發現存活下來的HepG2是否對其他臨床常用藥物也同樣具有耐藥性，4種臨床常用藥物包括阿黴素，紫杉醇，順鉑，5-氟尿嘧啶（5Fu）均被用於測試。有趣的是，存活下來的HepG2對5-氟尿嘧啶變得更加敏感，平均敏感性下降了58.2%。 / 總的來說，我們的研究結果表明肝癌細胞可從乙醇誘導凋亡事件中恢復過來。此外，存活下來的細胞變得更具有耐藥性和侵入性。這種恢復過程可能是導致癌症復發的原因之一。出乎意料的是，雖然所有存活下來的細胞對乙醇具耐受性，但是它們對於5-氟尿嘧啶均變得更加敏感。這些結果表明，乙醇和5-氟尿嘧啶的聯合治療可能有助於提高PEI治療效果從而預防肝癌癌症復發。 / Cancer relapse, associated with increased drug resistance and higher rate of metastasis, often occurs after chemotherapy. The cancer escape mechanisms are still incompletely understood. Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) has been used for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for decades, but the recurrence after PEI treatment remains a major limitation. Recently there are mounting evidences showing that cancer cells could survive from chemical-induced apoptosis, suggesting a potential route through which cancer relapse may occur. This thesis focuses on the consequences of the recovery of HepG2 cells from ethanol-induced apoptotic event. / This study verified that HepG2 cells could recover from ethanol-induced apoptosis. Proliferation rate, drug resistance, motility and invasiveness were investigated in recovered HepG2 cells. On average, the recovered HepG2 cell clones were found to be 46% more resistant to ethanol and 84% higher in motility than the parental cell clones. And then four commonly used clinical drugs were assayed to determine whether the recovered cell clones were also resistant to other clinical drugs, including doxorubicin, docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu). Interestingly, the recovered clones became 58.2% more sensitive to 5-fluorouracil on average. / In conclusion, our findings showed that HepG2 cells can recover from ethanol-induced apoptotic event. In addition, some cell clones recovered from apoptosis became more resistant to ethanol and some became more invasive. Such recovery might be one of the reasons causing cancer recurrence. Unexpectedly, although the recovered cell clones were more resistant to ethanol, they became more sensitive to 5-Fu treatment. These results indicated that ethanol-5-Fu combined treatment might be useful in enhancing the PEI treatment and preventing HCC cancer recurrence. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Wang, Shanshan. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-130). / Abstracts also in Chinese.

Materials based on novel Off-Stoichiometry Thiol-Ene polymers, abbreviated OSTE, show promising properties as materials forlow cost and scalable manufacturing of micro- and nanosystems such as lab-on-chip devices. The OSTE materials have tunablemechanical properties, offer possibility for low temperature bonding to many surfaces via tunable surface chemistry, and can beused in soft lithography. Unlike the commonly used elastomer poly(dimethylsiloxane), PDMS, the OSTE materials have lowpermeability for gasses, are resistant to common solvents and can be more permanently surface modified.In this master’s thesis project, the OSTE materials have been evaluated with focus on compatibility with cells, possibility fornanostructuring using soft lithography and the use of OSTE as a flexible support for conducting polymers.Results from cell seeding studies with HEP G2 cells suggest that cells can proliferate on a low thiol off-stoichiometry OSTEmaterial for at least five days. The biocompatibility for this type of OSTE material may be similar to poly(styrene). However, highlevels of free thiol monomers in the material decrease cell viability considerably.By using soft lithography techniques it is possible to fabricate OSTE nanochannels with at least the dimensions of 400 nm x 15nm. Combined with the advantages of using the OSTE materials, such as low temperature bonding and possibility for stablesurface modifications, a candidate construction material for future development of systems for DNA analysis is at hand.OSTE can serve as a flexible support for an adsorbed film of a conducting polymer with the possibility for future applicationssuch as electronic interfaces in microsystems. In this project, a film of PEDOT:PSS with the electrical resistance of ~5 kΩ wascreated by adsorption to an flexible OSTE material. Furthermore, results suggest that it is possible to further optimize theconductivity and water resistance of PEDOT:PSS films on OSTE.

