Phytol ameliorated benzo(a)pyrene induced lung carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice via inhibition of oxidative stress and apoptosis

Oral toxicity assessment and the mitigation of lung carcinogenesis by phytol and α-bisabolol combination treatment in swiss albino mice: insights into redox enzyme modulation and caspase-dependent cell death mechanisms

This study examined the safety and potential anti-lung cancer effects of combinations of phytol and α-bisabolol in Swiss albino mice. Both acute and subacute toxicity assessments showed that the combination of phytol and α-bisabolol is safe, with no adverse effects observed at higher concentrations. Hematological, biochemical, and histopathological tests showed no signs of toxicity in the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys. The LD50 was greater than 2000 mg/kg, indicating a large safety margin. Histopathological analysis confirmed cancer induction in the B(a)P-induced group, which had significantly altered relative lung weights. Lung weight increased slightly pre and post-treatment, but histopathology showed normal alveolar epithelium. GSH and SOD levels increased significantly in B(a)P-exposed groups, indicating an adaptive antioxidant response. CAT levels increased significantly in the post-treatment group, demonstrating the role of combination of phytol and α-bisabolol in protecting against B(a)P-induced oxidative damage. Upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2 caused a pro-apoptotic environment, suggesting a way to inhibit malignant cell survival. Modulation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 showed the complexity of carcinogen-induced apoptotic signaling. In conclusion, phytol and α-bisabolol were found to be safe and organ-protective, and demonstrated no acute or subacute toxicity. They modulate antioxidant defenses and apoptotic pathways, which may help prevent and treat lung cancer.

Prospecting of the Antioxidant Activity from Extracts Obtained from Chañar (Geoffroea decorticans) Seeds Evaluated In Vitro and In Vivo Using the Tenebrio molitor Model

Geoffroea decorticans, commonly known as Chañar, is a native Chilean plant widely used in folk medicine for its expectorant, pain relief, and antinociceptive properties. This study explored the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and protective effects of its ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (EA) seed extracts against oxidative stress induced by copper sulfate, using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in the extracts. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) identified significant components such as phytol, alpha-tocopherol, vitexin, and rutin, with the EE being particularly rich in phytol and vitexin. Antioxidant assays-measuring the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging, and copper and iron chelation-confirmed their potent antioxidant capabilities. Both extracts were non-cytotoxic and provided protection against CuSO4-induced oxidative stress in the 3T3 cell line. Additionally, the use of Tenebrio molitor as an invertebrate model underscored the extracts' antioxidant and protective potentials, especially that of the EE. In conclusion, this study highlights the significant antioxidant and protective properties of Chañar seed extracts, particularly the ethanolic extract, in both in vitro and in vivo models.

Phytol and α-Bisabolol Synergy Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in A549 Cells and Additional Molecular Insights through Comprehensive Proteome Analysis via Nano LC-MS/MS

BACKGROUND

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is a malignancy with a significant prevalence and aggressive nature, posing a considerable challenge in terms of therapeutic interventions. Autophagy and apoptosis, two intricate cellular processes, are integral to NSCLC pathophysiology, each affecting the other through shared signaling pathways. Phytol (Phy) and α-bisabolol (Bis) have shown promise as potential anticancer agents individually, but their combined effects in NSCLC have not been extensively investigated.

OBJECTIVE

The present study was to examine the synergistic impact of Phy and Bis on NSCLC cells, particularly in the context of autophagy modulation, and to elucidate the resulting differential protein expression using LCMS/ MS analysis.

METHODS

The A549 cell lines were subjected to the patented effective concentration of Phy and Bis, and subsequently, the viability of the cells was evaluated utilizing the MTT assay. The present study utilized real-time PCR analysis to assess the expression levels of crucial apoptotic genes, specifically Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-9, as well as autophagy-related genes, including Beclin-1, SQSTM1, Ulk1, and LC3B. The confirmation of autophagy marker expression (Beclin-1, LC3B) and the autophagy-regulating protein SQSTM1 was achieved through the utilization of Western blot analysis. Differentially expressed proteins were found using LC-MS/MS analysis.

