Erianin induces G2/M-phase arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy via the ROS/JNK signaling pathway in human osteosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo

Emerging Insights: miRNA Modulation of Ferroptosis Pathways in Lung Cancer

The newly discovered programmed iron-dependent necrosis, ferroptosis, is a novel pathway that is controlled by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and cellular redox changes. It can be triggered intrinsically by low antioxidant enzyme activity or extrinsically by blocking amino acid transporters or activating iron transporters. The induction of ferroptosis involves the activation of specific proteins, suppression of transporters, and increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (a condition in which the ER, a crucial organelle involved in protein folding and processing, becomes overwhelmed by an accumulation of misfolded or unfolded proteins. This situation disrupts the normal functioning of the ER, leading to a cellular stress response known as the unfolded protein response), leading to lipid peroxidation byproduct accumulation and toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are highly reactive molecules derived from diatomic oxygen and include various forms such as superoxide (O₂⁻), hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Ferroptosis is closely associated with signaling molecules in lung cancer, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), and P53, and is regulated by epigenetic factors such as microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by binding to target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to translational repression or degradation. Several miRNAs have been found to modulate ferroptosis by targeting key genes involved in iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant defense pathways. The research on ferroptosis has expanded to target its role in lung cancer treatment and resistance prevention. This review encapsulates the significance of ferroptosis in lung cancer. Understanding the mechanisms and implications of ferroptosis in lung cancer cells may lead to targeted therapies exploiting cancer cell vulnerabilities to ferroptosis Also, improving treatment outcomes, and overcoming resistance.

Research progress on the regulatory and pharmacological mechanism of chemical components of Dendrobium

Dendrobium is a precious Chinese herbal medicine, which belongs to the genus Orchidaceae. Ancient records and modern pharmacological research show that Dendrobium has pharmacological effects such as anti-tumor, antioxidant regulating immunity and blood glucose, and anti-aging. Dendrobium contains polysaccharides, alkaloids, bibenzyl, sesquiterpenes, phenanthrene, polyphenols and other types of chemicals. Its pharmacological activity is closely related to these chemical components. For example, dendrobium extracts can achieve anti-tumor effects by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and metastasis, promoting cell apoptosis and ferroptosis, or increasing cell sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. It enhances immunity by regulating immune cell activity or cytokine release. In addition, it can alleviate neurodegenerative diseases by protecting nerve cells from apoptotic damage. In recent years, research reports on biologically active compounds in Dendrobium have shown a blowout growth, which makes us realize that it is meaningful to continuously update the research progress on the components and pharmacological regulatory mechanism of this traditional Chinese medicine. By classifying the collected chemical components according to different chemical structures and summarizing their pharmacological mechanisms, we investigated the current research progress of Dendrobium and provide a more comprehensive scientific foundation for the further development and clinical transformation of Dendrobium in the future.

Potential Action Mechanism of Erianin in Relieving MNNG-triggered Chronic Atrophic Gastritis

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a critical initial step in gastric cancer tumorigenesis accompanied by high malignancy. Erianin has been proposed as a promising agent in treating precancerous lesions of gastric cancer. Considering that little work has been implemented concerning the specific role and possible regulatory mechanism of Erianin in CAG, the goal of the study is to disclose the effects and mechanism of erianin on the malignant transformation in the process of CAG. CAG cell model was generated in human gastric epithelium GES-1 cells induced by Nmethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). CCK-8 method determined cell viability. ELISA and corresponding assay kits severally appraised the contents of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers. Cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was measured by flow cytometry analysis using DCFH-DA probe. GFP-LC3 immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting evaluated autophagy. Also, Western blotting analyzed the expression of components in mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. The results manifested that MNNG treatment diminished the viability and autophagy whereas intensified the inflammation and oxidative stress in GES-1 cells, which were all reversed by Erianin. Besides, Erianin blocked mTOR/MAPK signaling in MNNG-exposed GES-1 cells. Autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) or p38 MAPK agonist asiatic acid partially counteracted the protection elicited by Erianin against viability loss, inflammatory reaction as well as oxidative stress in MNNG-induced GES-1 cells. Combined with the findings, Erianin might mediate autophagy to improve MNNG-elicited CAG via MAPK/mTOR signaling.

Natural products targeting ferroptosis pathways in cancer therapy (Review)

Ferroptosis inducers (FIN) have a key role in cancer therapy and provide novel and innovative treatment strategies. Although many researchers have performed FIN screening of synthetic compounds, studies on the identification of FIN from natural products are limited, particularly in the field of drug development and combination therapy. In this review, this gap was addressed by comprehensively summarizing recent studies on ferroptosis. The causes of ferroptosis were categorized into driving and defensive factors, elucidating key pathways and targets. Next, through summarizing research on natural products that induce ferroptosis, the study elaborated in detail on the natural products that have FIN functions. Their discovery and development were also described and insight for clinical drug development was provided. In addition, the mechanisms of action were analyzed and potential combination therapies, resistance reversal and structural enhancements were presented. By highlighting the potential of natural products in inducing ferroptosis for cancer treatment, this review may serve as a reference for utilizing these compounds against cancer. It not only showed the significance of natural products but may also promote further investigation into their therapeutic effects, thus encouraging research in this field.

The cytotoxic natural compound erianin binds to colchicine site of β-tubulin and overcomes taxane resistance

Erianin, a natural compound derived from Dendrobium, has shown significant anticancer properties against a wide range of cancer cells. Despite the identification of multiple mechanisms of action for erianin, none of these mechanisms fully account for its broad-spectrum effect. In this study, we aimed to identify the cellular target and underlying mechanism responsible for the broad-spectrum antitumor effects of erianin. We found that erianin effectively inhibited tubulin polymerization in cancer cells and purified tubulin. Through competition binding assays and X-ray crystallography, it was revealed that erianin bound to the colchicine site of β-tubulin. Importantly, the X-ray crystal structure of the tubulin-erianin complex was solved, providing clear insight into the orientation and position of erianin in the colchicine-binding site. Erianin showed activity against paclitaxel-resistant cells, evidenced by G2/M cell cycle arrest, apoptosis-related PARP and Caspase-3 cleavage, and in vivo xenograft studies. The study concluded that erianin bound reversibly to the colchicine site of β-tubulin, inhibited tubulin polymerization, and displayed anticancer activity against paclitaxel-resistant cells, offering valuable insights for further exploration as potential anticancer agents.

Network pharmacology and experimental verification study on the mechanism of Hedyotis diffusa Willd in treating colorectal cancer

This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacological mechanism of Hedyotis diffusa Willd against CRC (colorectal cancer) using network pharmacological analysis combined with experimental validation. The active components and potential targets of Hedyotis diffusa Willd were screened from the tax compliance management program public database using network pharmacology. The core anti-CRC targets were screened using a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The mRNA and protein expression of core target genes in normal colon and CRC tissues and their relationship with overall CRC survival were evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) databases. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses of the potential targets were performed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The first six core targets with stable binding were molecular-docked with the active components quercetin and β-sitosterol. Finally, the results of network pharmacology were verified using in vitro experiments. In total, 149 potential targets were identified by searching for seven types of active components and the intersection of all potential and CRC targets. PPI network analysis showed that ten target genes, including tumor protein p53 (TP53) and recombinant cyclin D1 (CCND1), were pivotal genes. GO enrichment analysis involved 2043 biological processes, 52 cellular components, and 191 molecular functions. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the anticancer effects of H. alba were mediated by tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-17, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Validation of key targets showed that the validation results for most core genes were consistent with those in this study. Molecular docking revealed that the ten core target proteins could be well combined with quercetin and β-sitosterol and the structure remained stable after binding. The results of the in vitro experiment showed that β-sitosterol inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in SW620 cells. This study identified a potential target plant for CRC through network pharmacology and in vitro validation.

