Piperlongumine (piplartine) as a lead compound for anticancer agents - Synthesis and properties of analogues: A mini-review

Enhanced Synergistic Efficacy Against Breast Cancer Cells Promoted by Co-Encapsulation of Piplartine and Paclitaxel in Acetalated Dextran Nanoparticles

Malignant breast tumors constitute the most frequent cancer diagnosis among women. Notwithstanding the progress in treatments, this condition persists as a major public health issue. Paclitaxel (PTX) is a first-line classical chemotherapeutic drug used as a single active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or in combination therapy for breast cancer (BC) treatment. Adverse effects, poor water solubility, and inevitable susceptibility to drug resistance seriously limit its therapeutic efficacy in the clinic. Piplartine (PPT), an alkaloid extracted from Piper longum L., has been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation in several cell lines due to its pro-oxidant activity. However, PPT has low water solubility and bioavailability in vivo, and new strategies should be developed to optimize its use as a chemotherapeutic agent. In this context, the present study aimed to synthesize a series of acetalated dextran nanoparticles (Ac-Dex NPs) encapsulating PPT and PTX to overcome the limitations of PPT and PTX, maximizing their therapeutic efficacy and achieving prolonged and targeted codelivery of these anticancer compounds into BC cells. Biodegradable, pH-responsive, and biocompatible Ac-Dex NPs with diameters of 100-200 nm and spherical morphologies were formulated using a single emulsion method. Selected Ac-Dex NPs containing only PPT or PTX as well as those coloaded with PPT and PTX achieved excellent drug-loading capabilities (PPT, ca. 11-33%; PTX, ca. 2-14%) and high encapsulation efficiencies (PPT, ∼57-98%; PTX, ∼80-97%). Under physiological conditions (pH 7.4), these NPs exhibited excellent colloidal stability and were capable of protecting drug release, while under acidic conditions (pH 5.5) they showed structural collapse, releasing the therapeutics in an extended manner. Cytotoxicity results demonstrated that the encapsulation in Ac-Dex NPs had a positive effect on the activities of both PPT and PTX against the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line after 48 h of treatment, as well as toward MDA-MB-231 triple-negative BC cells. PPT/PTX@Ac-Dex NPs were significantly more cytotoxic (IC50/PPT = 0.25-1.77 μM and IC50/PTX = 0.07-0.75 μM) and selective (SI = 2.9-6.7) against MCF-7 cells than all the control therapeutic agents: free PPT (IC50 = 4.57 μM; SI = 1.2), free PTX (IC50 = 0.97 μM; SI = 1.0), the single-drug-loaded Ac-Dex NPs, and the physical mixture of both free drugs. All combinations of PPT and PTX resulted in pronounced synergistic antiproliferative effects in MCF-7 cells, with an optimal molar ratio of PPT to PTX of 2.3:1. PPT/PTX-2@Ac-Dex NPs notably promoted apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M, accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and combined effects from both PPT and PTX on the microtubule network of MCF-7 cells. Overall, the combination of PTX and PPT in pH-responsive Ac-Dex NPs may offer great potential to improve the therapeutic efficacy, overcome the limitations, and provide effective simultaneous delivery of these therapeutics for BC treatment.

Ferroptosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma: connecting the dots to move forward

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an aggressive disease whose incomplete biological comprehension contributes to the inappropriate clinical management and poor prognosis. Thus, the identification of new promising molecular targets to treat OSCC is of paramount importance. Ferroptosis is a regulated cell death caused by the iron-dependent accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the consequent oxidative damage of lipid membranes. Over the last five years, a growing number of studies has reported that OSCC is sensitive to ferroptosis induction and that ferroptosis inducers exert a remarkable antitumor effect in OSCC, even in those displaying low response to common approaches, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, as ferroptosis is considered an immunogenic cell death, it may modulate the immune response against OSCC. In this review, we summarize the so far identified ferroptosis regulatory mechanisms and prognostic models based on ferroptosis-related genes in OSCC. In addition, we discuss the perspective of inducing ferroptosis as a novel strategy to directly treat OSCC or, alternatively, to improve sensitivity to other approaches. Finally, we integrate data emerging from the research studies, reviewed here, through in silico analysis and we provide a novel personal perspective on the potential interconnection between ferroptosis and autophagy in OSCC.

Pipersarmenoids, new amide alkaloids from Piper sarmentosum

A chemical investigation of the aerial parts of Piper sarmentosum resulted in the isolation and identification of 14 amide alkaloids, including three new amide alkaloids, pipersarmenoids A - C (1-3), three new natural amide alkaloids, pipersarmenoids D - F (4-6), and 8 known analogues, N-p-coumaroyltyramine (7), piperlotine C (8), piperlotine D (9), pellitorine (10), sarmentine (11), aurantiamide acetate (12), 1-cinnamoyl pyrrolidine (13) and sarmentamide B (14). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis including HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR. The cytotoxicity, neuroinflammation-inhibiting and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities of those compounds were tested. Compounds 1, 2 and 12 inhibited NO production induced by LPS in BV2 cells with IC50 values of 9.36, 12.53 and 10.77 μM, respectively. Moreover, 1, 2, 7 and 11 showed moderate inhibitory activity on AChE with IC50 values ranging from 37.56 to 48.84 μM.

Discovery of Cytotoxic Nitric Oxide-Releasing Piperlongumine Derivatives Targeting Wnt/β-Catenin in Colon Cancer Cells

Piperlongumine (1) increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and induces apoptosis in cancer cells through various pathways. Nitric oxide (NO) donors have demonstrated potent anticancer activities with exogenous NO being oxidized by ROS in the tumor microenvironment to form highly reactive N-oxides (RNOS). This amplifies oxidative stress cascade reactions, ultimately inducing cancer cell apoptosis. To exploit this synergy, a series of NO-releasing piperlongumine derivatives (2-5) were designed and synthesized. These compounds were expected to release NO in cancer cells, simultaneously generating piperlongumine derivative fragments to enhance the anticancer effects. Compound 6, structurally similar to compounds 2-5 but not releasing NO, served as a control. Among these derivatives, compound 5 exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity against HCT-116 cells and efficiently released NO in this cell line. Further investigation revealed that compound 5 inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation by modulating β-catenin expression, which is a pivotal protein in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These findings highlight compound 5 as a promising candidate for colon cancer treatment targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Furoxan-piplartine hybrids as effective NO donors and ROS inducers in PC3 cancer cells: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation

Conjugation of the naturally occurring product piplartine (PPT, 1), which is a potent cytotoxic compound and ROS inducer, with a diphenyl sulfonyl-substituted furoxan moiety (namely, 3,4-bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,2,5-oxadiazole-2-oxide), an important type of NO donor, via an ether linker of different chain lengths is described, characterized and screened for the anticancer potential. The cytotoxicity of the new hybrids was evaluated on a panel of human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, PC3 and OVCAR-3) and two non-cancer human cells (MCF10A and PNT2). In general, the synthesized hybrids were more cytotoxic and selective compared to their furoxan precursors 4-6 and PPT in the above cancer cells. Particularly, PC3 cells are the most sensitive to hybrids 7 and 9 (IC50 values of 240 nM and 50 nM, respectively), while a lower potency was found for the prostate normal cells (IC50 = 17.8 μM and 14.1 μM, respectively), corresponding to selectivity indices of ca. 75 and 280, respectively. NO generation by the PPT-furoxan compounds in PC3 cells was confirmed using the Griess reaction. Furthermore, the cell growth inhibitory effect of 9 was significantly attenuated by the NO scavenger carboxy-PTIO. The intracellular ROS generation by 7 and 9 was also verified, and different assays showed that co-treatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) provided protection against PPT-induced ROS generation. Further mechanistic studies revealed that 7 and 9 had strong cytotoxicity to induce apoptosis in PC3 cells, being mediated, at least in part, by the NO-release and increase in ROS production. Notably, the ability of 9 to induce apoptosis was stronger than that of 7, which may be attributed to higher levels of NO released by 9. Compounds 7 and 9 modulated the expression profiles of critical regulators of cell cycle, such as CDKN1A (p21), c-MYC, and CCND1 (cyclin D1), as well as induced DNA damage. Overall, tethering the furoxan NO-releasing moiety to the cytotoxic natural product PPT had significant impact on the potential anticancer activity and selectivity of the novel hybrid drug candidates, especially 9, as a result of synergistic effects of both furoxan and PPT's ability to release NO, generate ROS, induce DNA damage, and trigger apoptosis.

Piperlongumine and its derivatives against cancer: A recent update and future prospective

Piperlongumine, or piplartine (PL), is a bioactive alkaloid isolated from Piper longum L. and a potent phytoconstituent in Indian Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine with a lot of therapeutic benefits. Apart from all of its biological activities, it demonstrates multimodal anticancer activity by targeting various cancer-associated pathways and being less toxic to normal cells. According to their structure-activity relationship (SAR), the trimethylphenyl ring (cinnamoyl core) and 5,6-dihydropyridin-2-(1H)-one (piperdine core) are responsible for the potent anticancer activity. However, it has poor intrinsic properties (low aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability, etc.). As a result, pharmaceutical researchers have been trying to optimise or modify the structure of PL to improve the drug-likeness profiles. The present review selected 26 eligible research articles on PL derivatives published between 2012 and 2023, followed by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) format. We have thoroughly summarised the anticancer potency, mode of action, SAR and drug chemistry of the proposed PL-derivatives against different cancer cells. Overall, SAR analyses with respect to anticancer potency and drug-ability revealed that substitution of methoxy to hydroxyl, attachment of ligustrazine and 4-hydroxycoumarin heterocyclic rings in place of phenyl rings, and attachment of heterocyclic rings like indole at the C7-C8 olefin position in native PL can help to improve anticancer activity, aqueous solubility, cell permeability, and bioavailability, making them potential leads. Hopefully, the large-scale collection and critical drug-chemistry analyses will be helpful to pharmaceutical and academic researchers in developing potential, less-toxic and cost-effective PL-derivatives that can be used against different cancers.

Chemoselective oxidation of aromatic aldehydes to carboxylic acids: potassium tert-butoxide as an anomalous source of oxygen

Chemoselective oxidation of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes (>45 examples) to their corresponding carboxylic acids has been developed. Potassium tert-butoxide acts as an oxygen source during this transformation that delivers the corresponding acids without chromatographic purifications. The use of bench-top reagents, operational simplicity, and high level of chemo-selectivity with respect to oxidation of the least preferred aldehyde functionality, in the presence of more susceptible functional groups, are some of the highlights of this strategy.

Anti-cancer agent piperlongumine is an inhibitor of transient receptor potential melastatin 7 channel in oral squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To elucidate the association between the anticancer activities of piperlongumine (PL) and its potential target, transient receptor potential melastatin 7 channel (TRPM7), in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODS

The expression levels and electrical characteristics of TRPM7 as well as cell viability in response to various PL treatments were investigated in the OSCC cell line Cal27.

RESULTS

PL treatment resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent reduction in TRPM7 mRNA and protein expression in Cal27 cells. Furthermore, PL treatment inhibited TRPM7-like rectifying currents in Cal27 cells; however, this inhibition was less effective than that of the TRPM7 antagonist waixenicin A. Rapid perfusion and washout experiments revealed an immediate inhibitory effect of PL on TRPM7-like currents. The antagonistic effect of PL occurred within 1 min and was not completely reversed following washout. Notably, the extracellular Ca2+ concentration still influenced PL-induced changes in the TRPM7-like current, indicating that PL can directly but gently antagonize the TRPM7 channel. Functional changes in TRPM7 correlated with the observed antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of PL in Cal27 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that PL exhibits potent inhibitory effects on TRPM7 and exerts its anti-cancer effects by downregulating TRPM7 expression and antagonizing channel currents.

Application of natural products in regulating ferroptosis in human diseases

BACKGROUND

Ferroptosis is a type of cell death caused by excessive iron-induced peroxidation. It has been found to be involved in a variety of diseases, and natural products can be used to target ferroptosis in treatments. Natural products are biologically active compounds extracted or synthesized from nature. It is an important resource for the discovery of skeletons with a high degree of structural diversity and a wide range of bioactivities, which can be developed directly or used as a starting point for the optimization of new drugs.

PURPOSE

In this review, we aim to discuss the interactions between natural products and ferroptosis in the treatment of human diseases.

METHODS

Literature was searched in Pubmed, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases for the 11-year period from 2012 to 2023 using the search terms "natural products", "ferroptosis", "human disease", "neurodegenerative disease", "cardiovascular disease", and "cancer".

RESULTS

In this research, the roles of natural products and ferroptosis were investigated. We suggest that natural products, such as terpenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, and saponins, can be used in therapeutic applications for human diseases, as well as in ferroptosis. Additionally, the main mechanisms of ferroptosis were summarized and discussed. Furthermore, we propose that natural products can be utilized to enhance the sensitivity of cancer cells to ferroptosis, thus helping to overcome drug resistance and inhibit metastasis. Moreover, natural products have the potential to modulate the expression levels of ferroptosis-related factors. Finally, the future directions of this field were highlighted.

CONCLUSION

The potential of natural products which focus on ferroptosis to treat human illnesses, particularly cancer, is very encouraging for human wellbeing.

The potential for senotherapy as a novel approach to extend life quality in veterinary medicine

Cellular senescence, a condition where cells undergo arrest and can assume an inflammatory phenotype, has been associated with initiation and perpetuation of inflammation driving multiple disease processes in rodent models and humans. Senescent cells secrete inflammatory cytokines, proteins, and matrix metalloproteinases, termed the senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which accelerates the aging processes. In preclinical models, drug interventions termed "senotherapeutics" selectively clear senescent cells and represent a promising strategy to prevent or treat multiple age-related conditions in humans and veterinary species. In this review, we summarize the current available literature describing in vitro evidence for senotheraputic activity, preclinical models of disease, ongoing human clinical trials, and potential clinical applications in veterinary medicine. These promising data to date provide further justification for future studies identifying the most active senotherapeutic combinations, dosages, and routes of administration for use in veterinary medicine.

