Spectrum-effect relationship study to reveal the pharmacodynamic substances in Flos Puerariae-Semen Hoveniae medicine pair for the treatment of alcohol-induced liver damage

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the most serious and irreversible liver damage associated with alcohol consumption. Flos Puerariae and Semen Hoveniae are traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) for dispelling the effects of alcohol. Many studies have shown that the combination of two medicinal materials has the enhanced effect of treating ALD.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to assess the pharmacological effects of Flos Puerariae-Semen Hoveniae medicine pair, to elucidate its action mechanism in the treatment of alcohol-induced BRL-3A cells, and to reveal the active ingredients in the medicine pair that exerted pharmacological effects by spectrum-effect relationship study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, MTT assays, ELISA, fluorescence probe analysis, and Western blot were employed to study the underlying mechanisms of the medicine pair in alcohol-induced BRL-3A cells by examining pharmacodynamic indexes and related protein expression. Secondly, HPLC method was established for chemical chromatograms of the medicine pair with different ratios and the sample extracted by different solvents. Then, principal component analysis, pearson bivariate correlation analysis and grey relational analysis were applied for development of the spectrum-effect correlation between pharmacodynamic indexes and HPLC chromatograms. Moreover, prototype components and their metabolites in vivo were identified by the HPLC-MS method.

RESULTS

Flos Puerariae-Semen Hoveniae medicine pair remarkably increased cell viability, decreased the activity of ALT, AST, TC and TG, reduced the generation of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MDA and ROS, increased the activity of SOD and GSH-Px, reduced protein expression of CYP2E1, compared with alcohol-induced BRL-3A cells. The medicine pair modulated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways by up-regulating the levels of phospho-PI3K, phospho-AKT and phospho-mTOR. Also, the results of the spectrum-effect relationship study showed that P1 (chlorogenic acid), P3 (daidzin), P4 (6″-O-xylosyl-glycitin), P5 (glycitin), P6 (unknown), P7 (unknown), P9 (unknown), P10 (6″-O-xylosyl-tectoridin), P12 (tectoridin) and P23 (unknown) can be considered as the main components of the medicine pair in the treatment of ALD. Furthermore, 6″-O-xylosyl-tectoridin, tectoridin, daidzin, 6″-O-xylosyl-glycitin and glycitin can be absorbed into the blood and showed clear metabolic and excretion behaviors in rats.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the hepatoprotective effects and the pharmacology mechanism of Flos Puerariae-Semen Hoveniae medicine pair in alcohol-induced BRL-3A cells were initially investigated and revealed. Through the spectrum-effect relationship study, the potential pharmacodynamic constituents such as daidzin, 6″-O-xylosyl-glycitin, 6″-O-xylosyl-tectoridin, glycitin, and tectoridin exert pharmacological effects on alcohol-induced oxidative stress and inflammation by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. This study provided experimental basis and data support for revealing the pharmacodynamic substance basis and pharmacology mechanism in the treatment of ALD. Moreover, it provides a robust mean of exploring the primary effective components responsible for the bioactivity of complicated TCM.

PI3K/AKT/mTOR Dysregulation and Reprogramming Metabolic Pathways in Renal Cancer: Crosstalk with the VHL/HIF Axis

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents 85-95% of kidney cancers and is the most frequent type of renal cancer in adult patients. It accounts for 3% of all cancer cases and is in 7th place among the most frequent histological types of cancer. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), accounts for 75% of RCCs and has the most kidney cancer-related deaths. One-third of the patients with ccRCC develop metastases. Renal cancer presents cellular alterations in sugars, lipids, amino acids, and nucleic acid metabolism. RCC is characterized by several metabolic dysregulations including oxygen sensing (VHL/HIF pathway), glucose transporters (GLUT 1 and GLUT 4) energy sensing, and energy nutrient sensing cascade. Metabolic reprogramming represents an important characteristic of the cancer cells to survive in nutrient and oxygen-deprived environments, to proliferate and metastasize in different body sites. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT-mammalian target of the rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) signaling pathway is usually dysregulated in various cancer types including renal cancer. This molecular pathway is frequently correlated with tumor growth and survival. The main aim of this review is to present renal cancer types, dysregulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway members, crosstalk with VHL/HIF axis, and carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acid alterations.

Relationship between Monoclonal Gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma via online database analysis

Objective

To explore the relationship between Monoclonal Gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and Multiple Myeloma (MM) based on bioinformatics methods.