Natural products for enhancing the sensitivity or decreasing the adverse effects of anticancer drugs through regulating the redox balance

Redox imbalance is reported to play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, cancer development, and drug resistance. Severe oxidative damage is a general consequence of cancer cell responses to treatment and may cause cancer cell death or severe adverse effects. To maintain their longevity, cancer cells can rescue redox balance and enter a state of resistance to anticancer drugs. Therefore, targeting redox signalling pathways has emerged as an attractive and prospective strategy for enhancing the efficacy of anticancer drugs and decreasing their adverse effects. Over the past few decades, natural products (NPs) have become an invaluable source for developing new anticancer drugs due to their high efficacy and low toxicity. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that many NPs exhibit remarkable antitumour effects, whether used alone or as adjuvants, and are emerging as effective approaches to enhance sensitivity and decrease the adverse effects of conventional cancer therapies by regulating redox balance. Among them are several novel anticancer drugs based on NPs that have entered clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the synergistic anticancer effects and related redox mechanisms of the combination of NPs with conventional anticancer drugs. We believe that NPs targeting redox regulation will represent promising novel candidates and provide prospects for cancer treatment in the future.

Erianin induces ferroptosis in GSCs via REST/LRSAM1 mediated SLC40A1 ubiquitination to overcome TMZ resistance

In recent studies, erianin, a natural product isolated from Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl, has exhibited notable anticancer properties. Ferroptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death, holds potential as a strategy to overcome Temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in glioma by inducing ferroptosis in TMZ-resistant glioma cells. Here, utilizing various phenotyping experiments, including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, EdU assays, transwell assays, neurosphere formation assays and extreme limiting dilution (ELDA) assays, we demonstrated that erianin exerts its anticancer activity on both TMZ sensitive and TMZ-resistant glioma stem cells (GSCs). Furthermore, we made an exciting discovery that erianin enhances TMZ sensitivity in TMZ-resistant GSCs. Subsequently, we demonstrated that erianin induced ferroptosis in TMZ-resistant GSCs and enhances TMZ sensitivity through inducing ferroptosis, which was confirmed by intracellular measurements of ROS, GSH, and MDA, as well as through the use of BODIPY (581/591) C11 and transmission electron microscopy. Conversely, the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) blocked the effects of erianin. The underlying mechanism of ferroptosis induced by erianin was further explored through co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays, ubiquitination assays, protein stability assessments, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays and luciferase reporter gene assays. We found that erianin specifically targets REST, inhibiting its transcriptional repression function without altering its expression levels. Consequently, this suppression of REST's role leads to an upregulation of LRSAM1 expression. In turn, LRSAM1 ubiquitinates and degrades SLC40A1, a protein that inhibits ferroptosis by exporting ferrous ions. By downregulating SLC40A1, erianin ultimately induces ferroptosis in TMZ-resistant GSCs. Taken together, our research demonstrates that the natural product erianin inhibits the malignant phenotype of GSCs and increases the sensitivity of TMZ in TMZ-resistant GSCs by inducing ferroptosis. These findings suggest erianin as a prospective compound for the treatment of TMZ-resistant glioma.

Erianin inhibits the progression of triple-negative breast cancer by suppressing SRC-mediated cholesterol metabolism

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly malignant and lacks effective biotherapeutic targets. The development of efficient anticancer drugs with low toxicity and few side effects is a hotspot in TNBC treatment research. Although erianin is known to have potent antitumor activity, its regulatory mechanism and target in TNBC have not been fully elucidated, hampering further drug development. This study showed that erianin can significantly inhibit TNBC cell proliferation and migration, promote cell apoptosis, and inhibit the growth of transplanted tumors in mice. Mechanistically, through network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assays, we preliminarily identified SRC as the cellular target of erianin. Erianin potently inhibited the expression of SRC, which mediated the anticancer effect of erianin in TNBC. Moreover, erianin can downregulate the expression of genes related to cholesterol synthesis and uptake by targeting SRC, interfering with cholesterol levels in TNBC, thereby inhibiting the progression of TNBC in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest that erianin may inhibit the progression of TNBC by suppressing SRC-mediated cholesterol metabolism, and erianin has the great potential to be an effective treatment for TNBC patients.

Research progress on the pharmacological mechanism, in vivo metabolism and structural modification of Erianin

Erianin is an important bibenzyl compound in dendrobium and has a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties. Since Erianin was discovered, abundant results have been achieved in the in vitro synthesis, structural modification, and pharmacological mechanism research. Researchers have developed a series of simple and efficient in vitro synthesis methods to improve the shortcomings of poor water solubility by replacing the chemical structure or coating it in nanomaterials. Erianin has a broad anti-tumor spectrum and significant anti-tumor effects. In addition, Erianin also has pharmacological actions like immune regulation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenesis. A comprehensive understanding of the synthesis, metabolism, structural modification, and pharmacological action pathways of Erianin is of great value for the utilization of Erianin. Therefore, this review conducts a relatively systematic look back at Erianin from the above four aspects, to give a reference for the evolvement and further appliance of Erianin.

Erianin serves as an NFATc1 inhibitor to prevent breast cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis and bone destruction

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer-related bone metastasis can lead to skeletal-related events (SREs), which decrease patient quality of life. Inhibition of osteoclastogenesis is a key treatment for SREs; however, the availability of clinical drugs remains limited, and all existing ones disrupt physiological bone formation, while exhibiting no effect on patient survival time.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to identify a novel osteoclast inhibitor for the treatment of breast cancer-induced SREs.

METHODS

The MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell-induced bone loss model was used to investigate the therapeutic effects of erianin in vivo. Then, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of erianin on osteoclastogenesis and signalling in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) induced by conditioned medium from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (231 CM) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) in vitro. Next, a Cellular Thermal Shift Assay and siRNA-mediate knockdown were performed, to investigate the target of erianin during osteoclast formation. The effects of erianin on human osteoclastogenesis were evaluated using CD14+ monocytes obtained from patients with breast cancer.

RESULTS

Erianin effectively improved breast cancer cells-induced bone destruction at doses of 2 and 20 mg/kg/day in vivo, while suppressing osteoclastogenesis and the upregulation of SRC-NFATc1, INTEGRIN β3-MMP9 signals induced by 231 CM and RANKL in vitro. Furthermore, erianin interacted with NFATc1 but not SRC, and Nfatc1 knockdown eliminated the inhibitory effects of erianin on osteoclastogenesis. Notably, lower expression of NFATc1 positively correlated with longer survival in patients with cancer and a high risk of bone metastasis. We further revealed that 62.5-250 nM erianin suppresses NFATc1 and excessive osteoclastogenesis in CD14+ monocytes from patients with breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

Erianin acts as an NFATc1 inhibitor that attenuates breast cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis and bone destruction.

Erianin promotes apoptosis and inhibits Akt-mediated aerobic glycolysis of cancer cells

Highly activated aerobic glycolysis provides the metabolic requirements for tumor cell growth and proliferation. Erianin, a natural product isolated from Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl, has been reported to exert antitumor activity in multiple cancers. However, whether Erianin exerts inhibitory effects on aerobic glycolysis and the inherent mechanism remain poorly defined in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we showed that Erianin inhibited the cell viability and proliferation, and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, Erianin overtly suppressed aerobic glycolysis via decreasing HK2 expression. Mechanistically, Erianin dose-dependently curbed the Akt-GSK3β signaling pathway phosphorylation activation, which afterwards downregulated HK2 expression. Meanwhile, Erianin inhibited HCC827 tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, our results suggest that the natural product Erianin can suppress aerobic glycolysis and exert potent anticancer effects via the Akt-GSK3β signaling pathway in NSCLC cells.

