Demethylzeylasteral inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion through FBXW7/c-Myc axis in gastric cancer

Demethylzeylasteral alleviates inflammation and colitis via dual suppression of NF-κB and STAT3/5 by targeting IKKα/β and JAK2

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common inflammatory bowel disease and a risk factor of colorectal cancer. Demethylzeylasteral (DZT), a bioactive component mainly isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii, has been shown to inhibit inflammation and cancer. However, its anti-UC function and molecular mechanisms have not been well characterized. This study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and functional targets of demethylzeylasteral against UC.

METHODS

RT-qPCR, Western blot and ELISA were used to detect the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in murine macrophage cells. Luciferase reporter gene, Western blot, pull-down, CETSA, DARTS, and virtual docking were employed to detect the anti-inflammatory targets and molecular mechanisms of demethylzeylasteral. The anti-inflammatory and anti-colitis effects of demethylzeylasteral were further determined in DSS-challenged mice.

RESULTS

In vitro, demethylzeylasteral inhibited NO and PGE2 production by suppressing the mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and COX-2, and suppressed the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1, CXCL9, and CXCL10 in RAW264.7 macrophages stimulated by LPS/IFNγ. Furthermore, demethylzeylasteral was not only capable of inhibiting IKKα/β-NF-κB activation, but also able to block JAKs-STAT3/5 activation in LPS/INFγ-incubated RAW264.7 cells or DSS-exposed colon tissues of mice. Mechanistically, demethylzeylasteral was found to directly bind to IKKα/β and JAK2 kinases, leading to inactivation of pro-inflammatory signaling cascades and reduced generation of cytokines and chemokines. In vivo, oral administration of demethylzeylasteral significantly attenuated DSS-induced colitis, which was mainly manifested as mitigated symptoms of colitis, colonic mucosal barrier damage, and colonic inflammation.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that demethylzeylasteral alleviated UC pathology by blocking NF-κB and STAT3/5 pathways via targeting IKKα/β and JAK2 kinases, raising the possibility that demethylzeylasteral could act as a candidate for the treatment of UC.

Demethylzeylasteral exerts potent efficacy against non-small-cell lung cancer via the P53 signaling pathway

Lung cancer has one of the highest mortality rates worldwide, with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constituting approximately 85% of all cases. Demethylzeylasteral (DEM), extracted from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, exhibits notable anti-tumor properties. In this study, we revealed that DEM could effectively induce NSCLC cell apoptosis. Specifically, DEM can dose-dependently suppress the viability and migration of human NSCLC cells. RNA-seq analysis revealed that DEM regulates the P53-signaling pathway, which was further validated by assessing crucial proteins involved in this pathway. Biacore analysis indicated that DEM has high affinity with the P53 protein. The CDX model demonstrated DEM's anti-tumor actions. This work provided evidence that DEM-P53 interaction stabilizes P53 protein and triggers downstream anti-tumor activities. These findings indicate that DEM treatment holds promise as a potential therapeutic approach for NSCLC, which warrants further clinical assessment in patients with NSCLC.

OTUD4 promotes the progression of glioblastoma by deubiquitinating CDK1 and activating MAPK signaling pathway

Glioblastoma, IDH-Wild type (GBM, CNS WHO Grade 4) is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor with high morbidity, high mortality, and poor patient prognosis. The global burden of GBM is increasing notably due to limited treatment options, drug delivery problems, and the lack of characteristic molecular targets. OTU deubiquitinase 4 (OTUD4) is a potential predictive factor for several cancers such as breast cancer, liver cancer, and lung cancer. However, its function in GBM remains unknown. In this study, we found that high expression of OTUD4 is positively associated with poor prognosis in GBM patients. Moreover, we provided in vitro and in vivo evidence that OTUD4 promotes the proliferation and invasion of GBM cells. Mechanism studies showed that, on the one hand, OTUD4 directly interacts with cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and stabilizes CDK1 by removing its K11, K29, and K33-linked polyubiquitination. On the other hand, OTUD4 binds to fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and reduces FGFR1's K6 and K27-linked polyubiquitination, thereby indirectly stabilizing CDK1, ultimately influencing the activation of the downstream MAPK signaling pathway. Collectively, our results revealed that OTUD4 promotes GBM progression via OTUD4-CDK1-MAPK axis, and may be a prospective therapeutic target for GBM treatment.

[Demethylzeylasteral inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion and promotes apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer cells by inhibiting the AKT/CREB signaling pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effects of Demethylzeylasteral (T-96) on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.