RESULTS

The combination of Phy and Bis demonstrated significant inhibition of NSCLC cell growth, indicating their synergistic effect. Real-time PCR analysis revealed a shift towards apoptosis, with downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax and Caspase-9, suggesting a shift towards apoptosis. Genes associated with autophagy regulation, including Beclin-1, SQSTM1 (p62), Ulk1, and LC3B, showed significant upregulation, indicating potential induction of autophagy. Western blot analysis confirmed increased expression of autophagy markers, such as Beclin-1 and LC3B, while the autophagy-regulating protein SQSTM1 exhibited a significant decrease. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed differential expression of 861 proteins, reflecting the modulation of cellular processes. Protein-protein interaction network analysis highlighted key proteins involved in apoptotic and autophagic pathways, including STOML2, YWHAB, POX2, B2M, CDA, CAPN2, TXN, ECHS1, PEBP1, PFN1, CDC42, TUBB1, HSPB1, PXN, FGF2, and BAG3, emphasizing their crucial roles. Additionally, PANTHER pathway analysis uncovered enriched pathways associated with the differentially expressed proteins, revealing their involvement in a diverse range of biological processes, encompassing cell signaling, metabolism, and cellular stress responses.

CONCLUSION

The combined treatment of Phy and Bis exerts a synergistic inhibitory effect on NSCLC cell growth, mediated through the interplay of apoptosis and autophagy. The differential protein expression observed, along with the identified proteins and enriched pathways, provides valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms. These findings offer a foundation for further exploration of the therapeutic potential of Phy and Bis in the management of NSCLC.

Wogonin alleviates BaP-induced DNA damage and oxidative stress in human airway epithelial cells by dual inhibiting CYP1A1 activity and expression

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a common air pollutant that has been reported to cause oxidative stress and carcinogenesis. Wogonin, a flavonoid compound extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis, has been found to possess a variety of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of wogonin to alleviate the cytotoxicity induced by BaP in human airway epithelial cells and explore the corresponding mechanism. Our study found that wogonin treatment inhibited DNA damage and reactive oxygen species overproduction induced by BaP in human airway epithelial cells. In vitro enzyme assays showed that wogonin significantly inhibited the enzymatic activity of CYP1A1. In addition, wogonin decreased the basal level of CYP1A1 and inhibited the CYP1A1 overexpression induced by BaP, whereas overexpression of CYP1A1 partially reversed the effect of wogonin on BaP-induced DNA damage. Meanwhile, a CYP1A1 inhibitor and CYP1A1 knockdown also showed these same effects. Further studies showed that wogonin regulates CYP1A1 expression by inhibiting CDK7 and CDK9 activity. The use of CDK7 or CDK9 inhibitors decreased BaP-induced cytotoxicity and CYP1A1 expression. Finally, we found that the methoxy group of wogonin was crucial for its inhibitory activity. In conclusion, our data indicated that wogonin could effectively relieve BaP induced cytotoxicity, and its mechanism was related to the dual inhibition of CYP1A1 activity and expression.

The palliative effect of mulberry leaf and olive leaf ethanolic extracts on hepatic CYP2E1 and caspase-3 immunoexpression and oxidative damage induced by paracetamol in male rats