Erianin inhibits tumor growth by promoting ferroptosis and inhibiting invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma through the JAK2/STAT3/SLC7A11 pathway

Iron has been found to be involved in the tumor cell proliferation process, which can lead to the increased sensitivity of cancer cells to ferroptosis. Since erianin is associated with oxidative stress in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we hypothesized that the therapeutic effect and mechanism of erianin on HCC is related to ferroptosis. HCC cells were stimulated with increase of erianin concentrations for 24 h, and the survival rates of Huh-7 and HepG2 cells gradually decreased. After intervention with different doses of erianin, cell proliferation, clone number, and invasion were prominently decreased, apoptosis ratio was increased. Moreover, Nec-1, CQ, and Z-VAD had no effect on the cell viability induced by erianin, while the combination of ferroptosis inhibitors (deferoxamine mesylate, ferrostatin-1, and liproxstatin-1) and erianin prominently increased cell survival rate. Erianin pretreatment induced ferroptosis by enhancing reactive oxygen species, MDA, and Fe2+ levels, and reducing GSH levels. Erianin activated JAK2/STAT3 pathway and inhibited SLC7A11 and GPX4 expression, thereby inducing ferroptosis. Besides, tumor growth was significantly inhibited in the erianin-treated mice, and there was no obvious toxicity in the mice. Erianin reduced proliferation and invasion of HCC cells by inducing ferroptosis by blocking the JAK2/STAT3/SLC7A11 pathway, thereby impeding tumor growth.

Mechanism of Erianin anti-triple negative breast cancer based on transcriptomics methods and network pharmacology

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive illness that lacks effective targeted treatments. Although Erianin has shown potential antitumor properties, its precise mechanism of action and target in TNBC remain unclear, hampering the development of drugs. The present study investigated the underlying mechanism of action of Erianin in treating TNBC by using transcriptomics and network pharmacology approaches. We evaluated Erianin's bioactivity in TNBC cell lines and xenograft tumor models. The results showed that Erianin significantly inhibited TNBC cell proliferation and impeded tumor growth. A subsequent analysis of transcriptomic and network pharmacological data identified 51 mutual targets. Analysis of protein-protein interactions identified eight hub targets. Furthermore, molecular docking indicated that the PPARA binding energy was the lowest for Erianin among the hub targets, followed by ROCK2, PDGFRB, CCND1, MUC1, and CDK1. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional enrichment analysis showed that the common targets were associated with multiple cancer-related signaling pathways, including focal adhesion, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, microRNAs in cancer, and human papillomavirus infection. The results of the Western blot and immunohistochemistry experiment further showed that Erianin could suppress PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activation. After co-incubation with SC79, the cell inhibition rate of Erianin was decreased, which further confirmed that Erianin inhibits TNBC progression via the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. In conclusion, our results indicated that Erianin has the potential to inhibit the proliferation of TNBC by downregulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by transcriptomics and network pharmacology. Therefore, Erianin appears to be a promising compound for the effective treatment of TNBC.

Erianin suppressed lung cancer stemness and chemotherapeutic sensitivity via triggering ferroptosis

The previous research has focused on the suppressive effects of Erianin on tumor progression, but its impact on cancer stemness has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Erianin on lung cancer stemness. First, we screened various concentrations Erianin to ensure that it did not affect lung cancer cell viability. Subsequently, we found that Erianin significantly attenuated lung cancer stemness through various analyses, including qRT-PCR, western blot, sphere-formation, and ALDH activity detection. Furthermore, Erianin was shown to enhance chemosensitivity of lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, three inhibitors (cell apoptosis inhibitor, necrosis inhibitor, and ferroptosis inhibitor) were added into lung cancer cells with Erianin treatment, respectively, and we found that Erianin mainly suppressed lung cancer stemness through ferroptosis. Taken together, this study reveals that Erianin has the potential to suppress lung cancer stemness and could be a valuable chemotherapeutic enhancer for lung cancer.

Erianin Impedes the Proliferation and Metastatic Migration Through Suppression of STAT-3 Phosphorylation in Human Esophageal Cancer Cells

In this study, we have investigated erianin, a natural phenolic drug that impedes proliferation and metastatic migration through suppression of STAT-3 phosphorylation in human esophageal cancer cells. Eca-109 cells were treated with different concentrations of erianin (4, 8, 12 µM) for 24 h, and then cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastatic markers were evaluated. Erianin-induced cytotoxicity and cell proliferation were examined using MTT and crystal violet staining techniques. The measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the study of apoptotic changes were conducted through flow cytometry. Furthermore, protein expression analyses via western blotting included an evaluation of JAK-STAT3, cell survival, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis-related proteins. Moreover, erianin treatment-associated MMP expressions were studied by RT-PCR. In this study, erianin treatment induces substantial cytotoxicity and ROS production based on the concentrations in Eca-109 cells. Moreover, erianin inhibits the MAPK phosphorylation, proliferation, and metastatic protein in Eca-109 cells. STAT-3 is a crucial transcriptional factor that regulates numerous downstream proteins, such as proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and metastatic proteins. In this study, erianin treatment inhibited the protein expression of IL-6, IL-10, JAK-1, and p-STAT-3 expressions leading to induce apoptosis in Eca-109 cells. Moreover, erianin inhibited the expression of proliferation, metastatic, and anti-apoptotic markers in Eca-109 cells. Hence, erianin suppressed the JAK/STAT-3 signaling pathway and demonstrates potential as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of esophageal cancer.

Integrating network pharmacology and experimental verification to investigate the pharmacological mechanisms of Buzhong Yiqi decoction in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer

Among all types of cancers, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibits the highest mortality rate with a five-year survival rate below 17% for patients. The Buzhong Yiqi decoction (BZYQD), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been reported to exhibit clinical efficacy in the treatment of NSCLC. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to assess the mechanistic actions exerted by BZYQD against NSCLC using network pharmacological analysis and experimental validation. The public databases were searched for active compounds in BZYQD, their potential targets, and NSCLC-related targets. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to predict the core targets and signaling pathways of BZYQD against NSCLC. After screening, this study validated the results of predictions through in vitro experiments and public databases. We found 192 common targets between BZYQD and NSCLC. KEGG analysis showed that the anti-NSCLC effects of BZYQD were mediated through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The results of in vitro experiment indicated that BZYQD could inhibit cell viability and proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells apart from inducing cell apoptosis. In addition, western blot results substantiated that BZYQD could treat NSCLC by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The current study investigated the pharmacological mechanism of BZYQD against NSCLC via network pharmacology and in vitro analyses. Overall, the results revealed that BZYQD could be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of NSCLC in the future. Still, more experimental investigations are needed to confirm the applicability of BZYQD for clinical trials.

Recent advances of antitumor leading compound Erianin: Mechanisms of action and structural modification

Erianin, a bioactive compound extracted from Dendrobium, a traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits remarkable anti-cancer properties through diverse molecular mechanisms and has attracted the attention of medicinal chemists. However, the low solubility in water, rapid metabolism and elimination from the body lead to poor bioavailability of Erianin, and greatly hinder its clinical application. The development of new Erianin derivatives is continuously proceed to improve its anticancer effects. In recent years, although important progress in the development of Erianin and the publication of some reviews in this aspect, the mechanism against various cancers, pharmacokinetic study, structural modification as well as structure-activity relationships have not been thoroughly considered. This review is aimed at providing complete picture regarding the above aspects by reviewing studies from 2000 to 2023.06. This review also supplies some important viewpoints on the design and future directions for the development of Erianin derivatives as possible clinically effective anticancer agents.