Methods

In this study, we conducted bioinformatics to identify genes associated with MGUS and MM using the PubMed pubmed2ensemble (http://pubmed2ensembl.ls.manchester. ac.uk/) until 2021. Gene ontology function was used to label overlapping genes, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis was used to identify enriched pathways. The cluster-1 genes obtained from Cytoscape were analyzed by Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD, http://ctdbase.org/) and then used to screen candidate drugs using the DSigDB database (https://amp.pharm.mssm.edu/Enrichr/).

Results

In total, 227 genes were common to both MGUS and MM. These genes were significantly associated with cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The protein-protein interaction network revealed that TNF, IL-1B, IL-6, CSF2, CXCL8, and IL-10 were among the core genes of MM. Finally, eight candidate drugs showed maximum interaction with core genes, which could potentially prevent MGUS from progressing to MM.

Conclusion

The progression of MGUS to MM is driven by aberrant cytokine secretion, which leads to inflammation immune dysfunction, and dysregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

A novel mechanism of cannabidiol in suppressing ovarian cancer through LAIR-1 mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid compound. It has been shown that CBD can inhibit the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells, but the underlying specific mechanism is unclear. We previously presented the first evidence for the expression of leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor 1 (LAIR-1), a member of the immunosuppressive receptor family, in ovarian cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits the growth of SKOV3 and CAOV3 ovarian cancer cells, and we sought to understand the concurrent role of LAIR-1. In addition to inducing ovarian cancer cell cycle arrest and promoting cell apoptosis, CBD treatment significantly affected the expression of LAIR-1 and inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis and mitochondrial respiration in ovarian cancer cells. These changes were accompanied by an increase in ROS, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and suppression of mitochondrial respiration and aerobic glycolysis, thereby inducing abnormal or disturbed metabolism and reducing ATP production. A combined treatment with N-acetyl-l-cysteine and CBD indicated that a reduction in ROS production would restore PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway signaling and ovarian cancer cell proliferation. We subsequently confirmed that the inhibitory effect of CBD on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal axis and mitochondrial bioenergy metabolism was attenuated by knockdown of LAIR-1. Our animal studies further support the in vivo anti-tumor activity of CBD and suggest its mechanism of action. In summary, the present findings confirm that CBD inhibits ovarian cancer cell growth by disrupting the LAIR-1-mediated interference with mitochondrial bioenergy metabolism and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. These results provide a new experimental basis for research into ovarian cancer treatment based on targeting LAIR-1 with CBD.

RNA-binding domain 2 of nucleolin is important for the autophagy induction of curcumol in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Excessive autophagy induces cell death and is regarded as the treatment of cancer therapy. We have confirmed that the anti-cancer mechanism of curcumol is related to autophagy induction. As the main target protein of curcumol, RNA binding protein nucleolin (NCL) interacted with many tumor promoters accelerating tumor progression. However, the role of NCL in cancer autophagy and in curcumol's anti-tumor effects haven't elucidated. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of NCL in nasopharyngeal carcinoma autophagy and reveal the immanent mechanisms of NCL played in cell autophagy.

METHODS & RESULTS

In the current study, we have found that NCL was markedly upregulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells. NCL overexpression effectively attenuated the level of autophagy in NPC cells, and NCL silence or curcumol treatment obviously aggravated the autophagy of NPC cells. Moreover, the attenuation of NCL by curcumol lead a significant suppression on PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in NPC cells. Mechanistically, NCL was found to be directly interact with AKT and accelerate AKT phosphorylation, which caused the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Meanwhile, the RNA Binding Domain (RBD) 2 of NCL interacts with Akt, which was also influenced by curcumol. Notably, the RBDs of NCL delivered AKT expression was related with cell autophagy in the NPC.

CONCLUSION

The results demonstrated that NCL regulated cell autophagy was related with interaction of NCL and Akt in NPC cells. The expression of NCL play an important role in autophagy induction and further found that was associated with its effect on NCL RNA-binding domain 2. This study may provide a new perspective on the target protein studies for natural medicines and confirm the effect of curcumol not only regulating the expression of its target protein, but also influencing the function domain of its target protein.

The effect of sitagliptin combined with rosiglitazone on autophagy and inflammation in polycystic ovary syndrome by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR and TLR4/NF-κB pathway