Die vorliegende Arbeit hatte die Aufgabe, die humane Hepatomzellinie Hep G2 hinsichtlich ihrer Biotransformationskapazität zu charakterisieren, um Aussagen über ihre Eignung als in vitro-Testsystem treffen zu können. Dazu wurden die Aktivitäten und die Induzierbarkeit von unterschiedlichen Cytochrom P450 Isoenzymen (CYP) bestimmt und mit Aktivitäten von isolierten Hepatozyten der Wistarratte verglichen. Als Vertreter der Phase II-Reaktionen wurde die Konjugierung von p-Nitrophenol untersucht. Hep G2-Zellen enthielten detektierbare CYP 1 A1 und 2-Aktivitäten, was mit Hilfe des 7-Ethoxyresorufin- und des 7-Ethoxycoumarin-Assays festgestellt werden konnte. Die Enzymaktivitäten waren durch 3-Methylcholanthren und Phenobarbital induzierbar. Die Umsatzraten waren höher als in Monolayerkulturen von Rattenhepatozyten. Die Umsatzraten der Azoreduktion von 4-(N,N-Dimethylamino)azobenzen waren in Hep G2-Zellen ebenfalls höher als in Hepatozyten der Wistarratte. Hep G2-Zellen zeigten sich hinsichtlich der Demethylierung von Aminophenazon, katalysiert durch CYP 3A1 und 2, und der Konjugierung von p-Nitrophenol den Rattenhepatozyten unterlegen. Die Konjugierung war durch 3-Methylcholanthren und Phenobarbital induzierbar. Des weiteren wurde die Biotransformation von 3 potentiellen Arzneistoffen in Hep G2-Kulturen untersucht. Dabei handelte es sich um AWD 100-041(3-(2-Mercaptoethyl)chinazolin-2, 4(1H,3H)-dion), AR 12463 (5-Piperidino-7-[N-pentyl-N (ß-hydroxyethyl)]amino-s-triazolo(1,5a)-pyrimidin) und dem Lipoxygenaseinhibitor FLM 5011(2-Hydroxy-5-methyllaurophenon -oxim). In allen drei Fällen wurden zwar die gleichen Hauptmetaboliten wie in Rattenhepatozyten gebildet, die Umsatzraten waren aber wesentlich geringer. Um die Toxizität dieser drei Verbindungen und die von Solanum lycopersicon- Mazeraten zu untersuchen, wurde der Proteingehalt und der DNA-Gehalt mit Hilfe von Amidoschwarz bzw. bisBenzimid der Kulturen bestimmt. Membranschäden wurden durch den LDH Cytotoxicity Test von Boehringer Mannheim detektiert. Unter anderem konnte gezeigt werden, daß die Toxizität von FLM 5011 in Hep G2-Zellen auf die Induktion apoptotischer Prozesse zurückzuführen ist, welche durch die sinkende Konzentration von 5(S)-Hydroxyeikosatetraensäure in der Zelle ausgelöst wird. Insgesamt stellen Hep G2-Zellen ein brauchbares in vitro-Modell für Biotransformations- und Zytotoxizitätsuntersuchungen dar. / This investigations had the intention to characterise the capacity of biotransformation of the human hepatoblastoma- derived cell line Hep G2 and to draw conclusions about its suitability as in vitro-model. The enzyme activities and inducabilities of cytochrome P450 isoenzymes (CYP) as phase I reactions were measured and compared with the activity of monolayer primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. As a phase II-reaction the conjugation of p-nitrophenol was examined. Hep G2 contained detectable activities of CYP 1A1 and 2 measured by the 7-ethoxyresorufin assay and the 7-ethoxycoumarin assay and which were inducable by 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbitone. The turnover was higher than in rat hepatocytes. Also reductive activities, detected by the azoreduction of 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)- azobenzene, had a higher level than rat hepatocytes. Hep G2 cells were inferior compared to rat hepatocytes concerning the demethylation of aminophenazone catalysed by CYP 3A1 and 2 and the conjugation of p-nitrophenol. The latter was highly inducable by phenobarbitone. The biotransformation of the three active substances AWD 100-041 (3-(2-mercaptoethyl) chinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione), AR 12463(5-piperidino-7-[N- pntyl-N (ß-hydroxyethyl)]amino-s-triazolo[1,5a)-pyrimidin) and the lipoxygenase-inhibitor FLM 5011(2-hydroxy-5- methyllaurophenone-oxim) in Hep G2 cell were also examined. In all cases the major metabolites were the same as in rat hepatocytes but the turnover was much lower than in rat hepatocytes. To study the toxicity of these three compounds and of Solanum lycopersicon mazerates the protein and the DNA content of the Hep G2 cultures were measured with amido black and bisbenzimid respectively. Membrane damages were detected by the LDH Cytotoxicity Test of Boehringer Mannheim. It could be proved that the toxicity of FLM 5011 is due to apoptotic activities aroused by the down regulation of 5-(S)hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid. Hep G2 cells are a useful model for assessing the metabolism and toxicity of xenobiotics.