Brucea javanica fruit induces cytotoxicity and apoptosis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines

Brusatol alleviates pancreatic carcinogenesis via targeting NLRP3 in transgenic Krastm4Tyj Trp53tm1Brn Tg (Pdx1-cre/Esr1*) #Dam mice

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer (PanCa), ranked as the 4th leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, exhibits an dismal 5-year survival rate of less than 5 %. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a known major risk factor for PanCa. Brusatol (BRT) possesses a wide range of biological functions, including the inhibition of PanCa proliferation. However, its efficacy in halting the progression from CP to pancreatic carcinogenesis remains unexplored.

METHODS

We assess the effects of BRT against pancreatic carcinogenesis from CP using an experimentally induced CP model with cerulein, and further evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of BRT on PanCa by employing Krastm4TyjTrp53tm1BrnTg (Pdx1-cre/Esr1*) #Dam/J (KPC) mouse model.

RESULTS

Our finding demonstrated that BRT mitigated the severity of cerulein-induced pancreatitis, reduced pancreatic fibrosis and decreased the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), which is a biomarker for pancreatic fibrosis. In addition, BRT exerted effects against cerulein-induced pancreatitis via inactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Moreover, BRT significantly inhibited tumor growth and impeded cancer progression.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed effect of BRT on impeding pancreatic carcinogenesis through targeting NLRP3 inflammasome suggests its good potential as a potential agent for treatment of PanCa.

Identification of the Brucea javanica Constituent Brusatol as a EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor in a Cell-Free Assay

Inhibitors of the tyrosine kinase (TK) activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are routinely used in cancer therapy. However, there is a need to discover a new TK inhibitor. This study evaluated extracts from Brucea javanica and its components for their potential as novel EGFR-TK inhibitors. The cytotoxic effect of a g aqueous extract and its fractions was assessed by MTT assays with A549 lung cancer cells. The two fractions with the highest cytotoxicity were analyzed by LC/MS and 1H NMR. Brusatol was identified as the main constituent of these fractions, and its cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activities were confirmed in A549 cells. To elucidate the inhibitory activity of brusatol against EGFR-TK, a specific ADP-GloTM kinase assay was used. In this assay, the IC50 value for EGFR-TK inhibition was 333.1 nM. Molecular dynamic simulations and docking experiments were performed to identify the binding pocket of brusatol to be located in the intracellular TK-domain of EGFR. This study demonstrates that brusatol inhibits EGFR-TK and therefore harbors a potential as a new therapeutic drug for the therapy of EGFR-depending cancers.

Brucein D augments the chemosensitivity of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer via inhibiting the Nrf2 pathway

Background

Gemcitabine (GEM) is the first-line chemotherapeutic drug used to treat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma carcinoma (PDAC), but chemoresistance is often encountered clinically. Nrf2, an oxidative stress responsive transcription factor, is an important contributor to chemoresistance and poor prognosis of PDAC. Brucein D (BD), a naturally occurring quassinoid, has been reported to exert anti-tumor effect in several cancers including PDAC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of BD and the role of Nrf2 axes on the chemosensitivity of GEM and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Analyses of clinical samples of PDAC and GEPIA database were first conducted to identify the expression of Nrf2 in PDAC. We then established cell lines with stable deletion of Nrf2 through transfecting lentivirus into PDAC cells. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were performed to determine the expression of Nrf2 in these cell lines. The effects of BD and Nrf2 axes on PDAC cell proliferation, colony-formation, tumor growth and chemosensitivity were determined both in vitro and in vivo. Orthotopic xenograft and genetically engineered KPC mouse models of PDAC were used to evaluate the anti-pancreatic cancer effects of BD and GEM.

Results

Nrf2 was highly expressed in PDAC in the clinical samples and GEPIA analysis. Gain- and lost-function study demonstrated that Nrf2 affected the chemosensitivity of GEM on PDAC cells both in vitro and in vivo. We further found that BD effectively inhibited PDAC cell proliferation and enhanced the chemosensitivity of GEM. Mechanistic studies revealed that BD sensitized GEM in PDAC cells through the ubiquitin–proteasome-dependent degradation of Nrf2, and downregulating the Nrf2 pathway. Silencing of Nrf2 plus BD treatment resulted in more potent inhibitory effects of GEM. In contrast, Nrf2 activation attenuated the chemosensitivity of GEM, indicating that the action of BD was Nrf2 dependent. Finally, the efficacy of BD alone and in combination with GEM on PDAC was validated on both orthotopic xenograft and genetically engineered KPC mouse models.

Conclusions

BD was able to enhance the chemosensitivity of GEM in PDAC through inhibition of the Nrf2 pathway. Our experimental findings indicate that BD, a potent Nrf2 inhibitor, holds promise for further development into a novel adjuvant therapy for PDAC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02270-z.