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder. Sitagliptin (Sit) and rosiglitazone (Ros) are widely used to treat PCOS, but the mechanism is unclear. This study explored the mechanism that Sit and Ros inhibited autophagy and inflammation in PCOS. In this study, 50 female SD rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 10): control, PCOS, Sit, Ros, and Sit+Ros group. The body weight and ovarian weight were measured 2 h after the last administration, and fasting blood glucose, insulin levels were determined. Lipid metabolism and pathological changes were detected by an automatic biochemical analyzer and HE staining. Sex hormone, oxidative stress and inflammatory levels were detected by ELISA. PCR detected IL-18, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, ATG3, and ATG12 mRNA. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR, TLR4/NF-κB pathway and autophagy-related proteins were detected by western blot. Finally, the number of autophagolysosomes was detected by transmission electron microscopy. Sit or Ros alone reduced body weight, ovarian weight, fasting blood glucose, and insulin levels in PCOS rats. It also improved lipid metabolism, sex hormone levels, oxidative stress and pathological changes, restored the estrous cycle, and corpus luteum quantity. In addition, it could reduce the levels of IL-18, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, ATG3, and ATG12 mRNA, inhibit the expression of Beclin1, LC3, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and TLR4/NF-κB pathway proteins. The Sit+Ros group was more effective than single administration. In conclusion, Sit+Ros inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, TLR4/NF-κB pathways, thereby inhibiting the autophagy and inflammation of PCOS rats, which will provide a theoretical basis for PCOS.

1H-Indazoles derivatives targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway: Synthesis, anti-tumor effect and molecular mechanism

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is one of the most common abnormal activation pathways in tumor cells, and has associated with multiple functions such as tumor cell growth, proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor angiogenesis. Here, a series of 3-amino-1H-indazole derivatives were synthesized, and their antiproliferative activities against HT-29, MCF-7, A-549, HepG2 and HGC-27 cells were evaluated. Among them, W24 exhibited the broad-spectrum antiproliferative activity against four cancer cells with IC₅₀ values of 0.43-3.88 μM. Mechanism studies revealed that W24 inhibited proliferation by affecting the DNA synthesis, induced G₂/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by regulating Cyclin B1, BAD and Bcl-xL, meanwhile induced the change of intracellular ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential in HGC-27 cells. Moreover, W24 inhibited the migration and invasion of HGC-27 cells by decreasing EMT pathway related proteins and reducing the mRNA expression levels of Snail, Slug and HIF-1α. Furthermore, W24 displayed low tissue toxicity profile and good pharmacokinetic properties in vivo. Therefore, 3-amino-1H-indazole derivatives might serve as a new scaffold for the development of PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitor and anti-gastric cancer reagent.

Suppressing NLRP3 activation and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling ameliorates amiodarone-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats: a possible protective role of nobiletin

Amiodarone (AMD), a medicine used to treat life-threatening arrhythmias, is frequently linked to pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Despite the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome and PI3K/Akt/mTOR axis in fibrosis modulation and development, their significance in the etiology of AMD-induced PF remains uncertain. Nobiletin (NOB), a citrus flavonoid, has recently gained attention for its ability to reduce fibrotic processes in a variety of organs through inhibiting NLRP3-associated inflammation and suppressing PI3K/AKT/mTOR fibrotic pathway. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the possible beneficial impact of NOB against AMD-induced PF, taking into account the roles of NLRP3 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis in its pathogenesis. Twenty-four rats were randomly specified into Vehicle; NOB 20 mg/kg; AMD 30 mg/kg, and NOB + AMD. All treatments were administered orally once a day for 4 weeks. The lung oxidant/antioxidant status, as well as the expression of inflammatory and fibrotic markers were all assessed. The results revealed that NOB, by improving Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, could reduce ROS production and NLRP3 activation, which in turn hindered IL-1β release, prohibited TGF-β1-related PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascade, suppressed α-SMA expression, and impeded collagen deposition. These findings point to a novel strategy by which NOB may alleviate the AMD-prompted NLRP3 inflammatory responses and associated PF through blocking PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.

Chamomile Essential Oil: chemical constituents and antitumor activity in MDA-MB-231 cells through PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

Chamomile essential oil (CEO) is extracted from chamomile and mainly used in aromatherapy. The chemical constituents and its antitumor activity on Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was explored in the present study. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to analyze the chemical constituents of CEO. The cell viability, migration and invasion of TNBC cell MDA-MB-231 were measured using MTT, wound scratch and Transwell assay, respectively. The protein expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was determined by Western blot. CEO is rich in terpenoids (63.51%), among which the identified terpenoids and their derivatives are mainly Caryophyllene (29.57%), d-Cadinene (12.81%), Caryophyllene oxide (14.51%), etc. Three concentration of CEO (1, 1.5, 2 μg/mL) significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells with a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt and mTOR was inhibited by CEO. The results revealed that there was abundant terpenoids in the CEO which account for 63.51%. CEO significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells, exhibiting antitumor effect on TNBC. The antitumor effect of CEO might attribute to its inhibition on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. However, further study should be conducted in more TNBC cell lines and animal models to provide further evidence for TNBC treatment by CEO.