METHODS

We first examined the effects of different concentrations (1, 3, 10, and 30 μmol/L) of demethylzeylasteral on morphology and cell number of A549 and H1299 cells. The changes in proliferation, cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of A549 and H1299 cells following demethylzeylasteral treatment were detected using clone formation, CCK-8, cell scratch, Transwell, and flow cytometric assays, and the effect of SC79 treatment against demethylzeylasteral-induced cell apoptosis was assessed. Western blotting was performed to detect the changes in expressions of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3 and phosphorylation of AKT/CREB in demethylzeylasteral-treated A549 and H1299 cells and the cellular expressions of apoptotic proteins following treatment with both demethylzeylasteral and SC79.

RESULTS

T-96 treatment caused elongation of the cell body and widening of the intercellular space and significantly inhibited cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion of A549 and H1299 cells (P < 0.05). Flow cytometry showed that demethylzeylasteral induced apoptosis in both A549 and H1299 cells, whereas SC79 treatment obviously attenuated its pro-apoptotic effect (P < 0.05). Western blotting revealed up-regulated expressions of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 proteins and lowered Bcl-2 expression level in demethylzeylasteral-treated A549 and H1299 cells, but cotreatment with SC79 obviously attenuated the expressions of the apoptotic proteins. T-96 significantly up-regulated the expression level of E-cadherin, down-regulated the expressions of N-cadherin and vimentin, and inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and CREB in the two cell lines (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

T-96 inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion and induces apoptosis of NSCLC cells possibly by inhibiting the AKT/CREB signaling pathway.

Role of F-box proteins in human upper gastrointestinal tumors

Protein ubiquitination and degradation is an essential physiological process in almost all organisms. As the key participants in this process, the E3 ubiquitin ligases have been widely studied and recognized. F-box proteins, a crucial component of E3 ubiquitin ligases that regulates diverse biological functions, including cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis by facilitating the degradation of substrate proteins. Currently, there is an increasing focus on studying the role of F-box proteins in cancer. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the significant contributions of F-box proteins to the development of upper gastrointestinal tumors, highlighting their dual roles as both carcinogens and tumor suppressors. We delve into the molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of F-box proteins in upper gastrointestinal tumors, exploring their interactions with specific substrates and their cross-talks with other key signaling pathways. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of F-box proteins in radiotherapy resistance in the upper gastrointestinal tract, emphasizing their potential as clinical therapeutic and prognostic targets. Overall, this review provides an up-to-date understanding of the intricate involvement of F-box proteins in human upper gastrointestinal tumors, offering valuable insights for the identification of prognostic markers and the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.

Regulatory network and targeted interventions for CCDC family in tumor pathogenesis

CCDC (coiled-coil domain-containing) is a coiled helix domain that exists in natural proteins. There are about 180 CCDC family genes, encoding proteins that are involved in intercellular transmembrane signal transduction and genetic signal transcription, among other functions. Alterations in expression, mutation, and DNA promoter methylation of CCDC family genes have been shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of many diseases, including primary ciliary dyskinesia, infertility, and tumors. In recent studies, CCDC family genes have been found to be involved in regulation of growth, invasion, metastasis, chemosensitivity, and other biological behaviors of malignant tumor cells in various cancer types, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and thyroid cancer. In this review, we summarize the involvement of CCDC family genes in tumor pathogenesis and the relevant upstream and downstream molecular mechanisms. In addition, we summarize the potential of CCDC family genes as tumor therapy targets. The findings discussed here help us to further understand the role and the therapeutic applications of CCDC family genes in tumors.

ENKUR recruits FBXW7 to ubiquitinate and degrade MYH9 and further suppress MYH9-induced deubiquitination of β-catenin to block gastric cancer metastasis

ENKUR was shown as a suppressor in some tumors. However, the biological role of ENKUR on gastric cancer (GC) and its related molecular mechanisms is not clear. Here, we first observed that ENKUR significantly inhibited cell migration, invasion, and metastasis in GC. The molecular basis showed β-catenin-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling was inactivated in ENKUR-overexpressing GC cells. In addition, ENKUR knockdown markedly restored cell migration and invasion. Subsequently, ENKUR bound to MYH9 and decreased its protein expression by recruiting E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXW7 to form an ubiquitinated degradation complex. The downregulated MYH9 protein weakened the recruitment of the deubiquitinase USP2 and thus promoted the degradation of β-catenin protein, which finally suppressed EMT signaling. Finally, the oncogenic transcription factor c-Jun bound to ENKUR promoter and reduced its expression in GC. In clinical samples, decreased ENKUR expression promoted the unfavorable prognosis of GC. Our data proved the vital role of ENKUR on suppressing cell migration, invasion, and metastasis and demonstrated its potential as a therapeutic target for GC.