Natural products as chemo-radiation therapy sensitizers in cancers

Cancer is a devastating disease and is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy (CT), and/or radiation therapy (RT) are the treatment of choice for most advanced tumors. Unfortunately, treatment failure due to intrinsic and acquired resistance to the current CT and RT is a significant challenge associated with poor patient prognosis. There is an urgent need to develop and identify agents that can sensitize tumor cells to chemo-radiation therapy (CRT) with minimal cytotoxicity to the healthy tissues. While many recent studies have identified the underlying molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets for CRT failure, using small molecule inhibitors to chemo/radio sensitize tumors is associated with high toxicity and increased morbidity. Natural products have long been used as chemopreventive agents in many cancers. Combining many of these compounds with the standard chemotherapeutic agents or with RT has shown synergistic effects on cancer cell death and overall improvement in patient survival. Based on the available data, there is strong evidence that natural products have a robust therapeutic potential along with CRT and their well-known chemopreventive effects in many solid tumors. This review article reports updated literature on different natural products used as CT or RT sensitizers in many solid tumors. This is the first review discussing CT and RT sensitizers together in cancer.

Efficacy and safety of Brucea javanica oil emulsion injection as adjuvant therapy for cancer: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

In China, Brucea javanica oil emulsion injection (BJOEI) has been used as adjuvant therapy to treat cancer for many years. Many systematic reviews (SRs) or meta-analyses (MAs) were published to evaluate its efficacy and safety. Nevertheless, uneven quality made it difficult to reach a consensus and there has been no specific review to integrate the evidence of BJOEI for cancer at present. Therefore, a comprehensive evidence map is needed to guide clinicians.

PURPOSE

We, for the first time, conducted an overview to assess the SRs/MAs of BJOEI, and provided a comprehensive evidence map to guide clinicians. Besides, this study provided a promising direction for future research to promote the generation of advanced evidence.

STUDY DESIGN

An overview of SRs or MAs.

METHODS

The pre-defined search strategies were applied to 8 databases. Suitable SRs/MAs were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality, reporting quality, and risk of bias were assessed. An evidence map was conducted to show the situation of clinical evidence.

RESULTS

27 SRs/MAs in 7 cancer types were included in this overview. The main problems of SRs/MAs were concentrated on the following aspects: without registration or protocol, lacking gray literature retrieval and a list of excluded studies, incomplete description in the literature retrieval strategy or the methods of merging results, the bias of each synthetic result, less exploration in heterogeneity or publication bias, deficiencies in assessing evidence quality and less description in conflict, funding or access to relevant information. Based on the rules of GRADE, the evidence quality of 154 items in 27 SRs/MAs was defined as moderate quality (103 items), low-quality (44 items), and very low-quality (7 items). Especially, risk of bias (154 items), imprecision (27 items), inconsistency (20 items), and publication bias (9 items) were the main downgrading factors.

CONCLUSION

BJOEI may be a promising adjuvant therapy for treating cancer, especially in the digestive system. However, high-quality SRs/MAs are expected to be carried out to improve the reliability of the above conclusion in the future.

Efficacy and Safety of Brucea javanica Oil Emulsion Injection in the Treatment of Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common digestive tract cancers and ranks fifth in the incidence of malignant tumors worldwide. Brucea javanica oil emulsion injection (BJOEI), a Chinese patent medicine extracted from Brucea javanica (Yadanzi in Chinese Pinyin), is widely used as an adjuvant treatment for GC in China. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the available data on the efficacy and safety of BJOEI in the treatment of GC and assess the quality of the synthesized evidence.

Methods: A comprehensive search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP database), and other potential resources, such as the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) and ClinicalTrials.gov from their inception to July 31, 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the therapeutic effects of BJOEI combined with conventional therapy to those of conventional therapy alone were included. We used RevMan 5.3 for data analysis and quality evaluation of the included studies and assessed the evidence quality based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria.

Results: Eighteen RCTs involving 1,210 patients were included, and the meta-analysis results demonstrated that compared with the control group (conventional therapy), the experimental group (BJOEI combined with conventional therapy) showed a significantly improved overall response rate (ORR) (risk ratio [RR] = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.36–1.69, P < 0.00001), clinical benefit rate (CBR) (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.11–1.23, P < 0.00001), performance status (RR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.46–2.01, P < 0.00001), and reduced incidence of the following adverse drug reactions (ADRs): neutropenia, leukopenia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage, hand-foot syndrome, and peripheral sensory nerve toxicity. Subgroup analysis showed that the BJOEI intervention could significantly improve the ORR and CBR in patients with GC when combined with FOLFOX4, XELOX, and other chemotherapeutics.

Conclusion: The evidence presented in this study supports the fact that BJOEI combined with conventional chemotherapy provides a statistically significant and clinically important effect in the improvement of ORR, CBR, performance status, and ADR reduction in patients with GC. To further support this conclusion, more rigorously designed, large-scale, and multicenter RCTs are needed in the future.

Bruceine A induces cell growth inhibition and apoptosis through PFKFB4/GSK3β signaling in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers with a poor prognosis and 5-year low survival rate. In the present study, we report that bruceine A, a quassinoid found in Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. has a strong antitumor activity against human pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Human proteome microarray reveals that 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 4 (PFKFB4) is the candidate target of bruceine A and both fluorescence measurement and microscale thermophoresis suggest bruceine A binds to PFKFB4. Bruceine A suppresses glycolysis by inhibiting PFKFB4, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MIA PaCa-2 cells. Furthermore, glycogen synthase kinase-3 β (GSK3β) is identified as a downstream target of PFKFB4 and an PFKFB4-interacting protein. Moreover, bruceine A induces cell growth inhibition and apoptosis through GSK3β, which is dysregulated in pancreatic cancer and closely related to the prognosis. In all, these findings suggest that bruceine A inhibits human pancreatic cancer cell growth via PFKFB4/GSK3β-mediated glycolysis, and it may serve as a potent agent for curing human pancreatic cancer.