Orf virus induces complete autophagy to promote viral replication via inhibition of AKT/mTOR and activation of the ERK1/2/mTOR signalling pathway in OFTu cells

Orf virus (ORFV) is the causative agent of contagious ecthyma, which is an important zoonotic pathogen with a widespread distribution affecting sheep, goats and humans. Our previous research showed that autophagy can be induced in host cells by ORFV infection. However, the exact mechanism of ORFV-induced autophagy remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of autophagy induced by ORFV in OFTu cells and the impact of autophagy on ORFV replication. By using specific autophagy inhibitors and activators, Western blotting, immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy imaging, we confirmed that ORFV infection triggered intracellular autophagosome accumulation and the activation of autophagic flux. Moreover, ORFV-induced autophagic activity was found to rely on an increase in the phosphorylation of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) and a decrease in the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is mediated by the suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway and activation of the ERK1/2/mTOR signalling pathway. Furthermore, we investigated the role of mTOR-mediated autophagy during ORFV replication using pharmacological agents and demonstrated that ORFV-induced autophagy correlated positively with viral replication. Taken together, our data reveal the pathways of ORFV-induced autophagy and the impact of autophagy on ORFV replication, providing new insights into ORFV pathogenesis.

Label-free-based quantitative proteomic analysis of the inhibition of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell proliferation by cucurbitacin B

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer is a serious threat to women's health, and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs constitutes one of the principal reasons for ovarian cancer recurrence and the low overall survival rate. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to develop additional and more-effective drugs to combat resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a natural compound found in food plants such as bitter gourd and pumpkin, and it manifests favorable antitumor effects on a variety of malignant tumors.

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to determine the mechanism effects of CuB overcomes tumor-drug resistance in ovarian cancer.

METHODS

We used CCK-8, Edu, flow cytometric assays and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer xenograft mouse model to evaluate the cellular proliferation, cellular apoptosis.and tumor growth. We subsequently applied a pharmacoproteomic approach to analyze the molecular mechanisms by which CuB inhibited the proliferation of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. We also employed western blot and molecular docking experiments to verify elements of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway expression.

RESULTS

We found that CuB inhibited cellular proliferation and promoted apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell lines. We discerned that CuB inhibited tumor growth of xenograft mouse tumors. We ascertained that treatment of A2780-DDP cells with CuB resulted in the differential expression of 305 proteins, with 202 proteins downregulated and 103 proteins upregulated. Of these proteins, the mTOR protein was significantly downregulated in the drug-treated group. We also found that CuB inhibited PI3K, Akt, and mTOR and that it activated cGAS expression upstream of PI3K and inhibited ATR expression. Molecular docking experiments revealed that CuB was hydrogen-bonded to mTOR proteins at Gly (2142) and Thr (2207), with a binding force of -10.2 kcal/mol.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirmed that cucurbitacin B inhibits the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, targets mTOR, suppresses the proliferation of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells.And we also found that cucurbitacin B induces DNA damage, activates cGASA and recruits IKBα,playing a crucial role in eliciting anti-tumor immunity. We herein uncovered a new use for CuB in inhibiting tumor-drug resistance, providing a novel approach to overcoming chemotherapeutic drug resistance in ovarian cancer.

The synergistic anticancer effect of CBD and DOX in osteosarcoma

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor that can present with pain in the bones, joints, and local masses. The incidence is highest in adolescents, and the most common sites are the distal femur, proximal tibia and proximal humerus metaphyseal. Doxorubicin is the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of osteosarcoma, but it has many side effects. Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive plant cannabinoid cannabinol (CBD) that has been shown to be effective against osteosarcoma; however, the molecular targets and mechanisms of CBD action in osteosarcoma remain unclear.

METHODS

Cell proliferation, migration, invasion and colony formation were analyzed using two drugs alone or in combination to evaluate their inhibitory effects on the malignant characteristics of OS cells. Apoptosis and the cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. The synergistic inhibitory effect of doxorubicin/cannabidiol on tumors was also detected in nude mouse xenotransplantation models.

RESULTS

Through analysis of two osteosarcoma cell lines, MG63 and U2R, it was found that the cannabidiol/doxorubicin combination treatment synergistically inhibited growth, migration and invasion and induced apoptosis, blocking G2 stagnation in OS cells. Further mechanistic exploration suggests that the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway and MAPK pathway play an important role in the synergistic inhibitory effect of the two drugs in osteosarcoma. Finally, in vivo experimental results showed that the cannabidiol/doxorubicin combination treatment significantly reduced the number of tumor xenografts compared to cannabidiol alone or doxorubicin alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings in this study suggest that cannabidiol and doxorubicin have a synergistic anticancer effect on OS cells, and their combined application may be a promising treatment strategy for OS.