Electrochemical Multicomponent Synthesis of Alkyl Alkenesulfonates using Styrenes, SO2 and Alcohols

A novel electrochemical approach to access alkyl alkenesulfonates via a multicomponent reaction was developed. The metal-free method features easy-to-use SO2 stock solution forming monoalkylsulfites from alcohols with an auxiliary base in-situ. These intermediates serve a dual role as starting materials and as supporting electrolyte enabling conductivity. Anodic oxidation of the substrate styrene, radical addition of these monoalkylsulfites and consecutive second oxidation and deprotonation preserve the double bond and form alkyl β-styrenesulfonates in a highly regio- and stereoselective fashion. The feasibility of this electrosynthetic method is demonstrated in 44 examples with yields up to 81 %, employing various styrenes and related substrates as well as a diverse set of alcohols. A gram-scale experiment underlines the applicability of this process, which uses inexpensive and readily available electrode materials.

The protective effect of PL 1-3 on D-galactose-induced aging mice

The aging population has become an issue that cannot be ignored, and research on aging is receiving increasing attention. PL 1-3 possesses diverse pharmacological properties including anti-oxidative stress, inhibits inflammatory responses and anti-apoptosis. This study showed that PL 1-3 could protect mice, especially the brain, against the aging caused by D-galactose (D-gal). D-gal could cause oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and tissue pathological injury and so on in aging mice. The treatment of PL 1-3 could increase the anti-oxidative stress ability in the serum, liver, kidney and brain of aging mice, via increasing the total antioxidant capacity and the levels of anti-oxidative defense enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase), and reducing the end product of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde). In the brain, in addition to the enhanced anti-oxidative stress via upregulating the level of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and heme oxygenase 1, PL 1-3 could improve the dysfunction of the cholinergic system via reducing the active of acetylcholinesterase so as to increase the level of acetylcholine, increase the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis activities via downregulating the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α) and pro-apoptosis proteins (Bcl-2 associated X protein and Caspase-3) in the D-gal-induced aging mice, to enhance the anti-aging ability via upregulating the expression of sirtuin 1 and downregulating the expressions of p53, p21, and p16. Besides, PL 1-3 could reverse the liver, kidney and spleen damages induced by D-gal in aging mice. These results suggested that PL 1-3 may be developed as an anti-aging drug for the prevention and intervention of age-related diseases.

Microwave-assisted solvent-free synthesis of some novel thiazole-substituted thiosemicarbazone analogues: antimicrobial and anticancer studies

The increased resistance to antibiotics has compelled researchers to devise novel active compounds targeting multidrug-resistant pathogenic microorganisms. A series of thiosemicarbazone derivatives was synthesized by reacting thiosemicarbazide with 2-aryl-4-formylthiazole, 2-aryl-5-formyl-4-methylthiazole, and/or 5-acetyl-2-aryl-4-methylthiazole compounds. These thiosemicarbazone-based thiazole adducts were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against tuberculosis H37Ra and Bovis BCG mycobacteria. Their cytotoxicity was assessed against two cancer cell lines: colonic carcinoma (HCT-116) and cervical cancer (HeLa). Notably, these thiosemicarbazones exhibited minimal cytotoxic effects on these cell lines even at their highest concentrations. Furthermore, the prepared thiosemicarbazone derivatives demonstrated significant antimicrobial efficacy against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacterial pathogens) as well as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Gram-negative bacterial pathogens). While most of the prepared thiosemicarbazone derivatives exhibited moderate activity against Candida albicans (a fungal strain), their performance was notable. The thiosemicarbazone-based thiazole adducts were also successfully synthesized using a solvent-free approach under microwave irradiation. Compared with conventional reflux methods, the microwave-assisted technique yielded high thiazole yields within just 5 min, obviating the need for catalysis. This study signifies significant strides toward the rational design of more potent antimycobacterial agents.

Trihydroxy piperlongumine protects aluminium induced neurotoxicity in zebrafish: Behavioral and biochemical approach

Aluminium (Al) is proven to be a potent environmental neurotoxin involved in progressive neurodegeneration. Al primarily induces oxidative stress by free radical generation in the brain, followed by neuronal apoptosis. Antioxidants are promising therapeutic options for Al toxicity. Piperlongumine is traditionally long known for its medicinal properties. Therefore, the present study has been designed to explore the antioxidant role of trihydroxy piperlongumine (THPL) against Al-induced neurotoxicity in the zebrafish model. Zebrafish exposed to AlCl₃ exhibited higher oxidative stress and altered locomotion. Adult fish displayed anxiety comorbid with depression phenotype. THPL increases antioxidant enzyme activity by quenching Al-induced free radicals and lipid peroxidation, thus minimizing oxidative damage in the brain. THPL rescues behavior deficits and improves anxiety-like phenotype in adult fish. Histological alterations caused by Al were also attenuated on administration with THPL. Results of the study demonstrate the neuroprotective role of THPL against Al-induced oxidative damage and anxiety, which could be exploited as a psychopharmacological drug.

Metal-Based Anticancer Complexes and p53: How Much Do We Know?

P53 plays a key role in protecting the human genome from DNA-related mutations; however, it is one of the most frequently mutated genes in cancer. The P53 family members p63 and p73 were also shown to play important roles in cancer development and progression. Currently, there are various organic molecules from different structural classes of compounds that could reactivate the function of wild-type p53, degrade or inhibit mutant p53, etc. It was shown that: (1) the function of the wild-type p53 protein was dependent on the presence of Zn atoms, and (2) Zn supplementation restored the altered conformation of the mutant p53 protein. This prompted us to question whether the dependence of p53 on Zn and other metals might be used as a cancer vulnerability. This review article focuses on the role of different metals in the structure and function of p53, as well as discusses the effects of metal complexes based on Zn, Cu, Fe, Ru, Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Ir, V, Mo, Bi and Sn on the p53 protein and p53-associated signaling.

Piperlongumine inhibits proliferation and oncogenic MYCN expression in chemoresistant metastatic retinoblastoma cells directly and through extracellular vesicles

Ocular retinoblastoma malignancies, which develop into metastatic phenotypes, result in poor prognosis and survival for infant and child patients. To improve the prognosis of metastatic retinoblastoma, it is important to identify novel compounds with less toxic side effects and higher therapeutic efficacy compared to existing chemotherapeutics. Piperlongumine (PL), a neuroprotective, plant-derived compound has been explored for its anticancer activities both in vitro and in vivo. Here, we analyze the potential efficacy of PL for metastatic retinoblastoma cell treatment. Our data reveal that PL treatment significantly inhibits cell proliferation in metastatic retinoblastoma Y79 cells compared to the commonly used retinoblastoma chemotherapeutic drugs carboplatin, etoposide, and vincristine. PL treatment also significantly increases cell death compared to treatment with other chemotherapeutic drugs. PL-induced cell-death signaling was associated with significantly higher caspase 3/7 activities and greater loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. PL was also internalized into Y79 cells with an estimated concentration of 0.310pM and expression analysis revealed reduced MYCN oncogene levels. We next examined extracellular vesicles derived from PL-treated Y79 cells. Extracellular vesicles in other cancers are pro-oncogenic, mediating systemic toxicities via the encapsulation of chemotherapeutic drugs. Within metastatic Y79 EV samples, an estimated PL concentration of 0.026pM was detected. PL treatment significantly downregulated Y79 EV cargo of the oncogene MYCN transcript. Interestingly, non-PL-treated Y79 cells incubated with EVs from PL-treated cells exhibited significantly reduced cell growth. These findings indicate that in metastatic Y79 cells, PL exhibits potent anti-proliferation effects and oncogene downregulation. Importantly, PL is also incorporated into extracellular vesicles released from treated metastatic cells with measurable anti-cancer effects on target cells at a distance from the site of primary treatment. The use of PL in the treatment of metastatic retinoblastoma may reduce primary tumor proliferation and inhibit metastatic cancer activity systemically via extracellular vesicle circulation.