In-vitro Studies of Anti-EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Activity of Thai nutraceutical Plants

Functional foods have emerged as a new approach to improve human health in term of nutraceutical to prevent people from illness rather than cure patients through medical treatment. In Asian society, particularly in Thailand, the utilizations of functional ingredients have been integrated in every parts of ordinary life. In this study, the tyrosine kinase activity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibiting properties of 23 Thai’s herbs-ethanol extracts have been examined. The crude extracts of only four species that inhibit the activity of EGFR-tyrosine kinase, Azadirachta indica (neem, Sa-dao), Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. (Rajadad), Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle, Krachiap daeng), and Saccharum chinensis Roxb. (Red sugar cane). Moreover, only ethanol extractions from A. indica and B. javanica were also showed antitumor effect to non-small cell lung cancer, A549 cells.

A brief overview of antitumoral actions of bruceine D

Cancer remains the second leading cause of mortality globally. In combating cancer, conventional chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy are administered as first-line therapy. However, these are usually accompanied with adverse side effects that decrease the quality of patient’s lives. As such, natural bioactive compounds have gained an attraction in the scientific and medical community as evidence of their anticancer properties and attenuation of side effects mounted. In particular, quassinoids have been found to exhibit a plethora of inhibitory activities such as anti-proliferative effects on tumor development and metastasis. Recently, bruceine D, a quassinoid isolated from the shrub Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. (Simaroubaceae), has come under immense investigation on its antineoplastic properties in various human cancers including pancreas, breast, lung, blood, bone, and liver. In this review, we have highlighted the antineoplastic effects of bruceine D and its mode of actions in different tumor models.

Apoptosis induced by bruceine D in human non‑small‑cell lung cancer cells involves mitochondrial ROS‑mediated death signaling

Bruceine D is one of the active components of Brucea javanica (L.) Merr., which is widely used to treat cancer in China. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential effect of bruceine D against non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and delineate its underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that treatment with bruceine D markedly inhibited the proliferation of wild-type NSCLC cells and epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and significantly decreased the colony-forming ability and migration of A549 cells. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that treatment with bruceine D effectively induced apoptosis of A549 cells. In addition, the proapoptotic effect of bruceine D was found to be associated with G0-G1 cell cycle arrest, accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde, depletion of glutathione levels and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine, a ROS scavenger, significantly attenuated the bruceine D-induced inhibition in A549 cells. Western blotting demonstrated that treatment with bruceine D significantly suppressed the expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, BclxL and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis, enhanced the expression levels of apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak, and inhibited the expression of pro-caspase-3 and pro-caspase-8. Based on these results, it may be suggested that inhibition of A549 NSCLC cell proliferation by bruceine D is associated with the modulation of ROS-mitochondrial-mediated death signaling. This novel insight may provide further evidence to verify the anticancer efficacy of B. javanica, and support a role for bruceine D in the anti-NSCLC treatment.

Apoptotic Pathway as the Therapeutic Target for Anticancer Traditional Chinese Medicines

Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death and it plays a vital role in human development and tissue homeostasis. Mounting evidence indicates that apoptosis is closely related to the survival of cancer and it has emerged as a key target for the discovery and development of novel anticancer drugs. Various studies indicate that targeting the apoptotic signaling pathway by anticancer drugs is an important mechanism in cancer therapy. Therefore, numerous novel anticancer agents have been discovered and developed from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) by targeting the cellular apoptotic pathway of cancer cells and shown clinically beneficial effects in cancer therapy. This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion for the role, pharmacology, related biology, and possible mechanism(s) of a number of important anticancer TCMs and their derivatives mainly targeting the cellular apoptotic pathway. It may have important clinical implications in cancer therapy.

Bruceine D induces apoptosis in human non-small cell lung cancer cells through regulating JNK pathway

Bruceine D (BD) is the quassinoids isolated from the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Brucea javanica's fruit, which exhibits anti-cancer activity. Here, we demonstrated that BD inhibited human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines in vitro that were attributed to the induction of cell apoptosis. Human NSCLC H460 and A549 cell lines were treated with BD, and cell viability was conducted with CCK-8 assay. Cell clone formation was observed by clone formation assay. Cell apoptosis was measured using DAPI staining and flow cytometry. Protein levels was analyzed by western blot. The results showed BD inhibited the cell viability of H460 and A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 0.5 and 0.6 μmol/L, respectively, at 48 h of treatment. Treatment with BD (0.125-1.0 μmol/L) dose-dependently promoted chromatin condensation, Annexin V-positive cell population and caspase-dependent apoptosis in H460 and A549 cells. Mechanistically, BD stimulated the phosphorylation of JNK. Furthermore, the anti-cancer effects of BD were alleviated effectively by a specific JNK inhibitor SP600125 in NSCLC cells. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that BD exerted anti-cancer activity against NSCLC cells through JNK activation, which suggests its potent usefulness for prevention and treatment of NSCLC.