The second-generation curcumin analogue RL71 elicits G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in canine osteosarcoma cells

Canine osteosarcoma is an aggressive cancer, comprising 85% of canine bone neoplasms. Current treatment practices of surgery and chemotherapy increase 1-year survival by only 45%. The curcumin analogue RL71, has demonstrated potent in vitro and in vivo efficacy in several models of human breast cancer through increased apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate efficacy of curcumin analogues in two canine osteosarcoma cell lines. Osteosarcoma cell viability was assessed using the sulforhodamine B assay and mechanisms of action were determined by analysing the levels of cell cycle and apoptotic regulatory proteins via Western blotting. Further evidence was obtained using flow cytometry to detect cell cycle distribution and the number of apoptotic cells. RL71 was the most potent curcumin analogue with EC50 values of 0.64 ± 0.04 and 0.38 ± 0.009 μM (n = 3) in D-17 (commercial) and Gracie canine osteosarcoma cells, respectively. RL71 significantly increased the ratio of cleaved-caspase 3 to pro-caspase 3 and the level of apoptotic cells at the 2× and 5× EC50 concentration (p < 0.001, n = 3). Furthermore, at the same concentration, RL71 significantly increased the number of cells in the G2/M phase. In conclusion, RL71 has potent cytotoxic activity in canine osteosarcoma cells triggering G2/M arrest and apoptosis at concentrations achievable in vivo. Future research should further investigate molecular mechanisms for these changes in other canine osteosarcoma cell lines prior to in vivo investigation.

The siRNA-mediated knockdown of SNHG4 efficiently induced pro-apoptotic signaling and suppressed metastasis in SW1116 colorectal cancer cell line

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs are broadly dysregulated in disease conditions, especially cancer, and are associated with tumor initiation, invasion, and overall survival. This study aimed to elucidate the expression level of Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 4 (SNHG4) lncRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its effect on cell cycle progression, invasion, and death.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We evaluated the expression level of SNHG4 in clinical samples, including CRC tissues, adenomatous colorectal polyps (ACP), and their marginals. SNHG4-silenced SW1116 cells were used to evaluate the cell viability, cycle arrest, invasion, and apoptosis using MTT assay, scratching, flow cytometry, and immunoblotting. We also predicted molecular networks related to the SNHG4 involvement in CRC development. Results showed that SNHG4 expresses in cancerous tissues significantly higher than in polyps and marginals. This overexpression discriminated CRC from marginals and ACP with a suitable prognostic potential. Silencing of SNHG4 arrested the cell cycle at S and G2 phases and promoted early apoptosis in SW1116. It affected the active form of MMP2 and prevented cell invasion. Sponging of miRNAs which promotes the choline metabolism is the probable mechanism of SNHG4 involvement in CRC.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, SNHG4 promotes CRC by dysregulating apoptosis and cell migration, and shows significant prognostic potential for CRC.

Metabolic Profiling, Antiviral Activity and the Microbiome of Some Mauritian Soft Corals

Soft corals, recognized as sessile marine invertebrates, rely mainly on chemical, rather than physical defense, by secreting intricate secondary metabolites with plausible pharmaceutical implication. Their ecological niche encompasses a diverse community of symbiotic microorganisms which potentially contribute to the biosynthesis of these bioactive metabolites. The emergence of new viruses and heightened viral resistance underscores the urgency to explore novel pharmacological reservoirs. Thus, marine organisms, notably soft corals and their symbionts, have drawn substantial attention. In this study, the chemical composition of four Mauritian soft corals: Sinularia polydactya, Cespitularia simplex, Lobophytum patulum, and Lobophytum crassum was investigated using LC-MS techniques. Concurrently, Illumina 16S metagenomic sequencing was used to identify the associated bacterial communities in the named soft corals. The presence of unique biologically important compounds and vast microbial communities found therein was further followed up to assess their antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2 and HPV pseudovirus infection. Strikingly, among the studied soft corals, L. patulum displayed an expansive repertoire of unique metabolites alongside a heightened bacterial consort. Moreover, L. patulum extracts exerted some promising antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and HPV pseudovirus infection, and our findings suggest that L. patulum may have the potential to serve as a therapeutic agent in the prevention of infectious diseases, thereby warranting further investigation.

Effect of differential deprivation of nutrients on cellular proliferation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and cell migration in MDA-MB-231, HepG2, and HeLa cells

Cancerous cells display metabolic engineering through enhanced utilization of nutrients to support their increased requirements for proliferation, bioenergetics, biosynthesis, redox homeostasis, and cell signaling. To investigate the extent to which malignant cells rely on glycolysis and glutaminolysis, the effects of differential deprivation of nutrients such as d-glucose, l-glutamine, and pyruvate on proliferation, morphology, cell cycle, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, autophagic vacuole formation, and migration in MDA-MB-231, HepG2, and HeLa cells were investigated in this study. Cell viability assay,  cell morphology, and ATP assay showed higher dependence of MDA-MB-231 and HepG2 cells on glucose and glutamine, respectively, for cell survival, growth, ATP production, and proliferation, while HeLa cells were equally dependent on both. However, the combination of all three nutrients displayed maximum proliferation. Differential deprivation of glucose in the absence of glutamine resulted in G0/G1 plus G2/M arrest in MDA-MB-231, whereas G0/G1 arrest in HepG2 and S-phase arrest in HeLa cells occurred at 48 h. Although the differential withdrawal of nutrients revealed a varying degree of effect dependent on cell type, nutrient type, nutrient concentrations, and deprivation time, a general trend of increased oxidative stress, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP and antioxidant (GSH) depletion led to mitochondrial dysfunction in all three cell lines and inhibition of cell migration in MDA-MB-231 and HeLa cells at 48 h. Extreme deprivation of nutrients formed autophagic vacuoles. Importantly, normal cells (HEK293) remained unaffected under most of the nutrient-deprived conditions examined. This study enhances our understanding of the impact of differential nutrient deprivation on critical characteristics of cancer cells, contributing to the development of metabolism-based effective anticancer strategies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03759-w.

Ferroptosis-Regulated Cell Death as a Therapeutic Strategy for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Status and Future Prospects

Ferroptosis is increasingly being recognized as a key element in the pathogenesis of diverse diseases. Recent studies have highlighted the intricate links between iron metabolism and neurodegenerative disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that iron homeostasis, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation all contribute to the regulation of both ferroptosis and neuronal health. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of ferroptosis in the pathological processes of neurodegeneration and its impact on neuronal dysfunction remain incompletely understood. In our Review, we provide a comprehensive analysis and summary of the potential molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis in neurodegenerative diseases, aiming to elucidate the disease progression of neurodegeneration. Additionally, we discuss potential therapeutic agents that modulate ferroptosis with the goal of identifying novel drug molecules for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Combined doxorubicin and arctigenin treatment induce cell cycle arrest-associated cell death by promoting doxorubicin uptake in doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer cells

Chemotherapy failure is often caused by drug resistance, for which no effective treatment strategy has been established. Many studies have been undertaken with the aim of overcoming drug resistance using natural products. Arctigenin (ATG), a natural product, has been investigated for its anti-cancer effects in HER2-overexpressing, ER-positive, and triple-negative breast cancer cells. We investigated the efficacy of ATG against self-established doxorubicin (DOX)-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-DR and MDA-DR cells) derived from MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. ATG was found to increase DOX intracellular levels by downregulating multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) mRNA expression in DOX-resistant cells. In addition, combined treatment with DOX and ATG (DOX/ATG) reduced the viability of and colony formation by DOX-resistant cells. DOX/ATG also significantly induced G2/M cell cycle arrest by suppressing the Cyclin D1/CDK4/RB pathways and suppressed the expressions of MDR1 and Cyclin D1 by inhibiting the Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/Activating protein-1 (AP-1) signaling pathways. Furthermore, DOX/ATG induced DNA damage and attenuated the expressions of RAD51 and Ku80. However, PARP1 (Poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase1) cleavage and AIF (Apoptosis-inducing factor) induced apoptosis did not occur despite DNA damage-induced cell death. Rather, flow cytometry showed that DOX/ATG caused necrosis. In summary, DOX/ATG increased intracellular DOX levels by inhibiting MDR1 and inducing G2/M arrest by inhibiting the Cyclin D1/CDK4/RB pathways and causing necrosis by damaging DNA. Our results suggest that ATG might be used as an adjuvant to enhance the efficacy of DOX in DOX-resistant breast cancer.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer property of Dendrobium in various systems of the human body: A review

Dendrobium, which belongs to the family of Orchidaceae, is a highly valuable traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in China. It exerts pharmacological activities such as antitumor and hypoglycemia effects, and its main components are alkaloids, polysaccharides, and terpenoids, among others. In recent years, research on the clinical application of Dendrobium in antitumor therapy has gained increasing attention. Accumulating evidence suggests that the active components of Dendrobium possess significant inhibitory effects on the viability of cancer cells as evident from in vivo and in vitro experiments, which indicates that Dendrobium exerts significant anticancer effect in treating and preventing cancer development, inhibiting the underlying potential molecular mechanisms, including suppression of cancer cell growth and proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis induction, tumor angiogenesis, and reinforcement of cisplatin (DDP) -induced apoptosis. We herein present a review that summarizes the research progress of the application of Dendrobium in cancer therapy and its molecular mechanisms. This review describes the positive aspects of the active ingredients of Dendrobium in the treatment of cancers in various systems of the human body, their inhibitory effects on tumor survival and tumor microenvironment, and their potential mechanisms. Additionally, this review proposes future application prospects of Dendrobium in cancer therapy to promote further research and future extensive clinical applications of Dendrobium in cancer therapy.