Traditional Chinese medicine monomers: Targeting pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells proliferation to treat pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complex multifactorial disease characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular remodeling (PVR), with high morbidity, disability, and mortality. The abnormal proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is the main pathological change causing PVR. At present, clinical treatment drugs for PH are limited, which can only improve symptoms and reduce hospitalization but cannot delay disease progression and reduce survival rate. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine monomers (TCMs) inhibit excessive proliferation of PASMCs resulting in alleviating PVR through multiple channels and multiple targets, which has attracted more and more attention in the treatment of PH. In this paper, the experimental evidence of inhibiting PASMCs proliferation by TCMs was summarized to provide some directions for the future development of these mentioned TCMs as anti-PH drugs in clinical.

Identification of ligustrazine-based analogs of piperlongumine as potential anti-ischemic stroke agents

Piper longum has a specific aroma and spicy taste. In addition to edible value, current studies have shown that piper longum also has pharmacological activities such as anti-platelet aggregation, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes and anti-depression. Piperlongumine is an alkaloid isolated from Piper longum. Based on our previous studies, four Piperlongumine analogs were synthesized, and their anti-platelet aggregation activities were evaluated. Among them, compound 8 has the strongest anti-platelet aggregation activity. Therefore, compound 8 was docked with stroke-related protein targets, and it was found that compound 8 had good binding affinity to MRTF-A complex and Bcl-2. Through animal experiments, it was found that compound 8 could significantly improve the pathological damage of brain tissue after ischemia and could increase the expression of MRTF-A and Bcl-2 in cerebral cortex in rats. These results suggest that compound 8 may have a good inhibitory effect on apoptosis and tissue structurel disorders induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, so as to reduce the injury caused by ischemic stroke.

Natural borneol serves as an adjuvant agent to promote the cellular uptake of piperlongumine for improving its antiglioma efficacy

Piperlongumine (PL) can selectively inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cells by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) level to cause a redox imbalance in cancer cells rather than in normal cells. However, the clinical application of PL is limited by its poor cellular uptake. Natural borneol (NB) is extracted from the fresh branches and leaves of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl. with the purity of (+)-borneol no less than 96.0%. NB has been often used as an adjuvant agent to promote the cellular uptake of other drugs. This study aims to investigate the effect of NB on the cellular uptake of PL for improving its antiglioma efficacy and underlying mechanism. NB obviously promoted the cellular uptake of PL with a 1.3-fold increase in the maximum peak concentration and an earlier peak time of 30 min in C6 glioma cells. The cellular uptake of PL was enhanced by NB through down-regulating the expression levels of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) and breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2). The combination of NB and PL significantly induced higher levels of ROS, which increased apoptosis and enhanced G2/M cycle arrest of C6 glioma cells, compared to PL alone administration. NB-enhanced antiglioma efficacy of PL without side effects was confirmed in tumor-bearing mice, which was attributed to the improved cellular uptake of PL. The distribution of PL in the tumor tissue of combined group increased 2.39 times than that of PL-treated group. We firstly report NB as an adjuvant agent to improve the antiglioma efficacy of PL in a ROS-dependent manner, which is due to the enhanced cellular uptake of PL by NB though down-regulating the expression levels of ABCB1 and ABCG2. This work provides a new strategy to promote the cellular uptake of PL with great potential for the treatment of glioma.

Piperlongumine mitigates LPS-induced inflammation and lung injury via targeting MD2/TLR4

PURPOSE

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a fatal acute inflammatory illness with restricted therapeutic choices clinically. Piperlongumine (PL) is recognized as an alkaloid separated from Piper longum L, which was suggested to exhibit multiple pharmacological activities (e.g., anti-inflammatory activity). However, the effects of PL on LPS-triggered ALI and its anti-inflammatory target remain unclear. This paper intended to assess the roles of PL in LPS-triggered ALI, as well as its underlying mechanism and target.

METHODS

In vivo, ALI was induced by intratracheal injection of LPS to evaluate protective effects of PL and assessed by the changes of histopathological. In vitro, the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of PL were investigated by ELISA, RT-qPCR, transcription factor enrichment analysis, Western blotting and Immunofluorescence assay. The binding affinity of PL to MD2 was analyzed using computer docking, surface plasmon resonance, ELISA and immunoprecipitation assay.

RESULTS

It was reported here that PL treatment alleviated LPS-induced pulmonary damage, inflammatory cells infiltration and inflammatory response in mice. In culture cells, PCR array showed that PL significantly inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and type I IFNs genetic expression, along with the inhibition of TAK1 and TBK1 pathway. It is noteworthy that PL is capable of straightly binding to MD2 and inhibiting MD2/TLR4 complex formation and TLR4 dimerization.

CONCLUSIONS

As revealed from this study, PL directly binding to MD2 to block cytokines expression by inhibiting the activation of TAK1 and TBK1 pathway, which then exerted its pulmonary protective activity. Accordingly, PL may act as an underlying candidate for treating LPS-triggered ALI.

Engineering piperlongumine-inspired analogs as Nrf2-dependent neuroprotectors against oxidative damage by an electrophilicity-based strategy

Oxidative stress contributes significantly to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, thus developing nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent neuroprotectors is highly required for either prevention or treatment of these diseases. This work highlights an electrophilicity-based strategy that allows finding more active Nrf2-dependent neuroprotectors than natural piperlongumine (PL). Electrophilic modification was applied on both the exocylic and endocyclic Michael acceptors of PL, which includes placement of an electron-withdrawing trifluoromethyl group on its aromatic ring in the ortho, meta, or para position to the exocyclic olefin, and further introduction of an electron-withdrawing α-chlorine on its lactam ring. From a panel of PL analogs, we identified PLCl-4CF₃, characterized by the presence of p-trifluoromethyl group and α-chlorine, to be significantly superior to the parent PL in protecting PC12 cells from oxidative damage induced by 6-hydroxydopamine hydrochloride. Mechanistic studies reveal that the increased electrophilicity of PLCl-4CF₃ in its two Michael acceptors allows its ability to covalently modify Cys-151 at Keap1, facilitating inhibition against Nrf2 ubiquitination, translocation of Nrf2 into the nucleus, induction of phase 2 enzymes and final protection of PC12 cells from oxidative damage.