Potential Applications of NRF2 Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy

The NRF2/KEAP1 pathway represents one of the most important cell defense mechanisms against exogenous or endogenous stressors. Indeed, by increasing the expression of several cytoprotective genes, the transcription factor NRF2 can shelter cells and tissues from multiple sources of damage including xenobiotic, electrophilic, metabolic, and oxidative stress. Importantly, the aberrant activation or accumulation of NRF2, a common event in many tumors, confers a selective advantage to cancer cells and is associated to malignant progression, therapy resistance, and poor prognosis. Hence, in the last years, NRF2 has emerged as a promising target in cancer treatment and many efforts have been made to identify therapeutic strategies aimed at disrupting its prooncogenic role. By summarizing the results from past and recent studies, in this review, we provide an overview concerning the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway, its biological impact in solid and hematologic malignancies, and the molecular mechanisms causing NRF2 hyperactivation in cancer cells. Finally, we also describe some of the most promising therapeutic approaches that have been successfully employed to counteract NRF2 activity in tumors, with a particular emphasis on the development of natural compounds and the adoption of drug repurposing strategies.

UVA Irradiation Enhances Brusatol-Mediated Inhibition of Melanoma Growth by Downregulation of the Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidant Response

Brusatol (BR) is a potent inhibitor of Nrf2, a transcription factor that is highly expressed in cancer tissues and confers chemoresistance. UVA-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) can damage both normal and cancer cells and may be of potential use in phototherapy. In order to provide an alternative method to treat the aggressive melanoma, we sought to investigate whether low-dose UVA with BR is more effective in eliminating melanoma cells than the respective single treatments. We found that BR combined with UVA led to inhibition of A375 melanoma cell proliferation by cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and triggers cell apoptosis. Furthermore, inhibition of Nrf2 expression attenuated colony formation and tumor development from A375 cells in heterotopic mouse models. In addition, cotreatment of UVA and BR partially suppressed Nrf2 and its downstream target genes such as HO-1 along with the PI3K/AKT pathway. We propose that cotreatment increased ROS-induced cell cycle arrest and cellular apoptosis and inhibits melanoma growth by regulating the AKT-Nrf2 pathway in A375 cells which offers a possible therapeutic intervention strategy for the treatment of human melanoma.

Ethanolic extract of Brucea javanica inhibit proliferation of HCT-116 colon cancer cells via caspase activation

Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. is a well-known plant in Chinese System of Medicine. Its fruits and seeds have been reported to possess curative properties against various ailments. The chemical constituents and biological activity of this plant have been an interesting area in plant and chemistry medicine. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antiproliferative effects of the B. javanica extract against a colon cancer cell line and identification of the chemical components derived from the extract. An ethanolic extract from B. javanica fruits was prepared by cold maceration method, subjected to LC-MS profiling to elucidate the composition abbreviated as BJEE. The extract was screened for the cytotoxicity effects on HCT-116 colon cancer cells via MTT and LDH methods. Additionally, AO/PI staining verified apoptosis features in HCT-116 cells through microscopic analysis. ROS, caspase activity, and gene expression has been performed to identify its possible mechanism of actions which contribute to apoptosis. Output data from this study showed BJEE inhibited the cell proliferation of HCT-116 colon cancer cells at IC50 value of 8.9 ± 1.32 (μg mL-1) and significantly increased the levels of caspase-8, 9, and 3/7 in treated cells in comparison to untreated. The changes in expression of caspase genes and some apoptosis genes like Bax and Bcl-2 were confirmed using RT-PCR. Phytochemical analysis by LC-MS identified six major active compounds (bruceine D, isobrucein A, quassimarin, C16 sphinganine, phytosphingosine, and enigmol) in BJEE that may play a key role in cell apoptosis. The current study showed BJEE could be a promising agent for colorectal cancer therapy by significant increase in caspase activity level, and up-regulation of the specific apoptotic genes.

ROS Modulator Molecules with Therapeutic Potential in Cancers Treatments

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are chemically reactive chemical species containing oxygen. The redox status of a cell is function of the relative concentrations of oxidized and reduced forms of proteins, enzymes, ROS, molecules containing thiol and other factors. In the organism, the redox balance is based on the generation and elimination of ROS produced by endogenous and exogenous sources. All living organisms must maintain their redox equilibrium to survive and proliferate. Enzymatic and molecular pathways control ROS levels tightly but differentially depending on the type of cell. This review is an overview of various molecules that modulate ROS production/detoxification and have a synergistic action with the chemotherapies to kill cancer cells while preserving normal cells to avoid anticancer drugs side effects, allowing a better therapeutic index of the anticancer treatments.