TRAF4 Promotes the Proliferation of Glioblastoma by Stabilizing SETDB1 to Activate the AKT Pathway

The process of ubiquitination regulates the degradation, transport, interaction, and stabilization of substrate proteins, and is crucial for cell signal transduction and function. TNF receptor-associated factor 4, TRAF4, is a member of the TRAF family and is involved in the process of ubiquitination as an E3 ubiquitin protein ligase. Here, we found that TRAF4 expression correlates with glioma subtype and grade, and that TRAF4 is significantly overexpressed in glioblastoma and predicts poor prognosis. Knockdown of TRAF4 significantly inhibited the growth, proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioblastoma cells. Mechanistically, we found that TRAF4 only interacts with the Tudor domain of the AKT pathway activator SETDB1. TRAF4 mediates the atypical ubiquitination of SETDB1 to maintain its stability and function, thereby promoting the activation of the AKT pathway. Restoring SETDB1 expression in TRAF4 knockdown glioblastoma cells partially restored cell growth and proliferation. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel mechanism by which TRAF4 mediates AKT pathway activation, suggesting that TRAF4 may serve as a biomarker and promising therapeutic target for glioblastoma.

SMARCE1 promotes neuroblastoma tumorigenesis through assisting MYCN-mediated transcriptional activation

SMARCE1 gene, encoding a core subunit of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, is situated on chromosome 17q21-ter region that is frequently gained in neuroblastoma. However, its role in the tumorigenesis remains unknown. Here, we showed that high expression of SMARCE1 was associated with poor prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma, especially those with MYCN amplification. Knockdown of SMARCE1 reduced proliferation, colony formation, and tumorigenicity of neuroblastoma cells. Mechanistically, SMARCE1 directly interacted with MYCN, which was necessary for MYCN-mediated transcriptional activation of downstream target genes including PLK1, ODC1, and E2F2. Overexpression of PLK1, ODC1 or E2F2 significantly reversed the inhibiting effect of SMARCE1 knockdown on the proliferation, colony formation, and tumorigenicity of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells. Moreover, we revealed that MYCN directly regulated SMARCE1 transcription through binding to a non-canonical E-box of SMARCE1 promoter, thus enhancing SMARCE1-MYCN cooperativity. These findings establish SMARCE1 is a critical oncogenic factor in neuroblastoma and provide a new potential target for treatment of neuroblastoma with 17q21-ter gain and MYCN amplification.

Natural products in suppressing glioma progression: A focus on the role of microRNAs

Glioma is one of the most common malignancies of the central nervous system. Due to inadequate response to the current treatments available, glioma has been at the center of recent cancer studies searching for novel treatment strategies. This has prompted an intensive search using linkage studies and preliminary evidence to gain efficient insight into the mechanisms involved in the alleviation of the pathogenesis of glioma mediated by miRNAs, a group of noncoding RNAs that affect gene expression posttranscriptionally. Dysregulated expression of miRNAs can exacerbate the malignant features of tumor cells in glioma and other cancers. Natural products can exert anticancer effects on glioma cells by stimulating the expression levels of tumor suppressor miRNAs and repressing the expression levels of oncogenic miRNAs. In this review, we aimed to collect and analyze the literature addressing the roles of natural products in the treatment of glioma, with an emphasis on their involvement in the regulation of miRNAs.

Demethylzeylasteral inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion through FBXW7/c-Myc axis in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most familiar malignancy in the digestive system. Demethylzeylasteral (Dem), a natural functional monomer extracted from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, shows anti‐tumor effects in a variety of cancers, including GC, however, with the underlying mechanism poorly understood. In our study, we show that Dem inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells, which are mediated by down‐regulating c‐Myc protein levels. Mechanistically, Dem reduces the stability of c‐Myc by up‐regulating FBXW7, an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Moreover, in xenograft tumor model experiment, Dem also inhibits GC, which depends on suppressing c‐Myc expression. Finally, Dem enhances GC cell chemosensitivity to the combination treatment of 5‐Fluorouracil (5‐Fu) and doxorubicin (DOX) in vitro. Together, Dem exerts anti‐neoplastic activities through destabilizing and suppressing c‐Myc, establishing a theory foundation for using it in future treatment of GC.