Exploring the role of senescence inducers and senotherapeutics as targets for anticancer natural products

During the last few decades, cancer has remained one of the deadliest diseases that endanger human health, emphasizing urgent drug discovery. Cellular senescence has gained a great deal of attention in recent years because of its link to the development of cancer therapy. Senescent cells are incapable of proliferating due to irreversibly inhibited the initiation of the cell cycle pathways. However, senescent cells aggregate in tissues and produce a pro-inflammatory secretome called senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that can cause serious harmful effects if not managed properly. There is mounting evidence that senescent cells lead to various phases of tumorigenesis in various anatomical sites, owing mostly to the paracrine activities of the SASP. Therefore, a new treatment field called senotherapeutics has been established. Senotherapeutics are newly developed anticancer agents that have been demonstrated to inhibit cancer effectively. In light of recent findings, several promising natural products have been identified as senescence inducers and senotherapeutics, including, miliusanes, epigallocatechin gallate, phloretin, silybin, resveratrol, genistein, sulforaphane, quercetin, allicin, fisetin, piperlongumine, berberine, triptolide, tocotrienols and curcumin analogs. Several of them have already been validated through preclinical trials and exert an enormous potential for clinical trials. This review article focuses on and summarises the latest advances on cellular senescence and its potential as a target for cancer treatment and highlights the well-known natural products as senotherapeutics for cancer treatment.

Piperlongumine combined with vitamin C as a new adjuvant therapy against gastric cancer regulates the ROS-STAT3 pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of piperlongumine (PL) and vitamin C (VC) on signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signalling in gastric cancer cell lines.

METHODS

In vivo tumour xenograft anticancer assays were undertaken to confirm the anticancer activity of PL. Cell viability, flow cytometry and Western blot assays were undertaken to evaluate the anticancer effects of PL, VC and combinations of PL and VC in AGS and KATO III cells.

RESULTS

Both PL and VC induced apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation in AGS and KATO III cells. These effects were dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS). PL effectively suppressed STAT3 activation while VC caused abnormal activation of STAT3. The combination of PL and VC exhibited a stronger apoptotic effect compared with either agent alone. PL reversed the abnormal activation of STAT3 by VC, which could be a key to their synergistic effect.

CONCLUSIONS

PL combined with VC exhibited a stronger anticancer effect by regulating the ROS-STAT3 pathway, suggesting that this combination might be a potential adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer.

Piperlongumine Is an NLRP3 Inhibitor With Anti-inflammatory Activity

Piperlongumine (PL) is an alkaloid from Piper longum L. with anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties. Numerous studies have focused on its antitumor effect. However, the underlying mechanisms of its anti-inflammation remain elusive. In this study, we have found that PL is a natural inhibitor of Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, an intracellular multi-protein complex that orchestrates host immune responses to infections or sterile inflammations. PL blocks NLRP3 activity by disrupting the assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome including the association between NLRP3 and NEK7 and subsequent NLRP3 oligomerization. Furthermore, PL suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia and MSU-induced peritonitis in vivo, which are NLRP3-dependent inflammation. Thus, our study identified PL as an inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome and indicated the potential application of PL in NLRP3-relevant diseases.

Piperlongumine attenuates vascular remodeling in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by regulating autophagy

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic effect of piperlongumine on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

METHODS

A hypoxic pulmonary hypertension rat model was constructed, primary rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were isolated, and the proliferation of PASMCs was measured by Cell Counting Kit‑8 assay. The expression of autophagic proteins microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B) and P62 were examined by western blot. Autophagic flux in PASMCs was detected by tandem mRFP-GFP-LC3 fluorescence analysis.

RESULTS

Hypoxia-induced proliferation of PASMCs was significantly inhibited by piperlongumine exposure. Treatment with piperlongumine elevated LC3B II/LC3B I protein ratio and decreased the expression of P62 protein in both PASMCs and rat lung tissues. Tandem mRFP-GFP-LC3 fluorescence analysis showed that piperlongumine increased autophagic flux in PASMCs. Inhibition of autophagy using 3-methyladenine (3-MA) attenuated the inhibitory effect of piperlongumine on proliferation of PASMCs. Chronic hypoxia exposure led to a significant increase in rat right ventricle systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, wall thickness and area of pulmonary artery, and muscularization of pulmonary arterioles, which was obviously suppressed by administration of piperlongumine. 3-MA attenuated the alleviating effects of piperlongumine on pulmonary vascular remodeling.

CONCLUSIONS

Piperlongumine attenuates vascular remodeling in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by regulating autophagy. Piperlongumine treatment may serve as a promising therapy for hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Unravelling the Interaction of Piperlongumine with the Nucleotide-Binding Domain of HSP70: A Spectroscopic and In Silico Study

Piperlongumine (PPL) is an alkaloid extracted from several pepper species that exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Nevertheless, the molecular mode of action of PPL that confers such powerful pharmacological properties remains unknown. From this perspective, spectroscopic methods aided by computational modeling were employed to characterize the interaction between PPL and nucleotide-binding domain of heat shock protein 70 (NBD/HSP70), which is involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy along with time-resolved fluorescence revealed the complex formation based on a static quenching mechanism. Van't Hoff analyses showed that the binding of PPL toward NBD is driven by equivalent contributions of entropic and enthalpic factors. Furthermore, IDF and Scatchard methods applied to fluorescence intensities determined two cooperative binding sites with K_b of (6.3 ± 0.2) × 10⁴ M^-1. Circular dichroism determined the thermal stability of the NBD domain and showed that PPL caused minor changes in the protein secondary structure. Computational simulations elucidated the microenvironment of these interactions, showing that the binding sites are composed mainly of polar amino acids and the predominant interaction of PPL with NBD is Van der Waals in nature.

The Regulatory Effects and the Signaling Pathways of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Ferroptosis

Natural bioactive compounds abundantly presented in foods and medicinal plants have recently received a remarkable attention because of their various biological activities and minimal toxicity. In recent years, many natural compounds appear to offer significant effects in the regulation of ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is the forefront of international scientific research which has been exponential growth since the term was coined. This type of regulated cell death is driven by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation. Recent studies have shown that numerous organ injuries and pathophysiological processes of many diseases are driven by ferroptosis, such as cancer, arteriosclerosis, neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, ischemia-reperfusion injury and acute renal failure. It is reported that the initiation and inhibition of ferroptosis plays a pivotal role in lipid peroxidation, organ damage, neurodegeneration and cancer growth and progression. Recently, many natural phytochemicals extracted from edible plants have been demonstrated to be novel ferroptosis regulators and have the potential to treat ferroptosis-related diseases. This review provides an updated overview on the role of natural bioactive compounds and the potential signaling pathways in the regulation of ferroptosis.