Erianin: A phytoestrogen with therapeutic potential

Erianin, a phytoestrogen with therapeutic potential, is one of the major active components of Dendrobll caulis. Erianin has a variety of pharmacological effects, such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic retinopathy, anti-psoriasis, and antibacterial effects. Especially, in regard to the anti-tumor effect of erianin, the underlying molecular mechanism has been partly clarified. In fact, the numerous pharmacological actions of erianin are complex and interrelated, mainly including ERK1/2, PI3K/Akt, JAK2/STAT3, HIF-1α/PD-L1, PPT1/mTOR, JNK/c-Jun, and p38 MAPK signal pathway. However, on account of the poor water solubility and the low bioavailability of erianin, greatly affected and limited its further development and application. And it is worthwhile and meaningful to explore more extensive pharmacological effects and mechanisms, clarify pharmacokinetics, and synthesize the derivatives of erianin. Conclusively, in this paper, the pharmacological effects of erianin and its mechanism, pharmacokinetics, and derivatives studies were reviewed, in order to provide a reference for the development and application of erianin.

A specific dispiropiperazine derivative that arrests cell cycle, induces apoptosis, necrosis and DNA damage

Dispiropiperazine compounds are a class of molecules known to confer biological activity, but those that have been studied as cell cycle regulators are few in number. Here, we report the characterization and synthesis of two dispiropiperazine derivatives: the previously synthesized spiro[2',3]-bis(acenaphthene-1'-one)perhydrodipyrrolo-[1,2-a:1,2-d]-pyrazine (SPOPP-3, 1), and its previously undescribed isomer, spiro[2',5']-bis(acenaphthene-1'-one)perhydrodipyrrolo-[1,2-a:1,2-d]-pyrazine (SPOPP-5, 2). SPOPP-3 (1), but not SPOPP-5 (2), was shown to have anti-proliferative activity against a panel of 18 human cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.63 to 13 µM. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that SPOPP-3 (1) was able to arrest cell cycle at the G2/M phase in SW480 human cancer cells. Western blot analysis further confirmed the cell cycle arrest is in the M phase. In addition, SPOPP-3 (1) was shown to induce apoptosis, necrosis, and DNA damage as well as disrupt mitotic spindle positioning in SW480 cells. These results warrant further investigation of SPOPP-3 (1) as a novel anti-cancer agent, particularly for its potential ability to sensitize cancer cells for radiation-induced cell death, enhance cancer immunotherapy, overcome apoptosis-related drug resistance and for possible use in synthetic lethality cancer treatments.

Identification of Flavone Derivative Displaying a 4'-Aminophenoxy Moiety as Potential Selective Anticancer Agent in NSCLC Tumor Cells

Five heterocyclic derivatives were synthesized by functionalization of a flavone nucleus with an aminophenoxy moiety. Their cytotoxicity was investigated in vitro in two models of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells (A549 and NCI-H1975) by using MTT assay and the results compared to those obtained in healthy fibroblasts as a non-malignant cell model. One of the aminophenoxy flavone derivatives (APF-1) was found to be effective at low micromolar concentrations in both lung cancer cell lines with a higher selective index (SI). Flow cytometric analyses showed that APF-1 induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase through the up-regulation of p21 expression. Therefore, the aminophenoxy flavone-based compounds may be promising cancer-selective agents and could serve as a base for further research into the design of flavone-based anticancer drugs.

Targeting the Interplay of Autophagy and ROS for Cancer Therapy: An Updated Overview on Phytochemicals

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved self-degradation system that recycles cellular components and damaged organelles, which is critical for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) are short-lived molecules containing unpaired electrons that are formed by the partial reduction of molecular oxygen. It is widely known that autophagy and ROS can regulate each other to influence the progression of cancer. Recently, due to the wide potent anti-cancer effects with minimal side effects, phytochemicals, especially those that can modulate ROS and autophagy, have attracted great interest of researchers. In this review, we afford an overview of the complex regulatory relationship between autophagy and ROS in cancer, with an emphasis on phytochemicals that regulate ROS and autophagy for cancer therapy. We also discuss the effects of ROS/autophagy inhibitors on the anti-cancer effects of phytochemicals, and the challenges associated with harnessing the regulation potential on ROS and autophagy of phytochemicals for cancer therapy.

Mechanism of ferroptosis in traditional chinese medicine for clinical treatment: A review

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulation of cell death driven by lipid peroxidation, which is intracellularly dependent on iron and independent of other metals, and morphologically, biochemically, and genetically distinct from apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. Ferroptosis is closely related to physiological and pathological processes, such as development, aging, and immunity, and it plays an important role in a variety of diseases. In many departments, traditional Chinese medicine plays an increasingly important role in their clinical treatment. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have been conducted on the mechanism of ferroptosis in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the role of ferroptosis in the clinical treatment of traditional Chinese medicine requires further exploration. This article mainly introduces the application of ferroptosis in studies of the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine to help clinicians understand the current status of traditional Chinese medicine therapy for the treatment of ferroptosis-related diseases.

The roles of ERIANIN in tumor and innate immunity and its' perspectives in immunotherapy

Traditional Chinese medicine has been used in China for thousands of years. In 2022, the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine was released, aiming to enhance traditional Chinese medicine health services and improve policies and systems for high-quality traditional Chinese medicinal development by 2025. ERIANIN, the main component of the traditional Chinese medicine Dendrobium, plays an important role in anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor, antiangiogenic, and other pharmacological effects. ERIANIN has broad-spectrum antitumor effects, and its tumor-suppressive effects have been confirmed in the study of various diseases, such as precancerous lesions of the stomach, gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, osteosarcoma, colorectal cancer, leukaemia, nasopharyngeal cancer and melanoma through the multiple signaling pathways. Thus, the aim of this review was to systematically summarise the research on ERIANIN with the aim of serving as a reference for future research on this compound and briefly discuss some future perspectives development of ERIANIN in combined immunotherapy.

Corynoxine suppresses pancreatic cancer growth primarily via ROS-p38 mediated cytostatic effects

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer is among the most common malignant tumours, and effective therapeutic strategies are still lacking. While Corynoxine (Cory) can induce autophagy in neuronal cells, it remains unclear whether Cory has anti-tumour activities against pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Two pancreatic cancer cell lines, Patu-8988 and Panc-1, were used. Effects of Cory were evaluated by cell viability analysis, EdU staining, TUNEL assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. Quantitative PCR and Western blot were performed to analyse mRNA and protein levels, respectively. In vivo anti-tumour efficacy of Cory was determined by a xenograft model.