Long Non-coding RNA XIST Impedes LPS-induced AC16 Cell Inflammation and Apoptosis through Down-regulating miR-370-3p and Regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathways

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Myocarditis is a severe disorder characterized by the inflammation of the heart's muscular walls, thereby leading to sudden death in young adults. Long non-coding RNA X-inactive specific transcripts (LncRNA XIST) are a class of transcripts having a length ˃ 200 nts with the absence of protein-coding abilities. They exert their function of apoptosis in various cancers and inflammatory diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The current work intended to investigate the impact and mechanism of XIST on inflammation induced by LPS in AC16 cells.

METHODS

An in vitro inflammatory injury model was established by stimulating AC16 cells with LPS. CCK-8 was used to test AC16 cell viability and FCM to detect apoptosis. The Elisa assay was used to measure the level of IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α. The RT-qPCR was used to detect XIST, miR-370-3p, Bax, and Bcl-2 in LPS-stimulated AC16 cells. The Elisa assay was performed to assess the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT and mTOR in AC16 cells.

RESULTS

Our findings showed LPS exposure to significantly reduce AC16 cell viability while increasing inflammation and apoptosis. Also, XIST expression was reduced in AC16 cells stimulated with LPS. Overexpression of XIST in AC16 cells increased cell survival, inhibited apoptosis, and increased the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and inflammatory modulators (IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-1β). Inhibiting XIST in AC16 cells produced opposite outcomes. MiR-370-3p mimics inhibited XIST's effect on inflammation, viability, and apoptosis. Moreover, XIST inhibited the phosphorylation levels of mTOR, AKT, and PI3K in LPS-injured AC16 cells.

CONCLUSION

The data elucidate lncRNA XIST to exert its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects on AC16 cells stimulated by LPS via down-regulating miR-370-3p and inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. These findings suggest a novel treatment strategy for myocarditis.

ALDH2 attenuates ischemia and reperfusion injury through regulation of mitochondrial fusion and fission by PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in diabetic cardiomyopathy

The function of mitochondrial fusion and fission is one of the important factors causing ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in diabetic myocardium. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is abundantly expressed in heart, which involved in the regulation of cellular energy metabolism and stress response. However, the mechanism of ALDH2 regulating mitochondrial fusion and fission in diabetic myocardial I/R injury has not been elucidated. In the present study, we found that the expression of ALDH2 was downregulated in rat diabetic myocardial I/R model. Functionally, the activation of ALDH2 resulted in the improvement of cardiac hemodynamic parameters and myocardial injury, which were abolished by the treatment of Daidzin, a specific inhibitor of ALDH2. In H9C2 cardiomyocyte hypoxia-reoxygenation model, ALDH2 regulated the dynamic balance of mitochondrial fusion and fission and maintained mitochondrial morphology stability. Meanwhile, ALDH2 reduced mitochondrial ROS levels, and apoptotic protein expression in cardiomyocytes, which was associated with the upregulation of phosphorylation (p-PI3K_Tyr458, p-AKT_Ser473, p-mTOR). Moreover, ALDH2 suppressed the mitoPTP opening through reducing 4-HNE. Therefore, our results demonstrated that ALDH2 alleviated the ischemia and reperfusion injury in diabetic cardiomyopathy through inhibition of mitoPTP opening and activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Turning down PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway by natural products: an in silico multi-target approach

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is a significant target for cancer drug discovery. Many efforts have focused on discovering new inhibitors against key kinase proteins involved in this pathway for cancer treatment. PI3K/mTOR dual inhibitors, such as PKI-179, have been reported to be more effective than agents that act only on a single protein target. The present computational study aimed to discover triple target inhibitors against PI3K, AKT, and mTOR proteins. Accordingly, the PI3K protein bound with the ligand was used as input for e-pharmacophore modelling to generate the pharmacophore hypothesis and then screened for a library of 270,540 natural products from the Zinc database resulting in 57,220 compounds that matched the hypothesis. These compounds were then docked into the active site of PI3K, resulting in 292 compounds with better docking scores than the co-crystallized ligand. These compounds were re-docked into AKT and mTOR proteins. Besides, MM-GBSA binding free energy calculations, MD simulations, and ADMET prediction were carried out, leading to 5 potential triple-target inhibitors namely, ZINC000014644152, ZINC000014760695, ZINC000014644839, ZINC000095099451, and ZINC000005998557. In conclusion, these inhibitors may be possible leads for inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and they may be further evaluated in vitro and clinically as anticancer agents.