Protective effects of piperlongumin in the prevention of inflammatory damage caused by pulmonary exposure to benzopyrene carcinogen

Benzopyrene is one of the main polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with carcinogenic capacity. Research has shown that anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce the incidence of lung cancer. In this scenario, we highlight piperlongumin (PL), an alkaloid from Piper longum with anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, our aim was to study the effect of PL administration in a model of pulmonary carcinogenesis induced by benzopyrene in Balb/c mice. Animals were divided into 3 groups (n = 10/group): sham (10% DMSO), induced by benzopyrene (100 mg/kg, diluted in DMSO) without treatment (BaP) for 12 weeks and induced by benzopyrene and treated with PL (BaP/PL) (2 mg/kg in 10% DMSO) from the eighth week post-induction. Animals were weighed daily and pletsmography was performed in the 12th week. Genotoxicity and hemoglobin levels were analyzed in blood and quantification of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Lungs were collected for histopathological evaluation, immunohistochemical studies of annexin A1 (AnxA1), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and nuclear transcription factor (NF-kB) and also the measurement of interleukin cytokines (IL)-1β, IL-17 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α. Treatment with PL reduced the pulmonary parameters (p < 0,001) of frequency, volume and pulmonary ventilation, decreased lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils in BAL (p < 0,05) as well as blood hemoglobin levels (p < 0,01). PL administration also reduced DNA damage and preserved the pulmonary architecture compared to the BaP group. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effect of PL was evidenced by the maintenance of AnxA1 levels, reduction of COX-2 (p < 0,05), Bcl-2 (p < 0,01) and NF-kB (p < 0,001) expressions and decreased IL-1β, IL-17 (p < 0,01) and TNF-α (p < 0,05) levels. The results show the therapeutic potential of PL in the treatment of pulmonary anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor diseases with promising therapeutic implications.

The protective action of piperlongumine against mycobacterial pulmonary tuberculosis in its mitigation of inflammation and macrophage infiltration in male BALB/c mice

Introduction

Piperlongumine (PL) is a bioactive alkaloid and medicinal compound of piperamide isolated from the long pepper (Piper longum Linn). It has demonstrated bactericidal action against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the cause of pulmonary tuberculosis; nevertheless, immunomodulatory activity had not been identified for it in MTB-triggered granulomatous inflammation. This study investigated if piperlongumine could inhibit such inflammation.

Material and Methods

Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv was subjected to a broth microdilution assay. Piperlongumine at 5, 15, and 25 μg/mL, 0.2% dimethyl sulphoxide as control or 4 μM of dexamethasone were tested in vitro on MH-S murine alveolar macrophages. BALB/c mice were orally administered PL at 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg b.w. after trehalose-6,6-dimycolate (TDM) stimulation. Chemokine and cytokine concentrations were determined in lung supernatants. Flow cytometry and Western blot analysis were performed to determine phosphorylated spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways.

Results

Piperlongumine inhibited inflammatory mediators and adherence of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 to MH-S cells following TDM activation. It also improved macrophage clearance of MTB. In TDM-stimulated MH-S cells, PL significantly influenced the macrophage inducible Ca²⁺-dependent lectin receptor (Mincle)-Syk-ERK signalling pathway. Oral dosing of PL effectively suppressed the development of pulmonary granulomas and inflammatory reactions in the TDM-elicited mouse granuloma model.

Conclusion

PL as an inhibitor of MTB-triggered granulomatous inflammation may be an effective complementary treatment for mycobacterial infection.

Near-Infrared Fluorescent Micelles from Poly(norbornene) Brush Triblock Copolymers for Nanotheranostics

This contribution describes the design and synthesis of multifunctional micelles based on amphiphilic brush block copolymers (BBCPs) for imaging and selective drug delivery of natural anticancer compounds. Well-defined BBCPs were synthesized via one-pot multi-step sequential grafting-through ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene-based macroinitiators. The norbornenes employed contain a poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether chain, an alkyl bromide chain, and/or a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent cyanine dye. After block copolymerization, post-polymerization transformations using bromide-azide substitution, followed by the strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) allowed for the functionalization of the BBCPs with the piplartine (PPT) moiety, a natural product with well-documented cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines, via an ester linker between the drug and the polymer side chain. The amphiphilic BBCPs self-assembled in aqueous media into nano-sized spherical micelles with neutral surface charges, as confirmed by dynamic light scattering analysis and transmission electron microscopy. During self-assembly, paclitaxel (PTX) could be effectively encapsulated into the hydrophobic core to form stable PTX-loaded micelles with high loading capacities and encapsulation efficiencies. The NIR fluorescent dye-containing micelles exhibited remarkable photophysical properties, excellent colloidal stability under physiological conditions, and a pH-induced disassembly under slightly acidic conditions, allowing for the release of the drug in a controlled manner. The in vitro studies demonstrated that the micelles without the drug (blank micelles) are biocompatible at concentrations of up to 1 mg mL^-1 and present a high cellular internalization capacity toward MCF-7 cancer cells. The drug-functionalized micelles showed in vitro cytotoxicity comparable to free PPT and PTX against MCF-7 and PC3 cancer cells, confirming efficient drug release into the tumor environment upon cellular internalization. Furthermore, the drug-functionalized micelles exhibited higher selectivity than the pristine drugs and preferential cellular uptake in human cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and PC3) when compared to the normal breast cell line (MCF10A). This study provides an efficient strategy for the development of versatile polymeric nanosystems for drug delivery and image-guided diagnostics. Notably, the easy functionalization of BBCP side chains via SPAAC opens up the possibility for the preparation of a library of multifunctional systems containing other drugs or functionalities, such as target groups for recognition.

Hybrids of 4-hydroxy derivatives of goniothalamin and piplartine bearing a diester or a 1,2,3-triazole linker as antiproliferative agents

A library of nine hybrids of 4-hydroxygoniothalamin (2), 4-hydroxypiplartine (4), monastrol (5) and oxo-monastrol (6) was prepared via a modular synthetic route with a diester or a 1,2,3-triazole as linkers. The compounds were assayed against a panel of human cancer cell lines, including MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), HeLa (cervical adenocarcinoma), Caco-2 (colorectal adenocarcinoma) and PC3 (prostate adenocarcinoma), as well as against normal breast (MCF10A) and prostate (PNT2) cells. In general, hybrids with an ester linker containing 4-hydroxypiplartine (4) were more potent than the corresponding hybrids with 4-hydroxygoniothalamin (2). On the other hand, compounds presenting the 1,2,3-triazole linker displayed enhanced cytotoxicity and selectivity when compared to their corresponding hybrids with the diester linker. The 4-hydroxypiplartine-based hybrids 12 and 22 displayed high cytotoxicity (IC50 values below 10 μM) against all cancer cells studied, especially in MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 1.7 ± 0.1 and 1.6 ± 0.9 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the 4-hydroxygoniothalamin-monastrol hybrid (compound 21) and the 4-hydroxypiplartine-oxo-monastrol hybrid (compound 25), both bearing a 1,2,3-triazole linker, displayed high selectivity and potency towards breast cancer cell line (MCF-7 vs. MCF10 cells, selectivity index = 15.8 and 7.1, respectively), while the 4-hydroxypiplartine -4-hydroxymethylgoniothalamin hybrid with a diester linker (compound 33) showed high selectivity towards melanoma cancer cells (selectivity index = 9.6). Antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic potential of compounds 12 and 22 against MCF-7 cancer cells were further investigated. Cell cycle studies revealed increased G2/M population in MCF-7 cultures as well as reduced G0/G1 population compared to the control groups indicating cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. In addition, the frequency of positive cells for annexin V was higher in treated samples suggesting that compounds 12 and 22 induce apoptosis in estrogen-positive MCF-7 cells.