RESULTS

Cory treatment inhibited cell proliferation, induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and triggered apoptosis in the pancreatic cancer cell lines. CHOP knockdown-mediated inhibition of ER stress alleviated the Cory-induced apoptosis but showed a limited effect on cell viability. Cory induced cell death partially via promoting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and activating p38 signalling. Pretreatment with ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine and p38 inhibitor SB203580 relieved the Cory-induced inhibition on cell growth. Cory remarkably blocked pancreatic tumour growth in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

Cory exerts an anti-tumour effect on pancreatic cancer primarily via ROS-p38-mediated cytostatic effects. Cory may serve as a promising therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer.

Hyperthermia-stimulated tonsil-mesenchymal stromal cells suppress hematological cancer cells through downregulation of IL-6

There are contradictory reports on the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in cancer therapy. Variable outcomes have been associated with several factors including cancer pathology, experimental procedure, MSC source tissue, and individual genetic differences. It is also known that MSCs exert their therapeutic effects with various paracrine factors released from these cells. The profiles of the factors released from MSCs are altered by heat shock, hypoxia, oxidative stress, starvation or various agents such as inflammatory cytokines, and their therapeutic potential is affected. In this study, the antitumor potential of conditioned media (CM), which contains paracrine factors, of mild hyperthermia-stimulated mesenchymal stromal cells derived from lymphoid organ tonsil tissue (T-MSC) was investigated in comparison with CM obtained from T-MSCs grew under normal culture conditions. CM was obtained from T-MSCs that were successfully isolated from palatine tonsil tissue and characterized. The cytotoxic effect of CM on the growth of hematological cancer cell lines at different concentrations (1:1 and 1:2) was demonstrated by methylthiazoldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide analysis. In addition, the apoptotic effect of T-MSC-CM treatment was evaluated on the cancer cells using Annexin-V/PI detection method by flow cytometry. The pro/anti-apoptotic and cytokine-related gene expressions were also analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction post T-MSC-CM treatment. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the factors released from hyperthermia-stimulated T-MSCs induced apoptosis in hematological cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, our results at the transcriptional level support that the factors and cytokines released from hyperthermia-stimulated T-MSC may exert antitumoral effects in cancer cells by downregulation of IL-6 that promotes tumorigenesis. These findings reveal that T-MSC-CM can be a powerful cell-free therapeutical strategy for cancer therapy.

The antitumor activity of a novel GCN2 inhibitor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

BACKGROUND

General control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) senses amino acid deprivation and activates activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), which regulates many adaptive genes. We evaluated the impact of AST-0513, a novel GCN2 inhibitor, on the GCN2-ATF4 pathway. Additionally, we evaluated the antitumor effects of AST-0513 in amino acid deprivation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines.

METHODS

GCN2 expression in HNSCC patient tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry. Five HNSCC cell lines (SNU-1041, SNU-1066, SNU-1076, Detroit-562, FaDu) grown under amino acid deprivation conditions, were treated with AST-0513. After AST-0513 treatment, cell proliferation was measured by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate apoptosis and cell cycle phase. In addition, immunoblotting was performed to evaluate the effect of AST-0513 on the GCN2-ATF4 pathway, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that GCN2 was highly expressed in HNSCC patient tissues. AST-0513 inhibited the GCN2-ATF4 pathway in all five HNSCC cell lines. Inhibiting the GCN2-ATF4 pathway during amino acid deprivation reduced HNSCC cell proliferation and prevented adaptation to nutrient stress. Moreover, AST-0513 treatment led to p21 and Cyclin B1 accumulation and G2/M phase cycle arrest. Also, apoptosis was increased, consistent with increased bax expression, increased bcl-xL phosphorylation, and decreased bcl-2 expression.

CONCLUSION

A novel GCN2 inhibitor, AST-0513, inhibited the GCN2-ATF4 pathway and has antitumor activity that inhibits proliferation and promotes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Considering the high expression of GCN2 in HNSCC patients, these results suggest the potential role of GCN2 inhibitor for the treatment of HNSCC.

A multifunctional oxidative stress nanoamplifier with ROS amplification and GSH exhaustion for enhanced chemodynamic therapy

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) eradicates tumors by intratumoral catalytic chemical reaction and subsequently disrupts redox homeostasis, which shows tumor specific reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated therapy. However, insufficient ROS generation and high levels of glutathione (GSH) in cancer cells have limited the therapeutic efficacy of CDT. Herein, we constructed a multifunctional oxidative stress nanoamplifier with ROS amplification and GSH exhaustion for enhanced CDT. Such a sandwich-like nanoamplifier comprised layer-by-layer artesunate (AS) and calcium carbonate coatings on the surface of manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanoparticles. The nanoamplifier was disassembled under an acidic environment once accumulated into tumor sites, and subsequently released AS to replenish the intratumoral peroxide pool for ROS amplification. Besides being an AS carrier, MnO2 exhausted GSH to yield Mn2+ ions that catalyzed the overexpression of H2O2 in the tumor, further intensifying the oxidative stress and facilitating cancer cell death. Taken together, our findings not only provide a paradigm for fabricating intratumoral catalytic nanomaterials, but also present a new ROS enhancement strategy to improve anti-tumor efficacy. Our multifunctional oxidative stress nanoamplifier might broaden the future of CDT.

A novel synthetic chalcone derivative, 2,4,6-trimethoxy-4'-nitrochalcone (Ch-19), exerted anti-tumor effects through stimulating ROS accumulation and inducing apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells

Esophageal cancer has always been associated with poor prognosis and a low five-year survival rate. Chalcone, a flavonoid family member, has shown anti-tumor property in several types of cancer. However, few studies reported the potency and mechanisms of action of synthetic Chalcone derivatives against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of novel chalcone analogs and Ch-19 was selected for its superior anti-tumor potency. Results indicated that Ch-19 shows a dose- and time-dependent anti-tumor activity in both KYSE-450 and Eca-109 esophageal cancer cells. Moreover, treatment of Ch-19 resulted in the regression of KYSE-450 tumor xenografts in nude mice. Furthermore, we investigated the potential mechanism involved in the effective anti-tumor effects of Ch-19. As a result, we observed that Ch-19 treatment promoted ROS accumulation and caused G2/M phase arrest in both Eca-109 and KYSE-450 cancer cell lines, thereby resulting in cell apoptosis. Taken together, our study provided a novel synthetic chalcone derivative as a potential anti-tumor therapeutic candidate for treating esophageal cancer.

Parvifloron D-based potential therapy for glioblastoma: Inducing apoptosis via the mitochondria dependent pathway

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most malignant and frequent primary tumor of the central nervous system. The lack of diagnostic tools and the poor prognosis associated with this tumor type leads to restricted and limited options of treatment, namely surgical resection and radio-chemotherapy. However, despite these treatments, in almost all cases, patients experience relapse, leading to survival rates shorter than 5 years (∼15-18 months after diagnosis). Novel therapeutic approaches are urgently required (either by discovering new medicines or by repurposing drugs) to surpass the limitations of conventional treatments and improve patients' survival rate and quality of life. In the present work, we investigated the antitumor potential of parvifloron D (ParvD), a drug lead of natural origin, in a GB cell line panel. This natural drug lead induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via activation of the intrinsic mitochondria-dependent pathway. Moreover, the necessary doses of ParvD to induce pronounced inhibitory effects were substantially lower than that of temozolomide (TMZ, first-line treatment) required to promote comparable effects. Therefore, ParvD may have the potential to overcome the resistance related to TMZ and contribute to the pursuit of hopeful treatments based on ParvD as a drug lead for future chemotherapeutics.

The Regulatory Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Ferroptosis

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has significantly contributed to protecting human health and promoting the progress of world civilization. A total of 2,711 TCMs are included in the 2020 version of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which is an integral part of the world’s medical resources. Tu Youyou and her team discovered and purified artemisinin. And their contributions made the values and advantageous effects of TCM more and more recognized by the international community. There has been a lot of studies on TCM to treat diseases through antioxidant mechanisms, the reports on the new mechanisms beyond antioxidants of TCM has also increased year by year. Recently, many TCMs appear to have significant effects in regulating ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, non-apoptotic, regulated cell death characterized by intracellular lipid peroxide accumulation and oxidative membrane damage. Recently, accumulating studies have demonstrated that numerous organ injuries and pathophysiological process of many diseases are companied with ferroptosis, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disease, acute renal injury, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. This work mainly introduces dozens of TCMs that can regulate ferroptosis and their possible mechanisms and targets.