DHCR7 promotes tumorigenesis via activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BCa) is a common malignancy with uncertain molecular mechanism. 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7), the enzyme of mammalian sterol biosynthesis, plays important roles in several types of cancers but its specific function in BCa is still unknown. The current study aimed to determine the bioinformatic characteristics and biological functions of DHCR7 in BCa. Sequencing results and clinical data from online public databases, human BCa tissues and matched noncancerous tissues, xenograft nude mice, DHCR7 deficiency and overexpression BCa cell (T24 and EJ) models were used. Several bioinformatics analyses were made, qRT-PCR, Western-blotting, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry (IHC), MTT assay, wound healing and cell invasion assays were performed. It was found that DHCR7 was upregulated in BCa as an independent risk factor, and the expression of DHCR7 was associated with BCa grade and stage, finally resulted in poor prognosis. We further demonstrated that DHCR7 overexpression could accelerate the G0/G1 phase to accelerate the growth of tumor cells, antagonize cell apoptosis, and enhance the invasion and migration capacity, as well as EMT process via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway, which could be completely reversed by DHCR7 knockdown. Finally, DHCR7 deficiency significantly decreased tumorigenesis in vivo. Our novel data demonstrated that DHCR7 could modulate BCa tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. It is suggested that DHCR7 might become a molecular target for the diagnosis and treatment of BCa.

Aspirin alleviates pulmonary fibrosis through PI3K/AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy pathway

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and irreversible lung disease with limited therapeutic options. Aspirin can alleviate liver, kidney, and cardiac fibrosis. However, its role in lung fibrosis is unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of aspirin on lung fibroblast differentiation and pulmonary fibrosis. TGF-β1-induced human embryonic lung fibroblasts, IPF lung fibroblasts, and bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis mouse model were used in this study. The results showed that aspirin significantly decreased the expression of Collagen 1A1, Fibronectin, Alpha-smooth muscle actin, and equestosome1, and increased the ratio of light chain 3 beta II/I and the number of autophagosome in vivo and in vitro; reduced bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. Aspirin also decreased the ratios of phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (p-PI3K)/PI3K, protein kinase B (p-AKT)/AKT, and mechanistic target of rapamycin (p-mTOR)/mTOR in vitro. Autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine, bafilomycin-A1, and AKT activator SC-79 abrogated the effects of aspirin. These findings indicate that aspirin ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis through a PI3K/AKT/mTOR-dependent autophagy pathway.

Heat Shock Protein B7 Inhibits the Progression of Endometrial Carcinoma by Inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway

PURPOSE

To investigate the role and mechanism of action of Heat shock protein B7 (HSPB7) in endometrial carcinoma (EC).

METHODS

GEPIA (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis) was used to analyze the expression and prognostic value of HSPB7 in TCGA data. HSPB7 mRNA and protein expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. EC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were determined by colony formation, EdU, flow cytometry, and transwell assays. Mitochondrial membrane potential was determined using JC-1 probe. In addition, apoptosis-related and metastasis-related proteins were quantitatively evaluated. A gene set enrichment analysis of the signaling pathways by which HSPB7 influences EC was performed and the levels of enriched pathway-related proteins were evaluated.

RESULTS

We first proved that HSPB7 was downregulated in EC tissues and HSPB7 levels were positively related to survival rates. In functional assays, HSPB7 overexpression suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of EC cells and conversely promoted apoptosis. Moreover, HSPB7 overexpression decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential of EC cells significantly. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was significantly enriched in EC. HSPB7 inhibited the phosphorylation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to reduce proliferation, migration and invasion, and increased apoptosis in EC cells.

CONCLUSION

HSPB7 was downregulated in EC and influenced EC cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. These findings provide a novel perspective for the development of EC treatment strategies.

Dieckol, a natural polyphenolic drug, inhibits the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells by inhibiting PI3K, AKT, and mTOR phosphorylation

This study investigated that dieckol (DKL), a natural drug, inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation and migration by inhibiting phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation in HCT-116 cells. The cells were treated with DKL in various concentrations (32 and 50 μM) for 24 h and then analyzed for various experiments. MTT (tetrazolium bromide) and crystal violet assay investigated DKL-mediated cytotoxicity. Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining was used to assess the reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement, and apoptotic changes were studied by dual acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining. Protein expression of cell survival, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis protein was evaluated by western blot analysis. Results indicated that DKL produces significant cytotoxicity in HCT-116, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration was found to be 32 μM for 24-h incubation. Moreover, effective production of ROS and enhanced apoptotic signs were observed upon DKL treatment in HCT-116. DKL induces the expression of phosphorylated PI3K, AKT, and mToR-associated enhanced expression of cyclin-D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-4, CDK-6, and Bcl-2 in HCT-116. In addition, proapoptotic proteins such as Bax, caspase-9, and caspase-3 were significantly enhanced by DKL treatment in HCT-116. Hence, DKL has been considered a chemotherapeutic drug by impeding the expression of PI3K-, AKT-, and mTOR-mediated inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle-regulating proteins.