This study investigated the possible protective role of mulberry leaf (MLE) and olive leaf (OLE) ethanolic extracts against paracetamol (PTL)-induced liver injury in rats compared to silymarin as a reference drug. Initially, MLE and OLE were characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Then, forty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: the negative control group orally received distilled water for 35 days, the PTL-treated group (PTG) received 500 mg PTL/kg b. wt. for 7 days, the MLE-treated group (MLTG) received 400 mg MLE/kg b. wt., the OLE-treated group (OLTG) received 400 mg OLE/kg b. wt., and the silymarin-treated group (STG) received 100 mg silymarin/kg b. wt. The last three groups received the treatment for 28 days, then PTL for 7 days. The GC-MS characterization revealed that MLE comprised 19 constituents dominated by ethyl linoleate, phytol, hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester, and squalene. Moreover, OLE comprised 30 components, and the major components were 11-eicosenoic acid, oleic acid, phytol, and à-tetralone. MLE and OLE significantly corrected the PTL-induced normocytic normochromic anemia, leukocytosis, hypercholesterolemia, and hypoproteinemia. Moreover, the MLE and OLE pretreatment considerably suppressed the PTL-induced increment in serum levels of hepatic enzymes, including alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. Furthermore, the PTL-induced depletion in antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, and the rise in hepatic malondialdehyde content were significantly reversed by the MLE and OLE pretreatment. Besides, MLE and OLE pretreatment significantly protected the hepatic tissue against PTL-induced DNA damage, pathological perturbations, and increased caspase 3 and CYP2E1 immunoexpression. Of note, OLTG showed better enhancement of most indices rather than MLTG. Conclusively, these findings imply that OLE, with its antioxidant and antiapoptotic capabilities, is superior to MLE in protecting against PTL-induced liver injury.

Mechanisms of the ethanol extract of Gelidium amansii for slow aging in high-fat male Drosophila by metabolomic analysis

Gelidium amansii (GA) is a kind of red alga homologous to medicine and food and is distributed all over the world. Studies on GA are mainly focused on its polysaccharides, with little research on the ethanol extract. The ethanol extract of Gelidium amansii (GAE) was subjected to a reverse-phase column to obtain 7 components. Among them, 100% methanol solution (GAM), enriched with phytene-1,2-diol, exhibited the strongest DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.17 mg mL-1). Subsequently, high-fat male flies (HMFs) were used as a model to explore the antioxidant and anti-aging effects of GAM in vivo. Studies showed that GAM can effectively prolong the lifespan of HMFs. When GAM concentrations were 0.2 and 1.0 mg mL-1, the average lifespan of HMFs was increased by 28.7 and 40.7%, respectively, while the longest lifespan of HMFs was increased by 20.55% and 32.88%, respectively. Further research revealed that GAM can significantly downregulate the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO), and can significantly upregulate the levels of catalase (CAT) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD). In addition, by analyzing differential metabolites, we found that GAM relieves aging caused by oxidative stress by regulating amino acid, lipid, sugar, and energy metabolism. The GAM group significantly regulated the levels of adenine, cholic acid, glutamate, L-proline, niacin, and stachyose which tend to recover to the levels of the normal diet male fly (NMF) group. In general, our research provides ideas for the high-value utilization of GA and provides a lead compound for the research and development of anti-aging food or medicine.

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside mitigates benzo[a]pyrene-induced liver and kidney toxicity in mice via miR-101a/MKP-1-mediated p38 and ERK pathway

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) can cause hepatorenal toxicity. Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), a polyphenolic compound present in flaxseed, has shown a variety of biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic effects. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and working mechanisms of SDG against BaP-induced hepatorenal injury. Forty male mice were administrated daily (via gastric gavage; 4 weeks) with 0.9% saline (control), BaP (75 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)), SDG (100 mg/kg b.w.), SDG (100 mg/kg b.w.)+BaP (75 mg/kg b.w.). Results showed that the mice treated with SDG + BaP had significantly (P < 0.05) higher body weight, lower organ-to-body weight ratio, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, and less levels of serum creatinine (CRE) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) than those treated with BaP alone. SDG administration alleviated BaP-induced oxidative damages, inflammation and apoptosis. Furthermore, it significantly (P < 0.05) downregulated phosphor-p38 (p-p38) and phosphor-extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK) levels, upregulated mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) level, and suppressed miR-101a expression compared with BaP alone group. Taken together, these results showed for the first time that SDG has protective effects against BaP-induced liver and kidney toxicity in mice through regulating oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis via miR-101a/MKP-1-mediated p38 and ERK pathway.