Natural phytochemicals that affect autophagy in the treatment of oral diseases and infections: A review

Autophagy is a critical factor in eukaryotic evolution. Cells provide nutrition and energy during autophagy by destroying non-essential components, thereby allowing intracellular material conversion and managing temporary survival stress. Autophagy is linked to a variety of oral disorders, including the type and extent of oral malignancies. Furthermore, autophagy is important in lymphocyte formation, innate immunity, and the regulation of acquired immune responses. It is also required for immunological responses in the oral cavity. Knowledge of autophagy has aided in the identification and treatment of common oral disorders, most notably cancers. The involvement of autophagy in the oral immune system may offer a new understanding of the immune mechanism and provide a novel approach to eliminating harmful bacteria in the body. This review focuses on autophagy creation, innate and acquired immunological responses to autophagy, and the status of autophagy in microbial infection research. Recent developments in the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy and therapeutic applications in oral illnesses, particularly oral cancers, are also discussed. Finally, the relationship between various natural substances that may be used as medications and autophagy is investigated.

Insight into the interplay between mitochondria-regulated cell death and energetic metabolism in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a pediatric malignant bone tumor that predominantly affects adolescent and young adults. It has high risk for relapse and over the last four decades no improvement of prognosis was achieved. It is therefore crucial to identify new drug candidates for OS treatment to combat drug resistance, limit relapse, and stop metastatic spread. Two acquired hallmarks of cancer cells, mitochondria-related regulated cell death (RCD) and metabolism are intimately connected. Both have been shown to be dysregulated in OS, making them attractive targets for novel treatment. Promising OS treatment strategies focus on promoting RCD by targeting key molecular actors in metabolic reprogramming. The exact interplay in OS, however, has not been systematically analyzed. We therefore review these aspects by synthesizing current knowledge in apoptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy in OS. Additionally, we outline an overview of mitochondrial function and metabolic profiles in different preclinical OS models. Finally, we discuss the mechanism of action of two novel molecule combinations currently investigated in active clinical trials: metformin and the combination of ADI-PEG20, Docetaxel and Gemcitabine.

Human Blood Serum Inhibits Ductal Carcinoma Cells BT474 Growth and Modulates Effect of HER2 Inhibition

Trastuzumab, a HER2-targeted antibody, is widely used for targeted therapy of HER2-positive breast cancer (BC) patients; yet, not all of them respond to this treatment. We investigated here whether trastuzumab activity on the growth of HER2-overexpressing BT474 cells may interfere with human peripheral blood endogenous factors. Among 33 individual BC patient blood samples supplemented to the media, BT474 sensitivity to trastuzumab varied up to 14 times. In the absence of trastuzumab, human peripheral blood serum samples could inhibit growth of BT474, and this effect varied ~10 times for 50 individual samples. In turn, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) suppressed the trastuzumab effect on BT474 cell growth. Trastuzumab treatment increased the proportion of BT474 cells in the G0/G1 phases of cell cycle, while simultaneous addition of EGF decreased it, yet not to the control level. We used RNA sequencing profiling of gene expression to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in EGF- and human-sera-mediated attenuation of the trastuzumab effect on BT474 cell growth. Bioinformatic analysis of the molecular profiles suggested that trastuzumab acts similarly to the inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling axis, and the mechanism of EGF suppression of trastuzumab activity may be associated with parallel activation of PKC and transcriptional factors ETV1-ETV5.

Manganese Dioxide-Based Nanocarrier Delivers Paclitaxel to Enhance Chemotherapy against Orthotopic Glioma through Hypoxia Relief

Chemotherapy plays an important role in treating cancers in clinic. Hypoxia-mediated chemoresistance remains a major hurdle for effective tumor chemotherapy. Herein, a new class of tLyP-1-modified dopamine (DOPA)-β-cyclodextrin (CD)-coated paclitaxel (PTX)- and manganese dioxide (MnO₂ )-loaded nanoparticles (tLyP-1-CD-DOPA-MnO₂ @PTX) is developed to enhance glioma chemotherapy. The nanomedicine delivered to the tumor site decomposes in response to the weak acidity and high hydrogen peroxide in the tumor microenvironment (TME), resulting in collapse of the system to release PTX and generates Mn²⁺ and O₂ . In a rat model of intracranial glioma, tLyP-1-CD-DOPA-MnO₂ @PTX can efficiently pass through the blood-brain-barrier to accumulate in tumor sites. The hypoxia in TME can be relieved via O₂ generated by MnO₂ and the reactive oxygen species produced by Mn²⁺ can kill tumor cells. The tLyP-1-CD-DOPA-MnO₂ @PTX nanoparticles exert a remarkable antitumor effect by promoting apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation of tumor cells in addition to enabling real-time tumor monitoring with magnetic resonance imaging. This MnO₂ -based theranostic medicine will offer a novel strategy to simultaneously enhance chemotherapy and achieve real-time imaging of therapeutic process in glioma treatment.

Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification to Explore the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Aloin Against Gastric Cancer

Purpose

This study was designed to evaluate the pharmacological mechanisms of Aloin against gastric cancer (GC) via network pharmacology analysis combined with experimental verification.

Methods

Using network pharmacology methods, the potential targets of Aloin and targets related to GC were screened from public databases. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed to predict the core targets and pathways of Aloin against GC. The expressions of major targets predicted by network pharmacology in normal stomach tissues and GC tissues and their relationships with overall survival of GC were searched in GEPIA, HPA and DriverDBv3 database. The results of network pharmacology analysis were verified by in vitro experiments.

Results

A total of 129 potential targets were retrieved by searching the intersection of Aloin and GC targets. PPI network analysis indicated that 10 targets, including AKT1 and CASP3, were hub genes. GO enrichment analysis involved 93 biological processes, 19 cellular components, and 37 molecular functions. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the anti-cancer effect of Aloin was mediated through multiple pathways, such as PI3K-AKT, FoxO and Ras signaling pathway. Among them, the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, which contained the largest number of enriched genes, may play a greater role in the treatment of GC. The validation of key targets in GEPIA, HPA and DriverDBv3 database showed that the verification results for most core genes were consistent with this study. Then, the results of in vitro experiment indicated that Aloin could inhibit proliferation of NCI-N87 cells and induce cell apoptosis. The results also showed that Aloin could decrease the mRNA and protein expressions of PI3K and AKT, suggesting that Aloin can treat GC by inducing cell apoptosis and regulating the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.

Conclusion

This study identified the potential targets of Aloin against GC using network pharmacology and in vitro verification, which provided a new understanding of the pharmacological mechanisms of Aloin in treatment of GC.

Photoinduced free radical-releasing systems and their anticancer properties

Cancer has been a serious threat and impact on the health and life of human. Phototherapy is considered as a promising therapeutic method to replace the traditional treatment in clinic owing to its noninvasive nature and high efficiency. Photoinitiators have long been used in the field of photopolymerization; however, few studies have been carried out on their potential as anticancer agents under light irradiation. In this study, the effect of a photoinitiator, diphenyl (2, 4, 6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide (TPO), on breast cancer is investigated and the related mechanism is elucidated. It is found that TPO has low dark toxicity and significant phototoxicity. TPO can inhibit cell growth and development and promote cell apoptosis through a mitochondrial pathway under light irradiation. Further studies show that cell apoptosis is induced by free radicals produced from the photolysis of TPO to activate JNK phosphorylation. Overall, we identify the antitumor effects of TPO in vitro for the first time, and provides a proof of concept for its application as a novel photolatent therapeutic drug.