Exploring brusatol as a new anti-pancreatic cancer adjuvant: biological evaluation and mechanistic studies

Pancreatic cancer is highly resistant to chemotherapeutic agents and is known to have a poor prognosis. The development of new therapeutic entities is badly needed for this deadly malignancy. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that brusatol, a natural quassinoid isolated from a Chinese herbal medicine named Bruceae Fructus, possessed potent cytotoxic effect against different pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. Its anti-pancreatic cancer effect was comparable to that of the first-line chemotherapeutic agents such as gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil, with a more favorable safety profile. In addition, brusatol showed a synergistic anti-proliferative effect toward PANC-1 and Capan-2 cell lines when combined with gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil. The results of flow cytometry suggested that brusatol combination treatment with gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil was able to cause cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, and accentuate apoptosis in PANC-1 cells. Moreover, brusatol deactivated gemcitabine/5-fluorouracil-induced NF-κB activation. Western blot analysis and qRT-PCR results showed that brusatol significantly down-regulated the expression of vimentin and Twist, and markedly stimulated the expression of E-cadherin, the key regulatory factors of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. Furthermore, treatment with combination of brusatol and gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil significantly reduced in vivo tumor growth when compared with treatment of either brusatol or gemcitabine/5-fluorouracil alone. Taken together, these results have amply demonstrated that brusatol is a potent anti-pancreatic cancer natural compound, and the synergistic anti-pancreatic cancer effects of brusatol and gemcitabine/5-fluorouracil observed both in vitro and in vivo are associated with the suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition process, indicating that brusatol is a promising adjunct to the current chemotherapeutic regimen.

Brusatol inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via JNK/p38 MAPK/NF-κb/Stat3/Bcl-2 signaling pathway

Brusatol, isolated from brucea, has been proved to exhibit anticancer influence on various kind of human malignancies. However, the role that brusatol plays in pancreatic cancer is seldom known by the public. Through researches brusatol was proved to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in both PATU-8988 and PANC-1 cells by decreasing the expression level of Bcl-2 and increasing the expression levels of Bax, Cleaved Caspase-3. Then we found the activation of the JNK, p38 MAPK and inactivation of the NF-κb, Stat3 are related with the potential pro-apoptotic signaling pathways. However, SP600125 could not only abrogated the JNK activation caused by brusatol, but also reverse the p38 activation and the decrease of Bcl-2 as SB203580 did. Besides, SP600125 and SB203580 also reversed the inactivation of NF-κb and Stat3. Furthermore, BAY 11-7082 and S3I-201 indeed had the similar effect as brusatol had on the expression of Phospho-Stat3 and Bcl-2. To sum up, we came to a conclusion that in pancreatic cancer, brusatol do inhibit growth and induce apoptosis. And we inferred that brusatol illustrates anticancer attribution via JNK/p38 MAPK/NF-κb/Stat3/Bcl-2 signaling pathway.

Java brucea and Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of cholesterol granuloma in the suprasellar and sellar regions: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

A cholesterol granuloma (CG) is usually found in the middle ear, papilla, orbits, petrous apex, and choroid plexus, but is highly uncommon in the skull. In spite of benign clinicopathological lesions, bone erosion can be seen occasionally in the patient with CG. The optimal treatment strategy is radical surgery, but complete excision is usually impossible due to anatomical restrictions and a risk of injury to the key structures located nearby. Here, we report a patient with CGs in the suprasellar and sellar regions who was successfully treated with Java brucea and Chinese herbal medicine.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 31-year-old man presenting with progressive decreased vision in both eyes was analyzed.

DIAGNOSES

A skull magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed a low-density tumor in the uprasellar and sellar regions and histopathological examination revealed a CG.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient was referred the surgery and radiotherapy. In the meantime, brucea soft capsules and herbal medicine combined were administered to him.

OUTCOMES

The related clinical symptoms and signs resolved significantly after several months, as his therapy progressed. The patient showed no sign of recurrence during the treatment period. Furthermore, he was still alive and disease-free at 37 months of follow-up visit.

LESSONS

Overall, brucea soft capsules and a Chinese herbal formula treatment combined could be beneficial in improving the patient's quality of life with CG in the skull.

The aqueous extract of Brucea javanica suppresses cell growth and alleviates tumorigenesis of human lung cancer cells by targeting mutated epidermal growth factor receptor

As a practical and safe herbal medicine, the seeds of Brucea javanica (L.) Merr., were used to cure patients suffering from infectious diseases such as malaria. Recent advances revealed that the herb could also be a useful cancer therapy agent. The study demonstrated that aqueous B. javanica (BJ) extract attenuated the growth of human non-small-lung cancer cells bearing mutant L858R/T790M epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The reduced cell viability in H1975 cells was attributed to apoptosis. Transfection of EGFR small hairpin RNA reverted the sensitivities. When nude mice were fed BJ extract, the growth of xenograft tumors, as established by H1975 cells, was suppressed. Additional histological examination and fluorescence analysis of the resected tissues proved that the induced apoptosis mitigated tumor growth. The work proved that the BJ extract exerted its effectiveness by targeting lung cancer cells carrying mutated EGFR while alleviating tumorigenesis. Aqueous BJ extract is a good candidate to overcome drug resistance in patients undergoing target therapy.

Natural products against cancer angiogenesis

The process of angiogenesis is quite well-known nowadays. Some medicines and extracts affecting this process are already used routinely in supporting the conventional treatment of many diseases that are considered angiogenic such as cancer. However, we must be aware that the area of currently used drugs of this type is much narrower than the theoretical possibilities existing in therapeutic angiogenesis. Plant substances are a large and diverse group of compounds that are found naturally in fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants. They also have different anticancer properties. The aim of this literature review article is to present the current state of knowledge concerning the molecular targets of tumor angiogenesis and the active substances (polyphenols, alkaloids, phytohormones, carbohydrates, and terpenes) derived from natural sources, whose activity against cancer angiogenesis has been confirmed.