Effects of catechin hydrate in benzo[a]pyrene-induced lung toxicity: roles of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage

The major sources for human exposure to Benzo [a] pyrene (B[a]P) are contaminated food, water, and inhalation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. B[a]P is a well-known human genotoxic carcinogen (IARC Group 1). It has a tumorigenic potential in virtually all in vivo experimental animal model systems. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of catechin hydrate (CH) against B [a] P-induced toxicity in the lung of adult albino rats. Thirty-six adult male albino rats (150-200 g) were divided into six groups, three control groups, and three experimental groups: B[a] P-treated group, (CH)-treated group, and B[a] P+(CH)-treated group. At the end of the fourth week of the study, blood samples and lung tissues were obtained for the biochemical and genotoxicity, RT-PCR, histopathological, and immunohistochemical investigations, respectively. Our results clarified that B[a] P exposure caused a subsequent decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT), and conversely (MDA) levels elevated markedly. Also, B[a] P induced DNA damages and activated the apoptotic pathway, presented by upregulated Bax, caspase-3, and downregulated Bcl-2 gens. However, treatment with CH increased antioxidant enzymes as well as regulated apoptosis. Discernible histological changes in the lung also supported the protective effects of CH. These findings suggested that CH is an effective natural product that attenuates Benzo [a] pyrene-induced lung toxicity.

Immunosuppressive role of Benzo[a]pyrene in induction of lung cancer in mice

AIM

Benzo[a]pyrene [BP] is one of the major carcinogenic precursors of cigarette smoke that primary affects the lung at its first proximity. The goal of the current research was to elucidate new mechanisms underlying the tumorigenic impact of oral BP in the lung of mice, with focus on immunosuppressive effects and cancer stemming properties.

METHODS

Female albino mice (n = 44) were divided into 2 groups: normal control and BP group. BP was administered orally to mice (50 mg/kg body weight), twice a week for four weeks in succession. At the end of experiment (22 weeks), gene expression were measured for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmed death ligand 1(PD-L1), forkhead box protein P3 (FOXP3) and interleukin 12 (IL-12) and CD83⁺, CD8⁺ and CD166⁺ cell percentage were measured in lung tissue.

RESULTS

The results indicated the tumorigenic role of BP in the lung which was evidenced by histopathological examination. BP group also showed immunosuppressive role which evidenced by increased expression of lung TGF-β, CTLA-4, PD-L1, FOXP3 genes and decreased expression of lung IL-12 gene compared with normal control group. BP group also showed decreased CD83⁺ cells, CD8⁺ cells and increased number of CD166⁺ cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicated that BP has immunosuppressive role in lung cancer besides increasing the percentage of cancer stem like cells.

Melatonin inhibits Benzo(a)pyrene-Induced apoptosis through activation of the Mir-34a/Sirt1/autophagy pathway in mouse liver

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), an important environmental pollutant, is produced as the result of incomplete combustion of organic materials in many industries and food cooking process. It has been purposed that BaP induces hepatotoxicity through oxidative stress and apoptosis. Several studies have shown that melatonin can protect against chemical-induced apoptosis through autophagy pathway. In this study, we assessed the modulating effect of melatonin, a well-known antioxidant, on BaP-induced hepatotoxicity through induction of autophagy. Thirty male mice were treated daily for 28 consecutive days. BaP (75 mg/kg; oral gavage) and melatonin (10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered to mice. The liver histopathology and the levels of apoptosis and autophagy proteins as well as the expression of miR-34a were determined. The BaP exposure induced severe liver histological injury and markedly enhanced AST, ALT and MDA level. Also, apoptosis proteins and hepatic miR-34a expression increased. However, the level of Sirt1 and autophagy markers such as LC3 II/I ratio and Beclin-1 reduced. The co-administration of melatonin reversed all changes caused by BaP. In summary, melatonin appears to be effective in BaP-induced hepatotoxicity maybe through the miR-34a/Sirt1/autophagy molecular pathway.