Role of Plant-Derived Active Constituents in Cancer Treatment and Their Mechanisms of Action

Despite significant technological advancements in conventional therapies, cancer remains one of the main causes of death worldwide. Although substantial progress has been made in the control and treatment of cancer, several limitations still exist, and there is scope for further advancements. Several adverse effects are associated with modern chemotherapy that hinder cancer treatment and lead to other critical disorders. Since ancient times, plant-based medicines have been employed in clinical practice and have yielded good results with few side effects. The modern research system and advanced screening techniques for plants’ bioactive constituents have enabled phytochemical discovery for the prevention and treatment of challenging diseases such as cancer. Phytochemicals such as vincristine, vinblastine, paclitaxel, curcumin, colchicine, and lycopene have shown promising anticancer effects. Discovery of more plant-derived bioactive compounds should be encouraged via the exploitation of advanced and innovative research techniques, to prevent and treat advanced-stage cancers without causing significant adverse effects. This review highlights numerous plant-derived bioactive molecules that have shown potential as anticancer agents and their probable mechanisms of action and provides an overview of in vitro, in vivo and clinical trial studies on anticancer phytochemicals.

Do 50/60 Hz magnetic fields influence oxidative or DNA damage responses in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells?

Purpose: We investigated possible effects of 50 Hz and 60 Hz magnetic fields (MFs) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, DNA damage, DNA damage repair rate, as well as gene expression related to oxidative stress and DNA damage signaling.Materials and methods: Human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were sham-exposed or exposed to 100 µT_RMS MFs for 24 h, then assayed or further treated with 100 µM menadione for 1 h before the assay. The levels of ROS and cytosolic superoxide anion (O₂^•-) were assayed fluorometrically. DNA damage and gene expression were assayed by comet assay and RT-qPCR, respectively. To examine whether MFs affected DNA damage repair rate, cells were allowed to repair their DNA for 1 or 2 h after menadione treatment and then assayed for DNA damage.Results: There was suggestive evidence of a general low-magnitude increase in the expression of ROS-related genes (primarily genes with antioxidant activity) when quantified immediately after MF exposure, suggesting a response to a small increase in ROS level. The possible upregulation of ROS-related genes is supported by the finding that the level of menadione-induced ROS was consistently decreased by 50 Hz MFs (not significantly by 60 Hz MFs) in several measurements 30 - 60 min after MF exposure. MF exposures did not affect cytosolic O₂^•- levels, DNA damage, or its repair rate. Changes in the expression of DNA damage-signaling genes in the MF-exposed cells did not exceed the expected rate of false positive findings. No firm evidence was found for differential effects from 50 Hz vs. 60 Hz MFs.Conclusions: While only weak effects were found on the endpoints measured, the results are consistent with MF effects on ROS signaling.

Anticancer Activity of Erianin: Cancer-Specific Target Prediction Based on Network Pharmacology

Erianin is a major bisbenzyl compound extracted from Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl., an important traditional Chinese herb. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has proved the potential therapeutic effects of erianin on various cancers, including hepatoma, melanoma, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, myelogenous leukemia, breast cancer, and osteosarcoma. Especially, the pharmacological activities of erianin, such as antioxidant and anticancer activity, have been frequently demonstrated by plenty of studies. In this study, we firstly conducted a systematic review on reported anticancer activity of erianin. All updated valuable information regarding the underlying action mechanisms of erianin in specific cancer was recorded and summarized in this paper. Most importantly, based on the molecular structure of erianin, its potential molecular targets were analyzed and predicted by means of the SwissTargetPrediction online server (http://www.swisstargetprediction.ch). In the meantime, the potential therapeutic targets of 10 types of cancers in which erianin has been proved to have anticancer effects were also predicted via the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim). The overlapping targets may serve as valuable target candidates through which erianin exerts its anticancer activity. The clinical value of those targets was subsequently evaluated by analyzing their prognostic role in specific cancer using Kaplan-Meier plotter (http://Kmplot.com/analysis/) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/). To better assess and verify the binding ability of erianin with its potential targets, molecular flexible docking was performed using Discovery Studio (DS). The valuable targets obtained from the above analysis and verification were further mapped to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) (http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/) to explore the possible signaling pathways disturbed/regulated by erianin. Furthermore, the in silico prediction of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties of erianin was also performed and provided in this paper. Overall, in this study, we aimed at 1) collecting all experiment-based important information regarding the anticancer effect and pharmacological mechanism of erianin, 2) providing the predicted therapeutic targets and signaling pathways that erianin might act on in cancers, and 3) especially providing in silico ADMET properties of erianin.

Diosmetin Exerts Synergistic Effects in Combination with 5-Fluorouracil in Colorectal Cancer Cells

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a chemotherapeutic medication commonly used to treat colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the drug-associated adverse effects and toxicity have greatly affected its clinical use. Exploring another therapeutic strategy that lowers the toxicity of 5-FU while having a synergistic effect against CRC is thus a viable option. Diosmetin, a natural flavonoid, has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of many cancer cells, including CRC cells. This study aims to investigate the synergistic effect of diosmetin and 5-FU on HCT116 and HT29 colorectal cancer cells and to explore the apoptotic activity of this combination. The MTT assay was used to assess the viability of cells treated with monotherapy and combination therapy. The combination index (CI) and dose reduction index (DRI) were calculated using the CompuSyn software (version 1.0). The SynergyFinder 2.0 software was used to calculate the synergy score, while the Combenefit software was employed to perform isobologram analysis and synergism determination. The AO/PI double staining technique was used to detect the apoptotic characteristics of cells, whereas the flow cytometry technique was used to investigate the apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest in cells. The combination of 5-FU and diosmetin showed a synergistic effect in HCT116 cells with a mean CI value of 0.66 ± 0.4, and an additive effect in HT29 cells with a CI value of 1.0 ± 0.2. The DRI of 5-FU in HCT116 cells was three times lower in the combination therapy compared to monotherapy of 5-FU. AO/PI microscopic examination and Annexin V analysis revealed that the combination-treated cells had more apoptotic cells than the monotherapy-treated cells, which was activated mainly through intrinsic apoptosis pathway. HCT116 cell death was confirmed by mitotic arrest in the G2/M phase. Our findings suggest that 5-FU/diosmetin combination exhibits synergistic effect against HCT116 cancer cells, and potentially reduces the unfavorable adverse effect of 5-FU while enhancing the anticancer efficacy by inducing apoptosis and interrupting mitosis. Further research studies are needed to validate the combination’s anti-tumorigenic activities in a xenograft animal model.

Erianin suppresses proliferation and migration of cancer cells in a pyruvate carboxylase-dependent manner

Erianin is a natural small molecule dibenzyl compound extracted from Dendrobium officinale or Dendrobium chrysotoxum. Studies show erianin has many pharmacological functions such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, improving diabetic nephropathy, relaxing bronchial smooth muscle and anti-tumor. However, the erianin-mediated molecular mechanism is elusive, and the target protein of erianin is not clear yet. Here, we screened and identified that the target protein of erianin in human hepatoma HepG2 cells is human pyruvate carboxylase, and explored the anti-tumor signal pathway regulated by erianin in several cell lines. Firstly, the interaction between human pyruvate carboxylase and erianin was studied by bioinformatics and biochemical methods. Secondly, in vitro, erianin can specifically inhibit the activity of human pyruvate carboxylase, and the purified human pyruvate carboxylase can specifically bind to the activity probe of erianin. Thirdly, human pyruvate carboxylase is highly expressed in a variety of malignant tumors, and the inhibitory effect of erianin on tumor cells is positively correlated with the expression of human pyruvate carboxylase, and erianin can selectively inhibit the activity of pyruvate carboxylase. Finally, erianin can regulate the pyruvate carboxylase-mediated Wnt/ β- Catenin pathway. All of which provide important data for the further study of the anticancer mechanism of erianin, and lay a solid foundation for the further development and utilization of erianin.