Brusatol Enhances the Radiosensitivity of A549 Cells by Promoting ROS Production and Enhancing DNA Damage

NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) has been identified as a master regulatory factor in the protection of cells from oxidative and electrophilic stress. However, overexpression of Nrf2 in lung cancer may cause chemoresistance, as well as radioresistance. In this study, we examined the relationship between radioresistance and Nrf2 protein levels in H1299, A549, and H460 cells, and finally chose the A549 cell line to continue with due to its strong radioresistance and high Nrf2 protein levels. We found that the Nrf2 inhibitor, brusatol, could prevent the increase and accumulation of Nrf2 after exposure to irradiation. Additionally, following treatment with 80 nM brusatol, A549 cells became sensitive to irradiation, suffering severe DNA damage. Combination treatment with brusatol and ionizing radiation (IR) can distinctly increase the level of reactive oxygen species in A549 cells, causing a 1.8-fold increase compared with the control, and a 1.4-fold increase compared with IR alone. In fact, in the treatment with both brusatol and IR, lung cancer cell proliferation is halted, gradually leading to cell death. Because Nrf2 is closely linked to DNA damage repair, inhibiting the function of Nrf2, as in brusatol treatment, may increase the DNA damage caused by radiotherapy or chemotherapy, possibly enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. Our study is the first to demonstrate brusatol’s ability to enhance the responsiveness of lung cancer cells to irradiation, and its potential application as a natural sensitizer in radiotherapy.

The aqueous extract of Chinese medicinal herb Brucea javanica suppresses the growth of human liver cancer and the derived stem-like cells by apoptosis

Being effective and relatively safe, the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Brucea javanica (BJ) has been valuable in curing patients in East Asia and its nearby regions for years. Recent reports suggested that the medicinal herb possesses broad antitumor activity against various cancer cells. This study evaluated whether low concentrations of BJ aqueous extract inhibited the growth of liver cancer cells. Experiments including flow cytometry and Western blot analysis established the development of apoptotic cell death after treatment. Further experiments evaluated the growth of the enriched spheroids. BJ not only reduced the expression of stem cell markers but also eliminated tumor spheroids by apoptotic death. The findings suggest BJ is a promising supplement to the current therapy regimen and highlight the opportunity of BJ as a practical avenue to suppress the growth of the stem cells in liver cancer.

Research of Brucea javanica against cancer

Brucea javanica, a Chinese herbal medicine, combined with conventional anticancer modalities, has been widely used for treatment of various cancers. Based on researches over the last decades, authors briefly summarized its active constituents, molecular mechanisms and clinical application for cancer treatment.

Comprehensive profiling and characterization of quassinoids from the seeds of Brucea javanica via segment and exposure strategy coupled with modified mass defect filter

Quassinoids, the predominant constituents in the seeds of Brucea javanica (BJ), have gained an increasing interest over the past decades since the discovery of their extensive biological activities. In the present study, a method based on the segment and exposure strategy coupled with two mass spectrometer data acquisition techniques was firstly developed and validated for comprehensive profiling of quassinoids in the seeds of BJ via high-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF/MS). The segment and exposure strategy could significantly improve the detection efficiency for trace quassinoids in the seeds of BJ. Furthermore, the five-point screening approach based on modified mass defect filter (MDF) and the visual isotopic ion technique could rapidly screen the precursor ions of interest. The fragmentation behavior of quassinoids was systematically investigated, and a total of 148 quassinoids including 86 potentially new ones were unambiguously or tentatively identified in the seeds of BJ. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the integrated strategy reported in this study has considerable potential for rapid screening of natural compounds especially for the trace ones in herbal medicines.

Involvement of autophagy inhibition in Brucea javanica oil emulsion-induced colon cancer cell death

Brucea javanica oil emulsion (BJOE), the petroleum ether extract of B. javanica emulsified by phospholipid, is widely used in China as an anticancer agent. The extracts from B. javanica induce cancer cell death by various mechanisms; however, it is not known whether these mechanisms involve autophagy, which is an important process in cancer development and treatment. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate whether BJOE modulates autophagy in HCT116 human colon cancer cells and whether modulation of autophagy is an anticancer mechanism of BJOE. Immunoblotting was employed to analyze the protein expression levels of microtubule-associated protein light-chain 3 (LC3), a specific protein marker of autophagy, in HCT116 cancer cells following exposure to BJOE. The apoptosis rate of the HCT116 cancer cells was detected by performing an Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay. According to the effect of BJOE administration on autophagy in the HCT116 cancer cells (induction or suppression), a functionally opposite agent (autophagy suppressor or inducer) was applied to counteract this effect, and the apoptosis rate of the cancer cells was detected again. The role of autophagy (pro-survival or pro-death) was demonstrated by comparing the rates of apoptotic cancer cells prior to and following the counteraction. The results revealed that BJOE suppressed the protein expression levels of LC3, including the LC3-I and LC3-II forms, and induced apoptosis in the HCT116 cancer cells with a high level of basal LC3. The apoptosis-inducing activity of BJOE was significantly attenuated when autophagy was induced by the administration of trehalose, an autophagy inducer. The data indicates that autophagy inhibition is involved in BJOE-induced cancer cell death, and that this inhibition may be a potential anticancer mechanism of BJOE.