Computational repurposing of therapeutic small molecules from cancer to pulmonary hypertension

Cancer therapies are being considered for treating rare noncancerous diseases like pulmonary hypertension (PH), but effective computational screening is lacking. Via transcriptomic differential dependency analyses leveraging parallels between cancer and PH, we mapped a landscape of cancer drug functions dependent upon rewiring of PH gene clusters. Bromodomain and extra-terminal motif (BET) protein inhibitors were predicted to rely upon several gene clusters inclusive of galectin-8 (LGALS8). Correspondingly, LGALS8 was found to mediate the BET inhibitor–dependent control of endothelial apoptosis, an essential role for PH in vivo. Separately, a piperlongumine analog’s actions were predicted to depend upon the iron-sulfur biogenesis gene ISCU. Correspondingly, the analog was found to inhibit ISCU glutathionylation, rescuing oxidative metabolism, decreasing endothelial apoptosis, and improving PH. Thus, we identified crucial drug-gene axes central to endothelial dysfunction and therapeutic priorities for PH. These results establish a wide-ranging, network dependency platform to redefine cancer drugs for use in noncancerous conditions.

Immune-Omics Networks of CD27, PD1, and PDL1 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

To date, there are no prognostic/predictive biomarkers to select chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy in individual non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Major immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have more DNA copy number variations (CNV) than mutations in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) NSCLC tumors. Nevertheless, CNV-mediated dysregulated gene expression in NSCLC is not well understood. Integrated CNV and transcriptional profiles in NSCLC tumors (n = 371) were analyzed using Boolean implication networks for the identification of a multi-omics CD27, PD1, and PDL1 network, containing novel prognostic genes and proliferation genes. A 5-gene (EIF2AK3, F2RL3, FOSL1, SLC25A26, and SPP1) prognostic model was developed and validated for patient stratification (p < 0.02, Kaplan-Meier analyses) in NSCLC tumors (n = 1163). A total of 13 genes (COPA, CSE1L, EIF2B3, LSM3, MCM5, PMPCB, POLR1B, POLR2F, PSMC3, PSMD11, RPL32, RPS18, and SNRPE) had a significant impact on proliferation in 100% of the NSCLC cell lines in both CRISPR-Cas9 (n = 78) and RNA interference (RNAi) assays (n = 92). Multiple identified genes were associated with chemoresponse and radiotherapy response in NSCLC cell lines (n = 117) and patient tumors (n = 966). Repurposing drugs were discovered based on this immune-omics network to improve NSCLC treatment.

Piperlongumine, a Potent Anticancer Phytotherapeutic, Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis In Vitro and In Vivo through the ROS/Akt Pathway in Human Thyroid Cancer Cells

Simple Summary

There is no effective treatment currently available for patients with anaplastic, recurrent papillary, or follicular thyroid cancers. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are believed to hold promise as a new therapeutic strategy for multiple human cancers. However, studies on ROS inducers for human thyroid cancer treatment are scarce. This study assesses the anticancer activity and the detailed downstream mechanisms of piperlongumine, a ROS inducer, in human thyroid cancer cells. We demonstrate that piperlongumine inhibits cell proliferation, regulates the cell cycle, and induces cellular apoptosis in various types of human thyroid cancer cells. The antihuman thyroid cancer activity of piperlongumine was through ROS induction, and it further suppressed the downstream Akt signaling pathway to elevate mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. A mouse xenograft study demonstrated that piperlongumine was safe and could inhibit tumorigenesis in vivo. The present study provides strong evidence that piperlongumine can be used as a therapeutic candidate for human thyroid cancers.

Abstract

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine malignancy, and its global incidence has steadily increased over the past 15 years. TC is broadly divided into well-differentiated, poorly differentiated, and undifferentiated types, depending on the histological and clinical parameters. Thus far, there are no effective treatments for undifferentiated thyroid cancers or advanced and recurrent cancer. Therefore, the development of an effective therapeutic is urgently needed for such patients. Piperlongumine (PL) is a naturally occurring small molecule derived from long pepper; it is selectively toxic to cancer cells by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we demonstrate the potential anticancer activity of PL in four TC cell lines. For this purpose, we cultured TC cell lines and analyzed the following parameters: Cell viability, colony formation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and cellular ROS induction. PL modulated the cell cycle, induced apoptosis, and suppressed tumorigenesis in TC cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner through ROS induction. Meanwhile, an intrinsic caspase-dependent apoptosis pathway was observed in the TC cells under PL treatment. The activation of Erk and the suppression of the Akt/mTOR pathways through ROS induction were seen in cells treated with PL. PL-mediated apoptosis in TC cells was through the ROS-Akt pathway. Finally, the anticancer effect and safety of PL were also demonstrated in vivo. Our findings indicate that PL exhibits antitumor activity and has the potential for use as a chemotherapeutic agent against TC. This is the first study to show the sensitivity of TC cell lines to PL.

Overview of piperlongumine analogues and their therapeutic potential

Natural products have long been an important source for discovery of new drugs to treat human diseases. Piperlongumine (PL) is an amide alkaloid isolated from Piper longum L. (long piper) and other piper plants and has received widespread attention because of its diverse biological activities. A large number of PL derivatives have been designed, synthesized and assessed in many pharmacological functions, including antiplatelet aggregation, neuroprotective activities, anti-diabetic activities, anti-inflammatory activities, anti-senolytic activities, immune activities, and antitumor activities. Among them, the anti-tumor effects and application of PL and its derivatives are most extensively studied. We herein summarize the development of PL derivatives, the structure and activity relationships (SARs), and their therapeutic potential on the treatments of various diseases, especially against cancer. We also discussed the challenges and future directions associated with PL and its derivatives in these indications.

Piperlongumine inhibits migration and proliferation of castration-resistant prostate cancer cells via triggering persistent DNA damage

BACKGROUND

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is the leading cause of death among men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Piperlongumine (PL) is a novel potential anticancer agent that has been demonstrated to exhibit anticancer efficacy against prostate cancer cells. However, the effects of PL on DNA damage and repair against CRPC have remained unclear. The aim of this study was to further explore the anticancer activity and mechanisms of action of PL against CRPC in terms of DNA damage and repair processes.

METHODS

The effect of PL on CRPC was evaluated by MTT assay, long-term cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species assay, western blot assay, flow cytometry assay (annexin V/PI staining), β-gal staining assay and DAPI staining assay. The capacity of PL to inhibit the invasion and migration of CRPC cells was assessed by scratch-wound assay, cell adhesion assay, transwell assay and immunofluorescence (IF) assay. The effect of PL on DNA damage and repair was determined via IF assay and comet assay.

RESULTS

The results showed that PL exhibited stronger anticancer activity against CRPC compared to that of taxol, cisplatin (DDP), doxorubicin (Dox), or 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), with fewer side effects in normal cells. Importantly, PL treatment significantly decreased cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and inhibited the migration of CRPC cells through affecting the expression and distribution of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), leading to concentration-dependent inhibition of CRPC cell proliferation and concomitantly increased cell death. Moreover, PL treatment triggered persistent DNA damage and provoked strong DNA damage responses in CRPC cells.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PL potently inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRPC cells and that these potent anticancer effects were potentially achieved via triggering persistent DNA damage in CRPC cells.