AR and PI3K/AKT in Prostate Cancer: A Tale of Two Interconnected Pathways

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men. The androgen receptor (AR) has a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression of PCa. Many therapies targeting AR signaling have been developed over the years. AR signaling inhibitors (ARSIs), including androgen synthesis inhibitors and AR antagonists, have proven to be effective in castration-sensitive PCa (CSPC) and improve survival, but men with castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) continue to have a poor prognosis. Despite a good initial response, drug resistance develops in almost all patients with metastatic CRPC, and ARSIs are no longer effective. Several mechanisms confer resistance to ARSI and include AR mutations but also hyperactivation of other pathways, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR. This pathway controls key cellular processes, including proliferation and tumor progression, and it is the most frequently deregulated pathway in human cancers. A significant interaction between AR and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway has been shown in PCa. This review centers on the current scene of different AR and PI3K signaling pathway inhibitors, either as monotherapy or in combination treatments in PCa, and the treatment outcomes involved in both preclinical and clinical trials. A PubMed-based literature search was conducted up to November 2022. The most relevant and recent articles were selected to provide essential information and current evidence on the crosstalk between AR and the PI3K signaling pathways. The ClinicalTrials.gov registry was used to report information about clinical studies and their results using the Advanced research tool, filtering for disease and target.

The role of Connexin26 regulated by MiR-2114-3p in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of our research was to determine the expression of Cx26 and miR-2114-3p, and their effects on proliferation, migration, and invasion in ovarian cancer and their mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Transcriptome sequencing was performed and differentially expressed Cx26 was screened. The mRNA and protein levels of Cx26 in EOC and normal ovarian tissues were verified. The relationship between Cx26 levels and prognostics was analyzed. Cx26 Lentiviral vectors were constructed to detect its effect on ovarian cancer. WB verified that PI3K/AKT pathway was the possible signal pathway regulated by Cx26. The interaction between miR-2114-3p and Cx26 was detected by double luciferase reporter assay and qrt-PCR. CCK8, clone formation, transwell, and flow cytometry assays were conducted in cells transfected miR-2114-3p plasmids. The vivo experiment investigated the effects of Cx26 on subcutaneous tumor growth, PI3K expression, proliferation proteins Ki67 and PCNA.

RESULTS

Cx26 was up-regulated in EOC tissue and cell lines, and was associated with poor prognosis of ovarian cancer, while miR-2114-3p was down-regulated in EOC cell lines. Cx26 was a direct target of miR-2114-3p. Cx26 overexpression and miR-2114-3p inhibition promoted the growth, motility, invasiveness, and S phase arrest of EOC cells. Additionally, Cx26 could activated PI3K pathway whatever in vivo and in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Dysregulation of Cx26 is critical in EOC patients. Manipulation of this mechanism may influence the survival of EOC patients. MiR-2114-3p regulates the tumor-promoting activity of Cx26 in EOC. By inhibiting the PI3K pathway or knocking down Cx26 effectively inhibits tumor growth in EOC cells and Nude mouse model.

The deubiquitinating enzyme MINDY2 promotes pancreatic cancer proliferation and metastasis by stabilizing ACTN4 expression and activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

The pathogenic mechanisms of pancreatic cancer (PC) are still not fully understood. Ubiquitination modifications have a crucial role in tumorigenesis and progression. Yet, the role of MINDY2, a member of the motif interacting with Ub-containing novel DUB family (MINDY), as a newly identified deubiquitinating enzyme, in PC is still unclear. In this study, we found that MINDY2 expression is elevated in PC tissue (clinical samples) and was associated with poor prognosis. We also found that MINDY2 is associated with pro-carcinogenic factors such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), inflammatory response, and angiogenesis; the ROC curve suggested that MINDY2 has a high diagnostic value in PC. Immunological correlation analysis suggested that MINDY2 is deeply involved in immune cell infiltration in PC and is associated with immune checkpoint-related genes. In vivo and in vitro experiments further suggested that elevated MINDY2 promotes PC proliferation, invasive metastasis, and EMT. Meanwhile, actinin alpha 4 (ACTN4) was identified as a MINDY2-interacting protein by mass spectrometry and other experiments, and ACTN4 protein levels were significantly correlated with MINDY2 expression. The ubiquitination assay confirmed that MINDY2 stabilizes the ACTN4 protein level by deubiquitination. The pro-oncogenic effect of MINDY2 was significantly inhibited by silencing ACTN4. Bioinformatics Analysis and Western blot experiments further confirmed that MINDY2 stabilizes ACTN4 through deubiquitination and thus activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. In conclusion, we identified the oncogenic role and mechanism of MINDY2 in PC, suggesting that MINDY2 is a viable candidate gene for PC and may be a therapeutic target and critical prognostic indicator.