Brusatol isolated from Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. induces apoptotic death of insect cell lines

Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. is a medicine plant distributed widely throughout Asia where its bitter fruits have been used traditionally in medicine for treating various ailments and controlling some pests. In recent years, concerns over the potential impact of synthetic pesticides on human health and environment have now become more pressing to develop environmentally friendly pesticides. In this paper, brusatol, a quassinoid, was isolated from the fruit of B. javanica, and identified using X-ray crystallographic analysis. Results showed that brusatol has potent contact toxicity (LD50, 2.91 μg/larva, 72 h) and anfieedant activity (AFC50, 17.4 mg/L, 48 h) against the third-instar larvae of Spodoptera exigua. Brusatol demonstrated cytotoxic effects to the tested insect cell lines, IOZCAS-Spex-II and Sf21, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. After brusatol treatment, apoptotic cell death with the DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3 and release of cytochrome c was preliminarily observed in both IOZCAS-Spex-II and Sf21. These results indicated the existence of apoptotic death with the mitochondrial-dependent pathway induced by brusatol in Sf21 and IOZCAS-Spex-II cell lines. Our studies will provide important knowledge to understand mechanisms of action of brusatol and to develop brusatol and its derivatives as insecticides.

Chemical components, pharmacological properties, and nanoparticulate delivery systems of Brucea javanica

Brucea javanica has demonstrated a variety of antitumoral, antimalarial, and anti- inflammatory properties. As a Chinese herbal medicine, Brucea javanica is mainly used in the treatment of lung and gastrointestinal cancers. Pharmacological research has identified the main antitumor components are tetracyclic triterpene quassinoids. However, most of these active components have poor water solubility and low bioavailability, which greatly limit their clinical application. Nanoparticulate delivery systems are urgently needed to improve the bioavailability of Brucea javanica. This paper mainly focuses on the chemical components in Brucea javanica and its pharmacological properties and nanoparticulate formulations, in an attempt to encourage further research on its active components and nanoparticulate drug delivery systems to expand its clinical applications. It is expected to improve the level of pharmaceutical research and provide a strong scientific foundation for further study on the medicinal properties of this plant.

The aqueous extract of Prunella vulgaris suppresses cell invasion and migration in human liver cancer cells by attenuating matrix metalloproteinases

The mechanism of action of Prunella vulgaris L. (PV) affecting cell migration and invasion of human liver cancer cells remains unknown. In this work we showed that the aqueous extract of PV affected migration and invasion of human liver carcinoma cells by inhibiting activities of metalloproteases, MMP-2 and MMP-9, without affecting cell viabilities. We further showed that PV suppressed migration through attenuation of enzymatic activities of MMP-9 and MMP-2 at transcriptional levels and the effects can be correlated with the status of p53 in hepatocarcinoma cells. This work provides a new dimension of understanding on Prunella vulgaris in restraining migration and invasion in human liver cancer cells.

Eriocalyxin B induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells through caspase- and p53-dependent pathways

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect early and responds poorly to chemotherapy. A breakthrough in the development of new therapeutic agents is urgently needed. Eriocalyxin B (EriB), isolated from the Isodon eriocalyx plant, is an ent-kaurane diterpenoid with promise as a broad-spectrum anti-cancer agent. The anti-leukemic activity of EriB, including the underlying mechanisms involved, has been particularly well documented. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time EriB's potent cytotoxicity against four pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines, namely PANC-1, SW1990, CAPAN-1, and CAPAN-2. The effects were comparable to that of the chemotherapeutic camptothecin (CAM), but with much lower toxicity against normal human liver WRL68 cells. EriB's cytoxicity against CAPAN-2 cells was found to involve caspase-dependent apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Moreover, the p53 pathway was found to be activated by EriB in these cells. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed that EriB inhibited the growth of human pancreatic tumor xenografts in BALB/c nude mice without significant secondary adverse effects. These results suggest that EriB should be considered a candidate for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Cytotoxicity screening of Bangladeshi medicinal plant extracts on pancreatic cancer cells

Background

There has been a long standing interest in the identification of medicinal plants and derived natural products for developing cancer therapeutics. Our study focuses upon pancreatic cancer, due to its high mortality rate, that is attributed in part to the lack of an effective chemotherapeutic agent. Previous reports on the use of medicinal plant extracts either alone or alongside conventional anticancer agents in the treatment of this cancer have shown promising results. This work aims to investigate the therapeutic properties of a library of medicinal plants from Bangladesh.

Methods

56 extracts of 44 unique medicinal plants were studied. The extracts were screened for cytotoxicity against the pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line Panc-1, using a label-free biosensor assay. The top cytotoxic extracts identified in this screen were tested on two additional pancreatic cancer cell lines (Mia-Paca2 and Capan-1) and a fibroblast cell line (Hs68) using an MTT proliferation assay. Finally, one of the most promising extracts was studied using a caspase-3 colorimetric assay to identify induction of apoptosis.