The redox-senescence axis and its therapeutic targeting

Significance

Cellular growth arrest, associated with ‘senescence’, helps to safeguard against the accumulation of DNA damage which is often recognized as the underlying mechanism of a wide variety of age-related pathologies including cancer. Cellular senescence has also been described as a ‘double-edged sword’. In cancer, for example, the creation of an immune-suppressive milieu by senescent tumor cells through the senescence-associated secretory phenotype contributes toward carcinogenesis and cancer progression.

Recent advances

The potential for cellular senescence to confer multi-faceted effects on tissue fate has led to a rejuvenated interest in its landscape and targeting. Interestingly, redox pathways have been described as both triggers and propagators of cellular senescence, leading to intricate cross-links between both pathways.

Critical issues

In this review, we describe the mechanisms driving cellular senescence, the interface with cellular redox metabolism as well as the role that chemotherapy-induced senescence plays in secondary carcinogenesis. Notably, the role that anti-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family play in inducing drug resistance via mechanisms that involve senescence induction.

Future directions

Though the therapeutic targeting of senescent cells as cancer therapy remains in its infancy, we summarize the current development of senotherapeutics, including recognized senotherapies, as well as the repurposing of drugs as senomorphic/senolytic candidates.

Antileishmanial activity evaluation of a natural amide and its synthetic analogs against Leishmania (V.) braziliensis: an integrated approach in vitro and in silico

Leishmaniasis is considered a neglected disease, which makes it an unattractive market for the pharmaceutical industry; hence, efforts in the search for biologically active substances are hampered by this lack of financial motivation. Thus, in the present study, we report the leishmanicidal activity and the possible mechanisms of action of compounds with promising activity against the species Leishmania (V.) braziliensis, the causative agent of the skin disease leishmaniasis. The natural compound 1a (piplartine) and the analog 2a were the most potent against promastigote forms with growth inhibition values for 50% of the parasite population (IC50) = 8.58 and 11.25 μM, respectively. For amastigote forms, the ICa50 values were 1.46 and 16.7 μM, respectively. In the molecular docking study, piplartine showed favorable binding energy (-7.13 kcal/mol) and with 50% inhibition of trypanothione reductase (IC50) = 91.1 μM. Preliminary investigations of the mechanism of action indicate that piplartine increased ROS levels, induced loss of cell membrane integrity, and caused accumulation of lipid bodies after 24 h of incubation at its lowest effective concentration (IC50), which was not observed for the synthetic analog 2a. The mode of action for the leishmanicidal activity of piplartine (1a) was assigned to involve affinity for the trypanothione reductase of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis TR.

Synergistic effects of piperlongumine and gemcitabine against KRAS mutant lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

To determine the combined efficacy of piperlongumine and gemcitabine for treatment of KRAS mutant lung cancer.

METHODS

The cell growth inhibition of piperlongumine, gemcitabine, and piperlongumine plus gemcitabine was measured by Cell Counting Kit‑8 assay and the combination index was calculated. In addition, the combined effects of piperlongumine and gemcitabine on cell apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B) expression were examined.

RESULTS

Piperlongumine increased ROS contents and LC3B-II expression. Following the combined treatment with piperlongumine and 10 mM N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), intracellular ROS and cell viability returned to normal levels, and the expression of LC3B-II decreased to the predose level. Gemcitabine also induced cell apoptosis, increased ROS contents, and LC3B-II expression. The combination of piperlongumine with gemcitabine exhibited a synergetic anticancer activity with the combination index <1. The combined application of gemcitabine and piperlongumine yielded synergistic effects on cell apoptosis, but failed to synergistically increase ROS levels and LC3B-II expression.

CONCLUSION

Combination therapy with piperlongumine and gemcitabine is a promising treatment option for KRAS mutant lung cancer.

Peppers: A "Hot" Natural Source for Antitumor Compounds

Piper, Capsicum, and Pimenta are the main genera of peppers consumed worldwide. The traditional use of peppers by either ancient civilizations or modern societies has raised interest in their biological applications, including cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects. Cellular responses upon treatment with isolated pepper-derived compounds involve mechanisms of cell death, especially through proapoptotic stimuli in tumorigenic cells. In this review, we highlight naturally occurring secondary metabolites of peppers with cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines. Available mechanisms of cell death, as well as the development of analogues, are also discussed.

Piperlongumine attenuates angiotensin-II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis by inhibiting Akt-FoxO1 signalling

BACKGROUND

Cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis are closely related to cardiac dysfunction, especially diastolic dysfunction. Limited medications can be used to simultaneously delay cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in clinical practice. Piperlongumine (PLG) is an amide alkaloid extracted from Piper longum and has been shown to have multiple biological effects, including anticancer and antioxidant effects. However, the role of PLG in cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis is not clear.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to reveal the role of PLG in cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis and the associated mechanism.

METHODS

Cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis were induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) in vivo and in vitro. The effect of PLG in vivo, in vitro and its mechanism were investigated by proliferation and apoptosis assays, western blot, real-time PCR, immunofluorescence, histochemistry, echocardiography, flow cytometry and chromatin immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

Proliferation and apoptosis assays showed that 2.5 μM PLG slightly inhibited proliferation and did not promote apoptosis. Treatment with 5 mg/kg PLG obviously inhibited Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in vivo. In vitro studies of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) showed that the anti-hypertrophic effect of PLG was mediated by reducing the phosphorylation of Akt and thereby preserving the level of Forkhead box transcription factor O1 (FoxO1), since knockdown of FoxO1 by siRNA reversed the protective effect of PLG on NRCMs. In addition, PLG significantly decreased the Ang II-induced expression of profibrotic proteins in neonatal cardiac fibroblasts by reducing the expression of Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and the recruitment of KLF4 to the promoter regions of transforming growth factor-β and connective tissue growth factor.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate the cardioprotective effects of PLG in both cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis and the potential value of PLG for developing novel medications for pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Identification and optimization of piperlongumine analogues as potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents via activation of Nrf2

Oxidative stress and inflammation are significant risk factors for neurodegenerative disease. The Keap1-Nrf2-ARE pathway is one of the most promising defensive systems against oxidative stress. Here, dozens of piperlongumine analogues were designed, synthesized, and tested on PC12 cells to examine neuroprotective effects against H2O2 and 6-OHDA induced damage. Among them, 6d was found to be able to alleviate the accumulation of ROS, inhibit the production of NO and downregulate the level of IL-6, which indicated its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Further studies proved that 6d could activate Nrf2 signaling pathway, induce the translocation of Nrf2 from cell cytosol to nucleus and upregulate the related phase II antioxidant enzymes including NQO1, HO-1, GCLC, GCLM and TrxR1. These results confirmed that 6d exerted antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway. Moreover, the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay indicated that 6d can cross the blood-brain barrier. In general, 6d is promising for further development as a therapeutic drug against oxidative stress and inflammation related neurodegenerative disorders.