6-Methoxydihydrosanguinarine induces apoptosis and autophagy in breast cancer MCF-7 cells by accumulating ROS to suppress the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

6-Methoxydihydrosanguinarine (6-MDS) is a natural benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Hylomecon japonica (Thunb.) Prantl. It is the first time to explore the effect and mechanism of 6-MDS in breast cancer. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation technology were adopted to identify the potential targets and pathways of 6-MDS in breast cancer. Besides, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and western blotting assays were conducted to investigate the effect of 6-MDS on MCF-7 cells. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation results confirmed the effect of 6-MDS on resisting breast cancer via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, the functional experiments results demonstrated that 6-MDS inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis and autophagy. The autophagy inhibitor chloroquine and the silence of Atg5 augmented the effect of 6-MDS on promoting apoptosis. Furthermore, 6-MDS suppressed the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 enhanced these changes and promoted the 6-MDS pro-apoptotic and autophagy effects. 6-MDS triggered the generation of reactive oxygen species. The pretreatment with antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine reversed the changes induced by 6-MDS, including increases in apoptosis and autophagy and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, 6-MDS induces the apoptosis and autophagy of MCF-7 cells by ROS accumulation to suppress the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Extracellular Vesicles From Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Inhibit Apoptosis and Autophagy of Ischemia-hypoxia Cardiomyocyte Line in vitro by Carrying miR-144-3p to Inhibit ROCK1

INTRODUCTION

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) has been classified as a prevalent condition threatening human health. This study sought to explore the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-extracellular vesicles (EVs) on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy induced by ischemia- hypoxia (I/H).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

EVs were isolated from BMSCs using ultracentrifugation. The I/H cardiomyocyte model was established and cultured with EVs to evaluate the internalization of EVs by the cardiomyocyte line, apoptosis, proliferation, and autophagy of the cardiomyocyte line. The targeting relationship between miR-144-3p and ROCK1 was verified. EVs were isolated after transfection of BMSCs with the miR-144-3p inhibitor to evaluate the effect of miR-144-3p on the cardiomyocyte line.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

After overexpression of ROCK1 in the I/H cardiomyocyte line treated with EVs, the I/H cardiomyocyte line apoptosis and autophagy were determined. BMSCs-EVs suppressed I/Hinduced apoptosis and autophagy of the cardiomyocyte line. BMSCs-EVs carried miR-144-3p into the I/H cardiomyocyte line, and the down-regulation of miR-144-3p in EVs partially inverted the suppression of apoptosis and autophagy of the I/H cardiomyocyte line induced by EVs. Our findings denoted that miR- 144-3p targeted ROCK1. Overexpression of ROCK1 partially inverted the inhibition of EVs on I/H cardiomyocyte line apoptosis and autophagy. BMSCs-EVs-derived miR-144-3p targeted ROCK1 to radically activate the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our study elicited that BMSCs-EVs carried miR-144-3p into the I/H cardiomyocyte line to target ROCK1 and stimulate the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, thus inhibiting I/H-induced cardiomyocyte line apoptosis and autophagy.

Glucose Metabolism in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Line Is Regulated via Combinational PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway Inhibitors

Background

Metabolism reprogramming is a survival mechanism in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, we investigated the effect of signaling pathway inhibitors on the expression of genes rewired in the metabolic pathway of AML cells.

Methods

HL-60 cells were treated with Idelalisib, MK-2206, and Everolimus, which respectively are selective inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), AKT, and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), either individually or in combination. The relative expressions of glucose transporter 1, hexokinase 2, pyruvate kinase, pyruvate dehydrogenase E1, citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase 2, and hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha were determined by real-time PCR.

Results

The combined treatment of HL-60 cells with Idelalisib, MK-2206, and Everolimus decreased the expression of glucose transporter 1, hexokinase 2, pyruvate kinase M2, pyruvate dehydrogenase E1, citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase 2, and hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha.

Conclusions

A combination of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors regulates the expression of genes involved in glycolysis, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH), and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and interferes with metabolic reprogramming and immune evasion mechanisms of AML leukemic cells. Combinational therapy approaches to block these pathways might be a promising and novel therapeutic strategy for targeting the metabolic requirements of AML cells.