Results

Crude extracts of Petunia punctata, Alternanthera sessilis, and Amoora chittagonga showed cytotoxicity to three cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging between 20.3 - 31.4 μg/mL, 13.08 - 34.9 μg/mL, and 42.8 - 49.8 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, treatment of Panc-1 cells with Petunia punctata was shown to increase caspase-3 activity, indicating that the observed cytotoxicity was mediated via apoptosis. Only Amoora chittagonga showed low cytotoxicity to fibroblast cells with an IC₅₀ value > 100 μg/mL.

Conclusion

Based upon the initial screening work reported here, further studies aimed at the identification of active components of these three extracts and the elucidation of their mechanisms as cancer therapeutics are warranted.

Brucea javanica oil induces apoptosis in T24 bladder cancer cells via upregulation of caspase-3, caspase-9, and inhibition of NF-kappaB and COX-2 expressions

The potential molecular mechanism of Brucea javanica oil in the induction of apoptosis of T24 bladder cancer cells was investigated in vitro. T24 cells were divided into two groups: one, treated with B. javanica oil and the other, untreated. The cells were maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and 4 mM glutamine. The morphological characteristics of T24 cells were examined microscopically at the 2nd and 5th day of the culture. The drug toxicity spectrum (IC(50)) was estimated by the MTT assay, and viability of T24 cells was assessed on the basis of the percentage of T24 apoptotic cells, as determined by Annexin/PI staining and flow cytometric analysis. The expression of caspase-3, capase-9, NF-kappaB p65, and COX-2 was analyzed by Western blotting. Morphological characteristics of the cells on the 2nd day showed apoptosis of the treated T24 cells; it was more apparent in the cells on the 5th day. B. javanica oil decreased the cell viability at the testing concentrations spectrum (5-0.156 mg/ml), and this viability was significantly higher as compared to the control group. In this concentration spectrum, B. javanica oil also induced apoptosis of T24 cells, which was analyzed by annexin/PI staining and flow cytometric analysis. These results were also statistically significant as compared to those of the control group. The expressions of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were low in the control T24 cells, while the expressions of NF-kappaB and COX-2 were high in normal T24 cells. Treatment with B. javanica oil significantly induced the expressions of caspase-3 and caspase-9 proteins in T24 cells, whereas the expressions of NF-kappaB and COX-2 proteins were inhibited. B. javanica oil significantly reduced the viability of T24 cells and induced T24 cell apoptosis. The molecular mechanism underlying these effects may be the activation of caspase apoptotic pathway by upregulation of the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 proteins and inhibition of the expression of NF-kappaB and COX-2 proteins.

Cytotoxicity of Atriplex confertifolia

The search for cancer treatment continues to be a global effort. As part of this global effort, many natural products have been tested against cancer cell lines, mostly from tropically located plants. This study reports that extracts of Atriplex confertifolia (Torr. and Frem.) S. Watson (Chenopodiaceae), a native North American plant (also known as shadscale or saltbush), has significant bioactivity against human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB 435, MDA-MB 231, and HeLa cells (cervical cancer cells). The bioactivity of A. confertifolia extracts on these cells lines was compared to an FDA-approved cancer drug (Onxol((R))) and an industry-standard leukocyte control cell line. Active portions of the extracts were found primarily in the polar fractions of the plant. A dose-response curve of the extracts displayed significant cell death similar to Onxol((R)). The plant extracts did not significantly inhibit the viability of the leukocyte cell line. In a timed study, over 90% of cell lines MDA-MB 435 and HeLa died after 24 hours. Cell death appears to result from apoptosis.

Role of reactive oxygen species in brucein D-mediated p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappaB signalling pathways in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

In human pancreatic adenocarcinoma, nuclear factor-kappa-B (NF-kappaB) transcription factor is constitutively activated that contributes to the resistance of the tumour cells to induced apoptosis. In our earlier studies, we have shown that brucein D (BD) mediated apoptosis through activation of the p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. This study investigated the function of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in BD-mediated p38-MAPK and NF-kappaB signalling pathways in PANC-1 cells.

METHODS

Glutathione and dihydroethidium assays were used to measure the antioxidant and superoxide levels, respectively. The protein expression of p22(phox), p67(phox) and p38-MAPK were examined by western blot. The NF-kappaB activity was evaluated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.

RESULTS

Treatment with BD depleted the intracellular glutathione levels in PANC-1 cells. Brucein D triggered the activation of NADPH oxidase isoforms, p22(phox) and p67(phox) while enhancing the generation of superoxide. Increases in both intracellular ROS and NADPH oxidase activity were inhibited by an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Brucein D-mediated activation of p38-MAPK was also inhibited by NAC. However, inhibition of NF-kappaB activity in BD-treated cells was independent of ROS. In vivo studies showed that BD treatment effectively reduced the rate of xenograft human pancreatic tumour in nude mice with no significant toxicity.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that BD is an apoptogenic agent for pancreatic cancer cells through activation of the redox-sensitive p38-MAPK pathway and inhibition of NF-kappaB anti-apoptotic activity in pancreatic cancer cells.